cw.blackalibi-第37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！
Raul； get me out； I'm locked in！' Just as she must have cried unheard that night。 I drink aguardiente to kill it。 I still hear it anyway。 It drives me out to roam the midnight streets…〃
Manning put a hand lightly to his shoulder； turned and looked the other way。 〃Steady； muchacho； steady。 That's what I came to you about。〃
Raul reached down； pulled a half…empty bottle of the stinging native brandy out from under the cot。 He kicked the cork out with the thumb of the same hand that gripped the bottle's neck He gave his mouth a preliminary wipe。 〃I don't know who you are or what you want； but have a drink。 That's the best that a man can do when his girl is gone for good。 More tears for my poor mother； inside there in the other room。〃
Manning took the bottle； set it back on the floor again。 〃No； there is something better still that he can do。〃 He sat down on a rickety straw…bottom chair； dislodging a battered hat that had been dangling from one of its uprights。 〃Look； I know what the trouble is。 You are pent up； you are slowly strangling with your own grief； because it was an act of fate。 You cannot fight back at it。 I am here to tell you you can fight' back at it； it was not an act of fate； it was an act of man。〃 He watched the other's face。 〃That hurts； doesn't it？ Like the antiseptic that cleans a festering wound。〃
It must have。 The other man…he was only a boy； really…writhed there on the cot； from one side to the other； protective hands digging into his own face。
〃Who are you to know？〃 he said through them finally。
〃Just a guy like you。 A guy who uses his eyes。 It went back over the wall into the stone…built city again； instead of staying in the foliage； the open green place of the cemetery。 Does a wild thing do that？ Would its nature lead it to？〃
The other's hands went down。 He looked at Manning。 His eyes were dangerous things。 Not toward the American； toward the mental image the latter had managed to conjure up before him。
Manning went on speaking； in a low； unhurried voice； telling him about the other cases； telling him all there was to be told。 〃I may be wrong；〃 he concluded。 〃I'm no mystic； I haven't second sight。 But I don't think I am。 There is no way of finding out except by putting it to the test。〃
〃How？ How are you thinking of going about it？〃
Manning told him that； too。
〃We need a girl。〃
The pronoun didn't escape Manning。 〃I've already got the girl；〃 he said。 〃A very brave girl。 A girl who has more courage than you or I have any right to expect any girl to have。〃
Raul gripped his upper arm in a vise of iron that belied his slender frame。 〃When do we start？〃 he said tersely。
〃Right tonight；〃 the American said。 〃And we keep it up…every night if necessary…until we find out one way or the other。〃
〃Then what are we waiting for？〃 He sprang up on the cot with a suddenness that nearly buckled it。 〃 Mama！ 〃 he bawled inside to；the other room。 And the childish epithet sounded oddly inappropriate ing in his husky； deep…toned voice。 〃Black coffee； for the love of God； to get this porqueria out of my system！ A clean shirt； and a razor； and a basin of hot water。 You can stop worrying。 Your son is alive again！〃
Last paragraphs of an item； in identical language； in El Imparcil； La Prensa； Ultimas Noticias； and all the other evening papers：
。。。 One left Miss King with a strange feeling that perhaps she really meant it； it was not just bravado； that she would return some night again soon to the lake in the Bosque； seeking this trinket that she seems to place such store upon。 Perhaps tonight； perhaps tomorrow night； who knows？ One can only admire such reckless disregard for ordinary mon sense； even if one does not approve of it。 The Americans are a strange race。
〃We have a saying in our language；〃 she said； as she acpanied the interviewer to the door： 〃Lightning never strikes in the same place twice。〃 And then； with a smile that the newspaper representative found most baffling； she added： 〃I am not afraid of any jaguar。 I have good eyes。 Very good eyes； even in the dark。 It has always been said of me that I never forget a face。〃 One left with a puzzled feeling that she had not told all she knew…even to the police。
It was nearing sundown when they arrived at the Inglaterra。 She said； 〃e in；〃 in answer to Manning's low； confidential knock on the door； and they found her standing in the middle of the room。 Her arrested posture indicated they had interrupted her in the act of pacing agitatedly back and forth； waiting for their arrival。
〃At last；〃 she greeted them limply。 〃I've been dressed since four； and I was getting more nervous by the minute。 I didn't know whether you'd changed your plans or not； and there was nowhere I could reach you。 You said tonight； so I went ahead and fixed up for the Madrid anyway； in order to be ready。 Is this all right？〃 She backed away a step in order to let them take in a white evening gown sewn with crystal beads。
〃Good。 Just the thing！〃 Manning said approvingly。 〃It'll glitter in the dark and make it easier for him to pick you out。 Are you frightened？〃
〃I'm getting over it now by degrees；〃 she admitted。 〃But you should have seen me a half…hour ago。 My teeth kept chattering every few minutes。〃
〃Here's something I brought over for you。〃 He took a small…caliber gun out of his pocket； handed it over to her haft first。 〃Put it in your evening bag。 Do you know anything about using them？〃
〃I can't exactly say that I've been brought up on them； but I'll probably know what to do with it； if I have to； when the time es。〃
〃Just get rid of this； that's the safety； and tighten your finger； and that's all you have to remember。 And； Marjorie； if you should have to； don't just threaten。 Use it first； and then threaten； you're up against something that…〃
〃I know；〃 she said； quickly blinking the thought out of her mind。
〃Will it go in？〃
〃I've got a bigger one here； with drawstrings。 It'll go in that。 It opens faster than this envelope type； too。〃
Raul had been standing politely by； listening to their unknown talk。
〃Excuse me； my manners；〃 Manning apologized。 〃Miss King； Raul Belmonte。 You two will have to municate by signs。〃
They bowed to one another； as though it were some sort of social function and not a death party they were about to start out on。
〃Have you seen the papers？ It worked！〃 Manning went on。 〃Oh； I forgot； you don't read much Spanish。 Anyway； they've swallowed it hook； line； and sinker。 I phoned Robles at his headquarters a little while ago； and he told me there's not a man left in the Bosque。 They've all been sent over to the latest danger zone； over by the Hippodrome race track。 He got six calls from there inside of twenty minutes； all reporting having seen it in broad daylight； under the race…track stands。 Not only that； there's a big shake…up impending； he couldn't dare afford to ignore this sudden flood of notifications。 His own sense of duty wouldn't have let him anyway。〃
〃Were those your six calls？〃
〃I paid for seven； but one guy evidently got cold feet and absconded with the peso gratuity。〃
〃Did you get the other thing in？〃
〃It's been in since last night。 He's read it by now； if he's going to read it at all。
He stopped； ground his hands together a little nervously； like a surgeon about to perform an operation or a dentist about to extract a tooth。 〃Now； Marjorie…〃
〃I know； zero hour；〃 she said； with a facial shiver that was only partly a parody。
〃You'll have to leave here by yourself。 Belmonte and I are clearing out right now； as soon as I run over this with you； so we can get set out there by the lake before dark。 We can't start out with you； because there's nq way of knowing at just what point freedom from observation stops and surveillance sets in。 It may be right downstairs at the door of the hotel。 It may be out at the Madrid。 It may be not until you reach the lake itself。 You leave here about half an hour after dark。 Take an open carriage like you did that night。 At the Madrid be sure you're given an outside table； at the very edge of the pavilion； so he can ogle his fill at you。 Insist on it Keep your eyes away from the dark； don't try to look for him； you won't be able to see him anyway。 Take all the time you want dining and sitting there。 Try to avoid giving an impression of tension or restlessness。 Above all； don't let anyone tangle with you while you're there。 If he sees anyone sit down with you even for a few minutes； it may frighten him off。 This is a psychological buildup as much as a visual one。〃
〃And then？〃
〃The lake and the swans； like with Sally。 That's the target range。〃
〃Won't the coachman's presence be an obstacle？〃
〃Was it the last time？ He did something to frighten the horse away。 Give him rope； stray away from。 the horse and carriage； down below by the lake's edge。〃
She swallowed； held her own throat。 〃Manning； I'm not trying to back Out； but your mention of that detail makes me wonder。 The way those swans and that horse were frightened…they must have scented something rather than heard or saw it。 Suppose there really is a jaguar in it…what'll
