preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第15部分

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　CORRESPONDENT　　J。　C。　Shottum
　SUBJECTS　OF　CORRESPONDENCE　　Natural　history；　anthropology；　the　Lyceum
　POSITION　　　Owner；　Shottum's　Cabinet　of　Natural　Productions　and　Curiosities　New　York
　DATES　OF　CORRESPONDENCE　　1869…1881
　　
　CORRESPONDENT　　Prof。　Albert　Blackwood
　SUBJECTS　OF　CORRESPONDENCE　　The　Lyceum；　the　Museum
　POSITION　　　Founder；　New　York　Museum　of　Natural　History
　DATES　OF　CORRESPONDENCE　　　1865…1878
　　
　CORRESPONDENT　　Dr。　Asa　Stone　Gilcrease
　SUBJECTS　OF　CORRESPONDENCE　　　Birds
　POSITION　　　Ornithologist　New　York
　DATES　OF　CORRESPONDENCE　　　　1875…1887
　　
　CORRESPONDENT　　Col。　Sir　Henry　C。　Throckmorton；　Bart。；　F。R。S。
　SUBJECTS　OF　CORRESPONDENCE　　African　mammals　（big　game）
　POSITION　　　Collector；　explorer　sportsman　London
　DATES　OF　CORRESPONDENCE　　　1879…1891
　　
　CORRESPONDENT　　Prof。　Enoch　Leng
　SUBJECTS　OF　CORRESPONDENCE　　Classification
　POSITION　　　Taxonomist；　chemist　New　York
　DATES　OF　CORRESPONDENCE　　　1872…1881
　　
　CORRESPONDENT　　Miss　Guenevere　LaRue
　SUBJECTS　OF　CORRESPONDENCE　　Christian　missions　for　Borrioboola…Gha；　in　the　African　Congo
　POSITION　　　Philanthropist　New　York
　DATES　OF　CORRESPONDENCE　　　1870…1872
　　
　CORRESPONDENT　　Dumont　Burleigh
　SUBJECTS　OF　CORRESPONDENCE　　Dinosaur　fossils；　the　Lyceum
　POSITION　　　Oilman；　collector　Cold　Spring；　New　York
　DATES　OF　CORRESPONDENCE　　　1875…1881
　　
　CORRESPONDENT　　Dr。　Ferdinand　Huntt
　SUBJECTS　OF　CORRESPONDENCE　　Anthropology；　archaeology
　POSITION　　　Surgeon；　collector　Oyster　Bay；　Long　Island
　DATES　OF　CORRESPONDENCE　　　1869…1879
　　
　CORRESPONDENT　　Prof。　Hiram　Howlett
　SUBJECTS　OF　CORRESPONDENCE　　Reptiles　and　amphibians
　POSITION　　　Herpetologist　Stormhaven；　Maine
　DATES　OF　CORRESPONDENCE　　　1871…1873
　　
　The　penultimate　name　gave　her　pause。　A　surgeon。　Who　was　Dr。　Ferdinand　Huntt？　There　were　quite　a　few　letters　from　him；　written　in　a　large　scrawl　on　heavy　paper　with　a　beautifully　engraved　crest。　She　flipped　through　them。
　　
　My　Dear　Tinbury；
　With　regard　to　the　Odinga　Natives；　the　barbaric　custom　of　Male　Partum　is　still　quite　prevalent。　When　I　was　in　the　Volta　I　had　the　dubious　privilege　of　witnessing　childbirth。　I　was　not　allowed　to　assist；　of　course；　but　I　could　hear　the　shrieks　of　the　husband　quite　clearly　as　the　wife　jerked　on　the　rope　affixed　to　his　genitalia　with　every　contraction　she　experienced。　I　treated　the　poor　man's　injuries…severe　lacerations…following　the　birth　。　。　。
　　
　My　Dear　Tinbury；
　The　Olmec　Jade　phallus　I　herewith　enclose　from　La　Venta；　Mexico；　is　for　the　Museum；　as　I　understand　you　have　nothing　from　that　extremely　curious　Mexican　culture　。　。　。
　　
　She　sorted　through　the　packet　of　correspondence；　but　it　was　again　all　in　the　same　vein：　Dr。　Huntt　describing　various　bizarre　medical　customs　he　had　witnessed　in　his　travels　across　Central　America　and　Africa；　along　with　notes　that　had　apparently　acpanied　artifacts　sent　back　to　the　Museum。　He　seemed　to　have　an　unhealthy　interest　in　native　sexual　practices；　it　made　him　a　prime　candidate　in　Nora's　mind。
　She　felt　a　presence　behind　her　and　turned　abruptly。　Pendergast　stood；　arms　clasped　behind　his　back。　He　was　staring　down　at　her　notes；　and　there　was　a　sudden　look　on　his　face　that　was　so　grim；　so　dark；　that　Nora　felt　her　flesh　crawl。
　〃You're　always　sneaking　up　on　me；〃　she　said　weakly。
　〃Anything　interesting？〃　The　question　seemed　almost　pro　forma。　Nora　felt　sure　he　had　already　discovered　something　important；　something　dreadful；　on　the　list…and　yet　he　did　not　seem　inclined　to　share　it。
　〃Nothing　obvious。　Have　you　ever　heard　of　this　Dr。　Ferdinand　Huntt？〃
　Pendergast　gave　the　name　a　cursory　glance；　without　interest。　Nora　became　aware　of　the　man's　conspicuous　lack　of　any　scent　whatsoever：　no　smell　of　tobacco；　no　smell　of　cologne；　nothing。
　〃Huntt；〃　he　said　finally。　〃Yes。　A　prominent　North　Shore　family。　One　of　the　early　patrons　of　the　Museum。〃　He　straightened　up。　〃I've　examined　everything　save　the　elephant's…foot　box。　Would　you　care　to　assist　me？〃
　She　followed　him　over　to　the　table　laid　out　with　Tinbury　McFadden's　old　collections；　a　decidedly　motley　assortment。　Pendergast's　face　had　once　again　recovered　its　poise。　Now　Officer　O'Shaughnessy；　looking　skeptical；　emerged　from　the　shadows。　Nora　wondered　what；　exactly；　the　policeman　had　to　do　with　Pendergast。
　They　stood　before　the　large；　grotesque　elephant's　foot；　replete　with　brass　fittings。
　〃So　it's　an　elephant's　foot；〃　O'Shaughnessy　said。　〃So？〃
　〃Not　just　a　foot；　Sergeant；〃　Pendergast　replied。　〃A　box；　made　from　an　elephant's　foot。　Quite　mon　among　big…game　hunters　and　collectors　in　the　last　century。　Rather　a　nice　specimen；　too；　if　a　little　worn。〃　He　turned　to　Nora。　〃Shall　we　look　inside？〃
　Nora　unclasped　the　fittings　and　lifted　the　top　of　the　box。　The　grayish　skin　felt　rough　and　nubbled　beneath　her　gloved　fingers。　An　unpleasant　smell　rose　up。　The　box　was　empty。
　She　glanced　over　at　Pendergast。　If　the　agent　was　disappointed；　he　showed　no　sign。
　For　a　moment；　the　little　group　was　still。　Then　Pendergast　himself　bent　over　the　open　box。　He　examined　it　a　moment；　his　body　immobile　save　for　the　pale　blue　eyes。　Then　his　fingers　shot　forward　and　began　moving　over　the　surface　of　the　box；　pressing　here　and　there；　alighting　at　one　spot　for　a　moment；　then　scuttling　on。　Suddenly　there　was　a　click；　and　a　narrow　drawer　shot　out　from　below；　raising　a　cloud　of　dust。　Nora　jumped　at　the　sound。
　〃Rather　clever；〃　said　Pendergast；　removing　a　large　envelope；　faded　and　slightly　foxed；　from　the　drawer。　He　turned　it　over　once　or　twice；　speculatively。　Then　he　ran　a　gloved　finger　beneath　the　seam；　easing　it　open　and　withdrawing　several　sheets　of　cream…laid　paper。　He　unfolded　them　carefully；　passed　his　hand　across　the　topmost　sheet。
　And　then　he　began　to　read。
　
　FIVE
　　
　TO　MY　COLLEAGUE；　Tinbury　McFadden
　　
　July　12；　1881
　　
　Esteemed　Colleague；
　　
　I　write　these　lines　in　earnest　hope　that　you　will　never　have　need　to　read　them；　that　I　will　be　able　to　tear　them　up　and　dash　them　into　the　coal　scuttle；　products　of　an　overworked　brain　and　fevered　imagination。　And　yet　in　my　soul　I　know　my　worst　fears　have　already　been　proven　true。　Everything　I　have　uncovered　points　incontrovertibly　to　such　a　fact。　I　have　always　been　eager　to　think　the　best　of　my　fellow　man…after　all；　are　we　not　all　moulded　from　the　same　clay？　The　ancients　believed　life　to　have　generated　spontaneously　within　the　rich　mud　of　the　Nile；　and　who　am　I　to　question　the　symbolism；　if　not　the　scientific　fact；　of　such　belief？　And　yet　there　have　been　Events；　McFadden；　dreadful　events　that　can　support　no　innocent　explanation。
　It　is　quite　possible　that　the　details　I　relate　herein　may　cause　you　to　doubt　the　quality　of　my　mind。　Before　I　proceed；　let　me　assure　you　that　I　am　in　full　mand　of　my　faculties。　I　offer　this　document　as　evidence；　both　to　my　dreadful　theorem　and　to　the　proofs　I　have　undertaken　in　its　defense。
　I　have　spoken　before　of　my　growing　doubts　over　this　business　of　Leng。　You　know；　of　course；　the　reasons　I　allowed　him　to　take　rooms　on　the　third　floor　of　the　Cabinet。　His　talks　at　the　Lyceum　proved　the　depth　of　his　scientific　and　medical　knowledge。　In　taxonomy　and　chemistry　he　has　few；　if　any；　peers。　The　notion　that　enlightening；　perhaps　even　forward…reaching；　experiments　would　be　taking　place　beneath　my　own　roof　was　a　pleasant　one。　And；　on　a　practical　note；　the　additional　hard　currency　offered　by　his　rent　was　not　unwele。
　At　first；　my　trust　in　the　man　seemed　fully　justified。　His　curatorial　work　at　the　Cabinet　proved　excellent。　Although　he　kept　highly　irregular　hours；　he　was　unfailingly　polite；　if　a　little　reserved。　He　paid　his　rent　money　promptly；　and　even　offered　medical　advice　during　the　bouts　of　grippe　that　plagued　me　throughout　the　winters　of　'73　and　'74。
　It　is　hard　to　date　with　any　precision　my　first　glimmerings　of　suspicion。　Perhaps　it　began　with　what；　in　my　perception；　was　a　growing　sense　of　secretiveness　about　the　man's　affairs。　Although　he　had　promised　early　on　to　share　the　formal　results　of　his　experiments；　except　for　an　initial　joint　inspection　when　the　lease　was　signed　I　was　never　invited　to　see　his　chambers。　As　the　years　passed；　he　seemed　to　grow　more　and　more　absorbed　in　his　own　studies；　and　I　was　forced　to　take　on　much　of　the　curatorial　duties　for　the　Cabinet　myself。
　I　had　always　believed　Leng　to　be　rather　sensitive　about　his　work。　You　will　no　doubt　recall　the　early　and　somewhat　eccentric　talk　on　Bodily　Humours　he　presented　to　the　Lyceum。　It　was　not　well　received…some　members　even　had　the　ill　breeding　to　titter　on　one　or　two　occasions　during　the　lecture…and　henceforth　Leng　never　returned　to　the　subject。　His　future　talks　were　all　models　of　traditional　scholarship。　So　at　first；　I　ascribed　his　hesitancy　to　discuss　personal　work　to　this　same　innate　circumspection。　However；　as　time　went　on；　I　began　to　realize　that　what　I　had　thought　to　be　professional　shyness　was；　in　fact；　active　concealment。
　One　spring　evening　earlier　this　year；　I　had　occasion　to　stay　on　very　late　at　the　Cabinet；　finishing　work　on　an　accumulation　of　documents　and　preparing　the　exhibition　space　for　my　latest　acquisition；　the　double…brained　child；　of　which　we　have　previously　spoken。　This　latter　task　proved　far　more　engrossing　than　the　tiresome　paperwork；　and　I　was　rather　surprised　to　hear　the　city　bell　toll　midnight。
　It　was　in　the　moments　following；　as　I　stood；　listening　to　the　echoes　of　the　bell　die　away；　that　I　became　aware　of　another　sound。　It　came　from　over　my　head：　a　kind　of　heavy　shuffling；　as　if　of　a　man　bearing　some　heavy　burden。　I　cannot　tell　you　why　precisely；　McFadden；　but　there　was　something　in　that　sound　that　sent　a　thrill　of　dread　coursing　through　me。　I　listened　more　intently。　The　sound　died　away　slowly；　the　footsteps　retreating　into　a　more　distant　room。
　Of　course　there　was　nothing　for　me　to　do。　In　the　morning；　as　I　reflected　on　the　event；　I　realized　the　culprit　was　undoubtedly　my　own　tired　nerves。　Unless　some　more　sinister　meaning　should　prove　to　be　attached　to　the　footsteps…which　seemed　a　remote　possibility…there　was　no　cause　for　approaching　Leng　on　the　matter。　I　ascribed　my　alarm　to　my　own　perverse　state　of　mind　at　the　time。　I　had　succeeded　in　creating　a　rather　sensational　backdrop　for　displaying