preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第36节

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he　heavy　bronze　bell。
　A　minute　passed；　then　two。　She　was　about　to　ring　again　when　she　remembered　the　old　lady　had　told　her　to　walk　in。
　She　grasped　the　large　bronze　knob　and　pushed；　the　door　swung　open　with　the　creak　of　rarely　used　hinges。　She　stepped　into　an　entryway；　hanging　her　coat　on　a　lone　hook。　There　was　a　smell　of　dust；　old　fabric；　and　cats。　A　worn　set　of　stairs　swept　upward；　and　to　her　right　she　could　see　a　broad　arched　doorway；　framed　in　carved　oak；　leading　into　what　looked　like　a　parlor。
　A　voice；　riven　with　age　but　surprisingly　strong；　issued　from　within。　〃Do　e　in；〃　it　said。
　Nora　paused　at　the　entrance　to　the　parlor。　After　the　bright　day　outside；　it　was　shockingly　dim；　the　tall　windows　covered　with　thick　green　drapes　ending　in　gold　tassels。　As　her　eyes　slowly　adjusted；　she　saw　an　old　woman；　dressed　in　crepe　and　dark　bombazine；　ensconced　on　a　Victorian　wing　chair。　It　was　so　dark　that　at　first　all　Nora　could　see　was　a　white　face　and　white　hands；　hovering　as　if　disconnected　in　the　dimness。　The　woman's　eyes　were　half　closed。
　〃Do　not　be　afraid；〃　said　the　disembodied　voice　from　the　deep　chair。
　Nora　took　another　step　inside。　The　white　hand　moved；　indicating　another　wing　chair；　draped　with　a　lace　antimacassar。　〃Sit　down。〃
　Nora　took　a　seat　gingerly。　Dust　rose　from　the　chair。　There　was　a　rustling　sound　as　a　black　cat　shot　from　behind　a　curtain　and　disappeared　into　the　dim　recesses　of　the　room。
　〃Thank　you　for　seeing　me；〃　Nora　said。
　The　bombazine　crackled　as　the　lady　raised　her　head。　〃What　do　you　want；　child？〃
　The　question　was　unexpectedly　direct；　and　the　tone　of　the　voice　behind　it　sharp。
　〃Miss　McFadden；　I　wanted　to　ask　you　about　your　father；　Tinbury　McFadden。〃
　〃My　dear；　you're　going　to　have　to　tell　me　your　name　again。　I　am　an　old　lady　with　a　fading　memory。〃
　〃Nora　Kelly。〃
　The　old　woman's　claw　reached　out　and　pulled　the　chain　of　a　lamp　that　stood　beside　her　chair。　It　had　a　heavy　tasseled　lamp　shade；　and　it　threw　out　a　dim　yellow　light。　Now　Nora　could　see　Clara　McFadden　more　clearly。　Her　face　was　ancient　and　sunken；　pale　veins　showing　through　parchment…paper　skin。　The　lady　examined　her　for　a　few　minutes　with　a　pair　of　glittering　eyes。
　〃Thank　you；　Miss　Kelly；〃　she　said；　turning　off　the　lamp　again。　〃What　exactly　do　you　want　to　know　about　my　father？〃
　Nora　took　a　folder　out　of　the　portfolio；　squinting　through　the　dimness　at　the　questions　she'd　scribbled　on　the　train　north　from　Grand　Central。　She　was　glad　she'd　e　prepared；　the　interview　was　being　unexpectedly　intimidating。
　The　old　woman　picked　up　something　from　a　small　table　beside　the　wing　chair：　an　old…fashioned　pint　bottle　with　a　green　label。　She　poured　a　bit　of　the　liquid　into　a　teaspoon；　swallowed　it；　replaced　the　spoon。　Another　black　cat；　or　perhaps　the　same　one；　leapt　into　the　old　lady's　lap。　She　began　stroking　it　and　it　rumbled　with　pleasure。
　〃Your　father　was　a　curator　at　the　New　York　Museum　of　Natural　History。　He　was　a　colleague　of　John　Canaday　Shottum；　who　owned　a　cabinet　of　curiosities　in　lower　Manhattan。〃
　There　was　no　response　from　the　old　lady。
　〃And　he　was　acquainted　with　a　scientist　by　the　name　of　Enoch　Leng。〃
　Miss　McFadden　seemed　to　grow　very　still。　Then　she　spoke　with　acidic　sharpness；　her　voice　cutting　through　the　heavy　air。　It　was　as　if　the　name　had　woken　her　up。　〃Leng？　What　about　Leng？〃
　〃I　was　curious　if　you　knew　anything　about　Dr。　Leng；　or　had　any　letters　or　papers　relating　to　him。〃
　〃I　certainly　do　know　about　Leng；〃　came　the　shrill　voice。　〃He's　the　man　who　murdered　my　father。〃
　Nora　sat　in　stunned　silence。　There　was　nothing　about　a　murder　in　anything　she　had　read　about　McFadden。　〃I'm　sorry？〃　she　said。
　〃Oh；　I　know　they　all　said　he　merely　disappeared。　But　they　were　wrong。〃
　〃How　do　you　know　this？〃
　There　was　another　rustle。　〃How？　Let　me　tell　you　how。〃
　Miss　McFadden　turned　on　the　light　again；　directing　Nora's　attention　to　a　large；　old　framed　photograph。　It　was　a　faded　portrait　of　a　young　man　in　a　severe；　high…buttoned　suit。　He　was　smiling：　two　silver　front　teeth　gleamed　out　of　the　frame。　A　roguish　eyepatch　covered　one　eye。　The　man　had　Clara　McFadden's　narrow　forehead　and　prominent　cheekbones。
　She　began　to　speak；　her　voice　unnaturally　loud　and　angry。　〃That　was　taken　shortly　after　my　father　lost　his　right　eye　in　Borneo。　He　was　a　collector；　you　must　understand。　As　a　young　man；　he　spent　several　years　in　British　East　Africa。　He　built　up　quite　a　collection　of　African　mammals　and　artifacts　collected　from　the　natives。　When　he　returned　to　New　York　he　became　a　curator　at　the　new　museum　just　started　by　one　of　his　fellow　Lyceum　members。　The　New　York　Museum　of　Natural　History。　It　was　very　different　back　then；　Miss　Kelly。　Most　of　the　early　Museum　curators　were　gentlemen　of　leisure；　like　my　father。　They　did　not　have　systematic　scientific　training。　They　were　amateurs　in　the　best　sense　of　the　word。　My　father　was　always　interested　in　oddities；　queer　things。　You　are　familiar；　Miss　Kelly；　with　the　cabinets　of　curiosities？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Nora　said　as　she　scribbled　notes　as　quickly　as　she　could。　She　wished　she　had　brought　a　voice　recorder。
　〃There　were　quite　a　few　in　New　York　at　the　time。　But　the　New　York　Museum　quickly　started　putting　them　out　of　business。　It　became　my　father's　role　at　the　Museum　to　acquire　these　bankrupt　cabinet　collections。　He　corresponded　with　many　of　the　cabinet　owners：　the　Delacourte　family；　Phineas　Barnum；　the　Cadwalader　brothers。　One　of　these　cabinet　owners　was　John　Canaday　Shottum。〃　The　old　lady　poured　herself　another　spoonful　from　the　bottle。　In　the　light；　Nora　could　make　out　the　label：　Lydia　Pinkham's　Vegetable　Tonic。
　Nora　nodded。　〃J。　C。　Shottum's　Cabinet　of　Natural　Productions　and　Curiosities。〃
　〃Precisely。　There　was　only　a　small　circle　of　scientific　men　in　those　days；　and　they　all　belonged　to　the　Lyceum。　Men　of　varying　abilities；　I　might　add。　Shottum　belonged　to　the　Lyceum；　but　he　was　as　much　a　showman　as　he　was　a　scientist。　He　had　opened　a　cabinet　down　on　Catherine　Street；　where　he　charged　a　minimal　admission。　It　was　mostly　patronized　by　the　lower　classes。　Unlike　most　of　his　colleagues；　Shottum　had　these　notions　of　bettering　the　plight　of　the　poor　through　education。　That's　why　he　situated　his　cabinet　in　such　a　disagreeable　neighborhood。　He　was　especially　interested　in　using　natural　history　to　inform　and　educate　the　young。　In　any　case；　he　needed　help　with　identifying　and　classifying　his　collections；　which　he　had　acquired　from　the　family　of　a　young　man　who　had　been　killed　by　natives　in　Madagascar。〃
　〃Alexander　Marysas。〃
　There　was　a　rustle　from　the　old　lady。　Once　again；　she　extinguished　the　light；　shrouding　the　room　in　darkness；　throwing　the　portrait　of　her　father　into　shadow。　〃You　seem　to　know　a　great　deal　about　this；　Miss　Kelly；〃　Clara　McFadden　said　suspiciously。　〃I　hope　I　am　not　annoying　you　with　my　story。〃
　〃Not　at　all。　Please　go　on。〃
　〃Shottum's　was　a　rather　wretched　cabinet。　My　father　helped　him　from　time　to　time；　but　it　was　burdensome　to　him。　It　was　not　a　good　collection。　Very　haphazard；　not　systematic。　To　lure　in　the　poor；　especially　the　urchins；　his　exhibits　tended　toward　the　sensational。　There　was　even　something　he　called　a　'gallery　of　unnatural　monstrosities。'　It　was；　I　believe；　inspired　by　Madame　Tussaud's　Chamber　of　Horrors。　There　were　rumors　that　some　people　who　went　into　that　gallery　never　came　out　again。　All　rubbish；　of　course；　most　likely　cooked　up　by　Shottum　to　increase　foot　traffic。〃
　Clara　McFadden　removed　a　lace　handkerchief　and　coughed　into　it。　〃It　was　around　that　time　a　man　named　Leng　joined　the　Lyceum。　Enoch　Leng。〃　Her　voice　conveyed　a　depth　of　hatred。
　Nora　felt　her　heart　quicken。　〃Did　you　know　Leng？〃
　〃My　father　talked　about　him　a　great　deal。　Especially　toward　the　end。　My　father；　you　see；　had　a　bad　eye　and　bad　teeth。　Leng　helped　him　get　some　silver　bridgework　and　a　special　pair　of　eyeglasses　with　an　unusually　thick　lens。　He　seemed　to　be　something　of　a　polymath。〃
　She　tucked　the　handkerchief　back　into　some　fold　of　her　clothing；　took　another　spoonful　of　the　elixir。　〃It　was　said　he　came　from　France；　a　small　mountain　town　near　the　Belgian　border。　There　was　talk　that　he　was　a　baron；　born　into　a　noble　family。　These　scientists　are　all　gossips；　you　know。　New　York　City　at　the　time　was　a　very　provincial　place　and　Leng　made　quite　an　impression。　No　one　doubted　he　was　a　very　learned　man。　He　called　himself　a　doctor；　by　the　way；　and　it　was　said　he　had　been　a　surgeon　and　a　chemist。〃　She　made　a　vinegary　sound。
　Motes　drifted　in　the　heavy　air。　The　cat's　purr　rumbled　on　endlessly；　like　a　turbine。
　The　strident　voice　cut　the　air　again。　〃Shottum　was　looking　for　a　curator　for　his　cabinet。　Leng　took　an　interest　in　it；　although　it　was　certainly　the　poorest　curatorial　appointment　among　the　cabinets　of　curiosities。　Nevertheless；　Leng　took　rooms　on　the　top　floor　of　the　cabinet。〃
　So　far；　all　this　matched　the　details　provided　in　Shottum's　letter。　〃And　when　was　this？〃　Nora　asked。
　〃In　the　spring　of　1870。〃
　〃Did　Leng　live　at　the　cabinet？〃
　〃A　man　of　Leng's　breeding；　living　in　the　Five　Points？　Certainly　not。　But　he　kept　to　himself。　He　was　a　strange；　elusive　man；　very　formal　in　his　diction　and　mannerisms。　No　one；　not　even　my　father；　knew　where　he　lived。　Leng　did　not