iancaldwell&dustinthomason.theruleoffour-第39章

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　my　letter　of　17　January；　please　confirm　that　theprofessorshipposition　we　discussed　remains　available。　My　heart　is　with　Oxford；　but　I　may　not　be　able　to　fend　off　other　universities　once　my　paper　is　published　and　I'm　faced　with　new　offers。
　Paul　flips　to　the　following　page。　I　can　hear　him　breathing　now。
　Chairman　Appleton；　I　write　to　you　with　good　news。　My　work　on　the　Hypnerotomachia　draws　successfully　to　a　close。As　promised；The　results　will　cast　a　shadow　over　everything　else　in　Renaissance　historical　studies…or　any　historical　studies…this　year　or　next。　Before　I　publish　my　results；　I　want　to　confirm　that　the　assistant　professorship　is　still　available。　My　heart　is　with　Harvard；　but　I　may　not　be　able　to　fend　off　other　temptations　once　my　paper　is　published　and　I'm　faced　with　new　offers。
　Paul　reads　it　a　second　time；　then　a　third。
　〃He　was　going　to　try　to　take　it　from　me；〃　he　whispers　faintly；　stepping　away　from　the　desk　to　lean　back　on　the　wall。
　〃How　is　that　possible？〃
　〃Maybe　he　thought　no　one　would　believe　it　was　undergraduate　work。〃
　I　refocus　on　the　letter。　〃When　did　he　offer　to　type　up　your　thesis？〃
　〃Sometime　last　month。〃
　〃He's　been　meaning　to　take　it　for　that　long？〃
　Paul　glares　at　me　and　moves　his　hand　across　the　desk。　〃Obviously。　He's　been　writing　these　people　since　January。〃
　When　the　letters　settle　on　the　desktop；　a　final　sheet　of　correspondence　peeks　out　from　behind　the　Oxford　and　Harvard　letters。　When　Paul　sees　the　corner　of　the　stationery；　he　pulls　it　out。
　Richard；　it　begins；　I　hope　this　letter　finds　you　well。　Perhaps　you've　had　better　luck　in　Italy　than　you　had　in　New　York。　If　not；　then　we　both　know　the　situation　you're　in。　We　also　both　know　Vincent。　I　think　it's　fair　to　say　he　has　plans　of　his　own　for　anything　that　es　of　this。　I　therefore　have　a　proposition　for　you。　There's　more　than　enough　here　to　suit　both　of　us；　and　I've　e　up　with　a　division　of　labor　I　think　you'll　find　fair。　Please　contact　me　soon　to　discuss。　Leave　me　your　phone　numbers　in　Florence　and　Rome　as　well…the　mail　over　there　is　unreliable；　and　I'd　prefer　to　straighten　this　out　ASAP。　…B。
　The　reply；　in　a　different　pen　and　a　different　hand；　has　been　written　on　the　bottom　of　the　original　letter　and　sent　back。　There　are　two　telephone　numbers；　one　preceded　by　the　letter　F；　the　other　by　an　R。　A　final　note　is　jotted　afterward：
　As　requested。　Call　after　business　hours；　my　time。　What　about　Paul？　…Richard。
　Paul　is　speechless。　He　rifles　through　the　papers　again；　but　there's　nothing　else。　When　I　try　to　console　him；　he　motions　me　off。
　〃We　should　tell　the　dean；〃　I　say　finally。
　〃Tell　him　what？　That　we　were　going　through　Bill's　stuff？〃
　Suddenly；　a　bright　reflection　curves　along　the　opposite　wall；　followed　by　colored　lights　flashing　through　the　sheet…glass　windows。　A　police　car　has　arrived　in　the　front　courtyard　of　the　museum；　siren　mute。　Two　officers　emerge。　The　red　and　blue　lights　go　dead　just　as　a　second　squad　car　arrives　and　two　more　officers　follow。
　〃Someone　must've　told　them　we　were　here；〃　I　say。
　The　note　from　Curry　shakes　in　Paul's　hand。　He's　standing　in　place；　watching　the　dark　forms　hurry　toward　the　main　entrance。
　〃e　on。〃　I　yank　him　toward　the　bookshelves　by　the　rear　exit。
　Just　then；　the　front　door　to　the　library　opens　and　the　beam　of　a　flashlight　lances　across　the　room。　We　duck　into　a　corner。　Both　officers　enter　the　room。
　〃Over　there；〃　the　first　officer　says；　gesturing　in　our　direction。
　I　grab　the　knob　and　press　the　back　door　open。　Paul　ducks　into　the　hallway　as　the　first　policeman　nears。　On　my　haunches；　I　clamber　out　and　regain　my　feet。　We　slide　with　our　backs　to　the　wall；　and　Paul　leads　us　to　the　stairs；　racing　toward　the　ground　floor。　When　we　return　to　the　open　space　of　the　main　hall；　I　can　see　a　flashlight　skirting　a　nearby　wall。
　〃Downstairs；〃　Paul　says。　〃There's　a　service　elevator。〃
　We　enter　the　Asian　wing　of　the　museum。　Sculptures　and　vases　sit　behind　ghostly　walls　of　glass。　Chinese　scrolls　lie　unraveled　and　mounted　beside　tomb　figures　in　display　cabinets。　The　room　is　a　murky　shade　of　green。
　〃This　way；〃　Paul　urges　as　the　footsteps　e　closer。
　He　leads　me　around　a　corner；　back　into　a　dead　end；　where　the　only　exit　is　the　large　pair　of　metal　doors　to　the　service　elevator。
　Voices　grow　louder。　I　can　make　out　two　policemen　standing　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs；　trying　to　find　their　way　around　in　the　dark。　Suddenly　the　entire　floor　is　illuminated。
　〃We　got　lights　。　。　。〃　es　the　voice　of　a　third。
　Paul　forces　his　key　into　the　slot　on　the　wall。　When　the　elevator　doors　part；　he　pulls　me　in。　A　barrage　of　footsteps　follows；　moving　in　our　direction。
　〃e　on；　e　on　。　。　。〃
　The　doors　remain　open。　For　a　second　I　think　they've　cut　the　power　to　the　elevator。　Then；　just　as　the　first　officer　turns　the　corner；　the　metal　walls　slide　shut。　A　hand　beats　against　the　doors　when　the　officer　catches　up；　but　the　sound　fades　as　the　cabin　begins　to　move。
　〃Where　are　we　going？〃　I　ask。
　〃Out　the　loading　docks；〃　Paul　says；　trying　to　catch　his　breath。
　We　exit　into　a　holding　area　of　some　kind；　and　Paul　forces　open　the　door　leading　into　a　huge；　cold　room。　I　wait　for　my　eyes　to　adjust。　The　garage　doors　of　the　loading　bays　loom　before　us。　The　wind　outside　is　so　close；　it's　making　the　metal　panels　tremble。　I　imagine　footsteps　racing　downstairs　in　our　direction；　but　nothing　is　audible　through　the　thick　door。
　Paul　rushes　over　to　a　switch　on　the　wall。　When　he　turns　the　knob；　an　engine　stirs　and　the　retractable　loading　door　begins　to　budge。
　〃That's　enough；〃　I　say；　once　the　opening　is　big　enough　to　admit　both　of　us　on　our　backs。
　But　Paul　shakes　his　head　and　the　door　continues　to　rise。
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃
　The　gap　between　the　floor　and　the　bottom　of　the　door　increases　until　it　brings　the　entire　vista　of　south　campus　into　view。　For　a　second　I'm　stopped　short　by　how　beautiful　it　is；　how　empty。
　Suddenly　Paul　turns　the　motor　knob　in　the　opposite　direction　and　the　door　starts　to　roll　shut。
　〃Go！〃　he　cries。
　He　darts　from　the　wall　toward　the　open　bay；　and　I　fumble；　trying　to　get　on　my　back。　Paul　is　already　in　front　of　me。　He　rolls　beneath　the　door；　then　pulls　me　out　just　before　the　metal　connects　with　the　ground。
　I　stand　up；　trying　to　catch　my　breath。　When　I　begin　moving　in　the　direction　of　Dod；　Paul　jerks　me　back。
　〃They'll　see　us　from　upstairs。〃　He　points　to　the　windows　on　the　west　side　of　the　building。　After　scanning　the　path　to　our　east；　he　says；　〃This　way。〃
　〃Are　you　okay？〃　I　ask；　following。
　He　bobs　his　head　and　we　trudge　into　the　night；　away　from　our　quad　and　out　of　their　sight　lines。　I　can　feel　the　wind　beneath　my　coat　collar；　cooling　the　sweat　on　my　neck。　When　I　look　back；　Dod　and　Brown　Hall　are　almost　purely　dark；　as　is　every　dormitory　in　the　distance。　Night　has　reached　all　corners　of　campus。　Only　the　windows　at　the　art　museum　are　shot　with　light。
　　
　We　continue　east　through　Prospect　Gardens；　a　botanical　wonderland　in　the　heart　of　campus。　The　tiny　spring　plantings　are　dashed　with　white；　almost　invisible　underfoot；　but　the　American　beech　and　the　cedar　of　Lebanon　stand　like　guardian　angels　above　them；　arms　outstretched　to　shoulder　the　snow。　A　police　car　patrols　one　of　the　side　streets；　and　we　pick　up　our　pace。
　My　thoughts　are　jumpy；　my　mind　working　to　understand　what　we've　seen。　Maybe　it　was　Taft　we　saw　at　Stein's　desk；　rifling　through　his　papers；　erasing　any　connection　between　them。　Maybe　he　called　the　police　on　us。　I　look　over　at　Paul；　wondering　if　the　same　thought　has　crossed　his　mind；　but　his　expression　is　blank。
　In　the　distance；　the　new　music　department　shows　signs　of　life。
　〃We　can　go　in　there　for　a　while；〃　I　suggest。
　〃Where？〃
　〃The　practice　rooms　in　the　basement。　Until　we're　clear。〃
　Stray　notes　float　in　the　air　as　we　near。　Night…owl　musicians　e　to　Woolworth　to　rehearse　in　private。　Down　toward　Prospect；　another　campus　police　car　skids　by；　splashing　slush　and　rock　salt　onto　the　curb。　I　force　myself　to　walk　faster。
　Construction　on　Woolworth　has　only　recently　finished；　and　the　building　that　emerged　from　the　scaffolding　is　a　curious　thing；　fortresslike　from　the　outside　but　glassy　and　fragile…looking　from　within。　Its　atrium　curves　like　a　river　through　the　music　lib