p&c.brimstone-第113章

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　He　sat　for　a　moment；　catching　his　breath。　Then　he　went　on；　his　voice　now　almost　meditative。　
　〃Do　not　think；　Signor　Pendergast；　I　take　this　responsibility　lightly。　I　realize　that　by　entombing　you　here；　I　rob　the　world　of　a　great　intellect。　It　will　be　a　duller　place　without　you。　However；　it　will　also　be　safer；　for　me　and　those　like　me：　men　and　women　who　would　prefer　to　pursue　their　destinies　unfettered　by　laws　devised　by　their　inferiors。〃　
　He　glanced　into　the　recess。　With　the　wall　half　plete；　the　niche　lay　in　deepest　shadow。　Only　the　gaunt　lines　of　Pendergast's　bloodied　face　reflected　in　the　torchlight。　
　The　count　looked　at　him　quizzically。　〃Still　nothing？　Very　well：　let　us　continue。〃　And　he　pulled　himself　to　his　feet。　
　The　next　three　tiers　were　laid　in　silence。　Finally；　as　Fosco　put　the　last　brick　of　the　ninth　course　in　position　and　smoothed　fresh　mortar　across　its　top；　Pendergast　spoke。　The　wall　had　reached　the　level　of　his　pale　eyes；　and　his　voice　echoed　hollowly　inside　the　new…made　vault。　
　〃You　must　not　do　this；〃　he　said。　His　voice　had　none　of　its　usual　creamy；　almost　lazy　precision。　
　This；　Fosco　knew；　was　a　side　effect　of　the　phenobarbital。　〃But　my　dear　Pendergast；　it　is　done！〃　He　troweled　off　the　mortar　and　returned　to　the　brick　pile。　
　The　tenth　course　was　half　laid　before　Pendergast　spoke　once　more。　〃There　is　something　I　must　do。　Something　unfinished；　of　great　importance　to　the　world。　A　member　of　my　family　is　in　a　position　to　do　great　harm。　I　must　be　allowed　to　stop　him。〃　
　Fosco　halted；　listening。　
　〃Let　me　plete　that　task。　Then　I　will　return　to　you。　You　。　。　。　you　may　then　dispose　of　me　as　you　see　fit。　I　give　you　my　word　as　a　gentleman。〃　
　Fosco　laughed。　〃Do　you　take　me　for　a　fool？　I　am　to　believe　you　shall　return；　willingly；　like　Regulus　to　Carthage；　to　meet　your　end？　Bah！　Even　if　you　do　keep　your　word；　when　should　I　expect　you？　Twenty　or　thirty　years　from　now；　when　you　have　grown　old　and　tired　of　life？〃　
　No　answer　came　from　the　darkness　of　the　niche。　
　〃But　this　task　you　mention。　It　intrigues　me。　A　family　member；　you　say？　Give　me　more　details。〃　
　〃Free　me　first。〃　
　〃That　is　impossible。　But　e…I　see　we　are　simply　bandying　words。　And　I　weary　of　this　task。〃　And　more　quickly　now；　Fosco　finished　the　tenth　course　and　started　on　the　eleventh　and　last。　
　It　was　when　only　a　single　stone　remained　to　be　fitted　and　mortared　into　the　wall　that　Pendergast　spoke　again。　〃Fosco〃…the　voice　was　faint；　sepulchral；　as　if　emerging　from　the　deepest　recesses　of　a　tomb…〃I　ask　you；　as　a　gentleman　and　a　human　being。　Do　not　place　that　brick。〃　
　〃Yes。　It　does　seem　a　shame。〃　And　Fosco　hefted　the　final　brick　in　his　hand。　〃But　I'm　afraid　the　time　has　e　for　us　to　part。　I　thank　you　for　the　pleasure　of　your　pany　these　last　few　days。　I　say　to　you；　notarrivederla；　butaddio。　〃　And　he　forced　the　last　stone　into　place。　
　As　he　smoothed　away　the　last　bit　of　excess　mortar；　Fosco　heard…or　thought　he　heard…a　sound　from　the　tomb　within。　A　low　moan；　or　exhalation　of　breath。　Or　was　it　just　the　wind；　crying　through　the　ancient　catabs？　He　pressed　his　head　to　the　freshly　laid　wall　and　listened　intently。　
　But　there　was　nothing　further。　
　Fosco　stepped　back；　kicked　a　pile　of　scattered　bones　into　position　before　the　wall；　then　grabbed　the　torch　and　made　his　way　hastily　through　the　rat's　nest　of　tunnels　to　the　ancient　stairwell。　Reaching　it；　he　began　to　climb…a　dozen　steps；　two　dozen；　three…heading　for　the　surface　and　the　warm　evening　sunlight；　leaving　the　restless　netherworld　of　shadows　far　behind。　
　　　
　85　
　
　D'Agosta　sat　silently　in　the　backseat　of　the　car　as　it　moved　upthe　winding　mountain　road。　The　countryside　was　as　beautiful　as　it　had　been　two　days　before：　the　hills　clad　in　autumn　raiment；　shining　rust　and　gold　under　the　early　morning　sun。　D'Agosta　barely　noticed。　He　was　staring　up　at　the　cruel…looking　keep　of　Castel　Fosco；　just　now　rising　into　view　above　its　spar　of　gray　rock。　Merely　seeing　the　castle　again　brought　a　chill　not　even　the　convoy　of　police　cars　could　allay。　
　He　shifted　the　weight　of　the　canvas　bag　from　one　leg　to　the　other。　Inside　was　Fosco's　diabolical　weapon。　The　chill　evaporated　before　the　furious；　carefully　controlled　anger　that　burned　within　him。　D'Agosta　tried　to　channel　that　anger：　he'd　need　it　for　the　encounter　to　e。　The　maddening；　excruciating　twelve…hour　delay　was　finally　over。　The　paperwork；　the　warrant；　had　finally　e　through；　the　bureaucracy　had　been　satisfied。　Now　he　was　back　here；　on　the　enemy's　home　ground。　He　had　to　stay　calm；　stay　in　control。　He　knew　he　had　only　one　shot　to　save　Pendergast…if　indeed　Pendergast　was　still　alive…and　he　wasn't　going　to　blow　it　by　losing　his　cool。　
　Colonnello　Esposito；　sitting　beside　him；　took　a　last　deep　drag　on　his　cigarette；　then　ground　it　out　in　an　ashtray。　He'd　been　quiet　during　the　drive；　moving　only　occasionally　to　light　a　new　cigarette。　Now　he；　too；　glanced　out　the　window。　
　〃A　most　formidable　residence；〃　he　said。　
　D'Agosta　nodded。　
　Esposito　pulled　out　a　fresh　cigarette；　reconsidered；　replaced　it；　and　turned　to　D'Agosta。　〃This　Fosco　you　describe　seems　a　shrewd　character。　It　will　be　necessary　to　catch　him　red…handed；　secure　the　evidence　ourselves。　We　will　therefore　go　in　fast。〃　
　〃Yes。　Good。〃　
　Esposito　ran　a　hand　over　his　brushed…back　gray　hair。　〃He　is　also　clearly　one　who　leaves　nothing　to　chance。　I　worry　that　Pendergast　may　be　。　。　。〃　His　voice　trailed　off。　
　〃If　we　hadn't　waited　twelve　hours…〃　
　Thecolonnello　shook　his　head。　〃One　cannot　change　the　way　things　are。〃　He　fell　silent　while　the　cars　passed　the　castle's　ruined　outer　gate　and　made　their　way　along　the　avenue　of　cypress　trees。　Then　he　stirred　again。　〃One　request；　Sergeant。〃　
　〃What？〃　
　〃Let　me　do　the　talking；　if　you　please。　I　will　make　sure　the　conversation　is　in　English。　Fosco　speaks　English　well？〃　
　〃Perfectly。〃　
　D'Agosta　was　more　exhausted　than　he　ever　remembered　being。　Every　limb　ached；　and　his　skin　was　scratched　and　torn　in　countless　places。　Only　his　iron　resolve　to　rescue　Pendergast；　his　fear　about　what　his　friend　might　be　undergoing　at　the　hands　of　the　count；　kept　him　going。Maybe　he's　still　alive；　he　thought。Back　in　the　same　cell。　Of　course　he　is。　He　must　be。　
　D'Agosta　prayed　briefly；　fervently；　that　this　would　prove　the　case。　The　alternative　was　too　dreadful　to　contemplate。　
　The　cars　pulled　into　the　graveled　parking　area　just　outside　the　inner　wall。　Here；　in　the　deep　shadow　of　the　stone　buttresses；　it　was　chilly。　D'Agosta　opened　the　car　door　and　stepped　out　briskly　despite　his　aches　and　pains。　
　
　〃The　Fiat；〃　he　said。　〃Our　rented　car。　It's　gone。〃　
　〃What　model？〃　Esposito　asked。　
　〃A　Stylo；　black。　License　IGP　223。〃　
　Esposito　turned　to　one　of　his　men　and　barked　an　order。　
　The　castle　seemed　deserted；　almost　preternaturally　quiet。　Thecolonnello　nodded　to　his　men；　then　led　the　way　quickly　up　the　stone　steps　to　the　banded　doors。　
　This　time；　the　doors　to　the　inner　ward　did　not　open　by　themselves。　In　fact；　it　took　five　minutes…and　increasingly　agitated　raps　by　thecolonnello　…before　they　groaned　slowly　open。　There；　on　the　far　side；　stood　Fosco。　His　gaze　traveled　over　the　knot　of　policemen；　ing　to　rest　at　last　on　D'Agosta。　He　smiled。　
　〃Why；　my　heavens！　It's　Sergeant　D'Agosta。　How　are　you　finding　Italy？〃　
　D'Agosta　did　not　reply。　Just　the　sight　of　the　grotesque　count　brought　on　a　rush　of　loathing。Keep　it　cool；　he　reminded　himself。　
　Fosco　was　puffing　just　a　bit　but　otherwise　seemed　his　jovial；　unflappable　self。　〃Please　excuse　my　delay　in　responding。　I　wasn't　expecting　any　pany　today。〃　Then　he　turned　toward　thecolonnello　。　〃But　we　haven't　yet　been　introduced。　I　am　Fosco。〃　
　〃I　am　Colonnello　Orazio　Esposito　of　the　Nucleo　Investigativo；〃　Esposito　said　brusquely。　〃We　have　a　warrant　to　search　these　premises。　I　would　ask　you　to　step　aside；　sir。〃　
　〃A　warrant！〃　Surprise　bloomed　on　the　count's　face。　〃What's　it　about？〃　
　Esposito　ignored　him；　walking　past；　barking　orders　to　his　men。　He　turned　to　the　count。　〃My　men　will　need　access　to　all　parts　of　the　castle。〃　
　〃Of　course！〃　The　count　hastened　across　the　lawn　of　the　inner　ward；　past　the　purling　fountain；　and　into　the　fastness　of　the　dark　and　brooding　keep；　putting　on　a　remarkable　front