ssheldon.doomsdayconspiracy-第22部分

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　Robert　was　on　the　verge　of　saying　〃I'm　afraid　that's　the　last　witness　I'll　be　able　to　find；〃　but　something　held　him　back。　　He　hated　to　admit　failure。　　And　yet；　the　trail　had　bee　cold。
　
　A　Texan　and　a　priest。　　The　priest　was　from　Rome。　　Period。　　Along　with　a　million　other　priests。　　And　there　was　no　way　to　identify　him。　　I　have　a　choice；　Robert　thought。　　I　can　give　up　and　go　back　to　Washington；　or　I　can　go　to　Rome　and　give　it　one　lasts。。。。
　
　Bundesverfassungsschutzamt；　the　headquarters　of　the　Office　for　the　Protection　of　the　Constitution；　is　located　in　central　Berlin　on　Neumarkterstrasse。　　It　is　a　large；　gray；　nondescript　building；　indistinguishable　from　the　buildings　around　it。　　Inside　on　the　second　floor；　in　the　conference　room；　the　chief　of　the　department；　Inspector　Otto　Joachim；　was　studying　a　message。　　He　read　it　twice；　then　reached　for　the　red　telephone　on　his　desk。
　
　Day　Six　Munich；　Germany
　
　The　following　morning；　as　Otto　Schmidt　headed　for　his　chemistry　lab；　he　was　thinking　about　the　conversation　he　had　had　with　the　American　the　evening　before。　　Where　could　that　piece　of　metal　have　e　from？　　It　was　astonishing；　beyond　anything　in　his　experience。　　And　the　American　puzzled　him。　　He　said　he　was　interested　in　the　passengers　on　the　bus。　Why？　　Because　they've　all　been　witnesses　to　the　flying　saucer？　　Are　they　going　to　be　warned　not　to　talk？　　If　so；　why　didn't　the　American　warn　him？　　There's　something　strange　going　on；　the　professor　decided。　　He　entered　the　laboratory　and　took　off　his　jacket　and　hung　it　up。　　He　put　on　an　apron　to　keep　his　clothes　from　getting　soiled　and　walked　over　to　the　table　where　he　had　been　working　for　many　weeks　on　a　chemical　experiment。　　If　this　works；　he　thought；　it　could　mean　a　Nobel　prize。　　He　lifted　the　beaker　of　sterile　water　and　started　to　pour　it　into　a　container　filled　with　a　yellow　liquid。　　That's　strange。　　I　don't　remember　it　being　such　a　bright　yellow。
　
　The　roar　of　the　explosion　was　tremendous。　　The　laboratory　erupted　in　a　gigantic　blast；　and　pieces　of　glass　and　human　flesh　spattered　the　walls。
　
　FLASH　MESSAGE　TOP　SECRET　ULTRA
　
　BFV　TO　DEPUTY　DIRECTOR　NSA
　
　EYES　ONLY
　
　COPY　ONE　OF　（ONE）　COPIES
　
　SUBJECT：　OPERATION　DOOMSDAY
　
　4。
　
　OTTO　SCHMIDT…TERMINATED
　
　END　OF　MESSAGE
　
　Robert　missed　the　news　of　the　professor's　death。　　He　was　aboard　an　Alitalia　plane；　on　his　way　to　Rome。
　
　b　ustin　Thornton　was　getting　restless。　　He　had　power　now；　and　it　was　like　a　drug。　　He　wanted　more。　　His　father…in…law；　Willard　Stone；　kept　promising　to　bring　him　into　some　mysterious　inner　circle；　but　so　far　he　had　failed　to　fulfill　that　promise。　　It　was　by　pure　chance　that　Thornton　learned　that　his　father…in…law　disappeared　every　Friday。
　
　Thorton　had　called　to　have　lunch　with　him。
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　Willard　Stone's　personal　secretary　said；　〃but　Mr。　Stone　is　away　for　the　day。〃
　〃Oh；　too　bad。　　What　about　lunch　next　Friday？〃
　〃I'm　sorry；　Mr。　Thornton。　　Mr。　Stone　will　be　away　next　Friday　also。〃
　
　Strange。　　And　it　became　even　stranger；　because　when　Thornton　called　two　weeks　later；　he　received　the　same　reply。　　Where　does　the　old　man　disappear　to　every　Friday？　　He　was　not　a　golfer　or　a　man　to　indulge　in　any　hobbies。
　
　The　obvious　answer　was　a　woman。　　Willard　Stone's　wife　was　very　social　and　very　rich。　　She　was　an　imperious　woman；　almost　as　strong　in　her　way　as　her　husband。　　She　was　not　the　sort　of　woman　who　would　tolerate　her　husband　having　an　affair。　　If　he　is　having　an　affair；　Thornton　thought；　I've　got　him　by　the　balls。　　He　knew　he　had　to　find　out。　　With　all　the　facilities　at　his　mand；　Dustin　Thornton　could　have　found　out　very　quickly　what　his　father…inlaw　was　up　to；　but　Thornton　was　no　fool。　　He　was　well　aware　that　if　he　made　one　misstep；　he　would　be　in　big　trouble。　Willard　Stone　was　not　the　kind　of　man　to　brook　any　interference　in　his　life。　　Thornton　decided　to　investigate　the　matter　himself。　　At　five　A。M。　on　the　following　Friday；　Dustin　Thornton　was　slumped　behind　the　wheel　of　an　inconspicuous　Ford　Taurus；　half　a　block　from　Willard　Stone's　imposing　mansion。　　It　was　a　cold；　miserable　dawn；　and　Thornton　kept　asking　himself　what　he　was　doing　there。　　There　was　probably　some　perfectly　reasonable　explanation　for　Stone's　odd　behavior。　I'm　wasting　my　time；　Thornton　thought。　　But　something　kept　him　there。
　
　At　seven　o'clock；　the　driveway　gates　opened；　and　a　car　appeared。
　
　Willard　Stone　was　at　the　wheel。　　Instead　of　his　usual　limousine；　he　was　in　a　small；　black　van　used　by　the　household　staff　A　feeling　of　exultation　spread　through　Thornton。　　He　knew　he　was　onto　something。
　
　People　lived　according　to　their　pattern；　and　Stone　was　breaking　the　pattern。　　It　had　to　be　another　woman。
　
　Driving　carefully　and　staying　well　behind　the　van；　Thornton　followed　his　father…in…law　through　the　streets　of　Washington　to　the　road　that　led　to　Arlington。
　
　I'll　have　to　handle　this　very　delicately；　Thornton　thought。　　I　don't　want　to　push　him　too　hard。　　I'll　get　all　the　information　I　can　about　his　mistress；　and　then　I'll　confront　him　with　it。　　I'll　tell　him　my　only　interest　is　in　protecting　him。　　He'll　get　the　message。　　The　last　thing　he　wants　is　a　public　scandal。
　
　Dustin　Thornton　was　so　wrapped　up　in　his　own　thoughts　that　he　almost　missed　the　turn　that　Willard　Stone　had　taken。　　They　were　in　an　exclusive　residential　district。　　The　black　van　abruptly　disappeared　up　a　long；　tree…shaded　driveway。
　
　Dustin　Thornton　stopped　the　car；　deciding　on　the　best　way　to　proceed。　Should　he　face　Willard　Stone　with　his　infidelity　now？　　Or　should　he　wait　until　Stone　left　and　then　talk　to　the　woman　first？　　Or　should　he　quietly　gather　all　the　information　he　needed　and　then　have　a　talk　with　his　father…in…law？　　He　decided　to　reconnoiter。
　
　Thornton　parked　his　car　on　a　side　street　and　walked　around　to　the　alley　at　the　back　of　the　two…story　house。　　A　wooden　fence　blocked　off　the　back　of　the　yard；　but　that　was　no　problem。　　Thornton　opened　the　gate　and　stepped　inside。　　He　was　facing　huge；　beautiful；　manicured　grounds　with　the　house　at　the　rear。
　
　He　moved　quietly　in　the　shadow　of　the　trees　that　lined　the　lawn　and　stood　at　the　back　door；　deciding　what　his　next　move　should　be。　　He　needed　proof　of　what　was　going　on。　　Without　it　the　old　man　would　laugh　at　him。　　Whatever　was　happening　inside　at　this　moment　could　be　the　key　to　his　future。　　He　had　to　find　out。　　Very　gently；　Thornton　tried　the　back　door。　　It　was　unlocked。　　He　slipped　inside　and　found　himself　in　a　large；　oldfashioned　kitchen。　　There　was　no　one　around。　　Thornton　moved　toward　the　service　door　and　pushed　it　open　slightly。　　He　was　facing　a　large　reception　hall。　　At　the　far　end　was　a　closed　door　that　could　have　led　to　a　library。　　Thornton　walked　toward　it；　moving　quietly。　　He　stood　there　listening。　　There　was　no　sign　of　life　in　the　house。　　The　old　man　is　probably　upstairs　in　the　bedroom。
　
　Thornton　walked　toward　the　closed　door　and　opened　it。　　He　stood　in　the　doorway；　staring。　　There　were　a　dozen　men　seated　in　the　room　around　a　large　table。
　〃e　in；　Dustin；〃　Willard　Stone　said。
　〃We've　been　expecting　you。
　
　Rome　proved　to　be　difficult　for　Robert；　an　emotional　ordeal　that　drained　him。　　He　had　honeymooned　there　with　Susan；　and　the　memories　were　overpowering。　　Rome　was　Roberto；　who　managed　the　Hassler　Hotel　for　his　mother；　and　who　was　partially　deaf　but　could　lip…read　in　five　languages。
　
　Rome　was　the　gardens　of　Villa　d'Este　in　Tivoli；　and　the　Ristorante　Sibilla　and　Susan's　delight　at　the　one　hundred　fountains　created　by　the　son　of　Lucretia　Borgia。　　Rome　was　Otello；　at　the　foot　of　the　Spanish　Steps；　and　the　Vatican；　and　the　Colosseum　and　the　Forum　and　Michelangelo's　Moses。　　Rome　was　sharing　a　tartufo　at　Tre　Scalini　and　the　sound　of　Susan's　laughter；　and　her　voice　saying；　〃Please　promise　me　we'll　always　be　this　happy；　Robert。〃
　
　What　the　hell　am　I　doing　here？　　Robert　wondered。　　I　don't　have　any　idea　who　the　priest　is；　or　whether　he's　even　in　Rome。　　It's　time　to　retire；　to　go　home　and　forget　all　this。
　
　But　something　inside　him；　some　stubborn　streak　inherited　from　a　long…dead　ancestor；　would　not　let　him。　　I'll　give　it　one　day；　Robert　decided。　　Just　one　more　day。　　The　Leonardo　da　Vinci　Airport　was　crowded；　and　it　seemed　to　Robert　that　every　other　person　was　a　priest。　　He　was　looking　for　one　priest　in　a　city　of…what？　　Fifty　thousand　priests？　　A　hundred　thousand？
　
　In　the　taxi　on　the　way　to　the　Hassler　Hotel；　he　noticed　crowds　of　robed　priests　on　the　streets。　　This　is　impossible；　Robert　thought。　　I　must　be　out　of　my　mind。
　
　He　was　greeted　in　the　lobby　of　the　Hassler　Hotel　by　the　assistant　manager。
　〃mander　Bellamy！　　What　a　pleasure　to　see　you　again。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Pietro。　　Do　you　have　a　room　for　me　for　one　night？〃
　〃For　you…of　course。　　Always！〃
　
　Robert　was　escorted　to　a　room　he　had　occupied　before。
　〃If　there's　anything　you　need；　mander；　please。。。〃
　
　I　need　a　bloody　miracle；　Robert　thought。　　He　sat　down　on　the　bed　and　lay　back；　trying　to　clear　his　mind。
　
　Why　would　a　priest　from　Rome　travel　to　Switzerland？　　There　were　several　possibilities。　　He　might　have　gone　on　vacation；　or　there　might　have　been　a　convocation　of　priests。　　He　was　the　only　priest　on　the　tour　bus。　　What　did　that　signify？　　Nothing。　　Except；　perhaps；　that　he　was　not　traveling　with　a　group。　　So　it　could　have　been　a　trip　to　visit　his　friends　or　family。　　Or　maybe　he　was　with　a　group；　and　they　had　other　plans　that　day。
　
　Robert's　thoughts　were　going　around　in　a　futile　circle。　　Back　to　the　beginning。　　How　did　the　priest　get　to　Switzerland？　　The　chances　are　pretty　good　that　he　doesn't　own　a　car。　　Someone　could　have　given　him　a　lift；　but　more　probably　he　traveled　by　plane　or　train　or　took　a　bus。　　If　he　were　on　vacation；　he　wouldn't　have　a　lot　of　time。　　So　let's　assume　he　took　a　plane。　　That　line　of　reasoning　led　nowhere。　　Airlines　did　not　list　the　occupations　of　their　passengers。　　The　priest　would　be　yet　another　name　on　the　passenger　manifest。　　But　if　he　were　part　of　a　group。。。
　
　The　Vatican；　the　official　residence　of　the　pope；　rises　majestically　on　Vatican　Hill；　on　the　west　bank　of　the　Tiber；　in　the　northwest　end　of　Rome。　　The　dome　of　St。　Peter's　Basilica；　designed　by　Michelangelo；