p&c.brimstone-第105章

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ocuments；　formulas；　and　manuscripts。　You　abused　that　trust；　in　particular　on　October　31；　1974；　when　you　went　through　a　mock　ceremony　using　those　same　instruments　to　frighten　a　group　of　American　students。　Then　you　pounded　it　with　these　killings。〃　
　The　paleness　had　given　way　to　mottled　fury。　〃Pendergast；　this　is　absurd。〃　
　〃You　know　better　than　I　it　is　not。　You　belong　to　this　secret　society　by　virtue　of　your　title。　You　had　no　choice　in　the　matter：　you　were　born　into　it。　You　didn't　take　it　seriously　as　a　young　man；　you　thought　it　a　joke。　Only　years　later　did　you　realize　the　severity　of　that　mistake。〃　
　〃This　is　all　bluster；　a　poor　attempt　to　save　your　own　skin。〃　
　〃It's　your　skin　you　should　be　concerned　about。　You　know　what　awaits　those　who　break　the　society's　seal　of　silence。　Remember　what　happened　to　the　marchese　Meucci？　The　ten　men　who　head　the　itatus　have　enormous　money；　power；　and　reach。　They　will　find　you；　Fosco…you　know　that。〃　
　Fosco　said　nothing；　simply　staring　back　at　Pendergast。　
　〃As　I　said；　I　will　give　you　your　life　back　by　retrieving　that　letter…but　only　after　I　have　received　your　signed　confession　and　escorted　you　to　the　carabinieri　headquarters。　The　violin　you　may　keep。　It　is　yours；　after　all。　A　fair　deal；　when　you　consider　it。〃　
　Fosco　tore　open　the　letter　with　a　fat　hand　and　began　to　read。　After　a　moment；　he　paused　and　looked　up。　〃This　is　infamy！〃　
　Pendergast　merely　watched　as　Fosco　returned　his　attention　to　the　document；　hands　visibly　shaking。　
　D'Agosta　observed　this　interchange　with　growing　prehension。　Now　he　understood　the　purpose　of　Pendergast's　stop　that　morning；　a　stop　he　had　referred　to　as　〃insurance。〃　He　had　been　depositing　the　copy　of　his　letter　with　this　Prince　Maffei。　How　Pendergast　had　put　all　this　together；　and　exactly　what　it　meant；　D'Agosta　didn't　know。　No　doubt　he　would　learn　in　time。　But　his　overwhelming　feeling　was　one　of　relief。　Once　again；　Pendergast　had　saved　their　asses。　
　The　count　lowered　the　document　abruptly。　His　face　had　gone　white。　
　〃How　did　you　know　this？　Someone　must　have　already　broken　the　seal　of　the　itatus！　Someone　else　must　pay；　not　me！〃　
　〃I　learned　it　from　you；　and　nobody　else。　That　is　all　you　need　to　know。〃　
　Fosco　appeared　to　be　struggling　to　master　himself。　He　placed　the　letter　on　the　table；　faced　Pendergast。　〃Very　well。　I　had　expected　a　strong　opening　move；　but　this　one　does　you　credit。　Twenty…four　hours；　you　say？　Pinketts　will　escort　you　back　to　your　rooms　while　I　consider　my　riposte。〃　
　〃No　fucking　way；〃　said　D'Agosta。　〃We're　leaving。　You　can　telephone　our　hotel　when　you're　ready　to　hand　over　the　confession。〃　He　glanced　at　Pinketts；　who　had　his　gun　trained　on　them；　the　muzzle　moving　back　and　forth。　D'Agosta　figured　the　chances　were　pretty　good　that…if　he　timed　it　right…he　could　put　a　bullet　in　Pinketts　before　the　man　could　react。　
　〃You　will　go　to　your　quarters　and　await　my　answer；〃　the　count　said　imperiously。　
　When　nobody　moved；　he　gave　an　almost　imperceptible　nod　to　Pinketts。　
　All　it　took　was　a　faint　movement　in　the　man's　hand；　and　D'Agosta　had　dropped；　rolled；　and　fired　in　one　smooth；　endlessly　practiced　move。　Without　even　a　cry；　Pinketts　staggered　back　against　the　wall；　Beretta　still　in　hand；　firing　once　above　their　heads。　D'Agosta　rose　to　his　knee　and　fired　two　more　shots。　Pinketts　jerked；　the　gun　skidded　across　the　floor；　ing　to　rest　in　a　corner。　Pendergast　had　his　own　gun　out　and　was　now　aiming　at　the　count。　
　Slowly；　Fosco　raised　his　hands。　
　Suddenly；　men　appeared　in　the　doorways　leading　out　of　the　dining　room：　rough…looking　men　in　peasant　dress；　guns　in　hand；　faces　set。　They　came　in　orderly；　deliberately；　without　haste；　sure　of　themselves。　In　a　moment；　more　than　half　a　dozen　had　entered；　guns　aimed　at　Pendergast　and　D'Agosta。　
　There　was　a　long　silence；　interrupted　only　by　a　long；　gargling　rattle　from　Pinketts　that　wheezed　off　into　silence。　
　Fosco's　hands　were　still　raised。　〃We　seem　to　be　at　a　standoff；〃　he　said。　〃How　very　theatrical。　You　kill　me；　my　men　kill　you。〃　Though　the　words　sounded　light；　they　held　a　harsh；　chill　undertone。　
　〃Let　us　walk　out　of　here；〃　said　D'Agosta。　〃And　nobody'll　get　killed。〃　
　〃You've　already　killed　Pinketts；〃　Fosco　replied　crisply。　〃Here　you　are；　the　man　who　dared　lecture　me　on　the　sanctity　of　human　life。　Pinketts；　who　was　my　best　and　most　loyal　servant。〃　
　D'Agosta　took　a　step　toward　the　count。　
　〃Agent　Pendergast！〃　Fosco　said；　turning　and　raising　his　voice。　〃A　moment's　reflection　will　show　you　this　is　a　game　you　cannot　win。　At　the　count　of　three；　I　will　order　D'Agosta　killed。　I　will　die　too；　at　your　hand。You　；　on　the　other　hand；　will　live　to　ponder　how　you　brought　death　to　your　partner。　You　know　me　well　enough　to　know　it's　not　a　bluff。　Youwill　lay　down　the　gun…because　you　have　theletter　。〃　
　He　paused。　〃One。〃　
　〃It's　a　bluff！〃　D'Agosta　shouted。　〃Don't　fall　for　it！〃　
　〃Two。〃　
　Pendergast　laid　down　his　weapon。　
　The　count　paused　again；　hands　still　in　the　air。　〃Now；　Mr。　D'Agosta；　you　haven't　put　downyour　gun。　Do　I　need　to　say　that　last　number；　or　can　you　understand　the　situation　has　gone　against　you？　Even　with　your　remarkable　marksmanship；　you　will　not　succeed　in　dropping　more　than　one　or　two　of　my　men　before　you　are　sent　back　to　your　Maker。〃　
　D'Agosta　slowly　lowered　his　gun。　He　still　had　a　second　strapped　to　his　leg；　and　he　knew　Pendergast　had　one；　too。　The　game　was　not　over　by　a　long　shot。　And　they　still　had　the　letter。　
　Fosco　looked　from　one　to　the　other；　eyes　glittering。　〃Very　well。　My　men　will　escort　you　to　your　rooms　while　I　consider　your　offer。〃　
　　　
　80　
　
　Dawn　was　finally　breaking　through　the　tiny　windows　of　thekeep　when　Pendergast　emerged　from　his　room。　D'Agosta；　sitting　by　the　fire；　grunted　an　acknowledgment。　He　had　spent　the　night　tossing　restlessly；　unable　to　sleep；　but　Pendergast　seemed　to　have　had　no　difficulty。　
　〃Excellent　fire；　Vincent；〃　he　said；　smoothing　the　front　of　his　suit　and　taking　a　seat　nearby。　〃I　find　these　fall　mornings　a　bit　chilly。〃　
　D'Agosta　gave　the　fire　a　savage　poke。　〃Nice　sleep？〃　
　〃The　bed　was　an　abomination。　Otherwise；　passable；　thank　you。〃　
　D'Agosta　heaved　on　another　log。　He　hated　all　this　waiting；　this　not　knowing；　and　was　unable　to　pletely　suppress　his　irritation　at　Pendergast's　going　directly　to　his　room　the　night　before　without　a　satisfactory　explanation。　
　〃How　did　you　know　about　that　secret　society　business；　anyway？〃　he　asked　a　little　gruffly。　〃I've　seen　you　pull　a　rabbit　out　of　a　hat　before；　but　this　one　took　the　cake。〃　
　〃What　a　delightful　mixed　metaphor。　I　had　a　suspicion　that　Fosco　was　involved　in　some　way　or　another；　even　before　I　found　the　horsehair　from　the　Stormcloud　at　the　site　of　Bullard's　killing。〃　
　〃When　did　you　first　suspect　him？〃　
　〃You　recall　the　associate　I　mentioned；　Mime？　I　had　him　perform　Internet　background　checks　on　the　recent　activities　of　all　who　were　at　Grove's　last　party。　His　research　eventually　picked　up　the　fact　that；　six　months　ago；　Fosco　quietly　purchased　a　rare　seventeenth…century　Florentine　cross　from　an　antique　dealer　on　the　Via　Maggio。〃　
　〃The　one　he　gave　Grove？〃　
　〃Exactly。　And　recall　the　count　himself　was　careful　to　point　out　to　me　that；　had　Grove　lived　only　one　more　day；　he　would　have　been　forty　million　dollars　richer。〃　
　〃Yeah。　Anytime　someone　volunteers　an　alibi；　something's　fishy。〃　
　〃The　count's　Achilles'　heel　is　his　volubility。〃　
　〃Thatand　his　big　mouth。〃　
　〃I　began　to　search　for　weaknesses　in　the　count。　He　was　clearly　a　dangerous　man；　and　I　felt　we　needed　every　advantage　we　could　get…just　in　case。　You　may　recall　the　ment　of　thecolonnello　's；　back　at　his　barracks；　about　secret　societies。　He　said　the　Florentine　nobility　was　'rife　with　them。'　I　began　to　wonder　if　Fosco　belonged　to　such　a　secret　society；　and　if　so；　whether　it　might　be　used　against　him　in　some　way。　The　Florentine　nobility　are　among　the　oldest　in　Europe…their　lineages　go　back　to　the　1200s。　Most　of　their　ancient　titles　are　associated　with　various　arcane　orders　and　guilds；　some　going　as　far　back　as　the　Crusades。　Most　have　secret　documents；　rites；　and　so　forth。　The　Knights　Templars；　the　Black　Gonfaloniers；　the　Cavaliers　of　the　Rose…there　are　many　others。〃　
　D'Agosta　nodded　silently。