p&c.brimstone-第70部分

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continued；　soothing　in　its　measured　cadence。　
　〃I　think　he's　suffered　a　heart　attack；〃　Pendergast　said；　pressing　down　on　the　man's　chest。　〃The　trauma　of　the　gunshot　wound。　Still；　with　the　medevac　arriving；　he　might　be　saved。〃　
　Suddenly　the　monk　coughed。　A　hand　fluttered　and　his　eyes　opened；　staring　directly　at　Pendergast。　
　〃Padre；〃said　Pendergast；　his　voice　low　and　calm；〃mi　dica　la　confessione　più　terribile　che　lei　ha　mai　sentito。〃　
　The　eyes；　so　wise　and　so　close　to　death；　seemed　to　understand　all。〃Un　ragazzo　Americano　che　ha　fatto　un　patto　con　il　diavolo；　ma　l'ho　salvato；　l'ho　sicuramente　salvato。〃　He　sighed；　smiled；　then　closed　his　eyes　and　took　one　long；　final；　shuddering　breath。　
　A　moment　later　the　paramedics　burst　in　with　a　transport　stretcher。　There　was　an　eruption　of　furious　activity　as　they　worked　to　stabilize　the　victim：　one　attached　a　cardiac　monitor　while　another　relayed　the　lack　of　vitals　to　the　hospital　and　received　orders　in　return。　The　stretcher　was　rushed　back　out　the　door；　and　within　seconds　the　sound　of　the　helicopter　was　receding　again。　And　then　it　was　over。　The　church　seemed　suddenly　empty；　the　smell　of　incense　drifting　on　the　air；　the　steady　sound　of　prayer　adding　a　curious　note　of　peace　to　a　most　shocking　act　of　violence。　
　〃He　got　away；〃　D'Agosta　gasped。　
　Pendergast　laid　a　hand　on　his　arm。　〃I'm　sorry；　Vincent。〃　
　〃What　did　you　say　to　the　priest　just　now？〃　
　Pendergast　hesitated　a　moment。　〃I　asked　him　to　recall　the　most　terrible　confession　he'd　ever　heard。　He　said　it　was　from　a　boy…an　American　boy…who　had　made　a　pact　with　the　devil。〃　
　D'Agosta　felt　revulsion　constrict　his　stomach。　So　it　was　true；　after　all。　It　was　really　true。　
　〃He　added　that　he　had　certainly　saved　the　boy's　soul。　In　fact；　heknew　he'd　saved　his　soul。〃　
　D'Agosta　had　to　sit　down。　He　hung　his　head　a　moment；　still　breathing　hard；　and　then　looked　up　at　Pendergast。　〃Yeah。　But　what　about　the　other　three？〃　
　　　
　68　
　
　The　Reverend　Buck　sat　at　the　desk　inside　his　tent；　the　beams　ofbright　morning　sun　slanting　through　the　door　net　and　setting　the　canvas　walls　ablaze。　Everybody　in　camp　was　still　keyed　up　from　the　showdown　with　the　police；　still　abuzz　with　energy。　Buck　could　feel　that　same　energy　coursing　through　his　being。　The　passion　and　belief　of　his　followers　had　astonished；　had　heartened　him。　Clearly；　the　spirit　of　God　was　among　them。　With　God；　anything　was　possible。　
　The　problem　was；　the　police　would　not　rest。　They　would　act　decisively；　and　act　soon。　His　moment　was　about　to　arrive：　the　moment　he　had　e　so　far；　worked　so　hard；　to　fulfill。　
　Butwhat　moment？　And　how；　exactly；　would　he　fulfill　it？　
　The　question　had　been　growing　within　him；　gnawing　at　him；　for　days　now。　At　first；　it　had　been　just　a　faint　voice；　a　sense　of　disquiet。　But　now　it　never　left　him；　despite　his　praying　and　fasting　and　penitence。　God's　path　was　unclear；　His　wishes　mysterious。　
　Yet　again　he　bowed　his　head　in　prayer；　asking　God　to　show　him　the　way。　
　Outside；　in　the　background；　he　could　hear　the　excited　hum　of　a　hundred　conversations。　He　paused　to　listen。　Everybody　was　talking　about　the　aborted　attempt　to　arrest　him。　Strange　that　the　police　had　sent　in　only　two。　They　probably　didn't　want　to　make　a　show　of　aggression；　have　a　Waco　on　their　hands。　
　Waco。That　little　aside　from　the　woman　cop　had　sobered　him　up。　It　had　been　almost　like　a　surgical　thrust。　She　was　something；　that　one。　Couldn't　be　more　than　thirty…five；　a　real　looker；　self…assured　as　anything。　The　other　was　just　another　weak；　vainglorious　bully；　like　any　number　of　the　screws　he'd　dealt　with　in　the　Big　House。　But　she…shehad　the　confidence；　the　power；　of　the　devil　behind　her。　
　Should　he　resist；　put　up　a　fight？　He　had　tremendous　power　in　his　hands；　hundreds　of　followers　who　believed　in　him　heart　and　soul。　He　had　the　power　of　conviction　and　the　Spirit；　but　they　had　the　power　of　physical　arms。　They　had　the　might　of　the　state　behind　them。　They　had　weapons；　tear　gas；　water　cannon。　If　he　resisted；　it　would　be　a　butchery。　
　What　did　God　want　him　to　do？　He　bowed；　prayed　again。　
　There　was　a　knock　on　one　of　the　wooden　posts　of　the　tent。　
　〃Yes？〃　
　〃It's　almost　time　for　your　morning　sermon　and　the　laying…on　of　hands。〃　
　〃Thank　you；　Todd。　I'll　be　out　in　a　few　minutes。〃　
　He　needed　an　answer；　if　only　for　himself；　before　he　could　face　his　people　once　again。　They　relied　on　him　for　spiritual　guidance　in　this　greatest　crisis　of　all。　He　was　so　proud　of　them；　of　their　bravery　and　conviction。　〃Soldiers　of　Rome；〃　they'd　shouted　so　aptly　at　the　cops　。　。　。　
　Soldiers　of　Rome…that　was　it。　
　Suddenly；　like　the　cogs　of　some　vast　spiritual　machine；　a　series　of　connections　fell　together　like　dominoes　in　his　mind。Pilate。　Herod。　Golgotha。　It　had　been　there　all　the　time；　the　answer　he'd　been　searching　for。　He'd　just　needed　the　strength　of　faith　to　find　it。　
　He　knelt　a　moment　longer。　〃Thank　you；　Father；〃　he　murmured。　Then　he　rose；　feeling　suffused　with　light。　
　Now　he　knew　exactly　how　he　would　face　the　armies　of　Rome。　
　He　armed　aside　the　tent　flap　and　strode　toward　the　preaching　rock。　He　glanced　around　at　the　beauty　of　the　morning；　the　beauty　of　God's　earth。　Life　was　so　precious；　such　a　fleeting　gift。　As　he　climbed　the　path　that　circled　behind　the　rock；　he　reminded　himself　that　the　next　world　would　be　far　better；　far　more　beautiful。　When　the　infidels　came；　a　thousand　strong；　he　knew　exactly　how　he　was　going　to　deliver　them　unto　defeat。　
　He　raised　his　hands　to　a　thunderous　cheer。　
　　　
　69　
　
　The　cellar　of　the　carabinieri　barracks　looked　more　like　the　dun…geon　it　had　once　been　than　a　basement；　and　as　D'Agosta　followed　Colonnello　Esposito　and　Pendergast　through　the　winding　tunnels　of　undressed　stone；　streaked　with　cobwebs　and　lime；　he　was　half　surprised　to　find　no　skeletons　chained　to　the　walls。　
　Thecolonnello　paused　at　an　iron　door；　opened　it。　〃As　you'll　see；　alas；　we　have　yet　to　join　the　twenty…first　century；〃　he　said　as　he　gestured　for　them　to　enter。　
　D'Agosta　stepped　into　a　room　wall…to…wall　with　filing　cabinets　and　open　shelves。　Fascicles　of　documents　sat　on　the　shelves；　tied　up　in　twine。　Some　were　so　old　and　moldy　they　must　have　dated　back　centuries。　An　officer　in　a　neat　uniform　of　blue　and　white；　with　a　smart　red　stripe　down　the　outside　of　the　slacks；　stood　and　saluted　crisply。　
　〃Basta；〃said　thecolonnello　in　a　tired　voice；　then　gestured　at　some　old　wooden　chairs　arranged　around　a　long　table。　〃Please　sit。〃　
　As　they　seated　themselves；　thecolonnello　spoke　to　the　younger　officer；　who　in　turn　produced　a　dozen　folders　and　laid　them　on　the　table。　〃Here　are　the　summaries　of　the　homicides　that　fell　within　your　requirements：　unsolved　murders　over　the　last　year　in　which　the　victim　was　found　burned。　I　have　been　through　them　myself　and　found　nothing　of　the　slightest　interest。　I　am　much　more　concerned　about　what　happened　up　at　La　Verna　this　morning。〃　
　Pendergast　took　the　first　folder；　opened　it；　slid　out　the　case　summary。　〃I　regret　that　more　than　I　can　say。〃　
　〃I　regret　it　even　more。　Things　were　tranquil　here　until　you　arrived…and　then　。　。　。〃　He　opened　his　hands　and　smiled　wanly。　
　〃We　are　almost　there；　Colonnello。〃　
　〃Then　let　us　pray　you　get　there；　wherever　'there'　may　be；　as　soon　as　possible。〃　
　Pendergast　began　reading　through　the　case　summaries；　passing　each　to　D'Agosta　as　he　pleted　it。　The　only　sound　was　the　gentle　whisper　of　forced　air；　carried　into　the　basement　by　shiny　aluminum　ducts　that　snaked　along　the　vaulted　ceilings　in　a　futile　attempt　to　bring　fresh　air　into　these　depths。　D'Agosta　looked　at　each　case　and　its　associated　photograph；　struggling　to　prehend　the　Italian；　able　to　get　the　gist　but　no　more。　Occasionally　he　jotted　down　a　note…more　to　have　something　to　report　to　Hayward　on　their　next　call　than　for　his　own　recollection。　
　In　less　than　an　hour；　they'd　gone　through　them　all。　
　Pendergast　turned　to　D'Agosta。　〃Anything？〃　
　〃Nothing　stood　out。〃　
　〃Let　us　take　a　second　pass。〃　
　Thecolonnello　glanced　at　his　watch；　lit　a　cigarette。　
　〃There's　no　need　for　you　to　stay；〃　said　Pendergast。　
　Esposito　waved　his　hand。　〃I　am　quite　content　to　be　buried　down　here；　out　of　reach；　my　cell　phone　dead。　It　is　not　so　pleasant　upstairs；　with　the　Procuratore　della　Repubblica　calling　every　half　hour…thanks　again；　I　fear；　to　you。〃　He　looked　around。　〃All　that's　lacking　is　an　espresso　machine。〃　He　turned　to　the　officer。〃Caffè　per　tutti。〃　
　〃Sissignore。〃　
　D'Agosta　heaved　a　sigh　and　began　leafing　again　through　the　barely　prehensible　files。　This　time　he　paused　at　a　black…and…white　photo　of　a　man　lying　in　what　looked　like　an　abandoned　building。　The　corpse　lay　curled　in　a　cracked　cement　corner；　very　badly　burned。　It　was　a　typical　police　photo；　sordid；　vile。　
　But　there　was　something　else。　Something　wrong。　
　Pendergast　instantly　detected　his　interest。　〃Yes？〃　
　D'Agosta　slid　the　photo　over。　Pendergast　scrutinized　it　for　a　few　seconds。　Then　his　eyebrows　shot　up。　〃Yes；　I　do　see。〃　
　〃What　is　it？〃　asked　thecolonnello　；　reluctantly　leaning　forward。　
　〃This　man。　You　see　the　small　pool　of　blood　there；　underneath　him？　He　was　burnedand　then　shot。〃　
　〃And　so？〃　
　〃Usually　victims　are　shot；　then　burned；　to　conceal　evidence。　Have　you　ever　heard　of　burning　a　man　first　and　then　shooting　him？〃　
　〃Frequently。　To　extract　information。〃　
　〃Not　over　half　the　body。　Torture　burning　is　localized。〃　
　Esposito　peered　at　the　photo。　〃That　means　nothing。　A　maniac；　perhaps。〃　
　〃May　we　see　the　plete　file？〃　
　Thecolonnello　shrugged；　rose；　shuffled　to　a　distant　cabinet；　then　returned　with　a　fat　bundle　of　documents。　He　put　it　on　the　table；　cut　the　twine　with　his　pocketknife。　
　Pendergast　looked　through　the　documents；　pulled　one　out；　began　to　summarize　in　English：　〃Carlo　Vanni；　aged　sixty…nine；　retired　farmer；　body　found　in　a　ruinedcasa　colonica　in　the　mountains　near　Abetone。　There　was　no　physical　evidence　recovered　at　the　site；　no　fingerprints；　fibers；　shell　casings；　prints；　tracks。〃　He　glanced　up。　〃This　does　not　look　like　the　work　of　a　maniac　to　me。〃　
　A　slow　smile　gathered　on　thecolonnello　's　face。　〃Even　among　the　carabinieri；　inpetence　has　been　known　to　occur。　Just　because　no　evidence　was　recovered　does　not　mean　therewas　no　evidence　to　recover。〃　
　Pendergast