preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第47部分

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fic；　was　no　longer　necessary。　In　fact；　it　had　bee　a　liability。　It　was　imperative　for　Leng　to　cover　his　tracks　and　start　afresh。〃
　There　was　a　silence。　Then　Pendergast　resumed。
　〃A　year　before　the　cabinet　burned；　Leng　offered　his　services　to　two　workhouses　in　the　vicinity…the　Five　Points　House　of　Industry　and　the　Five　Points　Mission。　The　two　were　connected　by　the　warren　of　old　underground　tunnels　that　riddled　the　entire　Five　Points　area　in　the　nineteenth　century。　In　Leng's　day；　a　foul　alley　known　as　Cow　Bay　lay　between　the　workhouses。　Along　with　the　sordid　tenements　you'd　expect；　Cow　Bay　was　home　to　an　ancient　subterranean　pumping　station　dating　back　to　the　days　of　the　Collect　Pond。　The　waterworks　were　shut　down　and　sealed　for　good　about　a　month　before　Leng　allied　himself　with　the　workhouses。　That　is　no　mere　coincidence　of　dates。〃
　〃What　are　you　saying？〃
　〃The　abandoned　waterworks　was　the　site　of　Leng's　production　laboratory。　The　place　he　went　after　burning　Shottum's　Cabinet。　It　was　secure；　and　better　still　it　provided　easy　underground　access　to　both　workhouses。　An　ideal　place　to　begin　production　of　the　substance　he　believed　would　prolong　his　life。　I　have　the　old　plans　for　the　waterworks；　here。〃　Pendergast　waved　his　hand；　weakly。
　Nora　glanced　over　at　the　plex　set　of　diagrams。　She　wondered　what　had　so　exhausted　the　agent。　He　had　seemed　much　better　the　day　before。　She　hoped　he　hadn't　taken　a　turn　for　the　worse。
　〃Today；　of　course；　the　workhouses；　the　tenements；　even　many　of　the　streets　are　gone。　A　three…story　brownstone　was　built　directly　above　the　site　of　Leng's　production　laboratory。　Number　99　Doyers　Street；　erected　in　the　1920s　off　Chatham　Square。　Broken　into　one…bedroom　flats；　with　a　separate　two…bedroom　apartment　in　the　basement。　Any　traces　of　Leng's　laboratory　would　lie　under　that　building。〃
　Nora　thought　for　a　moment。　Excavating　Leng's　production　laboratory　would　no　doubt　be　a　fascinating　archaeological　project。　There　would　be　evidence　there；　and　as　an　archaeologist　she　could　find　it。　She　wondered；　once　again；　why　Pendergast　was　so　interested　in　these　nineteenth…century　murders。　It　would　be　of　some　historical　solace　to　know　that　Mary　Greene's　killer　had　been　brought　to　light…She　abruptly　terminated　the　line　of　thought。　She　had　her　own　work　to　do；　her　own　career　to　salvage。　She　had　to　remind　herself　once　again　that　this　was　history。
　Pendergast　sighed；　turned　slightly　in　the　bed。　〃Thank　you；　Dr。　Kelly。　Now；　you'd　better　go。　I'm　badly　in　need　of　sleep。〃
　Nora　glanced　at　him　in　surprise。　She　had　been　expecting　another　plea　for　her　help。　〃Why　did　you　ask　to　see　me；　exactly？〃
　〃You've　been　a　great　help　to　me　in　this　investigation。　More　than　once；　you've　asked　for　more　information　than　I　could　give　you。　I　assumed　you　wished　to　know　what　I've　discovered。　You've　earned　that；　at　the　very　least。　There's　a　detestable　term　one　hears　bandied　about　these　days：　'closure。'　Detestable；　but　in　this　case　appropriate。　I　hope　this　knowledge　will　bring　you　some　degree　of　closure；　and　allow　you　to　continue　your　work　at　the　Museum　without　a　sense　of　unfinished　business。　I　offer　my　sincerest　thanks　for　your　help。　It　has　been　invaluable。〃
　Nora　felt　a　twinge　of　offense　at　this　abrupt　dismissal。　She　reminded　herself　that　this　was　what　she　had　wanted　。　。　。　Wasn't　it？　After　a　moment　she　spoke。　〃Thanks　for　saying　so。　But　if　you　ask　me；　this　business　sounds　totally　unfinished。　If　you're　right　about　this；　99　Doyers　Street　seems　like　the　next　logical　stop。〃
　〃That　is　correct。　The　basement　apartment　is　currently　unoccupied；　and　an　excavation　below　the　living　room　floor　would　be　most　instructive。　I　plan　to　rent　the　apartment　myself　and　undertake　that　excavation。　And　that　is　why　I　must　recover　as　quickly　as　possible。　Take　care；　Dr。　Kelly。〃　He　shifted　with　an　air　of　finality。
　〃Who's　going　to　do　the　excavation？〃　she　asked。
　〃I　will　find　another　archaeologist。〃
　Nora　looked　at　him　sharply。　〃Where？〃
　〃Through　the　New　Orleans　field　office。　They　are　most　flexible　when　it　es　to　my；　ah；　projects。〃
　〃Right；〃　said　Nora　briskly。　〃But　this　isn't　a　job　for　just　any　archaeologist。　This　requires　someone　with　special　skills　in…〃
　〃Are　you　offering？〃
　Nora　was　silent。
　〃Of　course　you're　not。　That's　why　I　didn't　ask。　You've　more　than　once　expressed　your　desire　to　return　to　a　more　normal　course　of　work。　I've　imposed　upon　you　too　much　as　it　is。　Besides；　this　investigation　has　taken　a　dangerous　turn；　far　more　so　than　I　initially　assumed。　An　assumption　I　have　paid　for；　as　you　can　see。　I　would　not　wish　you　exposed　to　any　more　danger　than　you　have　been　already。〃
　Nora　stood　up。
　〃Well；〃　she　said；　〃I　guess　that's　settled。　I've　enjoyed　working　with　you；　Mr。　Pendergast…if　'enjoy'　is　the　right　word。　It's　certainly　been　interesting。〃　She　felt　vaguely　dissatisfied　with　this　oute；　even　though　it　was　what　she　had　e　down　here　to　achieve。
　〃Indeed；〃　said　Pendergast。　〃Most　interesting。〃
　She　began　to　walk　toward　the　door；　then　stopped；　remembering　something。　〃But　I　may　be　in　touch　with　you　again。　I　got　a　note　from　Reinhart　Puck　in　the　Archives。　Says　he's　found　some　new　information；　asked　me　to　stop　by　later　this　afternoon。　If　it　seems　useful；　I'll　pass　it　on。〃
　Pendergast's　pale　eyes　were　still　regarding　her　attentively。　〃Do　that。　And　again；　Dr。　Kelly；　you　have　my　thanks。　Be　very　careful。〃
　She　nodded；　then　turned　to　leave；　smiling　at　the　baleful　stares　that　greeted　her　as　she　passed　the　nurses'　station。
　
　FIFTEEN
　　
　THE　DOOR　TO　the　Archives　gave　out　a　sharp　creak　as　Nora　eased　it　open。　There　had　been　no　response　to　her　knocking；　and　the　door　was　unlocked；　in　clear　violation　of　regulations。　Very　strange。
　The　smell　of　old　books；　papers；　and　the　odor　of　corruption　that　seemed　to　suffuse　the　entire　Museum　hung　in　her　nostrils。　Puck's　desk　lay　in　the　center　of　a　pool　of　light；　a　wall　of　darkness　beyond。　Puck　himself　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。
　Nora　checked　her　watch。　Four　P。M。　She　was　right　on　time。
　She　released　the　door　and　it　sighed　back　into　place。　She　turned　the　lock；　then　approached　the　desk；　heels　clicking　on　the　marble　floor。　She　signed　in　automatically；　scrawling　her　name　at　the　top　of　a　fresh　page　in　the　logbook。　Puck's　desk　was　neater　than　usual；　and　a　single　typewritten　note　sat　in　the　middle　of　the　green　felt　pad。　She　glanced　at　it。　I'm　on　the　triceratops　in　the　back。
　The　triceratops；　Nora　thought；　looking　into　the　gloom。　Leave　it　to　Puck　to　be　off　dusting　old　relics。　But　where　the　hell　was　the　triceratops？　She　didn't　recall　having　seen　one。　And　there　were　no　lights　on　in　the　back　that　she　could　see。　The　damn　triceratops　could　be　anywhere。　She　looked　around：　no　diagram　of　the　Archives；　either。　Typical。
　Feeling　an　undercurrent　of　irritation；　she　moved　to　the　banks　of　ivory　light　switches。　She　snapped　a　few　on　at　random。　Lights　sprang　up　here　and　there；　deep　within　the　Archives；　casting　long　shadows　down　the　rows　of　metal　shelving。　Might　as　well　turn　them　all　on；　she　thought；　flipping　whole　rows　of　switches　with　the　edge　of　her　hand。　But　even　with　all　the　lights；　the　Archives　remained　curiously　shadowy　and　dim；　large　pools　of　darkness　and　long　dim　aisles　predominating。
　She　waited；　half　expecting　Puck　to　call　out　to　her。　There　was　no　sound　except　the　distant　ticking　of　steam　pipes　and　the　hiss　of　the　forced…air　ducts。
　〃Mr。　Puck？〃　she　called　tentatively。
　Her　voice　reverberated　and　died。　No　answer。
　She　called　again；　louder　this　time。　The　Archives　were　so　vast　she　wondered　if　her　voice　could　penetrate　to　the　rear。
　For　a　minute；　she　considered　ing　back　another　time。　But　Puck's　message　had　been　most　insistent。
　Vaguely；　she　recalled　seeing　some　mounted　fossil　skeletons　on　her　last　visit。　Maybe　she　would　find　the　triceratops　among　them。
　With　a　sigh；　she　began　walking　down　one　of　the　aisles；　listening　to　the　clatter　of　her　shoes　against　the　marble。　Although　the　entrance　to　the　aisle　had　been　brightly　lit；　it　soon　grew　shadowy　and　dim。　It　was　amazing　how　poorly　illuminated　the　place　was；　in　the　middle　sections　of　the　aisles；　far　from　the　lights；　one　almost　needed　a　flashlight　to　make　out　the　objects　stacked　on　the　shelves。
　At　the　next　pool　of　light；　Nora　found　herself　at　a　junction　from　which　several　aisles