raymondchandler.thehighwindow-第41章

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　 I　went　towards　the　door。　At　the　door　I　swung　around　and　looked　back　quickly。　She　had　one　eye　open；　watching　me。　I　gave　her　a　leer　and　it　snapped　shut　in　a　hurry。
　 I　went　back　to　the　living　room；　gave　Miss　Lymington　what　was　left　of　my　leer；　and　went　out　with　my　suitcase。
　 I　drove　over　to　Santa　Monica　Boulevard。　The　hockshop　was　still　open。　The　old　Jew　in　the　tall　black　skullcap　seemed　surprised　that　I　was　able　to　redeem　my　pledge　so　soon。　I　told　him　that　was　the　way　it　was　in　Hollywood。
　 He　got　the　envelope　out　of　the　safe　and　tore　it　open　and　took　my　money　and　pawn　ticket　and　slipped　the　shining　gold　coin　out　on　his　palm。
　 〃So　valuable　this　is　I　am　hating　to　give　it　back　to　you；〃　he　said。　〃The　workmanship；　you　understand；　the　workmanship；　is　beautiful。〃
　 〃And　the　gold　in　it　must　be　worth　all　of　twenty　dollars；〃　I　said。
　 He　shrugged　and　smiled　and　I　put　the　coin　in　my　pocket　and　said　goodnight　to　him。
　
　
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　 The　moonlight　lay　like　a　white　sheet　on　the　front　lawn　except　under　the　deodar　where　there　was　the　thick　darkness　of　black　velvet。　Lights　in　two　lower　windows　were　lit　and　in　one　upstairs　room　visible　from　the　front。　I　walked　across　the　stumble　stones　and　rang　the　bell。
　 I　didn't　look　at　the　little　painted　Negro　by　the　hitching　block。　I　didn't　pat　his　head　tonight。　The　joke　seemed　to　have　worn　thin。
　 A　white…haired；　red…faced　woman　I　hadn't　seen　before　opened　the　door　and　I　said：　〃I'm　Philip　Marlowe。　I'd　like　to　see　Mrs。　Murdock。　Mrs。　Elizabeth　Murdock。〃
　 She　looked　doubtful。　〃I　think　she's　gone　to　bed；〃　she　said。　〃I　don't　think　you　can　see　her。〃
　 〃It's　only　nine　o'clock。〃
　 〃Mrs。　Murdock　goes　to　bed　early。〃　She　started　to　close　the　door。
　 She　was　a　nice　old　thing　and　I　hated　to　give　the　door　the　heavy　shoulder。　I　just　leaned　against　it。
　 〃It's　about　Miss　Davis；〃　I　said。　〃It's　important。　Could　you　tell　her　that？〃
　 〃I'll　see。〃
　 I　stepped　back　and　let　her　shut　the　door。
　 A　mockingbird　sang　in　a　dark　tree　nearby。　A　car　tore　down　the　street　much　too　fast　and　skidded　around　the　next　corner。　The　thin　shreds　of　a　girl's　laughter　came　back　along　the　dark　street　as　if　the　car　had　spilled　them　out　in　its　rush。
　 The　door　opened　after　a　while　and　the　woman　said：　〃You　can　e　in。〃
　 I　followed　her　across　the　big　empty　entrance　room。　A　single　dim　light　burned　in　one　lamp；　hardly　reaching　to　the　opposite　wall。　The　place　was　too　still；　and　the　air　needed　freshening。　We　went　along　the　hall　to　the　end　and　up　a　flight　of　stairs　with　a　carved　handrail　and　newel　post。　Another　hall　at　the　top；　a　door　open　towards　the　back。
　 I　was　shown　in　at　the　open　door　and　the　door　was　closed　behind　me。　It　was　a　big　sitting　room　with　a　lot　of　chintz；　a　blue　and　silver　wallpaper；　a　couch；　a　blue　carpet　and　french　windows　open　on　a　balcony。　There　was　an　awning　over　the　balcony。
　 Mrs。　Murdock　was　sitting　in　a　padded　wing　chair　with　a　card　table　in　front　of　her。　She　was　wearing　a　quilted　robe　and　her　hair　looked　a　little　fluffed　out。　She　was　playing　solitaire。　She　had　the　pack　in　her　left　hand　and　she　put　a　card　down　and　moved　another　one　before　she　looked　up　at　me。
　 Then　she　said：　〃Well？〃
　 I　went　over　by　the　card　table　and　looked　down　at　the　game。　It　was　Canfield。
　 〃Merle's　at　my　apartment；〃　I　said。　〃She　threw　an　ing…bing。〃
　 Without　looking　up　she　said：。　〃And　just　what　is　an　ing…bing；　Mr。　Marlowe？〃
　 She　moved　another　card；　then　two　more　quickly。
　 〃A　case　of　the　vapors；　they　used　to　call　it；〃　I　said。　〃Ever　catch　yourself　cheating　at　that　game？〃
　 〃It's　no　fun　if　you　cheat；〃　she　said　gruffly。　〃And　very　little　if　you　don't。　What's　this　about　Merle？　She　has　never　stayed　out　like　this　before。　I　was　getting　worried　about　her。〃
　 I　pulled　a　slipper　chair　over　and　sat　down　across　the　table　from　her。　It　put　me　too　low　down。　I　got　up　and　got　a　better　chair　and　sat　in　that。
　 〃No　need　to　worry　about　her；〃　I　said。　〃I　got　a　doctor　and　a　nurse。　She's　asleep。　She　was　over　to　see　Vannier。〃
　 She　laid　the　pack　of　cards　down　and　folded　her　big　gray　hands　on　the　edge　of　the　table　and　looked　at　me　solidly。
　 〃Mr。　Marlowe；〃　she　said；　〃you　and　I　had　better　have　something　out。　I　made　a　mistake　calling　you　in　the　first　place。　That　was　my　dislike　of　being　played　for　a　sucker；　as　you　would　say；　by　a　hardboiled　little　animal　like　Linda。　But　it　would　have　been　much　better；　if　I　had　not　raised　the　point　at　all。　The　loss　of　the　doubloon　would　have　been　much　easier　to　bear　than　you　are。　Even　if　I　had　never　got　it　back。〃
　 〃But　you　did　get　it　back；〃　I　said。
　 She　nodded。　Her　eyes　stayed　on　my　face。　〃Yes。　I　got　it　back。　You　heard　how。〃
　 〃I　didn't　believe　it。〃
　 〃Neither　did　I；〃　she　said　calmly。　〃My　fool　of　a　son　was　simply　taking　the　blame　for　Linda。　An　attitude　I　find　childish。〃
　 〃You　have　a　sort　of　knack；〃　I　said；　〃of　getting　yourselves　surrounded　with　people　who　take　such　attitudes。〃
　 She　picked　her　cards　up　again　and　reached　down　to　put　a　black　ten　on　a　red　jack；　both　cards　that　were　already　in　the　layout。　Then　she　reached　sideways　to　a　small　heavy　table　on　which　was　her　port。　She　drank　some；　put　the　glass　down　and　gave　me　a　hard　level　stare。
　 〃I　have　a　feeling　that　you　are　going　to　be　insolent；　Mr。　Marlowe。〃
　 I　shook　my　head。　〃Not　insolent。　Just　frank。　I　haven't　done　so　badly　for　you；　Mrs。　Murdock。　You　did　get　the　doubloon　back。　I　kept　the　police　away　from　youso　far。　I　didn't　do　anything　on　the　divorce；　but　I　found　Lindayour　son　knew　where　she　was　all　the　timeand　I　don't　think　you'll　have　any　trouble　with　her。　She　knows　she　made　a　mistake　marrying　Leslie。　However；　if　you　don't　think　you　got　value〃
　 She　made　a　humph　noise　and　played　another　card。　She　got　the　ace　of　diamonds　up　to　the　top　line。　〃The　ace　of　clubs　is　buried；　darn　it。　I'm　not　going　to　get　it　out　in　time。〃
　 〃Kind　of　slide　it　out；〃　I　said；　〃when　you're　not　looking。〃
　 〃Hadn't　you　better；〃　she　said　very　quietly；　〃get　on　with　telling　me　about　Merle？　And　don't　gloat　too　much；　if　you　have　found　out　a　few　family　secrets；　Mr。　Marlowe。〃
　 〃I'm　not　gloating　about　anything。　You　sent　Merle　to　Vannier's　place　this　afternoon；　with　five　hundred　dollars。〃
　 〃And　if　I　did？〃　She　poured　some　of　her　port　and　sipped；　eyeing　me　steadily　over　the　glass。
　 〃When　did　he　ask　for　it？〃
　 〃Yesterday。　I　couldn't　get　it　out　of　the　bank　until　today。　What　happened？〃
　 〃Vannier's　been　blackmailing　you　for　about　eight　years；　hasn't　he？　On　account　of　something　that　happened　on　April　26th；　1933？〃
　 A　sort　of　panic　twitched　in　the　depths　of　her　eyes；　but　very　far　back；　very　dim；　and　somehow　as　though　it　had　been　there　for　a　long　time　and　had　just　peeped　out　at　me　for　a　second。
　 〃Merle　told　me　a　few　things；〃　I　said。　〃Your　son　told　me　how　his　father　died。　I　looked　up　the　records　and　the　papers　today。　Accidental　death。　There　had　been　an　accident　in　the　street　under　his　office　and　a　lot　of　people　were　craning　out　of　windows。　He　just　craned　out　too　far。　There　was　some　talk　of　suicide　because　he　was　broke　and　had　fifty　thousand　life　insurance　for　his　family。　But　the　coroner　was　nice　and　slid　past　that。〃
　 〃Well？〃　she　said。　It　was　a　cold　hard　voice；　neither　a　croak　nor　a　gasp。　A　cold　hard　utterly　posed　voice。
　 〃Merle　was　Horace　Bright's　secretary。　A　queer　little　girl　in　a　way；　overtimid；　not　sophisticated；　a　little　girl　mentality；　likes　to　dramatize　herself；　very　old…fashioned　ideas　about　men；　all　that　sort　of　thing。　I　figure　he　got　high　one　time　and　made　a　pass　at　her　and　scared　her　out　of　her　socks。〃
　 〃Yes？〃　Another　cold　hard　monosyllable　prodding　me　like　a　gun　barrel。
　 〃She　brooded　and　got　a　little　murderous　inside。　She　got　a　chance　and　passed　right　back　at　him。　While　he　was　leaning　out　of　a　window。　Anything　in　it？〃
　 〃Speak　plainly；　Mr。　Marlowe。　I　can　stand　plain　talk。〃
　 〃Good　grief；　how　plain　do　you　want　it？　She　pushed　her　employer　out　of　a　window。　Murdered　him；　in　two　words。　And　got　away　with　it。　With　your　help。〃
　 She　looked　down　at　the　left　hand　clenched　over　her　cards。　She　nodded。　Her　chin　moved　a　short　inch；　down；　up。
　 〃Did　Vannier　have　any　evidence？〃　I　asked。　〃Or　did　he　just　happen　to　see　what　happened　and　put　the　bite　on　you　and　you　paid　him　a　little　now　and　then　to　avoid　scandaland　because　you　were　rea