raymondchandler.thehighwindow-第39章

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　 Very　quiet　now；　very　cool；　〃And　you　put　his　prints　on　the　gun？〃　
　 〃Yes。〃
　 He　thought　in　the　silence。　〃Probably　won't　fool　them；〃　he　said。　〃It's　almost　impossible　to　get　a　dead　man's　prints　on　a　gun　in　a　convincing　way。　However。　What　else　did　you　wipe　off。〃
　 〃N…nothing。　Oh　Alex。　Please　don't　be　so　brutal。〃
　 〃Stop　it。　Stop　it！　Show　me　how　you　did　it；　how　you　were　standing；　how　you　held　the　gun。〃
　 She　didn't　move。
　 〃Never　mind　about　the　prints；〃　Morny　said。　〃I'll　put　better　ones　on。　Much　better　ones。〃
　 She　moved　slowly　across　the　opening　of　the　curtains　and　I　saw　her。　She　was　wearing　pale　green　gabardine　slacks；　a　fawn…colored　leisure　jacket　with　stitching　on　it；　a　scarlet　turban　with　a　gold　snake　in　it。　Her　face　was　smeared　with　tears。
　 〃Pick　it　up；〃　Morny　yelled　at　her。　〃Show　me！〃
　 She　bent　beside　the　chair　and　came　up　with　the　gun　in　her　hand　and　her　teeth　bared。　She　pointed　the　gun　across　the　opening　in　the　curtains；　towards　the　space　of　room　where　the　door　was。
　 Morny　didn't　move；　didn't　make　a　sound。
　 The　blond's　hand　began　to　shake　and　the　gun　did　a　queer　up　and　down　dance　in　the　air。　Her　mouth　trembled　and　her　arm　fell。
　 〃I　can't　do　it；〃　she　breathed。　〃I　ought　to　shoot　you；　but　I　can't。〃
　 The　hand　opened　and　the　gun　thudded　to　the　floor。
　 Morny　went　swiftly　past　the　break　in　the　curtains；　pushed　her　out　of　the　way　and　with　his　foot　pushed　the　gun　back　to　about　where　it　had　been。
　 〃You　couldn't　do　it；〃　he　said　thickly。　〃You　couldn't　do　it。　Now　watch。〃
　 He　whipped　a　handkerchief　out　and　bent　to　pick　the　gun　up　again。　He　pressed　something　and　the　gate　fell　open。　He　reached　his　right　hand　into　his　pocket　and　rolled　a　cartridge　in　his　fingers；　moving　his　fingertips　on　the　metal；　pushed　the　cartridge　into　a　cylinder。　He　repeated　the　performance　four　times　more；　snapped　the　gate　shut；　then　opened　it　and　spun　it　a　little　to　set　it　in　a　certain　spot。　He　placed　the　gun　down　on　the　floor；　withdrew　his　hand　and　handkerchief　and　straightened　up。
　 〃You　couldn't　shoot　me；〃　he　sneered；　〃because　there　was　nothing　in　the　gun　but　one　empty　shell。　Now　its　loaded　again。　The　cylinders　are　in　the　right　place。　One　shot　has　been　fired。　And　your　fingerprints　are　on　the　gun。〃
　 The　blond　was　very　still；　looking　at　him　with　haggard　eyes。
　 〃I　forgot　to　tell　you；〃　he　said　softly；　〃I　wiped　the　gun　off。　I　thought　it　would　be　so　much　nicer　to　be　sure　your　prints　were　on　it。　I　was　pretty　sure　they　werebut　I　felt　as　if　I　would　like　to　be　quite　sure。　Get　it？〃
　 The　girl　said　quietly：　〃You're　going　to　turn　me　in？〃
　 His　back　was　towards　me。　Dark　clothes。　Felt　hat　pulled　low。　So　I　couldn't　see　his　face。　But　I　could　just　about　see　the　leer　with　which　he　said：
　 〃Yes；　angel；　I　am　going　to　turn　you　in。〃
　 〃I　see；〃　she　said；　and　looked　at　him　levelly。　There　was　a　sudden　grave　dignity　in　her　over…emphasized　chorus　girl's　face。
　 〃I'm　going　to　turn　you　in；　angel；〃　he　said　slowly；　spacing　his　words　as　if　he　enjoyed　his　act。　〃Some　people　are　going　to　be　sorry　for　me　and　some　people　are　going　to　laugh　at　me。　But　it's　not　going　to　do　my　business　any　harm。　Not　a　bit　of　harm。　That's　one　nice　thing　about　a　business　like　mine。　A　little　notoriety　won't　hurt　it　at　all。〃
　 〃So　I'm　just　publicity　value　to　you；　now；〃　she　said。　〃Apart；　of　course；　from　the　danger　that　you　might　have　been　suspected　yourself。〃
　 〃Just　so；〃　he　said。　〃Just　so。〃
　 〃How　about　my　motive？〃　she　asked；　still　calm；　still　leveleyed　and　so　gravely　contemptuous　that　he　didn't　get　the　expression　at　all。
　 〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　care。　You　were　up　to　something　with　him。　Eddie　tailed　you　downtown　to　a　street　on　Bunker　Hill　where　you　met　a　blond　guy　in　a　brown　suit。　You　gave　him　something。　Eddie　dropped　you　and　tailed　the　guy　to　an　apartment　house　near　there。　He　tried　to　tail　him　some　more；　but　he　had　a　hunch　the　guy　spotted　him；　and　he　had　to　drop　it。　I　don't　know　what　it　was　all　about。　I　know　one　thing；　though。　In　that　apartment　house　a　young　guy　named　Phillips　was　shot　yesterday。　Would　you　know　anything　about　that；　my　sweet？〃
　 The　blond　said：　〃I　wouldn't　know　anything　about　it。　I　don't　know　anybody　named　Phillips　and　strangely　enough　I　didn't　just　run　up　and　shoot　anybody　out　of　sheer　girlish　fun。〃
　 〃But　you　shot　Vannier；　my　dear；〃　Morny　said　almost　gently。　
　 〃Oh　yes；〃　she　drawled。　〃Of　course。　We　were　wondering　what　my　motive　was。　You　get　it　figured　out　yet？〃
　 〃You　can　work　that　out　with　the　johns；〃　he　snapped。　〃Call　it　a　lover's　quarrel。　Call　it　anything　you　like。〃
　 〃Perhaps；〃　she　said；　〃when　he　was　drunk　he　looked　just　a　little　like　you。　Perhaps　that　was　the　motive。〃
　 He　said：　〃Ah；〃　and　sucked　his　breath　in。
　 〃Better　looking；〃　she　said。　〃Younger；　with　less　belly。　But　with　the　same　goddamned　self…satisfied　smirk。〃
　 〃Ah；〃　Morny　said；　and　he　was　suffering。
　 〃Would　that　do？〃　she　asked　him　softly。
　 He　stepped　forward　and　swung　a　fist。　It　caught　her　on　the　side　of　the　face　and　she　went　down　and　sat　on　the　floor；　a　long　leg　straight　out　in　front　of　her；　one　hand　to　her　jaw；　her　very　blue　eyes　looking　up　at　him。
　 〃Maybe　you　oughtn't　to　have　done　that；〃　she　said。　〃Maybe　I　won't　go　through　with　it；　now。〃
　 〃You'll　go　through　with　it；　all　right。　You　won't　have　any　choice。　You'll　get　off　easy　enough。　Christ；　I　know　that。　With　your　looks。　But　you'll　go　through　with　it；　angel。　Your　fingerprints　are　on　that　gun。〃
　 She　got　to　her　feet　slowly；　still　with　the　hand　to　her　jaw。　Then　she　smiled。　〃I　knew　he　was　dead；〃　she　said。　〃That　is　my　key　in　the　door。　I'm　quite　willing　to　go　downtown　and　say　I　shot　him；　But　don't　lay　your　smooth　white　paw　on　me　againif　you　want　my　story。　Yes。　I'm　quite　willing　to　go　to　the　cops。　I'll　feel　a　lot　safer　with　them　than　I　feel　with　you。〃
　 Morny　turned　and　I　saw　the　hard　white　leer　of　his　face　and　the　scar　dimple　in　his　cheek　twitching。　He　walked　past　the　opening　in　the　curtains。　The　front　door　opened　again。　The　blond　stood　still　a　moment；　looked　back　over　her　shoulder　at　the　corpse；　shuddered　slightly；　and　passed　out　of　my　line　of　vision。
　 The　door　closed。　Steps　on　the　walk。　Then　car　doors　opening　and　closing。　The　motor　throbbed；　and　the　car　went　away。
　
　
　31
　
　 After　a　long　time　I　moved　out　from　my　hiding　place　and　stood　looking　around　the　living　room　again。　I　went　over　and　picked　the　gun　up　and　wiped　it　off　very　carefully　and　put　it　down　again。　I　picked　the　three　rouge…stained　cigarette　stubs　out　of　the　tray　on　the　table　and　carried　them　into　the　bathroom　and　flushed　them　down　the　toilet。　Then　I　looked　around　for　the　second　glass　with　her　fingerprints　on　it。　There　wasn't　any　second　glass。　The　one　that　was　half　full　of　a　dead　drink　I　took　to　the　kitchen　and　rinsed　out　and　wiped　on　a　dish　towel。
　 Then　the　nasty　part。　I　kneeled　on　the　rug　by　his　chair　and　picked　up　the　gun　and　reached　for　the　trailing　bone…stiff　hand。　The　prints　would　not　be　good；　but　they　would　be　prints　and　they　would　not　be　Lois　Morny's。　The　gun　had　a　checked　rubber　grip；　with　a　piece　broken　off　on　the　left　side　below　the　screw。　No　prints　on　that。　An　index　print　on　the　right　side　of　the　barrel；　two　fingers　on　the　trigger　guard；　a　thumb　print　on　the　flat　piece　on　the　left　side；　behind　the　chambers。　Good　enough。
　 I　took　one　more　look　around　the　living　room。
　 I　put　the　lamp　down　to　a　lower　light。　It　still　glared　too　much　on　the　dead　yellow　face。　I　opened　the　front　door；　pulled　the　key　out　and　wiped　it　off　and　pushed　it　back　into　the　lock。　I　shut　the　door　and　wiped　the　thumblatch　off　and　went　my　way　down　the　block　to　the　Mercury。
　 I　drove　back　to　Hollywood　and　locked　the　car　up　and　started　along　the　sidewalk　past　the　other　parked　cars　to　the　entrance　of　the　Bristol。
　 A　harsh　whisper　spoke　to　me　out　of　darkness；　out　of　a　car。　It　spoke　my　name。　Eddie　Prue's　long　blank　face　hung　somewhere　up　near　the　roof　of　a　small　Packard；　behind　its　wheel。　He　was　alone　in　it。　I　leaned　on　the　door　of　the　car　and　looked　in　at　him。
　 〃How　you　making　out；　shamus？〃
　 I　tossed　a　match　down　and　blew　smoke　at　his　face。　I　said：　〃Who　dropped　that　dental　supply　pany's　bill　you　gave　me　last　night？　Vannier；　or　somebody　else？〃
　 〃Vannier。〃
　 〃What　was　I　supposed　to　do　with　itguess　the　life　history　of　a　man　n