cwilleford.theburntorangeheresy-第14节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　She　shook　her　head。　The　smile　appeared　and　disappeared　again　so　fast　I　almost　missed　it。　〃No；　James；　you　told　me　so　much　about　this　painter　last　night　I　got　confused；　bogged　down　in　details；　so　to　speak。　Something　is　either　missing　or　you　didn't　tell　me　everything。〃
　　〃You　fell　asleep；　for　Christ's　sake。〃
　　〃No；　I　didn't。　Well；　maybe　toward　the　end。　But　what　I　don't　understand　is　how　this　painter；　this　Debierue；　can　be　such　a　famous　painter　when　no　one　has　ever　seen　any　of　his　paintings。　It　doesn't　make　sense。〃
　　〃What　do　you　mean；　no　one　has　seen　his　paintings？　Thousands　of　people　saw　his　first　one…man　show；　and　his　subsequent　work　has　been　written　about　by　Mazzeo；　Charonne；　Reinsberg；　and　Galt；　who　all　studied　his　paintings。　These　are　some　of　the　most　famous　critics　of　this　century；　for　God's　sake！〃
　　She　shook　her　head　and　pursed　her　lips。　〃I　don't　mean　them；　or　even　you…that　is；　if　you　get　to　see　what　he's　painted　since　ing　to　Florida。　I　mean　the　public；　the　people　who　flock　to　museums　when　a　traveling　Van　Gogh　show　es　in；　and　buy　all　kinds　of　Van　Gogh　reproductions　and　so　on。　I　had　seen　dozens　of　Van　Gogh　paintings　in　books　and　magazines　long　before　I　ever　saw　one　of　his　originals。　That's　what　I　mean　by　famous。　How　can　I　be　impressed　by　Debierue's　fame　when　I've　never　seen　any　of　his　work　and　can't　judge　for　myself　how　good　he　is？〃
　　Our　ice　cream　sodas　arrived。　I　didn't　want　to　hurt　Berenice's　feelings；　but　I　was　forced　to　because　of　her　ignorance。
　　〃Look；　baby；　you　aren't　qualified　to　judge　for　yourself。　Now　keep　quiet；　and　drink　your　nice　ice　cream　soda…　there's　a　good　girl…and　I'll　try　and　explain　it　to　you。　Did　you　ever　study　cetology？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　What　is　it？〃
　　〃The　scientific　study　of　whales。　A　cetologist　is　a　man　who　studies　whales；　and　he　can　spend　an　entire　lifetime　at　it；　just　as　I've　spent　my　life；　so　far；　studying　art…as　have　the　critics　who　wrote　about　Debierue。　Now；　let's　suppose　that　you　pick　up　a　copy　of　Scientific　American　and　read　an　article　about　whales　written　by　a　well…known　cetologist…〃
　　〃Are　there　any　well…known　cetologists？〃
　　〃There　are　bound　to　be。　I　don't　have　any　names　to　rattle　off　for　you…that　isn't　my　racket。　But　I　haven't　finished　yet。　All　right；　you're　reading　this　article　by　a　cetologist　in　Scientific　American　and　he　states　that　a　baby　sperm　whale　is　a　tail　presentation。〃
　　〃What　does　that　mean？〃
　　〃It　means　that　a　baby　whale；　unlike　other　mammals；　is　born　tail　first。〃
　　〃How　do　you　know　that？〃
　　〃I　read　a　lot。　But　the　same　would　hold　true　even　if　the　cetologist　said　that　it　was　a　cephalic　presentation。　The　point　I'm　making　is　this：　The　article　is　written　by　a　cetobogist　and　published　in　Scientific　American；　and　you　will　accept　an　expert's　word　for　it。　You　aren't　going　to　get　yourself　a　goddamned　boat　and　sail　around　the　seven　fucking　seas　trying　to　find　a　pregnant　whale；　are　you？　Just　so　you　can　check　on　whether　a　baby　whale　is　born　head　first　or　tail　first？〃
　　Berenice　giggled。　〃You're　cute　when　you're　stern。　No　。　。　。　I　guess　not；　but　art；　it　seems　to　me；　is　supposed　to　be　for　everybody；　not　just　for　those　critics　you　mentioned　。　。
　　I　put　down　the　spoon　and　wiped　my　lips　on　a　paper　napkin。　〃Whales　are　for　everybody；　too；　sweetheart。　But　not　everybody　studies　whales　as　a　lifetime　occupation。　That's　the　big　difference　you　don't　seem　to　understand。〃
　　〃All　right。〃　She　shrugged。　〃I　still　think　there's　something　you　haven't　told　me　about　all　this。〃
　　I　grinned。　〃There　is。　In　return　for　Debierue's　address　I've　got　to　do　a　favor　for　Mr。　Cassidy…〃
　　〃The　lawyer　who　told　you　about　Debierue？〃
　　〃Yeah。〃　I　nodded。　〃And　what　I'm　telling　you　is　'privileged　information；'　as　Cassidy　would　put　it。　It's　between　you　and　Mr。　Cassidy　and　these　ice　cream　sodas。〃
　　〃You　can　trust　me；　James。〃　Her　face　softened。　〃You　can　trust　me　with　your　life。〃
　　〃I　know。　And　in　a　way　it　is　my　life。　Anyway；　Mr。　Cassidy　gave　me　privileged　information…where　Debierue　is　living…　and　all　I　have　to　do　in　return　is　to　steal　a　picture　for　him。〃
　　〃Steal　a　picture？　Why　can't　he　buy　one？　He's　rich　enough。〃
　　〃Debierue　doesn't　sell　his　pictures。　I　explained　all　that。　If　Cassidy　gets　a　picture；　even　one　that's　been　stolen；　he'll　be　the　only　collector　in　the　world　to　have　one；　you　see。〃
　　〃What　good　will　it　do　him？　If　it's　a　stolen　picture；　Debierue　can　get　it　back　by　calling　the　police。〃
　　〃Debierue　won't　know　he　has　it；　and　neither　will　anyone　else…until　after　Debierue's　dead；　anyway。　Then　the　picture　will　be　even　more　valuable。〃
　　〃How're　you　going　to　steal　a　picture　without　Debierue　knowing　it　was　you？〃
　　〃I　don't　know　yet。　I'm　playing　things　by　ear　at　the　moment。　It　might　not　be　a　picture。　If　he's　working　with　ceramics；　I　can　slip　a　piece　in　my　pocket　while　you　distract　him。　Maybe　there　are　some　drawings　around。　Mr。　Cassidy　would　be　satisfied　with　a　drawing。　In　fact　he'd　be　delighted。　But　until　I　find　out　what　Debierue　has　been　doing；　I　won't　know　what　to　do　myself。〃
　　〃But　you　want　me　to　help　you？〃
　　〃If　you　want　to；　yes。　He　can't　watch　both　of　us　at　the　same　time；　and　he's　an　old　man。　So　when　a　chance　es；　and　it　will；　I'll　give　you　the　high　sign　and　then　I'll　snatch　something。〃
　　〃It's　awfully　haphazard；　James；　the　way　you　say　it。　Besides；　as　soon　as　we　leave；　he'll　know　that　you're　the　one　who　stole　it…whatever　it　is。〃
　　〃No。〃　I　shook　my　head。　〃He　won't　know。　He'll　suspect　that　I　took　it；　but　he　won't　be　able　to　prove　it。　I'll　deny　everything；　if　charged；　and　besides　it'll　never　get　that　far。　Meanwhile；　Mr。　Cassidy　will　have　the　painting；　chunk　of　sculpture；　drawing；　or　whatever；　hidden　away　where　Jesus　Christ　couldn't　find　it。　See？〃
　　〃Do　you　realize；　James；〃　she　said；　rather　primly；　〃that　if　you　ever　got　caught　stealing　a　painting　from　anybody　that　your　career　would　be　over？〃
　　〃Not　really；　and　not；　certainly；　from　Debierue。　His　work；　as　you　mentioned　before　about　Van　Gogh；　belongs　to　the　world…and　if　I　were　ever　tried　for　something　like　that；　which　I　wouldn't　be…I'd　have　a　defense　fund　from　art　lovers　and　art　magazines　that　would　make　me　look　like　a　White　Panther。　Anyway；　that's　the　plan…in　addition　to　somehow　getting　an　interview；　of　course。〃
　　〃It　isn't　much　of　a　plan。〃
　　〃True。　But　now　that　you　know　what　I　have　to　do；　you　might　get　an　idea　once　we're　on　the　scene。　The　important　thing　is　this：　don't　take　anything　yourself。　I'll　take　it　when　the　time　is　propitious。　I　have　to　get　the　interview　before　anything　else　is　done。〃
　　〃I　understand。〃
　　The　rain　caught　us　before　we　reached　Lake　Worth。
　　There　were　torrents　of　it；　and　I　could　hardly　see　to　drive。　Berenice；　because　of　her　suit；　had　to　roll　up　her　window；　but　it　was　too　hot　for　me　to　roll　up　mine。　My　left　shoulder　and　arm　got　soaked；　but　with　the　humidity　I　would　have　been　just　as　wet　inside　the　car　with　the　window　rolled　up。　The　rain　finally　came　down　so　hard　I　had　to　pull　over　to　the　curb　in　Lake　Worth　to　wait　for　a　letup。
　　Berenice　was　frowning。　〃How　much；〃　she　asked；　〃does　a　baby　whale　weigh　when　it's　first　born？〃
　　〃One　ton。　And　it's　fourteen　feet　long。〃　I　lit　a　cigarette　and　passed　it　to　Berenice。　She　shook　her　head　and　handed　it　back。　I　took　a　long　drag。　〃One　ton；〃　I　said　solemnly；　〃is　two　thousand　pounds。〃
　　〃I　know　how　much　a　ton　is！〃　she　said　angrily。　〃You…　you…you　damned　intellectual；　you！〃
　　I　couldn't　contain　myself。　I　had　to　laugh　and　ruin　my　joke。
　　
　　
　　2
　　
　　I　could　have　taken　State　Road　Seven　straight　away　by　picking　it　up　west　of　West　Palm　Beach；　but　because　the　old　two…lane　highway　was　used　primarily　by　truck　traffic　barreling　for　Miami's　back　door；　into　Hialeah；　I　stayed　on　U。S。　1　all　the　way　to　Boynton　Beach　before　searching　for　a　through　road　to　make　the　cutover。　I　got　lost　for　a　few　minutes　and　made　several　aimless　circles　where　new　blacktops　had　been　crushed　down　for　a　subdivision　called　inappropriately　Ocean　Pine　Terraces　（miles　from　the　ocean；　no　pines；　no　terraces）；　but　when　I　finally　reached　the　state　highway；　it　was　freshly　paved；　and　the　truck　traffic　wasn't　nearly　as　bad　as　I　had　expected。
　　The　rain；　mercifully；　had　stopped。
　　My　crude　map　was　clear　enough；　but　I　had　zipped　past　Debierue's　turnoff　to　the　Dixie　Drive…in　Movie　Theater　before　I　realized　it。　The　mixed　dirt…and…gravel　private　road　leading　to　Debierue's　home…and…studio　was　clearly　visible　from　the　highway；　and　on　the　right　of　the　highway　about　three　hundred　yards　before　the　drive…in　entrance；　but　I　had　failed　to　notice　it。　I　made　a　crimped　circle　in　the　deserted　drive…in　entrance　and　this　time；　from　the　other　side　of　the　highway；　it　was　easy　to　spot　the　break。
　　Thick　gama　grass　had　reclaimed　the　deep　wheel　ruts　of　the　road；　and　I　crawled　along　in　first　gear。　The　bumpy；　rarely　used　trail　straight…lined　through　a　stand　of　secondgrowth　slash　pine　for　about　a　half　mile　and　then　made　a　sigmoid　loop　to　circumvent　two　stinking　stagnant　ponds　of　black　swamp　water。　On　the　right　of　the　road；　abandoned　chicken　runs　stretched　into　the　jungly　mass　of　greenery；　and　weeds　had　grown　straight　and　tall　along　the　sagging　chicken…wire　fences。　The　unpainted　wooden　chickenhouses　had　weathered　to　an　unpatterned　dirty　gray；　and　most　of　the　roofs　ha