(完整版)BlackmailArthurHailey課件打印

PAGE

1

BlackmailArthurHailey

○1Thechiefhouseofficer,Ogilvie,whohaddeclaredhewouldappearattheCroydonssuiteanhourafterhiscryptictelephonecallactuallytooktwicethattime.AsaresultthenervesofboththeDukeandDuchesswereexcessivelyfrayedwhenthemutedbuzzeroftheouterdooreventuallysounded.

○2TheDuchesswenttothedoorherself.Earliershehaddispatchedhermaidonaninventederrandand,cruelly,instructedthemoon-facedmalesecretary–whowasterrifiedofdogs–toexercisetheBedlingtonterriers.Herowntensionwasnotlessenedbytheknowledgethatbothmightreturnatanymoment.

○3AwaveofcigarsmokeaccompaniedOgilviein.Whenhehadfollowedhertothelivingroom,theDuchesslookedpointedlyatthehalf-burnedcigarinthefatman?smouth.“MyhusbandandIfindstrongsmokeoffensive.Wouldyoukindlyputthatout."

○4Thehousedetective'spiggyeyessurveyedhersardonicallyfromhisgrossjowledface.Hisgazemovedontosweepthespacious,well-appointedroom,encompassingtheDukewhofacedthemuncertainly,hisbacktoawindow.

○5"Prettyneatset-upyoufolksgot.”Takinghistime,Ogilvieremovedtheoffendingcigar,knockedofftheashandflippedthebutttowardanornamentalfireplaceonhisright.Hemissed,andthebuttfelluponthecarpetwhereheignoredit.

○6TheDuchess'slipstightened.Shesaidsharply,imagineyoudidnotcomeheretodiscussdécor".

○7Theobesebodyshookinanappreciativechuckle."No,ma'am,can'tsayIdid.Ilikenicethings,though."Heloweredthelevelofhisincongruousfalsettovoice."Likethatcarofyours.Theoneyoukeephereinthehotel.Jaguar,ain'tit?"

○8"Aah!"Itwasnotaspokenword,butanemissionofbreathfromtheDukeofCroydon.Hiswifeshothimaswift,warningglance.

○9"Inwhatconceivablewaydoesourcarconcernyou?”

○10AsifthequestionfromtheDuchesshadbeenasignal,thehousedetective'smannerchanged.Heinquiredabruptly,"Whoelseisinthisplace?"

○11ItwastheDukewhoanswered,"Noone.Wesentthemout."

○12"There'sthingsitpaystocheck."Movingwithsurprisingspeed,thefatmanwalkedaroundthesuite,openingdoorsandinspectingthespacebehindthem.Obviouslyheknewtheroomarrangementwell.Afterreopeningandclosingtheouterdoor,hereturned,apparentlysatisfied,tothelivingroom.

○13TheDuchesshadseatedherselfinastraight-backedOgilvieremainedstanding.

○14"Nowthen,"hesaid."Youtwowasinthehit-'n-run."

○15Shemethiseyesdirectly."Whatareyoutalkingabout?"

○16"Don'tplaygames,lady.Thisisforreal."Hetookoutafreshcigarandbitofftheend,"Yousawthepapers.There'sbeenplentyonradio,too."

○17TwohighpointsofcolorappearedinthepalenessoftheDuchessofCroydon'scheeks."Whatyouaresuggestingisthemostdisgusting,ridiculous..."

○18"Itoldyou–Cutitout!”Thewordsspatforthwithsuddensavagery,allpretenseofblandnessgone.IgnoringtheDuke,Ogilviewavedtheunlightedcigarunderhisadversary'sadversary'snose."Youlistentome,yourhigh-an'-mightiness.Thiscity'sburnin'mad–cops,mayor,everybodyelse.Whentheyfindwhodonethatlastnight,whokilledthatkidan'itsmother,thenhigh-tailedit,they'llthrowthebook,andnevermindwhoithits,orwhethertheygotfancytitlesneither.NowIknowwhatIknow,andifIdowhatbyrightsIshould,there'llbeasquadofcopsinheresofastyou'llhardlysee'em.ButIcometoyoufirst,infairness,so'syoucouldtellyoursideofittome."Thepiggyeyesblinked,thenhardened."'fyouwantittheotherway,justsayso."

○19TheDuchessofCroydon–threecenturiesandahalfofinbredarrogancebehindher–didnotyieldeasily.Springingtoherfeet,herfacewrathful,gray-greeneyesblazing,shefacedthegrossnessofthehousedetectivesquarely.Hertonewouldhavewitheredanyonewhoknewherwell.“Youunspeakableblackguard!Howdareyou!”

○20Eventheself-assuranceofOgilvieflickeredforaninstant.ButitwastheDukeofCroydonwhointerjected,"It'snogo,oldgirl.I'mafraid.Itwasagoodtry."FacingOgilvie,hesaid,"Whatyouaccuseusofistrue.Iamtoblame.Iwasdrivingthecarandkilledthelittlegirl."

○21"That'smorelikeit,"Ogilviesaid.Helitthefreshcigar."Nowwe'regettingsomewhere."

○22Wearily,inagestureofsurrender,theDuchessofCroydonsankbackintoherchair.Claspingherhandstoconcealtheirtrembling,sheasked."Whatisityouknow?"

○23"Wellnow,I'llspellitout."Thehousedetectivetookhistime,leisurelyputtingacloudofbluecigarsmoke,hiseyessardonicallyontheDuchessasifchallengingherobjection.Butbeyondwrinklinghernoseindistaste,shemadenocomment.

○24OgilviepointedtotheDuke."Lastnight,earlyon,youwenttoLindy'sPlaceinIrishBayou.YoudrovethereinyourfancyJaguar,andyoutookaladyfriend.Leastways,Iguessyou'dcallherthatifyou'renottoofussy."

○25AsOgilvieglanced,grinning,attheDuchess,theDukesaidsharply,"Getonwithit!"

○26"Well"–thesmugfatfaceswungback–"thewayIhearit,youwonahundredatthetables,thenlostitatthebar.Youwereintoasecondhundred–witharealswingingparty–whenyourwifeheregotthereinataxi."

○27"Howdoyouknowallthis?"

○28"I'lltellyou,Duke–I'vebeeninthistownandthishotelalongtime.Igotfriendsallover.Iobligethem;theydothesameforme,likelettingmeknowwhatgives,an?where.Thereain'tmuch,outoftheway,whichpeoplewhostayinthishoteldo,Idon'tgettohearabout.Mostof?emneverknowIknow,orknowme.Theythinktheygottheirlittlesecrettuckedaway,andsotheyhave–exceptlikenow."

○29TheDukesaidcoldly,"Isee."

○30"OnethingI'dliketoknow.Igotacuriousnature,ma?am.How'dyoufigurewherehewas?"

○31TheDuchesssaid,"Youknowsomuch...Isupposeitdoesn'tmatter.Myhusbandhasahabitofmakingnoteswhileheistelephoning.Afterwardheoftenforgetstodestroythem.”

○32Thehousedetectivecluckedhistonguereprovingly."Alittlecarelesshabitlikethat,Duke–lookatthemessitgetsyouin.Well,here'swhatIfigureabouttherest.Youan'yourwifetookoffhome,youdrivin',thoughthewaythingsturnedoutitmighthavebeenbetterifshe'dhavedrove."○33"Mywifedoesn'tdrive."

○34Ogilvienoddedunderstandingly."Explainsthatone.Anyway,Ireckonyouwerelickered(=liquored)up,butgood..."

○35TheDuchessinterrupted."Thenyoudon'tknow!Youdon'tknowanythingforsure!Youcan'tpossiblyprove..."

○36"Lady,IcanproveallIneedto."

○37TheDukecautioned,"Betterlethimfinish,oldgirl."

○38"That'sright,"Ogilviesaid."Justsitan'listen.LastnightIseenyoucomein–throughthebasement,so'snottousethelobby.Lookedrightshaken,too,thepairofyou.Justcomeinmyself,an'Igottowonderingwhy.LikeIsaid,Igotacuriousnature."

○39TheDuchessbreathed,"Goon."

○40"Latelastnightthewordwasoutaboutthehit-'n-run.OnahunchIwentoverthegarageandtookaquietlook-seeatyourcar.Youmaybedon'tknow–it'sawayinacorner,behindapillarwherethejockeysdon'tseeitwhenthey'recomin'by."

○41TheDukelickedhislips."Isupposethatdoesn'tmatternow."

○42"Youmighthavesomethingthere,"Ogilvieconceded."Anyway,whatIfoundmademedosomescouting--acrossatpoliceheadquarterswheretheyknowmetoo."Hepausedtopuffagainatthecigarashislistenerswaitedsilently.Whenthecigartipwasglowingheinspectedit,thencontinued."Overtheretheygotthreethingstogoon.Theygotaheadlighttrimringwhichmustacomeoffwhenthekidan?thewomanwashit.Theygotsomeheadlightglass,andlookin?atthekid'sclothin',theyreckonthere'llbeabrushtrace."

○43"Awhat?"

○44"Yourubclothesagainstsomethinghard,Duchess,speciallyifit'sshinylikeacarfender,say,an'itleavesamarkthesamewayasfingerprints.Thepolicelabkinpickitupliketheydoprints–dustit,an?itshows."

○45"That'sinteresting,"theDukesaid,asifspeakingofsomethingunconnectedwithhimself."Ididn'tknowthat."

○46"Notmanydo.Inthiscase,though,Ireckonitdon'tmakealoto'difference.Onyourcaryougotabustedheadlight,andthetrimring'sgone.Ain'tanydoubtthey'dmatchup,evenwithoutthebrushtracean?theblood.0hyeah,Ishouldatoldyou.There'splentyofblood,thoughitdon'tshowtoomuchontheblackpaint."

○47"Oh,myGod!"Ahandtoherface,theDuchessturnedaway.

○48Herhusbandasked,"Whatdoyouproposetodo?"

○49Thefatmanrubbedhishandstogether,lookingdownathisthick,fleshyfingers."LikeIsaid,Icometohearyoursideofit."

○50TheDukesaiddespairingly,“WhatcanIpossiblysay?Youknowwhathappened.”Hemadeanattempttosquarehisshoulderswhichdidnotsucceed.“You'dbettercallthepoliceandgetitover.”

○51“Wellnow,there'snocallforbeinghasty.”Theincongruousfalsettovoicetookonamusingnote.“What'sdone'sbeendone.Rushinganyplaceain'tgonnabringbackthekidnoritsmotherneither.Besides,whatthey'ddotoyouacrossattheheadquarters,Duke,youwouldn'tlike.Nosir,youwouldn'tlikeitatall.”

○52Theothertwoslowlyraisedtheireyes.

○53“Iwashoping,”O(jiān)gilviesaid,“thatyoufolkscouldsuggestsomething.”

○54TheDukesaiduncertainly,“Idon'tunderstand.”

○55“Iunderstand,”theDuchessofCroydonsaid.“Youwantmoney,don'tyou?Youcameheretoblackmailus.”

○56Ifsheexpectedherwordstoshock,theydidnotsucceed.Thehousedetectiveshrugged.“Whatevernamesyoucallthings,ma'am,don'tmattertome.AllIcomeforwastohelpyoupeopleoutoftrouble.ButIgottolivetoo.”

○57”You'dacceptmoneytokeepsilentaboutwhatyouknow?”

○58”IreckonImight.”

○59”Butfromwhatyousay,”theDuchesspointedout,herpoiseforthemomentrecovered,“itwoulddonogood.Thecarwouldbediscoveredinanycase.”

○60”Iguessyou'dhavetotakethatchance.Butthere'ssomereasonsitmightnotbe.SomethingIain'ttoldyouyet.”

○61“Tellusnow,please.”

○62Ogilviesaid,“Iain'tfiguredthisoutmyselfcompletely.Butwhenyouhitthatkidyouwasgoingawayfromtown,nottoit.”

○63”We'dmadeamistakeintheroute,”theDuchesssaid.“Somehowwe'dbecometurnedaround.It'seasilydoneinNewOrleans,withthestreetwindingastheydo.Afterward,usingsidestreets,wewentback.“

○64“Ithoughtitmightbethat,”O(jiān)gilvienoddedunderstandingly.“Butthepoliceain'tfigureditthatway.They?relookingforsomebodywhowasheadedout.That'swhy,rightnow,they'reworkin'onthesuburbsandtheoutsidetowns.Theymaygetaroundtosearchin'downtown,butitwon'tbeyet.“

○65“Howlongbeforetheydo?”

○66“Maybethree,fourdays.Theygotalotofotherplacestolookfirst.”

○67“Howcouldthathelpusthedelay??”

○68“Itmight,”O(jiān)gilviesaid.“Providin'nobodytwigsthecar–an'seein'whereitis,youmightbeluckythere.An'ifyoucangetitaway.”

○69“Youmeanoutofthestate?”

○70“Imeanouto?theSouth.”

○71“Thatwouldn'tbeeasy?”

○72“No,ma'am.Everystatearound–Texas,Arkansas,Mississippi,Alabama,alltherest'llbewatchingforacardamagedthewayyoursis.”

○73TheDuchessconsidered.“Isthereanypossibilityofhavingrepairsmadefirst?Iftheworkweredonediscreetlywecouldpaywell.“

○74Thehousedetectiveshookhisheademphatically.“Youtrythat,youmightaswellwalkovertoheadquartersrightnowan'giveup.EveryrepairshopinLouisiana'sbeentoldtoholler'cops'theminuteacarneedingfixin'likeyourscomesin.They'ddoit,too.Youpeoplearehot.”

○75TheDuchessofCroydonkeptfirm,tightreinonherracingmind.Itwasessential,sheknew,thatherthinkingremaincalmandreasoned.Inthelastfewminutestheconversationhadbecomeasseeminglycasualasifthediscussionwereofsomeminordomesticmatterandnotsurvivalitself.Sheintendedtokeepitthatway.Oncemore,shewasaware,theroleofleadershiphadfallentoher,herhusbandnowatensebutpassivespectatoroftheexchangebetweentheeviltatmanandherself.Nomatter.Whatwasinevitablemustbeaccepted.Theimportantthingwastoconsideralleventualities.Athoughtoccurredtoher.

○76“Thepiecefromourcarwhichyousaythepolicehave.Whatisitcalled?”

○77“Atrimring.”

○78“Isittraceable?”

○79Ogilvienoddedaffirmatively.“Theycanfigurewhatkindo'carit'sfrommake,model,an'maybetheyear,orclosetoit.Samethingwiththeglass.Butwithyourcarbeingforeign,it'lllikelytakeafewdays.”

○80“Butafterthat,”shepersisted,“thepolicewillknowthey'relookingforaJaguar?”

○81“Ireckonthat'sso.“

○82TodaywasTuesday.Fromallthatthismansaid,theyhaduntilFridayorSaturdayatbest.WithcalculatedcoolnesstheDuchessreasoned:thesituationcamedowntooneessential.Assumingthehotelmanwasboughtoff,theironlychance--aslimone--layinremovingthecarquickly,Ifitcouldbegotnorth,tooneofthebigcitieswheretheNewOrleanstragedyandsearchwouldbeunknown,repairscouldbemadequietly,theincriminatingevidenceremoved.Then,evenifsuspicionsettledontheCroydonslater,nothingcouldbeproved.Buthowtogetthecaraway?

○83Undoubtedlywhatthisoafishdetectivesaidwastrue:AswellasLouisiana,theotherstatesthroughwhichthecarwouldhavetopasswouldbealertandwatchful.Everyhighwaypatrolwouldbeonthelookoutforadamagedhead-lightwithamissingtrimring.Therewouldprobablyberoad-blocks.Itwouldbehardnottofallvictimtosomesharpeyedpoliceman.

○84Butitmightbedone.Ifthecarcouldbedrivenatnightandconcealedbyday.Therewereplentyofplacestopulloffthehighwayandbeunobserved.Itwouhazardous,butnomorethanwaitinghereforcertaindetection.Therewouldbebackroads.Theycouldchooseanunlikelyroutetoavoidattention.

○85Buttherewouldbeothercomplications...andnowwasthetimetoconsiderthem.Travelingbysecondaryroadswouldbedifficultunlessknowingtheterrain.TheCroydonsdidnot.Norwaseitherofthemadeptatusingmaps.Andwhentheystoppedforpetrol,astheywouldhaveto,theirspeechandmannerwouldbetraythem,makingthemconspicuous.Andyet...thesewereriskswhichhadtobetaken.

○86Orhadthey?

○87TheDuchessfacedOgilvie.“Howmuchdoyouwant?”

○88Theabruptnesstookhimbysurprise.“Well...Ifigureyoupeopleareprettywellfixed.”

○89Shesaidcoldly,“Iaskedhowmuch.”

○90Thepiggyeyesblinked.Tenthousanddollars.”

○91Thoughitwastwicewhatshehadexpected,herexpressiondidnotchange.“Assumingwepaidthisgrotesqueamount,whatwouldwereceiveinreturn?”

○92Thefatmanseemedpuzzled.“LikeIsaid,IkeepquietaboutwhatIknow.”

○93“Andthealternative?”

○94Heshrugged.“Igodownthelobby.Ipickupaphone.“

○95“No,”Thestatementwasunequivocal.