cw.blackalibi-第3部分
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It wasn't。
It was dusk； but the visibility was still fairish； even if dark…blue…tinted。 The distance to be traversed wasn't long。 Not only that； but the more venturesome spirits in the crowd that had been around Kiki at the Globo； Manning at their head； were only moments behind it in pursuit。
Yet it had dropped from sight； been swallowed up； disappeared pletely somewhere along that short byway； in one of the most built…up； hemmedin parts of the city！ For when the advance posse； Manning still foremost； came surging out into the Plaza de los Mбrtires； a small； busy； palmbordered square that the alley gave onto at its other end； a case of mass astigmatism seemed to have resulted。 And it was not one brought on by fright and excitement； as sometimes happens； either。 The plaza was bustling with people； yet not one person could be found who had seen or heard anything amiss； much less anything so striking as a jet…black jaguar rushing headlong out of an alley mouth into their midst。 A shoeshine boy less than a yard past the turn of the alley corner was kneeling industriously to his task over a customer's raised foot。 Both were close enough for the wind of its passing to have bowled them over。 If it had passed。 Nothing had； they both said in surprise。 And then； not sure they had heard aright； repeated blankly； 〃A what？〃； thinking Manning and the rest crazy。
Farther on； but not much farther on； the usual little knot of hopeful loiterers were scanning the lottery lists。 People were getting on and off the noisy trolleys that seemed to fill this plaza at all hours of the day and night； emitting turquoise flashes from their overhead conduit wires as they backed and filled。
It was…the way it always was。
While the rearguard of the pursuit was still streaming in from the Alameda side； clogging up the lane； Manning and the advance guard tried to beat their way back through them； passing the word along as they went that it hadn't e out at the other end。
Three gesticulating； whistle…blowing…and very belated…gendarmes now arrived to take charge； and the chase…or rather problem； for a chase requires something in front of it…now became an official one。 Their explanation for their tardiness； and not an unlikely one； was that the report had been utterly disbelieved when it was first made known to them。 A holdup； yes。 A knifing。 But a live jaguar running amuck through the streets？ This was Ciudad Real。 You better go someplace and sleep it off； or I'll run you in。
Manning； momentarily leaving them to their own devices； buffeted his way straight through to the Alameda side again； to try to find the fellow from whom he had 〃borrowed〃 the thing earlier in the day； a ranch foreman named Cardozo； and who was supposed to meet him at a certain inconspicuous corner with one of the ranch produce trucks and take the thing off his hands again as soon as Kiki was through with it。
It took him only a few minutes to get down there； but the news was already there ahead of him； he found when he arrived。
〃It's gone；〃 he announced breathlessly。 〃It broke away from her； and nearly killed her in the bargain！ That crowd you see up there right now is where they're looking for it。〃
〃I know； somebody told me；〃 Cardozo said disgruntledly。 〃Somebody must have done something to it to get it started off like that。 I told you not to let it get mauled around too much。 I thought you said you were going to be right with it； the whole time she had it out with her。〃 He actually seemed peeved at losing the thing； as though he had grown attached to it。
〃I wasn't more than two car lengths away；〃 Manning answered heatedly； 〃and even then I couldn't get over to her in time to stop it！ I saw what it did。 It took a flying leap over her body； the only thing that saved her was she had a bottle of charged water in her hands and squirted some at it。 I thought you said it was so tame and harmless； there was nothing to worry about！ It would have been a fine thing if it had clawed her up； wouldn't it？〃
〃It was perfectly docile the whole time we had it out at the estancia。 The cook's kid used to go right in the pen and play with it by the hour。〃
〃When； two months ago？〃 Manning said bitterly。 〃Maybe it was growing up then。 It sure came of age tonight！〃 He cut the discussion short； it being largely a spilt…milk matter by now。 〃e on； there's no use standing here wrangling about it。 I came down here to get you； because I thought you might be a help in getting it back。〃
〃I've got a riata here in the back of the truck I was going to tie it up with on the trip back；〃 Cardozo assented。 〃I'll bring it along； it might e in handy。〃
〃It disappeared in there somewhere；〃 Manning told him； as they made their way back to the hubbub on foot。 〃Where d'you think it lit to？〃
〃To know that； one would have to be a jaguar；〃 was the ranchman's dry answer。
When they returned； order and organization were rapidly being brought out of the chaos。 Order； but not any jaguar。 The three gendarmes had already bee five； and the five in no time at all became seven。 Next a lieutenant of police arrived to take charge of this safari on city streets。 Next； even one of the municipal fire trucks showed up； but this solely so that the beam of its highpowered searchlight； the strongest available on any piece of apparatus； could be trained into the alley to show them what they were doing。 It lit it up with a strange pale blueness； making the weird affair seem even weirder。 Finally…but this last of all and not for long hours yet…the curator of the zoo was sent for； to give technical advice and make suggestions； he presumably being an expert in such matters。
The obvious things were done first。 The public at large was cleared out of the alley； with a great flourishing of police batons and repeated warnings of： 〃Move back； now。 Nobody allowed in here； it's dangerous。 It may suddenly reappear when least expected and attack。〃 The majority of them needed no second urging。 There was a confused milling about for a few moments； and then the alley was clear。 Ropes were then stretched across it at both ends； to keep it that way。
The next step was a wholesale ordering out of all inmates who lived along it； for a house…to…house search was impending。 Again the order didn't have to be repeated。 There was a panicky mass exodus from the disreputable warrens all along it； with bird cages； cooking utensils； and even potted plants。
These people were questioned personally by the police lieutenant as they were filed through。 For the most part fruitlessly。 There was no single case in which anyone had seen where it went。 It had flashed through so suddenly that they all arrived at their windows too late； the clamor of the crowd in its wake was what had drawn them to look out； not any sound the beast had made。 Two or three were found who admitted they had seen it ing in the distance…although they hadn't known it for what it was； had taken it in the gloom for a large； rabid black dog。 But even these were no help； though they had been right out in midalley at the time； they all gave the same answer。 〃Yes； I saw it ing toward me up ahead； and knew it was something bad because of all the hollering behind it。 Where did it go？ You think I waited to find out？ I dove into the nearest doorway and slammed the door shut behind me。 By the time I looked out again； it wasn't there any more。〃
At last； near the tail end of the procession of refugees； was found a little girl of ten or so who； when her turn came； promised to be of some help。 For a moment they thought they had something。 She had been at the window in time to see it； she insisted proudly； because she had been leaning out of it for a long time before that。 〃I saw something big and black ing down our street； from way up there。〃
An alert conclave formed about her for a moment。 〃Where did it go？ Where did it disappear to？〃
〃I don't know。 I ran inside to call my brother to e and see it； and when we came back it wasn't there any more。〃
The conclave split open again； like an overripe pod。
It would have to be ferreted out by a house…tohouse search； the lieutenant in charge decided。 The only tenable assumption left was that it had found some doorway； crevice； gap； somewhere along these moldering walls； had sidled in； and was still lurking somewhere in one of the shadowy interiors； perhaps in a basement； perhaps in some unused flue； perhaps in the cavity under a staircase…there was no electricity anywhere along this cranny； inside or out…breathing latent death。
The search began from the Alameda end…it was nearing eight by then…and it was well on the way toward midnight by the time the posse emerged from the last house of all； flanking the Plaza de los Mбrtires…empty…handed。 The search had failed as pletely as the original pursuit had。 It had been thorough； even if not successful。 They had gone from top to bottom and from bottorn to top of every building along the way； flashing lights into corners； tapping walls； poking aside crates and boxes and litter； revolvers and stout clubs ready at hand to deal with it if it should turn； up。 But it didn't。
The crowd behind the ropes at each end； peering down the hazy blue pathway of the fire…fighting headlight； would hold its collective breath each time while they were inside； the wink of torches through the windows showing their progress tier by tier。 Then they would e out again； report； 〃Not in that one；〃 to their manding officer； the structure would be given a clean bill of health； and they would go trooping into the next。 Finally the dramatic effect began to wear off； after the numerous repetitions。 Here and there someone turned away and went about his business； it was getting late。 Someone in the thinning ranks of onlookers was heard to suggest half facetiously that maybe it had esconced itself in the back of some cart or vehicle that had been left standing there with its rear open； been inadvertently shut in by the driver on returning a moment later and all unknowingly transported out of the neighborhood。 The only trouble with this theory was that there had been no such fortuitous conveyance in the alley at the time； they could be sure of this for the very good reason
