cw.blackalibi-第3部分

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of　the　veranda　door　panes　itself　shivered　and　disintegrated　in　the　melee。　No　one　was　quite　sure　where　it　was　any　more；　nor　what　it　was　doing；　and　no　one　stopped　to　find　out。
　　Kiki；　screaming　berserkly；　couldn't　extricate　herself　for　a　minute　from　the　position　she　had　fallen　into。　She　was　flat　on　her　back；　but　the　chair　seat；　upended　against　her；　held　her　legs　helplessly　in　air。　She　had　a　horrifying　glimpse　of　an　infuriated　black　head　looming　upon　her；　ears　flat；　jaws　balefully　open　in　spite　of　the　inadequate　muzzle　that　still　clung　to　them；　to　reveal　a　set　of　needlepointed　fangs。
　　There　was　no　time　to　do　anything。　A　thick；　blue…glass；　mesh…protected　siphon　of　seltzer　had　rolled　unbroken　toward　her　from　somebody's　table。　She　snatched　it　up；　hugged　it　to　her　chest；　closed　her　eyes　expiringly；　and　played　it　madly　around　her　in　all　directions。　Whether　that　saved　her　or　the　fear…maddened　beast　had　had　no　intention　of　attacking　her　anyway　and　was　only　seeking　its　own　escape；　is　one　of　those　moot　points　that　are　never　satisfactorily　decided　afterwards。
　　Moments　later；　eyes　still　tightly　shuttered　to　avoid　seeing　what　she　could　not　escape　from　and　the　contents　of　the　siphon　beginning　to　ebb　dangerously；　she　felt　herself　being　hoisted　upright　again　by　helping　hands　that　had　e　back　belatedly　to　rescue　her　now　that　the　acutest　point　of　danger　was　past。
　　〃Where　did　it　go？〃　she　shuddered；　opening　her　eyes　and　looking　blankly　around　at　the　carnage　on　all　sides　of　her。
　　Brakes　were　screaming　hectically　out　in　the　middle　of　the　road。　Somebody　pointed。　It　had　managed；　almost　miraculously；　to　breast　the　heavy　evening　traffic　unharmed　and　get　to　the　other　side。　She　was　just　in　time　to　see　its　loping　black　form；　all　the　way　across　the　Alameda；　turn　up　into　a　threadlike　little　alley；　a　veritable　crack　between　the　buildings；　that　opened　on　that　side；　and　disappear　in　the　gloom。
　　〃How　are　you　going　to　get　it　back；　seсorita？〃　somebody　asked　fatuously；　fanning　her　with　his　hat　while　a　restorative　was　held　to　her　lips。
　　Kiki　flipped　her　hands　violently　downward；　her　face　a　mask　of　wreathed　weeping。　〃I　don't　want　it　back！〃　she　screamed　hysterically。　〃I　don't　care　if　I　never　see　it　again！　Look　at　the　way　I　look！〃　She　pawed　helplessly　at　her　disarrayed　hair　tumbling　loosely　down　her　shoulder。　〃Help　me　back　to　my　car；〃　she　sniffled　after　a　moment　or　two。　〃I　want　to　go　home…〃
　　Two　of　the　men　assisted　her　falteringly　out　to　the　edge　of　the　curb　between　them；　and　the　Packard　was　brought　up。　Manning；　fortunately　for　himself；　was　no　longer　in　it；　he　had　jumped　out　to　give　chase；　along　with　a　few　of　the　bolder　spirits　in　the　crowd。
　　Kiki　flopped　limply　into　the　back　seat；　still　weeping　gently；　or　at　least　simmering　in　a　resemblance　to　weeping；　into　a　handkerchief　held　just　under　her　mouth。　For　once　she　was　not　putting　on　any　act；　her　nervous　system　had　just　received　a　bad　shock；　and　she　felt　the　way　she　was　acting。
　　To　plete　the　catastrophic　misadventure；　the　main　body　of　the　crowd；　as　it　ebbed　back　amidst　the　littered　debris　of　the　cafй　terrace；　had　turned　definitely　unfriendly　toward　her；　seeming　to　hold　her　personally　responsible　for　ruining　its　aperitif　hour。　Hisses　and　boos　could　plainly　be　heard。　And　when　a　Latin　crowd　hisses　you；　it's　like　bricks　and　rotten　eggs　up　North。
　　A　very　disheveled；　discredited；　and　thoroughly　unnerved　lady　was　driven　away　from　the　scene　of　the　fiasco。
　　
　　
　　It　had　been　plainly　seen　to　enter　that　alley　at　the　Alameda　end；　by　dozens　of　people。　There　could　be　no　doubt　on　that　point。　It　was　a　chasm　of　a　lane；　winding　its　way　back　through　derelict　buildings。　This　was　an　old　section　in　here；　one　of　those　leftovers　that　dot　all　large　cities；　in　spite　of　its　proximity　to　the　fashionable　and　ultramodern　Alameda。
　　It　should；　then；　have　been　simply　a　matter　of　following　it　through　to　the　other　side；　overtaking　it；　and　holding　it　at　bay…if　not　physically　recapturing　it…until　the　police　had　a　chance　to　arrive。　At　least　in　keeping　it　in　sight；　if　nothing　else。
　　It　wasn't。
　　It　was　dusk；　but　the　visibility　was　still　fairish；　even　if　dark…blue…tinted。　The　distance　to　be　traversed　wasn't　long。　Not　only　that；　but　the　more　venturesome　spirits　in　the　crowd　that　had　been　around　Kiki　at　the　Globo；　Manning　at　their　head；　were　only　moments　behind　it　in　pursuit。
　　Yet　it　had　dropped　from　sight；　been　swallowed　up；　disappeared　pletely　somewhere　along　that　short　byway；　in　one　of　the　most　built…up；　hemmedin　parts　of　the　city！　For　when　the　advance　posse；　Manning　still　foremost；　came　surging　out　into　the　Plaza　de　los　Mбrtires；　a　small；　busy；　palmbordered　square　that　the　alley　gave　onto　at　its　other　end；　a　case　of　mass　astigmatism　seemed　to　have　resulted。　And　it　was　not　one　brought　on　by　fright　and　excitement；　as　sometimes　happens；　either。　The　plaza　was　bustling　with　people；　yet　not　one　person　could　be　found　who　had　seen　or　heard　anything　amiss；　much　less　anything　so　striking　as　a　jet…black　jaguar　rushing　headlong　out　of　an　alley　mouth　into　their　midst。　A　shoeshine　boy　less　than　a　yard　past　the　turn　of　the　alley　corner　was　kneeling　industriously　to　his　task　over　a　customer's　raised　foot。　Both　were　close　enough　for　the　wind　of　its　passing　to　have　bowled　them　over。　If　it　had　passed。　Nothing　had；　they　both　said　in　surprise。　And　then；　not　sure　they　had　heard　aright；　repeated　blankly；　〃A　what？〃；　thinking　Manning　and　the　rest　crazy。
　　Farther　on；　but　not　much　farther　on；　the　usual　little　knot　of　hopeful　loiterers　were　scanning　the　lottery　lists。　People　were　getting　on　and　off　the　noisy　trolleys　that　seemed　to　fill　this　plaza　at　all　hours　of　the　day　and　night；　emitting　turquoise　flashes　from　their　overhead　conduit　wires　as　they　backed　and　filled。
　　It　was…the　way　it　always　was。
　　While　the　rearguard　of　the　pursuit　was　still　streaming　in　from　the　Alameda　side；　clogging　up　the　lane；　Manning　and　the　advance　guard　tried　to　beat　their　way　back　through　them；　passing　the　word　along　as　they　went　that　it　hadn't　e　out　at　the　other　end。
　　Three　gesticulating；　whistle…blowing…and　very　belated…gendarmes　now　arrived　to　take　charge；　and　the　chase…or　rather　problem；　for　a　chase　requires　something　in　front　of　it…now　became　an　official　one。　Their　explanation　for　their　tardiness；　and　not　an　unlikely　one；　was　that　the　report　had　been　utterly　disbelieved　when　it　was　first　made　known　to　them。　A　holdup；　yes。　A　knifing。　But　a　live　jaguar　running　amuck　through　the　streets？　This　was　Ciudad　Real。　You　better　go　someplace　and　sleep　it　off；　or　I'll　run　you　in。
　　Manning；　momentarily　leaving　them　to　their　own　devices；　buffeted　his　way　straight　through　to　the　Alameda　side　again；　to　try　to　find　the　fellow　from　whom　he　had　〃borrowed〃　the　thing　earlier　in　the　day；　a　ranch　foreman　named　Cardozo；　and　who　was　supposed　to　meet　him　at　a　certain　inconspicuous　corner　with　one　of　the　ranch　produce　trucks　and　take　the　thing　off　his　hands　again　as　soon　as　Kiki　was　through　with　it。
　　It　took　him　only　a　few　minutes　to　get　down　there；　but　the　news　was　already　there　ahead　of　him；　he　found　when　he　arrived。
　　〃It's　gone；〃　he　announced　breathlessly。　〃It　broke　away　from　her；　and　nearly　killed　her　in　the　bargain！　That　crowd　you　see　up　there　right　now　is　where　they're　looking　for　it。〃
　　〃I　know；　somebody　told　me；〃　Cardozo　said　disgruntledly。　〃Somebody　must　have　done　something　to　it　to　get　it　started　off　like　that。　I　told　you　not　to　let　it　get　mauled　around　too　much。　I　thought　you　said　you　were　going　to　be　right　with　it；　the　whole　time　she　had　it　out　with　her。〃　He　actually　seemed　peeved　at　losing　the　thing；　as　though　he　had　grown　attached　to　it。
　　〃I　wasn't　more　than　two　car　lengths　away；〃　Manning　answered　heatedly；　〃and　even　then　I　couldn't　get　over　to　her　in　time　to　stop　it！　I　saw　what　it　did。　It　took　a　flying　leap　over　her　body；　the　only　thing　that　saved　her　was　she　had　a　bottle　of　charged　water　in　her　hands　and　squirted　some　at　it。　I　thought　you　said　it　was　so　tame　and　harmless；　there　was　nothing　to　worry　about！　It　would　have　been　a　fine　thing　if　it　had　clawed　her　up；　wouldn't　it？〃
　　〃It　was　perfectly　docile　the　whole　time　we　had　it　out　at　the　estancia。　The　cook's　kid　used　to　go　right　in　the　pen　and　play　with　it　by　the　hour。〃