preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第20节

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　He　glanced　at　his　watch。　Nora　would　be　arriving　in　five　minutes。　Christ；　this　was　going　to　be　an　uphill　battle　anyway；　if　only　those　bums　would　take　a　walk　around　the　corner。　He　fished　into　his　pocket；　found　a　five　dollar　bill；　and　sauntered　over。
　〃Nice　day　if　it　don't　rain；〃　he　said。
　The　bums　eyed　him　suspiciously。
　Smithback　brandished　the　five。　〃Hey；　guys；　go　buy　yourself　lunch；　okay？〃
　One　of　them　grinned；　exposing　a　row　of　decaying　teeth。　〃For　five　bucks？　Man；　you　can't　buy　a　cup　of　Starbucks　for　five　bucks。　And　my　legs　hurt。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　said　the　other；　wiping　his　nose。
　Smithback　pulled　out　a　twenty。
　〃Oh；　my　aching　legs…〃
　〃Take　it　or　leave　it。〃
　The　closest　bum　took　the　twenty　and　the　pair　rose　to　their　feet　with　histrionic　groans　and　sniffles。　Soon　they　were　shuffling　toward　the　corner；　heading　no　doubt　to　the　nearby　liquor　store　on　Broadway。　Smithback　watched　their　retreating　backs。　At　least　they　were　harmless　rummys；　and　not　crackheads　or　worse。　He　glanced　around　and　saw；　right　on　schedule；　a　blade…thin　woman　in　black　e　clicking　down　the　block；　a　bright；　fake　lipstick　smile　on　her　face。　The　real　estate　broker。
　〃You　must　be　Mr。　Smithback；〃　she　said　in　a　smoker's　croak　as　she　took　his　hand。　〃I'm　Millie　Locke。　I　have　the　key　to　the　apartment。　Is　your；　er；　partner　here？〃
　〃There　she　is　now。〃　Nora　had　just　rounded　the　corner；　cotton　trenchcoat　billowing；　knapsack　thrown　over　her　shoulder。　She　waved。
　When　Nora　arrived　the　agent　took　her　hand；　saying；　〃How　lovely。〃
　They　entered　a　dingy　lobby；　lined　on　the　left　with　mailboxes　and　on　the　right　with　a　large　mirror：　a　feeble　attempt　to　make　the　narrow　hall　look　bigger　than　it　actually　was。　They　pressed　the　button　for　the　elevator。　There　was　a　whir　and　a　rattle　somewhere　overhead。
　〃It's　a　perfect　location；〃　said　Smithback　to　Nora。　〃Twenty…minute　walk　to　the　Museum；　close　to　the　subway　station；　a　block　and　a　half　from　the　park。〃
　Nora　did　not　respond。　She　was　staring　at　the　elevator　door；　and　she　did　not　look　happy。
　The　elevator　creaked　open　and　they　stepped　in。　Smithback　waited　out　the　excruciatingly　long　ride；　silently　willing　the　damn　elevator　to　hurry　up。　He　had　the　unpleasant　feeling　that　he；　not　just　the　apartment；　was　undergoing　an　inspection。
　At　last　they　got　out　at　the　sixth　floor；　took　a　right　in　a　dim　hallway；　and　stopped　in　front　of　a　brown　metal　door　with　an　eyehole　set　into　it。　The　real　estate　broker　unlocked　four　separate　locks　and　swung　the　door　open。
　Smithback　was　pleasantly　surprised。　The　apartment　faced　the　street；　and　it　was　cleaner　than　he　expected。　The　floors　were　oak；　a　bit　warped；　but　oak　nevertheless。　One　wall　was　exposed　brick；　the　others　painted　sheetrock。
　〃Hey；　what　do　you　think？〃　he　said　brightly。　〃Pretty　nice；　huh？〃
　Nora　said　nothing。
　〃It's　the　bargain　of　the　century；〃　said　the　broker。　〃Eighteen　hundred　dollars；　rent…stabilized。　A/C。　Great　location。　Bright；　quiet。〃
　The　kitchen　had　old　appliances；　but　was　clean。　The　bedrooms　were　sunny　with　south…facing　windows；　which　gave　the　little　rooms　a　feeling　of　space。
　They　stopped　in　the　middle　of　the　living　room。　〃Well；　Nora；〃　Smithback　asked；　feeling　uncharacteristically　shy；　〃what　do　you　think？〃
　Nora's　face　was　dark；　her　brow　furrowed。　This　did　not　look　good。　The　real　estate　broker　withdrew　a　few　feet；　to　give　them　the　pretense　of　privacy。
　〃It's　nice；〃　she　said。
　〃Nice？　Eighteen　hundred　bucks　a　month　for　an　Upper　West　Side　two…bedroom？　In　a　prewar　building？　It's　awesome。〃
　The　real　estate　broker　leaned　back　toward　them。　〃You're　the　first　to　see　it。　I　guarantee　you　it'll　be　gone　before　sunset。〃　She　fumbled　in　her　purse；　removed　a　cigarette　and　a　lighter；　flicked　on　the　lighter；　and　then　with　both　hands　poised　inches　apart；　asked；　〃May　I？〃
　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　Smithback　asked　Nora。
　Nora　waved　her　hand；　took　a　step　toward　the　window。　She　appeared　to　be　looking　intently　at　something　far　away。
　〃You　did　talk　to　your　landlord　about　moving　out；　didn't　you？〃
　〃No；　not　quite　yet。〃
　Smithback　felt　his　heart　sink　a　little。　〃You　haven't　told　him？〃
　She　shook　her　head。
　The　sinking　feeling　grew　more　pronounced。　〃e　on；　Nora。　I　thought　we'd　decided　on　this。〃
　She　looked　out　a　window。　〃This　is　a　big　move　for　me；　Bill。　I　mean；　living　together　。　。　。〃　Her　voice　trailed　off。
　Smithback　glanced　around　at　the　apartment。　The　real　estate　broker　caught　his　eye；　quickly　looked　away。　He　lowered　his　voice。　〃Nora；　you　do　love　me；　right？〃
　She　continued　looking　out　the　window。　〃Of　course。　But　。　。　。　this　is　just　a　really　bad　day　for　me；　okay？〃
　〃It's　no　big　deal。　It's　not　like　we're　engaged。〃
　〃Let's　not　talk　about　it。〃
　〃Not　talk　about　it？　Nora；　this　is　the　apartment。　We're　never　going　to　find　a　better　one。　Let's　settle　the　broker's　fee。〃
　〃Broker's　fee？〃
　Smithback　turned　to　the　agent。　〃What　did　you　say　your　fee　was　for　this　place？〃
　The　agent　exhaled　a　cloud　of　smoke；　gave　a　little　cough。　〃I'm　glad　you　asked。　It's　quite　reasonable。　Of　course；　you　can't　just　rent　an　apartment　like　this。　I'm　doing　you　a　special　favor　just　showing　it　to　you。〃
　〃So　how　much　is　this　fee？〃　Nora　asked。
　〃Eighteen。〃
　〃Eighteen　what？　Dollars？〃
　〃Percent。　Of　the　first　year's　rent；　that　is。〃
　〃But　that's…〃　Nora　frowned；　did　the　calculation　in　her　head。　〃That's　close　to　four　thousand　dollars。〃
　〃It's　cheap；　considering　what　you're　getting。　And　I　promise　you；　if　you　don't　go　for　it；　the　next　person　will。〃　She　glanced　at　her　watch。　〃They'll　be　here　in　ten　minutes。　That's　how　much　time　you　have　to　make　your　decision。〃
　〃What　about　it；　Nora？〃　Smithback　asked。
　Nora　sighed。　〃I　have　to　think　about　this。〃
　〃We　don't　have　time　to　think　about　it。〃
　〃We　have　all　the　time　in　the　world。　This　isn't　the　only　apartment　in　Manhattan。〃
　There　was　a　brief；　frozen　silence。　The　real　estate　broker　glanced　again　at　her　watch。
　Nora　shook　her　head。　〃Bill；　I　told　you。　It's　been　a　bad　day。〃
　〃I　can　see　that。〃
　〃You　know　the　Shottum　collection　I　told　you　about？　Yesterday　we　found　a　letter；　a　terrible　letter；　hidden　among　that　collection。〃
　Smithback　felt　a　feeling　akin　to　panic　creeping　over　him。　〃Can　we　talk　about　this　later？　I　really　think　this　is　the　apartment…〃
　She　rounded　on　him；　her　face　dark。　〃Didn't　you　hear　what　I　said？　We　found　a　letter。　We　know　who　murdered　those　thirty…six　people！〃
　There　was　another　silence。　Smithback　glanced　over　at　the　real　estate　broker；　who　was　pretending　to　examine　a　window　frame。　Her　ears　were　practically　twitching。　〃You　do？〃　he　asked。
　〃He's　an　extremely　shadowy　figure　named　Enoch　Leng。　He　seems　to　have　been　a　taxonomist　and　a　chemist。　The　letter　was　written　by　a　man　named　Shottum；　who　owned　a　kind　of　museum　on　the　site；　called　Shottum's　Cabinet。　Leng　rented　rooms　from　Shottum　and　performed　experiments　in　them。　Shottum　grew　suspicious；　took　a　look　into　Leng's　lab　when　he　was　away。　He　discovered　that　Leng　had　been　kidnapping　people；　killing　them；　and　then　dissecting　out　part　of　their　central　nervous　system　and　processing　it…apparently；　for　self…administered　injections。〃
　〃Good　God。　What　for？〃
　Nora　shook　her　head。　〃You're　not　going　to　believe　this。　He　was　trying　to　extend　his　life　span。〃
　〃That's　incredible。〃　This　was　a　story…a　gigantic　story。　Smithback　glanced　over　at　the　real　estate　broker。　She　was　now　intently　examining　the　door　jambs；　her　next　appointment　seemingly　forgotten。
　〃That's　what　I　thought。〃　Nora　shuddered。　〃God；　I　just　can't　get　that　letter　out　of　my　head。　All　the　details　were　there。　And　Pendergast…you　should　have　seen　how　grim　his　face　was　while　he　was　reading　it。　Looked　as　if　he　was　reading　his　own　obituary　or　something。　And　then　this　morning；　when　I　went　down　to　check　on　some　more　Shottum　material　that　had　turned　up；　I　learn　that　orders　had　e　down　for　some　conservation　work　in　the　Archives。　All　the　Shottum　papers　were　included。　And　now；　they're　gone。　You　can't　tell　me　that's　coincidence。　It　was　either　Brisbane　or　Collopy；　I'm　sure　of　that；　but　of　course　I　can't　e　right　out　and　ask　them。〃
　〃Did　you　get　a　photocopy？〃
　The　dark　look　on　Nora's　face　lifted　slightly。　〃Pendergast　asked　me　to　make　one　after　we　first　read　the　letter。　I　didn't　understand　his　hurry　then。　I　do　now。〃
　〃Do　you　have　it？〃
　She　nodded　toward　her　briefcase。
　Smithback　thought　for　a　moment。　Nora　was　right：　the　conservation　orders；　of　course；　were　no　coincidence。　What　was　the　Museum　covering　up？　Who　was　this　man　Enoch　Leng？　Was　he　connected　to　the　early　Museum　in　some　way？　Or　was　it　just　the　usual　Museum　paranoia；　afraid　to　let　out　any　information　that　wasn't　buffed　and　polished　by　their　PR　people？　Then　of　course　there　was　Fairhaven；　the　developer；　who　also　happened　to　be　a　big　contributor　to　the　Museum　。　。　。　This　whole　story　was　getting　good。　Very　good。
　〃Can　I　see　the　letter？〃
　〃I　was　going　to　give　it　to　you　for　safekeeping…I　don't　dare　bring　it　back　into　the　Museum。　But　I　want　it　back　tonight。〃
　Smithback　nodded。　She　handed　him　a　thick　envelope；　which　he　shoved　into　his　briefcase。
　There　was　a　sudden　buzz　of　the　inter。
　〃There's　my　next　appointment；〃　said　the　broker。　〃Should　I　tell　them　you're　taking　it；　or　what？〃
　〃We're　not；〃　said　Nora　decisively。
　She　shrugged；　went　to　the　inter；　and　buzzed　them　in。
　〃Nora