p&c.brimstone-第18章

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　A　gold　Impala。　There　must　be　a　million　of　them　in　the　city。　Hell；　he　was　starting　to　get　paranoid。　All　that　soft　living　in　Southampton　。　。　。　
　He　continued　steadily　on；　passing　rows　of　abandoned　buildings；　old　mansions　broken　into　apartments　and　SROs。　Dogshit　littered　the　sidewalk　now；　along　with　garbage　and　broken　bottles。　Most　of　the　streetlights　were　out…shooting　at　them　was　a　favorite　gang　pastime…and　with　the　city's　general　neglect　of　this　area；　it　took　forever　to　get　them　repaired。　
　He　was　now　approaching　the　hard…core　center　of　western　Harlem。　It　seemed　incredible　that　Pendergast　had　a　place　here：　the　guy　was　eccentric；　but　notthat　eccentric。　The　next　block；　132nd；　was　pletely　dark；　every　streetlight　out；　the　two　remaining　buildings　on　the　block　abandoned　and　boarded　up。　Even　the　lights　on　the　park　side　had　been　blown　away。　It　was　a　perfect　muggers'　block…except　no　one　in　his　right　mind　would　ever　walk　there　at　night。　
　D'Agosta　reminded　himself　he　was　packing；　in　full　uniform；　with　a　radio。　He　shook　his　head。　What　a　wimp　he'd　bee。　He　strode　resolutely　forward；　down　the　dark　block。　
　That　was　when　he　noticed　a　car　behind　him；　moving　slowly。　Waytoo　slowly。　As　it　passed　under　the　last　streetlight；　D'Agosta　saw　the　gleam　of　gold…the　same　Chevy　Impala　that　had　nearly　taken　off　his　toes　on　West　61st　Street。　
　D'Agosta　may　have　forgotten　the　street　address　formula；　but　his　NYPD　cop　radar　remained　in　perfect　working　order；　and　now　it　went　off　loudly。　The　car　was　moving　at　precisely　the　speed　that　would　bring　it　next　to　D'Agosta　at　the　middle　of　the　dark　block。　
　It　was　an　ambush。　
　D'Agosta　made　an　instant　decision。　Breaking　into　a　sudden　run；　he　cut　left　and　sprinted　across　the　street　in　front　of　the　approaching　car。　He　heard　the　screeching　acceleration　of　the　tires；　but　he　had　moved　too　quickly　and　was　already　heading　into　Riverside　Park　by　the　time　the　car　squealed　to　a　stop　along　the　curb。　
　As　he　sprinted　into　the　darkness　of　the　trees；　he　saw　both　doors　open　simultaneously。　
　　　
　13
　
　The　door　to　the　tenth…floor　suite　at　the　Sherry　NetherlandHotel　was　opened　by　an　English　butler　so　impeccably　outfitted　he　seemed　to　have　stepped　from　the　pages　of　a　Wodehouse　novel。　He　bowed　to　Pendergast；　standing　to　one　side。　The　man's　double…breasted　Prince　Albert　frock　coat　was　immaculately　brushed；　and　when　he　moved；　his　starched　white　shirtfront　rustled　faintly。　One　white…gloved　hand　took　Pendergast's　coat；　the　other　held　out　a　silver　tray。　Without　hesitation；　Pendergast　reached　into　his　pocket；　removed　a　slim　gold　card　case；　and　placed　his　card　on　the　tray。　
　〃If　the　gentleman　would　kindly　wait。〃　The　butler　gave　another　slight　bow　and　disappeared　into　a　long　hallway；　carrying　the　tray　before　him。　There　was　the　soft　opening　of　a　door；　the　faint　sound　of　clicking　and　hammering。　Another；　farther　door　was　opened。　Minutes　later　the　butler　returned。　
　〃If　the　gentleman　will　follow　me；〃　he　said。　
　Pendergast　followed　the　butler　into　a　wood…paneled　sitting　room；　where　he　was　greeted　by　a　birch　fire；　flickering　merrily　within　a　large　fireplace。　
　〃The　gentleman　is　wele　to　seat　himself　where　he　pleases；〃　the　butler　said。　
　Pendergast；　always　attracted　to　heat；　chose　the　red　leather　chair　nearest　the　fire。　
　〃The　count　will　be　available　momentarily。　Would　the　gentleman　care　for　amontillado？〃　
　〃Thank　you。〃　
　The　butler　retreated　noiselessly　and　reappeared　less　than　thirty　seconds　later；　bearing　a　tray　on　which　reposed　a　single　crystal　glass　half　filled　with　a　pale　amber　liquid。　He　set　it　on　the　nearby　table　and；　just　as　noiselessly；　was　gone。　
　Pendergast　sipped　the　dry；　delicate　liquid　and　gazed　about　the　room　with　growing　interest。　It　had　been　furnished　in　exquisite　and　yet　understated　taste；　managing　to　be　both　fortable　and　beautiful　at　the　same　time。　The　floor　was　covered　with　a　rare　Safavid　carpet　of　Shah　Abbassid　design。　The　fireplace　was　old；　carved　from　gray　Florentinepietra　serena　；　and　it　bore　the　crest　of　an　ancient　and　noble　family。　The　table　that　held　his　glass　also　bore　an　interesting　array　of　items：　several　pieces　of　old　silver；　an　antique　gasogene；　some　lovely　Roman　glass　perfume　bottles；　and　a　small　Etruscan　bronze。　
　It　was　the　painting　above　the　mantelpiece；　however；　that　startled　Pendergast。　It　appeared　to　be　a　Vermeer；　depicting　a　lady　at　a　leaded…glass　window　examining　a　piece　of　lace；　the　cool　Flemish　light　from　the　window　shone　through　the　lace；　which　cast　a　faint　shadow　across　the　woman's　dress。　Pendergast　was　familiar　with　all　thirty…five　of　Vermeer's　known　paintings。　This　was　not　one　of　them。　And　yet　it　could　not　be　a　forgery：　no　forger　had　been　able　to　duplicate　Vermeer's　light。　
　His　eye　roamed　farther。　On　the　opposite　wall　was　an　unfinished　painting　in　the　Caravaggesque　style；　showing　the　conversion　of　Paul　on　the　road　to　Damascus。　It　was　a　smaller　and　even　more　intense　version　of　Caravaggio's　famous　painting　in　Santa　Maria　del　Popolo　in　Rome。　The　more　Pendergast　looked　at　it；　the　more　he　doubted　it　was　a　copy　or　a　〃school　of〃　rendering。　In　fact；　it　looked　like　a　study　in　the　master's　own　hand。　
　Pendergast　now　turned　his　attention　to　the　right…hand　wall；　where　a　third　painting　hung：　a　little　girl　in　a　dark　room；　reading　a　book　by　candlelight。　Pendergast　recognized　it　as　very　similar　to…yet　not　a　copy　of…a　series　of　paintings　on　the　same　subject；The　Education　of　the　Virgin　by　the　mysterious　French　painter　Georges　de　la　Tour。　Could　it　possibly　be　real？　
　They　were　the　only　three　paintings　in　the　room：　three　breathtaking　gems。　But　they　weren't　displayed　with　pomp　and　pretense；　instead；　they　seemed　to　be　part　of　the　environment　of　the　room；　placed　for　private　enjoyment　rather　than　public　envy。　None　of　the　paintings　even　bore　a　label。　
　His　curiosity　about　Fosco　increased。　
　More　faint　sounds　emanated　from　chambers　beyond。　Immediately；　the　agent's　preternatural　hearing　focused　on　them。　A　distant　door　had　opened；　and　Pendergast　could　hear　the　whistling　of　a　bird；　the　light　patter　of　footsteps；　and　a　deep；　gentle　voice。　
　Pendergast　listened　intently。　
　〃e　out　and　hop　upstairs！　One；　two；　three；　and　up！　Three；　two；　one…and　down！〃　
　A　burst　of　chirping　and　twittering；　bined　with　another　sound…clacking　and　whirring…floated　into　the　room　from　beyond；　mingled　with　cheerful　exhortations。　Then；　softly；　a　beautiful　tenor　voice　sounded；　singing　the　notes　of　a　bel　canto　aria。　The　bird…if　that's　what　it　was…fell　silent；　as　if　under　a　spell。　The　voice　rose　in　pitch　and　volume；　then　faded　slowly　away；　and　as　it　did；　the　butler　returned。　
　〃The　count　will　see　you　now。〃　
　Pendergast　rose　and　followed　him　down　a　long；　broad　corridor；　lined　with　books；　to　a　studio　beyond。　
　The　count　stood　in　all　his　corpulent　majesty　in　a　capacious　studio；　one　end　with　floor…to…ceiling　glass；　his　back　turned；　looking　out　on　a　small　balcony　framed　with　rosebushes；　sinking　into　twilight。　He　was　wearing　slacks　and　a　crisp　white　shirt；　open　at　the　collar。　Beside　him　was　an　immaculate　worktable。　At　least　a　hundred　tools　were　lined　up　on　the　table　in　geometric　precision：　tiny　screwdrivers；　pinpoint　soldering　irons；　tiny　jeweler's　saws；　watchmaker's　vises　and　files。　Laid　out　next　to　them　was　an　array　of　exquisitely　small　gears；　ratchets；　springs；　levers；　and　other　finely　machined　metal　parts；　along　with　chips；　small　circuit　boards；　bundles　of　fiber…optic　cabling；　LEDs；　bits　of　rubber　and　plastic；　and　other　electronic　objects　of　mysterious　function。　
　In　the　center　of　the　worktable　stood　a　wooden　T…bar　stand；　and　on　the　stand　stood　a　strange　object　that　at　first　glance　looked　like　a　Triton　cockatoo；　brilliant　white　with　a　lemon…colored　crest；　but　which　on　closer　inspection　proved　to　be　a　mechanical　device：　a　robotic　bird。　
　The　butler　indicated　politely　for　Pendergast　to　seat　himself　on　a　nearby　stool。　As　if　by　magic；　his　half…drunken　glass　of　amontillado　appeared；　then　the　butler　vanished　like　a　ghost。　
　Pendergast　watched　the　count。　With　his　free　hand；　he　plucked　a　casuarina　nut　from　a　tray；　placed　it　between　his　fat　lips；　then　protruded　it。　With　a　whistle　of　excitement；　the　robot　cockatoo　climbed　to　Fosco's　shoulder；　then　to　his　ear；　and…leaning　forward　with　a　whirring　of　gears…plucked　the