p&c.brimstone-第86节

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　a　small　garden　that　stepped　down　the　hillside；　ending　abruptly　at　the　fortified　inner　wall。　
　There　was　another　scraping　noise；　and　the　ground　trembled；　D'Agosta　turned　to　see　the　great　wooden　doors　rumbling　closed　behind　them。　
　〃Never　mind；〃　murmured　Pendergast。　〃Preparations　have　been　made。〃　
　D'Agosta　hoped　to　hell　he　knew　what　he　was　talking　about。　〃Where's　Fosco？〃　he　asked。　
　〃We'll　no　doubt　see　him　soon　enough。〃　
　They　crossed　the　lawn　and　approached　the　main　entrance　of　the　massive　keep。　It　opened　with　a　creak　of　iron。　And　there　stood　Fosco；　dressed　in　an　elegant　dove…gray　suit；　longish　hair　brushed　back；　his　smooth　white　face　creased　with　a　smile。　As　always；　he　was　wearing　kid　gloves。　
　〃My　dear　Pendergast；　wele　to　my　humble　abode。　And　Sergeant　D'Agosta；　as　well？　Nice　of　you　to　join　our　little　party。〃　
　He　held　out　his　hand。　Pendergast　ignored　it。　
　The　count　let　the　hand　drop；　his　smile　unaffected。　〃A　pity。　I　had　hoped　we　could　conduct　our　business　with　courtesy；　like　gentlemen。〃　
　〃Is　there　a　gentleman　here？　I　should　like　to　meet　him。〃　
　Fosco　clucked　disapprovingly。　〃Is　this　a　way　to　treat　a　man　in　his　own　home？〃　
　〃Is　it　any　way　to　treat　a　man；　burning　him　to　death　in　his　own　home？〃　
　A　look　of　distaste　crossed　Fosco's　face。　〃So　anxious　to　get　to　the　business　at　hand；　are　we？　But　there　will　be　time；　there　will　be　time。　Do　e　in。〃　
　The　count　stood　aside；　and　they　walked　through　a　long　archway　into　the　castle's　great　hall。　It　was　quite　unlike　what　D'Agosta　had　expected。　A　graceful　loggia　ran　along　three　sides；　with　columns　and　Roman　arches。　
　〃Note　the　Della　Robbiatondi　；〃　said　Fosco；　gesturing　toward　some　painted　terra…cotta　decorations　set　into　the　walls　above　the　arches。　〃But　you　must　be　tired　after　the　drive　down。　I　will　take　you　to　your　quarters；　where　you　can　refresh　yourselves。〃　
　〃Our　rooms？〃　Pendergast　asked。　〃Are　we　spending　the　night？〃　
　〃Naturally。〃　
　〃I'm　afraid　that　won't　be　necessary；　or　even　possible。〃　
　〃But　I　must　insist。〃　The　count　turned　and　seized　an　iron　ring　on　the　open　castle　door；　drawing　it　shut　with　a　boom。　With　a　dramatic　flourish；　he　removed　a　giant　key　from　his　pocket　and　locked　it。　Then　he　opened　a　small　wooden　box　mounted　on　the　nearby　wall。　Inside；　D'Agosta　saw　a　high…tech　keypad；　wildly　out　of　place　amidst　the　ancient　masonry。　The　count　punched　a　long　sequence　of　numbers　into　the　keypad。　In　response；　there　was　a　clank；　and　a　massive　iron　bar　shot　down　from　above；　sliding　into　a　heavy　iron　bracket　and　barring　the　door。　
　〃Now　we　are　safe　from　unauthorized　invasion；〃　said　Fosco。　〃Or；　for　that　matter；　unauthorized　departure。〃　
　Pendergast　made　no　answer。　The　count　turned　and；　moving　in　his　peculiar　light…footed　way；　led　them　through　the　hall　and　into　a　long；　cold　stone　gallery。　Portraits；　almost　black　with　age；　lined　both　walls；　along　with　mounted　sets　of　rusted　armor；　spears；　lances；　pikes；　maces；　and　other　medieval　weaponry。　
　〃The　armor　is　of　no　value；　eighteenth…century　reproductions。　The　portraits　are　of　my　ancestors；　of　course。　Age　has　obscured　them；　fortunately…the　counts　of　Fosco　are　not　a　pretty　race。　We　have　owned　the　estate　since　the　twelfth　century；　when　my　distinguished　ancestor　Giovan　de　Ardaz　wrested　it　from　a　Longobardic　knight。　The　family　bestowed　the　title　'cavaliere'　on　itself　and　took　as　its　coat　of　arms　a　dragon　rampant；　bar　sinister。　During　the　time　of　the　grand　dukes；　we　were　made　counts　of　the　Holy　Roman　Empire　by　the　electress　palatine　herself。　We　have　always　led　a　quiet　existence　here；　tending　our　vines　and　olive　groves；　neither　meddling　in　politics　nor　aspiring　to　office。　We　Florentines　have　a　saying：The　nail　that　sticks　out　gets　hammered　back　in。　The　House　of　Fosco　did　not　stick　out；　and　as　a　result；　we　never　felt　the　blow　of　the　hammer　during　many；　many　shifts　of　political　fortune。〃　
　〃And　yet　you；　Count；　have　managed　to　stick　yourself　out　quite　a　bit　these　past　few　months；〃　Pendergast　replied。　
　〃Alas；　and　much　against　my　will。　It　was　only　to　recover　what　was　rightfully　ours　to　begin　with。　But　we　shall　talk　more　of　this　at　dinner。〃　
　They　passed　out　of　the　gallery　and　through　a　beautiful　drawing　room　with　leaded…glass　windows　and　tapestried　walls。　Fosco　gestured　toward　some　large　landscape　paintings。　〃Hobbema　and　van　Ruisdael。〃　
　The　drawing　room　was　followed　by　a　long　series　of　graciously　appointed；　light…filled　chambers；　until　quite　suddenly　the　character　of　the　rooms　changed　abruptly。　〃We　are　now　entering　the　original；　Longobardic　part　of　the　castle；〃　Fosco　said。　〃Dating　back　to　the　ninth　century。〃　
　Here　the　rooms　were　small　and　almost　windowless；　the　only　light　admitted　by　arrow　ports　and　tiny；　square　openings　high　on　the　walls。　The　walls　were　calcined；　the　rooms　bare。　
　〃I　have　no　use　for　these　dreary　old　rooms；〃　said　the　count　as　they　passed　through。　〃They　are　always　damp　and　cold。　There　are；　however；　several　levels　of　cellars；　tunnels；　and　subbasements　below；　most　useful　for　making　wine；balsamico　；　andprosciutto　di　cinghiale　。　We　hunt　our　own　boar　here　on　the　estate；　you　know；　and　it　is　justly　famous。　The　lowest　of　those　tunnels　were　cut　into　the　rock　by　the　Etruscans；　three　thousand　years　ago。〃　
　They　came　to　a　heavy　iron　door；　set　into　an　even　heavier　stone　wall。　Deeper　within　the　castle；　D'Agosta　could　see　that　the　stonework　was　beaded　with　moisture。　
　〃The　keep；〃　Fosco　said　as　he　unlocked　the　door　with　another　key。　
　Immediately　inside　was　a　wide；　windowless　circular　staircase　that　corkscrewed　its　way　up　from　the　depths　and　curved　out　of　sight　above　their　heads。　Fosco　removed　a　battery…powered　torch　from　a　wall　sconce；　turned　it　on；　and　led　the　way　up　the　stairs。　After　five　or　six　revolutions；　they　stopped　at　a　small　landing　containing　a　single　door。　Opening　it　with　yet　another　key；　Fosco　ushered　them　into　what　looked　like　a　small　apartment；　retrofitted　into　the　old　castle　keep；　its　tiny　windows　overlooking　the　valley　of　the　Greve　and　the　rolling　hills　marching　toward　Florence；　far　below。　A　fire　burned　in　a　stone　fireplace　at　one　end；　and　Persian　rugs　covered　the　terra…cotta　floor。　There　was　a　fortable　sitting　area　in　front　of　the　fire；　a　table　to　one　side　well　furnished　with　wines　and　liquors；　a　wall　of　well…stocked　bookshelves。　
　〃Eccoci　quà！I　trust　you　will　find　your　chambers　fortable。　There　are　two　small　bedrooms　on　either　side。　The　view　is　refreshing；　don't　you　think？　I　am　concerned　that　you　brought　no　luggage。　I　will　have　Pinketts　furnish　you　with　anything　you　might　need…razors；　bathrobes；　slippers；　sleeping　shirts。〃　
　〃I　very　much　doubt　we　will　be　staying　the　night。〃　
　〃And　I　very　much　doubt　you　will　be　leaving。〃　The　count　smiled。　〃We　eat　late；　in　the　Continental　fashion。　At　nine。〃　
　He　bowed；　backed　out　of　the　door；　shutting　it　with　a　hollow　boom。　With　sinking　heart；　D'Agosta　heard　a　key　rasp　in　the　lock；　and　then　the　footsteps　of　the　count　disappearing　quickly　down　the　stairway。　
　　　
　76　
　
　The　staging　area　for　the　move　on　Buck's　encampment　was　amaintenance　parking　lot　behind　the　arsenal；　well　out　of　sight　of　the　tent　city。　missioner　Rocker　had　called　up　no　fewer　than　three　NYPD　riot　control　divisions；　along　with　a　SWAT　team；　two　hostage　negotiators；　officers　on　horseback；　two　mobile　mand　units；　and　plenty　of　rank　and　file　with　helmets　and　bulletproof　vests　to　manage　the　arrests。　Then　there　were　the　fire　trucks；　ambulances；　and　prisoner　transport　vans；　all　standing　by　at　a　discreet　distance　on　67th　Street。　
　Hayward　stood　at　the　northern　fringe　of　the　staging　area；　giving　her　radio　and　weapon　a　final　check。　The　crowd　of　uniformed　officers　milling　around　with　batons　and　riot　shields　was　enormous；　not　to　mention　various　operations　specialists　with　wires　dangling　from　their　ears　and　even　a　few　confidential　informants　dressed　as　tent　city　residents。　She　understood　the　reason　for　the　overkill：　if　you　went　in；　you　went　in　with　overwhelming　force；　and　nine　times　out　of　ten　the　opposition　caved。　The　worst　thing　you　could　do　was　let　them　think　they　might　have　a　chance　if　they　made　a　stand。　
　And　yet　these　people　thought　they　had　God　behind　them。　These　weren't　striking　bus　drivers　or　municipal　workers　with　spouses　and　kids；　two　cars　in　the　driveway。　These　were　true　believers。　They　were　unpredictable。　Her　approach　made　more　sense。　
　Didn't　it？　
　Rocker　appeared　out　of　the　crowd；　strode　over；　and　laid　a　hand　on　Hayward's　shoulder。　〃Ready？〃　
　She　nodded。　
　He　gave　her　a　fatherly　pat。　〃Radio　if　you　run　into　heavy　weather。　We'll　move　in　early。〃　He　glanced　at　the　array　of　men　and　equipment　behind　them。　〃I　hope　to　hell　none　of　this　is　necessary。〃　
　〃So　do　I。〃　
　She　could　see　Wentworth　at　one　of　the　mobile　mand　units；　wire　dangling　from　his　ear；　talking；　gesturing　this　way　and　that。　He　was　playing　cop；　having　the　time　of　his　life。　He　glanced　in　her　direction　and　she　turned　away。　It　would　be　humiliating　if　she　failed。　Not　only　that；　it　would　seriously　damage　her　career。　Wentworth　had　already　predicted　failure；　and　it　was　only　through　Rocker's　support　that　her　mission　had　been　approved　at　all。　Not　for　the　first　time　since　the　last　meeting；　she　wondered　why　she'd　stuck　her　neck　out。　This　was　not　the　way　to　advance　a　career。　How　many　times　had　she　seen　that　those　who　went　wit