cw.blackalibi-第5部分

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　　Moments　later；　the　Plaza　de　los　Mбrtires　had　been　reached；　the　search　was　perforce　at　an　end。
　　The　sensation…hungry　idlers　began　to　melt　away　with　increasing　rapidity。　Midnight　tolled　from　a　belfry　here；　a　belfry　there。　The　long…maintained　fire…equipment　spotlight　suddenly　blanked　out；　the　vehicle　drove　away。　The　ropes　were　taken　down。　The　inhabitants　were　allowed　to　return。　Oil　lamps；　kerosene；　and　candles　winked　here　and　there　from　within　the　fumigated　buildings　as　they　resumed　occupancy。　They　stood　for　awhile　in　small　clusters　outside　their　doors；　talking　it　over。　Then　these　too　disbanded　as　they　went　in　one　by　one　to　their　respective　abodes　to　sleep。　The　alley　returned　to　normal。
　　The　majority　of　the　police　were　withdrawn。　One　man　was　left　posted；　for　the　rest　of　the　night；　at　each　end　of　the　alley；　though　for　what　purpose；　it　was　hard　to　conjecture。
　　The　night　wore　on　toward　its　predestined　finish；　just　as　every　night　before　it　had　in　its　time。
　　At　any　rate；　only　one　thing　was　certain；　so　far；　out　of　the　whole　episode。　The　jaguar　had　not　been　recaptured。　The　jaguar；　therefore；　must　still　be　at　large　somewhere　or　other。
　　Morning　came；　and　in　its　confidence…inspiring　light　a　different　view　began　to　be　taken　of　the　whole　thing。　The　brilliant；　sunny　daylight　killed　fears　and　vapors。　It　seemed　incredible　that　such　a　fantastic　thing　could　have　happened。　Ciudad　Real　was　a　town　of　natural…born　skeptics　anyway。　By　the　time　the　morning　coffees　and　pan　dulce　had　been　swallowed　everywhere；　a　rumor　had　spread　that　the　whole　affair　had　simply　been　a　publicity　hoax　perpetrated　by　Walker　and　her　press　agent。　Like　the　usual　actress'　missing…jewels　stunt。　That　this　did　not　take　into　account　what　had　actually　bee　of　the　fleet…footed　quadruped　did　not　impair　its　ready　acceptance；　it　spread　from　mouth　to　mouth。　Even　those　who　the　night　before　had　been　the　first　to　lock　their　doors　and　peer　anxiously　under　their　beds　were　the　first　to　say：　〃I　knew　it　all　along。　You　didn't　believe　it；　did　you？〃　Whereupon　the　other　fellow　scoffed；　〃Of　course　not；　what　do　you　take　me　for？〃　In　spite　of　the　fact　that　there　were　dozens　of　eyewitnesses；　the　rumor　very　nearly　succeeded　in　downing　the　reality。　The　very　eyewitnesses　themselves　felt　selfconscious　after　a　while　when　they　tried　to　insist　they'd　seen　it。　They　began　to　wonder　privately　if　they　actually　had；　after　all。
　　The　newspapers；　those　barometers　of　public　opinion；　helped　to　disseminate　this　point　of　view。　They　all　carried　items　about　it；　but　treated　it　humorously；　tongue　in　cheek。　〃The　great　jaguar　scare〃；　〃Who　has　Miss　Walker's　jaguar？　Will　somebody　please　return　it？〃　were　some　of　the　headings。　People　greeted　one　another　facetiously　all　over　town　with：　〃Well；　have　you　seen　the　jaguar　yet？〃
　　The　police；　keeping　their　own　counsel；　may　have　preferred　it　so。　It　at　least　saved　them　from　the　nuisance　of　dozens　of　hysterical　false　alarms　all　clay　long。　This　way；　not　one　came　in。　They　noticeably　didn't　discontinue　the　search　altogether；　a　Sure　sign　that　there　was　something　to　look　for；　after　all。　Only　it　became　more　diffuse；　it　was　harder　for　the　man　in　the　street　to　tell　just　what　they　were　doing；　now　that　there　was　no　longer　any　one　particular　locality；　such　as　the　alley；　for　them　to　concentrate　on。
　　Manning；　through　all　of　this；　had　had　a　most　unpleasant　twenty…four　hours　of　it。　Not　only　was　he　detained　in　jail　all　of　that　first　night；　charged　with　violating　some　ancient　city　ordinance　or　other　that　prohibited　the　conveying　of　wild　animals　through　the　streets　without　a　permit；　haled　into　court　in　the　morning；　severely　lectured　for　his　misdemeanor；　and　fined　a　nominal　sum　before　he　was　released；　but　he　was　also　out　of　his　job　with　Kiki　Walker。
　　She　made　this　known　to　him　in　no　uncertain　terms　over　the　transom　of　her　locked　hotel…suite　door　when　he　tried　to　get　in　to　see　her　the　night　after　the　debacle。　Her　voice　came　through　ringingly；　in　fact　so　ringingly　that　other　doors　here　and　there　along　the　hotel　corridor　began　to　open　curiously　after　a　moment　or　two。
　　〃You've　got　your　nerve　ing　around　here　again；　after　what　happened！　You've　made　me　the　laughingstock　of　the　whole　town；　I　want　you　to　know！　Beat　it！　Take　your　bright　ideas　somewhere　else！〃
　　〃Now　look；　Kick；　I　didn't　arrange　to　have　it　happen　that　way　purposely；　you　know；〃　he　tried　to　reason　with　her。
　　〃You　got　my　pictures　in　the　paper　all　right！〃　her　voice　went　on　wrathfully。　〃Did　you　see　the　one　in　the　Grafico？　Flat　on　my　behind　with　my　legs　up　in　the　air；　and　squirting　a　stream　of　seltzer　water　through　them！　When　the　curtain　goes　up　at　the　theater　next　week；　that's　what　everyone'll　see…and　not　the　performance　that's　going　on　before　their　eyes！　I'll　be　laughed　off　the　stage！
　　〃I'll　e　back　when　you've　cooled　off；〃　he　said　stiffly。　〃You　don't　have　to　make　a　scene　like　this；　with　everyone　looking　out　of　their　rooms　snickering　at　me。〃
　　〃And　what　about　me；　out　in　the　middle　of　the　Alameda；　with　the　whole　town　taking　it　in？〃
　　〃All　right；　I'll　see　you　tomorrow；〃　he　said；　trying　to　keep　relations　between　them　intact；　no　matter　how　brittle　they　had　bee。　It　was　his　livelihood；　after　all。
　　〃You'll　see　me　never！〃　What　he　didn't　realize；　and　perhaps　she　didn't　herself；　was　that　it　wasn't　the　jaguar　episode　that　was　basically　the　cause　of　her　tempestuous　indignation。　It　was　really　that　first　meeting　of　theirs。　He'd　seen　her　when　she　was　broke；　down　on　her　luck；　unable　even　to　buy　herself　a　cup　of　coffee。　She'd　never　been　able　to　forgive　him　for　that。　〃There's　your　back　salary。　There's　no　reason　for　you　to　e　around　any　more　now。　We're　quits！〃
　　A　handful　of　large　disks；　Ciudad　Real　silver　pesos；　sprinkled　over　the　open　transom　and　rolled　about　in　all　directions　over　the　corridor。　One　or　two　of　those　standing　in　the　doorways　helpfully　stopped　them　for　him　with　their　feet。　A　scattering　of　paper　money　had　fluttered　down　more　slowly　in　their　wake。
　　He　wasn't　above　picking　it　all　up；　every　last　scrap　of　it。　He'd　worked　hard　for　that　money；　and　in　a　way　that　basically　wasn't　suited　to　his　temperament　or　talents。　He　needed　it。　And　he　didn't　know　where　the　next　was　ing　from。
　　〃All　right；　Kick；〃　he　said　with　injured　dignity。　〃Lots　of　luck　to　you；　if　that's　the　way　you　feel　about　it。〃
　　The　transom　panel　snapped　shut　with　a　sharp　little　crack。　He　turned　up　his　coat　collar　at　the　back　of　his　neck；　shoved　his　hands　deep　into　his　pockets；　and　trudged　disconsolately　away　from　there。
　　When　a　man　has　lost　his　job；　the　first　thing　he　thinks　of；　usually；　is　to　go　out；　have　a　drink；　and　take　the　edge　off　his　troubles。　Manning　did　that　now　too。　Only　he　found　he　wasn't　even　to　be　allowed　to　forget　the　damnable　affair　in　peace。
　　He　went　into　a　place　a　few　short　blocks　from　her　hotel。
　　〃Well；〃　asked　the　barman；　grinning　with　what　was　intended　to　be　sociable　jocularity；　〃have　you　seen　the　jaguar　yet？〃
　　Manning　put　down　his　drink　abruptly；　as　though　it　sickened　him。　He　gave　the　bartender　a　look　in　kind；　as　though　he　did；　too。　He　snapped　down　a　coin；　turned　around；　and　walked　out　without　saying　anything　and　went　somewhere　else。
　　Again　he　ordered。　Again　the　barman；　trying　to　make　him　feel　at　home；　began　cheerily：　〃What's　the　latest　on　the　jaguar？〃
　　Again　Manning　put　down　his　drink　short；　scowled；　and　turned　on　his　heel。
　　At　the　third　place　he　beat　the　barman　to　the　punch。　〃I　want　two　things；〃　he　said　bitterly。　〃A　whisky　and　water；　and　not　to　hear　about　the　jaguar。　Will　you　do　that　for　me；　try　not　to　mention　it？　I　came　in　here　to　forget　it。〃　He　drew　an　imaginary　line　through　the　air；　lengthwise　to　his　own　face。　〃　Terminado。　Finished。　It's　over。〃
　　But　it　wasn't。
　　Night　brooded　enigmatically　over　Ciudad　Real；　seeming　to　hold　its　breath。　Three　quarters　of　a　million　people；　and　somewhere　in　the　midst；　shadow　slim；　with　velvet　tread；　and　fangs　for　those　who　crossed　its　ill…omened　path…
　　
　　
　　
　　II。　Teresa　Delgado
　　
　　Even　the　Seсora　Delgado's　trusty　broom　handle；　that　persuader　of　last　resource；　seemed　to　have　very　little　effect　tonight　in　getting　her　oldest　girl　to　do　her　bidding。　She　reached　threateningly　toward　it；　and　that　alone　was　usually　sufficient　impetus　to　st