preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第104部分

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has　unfortunately　retracted。〃　He　made　another　little　cut；　and　then　probed　into　the　wound　with　a　large；　tweezer…like　instrument。
　Nora　winced；　tried　to　think　of　something　else。　〃How　are　we　going　to　get　out　of　here？〃　she　asked　again。
　〃Through　the　basement　tunnels。　My　research　on　this　area　turned　up　the　fact　that　a　river　brigand　once　lived　along　this　stretch　of　Riverside。　Based　on　the　extent　of　the　cellars　below　us；　I　feel　certain　now　that　this　was　his　residence。　Did　you　notice　the　superb　view　of　the　Hudson　the　house　manded？〃
　〃No；〃　Nora　replied；　swallowing。　〃Can't　say　I　did。〃
　〃That's　understandable；　considering　the　North　River　Water　Pollution　Control　Plant　now　blocks　much　of　the　view；〃　Pendergast　said　as　he　fished　a　large　vein　out　of　the　wound　with　the　clamp。　〃But　a　hundred　and　fifty　years　ago；　this　house　would　have　had　a　sweeping　view　of　the　lower　Hudson。　River　pirates　were　fairly　mon　in　the　early　nineteenth　century。　They　would　slip　out　onto　the　river　after　dark　to　hijack　moored　ships　or　capture　passengers　for　ransom。〃　He　paused　while　he　examined　the　end　of　the　vein。　〃Leng　must　have　known　this。　A　large　subbasement　was　the　first　thing　he　wanted　in　a　house。　I　believe　we　will　find　a　way　down　to　the　river；　via　the　subbasement。　Hand　me　that　absorbable　suture；　if　you　please？　No；　the　larger　one；　the　4…0。　Thank　you。〃
　Nora　looked　on；　wincing　inwardly；　as　Pendergast　ligated　the　vein。
　〃Good；〃　he　said　a　few　moments　later；　as　he　released　the　clamp　and　put　the　suture　aside。　〃That　vein　was　causing　most　of　the　bleeding。　I　can　do　nothing　about　my　spleen；　which　has　obviously　been　perforated；　so　I'll　merely　cauterize　the　smaller　bleeders　and　close　the　wound。　Would　you　hand　me　the　electrocauterer；　please？　Yes；　that's　it。〃
　Nora　handed　the　device…a　narrow　blue　pencil　at　the　end　of　a　wire；　two　buttons　marked　cut　and　cauterize　on　its　side…to　the　FBI　agent。　Once　again；　he　bent　over　his　wound。　There　was　a　sharp　crackling　sound　as　he　cauterized　a　vein。　This　was　followed　by　another　crackling　noise…much　longer　this　time…and　a　thin　wisp　of　smoke　rose　into　the　air。　Nora　averted　her　eyes。
　〃What　was　Leng's　ultimate　project？〃　she　asked。
　Pendergast　did　not　respond　immediately。　〃Enoch　Leng　wanted　to　heal　the　human　race；〃　he　said　at　last；　still　bent　over　the　wound。　〃He　wanted　to　save　it。〃
　For　a　moment；　Nora　wasn't　sure　she　had　heard　correctly。　〃Save　the　human　race？　But　he　was　killing　people。　Scores　of　people。〃
　〃So　he　was。〃　Another　crackling　noise。
　〃Save　it　how？〃
　〃By　eliminating　it。〃
　Nora　looked　back　at　him。
　〃That　was　Leng's　grand　project：　to　rid　the　earth　of　humanity；　to　save　mankind　from　itself；　from　its　own　unfitness。　He　was　searching　for　the　ultimate　poison…hence　those　rooms　full　of　chemicals；　plants；　poisonous　insects　and　reptiles。　Of　course；　I　had　plenty　of　tangential　evidence　before：　the　poisonous　materials　on　the　glass　fragments　you　unearthed　from　Leng's　old　laboratory；　for　example。　Or　the　Greek　inscription　on　the　escutcheon　outside　the　house。　Did　you　notice　it？〃
　Nora　nodded　her　head　numbly。
　〃It's　the　final　words　of　Socrates；　spoken　as　he　took　the　fatal　poison。
　'Crito；　I　owe　a　cock　to　Asclepius；　will　you　remember　to　pay　the　debt？'　Yet　another　thing　I　should　have　realized　sooner。〃　He　cauterized　another　vein。　〃But　it　wasn't　until　I　saw　the　room　full　of　weapons　that　I　made　the　connection　and　realized　the　scope　of　his　plans。　Because　creating　the　ultimate　poison　alone　wasn't　enough…he　would　also　have　to　create　a　delivery　system；　a　way　to　make　it　reach　across　the　globe。　That's　when　the　more　vexing；　inexplicable　parts　of　the　cabinet…the　clothing；　weapons；　migratory　birds；　windborne　spores；　and　the　rest…made　sense　to　me。　Among　other　things；　while　researching　this　delivery　system；　he　had　collected　all　manner　of　poisoned　objects：　clothing；　weapons；　accessories。　And　much　of　it　was　poisoned　by　himself…redundant　experiments　with　all　manner　of　poisons。〃
　〃My　God；〃　Nora　said。　〃What　a　crazy　scheme。〃
　〃It　was　an　ambitious　scheme；　certainly。　One　he　realized　would　take　several　lifetimes　to　plete。　That　was　why　he　developed　his；　ah；　method　of　life　extension。〃
　Pendergast　put　the　electrocauterer　carefully　to　one　side。　〃I've　seen　no　evidence　here　of　any　supplies　for　closing　incisions；〃　he　said。　〃Clearly；　Fairhaven　had　no　need　of　them。　If　you'll　hand　me　that　gauze　and　the　medical　tape；　I'll　butterfly　the　wound　until　it　can　be　properly　attended　to。　Again；　I'll　need　your　assistance。〃
　Nora　handed　him　the　requested　items；　then　helped　him　close。　〃Did　he　succeed　in　finding　the　ultimate　poison？〃　she　asked。
　〃No。　Based　on　the　state　of　his　laboratory；　I　would　say　he　gave　up　around　1950。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Pendergast　said　as　he　taped　gauze　over　the　exit　wound。　The　troubled　look　she'd　noticed　earlier　returned。　〃It's　very　curious。　It's　a　great　mystery　to　me。〃
　Dressing　pleted；　Pendergast　straightened　up。　Following　his　instructions；　Nora　helped　him　make　a　sling　for　his　injured　arm　using　torn　surgical　sheets；　then　helped　him　into　his　shirt。
　Pendergast　turned　once　again　to　Smithback；　examining　his　unconscious　form；　studying　the　monitors　at　the　head　of　the　table。　He　felt　Smithback's　pulse；　examined　the　dressing　Nora　had　made。　After　rummaging　through　the　cabinet　he　brought　out　a　syringe；　and　injected　it　into　the　saline　tube。
　〃That　should　keep　him　fortable　until　you　can　get　out　of　here　and　alert　my　doctor；〃　he　said。
　〃Me？〃　Nora　said。
　〃My　dear　Dr。　Kelly；　somebody　has　to　keep　watch　over　Smithback。　We　daren't　move　him　ourselves。　With　my　arm　in　a　sling　and　a　gunshot　wound　in　my　abdomen；　I　fear　I'm　in　no　condition　to　go　anywhere；　let　alone　row。〃
　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　〃You　will；　shortly。　And　now；　please　assist　me　back　down　these　stairs。〃
　With　a　final　look　at　Smithback；　Nora　helped　Pendergast　back　down　the　staircase　and　through　the　series　of　stone　chambers；　past　the　endless　collections。　Knowing　their　purpose　made　them　seem　even　more　dreadful。
　At　the　laboratory；　Nora　slowed。　She　angled　her　light　into　the　weapons　room　beyond；　and　saw　Fairhaven；　still　motionless；　sitting　in　the　corner。　Pendergast　regarded　him　a　moment；　then　moved　to　the　heavy　door　in　the　far　wall　and　eased　it　open。　Beyond　it　lay　another　descending　staircase；　much　cruder；　seemingly　fashioned　out　of　a　natural　cavity　in　the　earth。
　〃Where　does　this　go？〃　Nora　asked　as　she　approached。
　〃Unless　I'm　mistaken；　to　the　river。〃
　They　descended　the　staircase；　the　perfume　of　mold　and　heavy　humidity　rising　to　greet　them。　At　the　bottom；　Nora's　light　revealed　a　stone　quay；　lapped　by　water；　with　a　watery　tunnel　leading　off　into　darkness。　An　ancient　wooden　boat　lay　upturned　on　the　quay。
　〃The　river　pirate's　lair；〃　Pendergast　said　as　Nora　shone　the　light　around。　〃This　was　how　he　snuck　out　to　the　Hudson　to　attack　shipping。　If　the　boat's　still　seaworthy；　you　can　take　it　out　into　the　river。〃
　Nora　angled　the　light　toward　the　skiff。
　〃Can　you　row？〃　Pendergast　inquired。
　〃I'm　an　expert。〃
　〃Good。　I　believe　you'll　find　an　abandoned　marina　a　few　blocks　south　of　here。　Get　to　a　phone　as　quickly　as　possible；　call　645…7884；　that's　the　number　of　my　chauffeur；　Proctor。　Explain　to　him　what's　happened。　He'll　e　get　you　and　arrange　everything；　including　the　doctor　for　Smithback　and　myself。〃
　Nora　turned　over　the　rowboat　and　slid　it　into　the　water。　It　was　old；　loose…jointed；　and　leaky；　but　it　appeared　to　be　seaworthy。
　〃You'll　take　care　of　Bill　while　I'm　gone？〃　she　said。
　Pendergast　nodded；　the　reflected　water　rippling　across　his　pale　face。
　She　stepped　gingerly　into　the　boat。
　Pendergast　stepped　forward。　〃Dr。　Kelly；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice。　〃There　is　something　more　I　must　tell　you。〃
　She　looked　up　from　the　boat。
　〃The　authorities　must　not　know　about　what　is　in　this　house。　Somewhere　within　these　walls；　I'm　convinced；　is　the　formula　for　the　prolongation　of　human　life。　Do　you　understand？〃
　〃I　understand；〃　Nora　replied　after　a　moment。　She　stared　at　him　as　the　full　import　of　what　he　was　saying　began　to　sink　in。　The　secret　to　prolonged　life：　it　still　seemed　incredible。　Unbelievable。
　〃I　must　also　admit　to　a　more　personal　reason　for　secrecy。　I　do　not　wish　to　bring　more　infamy　down　on　the　Pendergast　name。〃
　〃Leng　was　your　ancestor。〃
　〃Yes。　My　great…grand…uncl