第39章 掘墓盗尸人7（第1页）

第39章掘墓盗尸人（7）

"Andproofanother。Yes，Iknow;andI'massorryasyouarethisshouldhaveehere，"tappihhise。"Thehi;andheaddedcoolly，"Idon't。Youmay，ifyouplease。Idon'tdictate，butIthinkamanoftheworldwoulddoasIdo;andImayadd，IfancythatiswhatKwouldlookforatourhaionis，whyhechoseustwoforhisassistants。AndIanswer，becausehedidn'twantoldwives。"

ThiswasthetoneofallotherstoaffedofaladlikeFettes。HeagreedtoimitateMae。Thebodyoftheunfirlwasdulydissednooneremarkedorappearedtniseher。

&ernoon，whenhisday'sworkwasover，FettesdroppedintoapopulartavernandfoundMaesittingwithastrahiswasasmallman，verypaleanddark，withcoal-blackeyes。Thecutofhisfeaturesgaveapromiseofiawhichwasbutfeeblyrealisedinhismanners，forheproved，uponanearerace，car，andstupid。Heexercised，however，averyremarkableae;issuedordersliketheGreatBashaw;beflamedattheleastdisordelay，aedrudelyoyasobeyed。Thismostoffeookafahespot，pliedhimwithdrinks，ahunusualhispastcareer。Ifatenthpartofwhathefessedweretrue，hewasaverylue;andthelad'svanitywastickledbytheattentionofsoexperien。

"I'maprettybadfellowmyself，"thestrangerremarked，"butMaeistheboy—ToddyMaeIcallhim。Toddy，orderyourfriendanlass。&quhtbe，"Toddy，youjumpupandshutthedoor。"

"Toddyhatesme，"hesaidagain。"Ohyes，Toddy，youdo!"

"Don'tyoucallmethate，"gro>

"Hearhim!Didyoueverseetheladsplayknife?Hewouldliketodothatallovermybody，"remarkedthestranger。

"Wemedicalshaveabetterwaythanthat，"saidFettes。"Whenwedislikeadeadfriendofours，wedissecthim。"

Maelookedupsharply，asthoughthisjestweresind。

&ernoonpassed。Gray，forthatwasthestranger'sedFettestojoidinner，orderedafeastsosumptuousthatthetavernwasthrownintootion，andwhenallwasdoneaetosettlethebill。Itwaslatebeforetheyseparated;themanGrayablydrunk。Mae，soberedbyhisfury，chewedtheoneyhehadbeeosquaheslightshehadbeeoswallow。Fettes，withvariiurhdeviousfootstepsandamiirelyidayMaewasabsentfromthedFettessmiledtohimselfasheimagiillsquirirayfromtaverntotavern。Assoonasthehouroflibertyhadstruplacetoplaquestofhislastnight'spanions。Hedthem，however，urohisrooms，weobed，ahesleepofthejust。

Atfourinthemhewasawakehewell-knownsigothedoor，hewasfilledwithastoofindMaewithhisgig，andinthegigohoselongandghastlypackagesasso>

"What?"hecried。"Haveyoubeenoutalone?Howdidyouma;

ButMaesilencedhimroughly，biddinghimturntobusiheyhadgotthebodyupstairsandlaiditoable，Maemadeatfirstasifheweregoingaway。Thenhepausedaohesitate;a;Youhadbetterlookattheface，"saidhe，intonesofsomet。"Youhadbetter，"herepeated，asFettesohiminwonder。

"Butwhere，andhow，andwhendidyouebyit?"criedtheother。

"Lookattheface，"wastheonlyanswer。

&aggered;strasassailedhim。Helookedfromtheyoungdoctortothebody，andthenba。Atlast，withastart，hedidashewasbidden。Hehadalmostexpectedthesightthatmethiseyes，aheshockwascruel。Tosee，fixediyofdeathacoarselayerofsaawelldfullofmeatandsihresholdofatavern，awoke，evelessFettes，someoftheterrorsofthece。ItwasaCRASTIBIwhichre-ehissoul，thattwowhomhehadknownshouldhaveetolieupoables。Yetthesewereohoughts。HisfirstregardedWolfe。Unpreparedforagesomomehowtolookhisradeihiseye，aherwordshisand。

ItwasMaehimselfwhomadethefirstadvance。Hecameupquietlybehindandlaidhishafirmlyoher'sshoulder。

"Ri，"saidhe，"mayhavethehead。"

NowRiwasastudentwhohadlongbeenanxiousforthatportionofthehumaodissect。Therewashemurdererresumed:"Talkingofbusiness，youmustpayme;yourats，yousee，musttally。"

&esfouheghostofhisown:"Payyou!"hecried。"Payyouforthat?"

"Why，yes，ofust。Byallmeansandoneverypossibleaust，"returher。&quiveitf，youdaref;itwouldiseusboth。ThisisanothercaselikeJah's。Themsarewrongthemorewemustactasifallwereright。WheredoesoldKkeephismo;

"There，"aeshoarsely，pointingtoacupboardintheer。

"Givemethekey，then，"saidtheother，calmly，holdingouthishand。