the stainless steel rat-第23部分
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nd a small town； with a high wall cutting it off from the city proper。 There appeared to be no obvious signs of the Count's plans； outside of the number of armed retainers who lounged about and practiced uninterestedly in the shooting ranges。 It all locked too peaceful to be trueyet I had been brought here。 That was no accident。 I tried a little delicate questioning and Kurt was frank with his answers。 Like a lot of the far…country gentry be bore a grudge against the central authorities； although he would of course never have gotten around to doing anything about it on his own。 Somehow he had been recruited and was ready to go along with the plans； all of which were very vague to him。 I doubt if he had ever seen a corpse。 That he was telling me the truth about everything was obvious when I caught him in his first lie。
We had passed some women and bent a knee； and Kurt had volunteered the advice that they were the wives of two of the other officers。
〃And you're married too？〃 I asked。
〃No。 Never had the time； I guess。 Now I suppose it's too late； at least for awhile。 When this whole business is over and life is a little more peaceful there'll be plenty of time to settle down。〃
〃How right；〃 I agreed。 '〃What about the Count？ Is he married？ I've been away so many years that it's hard to keep track of that kind of thing。 Wives； children and such。〃 Without being obvious I was watching him when I asked this； and he gave a little start。
〃Well 。 。 。 yes； you might say。 I mean the Count was married； but there was an accident； he's not married now 。 。 。〃 His voice tapered away and he drew my attention to something else； happy to leave the topic。
Now if there is one thing that always marks Angelina's trail it is a corpse or two。 It took no great amount of inspiration to connect her with the 〃accidental〃 death of the Count's wife。 If the death had been natural Kurt would not have been afraid to talk about it。 He didn't mention the topic again and I made no attempt to pump him。 I had my lead。 Angelina may not have been in sightbut her spoor was around me on all sides。 It was just a matter of time now。 As soon as I was able to； I would shake Kurt and hunt up the bullyboys who had spirited me out of the jail。 Buy them a few drinks to assure them that there were no hard feelings about the beating they had given me。 Then pump them adroitly about the man who had led them。
Angelina made her move first。 One of the coal…burning robots came hissing and clanking around with a message。 The Count would like to see me。 I slicked my hair； tucked in my shirt and reported for duty。
I was pleased to see that the Count was a steady and solitary daytime drinker。 In addition； there was very little tobacco in his cigarette； the sweet smoke filled the room。 All this meant he was due for early dissolution； and I would not be numbered among his mourners。 None of this showed in my expression or attitude of course。 I was all flashing eye and hell…cracking attention。
〃Is it action； sir？ Is that why you sent for me？〃 I asked。
〃Sit down； sit down；〃 he mumbled； waving me towards a chair。 〃Relax。 Want a cigarette？〃 He pushed the box towards me and I eyed the thin brown cylinders with distaste。
〃Not today； sir。 I'm laying off smoking for awhile。 Sharpening up the old eye。 Keeping the old trigger finger limber and ready for action。〃
The Count's mind was occupied elsewhere and I doubt if he heard a word I said。 He chewed abstractedly at the inside of his cheek while he looked me up and down。 A decision finally struggled up through his half…clotted brain。
〃What do you know about the Radebrechen family？〃 he asked； which is about as exotic a question as I have ever had thrown at me。
Absolutely nothing；〃 I answered truthfully。 〃Should I？〃
〃No 。 。 。 no 。 。 。〃 he answered vaguely； and went back to chewing his cheek。 I was getting high just from breathing the air in the room and I wondered how be was feeling。
〃e with me；〃 he said； pushing over his chair and almost falling on top of it。 We plodded through a number of balls deeper into the building； until we came to a door； no different from the ones we had passed； except this one had a guard in front of ita rough looking brawny type with his arms casually crossed。 Just casual enough to let his fingers hang over his pistol grip。 He didn't budge when we came up。
〃It's all right；〃 the Duke of Rdenrundt said； with what I swear was a peevish tone。 〃He's with me。〃
〃Gotta search him anyway；〃 the guard said。 〃Orders。〃 More and more interesting。 Who issued orders the Count couldn't changein his own castle？ As if I didn't know。 And I recognized the guard's voice； he was one of the men who had taken me from my prison cell。 He searched me quickly and efficiently； then stepped aside。 The Count opened the door and I followed him in； trying not to tread on his heels。
One thing about realityit is always so much superior to theory。 I had every reason to believe that Angelina would be here； yet it was still a healthy shock to see her sitting at the table。 A kind of electric charge in my spine tingled right up to the roots of my hair。 This was a moment I had waited for for a very long time。 It took a positive effort to relax and appear indifferent。 At least as indifferent as any healthy young male is in front of an attractive package of femininity。
Of course this girl didn't resemble Angelina very much。 Yet I still had no doubt。 The face was changed as was the color of the hair。 And though the face was a new one it still held the same sweet； angelic quality as the old。 Her figure was much the way I remembered it； with perhaps a few slight improvements。 Hers was a surface transformation； with no attempt at being as plete as the one I had had done to me。
〃This is s Grav Bent Diebstall；〃 the count said； fixing his s hot and smoky little eyes on her。 〃The man you wanted to see； Engela。〃 So she was still an angel； though under a different name。 That was a bad habit she should watch； only I wasn't going to tell her。 A lot of people have been caught by taking an alias too similar to their old one。
〃Why thank you； Cassitor；〃 she said。 Cassitor indeed！ I'd look unhappy too if I had to go through life with a handle like Cassitor Rdenrundt。 〃It was very nice of you to bring Grav Bent here； 〃 she added in the same light and empty voice。
Cassi must have been expecting a warmer wele because he stood first on one foot and then another and mumbled something which neither of us heard。 But Angelina…Engela's wele stayed at the same temperature； or perhaps dropped a degree or two as she shuffled some papers on the table in front of her。 Even through his fog the Count caught on and went out mumbling something else under his breath that I was pretty sure was one of the shorter and more unwholesome words in the local dialect。 We were alone。
〃Why did you tell all those lies about being in the Stellar Guard；〃 she asked in a quiet voice； apparently still busy at the papers。 This was my cue to smile sardonically； and flick some imaginary dust from my sleeve。
〃Well I certainly couldn't tell all those nice people what I've really been doing all these years I have been away； could I？〃 I responded with wide…eyed simplicity。
〃What were you doing。 Bent？〃 she asked and there wasn't a trace of any emotion in her voice。
〃That's really my business； isn't it；〃 I told her； matching toneless tone for tone。 〃And while we're asking questions； I would like to know who you are； and bow e you seem to throw more weight around than the great Count Cassitor？〃 I'm good at playing this kind of guessing game。 But Angy was just as good and dragged the conversation back to her own grounds。
〃Since I am in the stronger position here； I think you'll find it wise to answer my questions。 Don't be afraid of shocking roe。 You would be surprised at the things I know about。〃
No； Angelica love； I wouldn't be surprised at all。 But I couldn't just tell all without a little resistance。 〃You're the one behind this revolution idea； aren't you；〃 I said as a statement； not a question。
〃Yes；〃 she said； laying her cards on the table so die could see mine。
〃Well if you must know then；〃 I said； 〃I was smuggling。 It is a very interesting occupation if you happen to know what to take where。 For a number of years I found it was a most lucrative business。 Finally though； a number of governments felt I was giving them unfair petition； since they were the only ones allowed to cheat the public。 With the pressure on I returned to my sluggish native land for a period of rest。〃
Angel…mine was buying no sealed packages and gave me an exhaustive cross…examination into my smuggling career that showed she had more than a passing knowledge of the field herself。 I had of course no trouble answering her questions； since in my day I have turned； many a megacredit in this illegal fashion。 The only thing I was afraid of was making it too good； so I described a career of a successful but still young and not too professional operator。 All the time I was talking I tried to live the role and believe everything I said。 This was a crucial time when I must let drop no hints or mannerisms that might bring Slippery Jim diGriz to her mind。 I had to be the local punk who had made good and was still on my way up in the universe。
Mind youour talk was of course all most casual； and carried on in an atmosphere of passing drinks and lighting cigarettes all designed to relax me enough to make a few slips。 I did of course； slipping in a lie or two about my successes that she would catch and credit to boyish enthusiasm。 When the chitchat slowed I tried a question of my own。
〃Would you mind telling me what a local family named Radebrechen has to do with you？〃
〃What makes you ask？〃 she said so calm and coolly。
〃Your smiling friend Cassitor Rdenrundt asked me about them before we came here。 I told him I knew nothing。 What's their connection with you？〃
〃They want to kill me；〃 she said。
〃That would be a shameand a waste；〃 I told her with my best e…hither grin。 She ignored it。 〃What can I do about it？〃 I asked； going ba
