dw.jimmythekid-第9节

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　〃Right。〃　Murch　started　the　Renault；　drove　a　block；　waited　for　a　green　light；　turned　left　on　Dyer　Avenue；　and　parked　over　against　the　left…hand　curb。
　There　wasn't　much　room　in　the　Renault；　and　Dortmunder　had　long　legs。　While　he　shifted　around；　trying　to　get　fortable；　Murch　rolled　down　his　side　window　and　took　a　long　narrow　cigar　out　of　his　shirt　pocket。　Dortmunder　stopped　squirming　to　watch　him　light　it；　and　then　said；　〃What's　that？　You　don't　smoke　cigars。〃
　〃I　thought　I'd　try　one；〃　Murch　said。
　〃It　stinks；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　〃You　think　so？　I　kind　of　like　it。〃
　Dortmunder　shook　his　head。　He　scrunched　around　again；　moving　himself　an　inch　farther　away　from　Murch；　and　then　rolled　his　side　window　down。　He　hung　his　right　arm　outside；　and　watched　the　ining　tunnel　traffic　stream　past　his　right　elbow　and　on　up　Dyer　Avenue。
　Dyer　Avenue；　on　the　west　side　of　midtown　Manhattan；　has　almost　no　true　existence　at　all。　It　runs　eight　blocks；　from　Thirty…fourth　Street　to　Forty…second　Street；　and　contains　no　houses；　no　shops；　no　churches　or　schools　or　factories。　Lined　with　the　blank　walls　of　warehouse　backs　and　overpass　supports；　it　is　partially　roofed　by　ramps　leading　to　the　upper　levels　of　the　Port　Authority　Bus　Terminal；　and　is　used　exclusively　to　funnel　traffic　ing　out　of　the　Lincoln　Tunnel。　There's　no　reason　to　park　there；　and　in　fact　no　parking　is　permitted。
　Which　was　what　the　mounted　policeman　told　them；　ten　minutes　later。　ing　up　on　Dortmunder's　side　of　the　car；　he　leaned　down　beside　the　neck　of　his　horse　and　said；　〃There's　no　parking　here；　fella。〃
　Dortmunder　looked　up　and　back；　and　saw　this　policeman's　face　suspended　in　midair。　Then　he　saw　it　was　a　policeman's　head　with　a　horse's　body。　He　just　stared。
　〃Didn't　you　hear　me；　fella？〃　the　policeman　said。
　Dortmunder　reared　back；　as　best　he　could　in　the　Renault；　closed　one　eye；　and　finally　managed　to　get　the　right　perspective。　〃Oh；〃　he　said。　〃Right。　Yeah。〃　Nodding　to　the　policeman；　he　turned　to　tell　Murch　to　drive　them　away　from　there。
　〃Just　a　minute；〃　the　policeman　said；　and　when　Dortmunder　looked　at　him　again　he　was　climbing　down　off　his　horse。　Now　what？　Dortmunder　thought；　and　he　waited　while　the　policeman　got　himself　down　onto　the　blacktop　and　leaned　his　head　close　to　the　window。　He　gave　Dortmunder　a　hard　look；　and　then　gave　Murch　a　hard　look。　He　also　sniffed　loudly；　and　Dortmunder　realized　the　police。　man　thought　they　were　drunk。　He　sniffed　again；　and　wrinkled　his　face　up；　and　said；　〃What's　that　stink？〃
　〃His　cigar；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃I　told　him　it　stunk；〃　he　said；　and　watched　the　Caddy　go　by。　Silver…gray　Cadillac　limousine；　whip　antenna；　gray…uniformed　chauffeur；　kid　in　the　backseat；　Jersey　plate　number　WAX　361。　Dortmunder　sighed。
　〃Urp；〃　Murch　said。　Then；　being　very　hasty；　he　said；　〃Okay；　officer；　I'll　move　it　now。〃　He　even　shifted　into　gear。
　〃Just　hold　on　there；〃　the　policeman　said。　The　Cadillac　went　on　up　to　Forty…second　Street　and　turned　right。　The　policeman；　leading　his　horse；　walked　slowly　in　his　tight　riding　boots　around　the　front　of　the　Renault。　He　studied　the　car　and　the　license　plate；　and　frowned　through　the　windshield　at　the　two　men　inside　there。　Murch　gave　him　a　big　wide　smile；　and　Dortmunder　just　looked　at　him。
　There　wasn't　room　for　the　horse　between　the　left　side　of　the　Renault　and　the　brick　wall　of　the　overpass　support；　so　the　policeman　left　it　standing　broadside　in　front　of　the　car。
　Still　smiling　broadly　at　the　policeman；　Murch　said　out　of　the　corner　of　his　mouth；　〃What　if　he　asks　for　license　and　registration？〃
　〃Maybe　there's　a　registration　in　the　glove　partment。〃
　〃Yeah；　but　I　don't　have　a　license。〃
　〃Wonderful；〃　Dortmunder　said；　and　the　policeman　leaned　down　to　look　in　Murch's　window　and　say；　〃What　are　you　parked　here　for；　anyway？〃
　Murch　said；　〃I　got　a　dizzy　spell　ing　through　the　tunnel。〃　Out　front；　the　horse's　tail；　which　was　on　Dortmunder's　side　of　the　car；　lifted　up　and　the　horse　began　to　relieve　himself。
　The　policeman　said；　〃Dizzy　spell；　huh？　Let's　see　your…〃
　〃Your　horse；〃　Dortmunder　said　loudly。
　The　policeman　looked　past　Murch　at　Dortmunder。　〃What？〃
　〃Your　horse；〃　Dortmunder　said；　〃is　shitting　on　our　car。〃
　The　policeman　leaned　in and　looked　through　the　windshield　at　his　horse。　〃Son　of　a　bitch；〃　he　said。　He　removed　his　head　from　the　car；　went　around　front；　grabbed　the　reins；　and　led　the　horse　away　from　the　car。
　〃Get　us　out　of　here；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　〃Right。〃　Murch　put　the　Renault　in　gear　again　and　angled　out　away　from　the　curb　and　around　the　policeman　and　his　horse。　Moving　slowly　by；　he　called　to　the　policeman；　〃Thank　you；　officer。　I　feel　a　lot　better　now。〃
　The　horse　apparently　preferred　walking　to　standing　still　when　relieving　itself；　and　was　now　walking　slowly　up　Dyer　Avenue；　plopping　contentedly　behind　itself；　and　ignoring　the　policeman's　efforts　to　make　it　stop。　〃Yeah　yeah；〃　the　policeman　said；　nodding　in　distraction　at　Murch；　and　to　the　horse　said；　〃Stop　there；　Abner；　stop　there。〃
　Up　at　Forty…second　Street　the　light　was　against　them。　They　stopped；　and　Dortmunder　said；　〃Goddam　it　to　hell　and　goddam　it　back　again。〃
　〃So　we'll　try　it　again　Friday；〃　Murch　said。
　〃The　horse'll　shit　in　the　window　next　time。〃
　The　light　turned　green　and　Murch　made　a　left。　〃You　want　me　to　take　you　home？〃
　〃Might　as　well。〃
　At　Tenth　Avenue　the　light　was　against　them。　Murch　said；　〃I　threw　out　the　cigar；　did　you　notice？〃
　〃I　told　you　it　stunk。〃
　〃Friday　we'll　wait　around　the　corner　on　Forty…second。　You　can　park　there。〃
　〃Sure；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　The　light　remained　red。　Murch　looked　thoughtful。　He　said；　〃Listen；　you　in　a　hurry？〃
　〃In　a　hurry　for　what？〃
　〃Let's　take　a　little　drive；　okay？〃
　Dortmunder　shrugged。　〃Do　what　you　want。〃
　〃Fine；〃　Murch　said。　The　light　turned　green　and　he　headed　up　Tenth　Avenue。
　Dortmunder　brooded　for　forty　blocks；　as　Tenth　Avenue　changed　its　name　to　Amsterdam　Avenue　and　its　language　to　Spanish；　but　as　they　crossed　Eighty…sixth　Street　he　finally　sat　up；　looked　out　at　the　world；　and　said；　〃Where　we　going？〃
　〃Up　to　Ninety…sixth；〃　Murch　said；　〃and　over　to　Central　Park　West；　and　then　down。　After　that　I'll　take　you　home。〃
　〃What's　the　idea？〃
　Murch　shrugged；　and　seemed　slightly　embarrassed。　〃Well；　you　never　know；〃　he　said。
　〃You　never　know　what？〃
　〃In　the　hook；　the　car　goes　to　Central　Park　West。〃
　Dortmunder　stared　at　him。　〃You　think　the　Caddy's　going　to　be　on　Central　Park　West　because　the　car　in　the　book　was　on　Central　Park　West？〃
　March　showed　increasing　disfort。　〃I　figured；〃　he　said；　〃what　the　hell；　it　won't　cost　us　anything。　Besides；　in　the　book　the　kid's　ing　in　for　special　speech　therapy；　right？　So　this　kid；　in　the　Caddy；　he's　got　to　be　ing　in　to　see　some　specialist　like　that；　too；　and　Central　Park　West　is　full　of　those　guys。〃
　〃So's　Park　Avenue；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃So's　a　lot　of　other　places；　all　over　town。〃
　〃If　you　don't　want　to　do　it；〃　Murch　said；　〃it's　okay　with　me。　I　just　figured；　what　the　hell。〃
　Dortmunder　looked　at　the　sign　for　the　cross　street　they　were　passing：　Ninety…fourth。　〃You　want　to　go　to　Ninety…sixth；　and　then　down？〃
　〃Right。〃
　〃Well；　we're　here　already；　so　go　ahead。〃
　〃It　probably　won't　e　out　to　anything；〃　Murch　said；　〃but　the　way　I　figured；　what…〃
　〃Yeah；　I　know；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃You　figured；　what　the　hell。〃
　〃That's　the　way　I　figured；〃　Murch　said；　and　made　the　turn　on　Ninety…sixth　Street。　They　traveled　two　blocks　to　Central　Park　West；　turned　right　again；　and　headed　south；　with　the　park　on　their　left　and　the　tall　apartment　buildings　on　their　right。　They　traveled　south　for　twenty…five　blocks；　Murch　looking　more　and　more　awkward　and　Dortmunder　feeling　more　and　more　fatalistic；　when　all　of　a　sudden　Murch　slammed　on　the　brakes　and　shouted；　〃Son　of　a　bitch！〃
　A　cab　behind　them　honked；　squealed　its　brakes；　and　twisted　on　around　them　with　various　words　shouted　out　into　the　air。　Dortmunder　looked　where　Murch　was　pointing；　and　he　said；　〃I　just　don't　believe　it。〃
　The　Caddy。　Silver…gray；　whip　antenna；　Jersey　plate　number　WAX　361。　Parked　in　a　bus　stop；　big　as　life。　When　Murch　drove　slowly　by；　the　chauffeur　was　sitting　behind　the　wheel　in　there　reading　a　tabloid　newspaper。　His　hat　was　off。
　Murch　found　a　space　in　front　of　a　fire　hydrant　in　the　next　block。　He　was　grinning　all　over　his　face　when　he　…switched　the　engine　off　and　turned　to　say　to　Dortmunder；　〃I　just　had　a　hunch；　that's　all。　I　figured；　what　the　hell；　and　I　just　had　a　hunch。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　〃You　get　things　like　that　sometimes；〃　Murch　said。　〃It's　just　a　hunch　you　get；　they　e　on　you　sometimes。〃
　Dortmunder　nodded；　heavily。　〃We'll　pay　for　this　later　on；〃　he　said；　and　got　out　of　the　car；　and　walked　back　up　toward　the　Cadillac。　It　was　parked　facing　this　way；　and　the　chauffeur's　head　was　hidden　behind　his　open　newspaper。
　Dortmunder　didn't　look　right　on　Central　Park　West；　and　he　knew　it。　He　felt　eyes　on　him；　mistrusting　him。　It　seemed　to　him　that　doormen；　as　he　walked　by；　glared　at　him　and　clutched　their　whistles。　Cruising　cabs　accelerated。　Dog　walkers　stood　closer　to　their　Weimaraners　and　Schnauzers。　And　old　men　in　wheelchairs；　being　pushed　by　stout　black　ladies　in　white　uniforms；　scrabbled　at　their　blankets。
　Dortmunder　walked　slowly　by　the　Cadillac。　T