bl.necroscope2-第28章

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　〃The　drive　was　fine。〃　George　forced　a　smile；　checking　Yulian　out　but　unobtrusively。　The　youth　topped　him　by　a　good　three　inches。　Add　his　hair　to　that　and　he　looked　taller　still。　Seventeen　and　already　he　was　a　big　man。　Big…boned；　anyway。　But　give　him　another　stone　in　weight　and　he'd　be　like　a　barn　door！　Also；　his　handshake　was　iron。　Hardly　limp…wristed；　no　matter　the　length　of　his　fingers。
　George　was　suddenly　very　much　aware　of　his　own　thinning　hair；　his　small　paunch　and　slightly　stodgy　appearance。　But　at　least　I　can　go　out　in　the　sun！　he　thought。　Yulian's　pallor　was　one　thing　that　never　changed；　even　here　he　stood　in　the　shade　of　the　old　house；　like　part　of　its　shadow。
　But　if　the　last　two　years　had　improved　Yulian；　they'd　not　been　so　kind　to　his　mother。
　〃Georgina！〃　Anne　had　meanwhile　turned　to　her　cousin；　hugging　her。　Beneath　the　hug　she　had　felt　how　frail　she　was；　how　trembly。　The　loss　of　her　husband　almost　eighteen　years　before　was　still　taking　its　toll。　〃And。。。　and　looking　so　well！〃
　Liar！　George　couldn't　help　thinking。　Well？　She　looks　like　something　clockwork　that's　about　wound　itself　down！
　It　was　true…Georgina　seemed　like　an　automaton。　She　spoke　and　moved　as　if　programmed。　〃Anne；　George；　Helen…so　good　to　see　you　all　again。　So　glad　you　accepted　Yulian's　invitation。　But　e　in；　e　in。　You　can　guess　what　we've　got　for　you；　of　course。　A　cream　tea；　naturally！〃
　She　led　the　way；　floating　light　as　air；　and　went　inside。　Yulian　paused　at　the　door；　turned　and　said；　〃Yes；　do　e　in。　Feel　free。　Enter　freely　and　make　yourselves　at　home。〃　The　way　he　said　it；　somehow　ritualistically；　made　his　wele　sound　quite　odd。　As　George；　at　the　rear；　made　to　pass　him；　Yulian　added；　〃Can　I　bring　in　your　luggage　for　you？〃
　〃Why；　thanks；〃　said　George。　〃Here；　I'll　give　you　a　hand。〃
　〃Not　necessary；〃　Yulian　smiled。　〃Just　give　me　the　keys。〃　He　opened　the　boot　and　took　out　their　cases　as　if　they　were　empty　and　weighed　nothing。　It　wasn't　just　show；　George　could　see　that。　Yulian　was　very　strong。。。
　Following　him　inside　the　house；　and　feeling　just　a　shade　useless；　George　paused　on　hearing　a　low　growl　of　warning　which　came　from　an　open　cloakroom　in　an　alcove　to　one　side　of　the　entrance　hall。　In　there；　in　the　deepest　shadows　behind　a　dark　oak　coatstand；　something　black　as　sin　moved　and　yellow　eyes　glared。　George　looked　harder；　said；　〃What　in…？〃　and　the　growling　came　louder。
　Yulian；　half…way　down　the　corridor　towards　the　stairs；　turned　and　looked　back。　〃Oh；　don't　let　him　intimidate　you；　George。　His　bark　is　worse　than　his　bite；　I　assure　you。〃　And　in　a　harsher　tone　of　mand：　〃e；　boy；　out　into　the　light　where　we　can　see　you。〃
　A　black　Alsatian；　almost　full　grown；　（was　this　monster　really　Yulian's　pup？）　came　slinking　into　view；　baring　its　teeth　at　George　as　it　slid　by　him。　The　dog　went　straight　to　Yulian；　stood　waiting。　George　noticed　that　it　didn't　wag　its　tail。
　〃It's　all　right；　old　friend；〃　the　youth　murmured。　〃You　make　yourself　scarce。〃　At　which　the　vicious　looking　creature　moved　on　into　the　house。
　〃Good　Lord！〃　said　George。　〃Thank　goodness　he's　well　trained。　What's　his　name？〃
　〃Vlad；〃　Yulian　answered　at　once；　turning　away；　cases　and　all。　〃It's　Romanian；　I　believe。　Means　〃Prince〃　or　something。　Or　it　did　in　the　old　times。。。　〃
　Yulian　wasn't　much　visible　for　the　next　two　or　three　days。　The　fact　did　not　especially　bother　George；　if　anything　he　was　relieved。　Anne　merely　thought　it　odd　that　he　wasn't　around；　Helen　felt　he　was　avoiding　her　and　was　annoyed　about　it；　but　she　didn't　let　it　show。　〃What　does　he　do　with　himself　all　day？〃　Anne　asked　Georgina；　for　the　sake　of　something　to　say；　when　they　were　alone　together　one　morning。
　Georgina's　eyes　seemed　constantly　dull；　but　only　mention　Yulian　and　they'd　take　on　a　startled；　almost　shocked　brightness。　Anne　mentioned　him　now…and　sure　enough；　there　was　that　look。
　〃Oh；　he　has　his　interests。。。〃　She　at　once　tried　to　change　the　subject；　words　tumbling　out　of　her：　〃We're　thinking　about　having　the　old　stables　down。　There　are　extensive　vaults　under　the　grounds…old　cellars；　wine　cellars　my　grandfather　used…and　Yulian　thinks　the　stables　will　crash　right　through　to　them　one　day。　If　we　have　them　down　we'll　sell　the　stone。　It's　good　stone　and　should　fetch　a　decent　price。〃
　〃Vaults？　I　didn't　know　that。　You　say　Yulian　goes　down　there？〃
　〃To　check　their　condition；〃　（more　words　babbling　out　of　her。）　〃He　worries　about　maintenance。。。　could　collapse；　make　the　house　unsafe。。。　just　old　corridors；　almost　like　tunnels；　and　vaults　opening　off　them。　Full　of　nitre；　spiders；　rotten　old　wine　racks。。。　nothing　of　interest。〃
　Seeing　the　sudden　build…up　of　her…frenzy？…Anne　got　up；　crossed　to　Georgina；　laid　a　hand　on　her　frail　shoulder。　The　older　woman　reacted　as　if　she'd　been　slapped；　jerked　away　from　Anne。　Her　eyes　suddenly　focussed。　〃Anne；〃　she　said；　her　voice　a　shivering　whisper；　〃don't　ask　about　that　place　below。　And　never　go　down　there！　It's　not。。。　not　safe　down　there。。。　〃
　The　Lakes　had　e　down　from　London　on　the　third　Thursday　in　August。　The　weather　was　very　hot　and　showed　no　sign　of　letting　up。　On　the　Monday　Anne　and　Helen　drove　off　to　buy　straw　sunhats　for　themselves　in　Paignton　a　few　miles　away。　Georgina　was　having　her　noontime　snooze　and　Yulian　was　nowhere　to　be　found。
　George　remembered　Anne　mentioning　the　vaults　under　the　house：　wine　cellars；　according　to　Georgina。　With　nothing　better　to　do　he　went　out；　walked　round　the　house　to　the　back；　came　face　to　face　with　a　sort　of　shed　built　of　old　stone。　He'd　noticed　it　before；　had　long　since　concluded　that　it　must　be　an　old；　disused　outdoor　loo　and　until　now　had　had　nothing　more　to　do　with　it。　It　had　a　tiled；　sloping　roof　and　a　door　facing　away　from　the　house。　Shrubbery　grew　rank；　untended　all　about。　The　door　was　sagging　on　rotten　hinges　but　George　managed　to　drag　it　ajar。　And　squeezing　inside；　he　knew　at　once　that　this　must　be　an　entrance　to　the　alleged　cellars。　Narrow　stone　steps　went　down　steeply　on　both　sides　of　a　ramp　perfectly　suited　for　the　rolling　of　barrels。　You　could　find　covered　delivery　points　like　this　in　the　yard　of　any　old　pub。　He　went　carefully　down　the　steps　to　a　door　at　the　bottom；　began　to　push　it　squealingly　open。
　Vald　was　in　there！
　His　muzzle　came　through　the　first　three　inches　of　gap　even　as　George　pushed　on　the　door。　The　snarl　of　rage　preceded　it　by　the　merest　fraction　of　a　second；　and　snarl　and　snout　both　were　the　only　warning　George　got。　Shocked；　he　snatched　back　his　hands；　and　only　just　in　time。　The　Alsatian's　teeth　snapped　on　the　door　jamb　where　his　fingers　had　been；　tearing　off　long　splinters　of　wood。　Heart　hammering；　George　leaned　on　the　door；　closed　it。　He'd　seen　the　dog's　eyes　and　they　had　looked　quite　hateful。
　But　why　would　Vlad　be　down　there　in　the　first　place？　George　could　only　suppose　that　Yulian　had　put　him　there　to　keep　him　out　of　the　way　while　guests　were　around。　A　wise　move；　for　obviously　Vlad's　bark　was　not　as　bad　as　his　bite！　Maybe　Yulian　was　down　there　with　him。　Well；　they　were　a　duo　George　could　well　do　without。。。
　Feeling　shaken；　he　left　the　grounds　and　walked　half　a　mile　down　the　road　to　a　pub　at　the　crossroads。　On　the　way；　surrounded　by　fields　and　lanes；　birdsong　and　the　normal；　entirely　pleasant　hum　of　insects　in　the　hedgerows；　his　nerves　slowly　recovered。　The　sun　was　hot　and　by　the　time　he　reached　his　destination　he　was　ready　for　a　drink。
　The　pub　was　ancient；　thatched；　all　oak　beams　and　horse…brasses；　with　a　gently　ticking　grandfather　clock　and　a　massive　white　cat　overhanging　its　own　chair。　After　Vlad；　George　could　stand　cats　well　enough。　He　ordered　a　lager；　perched　himself　on　a　barstool。
　There　were　others　in　the　bar：　a　fashionable　young　couple　seated　well　away　from　George　at　a　corner　table　close　to　small…paned　windows；　who　doubtless　owned　the　little　sports　job　he'd　seen　parked　in　the　yard；　local　youths　in　another　corner；　playing　dominoes；　and　two　old…timers　deep　in　conversation　over　their　pints　at　a　table　close　by。　It　was　the　muttered；　lowered　tones　of　this　latter　pair　which　attracted　him。　Sipping　his　ice…cold　lager　and　after　the　bartender　had　moved　on　to　other　tasks；　George　thought　he　heard　the　word　〃Harkley〃　and　his　ears　pricked　up。　Harkley　House　was　Georgina's　place。
　〃Oh；　ar？　That　〃un　up　ther