raymondchandler.thehighwindow-第14章

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。　He　had　a　long　nose　that　would　be　into　things。　The　whole　face　was　a　trained　face；　a　face　that　would　know　how　to　keep　a　secret；　a　face　that　held　the　effortless　posure　of　a　corpse　in　the　morgue。
　 He　wore　his　vest　open；　no　coat；　a　woven　hair　watchguard；　and　round　blue　sleeve　garters　with　metal　clasps。　
　 I　said：　〃Mr。　Anson？〃
　 〃Two…o…four。〃
　 〃He's　not　in。〃
　 〃What　should　I　dolay　an　egg？〃
　 〃Neat；〃　I　said。　〃You　have　them　all　the　time；　or　is　this　your　birthday？〃
　 〃Beat　it；〃　he　said。　〃Drift。〃　He　started　to　close　the　door。　He　opened　it　again　to　say：　〃Take　the　air。　Scram。　Push　off〃　Having　made　his　meaning　clear　he　started　to　close　the　door　again。
　 I　leaned　against　the　door。　He　leaned　against　it　on　his　side。　That　brought　our　faces　close　together。　〃Five　bucks；〃　I　said。
　 It　rocked　him。　He　opened　the　door　very　suddenly　and　I　had　to　take　a　quick　step　forward　in　order　not　to　butt　his　chin　with　my　head。
　 〃e　in；〃　he　said。
　 A　living　room　with　a　wallbed；　everything　strictly　to　specifications；　even　to　the　shirred　paper　lampshade　and　the　glass　ashtray。　This　room　was　painted　egg…yolk　yellow。　All　it　needed　was　a　few　fat　black　spiders　painted　on　the　yellow　to　be　anybody's　bilious　attack。
　 〃Sit　down；〃　he　said；　shutting　the　door。
　 I　sat　down。　We　looked　at　each　other　with　the　clear　innocent　eyes　of　a　couple　of　used　car　salesmen。
　 〃Beer？〃　he　said。
　 〃Thanks。〃
　 He　opened　two　cans；　filled　the　smeared　glass　he　had　been　holding；　and　reached　for　another　like　it。　I　said　I　would　drink　out　of　the　can。　He　handed　me　the　can。
　 〃A　dime；〃　he　said。
　 I　gave　him　a　dime。
　 He　dropped　it　into　his　vest　and　went　on　looking　at　me。　He　pulled　a　chair　over　and　sat　in　it　and　spread　his　bony　upjutting　knees　and　let　his　empty　hand　droop　between　them。
　 〃I　ain't　interested　in　your　five　bucks；〃　he　said。
　 〃That's　fine；〃　I　said。　〃I　wasn't　really　thinking　of　giving　it　to　you。〃
　 〃A　wisey；〃　he　said。　〃What　gives？　We　run　a　nice　respectable　place　here。　No　funny　stuff　gets　pulled。〃
　 〃Quiet　too；〃　I　said。　〃Upstairs　you　could　almost　hear　an　eagle　scream。〃
　 His　smile　was　wide；　about　three　quarters　of　an　inch。　〃I　don't　amuse　easy；〃　he　said。
　 〃Just　like　Queen　Victoria；〃　I　said。
　 〃I　don't　get　it。〃
　 〃I　don't　expect　miracles；〃　I　said。　The　meaningless　talk　had　a　sort　of　cold　bracing　effect　on　me；　making　a　mood　with　a　hard　gritty　edge。
　 I　got　my　wallet　out　and　selected　a　card　from　it。　It　wasn't　my　card。　It　read：　James　B。　Pollock；　Reliance　Indemnity　pany；　Field　Agent。　I　tried　to　remember　what　James　B。　Pollock　looked　like　and　where　I　had　met　him。　I　couldn't。　I　handed　the　carroty　man　the　card。
　 He　read　it　and　scratched　the　end　of　his　nose　with　one　of　the　corners。　〃Wrong　john？〃　he　asked；　keeping　his　green　eyes　plastered　to　my　face。　
　 〃Jewelry；〃　I　said　and　waved　a　hand。
　 He　thought　this　over。　While　he　thought　it　over　I　tried　to　make　up　my　mind　whether　it　worried　him　at　all。　It　didn't　seem　to。
　 〃We　get　one　once　in　a　while；〃　he　conceded。　〃You　can't　help　it。　He　didn't　look　like　it　to　me；　though。　Soft　looking。〃
　 〃Maybe　I　got　a　bum　steer；〃　I　said。　I　described　George　Anson　Phillips　to　him；　George　Anson　Phillips　alive；　in　his　brown　suit　and　his　dark　glasses　and　his　cocoa　straw　hat　with　the　brown　and　yellow　print　band。　I　wondered　what　had　happened　to　the　hat。　It　hadn't　been　up　there。　He　must　have　got　rid　of　it；　thinking　it　was　too　conspicuous。　His　blond　head　was　almost；　but　not　quite；　as　bad。
　 〃That　sound　like　him？〃
　 The　carroty　man　took　his　time　making　up　his　mind。　Finally　he　nodded　yes；　green　eyes　watching　me　carefully；　lean　hard　hand　holding　the　card　up　to　his　mouth　and　running　the　card　along　his　teeth　like　a　stick　along　the　palings　of　a　picket　fence。
　 〃I　didn't　figure　him　for　no　crook；〃　he　said。　〃But　hell；　they　e　all　sizes　and　shapes。　Only　been　here　a　month。　If　he　looked　like　a　wrong　gee；　wouldn't　have　been　here　at　all。〃
　 I　did　a　good　job　of　not　laughing　in　his　face。　〃What　say　we　frisk　the　apartment　while　he's　out？〃
　 He　shook　his　head。　〃Mr。　Palermo　wouldn't　like　it。〃
　 〃Mr。　Palermo？〃
　 〃He's　the　owner。　Across　the　street。　Owns　the　funeral　parlors。　Owns　this　building　and　a　lot　of　other　buildings。　Practically　owns　the　district；　if　you　know　what　I　mean。〃　He　gave　me　a　twitch　of　the　lip　and　a　flutter　of　the　right　eyelid。　〃Gets　the　vote　out。　Not　a　guy　to　crowd。〃
　 〃Well；　while　he's　getting　the　vote　out　or　playing　with　a　stiff　or　whatever　he's　doing　at　the　moment；　let's　go　up　and　frisk　the　apartment。〃
　 〃Don't　get　me　sore　at　you；〃　the　carroty　man　said　briefly。　
　 〃That　would　bother　me　like　two　per　cent　of　nothing　at　all；〃　I　said。　〃Let's　go　up　and　frisk　the　apartment。〃　I　threw　my　empty　beer　can　at　the　waste　basket　and　watched　it　bounce　back　and　roll　half　way　across　the　room。
　 The　carroty　man　stood　up　suddenly　and　spread　his　feet　apart　and　dusted　his　hands　together　and　took　hold　of　his　lower　lip　with　his　teeth。
　 〃You　said　something　about　five；〃　he　shrugged。
　 〃That　was　hours　ago；〃　I　said。　〃I　thought　better　of　it。　Let's　go　up　and　frisk　the　apartment。〃
　 〃Say　that　just　once　more〃　his　right　hand　slid　towards　his　hip。
　 〃If　you're　thinking　of　pulling　a　gun；　Mr。　Palermo　wouldn't　like　it；〃　I　said。
　 〃To　hell　with　Mr。　Palermo；〃　he　snarled；　in　a　voice　suddenly　furious；　out　of　a　face　suddenly　charged　with　dark　blood。
　 〃Mr。　Palermo　will　be　glad　to　know　that's　how　you　feel　about　him；〃　I　said。
　 〃Look；〃　the　carroty　man　said　very　slowly；　dropping　his　hand　to　his　side　and　leaning　forward　from　the　hips　and　pushing　his　face　at　me　as　hard　as　he　could。　〃Look。　I　was　sitting　here　having　myself　a　beer　or　two。　Maybe　three。　Maybe　nine。　What　the　hell？　I　wasn't　bothering　anybody。　It　was　a　nice　day。　It　looked　like　it　might　be　a　nice　eveningThen　you　e　in。〃　He　waved　a　hand　violently。
　 〃Let's　go　up　and　frisk　the　apartment；〃　I　said。
　 He　threw　both　fists　forward　in　tight　lumps。　At　the　end　of　the　motion　he　threw　his　hands　wide　open；　straining　the　fingers　as　far　as　they　would　go。　His　nose　twitched　sharply。
　 〃If　it　wasn't　for　the　job；〃　he　said。
　 I　opened　my　mouth。　〃Don't　say　it！〃　he　yelled。
　 He　put　a　hat　on；　but　no　coat；　opened　a　drawer　and　took　out　a　bunch　of　keys；　walked　past　me　to　open　the　door　and　stood　in　it；　jerking　his　chin　at　me。　His　face　still　looked　a　little　wild。
　 We　went　out　into　the　hall　and　along　it　and　up　the　stairs。　The　ball　game　was　over　and　dance　music　had　taken　its　place。　Very　loud　dance　music。　The　carroty　man　selected　one　of　his　keys　and　put　it　in　the　lock　of　Apartment　204。　Against　the　booming　of　the　dance　band　behind　us　in　the　apartment　across　the　way　a　woman's　voice　suddenly　screamed　hysterically。
　 The　carroty　man　withdrew　the　key　and　bared　his　teeth　at　me。　He　walked　across　the　narrow　hallway　and　banged　on　the　opposite　door。　He　had　to　knock　hard　and　long　before　any　attention　was　paid。　Then　the　door　was　jerked　open　and　a　sharp…faced　blond　in　scarlet　slacks　and　a　green　pullover　stared　out　with　sultry　eyes；　one　of　which　was　puffed　and　the　other　had　been　socked　several　days　ago。　She　also　had　a　bruise　on　her　throat　and　her　hand　held　a　tall　cool　glass　of　amber　fluid。
　 〃Pipe　down；　but　soon；〃　the　carroty　man　said。　〃Too　much　racket。　I　don't　aim　to　ask　you　again。　Next　time　I　call　some　law。〃
　 The　girl　looked　back　over　her　shoulder　and　screamed　against　the　noise　of　the　radio：　〃Hey；　Del！　The　guy　says　to　pipe　down！　You　wanna　sock　him？〃
　 A　chair　squeaked；　the　radio　noise　died　abruptly　and　a　thick　bitter…eyed　dark　man　appeared　behind　the　blond；　yanked　her　out　of　the　way　with　one　hand　and　pushed　his　face　at　us。　He　needed　a　shave。　He　was　wearing　pants；　street　shoes　and　an　undershirt。
　 He　settled　his　feet　in　the　doorway；　whistled　a　little　breath　in　through　his　nose　and　said：
　 〃Buzz　off。　I　just　e　in　from　lunch。　I　had　a　lousy　lunch。　I　wouldn't　want　nobody　to　push　muscle　at　me。〃　He　was　very　drunk；　but　in　a　hard　practised　sort　of　way。
　 The　carroty　man　said：　〃You　heard　me；　Mr。　Hench。　Dim　that　radio　and　stop　the　roughhouse　in　here。　And　make　it　sudden。〃
　 The　man　addressed　as　Hench　said：　〃Listen；　picklepuss〃　and　heaved　forward　with　his　right　foot　in　a　hard　stamp。
　 The　carroty　man's　left　foot　didn't　wait　to　be　stamped　on。　The　lean　body　moved　back　quickly　and　the　thrown　bunch　of　keys　hit　t