cspector.worldwithoutend-第19部分

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　〃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。〃
　
　I　rolled　my　eyes。　〃Oh；　I　didn't　realize　that　among　your　many　talents　you　are　also　an　art　historian。　Let　me　see；　you're　a　crack　puter　wiz；　a　clever　defrauder　of　people's　trust；　and　now　you're　an　expert　in　dating　paintings。　What　other　talents　do　you　have　up　your　sleeve？〃　I　asked。
　
　His　face　flushed　red；　but　he　didn't　answer　me。　The　waiter　came　and　took　our　dishes；　then　presented　us　with　the　pate。　I　broke　off　a　bit　of　the　French　bread　on　the　table　and　proceeded　to　smear　a　generous　amount　of　my　pate　on　it。　I　gestured　to　him　to　do　likewise。
　
　〃Really；〃　I　said。　〃You　must　try　your　pate。　It's　marvelous。〃
　〃What　is　it？〃　he　asked。
　〃Goose　liver；　butter；　cognac；　pepper；　and　cream；　most　likely；〃　I　said。　〃Do　go　on　with　your　tale。　It's　so　unusual　to　have　such　a　fascinating　dinner　story。〃
　
　He　poked　at　the　pate　as　if　it　would　leap　off　the　plate　and　attack　him。　Then　he　put　the　knife　down。　No　guts；　no　glory。
　
　〃But　see；　the　painting　reminded　me　of　another　one　I'd　seen；　in　some　class　I'd　had　in　school。　So　after　I　went　to　the　library　and　started　looking　through　books　of　artists。。。〃
　〃Was　this　while　you　were　still　in　Scotland？〃　I　asked。
　〃Yes；〃　he　replied。　〃I　was　staying　for　a　couple　of　weeks。　Paul　was　glad　to　get　me　out　of　the　house　every　now　and　again　so　he　could　have　his　girlfriend　over。　They　were　wanting　to。。。　well；　you　know。〃
　〃How　touching。〃
　〃Anyway；　I　found　the　book　I　was　looking　for。　It　was　on　Rembrandt。　It　had　all　his　paintings　in　it　with　little　descriptions　of　what　they　were　about　and　who　owned　them。　But　most　of　them　are　in　museums。　Except　the　one　you　have。
　〃But　you　obviously　had　all　this　money　so　I　fig…urea　you　could　buy　a　Rembrandt　if　you　wanted；　but　you　couldn't　have　a　portrait　of　yourself　by　him　unless　you'd'been　there。〃
　〃I　hate　to　interrupt　your　psychotic　ramblings；〃　I　said。　〃But　haven't　you　ever　heard　of　copycat　painters？〃
　〃Yeah；　I　heard　about　them　when　I　was　doing　my　research　on　you；　but　from　what　I　came　up　with；　that　wasn't　your　style。　You　go　for　top…notch　stuff　if　you　bother　with　it　at　all。〃
　〃How　flattering。〃
　〃Look；　just　stop　trying　to　play　like　you　don't　know　what　I'm　talking　about。　I've　done　research　on　you　for　the　last　four　years。　I　know　you've　taken　the　identities　of　a　number　of　other　people。　Graves　are　full　of。　the　babies　whose　names　you've　used。　You've　passed　yourself　off　as　your　own　granddaughter；　as　missing　cousins。　You're　very　good；　I'll　grant　you　that。　But　I　have　the　documentation　to　back　up　everything　I've　found。〃
　
　He　pulled　an　envelope　from　his　inside　pocket　and　dropped　it　on　the　table。　A　sick　feeling　nestled　in　my　stomach。
　
　〃Go　ahead；〃　he　said。　〃Look　inside。〃
　
　Slowly；　I　wiped　my　fingers　on　my　napkin。　Moving　slowly　seemed　to　be　a　very　good　idea　at　the　moment。　I　pulled　the　envelope　to　me　and　slid　the　contents　out。　There　were　letters　from　registry　offices　in　several　countries；　copies　of　birth　and　death　certis…icates；　copies　of　land　purchases　in　the　names　of　some　of　the　pseudonyms　I've　used。　There　was　even　a　photo　of　the　Rembrandt。
　
　〃How　did　you　get　this？〃　I　asked　holding　up　the　photo。　I　was　getting　angry；　but　I　didn't　let　him　know。　This　was　too　terrible　to　let　a　foolish　burst　of　temper　out。
　
　〃Paul　had　to　go　back　to　your　house　for　some　repairs　while　I　was　there　on　my　visit。　I　came　along　and　snuck　up　to　your　study　to　make　some　shots。〃　
　〃What　do　you　want？〃　I　asked。　I　felt　sick。　〃Money？〃
　He　shook　his　head　furiously。　〃No；〃　he　said。　〃That's　not　it　at　all。　I　want　what　you　have。　I　want　to　be　immortal。〃
　〃And　what　makes　you　think　I　can　make　you　so？〃
　〃Because　that's　how　it　works；〃　he　said。　〃Like　vampires；　only　I　don't　think　you're　a　vampire。　At　least　not　the　blood…sucking　kind。　You've　got　something　and　I　want　it。　Why　shouldn't　I　be　like　you？　I　figured　out　that　you　were　immortal。　I　mean；　shouldn't　there　be　some　kind　of　reward　for　that？〃
　
　I　closed　my　eyes。　Mortals。　Humans。　There　were　times　when　I　thought　Alachia's　attitude　toward　them　was　dead　on。
　
　〃And　you　think　your　reward　should　be　that　I　make　you　into　what　I　am？〃
　He　smiled。　〃Yes；　that's　it　exactly。〃
　〃Very　well；〃　I　said。　〃Since　you've　asked　so　nicely。〃
　
　I　forced　myself　to　choke　down　the　rest　of　dinner。　The　lovely　salmon；　the　delicate　potato　souffle；　the　oysters；　the　escargot；　even　the　marvelous　Baked　Alaska　were　all　like　ashes　in　my　mouth。
　
　John　Mortimer　was　having　no　such　problem　with　his　meal。　He　attacked　the　food　like　a　hungry　dog。　When　he　didn't　recognize　a　dish；　he　would　look　toward　me　inquiringly　and　I　would　oblige　with　the　information。　Except　with　the　escargot。　I　told　him　it　was　a　rare　kind　of　seafood；　like　oysters。　Luckily；　he　knew　what　oysters　were。　The　one　culinary　achievement　of　his　previous　life。
　
　That's　how　he　referred　to　it：　His　Previous　Life。　As　though　he'd　already　moved　out　of　it　and　into　a　greater　place。　He　rambled　on　about　the　places　he　would　go；　the　things　he　would　do；　never　once　telling　me　how　he　might　acquire　the　means　to　achieve　all　these　tremendous　feats。　It　had　taken　me　centuries　to　establish　my　own　fortune。　And　still　more　time　to　attend　to　it。　Money　is　like　any　other　profession。　You　had　to　look　in　on　it；　make　sure　no　one　else　had　de…tided　they　liked　it　better　than　you　did　and　run　off　with　it。　I　found　such　things　boring　and　loathsome　in　the　extreme。　But　I　still　had　to　do　it。　I　just　don't　like　to　talk　about　it。
　
　〃。。。　and　then　I　thought　you　and　I　could。。。〃
　
　This　jerked　me　back　to　my　panion　and　his　ramblings。
　
　〃You　and　I　could　what？〃　I　asked。
　〃Well；　I　mean；　I　thought　that。。。　I　just　assumed　that　because　you　were　going　to　make　me　like　you　that　we　would　be　together。　I　mean　until；　you　know；　whenever。〃
　〃Whenever　what？〃
　〃Whenever　we　got；　you　know；　tired　of　each　other。　Or　until　I　was　ready　to　be　out　on　my　own。〃
　〃I　see；　so　not　only　am　I　to。。。　convert　you　to　your　immortality；　but　then　I'm　to　be　your　nursemaid　as　well？〃
　He　blushed。　〃Not　nursemaid；　exactly；　but；　well　you　know。〃　He　gave　me　quite　a　look　then；　and；　had　160
　
　I　not　been　furious；　I　would　have　found　it　a　bit　interesting。　But　that　was　neither　here　nor　there。
　
　〃So；　I'm　to　bee　your　um；　paramour；　shall　we　say；　and　make　you　immortal。　And　what　exactly　is　it　that　I'm　supposed　to　achieve　from　this　equation？〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃What　I　mean　is；　what's　in　it　for　me？　Why　should　I　make　you；　of　all　people；　like　me？　Is　it　your　charming　personality？　Or　perhaps　it's　your　wit？　Maybe　your　sexual　prowess？　e　now；　why　should　I　bother　with　you？〃
　
　He　was　red　again；　but　not　from　embarrassment。　I　think　I　might　have　offended　him。　What　a　pity。
　〃You'll　do　it　because　I'll　expose　you　if　you　don't。〃
　〃Expose　me　to　whom？　The　Agency　in　Charge　of　Finding　and　Keeping　Immortals？　Or　maybe　you'll　go　to　the　police。　'I　beg　your　pardon；　but　there's　a　woman　I　know　who's　immortal。'　They'll　laugh　you　out　of　the　office。　Your　whole　story　is　preposterous。　There　won't　be　a　dry　seat　in　the　house。〃
　〃All　I　have　to　do　is　make　one　phone　call　to　the　right　sort　of　newspaper。　They　love　this　sort　of　thing。　Only　when　they　start　digging；　they'll　find　out　it's　true。〃
　〃They'll　wet　themselves　laughing。〃　〃Do　you　really　want　to　risk　it？〃　The　little　maggot。　I　hadn't　thought　he　had　the　brass　for　it。
　〃I　thought　not；〃　he　said。　And　smirked。　He　really　shouldn't　have　smirked。
　
　I　paid　for　dinner　and　we　began　walking　through　the　Quarter。　I　didn't　want　to　lead　him　straight　toward　the　hotel；　though　I　suspected　he　already　knew　where　I　was　staying。　What　to　do　with　him？　I　wondered。　The　crowd　was　thicker　now　that　it　was　getting　on　toward　nine　o'clock。　Mostly　there　were　badly　dressed　tourists　in　too　tight　T…shirts　with　cute　sayings　on　them。　Some　carried　plastic　cups　with　drinks　in　them。　The　smell　of　beer　and　sticky…sweet　Hurricanes　was　overpowering。
　
　I　led　us　toward　Chartres　Street；　then　on　toward　the　riverwalk。　The　smell　of　the　Mississippi　was　heavy　and　thick　like　new…cut　earth。　It　blended　with　the　sweet　aroma　of　the　olive　trees。　For　some　reason　it　gave　me　a　stab　of　hope；　this　strange　bination　of　odors。　It　reminded　me　of　another　time　and　place。　But　such　pleasant　memories　would　get　in　my　way　now。　I　needed　to　attend　to　the　matter　at　hand。
　
　We　walked　past　the　homeless　people　who　were　sleeping　in　the　park　and　stepped　over　the　ones　who　had　simply　lain　down　where　they　were。　Every　few　paces　or　so；　we　were　approached　by　someone　asking　for　money。　Most　of　the　panhandlers　had　a　ready　patter；　some　hard…luck　story　about　why　they　needed　just　another　dollar。　I　gave　to　them　willingly。　Life　presented　us　with　enough　indignities　in　just　the　living　of　it；　so　why　make　it　worse　if　you　could　help？
　
　〃Why　are　you　giving　them　money？〃　hissed　John。　He　glanced　around　as　though　he　expected　someone　to　jump　up　at　him　and　demand　money。
　〃Because　I　have　it。　They　need　it。　And　I　don't　mind　giving　to　them；〃　I　said。　〃Why　do　you　care　anyway？　It　isn't　your　money。〃
　
　〃You're　just　encouraging　them；〃　he　said。　〃If　no　one　gave　them　any　money　they'd　have　to　get　a　job。〃
　〃Let　me　see　if　I　understand　you；〃　I　said。　〃You　think　these　people　prefer　to　live　meaner　than　any　animal。　That　they　are　so　unwilling　to　work　that　they　would　rather　sleep　on　the　ground　in　the　cold；　go　without　food；　beg　coin　from　strangers　in　the　most　humiliating　way　possible；　and　live　in　filthy　rags？　That　is；　of　course；　assuming　that　they　are　mentally　stable　enough　to　hold　work　or　even　have　such　rudimentary　skills　as　reading；　writing；　or　arithmetic。　How　silly　of　me　to　be　so　pletely　fooled　by　their　clever　charade。
　〃Of　course；　I'm　in　the　pany　of　someone　who　wouldn't　sully　his　hands　with　something　as　vulgar　as　say；　extortion。〃
　〃You　know；　you　can　be　a　real　bitch；〃　he　said。
　I　touched　my　hand　to　my　heart。　〃I'm　mortally　wounded；〃　I　said。
　We　walked　down　by　the　river　for　a　while；　until　the　sidewalk　petered　out　and　there　was　a　sudden　lack　of　street　lights。　John　looked　nervous；　but　I　knew　there　was　nothing　to　worry　about；　yet。
　〃So　you　want　to　bee　immortal；〃　I　said。　〃What　if　I　told　you　I　can't　do　it？　That　this　is　something　you're　born　with　or　not。　That　I　can　no　more　make　you　immortal　than　any　stra