preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第14部分

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　you　the　Delacourte　papers。　Much　more　prehensive。〃
　〃I'm　afraid　there　won't　be　time；　at　least　not　today。〃
　Puck　grunted　with　dissatisfaction。　Nora　glanced　at　him；　felt　a　stab　of　pity　for　the　lonely　old　man。
　〃Ah；　here's　a　letter　from　Tinbury　McFadden；〃　Puck　said；　plucking　a　faded　paper　from　the　box。　〃Helped　Shottum　classify　his　mammals　and　birds。　He　advised　a　lot　of　the　cabinet　owners。　Hired　himself　out。〃　He　rummaged　some　more。　〃He　was　a　close　friend　of　Shottum's。〃
　Nora　thought　for　a　moment。　〃Can　I　check　out　this　box？〃
　〃Have　to　look　at　it　in　the　Research　Room。　Can't　let　it　leave　the　Archives。〃
　〃I　see。〃　Nora　paused；　thinking。　〃You　said　Tinbury　McFadden　was　a　close　friend　of　Shottum's？　Are　his　papers　in　here；　too？〃
　〃Are　they　here？　Good　heaven；　we've　got　mountains　of　his　papers。　And　his　collections。　He　had　quite　a　cabinet　himself；　only　he　never　displayed　it。　Left　it　to　the　Museum；　but　none　of　the　stuff　had　any　provenience　and　was　full　of　fakes；　so　they　stuck　it　down　here。　For　historical　purposes。　No　scientific　value；　they　said。〃　Puck　sniffed。　〃Not　worthy　of　the　main　collection。〃
　〃May　I　see　it？〃
　〃Of　course；　of　course！〃　And　Puck　was　shuffling　off　again　in　a　new　direction。　〃Right　around　the　corner。〃
　They　stopped　at　last　before　two　shelves。　The　upper　was　full　of　more　papers　and　boxes。　On　top　of　one　box　was　a　promissory　note；　with　a　faded　inventory　of　items　transferred　from　J。　C。　Shottum　to　T。　F。　McFadden；　as　payment　for　Services　Rendered　and　Promised。　The　lower　shelf　was　stuffed　with　a　variety　of　curious　objects。　Glancing　over　them；　Nora　saw　stuffed　animals　wrapped　in　wax　paper　and　twine；　dubious…looking　fossils；　a　double…headed　pig　floating　in　a　glass　jeroboam；　a　dried　anaconda　curled　into　a　giant　five…foot　knot；　a　stuffed　chicken　with　six　legs　and　four　wings；　and　a　bizarre　box　made　out　of　an　elephant's　foot。
　Puck　blew　his　nose　like　a　trumpet；　wiped　his　eyes。　〃Poor　Tinbury　would　turn　over　in　his　grave　if　he　knew　that　his　precious　collection　ended　up　down　here。　He　thought　it　had　priceless　scientific　value。　Of　course；　that　was　at　a　time　when　many　of　the　Museum's　curators　were　amateurs　with　poor　scientific　credentials。〃
　Nora　pointed　to　the　promissory　note。　〃This　seems　to　indicate　Shottum　gave　McFadden　specimens　in　exchange　for　his　work。〃
　〃A　standard　practice。〃
　〃So　some　of　these　things　came　from　Shottum's　Cabinet？〃
　〃Without　a　doubt。〃
　〃Could　I　examine　these　specimens；　too？〃
　Puck　beamed。　〃I'll　move　all　of　it　to　the　Research　Room　and　set　it　up　on　tables。　When　it's　ready；　I'll　let　you　know。〃
　〃How　long　will　that　take？〃
　〃A　day。〃　His　face　reddened　with　the　pleasure　of　being　of　use。
　〃Don't　you　need　help　moving　these　things？〃
　〃Oh；　yes。　My　assistant；　Oscar；　will　do　it。〃
　Nora　looked　around。　〃Oscar？〃
　〃Oscar　Gibbs。　He　usually　works　up　in　Osteology。　We　don't　get　many　visitors　down　here。　I　call　him　down　for　special　work　like　this。〃
　〃This　is　very　kind　of　you；　Mr。　Puck。〃
　〃Kind？　The　pleasure's　all　mine；　I　assure　you；　my　dear　girl！〃
　〃I'll　be　bringing　a　colleague。〃
　An　uncertain　look　clouded　Puck's　face。　〃A　colleague？　There　are　rules　about　that；　what　with　the　new　security　and　all　。　。　。〃　He　hesitated；　almost　embarrassed。
　〃Rules？〃
　〃Only　Museum　staff　allowed。　The　Archives　used　to　be　open　to　everybody；　but　now　we've　been　restricted　to　Museum　staff。　And　trustees。〃
　〃Special　Agent　Pendergast　is；　ah；　connected　with　the　Museum。〃
　〃Agent　Pendergast？　Yes；　the　name's　familiar　。　。　。　Pendergast。　I　remember　him　now。　The　southern　gentleman。　Oh；　dear。〃　A　momentary　look　of　distress　crossed　the　man's　face。　〃Well；　well；　as　you　wish。　I'll　expect　you　both　tomorrow　at　nine　o'clock。〃
　
　TWO
　　
　PATRICK　MURPHY　O'SHAUGHNESSY　sat　in　the　precinct　captain's　office；　waiting　for　him　to　get　off　the　phone。　He　had　been　waiting　five　minutes；　but　so　far　Custer　hadn't　even　looked　in　his　direction。　Which　was　just　fine　with　him。　O'Shaughnessy　scanned　the　walls　without　interest；　his　eyes　moving　from　mendation　plaques　to　departmental　shooting　trophies；　lighting　at　last　upon　the　painting　on　the　far　wall。　It　showed　a　little　cabin　in　a　swamp；　at　night；　under　a　full　moon；　its　windows　casting　a　yellow　glow　over　the　waters。　It　was　a　source　of　endless　amusement　to　the　7th　Precinct　that　their　captain；　with　all　his　mannerisms　and　his　pretensions　to　culture；　had　a　velvet　painting　proudly　displayed　in　his　office。　There　had　even　been　talk　of　getting　an　office　pool　together；　soliciting　donations　for　a　less　revolting　replacement。　O'Shaughnessy　used　to　laugh　along　with　them；　but　now　he　found　it　pathetic。　It　was　all　so　pathetic。
　The　rattle　of　the　phone　in　its　cradle　brought　him　out　of　his　reverie。　He　looked　up　as　Custer　pressed　his　inter　button。
　〃Sergeant　Noyes；　e　in　here；　please。〃
　O'Shaughnessy　looked　away。　This　wasn't　a　good　sign。　Herbert　Noyes；　recently　transferred　from　Internal　Affairs；　was　Custer's　new　personal　assistant　and　numero　uno　ass…kisser。　Something　unpleasant　was　definitely　up。
　Almost　instantly；　Noyes　entered　the　office；　the　usual　unctuous　smile　breaking　the　smooth　lines　of　his　ferret…like　head。　He　nodded　politely　to　Custer；　ignored　O'Shaughnessy；　and　took　the　seat　closest　to　the　captain's　desk；　chewing　gum；　as　usual。　His　skinny　form　barely　made　a　dent　in　the　burgundy…colored　leather。　He'd　e　in　so　fast　it　was　almost　as　if　he'd　been　hovering　outside。　O'Shaughnessy　realized　he　probably　had　been。
　And　now；　at　last；　Custer　turned　toward　O'Shaughnessy。　〃Paddy！〃　he　said　in　his　high；　thin　voice。　〃How's　the　last　Irish　cop　on　the　force　doing　these　days？〃
　O'Shaughnessy　waited　just　long　enough　to　be　insolent；　and　then　answered：　〃It's　Patrick；　sir。〃
　〃Patrick；　Patrick。　I　thought　they　called　you　Paddy；〃　Custer　went　on；　some　of　the　hearty　bluster　gone。
　〃There　are　still　plenty　of　Irish　on　the　force；　sir。〃
　〃Yeah；　yeah；　but　how　many　are　named　Patrick　Murphy　O'Shaughnessy？　I　mean；　is　that　Irish　or　what？　That's　like　Chaim　Moishe　Finkelstein；　or　Vinnie　Scarpetta　Gotti　della　Gambino。　Ethnic。　Very　ethnic。　But　hey；　don't　get　me　wrong。　Ethnic's　good。〃
　〃Very　good；〃　Noyes　said。
　〃I'm　always　saying　we　need　diversity　on　the　force。　Right？〃
　〃Sure；〃　O'Shaughnessy　replied。
　〃Anyway；　Patrick；　we've　got　a　little　problem　here。　A　few　days　ago；　thirty…six　skeletons　were　uncovered　at　a　construction　site　here　in　the　precinct。　You　may　have　heard　of　it。　I　supervised　the　investigation　myself。　It's　a　Moegen…Fairhaven　development。　You　know　them？〃
　〃Sure　I　do。〃　O'Shaughnessy　glanced　pointedly　at　the　oversized　Montblanc　fountain　pen　in　Custer's　shirt　pocket。　Mr。　Fairhaven　had　given　them　as　Christmas　presents　to　all　the　precinct　captains　in　Manhattan　the　year　before。
　〃Big　outfit。　Lots　of　money；　lots　of　friends。　Good　people。　Now　these　skeletons；　Patrick；　are　well　over　a　century　old。　It's　our　understanding　that　some　maniac　back　in　the　eighteen　hundreds　murdered　these　people　and　hid　them　in　a　basement。　With　me　so　far？〃
　O'Shaughnessy　nodded。
　〃Have　you　ever　had　any　experience　with　the　FBI？〃
　〃No；　sir。〃
　〃They　tend　to　think　working　cops　are　stupid。　They　like　to　keep　us　in　the　dark。　It's　fun　for　them。〃
　〃It's　a　little　game　they　play；〃　said　Noyes；　with　a　small　bob　of　his　shiny　head。　It　was　hard　to　make　a　crew　cut　look　oily；　but　somehow　Noyes　managed。
　〃That's　exactly　right；〃　Custer　said。　〃You　know　what　we're　saying；　Patrick？〃
　〃Sure。〃　They　were　saying　he　was　about　to　get　some　shit…stink　assignment　involving　the　FBI：　that's　what　he　knew。
　〃Good。　For　some　reason；　we've　got　an　FBI　agent　poking　around　the　site。　He　won't　say　why　he's　interested。　He's　not　even　local；　from　New　Orleans；　believe　it　or　not。　But　the　guy's　got　pull。　I'm　still　looking　into　it。　The　boys　in　the　New　York　office　don't　like　him　any　more　than　we　do。　They　told　me　some　stories　about　him；　and　I　didn't　like　what　I　heard。　Wherever　this　guy　goes；　trouble　follows。　You　with　me？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃This　guy's　been　calling　all　over　the　place。　Wants　to　see　the　bones。　Wants　to　see　the　pathologist's　report。　Wants　everything　under　the　sun。　He　doesn't　seem　to　get　that　the　crime's　ancient　history。　So　now；　Mr。　Fairhaven　is　concerned。　He　doesn't　want　this　getting　blown　out　of　proportion；　you　know？　He's　gonna　have　to　rent　those　apartments。　You　get　my　drift？　And　w