cspector.worldwithoutend-第18部分

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ll　box　from　one　of　the　shelves　and　opened　it。　Inside　was　a　long　white　veil；　the　kind　women　wore　for　their　weddings　and　first　munions。　〃It　is　rumored　to　have　belonged　to　Marie　Laveau's　daughter。〃
　
　〃I　didn't　know　she　had　one；〃　I　said。　〃A　daughter；　that　is。〃
　
　Hyslop　nodded　vigorously。　〃She　kept　her　hidden　away。　She　was　afraid　that　when　she　died；　the　whites　might　kill　her　to　keep　the　Voodoo　under　control。〃
　
　〃More　than　likely　to　keep　the　people　under　con…trot；〃　I　said。
　〃That　too；　no　doubt；〃　Hyslop　agreed。
　〃I'd　like　to　look　through　these；〃　I　said；　motioning　to　the　closet。
　〃Of　course；〃　Hyslop　said　as　he　wiped　his　forehead　with　another　clean　white　handkerchief。　I　wondered　if　he　had　a　pocketful　of　them；　magically　pristine　and　freshly　laundered。
　〃Alone；〃　I　said　in　a　firm　but　kind　voice。　After　all；　I　would　need　Hyslop　and　his　unusual　connections　for　some　time　to　e。
　〃Of　course；〃　Hyslop　said　as　he　pocketed　his　handkerchief。　〃Just　let　me　know　when　you're　finished。〃　
　I　smiled　at　him　then；　and　he　gave　me　a　surprised　smile　back。　I　suppose　I　don't　do　that　often。　Smile；　that　is。
　
　It　took　me　the　better　part　of　the　afternoon　to　go　through　the　boxes。　Most　of　the　items　were　shams。　The　bones　of　some　shamanistic　practitioner；　purported　to　have　special　curative　powers。　Shrunken　heads；　embalmed　monkey　remains；　fossilized　eggs。　Books　supposedly　written　in　Crowley's　own　hand　detailing　his　cabalistic　findings。
　
　I'd　taken　care　to　hide　my　most　precious　finds　among　these　harmless　trifles。　They　would　be　overlooked　with　all　the　other　folderol。　One　hopelessly　obscure　book　of　cabalistic　writings　revealed　plexities　of　such　an　esoteric　nature　that　even　I　had　trouble　following　it。　The　challenge　of　it　excited　me。
　
　There　were　other　items　as　well：　suspicious　bones；　the　source　of　which　I　knew　only　too　well。　How　had　they　e　to　this　place　again？　And　so　obviously　long　ago。
　
　There　was　also　a　small　painting　depicting　a　cres…tune　I　knew　for　a　fact　had　not　walked　the　face　of　this　planet　for　at　least　seven　thousand　years。　Yet　here　it　was　depicted　in　a　piece　that　could　not　have　been　more　than　fifty　years　old。
　
　I　wrapped　my　treasures　carefully　and　returned　them　to　their　innocuous　hiding　places。
　
　I　felt　grimy　and　hungry　all　at　once。　It　was　almost　five　by　Hyslop's　grandfather　clock。　I　pulled　the　chain　to　the　light；　then　shut　the　closet　door。　It　had　an　automatic　lock；　but　I　still　jiggled　the　doorknob　to　see　if　it　would　open。　It　didn't。
　
　On　the　whole；　things　were　going　well。　I　would　have　Hyslop　crate　everything　up　and　ship　it　to　my　estate　in　Scotland。　I'd　already　made　the　necessary　arrangements　with　Customs　　so　there　would　be　little　delay　in　my　receiving　them　once　I　was　back　home。　I　felt　quite　smug　and　pleased　with　myself　and　detided　that　I　needed　a　decadent　dinner　to　celebrate。　I　picked　up　the　phone　on　Hyslop's　desk　and　made　a　reservation　for　one　at　Antoine's　for　eight　o'clock。　I　would　feast　tonight。
　
　Walking　back　to　the　Fairmont；　I　noticed　a　van　parked　on　a　er　of　one　of　the　side　streets　I　passed。　It　was　painted　dull　black　and　had　reflector　stick…on　numbers　on　the　back　window：　666。　I　glanced　inside　the　van　as　I　passed。　A　man；　about　forty…five　or　…six　with　a　scraggly　beard；　sat　in　the　passenger…side　seat。　He　had　a　large　potbelly　barely　covered　by　a　faded…gray　T…shirt。　Around　his　neck　he　wore　a　pentagram。　I　had　obviously　just　seen…Satan's　Van。
　
　Uh　oh；　I　thought。　I　better　watch　out　because　someone　is　going　to　e　and　carry　me　off　in。。。　Satan's　Van。　The　Armageddon　starts　tonight　because…Satan's　Van　is　in　town。　Oh；　you　better　watch　out；　you　better　not　cry；　'cause　Satan's　got　his　Van　tonight。　Satan's　Van　is　ing　to　town。
　
　I　really　needed　dinner。
　
　Antoine's　was　unchanged。　I'd　been　ing　there　for　years　whenever　I　was　in　New　Orleans。　I　knew　it　was　a　bit　touristy；　but　I　couldn't　help　myself。　They　had　the　most　marvelous　Baked　Alaska。
　
　The　elderly　maitre　d'　seated　me　at　a　small　table　in　the　front　room。　Like　the　rest　of　the　buildings　in　the　Quarter；　Antoine's　was　made　up　of　many　rooms。　People　came　through　the　front　doors　and　disappeared　like　they　were　going　down　Alice's　rabbit　hole。　There　was　even　a　hidden　door　or　two　in　the　place。
　
　I'd　just　ordered　and　was　admiring　myself　in　the　mirror　over　my　table　when　I　saw　him。　The　black　T…shirt　from　the　airport。　Only　he　wasn't　wearing　a　black　T…shirt　now。　He　never　would　have　been　allowed　inside　in　that。　He　wore　a　black　jacket　over　a　white　shirt　and　muddy　green　tie。　The　jeans　had　been　set　aside　for　dark　trousers。
　
　I　didn't　take　my　eyes　away　from　his　image　in　the　mirror　as　he　talked　to　the　mattre　d'　for　a　moment；　then　walked　toward　me。　I　couldn't　believe　his　brass。
　
　〃Dinner　for　one？〃　he　asked。　〃That　seems　a　lonely　proposition。〃
　〃I　like　it；〃　I　said　as　I　turned　toward　him。　〃And　who　the　hell　are　you？〃
　〃Ah；〃　he　said。　〃Well　that's　not　as　interesting　as〃　who　the　hell　you　are。〃　i
　〃Look；〃　I　said；　beginning　to　get　impatient。　〃I　don't　know　anything　about　you　except　that　I　saw　you　at　O'Hare…and　now　you　pop　up　here　acting　as　though　you　know　me。　I　don't　like　mysteries　or　people　who　think　they're　being　clever　when　in　fact^　they're　just　annoying。〃　｜
　
　He　pulled　out　a　chair　and　sat　down　opposite　me。　
　〃You　haven't　been　invited；〃　I　said；　frowning。　〃Go　away。〃
　〃Now；　now；〃　he　said。　His　voice　had　the　faint　twinge　of　British　lower…class　to　it。　〃Someone　your　age　shouldn't　get　so　excited。　It　might　not　be　good　for　your　health。〃
　
　I　looked　around　for　the　mattre　d'；　but　he　was　talking　to　a　new　group　who'd　just　arrived。
　
　〃I　must　say；　you　look　awfully　good　for　someone　who's　at　least　five　hundred　years　old　by　my　calculations。〃
　
　He　had　my　attention。
　
　I　looked　at　him　carefully。　He　was　working　far　too　hard　at　being　nonchalant。　There　was　a　telltale　shine　to　his　upper　lip；　and　I　could　hear　the　dry　click　of　his　throat　as　he　swallowed。　Whatever　he　knew；　it　wasn't　as　much　as　he　wanted　to　let　on。
　
　The　waiter　came　with　my　soup。　Vichyssoise。　Thick　and　heavy　with　cream。　He　looked　inquiringly　at　my　new　panion。
　
　〃Be　so　kind　as　to　bring　my　friend　here　the　same；〃　I　said。　The　waiter　nodded　and　went　away。
　〃What's　that？〃　Black　T…shirt　asked。
　〃Vichyssoise；〃　I　replied。
　He　looked　blank。
　〃Cold　potato　soup；〃　I　said。
　He　wrinkled　his　nose。
　〃Beggars　can't　be　choosers　and　neither　can　you。〃　I　leaned　back　and　studied　him。　This　seemed　to　make　him　preening　and　nervous　at　the　same　time。　〃What's　your　name？〃
　〃John　Mortimer。〃
　〃And　what　precisely　is　it　you　want　of　me；　Mr。　Mortimer？〃
　
　He　leaned　forward；　I　resisted　the　urge　to　do　so　also。　Habits　die　hard。
　
　〃I　want　to　know　the　secret；〃　he　said。　〃I　want　to　know　how　to　be　immortal。〃
　〃What　on　earth　makes　you　think　I'm　immortal？〃。　I　asked。　J
　
　He　got　a　big　grin。　It　was　toothy　and　surprisingly　1｜　sweet。　I　almost　liked　him　for　that　smile。　
　
　〃It　started　out　by　accident　about　four　years　ago；〃　he　began。　〃I　was　doing　some　research　after　reading＇　an　article　in　the　newspaper。〃　He　pulled　a　small；　yellowed　newspaper　clipping　from　his　pocket。　The　headline　read：　Mystery　Buyer　Purchases　Earldom　for　700；000。　I　glanced　over　the　article。　It　pretty　much　gave　the　dry　facts　of　my　acquisition　of　the　Earldom　of　Arran。　Everything　except　my　identity；　which　I'd　had　them　keep　quiet。
　
　〃What　has　this　to　do　with　me？〃　I　asked；　handin　the　clipping　back。
　〃You　bought　it；〃　he　said。
　〃And　what　makes　you　think　that？〃
　
　〃I　like　puters；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　quite　good　wit　them。　Every　aspect。　Programming；　hardware…yc　name　it。　It's　just　this　knack　I　have。　Well；　for　son　reason　this　article　caught　my　attention。　So　I　got　c　the　Web　and　started　trying　to　find　out　what　I　couM　about　this　mystery　buyer。　But　pretty　much　every…1　thing　after　you　bought　the　place　was　under　deep｜　wraps。　Oh；　I　know　all　about　the　history　of　the　place。　That　earldom　was　created　in　1503　by　King　James　IV。
　The　title　is　linked　to　the　land　instead　of　by　blood。　All　that　stuff。　History　is　easy　enough　to　find　out。
　
　〃But　about　the　new　buyer…bloody　nothing。　That　got　me　curious。　Who　would　want　so　much　privacy　and　why？　So　I　started　contacting　other　Net　surfers　in　Scotland　and　eventually　I　came　up　with　a　few　who　knew　all　about　the　island。　They　were　day　workers　hired　to　refurbish　the　house　the　new　owner　would　be　occupying。
　〃That's　when　I　found　out　about　you。　It　was　quite　a　stir　you　being；　well；　not　white。　I　even　got　along　so　well　with　my　Scottish　connection　that　they　invited　me　for　a　visit。　You　were　off　on　one　of　your　mysterious　trips。　Everyone　who　worked　for　you　always　talked　about　your　trips。
　〃So　I　went　to　visit　my　friends；　and　they　showed　me　around　the　castle　and　the　grounds。　You've　done　a　wonderful　job　keeping　up　the　place。　By　the　way。〃
　
　I　snorted　and　went　back　to　eating　my　soup。　The　waiter　came　and　placed　a　bowl　in　front　of　him。　He　frowned　slightly　at　it；　then　took　up　his　spoon　and　gave　the　soup　a　small　taste。　Apparently　it　was　to　his　liking；　for　I　got　no　more　of　his　tale　until　he　had　finished　the　whole　bowl。
　
　〃I　never　would　have　thought　cold　potato　soup　could　taste　so　good；〃　he　said　as　he　wiped　his　mouth。
　〃The　things　you　leam　every　day；〃　I　murmured。
　〃So；　as　my　hosts　were　showing　me　around；　I　began　to　notice　a　couple　of　things。　There　was　all　this　°ld　stuff　around；　but　not　all　of　it　seemed　to　belong　Asre；　if　you　know　what　I　mean。　Not　the　usual　rich　collections　of　plates；　clocks；　and　the　like。　No；　your　choices　were　so　much　more…peculiar。
　
　〃But　the　thing　that　got　me　most　excited　was　this　picture　of　you。　A　painting；　I　mean。　Paul…that's　the　friend　who　I　was　staying　with…had　gone　off　to　the　bathroom　and　he　left　me　alone　in　your　study。　There　was　a　photo　of　you　and　some　guy　on　your　desk。　Then　noticed　a　stack　of　paintings　against　one　wall。　I　flipped　through　them　and　came　across　this　portrait。
　
　〃It　was　you。　But　it　wasn't。　I　mean　you　looked　just　like　you　do　now；　only　you　were　wearing　some　weird　costume。　Later；　I　learned　it　probably　came　from　the　Renaissance。　I　heard　my　friend　in　the　hall　and　put　the　painting　back。　But；　you　know；　that　painting　stayed　with　me。〃
　
　〃People　have　portraits　done　everyday；〃　I　said。
　〃But　this　one　looked　like　hundreds　of　years　old。　The　paint　was　dried　and　cracked。　It　felt　old。〃