jherbert.sepulchre-第68节

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　of　action；　while　Charles　Mather　stood　with　the　girl；　who　wore　one　of　the　operatives'　jackets　draped　over　her　shoulders。　Although　barefooted　and　cold；　Cora　had　refused　to　wait　inside　one　of　the　cars；　her　eyes　never　left　the　drive　leading　to　the　house。　She　hadn't　spoken　a　word　since　Mather　had　brought　her　away　from　Neatly　despite　his　questions。　Had　Liam　instructed　her　to　remain　silent？　Mather　wondered。
　　Cora　caught　her　breath　and　Mather；　too；　saw　the　approaching　lights；　the　car　emerging　from　the　tunnel　of　trees　in　the　distance　so　that　moonlight　struck　its　silver　bodywork。　It　came　towards　them　at　a　leisurely　pace；　an　indication　that　the　danger　really　was　past。
　　They　watched　as　the　Mercedes　drew　near；　its　headlights　brightening　the　road。
　　But　it　stopped。　By　the　lodge…house。
　　They　saw　Halloran　lean　out　of　the　car　window　and　drop　something　onto　the　ground　in　front　of　the　two　strange…looking　guard　dogs　that　had　been　prowling　around　their　dead　panions　as　though　disorientated。
　　One　of　the　animals　warily　came　forward　and　began　to　devour　whatever　it　was　that　Halloran　had　offered。
　　He　watched　the　jackal　chew　on　the　crushed；　blackened　meat　and　waited　there　until　the　ancient　heart　had　been　swallowed　pletely。
　　Only　then　did　Halloran　start　up　the　car　again　and　drive　onwards　to　the　gates　themselves。
　　He　climbed　out　of　the　Mercedes　and　Cora　took　one　hesitant　step　towards　him。　He　raised　his　arms　and　she　came　all　the　way。　Halloran　pulled　her　tight　against　him。
　　Mather　was　bemused。　Such　a　demonstrable　show　of　emotion　from　his　operative　was　unusual　to　say　the　least。
　　'Liam　。　。　。'　he　began。
　　Halloran　nodded　at　him。　'I　know；'　he　said。　The　Planner　wanted　answers；　and　what　could　he　tell　him？　Halloran's　tone　was　flat　when　he　spoke。　'His　bodyguards　had　turned　against　him。　Monk；　Palusinski；　the　two　Jordanians…he'd　treated　them　too　badly。　He's　quite　insane；　you　know。　They　finally　had　enough　of　him。　None　of　it's　clear；　but　I　think　they　worked　out　a　deal　with　the　Provisional　IRA　to　kidnap　him。　I　guess　they　didn't　want　to　live　out　their　lives　in　servitude；　and　the　proceeds　from　the　ransom…or　maybe　just　a　Judas　fee　from　the　kidnappers　would　have　ensured　that　they　no　longer　had　to。　And　they　got　away　with　it。　All　except　Palusinski　and　those　two　outsiders　I　saw　you'd　put　down。　You　can　alert　the　police；　get　them　over　here；　have　them　watch　air…　and　seaports。'
　　'Wait　a　minute。　The　IRA　。　。　。　？'
　　'They　were　responsible　for　Dieter　Stuhr's　death。　I　suppose　the　idea　was　to　make　sure　no　one　suspected　it　was　an　inside　job；　that　information　on　the　Shield　cover　was　tortured　out　of　our　own　man。　Incidentally；　Kline's　gate…keeper　was　attacked　by　those　animals　back　there。　What's　left　of　him　is　inside　that　lodge…house。'　There　was　disbelief　in　Mather's　eves；　but　Halloran　steadily　returned　his　gaze。
　　'They　took　Kline；'　Halloran　continued　evenly。　'But　he　was　badly　injured。　I　think　he'll　die　from　his　wounds。'
　　'We'll　see　if　we　get　a　ransom　demand。　We'll　insist　on　having　evidence　that　he's　still　alive。'
　　'Somehow　I　don't　believe　that'll　happen。'
　　'Shall　I　get　on　to　the　police　now；　sir？'　one　of　the　other　men　asked　briskly。
　　'Uh；　yes；'　replied　Mather。　'Yes；　I　think　that　would　be　appropriate；　don't　you；　Liam？　God　knows　how　they'll　take　all　this　shooting；　but　we've　been　in　similar　predicaments　before。　Such　a　dreadful　thing　that　all　our　efforts　failed。'　Not　once　had　he　taken　his　eyes　off　Halloran。
　　'Let's　sit　in　the　car　until　the　police　arrive；　shall　we？'　Mather　suggested。　'Miss　Redmile　is　shivering。　And　then　you　can　tell　me　more；　Liam。　Yes；　you　can　explain　a　lot　more　to　me。'　There　was　something　chilling　in　Halloran's　smile。　He　looked　back　at　the　brooding　lodge…house。　Then　along　the　road　that　disappeared　into　the　darkness　of　the　smothering　woods；　winding　its　way　to　the　house　itself。　To　Neath。
　　'I'm　not　sure　you'll　understand；'　Halloran　said　finally。
　　He　took　Cora's　arm　and　helped　her　into　the　car。
　　Serpent　Lights　all　around。　Soft…hued　glows。
　　Shadows；　pretty；　never　still；　constantly　weaving　their　secrets。
　　Ah；　the　bliss　of　lying　here。　A　fitting　place；　this　altar。　Peaceful。　And　no　pain。　Not　yet。
　　Is　this　how　it　was　for　you；　O　Lord？　Did　your　priests　minister　drugs　to　suppress　the　hurting？　Or　was　your　cask；　your　vessel；　dead　before　it　was　entombed；　your　spirit　trapped　within　to　wait　out　the　years；　the　centuries？　Your　heart　had　not　died；　I　know　that。
　　So　tired；　so　exhausted。　Sleep　will　be　wele。　Yes；　yes；　even　eternal　sleep。
　　It's　cold　in　this　chamber　beneath　the　earth。　And　damp。　Yet　why　can't　I　shiver？　Why　can't　I　move？
　　Oh　yes。　I　know　why。
　　So　finally　he　believed。　Halloran　finally　accepted　the　truth　of　it　all。　A　triumph　in　some　ways；　wouldn't　you　say？
　　But　why　didn't　I　understand　that　he　was　the　one　conditioned　to　ruin　me？　Why；　with　all　my　perceptive　powers；　didn't　I　realise　it　was　Halloran　who　was　the　threat？　Is　that　the　one　weakness　that　es　with　the　gift　of　seeing；　O　Lord？　The　vulnerable　point；　the　blindness　to　one's　own　destiny；　the　unforeseeableness　of　one's　own　fate？　Is　that　your　answer　to　me？　Quite　a　joke　really；　don't　think　I　don't　appreciate　it。
　　Even　funnier　if　it　was　something　more　than　that。　It　couldn't　be；　could　it　Lord；　that　he　came　at　my　own　invitation？　Surely　not。　That　would　be　nonsense；　too　perverse　for　words。　Yet　we　enjoy　perversity；　don't　we？　Well；　don't　we？　Constant　evil　can　be　wearing；　don't　you　agree？　But　I　tried；　I　did　my　best　for　you。　The　decades　were　so　long　though；　Bel…Marduk。　Surely　you；　above　all；　can　appreciate　that？　But　that　doesn't　mean　I'd　close　my　mind　to　my　own　impending　demise；　does　it？
　　Does　it？
　　DOES　IT？
　　No；　I　was　happy　with　the　task　you　set　me。　Evil　for　evil's　sake。　Harm　for　the　sake　of　doing　harm。　Corruption　for　you！　Entirely　for　YOU！
　　It　doesn't　hurt　yet。　What　Halloran　has　done　to　me　doesn't　hurt。　Not　yet。　And　it　shows　he　believes；　he　believes　in　you！　I　wonder　if　the　drugs　were　his　idea　of　mercy；　maybe　to　demonstrate　he　isn't　as　wicked　as　me。　He　seemed　to　understand；　though；　when　I　told　him　there　are　no　absolutes；　that　no　one…not　even　I…could　be　totally　evil。　Nor　totally　good。　Yes；　that　appeared　to　make　sense　to　him。　Perhaps　that　was　why　he　softened　my　pain　with　drugs；　perhaps　he'd　already　realised　that。
　　（And　was　that　imperfection　in　me　my　failing；　O　Lord？　Did　I　fail　because　I　was　not　perfectly　evil？　But　I　tried；　oh　I　tried。）　It　had　to　be　someone　like　him；　didn't　it？　The　other　Lord；　your　eternal　enemy；　had　to　send　someone　like　Halloran。　Someone　who　could　be　cruel；　someone　who　would　carry　it　through。　And　someone　who　might　seek　a　kind　of　redemption…shit；　how　I　detest　that　word！
　　And　I　was　the　one　who　told　him　how。　Should　I　be　laughing；　Bel…Marduk？　Are　you　disappointed　in　me；　will　l　be　punished　when　I　finally　succumb？　Or　will　we　laugh　together　throughout　eternity？
　　Ah！　A　twinge　of　pain　at　last！　Sweet　though；　very　sweet。　I　wonder　which　will　kill　me　first？　The　loss　of　blood　or　the　agony　when　the　drugs　wear　off？
　　At　least　I'm　not　lonely　here。　I　have　my　servants　around　me；　just　as　you　had　yours　in　the　secret　sepulchre；　their　lives　willingly　given　up　to　be　with　you　always。　But　my　servants　were　not　so　willing。　No；　they　gave　themselves　up　grudgingly。　Still；　their　reluctant　spirits　are　with　me　now。　Listen　how　they　whine。
　　Will　I　have　to　wait　as　long　as　you；　Dark　Lord；　before　my　body　is　discovered？　This；　my　own　sepulchre；　is　well　hidden；　as　was　yours；　and　I　don't　have　the　strength　to　call　others　to　it。　In　fact；　I　have　no　strength；　no　power；　at　all。　I'm　sure　Halloran　sealed　the　entrance　well；　and　no　one　would　hear　me　even　if　I　could　scream。
　　Aaaah！　Hurting！
　　And　it's　darker　now。　Are　the　candles　burning　low？　Will　I　be　left　on　this　altar　in　total　darkness；　unable　to　see；　unable　to　move　。　。　。
　　Spare　me　this　pain；　please　Lord。　Take　me　before　the　opiums　weaken。　Forgive　me　for　failing　you。
　　If　I　turn　my　head　I　can　see　the　knife　he　used　on　me。　Its　blade　is　rich　with　my　own　blood。　Isn't　it　funny；　Lord？　If　I　could　reach　it；　I　could　use　it　against　myself；　I　could　hurry　along　my　death。　But　see　there；　one　of　my　severed　arms　lying　in　a　puddle　next　to　it？　The　other　is　probably　close　by。　And　my　legs。　Where　are　they；　I　wonder？　It's　not　important。
　　Can　there　be　another　time　for　me；　O　Lord？
　　No。　Of　course　not。
　　What　good　is　my　limbless　form　to　you；　with　my　spirit　forever　entombed　inside；　my　body　now　my　soul's　own　sepulchre。　Say　you'll　forgive　me！
　　Darker　now。　Being　very　dim。　I　can　still　see　the　eyes　though；　those　huge　unblinking　eyes　watching　from　the　shadows。　They'll　watch　over　me　forever；　won't　they？
　　Even　when　the　darkness　is　plete；　they'll　still　be　there。
　　Watching　。　。　。







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