lrh.fortuneoffear-第56部分

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　　　〃Mamie；〃　she　said；　〃it　has　happened。　I've　got　to　have　your　advice。〃
　　　〃Certainly；　dearie。　You　just　tell　Mama　Mamie。〃
　　　〃He　is　so　disturbed　that　I　am　absolutely　certain　he　has　bee　infatuated　with　another　woman　and　it　may　hold　him　on　this　planet。　We　are　not　married　yet。　I　MUST　get　him　away。　What　should　I　do？〃
　　　〃Scratch　her　eyes　out；〃　said　Mamie；　promptly。
　　　〃Hmm；〃　said　the　Countess　Krak。　〃Well；　thank　you。　I　was　just　checking　to　see　how　it　was　done　on　this　planet。　How　is　business？〃
　　　〃Just　fine；　dear。　Now　that　my　name　is　up　in　lights；　we're　playing　to　a　full　house　every　night。　Don't　you　worry　your　pretty　head　about　this　place；　dear。　I've　got　these　stage…door　Johnnies　shovelling　out　the　diamonds　like　a　rainstorm。　That's　a　mighty　cute　sailor　you　got　there。　You　just　get　that　（bleepch）　under　your　fingernails　and　rip　away。　And　give　her　a　kick　in　the　slats　for　me。　Never　let　a　good　man　get　away；　dear。　They're　（bleeped）　hard　to　find！〃
　　　I　went　into　alarm。　This　was　not　ing　out　the　way　I　had　expected。　And　although　I　had　always　suspected　that　when　women　talked　privately　together　they　plotted　things；　I　had　never　understood　their　conversation　was　that　bloodthirsty。
　　　Oh；　I　would　have　to　watch　this　carefully。
　　　And　then　I　experienced　a　surge　of　hope。　Maybe　I　could　get　the　Countess　Krak　for　murder！

Chapter　3

　　　She　was　on　the　phone　again。　She　got　the　number　of　Empire　University　and　asked　for　Miss　Simmons。
　　　Of　course　they　didn't　know　which　〃Miss　Simmons〃　amongst　all　their　18；005　students　and　5；002　faculty。　The　young　man　said　so　with　some　asperity。
　　　〃This　is　a　life…and…death　matter　about　one　of　her　students；〃　said　the　Countess。
　　　〃Then　she　must　be　a　teacher；〃　said　the　young　man's　voice。　〃What　does　she　teach？〃
　　　〃Nature　Appreciation；〃　said　Krak。
　　　〃Wait　a　minute；　please。〃　Then　he　came　back　on　the　line。　〃You　must　mean　Jane　Simmons；　Ph。D。；　D。Ed。；　Teachers　College。　She　teaches　Nature　Appreciation　101　and　104　also。〃
　　　〃Does　she　have　a　student　named　Jerome　Terrance　Wister？〃
　　　〃Thank　God　for　puters。　Yes；　ma'am。　But　it　says　here　that　she's　remending　he　be　expelled。〃
　　　〃Dangerous　stuff；　hate；〃　said　the　Countess。
　　　〃I　beg　pardon？〃
　　　〃I　said；　what　is　her　home　address　so　I　can　advise　the　next　of　kin？〃
　　　〃It's　that　bad；　is　it？〃　said　the　young　man。　And　he　gave　it　to　her　very　promptly。　It　was　in　Morningside　Heights。
　　　The　Countess　Krak　opened　up　the　wardrobe。　She　looked　over　her　clothes。　She　chose　a　scarlet　suit　with　an　enormous　pearl　button　holding　the　jacket　closed。　She　got　out　some　red　gloves　and　red　Moroccan　leather　boots。
　　　Murder。　She　obviously　planned　murder！
　　　Over　it　all　she　draped　a　black　sable　short　cape。　That　confirmed　it。　She　looked　just　like　an　assassin　pilot　to　me。　Visions　of　her　red　heels　stamping　that　yellow…man　into　the　floor　back　at　Spiteos　swam　around　me。　Frantically；　I　wondered　what　I　could　do。
　　　The　sickening　realization　that　I　was　about　to　lose　an　ally　made　me　feel　faint。　And　I　had　so　carefully　prepared　it　all；　too。
　　　Then　I　realized　I　could　call　my　friend　Police　Inspector　Bulldog　Grafferty。　I　knew　where　the　murder　would　occur。　Maybe　I　could　get　her　walked　in　on　red…handed；　with　the　corpse　of　Miss　Simmons　still　quivering　in　its　pools　of　mangled　blood。
　　　The　Countess　then　got　down　a　shopping　case；　a　black　plastic　one；　of　a　kind　that　had　lately　e　in　fashion。　She　grabbed　several　items　off　a　shelf　so　quickly　I　could　not　see　what　they　were。　And　then　she　did　a　thing　which　shot　my　alarm　right　up　to　fascinated　horror。
　　　She　got　down　a　hypnohelmet　and　put　it　in！　Deoxygenated　as　I　was　from　lack　of　air　in　that　closet；　dizzy　from　paint　fumes　and　plagued　with　fleas；　I　did　not　gather　in　the　first　moments　the　full　import　of　this　action。　Then　I　understood　pletely　because　it　was　exactly　what　I　would　do。
　　　She　was　going　to　get　Miss　Simmons；　under　hypnosis；　to　write　a　suicide　note　and　then　she　was　going　to　stamp　her　into　the　rug！
　　　My　hair　stood　on　end！　The　Countess　Krak　was　going　to　mit　murder　and　then　get　off　scot…free！　Only　if　she　were　caught　in　the　act　could　the　crime　be　detected！　Here　was　a　convicted　murderess　waltzing　about　New　York；　slaughtering　at　will！　And　only　I　knew　about　it！
　　　I　suddenly　realized　that　I　COULD　act。　That　helmet　she　had　wouldn't　operate　at　all　if　I　were　within　a　mile　or　two　of　the　place。　The　relay　breaker　switch　in　my　head　would　make　it　inoperative。　I　didn't　have　to　e　close　to　Krak；　only　within　a　mile　or　so。　And　meanwhile　I　could　call　Grafferty　and　get　him　there；　if　not　in　time　to　save　Simmons；　at　least　in　time　to　catch　Krak　in　the　act。
　　　But　that　address　was　more　than　four　miles　away　from　where　I　was；　near　Rockecenter　Plaza。　I　must　hurry！
　　　I　rose　up　and　thrust　against　the　closet　door。
　　　IT　DIDN'T　OPEN！
　　　I　pounded　on　it。
　　　The　awful　pounding　that　was　going　on　in　the　apartment　was　drowning　all　my　hammering　from　within　the　closet。　I　pounded　louder。　They　pounded　louder。　I　yelled。　They　started　yelling　at　each　other　to　be　heard　above　the　din。
　　　I　put　my　shoulder　to　the　door　and　pushed　with　all　my　might。　All　I　got　was　some　wet　paint　on　me。　I　realized　they　must　have　piled　all　the　furniture　against　the　door。
　　　I　was　TRAPPED！
　　　The　nausea　of　claustrophobia　gripped　me。　The　only　thing　I　hate　worse　than　space　is　no　space。　I　got　all　confused。　The　naked　electric　light　bulb　hanging　there　began　to　look　like　a　sun　trying　to　suck　me　in。
　　　I　covered　up　my　eyes。　I　knew　I　would　have　to　get　a　grip　on　myself。　My　world　was　ing　to　pieces　but　that　didn't　mean　I　had　to　e　to　pieces；　too。　Or　did　it？
　　　Gradually　I　managed　to　choke　back　the　screams　rising　in　my　throat　until　they　were　only　faint　yips。　That　was　better。
　　　Think！　I　must　THINK！
　　　I　peered　at　her　viewer。　More　time　had　gone　by　than　I　had　thought。　She　was　riding　on　a　subway　train。　It　made　her　seem　magical。　How　had　she　gotten　from　the　secretary's　boudoir　onto　a　subway　train　so　quick？　Then　I　remembered　that　the　station　was　right　in　the　basement　of　the　Empire　State　Building。
　　　I　beat　my　head　with　my　fist。　That　helped。
　　　THE　RADIO！
　　　I　had　that　radio　in　here！　This　time　I　remembered　to　push　the　top　button。
　　　Raht　answered。
　　　〃Get　on　the　phone　at　once；〃　I　said。　〃Call　Police　Inspector　Bulldog　Grafferty　and　tell　him　there's　going　to　be　a　woman　murdered　in　Apartment　21；　352　Bogg　Street；　Morningside　Heights；　within　the　next　hour。　Tell　him　to　be　there！〃
　　　〃Is　this　urgent？〃
　　　Oh；　I　could　have　killed　him！〃You　slip　up　on　this　and　I'll　give　your　name　to　Madison　as　a　client！〃
　　　〃Who　is　going　to　murder　whom？〃　said　Raht。　〃How　can　you　tell　all　the　way　out　there　in　Africa？〃
　　　〃Are　you　going　to　make　that　phone　call　or　aren't　you？〃　I　seethed。　〃The　assassin　pilot　is　on　the　way　right　this　minute！　The　murdered　woman　will　be　found　stamped　into　the　rug！〃
　　　〃You　seem　a　little　overwrought；　Officer　Gris。〃
　　　〃Not　as　overwrought　as　you'll　be　if　I　put　a　Colt。44　Magnum　through　your　worthless　skull！〃
　　　〃Oh；　you're　down　near　Rockecenter　Plaza。〃
　　　（Bleep）　him！　He'd　been　holding　me　on　the　line　to　be　able　to　read　the　distance　and　direction　meter　on　the　radio　top！〃Repeat　that　message！〃　I　screamed　at　him。
　　　He　repeated　it　all　back　very　precisely；　the　way　spies　are　trained　to　do。
　　　〃Now　listen；　you　bulge…brained　（bleepard）；　if　police　don't　appear　there　to　catch　that　murderer　with　the　corpse　within　the　hour；　you'll　be　turning　in　your　head。〃
　　　〃Oh；　I'll　take　care　of　it；　Officer　Gris。　I'm　on　my　way。〃
　　　I　hunched　down　on　the　floor。　I　watched　Krak's　viewer　with　horrible　fascination　as　she　rode　the　subway　to　her　appointment　with　doom。　Hers。
　　　There　was　every　chance　that　I　would　soon　be　rid　of　thai　vicious　female；　the　murderous　Countess　Krak。

Chapter　4

　　　The　neighborhood　in　Morningside　Heights　was　not　too　bad。　It　was　full　of　winter…dead　trees　and　peopled　with　rather　well…dressed　but　sullen　kids；　who　watched　the　Countess　Krak　go　by　in　total　conviction　that　she　was　a　truant　officer　in　disguise　and　was　about　to　blow　the　whistle　on　them　all。　And　Krak's　purposeful　progress　could　not　have　done　otherwise　than　give　that　impression。　Gods；　I　thought；　how　they　would　have　screamed　and　run　had　they　known　they　watched　a　murderer　on　the　brink　of　bloody　slaughter。　Even　the　streetwise　kids　of　north　Manhattan　would　not　have　been　able　to　stomach　what　I　was　sure　was　about　to　occur。
　　　The　grim　pound　of　her　boots　halted　before　an　apartment　house　that　bore　the　number　352。　It　was　not　a　shabby　apartment　house：　Miss　Simmons　must　have　some　ine　of　her　own。　There　was　no　doorman；　but　the　brass　mailboxes　shone。　And　there　it　was；　right　there　on　number　21；　the　nameplate：
　　　Miss　Jane　Simmons
　　　It　meant　she　lived　alone！　Gods；　wasn't　anything　going　to　stand　between　the　Countess　Krak　and　this　awful　crime？　Ah；　yes；　there　was。　Police　Inspector　Grafferty　would　soon　be　on　his　way。
　　　Unsuspecting　of　the　trap　I　had　set　for　her；　the　Countess　Krak　pushed　the　buzzer。　I　was　torn　between　hoping
　　　Miss　Simmons；　who　must　have　been　at　the　UN；　had　not　yet　returned　home　and　savagely　hoping　that　she　was；　so　Grafferty　could　catch　this　Manco　Devil　in　the　very　act　of　mangling