el.angeleyes-第5部分

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　Beside　her；　Ariel　did　not　move。　He　might　have　been　dead。　He　knew　what　to　do；　too。
　〃Bah！　There's　nothing　here；〃　one　of　the　Japanese　said。
　〃The　dead　are　here；〃　the　other　Japanese　said。
　〃Mute　witnesses。　Let's　go。〃
　But　they　did　not　move。　〃Those　two　saw　us；〃　the　first　Japanese　said。　'　'I　want　them。''
　〃Fine。　I　want　them；　too。　But　they're　not　here。〃
　Still；　they　did　not　leave。　The　light　continued　to　play　over　the　cairn。　Abruptly　it　increased　in　brightness；　and　when　the　first　Japanese　spoke　again；　he　was　heart…stoppingly　close　to　where　she　and　Ariel　lay。
　''Are　you　certain？　What　do　I　hear？　Is　it　breathing？　Is　it　you…　or　me？　Are　we　the　only　ones　in　this　room？〃
　Tori　felt　a　trickle　of　sweat　make　its　way　down　the　indentation　of　her　spine。　She　recognized　this　man　as　the　philosophical　one；　the　maniac　who　said　he　enjoyed　living　outside　the　law。　He　was　more　dangerous　than　the　other　one；　his　imagination　was　by　far　the　keener。
　She　heard　a　metallic　click；　sharp；　clear；　echoing　in　the　confined　space；　and　she　thought　of　the　machine　pistols　they　had　been　holding。
　〃All　I　have　to　do　to　find　out；〃　the　first　Japanese　said；　〃is　to　spray　this　pile　of　bones。〃
　Tori's　heart　threatened　to　burst　through　her　rib　cage。
　A　loud　scrape　as　of　a　shoe　sole。　Then　the　second　Japanese　said；　〃Are　you　crazy？　This　is　a　death　site。〃
　〃What　do　I　care？〃　the　first　Japanese　said　harshly。
　〃These　dead　haven't　been　property　buried。　Their　spirits　aren't　at　rest。　To　disturb　them　is　a　sin　even　you　don't　want　to　mit。''　There　was　a　pause。　〃Why　don't　you　admit　we've　lost　them。　It's　a　maze　down　here；　they　could　be　anywhere。　We　don't　have　the　time　to　shoot　up　all　the　dark　places　in　these　tunnels。　And　we　don't　want　to　be　heard。　e　on。　If　we　stay　any　longer　we'll　be　in　danger　of　missing　our　pickup。　I　don't　know　about　you；　but　I　want　to　get　out　of　this　hellhole。''
　〃But　those　two…〃
　〃What　did　they　see？　They　can't　know　what　we're　up　to。　Forget　them。　They　were　probably　tourists　who　wandered　down　here　for　a　thrill　and　a　shiver　in　the　dark。''
　〃Shit。〃
　Then　the　light　was　gone；　replaced　by　a　glow　in　the　tiny　chamber；　swiftly　fading。　Darkness　descending；　Ariel　and　Tori　waited。
　Ariel　started　to　move；　but　Tori　put　one　hand　on　his　shoulder；　a　finger　pressed　gently　to　his　lips。
　Across　the　littered　floor　the　rat　was　back；　its　bright；　beady　eyes　shining；　and　Tori　saw　in　their　depths　the　possibility　of　betrayal。　If　the　rat　squealed　now；　and　if；　as　she　suspected；　the　Japanese　were　waiting　with　their　light　off　just　inside　the　adjoining　chamber；　then　they　would　know　that　they　had　not　been　alone　with　the　cairn　of　skeletons；　and　spirits　or　no　spirits；　the　hail　of　machine…pistol　fire　would　e；　the　end。
　Tori　continued　to　watch　the　rat　as　it　made　its　circuitous　way　toward　them　through　the　maze　of　bones。　It　was　clear　now　that　the　rodent　scented　them；　and　it　was　hungry。
　Tori　waited；　patient；　closing　her　eyes　to　slits。　Her　right　hand　lay　relaxed　along　the　line　of　Ariel's　hip。　The　rat　was　very　close　now；　and　Tori；　without　seeming　to　move　any　other　part　of　her　body；　whipped　her　right　hand　out　to　the　rat　and；　in　the　same　motion；　neatly　snapped　its　neck。
　Time　passed。　Tori　let　her　consciousness　drift　off。　Semiawake；　but　with　her　senses　more　alert　than　before；　she　heard　the　tiny　scraping　sounds　the　Japanese　made　when　they　gave　up　their　vigil；　clambering　back　through　the　succession　of　chambers　into　the　more　familiar　corridor。
　Tori's　lips　touched　Ariel's　neck；　and　together　they　rose　from　the　dead。
　
　Ariel　and　Tori　were　standing　on　one　of　the　two　terra…cotta　tile　balconies　of　Ariel's　magnificent　house　on　Russian　Hill　in　San　Francisco。　One　hundred　years　ago　Ambrose　Bierce；　Bret　Harte；　and　Mark　Twain　frequently　met　in　a　cool　salon　atop　this　nearly　vertical　hill。
　It　was　not　quite　forty…eight　hours　since　the　incident　in　the　eighteenth　century　Jesuit　tunnels。　Ariel；　who　had　been　returning　home；　had　invited　Tori　to　acpany　him；　and　she　had　accepted　because　she　found　that　she　had　lost　her　taste　both　for　Buenos　Aires　and　solitude。　Besides；　though　she　was　reluctant　to　admit　it；　Ariel　intrigued　her。　Reluctant；　because　for　so　long　she　had　gone　out　of　her　way　to　avoid　even　a　hint　of　a　relationship　or　plication　with　a　man。　But　she　had　been　presented　with　an　enigma：　what　was　a　pair　of　Japanese　Yakuza　assassins　doing　in　the　tunnels　beneath　Buenos　Aires；　and　how　did　Ariel　Solares；　the　man　who　had　told　her　so　glibly　that　his　life　was　prosaic；　know　they　would　be　there？
　Tori　looked　down。　Below　them；　the　city　of　hills　swept　away　to　the　foot　of　Hyde　Street　and；　beyond；　the　gray　bay；　dotted　now　with　ships；　where；　no　doubt；　unseen　dolphins　played。　The　house's　other　terrace　overlooked　Lombard　Street　as　it　wound　its　serpentine　way　down　to　North　Beach。
　Behind　them；　filling　up　Ariel's　vast　living　room；　were　mementos　of　the　ancient　civilizations　of　South　America：　painted　pottery；　carved　stone　statues　of　women　and　animals；　diminutive　wooden　weapons　set　with　blackened　iron　tips　Tori　knew　had　once　been　dipped　in　poison。
　〃　'Through　the　years；'　〃　Ariel　Solares　said；　〃　'a　man　peoples　a　space　with　images　of　provinces；　kingdohis；　mountains；　bays；　ships；　islands；　fishes；　rooms；　tools；　stars；　horses　and　people。'　〃　He　was　quoting　a　fragment　of　Jorge　Luis　Borges　that　Tori　knew。
　〃This　is　the　perfect　spot；〃　she　said。　〃Away　from　everyone；　above　everything。''
　〃My　only　regret；〃　Ariel　said；　〃is　that　I'm　not　here　nearly　enough。〃　He　turned　to　her；　refilled　her　glass　with　more　champagne。　〃Are　you　familiar　with　San　Francisco？〃
　〃Not　really。〃　Tori　drank。　〃I'm　afraid　I　have　the　native　Los　Angelino's　reflexive　distaste　for　it。''
　〃It's　not　bad　as　American　cities　go；〃　Ariel　said。　〃I'd　prefer　Paris；　but　I've　got　to　work。〃
　？　'Don't　the　French　need　beef？''
　〃Not　as　much　as　we　Americans。　And　they're　a　bitch　to　deal　with。　Very　picky　about　imported　meat。　I'd　rather　deal　with　the　Japanese。〃　He　laughed；　then　shivered　as　a　cool　breeze　ruffled　his　hair。　The　sun　had　gone　down　minutes　ago。　〃Let's　go　in；　shall　we？〃
　She　had　never　particularly　liked　San　Francisco；　but　she　was　wild　about　Ariel's　house。　She　had　never　actually　been　up　to　Russian　Hill；　it　was　like　living　along　the　Royal　Mile　in　Edinburgh。　There　was　a　peace；　an　apartness；　in　the　height　and　the　vistas；　that　appealed　strongly　to　her。
　Inside；　he　stood　so　that　the　purple　sky　was　reflected　in　his　coffee…colored　eyes。　He　seemed　about　to　say　something；　then　turned　away。
　〃What　is　it？〃　Tori　asked。
　For　a　time　Ariel　said　nothing。　He　looked　casual　and　relaxed　in　a　white　sport　shirt；　black　slacks；　a　natural　jacket　of　flax　and　silk。　He　seemed　genuinely　disconcerted。　〃I　want　to　ask　you　to　go　to　bed　with　me；　but　I　know　I　shouldn't。〃
　Tori　laughed。　〃Well；　that's　a　new　one…a　new　line；　I　mean。〃
　〃It　isn't。　At　least；　I　didn't　intend　it　to　be。〃　He　seemed　so　unfortable　that　Tori　considered　cutting　right　to　the　heart　of　the　matter。　But　then　she　thought　that　he　would　have　to　learn　his　lesson　sometime；　and　that　in　the　end　he　might　be　better　off　learning　it　from　her。
　〃Look；　you've　made　it　obvious　from　the　moment　we　met　that　you're　attracted　to　me；〃　she　said　seriously。　〃I　appreciated　your　candor。　I'm　here；　aren't　I？　Don't　tell　me　you　can't　feel　how　attracted　I　am　to　you。　What　I　don't　understand　now　is　the　'shouldn't'　part。　Why　are　you　suddenly　backing　off？〃
　〃You'd　never　believe　me。　I…〃　He　stopped　in　mid…sentence。　〃Could　we　forget　I　ever　said　any　of　this？〃
　〃I　doubt　it；〃　Tori　said；　moving　closer　to　him。　〃You'd　better　learn　not　to　check　your　brains　at　the　door　before　you　open　your　mouth。　You　never　know　the　trouble　your　own　words　can　get　you　into。〃
　〃I　think　I'm　going　to　be　in　enough　trouble　as　it　is；〃　Ariel　said。
　〃With　whom？〃　Her　breasts　brushed　against　him。
　〃It's　you；　you　know；〃　Ariel　said。　〃I'm　usually　a　pretty　fair　liar。　I　think　you　bring　out　the　best…or　the　worst…in　me。〃
　〃Poor　Ariel。〃　Tori　lifted　her　face　to　his。　She　could　feel　his　heat。　Her　lips　parted；　only　to　be　crushed　beneath　his。
　After　all　the　inner　barriers　she　had　erected　to　keep　her　own　emotions　at　bay；　she　found　it　difficult　to　break　away　from　him。　But　when　at　length　she　did；　she　walked　away　from　him；　stood　staring　at　the　book…lined　shelves　against　an　inner　wall。　Her　eyes　drifted　over　titles　that　had　no　meaning　for　her；　her　vision　was　filled　with　her　own　quickened　pulse。　Blood　roared　in　her　ears。
　〃Why　did　you　do　that？〃　Ariel　asked。
　Without　turning　around。　Tori　said；　''Don't　e　any　closer。''　She　knew　that　she　had　to　stop　this　now；　before　she　got　herself　into　something　she　could　not　control。　This　man　had　lied　to　her；　he　had　known　just　what　he　was　doing；　taking　her　down　into　the　tunnels　under　Buenos　Aires。　The　only　thing　left　to　discover　was　where　he　meant　to　lead　her。
　But　all　the　while　she　could　feel　the　heat　building；　a　heat　she　felt　all　the　way　to　her　fingertips。　Stop　it！　she　admonished　herself。　Concentrate　on　what　must　be　done　here。
　She　said；　〃Why　do　you　live　here；　and　not　in　Virginia？　Doesn't　Slade　require　face…to…face　briefings　anymore？〃
　For　a　long　time　there　was　no　sound　in　the　room；　then　she　heard　Ariel　moving；　and　a　moment　later　music　drifted　through　the　house。　Melissa　Etheridge　singing　〃Chrome　Plated　Heart。〃
　He　came　up　close　behind　her；　said　in　her　ear；　'　'How　did　you　know　I　work　for　the　Mall？〃
　Tori　closed　her　eyes。　〃It　wasn't　just　one　thing。　The　Japanese　who　just　happened　to　be　in　the　tunnels。　You　said　of　them；　'If　they　catch　us；　they'll　kill　us！'　Then；　just　now；　you　said　you'd　rather　work　with　the　Japanese。　What　would　you　know　about　the　Japanese？　But　the　biggest　mistake　you　made　was　in　not　showing　sufficient　surprise　at　what　I　did　down　there：　finding　our　hiding　place；　killing　the　rat；　keeping　you　from　making　a　sound　when　they　were　still　out　there　waiting　for　us。〃　At　last　she　turned　to　face　him。　〃I　think　it's　about　time　you　tell　me　what　this　is　all　about。〃
　〃Later；〃　Ariel　said。　〃When　there's　plenty　of　time。〃　his　lips　covered　hers；　and　this　time　she　knew　she　lacked　the　will　to　break　away。
　She　felt　him　around　her；　his　arms　coiling；　a　great　masculine　figure；　hard　and　strong；　a　sanctuary　within　the　heavenly　aerie　he　had　created　for　himself。　And　it　was　as　if　she　had　been　dropped　into　me　center　of　a　whirlpool；　in　the　grip　of　forces　she　could　no　longer