preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第58部分

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the　Tower　of　London。　She　half　expected　to　see　the　iron　teeth　of　a　portcullis　winking　from　the　ceiling；　defenestrating　knights　peering　out　of　arrow　slits　above；　cauldrons　of　boiling　pitch　at　the　ready。
　At　the　base　of　an　adjoining　wall；　before　a　low　iron　railing；　Nora　could　see　the　remains　of　half…burnt　candles；　flower　petals；　and　old　pictures　in　broken　frames。　It　looked　almost　like　a　shrine。　And　then　she　realized　this　arch　must　be　the　doorway　in　which　John　Lennon　was　shot；　and　these　trinkets　the　remains　of　offerings　still　left　by　the　faithful。　And　Pendergast　himself　had　been　stabbed　nearby；　not　halfway　down　the　block。　She　glanced　upward。　The　Dakota　rose　above　her；　its　Gothic　facade　overhung　with　gables　and　stone　decorations。　Dark　clouds　scudded　above　the　grim；　shadow…haunted　towers。　What　a　place　to　live；　she　thought。　She　looked　carefully　around；　studying　the　landscape　with　a　caution　that　had　bee　habitual　since　the　chase　in　the　Archives。　But　there　was　no　obvious　sign　of　danger。　She　moved　toward　the　building。
　Beside　the　archway；　a　doorman　stood　in　a　large　sentry　box　of　bronze　and　glass；　staring　implacably　out　at　Seventy…second　Street；　silent　and　erect　as　a　Buckingham　Palace　guard。　He　seemed　oblivious　of　her　presence。　But　when　she　stepped　beneath　the　archway；　he　was　before　her　in　a　flash；　pleasant　but　unsmiling。
　〃May　I　help　you？〃　he　asked。
　〃I　have　an　appointment　to　see　Mr。　Pendergast。〃
　〃Your　name？〃
　〃Nora　Kelly。〃
　The　guard　nodded；　as　if　expecting　her。　〃Southwest　lobby；〃　he　said；　stepping　aside　and　pointing　the　way。　As　Nora　walked　through　the　tunnel　toward　the　building's　interior　courtyard；　she　saw　the　guard　return　to　his　sentry　box　and　pick　up　a　telephone。
　The　elevator　smelled　of　old　leather　and　polished　wood。　It　rose　several　floors；　came　to　an　unhurried　stop。　Then　the　doors　slid　open　to　reveal　an　entryway；　a　single　oak　door　at　its　far　end；　standing　open。　Within　the　doorway　stood　Agent　Pendergast；　his　slender　figure　haloed　in　the　subdued　light。
　〃So　glad　you　could　e；　Dr。　Kelly；〃　he　said　in　his　mellifluous　voice；　stepping　aside　to　usher　her　in。　His　words　were；　as　always；　exceedingly　gracious；　but　there　was　something　tired；　almost　grim；　in　his　tone。　Still　recovering；　Nora　thought。　He　looked　thin；　almost　cadaverous；　and　his　face　was　even　whiter　than　usual；　if　such　a　thing　were　possible。
　Nora　stepped　forward　into　a　high…ceilinged；　windowless　room。　She　looked　around　curiously。　Three　of　the　walls　were　painted　a　dusky　rose；　framed　above　and　below　by　black　molding。　The　fourth　was　made　up　entirely　of　black　marble；　over　which　a　continuous　sheet　of　water　ran　from　ceiling　to　floor。　At　the　base；　where　the　water　gurgled　quietly　into　a　pool；　a　cluster　of　lotus　blossoms　floated。　The　room　was　filled　with　the　soft；　pleasant　sound　of　water　and　the　faint　perfume　of　flowers。　Two　tables　of　dark　lacquer　stood　nearby。　One　held　a　mossy　tray　in　which　grew　a　setting　of　bonsai　trees…dwarf　maples；　by　the　look　of　them。　On　the　other；　inside　an　acrylic　display　cube；　the　skull　of　a　cat　was　displayed　on　a　spider　mount。　ing　closer；　Nora　realized　that　the　skull　was；　in　fact；　carved　from　a　single　piece　of　Chinese　jade。　It　was　a　work　of　remarkable；　consummate　artistry；　the　stone　so　thin　it　was　diaphanous　against　the　black　cloth　of　the　base。
　Sitting　nearby　on　one　of　several　small　leather　sofas　was　Sergeant　O'Shaughnessy；　in　mufti。　He　was　crossing　and　uncrossing　his　legs　and　looking　unfortable。
　Pendergast　closed　the　door　and　glided　toward　Nora；　hands　behind　his　back。
　〃May　I　get　you　anything？　Mineral　water？　Lillet？　Sherry？〃
　〃Nothing；　thanks。〃
　〃Then　if　you　will　excuse　me　for　a　moment。〃　And　Pendergast　disappeared　through　a　doorway　that　had　been　set；　almost　invisibly；　into　one　of　the　rose…colored　walls。
　〃Nice　place；〃　she　said　to　O'Shaughnessy。
　〃You　don't　know　the　half　of　it。　Where'd　he　get　all　the　dough？〃
　〃Bill　Smi…That　is；　a　former　acquaintance　of　mine　said　he'd　heard　it　was　old　family　money。　Pharmaceuticals；　something　like　that。〃
　〃Mmm。〃
　They　lapsed　into　silence；　listening　to　the　whispering　of　the　water。　Within　a　few　minutes；　the　door　opened　again　and　Pendergast's　head　reappeared。
　〃If　the　two　of　you　would　be　so　kind　as　to　e　with　me？〃　he　asked。
　They　followed　him　through　the　door　and　down　a　long；　dim　hallway。　Most　of　the　doors　they　passed　were　closed；　but　Nora　caught　glimpses　of　a　library…full　of　leather…　and　buckram…bound　volumes　and　what　looked　like　a　rosewood　harpsichord…and　a　narrow　room　whose　walls　were　covered　with　oil　paintings；　four　or　five　high；　in　heavy　gilt　frames。　Another；　windowless；　room　had　rice　paper　walls　and　tatami　mats　covering　its　floor。　It　was　spare；　almost　stark；　and…like　the　rest　of　the　rooms…very　dimly　lit。　Then　Pendergast　ushered　them　into　a　vast；　high…ceilinged　chamber　of　dark；　exquisitely　wrought　mahogany。　An　ornate　marble　fireplace　dominated　the　far　end。　Three　large　windows　looked　out　over　Central　Park。　To　the　right；　a　detailed　map　of　nineteenth…century　Manhattan　covered　an　entire　wall。　A　large　table　sat　in　the　room's　center。　Upon　it；　several　objects　resting　atop　a　plastic　sheet：　two　dozen　fragments　of　broken　glass　pieces；　a　lump　of　coal；　a　rotten　umbrella；　and　a　punched　tram　car　ticket。
　There　was　no　place　to　sit。　Nora　stood　back　from　the　table　while　Pendergast　circled　it　several　times　in　silence；　staring　intently；　like　a　shark　circling　its　prey。　Then　he　paused；　glancing　first　at　her；　then　at　O'Shaughnessy。　There　was　an　intensity；　even　an　obsession；　in　his　eyes　that　she　found　disturbing。
　Pendergast　turned　to　the　large　map；　hands　behind　his　back　once　again。　For　a　moment；　he　simply　stared　at　it。　Then　he　began　to　speak；　softly；　almost　to　himself。
　〃We　know　where　Dr。　Leng　did　his　work。　But　now　we　are　confronted　with　an　even　more　difficult　question。　Where　did　he　live？　Where　did　the　good　doctor　hide　himself　on　this　teeming　island？
　〃Thanks　to　Dr。　Kelly；　we　now　have　some　clues　to　narrow　our　search。　The　tram　ticket　you　unearthed　was　punched　for　the　West　Side　Elevated　Tramway。　So　it's　safe　to　assume　Dr。　Leng　was　a　West　Sider。〃　He　turned　to　the　map；　and；　using　a　red　marker；　drew　a　line　down　Fifth　Avenue；　dividing　Manhattan　into　two　longitudinal　segments。
　〃Coal　carries　a　unique　chemical　signature　of　impurities；　depending　on　where　it　is　mined。　This　coal　came　from　a　long…defunct　mine　near　Haddonfield；　New　Jersey。　There　was　only　one　distributor　for　this　coal　in　Manhattan；　Clark　&　Sons。　They　had　a　delivery　territory　that　extended　from　110th　Street　to　139th　Street。〃
　Pendergast　drew　two　parallel　lines　across　Manhattan；　one　at　110th　Street　and　one　at　139th　Street。
　〃Now　we　have　the　umbrella。　The　umbrella　is　made　of　silk。　Silk　is　a　fiber　that　is　smooth　to　the　touch；　but　under　a　microscope　shows　a　rough；　almost　toothy　texture。　When　it　rains；　the　silk　traps　particles…in　particular；　pollen。　Microscopic　examination　of　the　umbrella　showed　it　to　be　heavily　impregnated　with　pollen　from　a　weed　named　Trismegistus　gonfalonii；　monly　known　as　marsh　dropseed。　It　used　to　grow　in　bogs　all　over　Manhattan；　but　by　1900　its　range　had　been　restricted　to　the　marshy　areas　along　the　banks　of　the　Hudson　River。〃
　He　drew　a　red　line　down　Broadway；　then　pointed　to　the　small　square　it　bordered。　〃Thus；　it　seems　reasonable　to　assume　that　our　Dr。　Leng　lived　west　of　this　line；　no　more　than　one　block　from　the　Hudson。〃
　He　capped　the　marker；　then　glanced　back　at　Nora　and　O'Shaughnessy。　〃Any　ments　so　far？〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Nora。　〃You　said　Clark　&　Sons　delivered　coal　to　this　area　uptown。　But　why　was　this　coal　found　downtown　in　his　laboratory？〃
　〃Leng　ran　his　laboratory　in　secret。　He　couldn't　have　coal　delivered　there。　So　he　would　have　brought　small　amounts　of　coal　down　from　his　house。〃
　〃I　see。〃
　Pendergast　continued　to　scrutinize　her。　〃Anything　else？〃
　The　room　was　silent。
　〃Then　we　can　assume　our　Dr。　Leng　lived　on　Riverside　Drive　between　110th　Street　and　139th　Street；　or　on　one　of　the　side　streets　between　Broadway　and　Riverside　Drive。　That　is　where　we　must　concentrate　our　search。〃
　〃You're　still　talking　hundreds；　maybe　thousands；　of　apartment　buildings；〃　said　O'Shaughnessy。
　〃Thirteen　hundred　and　five；　to　be　exact。　Which　brings　me　to　the　glassware。〃
　Pendergast　silently　took　another　turn　around　the　table；　the