cw.blackalibi-第51部分

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　dozens　of　his　kind。　Fortunately；　most　of　them　never　blow　a　fuse。　One　in　a　hundred　gets　started　off；　and　then　you　have　it！　Jack　the　Ripper　in　London。　Bluebeard　in　France。　That　ax　killer…what　was　his　name？…in　Germany。
　　〃He　got　hold　of　it；　anyway；　and　kept　it　for　a　while。　They　found　its　grave　last　night；　in　the　earthen　floor　of　one　of　those　cells；　before　we　came　away；　remember？　And　you　heard　what　they　told　us　they　found　after　they　dug　it　up。〃　He　made　a　slicing　motion。　〃The。　forepaws　had　been　amputated；　and　the　head　skinned…〃
　　Belmonte　quickly　hoisted　his　brandy　and　cleaned　it　out。
　　〃But　I　don't　think　he　did　that　right　away；　that　curing　and　fashioning　of　the　gauntlets　and　the　mask。　I　think　the　first　time　he　found　some　way　of　transporting　it；　under　his　control　and　still　alive；　to　the　vicinity　in　which　the　attack　on　Teresa　Delgado　occurred。　In　some　car；　or　in　some　hamper；　who　knows　how？　Held　it　there　by　him　in　that　pitchdark　tunnel　under　the　viaduct；　waiting　for　the　first　likely　passer…by　to　e　along；　and　when　she　did…unleashed　it　to　see　what　it　would　do。　Probably　he　had　starved　it　into　a　state　of　ferocity　by　then。〃
　　〃Then　why　didn't　it　turn　on　him　and　not　the　girl？〃　asked　Belmonte。
　　〃He　probably　had　something　along　to　cow　it　with。　He　must　have；　to　be　able　to　recapture　it　immediately　after　its　foray。〃
　　〃　Que　barbaridad；　hombre！　〃　Belmonte　inhaled　shiveringly。
　　〃But　that　wasn't　enough　for　him。　It　was　too　brief；　too　vicarious。　He　couldn't　approach　close　enough；　nor　linger　to　gloat。　It　was　too　plicated。　So　he　didn't　repeat　that。　But　his　blood　was　up　now。　He　would　be　the　jaguar　instead。　So　he　killed　it；　and　from　then　on　he　was。　With　gauntlets　that　retained　the　death…dealing　claws。　He　found　some　way　of　manipulating　them；　making　them　emerge　and　recede　just　as　in　nature…by　tiny　springs　or　wires；　who　knows　just　how？〃
　　Belmonte　passed　his　hand　quickly　across　his　eyes　as　if　to　shut　out　some　too…insistent　sight。　He　went　on　hastily；　as　if　to　get　away　from　that　particular　phase　of　the　subject；　〃How　could　he　go　around　rigged　up　like　that；　though？〃
　　〃He　didn't；　of　course。　You　noticed　that　loose；　enfolding　overcoat　with　big　pockets　we　found　there　last　night。　He　probably　muffled　himself　in　that；　took　Out　the　paraphernalia　at　the　last　minute。〃
　　〃How　is　it　he　didn't　leave　footprints？〃
　　〃Rags　wrapped　around　his　shoes　would　take　care　of　that。　But　this　is　not　really　a　police　matter　we　are　discussing；　this　is　a　case　history　in　abnormal　psychology。　A　case　history　that　unfortunately　did　not　e　to　light　until　too　late。　He　needed；　not　policemen；　but　a　doctor。〃
　　〃My　revolver　was　the　doctor；〃　Belmonte　said；　hardening　his　eyes。
　　〃Yes；　the　best；　and　by　that　time；　the　only　possible　one。〃
　　〃How　can　anyone　like　that　be　detected？〃　Belmonte　wondered　aloud。　〃Could　a　person　tell　just　by　looking　at　him？〃　Then　he　answered　it　himself；　〃No；　I　suppose　not。〃
　　〃Sometimes　you　can；〃　Manning　mused。　〃If　you're　smart；　if　you　know　what　it　means　when　you　do。　And　you　usually　don't。　Sometimes　you'll　catch　an　unguarded　gleam　in　the　eye　for　a　moment；　a　glitter；　a　fervor；　where　you　wouldn't　in　anyone　else's。　Oh；　nothing　much；　and　you're　not　expecting　it　anyway；　you're　trustful；　you　say　to　yourself　you　imagined　it。〃
　　〃Did　you　ever　see　a　telltale　look　like　that　in　anyone's　eyes？〃　Belmonte　asked　him　curiously。
　　〃Yes；　once；　I　remember　now　that　I　did。　It　was　in　a　room　at　police　headquarters。　A　room　crowded　with　people。　They　were　questioning　a　suspect。　I　was　fiddling　away　with　a　file；　listening。　I　hurt　myself；　here…〃　He　ran　a　finger　thoughtfully　over　a　cicatrice　still　visible　in　the　bulge　below　one　thumb。　〃I　came　forward　into　the　light；　close　to　the　suspect。　All　were　repulsed　by　the　bleeding；　messy　sight。　But　in　the　eyes　of　one　man；　and　one　man　alone；　I　detected　a　certain　unhealthy　interest；　a　look　that　was　almost　an　ogling。　I　thought　I　was　mistaken　at　the　time；　and　like　a　fool　I　let　the　impression　go；　it　left　me。　But　that　was　it；　that　was　it；　then　and　there；　if　I'd　only　realized。〃
　　〃And　who　was　it；　the　suspect…of　course？〃　Belmonte　asked　interestedly。
　　Manning　took　a　moment　to　answer。　He　turned　his　empty　brandy　jigger　upside　down。　〃No；　the　man　who　was　there　to　question　the　suspect。　Police　Inspector　Robles。〃
　　Belmonte's　face　was　a　pucker　of　sudden　white　shock。
　　〃And　now　you　know；〃　the　American　said　quietly。　〃As　you're　entitled　to。　But　that　look　on　your　own　face　right　now　is　the　look　that　will　be　on　everyone　else's；　when　they　hear　it。　It'll　be　bad　for　the　police；　and　worse　for　the　public。　So　I　think　it's　better　if　we　keep　it　where　it　is　now：　just　between　you　and　me　and　that　shovelful　of　hot　coals。〃
　　He　stood　up　and　stretched　himself　in　the　healing；　cleansing　sunlight　slanting　down　under　the　cafй　awning。
　　His　voice　trailed　off　as　if　he　didn't　want　to　talk　about　it　any　further。　〃Something　that　will　never　be　mentioned　again…but　will　always　be　there…　between　you；　and　me；　and　the　bad　dreams　of　out　nights。〃
　　〃It's　beautiful　now！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃e　over　here　and　look。〃
　　He　came　up　behind　her；　where　she　was　standing；　before　the　open　full…length　windows。　She　was　gazing　out　with　all　the　rapture　attending　a　first　discovery。　And　it　was　a　first　discovery　in　every　sense　of　the　word；　she　had　never　seen　this　place　before；　a　cloud　had　darkened　it　until　now。
　　They　stood　looking　out　in　silence　for　a　while；　he　at　her　shoulder。　The　lucent　evening　sky；　the　wavy　black　hills　against　the　hidden　blue　gas　flares　left　behind　by　the　sunset。　And　nearer　at　hand；　those　streaks　of　luminous　talcum；　stretching　away　in　narrowing　perspective；　that　were　the　streets　and　bright　cafйs　poor　little　Clo…Clo　had　known　so　well。
　　Her　ghost　must　still　be　ambling　along　them　right　now；　down　there；　but　a　pert；　friendly　sort　of　ghost；　not　a　terrifying　one；　smiling　and　flipping　her　handbag　jauntily　at　the　passers…by　she　met。
　　〃So　you're　going　back？〃　he　said　finally。
　　〃I　guess　so。　On　the　next　boat。　But　that's　not　for　thirty　days　yet。　What're　you　going　to　do？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　Stay　down；　I　guess。　Things　seem　to　be　opening　up　a　little　more　for　me　now；　since　that　happened。　Belmonte　and　I　are　to　share　that　reward　offered　by　the　municipal　council；　I　told　you　that；　didn't　I？　And　His　Nibs　the　missioner　has　even　offered　me　a　job　as　a　sort　of　special　investigator　without　portfolio　on　his　own　immediate　staff。　And　just　to　round　out　things　full　circle；　I　had　a　letter　this　morning　from　my　old　client；　Kiki　Walker；　hinting　that　a　little　misunderstanding　shouldn't　stand　between　friends　and　she'd　be　very　glad　to　have　me　do　publicity　work　for　her　again。　What　I'll　probably　do　is　open　a　little　agency　of　some　sort；　now　that　I've　got　capital。　Typewriters　or　shaving　cream　or　something　very　undramatic　like　that。〃
　　〃You　should　get　yourself　a　girl　and　settle　down。〃
　　〃I　have　already；　but　she　doesn't　know　it　yet。〃
　　〃When　are　you　going　to　tell　her？〃
　　One　of　his　four　or　five　cumbersome　hands　made　vague　motions　behind　her　back；　but　without　actually　touching　her。　〃Pretty　soon　now。　Sometime　within　the　next　thirty　days；　before　that　boat　leaves。〃
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　
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