when god laughs and other stories(当上帝发笑时)-第15节
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handkerchief。 On the instant Matt's face became like a wild beast's。
〃Look here； Jim；〃 he snarled。 〃You've got to play square。 If you do
me dirt； I'll fix you。 Understand？ I'd eat you； Jim。 You know that。
I'd bite right into your throat an' eat you like that much beefsteak。〃
His sunburned skin was black with the surge of blood in it； and his
tobacco…stained teeth were exposed by the snarling lips。 Jim shivered
and involuntarily cowered。 There was death in the man he looked at。
Only the night before that black…faced man had killed another with his
hands； and it had not hurt his sleep。 And in his own heart Jim was aware
of a sneaking guilt； of a train of thought that merited all that was
threatened。
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Matt passed out； leaving him still shivering。 Then a hatred twisted
his own face； and he softly hurled savage curses at the door。 He
remembered the jewels； and hastened to the bed； feeling under the pillow
for the bandanna bundle。 He crushed it with his fingers to make certain
that it still contained the diamonds。 Assured that Matt had not carried
them away； he looked toward the kerosene stove with a guilty start。 Then
he hurriedly lighted it； filled the coffee…pot at the sink； and put it over the
flame。
The coffee was boiling when Matt returned； and while the latter cut the
bread and put a slice of butter on the table； Jim poured out the coffee。 It
was not until he sat down and had taken a few sips of the coffee； that Matt
pulled out the morning paper from his pocket。
〃We was way off；〃 he said。 〃I told you I didn't dast figger out how fat
it was。 Look at that。〃
He pointed to the head…lines on the first page。
〃SWIFT NEMESIS ON BUJANNOFF'S TRACK；〃 they read。
〃MURDERED IN HIS SLEEP AFTER ROBBING HIS PARTNER。〃
〃There you have it！〃 Matt cried。 〃He robbed his partnerrobbed him
like a dirty thief。〃
〃Half a million of jewels missin'；〃 Jim read aloud。 He put the paper
down and stared at Matt。
〃That's what I told you；〃 the latter said。 〃What in hell do we know
about jools？ Half a million！an' the best I could figger it was a hundred
thousan'。 Go on an' read the rest of it。〃
They read on silently； their heads side by side； the untouched coffee
growing cold； and ever and anon one or the other burst forth with some
salient printed fact。
〃I'd like to seen Metzner's face when he opened the safe at the store
this mornin'；〃 Jim gloated。
〃He hit the high places right away for Bujannoff's house；〃 Matt
explained。 〃Go on an' read。〃
〃Was to have sailed last night at ten on the Sajoda for the South Seas
steamship delayed by extra freight〃
〃That's why we caught 'm in bed；〃 Matt interrupted。 〃It was just
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luck like pickin' a fifty…to…one winner。〃
〃Sajoda sailed at six this mornin'〃
〃He didn't catch her；〃 Matt said。 〃I saw his alarm…clock was set at
five。 That'd given 'm plenty of time 。 。 。 only I come along an' put the
kibosh on his time。 Go on。〃
〃Adolph Metzner in despairthe famous Haythorne pearl necklace
magnificently assorted pearlsvalued by experts at from fifty to seventy
thousan' dollars。〃
Jim broke off to swear vilely and solemnly； concluding with； 〃Those
damn oyster…eggs worth all that money！〃
He licked his lips and added； 〃They was beauties an' no mistake。〃
〃Big Brazilian gem；〃 he read on。 〃Eighty thousan' dollarsmany
valuable gems of the first waterseveral thousan' small diamonds well
worth forty thousan'。〃
〃What you don't know about jools is worth knowin'；〃 Matt smiled
good… humouredly。
〃Theory of the sleuths；〃 Jim read。 〃Thieves must have known
cleverly kept watch on Bujannoff's actionsmust have learned his plan
and trailed him to his house with the fruits of his robbery〃
〃Cleverhell！〃 Matt broke out。 〃That's the way reputations is
made 。 。 。 in the noospapers。 How'd we know he was robbin' his
pardner？〃
〃Anyway； we've got the goods；〃 Jim grinned。 〃Let's look at 'em
again。〃
He assured himself that the door was locked and bolted； while Matt
brought out the bundle in the bandanna and opened it on the table。
〃Ain't they beauties； though！〃 Jim exclaimed at sight of the pearls； and
for a time he had eyes only for them。 〃Accordin' to the experts； worth
from fifty to seventy thousan' dollars。〃
〃An' women like them things；〃 Matt commented。 〃An' they'll do
everything to get 'emsell themselves； commit murder； anything。〃
〃Just like you an' me。〃
〃Not on your life；〃 Matt retorted。 〃I'll commit murder for 'em； but
not for their own sakes； but for sake of what they'll get me。 That's the
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difference。 Women want the jools for themselves； an' I want the jools for
the women an' such things they'll get me。〃
〃Lucky that men an' women don't want the same things；〃 Jim
remarked。
〃That's what makes commerce；〃 Matt agreed； 〃people wantin' different
things。〃
In the middle of the afternoon Jim went out to buy food。 While he
was gone； Matt cleared the table of the jewels； wrapping them up as before
and putting them under the pillow。 Then he lighted the kerosene stove
and started to boil water for coffee。 A few minutes later； Jim returned。
〃Most surprising；〃 he remarked。 〃Streets； an' stores； an' people just
like they always was。 Nothin' changed。 An' me walking along through
it all a millionaire。 Nobody looked at me an' guessed it。〃
Matt grunted unsympathetically。 He had little comprehension of the
lighter whims and fancies of his partner's imagination。
〃Did you get a porterhouse？〃 he demanded。
〃Sure； an' an inch thick。 It's a peach。 Look at it。〃
He unwrapped the steak and held it up for the other's inspection。
Then he made the coffee and set the table； while Matt fried the steak。
〃Don't put on too much of them red peppers；〃 Jim warned。 〃I ain't
used to your Mexican cookin'。 You always season too hot。〃
Matt grunted a laugh and went on with his cooking。 Jim poured out
the coffee； but first； into the nicked china cup； he emptied a powder he had
carried in his vest pocket wrapped in a rice…paper。 He had turned his
back for the moment on his partner； but he did not dare to glance around at
him。 Matt placed a newspaper on the table； and on the newspaper set the
hot frying…pan。 He cut the steak in half； and served Jim and himself。
〃Eat her while she's hot；〃 he counselled； and with knife and fork set
the example。
〃She's a dandy；〃 was Jim's judgment； after his first mouthful。 〃But I
tell you one thing straight。 I'm never goin' to visit you on that Arizona
ranch； so you needn't ask me。〃
〃What's the matter now？〃 Matt asked。
〃Hell's the matter；〃 was the answer。 〃The Mexican cookin' on your
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ranch'd be too much for me。 If I've got hell a…comin' in the next life； I'm
not goin' to torment my insides in this one。 Damned peppers！〃
He smiled； expelled his breath forcibly to cool his burning mouth；
drank some coffee； and went on eating the steak。
〃What do you think about the next life anyway； Matt？〃 he asked a little
later； while secretly he wondered why the other had not yet touched his
coffee。
〃Ain't no next life；〃 Matt answered； pausing from the steak to take his
first sip o
