preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第60节

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　When　the　great　bronze　doors　opened；　Smithback　made　sure　he　buried　himself　within　the　throngs；　staying　as　anonymous　as　possible。　He　paid　the　suggested　admission　and　pinned　on　his　button；　strolling　through　the　Great　Rotunda；　gaping　like　all　the　others　at　the　soaring　skeletons。
　Soon　he　broke　away　from　the　tourists　and　worked　his　way　down　to　the　first　floor。　One　of　the　least　known；　but　most　useful；　archives　in　the　Museum　was　here。　Colloquially　known　as　Old　Records；　it　housed　cabinet　upon　filing　cabinet　of　personnel　records；　running　from　the　Museum's　founding　to　about　1986；　when　the　system　was　puterized　and　moved　to　a　gleaming　new　space　on　the　fourth　floor　and　given　the　shiny　new　name　of　Human　Resources。　How　well　he　remembered　Old　Records：　the　smell　of　mothballs　and　foxed　paper；　the　endless　files　on　long…dead　Museum　employees；　associates；　and　researchers。　Old　Records　still　contained　some　sensitive　material；　and　Smithback　remembered　that　it　was　kept　locked　and　guarded。　The　last　time　he　was　in　here；　it　was　on　official　business　and　he　had　a　signed　permission。　This　time；　he　was　going　to　have　to　use　a　different　approach。　The　guards　might　recognize　him；　then　again；　after　several　years；　they　might　not。
　He　walked　through　the　vast　Hall　of　Birds；　echoing　and　empty；　considering　how　best　to　proceed。　Soon　he　found　himself　before　the　twin　riveted　copper　doors　labeled　Personnel　Records；　Old。　Peering　through　the　crack　between　them；　he　could　see　two　guards；　sitting　at　a　table；　drinking　coffee。
　Two　guards。　Twice　the　chance　of　being　recognized；　half　the　chance　of　pulling　a　fast　one　on　them。　He　had　to　get　rid　of　one。
　He　took　a　turn　around　the　hall；　still　thinking；　as　a　plan　began　to　take　shape。　Abruptly；　he　turned　on　his　heel　and　walked　out　into　the　corridor；　up　the　stairs；　and　into　the　huge　Selous　Memorial　Hall。　There；　the　usual　cadre　of　cheerful　old　ladies　had　taken　their　places　at　the　information　desk。　Smithback　plucked　the　visitor's　button　from　his　lapel　and　tossed　it　in　a　trash　bin。　Then　he　strode　up　to　the　nearest　lady。
　〃I'm　Professor　Smithback；〃　he　said；　with　a　smile。
　〃Yes；　Professor。　What　can　I　do　for　you？〃　The　lady　had　curly　white　hair　and　violet　eyes。
　Smithback　gave　her　his　most　charming　smile。　〃May　I　use　your　phone？〃
　〃Of　course。〃　The　woman　handed　him　the　phone　from　under　the　desk。　Smithback　looked　through　the　nearby　museum　phone　book；　found　the　number；　and　dialed。
　〃Old　Records；〃　a　gruff　voice　answered。
　〃Is　Rook　on　duty　there？〃　Smithback　barked。
　〃Rook？　There's　no　Rook　here。　You　got　the　wrong　number；　pal。〃
　Smithback　expelled　an　irritated　stream　of　air　into　the　phone。　〃Who's　on　in　Records；　then？〃
　〃It's　me　and　O'Neal。　Who's　this？〃　The　voice　was　truculent；　stupid。
　〃　'Me'？　Who's　'me'？〃
　〃What's　your　problem；　friend？〃　came　the　reply。
　Smithback　put　on　his　coldest；　most　officious　voice。　〃Allow　me　to　repeat　myself。　May　I　be　so　presumptuous　to　ask　who　you　are；　sir；　and　whether　you　want　to　be　written　up　for　insubordination？〃
　〃I'm　Bulger；　sir。〃　The　guard's　gruff　manner　wilted　instantly。
　〃Bulger。　I　see。　You're　the　man　I　need　to　talk　to。　This　is　Mr。　Hrumrehmen　in　Human　Resources。〃　He　spoke　rapidly　and　angrily；　deliberately　garbling　the　name。
　〃Yes；　I'm　sorry；　I　didn't　realize。　How　can　I　help　you；　Mr。…？〃
　〃You　certainly　can　help　me；　Bulger。　There's　a　problem　here　with　certain；　ah；　asseverations　in　your　personnel　file；　Bulger。〃
　〃What　kind　of　problem？〃　The　man　sounded　suitably　alarmed。
　〃It's　confidential。　We'll　discuss　it　when　you　get　here。〃
　〃When？〃
　〃Now；　of　course。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；　but　I　didn't　catch　your　name…〃
　〃And　tell　O'Neal　I'm　sending　someone　down　to　review　your　procedures　in　the　meantime。　We've　had　some　disturbing　reports　about　laxity。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；　of　course；　but…？〃
　Smithback　replaced　the　phone。　He　looked　up　to　find　the　elderly　volunteer　eyeing　him　curiously；　even　suspiciously。
　〃What　was　that　all　about；　Professor？〃
　Smithback　grinned　and　drew　a　hand　over　his　cowlick。　〃Just　a　little　trick　on　a　co…worker。　We've　got　this　running　joke；　see　。　。　。　Gotta　do　something　to　lighten　up　this　old　pile。〃
　She　smiled。　The　dear　innocent；　Smithback　thought　a　little　guiltily　as　he　made　a　beeline　back　down　the　stairs　to　Old　Records。　On　the　way；　he　passed　one　of　the　guards　he'd　seen　through　the　crack：　huffing　down　the　hall；　belly　jiggling　as　he　walked；　panic　writ　large　on　his　face。　The　Human　Resources　office　at　the　Museum　was　a　notoriously　feared　place；　overstaffed　like　the　rest　of　the　administration。　It　would　take　the　guard　ten　minutes　to　get　there；　ten　minutes　to　wander　around　looking　for　the　nonexistent　Mr。　Hrumrehmen；　and　ten　minutes　to　get　back。　That　would　give　Smithback　thirty　minutes　to　talk　his　way　inside　and　find　what　he　was　looking　for。　It　wasn't　a　lot　of　time；　but　Smithback　knew　the　Museum's　archival　systems　inside　and　out。　He　had　infinite　confidence　in　his　ability　to　find　what　he　needed　in　short　order。
　Once　again；　he　strode　down　the　hall　to　the　copper　doors　of　Old　Records。　He　straightened　his　shoulders；　took　a　deep　breath。　Raising　one　hand；　he　knocked　imperiously。
　The　door　was　opened　by　the　remaining　security　officer。　He　looked　young；　barely　old　enough　to　be　out　of　high　school。　He　was　already　spooked。　〃Yes；　how　can　I　help　you？〃
　Smithback　grasped　the　man's　surprised；　limp　hand　while　stepping　inside　at　the　same　time。
　〃O'Neal？　I'm　Maurice　Fannin　from　Human　Resources。　They　sent　me　down　here　to　straighten　things　out。〃
　〃Straighten　things　out？〃
　Smithback　slid　his　way　inside；　looking　at　the　rows　of　old　metal　filing　cabinets；　the　scarred　table　covered　with　foam　coffee　cups　and　cigarette　butts；　the　piss…yellow　walls。
　〃This　is　a　disgrace；〃　he　said。
　There　was　an　unfortable　silence。
　Smithback　drilled　his　eyes　into　O'Neal。　〃We've　been　doing　a　little　looking　into　your　area　here；　and　let　me　tell　you；　O'Neal；　we　are　not　pleased。　Not　pleased　at　all。〃
　O'Neal　was　immediately　and　utterly　cowed。　〃I'm　sorry；　sir。　Maybe　you　should　talk　to　my　supervisor；　Mr。　Bulger…〃
　〃Oh；　we　are。　We're　having　a　long　discussion　with　him。〃　Smithback　looked　around　again。　〃When　was　the　last　time　you　had　a　file　check；　for　example？〃
　〃A　what？〃
　〃A　file　check。　When　was　the　last　time；　O'Neal？〃
　〃Er；　I　don't　know　what　that　is。　My　supervisor　didn't　tell　me　anything　about　a　file　check…〃
　〃Strange；　he　thought　you　knew　all　about　the　procedure。　Now；　that's　what　I　mean　here；　O'Neal：　sloppy。　Very　sloppy。　Well；　from　now　on；　we　will　be　requiring　a　monthly　file　check。〃　Smithback　narrowed　his　eyes；　strode　over　to　a　filing　cabinet；　pulled　on　a　drawer。　It　was；　as　he　expected；　locked。
　〃It's　locked；〃　said　the　guard。
　〃I　can　see　that。　Any　idiot　can　see　that。〃　He　rattled　the　handle。　〃Where's　the　key？〃
　〃Over　there。〃　The　poor　guard　nodded　toward　a　wall　box。　It；　too；　was　locked。
　It　occurred　to　Smithback　that　the　climate　of　fear　and　intimidation　the　new　Museum　administration　had　fostered　was　proving　most　helpful。　The　man　was　so　terrified；　the　last　thing　he　would　think　of　doing　was　challenging　Smithback　or　asking　for　his　ID。
　〃And　the　key　to　that？〃
　〃On　my　chain。〃
　Smithback　looked　around　again；　his　quick　eyes　taking　in　every　detail　under　the　pretense　of　looking　for　further　violations。　The　filing　cabinets　had　labels　on　them；　each　with　a　date。　The　dates　seemed　to　run　back　to　1865；　the　founding　year　of　the　Museum。
　Smithback　knew　that　any　outside　researchers　who　were　issued　a　pass　to　the　collections　would　have　to　have　been　approved　by　a　mittee　of　curators。　Their　deliberations；　and　the　files　the　applicant　had　to　furnish；　should　still　be　in　here。　Leng　almost　certainly　had　such　a　collections　pass。　If　his　file　were　still　here；　it　would　contain　a　wealth　of　personal　information：　full　name；　address；　education；　degrees；　research　specialization；　list　of　publications…perhaps　even　copies　of　some　of　those　publications。　It　might　even　contain　a　photograph。
　He　rapped　with　a　knuckle　on　the　cabinet　marked　1880。　〃Like　this　file。　When　was　the　last　time　you　file…checked　this　drawer？〃
　〃Ah；　as　far　as　I　know；　never。〃
　〃Never？〃　Smithback　sounded　incredulous。　〃Well；　what　are　you　waiting　for？〃
　The　guard　hustled　over；　unlocked　the　wall　cabinet；　fumbled　for　the　right　key；　and　unlocked　the　drawer。
　〃Now　let　me　show　you　how　to　do　a　file　check。〃　Smithback　opened　the　drawer　and　plunged　his　hands　into　the　files；　rifling　them；　stirring　up　a　cloud　of　dust；　thinking　fast。　A　yellowed　index　card　was　poking　from　the　first　file；　and　he　whipped　it　out。　It　listed　every　file　in　the　drawer　by　name；　alphabetized；　dated；　cross…referenced。　This　was　beautiful。　Thank　God　for　the　early　Museum　bureaucrats。
　〃See；　you　start　with　this　index　card。〃　He　waved　it　in　the　guard's　face。
　The　guard　nodded。
　〃It　lists　every　file　in　the　cabinet。　Then　you　check　to　see　if　all　the　files　are　there。　Simple。　That's　a　file　check。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　Smithback　quickly　scanned　the　list　of　names　on　the　card。　No　Leng。　He　shoved　the　card　back　and　slammed　the　drawer。
　〃Now　we'll　check　1879。　Open　the　drawer；　please。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　Smithback　drew　out　the　1879　index　card。　Again；　no　Leng　was　listed。　〃You'll　need　to　institute　much　more　careful　procedures　down　here；　O'Neal。　These　are　extremely　valuable　historical　files。　Open　the　next　one。　'78。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃