preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第44部分

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　jars　of　formaldehyde：　a　Portuguese　man…of…war；　a　giant　rat　from　Sumatra；　a　hideous　brown　thing　the　size　of　a　flattened　watermelon；　marked　Liver；　from　a　Woolly　Mammoth　Frozen　in　Siberian　Ice。　Next　to　it　was　a　Siamese…twinned　giraffe　fetus。　The　next　turn　revealed　a　shelf　with　a　human　skull　with　a　hideous　bony　growth　on　the　forehead；　labeled　The　Rhinoceros　Man　of　Cincinnati。
　Pendergast　paused；　listening。　Now　the　sounds　of　the　crowd　were　very　faint；　and　he　was　alone。　Beyond；　the　darkened　hall　made　one　last　sharp　turn。　An　elaborately　stylized　arrow　pointed　toward　an　unseen　exhibit　around　the　corner。　A　sign　read：　Visit　Wilson　One…Handed：　For　Those　Who　Dare。
　Pendergast　glided　around　the　corner。　Here；　it　was　almost　silent。　At　the　moment；　there　were　no　other　visitors。　The　hall　terminated　in　a　small　alcove。　In　the　alcove　was　a　single　exhibit：　a　glass　case　containing　a　desiccated　head。　The　shriveled　tongue　still　protruded　from　the　mouth；　looking　like　a　cheroot　clamped　between　the　twisted　lips。　Next　to　it　lay　what　appeared　to　be　a　dried　sausage；　about　a　foot　long；　with　a　rusty　hook　attached　to　one　end　by　leather　straps。　Next　to　that；　the　frayed　end　of　a　hangman's　noose。
　A　label　identified　them：
　　
　THE　HEAD
　OF　THE　NOTORIOUS　MURDERER
　AND　ROBBER
　WILSON　ONE…HANDED
　HUNG　BY　THE　NECK　UNTIL　DEAD
　DAKOTA　TERRITORY
　JULY　4；　1868
　　
　THE　NOOSE
　FROM　WHICH　HE　SWUNG
　　
　THE　FOREARM　STUMP　AND　HOOK　OF　WILSON　ONE…HANDED
　WHICH　BROUGHT　IN　A　BOUNTY
　OF　ONE　THOUSAND　DOLLARS
　　
　Pendergast　examined　the　cramped　room。　It　was　isolated　and　very　dark。　It　was　cut　off　from　view　of　the　other　exhibits　by　a　sharp　turn　of　the　corridor。　It　would　fortably　admit　only　one　person　at　a　time。
　A　cry　for　help　here　would　be　unheard；　out　in　the　main　galleries。
　The　little　alcove　ended　in　a　cul…de…sac。　As　Pendergast　stared　at　it；　pondering；　the　wall　wavered；　then　disappeared；　as　fog　once　again　enshrouded　his　memory　construct　and　the　mental　image　fell　away。　But　it　did　not　matter：　he　had　seen　enough；　threaded　his　way　through　sufficient　passages；　to　understand。
　And　now…at　last…he　knew　how　Leng　had　procured　his　victims。
　
　TWELVE
　　
　PATRICK　O'SHAUGHNESSY　STOOD　on　the　corner　of　Seventy…second　and　Central　Park　West；　staring　at　the　facade　of　the　Dakota　apartment　building。　There　was　a　vast　arched　entrance　to　an　inner　courtyard；　and　beyond　the　entrance　the　building　ran　at　least　a　third　of　the　way　down　the　block。　It　was　there；　in　the　darkness；　that　Pendergast　had　been　attacked。
　In　fact；　it　probably　looked　just　about　like　this　when　Pendergast　was　stabbed…except　for　the　old　man；　of　course；　the　one　Pendergast　had　seen　wearing　a　derby　hat。　Astonishing　that　the　guy　had　almost　managed　to　overpower　the　FBI　agent；　even　factoring　in　the　element　of　surprise。
　O'Shaughnessy　wondered　again　just　what　the　hell　he　was　doing　here。　He　was　off　duty。　He　should　be　in　J。　W。's　hoisting　a　few　with　friends；　or　messing　about　his　apartment；　listening　to　that　new　recording　of　The　Bartered　Bride。　They　weren't　paying　him：　so　why　should　he　care？
　But　he　found；　strangely　enough；　that　he　did　care。
　Custer；　naturally；　had　dismissed　it　as　a　simple　mugging：　〃Friggin'　rube　out…of…towner；　no　surprise　he　got　his　ass　mugged。〃　Well；　O'Shaughnessy　knew　Pendergast　was　no　rube。　The　man　probably　played　up　his　New　Orleans　roots　just　to　keep　people　like　Custer　off　guard。　And　he　didn't　think　Pendergast　had　gotten　mugged；　either。　But　now　it　was　time　to　decide：　just　what　was　he　going　to　do　about　it？
　Slowly；　he　began　to　walk　toward　the　site　of　the　attack。
　Earlier　in　the　day；　he'd　visited　Pendergast　in　the　hospital。　Pendergast　had　hinted　to　him　that　it　would　be　useful…more　than　useful…to　have　the　coroner's　report　on　the　bones　found　at　the　construction　site。　To　get　it；　O'Shaughnessy　realized；　he　would　have　to　go　around　Custer。　Pendergast　also　wanted　more　information　on　the　developer；　Fairhaven…who　Custer　had　made　it　clear　was　off…limits。　It　was　then　O'Shaughnessy　realized　he　had　crossed　some　invisible　line；　from　working　for　Custer　to　working　for　Pendergast。　It　was　a　new；　almost　heady　feeling：　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　he　was　working　with　someone　he　respected。　Someone　who　wasn't　going　to　prejudge　him　on　old　history；　or　treat　him　as　a　disposable；　fifth…generation　Irish　cop。　That　was　the　reason　he　was　here；　at　the　Dakota；　on　his　night　off。　That's　what　a　partner　did　when　the　other　one　got　into　trouble。
　Pendergast；　as　usual；　was　silent　on　the　attack。　But　to　O'Shaughnessy；　it　had　none　of　the　earmarks　of　a　mugging。　He　remembered；　dimly；　his　days　at　the　academy；　all　the　statistics　on　various　types　of　crimes　and　how　they　were　mitted。　Back　then；　he　had　big　ideas　about　where　he　was　going　in　the　force。　That　was　before　he　took　two　hundred　bucks　from　a　prostitute　because　he　felt　sorry　for　her。
　And…he　had　to　admit　to　himself…because　he　needed　the　money。
　O'Shaughnessy　stopped；　coughed；　spat　on　the　sidewalk。
　Back　at　the　academy；　it　had　been　Motive；　Means；　Opportunity。　Take　motive；　for　starters。　Why　kill　Pendergast？
　Put　the　facts　in　order。　One：　the　guy　is　investigating　a　130…year…old　serial　killer。　No　motive　there：　killer's　dead。
　Two：　a　copycat　killer　springs　up。　Pendergast　is　at　the　autopsy　before　there's　even　an　autopsy。　Christ；　thought　O'Shaughnessy；　he　must　have　known　what　was　going　on　even　before　the　doctor　did。　Pendergast　had　already　made　the　connection　between　the　murder　of　the　tourist　and　the　nineteenth…century　killings。
　How？
　Three：　Pendergast　gets　attacked。
　Those　were　the　facts；　as　O'Shaughnessy　saw　them。　So　what　could　he　conclude？
　That　Pendergast　already　knew　something　important。　And　the　copycat　serial　killer　knew　it；　too。　Whatever　it　was；　it　was　important　enough　that　this　killer　took　a　big　risk　in　targeting　him；　on　Seventy…second　Street…not　exactly　deserted；　even　at　nine　o'clock　in　the　evening…and　had　almost　succeeded　in　killing　him；　which　was　the　most　astonishing　thing　of　all。
　O'Shaughnessy　swore。　The　big　mystery　here　was　Pendergast　himself。　He　wished　Pendergast　would　level　with　him；　share　more　information。　The　man　was　keeping　him　in　the　dark。　Why？　Now　that　was　a　question　worth　asking。
　He　swore　again。　Pendergast　was　asking　a　hell　of　a　lot；　but　he　wasn't　giving　anything　in　return。　Why　was　he　wasting　a　fine　fall　evening　tramping　around　the　Dakota；　looking　for　clues　that　weren't　there；　for　a　guy　who　didn't　want　help？
　Cool　it；　O'Shaughnessy　told　himself。　Pendergast　was　the　most　logical；　methodical　guy　he'd　ever　met。　He'd　have　his　reasons。　All　in　good　time。　Meanwhile；　this　was　a　waste。　Time　for　dinner　and　the　latest　issue　of　Opera　News。
　O'Shaughnessy　turned　to　head　home。　And　that's　when　he　saw　the　tall；　shadowy　figure　e　into　view　at　the　corner。
　Instinctively；　O'Shaughnessy　shrank　into　the　nearest　doorway。　He　waited。　The　figure　stood　on　the　corner；　precisely　where　he　himself　had　stood　only　a　few　minutes　before；　glancing　around。　Then　it　started　down　the　street　toward　him；　slowly　and　furtively。
　O'Shaughnessy　stiffened；　receding　deeper　into　the　shadows。　The　figure　crept　down　to　the　angle　of　the　building；　pausing　right　at　the　spot　where　Pendergast　had　been　assaulted。　The　beam　of　a　flashlight　went　on。　He　seemed　to　be　inspecting　the　pavement；　looking　around。　He　was　dressed　in　a　long　dark　coat；　which　could　easily　be　concealing　a　weapon。　He　was　certainly　no　cop。　And　the　attack　had　not　been　in　the　papers。
　O'Shaughnessy　made　a　quick　decision。　He　grasped　his　service　revolver　in　his　right　hand　and　pulled　out　his　shield　with　his　left。　Then　he　stepped　out　of　the　shadows。
　〃Police　officer；〃　he　said　quietly　but　firmly。　〃Don't　move。　Keep　your　hands　where　I　can　see　them。〃
　The　figure　jumped　sideways　with　a　yelp；　holding　up　a　pair　of　gangly　arms。　〃Wait！　Don't　shoot！　I'm　a　reporter！〃
　O'Shaughnessy　relaxed　as　he　recognized　the　man。　〃So　it's　you；〃　he　said；　holstering　his　gun；　feeling　disappointed。
　〃Yeah；　and　it's　you；〃　Smithback　lowered　his　trembling　arms。　〃The　cop　from　the　opening。〃
　〃Sergeant　O'Shaughnessy。〃
　〃Right。　What　are　you　doing　here？〃
　〃Same　as　you；　probably；〃　said　O'Shaughnessy。　Then　he　stopped　abruptly；　remembering　he　was　speaking　to　a　reporter。　It　wouldn't　be　good　for　this　to　get　back　to　Custer。
　Smithback　mopped　his