lrh.fortuneoffear-第68章

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　　　It　was　not　that　Raht　had　had　a　sneering　tone　in　his　voice　on　the　radio；　it　was　not　that　Candy　and　Miss　Pinch　laughed　at　me　for　getting　myself　locked　in　the　closet　〃like　a　naughty　boy；〃　it　was　not　that　the　redecorators　had　not　finished　after　all　and　the　place　was　still　a　screaming　mess；　and　it　was　not　the　fleas。　It　was　the　smug　manner　in　which　the　Countess　Krak　had　been　eating　that　Milky　Way！
　　　Fury　can　sometimes　open　the　door　as　often　as　it　closes　it。　And　fury　opened　it　now。
　　　INSPIRATION！
　　　Miss　Simmons　was　a　doctor　of　psychology　as　well　as　education。　Her　father　was　a　psychologist。　She　would　know　very　well　what　hypnotism　was！
　　　I　would　tell　her　she　had　been　hypnotized　and　blow　the　whole　implant！
　　　And　then　we　would　see　who　had　the　last　laugh！

Chapter　8

　　　What　with　one　thing　and　then　the　other　and　then　the　first　thing　again；　it　took　me　the　better　part　of　the　night　to　write　the　letter。　Written　so　the　calligraphy　could　not　be　traced；　it　said：

Dear　Miss　Simmons；
　　　I　herewith　return　your　glasses　so　you　will　know　I　am　a　friend。
　　　I　have　to　inform　you　that　a　dastardly　deed　has　been　perpetrated　upon　you。
　　　You　were　hypnotized　and　lied　to　by　the　foulest　fiend　who　ever　existed　between　Hells　and　Heavens。　You　were　told　a　pack　of　lies　while　in　hypnotic　trance。　DON'T　BELIEVE　THEM！
　　　The　things　you　were　told　were　utter　hog…wash　and　you　should　cast　them　utterly　from　your　mind。　You　have　been　absolutely　right　all　along　about　him。
　　　Just　realize　that　your　future　and　that　of　this　planet　depend　utterly　upon　your　exposing　that　（bleepard）　for　what　he　is。
　　　Don't　let　the　firm　hue　of　resolution　be　sickled　o'er　by　the　pale　cast　of　hypnotism。　ACT。　ACT。　ACT！
　　　
　　　Your　true　friend；
X

　　　Shortly　after　sunup；　I　woke　Raht　with　the　radio。　I　made　an　appointment　to　meet　him　at　the　Slime…Tripe　Building　at　8：30　A。　M。
　　　When　the　time　came　I　was　there；　standing　on　the　wavy　terrazzo　paving。　Raht　arrived。　（Bleep）　him；　he　had　let　his　mustache　grow　and　it　bristled　on　both　sides　despite　orders。　But　I　had　no　time　to　upbraid　him。　Besides；　we　might　be　being　watched。
　　　I　gave　him　the　letter。　〃On　your　life；　make　sure　that　this　is　personally　delivered　to　Miss　Simmons　at　352　Bogg　Street；　Apartment　21；　Morningside　Heights。　As　soon　as　you　have　done　that；　meet　me　at　the　west　side　of　that　building　just　to　the　south　of　us；　at　the　tables　in　Gruffaw…Spill　Park。〃
　　　〃Why　not　just　meet　you　at　Miss　Pinch's　apartment？〃　said　this　insolent　ruffian。
　　　〃You　stay　away　from　there。　And　if　you　breathe　a　word　of　where　I　am　to　anyone；　I'll　shoot　you　in　hot　blood；　gallons　of　it。〃
　　　〃I　believe　you　would；〃　he　said。　But　despite　the　insolence；　trained　as　he　was；　he　sped　away。
　　　I　went　to　the　Gruffaw…Spill　Building。　Down　on　the　concourse　it　has　the　only　walk…under　waterfall　in　New　York。　You　walk　straight　through　it。　I　was　using　it　because　it　covered　the　trail。
　　　Inside　was　a　refreshment　stand　and　tables。　It　is　very　nice。　I　had　some　coffee　and　a　hot　dog；　feeling　pretty　cheerful　about　things；　really。　The　waterfall　was　splashing　away；　and　since　this　was　Saturday；　there　was　hardly　anyone　around。　Quite　peaceful。　No　riffraff。
　　　Two　hours　later；　it　did　not　seem　so　restful。　I　was　drinking　too　much　coffee。
　　　Five　hours　from　the　time　I　had　sent　Raht　off；　it　wasn't　peaceful　at　all。　I　was　getting　worried。　I　blamed　myself。　I　should　have　taken　the　message　there　personally：　I　had　been　deterred　by　the　positive　conviction　she　would　recognize　my　voice　after　our　first　interview。　Or　some　of　her　students　might　drop　in　and　take　a　swing　at　me。
　　　I　was　nervous　now；　so　that　my　hands　were　shaking　and　the　man　at　the　refreshment　stand　was　eyeing　me；　no　doubt　trying　to　make　up　his　mind　to　call　the　police；　Raht　showed　up。
　　　He　was　nervous　and　furtive；　white　of　face　and　shaky　of　hand。　He　looked　apprehensive。　I　knew　he　was　hiding　something。
　　　In　answer　to　my　furious　demand　as　to　what　had　detained　him；　he　said；　evasively；　〃Oh；　she　wasn't　up。　Her　cleaning　service　was；　and　some　people　putting　a　new　glass　pane　in　the　window　were；　though。　How　e　the　place　got　so　wrecked？　Do　apartments　you　have　anything　to　do　with　always　get　wrecked；　Officer　Gris？〃
　　　I　kept　my　voice　down。　The　man　at　the　counter　had　his　eye　on　me。　〃Did　you　or　did　you　not　deliver　the　message？〃
　　　〃I　didn't　want　to　leave　it　with　the　cleaners；〃　he　said　nervously。　〃They　didn't　seem　reliable。　You　learn　not　to　trust　people　in　our　line　of　business。　And　with　a　threat　of　buckets　of　blood。。。〃
　　　〃Gallons；〃　I　corrected　him　sharply。
　　　〃。。。　I　wouldn't　hand　it　over　to　the　glass　pany。　So　I　waited　for　her　to　get　up。　And　she　did　about　half　an　hour　later。〃
　　　〃Wait　a　minute。　That　was　over　four　and　a　half　hours　ago！　What　in　the　name　of　Hells　detained　you？〃
　　　〃Gently；　gently；〃　he　said　anxiously。　He　leaned　forward。　〃Those　two　little　girls　over　there　and　the　proprietor　are　watching。　You're　talking　Voltarian。〃
　　　〃Raht；　I　have　a　gun　in　my　pocket。　It　is　pointed　straight　at　your　stomach　under　this　table；　Raht。　If　you　don't　tell　me　what　happened；　Raht；　I　am　going　to　pull　the　trigger；　Raht。〃
　　　That　got　to　him。　〃I　bet　you　would；〃　he　said。　〃And　cops　would　instantly　be　all　over　the　place。〃　He　gave　me　a　glaring　look。　But　he　got　down　to　business。　〃So　she　got　up。　She　was　wearing　a　housecoat　that　was　pretty　wrinkled　and　she　didn't　seem　to　be　bothering　to　keep　it　closed。　She　sure　is　built。　Breasts　nice　and　firm。　Brown　pubic　hair。　Nice　legs。。。〃
　　　I　made　a　threatening　gesture　with　my　hand　in　my　pocket。
　　　He　got　on　very　hurriedly。　〃She　looked　at　the　cleaning…service　people　and　said；　'It　must　be　Saturday。'　Then　she　looked　at　the　glaziers　that　were　fixing　the　window　and　said；　'That's　nice　of　the　owner。　It's　been　drafty。。。。'〃
　　　〃The　letter；　Raht；〃　I　snarled。
　　　〃。。。　and　then　she　saw　me　standing　there　and　she　said；　'Oh；　an　early　morning　caller。　How　nice。'　And　I　said；　'No；　ma'am。　I　am　acting　as　a　courier；　even　though　that　isn't　my　proper　job　designation。　But　I've　been　improperly　sent　so　here　I　am。'　I　gave　her　the　glasses。　She　put　them　down　on　a　walnut　sideboard　about　three　inches　from　the　edge。　I　gave　her　the　letter。　She　opened　it　with　a　hairpin。　She　read　it。〃
　　　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　I　said。　〃She　can't　see　anything　at　all　without　her　glasses。　You　may　have　given　it　to　the　wrong　woman。　Describe　her。〃
　　　He　did。　Brown　hair；　hazel　eyes；　wart　on　the　back　of　her　left　hand。　It　was　Miss　Simmons。　〃And　then？〃　I　said。
　　　〃And　then　all　Hells　broke　loose；〃　said　Raht。　〃And　that's　why　I've　been　delaying　telling　you　because　you're　liable　to　get　excited　and　shoot　somebody。　Promise　me　you　won't　shoot。　You　might　hit　those　two　little　girls　over　there。〃
　　　Excitedly；　I　said；　〃Go　on！　Go　on！　I　won't　shoot　you！　This　is　good　news；　you　idiot！〃
　　　〃Well；　she　read　the　letter　and　she　stood　there；　going　white　and　red。　And　then　she　read　it　again。　And　she　kind　of　began　to　yelp。　Officer　Gris；　why　would　you　write　a　letter　that　would　upset　the　poor　woman　so？　I　don't　like　acting　as　a　courier。　And　especially　NOT　of　your　letters！　I　thought　she　was　going　to　have　a　stroke。　Why　would　you　want　to　upset　her　so？　She　seems　a　nice　girl。　But　upset　people　seem　to　be　good　news　to　you。〃
　　　I　was　glowing　with　eagerness。　〃Go　on！　Go　on！　Exactly　what　did　she　do　or　say？〃
　　　〃She　screamed；　'I　knew　it！　I　knew　it！　The　moment　I　woke　up；　I　knew　it　but　I　wouldn't　admit　it　to　myself！'　And　she　rushed　into　the　bedroom　and　I　heard　her　getting　dressed　and　she　came　back　into　the　living　room。　I　hoped　she　would　write　something　really　nasty　back　so　I　said；　'Is　there　any　answer？'　And　she　said；　'Wait　right　there　until　I　return　and　I'll　give　you　one。　This　is　a　matter　for　the　police！'　And　she　went　tearing　out　of　the　apartment。〃
　　　I　was　ecstatic。　She　knew　what　Krak　looked　like。　She　could　put　it　together　on　an　identokit。　Better；　Grafferty；　the　three　policemen　and　Kutzbrain　could　identify　the　woman。　They　even　had　her　fingerprints　on　their　guns。　They　knew　it　connected　to　Wister　and　when　they　questioned　him　they　would　probably　run　right　into　the　Countess　Krak。　Perfect！
　　　Raht　was　still　talking。　〃Finally；　I　tailed　her　but　lost　her　in　a　downtown　express；　so　I　came　back　to　Bogg　Street。　I　found