<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">计时器响的时候他觉得很遗憾。</span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">好了，我会把这东西放在密封橱里。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">他感觉到一股冷空气扑在脸上，听见一个壁橱门的橡胶塞合拢的声音和一阵真空锁咝咝的声音。一阵空气扇动，她走过他身边的时候一阵香气飘过。</span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">多拉德在鼻子下面顶着指关节，做出他平常的沉思的模样，等着灯光的出现。</span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">灯点亮了。她站在门边上，向他大致的方向微笑。她的眼睛在闭合的眼睑里有微小的随机的转动。</span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">他看到她的白色的手杖支在拐角处。他把手从鼻子下面拿开，微笑了。</span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">你介意我吃一颗李子吗？</font><font face="times new roman">”</font><font face="宋体">他说。在她身前的一个柜台桌上放着几颗。</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">当然不。它们味道很不错。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">莱芭<font face="times new roman">·</font><font face="宋体">麦克兰三十岁左右，骨架很端正，一张脸上洋溢着坚忍和果断的气息。她的鼻梁旁边有一个星形的小疤痕。她的头发是金黄色混着红棕色，在肩膀处内卷，发式显得稍稍有些过时。她的脸和手被太阳晒出了匀称的斑点。在暗室的瓷砖和不锈钢的衬托下，她有秋天的暖色调一样的明丽。</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">他可以尽情地观察她。他的注视可以像空气一样自由变换。她没有办法躲避他的眼神。</span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">在与女性交谈的时候多拉德经常感到皮肤上有刺痒的热点儿。他感觉对方眼光在哪里，这些点儿就跟到哪里。即使对方把视线从他身上移开的时候，他都怀疑她会看到他的表情。他总能对有反射性质的表面有感觉，总能知道发射的角度，就像一个惯于玩桌球的赌徒始终清楚地了解桌子边缘对球的反弹能力一样。</span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">他的皮肤此刻却是凉爽的。她的皮肤有斑点，珍珠般的散在她的喉咙处和她手腕的内侧。</span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">我来给你看他希望把干燥器放在哪里，</font><font face="times new roman">”</font><font face="宋体">她说，</font><font face="times new roman">“</font><font face="宋体">我们可以量一下。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">他们量好了尺寸。</span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">现在，我想请你帮个忙。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font><font face="宋体">多拉德说。</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">说吧。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">我需要红外摄影胶卷。热敏度高的，大概一千纳米左右的。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">你得把它们保存在冰盒里，而且在拍摄完以后放回冷冻室。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">我知道。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">你能给我大概说一说在什么场合下用吗</font><font face="times new roman">——”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">大概在八英尺远的地方拍摄，用一对儿偌盾滤光片。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font><font face="宋体">这和监控设备太像了。</font><font face="times new roman">“</font><font face="宋体">在动物园里用，</font><font face="times new roman">”</font><font face="宋体">他说，</font><font face="times new roman">“</font><font face="宋体">在黑暗的世界里。他们想拍夜间活动的动物。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">要是你告诉他们不能用商用红外胶卷，他们肯定非常难缠。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">是啊。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">我肯定我们能帮你搞到。不过，你知道我们这里的很多材料都是有国防部合同的。任何东西从这里拿出去都需要签字。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">好的。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">你什么时候要？</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">大概</font><font face="times new roman">20</font><font face="宋体">号左右，不能再晚了。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">我想不用我告诉你</font><font face="times new roman">——</font><font face="宋体">灵敏度越高就越娇贵，你得预备冷却剂、干冰这些东西。他们今天下午四点钟左右会筛选一些样品。如果你想过来看的话，可以挑选能达到你要求的最容易操作的一种。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">“<font face="宋体">我会来的。</font><font face="times new roman">”</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">莱芭<font face="times new roman">·</font><font face="宋体">麦克兰在多拉德离开以后数了数李子。他只拿了一颗。古怪的人，多拉德先生。在她打开灯以后他的嗓音里没有令人尴尬的停顿或是关心，尽管多数情况下人们是出于怜悯。也许他知道她是个盲人，那更好。也许他一点都不在乎。</font></span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';">那才爽呢。</span><span style="mso-spacerun:'yes'; font-size:14.0000pt; font-family:'times new roman';"></span>
<font size="4"style="line-height: 31px;">