cw.blackalibi-第22部分

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ut　there？　Call　them　back；　the　fools。　It's　not　in　here　any　more；　they're　just　wasting　their　time。〃
　　〃But　the　trees　are　quite　thick　in　places；　especially　toward　the　center；〃　remonstrated　the　subordinate。　〃And　this　wall　which　pletely　encloses　it　would　act　as　an　effective　pen。　On　the　east　side　it's　even　higher　than　here　and　spiked　with　broken　bottle　glass
　　〃Haven't　you　eyes？　You　were　all　here　half　an　hour　before　I　was。　Anyone　can　see　that　it　got　out　again　as　it　got　in。〃
　　Manning　turned　toward　him　in　time　to　see　him；　crouch　down　close　to　the　gruesome　litter；　remove　some　indeterminate；　blood…caked；　boat…shaped　object　adhering　to　the　remains　themselves。　He　straightened　again；　transferred　it　to　a　clean　piece　of　white　paper。　A　tiny　stem　could　now　be　seen　to　project　from　one　end　of　it。　Even　yet　it　was　hard　to　tell　what　it　was；　without　his　word　of　explanation。　Its　patina　disguised　it。
　　〃A　leaf；〃　he　rapped　out；　in　the　sudden　attentive　silence　that　had　fallen。　〃This　was　originally　a　leaf。　One　of　God's　green　leaves；　before　it　became　encrusted　with　death　matter。　There　are　dozens　of　them；　clinging　all　over　her；　like　feathers　to　a　halfplucked　fowl。　They　don't　fall　this　time　of　the　year。　They　were　not　on　the　ground　originally。〃　His　eyes　flicked　to　the　bough　above。　〃They　were　shaken　down　upon　her。　It　dropped　down　upon　her　bodily；　from　up　there；　in　a　shower　of　leaves。　Her　cries　must　have　attracted　it　to　her　as　it　prowled　the　outside　of　the　wall。　Then；　the　carnage　perpetrated；　it　sprang　up　to　the　bough　again；　crossed　over　the　top　of　the　wall；　and　returned　whence　it　had　e。　Where　are　your　eyes？　What　were'　you　doing　here　while　you　were　waiting　for　me？　A　glass。〃　It　was　handed　to　him　and　he　traced　it　along　the　contour　of　the　trunk；　at　a　distance　close　enough　to　obtain　a　clear　focus。　〃Keep　your　heads　out　of　the　light；　stand　over　on　the　side。　Now。　Do　you　see？　It　is　plain　enough　for　you？　You　detect　the　livid　gashes　on　the　bark　from　its　claws？　They　are　deepest　at　the　top；　each　one；　they　are　full　punctures　there；　tapering　off　to　a　mere　shallow　scratch　at　the　bottom。　That　means　they　were　made　by　the　beast　going　up。　Its　claws　dug　in　to　obtain　a　hold；　slipped　slightly　downward　each　time　with　its　bodily　weight；　then　were　transferred　to　the　next　claw　hold　higher　up；　until　it　had　reached　the　bough。　Even　so；　it　probably　made　its　ascent　almost　more　quickly　than　the　eye　could　follow…but　the　traces　of　it　do　not　vanish　so　swiftly；　fortunately。　Get　them　on　your　negatives。〃　And　as　he　handed　back　the　borrowed　glass；　he　added　disgustedly：　〃You　should　really　be　provided　with　alms　bowls　and　sticks　and　sent　to　join　the　other　blind　on　the　benches　around　the　Plaza　Mayor。〃
　　Manning　knew　he　was　there　only　by　sufferance；　should　have　kept　his　mouth　shut。　But　he　couldn't　resist　breaking　in　scathingly：　〃And　in　the　face　of　that；　you　still　think　it's　a　jaguar？〃
　　Robles　whirled　on　him。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　　The　American　eyed　him　almost　contemptuously。　〃A　jungle　animal；　once　in　here；　would　turn　its　back　on　all　this　greenery；　trees　and　plants　and　protective　shubbery；　all　the　very　things　its　instinct　leads　it　to　seek；　and　deliberately　return　of　its　own　choice　to　the　stone　and　asphalt　traps　of　the　streets　out　there？　Ha！〃
　　One　of　the　other　operatives　rushed　to　the　defense　of　his　superior；　probably　to　regain　his　esteem；　before　Robles　himself　could　answer。　〃There　are　traces　left　by　bloodied　paws　on　the　outside　of　the　wall；　where　it　dropped　down　after　the　attack　had　been　pleted。　We　have　already　photographed　them。〃
　　It　was　a　telling　blow；　Manning's　mouth　opened；　closed　again；　without　his　being　able　to　utter　a　word。
　　〃And　just　for　golpe　de　gracia；　look　at　that；〃　Robles　said　crushingly。　He　borrowed　a　small　pair　of　forceps；　stooped　down　swiftly　over　the　mangled　form　a　second　time；　fortunately　keeping　his　back　to　all　of　them　as　he　did　so。　Manning　couldn't　see　what　it　was　he　was　using　the　forceps　to　extract；　only　the　wrench　of　his　elbow　joint　that　acpanied　the　act。
　　He　stood　up　again；　turned；　again　bedded　it　on　paper。　This　time　it　looked　like　a　small　thorn；　curved；　and　thicker　at　one　end　than　the　other。
　　〃And　in　the　face　of　this；　you　still　think　it's　not　a　jaguar？〃　he　parodied　tartly。　〃Hold　that　glass　over　it　a　minute；　for　seсor　the　know…it…all。〃
　　Manning　peered　down　at　it；　magnified。　It　was　enlarged　now　to　a　miniature　tusk；　of　hornlike　substance；　broken　off　short　at　the　wide　end。　〃What　is　it；　a　tooth？　A　fang？〃
　　〃For　anyone　that　knows　so　much　about　jaguars；　you　are　not　very　good；　you　should　study　up　on　your　zoology；〃　was　Robles'　merciless　retort。　〃It　is　the　tip　of　one　of　its　claws；　broken　off　short。　And　left　imbedded　in　her　throat。〃
　　Manning　couldn't　answer　for　a　minute；　but　he　wouldn't　give　in；　retract。　He　drew　his　head　away　from　the　derisive　proximity　with　which　Robles　was　holding　the　nauseating　token　up　to　him；　muttered　disconcertedly：　〃It's　against　all　the　laws　of　nature　for　it　to　turn　its　back　on　here　and　go　out　there　again。〃
　　Robles　raised　his　voice　overbearingly。　〃When　the　laws　of　nature　conflict　with　indisputable　evidence　like　this；　the　laws　of　nature　go　into　the　discard。　Who　is　to　say　what　they　are　anyway…　you？　I？　Are　we　animals　ourselves？　Not　enough　is　known　about　this　species；　in　the　first　place；　to　lay　down　hard…and…fast　rules　of　behavior　for　them。　They　can　be　as　unpredictable　as　human　beings；　for　all　we　know。　Perhaps　it　is　not　the　nature　of　jaguars　to　return　to　built…up　streets。　This　one　did。　perhaps　it　has　grown　accustomed　to　its　lair。　Perhaps　it　is　the　one　exception　to　the　rule。　But　exception　or　not；　it　is　still　a　jaguar！〃
　　The　heretic　properly　and　publicly　shown　the　error　of　his　ways；　to　the　obvious　satisfaction　of　all　his　men；　he　turned　back　to　the　business　at　hand。　〃Who　is　it　keeps　making　that　noise？〃　he　inquired　irritably。
　　〃　El　novio；〃　someone　murmured。
　　〃Have　you　questioned　him　yet？　Bring　him　over　here。〃
　　The　grief…crazed　youth　in　the　belted　topcoat　was　hurried　staggeringly　forward　between　the　two　men　who　had　been　supporting　him　the　whole　time。
　　〃Raul　Belmonte；〃　read　off　Robles'　assistant。　〃Fourteen　Calle　San　Vicente。　Cashier；　Banco　de　ercio。〃
　　His　face　was　pitiful。　A　man　shouldn't　love　too　deeply；　Manning　thought；　looking　at　it；　it's　better　for　him　not　to。　He's　more　defenseless　than　a　woman；　when　it　es　to　a　thing　like　this；　that　he　can't　fight　back　against。
　　〃Are　you　able　to　talk；　Belmonte？〃　Robles　said　curtly。　〃Give　us　your　story。〃
　　His　voice　was　dead；　listless。
　　〃…I　came　out　to　telephone　to　her　home　to　find　out　from　this　little　servant　girl　who　was　backing　us　up　whether　she'd　really　started　out　at　all。　To　do　so；　I　must　have　entered　the　very　establishment　she　was　in　at　the　time　with　her　paсera；　it's　the　only　place　around　there　one　can　telephone　from。　She　must　have　been　sitting　hidden　from　me　in　a　booth　at　the　back。　My　back　must　have　been　to　her；　in　the　telephone　enclosure　off　to　one　side；　and　as　she　left；　we　neither　of　us　saw　one　another！　Then；　on　finding　the　grounds　locked；　instead　of　leaving　at　once；　I　returned　across　the　road　a　second　time；　to　ease　my　disappointment　with　a　cognac　before　driving　off。　And　when　I　finally　emerged　at　last　and　got　into　my　car；　it　seemed　to　me　that　far　off　somewhere　I　heard　a　faint　cry…I　remember　that　now。　But　I　thought　it　was　my　imagination；　and　I　was　too　heavyhearted　at　not　having　seen　her　to　care　what　it　was。　What　had　it　to　do　with　me？〃
　　He　was　starting　to　shiver。　Robles　made　a　sign　and　they　led　him　away。　〃Lock　him　up　for　the　time　being；〃　the　inspector　said　quietly　as　soon　as　he　was　out　of　hearing。
　　〃Surely　you　don't　think…？〃　Manning　expostulated。
　　〃Protective　arrest；〃　Robles　answered。　〃He　is　a　danger　to　himself；　until　he　has　recovered　somewhat。　It　is　written　all　over　him。〃
　　Manning　turned　and　moved　slowly　away　from　the　hideous　glare　that　continued　to　beat　down　on　the　mortal　remains　of　Conchita　Contreras。　They　all　glanced　after　him　curiously；　noticing　the　thoughtful　way　he　held　his　head　lowered　and　kicked　at　nothing　along　the　ground；　to　show　the　personal　dissatisfaction　and　lack　of　conviction　he　derived　from　this。
　　〃He's　got　an　obsession；　that　man；〃　he　heard　Robles　explaining　scornfully　to　some　of　his　cohorts　without　troubling　to　low