cc.themediterraneancaper2-第18章

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　Pitt　reacted　instantly　and　coiled　on　the　hard　floor。　Then　he　whipped　over　on　his　back　and　thrust　the　knife　up　into　the　dark　void；　holding　the　handle　tightly　in　the　sweating　palms　of　both　hands。　He　could　not　see　his　ghostly　attacker；　but　he　knew　now　what　it　was。
　The　beast　had　noted　Pitt's　exact　location　in　the　brief　flickering　flame　from　the　lighter。　It　hesitated　for　an　instant；　then　it　sprang；
　The　ageless　animal　instinct　of　sniffing　its　prey　before　attacking　spelled　the　big　animal's　doom。　The　delay　gave　Pitt　precious　time　for　his　sudden　evasive　body　roll；　and　the　huge　white　dog　overshot　his　quarry。　The　action　happened　with　such　blinding　speed　that　all　Pitt　could　recall　afterwards　was　the　feel　of　the　knife　slicing　into　a　soft　furry　surface　and　the　wetness　of　heavy　liquid　splattering　in　his　face。
　The　growl　of　the　killer　turned　to　the　howl　of　the　mortally　wounded　as　the　knife　laid　open　the　great　Shepherd's　flank　just　behind　the　ribs。　The　walls　of　the　stone　corridors　thundered　in　a　chorus　of　reverberating　roars　that　burst　from　the　thick；　hairy　throat　a　split　second　before　the　hundred　and　eighty　pounds　of　animal　fury　crashed　into　the　vertical　stone　beyond　Pitt　and　fell　heavily　to　the　ground；　thrashing　in　spastic　agony　for　several　moments　before　dying。
　At　first　Pitt　thought　the　dog　had　missed。　Then　he　felt　a　sting　across　his　chest；　and　he　knew　it　hadn't。　He　lay　without　moving；　listening　to　the　death　throes　in　the　blackness。　Long　minutes　after　the　passageway　returned　to　a　ghostly　stillness；　he　remained　limp　on　the　uneven　floor。　The　tension　finally　passed　and　his　muscles　started　to　loosen；　and　the　pain　began　to　arrive　in　earnest；　clearing　his　mind　to　a　new　sharpness。
　Pitt　slowly　rose　to　his　feet　and　leaned　wearily　against　the　unseen　blood　splattered　wall。　Another　shudder　shook　his　body　and　he　waited　until　his　nerves　calmed　before　stumbling　into　the　darkness　ahead　where　he　shuffled　his　feet　back　and　forth　until　they　came　in　contact　with　his　lighter。　He　lighted　the　little　metallic　box　and　surveyed　his　wounds。
　Blood　seeped　from　four　evenly　spaced　furrows　that　began　just　above　the　left　nipple　and　extended　up　and　diagonally　over　his　chest　to　the　right　shoulder。　The　claw　marks　were　deep　in　the　skin　but　their　depth　barely　penetrated　the　muscle　tissue。　Pitt's　shirt　hung　down　like　a　shredded　flag　of　red　and　khaki。　All　he　could　do　for　the　moment　was　tear　off　the　dangling　strips　of　ragged　cloth　and　pad　the　gashes。　It　would　have　been　the　easiest　thing　in　the　world　to　collapse　to　the　ground　and　let　a　wave　of　forting　unconsciousness　gather　him　in　its　trough。　The　temptation　was　strong；　but　he　resisted　it。　Instead　he　stood　on　steady　legs　with　a　quartz　clear　mind；　planning　his　next　move。
　After　another　minute；　Pitt　walked　over　to　the　dog。　Holding　the　lighter　aloft；　he　stared　down　at　the　dead　animal。　It　was　laying　on　its　side；　the　entrails　in　a　gruesome　heap　outside　the　body　cavity。　Trails　of　blood　streaked　the　floor；　running　in　separate　little　streams　toward　an　unseen　low　point　somewhere　in　the　direction　from　which　he　had　crawled。　The　weariness　and　the　pain　dropped　from　Pitt　like　a　falling　coat　at　the　gruesome　sight。　Rage　and　anger　engulfed　his　body　and　soared
　from　the　state　of　fearful；　life　saving　caution　to　a　state　of　uncaring　indifference　toward　danger　and　death。　One　thought　held　and　gripped　his　mind：　murder　von　Till。
　His　next　step　sounded　simple；　absurdly　simply；　be　must　find　a　way　out　of　the　labyrinth。　The　odds　seemed　long；　and　the　chances　hopeless。　Yet　the　thought　of　failure　never　entered　his　mind。　Von　Till's　words　about　the　next　flight　of　the　yellow　Albatros　settled　any　doubts　for　him。　The　gears　in　Pitt's　head　meshed　in　analytical　thought；　spitting　out　facts　and　possibilities。
　Now　that　the　scheming　old　German　knew　the　First　Attempt　was　remaining　anchored　off　Thasos；　he　would　have　it　attacked　by　the　Albatros。　It　would　be　too　risky　for　the　old　plane　to　try　another　afternoon　attack；　Pitt　reasoned。　Von　Till；　no　doubt；　would　send　it　aloft　as　soon　as　possible；　probably　at　dawn。　Gunn　and　his　crew　must　be　warned　in　time。　He　glanced　at　the　luminous　dial　on　his　wrist　watch。　The　needle…like　hands　registered　9：55。　Dawn　would　break　at　approximately　4：40；　he　figured；　give　or　take　five　minutes。　That　left　six　hours　and　forty…five　minutes　for　him　to　find　an　exit　from　this　crypt　and　alert　the　ship！
　Pitt　shoved　the　knife　in　his　belt；　snapped　the　lighter　shut　to　conserve　fuel　and　started　up　the　left　passageway　toward　the　source　of　a　very　slight　air　current。　The　going　was　easier　now。　Pitt　was　damned　if　he'd　crawl　anymore。　He　hurried　without　hesitation。　The　passage　narrowed　to　three　feet　in　width；　but　the　roof　stayed　out　of　reach　above　his　head。
　Suddenly　his　outstretched　hand　struck　solid　wall　The　passage　ceased；　it　was　a　dead　end。　He　flicked　the　lighter　and　saw　his　mistake。　The　air　current　came　from　a　small　crack　between　the　rocks。　An　audible　humming　noise　also　issued　from　the　crack。　It　was　the　sound　of　an　electric　motor；　hidden　somewhere　beyond　the　wall　in　the　bowels　of　the　mountain。　Pitt　listened　for　a　moment；　but　then　the　sound　ceased。
　〃If　at　first　you　don't　succeed；〃　be　mused　aloud；
　〃try　another　passage。〃　He　retraced　his　steps　and　quickly　reached　the　intersection；　this　time　taking　the　tunnel　directly　opposite　the　one　he　had　cautiously　crawled　through。
　He　lengthened　his　stride　and　pounded　on　into　the　impenetrable　darkness；　the　cool　damp　paving　numbing　his　stocking　feet。　He　idly　wondered　how　many　other　men；　or　women　for　that　matter；　had　von　Till　literally　thrown　to　the　dog。　In　spite　of　the　near　chilly　air；　the　sweat　ran　off　his　body　in　streams。　The　pain　across　his　chest　seemed　remote；　too　remote　to　belong　to　him。　He　could　feel　the　blood　mingling　with　the　sweat　and　running　down　into　his　pants。　He　kept　going　and　was　determined　to　keep　going　until　he　dropped。　A　thought　tugged　at　his　mind　to　slow　down　and　rest；　but　he　rejected　it　and　quickened　his　pace。
　Again　and　again　his　groping　hands　and　the　periodic　but　wele　flicker　of　the　lighter　discovered　new　passages　that　branched　off　into　endless　nothingness。　In　some；　the　rocks　had　caved　in；　sealing　them　off；　probably　forever。
　The　lighter　was　on　its　last　breath；　the　fluid　almost　gone。　Pitt　used　it　as　little　as　possible；　relying　more　and　more　on　his　bruised　and　scraped　fingers。　An　hour　passed；　and　then　another。　He　continued　on；　pushing　his　tired　and　torn　body　through　the　ancient　passages。
　His　foot　struck　something　solid；　and　he　pitched　forward　onto　the　bottom　steps　of　a　stone　stairway。　The　edge　of　the　fourth　step　caught　him　across　the　nose；　gashing　the　bridge　to　the　bone。　Blood　spurted　down　his　cheeks　and　coated　his　lips。　All　at　once　the　exhaustion；　the　emotional　drain　and　the　despair　flooded　over　his　battered　body；　and　he　folded　limply　on　the　stairs。　Everything　began　to　slow　down。　He　lay　and　listened　to　the　blood　drip　on　the　step　beneath　his　head。　A　soft　white　cloud　materialized　out　of　the　black　gloom　and　gently　covered　him。
　　　Pitt　shook　his　sore　and　fuzzy　head　violently；　trying　to　clear　the　cobwebs。　Slowly；　very　slowly；　like　a　man　lifting　a　tremendous　weight　he　raised　his　head　and　shoulders　and　began　agonizingly　to　crawl　up　the　stairway。　Step　by　step　he　struggled；　until　at　last　he　reached　his　destination。
　A　webbing　of　heavy　bars　marked　the　top　of　the　stairway。　The　grille　work　was　ancient　and　heavily　rusted　but　still　thick　and　strong　enough　to　hold　back　an　elephant。
　Pitt　hauled　himself　painfully　onto　the　landing。　A　curtain　of　fresh　air　greeted　his　skin；　replacing　the　musty　odor　of　the　labyrinth。　He　gazed　through　the　rectangles　between　the　bars　and　his　spirits　soared　at　the　sight　of　the　stars　blinking　in　the　sky。　Back　in　the　winding　passageways　he　had　left　like　a　dead　man　in　a　casket　It　seemed　like　an　eternity　since　he　saw　the　outside　world。
　He　pulled　himself　to　his　feet　and　shook　the　bars。　There　was　no　movement。　The　lock　on　the　massive　gate　had　recently　been　welded　closed。
　He　checked　the　width　between　each　bar；　searching　for　the　largest　opening。　The　third　space　from　the　left；　held　the　greatest　spread；　about　eight　and　one…half　inches。　He　laboriously　stripped　off　all　his　clothes　and　set　them　on　the　other　side　of　the　barrier。　Next　he　smeared　his　blood　into　the　sweat