raymondchandler.farewellmylovely-第36部分

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the　gentle　voice　asked　in　my　ear。
　I　looked　at　him　again。　He　had　the　eyes　you　never　see；　that　you　only　read　about。　Violet　eyes。　Almost　purple。　Eyes　like　a　girl；　a　lovely　girl。　His　skin　was　as　soft　as　silk。　Lightly　reddened；　but　it　would　never　tan。　It　was　too　delicate。　He　was　bigger　than　Hemingway　and　younger；　by　many　years。　He　was　not　as　big　as　Moose　Malloy；　but　he　looked　very　fast　on　his　feet。　His　hair　was　that　shade　of　red　that　glints　with　gold。　But　except　for　the　eyes　he　had　a　plain　farmer　face；　with　no　stagy　kind　of　handsomeness。
〃What's　your　racket？〃　he　asked。　〃Private　eye？〃
〃Why　do　I　have　to　tell　you？〃　I　snarled。
〃I　kind　of　thought　that　was　it；〃　he　said。　〃Twenty…five　too　high？　No　expense　account？〃
〃No。〃
He　sighed。　〃It　was　a　bum　idea　I　had　anyway；〃　he　said。　〃They'll　tear　you　to　pieces　out　there。〃
〃I　wouldn't　be　surprised。　What's　your　racket？〃
〃A　dollar　here；　a　dollar　there。　I　was　on　the　cops　once。　They　broke　me。〃
〃Why　tell　me？〃
He　looked　surprised。　〃It's　true。〃
〃You　must　have　been　leveling。〃
He　smiled　faintly。
〃Know　a　man　named　Brunette？〃
　The　faint　smile　stayed　on　his　face。　Three　bingoes　were　made　in　a　row。　They　worked　fast　in　there。　A　tall　beak…faced　man　with　sallow　sunken　cheeks　and　a　wrinkled　suit　stepped　close　to　us　and　leaned　against　the　wall　and　didn't　look　at　us。　Red　leaned　gently　towards　him　and　asked：　〃Is　there　something　we　could　tell　you；　pardner？〃
　The　tall　beak…faced　man　grinned　and　moved　away。　Red　grinned　and　shook　the　building　leaning　against　the　wall　again。
　〃I've　met　a　man　who　could　take　you；〃　I　said。
　〃I　wish　there　was　more；〃　he　said　gravely。　〃A　big　guy　costs　money。　Things　ain't　scaled　for　him。　He　costs　to　feed；　to　put　clothes　on；　and　he　can't　sleep　with　his　feet　in　the　bed。　Here's　how　it　works。　You　might　not　think　this　is　a　good　place　to　talk；　but　it　is。　Any　finks　drift　along　I'll　know　them　and　the　rest　of　the　crowd　is　watching　those　numbers　and　nothing　else。　I　got　a　boat　with　an　under…water　by…pass。　That　is；　I　can　borrow　one。　There's　a　pier　down　the　line　without　lights。　I　know　a　loading　port　on　the　Monty　I　can　open。　I　take　a　load　out　there　once　in　a　while。　There　ain't　many　guys　below　decks。〃
〃They　have　a　searchlight　and　lookouts；〃　I　said。
〃We　can　make　it。〃
　I　got　my　wallet　out　and　slipped　a　twenty　and　a　five　against　my　stomach　and　folded　them　small。　The　purple　eyes　watched　me　without　seeming　to。
〃One　way？〃
〃Fifteen　was　the　word。〃
〃The　market　took　a　spurt。〃
　A　tarry　hand　swallowed　the　bills。　He　moved　silently　away。　He　faded　into　the　hot　darkness　outside　the　doors。　The　beak…nosed　man　materialized　at　my　left　side　and　said　quietly：
　〃I　think　I　know　that　fellow　in　sailor　clothes。　Friend　of　yours？　I　think　I　seen　him　before。〃
　I　straightened　away　from　the　wall　and　walked　away　from　him　without　speaking；　out　of　the　doors；　then　left；　watching　a　high　head　that　moved　along　from　electrolier　to　electrolier　a　hundred　feet　ahead　of　me。　After　a　couple　of　minutes　I　turned　into　a　space　between　two　concession　shacks。　The　beak…nosed　man　appeared；　strolling　with　his　eyes　on　the　ground。　I　stepped　out　to　his　side。
　〃Good　evening；〃　I　said。　〃May　I　guess　your　weight　for　a　quarter？〃　I　leaned　against　him。　There　was　a　gun　under　the　wrinkled　coat。
　His　eyes　looked　at　me　without　emotion。　〃Am　I　goin'　to　have　to　pinch　you；　son？　I'm　posted　along　this　stretch　to　maintain　law　and　order。〃
〃Who's　dismaintaining　it　right　now？〃
〃Your　friend　had　a　familiar　look　to　me。〃
〃He　ought　to。　He's　a　cop。〃
〃Aw　hell；〃　the　beak…nosed　man　said　patiently。　〃That's　where　I　seen　him。　Good　night　to　you。〃
　He　turned　and　strolled　back　the　way　he　had　e。　The　tall　head　was　out　of　sight　now。　It　didn't　worry　me。　Nothing　about　that　lad　would　ever　worry　me。
　I　walked　on　slowly。
　
　36
　Beyond　the　electroliers；　beyond　the　beat　and　toot　of　the　small　sidewalk　cars；　beyond　the　smell　of　hot　fat　and　popcorn　and　the　shrill　children　and　the　barkers　in　the　peep　shows；　beyond　everything　but　the　smell　of　the　ocean　and　the　suddenly　clear　line　of　the　shore　and　the　creaming　fall　of　the　waves　into　the　pebbled　spume。　I　walked　almost　alone　now。　The　noises　died　behind　me；　the　hot　dishonest　light　became　a　fumbling　glare。　Then　the　lightless　finger　of　a　black　pier　jutted　seaward　into　the　dark。　This　would　be　the　one。　I　turned　to　go　out　on　it。
　Red　stood　up　from　a　box　against　the　beginning　of　the　piles　and　spoke　upwards　to　me。　〃Right；〃　he　said。　〃You　go　on　out　to　the　seasteps。　I　gotta　go　and　get　her　and　warm　her　up。〃
　〃Waterfront　cop　followed　me。　That　guy　in　the　bingo　parlor。　I　had　to　stop　and　speak　to　him。〃
　〃Olson。　Pickpocket　detail。　He's　good　too。　Except　once　in　a　while　he　will　lift　a　leather　and　plant　it；　to　keep　up　his　arrest　record。　That's　being　a　shade　too　good；　or　isn't　it？〃
　〃For　Bay　City　I'd　say　just　about　right。　Let's　get　going。　I'm　getting　the　wind　up。　I　don't　want　to　blow　this　fog　away。　It　doesn't　look　much　but　it　would　help　a　lot。〃
　〃It'll　last　enough　to　fool　a　searchlight；〃　Red　said。　〃They　got　Tommy…guns　on　that　boat　deck。　You　go　on　out　the　pier。　I'll　be　along。〃
　He　melted　into　the　dark　and　I　went　out　the　dark　boards；　slipping　on　fish…slimed　planking。　There　was　a　low　dirty　railing　at　the　far　end。　A　couple　leaned　in　a　corner。　They　went　away；　the　man　swearing。
　For　ten　minutes　I　listened　to　the　water　slapping　the　piles。　A　night　bird　whirred　in　the　dark；　the　faint　grayness　of　a　wing　cut　across　my　vision　and　disappeared。　A　plane　droned　high　in　the　ceiling。　Then　far　off　a　motor　barked　and　roared　and　kept　on　roaring　like　half　a　dozen　truck　engines。　After　a　while　the　sound　eased　and　dropped；　then　suddenly　there　was　no　sound　at　all。
　More　minutes　passed。　I　went　back　to　the　seasteps　and　moved　down　them　as　cautiously　as　a　cat　on　a　wet　floor。　A　dark　shape　slid　out　of　the　night　and　something　thudded。　A　voice　said：　〃All　set。　Get　in。〃
　I　got　into　the　boat　and　sat　beside　him　under　the　screen。　The　boat　slid　out　over　the　water。　There　was　no　sound　from　its　exhaust　now　but　an　angry　bubbling　along　both　sides　of　the　shell。　Once　more　the　lights　of　Bay　City　became　something　distantly　luminous　beyond　the　rise　and　fall　of　alien　waves。　Once　more　the　garish　lights　of　the　Royal　Crown　slid　off　to　one　side；　the　ship　seeming　to　preen　itself　like　a　fashion　model　on　a　revolving　platform。　And　once　again　the　ports　of　the　good　ship　Montecito　grew　out　of　the　black　Pacific　and　the　slow　steady　sweep　of　the　searchlight　turned　around　it　like　the　beam　of　a　lighthouse。
　〃I'm　scared；〃　I　said　suddenly。　〃I'm　scared　stiff。〃
　Red　throttled　down　the　boat　and　let　it　slide　up　and　down　the　swell　as　though　the　water　moved　underneath　and　the　boat　stayed　in　the　same　place。　He　turned　his　face　and　stared　at　me。
　〃I'm　afraid　of　death　and　despair；〃　I　said。　〃Of　dark　water　and　drowned　men's　faces　and　skulls　with　empty　eyesockets。　i'm　afraid　of　dying；　of　being　nothing；　of　not　finding　a　man　named　Brunette。〃
　He　chuckled。　〃You　had　me　going　for　a　minute。　You　sure　give　yourself　a　pep　talk。　Brunette　might　be　any　place。　On　either　of　the　boats；　at　the　club　he　owns；　back　east；　Reno；　in　his　slippers　at　home。　That　all　you　want？〃
　〃I　want　a　man　named　Malloy；　a　huge　brute　who　got　out　of　the　Oregon　State　pen　a　while　back　after　an　eight…year　stretch　for　bank　robbery。　He　was　hiding　out　in　Bay　City。〃　I　told　him　about　it。　I　told　him　a　great　deal　more　than　I　intended　to。　It　must　have　been　his　eyes。
　At　the　end　he　thought　and　then　spoke　slowly　and　what　he　said　had　wisps　of　fog　clinging　to　it；　like　the　beads　on　a　mustache。　Maybe　that　made　it　seem　wiser　than　it　was；　maybe　not。
　〃Some　of　it　makes　sense；〃　he　said。　〃Some　not。　Some　I　wouldn't　know　about；　some　I　would。　If　this　Sonderborg　was　running　a　hideout　and　peddling　reefers　and　sending　boys　out　to　heist　jewels　off　rich　ladies　with　a　wild　look　in　their　eyes；　it　stands　to　reason　that　he　had　an　in　with　the　city　government；　but　that　don't　mean　they　knew　everything　he　did　or　that　every　cop　on　the　force　knew　he　had　an　in。　Could　be　Blane　did　and　Hemingway；　as　you　call　him；　didn't。　Blane's　bad；　the　other　guy　is　just　tough　cop；　neither　bad　nor　good；　neither　crooked　nor　honest；　full　of　guts　and　just　dumb　enough；　like　me；　to　think　being　on　the　cops　is　a　sensible　way　to　make　a　living。　This　psychic　fellow　doesn't　figure　either　way。　He　bought　himself　a　line　of　protection　in　the　best　market；　Bay　City；　and　he　used　it　when　he　had　to。　You　never　know　what　a　guy　like　that　is　up　to　and　so　you　never　know　what　he　has　on　his　conscience　or　is　afraid　of。　Could　be　he's　human　and　fell　for　a　customer　once　in　a　while。　Them　rich　dames　are　easier　to　make　than　paper　dolls。　So　my　hunch　about　your　stay　in　Sonderborg's　place　is　simply　that　Blane　knew　Sonderborg　would　be　scared　when　he　found　out　who　you　were…and　the　story　they　told　Sonderborg　is　probably　what　he　told　you；　that　they　found　you　wandering　with　your　head　dizzy…and　Sonderborg　wouldn't　know　what　to　do　with　you　and　he　would　be　afraid　either　to　let　you　go　or　to　knock　you　off；　and　after　long　enough　Blane　would　drop　around　and　raise　the　ante　on　him。　That's　all　there　was　to　that。　It　just　happened　they　could　use　you　and　they　did　it。　Blane　might　know　about　Malloy　too。　I　wouldn't　put　it　past　him。〃
　I　listened　and　watched　the　slow　sweep　of　the　searchlight　and　the　ing　and　going　of　the　water　taxi　far　over　to　the　right。
　〃I　know　how　these　boys　figure；〃　Red　said。　〃The　trouble　with　cops　is　not　that　they're　dumb　or　crooked　or　tough；　but　that　they　think　just　being　a　cop　gives　them　a　little　something　they　didn't　have　before。　Maybe　it　did　once；　but　not　any　more。　They're　topped　by　too　many　smart　minds。　That　brings　us　to　Brunette。　He　don't　run　the　town。　He　couldn't　be　bothered。　He　put　up　big　money　to　elect　a　mayor　so　his　water　taxis　wouldn't　be　bothered。　If　there　was　anything　in　particular　he　wanted；　they　would　give　it　to　him。　Like　a　while　ago　one　of　his　friends；　a　lawyer；　was　pinched　for　a　drunk　driving　felony　and　Brunette　got　the　charge　reduced　to　reckless　driving。　They　changed　the　blotter　to　do　it；　and　that's　a　felony　too。　Which　gives　you　an　idea。　His　racket　is　gambling　and　all　rackets　tie　together　these　days。　So　he　might　handle　reefers；　or　touch　a　percentage　from　some　one　of　his　workers　he　gave　the　business　to。　He　might　know　Sonderborg　and　he　might　not。　But　the　jewel　heist　is　out。　Figure　the　work　these　boys　done　for　eight　grand。　I