rc.theladyinthelake-第18部分

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　　I　went　farther　into　the　room　and　stood　peering　around　and　listening　and　hearing　nothing　except　those　fixed　sounds　belonging　to　the　house　and　having　nothing　to　do　with　the　humans　in　it。　I　started　along　the　rug　towards　the　archway　at　the　back。
　　A　hand　in　a　glove　appeared　on　the　slope　of　the　white　metal　railing；　at　the　edge　of　the　archway；　where　the　stairs　went　down。　It　appeared　and　stopped。
　　It　moved　and　a　woman's　hat　showed；　then　her　head。　The　woman　came　quietly　up　the　stairs。　She　came　all　the　way　up；　turned　through　the　arch　and　still　didn't　seem　to　see　me。　She　was　a　slender　woman　of　uncertain　age；　with　untidy　brown　hair；　a　scarlet　mess　of　a　mouth；　too　much　rouge　on　her　cheekbones；　shadowed　eyes。　She　wore　a　blue　tweed　suit　that　looked　like　the　dickens　with　the　purple　hat　that　was　doing　its　best　to　hang　on　to　the　side　of　her　head。
　　She　saw　me　and　didn't　stop　or　change　expression　in　the　slightest　degree。　She　came　slowly　on　into　the　room；　holding　her　right　hand　away　from　her　body。　Her　left　hand　wore　the　brown　glove　I　had　seen　on　the　railing。　The　right　hand　glove　that　matched　it　was　wrapped　around　the　butt　of　a　small　automatic。
　　She　stopped　then　and　her　body　arched　back　and　a　quick　distressful　sound　came　out　of　her　mouth。　Then　she　giggled；　a　high　nervous　giggle。　She　pointed　the　gun　at　me；　and　came　steadily　on。
　　I　kept　on　looking　at　the　gun　and　not　screaming。
　　The　woman　came　close。　When　she　was　close　enough　to　be　confidential　she　pointed　the　gun　at　my　stomach　and　said：　〃All　I　wanted　was　my　rent。　The　place　seems　well　taken　care　of。　Nothing　broken。　He　has　always　been　a　good　tidy　careful　tenant。　I　just　didn't　want　him　to　get　too　far　behind　in　the　rent。〃　A　fellow　with　a　kind　of　strained　and　unhappy　voice　said　politely：　〃How　far　behind　is　he？〃
　　〃Three　months；〃　she　said。　〃Two　hundred　and　forty　dollars。　Eighty　dollars　is　very　reasonable　for　a　place　as　well　furnished　as　this。　I've　had　a　little　trouble　collecting　before；　but　it　always　came　out　very　well。　He　promised　me　a　check　this　morning。　Over　the　telephone。　I　mean　he　promised　to　give　it　to　me　this　morning。〃
　　〃Over　the　telephone；〃　I　said。　〃This　morning。〃　I　shuffled　around　a　bit　in　an　inconspicuous　sort　of　way。　The　idea　was　to　get　close　enough　to　make　a　side　swipe　at　the　gun；　knock　it　outwards；　and　then　jump　in　fast　before　she　could　bring　it　back　in　line。　I've　never　had　a　lot　of　luck　with　the　technique；　but　you　have　to　try　it　once　in　a　while。　This　looked　like　the　time　to　try　it。
　　I　made　about　six　inches；　but　not　nearly　enough　for　a　first　down。　I　said：　〃And　you're　the　owner？〃　I　didn't　look　at　the　gun　directly。　I　had　a　faint；　a　very　faint　hope　that　she　didn't　know　she　was　pointing　it　at　me。
　　〃Why；　certainly。　I'm　Mrs。　Fallbrook。　Who　did　you　think　I　was？〃
　　〃Well；　I　thought　you　might　be　the　owner；〃　I　said。　〃You　talking　about　the　rent　and　all。　But　I　didn't　know　your　name。〃　Another　eight　inches。　Nice　smooth　work。　It　would　be　a　shame　to　have　it　wasted。
　　〃And　who　are　you；if　I　may　enquire？〃
　　〃I　just　came　about　the　car　payment；〃　I　said。　〃The　door　was　open　just　a　teensy　weensy　bit　and　I　kind　of　shoved　in。　I　don't　know　why。〃　'　I　made　a　face　like　a　man　from　the　finance　pany　ing　about　the　car　payment。　Kind　of　tough；　but　ready　to　break　into　a　sunny　smile。
　　〃You　mean　Mr。　Lavery　is　behind　in　his　car　payments？〃　she　asked；　looking　worried。
　　〃A　little。　Not　a　great　deal；〃　I　said　soothingly。
　　I　was　all　set　now。　I　had　the　reach　and　I　ought　to　have　the　speed。　All　it　needed　was　a　clean　sharp　sweep　inside　the　gun　and　outward。　I　started　to　take　my　foot　out　of　the　rug。
　　〃You　know；〃　she　said；　〃it's　funny　about　this　gun。　I　found　it　on　the　stairs。　Nasty　oily　things；　aren't　they？　And　the　stair　carpet　is　a　very　nice　gray　chenille。　Quite　expensive。〃　And　she　handed　me　the　gun。
　　My　hand　went　out　for　it；　as　stiff　as　an　eggshell；　almost　as　brittle。　I　took　the　gun。　She　sniffed　with　distaste　at　the　glove　which　had　been　wrapped　around　the　butt。　She　went　on　talking　in　exactly　the　same　tone　of　cockeyed　reasonableness。　My　knees　cracked；　relaxing。
　　〃Well；　of　course　it's　much　easier　for　you；〃　she　said。　〃About　the　car；　I　mean。　You　can　just　take　it　away；　if　you　have　to。　But　taking　a　house　with　nice　furniture　in　it　isn't　so　easy。　It　takes　time　and　money　to　evict　a　tenant。　There　is　apt　to　be　bitterness　and　things　get　damaged；　sometimes　on　purpose。　The　rug　on　this　floor　cost　over　two　hundred　dollars；　second　hand。　It's　only　a　jute　rug；　but　it　has　a　lovely　coloring；　don't　you　think？　You'd　never　know　it　was　only　jute；　secondhand。　But　that's　silly　too　because　they're　always　secondhand　after　you've　used　them。　And　I　walked　over　here　too；　to　save　my　tires　for　the　government。　I　could　have　taken　a　bus　part　way；　but　the　darn　things　never　e　along　except　going　in　the　wrong　direction。〃　I　hardly　heard　what　she　said。　It　was　like　surf　breaking　beyond　a　point；　out　of　sight。　The　gun　had　my　interest。
　　I　broke　the　magazine　out。　It　was　empty。　I　turned　the　gun　and　looked　into　the　breech。　That　was　empty　too。　I　sniffed　the　muzzle。　It　reeked。
　　I　dropped　the　gun　into　my　pocket。　A　six…shot　。25　caliber　automatic。　Emptied　out。　Shot　empty；　and　not　too　long　ago。　But　not　in　the　last　half　hour　either。
　　〃Has　it　been　fired？〃　Mrs。　Fallbrook　enquired　pleasantly。　〃I　certainly　hope　not。〃
　　〃Any　reason　why　it　should　have　been　fired？〃　I　asked　her。　The　voice　was　steady；　but　the　brain　was　still　bouncing。
　　〃Well；　it　was　lying　on　the　stairs；〃　she　said。　〃After　all；　people　do　fire　them。〃
　　〃How　true　that　is；〃　I　said。　〃But　Mr。　Lavery　probably　had　a　hole　in　his　pocket。　He　isn't　home；　is　he？〃
　　〃Oh　no。〃　She　shook　her　head　and　looked　disappointed。　〃And　I　don't　think　it's　very　nice　of　him。　He　promised　me　the　check　and　I　walked　over〃
　　〃When　was　it　you　phoned　him？〃　I　asked。
　　〃Why；　yesterday　evening。〃　She　frowned；　not　liking　so　many　questions。
　　〃He　must　have　been　called　away；〃　I　said。
　　She　stared　at　a　spot　between　my　big　brown　eyes。
　　〃Look；　Mrs。　Fallbrook；〃　I　said。　〃Let's　not　kid　around　any　longer；　Mrs。　Fallbrook。　Not　that　I　don't　love　it。　And　not　that　I　like　to　say　this。　But　you　didn't　shoot　him；　did　you…on　account　of　he　owed　you　three　months'　rent？〃　She　sat　down　very　slowly　on　the　edge　of　a　chair　and　worked　the　tip　of　her　tongue　along　the　scarlet　slash　of　her　mouth。
　　〃Why；　what　a　'perfectly　horrid　suggestion；〃　she　said　angrily。　〃I　don't　think　you　are　nice　at　all。　Didn't　you　say　the　gun　had　not　been　fired？〃
　　〃All　guns　have　been　fired　sometime。　All　guns　have　been　loaded　sometime。　This　one　is　not　loaded　now。〃
　　〃Well；　then〃　she　made　an　impatient　gesture　and　sniffed　at　her　oily　glove。
　　〃Okay；　my　idea　was　wrong。　Just　a　gag　anyway。　Mr。　Lavery　was　out　and　you　went　through　the　house。　Being　the　owner；　you　have　a　key。　Is　that　correct？〃
　　〃I　didn't　mean　to　be　interfering；〃　she　said；　biting　a　finger。　〃Perhaps　I　ought　not　to　have　done　it。　But　I　have　a　right　to　see　how　things　are　kept。〃
　　〃Well；　you　looked。　And　you're　sure　he's　not　here？〃
　　〃I　didn't　look　under　the　beds　or　in　the　icebox；〃　she　said　coldly。　〃I　called　out　from　the　top　of　the　stairs　when　he　didn't　answer　my　ring。　Then　I　went　down　to　the　lower　hall　and　called　out　again。　I　even　peeped　into　the　bedroom。〃　She　lowered　her　eyes　as　if　bashfully　and　twisted　a　hand　on　her　knee。
　　〃Well；　that's　that；〃　I　said。
　　She　nodded　brightly。　〃Yes；　that's　that。'　And　what　did　you　say　your　name　was？〃
　　〃Vance；〃　I　said。　〃Philo　Vance。〃
　　〃And　what　pany　are　you　employed　with；　Mr。　Vance？〃
　　〃I'm　out　of　work　right　now；〃　I　said。　〃Until　the　police　missioner　gets　into　a　jam　again。〃　She　looked　startled。　〃But　you　said　you　came　about　a　car　payment。〃
　　〃That's　just　part…time　work；〃　I　said。　〃A　fill…in　job。〃　She　rose　to　her　feet　and　looked　at　me　steadily。　Her　voice　was　cold　saying：　〃Then　in　that　case　I　think　you　had　better　leave　now。〃　I　said：　〃I　thought　I　might　take　a　look　around　first；　if　you　don't　mind。　There　might　be　something　you　missed。〃
　　〃I　don't　think　that　is　necessary；〃　she　said。　〃This　is　my　house。　I'll　thank　you　to　leave　now；　Mr。　Vance。〃　I　said：　〃And　if　I　don't　leave；　you'll　get　somebody　who　will。　Take　a　chair　again；　Mrs。　Falibrook。　I'll　just　glance　through。　This　gun；　you　know；　is　kind　of　queer。〃
　　〃But　I　told　you　I　found　it　lying　on　the　stairs；〃　she　said　angrily。　〃I　don't　know　anything　else　about　it。　I　don't　know　anything　about　guns　at　all。　I…I　never　shot　one　in　my　life。〃　She　opened　a　large　blue　bag　and　pulled　a　handkerchief　out　of　it　and　sniffled。
　　〃That's　your　story；〃　I　said。　〃I　don't　have　to　get　stuck　with　it。〃　She　put　her　left　hand　out　to　me　with　a　pathetic　gesture；　like　the　erring　wife　in　_East　Lynne_。
　　〃Oh；　I　shouldn't　have　e　ins〃　she　cried。　〃It　was　horrid　of　me。　I　know　it　was。　Mr。　Lavery　will　be　furious。〃
　　〃What　you　shouldn't　have　done；〃　I　said；　〃was　let　me　find　out　the　gun　was　empty。　Up　to　then　you　were　holding　everything　in　the　deck。〃　She　stamped　her　foot。　That　was　all　the　scene　lacked。　That　made　it　perfect。
　　〃Why；　you　perfectly　loathsome　man；〃　she　squawked。　〃Don't　you　dare　touch　me！　Don't　you　take　a　single　step　towards　me！　I　won't　stay　in　this　house　another　minute　with　you。　How　dare　you　be　so　insulting〃　She　caught　her　voice　and　snapped　it　in　mid…air　like　a　rubber　band。　Then　she　put　her