cw.blackalibi-第32部分

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s　found　at　daybreak　on　June　the　ninth。〃　He　glowered　at　the　American。　〃Once；　you　would　call　a　coincidence。　Twice；　you　would　call　suspicious。　But　three　times；　what　would　you　call　that？〃
　　〃I'm　not　good　at　naming　things；〃　was　all　Manning　said　quietly。
　　Robles　thumbed　the　lever　of　the　voice　conveyor　on　his　desk。
　　〃Bring　me　in　Juan　Cardozo；　foreman　of　the　ranch　at　Las　Cruces。　It's　about　fifty　kilometers　out；　on　the　overland　road。　Just　follow　that　and　you'll　e　to　it。　No　charges；　just　wanted　for　questioning。〃
　　
　　
　　He　was　burned　a　deep　mahogany　from　year…around　exposure　to　the　sun。　He　had　e　in　just　as　they　found　him：　blue　cotton　work　shirt　open　at　the　neck；　a　sort　of　poncho　arrangement　slung　over　one　shoulder；　corduroy　pants；　the　embossed　silver　belt　of　the　typical　riding　man　about　his　middle；　and　a　shapeless　felt　hat；　wavy…brimmed　from　being　continually　soaked　down　and　allowed　to　dry　out　again；　probably　right　on　his　head。
　　He　had　a　small　but　very　stiff…haired　black　mustache。　Occasionally；　during　the　long　hours　it　went　on；　they　bet　him　smoke。　As　if　to　bet　him　remember　what　fort　and　ease　were　bike　after　all　this　time。　The　implication　being　he　could　have　them　back　again　at　will；　if　he　would　only　admit　the　worst　about　himself。　Whenever　they　did　let　him　smoke；　he　would　take　a　paper　from　his　pocket　and　slowly；　lovingly　roll　one　for　himself。　It　was　almost　a　pleasure　to　watch　him　at　it；　he　was　so　deft；　so　artistic　about　it。
　　〃I　found　it　when　I　was　making　my　rounds　on　horseback　one　day；〃　he　was　saying　when　Manning　slipped　unobtrusively　into　the　room　behind　all　their　backs。　Strictly　speaking；　he　had　no　business　there。　But　then；　strictly　speaking；　they　had　no　business　holding　the　man　Cardozo　there；　either。　Not　as　yet。
　　〃Its　mother　had　been　killed；　and　it　was　shivering　there　by　the　body。　It　was　just　a　little　mite　then；　a　cub；　coal　black。　I　picked　it　up　and　took　it　back　with　me　to　the　ranch　house　and　kept　it　there。　For　a　while　we　kept　it　right　in　the　house；　bike　a　kitten。　Then　when　it　got　a　little　bigger；　I　knocked　together　a　sort　of　pen　for　it　outside　and　kept　it　in　that。　Then　one　day　seсor　here　happened　to　e　out；　and　he　saw　it；　he　asked　me　if　he　could　borrow　it　for　twenty…five　pesos；　he　wanted　to　have　a　lady　show　it　off　in　her　car　with　her。〃
　　〃Who　fed　it？〃　Robles　wanted　to　know　in　a　dangerously　minor　key。
　　〃I　did。〃
　　〃It　knew　you；　then？〃
　　〃　Claro。　Any　animal　knows　the　one　that　feeds　it。〃
　　〃You　spoke　to　it　when　you　fed　it？〃
　　〃Sure。　Like　you　do；　you　know。〃
　　〃You　had　a　name　for　it？〃
　　〃　Negrote。〃　*　＇The　big　black　one。＇
　　〃In　other　words；　it　knew　you；　it　was　familiar　with　you。　You　could　approach　it　more　easily　than　anyone　else；　isn't　that　true？〃
　　The　ranchman　sensed　where　he　was　being　led。　He　shifted　uneasily。　〃Anyone　could　approach　it。　All　of　us　out　there。　The　seсor　had　no　trouble；　bringing　it　in　to　town…〃
　　〃Let　us　go　back　to　dates；　again；〃　Robles　said　disarmingly。　〃You　have　admitted　you　were　in　the　city　all　night　the　night　of　the　fourteenth　of　May。〃
　　〃I　have　already　told　you　where　I　was。　At　the　Cantina　Estrella　de　Media　Noche。　Ask　all　the　bunch　who　goes　there；　Hipobito；　Benito　Doinguez；　they　all　saw　me…〃
　　〃We　have　already；　never　fear；〃　Robles　said　with　the　placidity　of　an　idol。　〃There　is　no　clock　in　the　cantina。　They　saw　you；　yes；　early　in　the　evening。　But　then　after；　for　instance？〃
　　〃After　it　closed；　I　was　where　one　always　is　after　a　cantina　closes：　lying　with　my　back　propped　up　against　a　wall；　outside　in　the　street　somewhere。〃
　　Robles　scratched　his　ear　perplexedly；　as　though　at　a　boss；　not　knowing　what　question　to　ask　next。　A　pletely　false　impression；　Manning　knew；　watching　him　from　the　background。　〃Let　us　leave　the　night　of　the　fourteenth；　it　seems　to　be　getting　us　nowhere。　On　the　twenty…sixth；　you　say…〃
　　Cardozo　showed　his　teeth　around　at　them。　〃I　have　already　told　you　that　too。　They　will　be　charging　me　for　three　visits；　instead　of　one。　Very　well；　I　was　at　the　house　run　by　Doсa　Sara…〃
　　〃Tell　me；　were　you　planning　to　elope　with　one　of　the　girls　there？〃
　　〃The　andante　is　joking。　One　does　not　elope　with…〃
　　〃The　andante　is　not　joking；〃　Robles　assured　him　icily。　〃Why　then　were　you　seen　to　have　a　riata　*　＇A　looped　rope。　A　lasso。＇　coiled　about　your　waist　the　night　you　visited　the　house　of　Doсa　Sara？〃
　　Cardozo's　jaw　fluctuated　up　and　down；　but　all　that　came　from　his　mouth　were　two　meaningless　pronouns。　〃I…I…〃
　　But　Robles　hadn't　waited。　He　was　asking　them　faster　now。　〃Why　then　did　you　have　pieces　of　raw　meat　in　a　bag　with　you　the　night　you　were　at　the　cantina？　Whom　were　you　expecting　to　feed？　Yourself？〃
　　〃No；　I…I…〃
　　〃And　what　became　of　that　raw　meat？　You　had　it　no　longer　when　you　boarded　the　morning　bus　for　Las　Gruces。　And　what　became　of　the　riata？　You　had　that　no　longer；　either；　when　you　made　the　return　trip。〃
　　〃The　riata…somebody　in　the　house　of　Doсa　Sara　must　have　stolen　it…they　do　that　in　those　places；　anything　of　any　value。　The　meat…maybe　some　dog　or　cat　came　along　while　I　was　sleeping　on　the　sidewalk　outside　the　cantina…〃
　　〃And　what　did　you　bring　those　things　along　for？　Was　it　because　you　had　something　staked　Out；　somewhere　here　in　the　city；　that　you　wished　to　lead　about　with　you　for　a　while？　Was　it？　Contesta！　＇Answer！＇〃　His　voice　exploded。　〃Was　it？〃
　　Manning　thought　he　had　never　before　seen　such　a　look　of　dawning　fear　and　horror　on　anyone's　face　as　began　to　peer　out　on　Cardozo's。　〃I…I…oh；　wait；　no；　don't　think　that！　I　did；　I　admit　it；　I　did　hope　to　save　Negrote　alive。　I　thought　perhaps　I　might　e　across　him　just　by　chance；　throw　him　the　meat；　sling　the　riata　over　him；　find　some　way　of　getting　him　back　to　the　estancia　with　me。　It　was　just　an　idle　impulse；　a　stupid　thought　that　came　to　me…　But　not　what　you　mean！　Not　what　you　are　trying　to　say！〃　He　looked　from　face　to　face；　pleadingly。　〃Seсores；　what　do　you　want　with　me？　I　know；　I　have　known　for　hours　past。　I　have　not　said　so；　you　have　not　said　so　either。　I　have　been　in　town　other　nights；　besides　the　three　you　mention。　Why　don't　you　speak　of　them？〃
　　〃Very　well；〃　Robles　said　acmodatingly；　〃we　shall。〃　He　consulted　something。　〃You　were　in　on　the　twentieth　of　May；　por　ejemplo。〃
　　〃Yes；　yes！〃　Cardozo　nodded　almost　avidly。
　　〃Did　you　have　a　riata　with　you　that　night？　Raw　meat　that　night？〃
　　The　back　of　answer　was　the　answer。
　　〃You　were　in　on　the　thirty…first。　Did　you　then；　either？〃
　　Cardozo　shivered　a　little；　and　his　head　went　over；　as　though　he　were　peering　closely　at　something　out　before　his　feet。
　　〃Only　on　the　nights　on　which　something　happened　in　this　city　did　you　e　provided　with　the　rather　curious　articles　we　have　mentioned。　Not　on　the　others。〃
　　The　man　in　the　middle　of　all　of　them　leaped　to　his　feet　suddenly。　Restraining　hands　were　immediately　laid　on　him；　but　he　stood　there　erect；　facing　his　tormentors。　Even　though　he　was　shivering　spasmodically；　there　was　a　sort　of　innate　dignity　pulsing　from　him。　Even　Manning；　the　outlander；　could　feel　it。　For　a　moment　it　made　of　them；　not　policemen　around　a　suspect；　just　men　around　another　man。　〃I　have　killed；　yes。　I　spent　two　years　in　jail　for　it；　back　in　my　native　tierra。　It　was　over　a　woman；　any　man　would　have　killed。　But　not　this　way！　One　kills　in　revenge；　to　right　a　wrong。　How　can　one　be　revenged　on　or　wronged　by　individuals　one　did　not　even　know　existed；　one　never　saw　in　all　his　life　before？　Or　one　kills　to　rob。　At　beast　some　do。　What　other　reason　is　there　to　kill？〃
　　Manning　had　taken　a　small　file　out　of　his　pocket；　he　was　shaping　a　thumbnail　with　it　while'　he　lounged　indolently　back　against　the　door。　〃One　sometimes　kills　for　the　love　of　it；〃　he　remarked　unexpectedly。
　　Their　heads　all　turned　to　look　around　at　him。　He；　in　turn；　had　taken　his　eyes　off　the　file　for　a　moment。　Something　went　wrong。　He　started　violently；　seized　the　fleshy　bulge　at　the　bottom　of　his　thumb；　bent　over　it；　swearing　softly　in　English。　The　file　dropped　with　a　plink。
　　He　came　forward　into　the　bight；　holding　the　self…inflicted　wound；　as　if　to　examine　it　better。　Yet　he　went　on　pleting　the　remark　he　had　made　just　before　the　accident　happened。　〃For　the　love　of　it；　for　its　own　sake；　because　they　like　the　sight　of　blood