preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第36部分

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t　he　couldn't　find　the　goods　on　Fairhaven？
　As　he　reached　the　corner；　his　eye　happened　to　stray　toward　a　newsstand　and　the　front　page　of　a　freshly　printed　New　York　Post。　The　headline　froze　him　in　his　tracks。
　　
　EXCLUSIVE
　
　SECOND　MUTILATED　BODY　FOUND
　　
　The　story　that　followed　was　bylined　by　Bryce　Harriman。
　Smithback　fumbled　in　his　pocket　for　change；　dropped　it　on　the　scarred　wooden　counter；　and　grabbed　a　paper。　He　read　with　trembling　hands：
　　
　NEW　YORK；　Oct。　10…An　as…yet…unidentified　body　of　a　young　woman　was　discovered　this　morning　in　Tompkins　Square　Park；　in　the　East　Village。　She　is　apparently　the　victim　of　the　same　brutal　killer　who　murdered　a　tourist　in　Central　Park　two　days　ago。
　In　both　cases；　the　killer　dissected　part　of　the　spinal　cord　at　the　time　of　death；　removing　a　section　known　as　the　cauda　equina；　a　bundle　of　nerves　at　the　base　of　the　spinal　cord　that　resembles　a　horse's　tail；　The　Post　has　learned。
　The　actual　cause　of　death　appears　to　have　been　the　dissection　itself。
　The　mutilations　in　both　cases　appear　to　have　been　done　with　care　and　precision；　possibly　with　surgical　instruments。　An　anonymous　source　confirmed　the　police　are　investigating　the　possibility　that　the　killer　is　a　surgeon　or　other　medical　specialist。
　The　dissection　mimics　a　description　of　a　surgical　procedure；　discovered　in　an　old　document　in　the　New　York　Museum。　The　document；　found　hidden　in　the　archives；　describes　in　detail　a　series　of　experiments　conducted　in　the　late　nineteenth　century　by　an　Enoch　Leng。　These　experiments　were　an　attempt　by　Leng　to　prolong　his　own　life　span。　On　October　1；　thirty…six　alleged　victims　of　Leng　were　uncovered　during　the　excavation　of　a　building　foundation　on　Catherine　Street。　Nothing　more　is　known　about　Leng；　except　that　he　was　associated　with　the　New　York　Museum　of　Natural　History。
　〃What　we　have　here　is　a　copycat　killer；〃　said　Police　missioner　Karl　C。　Rocker。　〃A　very　twisted　individual　read　the　article　about　Leng　and　is　trying　to　duplicate　his　work。〃　He　declined　to　ment　further　on　any　details　of　the　investigation；　except　to　say　that　more　than　fifty　detectives　had　been　assigned　to　the　case；　and　that　it　was　being　given　〃the　highest　priority。〃
　　
　Smithback　let　out　a　howl　of　anguish。　The　tourist　in　Central　Park　was　the　murder　assignment　that；　like　a　plete　fool；　he'd　turned　down。　Instead；　he　had　promised　his　editor　Fairhaven's　head　on　a　platter。　Now；　not　only　did　he　have　nothing　to　show　for　his　day　of　pounding　the　pavement；　but　he'd　been　scooped　on　the　very　story　he　himself　had　broken…and　by　none　other　than　his　old　nemesis；　Bryce　Harriman。
　It　was　his　own　head　that　would　be　on　a　platter。
　
　SIX
　　
　NORA　TURNED　OFF　Canal　Street　onto　Mott；　moving　slowly　through　the　throngs　of　people。　It　was　seven　o'clock　on　a　Friday　evening；　and　Chinatown　was　packed。　Sheets　of　densely　printed　Chinese　newspapers　lay　strewn　in　the　gutters。　The　stalls　of　the　fish　sellers　were　set　up　along　the　sidewalks；　vast　arrays　of　exotic…looking　fish　laid　out　on　ice。　In　the　windows；　pressed　duck　and　cooked　squid　hung　on　hooks。　The　buyers；　primarily　Chinese；　pushed　and　shouted　frantically；　under　the　curious　gaze　of　passing　tourists。
　Ten　Ren's　Tea　and　Ginseng　pany　was　a　few　hundred　feet　down　the　block。　She　pushed　through　the　door　into　a　long；　bright；　orderly　space。　The　air　of　the　tea　shop　was　perfumed　with　innumerable　faint　scents。　At　first　she　thought　the　shop　was　empty。　But　then；　as　she　looked　around　once　more；　she　noticed　Pendergast　at　a　rear　table；　nestled　between　display　cases　of　ginseng　and　ginger。　She　could　have　sworn　that　the　table　had　been　empty　just　a　moment　before。
　〃Are　you　a　tea　drinker？〃　he　asked　as　she　approached；　motioning　her　to　a　seat。
　〃Sometimes。〃　Her　subway　had　stalled　between　stations　for　twenty　minutes；　and　she'd　had　plenty　of　time　to　rehearse　what　she　would　say。　She　would　get　it　over　with　quickly　and　get　out。
　But　Pendergast　was　clearly　in　no　hurry。　They　sat　in　silence　while　he　consulted　a　sheet　filled　with　Chinese　ideographs。　Nora　wondered　if　it　was　a　list　of　tea　offerings；　but　there　seemed　to　be　far　too　many　items…surely　there　weren't　that　many　kinds　of　tea　in　the　world。
　Pendergast　turned　to　the　shopkeeper…a　small；　vivacious　woman…and　began　speaking　rapidly。
　〃Nin　hao；　lao　bin　liang。　Li　mama　hao　ma？〃
　The　woman　shook　her　head。　〃Bu；　ta　hai　shi　lao　yang　zi；　shen　ti　bu　hao。〃
　〃Qing　li　Dai　wo　xiang　ta　wen　an。　Qing　gei　wo　yi　bei　Wu　Long　cha　hao　ma？〃
　The　woman　walked　away；　returning　with　a　ceramic　pot　from　which　she　poured　a　minuscule　cup　of　tea。　She　placed　the　cup　in　front　of　Nora。
　〃You　speak　Chinese？〃　Nora　asked　Pendergast。
　〃A　little　Mandarin。　I　confess　to　speaking　Cantonese　somewhat　more　fluently。〃
　Nora　fell　silent。　Somehow；　she　was　not　surprised。
　〃King's　Tea　of　Osmanthus　Oolong；〃　said　Pendergast；　nodding　toward　her　cup。　〃One　of　the　finest　in　the　world。　From　bushes　grown　on　the　sunny　sides　of　the　mountains；　new　shoots　gathered　only　in　the　spring。〃
　Nora　picked　up　the　cup。　A　delicate　aroma　rose　to　her　nostrils。　She　took　a　sip；　tasting　a　plex　blend　of　green　tea　and　other　exquisitely　delicate　flavors。
　〃Very　nice；〃　she　said；　putting　down　the　cup。
　〃Indeed。〃　Pendergast　glanced　at　her　for　a　moment。　Then　he　spoke　again　in　Mandarin；　and　the　woman　filled　up　a　bag；　weighed　it；　and　sealed　it；　scribbling　a　price　on　the　plastic　wrapping。　She　handed　it　to　Nora。
　〃For　me？〃　Nora　asked。
　Pendergast　nodded。
　〃I　don't　want　any　gifts　from　you。〃
　〃Please　take　it。　It's　excellent　for　the　digestion。　As　well　as　being　a　superb　antioxidant。〃
　Nora　took　it　irritably；　then　saw　the　price。　〃Wait　a　minute；　this　is　two　hundred　dollars？〃
　〃It　will　last　three　or　four　months；〃　said　Pendergast。　〃A　small　price　when　one　considers…〃
　〃Look；〃　said　Nora；　setting　down　the　bag。　〃Mr。　Pendergast；　I　came　here　to　tell　you　that　I　can't　work　for　you　anymore。　My　career　at　the　Museum　is　at　stake。　A　bag　of　tea　isn't　going　to　change　my　mind；　even　if　it　is　two　hundred　bucks。〃
　Pendergast　listened　attentively；　his　head　slightly　bowed。
　〃They　implied…and　the　implication　was　very　clear…that　I　wasn't　to　work　with　you　anymore。　I　like　what　I　do。　I　keep　this　up；　I'll　lose　my　job。　I　already　lost　one　job　when　the　Lloyd　Museum　closed　down。　I　can't　afford　to　lose　another。　I　need　this　job。〃
　Pendergast　nodded。
　〃Brisbane　and　Collopy　gave　me　the　money　I　need　for　my　carbon　dates。　I've　got　a　lot　of　work　ahead　of　me　now。　I　can't　spare　the　time。〃
　Pendergast　waited；　still　listening。
　〃What　do　you　need　me　for；　anyway？　I'm　an　archaeologist；　and　there's　no　longer　any　site　to　investigate。　You've　got　a　copy　of　the　letter。　You're　FBI。　You　must　have　dozens　of　specialists　at　your　beck　and　call。〃
　Pendergast　remained　silent　as　Nora　took　a　sip　of　tea。　The　cup　rattled　loudly　in　the　saucer　when　she　replaced　it。
　〃So；〃　she　said。　〃Now　that's　settled。〃
　Now　Pendergast　spoke。　〃Mary　Greene　lived　a　few　blocks　from　here；　down　on　Water　Street。　Number　16。　The　house　is　still　there。　It's　a　five…minute　walk。〃
　Nora　looked　at　him；　eyebrows　narrowing　in　surprise。　It　had　never　occurred　to　her　how　close　they　were　to　Mary　Greene's　neighborhood。　She　recalled　the　note；　written　in　blood。　Mary　Greene　had　known　she　was　going　to　die。　Her　want　had　been　simple：　not　to　die　in　plete　anonymity。
　Pendergast　gently　took　her　arm。　〃e；〃　he　said。
　She　did　not　shrug　him　off。　He　spoke　again　to　the　shopkeeper；　took　the　tea　with　a　slight　bow；　and　in　a　moment　they　were　outside　on　the　crowded　street。　They　walked　down　Mott；　crossing　first　Bayard；　then　Chatham　Square；　entering　into　a　maze　of　dark　narrow　streets　abutting　the　East　River。　The　noise　and　bustle　of　Chinatown　gave　way　to　the　silence　of　industrial　buildings。　The　sun　had　set；　leaving　a　glow　in　the　sky　that　barely　outlined　the　tops　of　the　buildings。　Reaching　Catherine　Street；　they　turned　southeast。　Nora　glanced　over　curiously　as　they　passed　Henry　and　the　site　of　Moegen…Fairhaven's　new　residential　tower。　The　excavation　was　much　bigger　now；　massive　foundations　and　stem　walls　rose　out　of　the　gloom；　rebar　popping　like　reeds　from　the　freshly　poured　concrete。　Nothing　was　left　of　the　old　coal　tunnel。
　Another　few　minutes；　and　they　were　on　Water　Street。　Old　manufacturing　buildings；　warehou