raymondchandler.thehighwindow-第24节

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　 〃The　Brasher　Doubloon。〃
　 She　looked　up　at　me　and　nodded；　rememberingletting　me　see　her　remembering。
　 〃Oh；　the　Brasher　Doubloon。〃
　 〃I　bet　you　pletely　forgot　it；〃　I　said。
　 〃Well；　no。　I've　seen　it　a　number　of　times；〃　she　said。　〃She　wants　it　back；　you　said。　Do　you　mean　she　thinks　I　took　it？〃
　 〃Yeah。　Just　that。〃
　 〃She's　a　dirty　old　liar；〃　Linda　Conquest　said。　
　 〃What　you　think　doesn't　make　you　a　liar；〃　I　said。　〃It　only　sometimes　makes　you　mistaken。　Is　she　wrong？〃
　 〃Why　would　I　take　her　silly　old　coin？〃
　 〃Wellit's　worth　a　lot　of　money。　She　thinks　you　might　need　money。　I　gather　she　was　not　too　generous。〃
　 She　laughed；　a　tight　sneering　little　laugh。　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃Mrs。　Elizabeth　Bright　Murdock　would　not　rate　as　very　generous。〃
　 〃Maybe　you　just　took　it　for　spite；　kind　of；〃　I　said　hopefully。
　 〃Maybe　I　ought　to　slap　your　face。〃　She　killed　her　cigarette　in　Morny's　copper　goldfish　bowl；　speared　the　crushed　stub　absently　with　the　letter　opener　and　dropped　it　into　the　wastebasket。
　 〃Passing　on　from　that　to　perhaps　more　important　matters；〃　I　said；　〃will　you　give　him　a　divorce？〃
　 〃For　twenty…five　grand；〃　she　said；　not　looking　at　me；　〃I　should　be　glad　to。〃
　 〃You're　not　in　love　with　the　guy；　huh？〃
　 〃You're　breaking　my　heart；　Marlowe。〃
　 〃He's　in　love　with　you；〃　I　said。　〃After　all　you　did　marry　him。〃
　 She　looked　at　me　lazily。　〃Mister；　don't　think　I　didn't　pay　for　that　mistake。〃　She　lit　another　cigarette。　〃But　a　girl　has　to　live。　And　it　isn't　always　as　easy　as　it　looks。　And　so　a　girl　can　make　a　mistake；　marry　the　wrong　guy　and　the　wrong　family；　looking　for　something　that　isn't　there。　Security；　or　whatever。〃
　 〃But　not　needing　any　love　to　do　it；〃　I　said。
　 〃I　don't　want　to　be　too　cynical；　Marlowe。　But　you'd　be　surprised　how　many　girls　marry　to　find　a　home；　especially　girls　whose　arm　muscles　are　all　tired　out　fighting　off　the　kind　of　optimists　that　e　into　these　gin　and　glitter　joints。〃
　 〃You　had　a　home　and　you　gave　it　up。〃
　 〃It　got　to　be　too　dear。　That　port…sodden　old　fake　made　the　bargain　too　tough。　How　do　you　like　her　for　a　client？〃
　 〃I've　had　worse。〃
　 She　picked　a　shred　of　tobacco　off　her　lip。　〃You　notice　what　she's　doing　to　that　girl？〃
　 〃Merle？　I　noticed　she　bullied　her。〃
　 〃It　isn't　just　that。　She　has　her　cutting　out　dolls。　The　girl　had　a　shock　of　some　kind　and　the　old　brute　has　used　the　effect　of　it　to　dominate　the　girl　pletely。　In　pany　she　yells　at　her　but　in　private　she's　apt　to　be　stroking　her　hair　and　whispering　in　her　ear。　And　the　kid　sort　of　shivers。〃
　 〃I　didn't　quite　get　all　that；〃　I　said。
　 〃The　kid's　in　love　with　Leslie；　but　she　doesn't　know　it。　Emotionally　she's　about　ten　years　old。　Something　funny　is　going　to　happen　in　that　family　one　of　these　days。　I'm　glad　I　won't　be　there。〃
　 I　said：　〃You're　a　smart　girl；　Linda。　And　you're　tough　and　you're　wise。　I　suppose　when　you　married　him　you　thought　you　could　get　your　hands　on　plenty。〃
　 She　curled　her　lip。　〃I　thought　it　would　at　least　be　a　vacation。　It　wasn't　even　that。　That's　a　smart　ruthless　woman；　Marlowe。　Whatever　she's　got　you　doing；　it's　not　what　she　says。　She's　up　to　something。　Watch　your　step。〃
　 〃Would　she　kill　a　couple　of　men？〃
　 She　laughed。
　 〃No　kidding；〃　I　said。　〃A　couple　of　men　have　been　killed　and　one　of　them　at　least　is　connected　with　rare　coins。〃
　 〃I　don't　get　it；〃　she　looked　at　me　levelly。　〃Murdered；　you　mean？〃
　 I　nodded。
　 〃You　tell　Morny　all　that？〃
　 〃About　one　of　them。〃
　 〃You　tell　the　cops？〃
　 〃About　one　of　them。　The　same　one。〃
　 She　moved　her　eyes　over　my　face。　We　stared　at　each　other。　She　looked　a　little　pale；　or　just　tired。　I　thought　she　had　grown　a　little　paler　than　before。
　 〃You're　making　that　up；〃　she　said　between　her　teeth。
　 I　grinned　and　nodded。　She　seemed　to　relax　then。
　 〃About　the　Brasher　Doubloon？〃　I　said。　〃You　didn't　take　it。　Okay。　About　the　divorce；　what？〃
　 〃That's　none　of　your　affair。〃
　 〃I　agree。　Well；　thanks　for　talking　to　me。　Do　you　know　a　fellow　named　Vannier？〃
　 〃Yes。〃　Her　face　froze　hard　now。　〃Not　well。　He's　a　friend　of　Lois。〃
　 〃A　very　good　friend。〃
　 〃One　of　these　days　he's　apt　to　turn　out　to　be　a　small　quiet　funeral　too。〃
　 〃Hints；〃　I　said；　〃have　sort　of　been　thrown　in　that　direction。　There's　something　about　the　guy。　Every　time　his　name　es　up　the　party　freezes。〃
　 She　stared　at　me　and　said　nothing。　I　thought　that　an　idea　was　stirring　at　the　back　of　her　eyes；　but　if　so　it　didn't　e　out。　She　said　quietly：
　 〃Morny　will　sure　as　hell　kill　him；　if　he　doesn't　lay　off　Lois。〃
　 〃Go　on　with　you。　Lois　flops　at　the　drop　of　a　hat。　Anybody　can　see　that。〃
　 〃Perhaps　Alex　is　the　one　person　who　can't　see　it。〃
　 〃Vannier　hasn't　anything　to　do　with　my　job　anyway。　He　has　no　connection　with　the　Murdocks。〃
　 She　lifted　a　corner　of　her　lip　at　me　and　said：　〃No？　Let　me　tell　you　something。　No　reason　why　I　should。　I'm　just　a　great　big　open…hearted　kid。　Vannier　knows　Elizabeth　Bright　Murdock　and　well。　He　never　came　to　the　house　but　once　while　I　was　there；　but　he　called　on　the　phone　plenty　of　times。　I　caught　some　of　the　calls。　He　always　asked　for　Merle。〃
　 〃Wellthat's　funny；〃　I　said。　〃Merle；　huh？〃
　 She　bent　to　crush　out　her　cigarette　and　again　she　speared　the　stub　and　dropped　it　into　the　wastebasket。
　 〃I'm　very　tired；〃　she　said　suddenly。　〃Please　go　away。〃
　 I　stood　there　for　a　moment；　looking　at　her　and　wondering。　Then　I　said：　〃Good　night　and　thanks。　Good　luck。〃
　 I　went　out　and　left　her　standing　there　with　her　hands　in　the　pockets　of　the　white　coat；　her　head　bent　and　her　eyes　looking　at　the　floor。
　 It　was　two　o'clock　when　I　got　back　to　Hollywood　and　put　the　car　away　and　went　upstairs　to　my　apartment。　The　wind　was　all　gone　but　the　air　still　had　that　dryness　and　lightness　of　the　desert。　The　air　in　the　apartment　was　dead　and　Breeze's　cigar　butt　had　made　it　a　little　worse　than　dead。　I　opened　windows　and　flushed　the　place　through　while　I　undressed　and　stripped　the　pockets　of　my　suit。
　 Out　of　them　with　other　things　came　the　dental　supply　pany's　bill。　It　still　looked　like　a　bill　to　one　H。　R。　Teager　for　30　lbs。　of　crystobolite　and　25　lbs。　of　albastone。
　 I　dragged　the　phone　book　up　on　the　desk　in　the　living　room　and　looked　up　Teager。　Then　the　confused　memory　clicked　into　place。　His　address　was　422　West　Ninth　Street。　The　address　of　the　Belfont　Building　was　422　West　Ninth　Street。
　 H。　R。　Teager　Dental　Laboratories　had　been　one　of　the　names　on　doors　on　the　sixth　floor　of　the　Belfont　Building　when　I　did　my　backstairs　crawl　away　from　the　office　of　Elisha　Morningstar。
　 But　even　the　Pinkertons　have　to　sleep；　and　Marlowe　needed　far；　far　more　sleep　than　the　Pinkertons。　I　went　to　bed。
　
　
　20
　
　 It　was　just　as　hot　in　Pasadena　as　the　day　before　and　the　big　dark　red　brick　house　on　Dresden　Avenue　looked　just　as　cool　and　the　little　painted　Negro　waiting　by　the　hitching　block　looked　just　as　sad。　The　same　butterfly　landed　on　the　same　hydrangea　bushor　it　looked　like　the　same　onethe　same　heavy　scent　of　summer　lay　on　the　morning；　and　the　same　middle…aged　sourpuss　with　the　frontier　voice　opened　to　my　ring。
　 She　led　me　along　the　same　hallways　to　the　same　sunless　sunroom。　In　it　Mrs。　Elizabeth　Bright　Murdock　sat　in　the　same　reed　chaise…longue　and　as　I　came　into　the　room　she　was　pouring　herself　a　slug　from　what　looked　like　the　same　port　bottle　but　was　more　probably　a　grandchild。
　 The　maid　shut　the　door；　I　sat　down　and　put　my　hat　on　the　floor；　just　like　yesterday；　and　Mrs。　Murdock　gave　me　the　same　hard　level　stare　and　said：
　 〃Well？〃
　 〃Things　are　bad；〃　I　said。　〃The　cops　are　after　me。〃
　 She　looked　as　flustered　as　a　side　of　beef。　〃Indeed。　I　thought　you　were　more　petent　than　that。〃
　 I　brushed　it　off。　〃When　I　left　here　yesterday　morning　a　man　followed　me　in　a　coupé。　I　don't　know　what　he　was　doing　here　or　how　he　got　here。　I　suppose　he　followed　me　here；　but　I　feel　doubtful　about　that。　I　shook　him　off；　but　he　turned　up　again　in　the　hall　outside　my　office。　He　followed　me　again；　so　I　invited　him　to　explain　why　and　he　said　he　knew　who　I　was　and　he　needed　help　and　asked　me　to　e　to　his　apartment　on　Bunker　Hill　and　talk　to　him。　I　went；　after　I　had　seen　Mr。　Morningstar；　and　found　the　man　shot　to　death　on　the　floor　of　his　bathroom。〃
　 Mrs。　Murdock　sipped　a　little　port。　Her　hand　might　have　shaken　a　little；　but　the　light　in　the　room　was　too　dim　for　me　to　be　sure。　She　cleared　her　throat。
　 〃Go　on。〃
　 〃His　name　is　George　Anson　Phillips。　A　young；　blond　fellow；　rather　dumb。　He　claimed　to　be　a　private　detective。〃
　 〃I　never　heard　of　him；〃　Mrs。　Murdock　said　coldly。　〃I　never　saw　him　to　my　knowledge　and　I　don't　know　anything　about　him。　Did　you　think　I　employed　him　to　follow　you？〃
　 〃I　didn't　know　what　to　think。　He　talked　about　pooling　our　resources　and　he　gave　me　the　impression　that　he　was　working　for　some　member　of　your　family。　He　didn't　say　so　in　so　many　words。〃
　 〃He　wasn't。　You　can　be　quite　definite　on　that。〃　The　baritone　voice　was　as　steady　as　a　rock。
　 〃I　don't　think　you　know　quite　as　much　about　your　family　as　you　think　you　do；　Mrs。　Murdock。〃
　 〃I　know　you　have　been　questioning　my　soncontrary　to　my　orders；〃　she　said　coldly。
　 〃I　didn't　question　him。　He　questioned　me。　Or　tried　to。〃
　 〃We'll　go　into　that　later；〃　she　said　ha