preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第31部分

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　〃Me。　Bill。〃　The　furtive　voice　was　louder。
　Nora　stood　up　with　a　mixture　of　relief　and　anger。　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃
　〃Open　up。〃
　〃Are　you　kidding？　Get　out　of　here。　Now。〃
　〃Nora；　please。　It's　important。〃
　〃It's　important　that　you　stay　the　hell　away　from　me。　I'm　warning　you。〃
　〃I've　got　to　talk　to　you。〃
　〃That's　it。　I'm　calling　security。〃
　〃No；　Nora。　Wait。〃
　Nora　picked　up　the　phone；　dialed。　The　officer　she　reached　said　he　would　be　only　too　glad　to　remove　the　intruder。　They　would　be　there　right　away。
　〃Nora！〃　Smithback　cried。
　Nora　sat　down　at　her　worktable；　trying　to　pose　her　mind。　She　closed　her　eyes。　Ignore　him。　Just　ignore　him。　Security　would　be　there　in　a　moment。
　Smithback　continued　to　plead　at　the　door。　〃Just　let　me　in　for　a　minute。　There's　something　you　have　to　know。　Last　night…〃
　She　heard　heavy　footfalls　and　a　firm　voice。　〃Sir；　you're　in　an　off…limits　area。〃
　〃Hey！　Let　go！　I'm　a　reporter　for…〃
　〃You　will　e　with　us；　please；　sir。〃
　There　was　the　sound　of　a　scuffle。
　〃Nora！〃
　A　new　note　of　desperation　sounded　strong　in　Smithback's　voice。　Despite　herself；　Nora　went　to　the　door；　unlocked　it；　and　stuck　out　her　head。　Smithback　was　being　held　between　two　burly　security　men。　He　glanced　at　her；　cowlick　bobbing　reproachfully　as　he　tried　to　extricate　himself。　〃Nora；　I　can't　believe　you　called　security。〃
　〃Are　you　all　right；　miss？〃　one　of　the　men　asked。
　〃I'm　fine。　But　that　man　shouldn't　be　here。〃
　〃This　way；　sir。　We'll　walk　you　to　the　door。〃　The　men　started　dragging　Smithback　off。
　〃Unhand　me；　oaf！　I'll　report　you；　Mister　3467。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；　you　do　that；　sir。〃
　〃Stop　calling　me　'sir。'This　is　assault。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　The　men；　imperturbable；　led　him　down　the　hall　toward　the　elevator。
　As　Nora　watched；　she　felt　a　turmoil　of　conflicting　emotion。　Poor　Smithback。　What　an　undignified　exit。　But　then；　he'd　brought　it　on　himself…hadn't　he？　He　needed　the　lesson。　He　couldn't　just　show　up　like　this；　all　mystery　and　high　drama；　and　expect　her　to…
　〃Nora！〃　came　the　cry　from　down　the　hall。　〃You　have　to　listen；　please！　Pendergast　was　attacked；　I　heard　it　on　the　police　scanner。　He's　in　St。　Luke's…Roosevelt；　down　on　Fifty…ninth。　He…〃
　Then　Smithback　was　gone；　his　shouts　cut　off　by　the　elevator　doors。
　
　EIGHT
　　
　NOBODY　WOULD　TELL　Nora　anything。　It　was　more　than　an　hour　before　the　doctor　could　see　her。　At　last　he　showed　up　in　the　lounge；　very　young：　a　tired；　hunted　look　in　his　face　and　a　two…day　growth　of　beard。
　〃Dr。　Kelly？〃　he　asked　the　room　while　looking　at　his　clipboard。
　She　rose　and　their　eyes　met。　〃How　is　he？〃
　A　wintry　smile　broke　on　the　doctor's　face。　〃He's　going　to　be　fine。〃　He　looked　at　her　curiously。　〃Dr。　Kelly；　are　you　a　medical…？〃
　〃Archaeologist。〃
　〃Oh。　And　your　relationship　to　the　patient？〃
　〃A　friend。　Can　I　see　him？　What　happened？〃
　〃He　was　stabbed　last　night。〃
　〃My　God。〃
　〃Missed　his　heart　by　less　than　an　inch。　He　was　very　lucky。〃
　〃How　is　he？〃
　〃He's　in　。　。　。〃　the　doctor　paused。　The　faint　smile　returned。　〃Excellent　spirits。　An　odd　fellow；　Mr。　Pendergast。　He　insisted　on　a　local　anesthetic　for　the　operation…highly　unusual；　unheard　of　actually；　but　he　refused　to　sign　the　consent　forms　otherwise。　Then　he　demanded　a　mirror。　We　had　to　bring　one　up　from　obstetrics。　I've　never　had　quite　such　a；　er；　demanding　patient。　I　thought　for　a　moment　I　had　a　surgeon　on　my　operating　table。　They　make　the　worst　patients；　you　know。〃
　〃What　did　he　want　a　mirror　for？〃
　〃He　insisted　on　watching。　His　vitals　were　dropping　and　he　was　losing　blood；　but　he　absolutely　insisted　on　getting　a　view　of　the　wound　from　various　angles　before　he　would　allow　us　to　operate。　Very　odd。　What　kind　of　profession　is　Mr。　Pendergast　in？〃
　〃FBI。〃
　The　smile　evaporated。　〃I　see。　Well；　that　explains　quite　a　bit。　We　put　him　in　a　shared　room　at　first…no　private　ones　were　available…but　then　we　quickly　had　to　make　one　available　for　him。　Moved　out　a　state　senator　to　get　it。〃
　〃Why？　Did　Pendergast　plain？〃
　〃No　。　。　。　he　didn't。〃　The　doctor　hesitated　a　moment。　〃He　began　watching　the　video　of　an　autopsy。　Very　graphic。　His　roommate　naturally　objected。　But　it　was　really　just　as　well。　Because　an　hour　ago；　the　things　started　to　arrive。〃　He　shrugged。　〃He　refused　to　eat　hospital　food；　insisted　on　ordering　in　from　Balducci's。　Refused　an　IV　drip。　Refused　painkillers…no　OxyContin；　not　even　Vicodin　or　Tylenol　Number　3。　He　must　be　in　dreadful　pain；　but　doesn't　show　it。　With　these　new　patient…rights　guidelines；　my　hands　are　tied。〃
　〃It　sounds　just　like　him。〃
　〃The　bright　side　is　that　the　most　difficult　patients　usually　make　the　fastest　recovery。　I　just　feel　sorry　for　the　nurses。〃　The　doctor　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃You　might　as　well　head　over　there　now。　Room　1501。〃
　As　Nora　approached　the　room；　she　noticed　a　faint　odor　in　the　air：　something　out　of　place　among　the　aromas　of　stale　food　and　rubbing　alcohol。　Something　exotic；　fragrant。　A　shrill　voice　echoed　out　of　the　open　door。　She　paused　in　the　doorway　and　gave　a　little　knock。
　The　floor　of　the　room　was　stacked　high　with　old　books；　and　a　riot　of　maps　and　papers　lay　across　them。　Tall　sticks　of　sandalwood　incense　were　propped　inside　silver　cups；　sending　up　slender　coils　of　smoke。　That　accounts　for　the　smell；　Nora　thought。　A　nurse　was　standing　near　the　bed；　clutching　a　plastic　pill　box　in　one　hand　and　a　syringe　in　the　other。　Pendergast　lay　on　the　bed　in　a　black　silk　dressing　gown。　The　overhead　television　showed　a　splayed　body；　grotesque　and　bloody；　being　worked　on　by　no　fewer　than　three　doctors。　One　of　the　doctors　was　in　the　middle　of　lifting　a　wobbly　brain　out　of　the　skull。　She　looked　away。　On　the　bedside　table　was　a　dish　of　drawn　butter　and　the　remains　of　coldwater　lobster　tails。
　〃Mr。　Pendergast；　I　insist　you　take　this　injection；〃　the　nurse　was　saying。　〃You've　just　undergone　a　serious　operation。　You　must　have　your　sleep。〃
　Pendergast　withdrew　his　arms　from　behind　his　head；　picked　up　a　dusty　volume　lying　atop　the　sheets；　and　began　leafing　through　it　nonchalantly。　〃Nurse；　I　have　no　intention　of　taking　that。　I　shall　sleep　when　I'm　ready。〃　Pendergast　blew　dust　from　the　book's　spine　and　turned　the　page。
　〃I'm　going　to　call　the　doctor。　This　is　pletely　unacceptable。　And　this　filth　is　highly　unsanitary。〃　She　waved　her　hand　through　the　clouds　of　dust。
　Pendergast　nodded；　leafed　over　another　page。
　The　nurse　stormed　past　Nora　on　her　way　out。
　Pendergast　glanced　at　her　and　smiled。　〃Ah；　Dr。　Kelly。　Please　e　in　and　make　yourself　fortable。〃
　Nora　took　a　seat　in　a　chair　at　the　foot　of　the　bed。　〃Are　you　all　right？〃
　He　nodded。
　〃What　happened？〃
　〃I　was　careless。〃
　〃But　who　did　it？　Where？　When？〃
　〃Outside　my　residence；〃　said　Pendergast。　He　held　up　the　remote　and　turned　off　the　video；　then　laid　the　book　aside。　〃A　man　in　black；　with　a　cane；　wearing　a　derby　hat。　He　tried　to　chloroform　me。　I　held　my　breath　and　pretended　to　faint；　then　broke　away。　But　he　was　extraordinarily　strong　and　swift；　and　I　underestimated　him。　He　stabbed　me；　then　escaped。〃
　〃You　could　have　been　killed！〃
　〃That　was　the　intention。〃
　〃The　doctor　said　it　missed　your　heart　by　an　inch。〃
　〃Yes。　When　I　realized　he　was　going　to　stab　me；　I　directed　his　hand　to　a　nonvital　place。　A　useful　trick；　by　the　way；　if　you　ever　find　yourself　in　a　similar　position。〃
　He　leaned　forward　slightly。　〃Dr。　Kelly；　I'm　convinced　he's　the　same　man　who　killed　Doreen　Hollander　and　Mandy　Eklund。〃
　Nora　looked　at　him　sharply。　〃What　makes　you　say　that？〃
　〃I　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　weapon…a　surgeon's　scalpel　with　a　myringotomy　blade。〃
　〃But　。　。　。　but　why　you？〃
　Pendergast　smiled；　but　the　smile　held　more　pain　than　mirth。　〃That　shouldn't　be　hard　to　answer。　Somewhere　along　the　way；　we　brushed　up　a　little　too　close　to　the　truth。　We　flushed　him　out。　This　is　a　very　positive　development。〃
　〃A　positive　development？　You　could　still　be　in　danger！〃
　Pendergast　raised　his　pale　eyes　and　looked　at　her　intently。　〃I　am　not　the　only　one；　Dr。　Kelly。　You　and　Mr。　Smithback　must　take　precautions。〃　He　winced　slightly。
　〃You　should　have　taken　that　painkiller。〃
　〃For　what　I　plan　to　do；　it's　essential　to　keep　my　head　clear。　People　did　without　painkillers　for　countless　centuries。　As　I　was　saying；　you　should　take　precautions。　Don't　venture　out　alone　on　the　streets　at　night。　I　have　a　great　deal　of　trust　in　Sergeant　O'Shaughnessy。〃　He　slipped　a　card　into　her　hand。　〃If　you　need　anything；　call　him。　I'll　be　up　and　about　in　a　few　days。〃
　She　nodded。
　〃Meanwhile；　it　might　be　a　good　idea　for　you　to　get　out　of　town　for　a　day。　There's　a　talkative；　lonely　old　lady　up　in　Peekskill　who　would　love　to　have　visitors。〃
　She　sighed。　〃I　told　you　why　I　couldn't　help　anymore。　And　you　still　haven't　told　me　why　you're　spending　your　time　with　these　old　murders。〃
　〃Anything　I　told　you　now　would　be　inplete。　I　have　more　work　of　my　own　to　do；　more　pieces　of　the　puzzle　to　fit　together。　But　let　me　assure　you　of　one　thing；　Dr。　Kelly：　this　is　no　frivolous　field　trip。　It　is　vital　that　we　learn　more　about　Enoch　Leng。〃
　There　was　a　silence。
　〃Do　it　for　Mary　Greene；　if　not　for　me。〃
　Nora　rose　to　leave。
　〃And　Dr。　Kelly？〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃Smithback　isn't　such　a　bad　fellow。　I　know　from　experience　that　he's　a　reliable　man　in　a　pinch。　It　would　ease　my　mind　if；　while　all　this　is　going　on；　you　two　worked　together…〃
　Nora　shook　her　head。　〃No　way。〃
　Pendergast　held　up　his　hand　with　a　certain　impatience。　〃Do　it　for　your　own　safety。　And　now；　I　need　to　get　back　to　my　work。　I　look　forward　to　hearing　back　from　you　tomorrow。〃
　His　tone　was　peremptory。　Nora　left；　feeling　annoyed。　Yet　again　Pendergast　had　dragged　her　back　into　the　case；　and　now　he　wanted　to　burden　her　with　that　ass　Smithback。　Well；　forget　Smithback。　He'd　just　love　to　get　his　hands　on　part　two　of　the　story。　Him　and　his　Pulitzer。　She'd　go　to　Peekskill；　all　right。　But　she'd　go　by　herself。
　
　NINE
　　
　THE　BASEMENT　ROOM　was　small　and　silent。　In　its　simplicity　it　resembled　a　monk's　cell。　Only　a　narrow…legged　wooden　table　and　stiff；　unfortable　chair　broke　the　monotony　of　the　uneven　stone　floor；　the　damp　unfinished　walls。　A　black　light　in　the　ceiling　threw　a　spectral　blue　pall　over　the　four　items　upon　the　table：　a　scarred　and　rotting　leather　notebook；　a　lacquer　fountain　pen；　a　tan…colored　length