raymondchandler.thehighwindow-第42章

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hen　to　avoid　scandaland　because　you　were　really　very　fond　of　Merle？〃
　 She　played　another　card　before　she　answered　me。　Steady　as　a　rock。
　 〃He　talked　about　a　photograph；〃　she　said。　〃But　I　never　believed　it。　He　couldn't　have　taken　one。　And　if　he　had　taken　one；　he　would　have　shown　it　to　mesooner　or　later。〃
　 I　said：　〃No；　I　don't　think　so。　It　would　have　been　a　very　fluky　shot；　even　if　he　happened　to　have　the　camera　in　his　hand；　on　account　of　the　doings　down　below　in　the　street。　But　I　can　see　he　might　not　have　dared　to　show　it。　You're　a　pretty　hard　woman；　in　some　ways。　He　might　have　been　afraid　you　would　have　him　taken　care　of。　I　mean　that's　how　it　might　look　to　him；　a　crook。　How　much　have　you　paid　him？〃
　 〃That's　none〃　she　started　to　say；　then　stopped　and　shrugged　her　big　shoulders。　A　powerful　woman；　strong；　rugged；　ruthless　and　able　to　take　it。　She　thought。　〃Eleven　thousand　one　hundred　dollars；　not　counting　the　five　hundred　I　sent　him　this　afternoon。〃
　 〃Ah。　It　was　pretty　darn　nice　of　you；　Mrs。　Murdock。　Considering　everything。〃
　 She　moved　a　hand　vaguely；　made　another　shrug。　〃It　was　my　husband's　fault；〃　she　said。　〃He　was　drunk；　vile。　I　don't　think　be　really　hurt　her；　but；　as　you　say；　he　frightened　her　out　of　her　wits。　II　can't　blame　her　too　much。　She　has　blamed　herself　enough　all　these　years。〃
　 〃She　had　to　take　the　money　to　Vannier　in　person？〃
　 〃That　was　her　idea　of　penance。　A　strange　penance。〃
　 I　nodded。　〃I　guess　that　would　be　in　character。　Later　you　married　Jasper　Murdock　and　you　kept　Merle　with　you　and　took　care　of　her。　Anybody　else　know？〃
　 〃Nobody。　Only　Vannier。　Surely　he　wouldn't　tell　anybody。〃
　 〃No。　I　hardly　think　so。　Well；　it's　all　over　now。　Vannier　is　through。〃
　 She　lifted　her　eyes　slowly　and　gave　me　a　long　level　gaze。　Her　gray　head　was　a　rock　on　top　of　a　hill。　She　put　the　cards　down　at　last　and　clasped　her　hands　tightly　on　the　edge　of　the　table。　The　knuckles　glistened。
　 I　said：　〃Merle　came　to　my　apartment　when　I　was　out。　She　asked　the　manager　to　let　her　in。　He　phoned　me　and　I　said　yes。　I　got　over　there　quickly。　She　told　me　she　had　shot　Vannier。〃
　 Her　breath　was　a　faint　swift　whisper　in　the　stillness　of　the　room。
　 〃She　had　a　gun　in　her　bag；　God　knows　why。　Some　idea　of　protecting　herself　against　men；　I　suppose。　But　somebodyLeslie；　I　should　guesshad　fixed　it　to　be　harmless　by　jamming　a　wrong　size　cartridge　in　the　breech。　She　told　me　she　had　killed　Vannier　and　fainted。　I　got　a　doctor　friend　of　mine。　I　went　over　to　Vannier's　house。　There　was　a　key　in　the　door。　He　was　dead　in　a　chair；　long　dead；　cold；　stiff。　Dead　long　before　Merle　went　there。　She　didn't　shoot　him。　Her　telling　me　that　was　just　drama。　The　doctor　explained　it　after　a　fashion；　but　I　won't　bore　you　with　it。　I　guess　you　understand　all　right。〃
　 She　said：　〃Yes。　I　think　I　understand。　And　now？〃
　 〃She's　in　bed；　in　my　apartment。　There's　a　nurse　there。　I　phoned　Merle's　father　long　distance。　He　wants　her　to　e　home。　That　all　right　with　you？〃
　 She　just　stared。
　 〃He　doesn't　know　anything；〃　I　said　quickly。　〃Not　this　or　the　other　time。　I'm　sure　of　that。　He　just　wants　her　to　e　home。　I　thought　I'd　take　her。　It　seems　to　be　my　responsibility　now。　I'll　need　that　last　five　hundred　that　Vannier　didn't　get　for　expenses。〃
　 〃And　how　much　more？〃　she　asked　brutally。
　 〃Don't　say　that。　You　know　better。〃
　 〃Who　killed　Vannier？〃
　 〃Looks　like　he　mitted　suicide。　A　gun　at　his　right　hand。　Temple　contact　wound。　Morny　and　his　wife　were　there　while　I　was。　I　hid。　Morny's　trying　to　pin　it　on　his　wife。　She　was　playing　games　with　Vannier。　So　she　probably　thinks　he　did　it；　or　had　it　done。　But　it　shapes　up　like　suicide。　The　cops　will　be　there　by　now。　I　don't　know　what　they　will　make　of　it。　We　just　have　to　sit　tight　and　wait　it　out。〃
　 〃Men　like　Vannier；〃　she　said　grimly；　〃don't　mit　suicide。〃
　 〃That's　like　saying　girls　like　Merle　don't　push　people　out　of　windows。　It　doesn't　mean　anything。〃
　 We　stared　at　each　other；　with　that　inner　hostility　that　had　been　there　from　the　first。　After　a　moment　I　pushed　my　chair　back　and　went　over　to　the　french　windows。　I　opened　the　screen　and　stepped　out　on　to　the　porch。　The　night　was　all　around；　soft　and　quiet。　The　white　moonlight　was　cold　and　clear；　like　the　justice　we　dream　of　but　don't　find。
　 The　trees　down　below　cast　heavy　shadows　under　the　moon。　In　the　middle　of　the　garden　there　was　a　sort　of　garden　within　a　garden。　I　caught　the　glint　of　an　ornamental　pool。　A　lawn　swing　beside　it。　Somebody　was　lying　in　the　lawn　swing　and　a　cigarette　tip　glowed　as　I　looked　down。
　 I　went　back　into　the　room。　Mrs。　Murdock　was　playing　solitaire　again。　I　went　over　to　the　table　and　looked　down。
　 〃You　got　the　ace　of　clubs　out；〃　I　said。
　 〃I　cheated；〃　she　said　without　looking　up。
　 〃There　was　one　thing　I　wanted　to　ask　you；〃　I　said。　〃This　doubloon　business　is　still　cloudy；　on　account　of　a　couple　of　murders　which　don't　seem　to　make　sense　now　that　you　have　the　coin　back。　What　I　wondered　was　if　there　was　anything　about　the　Murdock　Brasher　that　might　identify　it　to　an　expertto　a　man　like　old　Morningstar。〃
　 She　thought；　sitting　still；　not　looking　up。　〃Yes。　There　might　be。　The　coinmaker's　initials；　E。　B。；　are　on　the　left　wing　of　the　eagle。　Usually；　I'm　told；　they　are　on　the　right　wing。　That's　the　only　thing　I　can　think　of。〃
　 I　said：　〃I　think　that　might　be　enough。　You　did　actually　get　the　coin　back；　didn't　you？　I　mean　that　wasn't　just　something　said　to　stop　my　ferreting　around？〃
　 She　looked　up　swiftly　and　then　down。　〃It's　in　the　strong　room　at　this　moment。　If　you　can　find　my　son；　he　will　show　it　to　you。〃
　 〃Well；　I'll　say　good　night。　Please　have　Merle's　clothes　packed　and　sent　to　my　apartment　in　the　morning。〃
　 Her　head　snapped　up　again　and　her　eyes　glared。　〃You're　pretty　highhanded　about　all　this；　young　man。〃
　 〃Have　them　packed；〃　I　said。　〃And　send　them。　You　don't　need　Merle　any　morenow　that　Vannier　is　dead。〃
　 Our　eyes　locked　hard　and　held　locked　for　a　long　moment。　A　queer　stiff　smile　moved　the　corners　of　her　lips。　Then　her　head　went　down　and　her　right　hand　took　the　top　card　off　the　pack　held　in　her　left　hand　and　turned　it　and　her　eyes　looked　at　it　and　she　added　it　to　the　pile　of　unplayed　cards　below　the　layout；　and　then　turned　the　next　card；　quietly；　calmly；　in　a　hand　as　steady　as　a　stone　pier　in　a　light　breeze。
　 I　went　across　the　room　and　out；　closed　the　door　softly；　went　along　the　hall；　down　the　stairs；　along　the　lower　hall　past　the　sun　room　and　Merle's　little　office；　and　out　into　the　cheerless　stuffy　unused　living　room　that　made　me　feel　like　an　embalmed　corpse　just　to　be　in　it。
　 The　french　doors　at　the　back　opened　and　Leslie　Murdock　stepped　in　and　stopped；　staring　at　me。
　
　
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　 His　slack　suit　was　rumpled　and　also　his　hair。　His　little　reddish　mustache　looked　just　as　ineffectual　as　ever。　The　shadows　under　his　eyes　were　almost　pits。
　 He　was　carrying　his　long　black　cigarette　holder；　empty；　and　tapping　it　against　the　heel　of　his　left　hand　as　he　stood　not　liking　me；　not　wanting　to　meet　me；　not　wanting　to　talk　to　me。
　 〃Good　evening；〃　he　said　stiffly。　〃Leaving？〃
　 〃Not　quite　yet。　I　want　to　talk　to　you。〃
　 〃I　don't　think　we　have　anything　to　talk　about。　And　I'm　tired　of　talking。〃
　 〃Oh　yes　we　have。　A　man　named　Vannier。〃
　 〃Vannier？　I　hardly　know　the　man。　I've　seen　him　around。　What　I　know　I　don't　like。〃
　 〃You　know　him　a　little　better　than　that；〃　I　said。
　 He　came　forward　into　the　room　and　sat　down　in　one　of　the　I…dare…you…to…sit…in…me　chairs　and　leaned　forward　to　cup　his　chin　in　his　left　hand　and　look　at　the　floor。
　 〃All　right；〃　he　said　wearily。　〃Get　on　with　it。　I　have　a　feeling　you　are　going　to　be　very　brilliant。　Remorseless　flow　of　logic　and　intuition　and　all　that　rot。　Just　like　a　detective　in　a　book。〃
　 〃Sure。　Taking　the　evidence　piece　by　piece；　putting　it　all　together　in　a　neat　pattern；　sneaking　in　an　odd　bit　I　had　on　my　hip　here　and　there；　analyzing　the　motives　and　characters　and　making　them　out　to　be　quite　different　from　what　anybodyor　I　myself　for　that　matterthought　them　to　be　up　to　this　golden　momentand　finally　making　a　sort　of　world…weary　pounce　on　the　least　promising　suspect。〃
　 He　lifted　his　eyes　and　almost　smiled。　〃Who　thereupon　turns　as　pale　as　paper；　froths　a