cb.imajica1-第33章

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　〃I　knew　a　knife　wasn't　going　to　kill　you；〃　he　said。
　〃It's　more　than　I　did；〃　Dowd　replied。　〃But　that's　not　the　point。　I　would　have　entered　the　game　with　you　if　that's　what　you'd　wanted。　Happily；　slavishly。　Entered　and　died　for　you。〃　His　tone　was　that　of　a　man　deeply　and　inconsola…Wy　affronted。　〃Instead；　you　conspire　against　me。　You　make　me　suffer　like　a　mon　criminal。〃
　〃I　couldn't　afford　for　it　to　look　like　a　charade。　If　they'd　suspected　it　was　stage…managed…〃
　〃Oh；　I　see；〃　Dowd　replied。　Unwittingly　Oscar　had　caused　even　greater　offense　with　this　justification。　〃You　didn't　trust　my　actorly　instincts。　I've　played　every　lead　Quexos　wrote：　edy；　tragedy；　farce。　And　you　didn't　trust　me　to　carry　off　a　petty　little　death　scene！〃
　〃All　right；　I　was　mistaken。〃
　〃I　thought　the　knife　stung　badly　enough。　But　this…〃
　〃Please；　accept　my　apologies。　It　was　crude　and　hurtful。　What　can　I　do　to　heal　the　harm；　eh？　Name　it；　Dowdy。　I　feel　I've　violated　the　trust　between　us　and　I　have　to　make　good。　Whatever　you　want；　just　name　it。〃
　Dowd　shook　his　head。　〃It's　not　as　easy　as　that。〃
　〃I　know。　But　it's　a　start。　Name　it。〃
　Dowd　considered　the　offer　for　a　full　minute；　staring　not　at　Oscar　but　the　blank　wall。　Finally；　he　said；　〃I'll　start　with　the　assassin；　Pie　'oh'　pah。〃
　〃What　do　you　want　with　a　mystif？〃
　〃I　want　to　torment　it。　I　want　to　humiliate　it。　And　finally；　I　want　to　kill　it。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃You　offered　me　whatever　I　wanted。　Name　it；　you　said。　I've　named　it。〃
　〃Then　you　have　carte　blanche　to　do　whatever　you　wish；〃　Oscar　said。　〃Is　that　all？〃
　〃For　now；〃　Dowd　said。　〃I'm　sure　something　more　will　occur。　Death's　put　some　strange　ideas　in　my　head。　But　I'll　name　them　as　time　goes　by。〃
　
　
　14
　
　While　it　was　to　prove　difficult　for　Gentle　to　prize　from　Es…tabrook　the　details　of　the　night　journey　that　had　taken　him　to　Pie　（oh'　pah；　it　was　not　as　difficult　as　getting　in　to　see　the　man　in　the　first　place。　He　went　to　the　house　around　noon；　to　find　the　curtains　at　all　the　windows　meticulously　drawn。　He　knocked　and　rang　the　bell　for　several　minutes；　but　there　was　no　reply。　Assuming　Estabrook　had　gone　out　for　a　constitutional；　he　left　off　his　attempt　and　went　to　find　something　to　put　into　his　stomach；　which　after　being　so　thoroughly　scorned　the　night　before　was　echoing　with　its　own　emptiness。　It　was　Boxing　Day；　of　course；　and　there　was　no　cafe　or　restaurant　open；　but　he　located　a　small　supermarket　managed　by　a　family　of　Pakistanis；　who　were　doing　a　fine　trade　supplying　Christians　with　stale　bread　to　break。　Though　the　stock　had　disappeared　from　many　of　the　shelves；　the　store　still　had　a　tempting　parade　of　tooth　decayers；　and　Gentle　left　with　chocolate；　biscuits；　and　cake　to　satisfy　his　sweet　tooth。　He　found　a　bench　and　sat　down　to　subdue　his　hunger。　The　cake　was　too　moist　and　heavy　for　his　taste；　so　he　broke　it　up　into　pieces　and　threw　it　to　the　pigeons　his　meal　had　attracted。　The　news　soon　spread　that　there　was　sustenance　to　be　had；　and　what　had　been　an　intimate　picnic　quickly　turned　into　a　squabbling　match。　In　lieu　of　loaves　and　fishes　to　subdue　the　mob；　Gentle　tossed　the　rest　of　his　biscuits　into　the　midst　of　the　feasters　and　returned　to　Estabrook's　house　content　with　his　chocolate。　As　he　approached　he　saw　a　motion　at　one　of　the　upper　windows。　He　didn't　bother　to　ring　and　knock　this　time；　but　simply　called　up　at　the　window。
　〃I　want　a　word；　Charlie！　I　know　you're　in　there。　Open　up！〃
　When　there　was　no　sign　of　Estabrook　obliging；　he　let　his　voice　ring　out　a　little　louder。　There　was　very　little　petition　from　traffic；　this　being　a　holiday。　His　call　was　a　clarion。
　〃e　on；　Charlie；　open　up；　unless　you　want　me　to　tell　the　neighbors　about　our　little　deal。〃
　The　curtain　was　drawn　aside　this　time；　and　Gentle　had　his　first　sight　of　Estabrook。　A　glimpse　only；　for　the　curtain　was　dropped　back　into　place　a　moment　later。　Gentle　waited；　and　just　as　he　was　about　to　start　his　haranguing　afresh　heard　the　front　door　being　unbolted。　Estabrook　appeared；　barefoot　and　bald。　The　latter　was　a　shock。　Gentle　hadn't　known　the　man　wore　a　toupe〃e。　Without　it　his　face　was　as　round　and　white　as　a　plate；　his　features　set　upon　it　like　a　child's　breakfast。　Eggs　for　eyes；　a　tomato　nose；　sausage　lips：　all　swimming　in　a　grease　of　fear。
　〃It's　time　we　talked；〃　Gentle　said　and；　without　waiting　for　anjnvitation；　stepped　inside。
　He　pulled　no　punches　in　his　interrogation；　making　it　plain　from　the　outset　that　this　was　no　social　call。　He　needed　to　know　where　to　find　Pie　'oh'　pah；　and　he　wasn't　going　to　be　fobbed　off　with　excuses。　To　aid　Estabrook's　memory　he'd　brought　a　battered　street　map　of　London。　He　set　it　down　on　the　table　between　them。
　〃Now；〃　he　said。　〃We　sit　here　until　you've　told　where　you　went　that　night。　And　if　you　lie　to　me　I　swear　I'm'going　to　e　back　and　break　your　neck。〃
　Estabrook　didn't　attempt　any　obfuscation。　His　manner　was　that　of　a　man　who　had　passed　many　days　in　terror　of　a　sound　upon　his　step　and　was　relieved；　now　that　it　had　e；　that　his　caller　was　merely　human。　His　egg　eyes　were　perpetually　on　the　verge　of　breaking；　and　his　hands　trembled　as　he　flipped　the　pages　of　the　gazetteer；　murmuring　as　he　did　so　that　he　was　sure　of　nothing　but　he　would　try　to　remember。　Gentle　didn't　press　too　hard；　but　let　the　man　make　the　journey　again　in　memory；　running　his　finger　back　and　forth　over　the　map　as　he　did　so。
　They'd　driven　through　Lambeth；　he　said；　then　Kenning…ton　and　Stockwell。　He　didn't　remember　grazing　Clapham　mon；　so　he　assumed　they'd　driven　to　the　east　of　it；　towards　Streatham　Hill。　He　remembered　a　church　and　sought　out　a　cross　on　the　map　that　would　mark　the　place。
　There　were　several；　but　only　one　close　to　the　other　landmark　he　remembered；　the　railway　line。　At　this　point；　he　said　he　could　offer　nothing　more　by　way　of　directions；　only　a　description　of　the　place　itself：　the　corrugated　iron　perimeter；　the　trailers；　the　fires。　〃You'll　find　it；〃　he　said。　〃I'd　better；〃　Gentle　replied。
　He'd　so　far　told　Estabrook　nothing　about　the　circumstances　that　had　brought　him　back　here；　though　the　man　had　several　times　asked　if　Judith　was　alive　and　well。　Now　he　asked　again。
　〃Please　tell　me；〃　he　said。　〃I've　been　straight　with　you；　I　swear　I　have。　Won't　you　please　tell　me　how　she　is？〃　〃She's　alive　and　kicking；〃　Gentle　said。　〃Has　she　mentioned　me　at　all？　She　must　have　done。　What　did　she　say？　Did　you　tell　her　I　still　love　her？〃
　〃I'm　not　your　pimp；〃　Gentle　said。　〃Tell　her　yourself。　If　you　can　get　her　to　talk　to　you。〃
　〃What　am　I　going　to　do？〃　Estabrook　said。　He　took　hold　of　Gentle's　arm。　〃You're　an　expert　with　women；　aren't　you？　Everybody　says　so。　What　can　I　do　to　make　amends？〃　〃She'd　probably　be　satisfied　if　you　sent　her　your　balls；〃　Gentle　said。　〃Anything　less　wouldn't　be　appropriate。〃　〃You　think　it's　funny。〃
　〃Trying　to　have　your　wife　killed？　No；　I　don't　think　that's　very　amusing。　Changing　your　mind　and　wanting　everything　lovey…dovey　again：　that's　hysterical。〃
　〃You　wait　till　you　love　somebody　the　way　I　love　Judith。　If　you're　capable　of　that；　which　I　doubt。　You　wait　until　you　want　somebody　so　badly　your　sanity　bangs　on　it。　You'll　learn。〃
　Gentle　didn't　rise　to　the　remark。　It　was　too　close　to　his　present　state　to　be　fully　confessed；　even　to　himself。　But　once　out　of　the　house；　map　in　hand；　he　couldn't　suppress　a　smile　of　pleasure　that　he　had　a　way　forward。　It　was　already　getting　gloomy；　as　the　midwinter　afternoon　closed　its　fist　on　the　city。　But　darkness　loved　lovers；　even　if　the　world　no　longer　did。
　At　midday；　with　his　unease　of　the　previous　night　allayed　not　one　jot；　Pie　'oh'　pah　had　suggested　to　Theresa　that　they　should　leave　the　encampment。　The　suggestion　wasn't　met　with　enthusiasm。　The　baby　was　sick　'with　sniffles　and　had　not　stopped　wailing　since　she'd　woken；　the　other　child　was　feverish　too。　This　was　no　time　to　be　going　away；　Theresa　said；　even　if　they　had　somewhere　to　go；　which　they　didn't。　We'll　take　the　trailer　with　us；　Pie　replied；　we'll　just　drive　out　of　the　city。　To　the　coast；　maybe；　where　the　children　would　benefit　from　the　cleaner　air。　Theresa　liked　that　idea。　Tomorrow；　she　said；　or　the　day　after；　but　not　now。
　Pie　pressed　the　case；　however；　until　she　asked　him　what　he　was　so　nervous　about。　He　had　no　answer　to　give；　at　le