Chapter 28 Chapter Twenty Seven

The hand truck carrying Dr. Lecter jolted slightly as it rolled past the cage door.Dr. Chilton was here, sitting on the bed, flipping through Dr. Lecter's personal letters.Chilton took off his tie and his coat.Dr. Lecter could see what looked like a medal around his neck. "Get him to stand by the toilet, Barney," said Dr. Chilton without looking up. "You and the others go to your posts and wait." Dr. Chilton read some recent correspondence between Dr. Lecter and the General Archives of Psychiatry.He threw the letter on the bed and walked out of the cell.Dr. Lecter's eyes followed him, and he felt something flicker behind the hockey visor of his mask, but Lecter's head didn't move.

Chilton walked over to the student desks in the hallway, stooped stiffly, and took out a small receiver from under the seat. He dangled the receiver back and forth in front of the eyehole of Dr. Lecter's mask, and sat down on the bed again. "I thought she might be looking for evidence of civil rights violations for Miggs' death, so I listened," Chilton said. "I haven't heard from you in years—the last time I I guess it was the same time, you gave me all the confusing answers to my interview, and then wrote an article in the journal to tease me. It's hard to believe that the opinion of a containment officer has anything in the professional circle Worth, isn't it? But I'm still here, and so are you."

Dr. Lecter said nothing. "Silence for years, then Jack Crawford sent a girl down and you softened, didn't you? Something got you, Hannibal? Was it her nice strong ankle? The way her hair shines? She's beautiful, isn't she? Alone and beautiful, the kind of girl that looks like a winter sunset, that's what I think of her. I know you haven't seen a winter sunset for a while Yes, but I'm telling the truth, trust me." "You've only had one day with her. After that, the Baltimore Homicide Division will take over the trial. They're screwing a chair for you to the floor of the electroshock room. For your convenience, this chair You can sit and use it as a toilet; it's convenient for them, just connect the wires. I won't know anything after that."

"You understand? They know, Hannibal. They know you know exactly who Buffalo Bill is. They think you probably treated him. When I heard Miss Starling ask about Buffalo Bill, I was confused. I called a friend from Baltimore Homicide. They found an insect in Klaus's throat, Hannibal. They knew it was Buffalo Bill who killed him. Crawford was To make you think you're smart. I don't think you know how much Crawford hates you for ruining his protégé. Do you think you're smart now that he's got you?" Dr. Lecter watched Chilton's eyes swivel on the iron bars fastened to his mask.Chilton obviously wanted to remove the mask so he could get a closer look at Lecter's face.Lecter wondered if Chilton would take the safe route and pick it from the back?To pick it from the front, he'd have to reach around behind Dr. Lecter's head so that the insides of his forearms, where the veins were exposed, were close to Lecter's face.Come on, doctor.Come closer.No, he decided not to do it anyway.

"Are you still thinking you're going somewhere with a window? Thinking you can walk on the waterfront and see the birds? I don't think so. I called Senator Ruth Martin, and she Never heard of a deal with you. I had to remind her who you were. Clarice Starling never heard of her either. It's a hoax. We gotta think women will come to you A little fraud, but it was a shocker, didn't you?" "After they've squeezed you dry, Hannibal, Crawford will charge you with harboring a felon. You can of course argue that the mentally ill are not criminally responsible under the McNaughton principle, but the judge won't like it. You Sit back and wait for six lives to be killed, and the judge won't take much interest in your well-being any more."

"No windows, Hannibal. You'll spend the rest of your life sitting on the floor of a state prison watching diaper carts go by. You'll lose your teeth, lose your strength, and never see anyone again You are afraid, and after you get out of the cell, you go to a ward somewhere like Flanders, and the young ones just push you around, and use you as a sex object to vent out when you are happy. You can do everything you can The only thing I got to see is your own writing on the wall. Do you think the court will take care of it? You have seen the old one, and you can only cry if you don’t like stewed apricots.”

"Where's Jack Crawford and that slut of his, they're going to hang out in public as soon as his wife dies. He's going to look younger and play some kind of sport where the two of them can go a long way. Ever since Bella -they've been having an affair since Crawford's illness, no doubt anyone's a fool and can see that. They'll get promoted and don't think about you once a year. Crawford's very Might end up wanting to come in person and tell you what you're getting. Make you pay more. I'm sure he's all set for that speech." "Hannibal, he doesn't know you as well as I do. He thought that if he came to ask you for information, you would just hold back and torture the mother."

That's right, Dr. Lecter thought about it.Jack was really smart, too—that half-Scottish-Irish blunt look was misleading.His face looked scarred if you knew how to look.Well, maybe there is room above to add a few more for him. "I know what you're afraid of, it's not pain, it's not loneliness. What you can't stand is lack of dignity, Hannibal, and you're like a cat in that. I take care of you on my honor, Hannibal , I did the same. There were no personal considerations in our relationship, from my end. Now I'm taking care of you too. "There never was a deal between you and Senator Martin, but now there is, or there might be, and I've been on the phone for hours on your behalf about that girl too. I'm going to tell you the first One condition: You can only speak through me. I can only publish a professional report on this matter alone, that is, I have a successful meeting with you. You can publish nothing. In case Catherine Martin is rescued , any material about her can only be obtained by me.

"This condition is non-negotiable. You have to answer me now, do you accept this condition?" Dr. Lecter smiled to himself. "You'd better answer me now, or you can go to the Baltimore Homicide Section. The condition you will get is this: If you reveal the identity of Buffalo Bill, and the girl is found in time, Senator Martin." She can confirm it on the phone - Senator Martin will place you in Hairy Hill State Penitentiary in Tennessee, and Baltimore will have no way for you. You will be in her sphere of influence, away from Jack Crawford. You will stay In the most secure cell, there is a window looking out to the woods. You'll have books. Any outdoor exercise is fine, details are to be worked out, but she's open to advice. Speak his You can go as soon as the name comes. The Tennessee State Police will detain you at the airport, and the governor has agreed."

Dr. Chilton finally said something interesting, and he didn't even know what it was.Dr. Lecter pursed his red lips behind his mask.The police come to arrest.Cops aren't as fine as Barney.The police are used to dealing with criminals and tend to use shackles and handcuffs.The handcuffs and shackles can be opened with the handcuff key.Just like mine. "His name is Billy," said Dr. Lecter. "I'll tell the Senator the rest. Go to Tennessee."