cb.coldheart canyon-第4节

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sual；　her　vocabulary…which　often　tended　to　the　salty…sweet　and　pliant。
　 Zeffer　had　found　the　performance　almost　ical；　it　was　so　exaggerated；　but　the　Father　had　apparently　been　pletely　taken　in　by　it。　At　one　point　he'd　put　his　hand　under　Katya's　chin　to　raise　her　face；　telling　her　there　was　no　reason　to　be　shy。
　 Shy！　Zeffer　had　thought。　If　only　Sandru　knew　what　this　so…called　shy　woman　was　capable　of！　The　parties　she'd　master…minded　up　in　her　Canyon…the　place　gossip…columnists　had　dubbed　Coldheart　Canyon；　the　excesses　she'd　choreographed　behind　the　walls　of　her　pound；　the　sheer　filth　she　was　capable　of　inventing　when　the　mood　took　her。　If　the　mask　she'd　been　wearing　had　slipped　for　a　heartbeat；　and　the　poor；　deluded　Father　Sandru　had　glimpsed　the　facts　of　the　matter；　he　would　have　locked　himself　in　a　cell　and　sealed　the　door　with　prayers　and　holy　water　to　keep　her　out。
　 But　Katya　was　too　good　an　actress　to　let　him　see　the　truth。
　 Perhaps　in　one　sense；　Katya　Lupi's　whole　life　had　now　bee　a　performance。　When　she　appeared　on　screen　she　played　the　role　of　simpering；　abused　orphans　half　her　age；　and　large　portions　of　the　audience　seemed　to　believe　that　this　was　reality。　Meanwhile；　every　weekend　or　so；　out　of　sight　of　the　people　who　thought　she　was　moral　perfection；　she　threw　the　sort　of　parties　for　the　other　idols　of　Hollywood…the　vamps　and　the　clowns　and　the　adventurers…which　would　have　horrified　her　fans　had　they　known　what　was　going　on。　Which　Katya　Lupi　was　the　real　one？　The　weeping　child　who　was　the　idol　of　millions；　or　the　Scarlet　Woman　who　was　the　Mistress　of　Coldheart　Canyon？　The　orphan　of　the　storm　or　the　dope…fiend　in　her　lair？　Neither？　Both？
　 Zeffer　turned　these　thoughts　over　as　Sandru　took　him　from　room　to　room；　showing　him　tables　and　chairs；　carpets　and　paintings；　even　mantelpieces。
　 〃Does　anything　catch　your　eye？〃　Sandru　asked　him　eventually。　〃Not　really；　Father；〃　Zeffer　replied；　quite　honestly。　〃I　can　get　carpets　as　fine　as　these　in　America。　I　don't　need　to　e　out　into　the　wilds　of　Romania　to　find　work　like　this。〃
　 Sandru　nodded。　〃Yes；　of　course；〃　he　said。　He　looked　a　little　defeated。　Zeffer　took　the　opportunity　to　glance　at　his　watch。　〃Perhaps　I　should　be　getting　back　to　Katya；〃　he　said。　In　fact；　the　prospect　of　returning　to　the　village　and　sitting　in　the　little　house　where　Katya　had　been　born；　there　to　be　plied　with　thick　coffee　and　sickeningly　sweet　cake；　while　Katya's　relatives　came　by　to　stare　at　（and　touch；　as　if　in　disbelief）　their　American　visitors；　did　not　enthrall　him　at　all。　But　this　visit　with　Father　Sandru　was　being　increasingly　futile；　and　now　that　the　Father　had　made　his　mercenary　ambitions　so　plain；　not　a　little　embarrassing。　There　wasn't　anything　here　that　Zeffer　could　imagine　transporting　back　to　Los　Angeles。
　 He　reached　into　his　coat　to　take　out　his　wallet；　intending　to　give　the　Father　a　hundred　dollars　for　his　troubles。　But　before　he　could　produce　the　note；　the　Father's　expression　changed　to　one　of　profound　seriousness。
　 〃Wait；〃　he　said。　〃Before　you　dismiss　me　let　me　say　this：　I　believe　we　understand　one　another。　You　are　looking　to　buy　something　you　could　find　in　no　other　place。　Something　that's　one　of　a　kind；　yes？　And　I　am　looking　to　make　a　sale。〃
　 〃So　is　there　something　here　you　haven't　shown　me？〃　Zeffer　said。　〃Something　special？〃
　 Sandru　nodded。　〃There　are　some　parts　of　the　Fortress　I　have　not　shared　with　you；〃　he　said。　〃And　with　good　reason；　let　me　say。　You　see　there　are　people　who　should　not　see　what　I　have　to　show。　But　I　think　I　understand　you　now；　Mister　Zeffer。　You　are　a　man　of　the　world。〃
　 〃You　make　it　all　sound　very　mysterious；〃　Zeffer　said。
　 〃I　don't　know　if　it's　mysterious；〃　the　priest　said。　〃It　is　sad；　I　think；　and　human。　You　see；　Duke　Goga　the　man　who　built　this　Fortress…was　not　a　good　soul。　The　stories　your　Katya　said　she　had　been　told　as　a　child…〃
　 〃Were　true？〃
　 〃In　a　manner　of　speaking。　Goga　was　a　great　hunter。　But　he　did　not　always　limit　his　quarry　to　animals。〃
　 〃Good　God。　So　she　was　right　to　be　afraid。〃
　 〃The　truth　is；　we　are　all　a　little　afraid　of　what　happened　here；〃　Sandru　replied；　〃Because　we　are　none　of　us　certain　of　the　truth。　All　we　can　do；　young　and　old；　is　say　our　prayers；　and　put　our　souls　into　God's　care　when　we're　in　this　place。〃
　 Zeffer　was　intrigued　now。
　 〃Tell　me　then；〃　he　said　to　Sandru。　〃I　want　to　know　what　went　on　in　this　place。〃
　 〃Believe　me　please　when　I　tell　you　I　would　not　know　where　to　begin；〃　the　good　man　replied。　〃I　do　not　have　the　words。〃
　 〃Truly？〃
　 〃Truly。〃
　 Zeffer　studied　him　with　new　eyes；　with　a　kind　of　envy。　Surely　it　was　a　blessed　state；　to　be　unable　to　find　words　for　the　terribleness　of　certain　deeds。　To　be　mute　when　it　came　to　atrocity；　instead　of　gabbily　familiar　with　it。　He　found　his　curiosity　similarly　muted。　It　seemed　distasteful…not　to　mention　pointless…to　press　the　man　to　say　more　than　he　expressed　himself　capable　of　saying。
　 〃Let's　change　the　subject。　Show　me　something　utterly　out　of　the　ordinary；〃　Zeffer　said。　〃Then　I'll　be　satisfied。〃
　 Sandru　put　on　a　smile；　but　it　wasn't　convincing。　〃It　isn't　much；〃　he　said。
　 〃Oh　sometimes　you　find　beauty　in　the　strangest　places；〃　Zeffer　said；　and　as　he　spoke　the　little　face　of　Katya　Lupescu　came　into　his　mind's　eye；　pale　in　a　blue　twilight。
　
　
　TWO
　 Sandru　led　the　way　down　the　passageway　to　another　door；　this　one　rather　smaller　than　the　oak　door　they'd　e　through　to　get　to　this　level。　Out　came　his　keys。　He　unlocked　the　door；　and　to　Zeffer's　surprise　he　and　the　priest　were　presented　with　another　flight　of　steps；　taking　them　yet　deeper　into　the　Fortress。
　 〃Are　you　ready？〃　the　Father　asked。
　 〃Absolutely；〃　Zeffer　said。
　 Down　they　went。　The　stairs　were　steep；　the　air　being　noticeably　more　frigid　as　they　descended。　Father　Sandru　said　nothing　as　they　went；　he　glanced　back　over　his　shoulder　two　or　three　times；　to　be　sure　that　he　still　had　Zeffer　on　his　heels；　but　the　expression　on　his　face　was　far　from　happy；　as　though　he　rather　regretted　making　the　decision　to　bring　Zeffer　here；　and　would　have　turned　on　his　heel　and　headed　back　up　to　the　relative　fort　of　the　floor　above　at　the　least　invitation。
　 At　the　bottom　of　the　stairs　he　stopped；　and　rubbed　his　hands　together　vigorously。
　 〃I　think　before　we　proceed　any　further　we　should　take　a　glass　of　something　to　warm　us；〃　he　said。　〃What　do　you　say？〃
　 〃I　wouldn't　say　no；〃　Zeffer　said。
　 The　Father　went　to　a　small　cubby…hole　in　the　wall　a　few　yards　from　the　bottom　of　the　stairs；　from　which　he　brought　a　bottle　of　spirits　and　two　glasses。　Zeffer　didn't　remark　on　the　liquor's　proximity；　nor　could　he　blame　the　brothers　for　needing　a　glass　of　brandy　to　fortify　them　when　they　came　down　here。　Though　the　lower　level　was　supplied　with　electricity　（there　were　19　lengths　of　electric　lamps　looped　along　the　walls　of　the　corridor）　the　light　did　nothing　to　warm　the　air　nor　fort　the　spirit。
　 Father　Sandru　handed　Zeffer　a　glass；　and　took　the　cork　out　of　the　bottle。　The　pop　echoed　off　the　naked　stone　of　walls　and　floor。　He　poured　Zeffer　a　healthy　measure　of　the　liquor；　and　then　an　even　healthier　measure　for　himself；　which　he　had　downed　before　Zeffer　had　got　his　own　glass　to　his　lips。
　 〃When　I　first　came　here；〃　the　Father　said；　refilling　his　glass；　〃we　used　to　brew　our　own　brandy；　from　plums　we　grew　on　our　own　trees。〃
　 〃But　not　now？〃
　 〃No；〃　the　Father　said；　plainly　saddened　at　the　fact　that　they　were　no　longer　producers　of　liquor。　〃The　earth　is　not　good　any　longer；　so　the　plums　never　ripen　properly。　They　remain　small　and　sour。　The　brandy　made　from　such　fruit　is　bitter；　and　nobody　wants　to　drink　it。　Even　I　will　not　drink　it；　so　you　can　judge　for　yourself　how　bad　it　must　be！〃　He　laughed　at　his　self…deprecation；　and　used　the　laughter　as　a　cue　to　fill　his　glass　up　again。　〃Drink；〃　he　said　to　Zeffer；　tapping　his　glass　against　Zeffer's　glass　as　though　this　was　the　first　he'd　had。
　 Zeffer　drank。　The　brandy　was　stronger　than　the　stuff　he'd　had　at　the　hotel　in　Brascov。　It　went　down　smoothly；　warming　his　belly　when　it　arrived。
　 〃Good；　yes？〃　the　Father　said；　having　downed　his　second　glass。
　 〃Very。〃
　 〃You　should　have　another　before　we　go　on。〃　And　he　filled　Zeffer's　glass　without　waiting　for　a　reply。　〃We're　a　long　way　below　ground　here；　and　it　gets　hellishly　cold。。。〃　Glasses　were　filled；　and　emptied。　The　Father's　mood　was　noticeably　better　now；　and　his　tone　chattier。　He　put　the　glasses　and　the　bottle　back　in　the　hole　in　the　wall；　and　then　led　the　way　down　the　narrow　corridor；　talking　as　he　went。　〃When　the　Order　first　came　to　the　Fortress；　there　were　plans　to　found　a　hospital　here。　You　see；　there　are　no　hospitals　within　a　hundred　and　twenty　miles　of　here。　It　would　be　very　practical。　But　this　is　not　a　place　for　the　sick。　And　certainly　not　the　dying。〃
　 〃So；　no　hospital？〃
　 〃Well；　we　made　preparations。　You　saw　yesterday　one　of　the　wards…〃　Zeffer　remembered。　He'd　glanced　through　an　open　door　and　there'd　been　two　rows　of　iron　beds；　with　bare　mattresses。　〃I　thought　it　was　a　dormitory　for　the　brothers。〃　〃No。　We　each　have　our　own　cells。　There　are　only　eleven　of　us；　so　we　can　each　have　a　place　in　which　to　meditate　and　pray。。。〃　He　offered　Zeffer　a　glance；　acpanied　by　a　small　smile。　〃And　drink。