preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第62部分

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　They　were　standing　in　a　small　〃quiet　room〃　almost　devoid　of　decoration。　No　pictures　hung　on　the　lightly　padded　walls。　There　was　a　plastic　sofa；　a　pair　of　plastic　chairs；　a　single　table。　Everything　was　bolted　to　the　floor。　There　was　no　clock；　and　the　sole　fluorescent　ceiling　light　was　hidden　behind　heavy　wire　mesh。　There　was　nothing　that　could　be　used　as　a　weapon；　or　to　assist　a　suicide。　In　the　far　wall　stood　another　steel　door；　even　thicker；　without　a　window。　Warning：　Risk　of　Elopement　was　posted　above　it　in　large　letters。
　Pendergast　took　a　seat　in　one　of　the　plastic　chairs；　and　crossed　his　legs。
　The　two　forward　attendants　disappeared　through　the　inner　door。　For　a　few　minutes　the　small　room　fell　into　silence；　punctuated　only　by　the　faint　sounds　of　screams　and　an　even　fainter；　rhythmic　pounding。　And　then；　louder　and　much　nearer；　came　the　shrill　protesting　voice　of　an　old　woman。　The　door　opened；　and　one　of　the　guards　pushed　a　wheelchair　into　the　room。　The　chair's　five…point　leather　restraint　was　almost　invisible　beneath　the　heavy　layer　of　rubber　that　covered　every　metal　surface。
　In　the　chair；　securely　bound　by　the　restraints；　sat　a　prim；　elderly　dowager。　She　was　wearing　a　long；　old…fashioned　black　taffeta　dress；　Victorian　button…up　shoes；　and　a　black　mourning　veil。　When　she　saw　Pendergast　her　plaints　abruptly　ceased。
　〃Raise　my　veil；〃　she　manded。　One　of　the　guards　lifted　it　from　her　face；　and；　standing　well　away；　laid　it　down　her　back。
　The　woman　stared　at　Pendergast；　her　palsied；　liver…spotted　face　trembling　slightly。
　Pendergast　turned　to　Dr。　Ostrom。　〃Will　you　kindly　leave　us　alone？〃
　〃Someone　must　remain；〃　said　Ostrom。　〃And　please　give　the　patient　some　distance；　Mr。　Pendergast。〃
　〃The　last　time　I　visited；　I　was　allowed　a　private　moment　with　my　great…aunt。〃
　〃If　you　will　recall；　Mr。　Pendergast；　the　last　time　you　visited…〃　Ostrom　began　rather　sharply。
　Pendergast　held　up　his　hand。　〃So　be　it。〃
　〃This　is　a　rather　late　hour　to　be　visiting。　How　much　time　do　you　need？〃
　〃Fifteen　minutes。〃
　〃Very　well。〃　The　doctor　nodded　to　the　attendants；　who　took　up　places　on　either　side　of　the　exit。　Ostrom　himself　stood　before　the　outer　door；　as　far　from　the　woman　as　possible；　crossed　his　arms；　and　waited。
　Pendergast　tried　to　pull　the　chair　closer；　remembered　it　was　bolted　to　the　floor；　and　leaned　forward　instead；　gazing　intently　at　the　old　woman。
　〃How　are　you；　Aunt　Cornelia？〃　he　asked。
　The　woman　bent　toward　him。　She　whispered　hoarsely；　〃My　dear；　how　lovely　to　see　you。　May　I　offer　you　a　spot　of　tea　with　cream　and　sugar？〃
　One　of　the　guards　snickered；　but　shut　up　abruptly　when　Ostrom　cast　a　sharp　glance　in　his　direction。
　〃No；　thank　you；　Aunt　Cornelia。〃
　〃It's　just　as　well。　The　service　here　has　declined　dreadfully　these　past　few　years。　It's　so　hard　to　find　good　help　these　days。　Why　haven't　you　visited　me　sooner；　my　dear？　You　know　that　at　my　age　I　cannot　travel。〃
　Pendergast　leaned　nearer。
　〃Mr。　Pendergast；　not　quite　so　close；　if　you　please；〃　Dr。　Ostrom　murmured。
　Pendergast　eased　back。　〃I've　been　working；　Aunt　Cornelia。〃
　〃Work　is　for　the　middle　classes；　my　dear。　Pendergasts　do　not　work。〃
　Pendergast　lowered　his　voice。　〃There's　not　much　time；　I'm　afraid；　Aunt　Cornelia。　I　wanted　to　ask　you　some　questions。　About　your　great…uncle　Antoine。〃
　The　old　lady　pursed　her　lips　in　a　disapproving　line。　〃Great…uncle　Antoine？　They　say　he　went　north；　to　New　York　City。　Became　a　Yankee。　But　that　was　many　years　ago。　Long　before　I　was　born。〃
　〃Tell　me　what　you　know　about　him；　Aunt　Cornelia。〃
　〃Surely　you've　heard　the　stories；　my　boy。　It　is　an　unpleasant　subject　for　all　of　us；　you　know。〃
　〃I'd　like　to　hear　them　from　you；　just　the　same。〃
　〃Well！　He　inherited　the　family　tendency　to　madness。　There　but　for　the　grace　of　God　。　。　。〃　The　old　woman　sighed　pityingly。
　〃What　kind　of　madness？〃　Pendergast　knew　the　answer；　of　course；　but　he　needed　to　hear　it　again。　There　were　always　details；　nuances；　that　were　new。
　〃Even　as　a　boy　he　developed　certain　dreadful　obsessions。　He　was　quite　a　brilliant　youth；　you　know：　sarcastic；　witty；　strange。　At　seven　you　couldn't　beat　him　in　a　game　of　chess　or　backgammon。　He　excelled　at　whist；　and　even　suggested　some　refinements　that；　I　understand；　helped　develop　auction　bridge。　He　was　terribly　interested　in　natural　history；　and　started　keeping　quite　a　collection　of　horrid　things　in　his　dressing　room…insects；　snakes；　bones；　fossils；　that　sort　of　thing。　He　also　had　inherited　his　father's　interest　in　elixirs；　restoratives；　chemicals。　And　poisons。〃
　A　strange　gleam　came　into　the　old　lady's　black　eyes　at　the　mention　of　poisons；　and　both　attendants　shifted　uneasily。
　Ostrom　cleared　his　throat。　〃Mr。　Pendergast；　how　much　longer？　We　don't　want　to　unduly　disturb　the　patient。〃
　〃Ten　minutes。〃
　〃No　more。〃
　The　old　lady　went　on。　〃After　the　tragedy　with　his　mother；　he　grew　moody　and　reclusive。　He　spent　a　great　deal　of　time　alone；　mixing　up　chemicals。　But　then；　no　doubt　you　know　the　cause　of　that　fascination。〃
　Pendergast　nodded。
　〃He　developed　his　own　variant　of　the　family　crest；　like　an　old　apothecary's　sign　it　was；　three　gilded　balls。　He　hung　it　over　his　door。　They　say　he　poisoned　the　six　family　dogs　in　an　experiment。　And　then　he　began　spending　a　lot　of　time　down　。　。　。　down　there。　Do　you　know　where　I　mean？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃They　say　he　always　felt　more　fortable　with　the　dead　than　with　the　living；　you　know。　And　when　he　wasn't　there；　he　was　over　at　St。　Charles　Cemetery；　with　that　appalling　old　woman　Marie　LeClaire。　You　know；　Cajun　voodoo　and　all　that。〃
　Pendergast　nodded　again。
　〃He　helped　her　with　her　potions　and　charms　and　frightful　little　stick　dolls　and　making　marks　on　graves。　Then　there　was　that　unpleasantness　with　her　tomb；　after　she　died　。　。　。〃
　〃Unpleasantness？〃
　The　old　woman　sighed；　lowered　her　head。　〃The　interference　with　her　grave；　the　violated　body　and　all　those　dreadful　little　cuts。　Of　course　you　must　know　that　story。〃
　〃I've　forgotten。〃　Pendergast's　voice　was　soft；　gentle；　probing。
　〃He　believed　he　was　going　to　bring　her　back　to　life。　There　was　the　question　of　whether　she　had　put　him　up　to　it　before　she　died；　charged　him　with　some　kind　of　dreadful　after…death　assignment。　The　missing　pieces　of　flesh　were　never　found；　not　a　one。　No；　that's　not　quite　right。　I　believe　they　found　an　ear　in　the　belly　of　an　alligator　caught　a　week　later　out　of　the　swamp。　The　earring　gave　it　away；　of　course。〃　Her　voice　trailed　off。　She　turned　to　one　of　the　attendants；　and　spoke　in　a　tone　of　cold　mand。　〃My　hair　needs　attention。〃
　One　of　the　attendants…the　one　wearing　surgical　gloves…came　over　and　gingerly　patted　the　woman's　hair　back　into　place；　keeping　a　wary　distance。
　She　turned　back　to　Pendergast。
　〃She　had　a　kind　of　sexual　hold　over　him；　as　dreadful　as　that　sounds；　considering　the　sixty…year　difference　in　their　ages。〃　The　old　lady　shuddered；　half　in　disgust；　half　in　pleasure。　〃Clearly；　she　encouraged　his　interest　in　reincarnation；　miracle　cures；　silly　things　like　that。〃
　〃What　did　you　hear　about　his　disappearance？〃
　〃It　happened　at　the　age　of　twenty…one；　when　he　came　into　his　fortune。　But　'disappearance'　really　isn't　quite　the　word；　you　know：　he　was　asked　to　leave　the　house。　At　least；　so　I've　been　told。　He'd　begun　to　talk　about　saving；　healing　the　world…making　up　for　what　his　father　had　done；　I　suppose…but　that　cut　no　mustard　with　the　rest　of　the　family。　Years　later；　when　his　cousins　tried　to　track　down　the　money　he'd　inherited　and　taken　with　him；　he　seemed　to　have　vanished　into　thin　air。　They　were　terribly　disappointed。　It　was　so　very　much　money；　you　see。〃
　Pendergast　nodded。　There　was　a　long　silence。
　〃I　have　one　final　question　for　you；　Aunt　Cornelia。〃
　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃It　is　a　moral　question。〃
　〃A　moral　question。　How　curious。　Is　this　connected　by　any　chance　with　Great…Uncle　Antoine？〃
　Pendergast　did　not　answer　directly。　〃For　the　past　month；　I　have　been　searching　for　a　man。　This　man　is　in　possession　of　a　secret。　I　am　very　close　to　discovering　his　whereabouts；　and　it　is　only　a　matter　of　time　until　I　confront　him。〃
　The　old　woman　said　nothing。
　〃If　I　win　the　confrontation…which　is　by　no　means　certain…I　may　be　faced　with　the　question　of　what　to　do　with　his　secret。　I　may　be　called　upon　to　make　a　decision　that　will　have；　possibly；　a　profound　effect　on　the　future　of　the　human　race。〃
　〃And　what　is　this　secret？〃
　Pendergast　lowered　his　voice　to　the　merest　ghost　of　a　whisper。
　〃I　believe　it　is　a　medical　formula　that　will　allow　anyone；　by　following　a　certain　regimen；　to　extend　his　life　by　at　least　a　century；　perhaps　more。　It　will　not　vanquish　death；　but　it　will　significantly　postpone　it。〃
　There　was　a　silence。　The　old　lady's　eyes　gleamed　anew。　〃Tell　me；　how　much　will　this　treatment　cost？　Will　it　be　cheap；　or　dear？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃And　how　many　others　will　have　access　to　this　formula　besides　yourself？〃
　〃I'll　be　the　only　one。　I'll　have　very　little　time；　maybe　only　seconds　after　it　es　into　my　hands；　to　decide　what　to　do　with　it。〃
　The　silence　stretched　on　into　minutes。　〃And　how　was　this　formula　developed？〃
　〃Suffice　to　say；　it　cost　the　lives　of　many　innocent　people。　In　a　singularly　cruel　fashion。〃
　〃That　adds　a　further　dimension　to　the　problem。　However；　the　answer　is　quite　clear。　When　this　formula　es　into　your　possession；　you　must　destroy　it　immediately。〃
　Pendergast　looked　at　her　curiously。　〃Are　you　quite　sure？　It's　what　medical　science　has　most　desired　since　the　beginning。〃
　〃There　is　an　old　French　curse：　may　your　fondest　wish　e　true。　If　this　treatment　is　cheap　and　available　to　everyone；　it　will　destroy　the　earth　through　overpopulation。　If　it　is　dear　and　available　only　to　the　very　rich；　it　will　cause　riots；　wars；　a　breakdown　of　the　social　contract。　Either　way；　it　will　lead　directly　to　human　misery。　What　is　the　value　of　a　long　life；　when　it　is　lived　in　squalor　and　unhappiness？〃
　〃What　about　the　immeasurable　increase　in　wisdom　that　this　discovery　will　bring；　when　you　consider　the　one；　maybe　two　hundred　years；　of　additional　learning　and　study　it　will　afford　the　brilliant　mind？　Think；　Aunt　Cornelia；　of　what　someone　like　Goethe　or　Copernicus　or　Einstein　could　have　done　for　humanity　with　a　two…hundred…year　life　span。〃
　The　old　woman　scoffed。　〃The　wise　a