preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第3部分

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　〃Eighteen　thousand　dollars；〃　Brisbane　repeated　slowly　as　if　considering。　〃When　you　really　think　about　it；　Dr。　Kelly；　it　doesn't　seem　like　much；　does　it？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃It's　very　little　money；　actually。〃
　〃Not　pared　to　the　scientific　results　it　would　bring。〃
　〃Eighteen　thousand。　What　a　coincidence。〃
　〃Coincidence？〃　Nora　suddenly　felt　uneasy。
　〃It　just　happens　to　be　exactly　what　you　are　going　to　need　to　cut　out　of　your　budget　next　year。〃
　〃You're　cutting　my　budget？〃
　Brisbane　nodded。　〃Ten　percent　cuts　across　the　board。　All　scientific　departments。〃
　Nora　felt　herself　begin　to　tremble；　and　she　gripped　the　chrome　arms　of　the　chair。　She　was　about　to　say　something；　but；　remembering　her　vow；　turned　it　into　a　swallow。
　〃The　cost　of　the　new　dinosaur　halls　turned　out　to　be　more　than　anticipated。　That's　why　I　was　glad　to　hear　you　say　it　wasn't　much　money。〃
　Nora　found　her　breath；　modulated　her　voice。　〃Mr。　Brisbane；　I　can't　plete　the　survey　with　a　cut　like　that。〃
　〃You're　going　to　have　to。　Scientific　research　is　only　a　small　part　of　the　Museum；　Dr。　Kelly。　We've　an　obligation　to　put　on　exhibitions；　build　new　halls；　and　entertain　the　public。〃
　Nora　spoke　hotly。　〃But　basic　scientific　research　is　the　lifeblood　of　this　Museum。　Without　science；　all　this　is　just　empty　show。〃
　Brisbane　rose　from　his　chair；　strolled　around　his　desk；　and　stood　before　the　glass　case。　He　punched　a　keypad；　inserted　a　key。　〃Have　you　ever　seen　the　Tev　Mirabi　emerald？〃
　〃The　what？〃
　Brisbane　opened　the　case　and　stretched　a　slender　hand　toward　a　cabochon　emerald　the　size　of　a　robin's　egg。　He　plucked　it　from　its　velvet　cradle　and　held　it　up　between　thumb　and　forefinger。　〃The　Tev　Mirabi　emerald。　It's　flawless。　As　a　gemologist　by　avocation；　I　can　tell　you　that　emeralds　of　this　size　are　never　flawless。　Except　this　one。〃
　He　placed　it　before　his　eye；　which　popped　into　housefly…like　magnification。　He　blinked　once；　then　lowered　the　gem。
　〃Take　a　look。〃
　Nora　again　forced　herself　to　swallow　a　rejoinder。　She　took　the　emerald。
　〃Careful。　You　wouldn't　want　to　drop　it。　Emeralds　are　brittle。〃
　Nora　held　it　gingerly；　turned　it　in　her　fingers。
　〃Go　ahead。　The　world　looks　different　through　an　emerald。〃
　She　peered　into　its　depths　and　saw　a　distorted　world　peering　back；　in　which　moved　a　bloated　creature　like　a　green　jellyfish：　Brisbane。
　〃Very　interesting。　But　Mr。　Brisbane…〃
　〃Flawless。〃
　〃No　doubt。　But　we　were　talking　about　something　else。〃
　〃What　do　you　think　it's　worth？　A　million？　Five？　Ten？　It's　unique。　If　we　sold　it；　all　our　money　worries　would　be　over。〃　He　chuckled；　then　placed　it　to　his　own　eye　again。　The　eye　swiveled　about　behind　the　emerald；　black；　magnified；　wet…looking。　〃But　we　can't；　of　course。〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　but　I　don't　get　your　point。〃
　Brisbane　smiled　thinly。　〃You　and　the　rest　of　the　scientific　staff。　You　all　forget　one　thing：　it　is　about　show。　Take　this　emerald。　Scientifically；　there's　nothing　in　it　that　you　couldn't　find　in　an　emerald　a　hundredth　its　size。　But　people　don't　want　to　see　any　old　emerald：　they　want　to　see　the　biggest　emerald。　Show；　Dr。　Kelly；　is　the　lifeblood　of　this　Museum。　How　long　do　you　think　your　precious　scientific　research　would　last　if　people　stopped　ing；　stopped　being　interested；　stopped　giving　money？　You　need　collections：　dazzling　exhibitions；　colossal　meteorites；　dinosaurs；　planetariums；　gold；　dodo　birds；　and　giant　emeralds　to　keep　people's　attention。　Your　work　just　doesn't　fall　into　that　category。〃
　〃But　my　work　is　interesting。〃
　Brisbane　spread　his　hands。　〃My　dear；　everyone　here　thinks　their　research　is　the　most　interesting。〃
　It　was　the　〃my　dear〃　that　did　it。　Nora　rose　from　her　chair；　white…lipped　with　anger。　〃I　shouldn't　have　to　sit　here　justifying　my　work　to　you。　The　Utah　survey　will　establish　exactly　when　the　Aztec　influence　came　into　the　Southwest　and　transformed　Anasazi　culture。　It　will　tell　us…〃
　〃If　you　were　digging　up　dinosaurs；　it　would　be　different。　That's　where　the　action　is。　And　it　happens　that's　also　where　the　money　is。　The　fact　is；　Dr。　Kelly；　nobody　seems　terribly　concerned　with　your　little　piles　of　potsherds　except　yourself。〃
　〃The　fact　is；〃　said　Nora　hotly；　〃that　you're　a　miscarried　scientist　yourself。　You're　only　playing　at　being　a　bureaucrat；　and；　frankly；　you're　overdoing　the　role。〃
　As　soon　as　Nora　spoke　she　realized　she　had　said　too　much。　Brisbane's　face　seemed　to　freeze　for　a　moment。　Then　he　recovered；　gave　her　a　cool　smile；　and　twitched　his　handkerchief　out　of　his　breast　pocket。　He　began　polishing　the　emerald；　slowly　and　repetitively。　Then　he　placed　it　back　in　the　case；　locked　it；　and　then　began　polishing　the　case　itself；　first　the　top　and　then　the　sides；　with　deliberation。　Finally　he　spoke。
　〃Do　not　excite　yourself。　It　hardens　the　arteries　and　is　altogether　bad　for　your　health。〃
　〃I　didn't　mean　to　say　that；　and　I'm　sorry；　but　I　won't　stand　for　these　cuts。〃
　Brisbane　spoke　pleasantly。　〃I've　said　what　I　have　to　say。　For　those　curators　who　are　unable　or　unwilling　to　find　the　cuts；　there's　no　problem…I　will　be　happy　to　find　the　cuts　for　them。〃　When　he　said　this；　he　did　not　smile。
　　
　Nora　closed　the　door　to　the　outer　office　and　stood　in　the　hallway；　her　mind　in　turmoil。　She　had　sworn　to　herself　not　to　leave　without　the　extra　money；　and　here　she　was；　worse　off　than　before　she　went　in。　Should　she　go　to　Collopy；　the　Museum's　director？　But　he　was　severe　and　unapproachable；　and　that　would　surely　piss　off　Brisbane。　She'd　already　shot　her　mouth　off　once。　Going　over　Brisbane's　head　might　get　her　fired。　And　whatever　else　she　did；　she　couldn't　lose　this　job。　If　that　happened；　she　might　as　well　find　another　line　of　work。　Maybe　she　could　find　the　money　somewhere　else；　rustle　up　another　grant　somewhere。　And　there　was　another　budget　review　in　six　months。　One　could　always　hope　。　。　。
　Slowly；　she　descended　the　staircase　to　the　fourth　floor。　In　the　corridor　she　paused；　surprised　to　see　the　door　to　her　office　wide　open。　She　looked　inside。　In　the　place　she　had　been　standing　not　fifteen　minutes　before；　a　very　odd…looking　man　was　now　framed　by　the　window；　leafing　through　a　monograph。　He　was　wearing　a　dead　black　suit；　severely　cut；　giving　him　a　distinctly　funereal　air。　His　skin　was　very　pale；　whiter　than　she　had　ever　seen　on　a　living　body。　His　blond　hair；　too；　was　almost　white；　and　he　turned　the　pages　of　the　monograph　with　astonishingly　long；　slender；　ivory　fingers。
　〃Excuse　me；　but　what　are　you　doing　in　my　office？〃　Nora　asked。
　〃Interesting；〃　the　man　murmured；　turning。
　〃I'm　sorry？〃
　He　held　up　a　monograph；　The　Geochronology　of　Sandia　Cave。　〃Odd　that　only　whole　Folsom　points　were　found　above　the　Sandia　level。　Highly　suggestive；　don't　you　think？〃　He　spoke　with　a　soft；　upper…class　southern　accent　that　flowed　like　honey。
　Nora　felt　her　surprise　turning　to　anger　at　this　casual　invasion　of　her　office。
　He　moved　toward　a　bookcase；　slid　the　monograph　back　into　its　place　on　the　shelf；　and　began　perusing　the　other　volumes；　his　finger　tapping　the　spines　with　small；　precise　movements。　〃Ah；〃　he　said；　slipping　out　another　monograph。　〃I　see　the　Monte　Verde　results　have　been　challenged。〃
　Nora　stepped　forward；　jerked　the　monograph　out　of　his　hand；　and　shoved　it　back　onto　the　shelf。　〃I'm　busy　at　the　moment。　If　you　want　an　appointment；　you　can　call。　Please　close　the　door　on　your　way　out。〃　She　turned　her　back；　waiting　for　him　to　leave。　Ten　percent。　She　shook　her　head　in　weary　disbelief。　How　could　she　possibly　manage　it？
　But　the　man　didn't　leave。　Instead；　she　heard　his　mellifluous　plantation　voice　again。　〃I'd　just　as　soon　speak　now；　if　it's　all　the　same　to　you。　Dr。　Kelly；　may　I　be　so　bold　as　to　trouble　you　with　a　vexatious　little　problem？〃
　She　turned。　He　had　extended　his　hand。　Nestled　within　it　was　a　small；　brown　skull。
　
　THREE
　　
　NORA　GLANCED　FROM　the　skull　back　to　the　visitor　's　face。　〃Who　are　you？〃　Regarding　him　more　carefully　now；　she　noticed　just　how　pale　his　blue　eyes　were；　how　fine　his　features。　With　his　white　skin　and　the　classical　planes　of　his　face；　he　looked　as　if　he'd　been　sculpted　of　marble。
　He　made　a　decorous　gesture　somewhere　between　a　nod　and　a　bow。　〃Special　Agent　Pendergast；　Federal　Bureau　of　Investigation。〃
　Nora's　heart　sank。　Was　this　more　spil