p&c.brimstone-第18部分
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until it had been sprinkled with holy water。 Then it burst。 The details are rather 。 。 。 unpleasant。〃
Pendergast glanced at the girl。 She leaned forward； took a sip of tea； replaced the cup； smiled。
〃And do the texts describe just how the Prince of Darkness was conjured？〃
〃They drew circles around themselves。 Generally； nine feet in diameter。 They were usually drawn with anarthame ； or ceremonial knife。 Frequently； there were smaller circles or pentacles within the larger one。 Above all； it was critical that the circle not be broken during the ceremony…as long as he remained within the circle； the conjurer was safe from the demons he summoned。〃
〃And once the demons were summoned？〃
〃A contract was made。 The usual： wealth； power； knowledge； in return for one's immortal soul。 Faust； of course； is the prototypical story…particularly in the way it ends。〃
Pendergast nodded encouragingly。
〃After making his personal deal with the devil； Faust had all the power； earthly and unearthly； he had always craved。 But he had other things as well。 He plained of never being alone： of eyes in the walls watching him； of noises； strange noises like the clicking of teeth。 Despite having everything mortal beings can possess； he grew restless。 Eventually； as the days of his contract grew short； he took to reading the Bible； loudly proclaiming his repentance。 He spent his last evening in the pany of his drinking panions； weeping bitterly； bewailing his sins； begging heaven to slow the passage of hours。〃
〃'O lente； lente； currite noctis equi；'〃Pendergast intoned quietly。
〃Dr。 Faustus； Act 5； scene 2；〃 Constance said immediately。
〃 The stars move still； time runs； the clock will strike； The devil will e； and Faustus must be damned。〃
A small smile broke across Pendergast's features。
〃According to legend； terrible screams were heard issuing from his rooms after midnight。 None of his guests dared investigate。 In the morning； they found his bedchamber turned into an abattoir。 The walls were painted in blood。 Somebody found a lone eyeball in a corner of the room。 The crushed； limp remains of his skull clung to one wall。 The rest of his body was found in the alley below； thrown over a pile of horse manure。 They said…〃
She was interrupted by a knock at the library door。
〃That would be Sergeant D'Agosta；〃 Pendergast said； glancing up at the clock。 〃e in；〃 he called in a louder voice。
The door opened slowly and Sergeant Vincent D'Agosta stepped into the library： dirty； clothes torn； scratched； bleeding。
Pendergast rose abruptly from his chair。 〃Vincent！〃
16
D'Agosta slumped in a chair； feeling dazed and in shock。 Itseemed one…half of his body was numb； and the half that wasn't was throbbing in pain。 The old mansion gave him the creeps； so damp； cold； and dark。 Was this really where Pendergast was now living？ Here the guy had a beautiful place on Central Park West； but chose instead to live in deepest Harlem； in a spookhouse of a museum no less； all stuffed animals and skeletons and shelves covered with weird crap。 At least this library was like an oasis： soft chairs； a roaring fire。 Pendergast had a guest； it seemed； but for the moment D'Agosta felt too scratched； bruised； and wiped out to care。
〃You look like you just escaped from the devil；〃 Pendergast said。
〃I did。〃
〃Sherry？〃
〃You wouldn't happen to have a cold Bud？〃
Pendergast looked pained。 〃Would a Pilsner Urquell do？〃
〃If it's beer； it'll do。〃
The other occupant of the library…a young woman in a long salmon…colored dress…rose and left the room。 Within a few minutes； she was back； bearing a glass of beer on a salver。 D'Agosta took it and drank gratefully。 〃Thanks； uh 。 。 。〃
〃Constance；〃 came the soft reply。
〃Constance Greene；〃 said Pendergast。 〃My ward。 This is Sergeant Vincent D'Agosta； a trusted associate of mine。 He's assisting in this case。〃
D'Agosta glanced at Pendergast。 His ward？ What the hell did that mean？ He looked back more curiously at the girl。 She was beautiful； in a pale； delicate kind of way。 Her dress was very proper and demure； but the breasts that swelled the lace…front brought a mostun demure stirring to D'Agosta's loins。 Despite the old…fashioned clothes； she looked no older than twenty。 But those violet eyes of hers； so alert and intelligent； somehow didn't look like the eyes of a young girl at all。 Not at all。
〃Glad to meet you；〃 said D'Agosta； straightening up in his chair and wincing。
〃Are you hurt？〃 Pendergast asked。
〃Just about everywhere。〃 D'Agosta took another long pull。
〃Tell us what happened。〃
D'Agosta set down the glass。 〃I'll start at the beginning。 I visited Lady Milbanke first。 She was a plete wash。 All she wanted to do was talk about her new emerald necklace。 Cutforth wasn't much better： lied about the reason Grove called him； answered questions evasively if at all。 Last was Bullard； at the New York Athletic Club。 Claims he hardly knew Grove； doesn't know why he called； can't really remember what they chatted about； doesn't know how Grove got his number。 A liar through and through； and didn't even bother to hide it。〃
〃Interesting。〃
〃Yeah； a real piece of work。 Big； ugly； arrogant motherf…〃 D'Agosta glanced at the girl。 〃Man。 Basically； he blew me off。 I left； ate dinner at Mullin's Pub over on Broadway。 Caught sight of a gold Impala more than once。 Took the subway to 96th and walked over to Riverside。 Hoofed it from there。 The Impala reappeared again around 130th。〃
〃Heading north or south？〃
D'Agosta wondered why that was important。 〃North。〃
Pendergast nodded。
〃I saw something was about to e down； so I ran into Riverside Park。 Two guys jumped out and chased me； shooting laser…sighted handguns： accurate； large…caliber。 Chased me through the park。 I ran down toward the West Side Highway and came up against a chain…link fence。 I really thought it was over。 Then I noticed a recent car wreck fifty yards on。 Some shitbox had gone through the fence； making a gap。 Just left the car rotting there。 I dove through the gap； lost them on the highway； flagged down a car。 It let me off at the next exit； but I couldn't get a cab and had to walk the thirty blocks back down。 Sticking to the shadows the whole way； watching out for that Impala…it took quite some time。〃
Pendergast nodded again。 〃So one of the men followed you onto the subway； the other drove the car。 They reconnected and tried to cut you off。〃
〃That's how I figured it。 An old trick。〃
〃Did you return fire？〃
〃Lot of good it did me。〃
〃Ah！ And your vaunted shooting ability？〃
D'Agosta looked down。 〃Little rusty。〃
〃The question is； who sent them？〃
〃It seemed to happen awful damn fast after I got Bullard stirred up。〃
〃Perhaps too fast。〃
〃Bullard didn't look like the kind of guy who would wait。 He's the decisive type。〃
Pendergast nodded。
Throughout this recitation； the young woman had listened politely。 Now she rose from the couch。 〃With your permission； I'll leave you to discuss this matter amongst yourselves。〃 She had a precise； mannered way of speaking； and a faint accent that for some reason reminded D'Agosta of old black…and…white movies。 She came over and kissed Pendergast lightly on the cheek。 〃Good night； Aloysius。〃 Then she turned toward D'Agosta and nodded。 〃A pleasure to make your acquaintance； Sergeant。〃
A moment later the door to the library closed； and silence fell。
〃Ward； huh？〃 said D'Agosta。
Pendergast nodded。
〃Where'd she e from？〃
〃I inherited her with the house。〃
〃How the heck do you 'inherit' someone？ She a relative？〃
〃Not a relative。 It's rather plicated。 This house and its collections were passed down to me from my great…uncle Antoine。 She was discovered in the house by an acquaintance of mine who cataloged the mansion's collections during the summer。 She'd been hiding here。〃
〃For how long？〃
There was a pause。 〃A good while。〃
〃What is she； a runaway？ Doesn't she have family？〃
〃She's an orphan。 My great…uncle had taken her in； looked after her welfare； educated her。〃
〃Yeah？ He sounds like a saint。〃
〃Hardly。 As it happens； Constance was the only person he ever cared for。 In fact； he continued caring for her long after he'd stopped caring even about himself。 He was a misanthrope； but she was the exception that proved his rule。 In any case； it seems I'm her only family now。 But I must ask you not to mention any of this in her presence。 The last six months have been exceptionally 。 。 。 trying for her。〃
〃How so？〃
〃That is something better left in the past。 Suffice it to say； Vincent； that Constance is the innocent beneficiary of a set of diabolical experiments conducted long ago。 Seeing how her own family was victimized early on by those experiments； I feel bound to look after her well…being。 It's a plication I certainly did not anticipate。 However； her knowledge of this house and its library is proving invaluable。 She will make an excellent research assistant and curator。〃
〃At least she's not hard to look at。〃 When he felt Pendergast's un…amused gaze on him D'Agosta cleared his throat and added hastily； 〃How did your own interviews go？〃
〃Montcalm could add little to what we already know。 He was away until yesterday； traveling。 It seems that Grove left a frantic message with his assistant：How does one break a contract with the devil？ The assistant threw the note away…apparently Montcalm is a magnet for cranks and gets many such messages。 He could add nothing else。 Fosco； on the other hand； proved to be most interesting。〃
〃I hope you really sweated him。〃
〃I'm not sure who sweated who。〃
D'Agosta could not imagine anyone sweating Pendergast。 〃Is he involved？〃
〃That depends on what you mean by involved。 He is a remarkable man； and his recollections proved to be invaluable。〃
〃Well； the jury's still out on both Cutforth and Bullard。〃
〃You said Cutforth was a liar； as well as Bullard。 How do you know？〃
〃He told me Grove had called him in the middle of the night； wishing to buy some piece of rock memorabilia。 I bluffed him by saying Grove hated rock music。 His look gave him away immediately。〃
〃A crude lie。〃
〃He's a
