cc.themediterraneancaper2-第21部分

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　Giordino's　stubby　hands　nimbly　unwound　the　shredded　wrappings…a　pile　of　old　fallen　stones　covered　the　smoldering　remains…before　he　turned　to　face　Pitt；　squinting　his　eyes　until　they　became　accustomed　to　the　dim　light。
　Pitt　played　his　light　into　the　darkness。　〃Look　there　on　the　ground。　See　why　I　don't　need　the　services　of　a　detailed　map？〃
　The　powerful　beam　spotlighted　a　broken　trail　of　dried　and　caked　blood　leading　down　the　steep　uneven　stairway。　In　a　few　places　the　red　stains　lay　in　scattered　clusters；　separated　by　occasional　tiny　round　specks。　Pitt　descended　the　steps　shivering；　not　so　much　from　the　sight　of　his　old　and　discarded　blood；　but　from　the　sudden　change　in　temperature　from　the　outside　afternoon　heat　to　the　damp　chill　of　the　musty　labyrinth。　At　the　bottom　he　took　off　at　a　half　trot；　the　swaying　light　in　his　hand　casting　a　series　of　bouncing　shadows　that　leaped　from　the　crack…lined　ceiling　to　the　rough　hewn　rock　floor。　The　loneliness　and　the　fear　that　gripped　him　the　night　before　was　not　present。　Giordino；　that　indestructible　sawed…off　package　of　muscle；　a　trusted　friend　for　many　years；　was　beside　him　now。　Damned　if　anyone　or　any　barrier　would　stop　him　this　time；　he　thought　doggedly。
　Passage　after　passage；　like　gaping　mouths　in　the　shadows　slipped　by。　Pitt　kept　his　eyes　trained　on　the　ground；　analyzing　the　dark　red　spots。　At　the　honeybed　intersections　he　paused　briefly；　studying　the　trail。　If　the　blood　led　up　a　tunnel　and　then　returned　it　meant　a　dead　end。　Wherever　the　course　indicated　a　single　line　he　pursued　it。　His　body　was　aching　and　his　vision　was　hazy　at　the　outer　edges；　a　bad　sign。　He　was　bone　tired　and　felt　it　to　the　deadening　tips　of　every　nerve　ending。　Pitt　stumbled　and　would　have　gone　down；　but　Giordino　grabbed　his　arm　in　a　wrench…like　grip；　holding　him　erect。
　〃Take　it　easy；　Dirk；〃　Giordino　said　firmly；　his　voice　followed　by　a　faint　echo。　〃No　sense　in　overdoing　it。　You're　not　in　condition　to　play　All　American　hero。〃
　〃It's　not　far；〃　Pitt　said　heavily。　〃The　dog　should　lie　around　the　next　couple　of　bends。〃
　But　the　dog　was　gone。　Only　the　hardened　blood　pools　remained　where　the　great　white　animal　had　thrashed　out　the　final　moments　of　life。　Pitt　stared　mutely　at　the　huge　stains。　The　dank　odor　of　blood　permeated　the　passageway；　adding　to；　but　not　quite　overing；　the　musty　atmosphere。　He　vividly　recreated　the。　attack　in　his　mind；　the　dog's　gleaming　eyes；　the　leap　in　the　dark；　the　knife　sinking　into　warm　flesh；　and　the　agonized　animal　howl。
　〃Keep　going；〃　Pitt　said　grimly；　all　weariness　forgotten。　〃The　entrance　is　only　another　eighty　feet。〃
　They　plunged　on　amid　the　black　depths　of　the　mountain。　Pitt　didn't　bother　to　watch　the　blood　trail；　he　knew　where　he　was　to　the　inch：　he　so　thoroughly　recalled　the　feel　of　the　walls　and　floor　that　he　would　have　been　pletely　confident　of　finding　the　door　at　a　dead　run　without　the　flashlight　and　in　absolute　darkness。　The　light　in　his　hand　swayed　in　wild　arcs　as　they　pounded　along　into　the　modern　corridor　construction。
　Suddenly　the　Dive　Brite's　beam　probed　the　massive　door；　holding　it　in　a　dazzling　circle　of　light。
　〃This　is　it；〃　Pitt　said　softly　between　labored　gasps　for　breath。
　Giordino　pushed　his　way　past　and　knelt　to　the　ground；　examining　the　inside　bolts。　He　wasted　no　time；　already　his　fingers　were　probing　the　slight　crack　that　separated　the　door　from　the　frame　molding。
　〃Goddamn；〃　he　grunted。
　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃Big　sliding　latch　on　the　outside。　I　don't　have　the　equipment　to　jimmy　it　from　this　side。〃
　〃Try　the　hinges；〃　Pitt　murmured。　He　aimed　the　light　toward　the　opposite　side　of　the　door。　Almost　before　he　said　it；　Giordino　had　snatched　a　short　pointed　bar　from　the　flight　bag　and　was　prying　the　long　pins　from　their　rusty　shafts。
　Giordino　laid　the　hinge　pins　lightly　on　the　ground　and　let　Pitt　ease　the　door　open。　It　swung　noiselessly；　only　an　inch；　at　his　touch。　Pitt　peeked　through　the　widening　crack；　taking　a　swift　look　around；　but　there　was　no　one　in　sight；　no　sound；　except　their　own　breathing。

　Pitt　pulled　the　door　aside　and　dashed　across　the　balcony；　blinking　in　the　harsh　sunlight；　and　hurried　up　the　stairway。　Giordino；　he　knew；　was　right　on　his　heels。　The　doorway　to　the　study　was　open；　the　drapes　blowing　inward　in　billowing　folds　from　an　offshore　westerly　breeze。　He　flattened　against　the　wall；　listening　for　voices。　Then　seconds　passed；　ticking　off　to　half　a　minute。　The　study　was　quiet。　Nobody　home；　he　thought；　or　if　they　are　they're　an　awfully　dead　group；　Pitt　took　a　deep　breath；　turned　quickly；　and　stepped　inside　the　room。
　The　study　seemed　quite　empty。　It　was　exactly　as　Pitt　remembered　it；　the　columns；　classic　furniture；　the　bar。　His　eyes　sped　around　the　room；　stopping　at　the　shelf　containing　the　model　submarine。　He　walked　over　and　closely　examined　the　workmanship　on　the　miniature　craft。　The　carved　black　mahogany　that　made　up　the　hull　and　conning　tower　gleamed　with　a　satin…like：　sheen。　Every　detail　from　the　rivets　to　a　tiny　embroidered　Imperial　German　battle　flag　looked　fantastically　real；　so　much　so　that　at　any　second　Pitt　half　expected　to　see　a　diminutive　crew　leap　out　of　a　hatch　and　man　the　deck　gun。　The　neatly　painted　numbers　on　the　side　of　the　conning　tower　identified　it　as　the　U…19；　a　close　sister　of　the　U…boat　that　torpedoed　the　Lusitania。
　Pitt　whirled　sharply　from　the　model　as　Giordino's　fingers　dug　deeply　in　his　arm；　as　Giordino's　head　leaned　closely　to　his　own。
　〃I　thought　I　heard　something；〃　the　voice　was　a　mere　breath。
　〃Where？〃　Pitt　asked　in　a　whisper。
　〃I'm　not　sure；　I　couldn't　get　a　good　fix　on　it。〃
　Giordino　cocked　his　head；　listening。　Then　he　shrugged。
　〃Just　imagining　things　I　guess。〃
　Pitt　turned　back　to　the　model　submarine。　〃Do　you　recall　the　number　of　the　World　War　I　sub　that　was　sunk　near　here？〃
　Giordino　hesitated。　〃Yeah。。　。　It　was　the　U…19。
　Why　ask　now？〃
　〃I'll　explain　later。　e　on；　Al；　let's　get　the　hell　out　of　here。〃
　'We　just　got　here；〃　Giordino　plained；　raising　his　voice　to　a　murmur。
　Pitt　tapped　the　model。　〃We've　found　what　we　came　for。　。　。　〃
　He　froze　into　sudden　immobility；　listening；　his　hand　motioning　a　silence　signal　to　Giordino。
　〃We've　got　pany；〃　he　said　under　his　breath。
　〃Split　up　and　circle　around　the　far　end　of　the　room　to　that　second　column。　I'll　go　along　the　windows。〃
　Giordino　nodded。　He　hadn't　even　raised　an　eyebrow。
　A　minute　later　their　stealthy　paths　met；　joining　behind　a　long　high　backed　sofa。　Both　men　approached　it　cautiously　and　peered　over　the　backrest。
　Without　moving；　without　uttering　a　word；　Pitt　stood　rooted　to　the　carpet。　He　stood　there；　it　seemed　to　Giordino；　for　an　eternity；　his　mind　absorbing　the　shock　of　seeing　Teri　peacefully　asleep　on　the　sofa。　But　it　was　no　eternity；　it　was　probably　only　five　seconds　before　Pitt　acted。
　Teri　lay　curled　in　a　ball；　her　head　resting　on　a　huge　humped　armrest；　her　black　hair　falling　in　piles；　nearly　touching　the　floor。　She　wore　a　long　red　negligee　that　fluffed　about　her　arms　and　covered　her　body　from　neck　to　toe；　teasingly　displaying　the　dark　triangle　below　her　belly　and　the　two　pink　discs　of　her　breasts　through　its　diaphanous　material　Pitt　whipped　out　his　handkerchief　and　had　it　firmly　stuffed　in　her　mouth　before　she　fully　woke。　Then　snatching　the　hem　of　her　negligee　he　yanked　it　above　her　head　and　knotted　it　around　the　arms；　making　her　pletely　helpless。　Teri　began　to　struggle　back　to　full　consciousness…it　was　too　late。　Before　she　could　fully　grasp　what　'was　happening；　she　was　roughly　thrown　over　Giordino's　shoulder　and　carted　off　into　the　sunlight
　〃You've　got　to　be　crazy；〃　Giordino　mumbled　irritably　when　they　reached　the　stairway。　〃All　this　hassle　to　gawk　at　a　toy　and　steal　a　broad。〃
　〃Shut　up　and　run；〃　Pitt　said　without　turning。　He　kicked　the　passage　door　aside　and　let　Giordino　enter　first　with　his　kicking　burden。　Then　Pitt　pushed　the　door　back　into　place；　aligning　the　hinge　shafts　before　inserting　the　pins。
　〃Why　bother　replacing　the　door？〃　Giordino　asked　impatiently。
　〃We　got　this　far　without　detection；〃　Pitt　replied；　grabbing　the　flight　bag。　〃I　want　to　keep　von　Till　in　the　dark　as　long　as　possible。　I'm　betting　he　saw　the　obvious　evidence　of　my　wounds　after　the　dog's　attack；　and　thinks　I　wandered　off　into　this　honeybed　maze　and　bled　to　death。〃
　Quickly；　Pitt　turned　and　ran　through　the　corridor；　holding　the　light　low　so　Giordino；　grunting　under　his　struggling　burden；　could　see　where　he　was　stepping。　The　thick　coat　of　blackness；　pierced　by　the　small　island　of　incandescence；　opened　briefly　at　their　approach　and　then　closed；　returning　the　labyrinth　back　to　its　eternal　night。　One　foot　before　the　other；　the　endless　routine　repeated　over　and　over。　Their　feet　pounded　across　the　hard　floor；　echoing　through　the　darkness　with　a　peculiar　hollow　sound。
　The　Dive　Brite　and　flight　bag　clutched　tightly　in　his　hands；　only　dimly　aware　of　the　curious　tingling　in　the　pit　of　his　stomach；　Pitt　rushed　forward。　Rapidly；　with　no　attempt　at　stealthy　caution；　no　expectancy　of　trouble；　but　with　that　strange　inner　sensation；　half…belief　of　a　man　who　has　acplished　something　he　had　thought　was　impossible。　I'm　on　the　path　of　von　Till's　secret　and　I've　got　his　niece；　Pitt　said　to　himself　again　and　again。　But　somehow　a　lingering　fear　prodded　his　mind。
　Five　minutes　later　they　reached　the　stairway。　Pitt　stepped　aside；　holding　the　light　on　the　steps；　letting　Giordino　climb　first。　Then　he　turned；　beaming　the　light　back　in　the　passage；　taking　a　last　look；　and　his　face　became　grim。　He　wondered　how　few　men　and　women　too；　had　suffered　but　escaped　from　that　honeybed　hell。　One　thing；　he　thought；　no　one　will　ever　know　fully　the　history　of　the　labyrinth。　Only　the　ghosts　lingered；　the　bodies　had　long　since　turned　to　dust。　Then　his　mouth　twisted　and　he　looked　away。　Without　another　backward　glance；　be　mounted　the　steps　for　the　last　time；　vastly　relieved　at　seeing　sunlight　again　at　the　top　landing。　He　was　half…way　through　the　rusting　bars；　vaguely　aware　that　Giordino　was　standing　oddly　quiet　with　Teri　still　slung　over　a　shoulder；　when　he　heard　a　loud　contemptuous　laugh　roar　beside　the　archway。
　〃My　pliments；　gentlemen；　on　your　exquisite　taste　in　souvenirs。　However；　I　feel　it　is　my　patriotic　duty　to　inform　you　that　the　theft　of　valuable　obje