cw.imarriedadeadman-第40章

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　〃What　do　they　want？　Did　they　tell　you？〃　he　said　to　Aunt　Josie。
　〃I　asked　'em　twice；　and　each　time　they　said　the　same　thing。　'Mr。　Hazzard。'　What　kind　of　an　answer　is　that？　They're　bold　ones。〃
　〃All　right；〃　he　said　curtly。　〃You've　told　us。〃
　She　closed　the　door　again。
　He　stood　for　awhile　irresolute；　his　hand　curled　around　the　back　of　his　neck。　Then　straightened　with　reluctant　decision；　squared　off　his　shoulders；　hitched　down　his　cuffs；　and　turned　to　face　the　door。　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃let's　get　it　over　with。〃
　She　ran　to　join　him。　〃I'll　go　with　you。〃
　〃You　won't！〃　He　took　her　hand　and　put　it　off　his　arm；　in　rough　rejection。　〃Let's　get　that　straight　right　now。　You're　staying　up　here；　and　you're　staying　out　of　it　Do　you　hear　me？　No　matter　what　happens；　you're　staying　out　of　it。〃
　He'd　never　spoken　to　her　like　that　before。
　〃Are　you　taking　me　to　be　your　husband？〃　he　demanded。
　〃Yes；〃　she　murmured。　〃I've　already　told　you　that。〃
　〃Then　that's　an　order。　The　first　and　the　last；　I　hope；　that　I'll　ever　have　to　give　you。　Now　look；　we　can't　tell　two　stories　about　this。　We're　only　telling　one：　mine。　And　it's　one　that　you're　not　supposed　to　know　anything　about。　So　you　can't　help　me；　you　can　only　harm　me。〃
　She　seized　his　hand　and　put　her　lips　to　it；　as　a　sort　of　god…speed。
　〃What　are　you　going　to　tell　them？〃
　〃The　truth。〃　The　look　he　gave　her　was　a　little　odd。　〃What　did　you　expect　me　to　tell　them？　I　have　nothing　to　lie　about；　as　far　as　it　involves　me　alone。〃
　He　closed　the　door　and　he　went　out。
　
　
　46
　
　As　she　found　her　hands　leading　the　way　down　for　her；　one　over　the　other；　along　the　bannister…rail；　while　her　feet　followed　them　more　slowly；　a　step　behind　all　the　way；　she　realized　how　impossible　it　would　have　been　to　follow　his　injunction；　remain　immured　up　there；　without　knowing；　without　listening；　how　futile　of　him　to　expect　it　of　her。　She　couldn't　have　been　involved　as　she　was；　she　couldn't　have　been　a　woman　at　all；　and　obeyed　him。　This　wasn't　prying；　you　didn't　pry　into　something　that　concerned　you　as　closely　as　this　did　her。　It　was　your　right　to　know。
　Hand　over　hand　down　the　bannister；　the　rest　of　her　creeping　after；　body　held　at　a　broken　crouch。　Like　a　cripple　struggling　down　a　staircase。
　A　quarter　of　the　way　down；　the　murmur　became　separate　voices。　Halfway　down；　the　voices　became　words。　She　didn't　go　beyond　there。
　Their　voices　weren't　raised。　There　was　no　blustering　or　angry　contradiction。　They　were　just　men　talking　quietly；　politely　together。　Somehow；　it　struck　more　fear　into　her　that　way。
　They　were　repeating　after　him　something　he　must　have　just　now　said。
　〃Then　you　do　know　someone　named　Harry　Carter；　Mr。　Hazzard。〃
　She　didn't　hear　him　say　anything。　As　though　he　considered　one　affirmation　on　that　point　enough。
　〃Would　you　care　to　tell　us　what　relationship…what　connection…　there　is　between　you　and　this　man　Carter？〃
　He　sounded　slightly　ironical；　when　he　answered　that。　She　had　never　heard　him　that　way　toward　herself；　but　she　caught　a　new　inflection　to　his　voice；　and　recognized　it　for　irony。　〃Look；　gentlemen；　you　already　know。　You　must；　or　why　would　you　be　here？　You　want　me　to　repeat　it　for　you；　is　that　it？〃
　〃What　we　want　is　to　hear　it　from　you　yourself；　Mr。　Hazzard。〃
　〃Very　well；　then。　He　is　a　private　detective。　As　you　already　know。　I　selected　and　hired　him。　As　you　already　know。　And　he　was　being　paid　a　fee；　he　was　being　retained；　to　watch；　to　keep　his　eye　on；　this　man　Georgesson　whom　you're　concerned　with。　As　you　already　know。〃
　〃Very　well；　we　do　already　know；　Mr。　Hazzard。　But　what　we　don't　already　know；　what　he　couldn't　tell　us；　because　he　didn't　know　himself；　was　what　was　the　nature　of　your　interest　in　Georgesson；　why　you　were　having　him　watched。〃
　And　the　other　one　took　up　where　the　first　had　left　off：　〃Would　you　care　to　tell　us　that；　Mr。　Hazzard？　Why　were　you　having　him　watched？　What　was　your　reason　for　doing　that？〃
　Out　on　the　stairs；　her　heart　seemed　to　turn　over　and　lie　down　flat　on　its　face。　〃My　God；〃　went　echoing　sickly　through　her　mind。　〃Now　I　e　into　it！〃
　〃That's　an　extremely　private　matter；〃　he　said　sturdily。
　〃I　see；　you　don't　care　to　tell　us。〃
　〃I　didn't　say　that〃
　〃But　still；　you'd　rather　not　tell　us。〃
　〃You're　putting　words　into　my　mouth。〃
　〃Because　you　don't　seem　to　supply　us　with　any　of　your　own。〃
　〃It's　essential　for　you　to　know　this？〃
　〃We　wouldn't　be　here　if　it　weren't；　I　can　assure　you。　This　man　of　yours；　Carter；　was　the　one　who　reported　Georgesson's　death　to　us。〃
　〃I　see。〃　She　heard　him　take　a　deep　breath。　And　she　took　one　with　him。　Two　breaths；　one　and　the　same　fear。
　〃Georgesson　was　a　gambler；〃　he　said。
　〃We　know　that。〃
　〃A　crook；　a　confidence　man；　an　all…around　shady　operator。〃
　〃We　know　that。〃
　〃Then　here's　the　part　you　don't。　Back　about…it　must　be　four　years　ago…three；　anyway…my　older　brother　Hugh　was　a　senior　at　Dartmouth　College。　He　started　down　here　to　spend　the　Christmas　holidays　at　home；　with　us。　He　got　as　far　as　New　York；　and　then　he　never　got　any　further。　He　never　showed　up。　He　wasn't　on　the　train　that　was　to　have　brought　him　in　the　next　day。　We　got　a　long…distance　phone…call　from　him；　and　he　was　in　trouble。　He　was　practically　being　held　there　against　his　will。　He'd　gotten　into　a　card…game；　it　seems；　the　night　before　with　this　Georgesson　and　a　few　of　his　friends…setup；　of　course…and　they'd　taken　him　for　I　don't　know　how　many　thousands；　which　he　didn't　have；　and　they　wanted　a　settlement　before　they'd　let　him　go。　They　had　him　good；　it　had　the　makings　of　a　first…class　mess　in　it　Hugh　was　just　a　high…spirited　kid；　used　to　associating　with　decent　people；　gentlemen；　not　that　kind　of　vermin；　and　he　hadn't　known　how　to　handle　himself。　They'd　built　him　up　for　it　all　evening　long；　liquored　him　up；　thrown　a　couple　of　mangy　chorusgirls　at　him　in　the　various　spots　they'd　dragged　him　around　to　first…well；　anyway；　because　of　my　mother's　health　and　the　family's　good　name；　there　could　be　no　question　of　calling　the　police　into　it；　it　would　have　been　altogether　too　smelly。　So　my　father　went　up　there　in　person…I　went　along　with　him；　incidentally…and　squared　the　thing　off　for　him。　At　about　fifty　cents　to　the　dollar；　or　something　like　that。　Got　back　the　I。O。U。's　they'd　extorted　from　the　kid。　And　brought　him　home　with　us。
　〃That's　about　all　there　was　to　it。　Not　a　very　new　story；　it's　happened　over　and　over。　But　naturally；　I　wasn't　likely　to　forget　this　Georgesson　in　a　hurry。　Well；　when　I　learned　he　was　down　here　in　Caulfield　a　few　weeks　ago；　showing　his　face　around；　I　didn't　know　if　it　was　a　coincidence　or　not；　but　I　wasn't　taking　any　chances。　I　got　in　touch　with　a　detective　agency　in　New　York　and　had　them　send　Carter　down　here；　just　to　try　to　find　out　what　he　was　up　to。
　〃And　there　you　have　it。　Now　does　that　answer　your　question？　Is　that　satisfactory？〃
　They　didn't　say　it　was；　she　noticed。　She　waited；　but　she　didn't　hear　them　say　it　was。
　〃He　didn't　approach　you　or　your　family　in　any　way？　He　didn't　molest　you？〃
　〃He　didn't　e　near　us。〃
　（Which　was　technically　correct；　she　agreed　wryly；　she'd　had　to　go　to　him　each　time。）
　〃You　would　have　heard　about　it　before　now；　if　he　had；〃　he　assured　them。　〃I　wouldn't　have　waited　for　you　to　look　me　up；　I　would　have　looked　you　up。〃
　With　catastrophic　casualness　a　non…sequitur　followed。　She　suddenly　heard　one　of　them　ask　him；　〃Do　you　want　to　bring　along　a　hat；　Mr。　Hazzard？〃
　〃It's　right　outside　in　the　hall；〃　he　answered　drily。　〃I'll　pick　it　up　as　we　go　by。〃
　They　were　ing　out　of　the　room。　With　an　infantile　whimper；　that　was　almost　like　that　of　a　little　girl　running　away　from　goblins　in　the　dark；　she　turned　and　fled　up　the　stairs　again；　back　to　her　room。
　〃No…！　No…！　No…！〃　she　kept　moaning　with　feverish　reiteration。
　They　were　arresting　him；　they　were　accusing　him；　they　were　taking　him　with　them。
　
　
　47
　
　Distracted；　she　flung　herself　down　on　the　bench　before　her　dressing…table。　Her　head　rolled　soddenly　about　on　her　shoulders；　as　though　she　were　drunk。　Her　hair　was　displaced；　burying　one　eye。
　〃No…！　No…！〃　she　kept　insisting。　〃They　can't…　It　isn't　fair…〃
　They　wouldn't　let　him　go…　They'd　never　let　him　go　again…　He　wouldn't　e　back…　He'd　never　e　back　to　her…
　〃Oh；