娑河异闻录之凶猫

九

十日后的杭州，落日余晖斜斜地掠过屋檐，把房屋轮廓印在行人匆匆归家的街衢上。快马加鞭的黑衣人逆人流而上，在急促的马蹄声中径直赶往万贯金的旧宅，献上一个冰凉刺骨的木匣。

万贯金打开匣子后首先看到满满的半透明冰块，用手指拨开冰块向深处寻找，好不容易碰到一块软软的囊状物。这时他才心满意足地笑了起来，一边把木匣交给身旁的下人，一边问黑衣人：“耿家那群人和那头假豹呢？”

脸上蒙着黑纱，全身都被黑色覆盖的男人淡漠地回答：“我们把天翔门徒骗进密林深处，令他们迷失方向。十日过去，就算他们没有落入野兽腹中，也早该饿死了。至于那头假豹，它已经被真豹咬死。刚才送来的豹子胆，便是从那头真豹体内取出来的。”

万贯金听后阴狠地点头微笑，夸赞道：“我果然没有看错你。这下我总算可以安心享用豹子胆了。”说完挥挥手，示意黑衣人去领酬劳。黑衣人行礼告退，消失在万贯金的视线中。

这天晚上，大厨把耿家三天前送来的熊心与豹子胆一起熬成汤，万贯金终于吃到令他牵肠挂肚两个月的驱邪神药。他把两块内藏吃得干干净净，连一滴汤都没有剩下。他感到全身轻盈而舒展，体内微微发热，那感觉说不出的舒服。

趁着兴头，万贯金坐轿子去了闹鬼的新居。他迫不及待地渴望早点试一试药效。时间已是两更，脑袋晕晕沉沉的万贯金软绵绵地躺在床上，不一会儿就进入一片似梦似幻的仙境。

突然，脚下的云彩中猛地冒出一团火焰。不等万贯金反应过来，熊熊燃烧的烈火从四面八方包围过来。炽热的火舌舔着他的皮肤，把他裹成一个火人。万贯金尖叫着挣扎，在地上打滚灭火，结果一翻身就“扑通”掉下床，把他彻底摔醒了。

满头冷汗的万贯金趴在地上，半天爬不起来。他向门口喊道“来人啊，来人啊”，但是没有听到任何应答。忽然一阵阴风拂过，门扉“吱呀”裂开一道缝隙。缝隙间出现的不是人，而是一缕飘渺的白烟。白烟渐渐幻化成手，向万贯金的方向飘来。

“鬼呀，鬼呀！”汗如雨下的万贯金惨叫着瘫倒在地。恍惚中他突然记起道士的话：“人怕鬼三分，鬼怕人七分。”没错，吃过熊心豹子胆还怕什么？他闭上眼睛不停默念：“我不怕你我不怕你……”念了很久没有一点动静，以为冤魂已经散去，睁开眼睛一看却看到十多个烧得焦黑的尸体正睁着布满血丝的眼睛盯着自己。

“啊——”万贯金惨叫着抱头蹲在地上，一边磕头一边求饶，“别杀我，别杀我。我当初只想一把火烧光房子，没想把你们全都烧死呀！”

吓破胆的万贯金无意间说出了自己的罪行。五年前的火灾不是天灾而是人祸，幕后主使正是万贯金。他为了把住在这片地上的五户人家赶走而令人偷偷放火。也许是因为良心有愧，他自从住进新居后就开始疑神疑鬼，所以才总是看到鬼影在周围飘来飘去。

哆哆嗦嗦的万贯金突然听见门口传来一声兽嚎，吓得猛抬头望去，竟看到一头腹部被剖开的豹子张开血盆大口，向他的脑袋咬来。

“啊——”凄厉的惨叫声中，万贯金被豹子扑倒，倒在地板上再也不动了。

时间在寂静中流逝，过了一会儿，房间中忽然传来“喵呜”的轻叫声。其实压在万贯金胸口的动物根本就不是豹子，而是一只四足踏雪的虎斑猫。这时虚掩的房门被人由外推开，不该出现在此处的黑衣人悄然走入。他俯身抱起虎斑猫，无声无息地离开，消失在夜色中。

直到黑衣人离开后很久很久，万贯金依然一动不动地躺在地上，身体已经僵硬了。

十

第二天，万贯金猝死的消息传遍杭州。仵作白静言验尸后得出“死者中毒身亡”的结论，毒素来自万贯金昨晚喝下的那盅汤。于是“熊心豹子胆有毒不能吃”的教训深深地烙刻进每个听故事的人心中，从此以后再也没有人敢提要吃熊心豹子胆了。

周正通在万贯金旧宅查验汤盅时，昨天刚与耿奕等人返回杭州的岳凌楼也赶来凑热闹。他在人群中看到白静言，别有用意地靠过去问：“大人，你能验出万贯金中的什么毒吗？”

白静言瞥了他一眼，抿嘴浅笑。深邃的银白色眼瞳仿佛可以把他的心思全部看穿：“其实说毒也不毒，只是致人产生幻觉的迷药罢了。因为心中有鬼才被猛鬼吓死，说到底都是他自作自受。”说到这里突然话锋一转，笑意变得更深了，“其实死者死于禁药‘花狱火’。”

听到这个答案后岳凌楼的表情蓦然坚硬。他警惕地看了白静言一眼，见对方没有穷追不舍的意思后，自己灰溜溜地离开了。他本以为白静言虚有其名，想趁机考验他一下，没想到白静言真的什么都知道，而且还刻意隐瞒真相，把迷药说成是毒药，引导所有人都把毒源联想到熊心豹子胆上。但是，凡是接触过禁药花狱火的人都知道，耿家就是这种药唯一的卖主。

返回耿府后，岳凌楼望着院子里熟悉的一景一物。铁链、太湖石、门上墙上的爪痕、被撞坏的窗棂、残留在被褥上金色的短毛，样样都令岳凌楼回忆起为了救自己而惨死的花花。每当回忆花花时，脑海中最后一个画面始终是他缓缓闭上眼睛的瞬间。他死去前从容坦然的表情是岳凌楼心中唯一的安慰。

这天晚上，岳凌楼特别交代膳房多蒸了一条鱼，并且亲自端到耿芸的闺阁外。正在喂猫的耿芸以为又要挨骂了，没想到岳凌楼却把盘子轻轻地放在一只四足踏雪的流浪虎斑面前。

耿芸好奇地问：“凌楼哥，为什么单单喂它吃鱼？”

岳凌楼但笑不语，轻轻摸了摸虎斑的脑袋。虎斑撒娇地叫了一声，蹭了蹭岳凌楼的手。

这是他们永远的秘密，天知地知你知我知——还有白静言知。

Introduce:"Make a noise dead …… " ground of be agitated of Yue Ling building crossed a body on the bed. This has been he was made a noise the 3rd times to wake by the meow that the heart rips to crack lung outside the window tonight. Tonight is a cool Xia Ye, blow gently breeze takes away the sweat fluid of skin surface, be a night that suits how to sleep, but building of high mountain approach is not known however from why and the caracal torment that come must toss about, suffering can'ts bear character. The building of high mountain approach that be driven beyond forbearance drapes the dress, push the door and go out, think Qing Meng's caracal drives away a those faze people. As a result his chela just stepped into a courtyard in, meow stops abruptly. He turned in the courtyard circuit, did not discover the form of any caracal, but become him to just return a bed to go up,lay down, that one in succession the frightening cry sound of be extremely sad resembles following him technically like oppose ground of loud and clear resounds through night sky. Gas gets his gangmaster to cover to be given out in the quilt more hysterical than caracal " ah ah ah —— " frightening cry sound abreacts and accuse. The following day, hanging two black rim of the eye, spirit the dejected, Yue Ling building that sees everybody wants to attack to bit in the past calls together Geng Fu all servents, send the domain that swears to drive him out of the caracal all in residence. Result this " the action that divide a cat " had not begun formally to be destined to meet suffocate suffocate, one serves Yue Ling at ordinary times ground of sincere words and earnest wishes persuades the old fall forward of Lou Yimei brighting Yun: "Drive must not, drive must not, miss Yun incur comes to these cats. " " I say to appear how suddenly so much caracal. " clear up at long last among them the Yue Ling building of cause bears down on directly small courtyard of Geng Yun. Still see on corridor Geng Yun is crouching next lowering one's head that cast in the step of small summer house to feed aloof, leg edge surrounded spot of 5 small tigers fully. See ground of get up on one's hind legs develops building of high mountain approach before, geng Yun looks up questioningly ask: "How? " building of high mountain approach places bright one's purpose in coming straight from the shoulder, politely requirement brighting Yun instantly renvoi of this group of caracal. Geng Yun subdues the ground to say: "They are so pitiful, you are borne. " how does no matter bright,clear have pity on the appearance of Yun, building of ironhearted high mountain approach is soft without the heart, the manner says stoutly: "Do not evict them now, I sleep tonight to the outside. When they went, when do I come back again. " Geng Yun bites lip of Pull in your ears! sadly, still want what to say again, but be frightened so that dare not make a sound by the look that building of high mountain approach is risking fury however. Be in at this moment, the corridor after two person uploads come hurried footstep. Differ building of high mountain approach looks round, accompany Jiangchen comes with respect to already sweating ground before, it seems is firm it seems that from outside fling hurrieds back strongly of Geng Fu. Of the expression of Jiangchen angst is adumbrative a got-up affair urgent, building of high mountain approach asks anxiously: "How