raymondchandler.thehighwindow-第37节

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　 〃Mr。　Marlowe；〃　she　said；　〃you　and　I　had　better　have　something　out。　I　made　a　mistake　calling　you　in　the　first　place。　That　was　my　dislike　of　being　played　for　a　sucker；　as　you　would　say；　by　a　hardboiled　little　animal　like　Linda。　But　it　would　have　been　much　better；　if　I　had　not　raised　the　point　at　all。　The　loss　of　the　doubloon　would　have　been　much　easier　to　bear　than　you　are。　Even　if　I　had　never　got　it　back。〃
　 〃But　you　did　get　it　back；〃　I　said。
　 She　nodded。　Her　eyes　stayed　on　my　face。　〃Yes。　I　got　it　back。　You　heard　how。〃
　 〃I　didn't　believe　it。〃
　 〃Neither　did　I；〃　she　said　calmly。　〃My　fool　of　a　son　was　simply　taking　the　blame　for　Linda。　An　attitude　I　find　childish。〃
　 〃You　have　a　sort　of　knack；〃　I　said；　〃of　getting　yourselves　surrounded　with　people　who　take　such　attitudes。〃
　 She　picked　her　cards　up　again　and　reached　down　to　put　a　black　ten　on　a　red　jack；　both　cards　that　were　already　in　the　layout。　Then　she　reached　sideways　to　a　small　heavy　table　on　which　was　her　port。　She　drank　some；　put　the　glass　down　and　gave　me　a　hard　level　stare。
　 〃I　have　a　feeling　that　you　are　going　to　be　insolent；　Mr。　Marlowe。〃
　 I　shook　my　head。　〃Not　insolent。　Just　frank。　I　haven't　done　so　badly　for　you；　Mrs。　Murdock。　You　did　get　the　doubloon　back。　I　kept　the　police　away　from　youso　far。　I　didn't　do　anything　on　the　divorce；　but　I　found　Lindayour　son　knew　where　she　was　all　the　timeand　I　don't　think　you'll　have　any　trouble　with　her。　She　knows　she　made　a　mistake　marrying　Leslie。　However；　if　you　don't　think　you　got　value〃
　 She　made　a　humph　noise　and　played　another　card。　She　got　the　ace　of　diamonds　up　to　the　top　line。　〃The　ace　of　clubs　is　buried；　darn　it。　I'm　not　going　to　get　it　out　in　time。〃
　 〃Kind　of　slide　it　out；〃　I　said；　〃when　you're　not　looking。〃
　 〃Hadn't　you　better；〃　she　said　very　quietly；　〃get　on　with　telling　me　about　Merle？　And　don't　gloat　too　much；　if　you　have　found　out　a　few　family　secrets；　Mr。　Marlowe。〃
　 〃I'm　not　gloating　about　anything。　You　sent　Merle　to　Vannier's　place　this　afternoon；　with　five　hundred　dollars。〃
　 〃And　if　I　did？〃　She　poured　some　of　her　port　and　sipped；　eyeing　me　steadily　over　the　glass。
　 〃When　did　he　ask　for　it？〃
　 〃Yesterday。　I　couldn't　get　it　out　of　the　bank　until　today。　What　happened？〃
　 〃Vannier's　been　blackmailing　you　for　about　eight　years；　hasn't　he？　On　account　of　something　that　happened　on　April　26th；　1933？〃
　 A　sort　of　panic　twitched　in　the　depths　of　her　eyes；　but　very　far　back；　very　dim；　and　somehow　as　though　it　had　been　there　for　a　long　time　and　had　just　peeped　out　at　me　for　a　second。
　 〃Merle　told　me　a　few　things；〃　I　said。　〃Your　son　told　me　how　his　father　died。　I　looked　up　the　records　and　the　papers　today。　Accidental　death。　There　had　been　an　accident　in　the　street　under　his　office　and　a　lot　of　people　were　craning　out　of　windows。　He　just　craned　out　too　far。　There　was　some　talk　of　suicide　because　he　was　broke　and　had　fifty　thousand　life　insurance　for　his　family。　But　the　coroner　was　nice　and　slid　past　that。〃
　 〃Well？〃　she　said。　It　was　a　cold　hard　voice；　neither　a　croak　nor　a　gasp。　A　cold　hard　utterly　posed　voice。
　 〃Merle　was　Horace　Bright's　secretary。　A　queer　little　girl　in　a　way；　overtimid；　not　sophisticated；　a　little　girl　mentality；　likes　to　dramatize　herself；　very　old…fashioned　ideas　about　men；　all　that　sort　of　thing。　I　figure　he　got　high　one　time　and　made　a　pass　at　her　and　scared　her　out　of　her　socks。〃
　 〃Yes？〃　Another　cold　hard　monosyllable　prodding　me　like　a　gun　barrel。
　 〃She　brooded　and　got　a　little　murderous　inside。　She　got　a　chance　and　passed　right　back　at　him。　While　he　was　leaning　out　of　a　window。　Anything　in　it？〃
　 〃Speak　plainly；　Mr。　Marlowe。　I　can　stand　plain　talk。〃
　 〃Good　grief；　how　plain　do　you　want　it？　She　pushed　her　employer　out　of　a　window。　Murdered　him；　in　two　words。　And　got　away　with　it。　With　your　help。〃
　 She　looked　down　at　the　left　hand　clenched　over　her　cards。　She　nodded。　Her　chin　moved　a　short　inch；　down；　up。
　 〃Did　Vannier　have　any　evidence？〃　I　asked。　〃Or　did　he　just　happen　to　see　what　happened　and　put　the　bite　on　you　and　you　paid　him　a　little　now　and　then　to　avoid　scandaland　because　you　were　really　very　fond　of　Merle？〃
　 She　played　another　card　before　she　answered　me。　Steady　as　a　rock。
　 〃He　talked　about　a　photograph；〃　she　said。　〃But　I　never　believed　it。　He　couldn't　have　taken　one。　And　if　he　had　taken　one；　he　would　have　shown　it　to　mesooner　or　later。〃
　 I　said：　〃No；　I　don't　think　so。　It　would　have　been　a　very　fluky　shot；　even　if　he　happened　to　have　the　camera　in　his　hand；　on　account　of　the　doings　down　below　in　the　street。　But　I　can　see　he　might　not　have　dared　to　show　it。　You're　a　pretty　hard　woman；　in　some　ways。　He　might　have　been　afraid　you　would　have　him　taken　care　of。　I　mean　that's　how　it　might　look　to　him；　a　crook。　How　much　have　you　paid　him？〃
　 〃That's　none〃　she　started　to　say；　then　stopped　and　shrugged　her　big　shoulders。　A　powerful　woman；　strong；　rugged；　ruthless　and　able　to　take　it。　She　thought。　〃Eleven　thousand　one　hundred　dollars；　not　counting　the　five　hundred　I　sent　him　this　afternoon。〃
　 〃Ah。　It　was　pretty　darn　nice　of　you；　Mrs。　Murdock。　Considering　everything。〃
　 She　moved　a　hand　vaguely；　made　another　shrug。　〃It　was　my　husband's　fault；〃　she　said。　〃He　was　drunk；　vile。　I　don't　think　be　really　hurt　her；　but；　as　you　say；　he　frightened　her　out　of　her　wits。　II　can't　blame　her　too　much。　She　has　blamed　herself　enough　all　these　years。〃
　 〃She　had　to　take　the　money　to　Vannier　in　person？〃
　 〃That　was　her　idea　of　penance。　A　strange　penance。〃
　 I　nodded。　〃I　guess　that　would　be　in　character。　Later　you　married　Jasper　Murdock　and　you　kept　Merle　with　you　and　took　care　of　her。　Anybody　else　know？〃
　 〃Nobody。　Only　Vannier。　Surely　he　wouldn't　tell　anybody。〃
　 〃No。　I　hardly　think　so。　Well；　it's　all　over　now。　Vannier　is　through。〃
　 She　lifted　her　eyes　slowly　and　gave　me　a　long　level　gaze。　Her　gray　head　was　a　rock　on　top　of　a　hill。　She　put　the　cards　down　at　last　and　clasped　her　hands　tightly　on　the　edge　of　the　table。　The　knuckles　glistened。
　 I　said：　〃Merle　came　to　my　apartment　when　I　was　out。　She　asked　the　manager　to　let　her　in。　He　phoned　me　and　I　said　yes。　I　got　over　there　quickly。　She　told　me　she　had　shot　Vannier。〃
　 Her　breath　was　a　faint　swift　whisper　in　the　stillness　of　the　room。
　 〃She　had　a　gun　in　her　bag；　God　knows　why。　Some　idea　of　protecting　herself　against　men；　I　suppose。　But　somebodyLeslie；　I　should　guesshad　fixed　it　to　be　harmless　by　jamming　a　wrong　size　cartridge　in　the　breech。　She　told　me　she　had　killed　Vannier　and　fainted。　I　got　a　doctor　friend　of　mine。　I　went　over　to　Vannier's　house。　There　was　a　key　in　the　door。　He　was　dead　in　a　chair；　long　dead；　cold；　stiff。　Dead　long　before　Merle　went　there。　She　didn't　shoot　him。　Her　telling　me　that　was　just　drama。　The　doctor　explained　it　after　a　fashion；　but　I　won't　bore　you　with　it。　I　guess　you　understand　all　right。〃
　 She　said：　〃Yes。　I　think　I　understand。　And　now？〃
　 〃She's　in　bed；　in　my　apartment。　There's　a　nurse　there。　I　phoned　Merle's　father　long　distance。　He　wants　her　to　e　home。　That　all　right　with　you？〃
　 She　just　stared。
　 〃He　doesn't　know　anything；〃　I　said　quickly。　〃Not　this　or　the　other　time。　I'm　sure　of　that。　He　just　wants　her　to　e　home。　I　thought　I'd　take　her。　It　seems　to　be　my　responsibility　now。　I'll　need　that　last　five　hundred　that　Vannier　didn't　get　for　expenses。〃
　 〃And　how　much　more？〃　she　asked　brutally。
　 〃Don't　say　that。　You　know　better。〃
　 〃Who　killed　Vannier？〃
　 〃Looks　like　he　mitted　suicide。　A　gun　at　his　right　hand。　Temple　contact　wound。　Morny　and　his　wife　were　there　while　I　was。　I　hid。　Morny's　trying　to　pin　it　on　his　wife。　She　was　playing　games　with　Vannier。　So　she　probably　thinks　he　did　it；　or　had　it　done。　But　it　shapes　up　like　suicide。　The　cops　will　be　there　by　now。　I　don't　know　what　they　will　make　of　it。　We　just　have　to　sit　tight　and　wait　it　out。〃
　 〃Men　like　Vannier；〃　she　said　grimly；　〃don't　mit　suicide。〃
　 〃That's　like　saying　girls　like　Merle　don't　push　people　out　of　windows。　It　doesn't　mean　anything。〃
　 We　stared　at　each　other；　with　that　inner　hostility　that　had　been　there　from　the　first。　After　a　moment　I　pushed　my　chair　back　and　went　over　to　the　french　windows。　I　opened　the　screen　and　stepped　out　on　to　the　porch。　The　night　was　all　around；　soft　and　quiet。　The　white　moonlight　was　cold　and　clear；　like　the　justice　we　dream　of　but　don't　find。
　 The　trees　down　below　cast　heavy　shadows　under　the　moon。　In　the　middle　of　the　garden　there　was　a　sort　of　garden　within　a　garden。　I　caught　the　glint　of　an　ornamental　pool。　A　lawn　swing　beside　it。　Somebody　was　lying　in　the　lawn　swing　and　a　cigarette　tip　glowed　as　I　looked　down。
　 I　went　back　into　the　room。　Mrs。　Murdock　was　playing　solitaire　again。　I　went　over　to　the　table　and　looked　down。
　 〃You　got　the　ace　of　clubs　out；〃　I　said。
　 〃I　cheated；〃　she　said　without　looking　up。
　 〃There　was　one　thing　I　wanted　to　ask　you；〃　I　said。　〃This　doubloon　business　is　still　cloudy；　on　account　of　a　couple　of　murders　which　don't　seem　to　make　sense　now　that　you　have　the　coin　back。　What　I　wondered　was　if　there　was　anything　about　the　Murdock　Brasher　that　might　identify　it　to　an　expertto　a　man　like　old　Morningstar。〃
　 She　thought；　sitting　still；　not　looking　up。　〃Yes。　There　might　be。　The　coinmaker's　in