p&c.brimstone-第89章

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　〃Meanwhile；　you're　down。〃　
　〃I　can　take　care　of　myself。　Here　we　are。〃　Pendergast　slowed；　making　the　final　turn。　〃Check　weapons。〃　
　D'Agosta　removed　his　Glock；　ejected　the　magazine；　made　sure　it　was　at　its　maximum　fifteen…round　capacity；　slammed　it　home；　and　racked　the　slide。　Pendergast　drove　past　the　church　and　parked　in　a　turnout　near　the　end　of　the　road　and　exited　the　vehicle。　
　The　smell　of　crushed　mint　rose　around　them。　It　was　a　chill；　moonless　night。　There　was　a　scattering　of　bright　stars　above　the　dark　line　of　cypresses。　The　church　itself　stood　below；　faintly　silhouetted　against　the　distant　glow　of　Pistoia。　Crickets　trilled　in　the　darkness。　It　was　a　perfect　place　for　a　tomb　robbing；　thought　D'Agosta…quiet　and　isolated。　
　Pendergast　touched　his　shoulder　and　nodded　toward　a　dark　copse　of　trees　about　a　hundred　yards　downhill。　D'Agosta　crouched　in　the　shadows　of　the　car；　gun　drawn；　as　Pendergast　darted　silently　down　toward　the　copse；　disappearing　into　the　darkness。　
　A　minute　later；　D'Agosta　heard　a　low　hoot。　
　He　rose；　moved　quickly　toward　the　trees；　and　joined　Pendergast。　Beyond　stood　the　church：　small　and　very　ancient；　built　of　stone　blocks　with　a　square　tower。　The　front　entrance…a　Gothic　arch　over　a　wooden　door…was　closed。　
　Pendergast　touched　D'Agosta's　arm　again；　nodded　this　time　toward　the　entrance。　D'Agosta　retreated　into　the　shadows；　waiting。　
　Pendergast　shot　across　the　courtyard　in　front　of　the　church。　D'Agosta　could　just　make　out　his　silhouette；　black　against　black；　before　the　door。　There　was　the　sound　of　a　locked　door　being　tried。　This　was　followed　by　the　faint　scraping　of　iron　against　iron　as　Pendergast　picked　the　lock；　and　then　a　dull　creak　as　the　door　opened。　Pendergast　slipped　quickly　inside。　Within　moments；　another　hoot　of　an　owl。　Taking　a　deep　breath；　D'Agosta　ran　across　the　open　piazza　and　past　the　door。　Pendergast　immediately　closed　it　behind　him　and；　inserting　a　narrow　device　into　the　keyhole；　relocked　it。　
　D'Agosta　turned；　crossed　himself。　The　interior　of　the　church　was　cool　and　smelled　of　wax　and　stone。　A　few　candles　guttered　before　a　painted　wooden　statue　of　the　Virgin；　throwing　a　dim　orange　light　across　the　small　nave。　
　〃You　take　the　left　side；　I'll　take　the　right；〃　said　Pendergast。　
　They　moved　down　opposite　walls　of　the　ancient　church；　guns　drawn。　It　was　empty　save　for　the　statue　of　the　Virgin；　a　confessional　with　a　drawn　curtain；　and　a　rough　altar　with　a　crucifix。　
　Pendergast　crept　up　to　the　confessional；　took　hold　of　the　curtain；　jerked　it　aside。　
　Empty。　
　D'Agosta　watched　him　put　his　gun　away　and　glide　to　a　small；　rusted　iron　door　set　into　a　far　corner。　He　bent　over　the　lock　and…with　another　rattle　and　scrape…opened　it　to　reveal　a　descending　stone　staircase。　Pendergast　switched　on　his　flashlight　and　probed　into　the　murk。　
　〃This　isn't　the　first　tomb　I've　disturbed；〃　murmured　Pendergast　as　D'Agosta　drew　up　beside　him；　〃but　it　promises　to　be　one　of　the　most　interesting。〃　
　〃Why　was　Vanni　buried　down　here；　and　not　in　a　cemetery　outside？〃　
　They　passed　through　the　doorway；　and　Pendergast　gently　closed　and　locked　the　door　behind　them。　〃Because　of　the　steep　hill；　the　church　has　no　outsidecamposanto　。　All　the　dead　are　buried　down　in　the　crypts；　cut　into　the　hillside　underneath　the　church。〃　
　They　descended　the　staircase　to　find　themselves　in　a　low；　vaulted　space。　D'Agosta's　nostrils　filled　with　the　smell　of　mold。　To　the　left；　the　flashlight　revealed　some　medieval　sarcophagi；　several　with　the　bodies　of　the　deceased　carved　in　marble　on　the　lids；　as　if　asleep。　One　was　shown　in　a　suit　of　armor；　another　was　dressed　as　a　bishop。　
　D'Agosta　followed　Pendergast　to　the　right。　This　passageway　led　past　more　old　tombs；　decorated　with　sculptures　and　relief；　ending　in　another　iron　door。　In　a　moment；　Pendergast　had　it　open。　
　The　flashlight　disclosed　a　much　cruder　tunnel　beyond；　fashioned　out　of　the　rock　itself。　Shelves　were　cut　into　the　rude　walls；　each　with　its　own　pile　of　bones；　a　skull；　and　bits　of　rag。　Some　of　the　skeletons　had　rings　on　their　bony　fingers；　or　bits　of　jewelry　and　necklaces　scattered　among　the　rib　cages。　There　was　the　faint　rustling　of　mice；　and　a　few　furry　bullets　shot　across　the　dirt　floor；　heading　for　cover。　Farther　on　were　rows　of　newer　tombs；　narrow　edge　out；　as　in　a　mausoleum。　Each　niche　was　covered　with　a　marble　plaque。　
　As　they　walked；　the　dates　on　the　plaques　grew　more　recent。　Some　had　photographs　of　the　deceased　affixed　to　the　front；　unsmiling　nineteenth…　and　early…twentieth…century　faces　marked　by　hardship　and　disappointment。　A　scattering　of　vacant　crypts　with　blank　marble　plaques　appeared。　Others　had　a　name　and　birthdate　but　no　date　of　decease。　Pendergast　swept　his　flashlight　from　left　to　right　and　back　again　as　they　progressed。　Ahead；　D'Agosta　could　make　out　the　terminal　wall　of　the　crypt。　And　there；　isolated　at　the　end；　in　the　bottom　row；　was　the　tomb　they　were　looking　for：　
　　　
　CARLO　VANNI
　1948…2003
　　　
　Pendergast　reached　into　his　suit　coat　and　removed　a　thin　cloth；　which　he　quickly　spread　on　the　stone　floor　in　front　of　the　crypt。　Next；　he　produced　a　narrow　crowbar　and　a　long　metal　blade　with　a　curved　end。　He　shimmed　the　blade　behind　the　marble　plaque；　moved　it　slowly　along　all　four　edges；　then　stuck　the　crowbar　into　the　newly　created　joint　and　gave　a　sharp　tug。　The　plaque　popped　loose　with　a　faint　cloud　of　dust。　Pendergast　caught　it　deftly　and　laid　it　on　the　cloth。　
　The　dark　hole　exhaled　a　nasty；　burned　smell。　
　Pendergast　shone　his　flashlight　into　the　niche。　〃Give　me　a　hand；　please。〃　
　D'Agosta　knelt　beside　him。　He　avoided　looking　in　the　hole；　it　didn't　seem　decent　somehow。　
　〃You　grab　the　left　foot；　I'll　grab　the　right；　and　we'll　slide　him　out。　It's　our　good　fortune　that　Vanni's　niche　is　at　floor　level。〃　
　Now　D'Agosta　forced　himself　to　look。　In　the　dimness；　all　he　could　see　were　the　soles　of　two　shoes；　each　with　a　hole　in　it。　
　〃Ready？〃　
　D'Agosta　nodded。　He　reached　in；　grabbed　the　shoe。　
　〃On　second　thought；　grasp　it　above　the　ankle。　We　wouldn't　want　the　foot　ing　off　at　the　anklebone。〃　
　〃Right。〃　D'Agosta　moved　his　hand　up；　around　the　pant　leg。　It　felt　like　grabbing　a　knotty　bone；　except　there　was　a　crackle　of　something　else　under　there；　like　parchment；　that　almost　turned　his　stomach。　The　smell　was　appalling。　
　〃At　the　count　of　three；　pull　slowly　and　easily。　One；　two；　three　。　。　。〃　
　D'Agosta　pulled；　and　after　a　moment　of　sticky　resistance；　the　body　came　free　and　began　sliding　out；　surprisingly　light。　
　〃Keep　going。〃　
　D'Agosta　backed　up；　pulling　as　he　went；　until　the　corpse　was　entirely　out　of　the　niche。　A　nest　of　earwigs　was　exposed；　the　panicked　insects　racing　off　in　all　directions。　D'Agosta　jumped　back；　slapping　at　several　that　had　dashed　up　his　leg。　
　Carlo　Vanni　lay　before　them；　arms　crossed；　hands　folded　around　a　crucifix；　eyes　wide　open　but　black　and　wrinkled。　The　lips　had　drawn　back　from　the　teeth；　which　were　no　more　than　rotten　stumps。　The　man's　white　hair　had　been　slicked　down　with　some　formidable　substance；　because　not　a　strand　was　out　of　place。　The　suit　had　holes　in　it　from　insect　activity　but　was　otherwise　intact；　if　a　bit　dusty。　The　only　obvious　sign　of　burning　was　on　the　hands　themselves；　which　were　black　and　twisted；　the　fingernails　curled　up　in　little　scrolls。　
　〃Hold　the　light；　please；　Vincent。〃　
　Pendergast　bent　over　the　body；　placed　a　knife　at　the　corpse's　throat；　and　in　one　motion　slit　the　clothes　from　neck　to　navel。　He　pulled　them　aside。　Paper　wadding；　used　to　bulk　up　the　suit；　filled　the　sunken　abdomen。　Pendergast　pulled　this　away　to　reveal　a　blackened　torso；　skin　peeling　away　in　dusty　burned　sheets。　Burned　ribs　sprang　from　the　rib　cage；　charred　ends　exposed。　
　D'Agosta　made　an　effort　to　keep　the　light　steady。　
　Pendergast　removed　a　piece　of　paper　from　his　pocket　and　laid　it　beside　the　body。　D'Agosta　saw　it　was　the　copy　of　the　M。E。's　report；　a　photocopy　of　an　X…ray　showing　the　location　of　the　drops　of　metal。　Next；　he　fitted　a　jeweler's　loupe　to　his　eye；　bending　close　to　the　body　as　he　adjusted　the　objective。　With　the　knife　in　one　hand　and　a　pair　of　surgical　tweezers　in　the　other；　he　began　to　poke　into　the　abdomen。　Faint　crackling　sounds　rose　up。　
　〃Ah！〃　He　held　u