cb.coldheart canyon-第21章

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　 So　Todd　had　gone　along；　and　it　had　turned　out　to　be　quite　a　trip。　Jerry　had　organized　the　tour　as　though　he　was　entertaining　royalty　（which　perhaps；　as　far　as　he　was　concerned；　he　was）。　He'd　hired　a　stretch；　supplied　a　champagne…and…caviar　hamper　from　Greenblatt's　in　case　they　wanted　to　picnic　along　the　way；　and　a　map　of　the　city；　on　which　he'd　meticulously　marked　their　route。　They　went　down　to　the　Colony　in　Malibu；　they　wound　their　way　through　Bel　Air　and　Beverly　Hills；　they　looked　at　Hancock　Park　and　Brentwood；　their　route　plotted　by　Jerry　so　that　he　could　show　off　his　knowledge　of　where　the　luminaries　of　Hollywood　had　lived　and　died。　They　passed　by　Falcon　Lair　on　Bella　Drive；　which　Valentino　had　built　at　the　height　of　his　fame。　They　went　to　the　Benedict　Canyon　Drive　home　where　Harold　Lloyd　had　spent　much　of　his　life；　and　past　Jayne　Mansfield's　Pink　Palace；　which　was　as　gaudy　as　ever；　and　the　house　where　Marilyn　and　DiMaggio　had　briefly　lived　in　wedded　bliss。　They　visited　homes　occupied；　at　one　time　or　another；　by　John　Barrymore　（〃It　still　smells　of　liquor；〃　Jerry　had　remarked）；　Ronald　Coleman；　Hearst's　widow；　Marion　Davies；　Clara　Bow；　Lucille　Ball　and　Mae　West。　Not　all　the　houses　were　for　sale；　nor　open　for　inspection；　in　some　cases　Jerry's　research　had　simply　turned　up　a　property　close　by；　or　one　that　resembled　the　house　in　which　some　luminary　had　lived。　Other　properties　were　located　in　areas　that　had　bee　shadows　of　their　glamorous　selves；　but　Jerry　didn't　seem　to　care；　or　perhaps　even　notice。　The　fact　that　stars　whose　faces　had　bee　legendary…whose　names　evoked　lives　of　elegance　and　luxury…had　lived　in　these　homes　blinded　him　to　the　fact　that　there　was　often　decay　around　them。　They　were　like　sacred　sites；　and　he　a　pilgrim。　Todd　had　found　the　tenderness　with　which　he　talked　about　these　places；　and　about　the　people　who'd　once　occupied　them；　curiously　touching。
　 Four　or　five　times　during　the　trip　Jerry　had　directed　the　driver　to　a　certain　spot；　invited　Maxine　and　Todd　to　get　out　of　the　limo　in　order　to　show　them　a　certain　view；　then　presented　them　with　a　photograph　taken　on　precisely　the　same　spot　sixty　or　seventy　years　before；　when　many　of　the　places　they　visited　had　been　little　more　than　an　expanse　of　cactus　and　sand。　It　had　been　an　education　for　Todd。　He　hadn't　realized　until　then　how　recent　Los　Angeles　was；　nor　how　tenuous　its　existence　was。　The　greenery　was　as　artificial　as　the　stucco　walls　and　the　colonial　facades。　The　city　was　one　enormous　back…lot；　fake　and　fragile。　If　the　water　ever　ceased　to　pump　then　this　verdant　world；　with　its　palaces　and　its　swooning　falls　of　bougainvillea；　would　pass　away。
　 As　it　turned　out；　Todd　hadn't　ended　up　buying　any　of　the　properties　Jerry　had　shown　them　that　day；　which　was　probably　for　the　best。　He　finally　decided　to　stay　in　his　house　in　Bel　Air；　but　substantially　remodel　it。　It　didn't　matter；　Jerry　had　said；　apparently　reserving　his　opinion　on　whether　Todd　would　join　the　pantheon　of　guests；　nobody　legendary　had　ever　lived　there。
　
　 Once　Todd　had　said　yes　to　the　house　in　the　hills；　it　took　a　day　to　get　the　move　to　the　Hideaway　properly　organized；　a　day　which　left　Todd　spent　sitting　at　the　window　of　the　Malibu　House；　staring　at　the　pale　reflection　of　his　bandaged　face　in　the　rain…spattered　glass。　Technically；　the　pain…killers　Burrows　had　given　him　should　have　left　him　without　any　disfort　whatsoever；　but　for　some　reason；　even　when　supplemented　by　some　of　Bunny's　specials…not　a　minute　of　that　day　passed　without　his　being　acutely　aware　of　the　pressure　of　the　gauze　and　the　bandages　on　his　face。　He　morbidly　wondered　if　perhaps　he　wouldn't　be　left　with　this　residue　of　feeling　for　the　rest　of　his　life；　he'd　heard　of　people　who'd　had　certain　operations　who　were　made　much　worse　by　the　surgeon's　knife；　and　indeed　were　never　the　same　again。　The　thought　terrified　him：　that　he'd　done　something　pletely　irreversible。　But　there　was　no　use　in　regretting　it。　All　he　could　do　now　was　hope　to　God　that　this　unavoidable　plication；　as　Burrow's　insisted　it　was；　would　be　quickly　cured；　and　he'd　have　his　face　back　intact。　He　wasn't　even　hoping　for　improvement　at　this　point。　Just　the　old；　familiar　Todd　Pickett　face　would　do　fine；　creases；　laugh…lines　and　all。

　
　 In　the　early　evening　Marco　came　to　pick　Todd　up；　having　spent　the　morning　moving　some　essentials　over　to　the　new　house。　Todd　went　with　him　in　the　sedan；　Maxine　and　Jerry　followed　on。
　 〃I　got　lost　twice　this　morning；〃　Marco　said；　〃going　back　and　forth　from　the　old　house　to　the　new　one。　I　don't　know　why　the　hell　it　happened；　but　twice　I　got　all　turned　round　and　found　myself　back　onto　Sunset　again。〃
　 〃Weird；〃　Todd　said。
　 〃There　are　no　street　signs　up　there。〃
　 〃No？〃
　 〃There　aren't　many　houses；　either；　which　is　what　I　like。　No　neighbours。　No　tour　buses。　No　fans　climbing　over　the　walls。〃
　 〃Dempsey　used　to　get　them！〃
　 〃Oh　yes；　old　Dempsey　was　great。　Remember　that　German？　Huge　guy？　Climbs　over　the　wall；　gets　Dempsey's　teeth　clamped　in　his　ass　and　then…〃
　 〃Tries　to　sue　you。〃
　 〃…tries　to　sue　me。〃
　 They　chuckled　at　the　incident　for　a　moment；　then　rode　in　silence　for　a　while。
　
　
　SIX
　 〃So　what　exactly　did　Jerry　tell　you　about　this　place？〃
　 Todd　asked　Maxine　as　they　stood　outside　the　Hideaway。
　 〃Not　much。　I　told　you　he'd　played　here　as　a　kid？　Yes；　I　did。　Well；　he　said　he　had　wonderful　memories　of　the　house。　That　was　about　all。〃
　 Maxine　hadn't　taken　any　pictures　of　the　exterior；　it　had　been　raining　so　hard　that　day。　Now；　seen　clearly　for　the　first　time；　the　house　appeared　much　larger　than　Todd　had　anticipated；　perfectly　deserving　of　the　term　'dream　palace'。　He　couldn't　get　a　plete　grasp　of　its　size　because　the　vegetation　around　it　had　been　left　to　run　wild。　A　large　grove　of　bamboo　to　the　right　of　the　front　door　had　grown　fully　thirty　feet；　its　tallest　stalks　standing　higher　than　the　chimney…stacks。　Bougainvillea　grew　everywhere　in　lunatic　abundance；　purple；　red；　pink　and　white；　and　even　the　humble　ferns；　planted　in　the　shade　of　the　perimeter　wall；　had　flourished　there；　and　grown　antediluvian。　There　was　room　beneath　the　fronds　to　stand　with　your　hands　raised　and　still　not　touch　the　nubby　spores　on　their　underbellies。
　 The　house　itself　was　palatial　Spanish　in　style；　with　more　than　a　hint　of　Hollywood　fantasy　in　its　genes。　The　stucco　was　a　washed…out　pink；　the　roof　a　washed…out　red。　There　was　a　great　deal　of　elaborate　tilework　at　the　front　steps；　and　around　the　windows；　the　tiles　themselves　still　bright　blue　and　turquoise　and　white；　the　plex　interplay　of　their　patterns　lending　a　touch　of　Moorish　beauty　to　the　facade。　The　front　door　looked　as　though　it　had　been　purloined　from　the　set　of　a　medieval　epic；　the　kind　of　door　Douglas　Fairbanks　Senior　might　have　slammed　and　bolted　shut　to　keep　out　an　army　of　evil…doers。　It　would　have　sufficed　too；　in　its　enormity。　Maxine　had　to　push　hard　to　open　it；　and　when　it　finally　swung　wide　it　did　so　not　with　a　gothic　creak　but　with　a　deep　rumble；　as　a　system　of　counterweights　hidden　in　the　wall　aided　her　labor。
　 〃Very　dramatic；〃　Todd　remarked；　playing　it　off。　In　truth；　he　was　impressed　by　the　scale　of　the　place；　by　its　scale　and　theatricality。　But　guileless　enthusiasm　he'd　had　shamed　out　of　him　long　ago。　It　wasn't　cool　to　like　anything　too　much；　except　yourself。
　 Maxine　led　the　way　through　the　turret；　with　its　grandiose　spiral　staircase　and　its　trompe　l'oeil　ceiling；　into　the　house。　The　photographs　she'd　taken　had　e　nowhere　near　doing　the　place　justice。　Even　stripped　of　most　of　its　furniture；　as　it　was；　and　in　need　of　repair；　it　was　still　nothing　short　of　magnificent。　There　was　everywhere　evidence　of　master　craftsmen　at　work：　from　the　pegged　wood　floors　to　the　elegantly　carved　ceiling　panels；　from　the　exquisite　symmetry　of　the　marble　mantels　to　the　filigree　of　the　wrought　iron　handrails；　only　the　best　had　been　good　enough　for　the　man　or　woman　who'd　owned　this　place。
　 Marco　had　artlessly　arranged　a　few　items　of　Todd's　furniture　in　the　living　room；　a　little　island　of　brittle　modernity　in　the　midst　of　something　older　and　more　mysterious。　Todd　made　a　mental　note　to　give　everything　he　owned　away；　and　start　again。　In　future；　he　was　going　to　buy　antiques。
　 They　went　through　to　the　kitchen。　It　was　built　on　the　same　heroic　scale　as　everything　else：　ten　cooks　could　have　happily　worked　in　it　and　not　got　in　one　another's　way。
　 〃I　know　it's　all　ridiculously　old…fashioned；〃　Maxine　said。　〃But　it'll　do　for　a　little　while；　won't　it？〃
　 〃It'll　do　just　fine；〃　Todd　said；　still　surprised　at　how　much　the　place　pleased　him。　〃What's　out　back？〃
　 〃Oh　the　usual。　A　pool。　Tennis　courts。　And　a　huge　koi　pond。　Probably　a　polo　field　for　all　I　know。〃
　 〃Any　fish　in　the　pond？〃
　 〃No。　You　want　fish？　〃It's　no　big　deal。〃
　 〃I　can　get　koi　for　you　if　you　want　them。　Just　say　the　word。〃
　 〃I　know。　But　it's　not　worth　it。　I'll　be　here　a　month　and　gone。〃
　 〃So　take　them　with　you。〃
　 〃And　where　would　I　put　them？〃
　 〃Okay；〃　Maxine　shrugged。　〃No　fish。〃　She　went　to　the　kitchen　window　and　continued　her　description　of　the　real　estate。　〃The　whole　canyon　belongs　to　the　house；　as　far　as　I　can　see；　but　the　gardens　spread　down　the　hill　an　acre　and　a　half　and　all　the　way　up　to　the　top　of　the　hill　behind　us。　There's　a　guest…house　up　there。　Perhaps　two。　I　didn't　go　look：　I　figured　you　wouldn't　be　having　any　visitors。〃
　 〃Does　Jerry　know　anything　about　the　history　of　the　place？〃
　 〃I'm　sure　he　does；　but　to　be　honest　I　didn't　ask。〃
　 〃What　did　you　tell　him　about　me？〃
　 〃I　told　him　you　had　a　stalker；　and　she　was　getting　dangerous。　You　needed　to　get　out　of　the　Bel　Air　house　for　a　while　until　the　police　had　caught　her。　Frankly；　I'm　not　sure　he　bought　it。　He's　got　to　have　heard　the　rumors。　I　think　we'd　be　best　letting　him　in　on　what's　been　happening…〃
　 〃We've　had　this　conversation　once…〃
　 〃Hear　me　out；　will　you？　If　we　make　him　feel　like　he's　part　of　the　conspiracy；　he'll　stay　quiet；　just　because　he　wants　to　please　you。　He'll　only　get　chatty　if　he　thinks　we　kept　him　out　because　we　didn't　trust　him。〃
　 〃Why　the　hell　would　he　want　to　please　me？〃
　 〃You　know　why；　Todd。　He's　in　love　with　you。〃

　 Todd　shook　his　bandaged　head；　which　was　a　mistake。　The　room　around　him　swam　for　a　moment；　and　he　had　to　grab　hold　of　the　table。　〃You　okay？〃　Maxine　said。
　 He　raised　his　hands；　palms　out；　in　mock　surrender。　〃I'm　fine。　I　just　need　a　pill　and　a　drink。〃
　 〃I　sent　Marco　out　to　get　some　supplies。〃
　 〃But　Todd。。。it's　not　even　noon。〃
　 〃So？　If　I　stay　here　and　get　shit…faced　every　day　for　the　next　month　who's　going　to　care？　Find　me　something　to　drink；　will　you？〃
　 〃What　about　Jerry？　We　didn't　finish…〃
　 〃We'll　talk　about　Jerry　some　other　time。〃
　 〃Am　I　telling　him　or　not？〃
　 〃I　said　I　don't　want　to　talk　about　it　any　more。〃
　 〃All　right。　But　if　he　starts　to　gossip；　don't　say　I　didn't　warn　you。〃
　 〃If　he　tells　the　fucking　National　Enquirer　it's　my　fault。　Happy？〃　Todd　didn't　wait　for　a　reply。　Leaving　Maxine　to　search　for　the　liquor；　he　wandered　out　to　the　back　of　the　house。　The　lawn…which　lay　at　the　bottom　of　a　long　flight　of　steps　from　the　house；　their　railings　entirely　overtaken　by　vines…was　the　size　of　a　small　field；　but　it　had　been　invaded　on　every　side　by　the　offspring　of　the　plants；　shrubs　and　tree