raymondchandler.thehighwindow-第31节

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nt　of　a　lettered　window；　with　the　smell　of　ham　hocks　and　cabbage　ing　out　of　the　door　at　his　elbow。
　 I　sighed；　retrieved　the　envelope；　wrote　its　name　and　address　on　a　fresh　one；　folded　a　dollar　bill　into　a　sheet　of　paper　and　wrote　on　it：　〃This　is　positively　the　last　contribution。〃　I　signed　my　name；　sealed　the　envelope；　stuck　a　stamp　on　it　and　poured　another　drink。
　 I　filled　and　lit　my　pipe　and　sat　there　smoking。　Nobody　came　in；　nobody　called；　nothing　happened；　nobody　cared　whether　I　died　or　went　to　El　Paso。
　 Little　by　little　the　roar　of　the　traffic　quieted　down。　The　sky　lost　its　glare。　Over　in　the　west　it　would　be　red。　An　early　neon　light　showed　a　block　away；　diagonally　over　roofs。　The　ventilator　churned　dully　in　the　wall　of　the　coffee　shop　down　in　the　alley。　A　truck　filled　and　backed　and　growled　its　way　out　on　to　the　boulevard。
　 Finally　the　telephone　rang。　I　answered　it　and　the　voice　said：　〃Mr。　Marlowe？　This　is　Mr。　Shaw。　At　the　Bristol。〃
　 〃Yes；　Mr。　Shaw。　How　are　you？〃
　 〃I'm　very　well　thanks；　Mr。　Marlowe。　I　hope　you　are　the　same。　There's　a　young　lady　here　asking　to　be　let　into　your　apartment。　I　don't　know　why。〃
　 〃Me　neither；　Mr。　Shaw。　I　didn't　order　anything　like　that。　Does　she　give　a　name？〃
　 〃Oh　yes。　Quite。　Her　name　is　Davis。　Miss　Merle　Davis。　She　iswhat　shall　I　say？quite　verging　on　the　hysterical。〃
　 〃Let　her　in；〃　I　said；　rapidly。　〃I'll　be　there　in　ten　minutes。　She's　the　secretary　of　a　client。　It's　a　business　matter　entirely。〃
　 〃Quite。　Oh　yes。　Shall　Ierremain　with　her？〃
　 〃Whatever　you　think；〃　I　said　and　hung　up。
　 Passing　the　open　door　of　the　wash　cabinet　I　saw　a　stiff　excited　face　in　the　glass。
　
　
　27
　
　 As　I　turned　the　key　in　my　door　and　opened　it　Shaw　was　already　standing　up　from　the　davenport。　He　was　a　tall　man　with　glasses　and　a　high　domed　bald　head　that　made　his　ears　look　as　if　they　had　slipped　down　on　his　head。　He　had　the　fixed　smile　of　polite　idiocy　on　his　face。
　 The　girl　sat　in　my　easy　chair　behind　the　chess　table。　She　wasn't　doing　anything；　just　sitting　there。
　 〃Ah；　there　you　are；　Mr。　Marlowe；〃　Shaw　chirped。　〃Yes。　Quite。　Miss　Davis　and　I　have　been　having　such　an　interesting　little　conversation。　I　was　telling　her　I　originally　came　from　England。　She　hasn'tertold　me　where　she　came　from。〃　He　was　halfway　to　the　door　saying　this。
　 〃Very　kind　of　you；　Mr。　Shaw；〃　I　said。
　 〃Not　at　all；〃　he　chirped。　〃Not　at　all。　I'll　just　run　along　now。　My　dinner；　possibly〃
　 〃It's　very　nice　of　you；〃　I　said；　〃I　appreciate　it。〃
　 He　nodded　and　was　gone。　The　unnatural　brightness　of　his　smile　seemed　to　linger　in　the　air　after　the　door　closed；　like　the　smile　of　the　Cheshire　Cat。
　 I　said：　〃Hello；　there。〃
　 She　said：　〃Hello。〃　Her　voice　was　quite　calm；　quite　serious。　She　was　wearing　a　brownish　linen　coat　and　skirt；　a　broadbrimmed　low…crowned　straw　hat　with　a　brown　velvet　band　that　exactly　matched　the　color　of　her　shoes　and　the　leather　trimming　on　the　edges　of　her　linen　envelope　bag。　The　hat　was　tilted　rather　daringly；　for　her。　She　was　not　wearing　her　glasses。
　 Except　for　her　face　she　would　have　looked　all　right。　In　the　first　place　her　eyes　were　quite　mad。　There　was　white　showing　all　around　the　iris　and　they　had　a　sort　of　fixed　look。　When　they　moved　the　movement　was　so　stiff　that　you　could　almost　hear　something　creak。　Her　mouth　was　in　a　tight　line　at　the　corners；　but　the　middle　part　of　her　upper　lip　kept　lifting　off　her　teeth；　upwards　and　outwards　as　if　fine　threads　attached　to　the　edge　of　the　lip　were　pulling　it。　It　would　go　up　so　far　that　it　didn't　seem　possible；　and　then　the　entire　lower　part　of　her　face　would　go　into　a　spasm　and　when　the　spasm　was　over　her　mouth　would　be　tight　shut；　and　then　the　process　would　slowly　start　all　over　again。　In　addition　to　this　there　was　something　wrong　with　her　neck；　so　that　very　slowly　her　head　was　drawn　around　to　the　left　about　forty…five　degrees。　It　would　stop　there；　her　neck　would　twitch；　and　her　head　would　slide　back　the　way　it　had　e。
　 The　bination　of　these　two　movements；　taken　with　the　immobility　of　her　body；　the　tight…clasped　hands　in　her　lap；　and　the　fixed　stare　of　her　eyes；　was　enough　to　start　anybody's　nerves　backfiring。
　 There　was　a　can　of　tobacco　on　the　desk；　between　which　and　her　chair　was　the　chess　table　with　the　chessmen　in　their　box。　I　got　the　pipe　out　of　my　pocket　and　went　over　to　fill　it　at　the　can　of　tobacco。　That　put　me　just　on　the　other　side　of　the　chess　table　from　her。　Her　bag　was　lying　on　the　edge　of　the　table；　in　front　of　her　and　a　little　to　one　side。　She　jumped　a　little　when　I　went　over　there；　but　after　that　she　was　just　like　before。　She　even　made　an　effort　to　smile。
　 I　filled　the　pipe　and　struck　a　paper　match　and　lit　it　and　stood　there　holding　the　match　after　I　had　blown　it　out。
　 〃You're　not　wearing　your　glasses；〃　I　said。
　 She　spoke。　Her　voice　was　quiet；　posed。　〃Oh；　I　only　wear　them　around　the　house　and　for　reading。　They're　in　my　bag。〃
　 〃You're　in　the　house　now；〃　I　said。　〃You　ought　to　be　wearing　them。〃
　 I　reached　casually　for　the　bag。　She　didn't　move。　She　didn't　watch　my　hands。　Her　eyes　were　on　my　face。　I　turned　my　body　a　little　as　I　opened　the　bag。　I　fished　the　glass　case　out　and　slid　it　across　the　table。
　 〃Put　them　on；〃　I　said。
　 〃Oh；　yes；　I'll　put　them　on；〃　she　said。　〃But　I'll　have　to　take　my　hat　off；　I　think　。　。　。〃
　 〃Yes；　take　your　hat　off；〃　I　said。
　 She　took　her　hat　off　and　held　it　on　her　knees。　Then　she　remembered　about　the　glasses　and　forgot　about　the　hat。　The　hat　fell　on　the　floor　while　she　reached　for　the　glasses。　She　put　them　on。　That　helped　her　appearance　a　lot；　I　thought。
　 While　she　was　doing　this　I　got　the　gun　out　of　her　bag　and　slid　it　into　my　hip　pocket。　I　didn't　think　she　saw　me。　It　looked　like　the　same　Colt　。25　automatic　with　the　walnut　grip　that　I　had　seen　in　the　top　right　hand　drawer　of　her　desk　the　day　before。
　 I　went　back　to　the　davenport　and　sat　down　and　said：　〃Well；　here　we　are。　What　do　we　do　now？　Are　you　hungry？〃
　 〃I've　been　over　to　Mr。　Vannier's　house；〃　she　said。
　 〃Oh。〃
　 〃He　lives　in　Sherman　Oaks。　At　the　end　of　Escamillo　Drive。　At　the　very　end。〃
　 〃Quiet；　probably；〃　I　said　without　meaning；　and　tried　to　blow　a　smoke　ring；　but　didn't　make　it。　A　nerve　in　my　cheek　was　trying　to　twang　like　a　wire。　I　didn't　like　it。
　 〃Yes；〃　she　said　in　her　posed　voice；　with　her　upper　lip　still　doing　the　hoist　and　flop　movement　and　her　chin　still　swinging　around　at　anchor　and　back　again。　〃It's　very　quiet　there。　Mr。　Vannier　has　been　living　there　three　years　now。　Before　that　he　lived　up　in　the　Hollywood　hills；　on　Diamond　Street。　Another　man　lived　with　him　there；　but　they　didn't　get　along　very　well；　Mr。　Vannier　said。〃
　 〃I　feel　as　if　I　could　understand　that　too；〃　I　said。　〃How　long　have　you　known　Mr。　Vannier？〃
　 〃I've　known　him　eight　years。　I　haven't　known　him　very　well。　I　have　had　to　take　him　aa　parcel　now　and　then。　He　liked　to　have　me　bring　it　myself。〃
　 I　tried　again　with　a　smoke　ring。　Nope。
　 〃Of　course；〃　she　said；　〃I　never　liked　him　very　well。　I　was　afraid　he　wouldI　was　afraid　he〃
　 〃But　he　didn't；〃　I　said。
　 For　the　first　time　her　face　got　a　human　natural　expressionsurprise。
　 〃No；〃　she　said。　〃He　didn't。　That　is；　he　didn't　really。　But　he　had　his　pajamas　on。〃
　 〃Taking　it　easy；〃　I　said。　〃Lying　around　all　afternoon　with　his　pajamas　on。　Well；　some　guys　have　all　the　luck；　don't　they？〃
　 〃Well　you　have　to　know　something；〃　she　said　seriously。　〃Something　that　makes　people　pay　you　money。　Mrs。　Murdock　has　been　wonderful　to　me；　hasn't　she？〃
　 〃She　certainly　has；〃　I　said。　〃How　much　were　you　taking　him　today？〃
　 〃Only　five　hundred　dollars。　Mrs。　Murdock　said　that　was　all　she　could　spare；　and　she　couldn't　really　spare　that。　She　said　it　would　have　to　stop。　It　couldn't　go　on。　Mr。　Vannier　would　always　promise　to　stop；　but　he　never　did。〃
　 〃It's　a　way　they　have；〃　I　said。
　 〃So　there　was　only　one　thing　to　do。　I've　known　that　for　years；　really。　It　was　all　my　fault　and　Mrs。　Murdock　has　been　so　wonderful　to　me。　It　couldn't　make　me　any　worse　than　I　was　already；　could　it？〃
　 I　put　my　hand　up　and　rubbed　my　cheek　hard；　to　quiet　the　nerve。　She　forgot　that　I　hadn't　answered　her　and　went　on　again。
　 〃So　I　did　it；〃　she　said。　〃He　was　there　in　his　pajamas；　with　a　glass　beside　him。　He　was　leering　at　me。　He　didn't　even　get　up　to　let　me　in。　But　there　was　a　key　in　the　front　door。　Somebody　had　left　a　key　there。　It　wasit　was〃　her　voice　jammed　in　her　throat。
　 〃It　was　a　key　in　the　front　door；〃　I　said。　〃So　you　were　able　to　get　in。〃
　 〃Yes。〃　She　nodded　and　almost　smiled　again。　〃There　wasn't　anything　to　it；　really。　I　don't　even　remember　hearing　the　noise。　But　there　must　have　been　a　noise；　of　course。　Quite　a　loud　noise。〃
　 〃I　suppose　so；〃　I　said。
　 〃I　went　over　quite　close　to　him；　so　I　couldn't　miss；〃　she　said。
　 〃And　what　did　Mr。　Vannier　do？〃
　 〃He　didn't　do　anything　at　all。　He　just　leered；　sort　of。　Well；　that's　all　there　is　to　it。　I　didn't　like　to　go　back　to　Mrs。　Murdock　and　make　any　more　trouble　for　her。　And　for　Leslie。〃　Her　voice　hushed　on　the　name；　and　hung　suspended；　and　a　little　shiver　rippled　over　her　body。　〃So　I　came　here；〃　she　said。　〃And　when　you　didn't　answer　the　bell；　I　found　the　office　and　asked　the　manager　to　let　me　in　and　wait　for　you。　I　knew　you　would　know　what　to　d