cspector.worldwithoutend- 第22节

　
　As　I　backed　out　of　the　armoire　and　gave　a　little　sneeze；　Mr。　Hyslop　produced　a　handkerchief　like　a　magician　performing　a　trick。
　
　〃Bless　you；〃　he　said　as　he　pushed　it　into　my　hand。　'I　always　get　the　sneezes　when　I　start　looking　into　these　old　pieces。　No　matter　how　hard　we　try　to　keep　up；　they　seem　to　bring　the　dust　with　them。〃　
　〃That's　quite　all　right；〃　I　said；　taking　the　prot…fered　hanky。　〃I　was　just　investigating　to　see　if　I　might　want　this　piece。〃
　〃Take　your　time；　take　your　time；〃　Hyslop　said　as　he　waved　his　clerk　away。　The　clerk　slunk　off　to　go　harass　a　couple　who'd　just　stepped　inside　from　the　sweltering　October　air。
　〃What　I'd　like　to　do　is　take　a　look　at　those　items　you've　been　keeping　for　me；　and　make　some　arrangements　for　their　transport。〃
　Hyslop　looked　a　bit　concerned。　〃Are　you　not　satisfied　with　our　arrangement？〃　he　asked。　〃I　thought　that…〃
　〃No；　no；〃　I　said；　cutting　him　off。　〃It's　nothing　like　that。　I've　just　finally　settled　down　in　one　place　and　I'd　like　to　spend　some　time　enjoying　the　things　I've　bought。〃
　〃Of　course；〃　he　replied。　〃How　foolish　of　me。　Please；　this　way。〃
　
　I　followed　him　through　the　shop　into　a　series　of　dimly　lit　twisting　and　turning　hallways。　Then　up　three　flights　of　narrow　stairs　painted　over　so　many　times　there　were　lumpy　bumps　like　Braille　on　the　railing　and　walls。　It　was　very　quiet　here。　You　couldn't　hear　any　of　the　usual　street　noise　that　bubbled　through　the　Quarter　day　and　night。　He　led　me　into　his　office；　then　fumbled　around　with　his　keys　until　he　had　the　right　one。
　
　〃Here　we　are；〃　Hyslop　said　proudly　as　he　flipped　on　the　light　switch。
　
　The　closet　was　small；　but　crammed　to　the　top　with　arcana。　Shelf　after　shelf　with　boxes　labeled　in　a　code　we'd　designed。　One　shelf　held　only　boxes　of　books。　Another；　rare　pottery。　On　yet　another；　articles　of　clothing。　All　had　special　significance。　All　were　precious　only　to　those　who　knew　what　to　look　for。
　
　I　could　feel　the　pull　of　the　energy　in　that　little　closet。
　
　〃I　doubt　anyone　has　a　better　collection　of　oddities；〃　Hyslop　said。　〃I　just　recently　added　this。〃　He　pulled　a　small　box　from　one　of　the　shelves　and　opened　it。　Inside　was　a　long　white　veil；　the　kind　women　wore　for　their　weddings　and　first　munions。　〃It　is　rumored　to　have　belonged　to　Marie　Laveau's　daughter。〃
　
　〃I　didn't　know　she　had　one；〃　I　said。　〃A　daughter；　that　is。〃
　
　Hyslop　nodded　vigorously。　〃She　kept　her　hidden　away。　She　was　afraid　that　when　she　died；　the　whites　might　kill　her　to　keep　the　Voodoo　under　control。〃
　
　〃More　than　likely　to　keep　the　people　under　con…trot；〃　I　said。
　〃That　too；　no　doubt；〃　Hyslop　agreed。
　〃I'd　like　to　look　through　these；〃　I　said；　motioning　to　the　closet。
　〃Of　course；〃　Hyslop　said　as　he　wiped　his　forehead　with　another　clean　white　handkerchief。　I　wondered　if　he　had　a　pocketful　of　them；　magically　pristine　and　freshly　laundered。
　〃Alone；〃　I　said　in　a　firm　but　kind　voice。　After　all；　I　would　need　Hyslop　and　his　unusual　connections　for　some　time　to　e。
　〃Of　course；〃　Hyslop　said　as　he　pocketed　his　handkerchief。　〃Just　let　me　know　when　you're　finished。〃　
　I　smiled　at　him　then；　and　he　gave　me　a　surprised　smile　back。　I　suppose　I　don't　do　that　often。　Smile；　that　is。
　
　It　took　me　the　better　part　of　the　afternoon　to　go　through　the　boxes。　Most　of　the　items　were　shams。　The　bones　of　some　shamanistic　practitioner；　purported　to　have　special　curative　powers。　Shrunken　heads；　embalmed　monkey　remains；　fossilized　eggs。　Books　supposedly　written　in　Crowley's　own　hand　detailing　his　cabalistic　findings。
　
　I'd　taken　care　to　hide　my　most　precious　finds　among　these　harmless　trifles。　They　would　be　overlooked　with　all　the　other　folderol。　One　hopelessly　obscure　book　of　cabalistic　writings　revealed　plexities　of　such　an　esoteric　nature　that　even　I　had　trouble　following　it。　The　challenge　of　it　excited　me。
　
　There　were　other　items　as　well：　suspicious　bones；　the　source　of　which　I　knew　only　too　well。　How　had　they　e　to　this　place　again？　And　so　obviously　long　ago。
　
　There　was　also　a　small　painting　depicting　a　cres…tune　I　knew　for　a　fact　had　not　walked　the　face　of　this　planet　for　at　least　seven　thousand　years。　Yet　here　it　was　depicted　in　a　piece　that　could　not　have　been　more　than　fifty　years　old。
　
　I　wrapped　my　treasures　carefully　and　returned　them　to　their　innocuous　hiding　places。
　
　I　felt　grimy　and　hungry　all　at　once。　It　was　almost　five　by　Hyslop's　grandfather　clock。　I　pulled　the　chain　to　the　light；　then　shut　the　closet　door。　It　had　an　automatic　lock；　but　I　still　jiggled　the　doorknob　to　see　if　it　would　open。　It　didn't。
　
　On　the　whole；　things　were　going　well。　I　would　have　Hyslop　crate　everything　up　and　ship　it　to　my　estate　in　Scotland。　I'd　already　made　the　necessary　arrangements　with　Customs　　so　there　would　be　little　delay　in　my　receiving　them　once　I　was　back　home。　I　felt　quite　smug　and　pleased　with　myself　and　detided　that　I　needed　a　decadent　dinner　to　celebrate。　I　picked　up　the　phone　on　Hyslop's　desk　and　made　a　reservation　for　one　at　Antoine's　for　eight　o'clock。　I　would　feast　tonight。
　
　Walking　back　to　the　Fairmont；　I　noticed　a　van　parked　on　a　er　of　one　of　the　side　streets　I　passed。　It　was　painted　dull　black　and　had　reflector　stick…on　numbers　on　the　back　window：　666。　I　glanced　inside　the　van　as　I　passed。　A　man；　about　forty…five　or　…six　with　a　scraggly　beard；　sat　in　the　passenger…side　seat。　He　had　a　large　potbelly　barely　covered　by　a　faded…gray　T…shirt。　Around　his　neck　he　wore　a　pentagram。　I　had　obviously　just　seen…Satan's　Van。
　
　Uh　oh；　I　thought。　I　better　watch　out　because　someone　is　going　to　e　and　carry　me　off　in。。。　Satan's　Van。　The　Armageddon　starts　tonight　because…Satan's　Van　is　in　town。　Oh；　you　better　watch　out；　you　better　not　cry；　'cause　Satan's　got　his　Van　tonight。　Satan's　Van　is　ing　to　town。
　
　I　really　needed　dinner。
　
　Antoine's　was　unchanged。　I'd　been　ing　there　for　years　whenever　I　was　in　New　Orleans。　I　knew　it　was　a　bit　touristy；　but　I　couldn't　help　myself。　They　had　the　most　marvelous　Baked　Alaska。
　
　The　elderly　maitre　d'　seated　me　at　a　small　table　in　the　front　room。　Like　the　rest　of　the　buildings　in　the　Quarter；　Antoine's　was　made　up　of　many　rooms。　People　came　through　the　front　doors　and　disappeared　like　they　were　going　down　Alice's　rabbit　hole。　There　was　even　a　hidden　door　or　two　in　the　place。
　
　I'd　just　ordered　and　was　admiring　myself　in　the　mirror　over　my　table　when　I　saw　him。　The　black　T…shirt　from　the　airport。　Only　he　wasn't　wearing　a　black　T…shirt　now。　He　never　would　have　been　allowed　inside　in　that。　He　wore　a　black　jacket　over　a　white　shirt　and　muddy　green　tie。　The　jeans　had　been　set　aside　for　dark　trousers。
　
　I　didn't　take　my　eyes　away　from　his　image　in　the　mirror　as　he　talked　to　the　mattre　d'　for　a　moment；　then　walked　toward　me。　I　couldn't　believe　his　brass。
　
　〃Dinner　for　one？〃　he　asked。　〃That　seems　a　lonely　proposition。〃
　〃I　like　it；〃　I　said　as　I　turned　toward　him。　〃And　who　the　hell　are　you？〃
　〃Ah；〃　he　said。　〃Well　that's　not　as　interesting　as〃　who　the　hell　you　are。〃　i
　〃Look；〃　I　said；　beginning　to　get　impatient。　〃I　don't　know　anything　about　you　except　that　I　saw　you　at　O'Hare…and　now　you　pop　up　here　acting　as　though　you　know　me。　I　don't　like　mysteries　or　people　who　think　they're　being　clever　when　in　fact^　they're　just　annoying。〃　｜
　
　He　pulled　out　a　chair　and　sat　down　opposite　me。　
　〃You　haven't　been　invited；〃　I　said；　frowning。　〃Go　away。〃
　〃Now；　now；〃　he　said。　His　voice　had　the　faint　twinge　of　British　lower…class　to　it。　〃Someone　your　age　shouldn't　get　so　excited。　It　might　not　be　good　for　your　health。〃
　
　I　looked　around　for　the　mattre　d'；　but　he　was　talking　to　a　new　group　who'd　just　arrived。
　
　〃I　must　say；　you　look　awfully　good　for　someone　who's　at　least　five　hundred　years　old　by　my　calculations。〃
　
　He　had　my　attention。
　
　I　looked　at　him　carefully。　He　was　working　far　too　hard　at　being　nonchalant。　There　was　a　telltale　shine　to　his　upper　lip；　and　I　could　hear　the　dry　click　of　his　throat　as　he　swallowed。　Whatever　he　knew；　it　wasn't　as　much　as　he　wanted　to　let　on。
　
　The　waiter　came　with　my　soup。　Vichyssoise。　Thick　and　heavy　with　cream。　He　looked　inquiringly　at　my　new　panion。
　
　〃Be　so　kind　as　to　bring　my　frien