cw.blackalibi-第11部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　〃It's　true；　there　were　numerous　traces　of　blooddyed　paw　prints　and　even　drippings　found　near　by。　None　led　very　far　away；　however。　The　dirt　and　dust　of　the　pavements　must　have　quickly　dried　and　coated　the　brute's　pads。　And　then　so　many　people　quickly　milled　about；　obliterating　everything　before　we　could　get　there。〃
　　〃For　every　objection　of　mine；　you　have　an　answer　ready。　But　still　and　all；　you　haven't　been　able　to　remove　that　dissatisfied　feeling　of　mine。　What　we　call　in　my　language　a　hunch。　Something　isn't　right。　There's　a　basic　implausibility　to　this　whole　thing　that　I　can't　accept　as　easily　as　you　people。〃
　　The　inspector　smiled　bleakly；　tapped　him　knowingly　on　the　shoulder。　〃Tell　the　truth；　Manning。　Isn't　it　your　own　guilty　conscience；　about　being　the　indirect　cause　of　this　four…legged　demon's　depredations；　that　makes　you　keep　trying　to　raise　vague　objections；　cast　shadowy　doubts；　on　what　is　glaringly　self…evident？　Of　course　it　is！　You　would　like　to　believe　that　it　is　not　the　jaguar　which　did　this；　for　the　sake　of　your　own　peace　of　mind。　I'm　afraid　I　cannot　acmodate　you。　Our　test　tubes；　our　high…powered　glasses；　our　reagents　and　analyses；　have　been　brought　into　play；　their　evidence　has　been　given　and　found　irrefutable。　Our　report　has　been　made　out　accordingly；　and　can　be　substantiated　by　the　scientific　investigation　which　it　is　based　on。　We　are　not　guessing　when　we　say　such…and…such　and　so…and…so。　All　these　things　that　have　occurred　to　you；　they　have　occurred　to　us　ourselves；　and　been　weighed；　never　fear；　and…discarded。　Our　findings　are：　that　Teresa　Delgado　was　attacked　and　clawed　to　death　by　a　jaguar　outside　the　door　of　her　house　in　the　alley　known　as　Pasaje　del　Diablo；　at　1：15　o'clock　Thursday　night；　May　fourteenth。　And　there　is　nothing　further　to　be　added。〃
　　〃Except　by　the　jaguar；〃　said　Manning　grimly。
　　
　　
　　III。　Conchita　Con　treras
　　
　　The　Seсora　Viuda　de　Contreras　raised　her　pillowed　head　alertly。　The　footfall　that　had　attracted　her；　in　the　tiled　corridor　outside　her　open　room　door；　had　had　a　hesitant　quality　about　it；　as　though　undecided　whether　to　e　down　full　weight　or　tiptoe。
　　〃Is　that　you；　my　daughter？〃　she　called　out。
　　The　Seсora　Viuda　was　stretched　out　on　a　chaise　longue；　in　a　state　of　infirmity　that　was　being　more　and　more　frequent　of　late。　She　was　a　handsome　stately　woman；　with　unplucked　brows　as　thick　and　black　as　charcoal　smudges；　giving　her　face　the　look　of　habitual　serenity　that　straight；　horizontal　lines　are　always　apt　to　produce。　Her　head　of　thick　black　hair；　only　white　as　yet　in　one　plume　streaking　off　from　her　temple；　was　as　glossy　as　a　cockerel's　tail　feathers　and；　like　them；　crisply　curling　in　little　bunches。　A　handkerchief　soaked　in　cologne　and　placed　in　a　narrowed　band　across　her　forehead　was　the　only　concession　to　her　affliction。　She　was　not　one　of　your　whining　hypochondriacs。　Pain　was　a　thing　between　oneself　and　one's　God。
　　At　her　interrogation　the　footfall　had　made　up　its　mind　to　e　down　full　force。　Or　rather　the　succeeding　one　did；　that　one　having　already　been　made。　A　couple　more　followed；　rather　reluctantly；　and　then　a　young　girl　appeared　in　the　doorway。　It　is　hard　not　to　be　beautiful　at　eighteen；　and　for　her　it　would　have　been　a　physical　impossibility。　Even　the　dimming　devotional　mourning　that　encased　her　from　head　to　foot；　plete　even　to　smoky　veil；　couldn't　obscure　that　fact。　She　stood　looking　in　submissively　at　the　benevolent　despot　on　the　chaise；　who　was　aware　of　one's　lightest　footfall；　almost　of　one's　innermost　thoughts；　it　sometimes　seemed。
　　〃Did　you　wake　up　from　your　nap；　mamacita？　Do　you　feel　better　now？〃
　　The　Seсora　Viuda　reached　out　to　the　night　stand　beside　her；　flicked　open　a　small　jet…sticked　fan；　began　to　use　it。　This　had　nothing　to　do　with　room　temperature；　but　was　the　outward　symptom　of　approaching　interrogation。　Lengthy；　exhaustive　interrogation。　The　deceptive　brow　line　remained　ruler　straight。　〃Sit　down　a　minute；　Conchita　mia。　Here；　by　me。〃
　　The　girl　came　forward；　shifted　a　chair；　sank　primly　down　on　the　very　edge　of　it。
　　〃There；　that's　it。〃　The　fan　continued　to　move；　taking　its　time。　The　girl　shifted　both　insteps　far　in　underneath　the　chair。
　　〃Tell　me；　hija。〃　There　was　a　pause　while　the　fanning　went　on。　〃You　were　on　your　way　to　All　Saints　Cemetery；　to　pay　your　respects　at　your　father's　resting　place？〃　The　examination　was　under　way。
　　The　girl　looked　up　from　the　finger　she　had　been　wrangling　with。　〃It　is　his　saint's　day。　It　should　not　be　allowed　to　pass　unnoted。　And　as　you　were　ill；　I　thought　perhaps　I'd…〃
　　The　Seсora　Viuda　nodded　with　benevolent　approval。　〃A　good　daughter　doesn't　forget　her　departed　father。　She　keeps　the　flowers　fresh　on　his　grave；　doesn't　forget　to　visit　it。　That's　as　it　should　be。〃　The　fan　whirred　blandly　on。　〃When　was　the　last　time　you　were　there？〃
　　〃Last　week；　I　think…I　don't　know　exactly。　Why　do　you　ask　me；　mamacita？　〃
　　〃I　was　just　wondering；　that　is　all。　Why　this　sudden　intense　fervor；　this　devotional　passion；　this　locura　almost。〃　The　fan　closed；　pointed　upward；　descended　again；　reopened；　went　on　fluttering。　〃I　don't　like　it。　It　isn't　good　at　your　age。　It　isn't　natural。　It　is　not　that　your　papa　passed　from　us　yesterday。　It　is　five　years　ago；　now；　may　he　rest　in　peace。　You　were　thirteen　then。　You　loved　him；　you　were　desolated。　Bueno。　Then　it　passed；　as　it　should　with　the　young。　You　were　like　other　girls　your　age；　you　enjoyed　the　cine　on　a　Sunday　afternoon；　having　an　helado　in　a　sweetshop　now　and　then；　those　things。　Now　all　at　once　this　frenzy　of　tragic　grief　descends　on　you；　excluding　every　other　interest。　It　is　almost　feverish；　I　have　seen　you　brooding　by　the　hour。　You　cannot　go　often　enough；　nor　remain　long　enough；　at　All　Saints　Cemetery。　You　are　unable　to　eat　or　sleep；　unable　to　think　of　anything　but　the　departed。　It's　morbid；　it's　melancholy。〃
　　The　fan　never　stopped　a　moment。　The　monologue　ran　on；　with　a　sort　of　velvety　firmness　that　didn't　raise　its　voice；　threaten；　mand。　That　just　stated　facts。　〃It　is　to　stop　now。　No　more　of　these　visits　to　a　burial　ground。　They're　not　normal。　I　don't　understand　them。　At　your　age　one　shouldn't　think　of　the　other　world　so　constantly。〃
　　The　girl　gave　her　a　look　of　almost　tearful　supplication。　〃Just　one　more　time；　madrecita。　Just　today；　and　then　I　won't　go　any　more…if　you　say　so。〃
　　〃Very　well；　one　more　time。　Tomorrow。　Tomorrow　I　will　feel　better；　I　will　take　you　myself；　if　you　insist　on　going。〃
　　The　girl　looked　harassed；　almost　terrified　at　the　alternative。　〃But　today's　his　saint　day！　Just　this　once。　Look；　I'm　all　ready　to　leave。　It's　after　halfpast　four　already。　I　can　be　there　and　back　before　you　know　it。〃
　　The　Seсora　Viuda　wagged　her　head　darkly；　in　acpaniment　to　her　fanning。　〃Always　there　is　one　time　too　many；　daughter　of　my　blood。　Who　knows；　this　may　be　it？　Don't　go；　listen　to　your　mother。　I　had　a　dream　I　didn't　like　when　I　was　napping　just　now。〃
　　The　girl　showed　a　momentary　interest。　〃About　me？　What　was　it　about？〃
　　〃Only　that　I　could　hear　your　voice　calling　to　me　from　some　dark　place；　and　I　could　not　reach　you。〃
　　The　girl　chuckled　indulgently。　〃Is　that　all？　In　school　the　sisters　used　to　tell　us　we　mustn't　believe　in　anything　like　that。〃
　　The　Seсora　Viuda；　who　was　anything　but　irreligious；　muttered　something　that　sounded　suspiciously　like；　〃Are　the　sisters　mothers？〃
　　She　fanned　awhile　longer；　still　withholding　consent。　〃Stay　here；〃　she　urged。　〃Here；　within　the　walls　of　your　home；　where　you　should　be。　Read；　sew　at　something；　sit　by　the　bars　of　the　window；　looking　out；　dreaming　the　dreams　a　young　girl　does。　Or　go　into　the　patio　at　the　back；　bask　there　in　the　late　sun；　looking　at　yourself　in　the　water；　doing　your　hair　some　foolish　new　way。　What　is　the　worst　that　can　happen　to　you　here？　Only　that　time　may　drag　a　little。　Better　that　time　should　pass　too　slowly　than　too　quick。　Tomorrow　we　will　go　out；　buy　you　something　at　one　of　the　stores；　have　a　refresco；　take　in　the　crowd　at　the　tables　around　us。〃
　　She　sighed。　She　could　see　it　was　no　use；　even　before　the　answer　came。　〃Go　then；　if　you　must；〃　she　gave　in　grudgingly。　〃But　today　is　the　last　time。〃　Then　as　the　girl　half　started　up　from　her　chair　in　unl