hr.thecarpetbaggers-第62部分

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。　The　boy　was　standing　in　the　open　door；　watching　him。　The　robe　was　thrown　over　his　arm。　He　had　taken　off　his　yellow　jacket；　revealing　a　dirty　white　T…shirt。
　Claude　saw　the　thick　black　hair　that　sprouted　wildly　from　the　young　man's　arms；　shoulders　and　chest。　A　feeling　of　distaste　ran　through　him。　〃You　can　leave　it　on　the　chair；〃　he　said；　covering　himself　partly　with　the　towel。
　Instead；　the　boy　grinned　knowingly　at　him　and　came　into　the　bathroom；　kicking　the　door　shut　behind　him　with　his　foot。
　Claude　turned　around　angrily。　〃Get　out　of　here！〃
　The　young　man　didn't　move。　His　smile　grew　even　broader。　〃Aw；　e　off　it；　old　man；〃　he　said。　〃You　didn't　really　bring　me　up　here　to　help　you　with　your　packing；　did　you？〃
　〃Get　out　or　I'll　call　for　help；〃　Claude　said；　feeling　a　strangely　exciting　fear。
　The　boy　laughed。　〃Who'll　hear？〃　he　asked。　〃I　was　wise　to　you　the　minute　you　told　me　the　servants　were　off。〃
　〃You　horrible　thing！〃　Claude　screamed。　He　felt　a　stunning　blow　on　the　side　of　his　head　and　he　fell　sprawling。　He　pulled　himself　to　his　hands　and　knees。　〃Please　go；〃　he　whispered；　his　voice　breaking。
　The　young　man　raised　his　hand　threateningly。　Instinctively　Claude　shrank　back　but　he　wasn't　quick　enough。　The　open　palm　cracked　smartly　across　the　side　of　his　face；　knocking　his　head　sideways　against　the　toilet　bowl。　He　stared　up　at　the　boy　with　frightened　eyes。
　〃You　don't　really　want　me　to　go；　do　you？〃　the　young　man　said；　his　hand　tugging　at　the　black　leather　belt　around　his　waist。　〃You're　the　kind　that　likes　to　get　roughed　up　a　little　first。〃
　〃I　am　not！〃
　〃No？〃　The　boy　laughed　derisively；　raising　the　belt。　〃Don't　crap　me；　I　can　see。〃
　For　a　fraction　of　a　moment；　Claude　did　not　know　what　he　meant；　then　he　looked　down　at　himself。　A　crazy　thought　went　racing　through　his　mind。　If　Rina　could　only　see　him　now；　she　would　know　he　was　a　man。
　The　belt　cut　down　across　his　back；　sending　a　thin　shiver　of　agony　down　his　spine。　〃That's　enough！〃　he　whimpered。　〃Please　don't　hit　me　any　more！〃
　
　He　raised　himself　wearily　from　the　floor　and　looked　out　into　the　bedroom。　The　boy　was　gone；　taking　with　him　all　the　money　Claude　had　had　with　him。　Slowly　he　got　into　the　shower　again　and　turned　on　the　hot　water。
　He　felt　his　strength　returning　as　the　water　soaked　into　his　skin。　What　a　horrible　thing　to　have　happen；　he　thought；　remembering　all　the　indignities　the　young　man　had　subjected　him　to。　A　warm　feeling　of　satisfaction　came　to　him。　If　he　had　been　the　stronger；　he　would　have　shown　him。　He　felt　the　excitement　begin　to　beat　inside　his　chest　as　he　thought　how　he　would　have　torn　the　belt　from　the　young　man's　hand　and　beaten　him　with　it　until　he　bled。　He　felt　the　sudden　surge　of　power　to　his　loins。
　It　was　precisely　at　that　moment　that　the　truth　came　to　him。　〃Oh；　no！〃　He　cried　aloud　in　shock　at　the　realization。　What　everyone　had　said　about　him　was　true。　It　was　only　he　who　had　been　blind　to　it　until　his　own　body　betrayed　him。
　A　dazed　kind　of　anger　came　over　him。　Leaving　the　water　running；　he　stepped　from　the　shower　stall。　He　opened　the　medicine　cabinet　and　took　down　the　old…fashioned　straight　razor　that　he　had　used　ever　since　he　began　to　shave　…　the　razor　that　had　stood　proudly　for　him　as　a　symbol　of　his　manhood。
　A　wild；　crazy　kind　of　anger　rolled　blindly　over　him　as　he　slashed　viciously　at　himself。　If　he　was　not　to　be　a　man；　at　least　he　could　turn　himself　into　a　woman。　Again　and　again；　he　slashed　at　himself。　Until　at　last；　his　strength　gone；　he　collapsed　onto　the　floor。
　〃Damn　you！〃　he　cried。　〃Damn　you；　Mother！〃
　They　were　the　last　words　he　ever　said。
　
　20
　
　DAVID　WOOLF　STOOD　IN　THE　DOORWAY　OF　THE　BATHROOM；　NAUSEA　RISING　IN　THE　PIT　OF　HIS　STOMACH。　There　was　blood　everywhere；　on　the　white…and…blue　tiles　of　the　floor　and　walls；　along　the　sides　of　the　white　bathtub；　sink　and　toilet　bowl。
　It　was　hard　to　believe　that　it　was　only　thirty　minutes　ago　that　the　door　of　his　office　had　burst　open　to　reveal　his　uncle；　his　face　flushed　and　purple；　as　it　always　was　whenever　he　was　upset。　〃Get　right　over　to　Rina　Marlowe's　house；〃　Bernie　Norman　said。　〃One　of　the　boys　in　publicity　just　got　a　tip　from　the　Beverly　Hills　police　station　that　Dunbar　mitted　suicide。〃
　David　was　already　on　his　way　to　the　door。
　〃Make　sure　she's　protected！〃　the　old　man　called　after　him。　〃Two　million　dollars　in　unreleased　negatives　we　got　on　her！〃
　He　picked　up　Harry　Richards；　chief　of　the　studio　guards；　at　the　gate　on　the　way　out。　Richards；　a　former　police　sergeant；　was　in　good　with　all　the　cops。　He　took　the　short　cut　over　the　back　roads　through　Coldwater　Canyon　to　Sunset。　He　was　at　Rina's　house　in　twenty　minutes。
　Now　the　two　white…jacketed　mortuary　attendants　were　lifting　Dunbar's　somehow　shrunken　body　into　the　small；　basket…like　stretcher　and　covering　it　with　a　white　canvas　sheet。
　The　attendants　picked　up　the　stretcher　and　David　moved　aside　to　let　them　pass。　He　lit　a　cigarette　as　they　carried　the　body　through　the　bedroom　and　out　into　the　corridor。　The　first　acrid　taste　of　smoke　settled　his　stomach。　A　faint　screaming　came　from　the　downstairs　foyer　and　he　started　hurriedly　for　the　door；　wondering　if　somehow　Rina　had　got　away　from　the　doctor。　But　when　he　got　to　the　head　of　the　staircase；　he　saw　that　it　wasn't　Rina　at　all。　It　was　Dunbar's　mother。
　She　was　struggling　to　free　herself　from　the　grasp　of　two　red…faced　policemen　as　the　white…covered　stretcher　went　by。　〃My　baby！〃　she　screamed。　〃Let　me　see　my　baby！〃　The　attendants　moved　impassively　past　her　and　out　the　door。　David　could　see　the　crowd　of　reporters　outside；　pressing　against　the　door　as　it　opened　and　closed。　He　started　down　the　staircase；　hearing　the　old　woman　begin　to　scream　again。
　She　had　pulled　herself　partly　free　of　one　of　the　policemen　and　with　one　hand　she　held　onto　the　railing　of　the　staircase。　〃You　murdered　my　son；　you　bitch！〃　The　high…pitched　voice　seemed　to　fill　the　whole　house。　〃You　killed　him　because　you　found　out　he　was　ing　back　to　me！〃　The　old　woman　had　her　other　hand　free　now。　She　seemed　to　be　trying　to　pull　herself　up　the　stairs。
　〃Get　that　crazy　old　woman　out　of　here！〃　David　turned；　startled　at　the　harsh　voice　that　came　from　the　top　of　the　stairway　behind　him。
　Ilene　stood　there；　a　wild；　angry　look　on　her　face。　〃Get　her　out！〃　she　hissed　harshly。　〃The　doctor's　having　enough　trouble　with　Rina　as　it　is；　without　her　having　to　listen　to　that　crazy　old　bitch！〃
　David　caught　Richards'　eye　and　nodded　to　him。　Instantly；　Richards　walked　over　to　one　of　the　policemen　and　whispered　to　him。　All　pretense　of　politeness　gone；　the　two　policemen　got　a　new　grip　on　the　old　woman　and；　one　of　them　covering　her　mouth　with　his　hand；　they　half　dragged；　half　carried　her　out　of　the　room。　A　moment　later；　a　side　door　slammed　and　there　was　silence。
　David　glanced　back　up　the　staircase　but　Ilene　had　already　disappeared。　He　walked　over　to　Richards。　〃I　told　the　boys　to　take　her　over　to　Colton's　Sanitarium；〃　the　ex…policeman　whispered。
　David　nodded　approvingly。　Dr。　Colton　would　know　what　to　do。　The　studio　sent　many　of　their　stars　out　there　to　dry　out。　He'd　also　make　sure　that　she　didn't　speak　to　anyone　until　he　had　calmed　her　down。
　〃Call　the　studio　and　have　them　send　a　couple　of　your　men　out　here。　I　don't　want　any　reporters　getting　in　when　the　police　leave。〃
　〃I　already　did；〃　Richards　replied；　taking　his　arm。　〃e　on　into　the　living　room。　I　want　you　to　meet　Lieutenant　Stanley。〃
　Lieutenant　Stanley　was　seated　at　the　small；　kidney…shaped　telephone　desk；　a　notebook　open　in　front　of　him。　He　got　up　and　shook　hands　with　David。　He　was　a　thin；　gray…faced；　gray…haired　man；　and　David　thought　he　looked　more　like　an　accountant　than　a　detective。
　〃This　is　a　pretty　terrible　thing；　Lieutenant；〃　David　said。　〃Have　you　figured　out　what　happened　yet？〃
　The　lieutenant　nodded。　〃I　think　we've　about　got　it　put　together。　There's　no　doubt　about　it　…　he　killed　himself；　all　right。　One　thing　bothers　me；　though。〃
　〃What's　that？〃
　〃We　backtracked　on　Dunbar's　movements　like　we　usually　do；〃　the　detective　said。　〃And　he　picked　up　a　young　man　in　a　cocktail　lounge　just　before　he　came　here。　He　flashed　quite　a　roll　of　bills　in　the　bar　and　we　didn't　find　any　money　in　his　room。　He's　also　got　a　couple　of　bruises　on　his　head　and　back　that　the　coroner　can't　explain。　We　got　a　pretty　good　description　of　him　from　the　bartender。　We'll　pick　him　up。〃
　David　looked　at　him。　〃But　what　good　will　that　do？〃　he　asked。　〃You're　sure　that　Dunbar　killed　himself；　what　more　could　he　tell　you？〃
　〃Some　guys　think　nothing　of　picking　up　a　homo　and　beating　him　up　a　little　for　kicks；　then　rolling　him　for　his　dough。〃
　〃So？〃
　〃So　Dunbar　isn't　the　only　homo　in　our　district；〃　the　lieutenant　replied。　〃We　got　a　list　of　them　a　yard　long　down　at　the　station。　Most　of　'em　mind　their　own　business　and　they're　entitled　to　some　protection。〃
　David　glanced　at　Richards。　The　chief　of　the　studio　guards　looked　at　him　with　impassive　eyes。　David　turned　back　to　the　policeman。　〃Thank　you　very　much　for　talking　to　me；　Lieutenant；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　very　much　impressed　with　the　efficient　manner　in　which　you　handled　this。〃
　He　started　out　of　the　room；　leaving　Richards　and　the　policeman　alone。　He　could　hear　Richards'　heavy　whisper　as　he　walked　out　the　door。
　〃Look；　Stan；〃　the　big　ex…cop　was　saying。　〃If　this　hits　the　papers；　there's　goin'　to　be　a　mess　an'　the　studio　stands　a　chance　of　bein'　hurt　real　bad　an'　it's　bad　enough　just　with　the　suicide。〃
　David　went　through　the　door　and　crossed　the　foyer　to　the　staircase。　Bringing　the　old　sergeant　had　been　the　smartest　thing　he　could　have　done。　He　was　sure　now　that　there　wouldn't　be　reference　to　any　other　man　in　the　newspapers。　He　went　up　the　stairs　and　into　the　small　sitting　room　that　led　to　Rina's　bedroom。　Ilene　was　slumped　exhaustedly　in　a　chair。　She　looked　up　as　he　entered。　〃How　is　she？〃
　〃Out　like　a　light；〃　she　answered　in　a　tired　voice。　〃The　doctor　gave　her　a　shot　big　enough　to　knock　out　a　horse。〃
　'You　could　stand　a　drink。〃　He　walked　over　to　the　small　liquor　cabinet　and　opened　it。　〃Me；　too；〃　he　added。　〃Scotch　all　right？〃
　She　didn't　answer　and　he　filled　two　glasses　with　Haig　&　Haig　pinch　bottle。　He　gave　her　one　and　sat　down　opposite　her。　A　faint　flush　of　color　crept　up　into　her　face　as　the　whisky　hit　her　stomach。