p&c.brimstone-第74节

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　〃Yes。〃　
　〃What　is　it　that　you　want？　My　time　is　limited。〃　The　voice　was　sharp　and　intimidating。　
　〃In　the　fall　of　1974；　I　believe；　several　American　students　stayed　here。　Here　is　a　picture　of　them。〃　Pendergast　took　out　Beckmann's　photo。　
　She　did　not　look　at　it。　〃Do　you　have　the　names？〃　
　〃Yes。〃　
　〃Then　e　with　me。〃　And　she　turned　and　walked　around　the　transom；　through　a　back　door；　and　into　a　much　larger　room。　D'Agosta　saw　it　was　an　old　library　of　sorts；　with　bound　books；　manuscripts；　and　vellum　documents　filling　shelves　from　floor　to　ceiling。　It　smelled　of　parchment　and　dry　rot；　old　leather　and　wax。　The　ceiling　was　coffered　and　had　once　been　elaborately　gilded。　Now　it　was　crumbling　with　age；　the　wood　riddled　with　holes。　
　〃The　archives　of　the　family；〃　she　said。　〃They　go　back　eight　centuries。〃　
　〃You　keep　good　records。〃　
　〃I　keepexcellent　records；　thank　you。〃　She　made　a　beeline　to　a　low　shelf　at　the　far　end　of　the　room；　selected　a　massive　register；　carried　it　to　a　center　table。　She　opened　the　register；　revealing　page　after　page　of　accounts；　payments；　names；　and　dates；　written　in　a　fanatical；　tiny　hand。　
　〃Names？〃　
　〃Bullard；　Cutforth；　Beckmann；　and　Grove。〃　
　She　began　flipping　pages；　scanning　each　with　tremendous　rapidity；　each　flip　sending　up　a　faint　cloud　of　dust。　Suddenly；　she　stopped。　
　〃There。　Grove。〃　A　bony　finger；　burdened　with　a　huge　diamond　ring；　pointed　to　the　name。　Then　it　slid　down　the　rest　of　the　page。　
　〃Beckmann　。　。　。　Cutforth　。　。　。　Bullard。　Yes；　they　were　all　here　in　October。〃　
　Pendergast　peered　at　the　register；　but　even　he　was　clearly　having　trouble　deciphering　the　minuscule　hand。　
　〃Did　their　visits　overlap？〃　
　〃Yes。〃　A　pause。　〃According　to　this；　one　night　only；　that　of　October　31。〃　
　She　closed　the　book　with　a　snap。　〃Anything　else；signore　？〃　
　〃Yes；signora　。　Will　you　do　me　the　courtesy　of　looking　at　this　photograph？〃　
　〃Surely　you　don't　expect　me　to　remember　some　slovenly　American　students　from　thirty　years　ago？　I　am　ninety…two；　sir。　I　have　earned　the　privilege　of　forgetting。〃　
　〃I　beg　your　indulgence。〃　
　Sighing　with　impatience；　she　took　the　photograph；　looked　at　it…and　visibly　started。　She　stared　a　long　time；　what　little　color　there　was　in　her　face　slowly　disappearing。　Then　she　handed　the　photograph　back　to　Pendergast。　
　〃As　it　happens；〃　she　said　in　a　low　tone；　〃I　do　remember。That　one。〃　She　pointed　to　Beckmann。　〃Let　me　see。　Something　terrible　happened。　He　and　some　other　boys；　probably　those　others　in　the　photograph；　went　off　somewhere　together。　They　were　gone　all　night。　He　came　back　and　was　terribly　upset。　I　had　to　get　a　priest　for　him　。　。　。〃　
　She　paused；　her　voice　trailing　off。　Gone　was　the　crisp　confidence；　the　unshakable　sense　of　self。　
　〃It　was　the　night　before　All　Saints'　Day。　He　came　back　from　a　night　of　carousing；　and　he　was　in　a　bad　state。　I　took　him　to　church。〃　
　〃What　church？〃　
　〃The　one　right　here；　Santo　Spirito。　I　remember　him　panicked　and　begging　to　go　to　confession。　It　was　long　ago；　yet　it　was　such　a　strange　occurrence　it　stuck　in　my　mind。　That；　and　the　expression　on　the　poor　boy's　face。　He　was　begging　for　a　priest　as　if　his　life　depended　on　it。〃　
　〃And？〃　
　〃He　went　to　confession　and　right　afterwards　he　packed　up　his　belongings　and　left。〃　
　〃And　the　other　American　students？〃　
　〃I　don't　recall。　Every　year　they　celebrate　All　Saints'　Day；　or　rather　the　day　before；　which　I　believe　you　call　Halloween。　It's　an　excuse　to　drink。〃　
　〃Do　you　know　where　they　went　that　evening；　or　who　they　might　have　encountered？〃　
　〃I　know　nothing　more　than　what　I　have　told　you。〃　
　The　ring　of　a　bell　came　from　the　front　office。　〃I　have　guests　to　attend　to；〃　she　said。　
　〃One　last　question；signora；　if　you　please；〃　Pendergast　said。　〃The　priest　who　heard　the　confession…is　he　still　alive？〃　
　〃That　would　have　been　Father　Zenobi。　Yes；　Father　Zenobi。　He　is　now　living　with　the　monks　of　La　Verna。〃　
　She　turned；　then　paused　and　slowly　glanced　back。　〃But　if　you　think　you　can　persuade　him　to　break　the　sacred　seal　of　the　confessional；　sir；　you　are　sadly　mistaken。〃　
　　　
　65　
　
　D'Agosta　assumed　that；　upon　leaving　the　palazzo；　they　wouldreturn　directly　to　their　hotel。　But　instead；　Pendergast　lingered　in　the　piazza：　strolling；　hands　in　his　pockets；　eyes　glancing　first　left；　then　right。　After　a　few　minutes；　he　turned　to　D'Agosta。　
　〃Gelato？　Some　of　the　best　in　Florence；　if　I　am　not　mistaken；　can　be　found　right　here　at　Café　Ricchi。〃　
　〃I've　given　up　on　ice　cream。〃　
　〃I　haven't。　Indulge　me。〃　
　They　entered　the　café　and　approached　the　bar。　Pendergast　ordered　his　cone…tiramisu　andcrème　anglaise　…while　D'Agosta　asked　for　an　espresso。　
　〃I　didn't　know　you　had　a　sweet　tooth；〃　D'Agosta　said　as　they　leaned　against　the　bar。　
　〃I　have　something　of　a　weakness　for　gelato。　But　our　main　reason　for　stopping　here　is　to　learn　his　intentions。〃　
　〃Hisintentions？　Whose　intentions？〃　
　〃The　man　who's　following　us。〃　
　D'Agosta　straightened　up。　〃What？〃　
　〃No…don't　look。　He's　nondescript；　mid…thirties；　wearing　a　blue　shirt　and　dark　pants。　Quite　professional。〃　
　Pendergast's　cone　arrived　and　he　took　a　dainty　bite。　Then；　suddenly；　a　change　came　over　his　face。　
　〃He's　just　entered　thepensione　；〃　he　said。　Abandoning　his　gelato；　Pendergast　dropped　a　few　euros　on　the　counter　and　strode　out　of　the　café；　D'Agosta　following。　
　〃Are　you　afraid　for　thesignora　？〃　
　〃Thesignora　is　perfectly　safe。　It's　the　priest　for　whom　I　fear。〃　
　〃The　priest…？〃　Suddenly；　D'Agosta　understood。　〃Then　we　can　stop　this　guy　when　he　leaves　thepensione　。〃　
　〃That　would　serve　no　purpose　but　to　embroil　us　in　endless　legalities。　Our　best　chance　is　the　monastery　itself。　e；　Vincent：　we　haven't　a　moment　to　lose。〃　
　In　twenty　minutes；　they　were　driving　through　the　hills　northeast　of　Florence；　Pendergast　at　the　wheel　of　their　rented　Fiat。　Although　D'Agosta　had　done　more　than　his　share　of　high…speed　driving…and　though　Pendergast　was　clearly　an　expert…D'Agosta's　heart　was　beating　at　an　unfortable　rate。　The　car　was　squealing　around　a　series　of　hairpin　curves；　none　of　which　had　guardrails；　at　a　terrifying　clip。　With　each　climbing　turn；　a　rising　sea　of　mountains　swam　into　view　before　them：　the　great　spine　of　the　Apennines。　
　〃I've　been　aware　of　surveillance　for　some　time　now；〃　Pendergast　said。　〃Since　we　found　Bullard's　body；　and　perhaps　even　before。　At　important　moments…such　as　our　trip　to　Cremona…I've　managed　to　keep　him　at　arm's　length。　I　haven't　yet　confronted　our　shadower；　hoping　instead　to　learn　who's　behind　him。　I　did　not　think　he　would　take　such　a　direct　approach　as　he　did　just　now　in　the　piazza。　It　means　we　are　getting　close　to　the　truth。　It　also　means　increased　danger；　for　us　and　for　those　with　crucial　information…such　as　Father　Zenobi。〃　
　The　car　squealed　around　another　curve。　D'Agosta　braced　himself　against　the　lateral　g…forces；　sweat　breaking　out　on　his　brow。　
　〃I've　seen　you　weasel　information　out　of　all　kinds　of　people；〃　he　said　when　it　was　safe　to　draw　breath　again。　〃But　if　you　can　convince　a　priest　to　reveal　a　thirty…year…old　confession；　I'll　swim　all　the　way　back　to　Southampton。〃　
　Another　long；　screeching　turn；　the　car　hanging　practically　over　the　edge　of　a　chasm。　
　This　time；　D'Agosta　almost　had　to　pry　his　fingers　from　the　dashboard。　〃Do　you　think　we　might　slow　down？〃　
　〃I　don't　think　so。〃　And　Pendergast　nodded　over　his　shoulder。　
　The　car　made　another　semicontrolled　skid　around　a　corner；　and　as　D'Agosta　fell　against　the　passenger　window　he　got　a　terrifying　glimpse　back　down　the　mountainside。　About　three　switchbacks　below　he　could　see　a　motorcycle；　black　and　chrome；　its　angular　chassis　exposed　and　gleaming。　It　was　approaching　fast。　
　〃There's　a　motorcycle　on　our　tail！〃　he　said。　
　Pendergast　nodded。　〃A　Ducati　Monster；　S4R　model；　if　I'm　not　mistaken。　A　four…valve　twin；　well　over　a　hundred　horsepower；　light　but　very　powerful。〃　
　D'Agosta　glanced　back　again。　The　rider　was　dressed　in　red　leather；　wearing　a　helmet　with　a　smoked　visor。　
　〃The　man　from　the　plaza？〃　he　asked。　
　〃Either　him　or　somebody　allied　with　him。〃　
　〃He's　after　us？〃　
　〃No。　He's　after　the　priest。〃　
　〃We　sure　as　hell　can't　outrun　him。〃　
　〃We　can　slow　him　down。　Get　out　your　weapon。〃　
　〃And　do　what？〃　
　〃I'll　leave　that　to　your　discretion。〃　
　Now　D'Agosta　could　hear　the　high…pitched　whine　of　an　engine　in　high　gear；　approaching　from　behind。　They　tore　around　another　corner；　scattering　clouds　of　dust　as　the　Fiat　slewed；　first　right；　then　left。　But　already　the　motorcycle　was　biting　into　the　same　corner；　leaning　at　an　incredible　angle；　almost　pegging　the　road。　The　rider　straightened　quickly　and　began　closing　the　gap；　preparing　to　pass。　
　〃Hang　on；　Vincent。〃　
　The　car　swerved　into　the　left　lane　just　as　the　motorcycle　came　alongside；　then　swerved　back　with　a　shriek　of　rubber；　cutting　him　off。　D'Agosta　looked　back　and　saw　the　motorcyclist　dropping　back；　preparing　to　make　another　run　past　them。　
　〃He's　ing　on　the　right！〃　he　shouted。　
　At　the　last　minute；　Pendergast　jerked　the　car　to　the　left　again；　correctly　anticipating　a　feint；　there　was　a　screech　of　tires　behind　them　as　the　motorcyclist　dumped　his　rear　brake　and　the　bike　rose　in　a　reverse　wheelie。　The　rider　straightened；　recovered。　D'Agosta