demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第66部分

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　〃Yes。〃
　〃She　kept　her　watch　on。〃
　〃Yes。　She　wanted　to　keep　track　of　the　time。　She　could　see　the　watch　face；　and　she　thought　that　would　be　reassuring　somehow　as　she　waited　for　her　parents。〃
　Odd；　I　thought；　but　a　lot　less　odd　than　the　scene　that　presented　itself　to　me　the　first　time　I　saw　her　naked　and　staked　out；　wearing　a　watch　and　nothing　else。　In　fact；　I　had　e　a　long　way　since　that　morning；　when　I　thought　I　was　looking　at　the　work　of　a　homicidal　rapist。　In　truth；　the　crime　had　taken　place　in　phases；　in　stages；　and　the　genesis　of　the　crime　was　a　decade　old；　and　what　I　saw　was　not　what　it　seemed　to　all　the　world　to　be。　What　I　saw　was　the　end　product　of　a　bizarre　night　that　could　have　ended　differently。
　I　said　to　Moore；　〃By　the　way；　did　you　notice　if　she　had　her　West　Point　ring　on？〃
　He　replied　without　hesitation；　〃Yes；　she　did。　It　was　a　symbolic　link　to　the　original　rape。　It　was　engraved　with　her　name　on　the　inside；　of　course；　and　she　intended　to　give　it　to　her　father　as　a　token　of　some　sort…as　a　way　of　saying　that　the　bad　memories　that　it　symbolized　were　in　his　possession；　and　she　did　not　want　to　be　reminded　of　them　again。〃
　〃I　see　。。。〃　My　goodness；　this　was　a　unique；　if　somewhat　troubled；　woman。　And　it　occurred　to　me　that　there　was　some　sort　of　psychosexual　thing　between　father　and　daughter　that　was　buried　deep　down　there；　and　probably　Moore　understood　it；　and　maybe　all　the　Campbells　understood　it；　but　I　damned　sure　didn't　want　to　know　about　it。
　I　exchanged　glances　with　Cynthia；　and　I　think　she　had　the　same　thought　that　I　did。　But　back　to　the　crime　in　question。　I　said　to　Moore；　〃Then　you　both　walked　out　on　the　range；　picked　a　spot　at　the　base　of　the　closest　pop…up　target　about　fifty　meters　from　the　road；　and　she　lay　down　and　spread　her　arms　and　legs。〃　I　looked　at　him　and　asked；　〃How　does　it　feel　to　be　thought　of　as　a　handy　eunuch？〃
　He　showed　a　flash　of　anger；　then　controlled　it　and　said；　〃I　have　never　taken　sexual　advantage　of　a　patient。　No　matter　how　bizarre　you　may　think　this　therapy　was；　it　was　designed　to　help；　to　act　as　a　catharsis　for　both　parties。　The　therapy　did　not　include　me　having　sex　with；　or　raping；　my　patient　when　she　was　tied　up。〃
　〃You're　one　hell　of　a　guy；　an　absolute　paragon　of　professional　standards。　But　let　me　not　get　myself　all　pissed…off　again。　What　I　want　to　know　from　you　is　what　happened　after　you　tied　the　last　knot。　Talk　to　me。〃
　〃All　right　。。。　Well；　we　spoke　a　moment；　and　she　thanked　me　for　risking　so　much　to　assist　her　in　her　plan…〃
　〃Colonel；　cut　the　self…serving　crap。　Continue。〃
　He　took　a　deep　breath　and　went　on。　〃I　walked　back　to　the　humvee；　collected　the　plastic　bag　of　clothes；　and　also　my　briefcase；　which　I　had　used　to　carry　the　tent　stakes　and　rope；　and　which　now　held　only　the　hammer；　then　I　went　to　the　latrine　sheds　behind　the　bleacher　seats　and　waited。〃
　〃Waited　for　what？　For　whom？〃
　〃Well；　for　her　parents；　of　course。　Also；　she　was　concerned　that　someone　else　might　e　by　first　and　see　her　humvee；　so　she　asked　me　to　stay　until　her　parents　got　there。〃
　〃And　what　were　you　supposed　to　do　if　anyone　else　showed　up　first？　Hide　your　head　in　the　toilet　bowl？〃
　I　felt　Cynthia　kick　me　under　the　table；　and　she　took　over　the　interview。　She　asked　Moore；　nicely；　〃What　were　you　supposed　to　do；　Colonel？〃
　He　looked　at　her；　then　at　the　donut；　then　at　her　again　and　replied；　〃Well；　I　had　her　pistol　in　the　plastic　bag。　But　。。。　I　don't　know　exactly　what　I　was　supposed　to　do；　but　if　anyone　else　came　along　and　saw　her　before　her　parents　did；　I　was　prepared　to　see　that　no　harm　came　to　her。〃
　〃I　see。　And　it　was　at　this　point　that　you　used　the　latrine？〃　Moore　seemed　a　little　surprised；　then　nodded。　〃Yes　。。。　I　had　to　use　the　latrine。〃
　I　said　to　him；　〃You　were　so　scared；　you　had　to　piss。　Right？　Then　you　washed　your　hands　like　a　good　soldier；　then　what？〃
　He　stared　at　me；　then　directed　his　reply　to　Cynthia。　〃I　stood　behind　the　latrine　shed；　then　I　saw　the　headlights　on　the　road。　The　vehicle　stopped；　and　when　the　driver's　side　door　opened；　I　could　see　it　was　the　general。　In　any　case；　it　was　full　moonlight；　and　I　recognized　Mrs。　Campbell's　car；　though　I　didn't　see　her。〃　He　added；　〃I　was　afraid　that　General　Campbell　might　not　take　his　wife　along。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Well　。。。　without　Mrs。　Campbell；　the　situation　had　the　potential　to　get　out　of　hand。　I　never　thought　that　the　general　would　be　able　to　approach　his　own　daughter；　naked　。。。　I　was　fairly　certain　that；　if　it　were　only　those　two；　the　sparks　would　fly。〃
　Cynthia　looked　at　him　a　long　moment；　then　asked；　〃Did　you　stay　around　for　the　exchange　between　General　Campbell　and　his　daughter？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃We　decided　that　I　should　not。　As　soon　as　I　was　sure　it　was　the　general；　I　threw　the　plastic　bag　with　her　clothing　onto　the　latrine　roof；　then　I　hurried　back　along　that　log　trail。　It　was　about　a　five…minute　walk　back　to　my　car；　and　I　couldn't　be　certain　how　long　this　exchange　between　the　two　was　going　to　last。　I　wanted　to　get　my　car　on　the　road　and　head　back　toward　post　as　soon　as　possible；　which　I　did。〃
　Cynthia　asked；　〃And　did　you　see　any　other　vehicle　on　the　road　as　you　were　driving　back　to　post？〃
　〃No；　I　did　not。〃
　Cynthia　and　I　glanced　at　each　other；　and　I　looked　at　Moore。　I　said　to　him；　〃Colonel；　think。　Did　you　see　any　other　headlights　going　in　either　direction？〃
　〃No。　Absolutely　not。　That's　what　I　was　concerned　about　。。。〃　He　added；　〃I　was　certain　I　wasn't　seen。〃
　〃And　you　saw　no　one　on　foot？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Did　you　see　or　hear　anything　when　you　were　at　rifle　range　five　or　six？　How　about　at　the　latrine；　the　humvee；　on　the　trail？〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃No。〃
　〃So　after　you　left；　someone　killed　her。〃
　〃Yes。　I　left　her　alive。〃
　〃Who　do　you　think　killed　her？〃
　He　looked　at　me；　sort　of　surprised。　〃Well；　the　general；　of　course。　I　thought　you　knew　that。〃
　〃Why　do　you　say　that？〃
　〃Why？　You　know　what　happened。　You　know　that　my　part　was　only　to　help　her　re…create　the　rape　scene　for　her　parents　to　see。　He　got　there…I　saw　him　with　my　own　eyes…and　later　that　morning　she　was　found　strangled。　Who　else　could　have　done　it？〃
　Cynthia　asked　him；　〃What　did　she　expect　her　parents　to　do？　What　did　she　say　to　you　about　that？〃
　Moore　thought　a　moment；　then　replied；　〃Well　。。。　I　think　she　expected　them　to　。。。　She　didn't　know　quite　how　they　were　going　to　deal　with　what　they　saw；　but　she　fully　expected　them　to　get　her　out　of　there　no　matter　how　difficult　it　was　for　them。〃　He　added；　〃She　knew　they　wouldn't　leave　her　there；　so　they　would　be　forced　to　confront　her；　confront　her　nakedness；　her　shame　and　humiliation；　and　to　physically　undo　her　bonds；　and　thereby　psychologically　free　not　only　her　but　themselves。〃　He　looked　at　us。　〃Do　you　understand？〃
　Cynthia　nodded。　〃Yes；　I　understand　the　theory。〃
　I　put　in　my　opinion。　〃Sounds　screwy　to　me。〃
　Moore　said　to　me；　〃If　Mrs。　Campbell　had　been　there；　it　might　have　worked。　Certainly；　it　would　not　have　ended　in　tragedy。〃
　〃Well；　the　best…laid　plans　of　shrinks　usually　go　astray。〃
　He　ignored　me　and　said　to　Cynthia；　〃Could　you　at　least　pass　that　cup　of　milk　here？　I'm　very　dry。〃
　〃Sure。〃　Cynthia　put　the　milk　near　his　manacled　hands；　and　he　took　the　cup　with　both　hands　and　drained　it　in　one　long　gulp。　He　put　the　cup　down；　and　we　all　stayed　silent　for　a　minute　or　so　while　Moore　savored　the　milk　as　if　it　were　a　glass　of　that　cream　sherry　he　liked。
　Cynthia　said　to　him；　〃Did　she　ever　indicate　to　you　that　she　thought　her　father　might　e　alone；　might　bee　enraged；　and　actually　kill　her？〃
　Moore　answered　quickly；　〃No！　If　she　had；　I　would　never　have　agreed　to　her…to　the　plan。〃
　I　nodded　to　myself。　I　didn't　know　if　that　was　true　or　not；　and　only　two　people　did。　One　of　them　was　dead；　the　other；　sitting　here；　was　going　to　lie　about　it　to　mitigate　what　he'd　done。　The　general　himself　knew；　of　course；　how　he'd　felt　in　that　moment　when　his　daughter　had　hurled　the　challenge　at　him。　But　he　couldn't　even　tell　himself　what　he　felt；　and　he　wasn't　going　to　tell　me。　In　a　way；　it　didn't　matter　anymore。
　Cynthia　asked　the　prisoner；　〃Did　it　occur　to　you　or　Ann　Campbell　that　the　general　did　not　e　prepared　to　free　his　daughter…I　don't　mean　psychologically…I'm　referring　to　a　knife　or　stake　puller。〃
　Moore　replied；　〃Yes；　she　considered　that。　In　fact；　I　stuck　a　bayonet　in　the　ground　。。。　you　found　that；　didn't　you？〃
　Cynthia　asked；　〃Where　was　the　bayonet？〃
　〃Well　。。。　sort　of　between　her　legs　。。。　The　men　who　raped　her　at　West　Point　took　her　bayonet　and　jammed　it　in　the　ground；　close　to　her　。。。　her　vagina；　then　warned　her　about　not　reporting　what　happened；　then　she　was　cut　loose。〃　Cynthia　nodded。　〃I　see　。。。〃
　Moore　continued；　〃She　was　trying　to　shock　him；　of　course；　shock　both　of　them；　and　they　were　going　to　have　to　retrieve　the　bayonet　and　cut　her　loose。　Then　she　thought　he　would　offer　her　his　shirt　or　jacket。　I'd　left　her　bra　there；　and　her　panties　were　around　her　neck；　as　I'm　sure　you　found　them。　That's　how　they　had　left　her　in　the　woods　at　West　Point。　They'd　thrown　her　clothes　around；　and　she'd　had　to　retrieve　them　in　the　dark。　In　this　case；　however；　she　intended　for　her　parents　to　help　her　back　to　the　humvee；　then　she　intended　to　tell　her　father　where　her　clothes　were…on　top　of　the　latrine…and　make　him　go　get　them。　She'd　left　her　handbag　in　the　humvee　with　her　keys；　and　it　was　her　intention　to　get　dressed　and　drive　off　as　if　nothing　had　happened；　then　return　to　duty　at　Post　Headquarters。　Then　she　was　going　to　show　up　at　the　breakfast　meeting　she　had　with　her　parents；　and；　at　that　point；　they　would　all　confront　the　issues。〃
　Again　Cynthia　nodded。　She　asked；　〃Did　she　have　much　hope　for　this　breakfast　meeting？〃
　He　considered　a　moment；　then　replied；　〃Yes；　I　think　she　did。　Depending；　of　course；　on　how　her　father　and　mother　had　reacted　to　the　rape　scene。　Well；　as　it　turned　out；　Mrs。　Campbell　had　not　e　along。　But　I　think　that　Ann　realized　that　whatever　forces　she　unleashed　that　night；　no　matter　how　her　father　reacted；　things　could　not　get　any　worse。　There　is　a　high　risk　with　shock　therapy；　but　when　you've　nothing　left　to　lose；　when　you've　hit　bottom；　then　you're　ready　to　gamble　everything　and　hope　for　the　best。〃
　Cynthia　nodded　again；　the　way　they　tell　you　to　do　in　the　interrogation　manual。　Be　positive；