raymondchandler.thehighwindow-第32章

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y　is　pale　but　peaceful。　We　go　see　him。　How　you　doing；　kid？　Anything　you　need？　Any　little　thing　at　all？　Be　glad　to　get　it　for　you。　They　treating　you　nice　in　here？　You　know　the　line。〃
　 〃I　do；〃　I　said。　〃I　know　the　line。〃
　 Spangler　licked　his　lips　in　a　nasty　way。
　 〃So　after　a　while　he　opens　his　trap　just　enough　to　say　'Palermo'。　Palermo　is　the　name　of　the　wop　across　the　street　that　owns　the　funeral　home　and　the　apartment　house　and　stuff。　You　remember？　Yeah；　you　remember。　On　account　of　he　said　something　about　a　tall　blond。　All　hooey。　Them　wops　got　tall　blonds　on　the　brain。　In　sets　of　twelve。　But　this　Palermo　is　important。　I　asked　around。　He　gets　the　vote　out　up　there。　He's　a　guy　that　can't　be　pushed　around。　Well；　I　don't　aim　to　push　him　around。　I　say　to　Hench；　'You　mean　Palermo's　a　friend　of　yours？'　He　says；　'Get　Palermo。'　So　we　e　back　here　to　the　hutch　and　phone　Palermo　and　Palermo　says　he　will　be　right　down。　Okay。　He　is　here　very　soon。　We　talk　like　this：　Hench　wants　to　see　you；　Mr。　Palermo。　I　wouldn't　know　why。　He's　a　poor　guy；　Palermo　says。　A　nice　guy。　I　think　he's　okay。　He　wanta　see　me；　that'sa　fine。　I　see　him。　I　see　him　alone。　Without　any　coppers。　I　say；　Okay；　Mr。　Palermo；　and　we　go　over　to　the　hospital　ward　and　Palermo　talks　to　Hench　and　nobody　listens。　After　a　while　Palermo　es　out　and　he　says；　Okay；　copper。　He　make　the　confess。　I　pay　the　lawyer；　maybe。　I　like　the　poor　guy。　Just　like　that。　He　goes　away。〃
　 I　didn't　say　anything。　There　was　a　pause。　The　loudspeaker　on　the　wall　put　out　a　bulletin　and　Breeze　cocked　his　head　and　listened　to　ten　or　twelve　words　and　then　ignored　it。
　 〃So　we　go　in　with　a　steno　and　Hench　gives　us　the　dope。　Phillips　made　a　pass　at　Hench's　girl。　That　was　day　before　yesterday；　out　in　the　hall。　Hench　was　in　the　room　and　he　saw　it；　but　Phillips　got　into　his　apartment　and　shut　the　door　before　Hench　could　get　out。　But　Hench　was　sore。　He　socked　the　girl　in　the　eye。　But　that　didn't　satisfy　him。　He　got　to　brooding；　the　way　a　drunk　will　brood。　He　says　to　himself；　that　guy　can't　make　a　pass　at　my　girl。　I'm　the　boy　that　will　give　him　something　to　remember　me　by。　So　he　keeps　an　eye　open　for　Phillips。　Yesterday　afternoon　he　sees　Phillips　go　into　his　apartment。　He　tells　the　girl　to　go　for　a　walk。　She　don't　want　to　go　for　a　walk；　so　Hench　socks　her　in　the　other　eye。　She　goes　for　a　walk。　Hench　knocks　on　Phillips'　door　and　Phillips　opens　it。　Hench　is　a　little　surprised　at　that；　but　I　told　him　Phillips　was　expecting　you。　Anyway　the　door　opens　and　Hench　goes　in　and　tells　Phillips　how　he　feels　and　what　he　is　going　to　do　and　Phillips　is　scared　and　pulls　a　gun。　Hench　hits　him　with　a　sap。　Phillips　falls　down　and　Hench　ain't　satisfied。　You　hit　a　guy　with　a　sap　and　he　falls　down　and　what　have　you？　No　satisfaction；　no　revenge。　Hench　picks　the　gun　off　the　floor　and　he　is　very　drunk　there　being　dissatisfied　and　Phillips　grabs　for　his　ankle。　Hench　doesn't　know　why　he　did　what　he　did　then。　He's　all　fuzzy　in　the　head。　He　drags　Phillips　into　the　bathroom　and　gives　him　the　business　with　his　own　gun。　You　like　it？〃
　 〃I　love　it；〃　I　said。　〃But　what　is　the　satisfaction　in　it　for　Hench？〃
　 〃Well；　you　know　how　a　drunk　is。　Anyway　he　gives　him　the　business。　Well　it　ain't　Hench's　gun；　you　see；　but　he　can't　make　a　suicide　out　of　it。　There　wouldn't　be　any　satisfaction　for　him　in　that。　So　Hench　takes　the　gun　away　and　puts　it　under　his　pillow　and　takes　his　own　gun　out　and　ditches　it。　He　won't　tell　us　where。　Probably　passes　it　to　some　tough　guy　in　the　neighborhood。　Then　he　finds　the　girl　and　they　eat。〃
　 〃That　was　a　lovely　touch；〃　I　said。　〃Putting　the　gun　under　his　pillow。　I'd　never　in　the　world　have　thought　of　that。〃
　 Breeze　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　looked　at　the　ceiling。　Spangler；　the　big　part　of　the　entertainment　over；　swung　around　in　his　chair　and　picked　up　a　couple　of　bank　pens　and　threw　one　at　the　cushion。
　 〃Look　at　it　this　way；〃　Breeze　said。　〃What　was　the　effect　of　that　stunt？　Look　how　Hench　did　it。　He　was　drunk；　but　he　was　smart。　He　found　that　gun　and　showed　it　before　Phillips　was　found　dead。　First　we　get　the　idea　that　a　gun　is　under　Hench's　pillow　that　killed　a　guybeen　fired　anywayand　then　we　get　the　stiff。　We　believed　Hench's　story。　It　seemed　reasonable。　Why　would　we　think　any　man　would　be　such　a　sap　as　to　do　what　Hench　did？　It　doesn't　make　any　sense。　So　we　believed　somebody　put　the　gun　under　Hench's　pillow　and　took　Hench's　gun　away　and　ditched　it。　And　suppose　Hench　ditched　the　death　gun　instead　of　his　own；　would　he　have　been　any　better　off？　Things　being　what　they　were　we　would　be　bound　to　suspect　him。　And　that　way　he　wouldn't　have　started　our　minds　thinking　any　particular　way　about　him。　The　way　he　did　he　got　us　thinking　he　was　a　harmless　drunk　that　went　out　and　left　his　door　open　and　somebody　ditched　a　gun　on　him。〃
　 He　waited；　with　his　mouth　a　little　open　and　the　cigar　in　front　of　it；　held　up　by　a　hard　freckled　hand　and　his　pale　blue　eyes　full　of　dim　satisfaction。
　 〃Well；〃　I　said；　〃if　he　was　going　to　confess　anyway；　it　wouldn't　have　made　very　much　difference。　Will　he　cop　a　plea？〃
　 〃Sure。　I　think　so。　I　figure　Palermo　could　get　him　off　with　manslaughter。　Naturally　I'm　not　sure。〃
　 〃Why　would　Palermo　want　to　get　him　off　with　anything？〃
　 〃He　kind　of　likes　Hench。　And　Palermo　is　a　guy　we　can't　push　around。〃
　 I　said：　〃I　see。〃　I　stood　up。　Spangler　looked　at　me　sideways　along　glistening　eyes。　〃What　about　the　girl？〃
　 〃Won't　say　a　word。　She's　smart。　We　can't　do　anything　to　her。　Nice　neat　little　job　all　around。　You　wouldn't　kick；　would　you？　Whatever　your　business　is；　it's　still　your　business。　Get　me？〃
　 〃And　the　girl　is　a　tall　blond；〃　I　said。　〃Not　of　the　freshest　but　still　a　tall　blond。　Although　only　one。　Maybe　Palermo　doesn't　mind。〃
　 〃Hell；　I　never　thought　of　that；〃　Breeze　said。　He　thought　about　it　and　shook　it　off。　〃Nothing　in　that；　Marlowe。　Not　enough　class。〃
　 〃Cleaned　up　and　sober；　you　never　can　tell；〃　I　said。　〃Class　is　a　thing　that　has　a　way　of　dissolving　rapidly　in　alcohol。　That　all　you　want　with　me？〃
　 〃Guess　so。〃　He　slanted　the　cigar　up　and　aimed　it　at　my　eye。　〃Not　that　I　wouldn't　like　to　hear　your　story。　But　I　don't　figure　I　have　an　absolute　right　to　insist　on　it　the　way　things　are。
　 〃That's　white　of　you；　Breeze；〃　I　said。　〃And　you　too；　Spangler。　A　lot　of　the　good　things　in　life　to　both　of　you。〃
　 They　watched　me　go　out；　both　with　their　mouths　a　little　open。
　 I　rode　down　to　the　big　marble　lobby　and　went　and　got　my　car　out　of　the　official　parking　lot。
　
　
　24
　
　 Mr。　Pietro　Palermo　was　sitting　in　a　room　which；　except　for　a　mahogany　roll…top　desk；　a　sacred　triptych　in　gilt　frames　and　a　large　ebony　and　ivory　crucifixion；　looked　exactly　like　a　Victorian　parlor。　It　contained　a　horseshoe　sofa　and　chairs　with　carved　mahogany　frames　and　antimacassars　of　fine　lace。　There　was　an　ormolu　clock　on　the　gray　green　marble　mantel；　a　grandfather　clock　ticking　lazily　in　the　corner；　and　some　wax　flowers　under　a　glass　dome　on　an　oval　table　with　a　marble　top　and　curved　elegant　legs。　The　carpet　was　thick　and　full　of　gentle　sprays　of　flowers。　There　was　even　a　cabinet　for　bric…a…brac　and　there　was　plenty　of　bric…a…brac　in　it；　little　cups　in　fine　china；　little　figurines　in　glass　and　porcelain　odds　and　ends　of　ivory　and　dark　rosewood；　painted　saucers；　an　early　American　set　of　swan　salt　cellars；　stuff　like　that。
　 Long　lace　curtains　hung　across　the　windows；　but　the　room　faced　south　and　there　was　plenty　of　light。　Across　the　street　I　could　see　the　windows　of　the　apartment　where　George　Anson　Phillips　had　been　killed。　The　street　between　was　sunny　and　silent。
　 The　tall　Italian　with　the　dark　skin　and　the　handsome　head　of　iron　gray　hair　read　my　card　and　said：
　 〃I　got　business　in　twelve　minutes。　What　you　want；　Meester　Marlowe？〃
　 〃I'm　the　man　that　found　the　dead　man　across　the　street　yesterday。　He　was　a　friend　of　mine。〃
　 His　cold　black　eyes　looked　me　over　silently。　〃That'sa　not　what　you　tell　Luke。〃
　 〃Luke？〃
　 〃He　manage　the　joint　for　me。〃
　 〃I　don't　talk　much　to　strangers；　Mr。　Palermo。〃
　 〃That'sa　good。　You　talk　to　me；　huh？〃
　 〃You're　a　man　of　standing；　an　important　man。　I　can　talk　to　you。　You　saw　me　yesterday。　You　described　me　to　the　police。　Very　accurately。　they　said。〃
　 〃Si。　I　see