rc.theladyinthelake-第10节

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ok　up　as　we　came　down　behind　him。
　　Patton　took　the　pint　bottle　of　Mount　Vernon　off　his　hip　and　unscrewed　the　top　and　handed　it。
　　〃Drink　hearty；　Bill。〃　There　was　a　horrible；　sickening　smell　in　the　air。　Bill　Chess　didn't　seem　to　notice　it；　nor　Patton　nor　the　doctor。　The　man　called　Andy　got　a　dusty　brown　blanket　out　of　the　car　and　threw　it　over　the　body。　Then　without　a　word　he　went　and　vomited　under　a　pine　tree。
　　Bill　Chess　drank　a　long　drink　and　sat　holding　the　bottie　against　his　bare　bent　knee。　He　began　to　talk　in　a　stiff　wooden　voice；　not　looking　at　anybody；　not　talking　to　anybody　in　particular。　He　told　about　the　quarrel　and　what　happened　after　it；　but　not　why　it　had　happened。　He　didn't　mention　Mrs。　Kingsley　even　in　the　most　casual　ways　He　said　that　after　I　left　him　he　had　got　a　rope　and　stripped　and　gone　down　into　the　water　and　got　the　thing　out。　He　had　dragged　it　ashore　and　then　got　it　up　on　his　back　and　carried　it　out　on　the　pier。　He　didn't　know　why。　He　had　gone　back　into　the　water　again　then。　He　didn't　have　to　tell　us　why。
　　Patton　put　a　cut　of　tobacco　into　his　mouth　and　chewed　on　it　silently；　his　calm　eyes　full　of　nothing。　Then　he　shut　his　teeth　tight　and　leaned　down　to　pull　the　blanket　off　the　body。　He　turned　the　body　over　carefully；　as　if　it　might　e　to　pieces。　The　late　afternoon　sun　winked　on　the　necklace　of　large　green　stones　that　were　partly　imbedded　in　the　swollen　neck。　They　were　roughly　carved　and　lustreless；　like　soapstone　or　false　jade。　A　gilt　chain　with　an　eagle　clasp　set　with　small　brilliants　joined　the　ends。　Patton　straightened　his　broad　back　and　blew　his　nose　on　a　tan　handkerchief。
　　〃What　you　say；　Doc？〃
　　〃About　what？〃　the　bug…eyed　man　snarled。
　　〃Cause　and　time　of　death。〃
　　〃Don't　be　a　damn　fool；　Jim　Patton。〃
　　〃Can't　tell　nothing；　huh？〃
　　〃By　looking　at　that？　Good　God！〃　Patton　sighed。　〃Looks　drowned　all　right；〃　he　admitted。　〃But　you　can't　always　tell。　There's　been　cases　where　a　victim　would　be　knifed　or　poisoned　or　something；　and　they　would　soak　him　in　the　water　to　make　things　look　different。〃
　　〃You　get　many　like　that　up　here？〃　the　doctor　enquired　nastily。
　　〃Only　honest　to　God　murder　I　ever　had　up　here；〃　Patton　said；　watching　Bifi　Chess　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　〃was　old　Dad　Meacham　over　on　the　north　shore。　He　had　a　shack　in　Sheedy　Canyon；　did　a　little　panning　in　sumrner　on　an　old　placer　claim　he　had　back　in　the　valley　near　Belltop。　Folks　didn't　see　him　around　for　a　while　in'　late　fall；　then　e　a　heavy　snow　and　his　roof　caved　in　to　one　side。　So　we　was　over　there　trying　to　prop　her　up　a　bit；　figuring　Dad　had　gone　down　the　hill　for　the　winter　without　telling　anybody；　the　way　them　old　prospectors　do　things。　Well　by　gum；　old　Dad　never　went　down　the　hill　at　all。　There　he　was　in　bed　with　most　of　a　kindling　axe　in　the　back　of　his　head。　We　never　did　find　out　who　done　it。　Somebody　figured　he　had　a　little　bag　of　gold　hid　away　from…　the　summer's　panning。〃　He　looked　thoughtfully　at　Andy。　The　man　in　the　lion　hunter's　hat　was　feeling　a　tooth　in　his　mouth。　He　said：　〃Course　we　know　who　done　it。　Guy　Pope　done　it。　Only　Guy　was　dead　nine　days　of　pneumonia　before　we　found　Dad　Meacham。〃
　　〃Eleven　days；〃　Patton　said。
　　〃Nine；〃　the　man　in　the　lion　hunter's　hat　said。
　　〃Was　all　of　six　years　ago；　Andy。　Have　it　your　own　way；　son。　How　you　figure　Guy　Pope　done　it？〃
　　〃We　found　about　three　ounces　of　small　nuggets　in　Guy's　cabin　along　with　some　dust。　Never　was　anything　bigger'n　sand　on　Guy's　claim。　Dad　had　nuggets　all　of　a　pennyweight；　plenty　of　times。〃
　　〃Well；　；that's　the　way　it　goes；〃　Patton　said；　and　smiled　at　me　in　a　vague　manner。　〃Fellow　always　forgets　something；　don't　he？　No　matter　how　careful　he　is。〃
　　〃Cop　stuff；〃　Bill　Chess　said　disgustedly　and　put　his　pants　on　and　sat　down　again　to　put　on　his　shoes　and　shirt。　When　he　had　them　on　he　stood　up　and　reached　down　for　the　bottle　and　took　a　good　drink　and　laid　the　bottle　carefully　on　the　planks。　He　thrust　his　hairy　wrists　out　towards　Patton。
　　〃That's　the　way　you　guys　feel　about　it；　put　the　cuffs　on　and　get　it　over；〃　he　said　in　a　savage　voice。
　　Patton　ignored　him　and　went　over　to　the　railing　and　looked　down。　〃Funny　place　for　a　body　to　be；〃　he　said。　〃No　current　here　to　mention；　but　what　there　is　would　be　towards　the　dam。〃　Bill　Chess　lowered　his　wrists　and　said　quietly：　〃She　did　it　herself；　you　darn　fool。　Muriel　was　a　fine　swimmer。　She　dived　down　in　and　swum　under　the…boards　there　and　just　breathed　water　in。　Had　to。　No　other　way。〃
　　〃I　wouldn't　quite　say　that；　Bill；〃　Patton　answered　him　mildly。　His　eyes　were　as　blank　as　new　plates。
　　Andy　shook　his　head。　Patton　looked　at　him　with　a　sly　grin。　〃Crabbin'　again；　Andy？〃
　　〃Was　nine　days；　I　tell　you。　I　just　counted　back；〃　the　man　in　the　lion　hunter's　hat　said　morosely。
　　The　doctor　threw　his　arms　up　and　walked　away；　with　one　hand　to　his　head。　He　coughed　into　his　handkerchief　again　and　again　looked　into　the　handkerchief　with　passionate　attention。
　　Patton　winked　at　me　and　spat　over　the　railing。　〃Let's　get　on　to　this　one；　Andy。〃
　　〃You　ever　try　to　drag　a　body　six　feet　under　water？〃
　　〃Nope；　can't　say　I　ever　did；　Andy。　Any　reason　it　couldn't　be　done　with　a　rope？〃　Andy　shrugged。　〃If　a　rope　was　used；　it　will　show　on　the　corpse。　If　you　got　to　give　yourself　away　like　that；　why　bother　to　cover　up　at　all？〃
　　〃Question　of　time；〃　Patton　said。　〃Fellow　has　his　arrangements　to　make。〃　Bill　Chess　snarled　at　them　and　reached　down　for　the　whiskey。　Looking　at　their　solemn　mountain　faces　I　couldn't　tell　what　they　were　really　thinking。
　　Patton　said　absently：　〃Something　was　said　about　a　note。〃　Bill　Chess　rummaged　in　his　wallet　and　drew　the　folded　piece　of　ruled　paper　loose。　Patton　took　it　and　read　it　slowly。
　　〃Don't　seem　to　have　any　date；〃　he　observed。
　　Bill　Chess　shook　his　head　somberly。　〃No。　She　left　a　month　ago；　June　12th。〃
　　〃Left　you　once　before；　didn't　she？〃
　　〃Yeah。〃　Bill　Chess　stared　at　him　fixedly。　〃I　got　drunk　and　stayed　with　a　chippy。　Just　before　the　first　snow　last　December。　She　was　gone　a　week　and　came　back　all　prettied　up。　Said　she　just　had　to　get　away　for　a　while　and　had　been　staying　with　a　girl　she　used　to　work　with　in　L。A。〃
　　〃What　was　the　name　of　this　party？〃　Patton　asked。
　　〃Never　told　me　and　I　never　asked　her。　What　Muriel　did　was　all　silk　with　me。〃
　　〃Sure。　Note　left　that　time；　Bill？〃　Patton　asked　smoothly。
　　〃No。〃
　　〃This　note　here　looks　middling　old；〃　Patton　said；　hold　ing　it　up。
　　〃I　carried　it　a　month；〃　Bill　Chess　growled。　〃Who　told　you　she　left　me　before？〃
　　〃I　forget；〃　Patton　said。　〃You　know　how　it　is　in　a　place　like　this。　Not　much　folks　don't　notice。　Except　maybe　in　summer　time　where　there's　a　lot　of　strangers　about。〃　Nobody　said　anything　for　a　while　and　then　Patton　said　absently：　〃June　12th　you　say　she　left？　Or　you　thought　she　left？　Did　you　say　the　folks　across　the　lake　were　up　here　then？〃　Bifi　Chess　looked　at　me　and　his　face　darkened　again。　〃Ask　this　snoopy　guy…if　he　didn't　already　spill　his　guts　to　you。〃　Patton　didn't　look　at　me　at　all。　He　looked　at　the　line　of　mountains　far　beyond　the　lake。　He　said　gently：　〃Mr。　Mar。　lowe　here　didn't　tell　me　anything　at　all；　Bill；　except　how　the　body　e　up　out　of　the　water　and　who　it　was。　And　that　Muriel　went　away；　as　you　thought；　and　left　a　note　you　showed　him。　I　don't　guess　there's　anything　wrong　in　that；　is　there？〃　There　was　another　silence　and　Bifi　Chess　stared　down　at　the　blanket…covered　corpse　a　few　feet　away　from　him　He　clenched　his　hands　and　a　thick　tear　ran　down　his　cheek。
　　〃Mrs。　Kingsley　was　here；〃　he　said。　〃She　went　down　the　hill　that　same　day。　Nobody　was　in　the　other　cabins。　Per　rys　and　Farquars　ain't　been　up　at　all　this　year。〃　Patton　nodded　and　was　silent。　A　kind　of　charged　emptiness　hung　in　the　air；　as　if　something　that　had　not　been　said　was　plain　to　all　of　them　and　didn't　need　saying。
　　Then　Bill　Chess　said　wildly：　〃Take　me　in；　you　sons　of　bitches！　Sure　I　did　it！　I　drowned　her。　She　was　my　girl　and　I　loved　her。　I'm　a　heel；　always　was　a　heel；　always　will　be　a　heel；　but　just　the　same　I　loved　her。　Maybe　you　guys　wouldn't　understand　that。　Just　don't　bother　to　try。　Take　me　in；　damn　you！〃　Nobody　said　anything　at　all。
　　Bill　Chess　looked　down　at　his　hard　brown　fist。　He　swung　it　up　viciously　and　hit　himself　in　the　face　with　all　his　strength。
　　〃You　rotten　son　of　a　bitch；〃　he　breathed　in　a　harsh　whisper。
　　His　nose　began　to　bleed　slowly。　He　stood　and　the　blood　ran　down　his　lip；　down　the　side　of　his　mouth；　to　the　point　of　his　chin。　A　drop　fell　sluggishly　to　his　shirt。
　　Patton　said　quietly：　〃Got　to　take　you　down　the　hill　for　questioning；　Bill。　You　know　that。　We　ain't　accusing　you　of　anything；　but　the　folks　down　there　have　got　to　talk　to　you。〃　Bill　Chess　said　heavily：　〃Can　I　change　my　clothes？〃
　　〃Sure。　You　go　with　him；　Andy。　And　see　what　you　can　find　to　kind　of　wrap　up　what　we　got　here。〃　They　went　off　along　the　path　at　the　edge　of　the　lake。　The　doctor　cleared　his　throat　and　looked　out　over　the　water　and　sighed。
　　〃You'll　want　to　send　the　corpse　down　in　my　ambulance；　Jim；　won't　you？〃　Patton　shook　his　head。　〃Nope。　This　is　a　poor　county；　Doe。　I　figure　the　lady　can　ride　cheaper　than　what　you　get　for　that　ambulance。〃　The　doctor　walked　away　from　him　angrily；　sa