raymondchandler.thehighwindow-第31部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　 The　cardboard　back　was　fastened　into　the　frame　with　steel　victrola　needles。　Two　of　them　had　fallen　out。　I　worked　the　cardboard　loose　and　tore　it　a　little　getting　it　loose。　There　was　a　white　envelope　between　the　back　and　the　picture。　Sealed；　blank。　I　tore　it　open。　It　contained　two　square　photographs　and　a　negative。　The　photos　were　just　the　same。　They　showed　a　man　leaning　far　out　of　a　window　with　his　mouth　open　yelling。　His　hands　were　on　the　brick　edges　of　the　window　frame。　There　was　a　woman's　face　behind　his　shoulder。
　 He　was　a　thinnish　dark…haired　man。　His　face　was　not　very　clear；　nor　the　face　of　the　woman　behind　him。　He　was　leaning　out　of　a　window　and　yelling　or　calling　out。
　 There　I　was　holding　the　photograph　and　looking　at　it。　And　so　far　as　I　could　see　it　didn't　mean　a　thing。　I　knew　it　had　to。　I　just　didn't　know　why。　But　I　kept　on　looking　at　it。　And　in　a　little　while　something　was　wrong。　It　was　a　very　small　thing；　but　it　was　vital。　The　position　of　the　man's　hands；　lined　against　the　corner　of　the　wall　where　it　was　cut　out　to　make　the　window　frame。　The　hands　were　not　holding　anything；　they　were　not　touching　anything。　It　was　the　inside　of　his　wrists　that　lined　against　the　angle　of　the　bricks。　The　hands　were　in　air。
　 The　man　was　not　leaning。　He　was　falling。
　 I　put　the　stuff　back　in　the　envelope　and　folded　the　cardboard　back　and　stuffed　that　into　my　pocket　also。　I　hid　frame；　glass　and　picture　in　the　linen　closet　under　towels。
　 All　this　had　taken　too　long。　A　car　stopped　outside　the　house。　Feet　came　up　the　walk。
　 I　dodged　behind　the　curtains　in　the　archway。
　
　
　30
　
　 The　front　door　opened　and　then　quietly　closed。
　 There　was　a　silence；　hanging　in　the　air　like　a　man's　breath　in　frosty　air；　and　then　a　thick　scream；　ending　in　a　wail　of　despair。
　 Then　a　man's　voice；　tight　with　fury；　saying：　〃Not　bad；　not　good。　Try　again。〃
　 The　woman's　voice　said：　〃My　God；　it's　Louis！　He's　dead！〃　
　 The　man's　voice　said：　〃I　may　be　wrong；　but　I　still　think　it　stinks。〃
　 〃My　God！　He's　dead；　Alex。　Do　somethingfor　God's　sakedo　something！〃
　 〃Yeah；〃　the　hard　tight　voice　of　Alex　Morny　said。　〃I　ought　to。　I　ought　to　make　you　look　just　like　him。　With　blood　and　everything。　I　ought　to　make　you　just　as　dead；　just　as　cold；　just　as　rotten。　No；　I　don't　have　to　do　that。　You're　that　already。　Just　as　rotten。　Eight　months　married　and　cheating　on　me　with　a　piece　of　merchandise　like　that。　My　God！　What　did　I　ever　think　of　to　put　in　with　a　chippy　like　you？〃
　 He　was　almost　yelling　at　the　end　of　it。
　 The　woman　made　another　wailing　noise。
　 〃Quit　stalling；〃　Morny　said　bitterly。　〃What　do　you　think　I　brought　you　over　here　for？　You're　not　kidding　anybody。　You've　been　watched　for　weeks。　You　were　here　last　night。　I've　been　here　already　today。　I've　seen　what　there　is　to　see。　Your　lipstick　on　cigarettes；　your　glass　that　you　drank　out　of。　I　can　see　you　now；　sitting　on　the　arm　of　his　chair；　rubbing　his　greasy　hair；　and　then　feeding　him　a　slug　while　he　was　still　purring。　Why？〃
　 〃Oh；　Alexdarlingdon't　say　such　awful　things。〃
　 〃Early　Lillian　Gish；〃　Morny　said。　〃Very　early　Lillian　Cish。　Skip　the　agony；　toots。　I　have　to　know　how　to　handle　this。　What　the　hell　you　think　I'm　here　for？　I　don't　give　one　little　flash　in　hell　about　you　any　more。　Not　any　more；　toots；　not　any　more；　my　precious　darling　angel　blond　mankiller。　But　I　do　care　about　myself　and　my　reputation　and　my　business。　For　instance；　did　you　wipe　the　gun　off？〃
　 Silence。　Then　the　sound　of　a　blow。　The　woman　wailed。　She　was　hurt；　terribly　hurt。　Hurt　in　the　depths　of　her　soul。　She　made　it　rather　good。
　 〃Look；　angel；〃　Morny　snarled。　〃Don't　feed　me　the　ham。　I've　been　in　pictures。　I'm　a　connoisseur　of　ham。　Skip　it。　You're　going　to　tell　me　how　this　was　done　if　I　have　to　drag　you　around　the　room　by　your　hair。　Nowdid　you　wipe　off　the　gun？〃
　 Suddenly　she　laughed。　An　unnatural　laugh；　but　clear　and　with　a　nice　tinkle　to　it。　Then　she　stopped　laughing；　Just　as　suddenly。
　 Her　voice　said：　〃Yes。〃
　 〃And　the　glass　you　were　using？〃
　 〃Yes。〃　
　 Very　quiet　now；　very　cool；　〃And　you　put　his　prints　on　the　gun？〃　
　 〃Yes。〃
　 He　thought　in　the　silence。　〃Probably　won't　fool　them；〃　he　said。　〃It's　almost　impossible　to　get　a　dead　man's　prints　on　a　gun　in　a　convincing　way。　However。　What　else　did　you　wipe　off。〃
　 〃N…nothing。　Oh　Alex。　Please　don't　be　so　brutal。〃
　 〃Stop　it。　Stop　it！　Show　me　how　you　did　it；　how　you　were　standing；　how　you　held　the　gun。〃
　 She　didn't　move。
　 〃Never　mind　about　the　prints；〃　Morny　said。　〃I'll　put　better　ones　on。　Much　better　ones。〃
　 She　moved　slowly　across　the　opening　of　the　curtains　and　I　saw　her。　She　was　wearing　pale　green　gabardine　slacks；　a　fawn…colored　leisure　jacket　with　stitching　on　it；　a　scarlet　turban　with　a　gold　snake　in　it。　Her　face　was　smeared　with　tears。
　 〃Pick　it　up；〃　Morny　yelled　at　her。　〃Show　me！〃
　 She　bent　beside　the　chair　and　came　up　with　the　gun　in　her　hand　and　her　teeth　bared。　She　pointed　the　gun　across　the　opening　in　the　curtains；　towards　the　space　of　room　where　the　door　was。
　 Morny　didn't　move；　didn't　make　a　sound。
　 The　blond's　hand　began　to　shake　and　the　gun　did　a　queer　up　and　down　dance　in　the　air。　Her　mouth　trembled　and　her　arm　fell。
　 〃I　can't　do　it；〃　she　breathed。　〃I　ought　to　shoot　you；　but　I　can't。〃
　 The　hand　opened　and　the　gun　thudded　to　the　floor。
　 Morny　went　swiftly　past　the　break　in　the　curtains；　pushed　her　out　of　the　way　and　with　his　foot　pushed　the　gun　back　to　about　where　it　had　been。
　 〃You　couldn't　do　it；〃　he　said　thickly。　〃You　couldn't　do　it。　Now　watch。〃
　 He　whipped　a　handkerchief　out　and　bent　to　pick　the　gun　up　again。　He　pressed　something　and　the　gate　fell　open。　He　reached　his　right　hand　into　his　pocket　and　rolled　a　cartridge　in　his　fingers；　moving　his　fingertips　on　the　metal；　pushed　the　cartridge　into　a　cylinder。　He　repeated　the　performance　four　times　more；　snapped　the　gate　shut；　then　opened　it　and　spun　it　a　little　to　set　it　in　a　certain　spot。　He　placed　the　gun　down　on　the　floor；　withdrew　his　hand　and　handkerchief　and　straightened　up。
　 〃You　couldn't　shoot　me；〃　he　sneered；　〃because　there　was　nothing　in　the　gun　but　one　empty　shell。　Now　its　loaded　again。　The　cylinders　are　in　the　right　place。　One　shot　has　been　fired。　And　your　fingerprints　are　on　the　gun。〃
　 The　blond　was　very　still；　looking　at　him　with　haggard　eyes。
　 〃I　forgot　to　tell　you；〃　he　said　softly；　〃I　wiped　the　gun　off。　I　thought　it　would　be　so　much　nicer　to　be　sure　your　prints　were　on　it。　I　was　pretty　sure　they　werebut　I　felt　as　if　I　would　like　to　be　quite　sure。　Get　it？〃
　 The　girl　said　quietly：　〃You're　going　to　turn　me　in？〃
　 His　back　was　towards　me。　Dark　clothes。　Felt　hat　pulled　low。　So　I　couldn't　see　his　face。　But　I　could　just　about　see　the　leer　with　which　he　said：
　 〃Yes；　angel；　I　am　going　to　turn　you　in。〃
　 〃I　see；〃　she　said；　and　looked　at　him　levelly。　There　was　a　sudden　grave　dignity　in　her　over…emphasized　chorus　girl's　face。
　 〃I'm　going　to　turn　you　in；　angel；〃　he　said　slowly；　spacing　his　words　as　if　he　enjoyed　his　act。　〃Some　people　are　going　to　be　sorry　for　me　and　some　people　are　going　to　laugh　at　me。　But　it's　not　going　to　do　my　business　any　harm。　Not　a　bit　of　harm。　That's　one　nice　thing　about　a　business　like　mine。　A　little　notoriety　won't　hurt　it　at　all。〃
　 〃So　I'm　just　publicity　value　to　you；　now；〃　she　said。　〃Apart；　of　course；　from　the　danger　that　you　might　have　been　suspected　yourself。〃
　 〃Just　so；〃　he　said。　〃Just　so。〃
　 〃How　about　my　motive？〃　she　asked；　still　calm；　still　leveleyed　and　so　gravely　contemptuous　that　he　didn't　get　the　expression　at　all。
　 〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　care。　You　were　up　to　something　with　him。　Eddie　tailed　you　downtown　to　a　street　on　Bunker　Hill　where　you　met　a　blond　guy　in　a　brown　suit。　You　gave　him　something。　Eddie　dropped　you　and　tailed　the　guy　to　an　apartment　house　near　there。　He　tried　to　tail　him　some　more；　but　he　had　a　hunch　the　guy　spotted　him；　and　he　had　to　drop　it。　I　don't　know　what　it　was　all　about。　I　know　one　thing；　though。　In　that　apartment　house　a　young　guy　named　Phillips　was　shot　yesterday。　Would　you　know　anything　about　that；　my　sweet？〃
　 The　blond　said：　〃I　wouldn't　know　anything　about　it。　I　don't　know　anybody　named　Phillips　and　strangely　enough　I　didn't　just　run　up　and　shoot　anybody　out　of　sheer　girlish　fun。〃
　 〃But　you　shot　Vannier；　my　dear；〃　Morny　said　almost　gently。　
　 〃Oh　yes；〃　she　drawled。　〃Of　course。　We　were　wondering　what　my　motive　was。　You　get　it　figured　out　yet？〃
　 〃You　can　work　that　out　with　the　johns；〃　he　snapped。　〃Call　it　a　lover's　quarrel。　Call　it　anything　you　like。〃
　 〃Perhaps；〃　she　said；　〃when　he　was　drunk　he　looked　just　a　little　like　you。　Perhaps　that　was　the　motive。〃
　 He　said：　〃Ah；〃　and　sucked　his　breath　in。
　 〃Better　looking；〃　she　said。　〃Younger；　with　less　belly。　But　with　the　same　goddamned　self…satisfied　smirk。〃
　 〃Ah；〃　Morny　said；　and　he　was　suffering。
　 〃Would　that　do？〃　she　asked　him　softly。
　 He　stepped　forward　and　swung　a　fist。　It　caught　her　on　the　side　of　the　face　and　she　went　down　and　sat　on　the　floor；　a　long　leg　straight　out　in　front　of　her；　one　hand　to　her　jaw；　her　very　blue　eyes　looking　up　at　him。
　 〃Maybe　you　oughtn't　to　have　done　that；〃　she　said。　〃Maybe　I　won't　go　through　with　it；　now。〃
　 〃You'll　go　through　with　it；　all　right。　You　won't　have　any　choice。　You'll　get　off　easy　enough。　Christ；　I　know　that。　With　your　looks。　But　you'll　go　through　with　it；　angel。　Your　fingerprints　are　on　that　gun。〃
　 She　got　to　her　feet　slowly；　still　with　the　hand　to　her　jaw。　Then　she　smiled。　〃I　knew　he　was　dead；〃　she　said。　〃That　is　my　key　in　the　door。　I'm　quite　willing　to　go　downtown　and　say　I　shot　him；　But　don't　lay　your　smooth　white　paw　on　me　againif　you　want　my　story。　Yes。　I'm　quite　willing　to　go　to　the　cops。　I'll　feel　a　lot　safer　with　them　than　I　feel　with　you。〃
　 Morny　turned　and　I　saw　the　hard　white　leer　of　his　face　and　the　scar　dimple　in　his　cheek　twitching。　He　walked　past　the　opening　in　the　curtains。　The　front　door　opened　again。　The　blond　stood　still　a　moment；　looked　back　over　her　shoulder　at　the　corpse；　shuddered　slightly；　and　passed　out　of　my　line　of　vision。
　 The　door　closed。　Steps　on　the　walk。　Then　car　doors　opening　and　closing。　The　motor　throbbed；　and　the　car　went　away。
　
　
　31
　
　 After　a　long　time　I　moved