raymondchandler.thehighwindow-第24章

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　 〃Maybe　you'll　be　living　in　here　yourself　someday；〃　I　said。　He　spat　again。　〃I　wouldn't　live　in　here　if　they　paid　me　fifty　thousand　a　year　and　let　me　sleep　in　chiffon　pajamas　with　a　string　of　matched　pink　pearls　around　my　neck。〃
　 〃I'd　hate　to　make　you　the　offer；〃　I　said。
　 〃You　make　me　the　offer　any　time；〃　he　said。　〃Day　or　night。　Just　make　me　the　offer　and　see　what　it　gets　you。〃
　 〃Well；　I'll　run　along　now　and　check　with　the　officer　of　the　club；〃　I　said。
　 〃Tell　him　to　go　spit　up　his　left　pants　leg；〃　he　said。　〃Tell　him　I　said　so。〃
　 〃I'll　do　that；〃　I　said。
　 A　car　came　up　behind　and　honked。　I　drove　on。　Half　a　block　of　dark　limousine　blew　me　off　the　road　with　its　horn　and　went　past　me　making　a　noise　like　dead　leaves　falling。
　 The　wind　was　quiet　out　here　and　the　valley　moonlight　was　so　sharp　that　the　black　shadows　looked　as　if　they　had　been　cut　with　an　engraving　tool。
　 Around　the　curve　the　whole　valley　spread　out　before　me。　A　thousand　white　houses　built　up　and　down　the　hills；　ten　thousand　lighted　windows　and　the　stars　hanging　down　over　them　politely；　not　getting　too　close；　on　account　of　the　patrol。
　 The　wall　of　the　club　building　that　faced　the　road　was　white　and　blank；　with　no　entrance　door；　no　windows　on　the　lower　floor。　The　number　was　small　but　bright　in　violet…colored　neon。　8777。　Nothing　else。　To　the　side；　under　rows　of　hooded；　downward…shining　lights；　were　even　rows　of　cars　set　out　in　the　white　lined　slots　on　the　smooth　black　asphzalt。　Attendants　in　crisp　clean　uniforms　moved　in　the　lights。
　 The　road　went　around　to　the　back。　A　deep　concrete　porch　there；　with　an　overhanging　canopy　of　glass　and　chromium；　but　very　dim　lights。　I　got　out　of　the　car　and　received　a　check　with　the　license　number　on　it；　carried　it　over　to　a　small　desk　where　a　uniformed　man　sat　and　dumped　it　in　front　of　him。
　 〃Philip　Marlowe；〃　I　said。　〃Visitor。〃
　 〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Marlowe。〃　He　wrote　the　name　and　number　down；　handed　me　back　my　check　and　picked　up　a　telephone。
　 A　Negro　in　a　white　linen　doublebreasted　guards　uniform；　gold　epaulettes；　a　cap　with　a　broad　gold　band；　opened　the　door　for　me。
　 The　lobby　looked　like　a　high…budget　musical。　A　lot　of　light　and　glitter；　a　lot　of　scenery；　a　lot　of　clothes；　a　lot　of　sound；　an　all…star　cast；　and　a　plot　with　all　the　originality　and　drive　of　a　split　fingernail。　Under　the　beautiful　soft　indirect　lighting　the　walls　seemed　to　go　up　forever　and　to　be　lost　in　soft　lascivious　stars　that　really　twinkled。　You　could　just　manage　to　walk　on　the　carpet　without　waders。　At　the　back　was　a　free…arched　stairway　with　a　chromium　and　white　enamel　gangway　going　up　in　wide　shallow　carpeted　steps。　At　the　entrance　to　the　dining　room　a　chubby　captain　of　waiters　stood　negligently　with　a　two…inch　satin　stripe　on　his　pants　and　a　bunch　of　gold…plated　menus　under　his　arm。　He　had　the　sort　of　face　that　can　turn　from　a　polite　simper　to　coldblooded　fury　almost　without　moving　a　muscle。
　 The　bar　entrance　was　to　the　left。　It　was　dusky　and　quiet　and　a　bartender　moved　mothlike　against　the　faint　glitter　of　piled　glassware。　A　tall　handsome　blond　in　a　dress　that　looked　like　seawater　sifted　over　with　gold　dust　came　out　of　the　Ladies'　Room　touching　up　her　lips　and　turned　toward　the　arch；　humming。
　 The　sound　of　rhumba　music　came　through　the　archway　and　she　nodded　her　gold　head　in　time　to　it；　smiling。　A　short　fat　man　with　a　red　face　and　glittering　eyes　waited　for　her　with　a　white　wrap　over　his　arm。　He　dug　his　thick　fingers　into　her　bare　arm　and　leered　up　at　her。
　 A　check　girl　in　peach…bloom　Chinese　pajamas　came　over　to　take　my　hat　and　disapprove　of　my　clothes。　She　had　eyes　like　strange　sins。
　 A　cigarette　girl　came　down　the　gangway。　She　wore　an　egret　plume　in　her　hair；　enough　clothes　to　hide　behind　a　toothpick；　one　of　her　long　beautiful　naked　legs　was　silver；　and　one　was　gold。　She　had　the　utterly　disdainful　expression　of　a　dame　who　makes　her　dates　by　long　distance。
　 I　went　into　the　bar　and　sank　into　a　leather　bar　seat　packed　with　down。　Glasses　tinkled　gently；　lights　glowed　softly；　there　were　quiet　voices　whispering　of　love；　or　ten　per　cent；　or　whatever　they　whisper　about　in　a　place　like　that。
　 A　tall　fine…looking　man　in　a　gray　suit　cut　by　an　angel　suddenly　stood　up　from　a　small　table　by　the　wall　and　walked　over　to　the　bar　and　started　to　curse　one　of　the　barmen。　He　cursed　him　in　a　loud　clear　voice　for　a　long　minute；　calling　him　about　nine　names　that　are　not　usually　mentioned　by　tall　fine…looking　men　in　well　cut　gray　suits。　Everybody　stopped　talking　and　looked　at　him　quietly。　His　voice　cut　through　the　muted　rhumba　music　like　a　shovel　through　snow。
　 The　barman　stood　perfectly　still；　looking　at　the　man。　The　barman　had　curly　hair　and　a　clear　warm　skin　and　wide…set　careful　eyes。　He　didn't　move　or　speak。　The　tall　man　stopped　talking　and　stalked　out　of　the　bar。　Everybody　watched　him　out　except　the　barman。
　 The　barman　moved　slowly　along　the　bar　to　the　end　where　I　sat　and　stood　looking　away　from　me；　with　nothing　in　his　face　but　pallor。　Then　he　turned　to　me　and　said：
　 〃Yes；　sir？〃
　 〃I　want　to　talk　to　a　fellow　named　Eddie　Prue。〃
　 〃So？〃
　 〃He　works　here；〃　I　said。
　 〃Works　here　doing　what？〃　His　voice　was　perfectly　level　and　as　dry　as　dry　sand。
　 〃I　understand　he's　the　guy　that　walks　behind　the　boss。　If　you　know　what　I　mean。〃
　 〃Oh。　Eddie　Prue。〃　He　moved　one　lip　slowly　over　the　other　and　made　small　tight　circles　on　the　bar　with　his　bar　cloth。
　 〃Your　name？〃
　 〃Marlowe。〃
　 〃Marlowe。　Drink　while　waiting？〃
　 〃A　dry　martini　will　do。〃
　 〃A　martini。　Dry。　Veddy；　veddy　dry。〃
　 〃Okay。〃
　 〃Will　you　eat　it　with　a　spoon　or　a　knife　and　fork？〃
　 〃Cut　it　in　strips；〃　I　said。　〃I'll　just　nibble　it。〃
　 〃On　your　way　to　school；〃　he　said。　〃Should　I　put　the　olive　in　a　bag　for　you？〃
　 〃Sock　me　on　the　nose　with　it；〃　I　said。　〃If　it　will　make　you　feel　any　better。〃
　 〃Thank　you；　sir；〃　he　said。　〃A　dry　martini。〃
　 He　took　three　steps　away　from　me　and　then　came　back　and　leaned　across　the　bar　and　said：　〃I　made　a　mistake　in　a　drink。　The　gentleman　was　telling　me　about　it。〃
　 〃I　heard　him。〃
　 〃He　was　telling　me　about　it　as　gentlemen　tell　you　about　things　like　that。　As　big　shot　directors　like　to　point　out　to　you　your　little　errors。　And　you　heard　him。〃
　 〃Yeah；〃　I　said；　wondering　how　long　this　was　going　to　go　on。　
　 〃He　made　himself　heardthe　gentleman　did。　So　I　e　over　here　and　practically　insult　you。〃
　 〃I　got　the　idea；〃　I　said。
　 He　held　up　one　of　his　fingers　and　looked　at　it　thoughtfully。
　 〃Just　like　that；〃　he　said。　〃A　perfect　stranger。〃
　 〃It's　my　big　brown　eyes；〃　I　said。　〃They　have　that　gentle　look。〃
　 〃Thanks；　chum；〃　he　said；　and　quietly　went　away。
　 I　saw　him　talking　into　a　phone　at　the　end　of　the　bar。　Then　I　saw　him　working　with　a　shaker。　When　he　came　back　with　the　drink　he　was　all　right　again。
　
　
　18
　
　 I　carried　the　drink　over　to　a　small　table　against　the　wall　and　sat　down　there　and　lit　a　cigarette。　Five　minutes　went　by。　The　music　that　was　ing　through　the　fret　had　changed　in　tempo　without　my　noticing　it。　A　girl　was　singing。　She　had　a　rich　deep　down　around　the　ankles　contralto　that　was　pleasant　to　listen　to。　She　was　singing　Dark　Eyes　and　the　band　behind　her　seemed　to　be　falling　asleep。
　 There　was　a　heavy　round　of　applause　and　some　whistling　when　she　ended。
　 A　man　at　the　next　table　said　to　his　girl：　〃They　got　Linda　Conquest　back　with　the　band。　I　heard　she　got　married　to　some　rich　guy　in　Pasadena；　but　it　didn't　take。〃
　 The　girl　said：　〃Nice　voice。　If　you　like　female　crooners。〃
　 I　started　to　get　up　but　a　shadow　fell　across　my　table　and　a　man　was　standing　there。
　 A　great　long　gallows　of　a　man　with　a　ravaged　face　and　a　haggard　frozen　right　eye　that　had　a　clotted　iris　and　the　steady　look　of　blindness。　He　was　so　tall　that　he　had　to　stoop　to　put　his　hand　on　the　back　of　the　chair　across　the　table　from　me。　He　stood　there　sizing　me　up　without　saying　anything　and　I　sat　there　sipping　the　last　of　my　drink　and　listening　to　the　contralto　voice　singing　another　song。　The　customers　seemed　to　like　corny　music　in　there。　Perhaps　they　were　all　tired　out　trying　to　be　ahead　of　the　minute　in　the　place　where　they　worked。
　 〃I'm　Prue；〃　the　man　said　in　his　harsh　whisper。
　 〃So　I　gathered。　You　want