cb.coldheart canyon-第26节

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　 〃Tries　to　sue　you。〃
　 〃…tries　to　sue　me。〃
　 They　chuckled　at　the　incident　for　a　moment；　then　rode　in　silence　for　a　while。
　
　
　SIX
　 〃So　what　exactly　did　Jerry　tell　you　about　this　place？〃
　 Todd　asked　Maxine　as　they　stood　outside　the　Hideaway。
　 〃Not　much。　I　told　you　he'd　played　here　as　a　kid？　Yes；　I　did。　Well；　he　said　he　had　wonderful　memories　of　the　house。　That　was　about　all。〃
　 Maxine　hadn't　taken　any　pictures　of　the　exterior；　it　had　been　raining　so　hard　that　day。　Now；　seen　clearly　for　the　first　time；　the　house　appeared　much　larger　than　Todd　had　anticipated；　perfectly　deserving　of　the　term　'dream　palace'。　He　couldn't　get　a　plete　grasp　of　its　size　because　the　vegetation　around　it　had　been　left　to　run　wild。　A　large　grove　of　bamboo　to　the　right　of　the　front　door　had　grown　fully　thirty　feet；　its　tallest　stalks　standing　higher　than　the　chimney…stacks。　Bougainvillea　grew　everywhere　in　lunatic　abundance；　purple；　red；　pink　and　white；　and　even　the　humble　ferns；　planted　in　the　shade　of　the　perimeter　wall；　had　flourished　there；　and　grown　antediluvian。　There　was　room　beneath　the　fronds　to　stand　with　your　hands　raised　and　still　not　touch　the　nubby　spores　on　their　underbellies。
　 The　house　itself　was　palatial　Spanish　in　style；　with　more　than　a　hint　of　Hollywood　fantasy　in　its　genes。　The　stucco　was　a　washed…out　pink；　the　roof　a　washed…out　red。　There　was　a　great　deal　of　elaborate　tilework　at　the　front　steps；　and　around　the　windows；　the　tiles　themselves　still　bright　blue　and　turquoise　and　white；　the　plex　interplay　of　their　patterns　lending　a　touch　of　Moorish　beauty　to　the　facade。　The　front　door　looked　as　though　it　had　been　purloined　from　the　set　of　a　medieval　epic；　the　kind　of　door　Douglas　Fairbanks　Senior　might　have　slammed　and　bolted　shut　to　keep　out　an　army　of　evil…doers。　It　would　have　sufficed　too；　in　its　enormity。　Maxine　had　to　push　hard　to　open　it；　and　when　it　finally　swung　wide　it　did　so　not　with　a　gothic　creak　but　with　a　deep　rumble；　as　a　system　of　counterweights　hidden　in　the　wall　aided　her　labor。
　 〃Very　dramatic；〃　Todd　remarked；　playing　it　off。　In　truth；　he　was　impressed　by　the　scale　of　the　place；　by　its　scale　and　theatricality。　But　guileless　enthusiasm　he'd　had　shamed　out　of　him　long　ago。　It　wasn't　cool　to　like　anything　too　much；　except　yourself。
　 Maxine　led　the　way　through　the　turret；　with　its　grandiose　spiral　staircase　and　its　trompe　l'oeil　ceiling；　into　the　house。　The　photographs　she'd　taken　had　e　nowhere　near　doing　the　place　justice。　Even　stripped　of　most　of　its　furniture；　as　it　was；　and　in　need　of　repair；　it　was　still　nothing　short　of　magnificent。　There　was　everywhere　evidence　of　master　craftsmen　at　work：　from　the　pegged　wood　floors　to　the　elegantly　carved　ceiling　panels；　from　the　exquisite　symmetry　of　the　marble　mantels　to　the　filigree　of　the　wrought　iron　handrails；　only　the　best　had　been　good　enough　for　the　man　or　woman　who'd　owned　this　place。
　 Marco　had　artlessly　arranged　a　few　items　of　Todd's　furniture　in　the　living　room；　a　little　island　of　brittle　modernity　in　the　midst　of　something　older　and　more　mysterious。　Todd　made　a　mental　note　to　give　everything　he　owned　away；　and　start　again。　In　future；　he　was　going　to　buy　antiques。
　 They　went　through　to　the　kitchen。　It　was　built　on　the　same　heroic　scale　as　everything　else：　ten　cooks　could　have　happily　worked　in　it　and　not　got　in　one　another's　way。
　 〃I　know　it's　all　ridiculously　old…fashioned；〃　Maxine　said。　〃But　it'll　do　for　a　little　while；　won't　it？〃
　 〃It'll　do　just　fine；〃　Todd　said；　still　surprised　at　how　much　the　place　pleased　him。　〃What's　out　back？〃
　 〃Oh　the　usual。　A　pool。　Tennis　courts。　And　a　huge　koi　pond。　Probably　a　polo　field　for　all　I　know。〃
　 〃Any　fish　in　the　pond？〃
　 〃No。　You　want　fish？　〃It's　no　big　deal。〃
　 〃I　can　get　koi　for　you　if　you　want　them。　Just　say　the　word。〃
　 〃I　know。　But　it's　not　worth　it。　I'll　be　here　a　month　and　gone。〃
　 〃So　take　them　with　you。〃
　 〃And　where　would　I　put　them？〃
　 〃Okay；〃　Maxine　shrugged。　〃No　fish。〃　She　went　to　the　kitchen　window　and　continued　her　description　of　the　real　estate。　〃The　whole　canyon　belongs　to　the　house；　as　far　as　I　can　see；　but　the　gardens　spread　down　the　hill　an　acre　and　a　half　and　all　the　way　up　to　the　top　of　the　hill　behind　us。　There's　a　guest…house　up　there。　Perhaps　two。　I　didn't　go　look：　I　figured　you　wouldn't　be　having　any　visitors。〃
　 〃Does　Jerry　know　anything　about　the　history　of　the　place？〃
　 〃I'm　sure　he　does；　but　to　be　honest　I　didn't　ask。〃
　 〃What　did　you　tell　him　about　me？〃
　 〃I　told　him　you　had　a　stalker；　and　she　was　getting　dangerous。　You　needed　to　get　out　of　the　Bel　Air　house　for　a　while　until　the　police　had　caught　her。　Frankly；　I'm　not　sure　he　bought　it。　He's　got　to　have　heard　the　rumors。　I　think　we'd　be　best　letting　him　in　on　what's　been　happening…〃
　 〃We've　had　this　conversation　once…〃
　 〃Hear　me　out；　will　you？　If　we　make　him　feel　like　he's　part　of　the　conspiracy；　he'll　stay　quiet；　just　because　he　wants　to　please　you。　He'll　only　get　chatty　if　he　thinks　we　kept　him　out　because　we　didn't　trust　him。〃
　 〃Why　the　hell　would　he　want　to　please　me？〃
　 〃You　know　why；　Todd。　He's　in　love　with　you。〃

　 Todd　shook　his　bandaged　head；　which　was　a　mistake。　The　room　around　him　swam　for　a　moment；　and　he　had　to　grab　hold　of　the　table。　〃You　okay？〃　Maxine　said。
　 He　raised　his　hands；　palms　out；　in　mock　surrender。　〃I'm　fine。　I　just　need　a　pill　and　a　drink。〃
　 〃I　sent　Marco　out　to　get　some　supplies。〃
　 〃But　Todd。。。it's　not　even　noon。〃
　 〃So？　If　I　stay　here　and　get　shit…faced　every　day　for　the　next　month　who's　going　to　care？　Find　me　something　to　drink；　will　you？〃
　 〃What　about　Jerry？　We　didn't　finish…〃
　 〃We'll　talk　about　Jerry　some　other　time。〃
　 〃Am　I　telling　him　or　not？〃
　 〃I　said　I　don't　want　to　talk　about　it　any　more。〃
　 〃All　right。　But　if　he　starts　to　gossip；　don't　say　I　didn't　warn　you。〃
　 〃If　he　tells　the　fucking　National　Enquirer　it's　my　fault。　Happy？〃　Todd　didn't　wait　for　a　reply。　Leaving　Maxine　to　search　for　the　liquor；　he　wandered　out　to　the　back　of　the　house。　The　lawn…which　lay　at　the　bottom　of　a　long　flight　of　steps　from　the　house；　their　railings　entirely　overtaken　by　vines…was　the　size　of　a　small　field；　but　it　had　been　invaded　on　every　side　by　the　offspring　of　the　plants；　shrubs　and　trees　which　surrounded　it；　many　of　them　in　premature　flower。　Bird　of　Paradise　trees　twenty　feet　tall；　sycamore　and　eucalyptus；　rose　bushes　and　fox…gloves；　early　California　poppies　shining　like　satin　in　the　grass；　meadowfoam　and　corn　lily；　hairy　honeysuckle　and　wild　grape；　golden　yarrow；　blue　blossom　and　red　huckleberry。　And　everywhere；　of　course；　the　ubiquitous　pampas　grass；　soft；　fleecy　plumes　swaying　in　the　sun。　It　was　unmon；　even　uncanny；　verdancy。
　 Todd　strode　across　the　lawn；　which　was　still　wet　from　the　rain；　down　to　the　pool。　Dragonflies　flitted　everywhere；　bees　wove　their　nectar　trails　through　the　balmy　air。　The　pool　was　a　baroque　affair；　descending　from　the　relatively　restrained　style　of　the　main　house　into　pure　Hollywood　kitsch。　The　model；　perhaps；　was　B　de　Mille　Roman。　A　large　mock…classical　bronze　fountain　was　set　at　the　back　of　the　pool；　the　intertwined　limbs　of　its　figures…a　sea…god　and　his　female　attendants…rendered　more　baroque　still　by　the　tracery　of　living　vines　which　had　crept　up　over　it。　A　sizable　conch　in　the　sea…god's　hands　had　once　been　a　source　of　rejuvenating　waters　for　the　pool；　but　those　waters　had　ceased　to　flow　a　long　time　ago。　Todd　was　mildly　disappointed。　He　would　have　liked　to　have　seen　sparkling　blue　water　in　the　pool　instead　of　the　few　inches　of　bottle　green　rain…water　that　were　there　at　the　bottom。
　 He　turned　and　looked　back　towards　the　house。　It　was　still　more　impressive　from　this　side　than　it　had　been　from　the　front；　its　four　floors　rising　like　the　tiers　of　a　wedding　cake；　its　walls　lush　with　ivy　in　places；　and　in　others　naked。　Beyond　it；　further　up　the　hill；　Todd　could　just　see　a　glimpse　of　one　of　the　guest…house　that　Maxine　had　mentioned。　Altogether；　it　really　was　an　impressive　parcel　of　land；　with　or　without　the　buildings。　Had　Jerry　shown　it　to　him　as　part　of　the　grand　tour　Todd　might　well　have　been　tempted　to　invest。　The　fact　that　Jerry　hadn't　done　so　probably　meant　that　it　had　not　belonged　to　anyone　of　significance；　though　that　seemed　odd。　This　wasn't　just　any　Hollywood　show…place：　it　was　the　crème　de　la　crème；　a　glorious　confection　of　a　residence　designed　to　show　off　all　the　wealth；　power　and　taste　of　a　great　star。
　 By　the　time　he'd　made　his　way　back　inside；　Marco　had　turned　up　from　Greenblatt's　with　a　carload　of　supplies。　He　weled　his　boss　with　his　usual　crooked　smile　and　a　generous　glass　of　bourbon。　〃So　what　do　you　think　of　the　Old　Dark　House？〃　〃You　know。。。in　a　weird　way　I　like　it　here。〃
　 〃Really？〃　said　Maxine。　〃It's　nothing　like　your　taste。〃　She　was　plainly　still　mildly　irritated　by　their　earlier　exchange；　though　for　Todd　it　was　past　history；　soothed　away　by　his　wanderings　in　the　wilderness。
　 〃I　never　really　felt　fortable　in　Bel　Air；〃　he　said。　〃That　house　has　always　been　more　like　a　hotel　to　me　than　a　home。〃
　 〃I　wouldn't　say　this　place　was　exactly　cozy〃　Maxine　remarked。
　 〃Oh；　I　don't　know；〃　Todd　said。　He　sipped　on　his　bourbon；　smiling　into　his　glass。　〃Dempsey　would　have　liked　it；〃　he　sa