〃Yes；〃 Nora said as she scribbled notes as quickly as she could。 She wished she had brought a voice recorder。
〃There were quite a few in New York at the time。 But the New York Museum quickly started putting them out of business。 It became my father's role at the Museum to acquire these bankrupt cabinet collections。 He corresponded with many of the cabinet owners： the Delacourte family； Phineas Barnum； the Cadwalader brothers。 One of these cabinet owners was John Canaday Shottum。〃 The old lady poured herself another spoonful from the bottle。 In the light； Nora could make out the label： Lydia Pinkham's Vegetable Tonic。
Nora nodded。 〃J。 C。 Shottum's Cabinet of Natural Productions and Curiosities。〃
〃Precisely。 There was only a small circle of scientific men in those days； and they all belonged to the Lyceum。 Men of varying abilities； I might add。 Shottum belonged to the Lyceum； but he was as much a showman as he was a scientist。 He had opened a cabinet down on Catherine Street； where he charged a minimal admission。 It was mostly patronized by the lower classes。 Unlike most of his colleagues； Shottum had these notions of bettering the plight of the poor through education。 That's why he situated his cabinet in such a disagreeable neighborhood。 He was especially interested in using natural history to inform and educate the young。 In any case； he needed help with identifying and classifying his collections； which he had acquired from the family of a young man who had been killed by natives in Madagascar。〃
〃Alexander Marysas。〃
There was a rustle from the old lady。 Once again； she extinguished the light； shrouding the room in darkness； throwing the portrait of her father into shadow。 〃You seem to know a great deal about this； Miss Kelly；〃 Clara McFadden said suspiciously。 〃I hope I am not annoying you with my story。〃
〃Not at all。 Please go on。〃
〃Shottum's was a rather wretched cabinet。 My father helped him from time to time； but it was burdensome to him。 It was not a good collection。 Very haphazard； not systematic。 To lure in the poor； especially the urchins； his exhibits tended toward the sensational。 There was even something he called a 'gallery of unnatural monstrosities。' It was； I believe； inspired by Madame Tussaud's Chamber of Horrors。 There were rumors that some people who went into that gallery never came out again。 All rubbish； of course； most likely cooked up by Shottum to increase foot traffic。〃
Clara McFadden removed a lace handkerchief and coughed into it。 〃It was around that time a man named Leng joined the Lyceum。 Enoch Leng。〃 Her voice conveyed a depth of hatred。
Nora felt her heart quicken。 〃Did you know Leng？〃
〃My father talked about him a great deal。 Especially toward the end。 My father； you see； had a bad eye and bad teeth。 Leng helped him get some silver bridgework and a special pair of eyeglasses with an unusually thick lens。 He seemed to be something of a polymath。〃
She tucked the handkerchief back into some fold of her clothing； took another spoonful of the elixir。 〃It was said he came from France； a small mountain town near the Belgian border。 There was talk that he was a baron； born into a noble family。 These scientists are all gossips； you know。 New York City at the time was a very provincial place and Leng made quite an impression。 No one doubted he was a very learned man。 He called himself a doctor； by the way； and it was said he had been a surgeon and a chemist。〃 She made a vinegary sound。
Motes drifted in the heavy air。 The cat's purr rumbled on endlessly； like a turbine。
The strident voice cut the air again。 〃Shottum was looking for a curator for his cabinet。 Leng took an interest in it； although it was certainly the poorest curatorial appointment among the cabinets of curiosities。 Nevertheless； Leng took rooms on the top floor of the cabinet。〃
So far； all this matched the details provided in Shottum's letter。 〃And when was this？〃 Nora asked。
〃In the spring of 1870。〃
〃Did Leng live at the cabinet？〃
〃A man of Leng's breeding； living in the Five Points？ Certainly not。 But he kept to himself。 He was a strange； elusive man； very formal in his diction and mannerisms。 No one； not even my father； knew where he lived。 Leng did not encourage intimacy。
〃He spent most of his time at Shottum's or the Lyceum。 As I recall； his work at Shottum's Cabinet was originally supposed to last only a year or two。 At first； Shottum was very pleased with Leng's work。 Leng catalogued the collection； wrote up label copy for everything。 But then something happened…my father never knew what…and Shottum seemed to grow suspicious of Leng。 Shottum wanted to ask him to leave； but was reluctant。 Leng paid handsomely for the use of the third floor； and Shottum needed the money。〃
〃What kind of experiments did Leng perform？〃
〃I expect the usual。 All scientific men had laboratories。 My father had one。〃
〃You said your father never knew what made Shottum suspicious？〃 That would mean McFadden never read the letter hidden in the elephant's…foot box。
〃That's correct。 My father didn't press him on the subject。 Shottum had always been a rather eccentric man； prone to opium and fits of melancholy； and my father suspected he might be mentally unstable。 Then； one summer evening in 1881； Shottum's Cabinet burned。 It was such a fierce fire that they found only a few crumbling remains of Shottum's bones。 It was said the fire started on the first floor。 A faulty gas lamp。〃 Another bitter noise。
〃But you think otherwise？〃
〃My father became convinced that Leng started that fire。〃
〃Do you know why？〃
The lady slowly shook her head。 〃He did not confide in me。〃
After a moment； she continued。 〃It was around the time of the fire that Leng stopped attending the meetings at the Lyceum。 He stopped ing to the New York Museum。 My father lost touch with him。 He seemed to disappear from scientific circles。 Thirty years must have passed before he resurfaced。〃
〃When was this？〃
〃During the Great War。 I was a little girl at the time。 My father married late； you see。 He received a letter from Leng。 A very friendly letter； wishing to renew the acquaintance。 My father refused。 Leng persisted。 He began ing to the Museum； attending my father's lectures； spending time in the Museum's archives。 My father became disturbed； and after a while even frightened。 He was so concerned I believe he even consulted certain fellow Lyceum members he was close to on the subject。 James Henry Perceval and Dumont Burleigh are two names that e to mind。 They came to the house more than once； shortly before the end。〃
〃I see。〃 Nora scribbled some more notes。 〃But you never met Leng？〃
There was a pause。 〃I met him once。 He came to our house late one night； with a specimen for my father； and was turned away at the door。 He left the specimen behind。 A graven artifact from the South Seas； of little value。〃
〃And？〃
〃My father disappeared the next day。〃
〃And you're convinced it was Leng's doing？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃How？〃
The old lady patted her hair。 Her sharp eyes fixed on hers。 〃My dear child； how could I possibly know that？〃
〃But why would Leng murder him？〃
〃I believe my father found out something about Leng。〃
〃Didn't the Museum investigate？〃
〃No one had seen Leng in the Museum。 No one had seen him visit my father。 There was no proof of anything。 Neither Perceval nor Burleigh spoke up。 The Museum found it easier to smear my father's name…to imply that he ran away for some unknown reason…than to investigate。 I was just a girl at the time。 When I grew older and demanded a reopening of the case； I had nothing to offer。 I was rebuffed。〃
〃And your mother？ Was she suspicious？〃
〃She was dead by that time。〃
〃What happened to Leng？〃
〃After his visit to my father； nobody ever saw or heard from him again。〃
Nora took a breath。 〃What did Leng look like？〃
Clara McFadden did not answer immediately。 〃I'll never forget him；〃 she said at last。 〃Have you read Poe's 'Fall of the House of Usher'？ There's a description in the story that； when I came upon it； struck me terribly。 It seemed to describe Leng precisely。 It's stayed with me to this day； I can still quote the odd line of it from memory： 'a cadaver