cb.coldheart canyon-第46节

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　 As　long　as　they　left　her　alone；　she　thought；　they　could　do　what　the　hell　they　liked。
　
　
　THREE
　 〃Tell　me　about　all　the　stuff　in　the　guest…house；〃　Todd　asked　Katya　as　they　walked。　〃Where　does　it　all　e　from？〃
　 〃The　large　tapestry　in　the　living　room　was　made　for　The　Sorrows　of　Frederick；　which　was　a　terrible　picture；　but　the　designs　were　magnificent。　The　castle　they　made　for　the　banquet　scene！　You　never　saw　anything　so　grand　in　your　life。　And　all　the　Egyptian　stuff　was　from　Nefertiti。〃
　 〃You　played　Nefertiti？〃
　
　 〃No；　Theda　Bara　played　Nefertiti；　because　the　front　office　said　she　was　a　bigger　star　than　I　was。　I　played　her　handmaiden。　I　didn't　mind　that　much　because　in　my　mind　it　was　a　better　role。　Theda　just　vamped　her　way　through　her　part。　Oh　Lord；　she　was　bad！　But　I　got　a　little　chance　to　act。　In　the　end　Nefertiti　had　my　lover　killed　because　he　was　in　love　with　me　not　her；　so　I　threw　myself　off　a　boat　into　the　Nile。〃
　 〃And　drowned？〃
　 〃I　suppose　so。　Either　that　or　I　was　eaten　by　crocodiles。〃　She　laughed。　〃I　don't　know。　Anyway；　I　got　some　of　my　best　reviews　for　Nefertiti。　Somebody　said　I　could　have　stepped　right　out　of　history。。。〃
　 The　evening　was　beginning　to　draw　on　as　they　walked；　taking　the　simple　and　relatively　direct　path　which　Todd　had　failed　to　find　on　his　way　up。　It　was　the　first　night　in　a　long　time　that　Todd　hadn't　sat　at　his　bedroom　window；　drinking；　brooding　and　popping　pills。
　 〃What　about　the　bed？〃　Todd　said。　〃Where　did　that　e　from？〃
　 〃That　was　from　The　Devil's　Bride。〃
　 〃A　horror　movie？〃
　
　 〃No；　it　was　this　strange　picture　directed　by　Edgar　Kopel。　Very　shocking　for　its　time。　The　bed　was　supposed　to　have　been　owned　by　the　Devil；　you　see。　Carved　to　his　design。　And　then　the　hero；　who　was　played　by　Ronald　Coleman；　inherits　it；　and　he　and　his　bride　use　it　for　the　bridal　bed。　But　the　Devil　es　for　the　bride；　and　then　all　Hell　breaks　loose。〃
　 〃What　happened　in　the　end？〃
　 〃The　Devil　gets　what　he　wants。〃
　 〃You？〃
　 〃Me。〃
　 〃I　don't　think　that　would　work　for　modern　audiences。〃
　 〃Oh　it　didn't　work　in　1923。　They　stayed　away　in　droves。〃　They　walked　on　for　a　while　in　silence。　Finally　Katya　said：　〃What's　troubling　you？〃
　 〃I　can't　make　sense　of　what　you're　telling　me。　The　pieces　don't　fit…〃
　 〃And　it　frustrates　you。〃
　 〃Yes。〃
　 〃Maybe　it's　best　you　just　don't　think　about　it。〃
　 〃How　can　I　not　think　about　it？〃　he　said。　〃This　place。　You。　The　posters。　The　bed。　What　am　I　supposed　to　make　of　it　all？〃
　 〃Make　whatever　pleases　you；〃　she　said。　〃Why's　it　so　important　that　you　have　an　explanation　for　everything？　I　told　you：　things　are　different　here。〃
　 She　caught　hold　of　his　hand；　and　they　stopped　walking。　There　were　insects　in　the　grass　all　around　them；　making　music；　overhead；　the　stars　were　ing　out；　their　patterns　as　familiar　as　the　din　of　cicadas；　and　tonight；　as　strange。　His　doubts　were　contagious。　The　fact　that　he　didn't　understand　how　it　was　possible　this　woman　could　have　lived　the　life　she　claimed　to　have　lived　spread　confusion　into　every　other　sign　the　world　brought　him。　What　was　he　doing　here；　in　between　the　music　in　the　grass　and　the　brightening　stars？　He　suddenly　seemed　to　understand　nothing。　His　face　throbbed；　and　his　eyes　stung。
　 〃It's　all　right；〃　she　said　softly。　〃There's　nothing　to　be　afraid　of。〃
　 〃I'm　not　afraid；〃　he　said。
　 It　was　the　truth；　in　a　way。　What　he　felt　was　not　fear；　it　was　something　far　more　distressing。　He　felt　lost；　cast　off　from　every　certainty。
　 But　then　he　looked　at　her　face；　at　her　perfect　face；　and　he　felt　a　calm　e　over　him。　So　what　if　he　was　adrift？　So　were　they　both。　And　wasn't　it　better　to　be　with　her；　sharing　her　gentle　madness；　than　to　be　alone　in　this　unforgiving　world？
　 He　leaned　towards　her；　and　kissed　her　on　the　lips。　Nothing　overtly　sexual；　just　a　tender　kiss。
　 〃What　was　that　for？〃　she　asked　him；　smiling。
　
　 〃For　being　here。〃
　 〃Even　though　you　think　I'm　a　lunatic？〃
　 〃I　didn't　say　that。〃
　 〃No；　but　you　think　it。　Don't　you？　You　think　I'm　living　in　a　fantasy　land。〃
　 〃I'm　taking　your　advice；〃　he　replied。　〃I'm　making　whatever　I　like　of　it。　And　I　like　being　here；　right　now；　with　you。　So　the　rest　can　go　to　hell。〃
　 〃The　rest？〃
　 〃Out　there；〃　he　said；　waving　his　arm　in　the　general　direction　of　the　city。　〃The　people　who　used　to　run　my　life。〃
　 〃To　hell　with　them？〃
　 〃To　hell　with　them！〃
　 Katya　laughed。　〃I　like　that；〃　she　said；　returning　his　kiss　in　the　midst　of　their　laughter。
　 〃Where　now？〃　he　said。
　 〃Down　to　the　pool？〃　she　replied。
　 〃You　know　the　way？〃
　 〃Trust　me；〃　she　said；　kissing　him　again。　This　time　he　didn't　let　her　escape　so　lightly；　but　returned　her　kiss　with　some　force。　His　hand　slipped　up　into　her　hair　and　made　a　cradle　for　her　head。　She　put　her　arms　around　his　waist；　pressing　so　hard　against　him　it　was　as　though　she　wanted　to　climb　inside　his　skin。
　 When　they　broke　the　kiss　they　gazed　at　one　another　for　a　little　time。
　 〃I　thought　we　were　going　walking；〃　he　said。
　 〃So　we　were；〃　she　said；　taking　his　hand　again。　〃The　pool；　yes？〃
　 〃Do　you　want　to　go　back　to　the　house？〃
　 〃Plenty　of　time　for　that　later；〃　she　said。　〃Let's　go　down　to　the　pool　while　there's　still　some　light。〃
　 So　they　continued　their　descent；　hand　in　hand。　They　said　nothing　now。　There　was　no　need。
　 Across　the　other　side　of　the　Canyon；　a　lone　coyote　began　to　yap；　his　voice　was　answered　by　another　higher　up　on　the　ridge　behind　them；　then　another　two　in　the　same　vicinity；　and　now　another；　and　another；　until　the　entire　Canyon　was　filled　with　their　glorious　din。
　 When　Todd　and　Katya　reached　the　lawn　there　was　a　small；　scrawny　coyote　loping　across　it；　giving　them　a　guilty　backward　glance　as　he　disappeared　into　the　undergrowth。　As　he　vanished　from　sight；　the　pack　ceased　its　din。　There　were　a　few　moments　of　silence。　Then　the　insects　took　up　their　music　again。
　 〃It's　sad；　the　way　things　have　declined。〃　Katya　said；　looking　at　the　sight　before　them。　The　starlight　was　forgiving；　but　it　couldn't　conceal　the　general　condition　of　the　place：　the　statues　missing　limbs；　or　toppled　over　and　buried　in　vines；　the　pavement　around　the　pool　cracked　and　mossy；　the　pool　itself　stained　and　stinking。
　 〃What's　that？〃　Todd　said；　pointing　out　the　one…story　mock…classical　structure　half…hidden　by　the　cypresses　around　the　pool。
　 〃That's　the　Pool　House。　I　haven't　been　in　there　in　a　very　long　time。〃
　 〃I　want　to　see　it。〃
　 It　was　a　larger　building　than　it　had　appeared　from　the　front；　and　uncannily　bright。　There　were　several　skylights　in　the　ceiling；　which　ushered　in　the　brightness　of　moon　and　stars；　their　light　bouncing　off〃　the　silky　marble　floor。　In　the　centre　stood　a　cocktail　bar　with　mirrors　of　marbled　glass　behind　the　glass　shelves。　After　all　these　years　there　were　dozens　of　bottles　on　the　shelves…brandies；　whiskies　and　liqueurs。　〃You　used　the　pool　a　lot？〃　Todd　said。　〃We　had　the　best　pool…parties　in　Hollywood。〃　Their　voices　echoed　off　the　glacial　walls　as　they　spoke；　ing　back　to　meet　them。　〃And　the　people　who　came　here；　knew。。。〃　Katya　said。　〃They　knew。〃　Letting　the　thought　go　unfinished；　she　moved　past　him　to　the　bar。
　 〃What　did　they　know？〃　he　said。
　 〃Not　to　make　any　judgments；〃　she　replied。　She　slipped　behind　the　bar；　and　began　to　survey　the　rows　of　bottles。
　 〃I　don't　think　we　should　try　drinking　any　of　that　stuff；〃　he　said。　〃I've　got　fresh　booze　in　the　house　if　that's　what　you　want。〃
　 She　didn't　reply；　simply　continued　to　survey　the　selection。　Finally　she　decided　upon　one　of　the　brandies；　and　taking　the　bottle　by　the　neck　she　pulled　it　forward。　There　was　a　grinding　noise　from　behind　the　mirror　as　some　antiquated　mechanism　was　activated。　Then　the　mirror　slid　sideways　three　or　four　feet；　revealing　a　small　safe。
　 Todd　was　intrigued。　He　hopped　over　the　bar　to　get　a　better　look　at　what　Katya　was　up　to。　She　was　working　on　the　tumble　lock；　he　could　hear　a　faint　clicking　as　she　flipped　it　back　and　forth。
　 〃What's　in　there？〃　he　said。
　 〃We　used　to　have　a　book…〃
　 〃We？〃
　 〃Zeffer　and　I。　We　just　kept　it　for　fun。〃
　 〃A　book　of　what？〃
　 〃Of　party　pieces。〃　she　said；　with　a　little　smile。　〃Who　did　what　to　whom。　And　how　many　times。〃
　 〃You're　kidding！〃
　 She　turned　the　lock　one　more　time；　and　then　pushed　down　on　the　handle　and　pulled　the　door。　There　was　a　cracking　sound；　as　the　decayed　rubber　seal　broke。　Then　the　door　swung　wide。
　 〃Are　there　any　candles？〃　she　said　to　him。　〃Look　in　the　cupboard　there　between　the　columns；　will　you？〃
　 Todd　did　as　he　was　instructed；　and　found　several　boxes　of　plain　white　candles　on　the　shelves。　One　was　open；　and　the　heat　of　many　summers　had　turned　the　contents　into　a　single　box…shaped　slab　of　white　wax。　But　the　contents　of　the　other　two　boxes　were　in　better　condition：　under　the　first　layer；　which　was　partially　melted；　there　were　salvageable　candles。　He　set　up　six　of　them　on　the　bar；　seating　them　in　their　own　dribblings　so　that　they　wouldn't　fall　over。
　 Their　flickering　yellow　light　flattered　the　marble　interior；　and　by　some　strange　arrangement　of　the　walls　it　seemed　he　heard　the　whispering　of　the　flames　multiplied。　Indeed　they　almost　sounded　like　voices；　uncannily　so。　He　looked　around；　half…expecting　to　see　somebody　flitting　between　the　columns。
　 〃Ah；　v