preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第77部分

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e　lights　came　to　rest　on　a　bronze　plaque：　Mount　Mercy　Hospital　for　the　Criminally　Insane。
　A　security　guard　stepped　out　of　a　booth　into　the　glare　and　approached　the　car。　He　was　heavyset；　tall；　friendly　looking。　Pendergast　lowered　the　rear　window　and　the　man　leaned　inside。
　〃Visiting　hours　are　over；〃　he　said。
　Pendergast　reached　into　his　jacket；　removed　his　shield　wallet；　opened　it　for　the　guard。
　The　man　gave　it　a　long　look；　and　then　nodded；　as　if　it　was　all　in　a　day's　work。
　〃And　how　may　we　help　you；　Special　Agent　Pendergast？〃
　〃I'm　here　to　see　a　patient。〃
　〃And　the　name　of　the　patient？〃
　〃Pendergast。　Miss　Cornelia　Delamere　Pendergast。〃
　There　was　a　short；　unfortable　silence。
　〃Is　this　official　law　enforcement　business？〃　The　security　guard　didn't　sound　quite　so　friendly　anymore。
　〃It　is。〃
　〃All　right。　I'll　call　up　to　the　big　house。　Dr。　Ostrom　is　on　duty　tonight。　You　can　park　your　car　in　the　official　slot　to　the　left　of　the　main　door。　They'll　be　waiting　for　you　in　reception。〃
　Within　a　few　minutes　Pendergast　was　following　the　well…groomed；　fastidious…looking　Dr。　Ostrom　down　a　long；　echoing　corridor。　Two　guards　walked　in　front；　and　two　behind。　Fancy　wainscoting　and　decorative　molding　could　still　be　glimpsed　along　the　corridor；　hidden　beneath　innumerable　layers　of　institutional　paint。　A　century　before；　in　the　days　when　consumption　ravaged　all　classes　of　New　York　society；　Mount　Mercy　Hospital　had　been　a　grand　sanatorium；　catering　to　the　tubercular　offspring　of　the　rich。　Now；　thanks　in　part　to　its　insular　location；　it　had　bee　a　high…security　facility　for　people　who　had　mitted　heinous　crimes　but　were　found　not　guilty　by　reason　of　insanity。
　〃How　is　she？〃　Pendergast　asked。
　There　was　a　slight　hesitation　in　the　doctor's　answer。　〃About　the　same；〃　he　said。
　They　stopped　at　last　in　front　of　a　thick　steel　door；　a　single　barred　window　sunk　into　its　face。　One　of　the　forward　guards　unlocked　the　door；　then　stood　outside　with　his　partner　while　the　other　two　guards　followed　Pendergast　within。
　They　were　standing　in　a　small　〃quiet　room〃　almost　devoid　of　decoration。　No　pictures　hung　on　the　lightly　padded　walls。　There　was　a　plastic　sofa；　a　pair　of　plastic　chairs；　a　single　table。　Everything　was　bolted　to　the　floor。　There　was　no　clock；　and　the　sole　fluorescent　ceiling　light　was　hidden　behind　heavy　wire　mesh。　There　was　nothing　that　could　be　used　as　a　weapon；　or　to　assist　a　suicide。　In　the　far　wall　stood　another　steel　door；　even　thicker；　without　a　window。　Warning：　Risk　of　Elopement　was　posted　above　it　in　large　letters。
　Pendergast　took　a　seat　in　one　of　the　plastic　chairs；　and　crossed　his　legs。
　The　two　forward　attendants　disappeared　through　the　inner　door。　For　a　few　minutes　the　small　room　fell　into　silence；　punctuated　only　by　the　faint　sounds　of　screams　and　an　even　fainter；　rhythmic　pounding。　And　then；　louder　and　much　nearer；　came　the　shrill　protesting　voice　of　an　old　woman。　The　door　opened；　and　one　of　the　guards　pushed　a　wheelchair　into　the　room。　The　chair's　five…point　leather　restraint　was　almost　invisible　beneath　the　heavy　layer　of　rubber　that　covered　every　metal　surface。
　In　the　chair；　securely　bound　by　the　restraints；　sat　a　prim；　elderly　dowager。　She　was　wearing　a　long；　old…fashioned　black　taffeta　dress；　Victorian　button…up　shoes；　and　a　black　mourning　veil。　When　she　saw　Pendergast　her　plaints　abruptly　ceased。
　〃Raise　my　veil；〃　she　manded。　One　of　the　guards　lifted　it　from　her　face；　and；　standing　well　away；　laid　it　down　her　back。
　The　woman　stared　at　Pendergast；　her　palsied；　liver…spotted　face　trembling　slightly。
　Pendergast　turned　to　Dr。　Ostrom。　〃Will　you　kindly　leave　us　alone？〃
　〃Someone　must　remain；〃　said　Ostrom。　〃And　please　give　the　patient　some　distance；　Mr。　Pendergast。〃
　〃The　last　time　I　visited；　I　was　allowed　a　private　moment　with　my　great…aunt。〃
　〃If　you　will　recall；　Mr。　Pendergast；　the　last　time　you　visited…〃　Ostrom　began　rather　sharply。
　Pendergast　held　up　his　hand。　〃So　be　it。〃
　〃This　is　a　rather　late　hour　to　be　visiting。　How　much　time　do　you　need？〃
　〃Fifteen　minutes。〃
　〃Very　well。〃　The　doctor　nodded　to　the　attendants；　who　took　up　places　on　either　side　of　the　exit。　Ostrom　himself　stood　before　the　outer　door；　as　far　from　the　woman　as　possible；　crossed　his　arms；　and　waited。
　Pendergast　tried　to　pull　the　chair　closer；　remembered　it　was　bolted　to　the　floor；　and　leaned　forward　instead；　gazing　intently　at　the　old　woman。
　〃How　are　you；　Aunt　Cornelia？〃　he　asked。
　The　woman　bent　toward　him。　She　whispered　hoarsely；　〃My　dear；　how　lovely　to　see　you。　May　I　offer　you　a　spot　of　tea　with　cream　and　sugar？〃
　One　of　the　guards　snickered；　but　shut　up　abruptly　when　Ostrom　cast　a　sharp　glance　in　his　direction。
　〃No；　thank　you；　Aunt　Cornelia。〃
　〃It's　just　as　well。　The　service　here　has　declined　dreadfully　these　past　few　years。　It's　so　hard　to　find　good　help　these　days。　Why　haven't　you　visited　me　sooner；　my　dear？　You　know　that　at　my　age　I　cannot　travel。〃
　Pendergast　leaned　nearer。
　〃Mr。　Pendergast；　not　quite　so　close；　if　you　please；〃　Dr。　Ostrom　murmured。
　Pendergast　eased　back。　〃I've　been　working；　Aunt　Cornelia。〃
　〃Work　is　for　the　middle　classes；　my　dear。　Pendergasts　do　not　work。〃
　Pendergast　lowered　his　voice。　〃There's　not　much　time；　I'm　afraid；　Aunt　Cornelia。　I　wanted　to　ask　you　some　questions。　About　your　great…uncle　Antoine。〃
　The　old　lady　pursed　her　lips　in　a　disapproving　line。　〃Great…uncle　Antoine？　They　say　he　went　north；　to　New　York　City。　Became　a　Yankee。　But　that　was　many　years　ago。　Long　before　I　was　born。〃
　〃Tell　me　what　you　know　about　him；　Aunt　Cornelia。〃
　〃Surely　you've　heard　the　stories；　my　boy。　It　is　an　unpleasant　subject　for　all　of　us；　you　know。〃
　〃I'd　like　to　hear　them　from　you；　just　the　same。〃
　〃Well！　He　inherited　the　family　tendency　to　madness。　There　but　for　the　grace　of　God　。　。　。〃　The　old　woman　sighed　pityingly。
　〃What　kind　of　madness？〃　Pendergast　knew　the　answer；　of　course；　but　he　needed　to　hear　it　again。　There　were　always　details；　nuances；　that　were　new。
　〃Even　as　a　boy　he　developed　certain　dreadful　obsessions。　He　was　quite　a　brilliant　youth；　you　know：　sarcastic；　witty；　strange。　At　seven　you　couldn't　beat　him　in　a　game　of　chess　or　backgammon。　He　excelled　at　whist；　and　even　suggested　some　refinements　that；　I　understand；　helped　develop　auction　bridge。　He　was　terribly　interested　in　natural　history；　and　started　keeping　quite　a　collection　of　horrid　things　in　his　dressing　room…insects；　snakes；　bones；　fossils；　that　sort　of　thing。　He　also　had　inherited　his　father's　interest　in　elixirs；　restoratives；　chemicals。　And　poisons。〃
　A　strange　gleam　came　into　the　old　lady's　black　eyes　at　the　mention　of　poisons；　and　both　attendants　shifted　uneasily。
　Ostrom　cleared　his　throat。　〃Mr。　Pendergast；　how　much　longer？　We　don't　want　to　unduly　disturb　the　patient。〃
　〃Ten　minutes。〃
　〃No　more。〃
　The　old　lady　went　on。　〃After　the　tragedy　with　his　mother；　he　grew　moody　and　reclusive。　He　spent　a　great　deal　of　time　alone；　mixing　up　chemicals。　But　then；　no　doubt　you　know　the　cause　of　that　fascination。〃
　Pendergast　nodded。
　〃He　developed　his　own　variant　of　the　family　crest；　like　an　old　apothecary's　sign　it　was；　three　gilded　balls。　He　hung　it　over　his　door。　They　say　he　poisoned　the　six　family　dogs　in　an　experiment。　And　then　he　began　spending　a　lot　of　time　down　。　。　。　down　there。　Do　you　know　where　I　mean？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃They　say　he　always　felt　more　fortable　with　the　dead　than　with　the　living；　you　know。　And　when　he　wasn't　there；　he　was　over　at　St。　Charles　Cemetery；　with　that　appalling　old　woman　Marie　LeClaire。　You　know；　Cajun　voodoo　and　all　that。〃
　Pendergast　nodded　again。
　〃He　helped　her　with　her　potions　and　charms　and　frightful　little　stick　dolls　and　making　marks　on　graves。　Then　there　was　that　unpleasantness　with　her　tomb；　after　she　died　。　。　。〃
　〃Unpleasantness？〃
　The　old　woman　sighed；　lowered　her　head。　〃The　interference　with　her　grave；　the　violated　body　and　all　those　dreadful　little　cuts。　Of　course　you　must　know　that　story。〃
　〃I've　forgotten。〃　Pendergast's　voice　was　soft；　gentle；　probing。
　〃He　believed　he　was　going　to　bring　her　back　to　life。　There　was　the　question　of　whether　she　had　put　him　up　to　it　before　she　died；　charged　him　with　some　kind　of　dreadful　after…death　as