cw.blackalibi-第35节

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　　〃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　going　walking　tonight。　Or　is　going　to　stand　waiting　for　her　sweetheart　in　some　secluded；　romantic　spot。　Or　maybe　is　only　going　to　stray　away　from　a　lively　party　for　a　few　minutes；　out　onto　a　terrace　or　down　into　a　garden　for　a　breath　of　air。　And　you　and　I　know　the　rest！　A　horrid　thing　on　the　ground　will　be　all　that's　left　of　her。　And　something　that　thinks　like　we　do　will　gloat；　safe　in　his　hiding　place…　while　the　damn…fool　police　go　around　looking　for　a　jaguar　behind　hedges　and　under　rose　bushes！　If　it　isn't　tonight；　it'll　be　tomorrow　night；　or　the　night　after。　But　it'll　happen　again。　Again　and　again　and　again！〃
　　〃And…？〃　she　breathed　fearfully。　He　could　see　she　was　steeling　herself　to　ask　it。　〃Why　do　you　e　here　telling　me　this？　I've　already　lost　my　own　friend　that　way。　I'm　leaving　here。　Why　do　you　tell　me　what'll　happen　to　the　next　girl？　What　is　it　you　want　me　to　do？〃
　　He　gave　it　to　her　curtly。　〃I　want　you　to　be　that　next　girl。　Be　the　bait　for　him；　it；　whatever　you　want　to　call　him。〃
　　Her　eyes　dilated。　She　drew　back　a　step。　〃I　think　you're　out　of　your　mind。　Do　you　know　what　you're　saying？　I　can't　get　out　of　this　hateful　place　quick　enough；　as　it　is！　I　can't　wait　to　see　the　last　of　it！　I　can't　sleep　nights。　My　baggage　has　gone　down　to　the　ship　already。　There　won't　be　another　for　the　next　thirty　days。　And　you're　asking　me　to　stay　on　here　alone；　by　myself；　after　losing　my　lifelong　friend！　You；　a　stranger；　have　the　nerve　to　walk　into　my　hotel　room　and　suggest；　not　only　that；　but　that　I　go　out　deliberately　looking　for　this…this　abomination；　seeking　him；　trying　to　attract　him。　All　to　give　you　the　satisfaction　of　proving　some　theory　of　yours　to　be　right！〃　Her　voice　rose。　〃Will　you　please　leave？　Will　you　kindly　get　out　of　here？〃
　　〃I'm　going；　Miss　King；〃　he　said　acquiescently；　without　taking　offense。
　　〃Please　do；〃　she　urged　coldly。　〃I　should　think　you　would　have　had　the　consideration　to　leave　me　alone。　To　go　to　someone　else；　at　least。　But　to　e　to　me；　of　all　people…〃　Her　closing　of　the　door　behind　him　cut　the　rest　of　it　off。
　　It　was　still　going　on　behind　that　other　transom；　too；　as　he　repassed　it　on　his　way　Out。　〃Well；　then　you'll　just　stay　on　here　alone；　Harvey　Williams；　I'm　warning　you　now！　I'm　going　to　be　on　that　train　at　ten　o'clock　tonight　and　nothing's　going　to　stop　me…！〃
　　He　didn't　blame　her；　whoever　she　was。　He　blamed　Marjorie　King　even　less。　The　one　he　blamed　was　himself；　for　approaching　her　with　such　a　suggestion　in　the　first　place；　he　should　have　had　sense　enough　to　realize　the　state　of　mind　she　was　bound　to　be　in；　after　such　an　ordeal。
　　He　strode　out　through　the　tiled　lobby。　The　luggage　pile　in　the　center　of　it　hadn't　diminished　any；　had　augmented　if　anything。　The　clerk　was　nodding　his　head　busily；　with　one　of　the　spindly；　nickel…trimmed　Ericsson　handsets　held　to　the　side　of　his　face。　Manning　obliviously　heard　him　snap　his　fingers　in　mid…conversation；　but　he　had　already　gone　past；　thought　it　was　meant　for　one　of　the　bellhops。
　　He　pushed　out　through　the　revolving　door；　stood　for　a　minute　under　the　glass　entrance　canopy；　adjusting　his　hat。　A　dark…skinned　bellboy　hopped　out　after　him；　touched　his　arm。　〃Seсor；　the　direccion　…〃
　　Manning　went　inside　to　the　desk　again。　The　clerk　said；　〃Mees　Keeng；　she　call　down　just　as　you　go　by。　She　ask　for　to　have　you　go　up　again　a　minute　if　you　don't　mind。〃
　　No；　Manning's　sudden　hopeful　grin　answered　for　him；　he　didn't　mind。　He　didn't　mind　at　all。　He　took　the　stairs　again；　but　this　time　by　fives；　at　full　leg…spread。　The　argument　behind　the　ubiquitous　open　transom　seemed　finally　to　have　been　settled　too。　〃Give　me　your　pajamas；　Harvey；〃　the　same　feminine　voice　as　before　was　cooing；　〃there's　room　enough　left　in　my　valise　for　them。〃
　　Marjorie　King　had　opened　the　door　for　him　before　he　quite　reached　it；　then　turned　back　into　the　room　again。　She　began　on　an　oddly　aimless　note　when　he　stepped　over　the　threshold。　〃A　funny　thing　happened　just　now；　after　you'd　left。　I　thought　I'd　packed　everything　of　hers　away；　but　I　happened　to　go　to　the　closet　and　I　came　across　this。〃　She　was　holding　a　small　woolen　vestee　or　half　sweater；　with　exaggerated　puff　sleeves；　aloft　in　her　hand。　〃She　was　never　without　it。　She　knitted　it　herself；　I　used　to　watch　her　doing　it。　Every　morning　going　down　in　the　bus。　The　other　night；　that　night；　before　we　left；　the　last　thing　she　said　was；　'Think　I'll　need　this？'
　　She　wasn't　being　weepy　about　it　any　more。　There　was　a　flinty　decisiveness　lurking　underneath　the　quiet　poignancy　with　which　she　spoke。　〃You　see；　Mr。　Manning；　she　was　the　dearest　friend　I　had　in　the　world。　I　don't　think　I'll　ever　find　anyone　to　quite　take　her　place。　What　I'm　trying　to　say　to　you　is；　if　a　man　did　that；　and　you　think。　by　staying　I　can　be　of　some　help　in…in　settling　accounts　for　her；　well；　I…I'm　ready　to　be　that　next　girl。〃
　　〃I　don't　want　you　going　into　this　blindly；〃　he　warned　her。　〃I　know　it's　asking　a　lot；　and　I　know　Robles　would　put　a　stop　to　it　fast　if　he　ever　caught　my　trying　such　a　thing。　All　you've　got　to　do　is　say　no；　and　I　won't　blame　you。〃　He　waited；　watching　her。
　　〃I've　already　given　you　my　answer；〃　she　said　with　quiet　determination。　〃If　it's　a　man；　I'm　staying；　I　want　to。　If　it's　a　jaguar；　a　force　of　nature；　something　that　doesn't　know　what　it's　doing；　that　can't　be　called　to　account；　then　that's　a　different　matter　entirely。〃
　　〃If　it　were　a　jaguar；　you　wouldn't　need　to　stay；　it　would　have　been　caught　by　now；　probably　within　twenty…four　hours　after　it　bolted　into　the　Callejуn。〃
　　〃All　right；　we　begin。〃　She　moved　briskly　to　the　transom；　shut　it　tight。　She　went　over　to　the　phone；　said　〃Send　my　baggage　back　upstairs；　I'm　staying。〃　And　then　in　answer　to　something　that　was　asked；　she　snapped　the　one　word；　〃Indefinitely；〃　and　hung　up。　On　her　way　back　to　him　again；　she　caught　up　her　unbound　hair　and　fastened　it　up　the　rear　curve　of　her　head；　somewhat　like　a　ship　clearing　its　decks　for　action。　It　made　her　look　a　little　more　sophisticated；　none　the　less　beautiful。　〃Now！〃　she　said。　She　sat　down　opposite　him；　head　tilted　attentively。　The　period　of　futile　mourning　was　past；　it　was　easy　to　see　that。　〃Help　yourself　to　those；〃　she　said　parenthetically；　〃if　they　help　you　to　think　better；〃　and　motioned　toward　a　pack　of　American　cigarettes。
　　There　was　a　moment　or　two　of　silence。　She　was　the　first　one　to　speak。　〃To　be　the　bait；　he　must　be　drawn　to　me　next。　Out　of　every　girl　and　woman　in　this　city。　How　are　we　going　to　manage　that？　How　can　I　hope　to　succeed　in　attracting　his　attention？〃
　　〃You　can't　if　we　just　leave　it　to　chance。　The　law　of　averages　would　be　too　strongly　against　it。　You　could　walk　the　streets　alone　at　night；　every　night　for　the　next　ten　years；　and　he　might　strike　all　around　you；　but　never　e　near　you　again。　It　must　be　a　setup。　Now　here's　what　my　idea　is。　If　he　reads　the　papers　at　all；　he's　sure　to　read　the　rehashes　of　his　own　monstrosities；　if　nothing　else。　He　must　have　seen　there　were　two　of　you　that　night；　he　must　have　followed　you　from　the　time　you　both　left　the　restaurant。　I'm　wondering　if　there　isn't　some　way　I　can　plant…but　very　subtly；　so　that　he　doesn't　scent　a　trap…in　the　newspapers；　along　with　the　accounts　of　your　previous　experience；　the　idea　that　you　would　be　foolhardy　enough；　scatterbrained　enough；　to　go　back　again　to　some　such　place；　unacpanied；　even　after　what　happened　the　last　time。　And　along　with　an　even　defter　hint　that　you　got　a　look　at　him；　would　be　able　to　identify　him。　In　that　way；　there'll　be　two　powerful　impulses　pulling　him　toward　you：　his　maniacal　urge　itself；　whatever　that　is；　and　also　his　sense　of　self…preservation。〃
　　〃But　isn't　it　farfetched？　Would　even　a　deranged　mind　swallow　such　a　probability？〃
　　〃It　won't　be　easy　to　swing　it。　Let's　see　if　we　can　hammer　something　out　between　us。　To　begin　with；　you　must　realize　that　they　believe　an　American　capable　of　anything　down　here；　to　them　We're　all　half　wacky　in　the　first　place。　That'll　help　some。〃　He　tapped　on　the　ends　of　his　spread　fingers　one　by　one。　〃You　have　a　passion　for　taking　walks　in　the　moonlight；　you　don't　intend　to　let　anything　interfere　with　your　habits…　No；　that's　no　good。〃
　　They　both　shook　their　heads　in　unison。　〃That　wouldn't　tell　him　just　where　to　find　you；　even　if　he　did　fall　for　it；〃　he　added。
　　He　glanced　aside　at　the　discarded　sweater　of　Sally　O'Keefe；　suddenly　brightened。　〃Wait　a　minute；　I've　got　it…that　gave　me　an　idea。　Something　belonging　to　one　or　the　other　of　you。　Something　of　sentimental　value；　that　you　cannot　bear　to　part　with。　You　dropped　it　there　that　night；　by　the　lake。　A　locket；　say；　that　was　given　to　you　by　your　mother　when　you　were　a　child。　Or　a　goodluck　charm。　Something　that　you　are　determined　not　to　leave　the　city　until　you　have　recovered。〃
　　〃It's　better　than　the　first　one；　but　there　are　still　things　against　it。　Wouldn't　I　be　expected　to　go　back　well　escorted；　even　if　I　did　go　back　to　look　for　it？　And　why　would　it　have　to　be　at　night？　Why　wouldn't　I　go　during　the　daylight　hours？〃
　　〃But　he'll　be　watching　for　you；　and　he'll　see　with　his　own　eyes　that　you　have　e　back　alone；　a