preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第9节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃No；　wait！〃
　She　turned　and　began　walking　quickly　down　the　sidewalk。
　〃Hey；　e　on！　Wait！　Lady；　please！〃　His　desperate　pleas　echoed　among　the　tenements。
　She　ducked　around　the　corner。　Smithback　was　waiting；　and　he　hugged　her　briefly。　〃Is　that　creep　following？〃
　〃Just　keep　going。〃
　They　began　running　down　the　sidewalk；　Nora　wobbling　on　her　high　heels。　They　turned　the　far　corner　and　crossed　the　street；　then　paused；　panting　and　listening。　The　guard　was　not　following。
　〃Christ；〃　said　Smithback；　sinking　against　a　wall。　〃I　think　I　broke　my　arm　falling　off　that　goddamn　fence。〃　He　held　up　his　arm。　His　raincoat　and　shirt　had　been　torn　and　his　bleeding　elbow　stuck　out　of　the　hole。
　Nora　examined　it。　〃You're　fine。　Did　you　get　the　dress？〃
　Smithback　patted　his　grimy　bag。
　〃Great。〃
　Smithback　looked　around。　〃We're　never　going　to　find　a　cab　down　here；〃　he　said　with　a　groan。
　〃A　cab　wouldn't　stop　anyway。　Remember？　Give　me　your　raincoat。　I'm　freezing。〃
　Smithback　wrapped　it　around　her。　He　paused；　grinning。　〃You　look　kind　of　。　。　。　sexy。〃
　〃Stow　it。〃　She　began　walking　toward　the　subway。
　Smithback　skipped　after　her。　At　the　entrance　to　the　subway；　he　stopped。　〃How　about　a　date；　lady？〃　he　leered。　〃Hey　lady；　please！〃　He　imitated　the　guard's　last；　despairing　entreaties。
　She　looked　at　him。　His　hair　was　sticking　out　in　all　directions；　his　face　had　bee　even　filthier；　and　he　smelled　of　mold　and　dust。　He　couldn't　have　looked　more　ridiculous。
　She　had　to　smile。　〃It's　going　to　cost　you　big…time。　I'm　high…class。〃
　He　grinned。　〃Diamonds。　Pearls。　Greenbacks。　Nights　dancing　in　the　desert　under　the　coyote　moon。　Anything　you　want；　baby。〃
　She　took　his　hand。　〃Now；　that's　my　kind　of　john。〃
　
　SEVEN
　　
　NORA　LOCKED　THE　door　to　her　office；　placed　the　packet　on　a　chair；　and　cleared　her　desk　of　papers　and　tottering　stacks　of　publications。　It　was　just　past　eight　in　the　morning；　and　the　Museum　seemed　to　be　still　asleep。　Nevertheless；　she　glanced　at　the　window　set　into　her　office　door；　and　then…with　a　guilty　impulse　she　did　not　quite　understand…walked　over　to　it　and　pulled　down　the　blind。　Then　she　carefully　covered　the　desktop　with　white　acid…free　paper；　taped　it　to　the　corners；　laid　another　sheet　on　top；　and　placed　a　series　of　sample　bags；　stoppered　test　tubes；　tweezers；　and　picks　along　one　edge。　Unlocking　a　drawer　of　her　desk；　she　laid　out　the　articles　she　had　taken　from　the　site：　coins；　b；　hair；　string；　vertebra。　Lastly；　she　laid　the　dress　atop　the　paper。　She　handled　it　gently；　almost　gingerly；　as　if　to　make　up　for　the　abuse　it　had　endured　over　the　last　twenty…four　hours。
　Smithback　had　been　beside　himself　with　frustration　the　night　before；　when　she　had　refused　to　slit　open　the　dress　immediately　and　see　what；　if　anything；　was　written　on　the　paper　hidden　inside。　She　could　see　him　in　her　mind's　eye：　still　in　his　hobo　outfit；　drawn　up　to　a　height　of　indignation　only　a　journalist　with　a　need　to　know　could　feel。　But　she'd　been　unmoved。　With　the　site　destroyed；　she　was　determined　to　squeeze　every　bit　of　information　out　of　the　dress　that　she　could。　And　she　was　going　to　do　it　right。
　She　took　a　step　back　from　the　desk。　In　the　bright　light　of　the　office；　she　could　examine　the　dress　in　great　detail。　It　was　long；　quite　simple；　made　of　coarse　green　wool。　It　looked　nineteenth…century；　with　a　high　collaret…style　neckline；　a　trim　bodice；　falling　in　long　pleats。　The　bodice　and　pleats　were　lined　with　white　cotton；　now　yellowed。
　Nora　slid　her　hand　down　the　pleats　and；　right　below　the　waistline；　felt　the　crinkle　of　paper。　Not　yet；　she　told　herself　as　she　sat　down　at　the　desk。　One　step　at　a　time。
　The　dress　was　heavily　stained。　It　was　impossible　to　tell；　without　a　chemical　analysis；　what　the　stains　were…some　looked　like　blood　and　body　fluids；　while　others　could　be　grease；　coal　dust；　perhaps　wax。　The　hemline　was　rubbed　and　torn；　and　there　were　some　tears　in　the　fabric　itself；　the　larger　ones　carefully　sewn　up。　She　examined　the　stains　and　tears　with　her　loup。　The　repairs　had　been　done　with　several　colored　threads；　none　green。　A　poor　girl's　effort；　using　whatever　was　at　hand。
　There　was　no　sign　of　insect　or　rodent　damage；　the　dress　had　been　securely　walled　up　in　its　alcove。　She　switched　lenses　on　the　loup　and　looked　more　closely。　She　could　see　a　significant　amount　of　dirt；　including　black　grains　that　looked　like　coal　dust。　She　took　a　few　of　these　and　placed　them　in　a　small　glassine　envelope　with　the　tweezers。　She　removed　other　particles　of　grit；　dirt；　hair；　and　threads；　and　placed　them　in　additional　bags。　There　were　other　specs；　even　smaller　than　the　grit；　she　lugged　over　a　portable　stereozoom　microscope；　laid　it　on　the　table；　and　brought　it　into　focus。
　Immediately；　dozens　of　lice　leapt　into　view；　dead　and　dry；　clinging　to　the　crudely　woven　fabric；　intermingled　with　smaller　mites　and　several　giant　fleas。　She　jerked　her　head　back　involuntarily。　Then；　smiling　at　herself；　she　took　a　closer；　more　studied　look。　The　dress　was　a　rich　landscape　of　foreign　biology；　along　with　an　array　of　substances　that　could　occupy　a　forensic　chemist　for　weeks。　She　wondered　how　useful　such　an　analysis　would　be；　considered　the　cost；　and　temporarily　shelved　the　idea。　She　brought　the　forceps　forward　to　take　more　samples。
　Suddenly；　the　silence　in　her　office　seemed　all　too　absolute；　there　was　a　crawling　sensation　at　the　base　of　her　neck。　She　swiveled；　gasped；　Special　Agent　Pendergast　was　standing　behind　her；　hands　behind　his　back。
　〃Jesus！〃　she　said；　leaping　out　of　the　chair。　〃You　scared　the　hell　out　of　me！〃
　Pendergast　bowed　slightly。　〃My　apologies。〃
　〃I　thought　I　locked　that　door。〃
　〃You　did。〃
　〃Are　you　a　magician；　Agent　Pendergast？　Or　did　you　simply　pick　my　lock？〃
　〃A　little　of　both；　perhaps。　But　these　old　Museum　locks　are　so　crude；　one　can　hardly　call　it　'picking。'　I　am　well　known　here；　which　requires　me　to　be　discreet。〃
　〃Do　you　think　you　could　call　ahead　next　time？〃
　He　turned　to　the　dress。　〃You　didn't　have　this　yesterday　afternoon。〃
　〃No。　I　didn't。〃
　He　nodded。　〃Very　resourceful　of　you；　Dr。　Kelly。〃
　〃I　went　back　last　night…〃
　〃No　details　of　any　questionable　activities；　please。　However；　my　congratulations。〃
　She　could　see　he　was　pleased。
　He　held　out　his　hand。　〃Proceed。〃
　Nora　turned　back　to　her　work。　After　a　while；　Pendergast　spoke。　〃There　were　many　articles　of　clothing　in　the　tunnel。　Why　this　dress？〃
　Without　a　word；　Nora　carefully　turned　up　the　pleats　of　the　dress；　exposing　a　crudely　sewn　patch　in　the　cotton　lining。　Immediately；　Pendergast　moved　closer。
　〃There's　a　piece　of　paper　sewn　inside；〃　she　said。　〃I　came　upon　it　just　before　they　shut　down　the　site。〃
　〃May　I　borrow　your　loup？〃
　Nora　lifted　it　over　her　head　and　handed　it　to　him。　Bending　over　the　dress；　he　examined　it　with　a　thorough　professionalism　that　surprised　and　impressed　Nora。　At　last　he　straightened　up。
　〃Very　hasty　work；〃　he　said。　〃You'll　note　that　all　the　other　stitching　and　mending　was　done　carefully；　almost　lovingly。　This　dress　was　some　girl's　prize　garment。　But　this　one　stitch　was　made　with　thread　pulled　from　the　dress　itself；　and　the　holes　are　ragged…I　would　guess　they　were　made　with　a　splinter　of　wood。　This　was　done　by　someone　with　little　time；　and　with　no　access　to　even　a　needle。〃
　Nora　moved　the　microscope　over　the　patch；　using　its　camera　to　take　a　series　of　photographs　at　various　magnifications。　Then　she　fixed　a　macro　lens　and　took　another　series。　She　worked　efficiently；　aware　that　Pendergast's　eyes　were　upon　her。
　She　put　the　microscope　aside　and　picked　up　the　tweezers。　〃Let's　open　it　up。〃
　With　great　care；　she　teased　the　end　of　the　thread　out　and　began　to　undo　the　patch。　A　few　minutes　of　painstaking　work　and　it　lay　loose。　She　placed　the　thread　in　a　sample　tube　and　lifted　the　material。
　Underneath　was　a　piece　of　paper；　torn　from　the　page　of　a　book。　It　had　been　folded　twice。
　Nora　put　the　patch　into　yet　another　Ziploc　bag。　Then；　using　two　pairs　of　rubber…tipped　tweezers；　she　unfolded　the　paper。　Inside　was　a　message；　scratched　in　crude　brown　letters。　Parts　of　it　were　stained　and　faded；　but　it　read　unmistakably：
　　
　i　a　M　MarY　GreeNe；　agt　19　years；　No。　16　WaTTer　　sTreeT
　　
　Nora　moved　the　paper　to　the　stage　of　the　stereozoom　and　looked　at　it　under　low　power。　After　a　moment　she　stepped　back；　and　Pendergast　eagerly　took　her　place　at　the　eyepieces。　Minutes　went　by　as　he　stared。　Finally　he　stepped　away。
　〃Written　with　the　same　splinter；　perhaps；〃　he　said。
　Nora　nodded。　The　letters　had　been　formed　with　little　scratches　and　scrapes。
　〃May　I　perform　a　test？〃　Pendergast　asked。
　〃What　kind？〃
　Pendergast　slipped　out　a　small　stoppered　test　tube。　〃It　will　involve　removing　a　tiny　sample　of　the　ink　on　this　note　with　a　solvent。〃
　〃What　is　that　stuff？〃
　〃Antihuman　rabbit　serum。〃
　〃Be　my　guest。〃　Strange　that　Pendergast　carried　forensic　chemicals　around　in　his　pockets。　What　did　the　agent　not　have　hidden　inside　that　bottomless　black　suit　of　his？
　Pendergast　unstoppered　the　test　tube；　revealing　a　tiny　swab。　Using　the　stereozoom；　he　applied　it　to　a　corner　of　a　letter；　then　placed　it　back　in　its　tube。　He　gave　it　a　little　shake　and　held　it　to　the　window。　After　a　moment；　the　liquid　turned　blue。　He　turned　to　face　her。
　〃So？〃　she　asked；　but