preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第24部分

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　The　sun　streamed　in　through　the　curved　glass　wall　of　his　breakfast　atrium。　From　his　vantage　point　atop　the　Metropolitan　Tower；　all　of　Manhattan　lay　prostrate　at　his　feet；　glittering　in　the　dawn　light；　windows　winking　pink　and　gold。　His　own　personal　New　World；　waiting　for　him　to　claim　his　Manifest　Destiny。　Far　below；　the　dark　rectangle　of　Central　Park　lay　like　a　gravedigger's　hole　in　the　midst　of　the　great　city。　The　light　was　just　clipping　the　tops　of　the　trees；　the　shadows　of　the　buildings　along　Fifth　Avenue　lying　across　the　park　like　bars。
　There　was　a　rustle　and　the　maid　laid　the　two　papers　before　him；　the　New　York　Times　and　the　Wall　Street　Journal。　Freshly　ironed；　as　he　insisted。　He　picked　up　the　Times　and　unfolded　it；　the　warm　scent　of　newsprint　reaching　his　nostrils；　the　sheets　crisp　and　dry。　He　gave　the　paper　a　little　shake　to　loosen　it；　and　turned　to　the　front　page。　He　scanned　the　headlines。　Middle　East　peace　talks；　mayoral　election　debates；　earthquake　in　Indonesia。　He　glanced　below　the　fold。
　Momentarily；　he　stopped　breathing。
　　
　NEWLY　DISCOVERED　LETTER　SHEDS　LIGHT　ON　19TH…CENTURY　KILLINGS
　　
　BY　WILLIAM　SMITHBACK　JR。
　　
　He　blinked　his　eyes；　took　a　long；　deep　breath；　and　began　to　read。
　　
　NEW　YORK…October　8。　A　letter　has　been　found　in　the　archives　of　the　New　York　Museum　of　Natural　History　that　may　help　explain　the　grisly　charnel　discovered　in　lower　Manhattan　early　last　week。
　In　that　discovery；　workmen　constructing　a　residential　tower　at　the　corner　of　Henry　and　Catherine　streets　unearthed　a　basement　tunnel　containing　the　remains　of　thirty…six　young　men　and　women。　The　remains　had　been　walled　up　in　a　dozen　alcoves　in　what　was　apparently　an　old　coal　tunnel　dating　from　the　middle　of　the　nineteenth　century。　Preliminary　forensic　analysis　showed　that　the　victims　had　been　dissected；　or　perhaps　autopsied；　and　subsequently　dismembered。　Preliminary　dating　of　the　site　by　an　archaeologist；　Nora　Kelly；　of　the　New　York　Museum　of　Natural　History；　indicated　that　the　killings　had　occurred　between　1872　and　1881；　when　the　corner　was　occupied　by　a　three…story　building　housing　a　private　museum　known　as　〃J。　C。　Shottum's　Cabinet　of　Natural　Productions　and　Curiosities。〃　The　cabinet　burned　in　1881；　and　Shottum　died　in　the　fire。
　In　subsequent　research；　Dr。　Kelly　discovered　the　letter；　which　was　written　by　J。　C。　Shottum　himself。　Written　shortly　before　Shottum's　death；　it　describes　his　uncovering　of　the　medical　experiments　of　his　lodger；　a　taxonomist　and　chemist　by　the　name　of　Enoch　Leng。　In　the　letter；　Shottum　alleged　that　Leng　was　conducting　surgical　experiments　on　human　subjects；　in　an　attempt　to　prolong　his　own　life。　The　experiments　appear　to　have　involved　the　surgical　removal　of　the　lower　portion　of　the　spinal　cord　from　a　living　subject。　Shottum　appended　to　his　letter　several　passages　from　Leng's　own　detailed　journal　of　his　experiments。　A　copy　of　the　letter　was　obtained　by　the　New　York　Times。
　If　the　remains　are　indeed　from　murdered　individuals；　it　would　be　the　largest　serial　killing　in　the　history　of　New　York　City　and　perhaps　the　largest　in　U。S。　history。　Jack　the　Ripper；　England's　most　famous　serial　killer；　murdered　seven　women　in　the　Whitechapel　district　of　London　in　1888。　Jeffrey　Dahmer；　America's　notorious　serial　killer；　is　known　to　have　killed　at　least　17　people。
　The　human　remains　were　removed　to　the　Medical　Examiner's　office　and　have　been　unavailable　for　examination。　The　basement　tunnel　was　subsequently　destroyed　by　Moegen…Fairhaven；　Inc。；　the　developer　of　the　tower；　during　normal　construction　activities。　According　to　Mary　Hill；　a　spokesperson　for　Mayor　Edward　Montefiori；　the　site　did　not　fall　under　the　New　York　Archaeological　and　Historic　Preservation　Act。　〃This　is　an　old　crime　scene　of　little　archaeological　interest；〃　Ms。　Hill　said。　〃It　simply　did　not　meet　the　criteria　spelled　out　in　the　Act。　We　had　no　basis　to　stop　construction。〃　Representatives　of　the　Landmarks　Preservation　mission；　however；　have　taken　a　different　view；　and　are　reportedly　asking　a　state　senator　and　the　New　York　Investigator's　office　to　assemble　a　task　force　to　look　into　the　matter。
　One　article　of　clothing　was　preserved　from　the　site；　a　dress；　which　was　brought　to　the　Museum　for　examination　by　Dr。　Kelly。　Sewn　into　the　dress；　Dr。　Kelly　found　a　piece　of　paper；　possibly　a　note　of　self…identification；　written　by　a　young　woman　who　apparently　believed　she　had　only　a　short　time　to　live：　〃I　am　Mary　Greene；　agt　＇sic＇　19　years；　No。　16　Watter　＇sic＇　Street。〃　Tests　indicated　the　note　had　been　written　in　human　blood。
　The　Federal　Bureau　of　Investigation　has　taken　an　interest　in　the　case。　Special　Agent　Pendergast；　from　the　New　Orleans　office；　has　been　observed　on　the　scene。　Neither　the　New　York　nor　the　New　Orleans　FBI　offices　would　ment。　The　exact　nature　of　his　involvement　has　not　been　made　public；　but　Pendergast　is　known　as　one　of　the　highest　ranking　special　agents　in　the　Southern　Region。　He　has　worked　on　several　high…profile　cases　in　New　York　before。　The　New　York　City　Police　Department；　meanwhile；　has　shown　little　interest　in　a　crime　that　occurred　more　than　a　century　ago。　Captain　Sherwood　Custer；　in　whose　precinct　the　remains　were　found；　says　the　case　is　primarily　of　historical　interest。　〃The　murderer　is　dead。　Any　acplices　must　be　dead。　We'll　leave　this　one　to　the　historians　and　continue　to　devote　our　resources　to　crime　prevention　in　the　twenty…first　century。〃
　Following　the　discovery　of　the　letter；　the　New　York　Museum　removed　the　Shottum　Cabinet　collection　from　the　museum　archives。　Roger　Brisbane；　First　Vice　President　of　the　Museum；　called　the　move　〃part　of　a　long…scheduled；　ongoing　conservation　process；　a　coincidence　that　has　nothing　to　do　with　these　reports。〃　He　referred　all　further　questions　to　Harry　Medoker　in　the　Museum's　Public　Relations　Department。　Mr。　Medoker　did　not　return　several　telephone　calls　from　the　Times。
　　
　The　story　continued　on　an　inside　page；　where　the　reporter　described　the　details　of　the　old　murders　with　considerable　relish。　Fairhaven　read　the　article　to　the　end；　then　turned　back　and　read　the　first　page　once　again。　The　dry　leaves　of　the　Times　made　a　faint　rustling　sound　in　his　hands；　echoed　by　the　trembling　of　the　dead　leaves　clinging　to　the　potted　trees　on　the　balcony　outside　the　atrium。
　Fairhaven　slowly　laid　down　the　paper　and　looked　out　once　again　over　the　city。　He　could　see　the　New　York　Museum　across　the　park；　its　granite　towers　and　copper　roofs　catching　the　newly　minted　light。　He　flicked　his　finger　and　another　cup　of　tea　arrived。　He　stared　at　the　cup　without　pleasure；　tossed　it　down。　Another　flick　of　his　finger　brought　him　a　phone。
　Fairhaven　knew　a　great　deal　about　real　estate　development；　public　relations；　and　New　York　City　politics。　He　knew　this　article　was　a　potential　disaster。　It　called　for　firm；　prompt　action。
　He　paused；　thinking　who　should　receive　the　first　telephone　call。　A　moment　later　he　dialed　the　mayor's　private　number；　which　he　knew　by　heart。
　
　NINE
　　
　DOREEN　HOLLANDER；　OF　21　Indian　Feather　Lane；　Pine　Creek；　Oklahoma；　had　left　her　husband　twenty…six　stories　overhead；　mumbling　and　snoring　in　their　hotel　room。　Gazing　across　the　broad　expanse　of　Central　Park　West；　she　decided　now　was　the　perfect　time　to　view　Monet's　water　lilies　at　the　Metropolitan　Museum。　She'd　wanted　to　get　a　glimpse　of　the　famous　paintings　ever　since　seeing　a　poster　at　her　sister…in…law's　house。　Her　husband；　service　technician　for　Oklahoma　Cable；　hadn't　the　faintest　interest　in　art。　Chances　were；　he'd　still　be　asleep　when　she　returned。
　Consulting　the　visitor's　map　the　hotel　had　so　generously　volunteered；　she　was　pleased　to　discover　the　museum　lay　just　across　Central　Park。　A　short　walk；　no　need　to　call　for　an　expensive　taxi。　Doreen　Hollander　liked　walking；　and　this　would　be　the　perfect　way　to　burn　off　those　two　croissants　with　butter　and　marmalade　she　had　unwisely　eaten　for　breakfast。
　She　started　off；　crossing　into　the　park　at　the　Alexander　Humbolt　gate；　walking　briskly。　It　was　a　beautiful　fall　day；　and　the　big　buildings　on　Fifth　Avenue　shone　above　the　treetops。　New　York　City。　A　wonderful　place；　as　long　as　you　didn't　have　to　live　here。
　The　path　dropped　down　and　soon　she　came　to　the　side　of　a　lovely　pond。　She