按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Machada found that it was suddenly difficult for him to breathe。 He watched Delgado。 lift the first cotton ball and gently touch it to the G in Goya's signature。 Instantly； Delgado picked up the second cotton ball and neutralized the area； so that the alcohol could not penetrate too deeply。 The two men examined the canvas。
Delgado was frowning。 〃I'm sorry； but I cannot tell yet；〃 he said。 〃I must use a stronger solvent。〃
〃Do it；〃 the director manded。
Delgado opened another bottle。 He carefully poured dimenthyl petone onto a fresh cotton ball and with it touched the first letter of the signature again； instantly applying the second cotton ball。 The room was filled with a sharp； pungent odor from the chemicals。 Christian Machada stood there staring at the painting； unable to believe what he was seeing。 The G in Goya's name was fading； and in its place was a clearly visible L。
Delgado turned to him； his face pale。 〃Shall… shall I go on？〃
〃Yes；〃 Machada said hoarsely。 〃Go on。〃
Slowly； letter by letter； Goya's signature faded under the application of the solvent； and the signature of Lucas materialized。 Each letter was a blow to Machada's stomach。 He； the head of one of the most important museums in the world； had been deceived。 The board of directors would hear of it； the King of Spain would hear of it； the world would hear of it。 He was ruined。
He stumbled back to his office and telephoned Henri Rendell。
**********
The two men were seated in Machada's office。
〃You were right；〃 the director said heavily。 〃It is a Lucas。 When word of this gets out； I shall be a laughing stock。〃
〃Lucas has deceived many experts；〃 Rendell said fortingly。 〃His forgeries happen to be a hobby of mine。〃
〃I paid three and a half million dollars for that painting。〃
Rendell shrugged。 〃Can you get your money back？〃
The director shook his head in despair。 〃I purchased it directly from a widow who claimed it had been in her husband's family for three generations。 If I sued her； the case would drag on through the courts and it would be bad publicity。 Everything in this museum would bee suspect。〃
Henri Rendell was thinking hard。 〃There is really no reason for the publicity at all。 Why don't you explain to your superiors what has happened； and quietly get rid of the Lucas？ You could send the painting to Sotheby's or Christie's and let them auction it off。〃
Machada shook his head。 〃No。 Then the whole world would learn the story。〃
Rendell's face brightened。 〃You may be in luck。 I might have a client who would be willing to purchase the Lucas。 He collects them。 He is a man of discretion。〃
〃I would be glad to get rid of it。 I never want to see it again。 A fake among my beautiful treasures。 I'd like to give it away；〃 he added bitterly。
〃That will not be necessary。 My client would probably be willing to pay you； say； fifty thousand dollars for it。 Shall I make a telephone call？〃
〃That would be most kind of you； Se？or Rendell。〃
**********
At a hastily held meeting the stunned board of directors decided that the exposure of one of the Prado's prize paintings as a forgery had to be avoided at any cost。 It was agreed that the prudent course of action would be to get rid of the painting as quietly and as quickly as possible。 The dark…suited men filed out of the room silently。 No one spoke a word to Machada； who stood there； sweltering in his misery。
That afternoon a deal was struck。 Henri Rendell went to the Bank of Spain and returned with a certified check for 50；000； and the Eugenio Lucas y Padilla was handed over to him； wrapped in an inconspicuous piece of burlap。
〃The board of directors would be very upset if this incident were to bee public；〃 Machada said delicately； 〃but I assured them that your client is a man of discretion。〃
〃You can count on it；〃 Rendell promised。
When Henri Rendell left the museum； he took a taxi to a residential area in the northern end of Madrid； carried the canvas up some stairs to a third…floor apartment； and knocked on the door。 It was opened by Tracy。 In back of her stood Cesar Porretta。 Tracy looked at Rendell questioningly； and he grinned：
〃They couldn't wait to get this off their handsl〃 Henri Rendell gloated。
Tracy hugged him。 〃e in。〃
Porretta took the painting and placed it on a table。
〃Now；〃 the hunchback said； 〃you are going to see a miracle… a Goya brought back to life。〃
He reached for a bottle of mentholated spirits and opened it。 The pungent odor instantly filled the room。 As Tracy and Rendell looked on； Porretta poured some of the spirits onto a piece of cotton and very gently touched the cotton to Lucas's signature； one letter at a time。 Gradually the signature of Lucas began to fade。 Under it was the signature of Goya。
Rendell stared at it in awe。 〃Brilliant！〃
〃It was Miss Whitney's idea；〃 the hunchback admitted。 〃She asked whether it would be possible to cover up the original artist's signature with a fake signature and then cover that with the original name。〃
〃He figured out how it could be done；〃 Tracy smiled。
Porretta said modestly； 〃It was ridiculously simple。 Took fewer than two minutes。 The trick was in the paints I used。 First； I covered Goya's signature with a layer of super…refined white French polish； to protect it。 Then； over that I painted Lucas's name with a quick…drying acrylic…based paint。 On top of that I painted in Goya's name with an oil…based paint with a light picture varnish。 When the top signature was removed； Lucas's name appeared。 If they had gone further； they would have discovered that Goya's original signature was hidden underneath。 But of course； they didn't。〃
Tracy handed each man a fat envelope and said； 〃I want to thank you both。〃
〃Anytime you need an art expert；〃 Henri Rendell winked。
Porretta asked； 〃How do you plan to carry the painting out of the country？〃
〃I'm having a messenger collect it here。 Wait for him。〃 She shook the hands of both men and walked out。
On her way back to the Ritz； Tracy was filled with a sense of exhilaration。 Everything is a matter of psychology； she thought。 From the beginning she had seen that it would be impossible to steal the painting from the Prado； so she had had to trick them； to put them in a frame of mind where they wanted to get rid of it。 Tracy visualized Jeff Stevens's face when he learned how he had been outwitted； and she laughed aloud。
**********
She waited in her hotel suite for the messenger； and when he arrived； Tracy telephoned Cesar Porretta。
〃The messenger is here now；〃 Tracy said。 〃I'm sending him over to pick up the painting。 See that he…〃
〃What？ What are you talking about？〃 Porretta screamed。 〃Your messenger picked up the painting half an hour ago。〃
BOOK THREE
Chapter 31
Paris
WEDNESDAY； JULY 9… NOON
In a private office off the Rue Matignon； Gunther Hartog said； 〃I understand how you feel about what happened in Madrid； Tracy； but Jeff Stevens got there first。〃
〃No；〃 Tracy corrected him