p&c.brimstone-第75部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃It　is　too　much　to　hope　for。　Still；　I　should　love　to　hear　it　before　I　die。〃　
　〃It　would　also　clear　your　family　name。〃　
　Maskelene　laughed；　waved　her　hand。　〃What　rot。　I　hate　being　called　Lady　Maskelene；　if　you　want　to　know　the　truth。　Titles；　family　honor…that's　nineteenth…century　rubbish。〃　
　〃Honor　is　never　out　of　date。〃　
　She　looked　at　Pendergast　curiously。　〃You're　a　rather　old…fashioned　sort；　aren't　you？〃　
　〃I　don't　pay　much　attention　to　current　fashions；　if　that's　what　you　mean。〃　
　She　looked　his　black　suit　up　and　down　with　an　amused　smile。　〃No；　I　suppose　you　don't。　I　rather　like　that。〃　
　Again　Pendergast　looked　nonplussed。　
　〃Well〃…she　stood　up；　her　brown　eyes　catching　the　light　off　the　water；　a　smile　dimpling　her　face…〃whether　you　find　the　violin　or　not；　e　back　anyway　and　tell　me　about　it。　Will　you？〃　
　〃Nothing　would　please　me　more。〃　
　〃Good。　That's　settled。〃　
　Pendergast　looked　at　her　gravely。　〃Which　brings　me　to　the　point　of　my　visit。〃　
　〃The　big　question。　Ah。〃　She　smiled。　〃Go　ahead。〃　
　〃What　is　the　name　of　that　powerful　family　that　once　owned　the　Stormcloud？〃　
　〃I　can　do　better　than　give　you　a　mere　answer。〃　She　reached　into　her　pocket；　removed　an　envelope；　and　laid　it　before　Pendergast。　In　a　lovely　copperplate　hand　was　written；Dr。　Aloysius　X。　L。　Pendergast。　
　Pendergast　looked　at　it；　his　face　draining　of　color。　〃Where　did　you　get　this？〃　
　〃Yesterday；　the　current　Count　Fosco…for　that　was　the　family　that　once　owned　the　violin…paid　me　a　surprise　visit。　Surprise　is　hardly　the　word…I　was　bowled　over。　He　said　you'd　be　ing；　that　you　were　friends；　and　that　he　wanted　me　to　give　you　this。〃　
　Pendergast　reached　down　and　slowly　picked　up　the　envelope。　D'Agosta　watched　as　he　slid　his　finger　under　the　flap；　tore　it　open；　and　pulled　out　a　card；　on　which　was　written　in　the　same　generous；　flowing　hand：　
　　　
　Isidor　Ottavio　Baldassare　Fosco；　
　Count　of　the　Holy　Roman　Empire；　
　Knight　Grand　Cross　of　the　Order　of　the　Quincunx；　
　Perpetual　Arch…Master　of　the　Rosicrucian　Masons　of　Mesopotamia；　
　Fellow　of　the　Royal　Geographical　Society；　etc。；　etc。；　
　desires　the　pleasure　of　your　pany　
　at　his　family　seat；　
　Castel　Fosco；　
　Sunday；　November　4　
　　　
　Castel　Fosco　
　Greve　in　Chianti　
　Firenze　
　　　
　Pendergast　looked　sharply　at　D'Agosta　and　then　back　at　Lady　Maskelene。　〃This　man　is　no　friend。　He's　extremely　dangerous。〃　
　〃What？　That　fat；　charming　old　count？〃　She　laughed；　but　the　laughter　died　when　she　saw　the　expression　on　his　face。　
　〃He's　the　one　who　has　the　violin。〃　
　She　stared。　〃It　would　be　his；　anyway…wouldn't　it？　I　mean；　if　it　were　found。〃　
　〃He　brutally　murdered　at　least　four　people　to　get　it。〃　
　〃Oh；　my　God…〃　
　〃Don't　say　anything　to　anyone　about　this。　You'll　be　safe　here；　on　Capraia。　He　would　have　killed　you　already　if　he　thought　it　was　necessary。〃　
　She　stared　back。　〃You're　frightening　me。〃　
　〃Yes；　and　I'm　sorry；　but　sometimes　it's　good　to　be　afraid。　It　will　be　over　in　two　or　three　days。　Please　be　careful；　Viola。　Just　stay　here　and　do　nothing　until　I　return　with　the　violin。〃　
　For　a　moment；　she　did　not　reply。　Then　she　stirred。　〃You　must　go。　You'll　miss　the　ferry。〃　
　Pendergast　took　her　hand。　They　stood　quite　still；　looking　at　each　other；　saying　nothing。　Then　Pendergast　turned　and　quickly　walked　through　the　gate　and　down　the　trail。　
　D'Agosta　leaned　against　the　fantail　of　the　ferry；　watching　the　island　dissolve　on　the　horizon　in　much　the　same　way　it　had　appeared：　with　a　sense　of　expectancy；　of　a　fresh　beginning。　Pendergast　stood　beside　him。　Since　they　had　left　the　small　house　on　the　bluff；　the　agent　hadn't　said　a　word。　He　stared　back　over　the　churning　wake；　apparently　lost　in　thought。　
　〃Fosco　knew　that　you　knew；〃　said　D'Agosta。　〃That's　what　saved　her。〃　
　〃Yes。〃　
　〃This　whole　thing。　It　was　just　an　elaborate　plot　to　get　the　violin；　wasn't　it？〃　
　Pendergast　nodded。　
　〃I　knew　from　the　beginning　that　fat　bastard　had　something　to　do　with　it。〃　
　Pendergast　didn't　respond。　His　gaze　was　far　away。　
　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　D'Agosta　finally　risked　asking。　
　Pendergast　started；　looked　over。　〃Quite　all　right；　thanks。〃　
　The　island　had　finally　disappeared。　As　if　on　cue；　the　low　outline　of　the　Tuscan　mainland　began　to　materialize　on　the　eastern　horizon。　
　〃What　now？〃　
　〃I　accept　Fosco's　invitation。　It's　one　thing　to　know；　quite　another　to　have　proof。　If　we　want　to　get　Fosco；　we　have　to　get　whatever　machine　he　used　to　mit　these　murders。〃　
　〃So　why　did　Fosco　give　you　an　invitation？〃　
　〃He　wants　to　kill　me。〃　
　〃Great。　And　you　plan　on　accepting？〃　
　Pendergast　turned　away　and　gazed　back　out　to　sea；　his　eyes　almost　white　in　the　brilliant　light。　〃Fosco　knows　I'll　accept；　because　it's　the　only　chance　to　gather　the　evidence　we　need　to　put　him　behind　bars。　If　we　don't　do　it　now；　he　will　be　back　to　haunt　us　next　month；　perhaps；　or　a　year　from　now；　or　ten　years　。　。　。〃　He　paused。　〃And　what's　more；　he'll　always　be　a　danger　to　Viola…Lady　Maskelene…for　what　she　knows。〃　
　〃I　get　it。〃　
　But　Pendergast　was　still　looking　out　to　sea。　When　he　spoke　again；　his　voice　was　very　low。　〃It　ends　tomorrow；　in　the　Castel　Fosco。〃　
　　　
　73　
　
　Bryce　Harriman　sat　at　the　old　table；　taking　notes　in　the　harshlight　of　a　Coleman　lantern；　the　Reverend　Buck　across　from　him。　It　was　almost　midnight；　but　he　wasn't　the　least　bit　sleepy。　The　day　before；　he　had　filed　a　crackerjack　story；　about　the　failed　attempt　to　arrest　Buck。　He　had　pieced　it　together　from　a　half　dozen　witnesses；　and　it　was　juicy：　the　swaggering　police　captain　ing　in　to　arrest　Buck；　how　he'd　panicked　and　run；　leaving　it　to　the　other　captain…a　woman…to　straighten　things　out。　Great　copy。　In　the　long　run；　it　might　turn　out　to　be　more　than　just　great　copy：　he'd　begun　putting　out　feelers　at　theTimes　；　and　they　seemed　receptive　to　a　job　interview。　This　new　article　would　be　gravy。　And　thanks　to　Buck；　he　was　now　the　only　journalist　allowed　in　the　tent　city。　With　this　second　piece　appearing　hot　on　the　heels　of　the　first；　he　was　going　to　score　a　double　whammy。　And　he　would　be　there　tomorrow；　too；　just　in　case　there　was　a　showdown　with　New　York's　finest。　
　Judging　from　the　mood　in　the　camp；　it　was　going　to　be　a　mess。　Since　the　botched　arrest；　the　whole　place　had　been　on　edge；　restless；　belligerent；　like　a　powder　keg　ready　to　go。　Even　at　midnight；　more　than　a　day　after　the　would…be　raid；　everyone　was　still　awake；　the　prayers　and　camp　meetings　sounding　shrilly　through　the　darkness。　A　lot　of　the　kids　he'd　noticed　on　his　first　visit　to　the　tent　city　were　gone…a　night　or　two　of　sleeping　on　the　hard　ground；　without　an　Internet　connection　or　cable　TV；　had　sent　them　scurrying　home　to　their　fy　suburbs。　What　remained　was　the　hard…core　element；　the　real　zealots。　And　there　was　no　shortage　of　those：　there　had　to　be　at　least　three　hundred　tents　here。　
　Buck　himself　was　different。　Gone　was　the　flicker　of　uncertainty；　the　faint　aura　of　surprise　and　wonder　that　he　had　possessed　before。　Now　he　seemed　almost　transcendentally　calm　and　assured。　When　he　looked　at　Harriman；　it　was　as　if　he　was　looking　right　through　him　to　another　world。　
　〃Well；　Mr。　Harriman；〃　he　was　saying；　〃have　you　gotten　what　you　came　for？　It's　almost　midnight；　and　I　usually　deliver　a　message　to　the　people　before　retiring。〃　
　〃Just　one　other　question。　What　do　you　think's　going　to　happen？　The　NYPD　aren't　just　going　to　walk　away；　you　realize。〃　
　He　had　half　expected　the　question　to　shake　Buck　up　a　bit；　but　instead；　the　man　seemed　to　settle　even　deeper　into　something　like　serenity。　〃What　will　happen　will　happen。〃　
　〃It　may　not　be　pretty。　Are　you　ready？〃　
　〃No；　it　won't　be　pretty；　and　yes；　I　am　ready。〃　
　〃You　say　that　almost　as　if　you　know　what's　going　to　happen。〃　
　Buck　smiled　knowingly　but　said　nothing。　
　〃Aren't　you　concerned？〃　Harriman　asked　more　insistently。　
　Again　that　enigmatic　smile。Damn；　you　can't　quote　a　smile。　〃We're　talking　tear　gas　maybe；　cops　swinging　billy　clubs。　No　more　fun　and　games。〃　
　〃I　put　my　trust　in　God；　Mr。　Harriman。　Who　do　you　trust？〃　
　Time　to　wrap　this　up。〃Thank　you；　Reverend；　you've　been　very　helpful。〃　Harriman　rose。　
　〃And　thank　you；　Mr。　Harriman。　Won't　you　stay　a　few　minutes　to　hear　my　message　to　the　people？　As　you　say；　something　is　about　to　happen。　And　as　a　result；　my　sermon　this　evening　will　be　somewhat　different。〃　
　The　reporter　hesitated。　He　had　to　be　up　at　five；　ready　to　go。　He　was　pretty　sure　the　cops　were　going　to　do　their　thing　tomorrow；　and　it　might　begin　early。　〃What's　it　on？〃　
　〃Hell。〃　
　〃In　that　case；　I'll　stay。〃　
　Buck　rose　and　signaled　one　of　his　men；　who　came　over；　helped　him　don　a　simple　vestment；　and　then　acpanied　him　out　of　the　tent。　Harriman　followed　in　their　wake；　pulling　his　recorder　out　of　one　pocket；　trying　to　ignore　the　heavy　reek　of　the　encampment。　They　were　headed；　he　knew；　to　a　huge　glacial　erratic　that　reared　out　of　the　earth　to　the　west　of　the　tent　city　and　which　was　now　universally　called　the　〃preaching　rock。〃　
　The　bustle　of　the　camp　died　away　as　Buck　went　out　of　sight　behind　the　massive　boulder；　climbed　the　grassy　hummock　to　the　rear；　then　reappeared　on　its　lofty　crag。　He　raised　his　hands　slowly。　Watching　from　below；　Harriman　found　hundreds　of　people　drifting　in　out　of　the　darkness　to　surround　him。　
　〃My　friends；〃　he　began。　〃Good　evening。　Once　again　I　thank　you　for　joining　me　on　this　spiritual　quest。　It's　been　my　custom；　in　these　evening　talks；　to　speak　to　you　of　this　quest：　to　explain　why　we　are　here　and　what　it　is　we　must　do。　But　tonight　my　subject　will　be　different。　
　〃Brothers　and　sisters；　you　will　soon　face　a　trial。　A　great　trial。　We　won　a　mighty　victory　here　yesterday；　thanks　be　to　God。　But　the　agents　of　darkness　are　not　easily　turned　back。　Therefore；　you　must　be　strong。　Be　strong；　and　acceptthe　will　of　God　。〃　
　Harriman；　listening　with　recorder　raised；　was　surprised　by　Buck's　tone　and　manner。　His　voice　was　quiet；　but　it　rang　with　an　iron　conviction　he'd　never　heard　before；　even　in　the　very　first　sermon　delivered　outside　Cutforth's　building。　There　was　a　strange　look　in　Buck's　bright　eyes：　a　look　of　anticipation　mingled　with　an　almost　stoic　resignation。　
　〃I　have　spoken　to　you　many　times　about　what　we　have　e　here　to　achieve。　Now；　on　the　eve　of　your　trial　to　end　all　trials；