preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第70部分

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eared　forward　as　if　living　things。
　Suddenly；　the　beam　stopped　dead。　Nora　watched　as　Pendergast's　pale　face　lost　what　little　color　it　normally　had。　For　a　moment；　he　simply　stared；　motionless；　not　even　seeming　to　draw　breath。　Then；　very　slowly；　he　approached　the　case。　The　beam　of　the　flashlight　trembled　a　bit　as　he　moved。　Nora　followed；　wondering　what　had　had　such　a　galvanic　effect　on　the　agent。
　The　glass　case　was　not　like　the　rest。　It　did　not　contain　a　skeleton；　stuffed　trophy；　or　carven　image。　Instead；　behind　the　glass　stood　the　figure　of　a　dead　man；　legs　and　arms　strapped　upright　between　crude　iron　bars　and　cuffs；　mounted　as　if　for　museum　display。　The　man　was　dressed　in　severe　black；　with　a　nineteenth…century　frock　coat　and　striped　pants。
　〃Who…？〃　Nora　managed　to　say。
　But　Pendergast　was　transfixed；　hearing　nothing；　his　face　rigid。　All　his　attention　was　concentrated　on　the　mounted　man。　The　light　played　mercilessly　about　the　corpse。　It　lingered　for　a　long　time　on　one　particular　detail…a　pallid　hand；　the　flesh　shrunken　and　shriveled；　a　single　knucklebone　poking　from　a　tear　in　the　rotten　flesh。
　Nora　stared　at　the　exposed　knuckle；　red　and　ivory　against　the　parchment　skin。　With　a　nauseous　lurch　in　the　pit　of　her　stomach；　she　realized　that　the　hand　was　missing　all　its　fingernails；　that；　in　fact；　nothing　remained　of　the　fingertips　but　bloody　stumps；　punctuated　by　protruding　bones。
　Then…slowly；　inexorably…the　light　began　traveling　up　the　front　of　the　corpse。　The　beam　rose　past　the　buttons　of　the　coat；　up　the　starched　shirtfront；　before　at　last　stopping　on　the　face。
　It　was　mummified；　shrunken；　wizened。　And　yet　it　was　surprisingly　well　preserved；　all　the　features　modeled　as　finely　as　if　carved　from　stone。　The　lips；　which　had　dried　and　shriveled；　were　drawn　back　in　a　rictus　of　merriment；　exposing　two　beautiful　rows　of　white　teeth。　Only　the　eyes　were　gone：　empty　sockets　like　bottomless　pools　no　light　could　illuminate。
　There　was　a　hollow；　muffled　sound　of　rustling　ing　from　inside　the　skull。
　The　journey　through　the　house　had　already　numbed　Nora　with　horror。　But　now　her　mind　went　blank　with　an　even　worse　shock：　the　shock　of　recognition。
　She　automatically　turned；　speechless；　to　Pendergast。　His　frame　remained　rigid；　his　eyes　wide　and　staring。　Whatever　it　was　he　had　expected　to　find；　it　was　not　this。
　She　shifted　her　horrified　gaze　back　at　the　corpse。　Even　in　death；　there　could　be　no　question。　The　corpse　had　the　same　marble…colored　skin；　the　same　refined　features；　the　same　thin　lips　and　aquiline　nose；　the　same　high　smooth　forehead　and　delicate　chin；　the　same　fine　pale　hair…as　Pendergast　himself。
　
　SIX
　　
　CUSTER　OBSERVED　THE　perp…　he'd　already　begun　to　call　him　that…with　deep　satisfaction。　The　man　stood　in　his　office；　hands　cuffed　behind　him；　black　tie　askew　and　white　shirt　rumpled；　hair　disheveled；　dark　circles　of　sweat　beneath　his　armpits。　How　are　the　mighty　fallen；　indeed。　He'd　held　out　a　long　time；　kept　up　that　arrogant；　impatient　facade。　But　now；　the　eyes　were　red；　the　lips　trembling。　He　hadn't　believed　it　was　really　going　to　happen　to　him。　It　was　the　cuffs　that　did　it；　Custer　thought　knowingly　to　himself。　He　had　seen　it　happen　many　times　before；　to　men　a　lot　tougher　than　Brisbane。　Something　about　the　cool　clasp　of　the　manacles　around　your　wrists；　the　realization　that　you　were　under　arrest；　powerless…in　custody…was　more　than　some　people　could　take。
　The　true；　the　pure；　police　work　was　over…now　it　was　just　a　matter　of　collecting　all　the　little　evidentiary　details；　work　for　the　lower　echelons　to　plete。　Custer　himself　could　take　leave　of　the　scene。
　He　glanced　at　Noyes　and　saw　admiration　shining　in　the　small　hound　face。　Then　he　turned　back　to　the　perp。
　〃Well；　Brisbane；〃　he　said。　〃It　all　falls　into　place；　doesn't　it？〃
　Brisbane　looked　at　him　with　unprehending　eyes。
　〃Murderers　always　think　they're　smarter　than　everyone　else。　Especially　the　police。　But　when　you　get　down　to　it；　Brisbane；　you　really　didn't　play　it　smart　at　all。　Keeping　the　disguise　right　here　in　your　office；　for　example。　And　then　there　was　the　matter　of　all　those　witnesses。　Trying　to　hide　evidence；　lying　to　me　about　how　often　you　were　in　the　Archives。　Killing　victims　so　close　to　your　own　place　of　work；　your　place　of　residence。　The　list　goes　on；　doesn't　it？〃
　The　door　opened　and　a　uniformed　officer　slipped　a　fax　into　Custer's　hand。
　〃And　here's　another　little　fact　just　in。　Yes；　the　little　facts　can　be　so　inconvenient。〃　He　read　over　the　fax。　〃Ah。　And　now　we　know　where　you　got　your　medical　training；　Brisbane：　you　were　pre…med　at　Yale。〃　He　handed　the　fax　to　Noyes。　〃Switched　to　geology　your　junior　year。　Then　to　law。〃　Custer　shook　his　head　again；　wonderingly；　at　the　bottomless　stupidity　of　criminals。
　Brisbane　finally　managed　to　speak。　〃I'm　no　murderer！　Why　would　I　kill　those　people？〃
　Custer　shrugged　philosophically。　〃The　very　question　I　asked　you。　But　then；　why　do　any　serial　killers　kill？　Why　did　Jack　the　Ripper　kill？　Why　Jeffrey　Dahmer？　That's　a　question　for　the　psychiatrists　to　answer。　Or　maybe　for　God。〃
　On　this　note；　Custer　turned　back　to　Noyes。　〃Set　up　a　press　conference　for　midnight。　One　Police　Plaza。　No；　hold　on…let's　make　it　on　the　front　steps　of　the　Museum。　Call　the　missioner；　call　the　press。　And　most　importantly；　call　the　mayor；　on　his　private　line　at　Gracie　Mansion。　This　is　one　call　he'll　be　happy　to　get　out　of　bed　for。　Tell　them　we　collared　the　Surgeon。〃
　〃Yes；　sir！〃　said　Noyes；　turning　to　go。
　〃My　God；　the　publicity　。　。　。〃　Brisbane's　voice　was　high；　strangled。　〃Captain；　I'll　have　your　badge　for　this　。　。　。〃　He　choked　up　with　fear　and　rage；　unable　to　continue。
　But　Custer　wasn't　listening。　He'd　had　another　masterstroke。
　〃Just　a　minute！〃　he　called　to　Noyes。　〃Make　sure　the　mayor　knows　that　he'll　be　the　star　of　our　show。　We'll　let　him　make　the　announcement。〃
　As　the　door　closed；　Custer　turned　his　thoughts　to　the　mayor。　The　election　was　a　week　away。　He　would　need　the　boost。　Letting　him　make　the　announcement　was　a　clever　move；　very　clever。　Rumor　had　it　that　the　job　of　missioner　would　bee　vacant　after　reelection。　And；　after　all；　it　was　never　too　early　to　hope。
　
　SEVEN
　　
　AGAIN；　NORA　LOOKED　at　Pendergast。　And　again　she　was　unnerved　by　the　depth　of　his　shock。　His　eyes　seemed　glued　to　the　face　of　the　corpse：　the　parchment　skin；　the　delicate；　aristocratic　features；　the　hair　so　blond　it　could　have　been　white。
　〃The　face。　It　looks　just　like…〃　Nora　struggled　to　understand；　to　articulate　her　thoughts。
　Pendergast　did　not　respond。
　〃It　looks　just　like　you；〃　Nora　finally　managed。
　〃Yes；〃　came　the　whispered　response。　〃Very　much　like　me。〃
　〃But　who　is　it…？〃
　〃Enoch　Leng。〃
　Something　in　the　way　he　said　this　caused　Nora's　skin　to　crawl。
　〃Leng？　But　how　can　that　be？　I　thought　you　said　he　was　alive。〃
　With　a　visible　effort　Pendergast　wrenched　his　eyes　from　the　glass　case　and　turned　them　on　her。　In　them；　she　read　many　things：　horror；　pain；　dread。　His　face　remained　colorless　in　the　dim　light。
　〃He　was。　Until　recently。　Someone　appears　to　have　killed　Leng。　Tortured　him　to　death。　And　put　him　in　that　case。　It　seems　we　are　now　dealing　with　that　other　someone。〃
　〃I　still　don't…〃
　Pendergast　held　up　one　hand。　〃I　cannot　speak　of　it　now；〃　was　all　he　said。
　He　turned　from　the　figure；　slowly；　almost　painfully；　his　light　stabbing　farther　into　the　gloom。
　Nora　inhaled　the　antique；　dust…laden　air。　Everything　was　so　strange；　so　terrible　and　unexpected；　the　kind　of　weirdness　that　happened　only　in　a　nightmare。　She　tried　to　calm　her　pounding　heart。
　〃Now　he　is　unconscious；　being　dragged；〃　whispered　Pendergast。　His　eyes　were　once　again　on　the　floor；　but　his　voice　and　manner　remained　dreadfully　changed。
　With　the　flashlight　as　a　guide；　they　followed　the　marks　across　the　reception　hall　to　a　set　of　closed　doors。　Pendergast　opened　them　to　reveal　a　carpeted；　well…appointed　space：　a　two…story　library；　filled　with　leather…bound　books。　The　beam　probed　farther；　slicing　through　drifting　clouds　of　dust。　In　addition　to　books；　Nora　saw　that；　again；　many　of　the　shelves　were　lined　with　specimens；　all　carefully　labeled。　There　were　also　numerous　freestanding　specimens　in　the　room；　draped　in　rotting　duck　canvas。　A　variety　of　wing　chairs　and　sofas　were　positioned　around　the　library；　the　leather　dry　and　split；　the　stuffing　unraveling。
　The　beam　of　the　flashlight　licked　over　the　walls。　A　salver　sat　on　a　nearby　table；　holding　a　crystal　decanter　of　what　had　once　been　port　or　sherry：　a　brown　crust　lined　its　bottom。　Next　to　the　tray　sat　a　small；　empty　glass。　An　unsmoked　cigar；　shriveled　and　furred　with　mold；　lay　alongside　it。　A　fireplace　carved　of　gray　marble　was　set　into　one　of　the　walls；　a　fire　laid　but　not　lit。　Before　it　was　a　tattered　zebra　skin；　well　chewed　by　mice。　A　sideboard　nearby　held　more　crystal　decanters；　each　with　a　brown　or　black　substance　dried　within。　A　hominid　skull…Nora　recognized　it　as　Australopithecine…sat　on　a　side　table　with　a　candle　set　into　it。　An　open　book　lay　nearby。
　Pendergast's　light　lingered　on　the　open　book。　Nora　could　see　it　was　an　ancient　medical　treatise；　written　in　Latin。　The　page　showed　engravings　of　a　cadaver　in　various　stages　of　dissection。　Of　all　the　objects　in　the　library；　only　this　looked　fresh；　as　if　it　had　been　handled　recently。　Everything　else　was　layered　with　dust。
　Once　again；　Pendergast　turned　his　attention　to　the　floor；　where　Nora　could　clearly　see　marks　in　the　moth…eaten；　rotting　carpet。　The　marks　appeared　to　end　at　a　wall　of　books。
　Now；　Pendergast　approached　the　wall。　He　ran　his　light　over　their　spines；　peering　intently　at　the　titles。　Every　few　moments　he　would　stop；　remove　a　book；　glance　at　it；　shove　it　back。　Suddenly…as　Pendergast　removed　a　particularly　massive　tome　from　a　shelf…Nora　heard　a　loud　metallic　click。　Two　large　rows　of　adjoining　bookshelves　sprang　open。　Pendergast　drew　them　carefully　back；　exposing　a　folding　brass　gate。　Behind　the　closed　gate　lay　a　door　of　solid　maple。　It　took　Nora　a　moment　to　realize　what　it　was。
　〃An　old　elevator；〃　she　whispered。
　Pendergast　nodded。　〃Yes。　The　old　service　elevator　to　the　basement。　There　was　something　exactly　like　this　in…〃
　He　went　abruptly　silent。　As　the　sound　of　his　voice　faded　away；　Nora　heard　what　she　thought　was　a　noise　ing　fr