cc.themediterraneancaper2-第12部分

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　a　toast　to　my　old　flying　rade；　Kurt。〃　He　threw　a　sly　grin　over　his　drink　at　Pitt。　〃However；　your　most　outstanding　performance　was　in　seducing　my　niece　on　the　beach　this　morning。　For　that　feat　I　congratulate　and　thank　you。
　Today；　for　the　first　time　in　nine　years；　I　saw　Teri　happily　singing　and　laughing　with　an　intense　joy　in　living。
　I　am　afraid　you　force　me　to　condone　your　lecherous　conduct。〃
　It　was　Pitt's　turn　to　act　surprised；　but；　instead；　he　tossed　his　head　back　and　laughed。　〃My　apologies　on　every　count；　except　slugging　your　perverted　chauffeur。　Willie　had　it　ing。〃
　〃You　should　not　blame　poor　Willie。　He　was　only　acting　on　my　orders　to　follow　and　guard　Teri。　She　is　my　only　living　relative　and　I　wish　no　harm　to　e　to　her。〃
　〃What　harm　could　possibly　e　to　her？〃　Von　Till　rose　and　walked　to　an　open　terrace　window　and　looked　out　over　the　darkening　sea。　〃Over　half　a　century　I　have　worked　hard　and　paid　a　great　personal　price　to　build　a　substantial　organization。　Along　the　road　I　also　accumulated　a　few　enemies。　I　never　know　what　one　of　them　might　do　for　revenge。〃
　Pitt's　eyes　searched　von　Till。　〃Is　that　why　you　carry　a　Luger　in　a　shoulder　holster？〃
　Von　Till　turned　from　the　window　and　self…consciously　adjusted　his　white　dinner　jacket　over　the　bulge　beneath　his　left　armpit。　〃May　I　ask　how　you　know　it　is　a　Luger？〃
　〃Just　a　guess；〃　Pitt　said。　〃You　look　like　the　Luger　type。〃
　Von　Till　shrugged。　〃Ordinarily　I　do　not　act　quite　so　mundane；　but　for　the　way　Teri　described　you　I　had　every　reason　to　suspect　doubtful　character。〃
　〃I　must　admit　I've　performed　a　few　sinful　deeds　in　my　day；〃　Pitt　said　grinning。　〃But　murder　and　extortion　weren't　included。〃
　A　scowl　formed　on　von　Till's　face。　〃I　do　not　think　you　would　be　so　flippant　if　you　。　。　。　how　do　you　Americans　say。　。　。　were　in　my　shoes。〃
　〃Your　shoes　are　beginning　to　sound　very　mysterious；　Herr　von　Till；〃　said　Pitt。　〃Just　what　kind　of　business　are　you　in？〃
　Suspicion　marked　von　Till's　eyes；　then　his　lips　faded　to　a　phony　smile。　〃If　I　told　you；　it　might　upset　your　appetite。　That；　my　dear　Major；　would　make　Teri　exceedingly　angry　since　she　has　spent　half　the　afternoon　in　the　kitchen　overseeing　tonight's　dinner。〃　He　shrugged　in　a　typical　European　gesture。　〃Some　other　time；　perhaps；　when　I　know　you　better。〃
　Pitt　spun　the　last　swallow　of　scotch　around　in　the　glass　and　wondered　what　he　had　gotten　himself　into。　Von　Till；　he　decided；　was　either　some　kind　of　nut　or　a　very　shrewd　operator。
　〃May　I　get　you　another　drink？〃　asked　von　Till
　〃Don't　bother；　I'll　get　it。〃　Pitt　finished　the　drink　and　walked　over　to　the　bar　and　poured　another。　He　stared　at　von　Till　〃From　what　I've　read　about　World　War　I　aviation；　the　circumstances　behind　the　death　of　Kurt　Heibert　are　nebulous。　According　to　official　German　records；　he　was　shot　down　by　the　British　and　crashed　somewhere　in　the　Aegean　Sea。　However；　the　records　fail　to　mention　the　name　of　Heibert's　victorious　opponent。　They　also　fail　to　state　if　the　body　was　found。〃
　Von　Till　idly　petted　the　dog。　His　eyes　seemed　lost　in　the　past　for　a　few　moments。　Finally；　he　said；　〃Kurt　waged　his　own　private　war　with　the　British　back　in　1918。　He　seldom　flew　against　them　coolly　or　efficiently。　He　handled　his　machine　wildly　and　attacked　their　formations　like　a　man　possessed　with　a　spastic　devil。　When　he　was　in　the　air；　he　cursed　and　raved　and　pounded　his　fists　on　the　edge　of　the　cockpit　until　they　bled。　On　take…off　he　always　revved　his　engine　to　a　roaring　full　throttle　so　that　his　Albatros　leaped　off　the　ground　like　a　frightened　bird。　And　yet；　when　he　was　not　on　patrol　and　could　forget　the　war　for　a　few　moments；　he　could　be　a　man　of　great　humor；　much　unlike　your　American　conception　of　the　German　soldier。〃
　Pitt　shook　his　head　slowly　with　a　hint　of　a　smile。　〃You　must　forgive　me；　Herr　von　Till；　but　most　of　my　rades…in…arms　have　yet　to　meet　a　German　soldier　who　was　a　barrel　of　laughs。〃
　The　bald　old　German　ignored　Pitt's　remark。　His
　face　remained　serious。　〃The　end　for　Kurt；　when　it　came；　was　from　a　cunning　British　trick。　They　studied　his　tactics　closely　and　soon　learned　that　be　had　a　weakness　for　attacking　and　destroying　their　observation　balloons。　A　battle　weary　balloon　was　overhauled　and　the　observer's　basket　was　filled　with　high　explosives　and　a　uniformed　dummy　stuffed　with　weeds。　A　detonating　wire　ran　to　the　ground　and　the　British　then　sat　and　waited　for　Kurt　to　make　an　appearance。〃　Von　Till　sat　down　in　a　deeply　pillowed　sofa。　He　looked　up　at　the　ceiling；　but　he　didn't　see　It。　His　mind　looked；　instead；　into　a　sky　that　existed　in　1918。　〃They　did　not　have　to　waft　long。
　Only　one　day　later；　Kurt　flew　over　the　allied　lines　and　saw　the　balloon　swinging　slowly　in　the　offshore　breeze。
　He　no　doubt　wondered　why　there　was　no　ground　fire。　And　the　observer；　leaning　on　the　basket's　railing；　looked　to　be　asleep；　for　he　made　no　attempt　to　leap　out　and　parachute　to　safety　before　Kurt's　guns　turned　the　hydrogen　filled　bag　into　a　cloud　of　fire。〃
　〃He　had　no　idea　it　was　a　trap？'　asked　Pitt。
　〃No；〃　von　Till　replied。　〃The　balloon　was　there　and　it　represented　the　enemy。　Almost　automatically；　Kurt　dove　to　the　attack。　He　closed　with　the　balloon　and　his　Spandan　machine　guns　began　raking　the　thin　skinned　gas　bag。　Suddenly　the　balloon　erupted　in　a　thunderous　explosion　that　covered　the　entire　area　in　fire　and　smoke。　The　British　had　detonated　the　explosives。〃
　〃Heibert　crashed　over　the　allied　lines？〃　Pitt　queried　in　thoughtful　speculation。
　〃Kurt　did　not　crash　after　the　explosion；〃　von　Till　answered；　shaking　his　mind　back　to　the　present　again。　〃His　Albatros　burst　through　the　inferno；　but　the　gallant　plane　that　carried　him　faithfully　through　so　many　air　battles　was　badly　shattered；　and　he　was　seriously　wounded。　With　its　fabric　wings　torn　and　tattered；　its　control　surfaces　blown　off　and　a　bloody　pilot　in　the　cockpit；　the　plane　staggered　over　the　Macedonian　coastline　and　disappeared　out　to　sea。　The　Hawk　of　Macedonia　and　his　legendary　yellow　Albatros　were　never　seen　again。〃
　〃At　least　not　until　yesterday。〃　Pitt　took　a　deep　breath　and　waited　for　an　obvious　reaction。
　Von　Till's　eyelids　widened　on　his　otherwise　expressionless　face　and　be　said　nothing。　He　seemed　to　be　weighing　Pitt's　words。
　Pitt　immediately　came　back　to　the　original　subject。
　〃Did　you　and　Heibert　often　fly　together？〃
　〃Yes；　we　flew　patrol　together　many　times。　We　even　used　to　take　up　a　two　seater　Rumpler　bomber　and　drop　incendiary　bombs　on　the　British　Aerodrome　which　was　located　right　here　on　Thasos。　Kurt　would　fly　while　I　acted　as　observer　and　bombardier。〃
　〃Where　was　your　squadron　based？〃
　〃Kurt　and　I　were　posted　to　Jasta　73。　We　flew　out　of　the　Xanthi　aerodrome　in　Macedonia。〃
　Pitt　lit　a　cigarette。　Then　he　looked　at　von　Till's　old；　but　erect　figure。　〃Thank　you　for　a　very　concise　and　detailed　account　of　Heibert's　death。　You　omitted　nothing。〃
　〃Kurt　was　a　very　dear　friend；〃　von　Till　said　wistfully。　〃I　do　not　forget　such　things　easily。　I　can　even　recall　the　exact　date　and　time。　It　happened　at　9：00　P。M。　on　July　15；1918。〃　〃It　seems　strange　that　no　one　else　knew　the　full　story；〃　Pitt　murmured；　his　eyes　cold　and　steady　with　purpose。　〃The　archives　in　Berlin　and　the　British　Air　Museum　in　London　have　no　information　concerning　the　death　of　Heibert。　All　the　books　I've　studied　on　the　subject　list　him　as　missing　in　a　mysterious　situation　similar　to　the　other　great　aces；　such　as　Albert　Ball　and　Georges　Guynemer。〃
　〃Good　God；〃　snapped　von　Till；　exasperated。　〃The　German　archives　lack　the　facts　because　the　Imperial　High　mand　never　gave　a　damn　about　the　war　in　Macedonia。　And　the　British　would　never　dare　publish　one　word　about　such　an　unchivalrous　deed。　Besides；　Kurt's　plane　was　still　in　the　air　when　they　saw　it　last。　The　British　could　only　assume　their　insidious　plan　was　successful。
　〃No　trace　of　man　or　plane　was　ever　found？〃
　〃Nothing。　Heibert's　brother　searched　for　him　after　the　war；　but　Kurt's　final　resting　place　remains　a　mystery。〃
　〃Was　the　brother　also　a　flyer？〃
　〃No。　I　met　him　on　several　occasions　prior　to　the　Second　World　War。　He　was　a　fleet　officer　in　the　German　navy。〃
　Pitt　fell　silent　Von　Till's　story　was　too　damn　pat；　he　thought　He　had　the　strange　feeling　that　he　was　being　used；　like　a　wooden　decoy　on　a　flight　of　geese。　A　faint　ominous　tingling　stirred　inside　him。　He　heard　a　tapping
　of　high　heels　on　the　floor　and　without　turning　knew　that
　Teri　had　entered　the　room。
　〃Hello　everybody。〃　Her　voice　was　light　and　cheer。
　　　Pitt　swung　around　and　faced　her。　She　was　wearing　a　mini…dress；　designed　like　a　Roman　toga；　that　swirled　about　her　slender　legs。　He　liked　the　color…a　golden　orange　that　plemented　her　ebony　hair。　She　looked　at　Pitt；　her　eyes　immediately　drawn　to　his　uniform。　Her　face　paled　slightly；　and　she　raised　a　hand　to　her　mouth　in　the　same　gesture　he　had　noticed　on　the　beach。　Then　she　smiled　thinly　and　approached；　radiating　a　beautiful　and　sexy　warmth。
　〃Good　evening　gorgeous　creature；〃　Pitt　said　lightly；　taking　her　outstretched　hand　and　kissing　it。
　Teri　flushed；　then　looked　up　at　his　grinning　face。　〃I　was　going　to　thank　you　for　ing；〃　she　said。　〃But　now　that　I've　seen　through　the　naughty　little　trick　You've　played　on　me；　I've　a　good　notion　to　toss　you　out　on　your　bloody。　。
　〃Don't　say　it；〃　Pitt　interrupted。　His　lips　curved　devilishly。　〃I　know　you　won't　believe　me；　but　just　this　afternoon　the　base　mander　took　me　off　the　garbage　truck；　made　me　a　pilot；　and　promoted　me　to　Major。〃
　She　laughed。　〃Shame　on　you。　You　told　me　your　rank　was　under　that　of　a　sergeant。〃
　〃No。　I　only　said　that　I've　never　been　a　sergeant；　and　that's　the　truth。〃
　She　slipped　her　hand　through　Pitt's　arm。　〃Has　Uncle　Bruno　been　boring　you　with　his　flying　tales　of　the　Great　War？〃
　〃Fascinating　me　maybe；　but　not　boring；〃　Pitt　answered。　Her　eyes　looked　scared　behind　her　smile。　He　wondered　what　she　was　thinking。
　Teri　shook　her　head　from　side　to　side。　〃You　men　and　your　war　stories。〃　She　kept　staring　at　Pitt's　uniform　and　insignia　of　rank。　This　didn't　seem　like　the　same　man　she　had　loved　on　the　beach。　This　one　was　much　more　charming　and　sophisticated。　〃You　may　have　Dirk　after　dinner；　Uncle　Bruno；　but　right　now　he's　mine。〃
　Von　Till　expertly　clicked　his　heels　and　bowed。　〃As　you　wish　my　dear。　For　the