cw.blackalibi-第34节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　〃I'm　sure　we'll　be　practically　helpless　without　you；〃　Robles　called　after　him　sarcastically。
　　
　　
　　VI。　Black　Alibi
　　
　　Manning　at　sight　suspected　some　of　the　luggage　of　being　hers　when　he　stepped　into　the　Inglaterra　from　the　street。　It　was　in　the　center　of　the　tiled　patio；　and　a　glimpse　of　a　red　〃M　K〃　on　the　corner　of　one　of　the　pieces　confirmed　his　suspicion。　There　seemed　to　be；　however；　an　unusual　amount　of　it；　and　more　was　being　added　to　it　every　time　the　creaking　lift　came　down。
　　He　went　over　to　the　desk。　〃Is　that　the　americana；　the　one　whose　friend…？〃
　　〃She　and　everyone　else；　seсor；〃　the　clerk　said　dolefully。　〃We　are　being　emptied　like　the…how　you　say？…epidemic　is　here。　Twenty…three　rooms　in　last　two　hours…〃
　　Manning　was　only　interested　in　one　of　the　twenty…three　check…outs。　〃Hpw　soon　is　she　leaving；　do　you　know？〃
　　〃She　take　the　Santa　Emilia　from　Val；　on　Tuesday。〃　He　shrugged　pessimistically。　〃She　cannot　be　blamed；　seсor；　no？〃
　　〃No；〃　Manning　agreed；　lowering　his　head；　〃she　cannot　be　blamed。　I　guess　I'd　go；　too。〃　He　took　out　a　cigarette；　looked　down　at　it　thoughtfully　without　using　it。　Then　he　looked　up　again。　〃I　wonder　if　she'll　see　me。〃
　　〃I　try；　seсor。　Whose　name　shall　I　say？〃
　　She　probably　wouldn't　remember　his　name；　from　amidst　all　that　horror　the　other　night。　She　wouldn't　have　salvaged　it。　He　gave　it　anyway。
　　〃Mees　Keeng；　is　Mister　Manning　here　to　see　ju。〃　The　clerk　nodded。　〃The　twenty…four；　seсor；　on　secon'　floor。〃
　　Manning　took　the　stairs。　The　lift　was　still　busy　disgorging　luggage　at　every　down　trip。　As　the　clerk　had　said；　there　seemed　to　be　a　mass　exodus　on。
　　In　fact；　as　he　passed　the　open　transom　of　a　door　on　the　second…floor　corridor；　he　overheard　an　unmistakably　American　voice；　feminine；　saying　to　someone：　〃I　don't　care；　Harvey　Williams；　business　deal　or　no　business　deal；　I　will　not　spend　another　night　in　this　city　with　that　thing　prowling　around　loose！　You　can　sign　those　papers　just　as　well　down　on　the　coast　while　we're　waiting　for　the　ship　to　sail…〃
　　Yes；　the　panic　was　on。
　　Manning　knocked　on　24。　Her　voice　said；　〃e　in。〃
　　She　was　in　the　middle　of　finishing　packing　her　smaller　pieces；　the　hand　luggage。　Three　or　four　of　them　were　ranged　around　her。　She　was　in　a　white　corduroy　wrapper；　tiny　at　the　waist；　spreading　at　the　floor。　She　looked　as　though　she　hadn't　slept　since　that　night；　and　he　glimpsed　several　small　bottles　of　nerve　tablets　or　sedative　ranged　on　the　stand　beside　her　bed。
　　Pallor　and　the　darkness　about　her　eyes　only　made　her　more　beautiful。　You　had　to　be　as　young　as　she；　he　told　himself；　to　suffer　and　still　turn　out　looking　beautiful。　When　you　got　to　be　a　few　years　older；　and　suffered；　it　just　made　you　haggard。
　　The　first　thought　that　crossed　his　mind；　before　he'd　even　opened　his　mouth　to　her；　was：　〃What　made　me　e　here？　I　had　no　right　to。　I　should　have　stayed　away　and　let　her　alone。〃
　　〃You　don't　remember　me；〃　he　said　tactfully。　〃I'm　the　fellow…well；　I　was　with　them　the　other　night。〃
　　〃Oh；〃　she　said。　Even　the　recollection　still　made　her　wince。　〃I　thought　it　was　somebody　from　the　Express；　about　my　reservation　and　tickets。　No；〃　she　admitted；　〃I　don't　remember　you。〃
　　〃I　really　had　no　right　to　intrude　like　this；〃　he　murmured　tactfully。
　　〃No；　it's　all　right。　I'm　all　alone　here　and…it's　nice　to　have　someone　to　talk　to　in　your　own　language。〃　She　was　not　only　sincere；　she　was　almost　pathetically　grateful。　〃I　was　in　bed　all　day　yesterday。　I　only　got　up　today　because　I　had　to…to　plete　the　necessary　arrangements　for　poor　Sally。〃　Her　voice　shook　a　little　when　she　pronounced　the　name。　〃Sit　down；　Mr。　Manning。〃　She　removed　a　small　fitted　toilet　case　from　the　seat　of　a　chair。
　　〃Won't　I　be　in　your　way？〃
　　〃Most　of　my　heavy　packing　is　finished。　I'm　taking　the　night　train　down；　that　doesn't　leave　until　ten；　I　understand。　There's　plenty　of　time…as　long　as　I　make　sure　I　get　out　of　this　place。〃　A　look　of　unspeakable　revulsion　flitted　across　her　face。　〃As　long　as　I　make　sure　I　get　out　of　this　place！〃　Her　intensity　made　her　almost　wild…eyed。
　　〃I　can　understand　how　you　feel；〃　he　said　sympathetically。
　　〃It's　been　pretty　bad；〃　she　went　on　in　a　more　posed　voice；　sitting　down　and　crossing　her　knees；　but　then　robbing　the　attitude　of　all　repose　by　plucking　incessantly　at　the　fabric　of　her　white　robe　just　over　her　kneecap。　〃I　had　all　her　things　to　put　away。　I　could　see　imaginary　rips　and　tatters　on　every…〃　She　bit　her　lip；　forbore　going　ahead。
　　He　was　acutely　unfortable；　as　men　always　are　in　the　presence　of　feminine　emotion。
　　〃And　the　trip　up　isn't　going　to　be　easy　either。　It's　the　same　ship　we　came　down　on　together　and…well　you　know　how　it　is。〃
　　He　supposed　not；　he　said　almost　inaudibly。　He　felt　as　though　he　had　six　hands　and　feet。
　　〃She'd　looked　forward　so　to　this　vacation；〃　she　went　on　after　a　moment's　quiet。　〃The　last　few　weeks；　before　we　left；　she　kept　ing　over　to　my　house　nearly　every　other　night；　to　show　me　some　latest　addition　she'd　made　to　her　wardrobe；　to　plan　some　new　detail。　She　was　even　taking　Spanish　lessons；　at　the　end。　And　to　have　it　end　like　this！〃
　　He　thought　maybe　it　was　better　for　her　to　get　it　all　out　of　her　system　instead　of　keeping　it　pent　up；　didn't　try　to　change　the　subject。
　　〃We've　lived　next　door　to　each　other　ever　since　we　were　a　pair　of　knock…kneed　little　brats　with　braces　on　our　teeth。　Went　to　school　together；　went　to　dances　together。　Her　poor　mother's　waiting　up　there　now。　And　I've　got　to　go　back　and　face　her。　Bring　her　back　in　a　box。〃　She　did　something　to　her　shapely　eyebrows　with　the　fingers　of　one　hand。
　　〃Have　you　cabled？〃　he　asked　gently。
　　〃Yes。　I　had　to；　of　course。　I　didn't　say　what　it　was。　I　couldn't　bring　myself　to。　Not　on　teletype　strips。〃　She　halted；　went　on　thoughtfully：　〃There's　something　so　unspeakable　about　what　it　really　was。〃
　　If　you　only　knew；　he　concurred　unheard。
　　〃I　let　them　think　pneumonia。　Now　when　I　do　get　back；　that's　another　thing　I'll　have　to　tell　them。〃　Her　voice　trailed　off；　and　in　the　silence　he　got　up　to　go。
　　He　really　intended　going　without　a　word；　without　broaching　what　had　been　on　his　mind　when　he　came　here。　Then　unexpectedly；　as　he　was　already　at　the　door；　she　gave　him　the　opening　he　had　no　longer　been　seeking。　〃They　haven't　caught　it　yet；　have　they？〃　she　asked。
　　〃No；　they　haven't；〃　he　answered；　turning　and　looking　square　at　her。　〃And　they　won't。〃
　　〃Why　do　you　say　that？〃
　　〃Because；　Miss　King；　it's　not　a　jaguar；〃　he　told　her　quietly。
　　She　stared　at　him；　intently　for　a　long　moment。　He　could　see　her　already　wan　face　paling　still　more；　before　his　very　eyes；　as　his　meaning　sank　in　with　terrible　slowness。
　　〃Oh　no；〃　she　grimaced　sickly　at　last；　drawing　the　back　of　her　hand　across　her　lips；　〃I　couldn't　bear　that　thought。　If　anything　can　make　it　worse　than　it　was　already…that　does。〃
　　〃Shall　I　go　ahead；　or　would　you　rather　I　didn't？〃
　　But　the　question　was　superfluous；　he　could　see　the　damage　was　done　already。　She　just　kept　staring　at　him　in　a　frozen；　furrowed　horror。　If　he　shut　up　now；　he'd　leave　her　with　that　anyway。
　　He　lowered　his　voice。　〃It's　a　man。　No　one　else　in　Ciudad　Real　believes　that　but　me；　but　I　do。　I　say　it　now；　and　I'll　keep　on　saying　it…anytime；　anyplace；　anywhere。　It　had　already　happened　three　times　before　the　other　night。　I　don't　know　whether　you　know　that　or　not；　they　may　have　tried　to　keep　it　from　visitors　because　of　the　tourist　season。　But　it's　mon　knowledge　among　us　here。〃
　　〃I　remember　now；　the　clerk　downstairs　tried　to　warn　us　that　night。　But　in　a　veiled　way；　without　ing　out　openly　with　what　he　meant…〃
　　〃Do　you　think　you　can　stand　it　if　I…？〃
　　〃Yes；　I　think　I　want　you　to。〃
　　By　the　time　he　had　finished；　he　had　marshaled　every　argument　for　her　benefit　that　he　had　ever　presented　to　Robles　at　any　time；　from　beginning　to　end；　every　detail；　every　piece　of　evidence。
　　〃I'm　sure　I'm　right；　I've　got　to　be！〃　he　said；　slapping　his　own　thigh　fiercely。　〃But　I　can't　get　them　to　listen　to　me。　They're　as　sure　on　their　side　as　I　am　on　mine。　And　they're　the　police　and　I'm　just…a　loose　guy。〃
　　She　took　a　deep；　shuddering　breath。　She'd　stood　it　well。　Even　better　than　he'd　expected　her　to。　Perhaps　because　it　had　been　presented　to　her　objectively；　and　not　introspectively。　There　was　horror　in　her　eyes；　but　something　else　as　well；　a　glint　of　something　steely　that　hadn't　been　there　before。　Call　it　hatred；　call　it　fury。　You　don't　hate　irrational　animals。
　　He　couldn't　tell　whether　he'd　convinced　her　or　not。　She　didn't　answer　for　a　moment　or　two。　Finally　she　said　in　a　muffled　voice；　〃To　think　that　a　human　being；　a　thing　calling　itself　a　man…〃　And　that　was　the　answer；　there。
　　He　strode　over　to　the　open　floor…length　windows　that　Sally　had　stood　looking　out　of　only　two　nights　before　at　this　same　time。　The　city　sprang　to　view　below；　bejeweled　with　twinkling　lights。　Silver　talcum　seemed　to　blur　the　long　vistas　of　the　main　avenues；　and　the　cathedral　reared　its　graceful　twin　turrets　black　against　the　rising　apricot　moon　ing　up　over　the　hills。
　　〃Pretty　to　look　at；　isn't　it？〃　he　said；　turning　to　her。　〃But　out　there　on　one　of　those　lovely　streets　you　see　from　here；　some　young　girl　is　go