cw.blackalibi-第42部分

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ave　good　eyes。　Very　good　eyes；　even　in　the　dark。　It　has　always　been　said　of　me　that　I　never　forget　a　face。〃　One　left　with　a　puzzled　feeling　that　she　had　not　told　all　she　knew…even　to　the　police。
　　
　　
　　It　was　nearing　sundown　when　they　arrived　at　the　Inglaterra。　She　said；　〃e　in；〃　in　answer　to　Manning's　low；　confidential　knock　on　the　door；　and　they　found　her　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　room。　Her　arrested　posture　indicated　they　had　interrupted　her　in　the　act　of　pacing　agitatedly　back　and　forth；　waiting　for　their　arrival。
　　〃At　last；〃　she　greeted　them　limply。　〃I've　been　dressed　since　four；　and　I　was　getting　more　nervous　by　the　minute。　I　didn't　know　whether　you'd　changed　your　plans　or　not；　and　there　was　nowhere　I　could　reach　you。　You　said　tonight；　so　I　went　ahead　and　fixed　up　for　the　Madrid　anyway；　in　order　to　be　ready。　Is　this　all　right？〃　She　backed　away　a　step　in　order　to　let　them　take　in　a　white　evening　gown　sewn　with　crystal　beads。
　　〃Good。　Just　the　thing！〃　Manning　said　approvingly。　〃It'll　glitter　in　the　dark　and　make　it　easier　for　him　to　pick　you　out。　Are　you　frightened？〃
　　〃I'm　getting　over　it　now　by　degrees；〃　she　admitted。　〃But　you　should　have　seen　me　a　half…hour　ago。　My　teeth　kept　chattering　every　few　minutes。〃
　　〃Here's　something　I　brought　over　for　you。〃　He　took　a　small…caliber　gun　out　of　his　pocket；　handed　it　over　to　her　haft　first。　〃Put　it　in　your　evening　bag。　Do　you　know　anything　about　using　them？〃
　　〃I　can't　exactly　say　that　I've　been　brought　up　on　them；　but　I'll　probably　know　what　to　do　with　it；　if　I　have　to；　when　the　time　es。〃
　　〃Just　get　rid　of　this；　that's　the　safety；　and　tighten　your　finger；　and　that's　all　you　have　to　remember。　And；　Marjorie；　if　you　should　have　to；　don't　just　threaten。　Use　it　first；　and　then　threaten；　you're　up　against　something　that…〃
　　〃I　know；〃　she　said；　quickly　blinking　the　thought　out　of　her　mind。
　　〃Will　it　go　in？〃
　　〃I've　got　a　bigger　one　here；　with　drawstrings。　It'll　go　in　that。　It　opens　faster　than　this　envelope　type；　too。〃
　　Raul　had　been　standing　politely　by；　listening　to　their　unknown　talk。
　　〃Excuse　me；　my　manners；〃　Manning　apologized。　〃Miss　King；　Raul　Belmonte。　You　two　will　have　to　municate　by　signs。〃
　　They　bowed　to　one　another；　as　though　it　were　some　sort　of　social　function　and　not　a　death　party　they　were　about　to　start　out　on。
　　〃Have　you　seen　the　papers？　It　worked！〃　Manning　went　on。　〃Oh；　I　forgot；　you　don't　read　much　Spanish。　Anyway；　they've　swallowed　it　hook；　line；　and　sinker。　I　phoned　Robles　at　his　headquarters　a　little　while　ago；　and　he　told　me　there's　not　a　man　left　in　the　Bosque。　They've　all　been　sent　over　to　the　latest　danger　zone；　over　by　the　Hippodrome　race　track。　He　got　six　calls　from　there　inside　of　twenty　minutes；　all　reporting　having　seen　it　in　broad　daylight；　under　the　race…track　stands。　Not　only　that；　there's　a　big　shake…up　impending；　he　couldn't　dare　afford　to　ignore　this　sudden　flood　of　notifications。　His　own　sense　of　duty　wouldn't　have　let　him　anyway。〃
　　〃Were　those　your　six　calls？〃
　　〃I　paid　for　seven；　but　one　guy　evidently　got　cold　feet　and　absconded　with　the　peso　gratuity。〃
　　〃Did　you　get　the　other　thing　in？〃
　　〃It's　been　in　since　last　night。　He's　read　it　by　now；　if　he's　going　to　read　it　at　all。
　　He　stopped；　ground　his　hands　together　a　little　nervously；　like　a　surgeon　about　to　perform　an　operation　or　a　dentist　about　to　extract　a　tooth。　〃Now；　Marjorie…〃
　　〃I　know；　zero　hour；〃　she　said；　with　a　facial　shiver　that　was　only　partly　a　parody。
　　〃You'll　have　to　leave　here　by　yourself。　Belmonte　and　I　are　clearing　out　right　now；　as　soon　as　I　run　over　this　with　you；　so　we　can　get　set　out　there　by　the　lake　before　dark。　We　can't　start　out　with　you；　because　there's　nq　way　of　knowing　at　just　what　point　freedom　from　observation　stops　and　surveillance　sets　in。　It　may　be　right　downstairs　at　the　door　of　the　hotel。　It　may　be　out　at　the　Madrid。　It　may　be　not　until　you　reach　the　lake　itself。　You　leave　here　about　half　an　hour　after　dark。　Take　an　open　carriage　like　you　did　that　night。　At　the　Madrid　be　sure　you're　given　an　outside　table；　at　the　very　edge　of　the　pavilion；　so　he　can　ogle　his　fill　at　you。　Insist　on　it　Keep　your　eyes　away　from　the　dark；　don't　try　to　look　for　him；　you　won't　be　able　to　see　him　anyway。　Take　all　the　time　you　want　dining　and　sitting　there。　Try　to　avoid　giving　an　impression　of　tension　or　restlessness。　Above　all；　don't　let　anyone　tangle　with　you　while　you're　there。　If　he　sees　anyone　sit　down　with　you　even　for　a　few　minutes；　it　may　frighten　him　off。　This　is　a　psychological　buildup　as　much　as　a　visual　one。〃
　　〃And　then？〃
　　〃The　lake　and　the　swans；　like　with　Sally。　That's　the　target　range。〃
　　〃Won't　the　coachman's　presence　be　an　obstacle？〃
　　〃Was　it　the　last　time？　He　did　something　to　frighten　the　horse　away。　Give　him　rope；　stray　away　from。　the　horse　and　carriage；　down　below　by　the　lake's　edge。〃
　　She　swallowed；　held　her　own　throat。　〃Manning；　I'm　not　trying　to　back　Out；　but　your　mention　of　that　detail　makes　me　wonder。　The　way　those　swans　and　that　horse　were　frightened…they　must　have　scented　something　rather　than　heard　or　saw　it。　Suppose　there　really　is　a　jaguar　in　it…what'll　I　do？　It'll　be　a　little　harder　to　save　me　from　that。〃
　　〃There　must　be　a　jaguar　in　it　somewhere；〃　he　told　her　bluntly。　〃Too　much　of　Robles'　evidence　points　to　that。　But　my　contention　is；　it's　a　jaguar　and　a　man。　In　other　words；　a　jaguar　under　control；　directed　by　a　human　intelligence　in　some　way。〃
　　〃You　mean　he…takes　it　with　him；　sets　it　loose　upon　the　victims？　But　how　can　you　do　anything　in　time　to　help　me；　in　that　case？　Those　things　spring　like　lightning。〃
　　〃I　don't　know　what　it　is　or　what　he　does。　I　only　know　it's　not　a　random　beast。　That's　what　we're　trying　to　find　out　tonight。　I'm　asking　you　to　have　confidence　in　me；　Marjorie。　Belmonte　and　I　will　both　lay　down　our　lives　rather　than　let　any　harm　e　to　you。　As　long　as　there　is　a　human　agency　involved；　I　feel　confident　we　can　outmatch　it。　I　realize　it's　a　terrible　ordeal　to　ask　you　to　go　through。　But　we've　got　to　have　a　girl　in　it…it　doesn't　attack　men…and　there　'isn't　anyone　else　I　know　of　we　can　ask　to　help　us。〃
　　〃There　isn't　anyone　else　you　have　to　ask；〃　she　told　him。　〃I'm　not　going　to　lie　to　you　and　pretend　I'm　not　scared；　I'm　scared　sick。　But　it's　been　understood　since　two　nights　ago　that　I'm　going　to　do　this；　and　that　still　goes。〃　Her　lips　were　tight　and　thin。　He　touched　her　clenched　hand　and　found　it　ice　cold。　He　liked　her　all　the　better　for　that　somehow。
　　〃And　how　long　do　I　stay　down　by　the　lake　in　case　nothing　happens？〃
　　〃Until　you've　found　the　missing　locket。〃
　　〃Oh；　there　really　is　one　there？〃
　　〃Yes；　I　bought　one　at　the　five…and…ten　and　planted　it　there　myself　this　morning。　It's　right　at　the　water's　edge；　under　a　few　loose　stones。　Smoke　a　cigarette；　for　good　measure　after　you've　found　it；　if　you　want　to　time　yourself。　Meander　along　the　lake　shore　for　a　short　distance；　and　don't　forget　what　I　told　you；　make　sure　you　stray　out　of　the　coachman's　sight　while　you're　about　it。　If；　by　the　time　you've　finished　your　cigarette；　nothing　has　happened；　you　can　be　sure　he's　not　around；　won't　show　up　any　more　tonight。　Simply　get　back　into　the　carriage　and　return　here　to　the　hotel。　We'll　follow　you　back　in　a　few　minutes'　time　ourselves。〃
　　〃The　sun's　getting　low；〃　Belmonte　warned　in　Spanish；　glancing　toward　the　window。　〃It's　hit　the　cross　on　the　cathedral。　We'd　better　get　started　ourselves　if　we　want　to　get　there　while　it's　still　light　enough　for　us　to　pick　our　own　hiding　places。〃
　　He　bent　gallantly　over　Marjorie's　hand；　murmuring；　〃Homage　to　a　very　courageous　lady。〃
　　Manning　took　it　in　turn；　shook　it　encouragingly　in　American　fashion。　〃Here　goes。　Now　keep　cool；　and　put　your　faith　in　us。　I　looked　that　gun　over　for　you　myself；　it's　in　hair…trigger　readiness。　Remember　what　I　told　you：　just　flick　off　the　safety　and　tighten　your　finger。　And　if　it's　a　case　of　real　emergency；　don't　take　time　to　draw　it　out；　fire　it　through　your　bag　and　all。〃
　　Raul；　unemotional　for　a　South　American；　perhaps　because　he　was　so　tense；　stood　waiting　for　him　in　the　corridor　outside。　〃e　on；　Manning；　we'll　never　get　there；〃　he　urged　in　a　matterof…fact　voice