preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第38部分

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red；　once　again；　why　Pendergast　was　so　interested　in　these　nineteenth…century　murders。　It　would　be　of　some　historical　solace　to　know　that　Mary　Greene's　killer　had　been　brought　to　light…She　abruptly　terminated　the　line　of　thought。　She　had　her　own　work　to　do；　her　own　career　to　salvage。　She　had　to　remind　herself　once　again　that　this　was　history。
　Pendergast　sighed；　turned　slightly　in　the　bed。　〃Thank　you；　Dr。　Kelly。　Now；　you'd　better　go。　I'm　badly　in　need　of　sleep。〃
　Nora　glanced　at　him　in　surprise。　She　had　been　expecting　another　plea　for　her　help。　〃Why　did　you　ask　to　see　me；　exactly？〃
　〃You've　been　a　great　help　to　me　in　this　investigation。　More　than　once；　you've　asked　for　more　information　than　I　could　give　you。　I　assumed　you　wished　to　know　what　I've　discovered。　You've　earned　that；　at　the　very　least。　There's　a　detestable　term　one　hears　bandied　about　these　days：　'closure。'　Detestable；　but　in　this　case　appropriate。　I　hope　this　knowledge　will　bring　you　some　degree　of　closure；　and　allow　you　to　continue　your　work　at　the　Museum　without　a　sense　of　unfinished　business。　I　offer　my　sincerest　thanks　for　your　help。　It　has　been　invaluable。〃
　Nora　felt　a　twinge　of　offense　at　this　abrupt　dismissal。　She　reminded　herself　that　this　was　what　she　had　wanted　。　。　。　Wasn't　it？　After　a　moment　she　spoke。　〃Thanks　for　saying　so。　But　if　you　ask　me；　this　business　sounds　totally　unfinished。　If　you're　right　about　this；　99　Doyers　Street　seems　like　the　next　logical　stop。〃
　〃That　is　correct。　The　basement　apartment　is　currently　unoccupied；　and　an　excavation　below　the　living　room　floor　would　be　most　instructive。　I　plan　to　rent　the　apartment　myself　and　undertake　that　excavation。　And　that　is　why　I　must　recover　as　quickly　as　possible。　Take　care；　Dr。　Kelly。〃　He　shifted　with　an　air　of　finality。
　〃Who's　going　to　do　the　excavation？〃　she　asked。
　〃I　will　find　another　archaeologist。〃
　Nora　looked　at　him　sharply。　〃Where？〃
　〃Through　the　New　Orleans　field　office。　They　are　most　flexible　when　it　es　to　my；　ah；　projects。〃
　〃Right；〃　said　Nora　briskly。　〃But　this　isn't　a　job　for　just　any　archaeologist。　This　requires　someone　with　special　skills　in…〃
　〃Are　you　offering？〃
　Nora　was　silent。
　〃Of　course　you're　not。　That's　why　I　didn't　ask。　You've　more　than　once　expressed　your　desire　to　return　to　a　more　normal　course　of　work。　I've　imposed　upon　you　too　much　as　it　is。　Besides；　this　investigation　has　taken　a　dangerous　turn；　far　more　so　than　I　initially　assumed。　An　assumption　I　have　paid　for；　as　you　can　see。　I　would　not　wish　you　exposed　to　any　more　danger　than　you　have　been　already。〃
　Nora　stood　up。
　〃Well；〃　she　said；　〃I　guess　that's　settled。　I've　enjoyed　working　with　you；　Mr。　Pendergast…if　'enjoy'　is　the　right　word。　It's　certainly　been　interesting。〃　She　felt　vaguely　dissatisfied　with　this　oute；　even　though　it　was　what　she　had　e　down　here　to　achieve。
　〃Indeed；〃　said　Pendergast。　〃Most　interesting。〃
　She　began　to　walk　toward　the　door；　then　stopped；　remembering　something。　〃But　I　may　be　in　touch　with　you　again。　I　got　a　note　from　Reinhart　Puck　in　the　Archives。　Says　he's　found　some　new　information；　asked　me　to　stop　by　later　this　afternoon。　If　it　seems　useful；　I'll　pass　it　on。〃
　Pendergast's　pale　eyes　were　still　regarding　her　attentively。　〃Do　that。　And　again；　Dr。　Kelly；　you　have　my　thanks。　Be　very　careful。〃
　She　nodded；　then　turned　to　leave；　smiling　at　the　baleful　stares　that　greeted　her　as　she　passed　the　nurses'　station。
　
　FIFTEEN
　　
　THE　DOOR　TO　the　Archives　gave　out　a　sharp　creak　as　Nora　eased　it　open。　There　had　been　no　response　to　her　knocking；　and　the　door　was　unlocked；　in　clear　violation　of　regulations。　Very　strange。
　The　smell　of　old　books；　papers；　and　the　odor　of　corruption　that　seemed　to　suffuse　the　entire　Museum　hung　in　her　nostrils。　Puck's　desk　lay　in　the　center　of　a　pool　of　light；　a　wall　of　darkness　beyond。　Puck　himself　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。
　Nora　checked　her　watch。　Four　P。M。　She　was　right　on　time。
　She　released　the　door　and　it　sighed　back　into　place。　She　turned　the　lock；　then　approached　the　desk；　heels　clicking　on　the　marble　floor。　She　signed　in　automatically；　scrawling　her　name　at　the　top　of　a　fresh　page　in　the　logbook。　Puck's　desk　was　neater　than　usual；　and　a　single　typewritten　note　sat　in　the　middle　of　the　green　felt　pad。　She　glanced　at　it。　I'm　on　the　triceratops　in　the　back。
　The　triceratops；　Nora　thought；　looking　into　the　gloom。　Leave　it　to　Puck　to　be　off　dusting　old　relics。　But　where　the　hell　was　the　triceratops？　She　didn't　recall　having　seen　one。　And　there　were　no　lights　on　in　the　back　that　she　could　see。　The　damn　triceratops　could　be　anywhere。　She　looked　around：　no　diagram　of　the　Archives；　either。　Typical。
　Feeling　an　undercurrent　of　irritation；　she　moved　to　the　banks　of　ivory　light　switches。　She　snapped　a　few　on　at　random。　Lights　sprang　up　here　and　there；　deep　within　the　Archives；　casting　long　shadows　down　the　rows　of　metal　shelving。　Might　as　well　turn　them　all　on；　she　thought；　flipping　whole　rows　of　switches　with　the　edge　of　her　hand。　But　even　with　all　the　lights；　the　Archives　remained　curiously　shadowy　and　dim；　large　pools　of　darkness　and　long　dim　aisles　predominating。
　She　waited；　half　expecting　Puck　to　call　out　to　her。　There　was　no　sound　except　the　distant　ticking　of　steam　pipes　and　the　hiss　of　the　forced…air　ducts。
　〃Mr。　Puck？〃　she　called　tentatively。
　Her　voice　reverberated　and　died。　No　answer。
　She　called　again；　louder　this　time。　The　Archives　were　so　vast　she　wondered　if　her　voice　could　penetrate　to　the　rear。
　For　a　minute；　she　considered　ing　back　another　time。　But　Puck's　message　had　been　most　insistent。
　Vaguely；　she　recalled　seeing　some　mounted　fossil　skeletons　on　her　last　visit。　Maybe　she　would　find　the　triceratops　among　them。
　With　a　sigh；　she　began　walking　down　one　of　the　aisles；　listening　to　the　clatter　of　her　shoes　against　the　marble。　Although　the　entrance　to　the　aisle　had　been　brightly　lit；　it　soon　grew　shadowy　and　dim。　It　was　amazing　how　poorly　illuminated　the　place　was；　in　the　middle　sections　of　the　aisles；　far　from　the　lights；　one　almost　needed　a　flashlight　to　make　out　the　objects　stacked　on　the　shelves。
　At　the　next　pool　of　light；　Nora　found　herself　at　a　junction　from　which　several　aisles　wandered　away　at　a　variety　of　angles。　She　paused；　considering　which　to　take。　It's　like　Hansel　and　Gretel　in　here；　she　thought。　And　I'm　fresh　out　of　bread　crumbs。
　The　aisle　closest　to　her　left　went　in　a　direction　that；　she　remembered；　led　to　a　grouping　of　stuffed　animals。　But　its　few　lights　were　burned　out　and　it　vanished　into　darkness。　Nora　shrugged　and　took　the　next　aisle　over。
　It　felt　so　different；　walking　these　passages　alone。　The　last　time；　she'd　been　with　Pendergast　and　Puck。　She　had　been　thinking　about　Shottum　and　hadn't　paid　much　attention　to　her　surroundings。　With　Puck　guiding　their　steps；　she　hadn't　even　bothered　to　notice　the　strange　jogs　these　aisles　took；　the　odd　angles　at　which　they　met。　It　was　the　most　eccentric　layout　imaginable；　made　even　more　eccentric　by　its　vast　size。
　Her　thoughts　were　interrupted　as　the　aisle　took　a　sharp　turn　to　the　left。　Around　the　corner；　she　unexpectedly　came　upon　a　number　of　freestanding　African　mammals…giraffes；　a　hippo；　a　pair　of　lions；　wildebeests；　kudu；　water　buffalo。　Each　was　wrapped　in　plastic；　bestowing　a　muffled；　ghostly　appearance。
　Nora　stopped。　No　sign　of　a　triceratops。　And　once　again；　the　aisles　led　away　in　half　a　dozen　directions。　She　chose　one　at　random；　followed　it　through　one　jog；　then　another；　ing　abruptly　to　another　intersection。
　This　was　getting　ridiculous。　〃Mr。　Puck！〃　she　called　out　loudly。
　The　echoes　of　her　voice　gradually　faded　away。　The　hiss　of　forced　air　filled　the　ensuing　silence。
　She　didn't　have　time　for　this。　She　would　e　back　later；　and　she'd　call　first　to　make　sure　Puck　was　waiting　at　his　desk。　Better　still；　she'd　just　tell　him　to　take　whatever　it　was　he　wanted　to　show　her　directly　to　Pendergast。　She　was　off　the　case；　anyway。
　She　turned　to　walk　out　of　the　Archives；　taking　what　she　thought　would　be　the　shortest　path。　After　a　few　minutes；　she　came　to　a　stop　beside　a　rhino　and　several　zebras。　They　looked　like　lumpy　sentinels　beneath　the　omnipresent　plastic；　giving　off　a　strong　smell　of　paradichlorobenzene。
　These　aisles　didn't　look　familiar。　And　she　didn't　seem　to　be　any　closer　to　the　exit。
　For　a　moment；　she　felt　a　small　current　of　anxiety。　Then　she　shook　it　away　with　a　forced　laugh。　She'd　just　make　her　way　back　to　the　giraffes；　then　retrace　her　steps　from　there。
　As　she　turned；　her　foot　landed　in　a　small　puddle　of　water。　She　looked　up　just　as　a　drop　of　water　splattered　on　her　forehead。　Condensation　from　the　pipes　far　overhead。　She　shook　it　away　and　moved　on。
　But　she　couldn't　seem　to　find　her　way　back　to　the　giraffes。
　This　was　crazy。　She'd　navigated　through　trackless　deserts　and　dense　rainforests。　How　could　she　be　lost　in　a　museum　in　the　middle　of　New　York　City？
　She　looked　around；　realizing　it　was　her　sense　of　direction　she　had　lost。　With　all　these　angled　aisles；　these　dimly　lit　intersections；　it　had　bee　impossible　to　tell　where　the　front　desk　was。　She'd　have　to…
　She　abruptly　froze；　listening　intently。　A　soft　pattering　sound。　It　was　hard　to　tell　where　it　had　e　from；　but　it　was　close。
　〃Mr。　Puck？　Is　that　you？〃
　Nothing。
　She　listened；　and　the　pattering　sound　came　again。　Just　more　water　dripping　somewhere；　she　thought。　Even　so；　she　was　more　eager　than　ever　to　find　the　door。
　She　chose　an　aisle　at　random　and　moved　down　it　at　a　brisk　walk；　heels　clicking　rapidly　against　the　marble。　On　both　sides　of　the　aisle；　the　shelves　were　covered　with　bones　stacked　like　cordwood；　each　with　a　yellowing　tag　tied　to　its　end。　The　tags　flapped　and　fluttered　in　the　dead　air　stirred　by　her　passage。　The　place　was　like　a　crypt。　Amid　the　silence；　the　darkness；　and　the　ghoulish　specimens；　it　was　hard　not　to　think　about　the　set　of　grisly　murders　that　had　occurred　just　a　few　years　before；　within　this　very　subbasement。　It　was　still　the　subject　of　rumor　and　speculation　in　the　staff　lounge。
　The　aisle　ended　in　another　jog。
　Damn　it；　thought　Nora；　looking　up　and　down　the　long　rows　of　shelving　that　vanished　into　the　gloom。　Another　welling　of　anxiety；　harder　to　fight　down　this　time。　And　then；　once　again；　she　heard…or　thought　she　heard…a