dw.jimmythekid-第1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！


　
　D　0　R　T　M　U　N　D　E　R；　wearing　black　and　carrying　his　canvas　bag　of　burglar　tools；　walked　across　the　rooftops　from　the　parking　garage　on　the　corner。　At　the　sixth　roof；　he　looked　over　the　front　edge　to　be　absolutely　sure　he　was　on　the　right　building；　and　felt　dizzy　for　just　a　second　when　he　saw　the　distant　street　six　stories　down；　floating　like　a　ship　in　the　glare　of　streetlights。　Cars　were　parked　along　both　sides；　leaving　one　black　lane　open　in　the　middle。　A　cab　was　going　by　down　there；　its　yellow　top　glinting　in　the　light。　Behind　the　cab　came　a　slow…moving　police　car；　the　unlit　flasher　dome　on　its　roof　looked　like　a　piece　of　candy。
　And　this　was　the　right　place。　The　furrier's　hanging　sign　was　visible　down　there；　right　where　it　was　supposed　to　be。　Dortmunder；　feeling　a　trifle　queasy　about　the　height；　leaned　back　from　the　edge；　carefully　turned；　and　walked　across　the　roof　to　the　opposite　side；　where　a　fire　escape　led　down　into　less　dizzying　darkness。　The　building　backs　were　crammed　so　close　together　here　that　Dortmunder　felt　he　could　almost　reach　out　and　touch　the　grimy　brick　wall　across　the　way；　but　all　of　the　windows　along　here　were　dark。　It　was　three　o'clock　in　the　morning；　so　no　one　was　up　and　about。
　Dortmunder　went　slowly　down　the　fire　escape。　The　canvas　bag　made　muffled　clanking　sounds　whenever　it　hit　the　fire　escape　railing；　and　he　grimaced　and　clenched　his　teeth　at　every　noise。　Some　of　the　windows　he　was　passing　belonged　to　storage　lofts　and　other　mercial　enterprises；　but　some　were　apartments；　this　being　the　kind　of　Manhattan　neighborhood　where　families　and　factories　live　side　by　side。　He　didn't　want　anybody　to　wake　up；　mistake　him　for　a　peeping　torn；　and　shoot　him。
　Second　floor。　A　scarred　metal　door；　painted　black；　led　out　to　the　fire　escape；　which　stopped　at　this　level。　A　metal　ladder　could　be　lowered　for　the　last　flight　down；　but　Dortmunder　didn't　want　the　first…floor　shop；　he　wanted　the　second…floor　storage　room。　In　almost　total　darkness；　he　put　down　the　canvas　bag；　felt　the　door　all　over　with　his　fingertips；　and　decided　it　would　have　to　be　a　simple　peeling　operation。　Noisy　for　a　few　seconds；　but　that　couldn't　be　helped。
　Kneeling；　he　zipped　open　his　bag　and　got　the　right　tools　out　by　sense　of　touch。　The　chisel。　The　small　crowbar。　The　large　screwdriver　with　the　rubber　handle。
　〃Ssiss！〃
　He　paused。　He　looked　around　and…　saw　nothing　but　the　darkness。　It　had　sounded　like　somebody　hissing　at　him。
　Probably　a　rat　in　a　garbage　can。　Dortmunder　stood；　and　prepared　to　wedge　the　chisel　in　at　the　top　corner　of　the　door。
　〃Ssiss！〃
　By　God；　that　almost　sounded　human。　Dortmunder；　feeling　the　hair　starting　to　stand　up　on　the　back　of　his　neck；　clutched　the　chisel　like　a　weapon　and　looked　around　some　more。
　〃Ssiss！　Dort…munder！〃
　He　almost　dropped　the　chisel。　The　hisser　had　hissed　his　name；　a　sibilant　whisper　that　made　the　name　Dortmunder　sound　as　though　it　were　full　of　esses。　Here　in　the　darkness；　with　nobody　around；　somebody…some　thing…was　hissing　his　name。
　My　guardian　angel；　he　thought。　But　no；　if　he　had　a　guardian　angel；　it　would　have　given　up　on　him　years　ago。
　It's　Satan；　he　thought；　he's　e　to　get　me。　The　hand　holding　the　chisel　trembled；　and　the　chisel　made　little　skittery　rapping　noises　against　the　metal　door。
　〃Dortmunder；　up　here！〃
　Up？　Would　Satan　be　above　him？　Wouldn't　the　devil　be　underneath？　Blinking　uncontrollably；　Dortmunder　looked　up。　Above　him；　the　grillwork　lines　of　the　fire　escape　stood　out　dimly　against　the　dull　red　light　that　New　York　City　always　casts　up　to　its　cloud　cover　at　night。　Something；　some　creature；　was　on　the　fire　escape；　one　level　above　him；　silhouetted　vaguely　against　the　red　sky；　looming　over　him　like　a　gargoyle　on　a　church　roof。
　〃Jesus！〃　Dortmunder　whispered。
　〃Dortmunder；〃　the　creature　hissed　at　him；　〃its　me！　Kelp！〃
　〃Oh；　Jesus　Christ！〃　Dortmunder　said；　and　got　so　mad　he　forgot　where　he　was　and　threw　the　chisel　down。　The　clang　it　made　when　it　hit　the　fire　escape　made　him　jump　a　foot。
　〃For　Pete's　sake；　Dortmunder；〃　Kelp　whispered；　〃don't　be　so　noisy！〃
　〃Go　away；　Kelp；〃　Dortmunder　said。　He　spoke　in　a　normal　tone　of　voice；　not　giving　a　damn　about　anything　any　more。
　〃I　want　to　talk　to　you；〃　Kelp　whispered。　〃May　told　me　where　you　were。〃
　〃May　has　a　big　mouth；〃　Dortmunder　said；　still　speaking　aloud。
　〃So　do　you；　fella！〃　a　voice　shouted　from　one　or　two　buildings　away。　〃How　about　turning　it　off　so　we　can　get　some　sleep！〃
　Kelp　whispered；　〃e　up　here；　Dortmunder；　I　want　to　talk　to　you。〃
　〃I　don't　want　to　talk　to　you；〃　Dortmunder　said。　He　wasn't　keeping　his　voice　down　at　all；　in　fact；　it　was　starting　to　go　up。　〃I　don't　ever　want　to　talk　to　you；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　even　want　to　see　you。〃
　〃How　would　you　like　to　see　some　cops！〃　the　voice　yelled。
　〃Oh；　shut　up！〃　Dortmunder　yelled　back。
　〃We'll　see　about　that！〃
　Somewhere；　a　window　slammed。
　Urgent；　shrill；　Kelp　whispered；　〃Dortmunder；　e　up　here；　will　you？　And　keep　it　low；　you're　gonna　get　us　in　trouble。〃
　Not　keeping　it　low；　Dortmunder　said；　〃I'm　not　going　up　there；　you're　going　away。　I'm　going　to　stay　down　here　and　do　my　work。〃
　〃You're　on　the　wrong　floor；〃　Kelp　whispered。
　Dortmunder；　bending　down　and　feeling　around　for　his　chisel；　frowned　and　looked　up　at　the　vague　figure　against　the　gray…red　clouds。　〃I　am　not；〃　he　said。
　〃It's…there's　an　extra…that's　the　basement　down　there？'
　〃The　what？〃　Dortmunder's　hand　found　the　chisel。　He　straightened；　holding　it；　and　frowned　down　into　impenetrable　darkness。　There　was　another　story　down　there；　he　was　sure　of　it。　So　this　was　the　second　floor。
　But　Kelp　whispered；　〃Why　do　you　think　I'm　waiting　up　here？。　Count　down　from　the　roof　if　you　don't　believe　me。　You're　gonna　break　into　the　store。〃
　〃I'm　just　in　the　same　block　with　you；〃　Dortmunder　said；　〃and　things　get　screwed　up。〃
　A　light　went　on　in　a　window；　off　to　the　left。　Kelp；　more　urgently；　whispered；　〃e　up　here！　You　want　to　get　caught？〃
　〃Okay；　fella；〃　the　voice　shouted；　〃you　asked　for　it。　The　cops　are　on　the　way。〃
　Another　voice　yelled；　〃Why　don't　you　people　shut　up？〃
　The　first　voice　yelled；　〃It　isn't　me！　It's　those　other　clowns！〃
　〃You　got　the　biggest　voice　I　can　hear！〃　shouted　voice　number　two。
　〃How　would　you　like　to　go　screw　yourself？〃　voice　number　one　wanted　to　know。
　Another　yellow　window　appeared。　A　third　voice　yelled；　〃How　would　the　two　of　you　like　to　go　drown　yourselves？〃
　〃Dortmunder；〃　Kelp　whispered。　〃e　on；　e　on。〃　Voice　number　two　was　making　a　suggestion　to　voice　number　three。　Voice　number　one　was　yelling　to　somebody　named　Mary　to　call　the　cops　again。　A　voice　number　four　entered　the　chorus；　and　two　more　windows　sprang　out　of　the　darkness。　It　was　getting　very　bright　back　here。
　Dortmunder；　grumbling；　muttering；　annoyed　into　futile　silence；　went　down　on　one　knee　and　stolidly　repacked　his　canvas　bag。　〃A　simple　burglary；〃　he　told　himself。　〃Kelp　shows　up。　Can't　even　do　a　simple　burglary。〃　Around　him　the　neighborhood　argument　raged。　People　in　pajamas　were　leaning　out　of　windows；　shaking　their　fists　at　one　another。　Dortmunder　zipped　up　the　bag　and　got　to　his　feet。　〃A　simple　quiet　little　peaceful　job；〃　he　muttered。　〃Kelp　shows　up。〃　Carrying　the　bag；　he　started　back　up　the　fire　escape。
　Kelp　was　waiting；　one　flight　up。　There　was　another　black　metal　door　there；　standing　open；　and　Kelp　made　host　like　gestures　for　Dortmunder　to　go　in；　but　Dortmunder　ignored　him　and　went　right　on　by。　Going　past；　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　furs　hanging　on　racks　inside　there；　so　he　really　had　been　on　the　wrong　floor。　That　didn't　improve　his　disposition。
　Kelp　said；　〃Where　you　going？〃　There　wasn't　any　point　in　whispering　now；　not　with　everybody　else　in　the　neighborhood　shouting　at　once；　so　Kelp　spoke　in　an　ordinary　voice。
　Dortmunder　didn't　answer。　He　went　on　up　the　fire　escape。　He　became　aware　after　half　a　flight　that　Kelp　was　following　him；　and　he　considered　turning　around　and　telling　him　to　go　away；　or　possibly　turning　around　and　hitting　Kelp　on　the　head　with　the　canvas　bag；　but　he　didn't　do　it。　He　didn't　have　the　strength；　he　didn't　have　a　positive　enough　attitude。　He　was　feeling　defeatist　again；　the　way　he　always　did　around　Kelp。　So　he　just　kept　plodding　up　the　fire　escape　stairs　to　the　roof。
　At　the　top　he　turned　left　and　headed　across　the　roofs　toward　the　parking　garage。　He　knew　Kelp　was　trotting　after　him；　but　he　tried　to　ignore　the　fact。　He　also　tried　to　ignore　it　when　Kelp　caught　up　with　him　and　walked　next　to　him；　panting　and　saying；　〃Don't　go　so　fast；　will　ya？〃
　Dortmunder　went　faster。
　〃You　were　going　in　the　wrong　floor；〃　Kelp　said。　〃Is　that　my　fault？　I　got　there　ahead　of　you；　I　jimmied　the　door；　I　thought　I'd　help。〃
　〃Don't　help；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃That's　all　I　ask；　don't　help。〃
　〃If　you'd　stopped　at　the　right　floor；〃　Kelp　said；　〃I　wouldn't　have　had　to　call　you。　We　could　have　talked　inside。　I　could　have　helped　you　carry　the　furs。〃
　〃Don't　help；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　〃You　went　to　the　wrong　floor。〃
　Dortmunder　stopped。　He　was　one　roof　shy　of　the　parking　garage。　He　turned　and　looked　at　Kelp　and　said；　〃All　right。　One　question。　You've　got　a　caper？　You　want　me　in　on　it？〃
　Kelp　hesitated。　It　could　be　seen　that　he'd　had　a　different　plan　in　mind　for　broaching　his　subject；　a　method　more　circuitous　and　subtle。　But　it　wasn't　to　be；　and　Dortmunder　watched　Kelp　gradually　accept　the　fact。　Kelp　sighed。　〃Yes；〃　he　said。
　〃The　answer　is　no；〃　Dortmunder　said。　He　turned　and　headed　again　for　the　parking　garage。
　Hurrying　after　him；　Kelp　protested；　〃Why？　You　can't　even　listen？〃
　Dortmunder　stopped　again；　and　Kelp　ran　into　him。　Kelp　was　shorter　than　Dortmunder；　and　his　nose　ran　into　Dortmunder's　shoulder。　〃Ow！〃　he　said。
　〃I'll　tell　you　why；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　Kelp　pressed　a　hand　to　his　nose。　〃That　hurt；〃　he　said。
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃The　last　time　I　listened　to　you；　I　wound　up　running　all　over　Long　Island　with　a　stolen　bank；　and　what　did　I　get　out　of　it？　A　head　cold。〃
　〃I　think　I've　got　a　nosebleed；〃　Kelp　said。　He　was　tenderly　touching　his　nose　with　his　fingertips。
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃And　the　time　before　that；　you　remember　what　that　was？　That　other　time　I　listened　to　you？　That　goddam　Balabomo　Emerald；　remember　that　one？〃
　〃If　you're　blaming　me　for　any　of　that