rc.theladyinthelake-第21部分

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ring。　Then　I　went　down　to　the　lower　hall　and　called　out　again。　I　even　peeped　into　the　bedroom。〃　She　lowered　her　eyes　as　if　bashfully　and　twisted　a　hand　on　her　knee。
　　〃Well；　that's　that；〃　I　said。
　　She　nodded　brightly。　〃Yes；　that's　that。'　And　what　did　you　say　your　name　was？〃
　　〃Vance；〃　I　said。　〃Philo　Vance。〃
　　〃And　what　pany　are　you　employed　with；　Mr。　Vance？〃
　　〃I'm　out　of　work　right　now；〃　I　said。　〃Until　the　police　missioner　gets　into　a　jam　again。〃　She　looked　startled。　〃But　you　said　you　came　about　a　car　payment。〃
　　〃That's　just　part…time　work；〃　I　said。　〃A　fill…in　job。〃　She　rose　to　her　feet　and　looked　at　me　steadily。　Her　voice　was　cold　saying：　〃Then　in　that　case　I　think　you　had　better　leave　now。〃　I　said：　〃I　thought　I　might　take　a　look　around　first；　if　you　don't　mind。　There　might　be　something　you　missed。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　that　is　necessary；〃　she　said。　〃This　is　my　house。　I'll　thank　you　to　leave　now；　Mr。　Vance。〃　I　said：　〃And　if　I　don't　leave；　you'll　get　somebody　who　will。　Take　a　chair　again；　Mrs。　Falibrook。　I'll　just　glance　through。　This　gun；　you　know；　is　kind　of　queer。〃
　　〃But　I　told　you　I　found　it　lying　on　the　stairs；〃　she　said　angrily。　〃I　don't　know　anything　else　about　it。　I　don't　know　anything　about　guns　at　all。　I…I　never　shot　one　in　my　life。〃　She　opened　a　large　blue　bag　and　pulled　a　handkerchief　out　of　it　and　sniffled。
　　〃That's　your　story；〃　I　said。　〃I　don't　have　to　get　stuck　with　it。〃　She　put　her　left　hand　out　to　me　with　a　pathetic　gesture；　like　the　erring　wife　in　_East　Lynne_。
　　〃Oh；　I　shouldn't　have　e　ins〃　she　cried。　〃It　was　horrid　of　me。　I　know　it　was。　Mr。　Lavery　will　be　furious。〃
　　〃What　you　shouldn't　have　done；〃　I　said；　〃was　let　me　find　out　the　gun　was　empty。　Up　to　then　you　were　holding　everything　in　the　deck。〃　She　stamped　her　foot。　That　was　all　the　scene　lacked。　That　made　it　perfect。
　　〃Why；　you　perfectly　loathsome　man；〃　she　squawked。　〃Don't　you　dare　touch　me！　Don't　you　take　a　single　step　towards　me！　I　won't　stay　in　this　house　another　minute　with　you。　How　dare　you　be　so　insulting〃　She　caught　her　voice　and　snapped　it　in　mid…air　like　a　rubber　band。　Then　she　put　her　head　down；　purple　hat　and　all；　and　ran　for　the　door。　As　she　passed　me　she　put　a　hand　out　as　if　to　stiff　arm　me；　but　she　wasn't　near　enough　and　I　didn't　move。　She　jerked　the　door　wide　and　charged〃out　through　it　and　up　the　walk　to　the　street。　The　door　came　slowly　shut　and　I　heard　her　rapid　steps　above　the　sound　of　its　closing。
　　I　ran　a　fingernail　along　my　teeth　and　punched　the　point　of　my　jaw　with　a　knuckle；　listening。　I　didn't　hear　anything　anywhere　to　listen　to。　A　six…shot　automatic；　fired　empty。
　　〃Something；〃　I　said　out　loud；　〃is　all　wrong　with　this　scene。〃　The　house　seemed　now　to　be　abnormally　still。　I　went　along　the　apricot　rug　and　through　the　archway　to　the　head　of　the　stairs。　I　stood　there　for　another　moment　and　listened　again。
　　I　shrugged　and　went　quietly　down　the　stairs。
　　
　　
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　　The　lower　hall　had　a　door　at　each　end　and　two　in　the　middle　side　by　side。　One　of　these　was　a　linen　closet　and　the　other　was　locked。　I　went　along　to　the　end　and　looked　in　at　a　spare　bedroom　with　drawn　blinds　and　；no　sign　of　being　used。　I　went　back　to　the　other　end　of　the　hail　and　stepped　into　a　second　bedroom　with　a　wide　bed；　a　caféau…lait　rug；　angular　furniture　in　light　wood；　a　box　mirror　over　the　dressing　table　and　a　long　fluorescent　lamp　over　the　mirror。　In　the　corner　a　crystal　greyhound　stood　on　a　mirror…top　table　and　beside　him　a　crystal　box　with　cigarettes　in　it。
　　Face　powder　was　spilled　around　on　the　dressing　table。　There　was　a　smear　of　dark　lipstick　on　a　towel　hanging　over　the　waste　basket。　On　the　bed　were　pillows　side　by　side；　with　depressions　in　them　that　could　have　been　made　by　heads。　A　woman's　handkerchief　peeped　from　under　one　pillow。　A　pair　of　sheer　black　pajamas　lay　across　the　foot　of　the　bed。　A　rather　too　emphatic　trace　of　chypre　hung　in　the　air。
　　I　wondered　what　Mrs。　Falibrook　had　thought　of　all　this。
　　I　turned　around　and　looked　at　myself　in　the　long　mirror　of　a　closet　door。　The　door　was　painted　white　and　had　a　crystal　knob。　I　turned　the　knob　in　my　handkerchief　and　looked　inside。　The　cedar…lined　closet　was　fairly　full　of　man's　clothes。　'There　was　a　nice　friendly'　smell　of　tweed。　The　closet　was　not　entirely　full　of　man's　clothes。
　　There　was　also　a　woman's　black　and　white　tailored　suit；　mostly　white；　black　and　white　shoes　under　it；　a　panama　with　a　black　and　white　rolled　band　on　a　shelf　above　it。　There　were　other　woman's　clothes；　but　I　didn't　examine　them。
　　I　shut　the　closet　door　and　went　out　of　the　bedroom；　holding　my　handkerchief　ready　for　more　doorknobs。
　　The　door　next　to　the　linen　closet；　the　locked　door；　had　to　be　the　bathroom。　I　shook　it；　but　it　went　on　being　locked。　I　bent　down　and　saw　there　was　a　short；　slit…shaped　opening　in　the　middle　of　the　knob。　I　knew　then　that　the　door　was　fastened　by　pushing　a　button　in　the　middle　of　the　knob　inside；　and　that　the　slit…like　opening　was　for　a　metal　key　without　wards　that　would　spring　the　lock　open　in　case　somebody　fainted　in　the　bathroom；　or　the　kids　locked　themselves　in　and　got　sassy。
　　The　key　for　this　ought　to　be　kept　on　the　top　shelf　of　the　linen　closet；　but　it　wasn't。　I　tried　my　knife　blade；　but　that　was　too　thin。　I　went　back　to　the　bedroom　and　got　a　flat　nail　file　off　the　dresser。　That　worked。　I　opened　the　bathroom　door。
　　A　man's　sand…colored　pajamas　were　tossed　over　a　painted　hamper。　A　pair　of　heelless　green　slippers　lay　on　the　floor。　There　was　a　safety　razor　on　the　edge　of　the　washbowl　and　a　tube　of　cream　with　the　cap　off。　The　bathroom　window　was　shut；　and　there　was　a　pungent　smell　in　the　air　that　was　not　quite　like　any　other　smell。
　　Three　empty　shells　lay　bright　and　coppery　on　the　nile　green　tiles　of　the　bathroom　floor；　and　there　was　a　nice　clean　hole　in　the　frosted　pane　of　the　window。　To　the　left　and　a　little　above　the　window　were　two　scarred　places　in　the　plaster　where　the　white　showed　behind　the　paint　and　where　something；　such　as　a　bullet；　had　gone　in。
　　The　shower　curtain　was　green　and　white　oiled　silk　and　it　hung　on　shiny　chromium　rings　and　it　was　drawn　across　the　shower　opening。　I　slid　it　aside；　the　rings　making　a　thin　scraping　noise；　which　for　some　reason　sounded　indecently　loud。
　　I　felt　my　neck　creak　a　little　as　I　bent　down。　He　was　there　all　right…there　wasn't　anywhere　else　for　him　to　be。　He　was　huddled　in　the　corner　under　the　two　shining　faucets；　and　water　dripped　slowly　on　his　chest；　from　the　chromium　showerhead。
　　His　knees　were　drawn　up　but　slack。　The　two　holes　in　his　naked　chest　were　dark　blue　and　both　of　them　were　close　enough　to　his　heart　to　have　killed　him。　The　blood　seemed　to　have　been　washed　away。
　　His　eyes　had　a　curiously　bright　and　expectant　look；　as　if　he　smelled　the　morning　coffee　and　would　be　ing　right　out。
　　Nice　efficient　work。　You　have　just　finished　shaving　and　stripped　for　the　shower　and　you　are　leaning　in　against　the　shower　curtain　and　adjusting　the　temperature　of　the　water。　The　door　opens　behind　you　and　somebody　es　in。　The　somebody　appears　to　have　been　a　woman。　She　has　a　gun。　You　look　at　the　gun　and　she　shoots　it。
　　She　misses　with　three　shots。　It　seems　impossible；　at　such　short　range；　but　there　it　is。　Maybe　it　happens　all　the　time。　I've　been　around　so　little。
　　You　haven't　anywhere　to　go。　You　could　lunge　at　her　and　take　a　chance；　if　you　were　that　kind　of　fellow；　and　if'　you　were　braced　for　it。　But　leaning　in　over　the　shower　faucets；　holding　the　curtain　closed；　you　are　off　balance。　Also　you　are　apt　to　be　somewhat　petrified　with　panic；　if　you　are　at　all　like　other　people。　So　there　isn't　anywhere　to　go；　except　into　the　shower。
　　That　is　where　you　go。　You　go　into　it　as　far　as　you　can；　but　a　shower　stall　is　a　small　place　and　the　tiled　wall　stops　you。　You　are　backed　up　against　the　last　wall　there　is　now。　You　are　all　out　of　space；　and　you　are　all　out　of　living。　And　then　there　are　two　more　shots；　possibly　three；　and　you　slide　down　the　wall；　and　your　eyes　are　not　even　frightened　any　more　now。　They　are　just　the　empty　eyes　of　the　dead。
　　She　reaches　in　and　turns　the　shower　off。　She　sets　the　lock　of　the　bathroom　door。　On　her　way　out　of　the　house　she　throws　the　empty　g