gns.thedruidconnection-第12章

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nless　of　course　she　was　deliberately　luring　us　here。　There　must　be　somebody　else　here　who　has　already　paid　the　supreme　penalty。　。　。　。　'
　　
　　'Listen！'　Kent　caught　Sabat's　arm。

　　
　　From　somewhere　nearby　they　heard　a　low　moaning　sound　as　though　somebody　was　in　terrible　pain；　a　noise　that　died　away　and　then　came　back　again。
　　
　　Sabat　paused；　drew　a　deep　breath；　an　instant　preparation　for　yet　another　joust　with　the　powers　of　evil。　They　weren't　letting　up　tonight！　He　glanced　at　Kent；　two　strong　men　making　a　mutual　pledge；　a　loyalty　that　was　unquestioned。　Then；　without　speaking；　they　set　off　back　in　the　direction　of　the　churchyard。
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　SIX
　　
　　THEY　RE…ENTERED　the　churchyard　by　that　gap　in　the　hedge　and　stood　listening。　Sabat　wiped　the　ashes　from　his　crucifix；　almost　felt　its　latent　power。　Silence。　Another　trick？
　　
　　Then　they　heard　the　noise　again；　a　low　intermittent　groaning　that　came　from　somewhere　close　at　hand。
　　
　　'Over　there；'　Kent　whispered；　'behind　that　huge　headstone。'
　　
　　They　approached　stealthily；　Sabat　in　the　lead。　He　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　name　on　the　huge　tombstone　…　SIR　HENRY　GRAYNE。　And　as　he　lowered　his　gaze　he　saw　a　pair　of　bare　feet　protruding　from　behind　the　marble；　twitching　feebly。
　　
　　'It's　a　young　girl/　Kent　knew　he　was　stating　the　obvious　but　somebody　had　to　say　something。
　　
　　They　stared；　saw　the　young　girl　lying　there　on　the　gravel　which　had　been　spread　and　raked　across　the　grave。　She　was　clad　in　a　sackcloth…type　shift　which　was　pulled　up　to　reveal　that　she　was　naked　underneath。　Her　slim　fingers　clutched　the　material；　crumpling　it　with　such　ferocity　that　her　knuckles　were　white。　A　slim　figure；　no　more　than　twenty　at　the　most；　dark　haired　with　perfectly　proportioned　features　that　were　screwed　up　into　a　mask　of　sheer　terror。　Her　dark　eyes　widened　with　fear　when　she　saw　them；　tried　to　edge　away　but　her　strength　failed　her　and　she　flopped　back　down　again；　moaning。
　　
　　Sabat　dropped　to　his　knees；　reached　for　her　hand　and　caught　it　as　it　was　snatched　away。　She　tensed；　her　whole　body　trembled　and　she　managed　a　scream；　a　weak　effort；　a　faint　echo　of　the　cry　they　had　heard　earlier。　Sabat　dropped　the　crucifix　back　into　his　pocket。　He　could　have　used　it　to　devastate　her　but　there　was　no　point。　She　was　at　his　mercy　anyway；　a　nymph　of　the　graveyard　run　to　earth　by　the　hunters。
　　
　　'I　do　not　mean　you　any　harm；'　he　spoke　softly；　smiled。
　　
　　'I　am　。。。　finished；'　she　whispered；　closed　her　eyes；　a　resignation　to　death；　maybe　even　worse。
　　
　　'What　is　your　name？'
　　
　　A　pause；　then　'Sheenah'。
　　
　　'You're　safe　now。　She's　dead；　whoever　she　was。'
　　
　　'Alena　。　。　。　has　been　dead　for　a　very　longtime。'
　　
　　'I　know；　but　she　is　finished　now。　Destroyed　by　the　cross。'
　　
　　Sheenah　shuddered；　continued　to　tremble。　Then　。　。　。　why　don't　you　finish　me；　Sabat？'
　　
　　'You　know　my　name？'
　　
　　'Everybody　in　this　village　knows　your　name。　A　devil　in　human　form　sent　to　make　a　pact　with　the　Oke　Priests。'
　　
　　'My；　my；'　Sabat　glanced　briefly　at　Kent；　then　turned　back　to　the　shivering　girl。　'Look；　Sheenah；　if　you　stop　here　much　longer　you're　likely　to　catch　pneumonia；　like　we　shall　as　well。　Let　us　take　you　back　to　our　place　where　we　can　talk　in　fort。'
　　
　　Terrible　things　would　happen　to　me　if　I　was　seen　talking　to　you；　Sabat。'
　　
　　'From　the　villagers　。。。　or　the　Oke　Priests？'
　　
　　'I　。　。　。　I　do　not　。　。　。　know。'
　　
　　'e　on；'　Sabat　stood　up；　pulled　her　to　her　feet；　let　her　dress　fall　back　into　place。　'It's　a　question　of　Hobson's　Choice；　my　girl。　It　appears　that　whatever　you　do　somebody　is　likely　to　have　unpleasant　things　in　mind　for　you；　in　which　case　I　think　you'd　be　a　lot　better　off　with　Kent　and　myself。'
　　
　　It　was　on　the　way　back　to　their　headquarters；　as　they　moved　slowly；　keeping　to　the　shadows；　that　Sabat　experienced　that　faint　but　pleasant　sensation　beginning　again　in　the　lower　regions　of　his　body。　With　a　supreme　effort　he　managed　to　transfer　his　thoughts　to　other　matters；　even　succeeded　in　shutting　out　Quentin's　whispered　mocking　laughter。
　　
　　Sabat　was　strong　again　now。　The　ungodly　would　know　they　had　been　in　a　fight　whatever　the　eventual　oute。
　　
　　'I'm　a　witch；　you　know。　A　white　witch；　of　course。'
　　
　　Sabat　was　taken　aback　by　the　frank　confession；　admired　the　way　Sheenah　had　recovered　her　posure　as　she　reclined　in　the　armchair　with　a　glass　of　Bacardi　in　her　hand；　almost　arrogant　now。
　　
　　'I　rather　gathered　you　were；'　Sabat　took　a　sip　of　his　whisky；　smiled　disarmingly。　'It　was　just　a　question　of　which　side　you　were　on　out　there　in　the　dark　tonight。　We　couldn't　take　chances。'
　　
　　'Of　course。　I　understand。　I'm　grateful　to　you；　Sabat；　because　without　you　and　your　friend　I　would　surely　have　died　on　the　sacrificial　altar。　Alena；　mistress　of　Alda；　is　terrible　when　her　anger　is　aroused。　The　old　ones　are　not　wholly　evil；　though；　but　at　the　present　time　they　crave　revenge　against　those　who　seek　to　destroy　an　ancient　place　of　worship。'
　　
　　'Which　is　what　I　suspected　it　was　all　about；'　Sabat　said；　stuffing　long…stranded　coarse　tobacco　into　the　bowl　of　his　meerschaum　pipe。　'It's　the　old　religion　versus　the　new；　but　where　do　you　e　in？'
　　
　　'I　am　both　a　medium　and　a　clairvoyant；　amongst　other　things；'　the　girl　smiled；　and　added；　'My　mother；　too；　was　a　witch。　Hounded　from　place　to　place　until　finally　she　sought　refuge　in　this　remote　village。　Then　her　past；　blameless　as　it　was；　caught　up　with　her。　A　couple　of　centuries　ago　she　would　have　been　burned　at　the　stake　on　the　village　green　with　me　alongside　her。　Instead　they　harassed　us；　did　all　kinds　of　stupid　things。　The　local　yobbos　stoned　our　windows　on　more　than　one　occasion　and　once　they　tried　to　set　fire　to　our　house。　Then　mother　died　…　cancer　…　but　the　whole　village　was　laughing；　waiting　for　her　to　die　because　they　claimed　God　was　removing　a　curse　from　their　midst。　D'you　know；　Sabat；'　she　twirled　the　stem　of　the　glass　between　her　slim　fingers　and　stared　at　it　intently；　'in　all　the　years；　I　never　knew　mother　wish　anybody　evil　。　。　。　that　is；　not　until　her　final　hour。　She　was　fading　fast　when　suddenly　she　seemed　to　revive　for　a　minute　or　two　and　she　was　mad　with　pain。　I　tried　to　distract　her　but　she　would　not　have　it。　〃The　evil　lies　with　the　villagers　and　their　hypocritical　church；〃　she　screamed。　〃Not　content　with　driving　out　the　old　religion　they　are　now　trying　to　destroy　it　pletely。　The　temple　of　the　Oke　Priests　is　to　be　ravaged　by　bulldozers　so　that　houses　for　the　unbelievers　can　be　built　on　its　site。　May　the　old　gods　return　and　send　forth　their　Oke　Priests。　May　the　sacred　soil　run　red　with　blood；　and　the　skies　stink　with　the　smoke　of　funeral　pyres。　Let　there　be　death　and　destruction；　and　terror　struck　into　the　hearts　of　these　hypocritical　churchmen　and　villagers。〃　Then　my　mother　died。　I　alone　realised　her　power；　how　she　was　able　to　contact　the　old　ones；　and　I　knew　only　too　well　that　they　would　answer　her　cry　for　help　to　save　the　sacred　place。　It　sounds　ridiculous；　Sabat。　but　I　know　it's　true　。　。　。　just　the　same　as　I　knew　you　would　e　here　once　the　killings　and　the　madness　began。'
　　
　　'I　believe　you；'　Sabat　paused　to　get　his　pipe　going。　'As　you　are　obviously　a　very　genuine　clairvoyant　and　have　also　inherited　your　mother's　powers；　I　suppose　you　know　how　and　why　this　tract　of　ancient　land　has　e　to　be　put　on　the　market。'
　　
　　'I　can　oniy　hazard　a　guess。　Somehow　Bishop　Boyce　and　the　local　planning　officer　worked　it　out　between　them。　This　builder　who　plans　to　build　a　housing　estate　on　the　land　must　be　in　on　it；　too。'
　　
　　'A　three…way　corruption。　But　it'll　take　some　proving。'
　　
　　'There's　a　weak　link。　The　builder；　Darren　Hurst；　has　a　mistress。　Actually　she's　a　high…class　call…girl　named　Lola；　but　that　would　be　the　way　to　get　at　them；　through　her。　You're　the　kind　of　guy　who　could　do　that；　Sabat。'
　　
　　'And　how　d'you　figure　in　all　this；　Sheenah？　You're　hardly　a　churchgoer　and　I　wouldn't've　thought　that　it　worried　you　one　toss。'
　　
　　'Don't　forget；　I　believe　in　the　old　religion；'　Sheenah　smiled。　'It　was　my　mother　who　evoked　the　spirits　of　the　ol