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1、BlackmailArthur HaileyThe chief house officer, Ogilvie, who had declared he would appear at theCroydons suite an hour after his cryptic telephone call actually took twice that time. As a result the nerves of both the Duke and Duchess were excessively frayed when the muted buzzer of the outer door ev
2、entually sounded. The Duchess went to the door herself. Earlier she had dispatched her maid on aninven ted errand and, cruelly, in structed the moon-faced male secretary - who was terrified of dogs to exercise the Bedlington terriers. Her own tension was not lessened by the knowledge that both might
3、 return at any moment.3 A wave of cigar smoke accompanied Ogilvie in. When he had followed her tothe living room, the Duchess looked pointedly at the half-burned cigar in the fat mansmouth. “My husband and I find strong smoke offensive. Wouldyou kindly put that out.4 The house detectives piggy eyes
4、surveyed her sardonically from his gross jowled face. His gaze moved on to sweep the spacious, well-appointed room, encompassing the Duke who faced them uncertainly, his back to a window.5 Pretty neat set-up you folks got. ”Taking his time, Ogilvie removed the offending cigar, knocked off the ash an
5、d flipped the butt toward an ornamental fireplace on his right. He missed, and the butt fell upon the carpet where he ignored it. 6 The Duchesss lips tightened. She said sharply, imagine you did not come here to discuss d cof.7 The obese body shook in an appreciative chuckle . No, maam, cant say I d
6、id. I like nice things, though. He lowered the level of his incongruous falsetto voice.Like that car of yours. The one you keep here in the hotel. Jaguar, aint it?Aah! It was not a spoken word, but an emission of breath from the Duke ofCroydon. His wife shot him a swift, warning glance. In what conc
7、eivable way does our car concern you?”(10 As if the question from the Duchess had been a signal, the house detectives manner changed. He inquired abruptly, Who else is in this place?011 It was the Duke who answered, No one. We sent them out.012 Theres things it pays to check. Moving with surprising
8、speed, the fat man walked around the suite, opening doors and inspecting the space behind them. Obviously he knew the room arrangement well. After reopening and closing the outer door, he returned, apparently satisfied, to the living room.013 The Duchess had seated herself in a straight-backed Ogilv
9、ie remained standing.014 Now then, he said. You two was in the hit-n-run .015 She met his eyes directly. What are you talking about?016 Dont play games, lady. This is for real. He took out a fresh cigar and bit off the end, You saw the papers. Theres been plenty on radio, too.017 Two high points of
10、color appeared in the paleness of the Duchess of Croydons cheeks. What you are suggesting is the most disgusting, ridiculous. 0 I told you Cut it out! ”The words spat forth with sudden savagery , all pretense of blandness gone. Ignoring the Duke, Ogilvie waved the unlighted cigar under his adversary
11、 s adversary s nose. You listen to me, your high-an-mightiness. This citys burnin mad -cops, mayor, everybody else. When they find who done that last night, who killed that kid an its mother, then high-tailed it, theyll throw the book, and never mind who it hits, or whether they got fancy titles nei
12、ther. Now I know what I know, and if I do what by rights I should, therell be a squad of cops in here so fast youll hardly see em. But I come to you first, in fairness, sos you could tell your side of it to me. The piggy eyes blinked, then hardened. f you want it the other way, justsay so.(19 The Du
13、chess of Croydo n -three cen turies and a half of in bred arroga nee behi ndher - did not yield easily. Springing to her feet, her face wrathful, gray-green eyes blazing, she faced the grossness of the house detective squarely. Her tone would have withered anyone who knew her well.“You unspeakable b
14、lackguard! How dare you!920 Even the self-assurance of Ogilvie flickered for an instant. But it was the Duke of Croydon who interjected, Its no go, old girl. Im afraid. It was a good try. Facing Ogilvie, he said, What you accuse us of is true. I am to blame. I was driving the car and killed the litt
15、le girl.921 Thats more like it, Ogilvie said. He lit the fresh cigar. Now were getting somewhere.922 Wearily, in a gesture of surrender, the Duchess of Croydon sank back into her chair. Clasping her hands to conceal their trembling, she asked. What is it you know?923 Well now, Ill spell it out. The
16、house detective took his time, leisurely putting a cloud of blue cigar smoke, his eyes sardonically on the Duchess as if challenging her objection. But beyond wrinkling her nose in distaste, she made no comment.924 Ogilvie pointed to the Duke. Last night, early on, you went to Lindys Place in Irish
17、Bayou. You drove there in your fancy Jaguar, and you took a lady friend. Leastways, I guess youd call her that if youre not too fussy.925 As Ogilvie glanced, grinning, at the Duchess, the Duke said sharply, Get onwith it! Well -the smug fat face swung back-the way I hear it, you won a hundred at the
18、 tables, then lost it at the bar. You were into a second hundred - with a real swinging party -when your wife here got there in a taxi. 927 How do you know all this?28 Ill tell you, Duke - Ive been in this town and this hotel a long time. I gotfriends all over. I oblige them; they do the same for me
19、, like letting me know what gives, an where. There aint much, out of the way, which people who stay in this hoteldo, I dont get to hear about. Most ofr know eImknnoewv,eor know me. They thinkthey got their little secret tucked away , and so they havexcept like no w.229 The Duke said coldly, I see.23
20、0 One thing Id like to know. I got a curious nature, ma aHmo.wd you figure where he was?231 The Duchess said, You know so much. I suppose it doesnt matter. My husband has a habit of making notes while he is telephoning. Afterward he often forgets to destroy them. ”232 The house detective clucked his
21、 tongue reprovingly . A little careless habit like that, Duke -look at the mess it gets you in. Well, heres what I figure about the rest. You an your wife took off home, you drivin, though the way things turned out it might have been better if shed have drove.My wife doesnt drive.234 Ogilvie nodded
22、understandingly. Explains that one. Anyway, I reckon you were lickered ( = liquored ) up, but good.235 The Duchess interrupted. Then you dont know! You dont know anything for sure! You cant possibly prove.236 Lady, I can prove all I need to.237 The Duke cautioned, Better let him finish, old girl.238
23、 Thats right, Ogilvie said. Just sit an listen. Last night I seen you come in - through the basement, sos not to use the lobby. Looked right shaken, too, the pair of you. Just come in myself, an I got to wondering why. Like I said, I got a curious nature.(39 The Duchess breathed, Go on. Late last ni
24、ght the word was out about the hit-n-run. On a hunch I went over the garage and took a quiet look-see at your car. You maybe dont know -its away in a corner, behind a pillar where the jockeys dont see it when theyre comin by. (41 The Duke licked his lips. I suppose that does nt matter no w.(42 You m
25、ight have someth ing there, Ogilvie con ceded. Any way, what I foundmade me do some scouting - across at police headquarters where they know me too. He paused to puff again at the cigar as his listeners waited silently. When the cigar tip was glowing he inspected it, then continued. Over there they
26、got three things to go on. They got a headlight trim ring which musta come off when the kid an the woman was hit. They got some headlight glass, and lookin at the kids clothin, they reckontherell be a brush trace. 443 A what?444 You rub clothes against something hard, Duchess, specially if its shiny
27、 like acar fender, say, an it leaves a mark the same way as finger prints. The police lab kin pick it up like they do prints -dust it, an it shows.445 Thats interesting, the Duke said, as if speaking of something unconnected with himself. I didnt know that.446 Not many do. In this case, though, I re
28、ckon it dont make a lot o difference. On your car you got a busted headlight, and the trim rings gone. Aint any doubt theyd match up, even without the brush trace an the blood. 0Ihsyheoauhld, a told you. Theres plenty of blood, though it dont show too much on the black paint.447 Oh, my God! A hand t
29、o her face, the Duchess turned away.448 Her husband asked, What do you propose to do?The fat man rubbed his hands together, looking down at his thick, fleshy fingers.Like I said, I come to hear your side of it. (550 The Duke said despairingly. What can I possibly say? You know what happened”. He mad
30、e an attempt to square his shoulders which did not succeedY. oud better call the police and get it over”.(51 “Well now, theres no call for being hasty .”The incongruous falsetto voice took on a musing note. “Whats dones been done. Rushing any place aint gonna bring back the kid nor its mother neithe
31、r. Besides, what theyd do to you across at the headquarters, Duke, you wouldnt like. No sir, you wouldnt like it at all. ”(52 The other two slowly raised their eyes.(53 “I was hoping,”Ogilvie said, “that you folks could suggest something”.(54 The Duke said uncertainly,“ I dont understand”.I understa
32、nd,”the Duchess of Croydon said. “You want money, dont you? You came here to blackmail us”.(56 If she expected her words to shock, they did not succeed. The house detective shrugged. “Whatever names you call things, maam, dont matter to me. All I come for was to help you people out of trouble. But I
33、 got to live too.”(57 ”Youd accept money to keep silent about what you know”?(58 ”Ireckon I might.”(59 ”But from what you say,”the Duchess pointed out, her poise for the moment recovered, “it would do no good. The car would be discovered in any case”.(60 ”Iguess youd have to take that chance. But th
34、eres some reasons it might not be. Something I aint told you yet.”(61“Tell us now, please”.(62 Ogilvie said, “I aint figured this out myself completely. But when you hit thatkid you was going away from town, not to it.”(63 ”Wed made a mistake in the route,”the Duchess said. “Somehow wed becometurned
35、 around. Its easily done in New Orleans, with the street winding as they do.Afterward, using side streets, we went back.“(64 r thought it might be that,” Ogilvie nodded understandingly. But the policeaint figured it that wayre lookingofdoyr swohmoewbas headed out. Thatswhy, right now, theyre workin
36、on the suburbs and the outside towns. They may get around to searchin downtown, but it wont be yet.“(65 How long before they do?(66 Maybe three, four days. They got a lot of other places to look first.(67 How could that help us - the delay ？”(68 It might, ” Ogilvie said. Provid in n obody twigs the
37、car an see in where it is, you might be lucky there. An if you can get it away.”(69 You mea n out of the state?(70“I mean out o the South. ”That wouldnt be easy?”彩 No, maam. Every state aroun d-Texas, Arka nsas, Mississippi, Alabama, all the restll be watching for a car damaged the way yours is”.The
38、 Duchess considered. fs there any possibility of having repairs made first? If the work were done discreetly we could pay well.Q4)The house detective shook his head emphatically. You try that, you might as well walk over to headquarters right now an give up. Every repair shop in Louisianas been told
39、 to holler cops the minute a car needing fixin like yours comes in. Theyd do it, too. You people are hot”.(7 The Duchess of Croydon kept firm, tight rein on her racing mind. It was essential, she knew, that her thinking remain calm and reasoned. In the last few minutes the conversation had become as
40、 seemingly casual as if the discussion were of some minor domestic matter and not survival itself. She intended to keep it that way. Once more,she was aware, the role of leadership had fallen to her, her husband now a tense but passive spectator of the exchange between the evil tat man and herself.
41、No matter. What was inevitable must be accepted. The important thing was to consider all eventualities. A thought occurred to her.(76 The piece from our car which you say the police have. What is it called?ring.Is it traceable?”(79 Ogilvie nodded affirmatively. They can figure what kind o car its fr
42、om -make, model, an maybe the year, or close to it. Same thing with the glass. But with your car being foreign, itll likely take a few days.”(880 But after that” she persisted, the police will know theyre looking for a Jaguar?”I reckon that s so.82 Today was Tuesday. From all that this man said, the
43、y had until Friday or Saturday at best. With calculated coolness the Duchess reasoned: the situation came down to one essential. Assuming the hotel man was bought off, their only chance - a slim one - lay in removing the car quickly, If it could be got north, to one of the big cities where the New O
44、rleans tragedy and search would be unknown, repairs could be made quietly, the incriminating evidence removed. Then, even if suspicion settled on the Croydons later, nothing could be proved. But how to get the car away?83 Undoubtedly what this oafish detective said was true: As well as Louisiana, th
45、e other states through which the car would have to pass would be alert and watchful. Every highway patrol would be on the lookout for a damaged head-light with a missing trim ring. There would probably be road-blocks. It would be hard not to fall victim to some sharpeyed policeman.84 But it might be
46、 done. If the car could be driven at night and concealed by day. There were plenty of places to pull off the highway and be unobserved. It would behazardous, but no more than waiting here for certain detection. There would be back roads. They could choose an unlikely route to avoid attention.(85 But
47、 there would be other complications . and now was the time to consider them. Traveling by secondary roads would be difficult unless knowing the terrain. The Croydons did not. Nor was either of them adept at using maps. And when they stopped for petrol, as they would have to, their speech and manner
48、would betray them, making them conspicuous . And yet . these were risks which had to be taken.(86 Or had they?(87 The Duchess faced Ogilvie. How much do you want?The abruptness took him by surprise.“ Well . I figure you people are pretty wellfixed.She said coldly,“ I asked how much.” (90 The piggy eyes blinked. Ten thousand dollars.1 Though it was twice what she had expect