rm.thenightboat-第39部分

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illed　from　it；　a　bottle　had　been　thrown　against　a　wall；　leaving　its　remains　in　red　smears　on　the　paint。
　　〃Get　back　to　your　home！〃　Boniface　said。　〃Get　back　to　your　woman　and　child！〃
　　〃What's　all　this　for？〃　he　asked；　motioning　toward　the　objects。　He　was　beginning　to　feel　a　coldness　working　its　way　into　him；　slowly　and　insidiously。
　　Boniface　opened　his　mouth；　paused；　his　eyes　fearful　and　half…crazed。　〃To。。。　keep　them　away。。。〃　he　said；　very　quietly。
　　〃Talk　sense！〃　Kip　said；　fighting　to　hold　back　his　anger。
　　〃They。。。　fear　the　fire。　I've　been　trying　to　break　it。。。　it's　too　difficult　now；　and　I'm　old；　and　I'm　weak。。。　and　I'm　very　tired。。。〃
　　〃Break　it？　Break　what；　damn　it？〃
　　Boniface　started　to　say　something　but　the　words　never　came。　He　seemed　to　shrivel　up；　even　as　Kip　watched　him；　all　the　life　leaving　him　at　once　until　only　a　shell　of　flesh　with　weary；　frightened　eyes　remained。　He　held　out　a　hand　to　steady　himself；　leaning　on　a　shattered　pew；　he　sat　down；　put　his　face　in　his　hands；　and　stayed　that　way　for　almost　a　minute。　When　he　looked　up　his　face　was　drawn　and　anxious；　as　if　he'd　heard　something　approaching。　His　eyes　glittered　wildly　in　the　red　light　and　came　to　rest　on　Kip's　face。　〃Help　me；〃　he　said　in　a　whisper。　〃Can't　you。。。　help　me？〃
　　〃Help　you　do　what？〃
　　〃It's　too　late。。。〃　Boniface　said；　as　if　he　were　speaking　to　himself。　〃I　never　thought　they　would。。。〃
　　〃Listen　to　me。〃　Kip　walked　over　and　stood　next　to　the　houngan。　〃Two　more　people　are　dead。。。　probably　others　as　well。　I　want　to　know　what　those　things　are；　and　I　think　you　can　tell　me。〃
　　〃The　boat；〃　Boniface　whispered。　〃That　beast　from　Hell。　The　Night　Boat。　No　one　can　help　now。　They're　free；　I　can　feel　it。　They're　free；　all　of　them；　and　no　man　can　turn　them　back　until　they've　done　what　they　must　do。〃
　　Kip　leaned　over　the　pew；　his　gaze　boring　deep。　〃Tell　me。〃　The　chill　inside　him　made　his　bones　ache。
　　Drawing　a　long　breath；　Boniface　put　a　hand　to　his　face。　The　gesture　cast　a　huge　shadow　on　the　opposite　wall。　He　nodded；　as　if　giving　himself　up　to　something。　〃The　Sect　Rouge。　Do　you　know　it？〃
　　〃Only　from　hearsay；〃　Kip　said。
　　〃The　most　powerful　and　secret　society　in　all　the　islands。　They　use　the　dark　things　as　their　weapons；　for　power　or　a　price　they　cause　famine　and　pestilence；　they　mit　murders　cold…bloodedly　and　efficiently。　I　know。　Because　I　was　a　member　of　the　Haitian　Sect　Rouge　for　five　years；　and　in　that　time　I　created　much　that　was　evil。　I　learned　the　art　of　fashioning　the　waxen　images　of　my　enemies　or　those　I　was　paid　to　assassinate；　to　slowly　force　nails　one　by　one　through　the　opening　of　the　mouth；　or　draw　a　garotte　tight　around　the　throat。　I　learned　the　art　of　the　wanga…poisons…and　how　to　leave　a　trace　of　it　on　a　marked　man's　pillow；　or　smeared　along　the　rim　of　a　glass；　so　that　death　came　painfully　and　stretched　into　weeks。　I　conjured　the　evil　loa；　and　conspired　with　them　for　the　souls　of　my　enemies。　I　have　made　a　corpse　scream　for　revenge；　I　have　worked　the　sorcery　that　transfigures　time　and　breaks　the　barriers　between　the　living　and　the　dead；　and　I　have　unleashed　evil　things　onto　this　world。
　　〃I　left　Haiti　in　1937；　after　the　murder　of　a　rival　houngan　who　was　threatening　to　expose　my　Sect　Rouge　activities　to　the　local　police。　To　escape　those　who　would　avenge　that　man's　death；　I　came　here。　Those　were　my　days　of　youth。。。　and　strength。　Now　I　cannot　control　it。。。　I　cannot；　and　I　am　very　tired。。。〃
　　〃What　are　those　things　from　the　U…boat？〃　Kip　demanded。
　　The　fear　had　pooled　up　in　Boniface's　eyes；　now　it　brimmed　over。　〃Think　of　it。　What　would　be　the　most　horrible　means　of　execution？　A　death　by　inches；　the　body　and　brain　starving　for　air；　flesh　writhing　in　total　agony。　The　minutes　stretching　into　hours；　days；　years；　an　eternity　of　torture。　Flesh　drying　over　bones；　intestines　hardening；　brains　and　skulls　shriveling；　nerves　screaming　in　unendurable　pain。　No　air；　no　sun；　no　chance　for　escape；　only　the　agony　and　the　darkness；　each　a　hideous　partner　to　the　other。　But　still　Death　delays　its　merciful　touch；　he　will　not　free　them　until　they　have　paid　with　their　flesh。　Their　souls　will　be　trapped　within　a　rotting　house；　and　even　after　their　bodies　have　begun　to　fall　to　pieces　there　will　be　no　peace。　Not　until　the　decay　is　plete；　or　until　their　black；　evil　hearts　are　pierced；　or　until　they　are　burned　into　ashes。〃　He　lifted　his　gaze。　〃Half…human；　living　corpses；　driven　mad　with　pain　and　rage；　hungering　for　the　fluids　of　life　in　the　vain　hope　their　burning　will　be　cooled。　I　know。　Because　I　made　them　as　they　are。。。〃
　　Kip　stood　motionless；　feeling　that　chill　creeping　around　him。　Shadows　flickered　huge　and　monstrous　across　the　walls；　diminished；　and　leaped　again。
　　〃When　I　came　to　Coquina　in　1937；〃　Boniface　said；　〃there　was　no　constable；　no　officials　of　the　law。　This　church　was　a　dilapidated　ruin；　the　Catholic　priest　had　caught　the　fever　and　died　some　months　before。　So　I　set　myself　up　as　a　minister；　it　was　a　logical　way　to　gain　some　measure　of　power　over　the　people；　and　to　hide　from　my　Haitian　enemies。　The　priest　hadn't　understood　their　voodoo　beliefs；　and　I　found　it　easy　to　gain　a　following。　The　people　looked　to　me　for　guidance；　to　act　as　both　their　houngan　and　their　legal　guardian；　the　law　I　enforced　was　stern；　harsh　perhaps；　and　I　punished　evil　by　the　only　means　I　knew：　an　eye　for　an　eye。
　　〃And　then　came　that　war。　The　British　brought　their　men　and　their　ships；　they　assigned　a　constable　to　look　after　the　island。　And　though　he　was　a　good　and　fair　man；　like　you；　I　was　still　Coquina's　real　law。　I　had　the　power；　and　with　it　the　responsibility。　When　that　damned　iron　monster　came　up　from　the　depths；　when　it　rained　fire　on　the　island　and　killed　those　I　loved；　I　knew　I　must　take　a　hand　against　it。
　　〃I　saw　the　bodies　after　they　had　been　blown　to　bloody　bits；　the　sight　haunted　my　nightmares。　The　dead　reached　from　their　graves；　calling　me；　whispering　in　the　still　darkness；　until　I　could　take　no　more；　I　had　the　power；　the　spells　taught　me　by　the　zobop；　the　master　magicians；　and　that　power　was　greater　than　any　weapon　on　earth。〃
　　Boniface　was　silent　for　a　moment；　staring　at　his　wrinkled　hands。　〃I　knew　the　monster　would　return；　in　a　drug…induced　vision；　through　the　sweat　and　pain；　I　saw　the　Night　Boat　nearing　Coquina；　saw　a　burning　freighter　and　death　floating　on　the　sea。　That　terrible　thing　was　returning；　and　I　knew　I　must　await　it。
　　〃And　on　that　night　when　the　sky　was　filled　with　red　streaks　and　flame；　when　the　battle　raged　over　the　Abyss　and　we　could　see　the　ships　circling　their　prey；　I　built　a　fire　on　the　beach　and　began　my　work。　I　asked　help　from　Damballah；　to　entrap　the　thing　in　the　sea；　and　from　Baron　Samedi；　to　withhold　his　mercy。　It　was　difficult。。。　it　took　many　hours；　and　I　prayed　that　the　thing　would　not　escape　before　I　was　finished。
　　〃In　a　trance　I　could　see　the　boat　hidden　there　in　the　Abyss；　in　the　midst　of　black；　churning　currents；　I　saw　the　sand　fall　over　it；　crushing　it　under。　They　were　trapped；　they　would　never　return　to　hurt　my　people　again。　They　would　starve　for　air；　they　would　decay。。。　but　their　deaths　would　be　withheld。　I　could　see　through　the　sand　and　the　iron；　as　if　my　eyes　were　everywhere；　and　I　saw　them　there。。。　huddled　together；　their　air　slowly　giving　out；　their　lungs　heaving。　In　my　mind　I　saw　a　black；　gnarled　hand　reach　out　to　touch　them；　they　trembled；　as　if　they　had　been　touched　by　the　Devil。　A　voice　reached　me…soft；　of　velvet　and　steel；　whether　male　or　female　I　did　not　know…whispering：　It　has　begun。　I　don't　know　when　I　awoke　from　the　trance；　but　I　was　sitting　before　a　cold　fire　and　all　the　British　ships　had　gone。　It　had　taken　two　days。
　　〃Now　those　things　exist　on　the　border　between　life　and　death。　But　I　can't　hurry　the　process；　Kip；　and　now　they　possess　a　power　that　I　hadn't　foreseen。　Hate…because　of　their　agony；　because　we　are　human　and　they。。。　no　longer　are。　To　them　we　are　still　the　enemy；　and　the　year　is　still　1942。　And　so　you　understand　now　why　I　wanted　you　to　sink　it。。。〃
　　〃No。。。〃　Kip　whispered。　He　shook　his　head。　〃No！〃
　　〃I　created　them；　and　there　is　nothing　any　man　can　do。〃
　　〃THERE　HAS　TO　BE！〃　Kip　said；　his　voice　echoing　throughout　the　church。　〃YOU　MUST　KNOW　WHAT　TO　DO！〃
　　〃I've　been　trying；　again　and　again；　to　quicken　the　process　toward　their　death；　but　the　spell　is　too　strong；　and　I　don't　know　what。。。〃
　　Kip　grasped　the　man's　shirt　and　pulled　him　around。　〃YOU'VE　GOT　TO　DO　SOMETHING！〃　he　said　hoarsely。　〃For　God's　sake；　you're　the　only　one　who　can　help　us　now！〃
　　〃I。。。　can't；〃　Boniface　said　wearily。　〃But　you。。。　you　might　do　something。　Oui；　oui；　you。　Your　uncle　was　one　of　the　greatest　houngans　in　all　the　islands！〃　Boniface　gripped　the　constable's　sleeve。　〃He　taught　you　the　art。。。　you　were　his　young　apprentice。。。　now　you　can　help　me。。。！〃
　　〃NO！〃　Kip　shook　his　head。　〃I　shut　it　out　of　my　mind；　I've　forgotten　everything　that　man　tried　to　teach　me！〃
　　〃But　you　must　possess　a　power　of　your　own；〃　Boniface　insisted；　〃or　he　would　not　have　chosen　you　as　his　successor！　It's　inside　you；　if　you　allow　it　to　e　out；　if　you　allow　yourself　to　take　control　of　it！〃
　　Kip　pulled　away　and　stepped　back。　His　mind　was　filled　with　conflicting　emotions。　He　turned　toward　the　altar；　staring　at　the　voodoo　implements　there；　and　in　a　sudden　burst　of　rage　he　lunged　at　them；　kicking　away　the　bottles　and　pots。
　　〃It's　junk；　all　of　it！〃　he　said　tersely。　〃It's　goddamned　junk！〃　He　reached　down　for　a　bottle　and　smashed　it　against　the　far　wall；　splattering　clear　liquid；　he　kicked　a　pot　that　clattered　away　across　the　floor。　Then　he　stood　panting；　furious；　and　listened　to　the　sound　of　his　own　ragged　breath。　〃It's　madness；〃　he　said　finally。　〃What　do　they。。。　want　with　us？〃
　　〃We　have　their　boat；〃　the　other　man　said。　〃And　they　want　it　back。〃
　　Kip　looked　over　at　him；　the　supplies　missing　from　the　yard…the　oil；　diesel　fuel；　cables；　and　rope。　My　God；　is　it　possible？　The　timbers　piled　on　the　U…boat's　deck；　as　if　they　were　being　used　to　shore　up　bulkheads　below。　He　shuddered；　he　could　imagine　the　things　working　within　the　U…boat；　hour　after　hour；　never　resting　nor　stopping。　No；　no；　their　batteries　would　be　long　dead　and　corroded　with　salt。　But　then　he　remembered　the　marine　batteries　Langstree　sa