preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第12节

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n　tusk　found　in　a　bog　in　New　Jersey。　And　of　course　the　last　dodo　egg；　of　a　Rodrigues　Solitaire　to　be　exact。　The　egg　was　brought　back　live　in　a　crate；　but　then　after　they　put　it　on　display　it　appeared　to　have　hatched；　and…Aha；　here　we　are。〃
　He　stopped　abruptly；　reached　up　to　drag　a　box　down　from　a　high　shelf；　and　opened　its　lid。　Instead　of　the　Shottum's　Cabinet　material　Nora　hoped　for；　inside　was　a　large　eggshell；　broken　into　three　pieces。　〃There's　no　provenience　on　these　things；　so　they　didn't　accession　them　into　the　main　Museum　collection。　That's　why　we've　got　them　here。〃　He　pointed　reverently　at　the　pieces　of　shell；　licking　his　lips。　〃Delacourte's　Cabinet　of　Natural　History。　They　charged　twenty…five　cents　admission；　quite　a　sum　at　the　time。〃
　Replacing　the　box；　he　slid　a　thick　three…ring　binder　off　an　adjoining　shelf　and　began　flipping　through　it。　〃What　would　you　like　to　know　about　the　Delacourte　Cabinet？〃
　〃It　was　actually　Shottum's　Cabinet　of　Natural　Productions　and　Curiosities　that　I　was　interested　in。　John　Canaday　Shottum。〃　Nora　swallowed　her　impatience。　It　would　clearly　be　useless　to　rush　Mr。　Puck。
　〃Yes；　yes；　Shottum's。〃　He　resumed　his　shuffling　down　the　row　of　boxes；　binders；　and　books。
　〃How　did　the　Museum　acquire　these　cabinets？〃　she　asked。
　〃Once　the　Museum　opened；　with　free　admission；　it　put　most　of　them　out　of　business。　Of　course；　a　lot　of　the　stuff　the　old　cabinets　displayed　were　fakes；　you　know。　But　some　of　it　held　real　scientific　value。　As　the　cabinets　went　bankrupt；　McFadden；　an　early　curator　here；　bought　them　up　for　the　Museum。〃
　〃Fakes；　you　said？〃
　Puck　nodded　portentously。　〃Sewing　two　heads　onto　a　calf。　Taking　a　whale　bone　and　dying　it　brown；　saying　it　came　from　a　dinosaur。　We　have　some　of　those。〃
　As　he　moved　on　to　the　next　row；　Nora　hastened　to　keep　up；　wondering　how　to　guide　this　flood　of　information　in　the　direction　she　wanted。
　〃Cabinets　were　all　the　rage。　Even　P。　T。　Barnum　once　owned　a　cabinet　known　as　Scudder's　American　Museum。　He　added　live　exhibits。　And　that；　young　lady；　was　the　beginning　of　his　circus。〃
　〃Live　exhibits？〃
　〃He　displayed　Joice　Heth；　a　wizened　old　black　woman　who　Barnum　claimed　was　George　Washington's　161…year…old　nurse。　Exposed　as　a　fraud　by　the　father　of　our　own　Tinbury　McFadden。〃
　〃Tinbury　McFadden？〃　Nora　was　starting　to　panic。　Would　she　ever　get　out　of　here？
　〃Tinbury　McFadden。　A　curator　here　back　in　the　late　ninteenth　century。　He　had　a　particular　interest　in　cabinets　of　curiosities。　Queer　fellow。　Just　up　and　disappeared　one　day。〃
　〃I'm　interested　in　Shottum's　Cabinet。　John　Canaday　Shottum。〃
　〃We're　getting　there；　young　lady；〃　said　Puck；　with　the　slightest　touch　of　irritation。　〃We　don't　have　much　from　Shottum's。　It　burned　in　1881。〃
　〃Most　of　the　stuff　was　collected　by　a　man　named　Marysas。　Alexander　Marysas；〃　Nora　said；　hoping　to　keep　his　mind　on　the　subject　at　hand。
　〃Now；　there　was　an　odd　fellow。　Marysas　came　from　a　rich　New　York　family；　died　in　Madagascar。　I　believe　the　chief　made　an　umbrella　out　of　his　skin　to　protect　his　baby　grandson　from　the　sun　。　。　。〃
　They　followed　a　labyrinthine　path　between　shelves　groaning　with　papers；　boxes；　and　bizarre　artifacts。　Puck　snapped　more　ivory　switches；　more　lights　went　on　ahead　of　them；　while　others　winked　out　behind；　leaving　them　in　an　island　of　light　surrounded　by　a　vast　ocean　of　darkness。　They　came　to　an　open　area　in　the　shelves　where　some　large　specimens　stood　on　oak　platforms…a　woolly　mammoth；　shriveled　but　still　huge；　a　white　elephant；　a　giraffe　missing　its　head。　Nora's　heart　sank　when　Puck　stopped。
　〃Those　old　cabinets　would　do　anything　to　draw　the　paying　public。　Take　a　look　at　this　baby　mammoth。　Found　freeze…dried　in　Alaska。〃　He　reached　underneath　it　and　pressed　something；　there　was　a　soft　click　and　a　trapdoor　flopped　open　in　the　belly。
　〃This　was　part　of　a　sideshow　routine。　A　label　said　the　mammoth　had　been　frozen　for　100；000　years　and　that　a　scientist　was　going　to　thaw　it　out　and　try　to　revive　it。　Before　the　sideshow　opened；　a　small　man　would　climb　in　through　that　trapdoor。　When　the　place　had　filled　with　spectators；　another　man　posing　as　a　scientist　would　e　out　and　give　a　lecture　and　start　warming　the　thing　with　a　brazier。　Then　the　man　inside　would　start　moving　the　trunk　and　making　noises。　Cleared　the　place　out　in　seconds。〃　Puck　chuckled。　〃People　were　a　lot　more　innocent　back　then；　weren't　they？〃　He　reached　under　and　carefully　closed　the　trapdoor。
　〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Nora。　〃This　is　very　interesting；　Mr。　Puck；　and　I　appreciate　the　tour。　But　I'm　pressed　for　time；　and　I　really　would　like　to　see　the　Shottum　material　now。〃
　〃We're　here。〃　Puck　rolled　a　metal　ladder　into　place；　climbed　up　into　the　gloom；　and　descended　with　a　small　box。
　〃O　terque　quaterque　beati！　Here's　your　Mr。　Shottum。　It　wasn't　the　most　interesting　cabinet；　I'm　afraid。　And　since　it　burned；　we　don't　have　much　from　it…just　these　few　papers。〃　Puck　opened　the　box；　peered　inside。　〃Great　heavens；　what　a　mess；〃　he　clucked　disapprovingly。　〃I　don't　understand；　considering　。　。　。　Ah；　well；　when　you're　done　with　these；　I　can　show　you　the　Delacourte　papers。　Much　more　prehensive。〃
　〃I'm　afraid　there　won't　be　time；　at　least　not　today。〃
　Puck　grunted　with　dissatisfaction。　Nora　glanced　at　him；　felt　a　stab　of　pity　for　the　lonely　old　man。
　〃Ah；　here's　a　letter　from　Tinbury　McFadden；〃　Puck　said；　plucking　a　faded　paper　from　the　box。　〃Helped　Shottum　classify　his　mammals　and　birds。　He　advised　a　lot　of　the　cabinet　owners。　Hired　himself　out。〃　He　rummaged　some　more。　〃He　was　a　close　friend　of　Shottum's。〃
　Nora　thought　for　a　moment。　〃Can　I　check　out　this　box？〃
　〃Have　to　look　at　it　in　the　Research　Room。　Can't　let　it　leave　the　Archives。〃
　〃I　see。〃　Nora　paused；　thinking。　〃You　said　Tinbury　McFadden　was　a　close　friend　of　Shottum's？　Are　his　papers　in　here；　too？〃
　〃Are　they　here？　Good　heaven；　we've　got　mountains　of　his　papers。　And　his　collections。　He　had　quite　a　cabinet　himself；　only　he　never　displayed　it。　Left　it　to　the　Museum；　but　none　of　the　stuff　had　any　provenience　and　was　full　of　fakes；　so　they　stuck　it　down　here。　For　historical　purposes。　No　scientific　value；　they　said。〃　Puck　sniffed。　〃Not　worthy　of　the　main　collection。〃
　〃May　I　see　it？〃
　〃Of　course；　of　course！〃　And　Puck　was　shuffling　off　again　in　a　new　direction。　〃Right　around　the　corner。〃
　They　stopped　at　last　before　two　shelves。　The　upper　was　full　of　more　papers　and　boxes。　On　top　of　one　box　was　a　promissory　note；　with　a　faded　inventory　of　items　transferred　from　J。　C。　Shottum　to　T。　F。　McFadden；　as　payment　for　Services　Rendered　and　Promised。　The　lower　shelf　was　stuffed　with　a　variety　of　curious　objects。　Glancing　over　them；　Nora　saw　stuffed　animals　wrapped　in　wax　paper　and　twine；　dubious…looking　fossils；　a　double…headed　pig　floating　in　a　glass　jeroboam；　a　dried　anaconda　curled　into　a　giant　five…foot　knot；　a　stuffed　chicken　with　six　legs　and　four　wings；　and　a　bizarre　box　made　out　of　an　elephant's　foot。
　Puck　blew　his　nose　like　a　trumpet；　wiped　his　eyes。　〃Poor　Tinbury　would　turn　over　in　his　grave　if　he　knew　that　his　precious　collection　ended　up　down　here。　He　thought　it　had　priceless　scientific　value。　Of　course；　that　was　at　a　time　when　many　of　the　Museum's　curators　were　amateurs　with　poor　scientific　credentials。〃
　Nora　pointed　to　the　promissory　note。　〃This　seems　to　indicate　Shottum　gave　McFadden　specimens　in　exchange　for　his　work。〃
　〃A　standard　practice。〃
　〃So　some　of　these　things　came　from　Shottum's　Cabinet？〃
　〃Without　a　doubt。〃
　〃Could　I　examine　these　specimens；　too？〃
　Puck　beamed。　〃I'll　move　all　of　it　to　the　Research　Room　and　set　it　up　on　tables。　When　it's　ready；　I'll　let　you　know。〃
　〃How　long　will　that　take？〃
　〃A　day。〃　His　face　reddened　with　the　pleasure　of　being　of　use。
　〃Don't　you　need　help　moving　these　things？〃
　〃Oh；　yes。　My　assistant；　Oscar；　will　do　it。〃
　Nora　looked　around。　〃Oscar？〃
　〃Oscar　Gibbs。　He　usually　works　up　in　Osteology。　We　don't　get　many　visitors　down　here。　I　call　him　down　for　special　work　like　this。〃
　〃This　is　very　kind　of　you；　Mr。　Puck。〃
　〃Kind？　The　pleasure's　all　mine；　I　assure　you；　my　dear　girl！〃
　〃I'll　be　bringing　a　colleague。〃
　An　uncertain　look　clouded　Puck's　face。　〃A　colleague？　There　are　rules　about　that；　what　with　the　new　security　and　all　。　。　。〃　He　hesitated；　almost　embarrassed。
　〃Rules？〃
　〃Only　Museum　staff　allowed。　The　Archives　used　to　be　open　to　everybody；　but　now　we've　been　restricted　to　Museum　staff。　And　trustees。〃
　〃Special　Agent　Pendergast　is；　ah；　connected　with　the　Museum。〃
　〃Agent　Pendergast？　Yes；　the　name's　familiar　。　。　。　Pendergast。　I　remember　him　now。　The　southern　gentleman。　Oh；　dear。〃　A　momentary　look　of　distress　crossed　the　man's　face。　〃Well；　well；　as　you　wish。　I'll　expect　you　both　tomorrow　at　nine　o'clock。〃
　
　TWO
　　
　PATRICK　MURPHY　O'SHAUGHNESSY　sat　in　the　precinct　captain's　office；　waiting　for　him　to　get　off　the　phone。　He　had　been　waiting　five　minutes；　but　so　far　Custer　hadn't　even　looked　in　his　direction。　Which　was　just　fine　with　him。　O'Shaughnessy　scanned　the　walls　without　interest；　his　eyes　moving　from　mendation　plaques　to　departmental　shooting　trophies；　lighting　at　last　upon　the　painting　on　the　far　wall。　It　showed　a　little　cabin　in　a　swamp；　at　night；　under　a　full　moon；　its　windows　casting　a　yell