cb.damnationgame-第38部分

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had　said　something　about　his　guest　providing　the　meat。
　　〃It　was　good；　whatever　it　was；〃　he　said。
　　〃None　of　my　doing；〃　Pearl　said；　offended　as　a　wife　discovering　her　husband's　adultery。
　　Marty　put　the　conversation　to　rest；　it　was　no　use　trying　to　raise　her　spirits　when　she　was　in　this　kind　of　mood。
　　The　meal　finished；　he　went　up　to　Carys〃　room。　The　house　was　pin…drop　still：　after　the　lethal　farce　of　the　previous　night　it　had　regained　its　posure。　The　pictures　that　lined　the　staircase；　the　carpets　underfoot；　all　conspired　against　any　rumor　of　distress。　Chaos　here　was　as　unthinkable　as　a　riot　in　an　art　gallery：　all　precedent　forbade　it。
　　He　knocked　on　Carys〃　door；　lightly。　There　was　no　answer；　so　he　knocked　again；　more　loudly　this　time。
　　〃Carys？〃　Perhaps　she　didn't　want　to　speak　to　him。　He'd　never　been　able　to　predict　from　one　day　to　the　next　whether　they　were　lovers　or　enemies。　Her　ambiguities　no　longer　distressed　him；　however。　It　was　her　way　of　testing　him；　he　guessed；　and　it　was　fine　by　him　as　long　as　she　finally　admitted　that　she　loved　him　more　than　any　other　fucker　on　the　face　of　the　earth。
　　He　tried　the　handle；　the　door　wasn't　locked。　The　room　beyond　was　empty。　Not　only　did　it　not　contain　Carys；　it　contained　no　trace　of　her　existence　there。　Her　books；　her　toiletries；　her　clothes；　her　ornaments；　everything　that　marked　out　the　room　as　hers　had　been　removed。　The　sheets　had　been　stripped　from　the　bed；　the　pillowcases　from　the　pillow。　The　bare　mattress　looked　desolate。
　　Marty　closed　the　door　and　started　downstairs。　He'd　asked　for　explanations　more　than　once　and　he'd　been　granted　precious　few。　But　this　was　too　much。　He　wished　to　God　Toy　was　still　around：　at　least　he'd　treated　Marty　as　a　thinking　animal。
　　Luther　was　back　in　the　kitchen；　his　feet　up　on　the　table　among　a　clutter　of　unwashed　dishes。　Pearl　had　clearly　left　her　province　to　the　barbarians。
　　〃Where's　Carys？〃　was　Marty's　first　question。
　　〃You　never　quit；　do　you？〃　Luther　said。　He　stubbed　out　his　cigarette　on　Marty's　lunch　plate；　and　turned　a　page　of　his　magazine。
　　Marty　felt　detonation　approaching。　He'd　never　liked　Luther；　but　he'd　taken　months　of　sly　remarks　from　the　bastard　because　the　system　forbade　the　kind　of　response　he　really　wanted　to　give。　Now　that　system　was　crumbling；　rapidly。　Toy　gone；　dogs　dead；　heels　on　the　kitchen　table：　who　the　hell　cared　any　longer　if　he　beat　Luther　to　pulp？
　　〃I　want　to　know　where　Carys　is。〃　〃No　lady　by　that　name　here。〃　Marty　took　a　step　toward　the　table。　Luther　seemed　to　sense　that　his　repartee　had　gone　sour。　He　slung　down　the　magazine；　the　smile　disappeared。
　　〃Don't　get　edgy；　man。〃　〃Where　is　she？〃　He　smoothed　the　page　in　front　of　him；　palm　down　across　the　sleek　nude。　〃She's　gone；〃　he　said。
　　〃Where？〃　〃Gone；　man。　That's　all。　You　deaf；　stupid；　or　both？〃　Marty　crossed　the　kitchen　in　one　second　flat　and　hauled　Luther　out　of　his　chair。　Like　most　spontaneous　violence；　there　was　no　grace　in　it。　The　ragged　attack　threw　them　both　off…balance。　Luther　half…fell　back；　an　outflung　arm　catching　a　coffee　cup；　which　leaped　and　smashed　as　they　staggered　across　the　kitchen。　Finding　his　balance　first；　Luther　brought　his　knee　up　into　Marty's　groin。
　　〃Je…sus！〃　〃You　get　your　fucking　hands　off　me；　man！〃　Luther　yelled；　panicked　by　the　outburst。　〃I　don't　want　no　fight　with　you；　right？〃　The　demands　became　a　plea　for　sanity…〃e　on；　man。　Calm　down。〃　Marty　replied　by　launching　himself　at　the　other　man；　fists　flying。　A　blow；　more　chance　than　intention；　connected　with　Luther's　face；　and　Marty　followed　through　with　three　or　four　punches　to　stomach　and　chest。　Luther；　stepping　back　to　avoid　this　assault；…　slid　in　cold　coffee　and　fell。　Breathless　and　bloodied；　he　stayed　down　on　the　floor　where　he　was　safe；　while　Marty；　eyes　streaming　from　the　blow　to　his　balls；　rubbed　his　aching　hands。
　　〃Just　tell　me　where　she　is　。　。　。〃　he　gasped。
　　Luther　spat　out　a　wad　of　blood…tinted　phlegm　before　speaking。
　　〃You're　out　of　your　fucking　mind；　man；　you　know　that？　I　don't　know　where　she's　gone。　Ask　the　big　white　father。　He's　the　one　who　feeds　her　fucking　heroin。〃　Of　course；　in　that　revelation　lay　the　answer　to　half　a　dozen　mysteries。　It　explained　her　reluctance　to　leave　the　old　man；　it　explained　her　lassitude　too；　that　inability　to　see　beyond　the　next　day；　the　next　fix。
　　〃And　you　supply　the　stuff？　Is　that　it？〃　〃Maybe　I　do。　But　I　never　addicted　her；　man。　I　never　did　that。　That　was　him；　all　along　it　was　him！　He　did　it　to　keep　her。　To　fucking　keep　her。　Bastard。〃　It　was　spoken　with　genuine　contempt。　〃What　kind　of　father　does　that？　I　tell　you；　that　fucker　could　teach　us　both　a　few　lessons　in　dirty　tricks。〃　He　paused　to　finger　the　inside　of　his　mouth；　he　clearly　had　no　intention　of　standing　up　again　until　Marty's　bloodlust　had　subsided。　〃I　don't　ask　no　questions；〃　he　said。　〃All　I　know　is　I　had　to　clear　out　her　room　this　morning。〃　〃Where's　her　stuff　gone？〃　He　didn't　answer　for　several　seconds。　〃Burned　most　of　it；〃　he　said　finally。
　　〃In　God's　name；　why？〃　〃Old　man's　orders。　You　finished？〃　Marty　nodded。　〃I've　finished。〃　〃You　and　I；〃　Luther　said；　〃we　never　liked　each　other　from　the　start。　You　know　why？〃　〃Why？〃　〃We're　both　shit；〃　he　said　grimly。　〃Worthless　shit。　Except　I　know　what　I　am。　I　can　even　live　with　it。　But　you；　you　poor　bastard；　you　think　if　you　brown…nose　around　long　enough　one　of　these　days　someone's　going　to　forgive　you　your　trespasses。〃　Marty　snorted　mucus　into　his　hand　and　wiped　it　on　his　jeans。
　　〃Truth　hurt？〃　Luther　jibed。
　　〃All　right；〃　Marty　came　back；　〃if　you're　so　good　with　the　truth　maybe　you　can　tell　me　what's　going　on　around　here。〃　〃I　told　you：　I　don't　ask　questions。〃　〃You　never　wondered？〃　〃Of　course　I　fucking　wondered。　I　wondered　every　day　I　brought　the　kid　dope；　or　saw　the　old　man　sweat　when　it　started　to　get　dark。　But　why　should　there　be　any　sense　to　it？　He's　a　lunatic；　that's　your　answer。　He　lost　his　marbles　when　his　wife　went。　Too　sudden。　He　couldn't　take　it。　He's　been　out　of　his　mind　ever　since。〃　〃And　that's　enough　to　explain　everything　that's　going　on？〃　Luther　wiped　a　spot　of　bloody　spittle　off　his　chin　with　the　back　of　his　hand。　〃Hear　no　evil；　speak　no　evil；　see　no　evil；〃　he　said。
　　〃I'm　no　monkey；〃　Marty　replied。
　　
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　　It　wasn't　until　the　middle　of　the　evening　that　the　old　man　would　consent　to　see　Marty。　By　that　time　the　edge　had　been　taken　off　his　anger；　which　was　presumably　the　intention　of　the　delay。　Whitehead　had　forsaken　the　study　and　the　chair　by　the　window　tonight。　He　sat　in　the　library　instead。　The　only　lamp　that　burned　in　the　room　had　been　placed　a　little　way　behind　his　chair。　As　a　consequence；　it　was　almost　impossible　to　see　his　face；　and　his　voice　was　so　drained　of　color　that　no　clue　to　his　mood　could　be　caught　from　it：　But　Marty　had　half…expected　the　theatrics；　and　was　prepared　for　them。　There　were　questions　to　be　asked；　and　he　wasn't　about　to　be　intimidated　into　silence。
　　〃Where's　Carys？〃　he　demanded。
　　The　head　moved　a　little　in　the　cove　of　the　chair。　The　hands　closed　a　book　on　his　lap　and　placed　it　on　the　table。　One　of　the　science　fiction　paperbacks；　light　reading　for　a　dark　night。
　　〃What　business　is　it　of　yours？〃　Whitehead　wanted　to　know。
　　Marty　thought　he'd　predicted　all　the　responses…bribery；　prevarication…but　this　question；　throwing　the　onus　of　inquiry　back　onto　him；　he　hadn't　expected。　It　begged　other　questions：　did　Whitehead　know　about　his　relationship　with　Carys；　for　instance？　He'd　tortured　himself　all　afternoon　with　the　idea　that　she'd　told　him　everything；　gone　to　the　old　man　after　that　first　night；　and　the　subsequent　nights；　to　report　his　every　clumsiness；　every　na？veté。
　　〃I　need　to　know；〃　he　said。
　　〃Well；　I　see　no　reason　why　you　shouldn't　be　told；〃　the　dead　voice　replied　〃though　God　knows　it's　a　private　hurt。　Still；　there　are　very　few　people　I　have　left　to　confide　in。〃　Marty　tried　to　locate　Whitehead's　eyes；　but　the　light　behind　the　chair　dazzled　him。　All　he　could　do　was　listen　to　the　even　modulation　of　the　voice；　and　try　to　dig　out　the　implications　beneath　the　flow。
　　〃She's　been　taken　away；　Marty。　At　my　request。　Somewhere　where　her　problems　can　be　dealt　with　in　a　proper　manner。〃　〃The　drugs？〃　〃You　must　have　realized　her　addiction　has　worsened　considerably　in　the　last　few　weeks。　I　had　hoped　to　contain　it　by　giving　her　enough　to　keep　her　content；　while　slowly　reducing　her　supply。　It　was　working　too；　until　recently。〃　He　sighed；　a　hand　went　up　to　his　face。　〃I've　been　stupid。　I　should　have　conceded　defeat　a　long　time　ago；　and　sent　her　to　a　clinic。　But　I　didn't　want　to　have　her　taken　from　me；　it　was　as　simple　as　that。　Then　last　night…our　visitors；　the　slaughter　of　the　dogs…I　realized　how　selfish　I　was；　subjecting　her　to　such　pressures。　It's　too　late　in　the　day　for　possessiveness　or　pride。　If　people　find　out　my　daughter's　a　junkie；　then　so　be　it。〃　〃I　see。〃　〃You　were　fond　of　her。〃　〃Yes。〃　〃She's　a　beautiful　girl；　and　you're　lonely。　She　spoke　warmly　of　you。　In　time　we'll　have　her　back　amongst　us；　I'm　sure。〃　〃I'd　like　to　visit　her。〃　〃Again；　in　time。　I'm　told　they　demand　isolation　in　the　first　few　weeks。　of　treatment。　But　rest　assured；　she's　in　good　hands。〃　It　was　all　so　persuasive。　But　lies。　Surely；　lies。　Carys〃　room　had　been　stripped：　was　that　in　anticipation　of　her　being　〃amongst　them　again〃　in　a　few　weeks？　This　was　all　another　fiction。　Before　Marty　could　protest；　however；　Whitehead　was　speaking　again；　a　measured　cadence。
　　〃You're　so　close　to　me　now；　Marty。　The　way　Bill　used　to　be。　In　fact；　I　really　think　you　should　be　weled　into　the　inner　circle；　don't　you？　I'm　having　a　dinner　party　next　Sunday。　I'd　like　you　to　be　there。　Our　guest　of　honor。〃　This　was　fine；　flattering　talk。　Effortlessly；　the　old　man　had　gained　the　upper　hand。　〃In　the　week　I　think　you　should　go　down　to　London　and　buy　yourself　something　decent　to　wear。　I'm　afraid　my　dinner　parties　are　rather　formal。〃　He　reached　for　the　paperback　again　and　opened　it。
　　〃Here's　a　check。〃　It　lay　in　the　fold　of　the　book；　already　signed；　ready　for　Marty。　〃It　should　cover　the　price　of　a　good　suit；　shirts；　shoes。　Whatever　else　you　want　to　treat　yourself　to。〃　The　check　was　proffered　between　fore　and　middle　finger。　〃Take　it；　please。〃　Marty　stepped　forward　and　took　the　check。
　　〃Thank　you。〃　〃I