raymondchandler.thehighwindow-第6部分
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Arthur Blake Popham who got caught in a mail fraud rap。 Popham's initials are still on the gates。 And probably on the toilet paper； Gertie says。 He was that kind of a guy。 That's all we seem to know。〃
〃Nobody could ask more。 Many thanks； Kenny。〃
I hung up； stepped out of the booth； met the dark glasses above the brown suit under the cocoa straw hat and watched them turn quickly away。
I spun around and went back through a swing door into the kitchen and through that to the alley and along the alley a quarter block to the back of the parking lot where I had put my car。
No sand…colored coupé succeeded in getting behind me as I drove off； in the general direction of Bel…Air。
5
Stillwood Crescent Drive curved leisurely north from Sunset Boulevard； well beyond the Bel…Air Country Club golf course。 The road was lined with walled and fenced estates。 Some had high walls； some had low walls； some had ornamental iron fences； some were a bit oldfashioned and got along with tall hedges。 The street had no sidewalk。 Nobody walked in that neighborhood； not even the mailman。
The afternoon was hot； but not hot like Pasadena。 There was a drowsy smell of flowers and sun； a swishing of lawn sprinklers gentle behind hedges and walls； the clear ratchety sound of lawn mowers moving delicately over serene and confident lawns。
I drove up the hill slowly； looking for monograms on gates。 Arthur Blake Popham was the name。 ABP would be the initials。 I found them almost at the top； gilt on a black shield； the gates folded back on a black position driveway。
It was a glaring white house that had the air of being brand new； but the landscaping was well advanced。 It was modest enough for the neighborhood； not more than fourteen rooms and probably only one swimming pool。 Its wall was low； made of brick with the concrete all oozed out between and set that way and painted over white。 On top of the wall a low iron railing painted black。 The name A。 P。 Morny was stencilled on the large silver…colored mailbox at the service entrance。
I parked my crate on the street and walked up the black driveway to a side door of glittering white paint shot with patches of color from the stained glass canopy over it。 I hammered on a large brass knocker。 Back along the side of the house a chauffeur was washing off a Cadillac。
The door opened and a hard…eyed Filipino in a white coat curled his lip at me。 I gave him a card。
〃Mrs。 Morny；〃 I said。
He shut the door。 Time passed； as it always does when I go calling。 The swish of water on the Cadillac had a cool sound。 The chauffeur was a little runt in breeches and leggings and a sweat…stained shirt。 He looked like an overgrown jockey and he made the same kind of hissing noise as he worked on the car that a groom makes rubbing down a horse。
A red…throated hummingbird went into a scarlet bush beside the door； shook the long tubular blooms around a little； and zoomed off so fast he simply disappeared in the air。
The door opened； the Filipino poked my card at me。 I didn't take it。
〃What you want？〃
It was a tight crackling voice； like someone tiptoeing across a lot of eggshells。
〃Want to see Mrs。 Morny。〃
〃She not at home。〃
〃Didn't you know that when I gave you the card？〃
He opened his fingers and let the card flutter to the ground。 He grinned； showing me a lot of cut…rate dental work。
〃I know when she tell me。〃
He shut the door in my face； not gently。
I picked the card up and walked along the side of the house to where the chauffeur was squirting water on the Cadillac sedan and rubbing the dirt off with a big sponge。 He had red rimmed eyes and a bang of corn…colored hair。 A cigarette hung exhausted at the corner of his lower lip。
He gave me the quick side glance of a man who is minding his own business with difficulty。 I said：
〃Where's the boss？〃
The cigarette jiggled in his mouth。 The water went on swishing gently on the paint。
〃Ask at the house； Jack。〃
〃I done asked。 They done shut the door in mah face。〃
〃You're breaking my heart； Jack。〃
〃How about Mrs。 Morny？〃
〃Same answer； Jack。 I just work here。 Selling something？〃 I held my card so that he could read it。 It was a business card this time。 He put the sponge down on the running board； and the hose on the cement。 He stepped around the water to wipe his hands on a towel that hung at the side of the garage doors。 He fished a match out of his pants； struck it and tilted his head back to light the dead butt that was stuck in his face。
His foxy little eyes flicked around this way and that and he moved behind the car； with a jerk of the head。 I went over near him。
〃How's the little old expense account？〃 he asked in a small careful voice。
〃Fat with inactivity。〃
〃For five I could start thinking。〃
〃I wouldn't want to make it that tough for you。〃
〃For ten I could sing like four canaries and a steel guitar。〃
〃I don't like these plushy orchestrations；〃 I said。
He cocked his head sideways。 〃Talk English； Jack。〃
〃I don't want you to lose your job； son。 All I want to know is whether Mrs。 Momy is home。 Does that rate more than a buck？〃
〃Don't worry about my job； Jack。 I'm solid。〃
〃With Mornyor somebody else？〃
〃You want that for the same buck？〃
〃Two bucks。〃
He eyed me over。 〃You ain't working for him； are you？〃
〃Sure。〃
〃You're a liar。〃
〃Sure。〃
〃Gimme the two bucks；〃 he snapped。
I gave him two dollars。
〃She's in the backyard with a friend；〃 he said。 〃A nice friend。 You got a friend that don't work and a husband that works； you're all set； see？〃 He leered。
〃You'll be all set in an irrigation ditch one of these days。'
〃Not me； Jack。 I'm wise。 I know how to play 'em。 I monkeyed around these kind of people all my life。〃
He rubbed the two dollar bills between his palms； blew on them； folded them longways and wideways and tucked them in the watch pocket of his breeches。
〃That was just the soup；〃 he said。 〃Now for five more〃
A rather large blond cocker spaniel tore around the Cadillac； skidded a little on the wet concrete； took off neatly； hit me in the stomach and thighs with all four paws； licked my face； dropped to the ground； ran around my legs； sat down between them； let his tongue out all the way and started to pant。
I stepped over him and braced myself against the side of the car and got my handkerchief out。
A male voice called： 〃Here； Heathcliff。 Here； Heathcliff。〃 Steps sounded on a hard walk。
〃That's Heathcliff。〃 the chauffeur said sourly。
〃Heathcliff？〃
〃Cripes； that's what they call the dog； Jack。〃
〃Wuthering Heights？〃 I asked。
〃Now you're double…talking again；〃 he sneered。 〃Look outpany。〃
He picked up the sponge and the hose and went back to washing the car。 I moved away from him。 The cocker spaniel immediately moved between my legs again； almost tripping me。
〃Here； Heathcliff；〃 the male voice called out louder； and a man came into view through the opening of a latticed tunnel covered with climbing roses。
Tall； dark； with a clear olive skin； brilliant black eyes； gleaming white teeth。 Sideburns。 A narrow black mustache。 Sideburns too long； much too long。 White shirt with embroidered initials on the pocket； white slacks； white shoes。 A wrist watch that curved halfway around a lean dark wrist； held on by a gold chain。 A yellow scarf around a bronzed slender neck。
He saw the dog squatted between my legs and didn't like it。 He snapped long fingers and snapped a clear hard voice：
〃Here； Heathcliff。 e here at once！〃
The dog breathed hard and didn't move； except to lean a little closer to my right leg。
〃Who are you？〃 the man asked； staring me down。
I held out my card。 Olive fingers took the card。 The dog quietly backed out from between my legs； edged around the front end of the car； and faded silently into the distance。
〃Marlowe；〃 the man said。 〃Marlowe； eh？ What's this？ A detective？ What do you want？〃
〃Want to see Mrs。 Morny。〃
He looked me up and down； brilliant black eyes sweeping slowly and the silky fringes of long eyelashes following them。
〃Weren't you told she was not in？〃
〃Yeah； but I didn't believe it。 Are you Mr。 Morny？〃
〃No。〃
〃That's Mr。 Vannier；〃 the chauffeur said behind my back； in the drawled； over…polite voice of deliberate insolence。 〃Mr。 Vannier's a friend of the family。 He es here quite a lot。〃
Vannier looked past my shoulder； his eyes furious。 The chauffeur came around the car and spit the cigarette stub out of his mouth with casual contempt。
〃I told the shamus the boss wasn't here； Mr。 Vannier。〃
〃I see。〃
〃I told him Mrs。 Morny and you was here。 Did I do wrong？〃
Vannier said： 〃You could have minded your own business。〃
The chauffeur said： 〃I wonder why the hell I didn't think of that。〃
Vannier said： 〃Get out before I break your dirty little neck for you。〃
The chauffeur eyed him quietly and then went back into the gloom of the garage and started to whistle。 Vannier moved his hot angry eyes over to me and snapped：
〃You were told Mrs。 Morny was not in； but it didn't take。 Is that it？ In other words the information failed to satisfy you。〃
〃If we have to have other words；〃 I said； 〃those might do。〃
〃I see。 Could you bring yourself to say what point you wish to discuss with Mrs。 Morny？〃
〃I'd prefer to explain that to Mrs。 Morny herself。〃
〃The implication is that she doesn't care to see you。〃
Behind the car the chauffeur said： 〃Watch his right； Jack。 It might have a knife in it。〃
Vannier's olive skin turned the color of dried seaweed。 He turned on his heel and rapped at me in a stifled voice： 〃Follow me。〃
He went along the brick path under the tunnel of roses and through a white gate at the end。 Beyond was a walled…in garden containing flowerbeds crammed with showy annuals； a badminton court； a nice stretch of greensward； and a small tiled pool glittering angrily in the sun。 Beside the pool there was a flagged space set with blue and white garden furniture； low tables with position tops； reclining chairs with footrests and enormous cushions； and over all a blue and white umbrella as big as a small tent。
A long…limbed
