cw.blackalibi-第40部分

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　beautiful。　〃Now！〃　she　said。　She　sat　down　opposite　him；　head　tilted　attentively。　The　period　of　futile　mourning　was　past；　it　was　easy　to　see　that。　〃Help　yourself　to　those；〃　she　said　parenthetically；　〃if　they　help　you　to　think　better；〃　and　motioned　toward　a　pack　of　American　cigarettes。
　　There　was　a　moment　or　two　of　silence。　She　was　the　first　one　to　speak。　〃To　be　the　bait；　he　must　be　drawn　to　me　next。　Out　of　every　girl　and　woman　in　this　city。　How　are　we　going　to　manage　that？　How　can　I　hope　to　succeed　in　attracting　his　attention？〃
　　〃You　can't　if　we　just　leave　it　to　chance。　The　law　of　averages　would　be　too　strongly　against　it。　You　could　walk　the　streets　alone　at　night；　every　night　for　the　next　ten　years；　and　he　might　strike　all　around　you；　but　never　e　near　you　again。　It　must　be　a　setup。　Now　here's　what　my　idea　is。　If　he　reads　the　papers　at　all；　he's　sure　to　read　the　rehashes　of　his　own　monstrosities；　if　nothing　else。　He　must　have　seen　there　were　two　of　you　that　night；　he　must　have　followed　you　from　the　time　you　both　left　the　restaurant。　I'm　wondering　if　there　isn't　some　way　I　can　plant…but　very　subtly；　so　that　he　doesn't　scent　a　trap…in　the　newspapers；　along　with　the　accounts　of　your　previous　experience；　the　idea　that　you　would　be　foolhardy　enough；　scatterbrained　enough；　to　go　back　again　to　some　such　place；　unacpanied；　even　after　what　happened　the　last　time。　And　along　with　an　even　defter　hint　that　you　got　a　look　at　him；　would　be　able　to　identify　him。　In　that　way；　there'll　be　two　powerful　impulses　pulling　him　toward　you：　his　maniacal　urge　itself；　whatever　that　is；　and　also　his　sense　of　self…preservation。〃
　　〃But　isn't　it　farfetched？　Would　even　a　deranged　mind　swallow　such　a　probability？〃
　　〃It　won't　be　easy　to　swing　it。　Let's　see　if　we　can　hammer　something　out　between　us。　To　begin　with；　you　must　realize　that　they　believe　an　American　capable　of　anything　down　here；　to　them　We're　all　half　wacky　in　the　first　place。　That'll　help　some。〃　He　tapped　on　the　ends　of　his　spread　fingers　one　by　one。　〃You　have　a　passion　for　taking　walks　in　the　moonlight；　you　don't　intend　to　let　anything　interfere　with　your　habits…　No；　that's　no　good。〃
　　They　both　shook　their　heads　in　unison。　〃That　wouldn't　tell　him　just　where　to　find　you；　even　if　he　did　fall　for　it；〃　he　added。
　　He　glanced　aside　at　the　discarded　sweater　of　Sally　O'Keefe；　suddenly　brightened。　〃Wait　a　minute；　I've　got　it…that　gave　me　an　idea。　Something　belonging　to　one　or　the　other　of　you。　Something　of　sentimental　value；　that　you　cannot　bear　to　part　with。　You　dropped　it　there　that　night；　by　the　lake。　A　locket；　say；　that　was　given　to　you　by　your　mother　when　you　were　a　child。　Or　a　goodluck　charm。　Something　that　you　are　determined　not　to　leave　the　city　until　you　have　recovered。〃
　　〃It's　better　than　the　first　one；　but　there　are　still　things　against　it。　Wouldn't　I　be　expected　to　go　back　well　escorted；　even　if　I　did　go　back　to　look　for　it？　And　why　would　it　have　to　be　at　night？　Why　wouldn't　I　go　during　the　daylight　hours？〃
　　〃But　he'll　be　watching　for　you；　and　he'll　see　with　his　own　eyes　that　you　have　e　back　alone；　and　that　you　have　e　back　at　night。　What　more　proof　can　he　want　than　that？　The　thing　is；　his　attention　will　be　drawn　to　that　vicinity　a　second　time；　and　that's　the　main　thing　we　want。　Once　he's　lurking　around；　the　rest　will　follow　automatically。　He'll　see　that　you're　alone；　and　he'll…〃　He　didn't　finish　it。
　　〃It　just　may　work；〃　she　assented。
　　〃It's　flimsy；　but　it　just　may　work；　that's　the　best　we　can　hope　for　about　the　whole　thing　anyway；　there's　no　guarantee　it　will。　Through　my　pressagenting　I　have　an　in　at　most　of　the　editorial　staffs　in　town；　I　can　get　the　item　in　the　papers　without　much　trouble。　And　without　letting　them　catch　on；　naturally。　Just　a　personal　interview　with　you　here　at　the　hotel；　submitted　to　put　a　little　change　in　my　pockets。　If　it　should　e　to　Robles'　attention；　I　can　shunt　him　off　by　saying　there's　not　a　word　of　truth　in　it；　I　just　made　it　up；　you're　actually　scared　stiff　and　taking　the　next　train　out　of　town。
　　〃It　must　be　very　delicately　done。　It　mustn't　be　overemphasized；　that　would　give　it　away。　Just　a　couple　of　words　thrown　in　offhand。　Just　enough　to　give　his　warped　brain　the　idea；　without　letting　him　realize　where　he　got　it　from　himself；　if　possible。　After　all；　this　will　be　a　short　cut　for　him。　He'll　know　ahead　of　time　where　to　look　for　another　prospective　victim；　alone　and　helpless。　Before　he　had　to　roam　around　endlessly；　waiting　for　the　right　bination　of　circumstances。　That　wasn't　easy　to　get。　I　think　he'll　fall　for　it。　I　think　his　murderous　ego　must　be　sufficiently　swollen　by　now　for　him　to　disregard　minor　drawbacks　that　would　have　been　enough　to　deter　him　in　the　beginning。　He　must　think　he　can　get。　away　with　anything　by　this　time。　And　then　there'll　be　the　added　little　spur　that　you　may　have　seen　him；　that　he'd　better　see　to　it　he　gets　rid　of　you　without　further　ado；　to　ensure　the　continuance　of　his　own　immunity。〃
　　〃What　about　this　police　official　and　his　men；　aren't　they　likely　to　be　buzzing　around　in　that　park　as　thick　as　flies　for　the　next　week　or　so；　after　what　happened　the　other　night？　They　might　frighten　him　away。　Hadn't　we　better　make　it　some　other　place？〃
　　He　dug　his　fingers　absently　through　his　hair。　〃I　don't　know　of　any　other　that　would　serve　as　well。　To　shift　the　locale　would　do　away　with　your　supposed　motive　for　returning；　that　is；　to　reclaim　something　you　lost　in　there　the　first　time。　And　then　its　size　is　an　added　inducement　to　him。　The　others　are　all　pretty　small；　wouldn't　afford　enough　cover。〃
　　〃Very　well；　then；　let's　make　it　the　Bosque。　You　probably　know　best。〃
　　〃I　think　we　have　a　better　chance　there　than　almost　anywhere　else；　no　matter　how　farfetched　it　may　strike　you　at　first。　For　one　thing；　he　probably　watched　the　two　of　you　through　the　trees　at　the　Madrid；　singled　you　out；　even　before　you　got　back　into　the　carriage　that　night。　If　he　has　an　opportunity　to　do　that　again；　watch　you　at　his　leisure　over　a　period　of　an　hour　or　two　beforehand；　make　sure　that　you　are　entirely　alone；　I　think　the　temptation　will　be　that　much　stronger。　We　will　have　a　chance　to　get　in　a　sort　of　buildup　of　his　self…confidence；　so　to　speak。　That　would　be　lacking　if　you　were　just　to　roam　aimlessly　around　some　small　park　inside　the　city。　th　fact；　I　think　it　would　look　suspicious；　more　than　anything　else。　For　another　thing；　I　think　the　recklessness；　the　effrontery；　the　supreme　cheek；　of　returning　to　the　same　place　a　second　time　will　appeal　irresistibly　to　his　egomania；　give　him　an　added　thrill　that　he　won't　be　able　to　pass　by。〃　He　put　out　his　cigarette。　〃As　far　as　Robles　and　his　bunch　of　dimwits　are　concerned；　I　think　there's　an　easy…enough　way　of　getting　rid　of　them。　I'll　phone　in　a　false　report　to　one　of　the　genedarmerias　of　having　seen　the　jaguar；　big　as　life；　in　an　entirely　different　section　of　the　city。　For　a　few　pesos　extra　I　can　even　get　a　handful　of　sidewalk　bums　here　and　there　to　confirm　it　simultaneously；　on　other　public　telephones。　That　will　draw　them　all　away　from　the　Bosque；　clear　it　beautifully　for　us。〃
　　〃Yes；　but　will　he　know　that？　He　may　suspect　them　of　still　lurking…〃
　　〃He　can　find　out　for　himself　whether　or　not　the　Bosque　is　empty；　without　any　added　risk；　can't　he？　Remember；　they're　looking　for　a　beast　in　all　this；　not　a　biped。　God　knows　how　many　times　he　has　already　brushed　shoulders　with　them　undetected；　maybe　even　returned　to　gaze　on　his　own　handiwork　from　the　outskirts　of　those　morbid　crowds　that　have　gathered　at　each　place。　He　can　go　into　the　Bosque　in　perfect　safety；　see　for　himself　whether　there　are　any　stray　details　of　police　left　around；　for　they　are　working　openly　on　this　jaguar　job；　not　under　cover　as　they　would　with　human　quarry；　and　when　he　is　convinced　that　there　aren't；　concentrate　on　you　unhindered。〃
　　A　cord　at　the　side　of　her　neck　stood　out　briefly；　but　she　gave　no　other　sign。　〃That's　the　way　we'll　do　it；〃　he　summed　up。　She　was　silent　for　a　moment。　Finally　she　asked；　with　a　flicker　of　a　smile　that　swept　by　too　soon　to　be　able　to　take　a　very　firm　hold　on　her　features；　〃What　night　will　we　pick　for　this…date　with　destruction？〃
　　〃Night　after　tomorrow。　That'll　give　us　fortyeight　full　hours　to