mg.dictatorofcrime-第15节

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rn　gaze　assured　The　Shadow　that　no　ten…second　argument　could　save　him。
　　Perhaps　the　girl　expected　a　voluble　plea　in　Spanish；　she　was　certainly　steeled　to　ignore　it。　Nevertheless；　The　Shadow　spoke。
　　His　words　were　in　English。　That　made　no　difference。　A　plea　in　any　language　would　be　useless。　However；　The　Shadow　did　not　plead。
　　〃Good　evening；　Senorita　Peridor；〃　he　said。　〃I　mistook　your　servants　for　Castenago's　men。　I　bring　a　message　from　a　certain　friend。〃
　　The　Shadow　took　just　ten　seconds　for　that　speech；　and　his　emphasis　upon　the　word　〃friend〃　carried　just　the　needed　touch。　The　widening　of　the　girl's　eyes；　the　slight　parting　of　her　lips；　told　that　her　gun　hand　had　relaxed。
　　Already；　the　servants　were　beginning　a　new　lunge；　there　wasn't　time　for　time　girl　to　call　to　them；　even　had　she　chosen。　It　was　The　Shadow　who　supplied　the　needed　action。
　　He　jabbed　his　left　hand　for　the　girl's　gun；　caught　it；　hand　and　all；　finishing　with　a　twist　as　he　lurched　her　through　the　curtains。　The　revolver　clattered　away　and　The　Shadow's　speeding　grip　slid　to　the　senorita's　wrist；　whirling　her　full　about。
　　The　Shadow　had　her　safety　in　mind；　along　with　his　own；　for　in　turning　her　as　a　human　shield；　he　carried　her　beyond　the　reach　of　the　driving　machetes。
　　The　servants　tried　to　flank　The　Shadow…too　late；　for　he　was　through　the　doorway；　where　they　couldn't　reach　him　except　by　tearing　the　girl　from　his　grasp。　They　never　went　through　with　such　a　plan；　for　by　then；　their　attack　was　fully　balked。　The　Shadow's　right　hand　had　pulled　a　gun　from　beneath　his　cloak。
　　He　hadn't　actually　drawn　the　automatic；　he'd　done　something　even　swifter。
　　The　holstered　gun　was　pointed　toward　the　hallway　at　the　time　of　his　grab；　and　he　wheeled　his　body　away　from　it。
　　Practically　where　it　was；　the　。45　was　pointing　across　the　shoulder　of　the　dark…eyed　senorita；　whose　efforts　to　break　from　The　Shadow's　grasp　were　nudging　the　weapon　from　left　to　right；　so　that　it　confronted　each　of　the　servants　in　successive　turn！
　　〃From　a　certain　friend；〃　repeated　The　Shadow；　in　the　girl's　ear；　〃named　Colin　Nayre。〃
　　〃You've　seen　Colin？〃
　　〃Yes。　He　is　still　alive…〃
　　As　The　Shadow　paused；　his　eyes　still　on　the　servants；　he　had　to　move　the　gun　of　his　own　accord。　The　girl's　struggle　had　bee　a　tremble；　which　ended　only　when　The　Shadow　added：
　　〃And　safe。〃
　　The　girl's　happy　sigh　was　drowned　by　the　clash　of　machetes　against　the　tile。　The　servants　had　recognized　the　futility　of　further　struggle　against　The　Shadow。
　　Relaxing　his　hold　upon　the　girl；　The　Shadow　let　her　turn　to　speak　to　them。
　　They　bowed　when　she　used　the　term　〃amigo〃　to　define　The　Shadow　as　being　a　friend。
　　Then；　before　the　girl　could　question　him　further；　The　Shadow　announced：
　　〃My　message　is　for　Professor　Peridor。〃
　　The　girl　turned　and　led　the　way　to　her　father's　room。　When　she　knocked　at　the　door；　her　tap　was　recognized。　A　kindly　voice　inquired　in　Spanish：
　　〃What　is　it；　Mariquita？〃
　　〃I　must　see　you；　father；〃　the　girl　replied。　〃A　friend　is　here；　bringing　word　from　Colin　Nayre。〃
　　
　　
　　THE　door　opened；　instantly；　and　Mariquita　ushered　The　Shadow　into　a　room　where　Professor　Peridor　stood　ready　to　greet　him。
　　Dark　eyes；　as　kindly　as　the　voice　that　acpanied　them；　peered　with　amazement　from　a　mild；　white　bearded　face。　Then；　recovering　from　his　surprise；　Peridor　spoke：
　　〃La　Sombra！〃
　　Peridor　had　heard　of　The　Shadow　by　that　title　from　times　when　the　black…cloaked　stranger　had　visited　other　Caribbean　countries；　in　the　interests　of　justice。
　　Mariquita's　lovely　face　became　more　and　more　bewildered　when　she　saw　her　father　and　The　Shadow　seat　themselves　beside　a　table　and　begin　an　immediate　conference。　For　the　things　that　Professor　Peridor　broached　were　his　true　opinion　of　Luis　Castenago；　expressions　which　would　mean　death　in　Centralba；　should　they　reach　the　wrong　ears！
　　〃I　was　a　fool　to　believe　Castenago；〃　Peridor's　tone　carried　bitter　sorrow。
　　〃All　my　efforts　to　better　conditions　in　Centralba　have　been　twisted　to　justify　Castenago's　evil　deeds。　Instead　of　improving　matters；　I　have　placed　myself　in　a　predicament　where　I　am　helpless；　and　my　country　totally　unable　to　shake　off　a　tyrant's　misrule！〃
　　Finding　The　Shadow's　interest　plete；　the　elderly　professor　gave　a　brief　summary　of　events　in　Centralba；　valuable；　because　it　was　the　first…hand　story　of　a　sincere　man。　Peridor　had　undergone　the　ordeal　met　by　all　right…minded　persons　who　have　sought；　by　ordinary　measures；　to　restrain　a　dictator's　rise。
　　Peridor　had　criticized　the　Castenago　regime　from　the　start；　advocating　a　policy　of　passive　resistance。　Peridor's　claim；　that　right　could　triumph　over　might；　had　even　seemed　to　win　the　dictator's　respect；　but　it　had　merely　slowed；　not　halted；　the　growth　of　Castenago's　tyranny。
　　At　least；　it　had　caused　Jose　Durez；　champion　of　open　revolution；　to　seek　Peridor's　support。　Though　Durez　was　by　no　means　unselfish；　he　promised　to　improve　the　government　if　he　came　into　power。　Since　Peridor　was　opposed　to　violence；　Durez　agreed　to　hold　his　own　strength　in　the　background；　as　a　threat　in　case　Castenago　would　not　accept　Peridor's　terms　of　justice　without　revolution。
　　〃How　cleverly　Castenago　solved　the　problem！〃　exclaimed　Peridor；　facing　The　Shadow。　〃He　showed　willingness　to　promise；　if　we　told　him　our　terms。　Hearing　them；　he　met　our　separate　desires。　He　promised　me　that　he　would　improve　the　government；　while　to　Durez；　he　offered　wealth。
　　〃Thus　dividing　our　power；　he　further　specified　that　I　should　remain　in　Centralba；　while　Durez　must　leave。　My　patriotic　sentiments；　and　Durez's　lack　of　them；　produced　our　separate　accessions　to　his　terms。〃
　　Obviously；　Peridor　had　bee　enmeshed　in　an　intrigue　which　produced　a　dilemma　in　his　honest　mind。　Durez　was　definitely　a　case　in　point。　Peridor　had　been　glad　to　see　him　go；　yet　knew　that　his　own　life　was　safe　only　so　long　as　Durez　might　return。　The　day　after　Durez's　departure；　students　had　demonstrated　against　Peridor；　alleging　that　he　had　helped　Durez　rob　Centralba。
　　Of　course；　the　demonstration　was　instigated　by　Castenago's　agents；　but　it　had　been　sufficient　pretext　for　the　dictator　to　insist　that　Peridor　seek　retirement　under　what　Castenago　termed　〃protection。〃
　　A　sad　travesty　on　the　truth　when　Castenago；　the　tyrant　who　styled　himself　〃liberator；〃　could　be　regarded　as　the　defender　of　Peridor；　the　one　man　most　loyal　to　Centralba！
　　Hard　upon　that　had　e　the　news　of　Durez's　death。　While　alive；　and　away　from　Castenago's　reach；　Durez　was　a　protection　to　Peridor。　His　death　meant　that　Castenago　could　dispose　of　Peridor　whenever　he　so　chose。
　　〃Castenago　bides　his　time；〃　declared　Peridor；　〃only　because　he　would　prefer　to　see　sentiment　grow　against　me　before　he　arranges　my　assassination。　In　a　way；　it　is　unfortunate　that　the　student　demonstrations　have　ceased；　for　it　will　shorten　my　life　span。　If　I　perish；　the　cause　for　the　redemption　of　my　country　will　be　at　an　end。〃
　　
　　
　　FROM　the　door；　Mariquita　was　impatiently　waiting　for　The　Shadow's　news　concerning　Colin　Nayre。　Catching　his　daughter's　eye；　Peridor　promptly　turned　to　that　subject。
　　〃One　ugly　rumor；〃　declared　Peridor；　〃is　the　claim　that　our　good　friend　Colin　Nayre　betrayed　Jose　Durez；　in　Miami。〃
　　〃It　is　more　than　a　rumor；〃　returned　The　Shadow。　〃The　police　have　proven　that　Murk　Wessel　and　the　other　killers　were　established　in　the　Hotel　Equator　when　Durez　and　his　friends　arrived　there。　Someone　must　have　sent　the　word　ahead；　so　suspicion　rests　on　Nayre。〃
　　〃Then　the　evidence　is　all　against　him？〃
　　〃Not　entirely；〃　interposed　The　Shadow。　〃I；　personally；　am　sure　of　Nayre's　innocence。　I　have　e　to　Libertad　to　find　the　real　culprit。〃
　　Peridor　mistook　the　words　for　an　accusation　against　himself。　Rising；　he　lifted　his　right　hand。
　　〃In　my　daughter's　presence；〃　he　avowed；　〃I　swear　that　I　revealed　the　plans　of　Jose　Durez　to　no　one！〃
　　〃Your　statement　is　unnecessary；〃　spoke　The　Shadow。　〃I　have　already　discovered　the　traitor。〃
　　〃Then　tell　us　who　the　culprit　is！〃　exclaimed　Peridor；　as　Mariquita　drew　closer。　〃I　shall　find　him；　wherever　he　may　be；　and　denounce　him　to　his　face！
　　Name　him！〃
　　〃You　will　find　him　in　the　presidential　palace；〃　affirmed　The　Shadow。　〃His　name　is　Luis　Castenago！〃
　　Peridor　and　Mariquita　couldn't　believe　their　ears。　They　knew　that　Castenago　had　granted　amnesty　to　Durez；　which　was　why　The　Shadow's　charge　seemed　at　variance　with　fact。　It　wasn't　until　The　Shadow　explained　the　double　game；　that　they　began　to　understand。
　　Leniency　was　known　to　be　Castenago's　new　policy；　to　display　it　he　had　merely　banished　Durez。　In　keeping　with　his　real　character；　Castenago　had　designed　death　for　Durez；　through　the　aiding　hands　of　American　mobsters。
　　Even　then；　The　Shadow's　listeners　doubted。
　　〃Impossible！〃　exclaimed　Peridor。　〃Castenago　would　never　risk　the　consequences　of　letting　such　assassins　remain　beyond　his　reach。　If　captured　by　American　authorities　and　forced　to　tell　the　truth；　their　testimony　would　bring　intervention　to　end　Castenago's　regime！〃
　　〃They　are　not　beyond　his　reach；〃　explained　The　Shadow。　〃Castenago　sent　Durez　away　to　find　false　security。　He　had　the　murderers　e　here　to　gain　r