jherbert.sepulchre-第54节

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h　relief　and　disappointment　swept　through　him　when　he　found　it　empty。
　　But　a　faint　disturbance　was　ing　from　elsewhere　in　the　room。　A　sighing　of　air。　A　breathing。
　　Halloran　slowly　swung　the　beam　into　the　furthest　corner；　from　where　the　sound　came；　the　light　passing　an　iron　fireplace；　this　one　too　filled　with　hardened　ashes；　before　ing　to　rest　on　a　misshapen　bundle　of　rags　lying　on　the　floor。
　　As　he　watched；　the　bundle　began　to　move。
　　　
　　　
　　　37　JOURNEY　AROUND　THE　LAKE
　　
　　There　were　five　of　them　in　all；　lying　low　in　the　undergrowth；　faces　pressed　into　the　earth　as　the　car　lights　drew　near。　Only　one　of　the　men　looked　up　when　the　brightest　moment　had　passed；　and　he　waited　until　the　rear　lights　had　bee　pinpoints　in　the　distance　before　speaking。
　　'That　was　it；　all　right。　The　Granada；　Ten　minutes　at　least　'tit　the　other　one　es　along。'　Next　to　him；　the　man　named　Danny　grunted。　'Across　the　road；　quick　as　you　like；　and　as　little　noise　as　possible。　There　might　just　be　a　foot　patrol　inside　the　grounds。'　They　rose　as　one；　brushing　through　the　foliage　and　around　trees；　sprinting　across　tarmac　to　reach　the　wire　fence　on　the　other　side　of　the　road。　They　were　trained　mere；　and　one　immediately　turned　his　back　and　rested　against　the　mesh；　cupping　his　hands　between　his　thighs　as　a　stirrup。　He　hoisted　his　panions　over；　then　threw　the　two　rifles　left　lying　in　the　grass　to　them。　The　weapons　were　deftly　caught　and　he　scrambled　over　after　them　The　group　melted　into　the　shadows　of　the　trees；　then　regrouped　when　they　were　well　out　of　sight　from　the　road。
　　The　leader　whispered　loud　enough　for　there　all　to　hear。　'Round　the　lake；　boys；　an'　no　talking　am　the　way。　we'll　）Seep　to　its　edge　in　case　there's　an　alarm　set…up　an　the　woods。　Eyes　sharp；　lads；　an'　single　file。　Make　your　mothers　proud。'　He　went　forward；　the　others　following　down　a　slope　that　red　to　the　water's　edge。　They　crept　along　the　shoreline　until　the　moo　n；　emerged　from　clouds　like　an　all…enpassing　searchlight；　the：　group　dropped　to　the　ground。　They　crawled　back　into　the　under　growth　and　waited　to　find　out　if　they　had　been　observed。　Their　leader　eventually　gave　the　order　and　they　rose　as　one　to　move　silently　through　the　trees。
　　'Look　out；'　one　exclaimed。
　　The　others　stopped；　crouching　low；　hands　reaching　for　weapons。　Hammers　clicked　on　revolvers。
　　'What　was　it？'　the　leader　demanded　when　there　was　no　movement　nor　sounds　for　several　seconds。
　　'I　saw　something　ahead；'　the　subordinate　replied。　'A　shape。'
　　'What　the　hell　are　you　talking　about？　Was　it　man　or　dog？'
　　'Neither；'　came　the　nervous　response。　'Just　a　shape。　I　swear　it　disappeared　in　front　of　me。'
　　'You're　going　soft　in　the　head；　McGuire。　Let's　get　the　job　done。'　They　moved　off　again；　but　soon　it　was　the　leader　himself　who　brought　them　to　a　halt。　His　scalp　prickled　as　he　watched　the　wavery　mist　that　drifted　in　and　out　of　the　trees　a　few　yards　away。　A　cry　close　by　distracted　him。
　　One　of　his　men　had　raised　his　Armalite　and　was　about　to　fire。
　　'No；'　he　hissed　urgently；　grabbing　for　the　barrel。　'What　the　hell　are　you　playing　at？'
　　'Jesus；　God；　I　saw　them　there。'　He　pointed　into　the　grass　a　short　distance　away。　'A　goddamn　nest　of　'em。　Snakes。　They　just　faded　away。'　The　leader　shook　his　head　in　disgust。　His　men　were　behaving　like　old　folk；　frightened　of　their　own　shadows。　He　returned　his　attention　to　the　spot　where　the　mist　had　curled　through　the　trees　almost　like　arms　reaching　towards　them。　No　mist　now。　God　Almighty；　he　was　as　bad　as　the　others。
　　'Danny；　will　you　look　over　there。'
　　'Keep　it　down；'　he　growled；　but　turned　to　where　the　man　was　pointing。　Through　the　woods　he　could　see　the　lake。　The　water　was　choppy；　stirred　by　a　breeze　that　grew　stronger　by　the　moment；　the　moonlight　tossed　by　undulations。　But　it　was　the　far　bank　to　which　his　man　was　directing　him。　There　was　movement　there；　a　flowing　stream　that　had　nothing　to　do　with　water。
　　'What　is　it？'　someone　whispered。
　　'Can't　you　tell？'　said　the　leader。　'It's　dogs；　man。'
　　'ing　for　us？'　He　could　feel　his　men's　panic。
　　'Not　at　all。　They'd　be　across　the　water　at　a　sniff　of　us。　No；　they're　on　their　way　somewhere　else；　an'　thank　God　for　that。'　He　watched　the　tiny；　ghostly　forms　skirt　around　the　lake；　their　low　bodies　catching　the　light　so　that　in　parts　they　looked　silver。　Clouds　consumed　the　moon　once　more　and　he　could　follow　their　journey　no　longer。
　　He　frowned；　wondering　where　they　were　heading　for　with　such　haste。
　　　
　　　
　　　38　THE　KEEPER
　　
　　The　breathing　became　louder；　a　hissing　that　each　time　ended　in　a　thick；　muciferous　sigh。
　　It　faded　again；　became　almost　a　whisper；　and　Halloran　strained　to　listen。　The　heaped　bundle　of　rags　was　still；　having　moved　only　once。
　　His　own　breathing　was　unsteady　and　Halloran　realised　that　never　before　had　he　felt　such　debilitating　trepidation；　for　a　peculiar　virulence　seemed　to　poison　the　very　air　in　the　room。　His　inclination　was　to　flee；　to　bolt　through　that　doorway　and　get　out　into　the　night　where　the　breeze　was　pure。　But　the　curiosity　that　had　led　him　to　this　place　had　bee　something　more：　an　obsession；　perhaps　even　a　quest。　Revelations　from　his　own　life　had　spun　before　him　here；　things　that　were　bad；　his　worst　sins　recreated；　and　there　had　to　be　a　reason　why。　He　felt　shame；　a　guilt　he　had　always　suppressed　rising　inside；　yet　it　was　his　fascination　that　was　stronger。　It　was　that　which　prevented　him　from　taking　flight；　for　it　prevailed　over　the　fear；　subjugated　the　exposed　guilt。
　　Halloran　tentatively　made　his　way　towards　the　tangled　rags。
　　He　saw　the　edges　of　a　thin　mattress；　dried　stains　overlapping　its　sides；　spreading　where　fluid　had　once　seeped　into　the　wood　of　the　floor。　The　mound　on　top　could　have　been　anythingblankets；　piled　clothing；　assorted　pieces　of　material。　That　there　was　someone　beneath；　there　was　no　doubt；　for　the　whispered　breathing　came　from　here　and　the　jumbled　covering　quivered　slightly　with　the　exhalation。　Halloran　leaned　forward　and　gripped　the　rags。　He　pulled　them　away。
　　A　face；　partially　concealed　by　a　cowl；　turned　towards　him。
　　Halloran　released　the　covering　and　stepped　back；　horrified　at　the　countenance　that　stared　up　at　him。
　　The　skin　was　withered　and　deeply　rutted；　like　wrinkled　leather　left　in　the　sun；　and　its　colouring；　too；　was　of　old　leather；　except　where　there　were　festering　scabs　that　glinted　under　the　torch　light。　Most　alarming　of　all　were　the　eyes。　They　were　huge；　lidless；　bulging　from　the　skull　as　if　barely　contained　within　their　sockets；　the　pupils　were　cloudy；　a　fine　membrane　coating　them；　and　the　area　around　them　that　should　have　been　white　was　yellow　and　patchworked　with　tiny　veins。
　　From　this　thing　came　the　sickly　sweet　smell　of　death's　corruption　which　dominated　all　the　other　scents　of　the　room。
　　Something　seemed　to　shrink　within　those　globular　eyeballs　when　they　came　to　rest　on　the　shadowy　form　of　Halloran；　and　the　figure　tried　to　rise；　its　scrawny　neck　arching　backwards　as　if　the　weight　of　its　head　was　too　much　to　bear。　The　hood　fell　away　from　a　hairless　skull　whose　surface　was　mottled　with　deep　brown　blemishes；　incredibly；　the　skin　there；　which　should　have　been　smooth；　was　also　wrinkled　and　ridged；　as　though　the　bone　beneath　had　no　firmness；　no　substance。
　　Repulsed；　Halloran　took　another　step　away。　The　impression　of　gazing　down　at　an　enormous　lizard…like　creature　was　enhanced　when　the　figure's　mouth　opened　and　a　tongue；　so　darkly　red　it　seemed　black；　protruded　and　rolled　across　cracked；　lipless　flesh。　Only　the　lidless　eyes　refuted　the　reptilian　image。
　　The　figure　attempted　to　speak；　but　no　more　than　a　gasped　sigh　escaped。　The　head　sank　back　into　the　rough　bedding　with　a　finality　that　suggested　the　body；　itself；　had　expired。　Only　then；　and　with　reluctance；　did　Halloran　advance　again。　Those　bulbous　eyes　were　fixed　on　him　and　he　shone　the　light　directly　into　them。　They　did　not　blink；　nor　did　the　pupils；　behind　their　mist；　retract。
　　'It's　you；'　came　the　sibilant　whisper。
　　Halloran　froze。
　　The　figure　gasped　in　air；　as　though　the　effort　of　speaking　had　caused　pain。　Even　deeper　rents　furrowed　its　skin　and　the　mouth　puckered　inward。
　　Halloran　struggled　to　find　his　own　voice。　'Who　are　you？'　The　slightest　inclination　of　the　withered　head；　a　gesture　that　the　question　was　of　no　importance。　And　then　the　whisper：　'Death　es。'　Its　grimace　might　have　been　a　smile。
　　Halloran　leaned　close；　ignoring　the　fetid　air　that　rose　from　the　rumpled　head。　'I　can　get　help；'　he　said　and　the　thought　of　touching　this　person　almost　made　him　retch。
　　Again　that　toothless；　puckered　expression　that　could　have　been　a　grin。　'Too　late　for　me；'　came　the　whisper。　'e　closer。'　Halloran　shuddered　inwardly　and　made　no　effort　to　ply。
　　'I　must　speak　。　。　。'　it　said；　'。　。　。　with　you。'　He　knelt；　but　still　could　not　find　it　in　himself　to　bend　near　the　hideous　face。　'Tell　me　who　you　are；'　he　repeated。
　　This　time　there　was　an　answer；　perhaps　an　inducement　to　draw　him　in。　'The　。　。　。　Keeper。'　The　voice　was　stronger；　and　that；　he　thought；　of　a　man。
　　'The　gate…keeper？'　Halloran　said。　Surely　it　wasn't　possible。　The　person　before　him　was　too　ancient　and　too　infirm　to　bear　the　responsibility。
　　The　man