dk.watchers-第36部分

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　Nora　said；　〃But　there're　no　great　dark　secrets　about　Aunt　Violet。　She　was　what　she　appeared　to　be。　She　was　a　very　simple　woman；　really。　A　sort　of　sad　woman。〃
　〃Sad　my　ass；〃　Travis　said。
　He　persisted　until　she　agreed　to　make　the　appointment　with　Garrison　Dilworth。
　Later；　upstairs　in　her　bedroom；　when　she　tried　to　take　off　the　Diane　Freis；　she　discovered　she　didn't　want　to　undress。　All　evening；　she　had　been　impatient　to　get　out　of　that　costume；　for　it　had　seemed　like　a　costume　on　her。　But　now；　in　retrospect；　the　evening　possessed　a　warm　glow；　and　she　wanted　to　prolong　that　glow。　Like　a　sentimental　high　school　girl；　she　slept　in　the　five…hundred…dollar　dress。
　　
　　
　Garrison　Dilworth's　office　had　been　carefully　decorated　to　convey　respectability；　stability；　and　reliability。　Beautifully　detailed　oak　paneling。　Heavy　royal…blue　drapes　hung　from　brass　rods。　Shelves　full　of　leather…bound　law　books。　A　massive　oak　desk。
　The　attorney　himself　was　an　intriguing　cross　between　a　personification　of　Dignity　and　Probity…and　Santa　Claus。　Tall；　rather　portly；　with　thick　silver　hair；　past　seventy　but　still　working　a　full　week；　Garrison　favored　three…piece　suits　and　subdued　ties。　In　spite　of　his　many　years　as　a　Californian；　his　deep　and　smooth　and　cultured　voice　clearly　marked　him　as　a　product　of　the　upper…class　Eastern　circles　in　which　he　had　been　born；　raised；　and　educated。　But　there　was　also　a　decidedly　merry　twinkle　in　his　eyes；　and　his　smile　was　quick；　warm；　altogether　Santalike。
　He　did　not　distance　himself　by　staying　behind　his　desk；　but　sat　with　Nora　and　Travis　in　fortable　armchairs　around　a　coffee　table　on　which　stood　a　large　Waterford　bowl。　〃I　don't　know　what　you　came　here　expecting　to　learn。　There　are　no　secrets　about　your　aunt。　No　great　dark　revelations　that　will　change　your　life…〃
　〃I　knew　as　much；〃　Nora　said。　〃I'm　sorry　we've　bothered　you。〃
　〃Wait；〃　Travis　said。　〃Let　Mr。　Dilworth　finish。〃
　The　attorney　said；　〃Violet　Devon　was　my　client；　and　an　attorney　has　a　responsibility　to　protect　clients'　confidences　even　after　their　death。　At　least　that's　my　view；　though　some　in　the　profession　might　not　feel　such　a　lasting　obligation。　Of　course；　as　I'm　speaking　to　Violet's　closest　living　relative　and　heir；　I　suppose　there's　little　I　would　choose　not　to　divulge…if　in　fact　there　were　any　secrets　to　reveal。　And　I　certainly　see　no　moral　constraint　against　my　expressing　an　honest　opinion　of　your　aunt。　Even　attorneys；　priests；　and　doctors　are　allowed　to　have　opinions　of　people。〃　He　took　a　deep　breath　and　frowned。　〃I　never　liked　her；　I　thought　she　was　a　narrow…minded；　totally　self…involved　woman　who　was　at　least　slightly　。　。　。　well；　mentally　unstable。　And　the　way　she　raised　you　was　criminal；　Nora。　Not　abusive　in　any　legal　sense　that　would　interest　the　authorities；　but　criminal　nonetheless。　And　cruel。〃
　For　as　long　as　Nora　could　recall；　a　large　knot　had　seemed　to　be　tied　tight　inside　of　her；　pinching　vital　organs　and　vessels；　leaving　her　tense；　restricting　the　flow　of　blood　and　making　it　necessary　for　her　to　live　with　all　her　senses　damped　down；　forcing　her　to　struggle　along　as　if　she　were　a　machine　getting　insufficient　power。　Suddenly；　Garrison　Dilworth's　words　untied　that　knot；　and　a　full；　unrestricted　current　of　life　rushed　through　her　for　the　first　time。
　She　had　known　what　Violet　Devon　had　done　to　her；　but　knowing　was　not　enough　to　help　her　overe　that　grim　upbringing。　She　needed　to　hear　her　aunt　condemned　by　someone　else。　Travis　had　already　denounced　Violet；　and　Nora　had　felt　some　small　release　at　hearing　what　he　said。　But　that　had　not　been　enough　to　free　her　because　Travis　hadn't　known　Violet　and；　therefore；　spoke　without　plete　authority。　Garrison　knew　Violet　well；　however；　and　his　words　released　Nora　from　bondage。
　She　was　trembling　violently；　and　tears　were　trickling　down　her　face；　but　she　was　unaware　of　both　conditions　until　Travis　reached　out　from　his　chair　to　put　one　hand　consolingly　upon　her　shoulder。　She　fumbled　in　her　purse　for　a　handkerchief。　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　〃Dear　lady；〃　Garrison　said；　〃don't　apologize　for　breaking　through　that　iron　shell　you've　been　in　all　your　life。　This　is　the　first　time　I've　seen　you　show　a　strong　emotion；　the　first　time　I've　seen　you　in　any　condition　other　than　extreme　shyness；　and　it's　lovely　to　behold。〃　Turning　to　Travis；　giving　Nora　time　to　blot　her　eyes；　he　said；　〃What　more　did　you　hope　to　hear　me　say？〃
　〃There　are　some　things　Nora　doesn't　know；　things　she　ought　to　know　and　that　I　don't　believe　would　violate　even　your　strict　code　of　client　privilege　if　you　were　to　divulge　them。〃
　〃Such　as？〃
　Travis　said；　〃Violet　Devon　never　worked　yet　lived　reasonably　well；　never　in　want；　and　she　left　enough　funds　to　keep　Nora　pretty　much　for　the　rest　of　her　life；　at　least　as　long　as　Nora　stays　in　that　house　and　lives　like　a　recluse。　Where　did　her　money　e　from？〃
　〃e　from？〃　Garrison　sounded　surprised。　〃Nora　knows　that；　surely。〃
　〃But　she　doesn't；〃　Travis　said。
　Nora　looked　up　and　saw　Garrison　Dilworth　staring　at　her　in　astonishment。　He　blinked　and　said；　〃Violet's　husband　was　moderately　well…to…do。　He　died　quite　young；　and　she　inherited　everything。〃
　Nora　gaped　at　him　and　could　barely　find　sufficient　breath　to　speak。　〃Husband？〃
　〃George　Olmstead；〃　the　attorney　said。
　〃I've　never　heard　that　name。〃
　Garrison　blinked　rapidly　again；　as　if　sand　had　blown　in　his　face。　〃She　never　mentioned　a　husband？〃
　〃Never。〃
　〃But　didn't　a　neighbor　ever　mention…〃
　〃We　had　nothing　to　do　with　our　neighbors；〃　Nora　said。　〃Violet　didn't　approve　of　them。〃
　〃And　in　fact；〃　Garrison　said；　〃now　that　I　think　about　it；　there　might　have　been　new　neighbors　on　both　sides　by　the　time　you　came　to　live　with　Violet。〃
　Nora　blew　her　nose　and　put　away　her　handkerchief。　She　was　still　trembling。　Her　sudden　sense　of　release　from　bondage　had　generated　powerful　emotions；　but　now　they　subsided　somewhat　to　make　room　for　curiosity。
　〃All　right？〃　Travis　asked。
　She　nodded；　then　stared　hard　at　him　and　said；　〃You　knew；　didn't　you？　About　the　husband；　I　mean。　That's　why　you　brought　me　here。〃
　〃I　suspected；〃　Travis　said。　〃If　she'd　inherited　everything　from　her　parents；　she　would　have　mentioned　it。　The　fact　that　she　didn't　talk　about　where　the　money　came　from　。　。　。　well；　it　seemed　to　me　to　leave　only　one　possibility…　a　husband；　and　very　likely　a　husband　with　whom　she'd　had　troubles。　Which　made　even　more　sense　when　you　think　about　how　down　she　was　on　people　in　general　and　on　men　in　particular。〃
　The　attorney　was　so　dismayed　and　agitated　that　he　could　not　sit　still。　He　got　up　and　paced　past　an　enormous　antique　globe　that　was　lighted　from　within　and　seemed　made　of　parchment。　〃I'm　flabbergasted。　So　you　never　really　understood　why　she　was　bitterly　misanthropic；　why　she　suspected　everyone　of　having　her　worst　interests　at　heart？〃
　〃No；〃　Nora　said。　〃I　didn't　need　to　know　why；　I　guess。　It　was　just　the　way　she　was。〃
　Still　pacing；　Garrison　said；　〃Yes。　That's　true。　I'm　convinced　she　was　a　borderline　paranoid　even　in　her　youth。　And　then；　when　she　discovered　that　George　had　betrayed　her　with　other　women；　the　switch　clicked　all　the　way　over　in　her。　She　got　much　worse　after　that。〃
　Travis　said；　〃Why　did　Violet　still　use　her　maiden　name；　Devon；　if　she'd　been　married　to　Olmstead？〃
　〃She　didn't　want　his　name　any　more。　Loathed　the　name。　She　sent　him　packing；　very　nearly　drove　him　out　of　the　house　with　a　stick！　She　was　about　to　divorce　him　when　he　died；〃　Garrison　said。　〃She　had　learned　about　his　affairs　with　other　women；　as　I've　said。　She　was　furious。　Ashamed　and　enraged。　I　must　say。　。　。　I　can't　entirely　blame　poor　George　because　I　don't　think　he；
　found　much　love　and　affection　at　home。　He　knew　the　marriage　was　a　mistake　within　a　month　of　the　wedding。〃
　Garrison　paused　beside　the　globe；　one　hand　resting　lightly　on　top　of　the　world；　staring　far　into　the　past。　Ordinarily；　he　did　not　look　his　age。　Now；　as　he　gazed　back　across　the　years；　the　lines　in　his　face　seemed　to　deepen；　and　his　blue　eyes　appeared　faded。　After　a　moment　he　shook　his　head　and　continued：
　〃Anyway；　those　were　different　times；　when　a　woman　betrayed　by　a　husband　was　an　object　of　pity；　ridicule。　But　even　for　those　days；　I　thought　Violet's　reaction　was　overblown。　She　burned　all　his　clothes　and　changed　the　locks　on　the　house　。　。　。　she　even　killed　a　dog；　a　spaniel；　of　which　he　was　fond。　Poisoned　it。　And　mailed　it　to　him　in　a　box。〃
　〃Dear　God；〃　Travis　said。
　Garrison　said；　〃Violet　took　back　her　maiden　name　because　she　didn't　want　his　any　more。　The　thought　of　carrying　George　Olmstead's　name　through　life　repelled　her；　she　said；　even　though　he　was　dead。　She　was　an　unforgiving　woman。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Nora　agreed。
　His　face　pinched　with　distaste　at　the　memory；　and　Garrison　said；　〃When　George　was　killed；　she　didn't　bother　to　conceal　her　pleasure。〃
　〃Killed？〃　Nora　half…expected　to　hear　that　Violet　had　murdered　George　Olmstead　yet　had　somehow　escaped　prosecution。
　〃It　was　an　auto　accident；　forty　years　ago；〃　Garrison　said。　〃He　lost　control　on　the　Coast　Highway　driving　home　from　Los　Angeles；　went　over　the　edge　where；　in　those　days；　there　wasn't　a　guardrail。　The　embankment　was　sixty　or　eighty　feet　high；　very　steep；　and　George's　car…a　large　black　Packard…　rolled　over　several　times　on　the　way　down　to　the　rocks　below。　Violet　inherited　everything　because；　though　she　had　initiated　divorce　proceedings　against　him；　George　had　not　gotten　around　to　changing　his　will。〃
　Travis　said；　〃So　George　Olmstead　not　only　betrayed　Violet　but；　in　dying；　left　her　with　no　target　for　her　anger。　So　she　directed　that　anger　at　the　world　in　general。〃
　〃And　at　me　in　particular；〃　Nora　said。
　　
　　
　That　same　afternoon；　Nora　told　Travis　about　her　painting。　She　had　not　mentioned　her　artistic　pursuits　before；　and　he　had　not　been　in　her　bedroom　to　see　her　easel；　supply　cabinet；　and　drawing　board。　She　was　not　sure　why　she　had　kept　this　aspect　of　her　life　a　secret　from　him。　She　had　mentioned　an　interest　in　art；　which　was　why　they　had　gone　to　galleries　and　museums；　but　Perhaps　she　had　never　spoken　of　her　own　work　because　she　was　afraid　that；　On　seeing　her　canvases；　he　would　be　unimpressed。
　What　if　he　felt　that　she　had　no　real　talent？
　Aside　from　the　escape　provided　by　books；　the　thing　that　kept　Nora　going
　thro