cc.themediterraneancaper2-第15部分

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he　luminous　dial　on　his　wrist　watch。　The　needle…like　hands　registered　9：55。　Dawn　would　break　at　approximately　4：40；　he　figured；　give　or　take　five　minutes。　That　left　six　hours　and　forty…five　minutes　for　him　to　find　an　exit　from　this　crypt　and　alert　the　ship！
　Pitt　shoved　the　knife　in　his　belt；　snapped　the　lighter　shut　to　conserve　fuel　and　started　up　the　left　passageway　toward　the　source　of　a　very　slight　air　current。　The　going　was　easier　now。　Pitt　was　damned　if　he'd　crawl　anymore。　He　hurried　without　hesitation。　The　passage　narrowed　to　three　feet　in　width；　but　the　roof　stayed　out　of　reach　above　his　head。
　Suddenly　his　outstretched　hand　struck　solid　wall　The　passage　ceased；　it　was　a　dead　end。　He　flicked　the　lighter　and　saw　his　mistake。　The　air　current　came　from　a　small　crack　between　the　rocks。　An　audible　humming　noise　also　issued　from　the　crack。　It　was　the　sound　of　an　electric　motor；　hidden　somewhere　beyond　the　wall　in　the　bowels　of　the　mountain。　Pitt　listened　for　a　moment；　but　then　the　sound　ceased。
　〃If　at　first　you　don't　succeed；〃　be　mused　aloud；
　〃try　another　passage。〃　He　retraced　his　steps　and　quickly　reached　the　intersection；　this　time　taking　the　tunnel　directly　opposite　the　one　he　had　cautiously　crawled　through。
　He　lengthened　his　stride　and　pounded　on　into　the　impenetrable　darkness；　the　cool　damp　paving　numbing　his　stocking　feet。　He　idly　wondered　how　many　other　men；　or　women　for　that　matter；　had　von　Till　literally　thrown　to　the　dog。　In　spite　of　the　near　chilly　air；　the　sweat　ran　off　his　body　in　streams。　The　pain　across　his　chest　seemed　remote；　too　remote　to　belong　to　him。　He　could　feel　the　blood　mingling　with　the　sweat　and　running　down　into　his　pants。　He　kept　going　and　was　determined　to　keep　going　until　he　dropped。　A　thought　tugged　at　his　mind　to　slow　down　and　rest；　but　he　rejected　it　and　quickened　his　pace。
　Again　and　again　his　groping　hands　and　the　periodic　but　wele　flicker　of　the　lighter　discovered　new　passages　that　branched　off　into　endless　nothingness。　In　some；　the　rocks　had　caved　in；　sealing　them　off；　probably　forever。
　The　lighter　was　on　its　last　breath；　the　fluid　almost　gone。　Pitt　used　it　as　little　as　possible；　relying　more　and　more　on　his　bruised　and　scraped　fingers。　An　hour　passed；　and　then　another。　He　continued　on；　pushing　his　tired　and　torn　body　through　the　ancient　passages。
　His　foot　struck　something　solid；　and　he　pitched　forward　onto　the　bottom　steps　of　a　stone　stairway。　The　edge　of　the　fourth　step　caught　him　across　the　nose；　gashing　the　bridge　to　the　bone。　Blood　spurted　down　his　cheeks　and　coated　his　lips。　All　at　once　the　exhaustion；　the　emotional　drain　and　the　despair　flooded　over　his　battered　body；　and　he　folded　limply　on　the　stairs。　Everything　began　to　slow　down。　He　lay　and　listened　to　the　blood　drip　on　the　step　beneath　his　head。　A　soft　white　cloud　materialized　out　of　the　black　gloom　and　gently　covered　him。
　　　Pitt　shook　his　sore　and　fuzzy　head　violently；　trying　to　clear　the　cobwebs。　Slowly；　very　slowly；　like　a　man　lifting　a　tremendous　weight　he　raised　his　head　and　shoulders　and　began　agonizingly　to　crawl　up　the　stairway。　Step　by　step　he　struggled；　until　at　last　he　reached　his　destination。
　A　webbing　of　heavy　bars　marked　the　top　of　the　stairway。　The　grille　work　was　ancient　and　heavily　rusted　but　still　thick　and　strong　enough　to　hold　back　an　elephant。
　Pitt　hauled　himself　painfully　onto　the　landing。　A　curtain　of　fresh　air　greeted　his　skin；　replacing　the　musty　odor　of　the　labyrinth。　He　gazed　through　the　rectangles　between　the　bars　and　his　spirits　soared　at　the　sight　of　the　stars　blinking　in　the　sky。　Back　in　the　winding　passageways　he　had　left　like　a　dead　man　in　a　casket　It　seemed　like　an　eternity　since　he　saw　the　outside　world。
　He　pulled　himself　to　his　feet　and　shook　the　bars。　There　was　no　movement。　The　lock　on　the　massive　gate　had　recently　been　welded　closed。
　He　checked　the　width　between　each　bar；　searching　for　the　largest　opening。　The　third　space　from　the　left；　held　the　greatest　spread；　about　eight　and　one…half　inches。　He　laboriously　stripped　off　all　his　clothes　and　set　them　on　the　other　side　of　the　barrier。　Next　he　smeared　his　blood　into　the　sweat　and　exhaled　until　his　lungs　ached　in　protest。　Then；　slipping　his　bead　between　the　bars；　he　strained　to　push　one　hundred　and　ninety　pounds　into　the　outside　landscape。　The　rust　from　the　bars　flaked　off　against　his　slippery　skin　and　stuck　to　the　glue…like　blood。　A　racking　moan　of　pain　escaped　his　mouth　as　his　genitals　scraped　over　the　ragged　edge　of　one　bar。　He　desperately　clawed　at　the　ground　and　gave　a　final　heave。　His　body　came　free。
　Pitt　grasped　his　scraped　crotch　and　sat　up；　ignoring　the　stabbing　pain　and　unable　to　believe　his　success。　He　was　out；　but　was　he　in　the　clear？　His　eyes；　now　acutely　used　to　the　dark；　darted　around　the　immediate　area。
　The　vaulted　bars　of　the　labyrinth　faced　onto　the　stage　entrance　of　a　great　amphitheatre。　The　ponderous　structure　reflected　a　vaguely　unearthly　glow　from　the
　white　light　of　the　stars　and　the　moon；　whose　imperfect　circle　peeped　over　a　shadowed　mountain　summit。　The　architecture　was　Grecian　but　the　massiveness　of　the　construction　signified　Roman　hands。　The　edge　of　the　round　stage　was　separated　from　the　theatre's　upper　rim　by　almost　forty　rows　of　steeply　banked　seats。　Except　for　the　invisible　flight　of　nocturnal　insects；；　the　entire　amphitheatre　was　deserted。
　Pitt　slipped　into　the　remains　of　his　uniform。　Knotting　the　damp　sticky　cloth　of　his　shirt；　he　stiffly　wrapped　his　chest　with　a　crude　bandage。
　Just　to　be　able　to　walk　and　breathe　in　the　warm　evening　air　gave　him　a　new　surge　of　strength。　He　had　gambled　back　there　in　the　labyrinth　and　without　Theseus'　string　to　guide　him　had　beat　the　immense　odds　and　won。　Laughter　rang　from　his　lips　and　traveled　in　loud　echoes　to　the　last　row　of　the　amphitheatre　and　back。　The　pain　and　the　exhaustion　was　forgotten　as　he　visualized　von　Till's　face　at　their　next　meeting。
　〃How　would　you　like　a　ticket　to　see　that？〃　Pitt　shouted　at　his　nonattendant　gallery。　He　waited；　caught　in　the　mood　of　the　eerie　setting。　There　was　no　reply；　no　applause；　only　the　silence　of　the　warm　Thasos　night。　For　a　moment　he　thought　he　saw　a　ghostly　Roman　audience　cheering　him　on；　but　the　toga　clad　figures　faded　
　mutely　away　into　the　white　marble；　leaving　Pitt　with　no　answer　to　his　lonely　invitation。
　He　looked　up　at　the　maze　of　stars　in　the　diamond　clear　air　to　get　his　bearings。　Polaris　blinked　its　friendly　light　in　return　and　advertised　approximate　north。　Pitt's　eyes　scanned　a　full　three　hundred　and　sixty　degree　circle　of　sky。　Something　was　wrong。　Taurus　and　the　Pleiades　should　have　been　overhead。　Instead；　they　were　far　to　the　east。
　〃Goddamn；〃　Pitt　cursed　aloud；　looking　at　his　watch。　It　was　3：22。　Only　an　hour　and　eighteen　minutes。　before　dawn。　Somehow　he　had　lost　nearly　five　hours。
　What　happened；　he　asked　himself；　where　was　the　time　lost？　Then　he　realized　that　he　must　have　passed　out　after　colliding　with　the　stairway。
　There　was　no　time　to　lose。　He　hurriedly　walked　across　the　stone　paved　stage　and　presently　discovered；　in　the　little　available　light；　a　small　path　leading　down　the　mountainside。　He　took　it　and　set　out　on　a　race　to　beat　the　sun。
　8
　　A　quarter　of　a　mile　down　the　steep　slope　the　pathway　turned　into　a　road…no　road；　really；　but　two　parallel　tire…worn　indentations　in　the　ground　cover。　The　tracks　meandered　downward　in　a　tortuous　series　of　hairpin　curves。　Pitt　stumbled　along　at　half　trot；　his　heart　pounding　viciously　under　the　taxing　strain。　He　was　hurt；　not　badly；　but　he　had　lost　much　blood。　Any　doctor　who　might　have　encountered　him　would　have　immediately　confined　his　torn　body　to　a　hospital　bed。
　Over　and　over；　since　his　escape　from　the　labyrinth；　pictures　of　the　defenseless　
　scientists　and　crew　of　the　First　Attempt　being　strafed　by　the　Albatros　flashed　through　Pitt's　mind。　He　could　see　in　perfect　detail　the　bullets　tearing　into　flesh　and　bone；　leaving　heavy　red　blotches　on　the　white　paint　of　the　oceanographic　research　ship。　The　carnage　would　all　be　over　before　the　new　interceptor　jets　at　Brady　Field　could　scramble；　providing　of　course　the　replacement　aircraft　had　arrived　from　the　North　Africa　depot　before　dawn。　These　visions　and　others　drove　Pitt　on　to　efforts　beyond　his　normal　capacity。
　He　halted　abruptly。　Something　moved　in　the　shadows　ahead。　He　left　the　vague　trail　and　circled　wanly　around　a　thick　growth　of　chestnut　trees；　creeping　closer　to　the　unexpected　obstacle。　Then　he　raised　up　and　peered　over　a　fallen；　decaying　tree…trunk。　Even　in　the　dim　light　there　was　no　mistaking　the　shape　of　a　well…fed　donkey　that　was　tethered　to　a　solitary　boulder。　The　unattended　little　animal　cocked　one　ear　at　Pitt's　approach　and　brayed　softly；　almost　pathetically。
　〃You're　hardly　the　answer　to　a　jockey's　prayer；〃　said　Pitt　grinning。　〃But　beggars　can't　be　choosy。〃　He　untied　the　lead　rope　from　the　rock　and　quickly　made　a　crude　halter。　With　no　little　amount　of　patience　he　managed　to　push　it　over　the　donkey's　nose。　Then　he　mounted。
　〃Okay；　mule；　giddy　up。〃
　The　little　beast　did　not　move。
　Pitt　pounded　on　the　stout　flanks。　Still　no　government。　He　kicked；　bounced　and　prodded。　Nothing；　not　even　a　bray。　The　long　ears　laid　flat　and　their　obstinate　owner　refused　to　budge。
　Pitt　did　not　know　any　Greek　words；　only　a　few　names。　That　must　be　it；　he　thought。　This　dumb　jackass　was　probably　named　after　a　Greek　god　or　hero。
　〃Forward　Zeus。　。　。　Appollo。　。　。　Poseidon。
　Hercules。　How　about　Atlas？〃　It　seemed　as　though　the　donkey　had　turned　to　stone。　Suddenly　an　idea　occurred　to　Pitt。　He　leaned　over　and　inspected　his　mount's　underbelly。　It　was　void　of　exterior　plumbing。
　〃My　deepest　apologies　you　gorgeous；　ravishing　creature；〃　Pitt　purred　in　the　pointed　ears。　〃e　my　lovely　Aphrodite；　let　us　be　off。〃
　The　donkey　twitched　and　Pitt　knew　he　was　getting　warm。
　〃Atlanta？〃
　Nothing　more　happened。
　〃Athena？〃
　The　ears　shot　up　and　the　donkey　turned；　looking　up　at　Pitt　out　of　a　big　confused　eyes。
　〃e　on；　Athena；　mush！〃
　Athena；　much　to　Pitt's　joy　and　relief；　pawed　at　the　ground　a　couple　of　times　and　then　obediently　began　to　amble　down　the　road。
　The　early　morning　turned　cool；　and　dew　was　beginning　to　dampen　the　forest　trimmed　meadows　when　at　last　Pitt　reached　the　outskirts