preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第3节

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　〃Careful。　You　wouldn't　want　to　drop　it。　Emeralds　are　brittle。〃
　Nora　held　it　gingerly；　turned　it　in　her　fingers。
　〃Go　ahead。　The　world　looks　different　through　an　emerald。〃
　She　peered　into　its　depths　and　saw　a　distorted　world　peering　back；　in　which　moved　a　bloated　creature　like　a　green　jellyfish：　Brisbane。
　〃Very　interesting。　But　Mr。　Brisbane…〃
　〃Flawless。〃
　〃No　doubt。　But　we　were　talking　about　something　else。〃
　〃What　do　you　think　it's　worth？　A　million？　Five？　Ten？　It's　unique。　If　we　sold　it；　all　our　money　worries　would　be　over。〃　He　chuckled；　then　placed　it　to　his　own　eye　again。　The　eye　swiveled　about　behind　the　emerald；　black；　magnified；　wet…looking。　〃But　we　can't；　of　course。〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　but　I　don't　get　your　point。〃
　Brisbane　smiled　thinly。　〃You　and　the　rest　of　the　scientific　staff。　You　all　forget　one　thing：　it　is　about　show。　Take　this　emerald。　Scientifically；　there's　nothing　in　it　that　you　couldn't　find　in　an　emerald　a　hundredth　its　size。　But　people　don't　want　to　see　any　old　emerald：　they　want　to　see　the　biggest　emerald。　Show；　Dr。　Kelly；　is　the　lifeblood　of　this　Museum。　How　long　do　you　think　your　precious　scientific　research　would　last　if　people　stopped　ing；　stopped　being　interested；　stopped　giving　money？　You　need　collections：　dazzling　exhibitions；　colossal　meteorites；　dinosaurs；　planetariums；　gold；　dodo　birds；　and　giant　emeralds　to　keep　people's　attention。　Your　work　just　doesn't　fall　into　that　category。〃
　〃But　my　work　is　interesting。〃
　Brisbane　spread　his　hands。　〃My　dear；　everyone　here　thinks　their　research　is　the　most　interesting。〃
　It　was　the　〃my　dear〃　that　did　it。　Nora　rose　from　her　chair；　white…lipped　with　anger。　〃I　shouldn't　have　to　sit　here　justifying　my　work　to　you。　The　Utah　survey　will　establish　exactly　when　the　Aztec　influence　came　into　the　Southwest　and　transformed　Anasazi　culture。　It　will　tell　us…〃
　〃If　you　were　digging　up　dinosaurs；　it　would　be　different。　That's　where　the　action　is。　And　it　happens　that's　also　where　the　money　is。　The　fact　is；　Dr。　Kelly；　nobody　seems　terribly　concerned　with　your　little　piles　of　potsherds　except　yourself。〃
　〃The　fact　is；〃　said　Nora　hotly；　〃that　you're　a　miscarried　scientist　yourself。　You're　only　playing　at　being　a　bureaucrat；　and；　frankly；　you're　overdoing　the　role。〃
　As　soon　as　Nora　spoke　she　realized　she　had　said　too　much。　Brisbane's　face　seemed　to　freeze　for　a　moment。　Then　he　recovered；　gave　her　a　cool　smile；　and　twitched　his　handkerchief　out　of　his　breast　pocket。　He　began　polishing　the　emerald；　slowly　and　repetitively。　Then　he　placed　it　back　in　the　case；　locked　it；　and　then　began　polishing　the　case　itself；　first　the　top　and　then　the　sides；　with　deliberation。　Finally　he　spoke。
　〃Do　not　excite　yourself。　It　hardens　the　arteries　and　is　altogether　bad　for　your　health。〃
　〃I　didn't　mean　to　say　that；　and　I'm　sorry；　but　I　won't　stand　for　these　cuts。〃
　Brisbane　spoke　pleasantly。　〃I've　said　what　I　have　to　say。　For　those　curators　who　are　unable　or　unwilling　to　find　the　cuts；　there's　no　problem…I　will　be　happy　to　find　the　cuts　for　them。〃　When　he　said　this；　he　did　not　smile。
　　
　Nora　closed　the　door　to　the　outer　office　and　stood　in　the　hallway；　her　mind　in　turmoil。　She　had　sworn　to　herself　not　to　leave　without　the　extra　money；　and　here　she　was；　worse　off　than　before　she　went　in。　Should　she　go　to　Collopy；　the　Museum's　director？　But　he　was　severe　and　unapproachable；　and　that　would　surely　piss　off　Brisbane。　She'd　already　shot　her　mouth　off　once。　Going　over　Brisbane's　head　might　get　her　fired。　And　whatever　else　she　did；　she　couldn't　lose　this　job。　If　that　happened；　she　might　as　well　find　another　line　of　work。　Maybe　she　could　find　the　money　somewhere　else；　rustle　up　another　grant　somewhere。　And　there　was　another　budget　review　in　six　months。　One　could　always　hope　。　。　。
　Slowly；　she　descended　the　staircase　to　the　fourth　floor。　In　the　corridor　she　paused；　surprised　to　see　the　door　to　her　office　wide　open。　She　looked　inside。　In　the　place　she　had　been　standing　not　fifteen　minutes　before；　a　very　odd…looking　man　was　now　framed　by　the　window；　leafing　through　a　monograph。　He　was　wearing　a　dead　black　suit；　severely　cut；　giving　him　a　distinctly　funereal　air。　His　skin　was　very　pale；　whiter　than　she　had　ever　seen　on　a　living　body。　His　blond　hair；　too；　was　almost　white；　and　he　turned　the　pages　of　the　monograph　with　astonishingly　long；　slender；　ivory　fingers。
　〃Excuse　me；　but　what　are　you　doing　in　my　office？〃　Nora　asked。
　〃Interesting；〃　the　man　murmured；　turning。
　〃I'm　sorry？〃
　He　held　up　a　monograph；　The　Geochronology　of　Sandia　Cave。　〃Odd　that　only　whole　Folsom　points　were　found　above　the　Sandia　level。　Highly　suggestive；　don't　you　think？〃　He　spoke　with　a　soft；　upper…class　southern　accent　that　flowed　like　honey。
　Nora　felt　her　surprise　turning　to　anger　at　this　casual　invasion　of　her　office。
　He　moved　toward　a　bookcase；　slid　the　monograph　back　into　its　place　on　the　shelf；　and　began　perusing　the　other　volumes；　his　finger　tapping　the　spines　with　small；　precise　movements。　〃Ah；〃　he　said；　slipping　out　another　monograph。　〃I　see　the　Monte　Verde　results　have　been　challenged。〃
　Nora　stepped　forward；　jerked　the　monograph　out　of　his　hand；　and　shoved　it　back　onto　the　shelf。　〃I'm　busy　at　the　moment。　If　you　want　an　appointment；　you　can　call。　Please　close　the　door　on　your　way　out。〃　She　turned　her　back；　waiting　for　him　to　leave。　Ten　percent。　She　shook　her　head　in　weary　disbelief。　How　could　she　possibly　manage　it？
　But　the　man　didn't　leave。　Instead；　she　heard　his　mellifluous　plantation　voice　again。　〃I'd　just　as　soon　speak　now；　if　it's　all　the　same　to　you。　Dr。　Kelly；　may　I　be　so　bold　as　to　trouble　you　with　a　vexatious　little　problem？〃
　She　turned。　He　had　extended　his　hand。　Nestled　within　it　was　a　small；　brown　skull。
　
　THREE
　　
　NORA　GLANCED　FROM　the　skull　back　to　the　visitor　's　face。　〃Who　are　you？〃　Regarding　him　more　carefully　now；　she　noticed　just　how　pale　his　blue　eyes　were；　how　fine　his　features。　With　his　white　skin　and　the　classical　planes　of　his　face；　he　looked　as　if　he'd　been　sculpted　of　marble。
　He　made　a　decorous　gesture　somewhere　between　a　nod　and　a　bow。　〃Special　Agent　Pendergast；　Federal　Bureau　of　Investigation。〃
　Nora's　heart　sank。　Was　this　more　spillover　from　the　trouble…plagued　Utah　expedition？　Just　what　she　needed。　〃Do　you　have　a　badge？〃　she　asked　wearily。　〃Some　kind　of　ID？〃
　The　man　smiled　indulgently；　and　slipped　a　wallet　out　of　his　suit　pocket；　allowing　it　to　fall　open。　Nora　bent　down　to　scrutinize　the　badge。　It　certainly　looked　real…and　she　had　seen　enough　of　them　over　the　last　eighteen　months。
　〃All　right；　all　right；　I　believe　you。　Special　Agent…〃　She　hesitated。　What　the　hell　was　his　name？　She　glanced　down　but　the　shield　was　already　on　its　way　back　into　the　folds　of　his　suit。
　〃Pendergast；〃　he　finished　for　her。　Then　he　added；　almost　as　if　he　had　read　her　thoughts：　〃This　has　nothing　to　do　with　what　happened　in　Utah；　by　the　way。　This　is　an　entirely　different　case。〃
　She　looked　at　him　again。　This　dapper　study　in　black　and　white　hardly　looked　like　the　G…men　she　had　met　out　west。　He　seemed　unusual；　even　eccentric。　There　was　something　almost　appealing　in　the　impassive　face。　Then　she　glanced　back　down　at　the　skull。　〃I'm　not　a　physical　anthropologist；〃　she　said　quickly。　〃Bones　aren't　my　field。〃
　Pendergast's　only　reply　was　to　offer　her　the　skull。
　She　reached　for　it；　curious　despite　herself；　turning　it　over　carefully　in　her　hands。
　〃Surely　the　FBI　has　forensic　experts　to　help　them　with　this　sort　of　thing？〃
　The　FBI　agent　merely　smiled　and　walked　to　the　door；　closing　and　locking　it。　Gliding　toward　her　desk；　he　plucked　the　phone　from　its　cradle　and　laid　it　gently　to　one　side。　〃May　we　speak　undisturbed？〃
　〃Sure。　Whatever。〃　Nora　knew　she　must　sound　flustered；　and　was　angry　at　herself　for　it。　She　had　never　met　someone　quite　so　self…assured。
　The　man　settled　himself　into　a　wooden　chair　opposite　her　desk；　throwing　one　slender　leg　over　the　other。　〃Regardless　of　your　discipline；　I'd　like　to　hear　your　thoughts　on　this　skull。〃
　She　sighed。　Should　she　be　talking　to　this　man？　What　would　the　Museum　think？　Surely　they　would　be　pleased　that　one　of　their　own　had　been　consulted　by　the　FBI。　Maybe　this　was　just　the　kind　of　〃publicity〃　Brisbane　wanted。
　She　examined　the　skull　once　again。　〃Well；　to　start　with；　I'd　say　this　child　had　a　pretty　sad　life。〃
　Pendergast　made　a　tent　of　his　fingers；　raising　one　eyebrow　in　mute　query。
　〃The　lack　of　sutural　closing　indicates　a　young　teenager。　The　second　molar　is　only　just　erupted。　That　would　put　him　or　her　at　around　thirteen；　give　or　take　a　few　years。　I　would　guess　female；　by　the　gracile　brow　ridges。　Very　bad　teeth；　by　the　way；　with　no　orthodontry。　That　suggests　neglect；　at　least。　And　these　two　rings　in　the　enamel　indicate　arrested　growth；　probably　caused　by　two　episodes　of　starvation　or　serious　illness。　The　skull　is　clearly　old；　although　the　condition　of　the　teeth　suggests　a　historic；　as　opposed　to　prehistoric；　dating。　You　wouldn't　see　this　kind　of　tooth　decay　in　a　prehistoric　specimen；　and　anyway　it　looks　Caucasoid；　not　Native　American。　I　would　say　it's　at　least　seventy…five　to　a　hundred　years　old。　Of　course；　this　is　all　speculation。　Everything　depends　on　where　it　was　found；　and　under　what　conditions。　A　carb