pdouglas.thecodex-第4部分

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　Philip　said　icily；　〃That's　a　charming　way　of　putting　it。　I　suppose　that's　possible。〃
　Barnaby　broke　in　smoothly。　〃But　with　a　collection　like　this；　Philip；　wouldn't　he　have　made　arrangements　to　leave　it　to　a　museum？〃
　〃Maxwell　Broadbent　loathed　museums。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Museums　had　taken　the　lead　in　criticizing　our　father's　somewhat　unorthodox　collecting　practices。〃
　〃Which　were？〃
　〃Buying　artwork　of　dubious　provenance；　dealing　with　tomb　robbers　and　looters；　smuggling　antiquities　across　borders。　He　even　robbed　tombs　himself。　I　can　appreciate　his　antipathy。　Museums　are　bastions　of　hypocrisy；　greed；　and　cupidity。　They　criticize　in　everyone　else　the　very　methods　they　themselves　employed　to　get　their　collections。〃
　〃What　about　leaving　the　collection　to　a　university？〃
　〃He　hated　academics。　Tweedy…dums　and　tweedy…dees；　he　called　them。　The　academics；　especially　the　archaeologists；　accused　Maxwell　Broadbent　of　looting　temples　in　Central　America。　I'm　not　spilling　any　family　secrets　here：　It's　a　well…known　story。　You　can　pick　up　just　about　any　copy　of　Archaeology　magazine　and　read　about　how　our　father　was　their　version　of　the　devil　incarnate。〃
　〃Was　he　planning　to　sell　the　collection？〃　Barnaby　pushed　on。
　Philip's　lip　curled　with　contempt。　〃Sell？　My　father　had　to　deal　with　auction　houses　and　art　dealers　all　his　life。　He　would　die　the　death　of　a　thousand　cuts　before　he'd　consign　them　one　mediocre　print　to　sell。〃
　〃So　he　planned　to　leave　it　all　to　you　three？〃
　There　was　an　awkward　silence。　〃That；〃　said　Philip　finally；　〃was　the　assumption。〃
　Fenton　broke　in。　〃Church？　Wife？　Girlfriend？〃
　Philip　removed　the　pipe　between　his　teeth　and；　in　a　perfect　imitation　of　Fenton's　clipped　style；　answered　him：　〃Atheist。　Divorced。　Misogynist。〃
　The　other　two　brothers　broke　out　laughing。　Hutch　Barnaby　even　found　himself　enjoying　Fenton's　disfort。　It　was　so　rare　that　anyone　got　the　better　of　him　during　an　interrogation。　This　Philip　character；　despite　his　pretensions；　was　tough。　But　there　was　something　sad　in　the　long；　intelligent　face；　something　lost。
　Barnaby　held　out　the　bill　of　lading　for　the　shipment　of　cookware。　〃Any　idea　what　this　is　all　about　or　where　the　stuff　might　have　gone？〃
　They　examined　it；　shook　their　heads；　and　handed　it　back。　〃He　didn't　even　like　to　cook；〃　said　Tom。
　Barnaby　shoved　the　document　into　his　pocket。　〃Tell　me　about　your　father。　Looks；　personality；　character；　business　dealings；　that　sort　of　thing。〃
　It　was　Tom　who　spoke　again。　〃He's　。。。　one　of　a　kind。〃
　〃How　so？〃
　〃He's　a　physical　giant　of　a　man；　six　foot　five；　fit；　handsome；　broad　shoulders；　not　a　trace　of　flab；　white　hair　and　white　beard；　solid　as　a　lion　with　a　roaring　voice　to　match。　People　say　he　looks　like　Hemingway。〃
　〃Personality？〃
　〃He's　the　kind　of　man　who's　never　wrong；　who　rides　roughshod　over　everyone　and　everything　to　get　what　he　wants。　He　lives　by　his　own　rules　in　life。　He　never　graduated　high　school；　but　he　knows　more　about　art　and　archaeology　than　most　Ph。D's。　Collecting　is　his　religion。　He　despises　other　people's　religious　beliefs；　and　that's　one　reason　why　he　takes　so　much　pleasure　in　buying　and　selling　things　stolen　from　tombs…and　robbing　tombs　himself。〃
　〃Tell　me　more　about　this　tomb　robbing。〃
　Philip　spoke　this　time；　〃Maxwell　Broadbent　was　born　into　a　working…class　family。　He　went　to　Central　America　when　he　was　young　and　disappeared　into　the　jungle　for　two　years。　He　made　a　big　discovery；　robbed　some　Mayan　temple；　and　smuggled　the　stuff　back。　That's　how　he　got　started。　He　was　a　dealer　in　questionable　art　and　antiquities…everything　from　Greek　and　Roman　statues　that　had　been　spirited　out　of　Europe　to　Khmer　reliefs　chiseled　out　of　Cambodian　funerary　temples　to　Renaissance　paintings　stolen　in　Italy　during　the　war。　He　dealt　not　to　make　money　but　to　finance　his　own　collecting。〃
　〃Interesting。〃
　〃Maxwell's　methods；〃　Philip　said；　〃were　really　the　only　way　a　person　nowadays　could　acquire　truly　great　art。　There　probably　wasn't　a　single　piece　in　his　collection　that　was　clean。〃
　Vernon　spoke：　〃He　once　robbed　a　tomb　that　had　a　curse　on　it。　He　quoted　it　at　cocktail　parties。〃
　〃A　curse？　What　did　it　say？〃
　〃Something　like　He　who　disturbs　these　hones　shall　he　skinned　alive　and　fed　to　diseased　hyenas。　And　then　a　herd　of　asses　will　copulate　with　his　mother。　Or　words　to　that　effect。〃
　Fenton　let　a　laugh　escape。
　Barnaby　shot　him　a　cautionary　glance。　He　directed　his　next　question　to　Philip；　now　that　he　had　the　man　talking。　Funny　how　people　liked　to　plain　about　their　parents。　〃What　made　him　tick？〃
　Philip　frowned；　his　broad　brow　furrowing。　〃It　was　like　this。　Maxwell　Broadbent　loved　his　Lippi　Madonna　more　than　he　loved　any　real　woman。　He　loved　his　Bronzino　portrait　of　little　Bia　de'　Medici　more　than　he　loved　any　of　his　real　children。　He　loved　his　two　Braques；　his　Monet；　and　his　Mayan　jade　skulls　more　than　the　real　people　in　his　life。　He　worshiped　his　collection　of　thirteenth…century　French　reliquaries　containing　the　alleged　bones　of　saints　more　than　he　worshiped　any　real　saint。　His　collections　were　his　lovers；　his　children；　and　his　religion。　That's　what　made　him　tick：　beautiful　things。〃
　〃None　of　that's　true；〃　said　Vernon。　〃He　loved　us。〃
　Philip　gave　a　little　snort　of　derision。
　〃You　say　he　was　divorced　from　your　mother？〃
　〃You　mean　our　mothers？　He　was　divorced　from　two　of　them；　widowed　by　the　other。　There　were　also　two　other　wives　he　didn't　breed　with　and　any　number　of　girlfriends。〃
　Any　fights　over　alimony？〃　Fenton　asked。
　〃Naturally；〃　said　Philip。　〃Alimony；　palimony；　it　never　ended。〃
　〃But　he　raised　you　kids　himself？〃
　Philip　paused；　then　said；　〃In　his　own　unique　way；　yes。〃
　The　words　hung　in　the　air。　Barnaby　wondered　just　what　kind　of　father　he　might　have　been。　Better　stick　to　the　main　thread：　He　was　running　out　of　time。　The　SOC　boys　would　be　here　any　moment；　and　then　he'd　be　lucky　ever　to　set　foot　on　the　crime　scene　again。
　〃Any　woman　in　his　life　now？〃
　〃Only　for　purposes　of　mild　physical　activity　in　the　evening；〃　said　Philip。　〃She　will　get　nothing；　I　assure　you。〃
　Tom　broke　in。　〃Do　you　think　our　father　is　okay？〃
　〃To　be　honest；　I　haven't　seen　any　evidence　of　a　murder　here。　We　didn't　find　a　body　in　the　house。〃
　〃Could　they　have　kidnapped　him？〃
　Barnaby　shook　his　head。　〃Not　likely。　Why　deal　with　a　hostage？〃　He　glanced　at　his　watch。　Five；　maybe　seven　minutes　left。　Time　to　ask　the　question。　〃Insured？〃　He　made　it　sound　as　casual　as　possible。
　A　dark　look　passed　over　Philip's　face。　〃No。〃
　Even　Barnaby　couldn't　hide　his　surprise。　〃No？〃
　〃Last　year　I　tried　to　arrange　for　insurance。　No　one　would　cover　the　collection　as　long　as　it　was　kept　in　this　house　with　this　security　environment。　You　can　see　for　yourself　how　vulnerable　the　place　is。〃
　〃Why　didn't　your　father　upgrade　his　security？〃
　〃Our　father　was　a　very　difficult　man。　No　one　could　tell　him　what　to　do。　He　had　a　lot　of　guns　in　the　house。　I　guess　he　thought　he　could　fight　'em　off；　Wild　West　style。〃
　Barnaby　shuffled　through　his　notes　and　checked　his　watch　again。　He　was　disturbed。　The　pieces　were　not　fitting　together。　He　was　sure　it　wasn't　a　simple　robbery；　but　without　insurance；　why　rob　yourself？　Then　there　was　the　coincidence　of　the　letter　to　the　sons；　calling　them　in　for　this　meeting　at　just　this　moment。　He　recalled　the　letter　。。。　a　very　important　matter　affecting　your　future　。。。　very　disappointed　if　you　do　not　e　。。。　There　was　something　suggestive　about　the　wording。
　〃What　was　in　the　vault？〃
　〃Don't　tell　me　they　got　into　the　vault；　too！〃　Philip　dabbed　at　his　sweating　face　with　a　trembling　hand。　His　suit　had　wilted；　and　the　devastation　on　his　face　looked　genuine。
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Oh；　God。　It　held　gemstones；　jewelry；　South　and　Central　American　gold；　rare　coins　and　stamps；　all　extremely　valuable。〃
　〃The　burglars　seem　to　have　had　the　bination　to　the　vault　as　well　as　keys　to　everything。　Any　idea　how？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Did　your　father　have　anyone　he　trusted…a　lawyer；　for　example…who　might　have　kept　a　second　set　of　keys　or　had　the　bination　to　the　vault？〃
　〃He　trusted　nobody。〃
　This　was　an　important　point。　Barnaby　looked　at　Vernon　and　Tom。　〃You　agree？〃
　They　both　nodded。
　〃Did　he　have　a　maid？〃
　〃He　had　a　woman　who　came　daily。〃
　〃Gardener？〃
　〃A　full…time　man。〃
　〃Any　others？〃
　〃He　employed　a　full…time　cook　and　a　nurse　who　looked　in　three　days　a　week。〃
　Fenton　now　interrupted；　leaning　forward　and　smiling　in　that　feral　way　of　his。　〃Mind　if　I　ask　you　a　question；　Philip？〃
　〃If　you　must。〃
　〃How　e　you're　talking　about　your　father　in　the　past　tense？　You　know　something　we　don't？〃
　〃Oh；　for　God's　sake！〃　Philip　exploded。　〃Who　will　rid　me　of　this　Sherlock　Holmes　manqué？〃
　〃Fenton？〃　murmured　Barnaby；　casting　him　a　warning　glance。
　Fenton　looked　over　and　saw　Barnaby's　look；　and　his　face　fell。　〃Sorry。〃
　Barnaby　asked；　〃Where　are　they　now？〃
　〃Where　are　who？〃
　〃Maid；　gardener；　cook。　This　robbery　took　place　two　weeks　ago。　Somebody　dismissed　the　help。〃
　Tom　said；　〃The　robbery　occurred　two　weeks　ago？〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃But　I　only　got　my　letter　by　Federal　Express　three　days　ago。〃
　This　was　interesting。　〃Did　any　of　you　notice　the　sender's　address？〃
　〃It　was　some　kind　of　drop…shipping　place；　like　Mail　Boxes　Etc。；〃　said　Tom。
　B