raymondchandler.farewellmylovely-第22部分

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e　splash　would　e　back　up　to　you　from　the　bottom　of　that　well；　so　tiny；　so　remote　that　you　could　hardly　believe　a　well　like　that　possible。
　His　eyes　were　deep　like　that。　And　they　were　also　eyes　without　expression；　without　soul；　eyes　that　could　watch　lions　tear　a　man　to　pieces　and　never　change；　that　could　watch　a　man　impaled　and　screaming　in　the　hot　sun　with　his　eyelids　cut　off。
　He　wore　a　double…breasted　black　business　suit　that　had　been　cut　by　an　artist。　He　stared　vaguely　at　my　fingers。
　〃Please　do　not　fidget；〃　he　said。　〃It　breaks　the　waves；　disturbs　my　concentration。〃
　〃It　makes　the　ice　melt；　the　butter　run　and　the　cat　squawk；〃　I　said。
　He　smiled　the　faintest　smile　in　the　world。　〃You　didn't　e　here　to　be　impertinent；　I'm　sure。〃
　〃You　seem　to　forget　why　I　did　e。　By　the　way；　I　gave　that　hundred　dollar　bill　back　to　your　secretary。　I　came；　as　you　may　recall；　about　some　cigarettes。　Russian　cigarettes　filled　with　marihuana。　With　your　card　rolled　in　the　hollow　mouthpiece。
〃You　wish　to　find　out　why　that　happened？〃
〃Yeah。　I　ought　to　be　paying　you　the　hundred　dollars。〃
〃That　will　not　be　necessary。　The　answer　is　simple。　There　are　things　I　do　not　know。　This　is　one　of　them。〃
For　a　moment　I　almost　believed　him。　His　face　was　as　smooth　as　an　angel's　wing。
　〃Then　why　send　me　a　hundred　dollars…and　a　tough　Indian　that　stinks…and　a　car？　By　the　way；　does　the　Indian　have　to　stink？　If　he's　working　for　you；　couldn't　you　sort　of　get　him　to　take　a　bath？〃
　〃He　is　a　natural　medium。　They　are　rare…like　diamonds；　and　like　diamonds；　are　sometimes　found　in　dirty　places。　I　understand　you　are　a　private　detective？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃I　think　you　are　a　very　stupid　person。　You　look　stupid。　You　are　in　a　stupid　business。　And　you　came　here　on　a　stupid　mission。〃
〃I　get　it；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　stupid。　It　sank　in　after　a　while。〃
〃And　I　think　I　need　not　detain　you　any　longer。〃
〃You're　not　detaining　me；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　detaining　you。　I　want　to　know　why　those　cards　were　in　those　cigarettes。〃
　He　shrugged　the　smallest　shrug　that　could　be　shrugged。　〃My　cards　are　available　to　anybody。　I　do　not　give　my　friends　marihuana　cigarettes。　Your　question　remains　stupid。〃
　〃I　wonder　if　this　would　brighten　it　up　any。　The　cigarettes　were　in　a　cheap　Chinese　or　Japanese　case　of　imitation　tortoiseshell。　Ever　see　anything　like　that？〃
　〃No。　Not　that　I　recall。〃
　〃I　can　brighten　it　up　a　little　more。　The　case　was　in　the　pocket　of　a　man　named　Lindsay　Marriott。　Ever　hear　of　him？〃
　He　thought。　〃Yes。　I　tried　at　one　time　to　treat　him　for　camera　shyness。　He　was　trying　to　get　into　pictures。　It　was　a　waste　of　time。　Pictures　did　not　want　him。〃
　〃I　can　guess　that；〃　I　said。　〃He　would　photograph　like　Isadora　Duncan。　I've　still　got　the　big　one　left。　Why　did　you　send　me　the　C…note。〃
　〃My　dear　Mr。　Marlowe；〃　he　said　coldly；　〃I　am　no　fool。　I　sin　in　a　very　sensitive　profession。　I　am　a　quack。　That　is　to　say　I　do　things　which　the　doctors　in　their　small　frightened　selfish　guild　cannot　acplish。　I　am　in　danger　at　all　times…from　people　like　you。　I　merely　wish　to　estimate　the　danger　before　dealing　with　it。〃
　〃Pretty　trivial　in　my　case；　huh？〃
　〃It　hardly　exists；〃　he　said　politely　and　made　a　peculiar　motion　with　his　left　hand　which　made　my　eyes　jump　at　it。　Then　he　put　it　down　very　slowly　on　the　white　table　and　looked　at　it。　Then　he　raised　his　depthless　eyes　again　and　folded　his　arms。
〃Your　hearing…〃
〃I　smell　it　now；〃　I　said。　〃I　wasn't　thinking　of　him。〃
I　turned　my　head　to　the　left。　The　Indian　was　sitting　on　the　third　white　stool　against　the　black　velvet。
　He　had　some　kind　of　a　white　smock　on　him　over　his　other　clothes。　He　was　sitting　without　a　movement；　his　eyes　dosed；　his　head　bent　forward　a　little；　as　if　he　had　been　asleep　for　an　hour。　His　dark　strong　face　was　full　of　shadows。
　I　looked　back　at　Amthor。　He　was　smiling　his　minute　smile。
　〃I　bet　that　makes　the　dowagers　shed　their　false　teeth；〃　I　said。　〃What　does　he　do　for　real　money…sit　on　your　knee　and　sing　French　songs？〃
　He　made　an　impatient　gesture。　〃Get　to　the　point；　please。〃
　〃Last　night　Marriott　hired　me　to　go　with　him　on　an　expedition　that　involved　paying　some　money　to　some　crooks　at　a　spot　they　picked。　I　got　knocked　on　the　head。　When　I　came　out　of　it　Marriott　had　been　murdered。〃
　Nothing　changed　much　in　Amthor's　face。　He　didn't　scream　or　run　up　the　walls。　But　for　him　the　reaction　was　sharp。　He　unfolded　his　arms　and　refolded　them　the　other　way。　His　mouth　looked　grim。　Then　he　sat　like　a　stone　lion　outside　the　Public　Library。
〃The　cigarettes　were　found　on　him；〃　I　said。
He　looked　at　me　coolly。　〃But　not　by　the　police；　I　take　it。　Since　the　police　have　not　been　here。〃
〃Correct。〃
〃The　hundred　dollars；〃　he　said　very　softly；　〃was　hardly　enough。〃
〃That　depends　what　you　expect　to　buy　with　it〃
〃You　have　these　cigarettes　with　you？〃
　〃One　of　them。　But　they　don't　prove　anything。　As　you　said；　anybody　could　get　your　cards。　I'm　just　wondering　why　they　were　where　they　were。　Any　ideas？〃
　〃How　well　did　you　know　Mr。　Marriott？〃　he　asked　softly。　
　〃Not　at　all。　But　I　had　ideas　about　him。　They　were　so　obvious　they　stuck　out。〃
　Amthor　tapped　lightly　on　the　white　table。　The　Indian　still　slept　with　his　chin　on　his　huge　chest；　his　heavy…lidded　eyes　tight　shut。
　〃By　the　way；　did　you　ever　meet　a　Mrs。　Grayle；　a　wealthy　lady　who　lives　in　Bay　City？〃
　He　nodded　absently。　〃Yes；　I　treated　her　centers　of　speech。　She　had　a　very　slight　impediment。〃
　〃You　did　a　sweet　job　on　her；〃　I　said。　〃She　talks　as　good　as　I　do。〃
　That　failed　to　amuse　him。　He　still　tapped　on　the　table。　I　listened　to　the　taps。　Something　about　them　I　didn't　like。　They　sounded　like　a　code。　He　stopped；　folded　his　arms　again　and　leaned　back　against　the　air。
〃What　I　like　about　this　job　everybody　knows　everybody；〃　I　said。　〃Mrs。　Grayle　knew　Marriott　too。〃
〃How　did　you　find　that　out？〃　he　asked　slowly。
I　didn't　say　anything。
〃You　will　have　to　tell　the　police…about　those　cigarettes；〃　he　said。
I　shrugged。
　〃You　are　wondering　why　I　do　not　have　you　thrown　out；〃　Amthor　said　pleasantly。　〃Second　Planting　could　break　your　neck　like　a　celery　stalk。　I　am　wondering　myself。　You　seem　to　have　some　sort　of　theory。　Blackmail　I　do　not　pay。　It　buys　nothing…and　I　have　many　friends。　But　naturally　there　are　certain　elements　which　would　like　to　show　me　in　a　bad　light。　Psychiatrists；　sex　specialists；　neurologists；　nasty　little　men　with　rubber　hammers　and　shelves　loaded　with　the　literature　of　aberrations。　And　of　course　they　are　all…doctors；　While　I　am　still　a…quack。　What　is　your　theory？〃
　I　tried　to　stare　him　down；　but　it　couldn't　be　done；　I　felt　myself　licking　my　lips。
　He　shrugged　lightly。　〃I　can't　blame　you　for　wanting　to　keep　it　to　yourself。　This　is　a　matter　that　I　must　give　thought　to。　Perhaps　you　are　a　much　more　intelligent　man　than　I　thought。　I　also　make　mistakes。　In　the　meantime…〃　He　leaned　forward　and　put　a　hand　on　each　side　of　the　milky　globe。
　〃I　think　Marriott　was　a　blackmailer　of　women；〃　I　said。　〃And　finger　man　for　a　jewel　mob。　But　who　told　him　what　women　to　cultivate…so　that　he　would　know　their　ings　and　goings；　get　intimate　with　them；　make　love　to　them；　make　them　load　up　with　the　ice　and　take　them　out；　and　then　slip　to　a　phone　and　tell　the　boys　where　to　operate？〃
　〃That；〃　Amthor　said　carefully；　〃is　your　picture　of　Marriott…and　of　me。　I　am　slightly　disgusted。〃
　I　leaned　forward　until　my　face　was　not　more　than　a　foot　from　his。　〃You're　in　a　racket。　Dress　it　up　all　you　please　and　it's　still　a　racket。　And　it　wasn't　just　the　cards；　Amthor。　As　you　say；　anybody　could　get　those。　It　wasn't　the　marihuana。　You　wouldn't　be　in　a　cheap　line　like　that…not　with　your　chances。　But　on　the　back　of　each　card　there　is　a　blank　space。　And　on　blank　spaces；　or　even　on　written　ones；　there　is　sometimes　invisible　writing。〃
　He　smiled　bleakly；　but　I　hardly　saw　it。　His　hands　moved　over　the　milky　bowl。
　The　light　went　out。　The　room　was　as　black　as　Carry　Nation's　bonnet。
　
　22
　I　kicked　my　stool　back　and　stood　up　and　jerked　the　gun　out　of　the　holster　under　my　arm。　But　it　was　no　good。　My　coat　was　buttoned　and　I　was　too　slow。　I'd　have　been　too　slow　anyway；　if　it　came　to　shooting　anybody。
　There　was　a　soundless　rush　of　air　and　an　earthy　smell。　In　the　plete　darkness　the　Indian　hit　me　from　behind　and　pinned　my　arms　to　my　sides。　He　started　to　lift　me。　I　could　have　got　the　gun　out　still　and　fanned　the　room　with　blind　shots；　but　I　was　a　long　way　from　friends。　It　didn't　seem　as　if　there　was　any　point　in　it。
　I　let　go　of　the　gun　and　took　hold　of　his　wrists。　They　were　greasy　and　hard　to　hold。　The　Indian　breathed　gutturally　and　set　me　down　with　a　jar　that　lifted　the　top　of　my　head。　He　had　my　wrists　now；　instead　of　me　having　his。　He　twisted　them　behind　me　fast　and　a　knee　like　a　corner　stone　went　into　my　back。　He　bent　me。　I　can　be　bent。　I'm　not　the　City　Hall。　He　bent　me。
　I　tried　to　yell；　for　no　reason　at　all。　Breath　panted　in　my　throat　and　couldn't　get　out。　The　Indian　threw　me　sideways　and　got　a　body　scissors　on　me　as　I　fell。　He　had　me　in　a　barrel。　His　hands　went　to　my　neck。　Sometimes　I　wake　up　in　the　night。　I　feel　them　there　and　I　smell　the　smell　of　him。　I　feel　the　breath　fighting　and　losing　and　the　greasy　fingers　digging　in。　Then　I　get　up　and　take　a　drink　and　turn　the　radio　on。
　I　was　just　about　gone　when　the　light　flared　on　again；　blood　red；　on　account　of　the　blood　in　my　eyeballs　and　at　the　back　of　them。　A　face　floated　around　and　a　hand　pawed　me　delicately；　but　the　other　hands　stayed　on　my　throat。
　A　voice　said　softly；　〃Let　him　breathe…a　little。〃
　The　fingers　slackened。　I　wrenched　loose　from　them。　Something　that　glinted　hit　me　on　the　side　of　the　jaw。
　The　voice　said　softly：　〃Get　him　on　his　feet。〃
　The　Indian　got　me　on　my　feet。　He　pulled　me　back　against　the　wall；　holding　me　by　both　twisted　wrists。
　〃Amateur；〃　the　voice　said　softly　and　the　shiny　thing　that　was　as　hard　and　bitter　as　death　hit　me　again；　across　the　face。　Something　warm　trickled。　I　licked　at　it　and　tasted　iron　and　salt。
　A　hand　explored　my　wallet。　A　hand　explored　all　my　pockets。　The　cigarette　in　tissue　paper　came　out　and　was　unwrapped。　It　went　somewhere　in　the　haze　that　was　in　front　of　me。
〃There　were　three　cigarettes？〃　the　voice　said　gently；　and　the　shining　thing　hit　my　jaw　again。
〃Three；〃　I　gulped。
〃Just　where　did　you　say　the　others　were？〃