Тридцять дев’ять ступенів
Chapter 2
Imustvanishsomehow,andkeepvanishedtilltheendofthesecondweekinJune.ThenImustsomehowfindawaytogetintouchwiththeGovernmentpeopleandtellthemwhatScudderhadtoldme.IwishedtoHeavenhehadtoldmemore,andthatIhadlistenedmorecarefullytothelittlehehadtoldme.Iknewnothingbutthebarestfacts.Therewasabigriskthat,evenifIweatheredtheotherdangers,Iwouldnotbebelievedintheend.Imusttakemychanceofthat,andhopethatsomethingmighthappenwhichwouldconfirmmytaleintheeyesoftheGovernment.
Myfirstjobwastokeepgoingforthenextthreeweeks.Itwasnowthe24thdayofMay,andthatmeanttwentydaysofhidingbeforeIcouldventuretoapproachthepowersthatbe.Ireckonedthattwosetsofpeoplewouldbelookingforme—Scudder’senemiestoputmeoutofexistence,andthepolice,whowouldwantmeforScudder’smurder.Itwasgoingtobeagiddyhunt,anditwasqueerhowtheprospectcomfortedme.Ihadbeenslacksolongthatalmostanychanceofactivitywaswelcome.WhenIhadtositalonewiththatcorpseandwaitonFortuneIwasnobetterthanacrushedworm,butifmyneck’ssafetywastohangonmyownwitsIwaspreparedtobecheerfulaboutit.
MynextthoughtwaswhetherScudderhadanypapersabouthimtogivemeabettercluetothebusiness.Idrewbackthetable-clothandsearchedhispockets,forIhadnolongeranyshrinkingfromthebody.Thefacewaswonderfullycalmforamanwhohadbeenstruckdowninamoment.
