raymondchandler.thehighwindow-第10节

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fying　glasses　and　a　jeweller's　eyepiece　lying　on　a　buff　scratch　pad；　beside　a　cracked　yellow　silk　handkerchief　spotted　with　ink。
　 In　the　swivel　chair　at　the　desk　sat　an　elderly　party　in　a　dark　gray　suit　with　high　lapels　and　too　many　buttons　down　the　front。　He　had　some　stringy　white　hair　that　grew　long　enough　to　tickle　his　ears。　A　pale　gray　bald　patch　loomed　high　up　in　the　middle　of　it；　like　a　rock　above　timberline。　Fuzz　grew　out　of　his　ears；　far　enough　to　catch　a　moth。
　 He　had　sharp　black　eyes　with　a　pair　of　pouches　under　each　eye；　brownish　purple　in　color　and　traced　with　a　network　of　wrinkles　and　veins。　His　cheeks　were　shiny　and　his　short　sharp　nose　looked　as　if　it　had　hung　over　a　lot　of　quick　ones　in　its　time。　A　Hoover　collar　which　no　decent　laundry　would　have　allowed　on　the　premises　nudged　his　Adam's　apple　and　a　black　string　tie　poked　a　small　hard　knot　out　at　the　bottom　of　the　collar；　like　a　mouse　getting　ready　to　e　out　of　a　mousehole。
　 He　said：　〃My　young　lady　had　to　go　to　the　dentist。　You　are　Mr。　Marlowe？〃
　 I　nodded。
　 〃Pray；　be　seated。〃　He　waved　a　thin　hand　at　the　chair　across　the　desk。　I　sat　down。　〃You　have　some　identification；　I　presume？〃
　 I　showed　it　to　him。　While　he　read　it　I　smelled　him　from　across　the　desk。　He　had　a　sort　of　dry　musty　smell；　like　a　fairly　clean　Chinaman。
　 He　placed　my　card　face　down　on　top　of　his　desk　and　folded　his　hands　on　it。　His　sharp　black　eyes　didn't　miss　anything　in　my　face。　
　 〃Well；　Mr。　Marlowe；　what　can　I　do　for　you？〃
　 〃Tell　me　about　the　Brasher　Doubloon。〃
　 〃Ah；　yes；〃　he　said。　〃The　Brasher　Doubloon。　An　interesting　coin。〃　He　lifted　his　hands　off　the　desk　and　made　a　steeple　of　the　fingers；　like　an　old　time　family　lawyer　getting　set　for　a　little　tangled　grammar。　〃In　some　ways　the　most　interesting　and　valuable　of　all　early　American　coins。　As　no　doubt　you　know。〃
　 〃What　I　don't　know　about　early　American　coins　you　could　almost　crowd　into　the　Rose　Bowl。〃
　 〃Is　that　so？〃　he　said。　〃Is　that　so？　Do　you　want　me　to　tell　you？〃
　 〃What　I'm　here　for；　Mr。　Morningstar。〃
　 〃It　is　a　gold　coin；　roughly　equivalent　to　a　twenty…dollar　gold　piece；　and　about　the　size　of　a　half　dollar。　Almost　exactly。　It　was　made　for　the　State　of　New　York　in　the　year　1787。　It　was　not　minted。　There　were　no　mints　until　1793；　when　the　first　mint　was　opened　in　Philadelphia。　The　Brasher　Doubloon　was　coined　probably　by　the　pressure　molding　process　and　its　maker　was　a　private　goldsmith　named　Ephraim　Brasher；　or　Brashear。　Where　the　name　survives　it　is　usually　spelled　Brashear；　but　not　on　the　coin。　I　don't　know　why。〃
　 I　got　a　cigarette　into　my　mouth　and　lit　it。　I　thought　it　might　do　something　to　the　musty　smell。　〃What's　the　pressure　molding　process？〃
　 〃The　two　halves　of　the　mold　were　engraved　in　steel；　in　intaglio；　of　course。　These　halves　were　then　mounted　in　lead。　Gold　blanks　were　pressed　between　them　in　a　coin　press。　Then　the　edges　were　trimmed　for　weight　and　smoothed。　The　coin　was　not　milled。　There　were　no　milling　machines　in　1787。〃
　 〃Kind　of　a　slow　process；〃　I　said。
　 He　nodded　his　peaked　white　head。　〃Quite。　And；　since　the　surface…hardening　of　steel　without　distortion　could　not　be　acplished　at　that　time；　the　dies　wore　and　had　to　be　remade　from　time　to　time。　With　consequent　slight　variations　in　design　which　would　be　visible　under　strong　magnification。　In　fact　it　would　be　safe　to　say　no　two　of　the　coins　would　be　identical；　judged　by　modern　methods　of　microscopic　examination。　Am　I　clear？〃
　 〃Yeah；〃　I　said。　〃Up　to　a　point。　How　many　of　these　coins　are　there　and　what　are　they　worth？〃
　 He　undid　the　steeple　of　fingers　and　put　his　hands　back　on　the　desk　top　and　patted　them　gently　up　and　down。
　 〃I　don't　know　how　many　there　are。　Nobody　knows。　A　few　hundred；　a　thousand；　perhaps　more。　But　of　these　very　few　indeed　are　uncirculated　specimens　in　what　is　called　mint　condition。　The　value　varies　from　a　couple　of　thousand　on　up。　I　should　say　that　at　the　present　time；　since　the　devaluation　of　the　dollar；　an　uncirculated　specimen；　carefully　handled　by　a　reputable　dealer；　might　easily　bring　ten　thousand　dollars；　or　even　more。　It　would　have　to　have　a　history；　of　course。〃
　 I　said：　〃Ah；〃　and　let　smoke　out　of　my　lungs　slowly　and　waved　it　away　with　the　flat　of　my　hand；　away　from　the　old　party　across　the　desk　from　me。　He　looked　like　a　non…smoker。　〃And　without　a　history　and　not　so　carefully　handledhow　much？〃
　 He　shrugged。　〃There　would　be　the　implication　that　the　coin　was　illegally　acquired。　Stolen；　or　obtained　by　fraud。　Of　course　it　might　not　be　so。　Rare　coins　do　turn　up　in　odd　places　at　odd　times。　In　old　strong　boxes；　in　the　secret　drawers　of　desks　in　old　New　England　houses。　Not　often；　I　grant　you。　But　it　happens。　I　know　of　a　very　valuable　coin　that　fell　out　of　the　stuffing　of　a　horsehair　sofa　which　was　being　restored　by　an　antique　dealer。　The　sofa　had　been　in　the　same　room　in　the　same　house　in　Fall　River；　Massachusetts；　for　ninety　years。　Nobody　knew　how　the　coin　got　there。　But　generally　speaking；　the　implication　of　theft　would　be　strong。　Particularly　in　this　part　of　the　country。〃
　 He　looked　at　the　corner　of　the　ceiling　with　an　absent　stare。　I　looked　at　him　with　a　not　so　absent　stare。　He　looked　like　a　man　who　could　be　trusted　with　a　secretif　it　was　his　own　secret。
　 He　brought　his　eyes　down　to　my　level　slowly　and　said：　〃Five　dollars；　please。〃
　 I　said：　〃Huh？〃
　 〃Five　dollars；　please。〃
　 〃What　for？〃
　 〃Don't　be　absurd；　Mr。　Marlowe。　Everything　I　have　told　you　is　available　in　the　public　library。　In　Fosdyke's　Register；　in　particular。　You　choose　to　e　here　and　take　up　my　time　relating　it　to　you。　For　this　my　charge　is　five　dollars。〃
　 〃And　suppose　I　don't　pay　it；〃　I　said。
　 He　leaned　back　and　closed　his　eyes。　A　very　faint　smile　twitched　at　the　corners　of　his　lips。　〃You　will　pay　it；〃　he　said。
　 I　paid　it。　I　took　the　five　out　of　my　wallet　and　got　up　to　lean　over　the　desk　and　spread　it　out　right　in　front　of　him；　carefully。　I　stroked　the　bill　with　my　fingertips；　as　if　it　was　a　kitten。
　 〃Five　dollars；　Mr。　Morningstar；〃　I　said。
　 He　opened　his　eyes　and　looked　at　the　bill。　He　smiled。
　 〃And　now；〃　I　said；　〃let's　talk　about　the　Brasher　Doubloon　that　somebody　tried　to　sell　you。〃
　 He　opened　his　eyes　a　little　wider。　〃Oh；　did　somebody　try　to　sell　me　a　Brasher　Doubloon？　Now　why　would　they　do　that？〃
　 〃They　needed　the　money；〃　I　said。　〃And　they　didn't　want　too　many　questions　asked。　They　knew　or　found　out　that　you　were　in　the　business　and　that　the　building　where　you　had　your　office　was　a　shabby　dump　where　anything　could　happen。　They　knew　your　office　was　at　the　end　of　a　corridor　and　that　you　were　an　elderly　man　who　would　probably　not　make　any　false　movesout　of　regard　for　your　health。〃
　 〃They　seem　to　have　known　a　great　deal；〃　Elisha　Morningstar　said　dryly。
　 〃They　knew　what　they　had　to　know　in　order　to　transact　their　business。　Just　like　you　and　me。　And　none　of　it　was　hard　to　find　out。〃
　 He　stuck　his　little　finger　in　his　ear　and　worked　it　around　and　brought　it　out　with　a　little　dark　wax　on　it。　He　wiped　it　off　casually　on　his　coat。
　 〃And　you　assume　all　this　from　the　mere　fact　that　I　called　up　Mrs。　Murdock　and　asked　if　her　Brasher　Doubloon　was　for　sale？〃
　 〃Sure。　She　had　the　same　idea　herself。　It's　reasonable。　Like　I　said　over　the　phone　to　you；　you　would　know　that　coin　was　not　for　sale。　If　you　knew　anything　about　the　business　at　all。　And　I　can　see　that　you　do。〃
　 He　bowed；　about　one　inch。　He　didn't　quite　smile　but　he　looked　about　as　pleased　as　a　man　in　a　Hoover　collar　ever　looks。
　 〃You　would　be　offered　this　coin　for　sale；〃　I　said；　〃in　suspicious　circumstances。　You　would　want　to　buy　it；　if　you　could　get　it　cheap　and　had　the　money　to　handle　it。　But　you　would　want　to　know　where　it　came　from。　And　even　if　you　were　quite　sure　it　was　stolen；　you　could　still　buy　it；　if　you　could　get　it　cheap　enough。〃
　 〃Oh；　I　could；　could　I？〃　He　looked　amused；　but　not　in　a　large　way。
　 〃Sure　you　couldif　you　are　a　reputable　dealer。　I'll　assume　you　are。　By　buying　the　coincheapyou　would　be　protecting　the　owner　or　his　insurance　carrier　from　plete　loss。　They'd　be　glad　to　pay　you　back　your　outlay。　It's　done　all　the　time。〃
　 〃Then　the　Murdock　Brasher　has　been　stolen；〃　he　said　abruptly。　〃Don't　quote　me；〃　I　said。　〃It's　a　secret。〃
　 He　almost　picked　his　nose　this　time。　He　just　caught　himself。　He　picked　a　hair　out　of　one　nostril　instead；　with　a　quick　jerk　and　a　wince。　He　held　it　up　and　looked　at　it。　Looking　at　me　past　it　he　said：
　 〃And　how　much　will　your　principal　pay　for　the　return　of　the　coin？〃
　 I　leaned　over　the　desk　and　gave　him　my　shady　leer。　〃One　grand。　What　did　you　pay？〃
　 〃I　think　you　are　a　very　smart　young　man；〃　he　said。　Then　he　screwed　his　face　up　and　his　chin　wobbled　and　his　chest　began　to　bounce　in　and　out　and　a　sound　came　out　of　him　like　a　convalescent　rooster　learning　to　crow　again　after　a　long　illness。
　 He　was　laughing。
　 It　stopped　after　a　while。　His　face　came　all　smooth　again　and　his　eyes；　opened；　black　and　sharp　and　shrewd。
　 〃Eight　hundred　dollars；〃　he　said。　〃Eight　hundred　dollars　for　an　uncirculated　specimen　of　the　Brasher　Doubloon。〃　He　chortled。
　 〃Fine。　Got　it　with　you？　That　leaves　you　two　hundred。　Fair　enough。　A　quick　turnover；　a　reasonable　profit　and　no　trouble　for　anybody。〃
　 〃It　is