ss.iftomorrowcomes-第58部分

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k。　She　had　not　ordered　anything　from　room　service；　and　Cooper　had　decided　that　she　was　going　out　to　breakfast。　He　had　given　himself　thirty　minutes。　Entering　her　suite　had　been　a　simple　matter　of　avoiding　the　floor　maids　and　using　a　lock　pick。　He　knew　what　he　was　looking　for：　a　copy　of　a　painting。　He　had　no　idea　how　Tracy　planned　to　substitute　it；　but　he　was　sure　it　had　to　be　her　scheme。
　
　He　searched　the　suite　with　swift；　silent　efficiency；　missing　nothing　and　saving　the　bedroom　for　last。　He　looked　through　her　closet；　examining　her　dresses；　and　then　the　bureau。　He　opened　the　drawers；　one　by　one。　They　were　filled　with　panties　and　bras　and　pantyhose。　He　picked　up　a　pair　of　pink　underpants　and　rubbed　them　against　his　cheek　and　imagined　her　sweet…smelling　flesh　in　them。　The　scent　of　her　was　suddenly　everywhere。　He　replaced　the　garment　and　quickly　looked　through　the　other　drawers。　No　painting。
　
　Cooper　walked　into　the　bathroom。　There　were　drops　of　water　in　the　tub。　Her　body　had　lain　there；　covered　with　water　as　warm　as　the　womb；　and　Cooper　could　visualize　Tracy　lying　in　it；　naked；　the　water　caressing　her　breasts　as　her　hips　undulated　up　and　down。　He　felt　an　erection　begin。　He　picked　up　the　damp　washcloth　from　the　tub　and　brought　it　to　his　lips。　The　odor　of　her　body　swirled　around　him　as　he　unzipped　his　trousers。　He　rubbed　a　cake　of　damp　soap　onto　the　washcloth　and　began　stroking　himself　with　it；　facing　the　mirror；　looking　into　his　blazing　eyes。
　
　A　few　minutes　later　he　left；　as　quietly　as　he　had　arrived；　and　headed　directly　for　a　nearby　church。
　
　**********
　
　The　following　morning　when　Tracy　left　the　Ritz　Hotel；　Daniel　Cooper　followed　her。　There　was　an　intimacy　between　them　that　had　not　existed　before。　He　knew　her　smell；　he　had　seen　her　in　her　bath；　had　watched　her　naked　body　writhing　in　the　warm　water。　She　belonged　pletely　to　him；　she　was　his　to　destroy。　He　watched　her　as　she　wandered　along　the　Gran　Vía；　examining　the　merchandise　in　the　shops；　and　he　followed　her　into　a　large　department　store；　careful　to　remain　out　of　sight。　He　saw　her　speak　to　a　clerk；　then　head　for　the　ladies'　room。　Cooper　stood　near　the　door；　frustrated。　It　was　the　one　place　he　could　not　follow　her。
　
　If　Cooper　had　been　able　to　go　inside；　he　would　have　seen　Tracy　talking　to　a　grossly　overweight；　middle…aged　woman。
　
　〃Ma？ana；〃　Tracy　said；　as　she　applied　fresh　lipstick　before　the　mirror。　〃Tomorrow　morning；　eleven　o'clock。〃
　
　The　woman　shook　her　head。　〃No；　se？orita。　He　will　not　like　that。　You　could　not　choose　a　worse　day。　Tomorrow　the　Prince；　of　Luxembourg　arrives　on　a　state　visit；　and　the　newspapers　say　he　will　be　taken　on　a　tour　of　the　Prado。　There　will　be　extra　security　guards　and　police　all　over　the　museum。〃
　
　〃The　more　the　better。　Tomorrow。〃
　
　Tracy　walked　out　the　door；　and　the　woman　looked　after　her　muttering；　〃La　cucha　es　loca。。。。〃
　
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　The　royal　party　was　scheduled　to　appear　at　the　Prado　at　exactly　11：00　A。M。；　and　the　streets　around　the　Prado　had　been　roped　off　by　the　Guardia　Civil。　Because　of　a　delay　in　the　ceremony　at　the　presidential　palace；　the　entourage　did　not　arrive　until　close　to　noon。　There　were　the　screams　of　sirens　as　police　motorcycles　came　into　view；　escorting　a　procession　of　half　a　dozen　black　limousines　to　the　front　steps　of　the　Prado。
　
　At　the　entrance；　the　director　of　the　museum；　Christian　Machada；　nervously　awaited　the　arrival　of　His　Highness。
　
　Machada　had　made　a　careful　morning　inspection　to　be　sure　everything　was　in　order；　and　the　guards　had　been　forewarned　to　be　especially　alert。　The　director　was　proud　of　his　museum；　and　he　wanted　to　make　a　good　impression　on　the　prince。
　
　It　never　hurts　to　have　friends　in　high　places；　Machada　thought。　？Quién　sabe？　I　might　even　be　invited　to　dine　with　His　Highness　this　evening　at　the　presidential　palace。
　
　Christian　Machada's　only　regret　was　that　there　was　no　way　to　stop　the　hordes　of　tourists　that　wandered　about。　But　the　prince's　bodyguards　and　the　museum's　security　guards　would　ensure　that　the　prince　was　protected。　Everything　was　in　readiness　for　him。
　
　The　royal　tour　began　upstairs；　on　the　main　floor。　The　director　greeted　His　Highness　with　an　effusive　wele　and　escorted　him；　followed　by　the　armed　guards；　through　the　rotunda　and　into　the　rooms　where　the　sixteenth…century　Spanish　painters　were　on　exhibit：　Juan　de　Juanes；　Pedro　Machuca；　Fernando　Yá？ez。
　
　The　prince　moved　slowly；　enjoying　the　visual　feast　spread　before　him。　He　was　a　patron　of　the　arts　and　genuinely　loved　the　painters　who　could　make　the　past　e　alive　and　remain　eternal。　Having　no　talent　for　painting　himself；　the　prince；　as　he　looked　around　the　rooms；　nonetheless　envied　the　painters　who　stood　before　their　easels　trying　to　snatch　sparks　of　genius　from　the　masters。
　
　When　the　official　party　had　visited　the　upstairs　salons；　Christian　Machado　said　proudly；　〃And　now；　if　Your　Highness　will　permit　me；　I　will　take　you　downstairs　to　our　Goya　exhibit。〃
　
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　Tracy　had　spent　a　nerve…racking　morning。　When　the　prince　had　not　arrived　at　the　Prado　at　11：00　as　scheduled；　she　had　begun　to　panic。　All　her　arrangements　had　been　made　and　timed　to　the　second；　but　she　needed　the　prince　in　order　to　make　them　work。
　
　She　moved　from　room　to　room；　mixing　with　the　crowds；　trying　to　avoid　attracting　attention。　He's　not　ing；　Tracy　thought　finally。　I'm　going　to　have　to　call　it　off。　And　at　that　moment；　she　had　heard　the　sound　of　approaching　sirens　from　the　street。
　
　Watching　Tracy　from　a　vantage　point　in　the　next　room；　Daniel　Cooper；　too；　was　aware　of　the　sirens。　His　reason　told　him　it　was　impossible　for　anyone　to　steal　a　painting　from　the　museum；　but　his　instinct　told　him　that　Tracy　was　going　to　try　it；　and　Cooper　trusted　his　instinct。　He　moved　closer　to　her；　letting　the　crowds　conceal　him　from　view。　He　intended　to　keep　her　in　sight　every　moment。
　
　Tracy　was　in　the　room　next　to　the　salon　where　the　Puerto　was　being　exhibited。　Through　the　open　doorway　she　could　see　the　hunchback；　Cesar　Porreta；　seated　before　an　easel；　copying　Goya's　Clothed　Maja；　which　hung　next　to　the　Puerto。　A　guard　stood　three　feet　away。　In　the　room　with　Tracy；　a　woman　painter　stood　at　her　easel；　studiously　copying　The　Milkmaid　of　Bordeaux；　trying　to　capture　the　brilliant　browns　and　greens　of　Goya's　canvas。
　
　A　group　of　Japanese　tourists　fluttered　into　the　salon；　chattering　like　a　flock　of　exotic　birds。　Now！　Tracy　told　herself。　This　was　the　moment　she　had　been　waiting　for；　and　her　heart　was　pounding　so　loudly　she　was　afraid　the　guard　could　hear　it。　She　moved　out　of　the　path　of　the　approaching　Japanese　tour　group；　backing　toward　the　woman　painter。　As　a　Japanese　man　brushed　in　front　of　Tracy；　Tracy　fell　backward；　as　if　pushed；　bumping　the　artist　and　sending　her；　the　easel；　canvas；　and　paints　flying　to　the　ground。
　
　〃Oh；　I'm　terribly　sorry！〃　Tracy　exclaimed。　〃Let　me　help　you。〃
　
　As　she　moved　to　assist　the　startled　artist；　Tracy's　heels　stamped　into　the　scattered　paints；　smearing　them　into　the　floor。　Daniel　Cooper；　who　had　seen　everything；　hurried　closer；　every　sense　alert。　He　was　sure　Tracy　Whitney　had　made　her　first　move。
　
　The　guard　rushed　over；　calling　out；　〃？Qué　pasa？　？Qué　pasa？〃
　
　The　accident　had　attracted　the　attention　of　the　tourists；　and　they　milled　around　the　fallen　woman；　smearing　the　paints　from　the　crushed　tubes　into　grotesque　images　on　the　hardwood　floor。　It　was　an　unholy　mess；　and　the　prince　was　due　to　appear　at　any　moment。　The　guard　was　in　a　panic。　He　yelled　out；　〃？Sergio！　iVen　acá！　iPronto！〃
　
　Tracy　watched　as　the　guard　from　the　next　room　came　running　in　to　help。　Cesar　Porretta　was　alone　in　the　salon　with　the　Puerto。
　
　Tracy　was　in　the　middle　of　the　uproar。　The　two　guards　were　dying　vainly　to　push　the　tourists　away　from　the　area　of　the　paint…smeared　floor。
　
　〃Get　the　director；〃　Sergio　yelled。　〃？En　seguida！〃
　
　The　other　guard　hurried　off　toward　the　stairs。　？Qué4　birria！　What　a　mess！
　
　Two　minutes　later　Christian　Machada　was　at　the　scene　of　the　disaster。　The　director　took　one　horrified　look　ad　screamed；　〃Get　some　cleaning　women　down　here…　Quickly！　Mops　and　cloths　and　turpentine。　？Pronto！〃
　
　A　young　aide　rushed　to　do　his　bidding。
　
　Machada　turned　to　Sergio；　〃Get　back　to　your　post；〃　he　snapped。
　
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　
　Tracy　watched　the　guard　push　his　way　through　the　crowd　to　the　room　where　Cesar　Porretta　was　working。
　
　Cooper　had　not　taken　his　eyes　off　Tracy　for　an　instant。　He　had　waited　for　her　next　move。　But　it　had　not　e。　She　had　not　gone　near　any　of　the　paintings；　nor　had　she　made　contact　with　an　acplice。　All　she　had　done　was　knock　over　an　easel　and　spill　some　paints　on　the　floor；　but　he　was　certain　it　had　been　done　deliberately。　But　to　what　purpose？　Somehow；　Cooper　felt　that　whatever　had　been　planned　had　already　happened。　He　looked　around　the　walls　of　the　salon。　None　of　the　paintings　was　missing。
　
　Cooper　hurried　into　the　adjoining　room。　There　was　no　one　there　but　the　guard　and　an　elderly　hunchback　seated　at　his　easel；　copying　the　Clothed　Maja。　All　the　paintings　were　in　place。　But　something　was　wrong。　Cooper　knew　it。
　
　He　hurried　back　to　the　harassed　director；　whom　he　had　met　earlier。　〃I　have　reason　to　believe；〃　Cooper　blurted　out；　〃that　a　painting　has　been　stolen　from　here　in　the　past　few　minutes。〃
　
　Christian　Machada　stared　at　the　wild…eyed　American。　〃What　are　you　talking　about？　If　that　were　so；　the　guards　would　have　sounded　the　alarm。〃
　
　〃I　think　that　somehow　a　fake　painting　was　substituted　for　real　one。〃
　
　The　director　gave　him　a　tolerant　smile。　〃There　is　one　small　thing　wrong　with　your　theory；　se？or。　It　is　not　known　to　the　general　public；　but　there　are　sensors　hidden　behind　each　painting。　If　anyone　tried　to　lift　a　painting　from　the　wall…　which　they　would　certainly　have　to　do　to　substitute　another　painting…　the　alarm　would　instantly　sound。〃
　
　Daniel　Cooper　was　still　not　satisfied。　〃Could　your　alarm　be　disconnected？〃
　
　〃No。　If　someone　cut　the　wire　to　the　power；　that　also　would　cause　the　alarm　to　go　off。　Se？or；　it　is　impossible　for　anyone　to　steal　a　painting　from　this　museum。　Our　security　is　what　you　call　proof　from　fools。〃
　
　Cooper　stood　there　shaking　w