preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第21节

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　〃We're　not；〃　said　Nora　decisively。
　She　shrugged；　went　to　the　inter；　and　buzzed　them　in。
　〃Nora；〃　Smithback　implored。　He　turned　to　the　real　estate　agent。　〃We　are　taking　it。〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　Bill；　but　I'm　just　not　ready。〃
　〃But　last　week　you　said…〃
　〃I　know　what　I　said。　But　I　can't　think　about　apartments　at　a　time　like　this。　Okay？〃
　〃No；　it's　not　okay。〃
　The　doorbell　rang　and　the　broker　moved　to　open　the　door。　Two　men　came　in…one　bald　and　short；　one　tall　and　bearded…gave　the　living　room　a　quick　look；　swept　through　the　kitchen　and　into　the　bedrooms。
　〃Nora；　please；〃　Smithback　said。　〃Look；　I　know　this　move　to　New　York；　the　job　at　the　Museum；　hasn't　been　as　smooth　as　you　hoped。　I'm　sorry　about　that。　But　that　doesn't　mean　you　should…〃
　There　was　a　lengthy　interval　while　the　shower　was　being　turned　on；　then　off。　And　then　the　couple　were　back　in　the　living　room。　The　inspection　had　taken　less　than　two　minutes。
　〃It's　perfect；〃　said　the　bald　one。　〃Eighteen　percent　broker's　fee；　right？〃
　〃Right。〃
　〃Great。〃　A　checkbook　appeared。　〃Who　do　I　make　it　out　to？〃
　〃Cash。　We'll　take　it　to　your　bank。〃
　〃Now　wait　just　a　minute；〃　Smithback　said；　〃we　were　here　first。〃
　〃I'm　so　sorry；〃　said　one　of　the　men　politely；　turning　in　surprise。
　〃Don't　mind　them；〃　said　the　broker　harshly。　〃Those　people　are　on　their　way　out。〃
　〃e　on；　Bill。〃　Nora　began　urging　him　to　the　door。
　〃We　were　here　first！　I'll　take　it　myself；　if　I　have　to！〃
　There　was　a　snap　as　the　man　detached　the　check。　The　broker　reached　for　it。　〃I've　got　the　lease　right　here；〃　she　said；　patting　her　bag。　〃We　can　sign　it　at　the　bank。〃
　Nora　dragged　Smithback　out　the　door　and　slammed　it　shut。　The　ride　downstairs　was　silent　and　tense。
　A　moment　later；　they　were　standing　on　the　street。　〃I've　got　to　get　back　to　work；〃　Nora　said；　looking　away。　〃We　can　talk　about　this　tonight。〃
　〃We　certainly　will。〃
　Smithback　watched　her　stride　down　Ninety…ninth　Street　in　the　slanting　light；　the　trenchcoat　curling　away　from　her　perfect　little　behind；　her　long　copper　hair　swinging　back　and　forth。　He　felt　stricken。　After　all　they　had　been　through；　she　still　didn't　want　to　live　with　him。　What　had　he　done　wrong？　Sometimes　he　wondered　if　she　blamed　him　for　pressuring　her　to　move　east　from　Santa　Fe。　It　wasn't　his　fault　the　job　at　the　Lloyd　Museum　had　fallen　through　and　her　boss　here　in　Manhattan　was　a　prize　asshole。　How　could　he　change　her　mind？　How　could　he　prove　to　her　that　he　really　loved　her？
　An　idea　began　to　form　in　his　mind。　Nora　didn't　really　appreciate　the　power　of　the　press；　particularly　the　New　York　Times。　She　didn't　realize　just　how　cowed；　how　docile　and　cooperative；　the　Museum　could　be　when　faced　with　bad　publicity。　Yes；　he　thought；　this　would　work。　She　would　get　the　collections　back；　and　get　her　carbon…14　dating　funded；　and　more。　She　would　thank　him　in　the　end。　If　he　worked　fast；　he　could　even　make　the　early　edition。
　Smithback　heard　a　hearty　yell。　〃Hey；　friend！〃
　He　turned。　There　were　the　two　bums；　fiery…faced　now；　holding　on　to　each　other；　staggering　up　the　sidewalk。　One　of　them　lifted　a　paper　bag。　〃Have　a　drink　on　us！〃
　Smithback　took　out　another　twenty　and　held　it　up　in　front　of　the　bigger　and　dirtier　of　the　two。　〃Tell　you　what。　In　a　few　minutes；　you'll　see　a　thin　lady　dressed　in　black　e　out　of　this　building　with　two　guys。　Her　name's　Millie。　Give　her　a　really　big　hug　and　kiss　for　me；　will　you？　The　sloppier　the　better。〃
　〃You　bet！〃　The　man　snatched　the　bill　and　stuffed　it　into　his　pocket。
　Smithback　went　down　the　street　toward　Broadway；　feeling　marginally　better。
　
　EIGHT
　　
　ANTHONY　FAIRHAVEN　SETTLED　his　lean；　muscular　frame　into　the　chair；　spread　a　heavy　linen　napkin　across　his　lap；　and　examined　the　breakfast　that　lay　before　him。　It　was　minuscule；　yet　arrayed　with　excessive　care　on　the　crisp　white　damask：　a　china　glass　of　tea；　two　water　biscuits；　royal　jelly。　He　drained　the　tea　in　a　single　toss；　nibbled　absently　at　the　cracker；　then　wiped　his　lips　and　signaled　the　maid　for　his　papers　with　a　curt　motion。
　The　sun　streamed　in　through　the　curved　glass　wall　of　his　breakfast　atrium。　From　his　vantage　point　atop　the　Metropolitan　Tower；　all　of　Manhattan　lay　prostrate　at　his　feet；　glittering　in　the　dawn　light；　windows　winking　pink　and　gold。　His　own　personal　New　World；　waiting　for　him　to　claim　his　Manifest　Destiny。　Far　below；　the　dark　rectangle　of　Central　Park　lay　like　a　gravedigger's　hole　in　the　midst　of　the　great　city。　The　light　was　just　clipping　the　tops　of　the　trees；　the　shadows　of　the　buildings　along　Fifth　Avenue　lying　across　the　park　like　bars。
　There　was　a　rustle　and　the　maid　laid　the　two　papers　before　him；　the　New　York　Times　and　the　Wall　Street　Journal。　Freshly　ironed；　as　he　insisted。　He　picked　up　the　Times　and　unfolded　it；　the　warm　scent　of　newsprint　reaching　his　nostrils；　the　sheets　crisp　and　dry。　He　gave　the　paper　a　little　shake　to　loosen　it；　and　turned　to　the　front　page。　He　scanned　the　headlines。　Middle　East　peace　talks；　mayoral　election　debates；　earthquake　in　Indonesia。　He　glanced　below　the　fold。
　Momentarily；　he　stopped　breathing。
　　
　NEWLY　DISCOVERED　LETTER　SHEDS　LIGHT　ON　19TH…CENTURY　KILLINGS
　　
　BY　WILLIAM　SMITHBACK　JR。
　　
　He　blinked　his　eyes；　took　a　long；　deep　breath；　and　began　to　read。
　　
　NEW　YORK…October　8。　A　letter　has　been　found　in　the　archives　of　the　New　York　Museum　of　Natural　History　that　may　help　explain　the　grisly　charnel　discovered　in　lower　Manhattan　early　last　week。
　In　that　discovery；　workmen　constructing　a　residential　tower　at　the　corner　of　Henry　and　Catherine　streets　unearthed　a　basement　tunnel　containing　the　remains　of　thirty…six　young　men　and　women。　The　remains　had　been　walled　up　in　a　dozen　alcoves　in　what　was　apparently　an　old　coal　tunnel　dating　from　the　middle　of　the　nineteenth　century。　Preliminary　forensic　analysis　showed　that　the　victims　had　been　dissected；　or　perhaps　autopsied；　and　subsequently　dismembered。　Preliminary　dating　of　the　site　by　an　archaeologist；　Nora　Kelly；　of　the　New　York　Museum　of　Natural　History；　indicated　that　the　killings　had　occurred　between　1872　and　1881；　when　the　corner　was　occupied　by　a　three…story　building　housing　a　private　museum　known　as　〃J。　C。　Shottum's　Cabinet　of　Natural　Productions　and　Curiosities。〃　The　cabinet　burned　in　1881；　and　Shottum　died　in　the　fire。
　In　subsequent　research；　Dr。　Kelly　discovered　the　letter；　which　was　written　by　J。　C。　Shottum　himself。　Written　shortly　before　Shottum's　death；　it　describes　his　uncovering　of　the　medical　experiments　of　his　lodger；　a　taxonomist　and　chemist　by　the　name　of　Enoch　Leng。　In　the　letter；　Shottum　alleged　that　Leng　was　conducting　surgical　experiments　on　human　subjects；　in　an　attempt　to　prolong　his　own　life。　The　experiments　appear　to　have　involved　the　surgical　removal　of　the　lower　portion　of　the　spinal　cord　from　a　living　subject。　Shottum　appended　to　his　letter　several　passages　from　Leng's　own　detailed　journal　of　his　experiments。　A　copy　of　the　letter　was　obtained　by　the　New　York　Times。
　If　the　remains　are　indeed　from　murdered　individuals；　it　would　be　the　largest　serial　killing　in　the　history　of　New　York　City　and　perhaps　the　largest　in　U。S。　history。　Jack　the　Ripper；　England's　most　famous　serial　killer；　murdered　seven　women　in　the　Whitechapel　district　of　London　in　1888。　Jeffrey　Dahmer；　America's　notorious　serial　killer；　is　known　to　have　killed　at　least　17　people。
　The　human　remains　were　removed　to　the　Medical　Examiner's　office　and　have　been　unavailable　for　examination。　The　basement　tunnel　was　subsequently　destroyed　by　Moegen…Fairhaven；　Inc。；　the　developer　of　the　tower；　during　normal　construction　activities。　According　to　Mary　Hill；　a　spokesperson　for　Mayor　Edward　Montefiori；　the　site　did　not　fall　under　the　New　York　Archaeological　and　Historic　Preservation　Act。　〃This　is　an　old　crime　scene　of　little　archaeological　interest；〃　Ms。　Hill　said。　〃It　simply　did　not　meet　the　criteria　spelled　out　in　the　Act。　We　had　no　basis　to　stop　construction。〃　Representatives　of　the　Landmarks　Preservation　mission；　however；　have　taken　a　different　view；　and　are　reportedly　asking　a　state　senator　and　the　New　York　Investigator's　office　to　assemble　a　task　force　to　look　into　the　matter。
　One　article　of　clothing　was　preserved　from　the　site；　a　dress；　which　was　brought　to　the　Museum　for　examination　by　Dr。　Kelly。　Sewn　into　the　dress；　Dr。　Kelly　found　a　piece　of　paper；　possibly　a　note　of　self…identification；　written　by　a　young　woman　who　apparently　believed　she　had　only　a　short　time　to　live：　〃I　am　Mary　Greene；　agt　＇sic＇　19　years；　No。　16　Watter　＇sic＇　Street。〃　Tests　indicated　the　note　had　been　written　in　human　blood。
　The　Federal　Bureau　of　Investigation　has　taken　an　interest　in　the　case。　Special　Agent　Pendergast；　from　the　New　Orleans　office；　has　been　observed　on　the　scene。　Neither　the　New　York　nor　the　New　Orleans　FBI　offices　would　ment。　The　exact　nature　of　his　involvement　has　not　been　made　public；　but　Pendergast　is　known　as　one　of　the　highest　ranking　special　agents　in　the　Southern　Region。　He　has　worked　on　several　high…profile　cases　in　New　York　before。　The　New　York　City　Police　Department；　meanwhile；　has　shown　little　interest　in　a　crime　that　occurred　more　than　a　century　ago。　Captain　Sherwood　Custer；　in　whose　precinct　the　remains　were　found；　says　the　case　is　primarily　of　hist