th.red dragon-第11部分

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　〃You　may　find　this　curious。〃　Chilton　took　a　strip　of　EKG　tape　from　a　drawer　and　unrolled　it　on　his　desk。　He　traced　the　spiky　line　with　his　forefinger。　〃Here；　he's　resting　on　the　examining　table。　Pulse　seventy…two。　Here；　he　grabs　the　nurse's　head　and　pulls　her　down　to　him。　Here；　he　is　subdued　by　the　attendant。　He　didn't　resist；　by　the　way；　though　the　attendant　dislocated　his　shoulder。　Do　you　notice　the　strange　thing？　His　pulse　never　got　over　eighty…five。　Even　when　he　tore　out　her　tongue。〃
　Chilton　could　read　nothing　in　Graham's　face。　He　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　steepled　his　fingers　under　his　chin。　His　hands　were　dry　and　shiny。
　〃You　know；　when　Lecter　was　first　captured　we　thought　he　might　provide　us　with　a　singular　opportunity　to　study　a　pure　sociopath；〃　Chilton　said。　〃It's　so　rare　to　get　one　alive。　Lecter　is　so　lucid；　so　perceptive；　he's　trained　in　psychiatry　。　。　。　and　he's　a　mass　murderer。　He　seemed　cooperative；　and　we　thought　that　he　could　be　a　window　on　this　kind　of　aberration。　We　thought　we'd　be　like　Beaumont　studying　digestion　through　the　opening　in　St。　Martin's　stomach。
　〃As　it　turned　out；　I　don't　think　we're　any　closer　to　understanding　him　now　than　the　day　he　came　in。　Have　you　ever　talked　with　Lecter　for　any　length　of　time？〃
　〃No。　I　just　saw　him　when　。　。　。　I　saw　him　mainly　in　court。　Dr。　Bloom　showed　me　his　articles　in　the　journals；〃　Graham　said。
　〃He's　very　familiar　with　you。　He's　given　you　a　lot　of　thought。〃
　〃You　had　some　sessions　with　him？〃
　〃Yes。　Twelve。　He's　impenetrable。　Too　sophisticated　about　the　tests　for　them　to　register　anything。　Edwards；　Fabré；　even　Dr。　Bloom　himself　had　a　crack　at　him。　I　have　their　notes。　He　was　an　enigma　to　them　too。　It's　impossible；　of　course；　to　tell　what　he's　holding　back　or　whether　he　understands　more　than　he'll　say。　Oh；　since　his　mitment　he's　done　some　brilliant　pieces　for　The　American　Journal　of　Psychiatry　and　The　General　Archives。　But　they're　always　about　problems　he　doesn't　have。　I　think　he's　afraid　that　if　we　'solve'　him；　nobody　will　be　interested　in　him　anymore　and　he'll　be　stuck　in　a　back　ward　somewhere　for　the　rest　of　his　life。〃
　Chilton　paused。　He　had　practiced　using　his　peripheral　vision　to　watch　his　subject　in　interviews。　He　believed　that　he　could　watch　Graham　this　way　undetected。
　〃The　consensus　around　here　is　that　the　only　person　who　has　demonstrated　any　practical　understanding　of　Hannibal　Lecter　is　you；　Mr。　Graham。　Can　you　tell　me　anything　about　him？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Some　of　the　staff　are　curious　about　this：　when　you　saw　Dr。　Lecter's　murders；　their　'style；'　so　to　speak；　were　you　able　perhaps　to　reconstruct　his　fantasies？　And　did　that　help　you　identify　him？〃
　Graham　did　not　answer。
　〃We're　woefully　short　of　material　on　that　sort　of　thing。　There's　one　single　piece　in　The　Journal　of　Abnormal　Psychology。　Would　you　mind　talking　with　some　of　the　staff　…　no；　no；　not　this　trip　…　Dr。　Bloom　was　very　severe　with　me　on　that　point。　We're　to　leave　you　alone。　Next　trip；　perhaps。〃
　Dr。　Chilton　had　seen　a　lot　of　hostility。　He　was　seeing　some　at　the　moment。
　Graham　stood　up。　〃Thank　you；　doctor。　I　want　to　see　Lecter　now。〃
　
　#　#　#
　
　The　steel　door　of　the　maximum…security　section　closed　behind　Graham。　He　heard　the　bolt　slide　home。
　Graham　knew　that　Lecter　slept　most　of　the　morning。　He　looked　down　the　corridor。　At　that　angle　he　could　not　see　into　Lecter's　cell；　but　he　could　tell　that　the　lights　inside　were　dimmed。
　Graham　wanted　to　see　Dr。　Lecter　asleep。　He　wanted　time　to　brace　himself。　If　he　felt　Lecter's　madness　in　his　head；　he　had　to　contain　it　quickly；　like　a　spill。
　To　cover　the　sound　of　his　footsteps；　he　followed　an　orderly　pushing　a　linen　cart。　Dr。　Lecter　is　very　difficult　to　slip　up　on。
　Graham　paused　partway　down　the　hall。　Steel　bars　covered　the　entire　front　of　the　cell。　Behind　the　bars；　farther　than　arm's　reach；　was　a　stout　nylon　net　stretched　ceiling　to　floor　and　wall　to　wall。　Through　the　barrier；　Graham　could　see　a　table　and　chair　bolted　to　the　floor。　The　table　was　stacked　with　softcover　books　and　correspondence。　He　walked　up　to　the　bars；　put　his　hands　on　them；　took　his　hands　away。
　Dr。　Hannibal　Lecter　lay　on　his　cot　asleep；　his　head　propped　on　a　pillow　against　the　wall。　Alexandre　Dumas'　Le　Grand　Dictionnaire　de　Cuisine　was　open　on　his　chest。
　Graham　had　stared　through　the　bars　for　about　five　seconds　when　Lecter　opened　his　eyes　and　said；　〃That's　the　same　atrocious　aftershave　you　wore　in　court。〃
　〃I　keep　getting　it　for　Christmas。〃
　Dr。　Lecter's　eyes　are　maroon　and　they　reflect　the　light　redly　in　tiny　points。　Graham　felt　each　hair　bristle　on　his　nape。　He　put　his　hand　on　the　back　of　his　neck。
　〃Christmas；　yes；〃　Lecter　said。　〃Did　you　get　my　card？〃
　〃I　got　it。　Thank　you。〃
　Dr。　Lecter's　Christmas　card　had　been　forwarded　to　Graham　from　the　FBI　crime　laboratory　in　Washington。　He　took　it　into　the　backyard；　burned　it；　and　washed　his　hands　before　touching　Molly。
　Lecter　rose　and　walked　over　to　his　table。　He　is　a　small；　lithe　man。　Very　neat。　〃Why　don't　you　have　a　seat；　Will？　I　think　there　are　some　folding　chairs　in　a　closet　just　down　that　way。　At　least；　that's　where　it　sounds　like　they　e　from。〃
　〃The　orderly's　bringing　one。〃
　Lecter　stood　until　Graham　was　seated　in　the　hall。　〃And　how　is　Officer　Stewart？〃　he　asked。
　〃Stewart's　fine。〃　Officer　Stewart　left　law　enforcement　after　he　saw　Dr。　Lecter's　basement　He　managed　a　motel　now。　Graham　did　not　mention　this。　He　didn't　think　Stewart　would　appreciate　any　mail　from　Lecter。
　〃Unfortunate　that　his　emotional　problems　got　the　better　of　him。　I　thought　he　was　a　very　promising　young　officer。　Do　you　ever　have　any　problems；　Will？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Of　course　you　don't。〃
　Graham　felt　that　Lecter　was　looking　through　to　the　back　of　his　skull。　His　attention　felt　like　a　fly　walking　around　in　there。
　〃I'm　glad　you　came。　It's　been　what　now；　three　years？　My　callers　are　all　professional。　Banal　clinical　psychiatrists　and　grasping　second…rate　doctors　of　psychology　from　silo　colleges　somewhere。　Pencil　lickers　trying　to　protect　their　tenure　with　pieces　in　the　journals。〃
　〃Dr。　Bloom　showed　me　your　article　on　surgical　addiction　in　The　Journal　of　Clinical　Psychiatry。〃
　〃And？〃
　〃Very　interesting；　even　to　a　layman。〃
　〃A　layman　。　。　。　layman　…　layman。　Interesting　term；〃　Lecter　said。　〃So　many　learned　fellows　going　about。　So　many　experts　on　government　grants。　And　you　say　you're　a　layman。　But　it　was　you　who　caught　me；　wasn't　it；　Will？　Do　you　know　how　you　did　it？〃
　〃I'm　sure　you've　read　the　transcript。　It's　all　in　there。〃
　〃No　it's　not。　Do　you　know　how　you　did　it；　Will？〃　
　〃It's　in　the　transcript。　What　does　it　matter　now？〃　
　〃It　doesn't　matter　to　me；　Will。〃
　〃I　want　you　to　help　me；　Dr。　Lecter。〃
　〃Yes；　I　thought　so。〃
　〃It's　about　Atlanta　and　Birmingham。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃You　read　about　it；　I'm　sure。〃
　〃I've　read　the　papers。　I　can't　clip　them。　They　won't　let　me　have　scissors；　of　course。　Sometimes　they　threaten　me　with　loss　of　books；　you　know。　I　wouldn't　want　them　to　think　I　was　dwelling　on　anything　morbid。〃　He　laughed。　Dr。　Lecter　has　small　white　teeth。　〃You　want　to　know　how　he's　choosing　them；　don't　you？〃
　〃I　thought　you　would　have　some　ideas。　I'm　asking　you　to　tell　me　what　they　are。〃
　〃Why　should　I？〃
　Graham　had　anticipated　the　question。　A　reason　to　stop　multiple　murders　would　not　occur　readily　to　Dr。　Lecter。
　〃There　are　things　you　don't　have；〃　Graham　said。　〃Research　materials；　filmstrips　even。　I'd　speak　to　the　chief　of　staff。〃
　〃Chilton。　You　must　have　seen　him　when　you　came　in。　Gruesome；　isn't　it？　Tell　me　the　truth；　he　fumbles　at　your　head　like　a　freshman　pulling　at　a　panty　girdle；　doesn't　he？　Watched　you　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye。　Picked　that　up；　didn't　you？　You　may　not　believe　this；　but　he　actually　tried　to　give　me　a　Thematic　Apperception　Test。　He　was　sitting　there　just　like　the　Cheshire　cat　waiting　for　Mf　13　to　e　up。　Ha。　Forgive　me；　I　forget　that　you're　not　among　the　anointed。　It's　a　card　with　a　woman　in　bed　and　a　man　in　the　foreground。　I　was　supposed　to　avoid　a　sexual　interpretation。　I　laughed。　He　puffed　up　and　told　everybody　I　avoided　prison　with　a　Ganser　syndrome　…　never　mind；　it's　boring。〃
　〃You'd　have　access　to　the　AMA　filmstrip　library。〃
　〃I　don't　think　you'd　get　me　the　things　I　want。〃
　〃Try　me。〃
　〃I　have　quite　enough　to　read　as　it　is。〃
　〃You'd　get　to　see　the　file　on　this　case。　There's　another　reason。〃
　〃Pray。〃
　〃I　thought　you　might　be　curious　to　find　out　if　you're　smarter　than　the　person　I'm　looking　for。〃
　〃Then；　by　implication；　you　think　you　are　smarter　than　I　am；　since　you　caught　me。〃
　〃No。　I　know　I'm　not　smarter　than　you　are。〃
　〃Then　how　did　you　catch　me；　Will？〃
　〃You　had　disadvantages。〃
　〃What　disadvantages？〃
　〃Passion。　And　you're　insane。〃
　〃You're　very　tan；　Will。〃
　Graham　did　not　answer。
　〃Your　hands　are　rough。　They　don't　look　like　a　cop's　hands　anymore。　That　shaving　lotion　is　something　a　child　would　select。　It　has　a　ship　on　the　bottle；　doesn't　it？〃　Dr。　Lecter　seldom　holds　his　head　upright。　He　tilts　it　as　he　asks　a　question；　as　though　he　were　screwing　an　auger　of　curiosity　into　your　face。　Another　silence；　and　Lecter　said；　〃Don't　think　you　can　persuade　me　with　appeals　to　my　intellectual　vanity。〃
　〃I　don't　think　I'll　persuade　you。　You'll　do　it　or　you　won't。　Dr。　Bloom　is　working　on　it　anyway；　and　he's　the　most…〃
　〃Do　you　have　the　file　with　you？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃And　pictures？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Let　me　have　them；　and　I　might　consider　it。〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Do　you　dream　much；　Will？〃
　〃Good…bye；　Dr。　Lecter。〃
　〃You　haven't　threatened　to　take　away　my　books　yet。〃
　Graham　walked　away。
　〃Let　me　have　the　file；　then。　I'll　tell　you　what　I　think。〃
　Graham　had　to　pack　the　abridged　file　tightly　into　the　sliding　tray。　Lecter　pulled　it　through。
　〃There's　a　summary　on　top。　You　can　read　that　now；〃　Graham　said。
　〃Do　you　mind　if　I　do　it　privately？　Give　me　an　hour。〃　Graham　waited　on　a　tired　plastic　couch　in　a　grim　lounge。　Orderlies　came　in　for　coffee。　He　did　not　speak　to　them。　He　stared　at　small　objects　in　the　room　and　was　glad　they　held　still　in　his　vision。　He　had　to　go　to　the　rest　room　twice。　He　was　numb。
　The　turnkey　admitted　him　to　the　maximum…security　section　again。
　Lecter　sat　at　his　table；　his　eyes　filmed　with　thought。　Graham　knew　he　had　spent　most　of　the