preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第73部分
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ng the book on one of the shelves beside a long row of similar books…all books of questions。 Then he turned his attention to the bookcase that had swung open。 It revealed an elevator。
He stepped into the elevator at the same； thoughtful pace； and descended。
The cellar of the former monastery on Dauphine Street was damp； the walls thick with efflorescence。 The mansion's cellars consisted of vast stone passageways crusted with lime； verdigris； and the soot from tallow candles。 Pendergast threaded his way through the maze； arriving at last at a cul…de…sac formed by a small； vaulted room。 It was empty； devoid of ornament； save for a single carving that hung over a bricked…up arch in one of the walls。 The carving was of a shield； containing a lidless eye over two moons： one crescent； the other full。 Below was a lion； couchant。 It was the Pendergast family crest： the same crest that Leng had perverted into his own escutcheon； carved onto the facade of the mansion on Riverside Drive。
Pendergast approached this wall； stood beneath the crest for a moment； gazing at it。 Then； placing both hands upon the cold stone； he applied a sharp forward pressure。 The wall instantly swung away； revealing a circular staircase； sloping down and away at a sharp angle into the subbasement。
Pendergast stood at the top of the stairs； feeling the steady stream of chill air that wafted like a ghostly exhalation from the depths below。 He remembered the day； many years ago； when he had first been inducted into the family secrets： the hidden panel in the library； the stone chambers beneath； the room with the crest。 And finally this； the greatest secret of all。
In the real house on Dauphine Street； the stairs had been dark； approachable only with a lantern。 But in Pendergast's mind； a faint greenish light now issued up from far below。 He began to descend。
The stairs led downward in a spiral。 At last； Pendergast emerged into a short tunnel that opened into a vaulted space。 The floor was earthen。 Long ranks of carefully mortised bricks rose to a groined ceiling。 Rows of torches flamed on the walls； and chunks of frankincense smoked in copper braziers； overlaying a much stronger smell of old earth； wet stone； and the dead。
A brick pathway ran down the center of the room； flanked on both sides by stone tombs and crypts。 Some were marble； others granite。 A few were heavily decorated； carved into fantastic minarets and arabesques； others were squat； black； monolithic。 Pendergast started down the path； glancing at the bronze doors set into the facades； the familiar names graven onto the face plates of tarnished brass。
What the old monks had used this subterranean vault for； Pendergast never learned。 But almost two hundred years before； this place had bee the Pendergast family necropolis。 Here； over a dozen generations on both sides of the family…the fallen line of French aristocrats； the mysterious denizens of the deep bayou…had been buried or； more frequently； re…buried。 Pendergast walked on； hands behind his back； staring at the carved names。 Here was Henri Prendregast de Mousqueton； a seventeenth…century mountebank who pulled teeth； performed magic and edy； and practiced quack medicine。 And here； encased in a mausoleum bedecked with quartz minarets； was Eduard Pendregast； a well…known Harley Street doctor in eighteenth…century London。 And here； stock Pendergast； famed mesmerist； magician； and mentor of Harry Houdini。
Pendergast strolled farther； passing artists and murderers； vaudeville performers and violin prodigies。 At last he stopped beside a mausoleum grander than those around it： a ponderous conflation of white marble； carved into an exact replica of the Pendergast mansion itself。 This was the tomb of Hezekiah Pendergast； his own great…great…grandfather。
Pendergast let his eye roam over the familiar turrets and finials； the gabled roof and mullioned windows。 When Hezekiah Pendergast arrived on the scene； the Pendergast family fortune was almost gone。 Hezekiah was released into the world penniless； but with big ambitions。 Originally a snake…oil salesman allied with traveling medicine shows； he soon became known as a hippocratic sage； a man whose patent medicine could cure almost any disease。 On the big bill； he appeared between Al…Ghazi； the contortionist； and Harry N。 Parr； Canine Instructor。 The medicine he peddled during these shows sold briskly； even at five dollars the bottle。 Hezekiah soon established his own traveling medicine show； and with shrewd marketing； Hezekiah's pound Elixir and Glandular Restorative quickly became the first widely marketed patent medicine in America。 Hezekiah Pendergast grew rich beyond the fondest visions of avarice。
Pendergast's eyes swept downward； to the deep layers of shadow that surrounded the tomb。 Ugly rumors began to surface about Hezekiah's pound Elixir within a year of its introduction： tales of madness； deformed births； wasting deaths。 And yet sales grew。 Doctors protested the elixir； calling it violently addictive and harmful to the brain。 And still sales grew。 Hezekiah Pendergast introduced a highly successful formula for babies； 〃Warranted to Make Your Child Peaceful。〃 In the end； a reporter for Collier's magazine； together with a government chemist； finally exposed the elixir as an addictively lethal blend of chloroform； cocaine hydrochloride； acetanilid； and botanicals。 Production was forced to cease…but not before Hezekiah's own wife had succumbed to the addiction and died。 Constance Leng Pendergast。
Antoine's mother。
Pendergast turned away from the tomb。 Then he stopped； glancing back。 A smaller； simpler mausoleum of gray granite lay beside the greater one。 The engraved plaque on its face read； simply； Constance。
He paused； recalling the words of his great…aunt： And then he began spending a lot of time down 。 。 。 down there。 Do you know where I mean？ Pendergast had heard the stories about how the necropolis became Antoine's favorite place after his mother's death。 He'd spent his days here； year in and year out； in the shadow of her tomb； practicing the magic tricks his father and grandfather had taught him； performing experiments on small animals…and especially working with chemicals； developing nostrums and poisons。 What else was it Aunt Cornelia had said？ They say he always felt more fortable with the dead than with the living。
Pendergast had heard rumors even Aunt Cornelia had been unwilling to hint at： rumors worse than the bad business with Marie LeClaire； rumors of certain hideous things found in the deep shadows of the tombs； rumors of the real reason behind Antoine's permanent banishment from the house on Dauphine Street。 But it wasn't just the prolongation of life that had fixed Antoine's attention。 No； there had always been something else； something behind the prolongation of life； some project that he had kept the deepest of secrets 。 。 。
Pendergast stared at the nameplate as a sudden revelation swept over him。 These underground vaults had been Antoine's workplace as a child。 This is where he had played and studied； collected his appalling childhood trophies。 This was where he had experimented with his chemicals； and it was here； in the cool； dark underground； where he had stored his vast collection of pounds； botanicals； chemicals； and poisons。 Here； the temperature and humidity never changed： the conditions would be perfect。
More quickly now； Pendergast turned away； walking back down the pathway and passing beneath the tunnel； beginning the long climb back toward consciousness。 For he knew； at last； where in the house on Riverside Drive the missing collection of Antoine Pendergast…of Enoch Leng…would be found。
TWO
NORA HEARD THE faint rattle of a chain； then a faint； whispered exhalation of breath from out of the nearby darkness。 She licked dry lips； worked her mouth in an attempt to speak。 〃Pendergast？〃
〃I'm here；〃 came the weak voice。
〃I thought you were dead！〃 Her body spasmed in an involuntary sob。 〃Are you all right？〃
〃I'm sorry I had to leave you。 How much time has passed？〃
〃My God； are you deaf？ That madman's doing something terrible to Bill！〃
〃Dr。 Kelly…〃
Nora lunged against her chains。 She felt wild with terror and grief； a frenzy that seemed to physically possess her body。 〃Get me out of here！〃
〃Dr。 Kelly。〃 Pendergast's voice was neutral。 〃Be calm。 There is something we can do。 But you must be calm。〃
Nora stopped struggling and sank back； trying to control herself。
〃Lean against the wall。 Close your eyes。 Take deep； regular breaths。〃 The voice was slow； hypnotic。
Nora closed her eyes； trying to push away the crowding terror； trying to regulate her breathing。
There was a long silence。 And then Pendergast spoke again。 〃All right？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃Keep breathing。 Slowly。 Now？〃
〃Better。 What happened to you？ You really frightened me； I was sure…〃
〃There's no time to explain。 You must trust me。 And now； I'm going to remove these chains。〃
Nora felt a twinge of disbelief。 There was a clanking and rattling； followed by a sudden silence。
She strained against her chains； listening intently。 What was he doing？ Had he lost his senses？
And then； abruptly； she felt someone take hold of her elbow； and simultaneously a hand slipped over her mouth。 〃I'm free；〃 Pendergast's voice whispered in her ear。 〃Soon you will be； too。〃
Nora felt stuporous with disbelief。 She began to tremble。
〃Relax your limbs。 Relax them pletely。〃
It was as if he brushed her arms and legs ever so lightly。 She felt the cuffs and chains simply fall away。 It seemed magical。
〃How did…？〃
〃Later。 What kind of shoes are you wearing？〃
〃Why？〃
〃Just answer the question。〃
〃Let me think。 Bally。 Black。 Flat heels。〃
〃I'm going to borrow one。〃
She felt Pendergast's narrow hands remove the shoe。 There was a faint noise； a kind of metallic scraping sound； and then the shoe was slipped back onto her foot。 Then she heard a low tapping； as if the iron cuffs were being struck together。
〃What are you doing？〃
〃Be very quiet。〃
Despite her best efforts； she felt the terror begin to rise again； overwhelming her mind。 There hadn't been any sounds from outside for several minutes。 She stifled another sob。 〃Bill…〃
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