thillerman.theblessingway-第4节

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　Jeremy　Canfield　walked　in　without　knocking。　〃I've　got　a　question　for　you；〃　he　said。　〃Where　do　you　look　on　the　Navajo　Reservation　for　an　electrical　engineer　testing　his　gadgets？〃
　He　extracted　a　pipe　from　his　coat　pocket　and　began　cleaning　debris　from　the　bowl　into　McKee's　ashtray。　〃Just　one　more　helpful　hint。　We　know　he　has　a　light…green　van　truck。　We　don't　know　what　kind　of　equipment　it　is；　but　this　research　needs　to　be　away　from　such　things　as　electrical　transmission　lines；　telephone　wires；　and　stuff　like　that。〃
　〃That　helps　a　lot；〃　McKee　said。　〃That　still　leaves　about　ninety　percent　of　the　Reservation…ninety　percent　of　twenty…five　thousand　square　miles。　Find　one　green　truck　in　a　landscape　bigger　than　all　New　England。〃
　〃It's　this　daughter　of　a　friend　of　mine。　Girl　named　Ellen　Leon；〃　Canfield　said。　〃She's　trying　to　find　this　bird　from　U。C。L。A。〃　He　was　a　very　small　man；　bent　slightly　by　a　spinal　deformity；　with　a　round；　cheerful　face　made　rounder　by　utter　baldness。
　〃Goddamn　flatlanders　never　know　geography。〃　Canfield　said。　〃Think　the　Reservation's　about　the　size　of　Central　Park。〃
　〃Why's　she　looking　for　him？〃　McKee　asked。
　Canfield　looked　pained。
　〃You　don't　ask　a　woman　something　like　that；　Berg。　Just　imagine　it's　something　romantic。　Imagine　she's　hot　for　his　body。〃　Canfield　lit　the　pipe。　〃Imagine　she　has　spurned　him；　he　has　gone　away　to　mend　a　broken　heart；　and　now　she　has　repented。〃
　Or；　McKee　thought；　imagine　she's　a　fool　like　me。　Imagine　she's　been　left　and　is　still　too　young　to　know　it's　hopeless。
　〃Anyway；　I　told　her　maybe　in　the　Chuska　Range；　or　the　Lukachukais　if　he　liked　the　mountains；　or　the　Kam　Bimghi　Valley　if　he　liked　the　desert；　or　up　there　north　of　the　Hopi　Villages；　or　a　couple　of　other　places。　I　marked　a　map　for　her　and　showed　her　where　the　trading　posts　were　where　he'd　be　likely　to　buy　his　supplies。〃
　〃Maybe　they're　married；〃　McKee　said。　He　was　interested；　which　surprised　him。
　〃Her　name's　Ellen　Leon；〃　Canfield　said　with　emphatic　patience。　〃His　is　Jimmie　W。　Hall；　Ph。D。　Besides；　no　wedding　ring。　From　which　I　deduce　they're　not　married。〃
　〃O。K。；　Sherlock；〃　McKee　said。　〃I　deduce　from　your　attitude　that　this　woman　was　about　five　feet　five；　slim；　with　long　blackish　hair　and　wearing。。。〃　McKee　paused　for　thought；　〃。。。　a　sort　of　funny…colored　suit。〃
　〃I　deduce　from　that　that　you　saw　her　in　the　hall；〃　Canfield　said。　〃Anyway；　I　told　her　we'd　keep　our　eyes　open　for　this　bird　and　let　her　know　where　we'd　be　camping　so　she　could　check。〃　He　looked　at　McKee。　〃Where　do　you　want　to　start　hunting　your　witches？〃
　McKee　started　to　mention　Leaphorn's　letter　and　say　he　hadn't　decided　yet　whether　to　go。　Instead　he　thought　of　the　girl　at　the　front　entrance　of　the　Anthropology　Building；　who　had　looked　tired　and　disappointed　and　somehow　very　sad。
　〃I　don't　know；〃　McKee　said。　〃Maybe　down　around　No　Agua；　or　way　over　west　of　the　Colorado　gorge；　or　on　the　west　slope　of　the　Lukies。〃　He　thought　a　moment。　Canfield's　current　project　involved　poking　into　the　burial　sites　of　the　Anasazis；　the　pre…Navajo　cliff　dwellers。　There　were　no　known　sites　around　No　Agua　and　only　a　few　in　the　Colorado　River　country。　〃How　about　starting　over　in　those　west　slope　canyons　in　the　Lukachukais？〃
　〃That's　good　for　me；〃　Canfield　said。　〃If　you've　got　some　witches　in　there　to　scrutinize；　there's　plenty　of　ruins　to　keep　me　busy。　And　I'll　take　my　guitar　and　try　to　teach　you　how　to　sing　harmony。〃
　At　the　door；　Canfield　paused；　his　face　suddenly　serious。
　〃I'm　glad　you　decided　to　go；　Bergen。　I　think　you　need。。。〃　He　stopped；　catching　himself　on　the　verge　of　invading　a　zone　of　private　grief。　〃I　think　maybe　I　should　ask　a　guarantee　that　your　witches　won't　get　me。〃　It　came　out　a　little　lamely；　not　hiding　the　embarrassment。
　〃My　Navajo　Wolves；　being　strictly　psychotherapeutic；　are　certified　harmless；〃　McKee　said。　He　pulled　open　a　desk　drawer；　rummaged　through　an　assortment　of　paper　clips；　carved　bones；　arrow　heads　and　potsherds；　and　extracted　an　egg…sized　turquoise　stone；　formed　roughly　in　the　shape　of　a　crouching　frog。　He　tossed　it　to　Canfield。
　〃Reed　Clan　totem；〃　McKee　said。　〃One　of　the　Holy　People。　Good　for　fending　off　corpse　powder。　No　self…respecting　Navajo　Wolf　will　bother　you。　I　guarantee　it。〃
　〃Ill　keep　it　with　me　always；〃　Canfield　said。
　The　words　would　e　back　to　McKee　later；　e　back　to　haunt　him。
　
　Chapter　4
　
　Bergen　McKee　had　spent　most　of　the　afternoon　in　the　canvas　chair　beside　the　front　door　in　Shoemaker's。　It　was　a　slow　day　for　trading　and　only　a　few　of　The　People　had　e　in。　But　McKee　had　collected　witchcraft　rumors　from　three　of　them；　and　had　managed　to　extract　the　names　of　two　Navajos　who　might　know　more　about　it。　It　was；　he　felt；　a　good　beginning。
　He　glanced　at　Leaphorn。　Joe　was　leaning　against　the　counter；　listening　patiently　to　another　of　the　endless　stories　of　Old　Man　Shoemaker；　and　McKee　felt　guilty。　Leaphorn　had　insisted　that　he　needed　to　go　to　the　trading　post…that　he　had；　in　fact；　delayed　the　call　to　take　McKee　along…but　more　likely　it　was　a　convenient　piece　of　made…work　to　do　a　friend　a　graceful　favor。
　〃There　is　a　young　man　back　in　there　we　want　to　pick　up；〃　Leaphorn　had　said。　He　pushed　a　file　folder　across　the　desk。　〃He　cut　a　Mexican　in　Gallup　last　month。〃
　The　file　concerned　someone　named　Luis　Horseman；　aged　twenty…two；　son　of　Annie　Horseman　of　the　Red　Forehead　Clan。　Married　to　Elsie　Tso；　daughter　of　Lilly　Tso　of　the　Many　Goats　Clan。
　Residence；　Sabito　Wash；　twenty…seven　miles　south　of　Klagetoh。　The　file　included　three　arrest　reports；　for　drunk　and　disorderly；　assault　and　battery；　and　driving　while　under　the　influence　of　narcotics。　The　last　entry　was　an　account　of　the　knifing　in　a　Gallup　bar　and　of　a　car　stolen　and　abandoned　after　the　knifing。
　〃What　makes　you　think　he's　over　in　the　Lukachukai　country？〃　McKee　had　asked。　〃Why　not　back　around　Klagetoh　with　his　wife？〃
　〃It　isn't　very　plicated；〃　Leaphorn　had　said。　Horseman　probably　thought　he　had　killed　the　Mexican　and　was　scared。　His　in…laws　detested　him。　Horseman　would　know　that　and　know　they　would　turn　him　in；　so　he　had　run　for　the　country　of　his　mother's　clan；　where　he　could　stay　hidden。
　〃How　the　devil　can　you　find　him；　then？〃　McKee　had　asked。　〃It　would　take　the　Marine　Corps　to　search　those　canyons。〃
　And　Leaphorn　had　explained　again…that　the　knife　victim　was　now　off　the　critical　list　and　that　if　the　good　news　was　gotten　to　Horseman　one　of　two　things　would　happen。　He　would　either　turn　himself　in　to　face　an　assault　charge；　or；　being　less　frightened；　would　get　careless　and　show　up　in　Chinle；　or　at　Shoemaker's；　or　some　other　trading　post。　Either　way；　he'd　be　picked　up　and　the　file　closed。
　〃And　so　I　go　to　Shoemaker's　today　and　spread　the　word　to　whatever　Red　Foreheads　e　in；　and　one　of　them　will　be　a　cousin；　or　a　nephew；　or　something；　and　the　news　gets　to　Horseman。　And　if　you　don't　want　a　free　ride　you　can　stay　and　help　Emma　with　the　housework。〃
　And　now　Leaphorn　was　spreading　the　word　again；　talking　to　the　big　bareheaded　Navajo　who　had　been　collecting　canned　goods　off　the　shelves。　〃He's　sort　of　skinny；〃　Leaphorn　was　saying；　〃about　twenty…two　years　old　and　wears　his　hair　the　old　way。〃
　〃I　don't　know　him；〃　the　Big　Navajo　said。　He　inspected　Leaphorn　carefully；　then　moved　to　the　racks　where　the　clothing　was　hung。　He　tried　on　a　black　felt　hat。　It　was　several　sizes　too　small；　but　he　left　it　sitting　ludicrously　atop　his　head　as　he　sorted　through　the　stock。
　〃My　head　got　big　since　the　last　time　I　bought　a　hat；〃　the　Navajo　said。　He　spoke　in　English；　glancing　at　McKee　to　see　if　the　white　man　appreciated　Navajo　clowning。　〃Have　to　have　a　seven…and…a…half　now。〃
　〃Get　that　hair　cut　off　and　you　could　wear　your　old　hat；〃　Shoemaker　said。
　The　Big　Navajo　wore　braids；　in　the　conservative　fashion；　but　very　short　braids。　Maybe；　McKee　thought；　he　had　had　a　white　man's　haircut　and　was　letting　it　grow　out。
　〃Some　son　of　a　bitch　stole　the　old　one；〃　the　Big　Navajo　said。　He　tried　on　another　hat。
　McKee　yawned　and　looked　out　the　open　door　of　the　trading　post。　Heat　waves　were　rising　from　the　bare　earth　in　front。　To　the　northeast　a　thunderhead　was　building　up　in　the　sky　over　Carrizo　Mountain。　It　was　early　in　the　season　for　that。　Tomorrow　was　Wednesday。　McKee　decided　he　would　accept　Leaphorn's　invitation　to　spend　another　day　with　him。　And　then　he　would　take　his　own　pickup　and　try　to　find　the　summer　hogan　of　Old　Lady　Gray　Rocks。　He　would　start　with　her；　since　she　was　supposed　to　be　the　source　of　one　of　the　better　rumors。　And　by　Thursday　when　Canfield　arrived　they　would　move　into　Many　Ruins　Canyon；　set　up　camp；　and　work　out　of　the　canyon。
　The　Big　Navajo　had　found　a　hat　that　fitted　him；　another　black　one　with　a　broad　brim　and　a　high　crown…the　high　fashion　of　old…generation　Navajos。　He　looked　like　a　Tuba　City　Navajo；　McKee　decided；　long…faced　and　raw…boned　with　heavy　eyebrows　and　a　wide　mouth。
　〃O。K。；〃　the　man　said。　〃How　much　do　I　owe　you　now？〃
　The　Big　Navajo　had　taken　a　silver　concho　band　from　his　hip　pocket。　He　let　it　hang　over　his　wrist　while　he　handed　Shoemaker　the　bills　and　waited　for　his　change。　The　metal　glowed　softly…hammered　discs　bigger　than　silver　dollars。　McKee　guessed　the　conchos　would　bring　200　in　pawn。　He　looked　at　the　big　man　with　new