preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第105部分

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　〃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…uncle。〃
　Nora　nodded　as　she　fitted　the　oarlocks。　It　was　an　antique　notion　of　family　honor；　but　then；　she　already　knew　that　Pendergast　was　a　man　out　of　his　time。
　〃My　doctor　will　evacuate　Smithback　to　a　private　hospital　upstate　where　they　do　not　ask　inconvenient　questions。　I　will；　of　course；　undergo　surgery　there　myself。　We　need　never　mention　our　adventure　to　the　authorities。〃
　〃I　understand；〃　she　repeated。
　〃People　will　wonder　what　happened　to　Fairhaven。　But　I　doubt　very　much　the　police　will　ever　identify　him　as　the　Surgeon；　or　make　the　connection　with　891　Riverside　Drive。〃
　〃Then　the　Surgeon's　murders　will　remain　unsolved？　A　mystery？〃
　〃Yes。　But　unsolved　murders　are　always　the　most　interesting；　don't　you　think？　Now；　repeat　the　telephone　number　for　me；　please。〃
　〃Six　four　five…seven　eight　eight　four。〃
　〃Excellent。　Now　please　hurry；　Dr。　Kelly。〃
　She　pushed　away　from　the　quay；　then　turned　back　to　look　at　Pendergast　once　again；　her　boat　bobbing　in　the　shallow　water。
　〃One　more　question。　How　in　the　world　did　you　escape　from　those　chains？　It　seemed　like　magic。〃
　In　the　dim　light；　she　saw　Pendergast's　lips　part　in　what　appeared　to　be　a　smile。　〃It　was　magic。〃
　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　〃Magic　and　the　Pendergast　family　are　synonymous。　There　have　been　magicians　in　my　lineage　for　ten　generations。　We've　all　dabbled　in　it。　Antoine　Leng　Pendergast　was　no　exception：　in　fact；　he　was　one　of　the　most　talented　in　the　family。　Surely　you　noticed　the　stage　apparatus　in　the　refectory？　Not　to　mention　the　false　walls；　secret　panels；　trapdoors？　Without　knowing　it；　Fairhaven　bound　his　victims　with　Leng's　trick　cuffs。　I　recognized　them　right　away：　the　American　Guiteau　handcuffs　and　Bean　Prison　leg…irons；　fitted　with　a　false　rivet　that　any　magician；　once　manacled；　could　remove　with　his　fingers　or　teeth。　To　a　person　who　knew　the　secret；　they　were　about　as　secure　as　transparent　tape。〃
　And　Pendergast　began　laughing　softly；　almost　to　himself。
　Nora　rowed　away；　the　splashing　of　the　oars　distorted　in　the　low；　rocky　cavern。　In　a　few　moments　she　came　to　a　weed…choked　opening　between　two　rocks；　just　large　enough　to　admit　the　boat。　She　pushed　through　and　was　suddenly　on　the　broad　expanse　of　the　Hudson；　the　vast　bulk　of　the　North　River　plant　rising　above　her；　the　great　glittering　arc　of　the　George　Washington　Bridge　looming　farther　to　the　north。　Nora　took　a　deep　breath　of　the　cool；　fresh　air。　She　could　hardly　believe　they　were　still　alive。
　She　glanced　back　at　the　opening　through　which　she　had　just　e。　It　looked　like　a　tangle　of　weeds　and　some　boulders　leaning　together…nothing　more。
　As　she　bent　to　the　oars；　the　abandoned　marina　just　ing　into　view　against　the　distant　gleaming　towers　of　Midtown　Manhattan；　she　thought　she　could　still　make　out…borne　on　the　midnight　wind…the　faint　sound　of　Pendergast's　laughter。
　
　Epilogue：　Arcanum
　　
　FALL　HAD　TURNED　to　winter：　one　of　those　crisp；　sunny　days　of　early　December　before　the　first　snowfall；　when　the　world　seemed　almost　crystalline　in　its　perfection。　As　Nora　Kelly　walked　up　Riverside　Drive；　holding　hands　with　Bill　Smithback；　she　looked　out　over　the　Hudson。　Already；　cakes　of　ice　were　drifting　down　from　the　upper　reaches。　The　New　Jersey　Palisades　were　etched　in　stark　sunlight；　and　the　George　Washington　Bridge　seemed　to　float　above　the　river；　silvery　and　weightless。
　Nora　and　Smithback　had　found　an　apartment　on　West　End　Avenue　in　the　Nineties。　When　Pendergast　had　contacted　them　and　asked　them　to　meet　him　at　891　Riverside　Drive；　they　had　decided　to　walk　the　two　miles；　taking　advantage　of　the　beautiful　day。
　For　the　first　time　since　the　hideous　discovery　on　Catherine　Street；　Nora　had　felt　a　certain　peace　return　to　her　life。　Her　work　at　the　Museum　was　progressing　well。　All　the　carbon…14　dates　on　her　Utah　specimens　had　e　back；　and　they　were　a　gratifying　confirmation　of　her　theory　regarding　the　Anasazi…Aztec　connection。　There　had　been　a　terrific　housecleaning　at　the　Museum；　with　a　whole　new　administration　put　in　place…except　Collopy；　who　had　somehow　e　through　it　all　with　his　reputation　and　prestige　intact；　if　not　enhanced。　In　fact；　Collopy　had　offered　Nora　an　important　administrative　post…which　she　had　politely　declined。　The　unfortunate　Roger　Brisbane　had　been　released：　the　arrest　warrant　voided　a　day　before　the　election；　after　Brisbane's　lawyer　provided　airtight　alibis　for　the　time　periods　of　all　three　copycat　murders；　and　an　angry　judge　pointed　out　there　was　no　physical　evidence　linking　the　man　to　any　crime。　Now；　Brisbane　was　suing　the　city　for　wrongful　arrest。　The　papers　were　screaming　that　the　Surgeon　was　still　at　large。　The　mayor　had　lost　his　re…election　bid。　Captain　Custer　had　been　busted　all　the　way　down　to　street　cop。
　There　had　been　a　flurry　of　newspaper　stories　about　the　sudden　disappearance　of　Anthony　Fairhaven；　but　the　speculation　had　ended　with　an　IRS　raid　on　his　pany。　After　that；　everyone　assumed　tax　problems　were　the　reason　for　his　disappearance。　Word　was　Fairhaven　had　been　last　spotted　on　a　beach　somewhere　in　the　Netherlands　Antilles；　drinking　daiquiris　and　reading　the　Wall　Street　Journal。
　Smithback　had　spent　two　weeks　at　the　Feversham　Clinic；　north　of　Cold　Spring；　where　his　wound　had　been　sewn　and　dressed。　It　had　healed　surprisingly　quickly。　Pendergast　had　also　spent　several　weeks　recuperating　at　Feversham　after　a　series　of　operations　to　his　elbow　and　abdomen。　Then　he　had　disappeared；　and　neither　Nora　nor　Smithback　had　heard　from　him。　Until　this　mysterious　summons。
　〃I　still　can't　believe　we're　up　here　again；〃　Smithback　said　as　they　walked　northward。
　〃e　on；　Bill。　Aren't　you　curious　to　see　what　Pendergast　wants？〃
　〃Of　course。　I　just　don't　see　why　it　couldn't　be　someplace　else。　Someplace　fortable。　Like；　say；　the　restaurant　at　the　Carlyle。〃
　〃I'm　sure　we'll　learn　the　reason。〃
　〃I'm　sure　we　will。　But　if　he　offers　me　a　Leng　cocktail　out　of　one　of　those　mason　jars；　I'm　leaving。〃
　Now　the　old　house　appeared　in　the　distance；　up　the　Drive。　Even　in　the　bright　sunlight　it　seemed　somehow　dark：　sprawling；　haunted；　framed　by　bare　trees；　black　upper　windows　staring　westward　like　empty　eye　sockets。
　As　if　at　a　single　thought；　Nora　and　Smithback　paused。
　〃You　know；　just　the　sight　of　that　old　pile　still　scares　the　bejesus　out　of　me；〃　Smithback　muttered。　〃I'll　tell　you；　when　Fairhaven　had　me　laid　out　on　that　operating　table；　and　I　felt　the　knife　slice　into　my…〃
　〃Bill；　please；〃　Nora　pleaded。　Smithback　had　grown　fond　of　regaling　her　with　gory　details。
　He　drew　his　arm　around　her。　He　was　wearing　the　blue　Armani　suit；　but　it　hung　a　little　loosely　now；　his　gaunt　frame　thinner　for　the　ordeal。　His　face　was　pale　and　drawn；　but　the　old　humor；　the　mischievous　twinkle；　had　returned　to　his　eyes。
　They　continued　walking　north；　crossing　137th　Street。　There　was　the　carriage　entrance；　still　partially　blocked　by　windblown　piles　of　trash。　Smithback　stopped　again；　and　Nora　watched　his　eye　travel　up　the　facade　of　the　building；　toward　a　broken　window　on　the　second　floor。　For　all　his　display　of　bravado；　the　writer's　face　paled　for　a　moment。　Then　he　stepped　forward　resolutely；　following　Nora　under　the　porte…cochère；　and　they　knocked。
　A　minute　passed；　then　two。　And　then　at　last　the　door　creaked　open；　and　Pendergast　stood　before　them。　He　was　wearing　heavy　rubber　gloves；　and　his　elegant　black　suit　was　covered　in　plaster　dust。　Without　a　word　of　greeting　he　turned　away；　and　they　followed　him　through　silent　echoing　passages　toward　the　library。　Portable　halogen　lamps　were　arrayed　along　the　hallways；　throwing　cold　white　light　onto　the　surfaces　of　the　old　house。　Even　with　the　light；　however；　Nora　felt　a　shiver　of　fear　as　she　retraced　the　corridors。　The　foul　odor　of　decay　was　gone；　replaced　by　a　faint　chemical　wash。　The　interior　was　barely　recognizable：　panels　had　been　taken　off　walls；　drawers　stood　open；　plumbing　and　gas　lines　exposed　or　removed；　boards　ripped　from　the　floor。　It　looked　as　if　the　house　had　been　torn　apart　in　an　unbelievably　exhaustive　search。
　Within　the　library；　all　the　sheets　had　been　removed　from　the　sk