bl.necroscope2-第29章

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se　was　Georgina's　place。
　〃Oh；　ar？　That　〃un　up　there；　hey？　A　funny　〃un；　I'm　told。〃
　〃Course　there　ain't　a　jot　o〃　proof；　but　she'd　bin　seen　wi〃
　〃im；　right　enough。　An〃　clean　off　Sharkham　Point　she　went；　down　Brixham　way。　Terrible！〃
　A　local　tragedy；　obviously；　thought　George。　The　Point　was　a　headland　of　cliffs　projecting　into　the　sea。　He　glanced　at　the　two　old…timers；　nodded　and　had　his　nod　returned；　turned　back　to　his　drink。　But　their　conversation　stayed　with　him。　One　of　them　was　thin；　ferret…faced；　the　other　red　and　portly；　the　latter　doing　the　story…telling。
　Now　he　continued；　〃Carryin〃；　o〃　course。〃
　〃Pregnant；　were　she？〃　the　thin　one　gasped。　〃It　were　〃is；　you　reckon？〃
　〃I　reckons　nuthin〃；〃　the　first　denied。　〃No　proof；　like　I　said。　An〃　anyway；　she　were　a　rum　〃un。　But　so　young。　〃Tis　a　pity。〃
　〃A　pity's　right；〃　the　thin　one　agreed。　〃But　ter　jump　like　that。。。　what　made　〃er　do　it；　d'you　think？　I　mean；　unwed　an〃　carryin〃　these　days　ain't　nuthin。
　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　George　saw　them　lean　closer。　Their　voices　fell　lower　still　and　he　strained　to　hear　what　was　said：
　〃I　reckon；〃　said　the　portly　one；　〃that　Nature　told　〃er　it　weren't　right。　You　know　〃ow　a　ewe'll　cast　a　puggled　lamb？　Suthin〃　like　that；　poor　lass。〃
　〃It　weren't　right；　you　say？　They　opened　〃er　up；　then？〃
　〃Oh；　ar；　they　did　that！　Tide　were　out　an〃　she　knew　it。　She　weren't　goin〃　in　the　water；　that　one。　She　were　goin〃　down　on　the　rocks！　Makin〃　sure；　she　were。　Now　〃ere；　strictly　〃tween　you　an〃　me；　my　girl　Mary's　at　the　hospital；　as　you　know。　She　says　that　when　they　brung　〃er　in　she　were　dead　as　mutton。　But　they　sounded　〃er　belly；　and　it　were　still　kickin〃。。。　！〃
　After　a　moment's　pause：　〃The　child？〃
　〃Well　what　else；　you　old　fool！　So　they　opened　〃er　up。　〃Orrible　it　were…but　there's　none　but　a　handful　knows　of　it；　so　this　stops　right　〃ere。　Well；　doctor　took　one　look　at　it　an〃　put　a　needle　in　it。　He　just　finished　it　there　and　then。　An〃　into　a　plastic　bag　it　went　an〃　down　to　the　hospital　furnace。　An〃　that　was　that。〃
　〃Deformed；〃　the　thin　one　nodded。　〃I've　heard　o〃　such。〃
　〃Well；　this　one　weren't　so　much　deformed　as。。。　as　not　much　formed　at　all！〃　the　florid　one　informed。　〃It　were…〃ow'd　my　Mary　put　it？…like　some　kind　of　massive　tumour　in　〃er。　A　terrible　sort　of　fleshy　lump；　and　fibrous。　But　it　were　s'posed　to　〃ave　been　a　child；　for　there　was　afterbirth　and　all。　But　for　sure　it　were　better　off　dead！　My　Mary　said　as　〃ow　there　was　eyes　where　there　shouldn't　be；　an〃　things　like　teeth；　an〃
　〃ow　it　mewled　suthin〃　terrible　when　the　light　fell　on　it！〃
　George　had　finished　his　lager；　the　last　of　it　with　a　gulp。
　The　door　of　the　pub　was　flung　open　and　a　party　of　young　people　came　in。　Another　moment　and　one　of　them　had　found　a　juke…box　in　some　hidden　alcove；　rock　music　washed　over　everything。　The　barman　came　back；　pulled　pints　for　all　he　was　worth。
　George　left；　headed　back　down　the　road。　Half…way　back；　his　car　pulled　up　and　Anne　shouted；　〃Get　in　the　back。〃
　She　wore　a　straw　hat　with　a　wide　black　band；　contrasting　perfectly　with　her　summer　dress。　Helen；　sitting　beside　her；　wore　one　with　a　red　band。　〃How's　that？〃　Anne　laughed　as　George　plumped　down　in　the　back　seat　and　slammed　the　door。　Mother　and　daughter　tilted　their　heads　coquettishly；　showed　off　their　hats。　〃Just　like　a　couple　of　village　girls　out　for　a　drive；　eh？〃
　〃Around　here；〃　George　answered　darkly；　〃village　girls　need　to　watch　what　they're　doing。〃　But　he　didn't　explain　his　meaning；　and　in　any　case　he　wouldn't　have　mentioned　Harkley　in　the　same　breath　as　the　story　he'd　overheard　in　the　pub。　He　took　it　that　he'd　simply　misinterpreted　the　first　few　words。　However　that　may　be；　the　unpleasantness　of　the　thing　stayed　with　him　for　the　rest　of　the　day。
　The　next　morning；　Tuesday；　George　was　up　late。　Anne　had　offered　him　breakfast　in　bed　but　he'd　declined；　gone　back　to　sleep。　He　got　up　at　ten　to　a　quiet　house；　made　himself　a　small　breakfast　that　turned　out　quite　tasteless。　Then；　in　the　living…room；　he　found　Anne's　note：
　Darling…Yulian　and　Helen　are　out　walking　Vlad。　I　think　I'll　drive　Georgina　into　town　and　buy　her　something。　We'll　be　back　for　lunch…Anne　George　sighed　his　frustration；　chewed　his　bottom　lip　angrily。　This　morning　he'd　meant　to　have　a　quick　look　at　the　cellars；　just　out　of　curiosity。　Yulian　could　have　perhaps　shown　him　around　down　there。　As　for　the　rest　of　the　day：　he'd　planned　on　driving　the　girls　to　the　beach　at　Salbe；　a　day　by　the　sea　might　fetch　Georgina　out　of　herself。　The　salty　air　would　be　good　for　Helen；　too；　who'd　been　looking　a　bit　peaky。　Just　like　Anne　to　get　cab…happy　with　the　car　the　minute　they　were　out　of　London！
　Ah；　well…maybe　there'd　still　be　time　for　the　beach　this　afternoon。　But　what　to　do　with　himself　this　morning？　A　walk　into　Old　Paignton；　to　the　harbour；　perhaps？　It　would　be　a　fair　bit　of　a　walk；　but　he　could　always　drop　in　somewhere　for　a　pint　along　the　way。　And　later；　if　he　was　tired　or　pushed　for　time；　he'd　simply　e　back　by　taxi。
　George　did　exactly　that。　He　took　his　binoculars　with　him　and　spent　a　little　time　gazing　at　near…distant　Brixham　across　the　bay；　returned　to　Harkley　by　taxi　at　about　12。30　and　paid　the　driver　off　at　the　gate。　He'd　enjoyed　both　the　long　walk　and　his　glass　of　cold　beer　enormously；　and　it　seemed　he'd　timed　the　entire　expedition　just　perfectly　for　lunch。
　Then；　wandering　up　the　drive　where　the　curving　gravel　path　came　closest　to　the　copse…a　densely　grown　stand　of　beech；　birch　and　alder；　with　one　mighty　cedar　towering　slightly　apart…there　he　came　across　his　car；　its　front　doors　standing　open　and　the　keys　still　in　the　ignition。　George　stared　at　the　car　in　mild　surprise；　turned　in　a　slow　circle　and　glanced　all　about。
　The　copse　had　an　overgrown　crazy…paving　path　winding　through　its　heart；　and　a　once…elegant　white　three…bar　fence　running　round　it…like　a　wood　in　a　book　of　fairy　tales。　The　fence　was　leaning　now　and　very　much　off…white；　with　rank　growth　sprung　up　on　both　sides。　George　looked　in　that　direction　but　could　see　no　one。　Tall　grasses　and　brambles；　the　tops　of　fenceposts；　trees。　And。。。
　maybe　something　big　and　black　moving　furtively　in　the　undergrowth？　Vlad？
　It　could　well　be　that　Anne；　Helen；　Georgina　and　Yulian　were　all　walking　together　in　the　copse；　certainly　it　would　be　leafy　and　cool　under　the　canopy　of　the　trees。　But　if　it　was　only　Yulian　and　the　dog　in　there；　or　the　bloody　dog　on　his　own。。。
　Suddenly　it　came　to　George　that　he　feared　one　as　much　as　the　other。　Yes；　feared　them。　Yulian　wasn't　like　any　other　person　he　knew；　and　Vlad　wasn't　like　any　other　dog。　There　was　something　wrong　with　both　of　them。　And　in　the　middle　of　a　quiet；　hot　summer　day　George　shivered。
　Then　he　got　a　grip　of　himself。　Frightened？　Of　a　queer；　freakish　youth　and　a　three…quarters　grown　dog？　Ridiculous！
　He　gave　a　loud　〃Hallooo！〃…and　got　no　answer。
　Irritated　now；　his　previously　pleasant　mood　rapidly　waning；　he　hurried　to　the　house。　Inside。。。　no　one！　He　went　through　the　old　place　slamming　doors；　finally　climbed　the　stairs　to　his　and　Anne's　bedroom。　Where　the　hell　was　everyone？　And　why　had　Anne　left　his　car　there　like　that？　Was　he　to　spend　the　entire　day　on　his　bloody　own？
　From　his　bedroom　window　he　could　see　most　of　the　grounds　at　the　front　of　the　house　right　to　the　gate。　The　barn　and　huddled　stables　interfered　with　the　view　of　the　copse；　but…George's　attention　was　suddenly　riveted　by　a　splash　of　colour　showing　in　the　tall　grass　this　side　of　the　fence　where　it　circled　the　copse。　It　caught　his　attention　and　held　it。　He　moved　a　fraction；　tried　to　see　beyond　the　projecting　gables　of　the　old　barn。　It　wouldn't　e　into　focus。　Then　he　remembered　his　binoculars；　still　hanging　round　his　neck。　He　quickly　put　them　to　his　eyes；　adjusted　them。
　Still　the　gables　intervened；　and　he'd　got　the　range　wrong。　The　splash　of　colour　was　still　there…a　dress？…but　a　flesh…pink　tone　was　moving　against　it。　Moving　insistently。　With　viciously　impatient　hands；　George　finally　got　the　range　right；　brought　the　picture　close。　The　splash　of　summer　colours　was　a　dress；　yes。　And　the　flesh…coloured　tone　was…flesh！　Naked　flesh。
　George　scanned　the　scene　disbelievingly。　They　were　in　the　grass。　He　couldn't　see　Helen…not　her　face；　anyway…for　she　was　face　down；　backside