p&c.brimstone-第35节

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nn？　Perhapswe　should　find　this　Beckmann　and　see　what　he　has　to　tell　us。〃　
　〃You　may　find　that　a　difficult　proposition；　my　friend；〃　said　the　count。　
　Pendergast　glanced　at　him。　〃And　why　is　that？〃　
　〃Because　the　private　investigator　told　me　something　else。　That　he　was　unable　to　find　any　informationat　all　on　this　Ranier　Beckmann。　No　present　or　past　address；　no　employment　history；　no　family　information。　Nothing。　But　I　leave　that　to　you。〃　The　count；　beaming　with　his　success；　extended　his　white　hands。　〃And　now；　business　concluded；　let　us　be　seated　and　enjoy　our　lunch。〃　He　turned　and　bowed　to　Constance。　〃May　I　be　permitted　to　seat　you　here；　on　my　right？　I　feel　we　have　much　to　talk　about。〃　
　　　
　29　
　
　Even　before　entering；　Harriman　had　formed　a　clear　picture　ofVon　Menck's　sitting　room　in　his　mind。　He　figured　he'd　find　it　carpeted　in　Persian　rugs；　decked　out　with　astrological　charts；　ancient　pentacles；　and　perhaps　Tibetan　durgas　made　of　human　long　bones。　The　room　alone；　he　hoped；　would　make　great　copy。　Thus　he　was　crestfallen　when　the　door　drew　back　at　his　knock　to　reveal　a　simple；　almost　spartan　study。　There　was　a　small　fireplace；　fortable　leather　chairs；　lithographs　of　Egyptian　ruins　on　the　walls。　There　were；　in　fact；　only　two　clues　that　this　room　was　not　just　another　middle…class　parlor：　the　wall　of　glass…fronted　bookcases；　bulging　with　books　and　manuscripts　and　papers；　and　the　Emmy　for　Best　Documentary　that　sat　neglected　on　the　desk　beside　the　telephone　and　old…fashioned　Rolodex。　
　Harriman　took　the　proffered　seat；　hoping　his　hunch　would　prove　correct：　that　Von　Menck　would　give　shape　and　voice　to　the　devil…killings　story。　A　typical　scientist　would　merely　debunk　the　business；　while　some　crank　satanist　would　have　no　credibility。　What　made　Friedrich　Von　Menck　perfect　was　that　he　straddled　the　gray　area　in　between。　While　Von　Menck's　academic　credentials　were　beyond　reproach…doctor　of　philosophy　from　Heidelberg；　doctor　of　medicine　from　Harvard；　doctor　of　divinity　from　Canterbury…he　had　always　made　a　specialty　of　mysticism；　the　paranormal；　the　unexplainable。　His　documentary　on　crop　circles　had　aired　on　PBS　to　great　acclaim；　and　it　had　been　well　done；　salted　with　both　skepticism　and　just　the　right　frisson　of　the　inexplicable。　And；　of　course；　his　earlier　documentary　on　the　exorcisms　in　Cartagena；　Spain；　had　won　the　Emmy。　At　the　time；　it　had　left　even　Harriman　wondering…if　only　until　the　next　mercial　break…if　there　wasn't　something　to　the　idea　of　demonic　possession。　
　Von　Menck　would　provide　more　than　just　an　opinion：　he　would　provide　a　foundation；　a　launching　pad；　an　engine。　If　Von　Menck　couldn't　get　this　story　into　orbit；　nobody　could。　
　The　doctor　greeted　him　with　courtesy；　taking　a　seat　in　the　leather　chair　opposite。　Harriman　liked　him　immediately。　He　was　surprised　to　see　that　the　pelling；　almost　magnetic　personality　projected　on　television　was；　in　fact；　real。　It　had　a　lot　to　do　with　the　man's　low；　mellifluous　voice　and　cool；　ascetic　features；　with　the　prominent　cheekbones　and　finely　molded　chin。　Only　one　thing　seemed　to　be　missing。　On　television；　Von　Menck　had　frequently　smiled…a　raffish　smile　of　wit　and　good　humor；　of　a　man　who　didn't　take　himself　too　seriously。　It　had　the　effect　of　keeping　his　rather　technical　investigations　from　getting　too　heavy。　Now；　however…though　Von　Menck　was　polite　to　a　fault…the　engaging　smile　was　absent。　
　After　a　brief　exchange　of　pleasantries；　the　doctor　got　right　to　the　point。　〃Your　message　stated　you　wished　to　speak　with　me　about　the　recent　killings。〃　
　〃That's　right。〃　Harriman　reached　into　his　pocket　for　his　digital　voice　recorder。　
　〃What　your　paper　has　referred　to　as　the　devil　killings。〃　
　〃Right。〃　Did　he　detect　the　slightest　hint　of　disdain；　or　disapproval；　in　the　doctor's　polite　inflections？　〃Dr。　Von　Menck；　I've　e　to　see　if　you've　framed　an　opinion　on　these　murders。〃　
　Dr。　Von　Menck　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　tented　his　fingers；　and　looked　carefully　at　Harriman。　When　at　last　he　spoke；　it　was　in　very　slow　and　measured　tones。　It　almost　seemed　to　Harriman　the　man　had　been　considering　the　question　long　before　he　asked　it。　〃Yes。　As　it　happens；　I　do　have　an　opinion。〃　
　Harriman　placed　the　recorder　on　the　arm　of　his　chair。　〃Do　you　mind　if　I　record　this？〃　
　Von　Menck　gave　a　small　wave　of　permission。　〃I've　been　debating　the　wisdom　of　making　my　opinions　public。〃　
　Harriman　felt　himself　go　cold。Oh；　no；　he　thought。The　guy's　planning　to　do　his　own　documentary　on　this。　I'm　about　to　get　the　royal　shaft。　
　Then　Von　Menck　sighed。　〃In　the　end；　I　decided　people　had　a　right　to　know。　In　that　way；　your　phone　call　was　fortuitous。〃　
　The　chill　was　replaced　by　relief。　Harriman　leaned　forward；　snapped　the　recorder　on。　〃Then　perhaps　you　can　tell　me　your　thoughts；　sir。　Why　these　two　men；　why　in　such　a　manner；　and　why　at　this　time？〃　
　Von　Menck　sighed　again。　〃The　two　men；　and　the　manner；　are　of　lesser　importance。　It's　thetiming　that　means　everything。〃　
　〃Explain。〃　
　Von　Menck　stood；　walked　toward　one　of　the　bookcases；　opened　it；　and　removed　something。　He　placed　it　on　the　desk　before　Harriman。　It　was　a　cross　section　of　a　nautilus　shell；　its　growth　chambers　spiraling　outward　from　the　center　with　beautiful　regularity。　
　〃Do　you　know；　Mr。　Harriman；　what　this　shell　has　in　mon　with　the　building　of　the　Parthenon；　the　petals　of　a　flower；　and　the　paintings　of　Leonardo　da　Vinci？〃　
　Harriman　shook　his　head。　
　〃It　embodies　that　most　perfect　of　nature's　proportions；　the　golden　ratio。〃　
　〃I'm　not　sure　I　understand。〃　
　〃It's　the　ratio　obtained　if　you　divide　a　line　in　such　a　way　that　the　shorter　segment　is　to　the　longer　segment　as　the　longer　segment　is　to　the　entire　line。〃　
　Harriman　wrote　this　all　down；　hoping　that　he　could　figure　it　out　later。　
　〃The　longer　segment　is　1。618054　times　longer　than　the　shorter　segment。　The　shorter　segment　is　0。618054　percent　of　the　longer。　These　two　numbers；　moreover；　are　exact　reciprocals　of　each　other；　differing　only　in　the　first　digit…the　only　two　numbers　to　demonstrate　that　property。〃　
　〃Right。　Of　course。〃　Math　had　never　been　his　strong　suit。　
　〃They　have　other　remarkable　properties。　A　rectangle　constructed　with　sides　of　these　two　lengths　is　believed　to　be　the　most　pleasing　shape；　called　the　golden　rectangle。　The　Parthenon　was　built　in　this　shape。　Cathedrals　and　paintings　were　based　on　this　shape。　Such　rectangles　also　have　a　remarkable　property：　if　you　cut　a　square　off　one　side；　you　are　left　with　a　smaller　golden　rectangle　ofexactly　the　same　proportions。　You　can　keep　cutting　off　squares　and　creating　smaller　golden　rectangles　ad　infinitum。〃　
　〃I　see。〃　
　〃Now；　if　you　start　with　a　large　golden　rectangle　and　reduce　it；　square　by　square；　into　an　infinite　series　of　smaller　golden　rectangles；　and　then　connect　the　center　of　all　these；　you　end　up　with　a　perfect　natural　logarithmic　spiral。　This　is　the　spiral　you　see　in　the　nautilus　shell；　in　the　packing　of　seeds　into　the　head　of　the　sunflower；　in　musical　harmony；　and　indeed　throughout　all　of　nature。　The　golden　ratio　is　a　fundamental　quality　of　the　natural　world。〃　
　〃Yeah。〃　
　〃This　ratio　is　part　of　the　basic　structure　of　the　universe。　No　one　knows　why。〃　
　Harriman　watched　as　the　doctor　carefully　put　the　shell　back　in　the　case　and　closed　the　glass　front。　Whatever　he'd　been　expecting；　this　was　not　it。　He　was　lost；　and　if　he　was　lost；　he　knew　that　thePost　's　readers　would　certainly　be　lost。　What　a　waste　of　time。　He'd　have　to　escape　at　the　earliest　opportunity。　
　Von　Menck　stepped　behind　his　desk　and　turned　back　to　face　the　journalist。　〃Are　you　a　religious　man；　Mr。　Harriman？〃　
　The　question　was　so　unexpected　that；　for　a　moment；　Harriman　did　not　know　what　to　say。　
　〃I　don't　necessarily　mean　in　any　organized　sense：　Catholic；　Protestant；　whatever。　But　do　you　believe　there　is　a　unifying　force　underlying　our　universe？〃　
　〃I'd　never　really　thought　about　it；〃　Harriman　said。　〃I　guess　so。〃　He　had　been　raised　Episcopalian；　though　he　hadn't　set　foot　inside　a　church…except　for　weddings　and　funerals…for　almost　twenty　years。　
　〃Then　might　you　believe；　as　I　do；　that　there　is　a　purpose　to　our　lives？〃　
　Harriman　shut　off　the　tape　recorder。　Time　to　end　this　and　get　the　hell　out。　If　he　wanted　a　lecture　on　religion；　he　could　always　call　the　Jehovah's　Witnesses。　〃With　all　due　respect；　Doctor；　I　don't　see　what　this　has　to　do　with　the　two　recent　deaths。〃　
　〃Patience；　Mr。　Harriman。　My　proof　is　plex；　but　the　conclusion　will；　to　use　a　popular　expression；　blow　your　mind。〃　
　Harriman　waited。　
　〃Let　me　explain。　All　my　life；　I　have　been　a　student　of　the　mysterious；　the　unexplained。　Many　of　these　mysteries　I　have　solved　to　my　own　satisfaction。　Others…oftentimes　the　greatest…remain　dark　to　me。〃　Von　Menck　took　a　piece　of　paper　from　his　desk；　wrote　on　it　briefly；　then　placed　it　before　Harriman：　
　　　
　3243
　1239
　　　
　〃Those　two　numbers〃…and　he　tapped　the　page…〃have　always　represented　the　biggest　mysteries　of　all　to　me。　Do　you　recognize　them？〃　
　Harriman　shook　his　head。　
　〃They　mark　the　single　two　greatest　cataclysmic　events　ever　to　befall　human　civilization。　In　3243B。C。　；　the　island　of　Santorini　explodes；　generating　tidal　waves　that　wipe　out　the　great　Minoan　civilization　of　Crete　and　devastate　the　entire　Mediterran