p&c.brimstone-第91节

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ther　six　months；　it　will　be　back　to　its　perfect　self。　I　will　loan　it　to　Renata　Lichtenstein。　Do　you　know　her？　The　first　woman　to　win　the　Tchaikovsky　petition；　a　girl　of　only　eighteen　but　already　a　transcendental　genius。　Yes；　Renata　will　play　it　and　go　on　to　glory　and　renown。　And　then；　when　she　can　no　longer　play；　my　heir　will　loan　it　to　someone　else；　and　his　heir　to　someone　else；　and　so　it　will　go　down　the　centuries。〃　
　〃Do　you　have　an　heir？〃　Pendergast　asked。　
　D'Agosta　was　surprised　by　the　question。　But　Fosco　was　not；　he　seemed　to　wele　it。　
　〃Not　a　direct　heir；　no。　But　I　shall　not　wait　long　to　furnish　myself　with　a　son。　I　have　just　met　the　most　charming　woman。　The　only　drawback　is　that　she　is　English；　but　at　least　she　can　boast　an　Italian　great…grandfather。〃　His　smile　broadened。　
　As　D'Agosta　watched；　Pendergast　grew　pale。　〃You　are　grotesquely　deluded　if　you　thinkshe　will　marry　you。〃　
　〃I　know；　I　know。　Count　Fosco　is　fat；　revoltingly　fat。　But　do　not　underestimate　the　power　of　a　charming　tongue　to　capture　a　woman's　heart。　Lady　Maskelene　and　I　had　a　marvelous　afternoon　on　the　island。　We　are　both　of　the　noble　classes。　Weunderstand　each　other。〃　He　dusted　his　waistcoat。　〃I　might　even　go　on　a　diet。〃　
　This　was　greeted　by　a　short　silence。　Then　Pendergast　spoke　again。　〃You've　showed　us　the　violin。　May　we　now　see　this　little　device　that　you　spoke　of？　The　device　that　killed　at　least　four　men？〃　
　〃With　greatest　pleasure。　I'm　very　proud　of　it。　Not　only　will　I　show　it　to　you；　I'll　give　you　a　demonstration。〃　
　D'Agosta　felt　a　chill。Demonstration？　
　Fosco　nodded　to　Pinketts；　who　took　the　violin　and　left　the　room。　Within　moments　he　returned　with　a　large　aluminum　suitcase。　Fosco　unlatched　the　case　and　raised　the　lid；　exposing　half　a　dozen　pieces　of　metal　nestled　in　gray　foam　rubber。　He　began　removing　them；　screwing　them　together。　Then　he　turned　and　nodded　to　D'Agosta。　
　〃Will　you　please　stand　over　there；　Sergeant？〃　he　asked　quietly。　
　　　
　78　
　
　〃Buck！〃　Hayward　screamed　again；　fighting　against　an　almostoverwhelming　panic。　〃Don't　let　them　do　this！〃　But　it　was　hopeless；　the　roar　of　the　crowd　drowned　out　her　voice；　and　Buck　was　in　his　tent；　flaps　closed；　out　of　sight　behind　a　wall　of　people。　
　The　crowd　was　closing　in　now；　the　noose　tightening　fast。　The　ringleader…Buck's　aide…de…camp；　bolstered　by　increasingly　frenzied　followers…raised　the　hand　with　the　rock。　Watching　him；　Hayward　saw　his　eyes　widen；　his　nostrils　flare。　She'd　seen　that　look　before：　it　was　the　look　of　someone　about　to　strike。　
　〃Don't！〃　she　shouted。　〃This　isn't　what　you're　about！　It's　against　everything　you　stand　for！〃　
　〃Shut　up；　centurion！〃　Todd　cried。　
　She　stumbled；　righted　herself。　Even　at　this　moment　of　extreme　danger；　she　realized　she　could　not　show　fear。　She　kept　her　eyes　on　Todd…he　was　the　greatest　threat；　the　match　for　the　powder　keg…and　let　her　gun　hand　hover　near　her　piece。　As　a　last　resort…a　very　last　resort…she'd　have　to　use　it。　Of　course；　once　she　did；　that　would　be　the　end。　But　she　wasn't　going　to　go　down　like　a　cat　under　a　pack　of　dogs。　
　Something　about　all　this　isn't　right。Something　was　going　on；　something　was　being　played　out　here　that　she　didn't　understand。　
　The　cries　of　the　crowd；　their　strange　epithets；　made　no　sense。Centurion。　Soldier　of　Rome。　What　was　this　talk？　Something　Buck　was　subtly　encouraging　in　recent　sermons？　And　speaking　of　Buck；　why　had　he　seemed　disappointed　when　she　arrived…and　then　just　walked　away？　Why　the　glassy；　expectant　look　in　his　eyes？　Something　had　happened　to　him；　between　this　visit　and　the　last。　
　What　was　it？　
　〃Blasphemer！〃　Todd　screamed。　He　took　another　step　closer。　
　In　response；　the　crowd　tightened　around　Hayward。　She　had　barely　enough　room　to　turn　around　now。　She　could　feel　rancid　breath　on　the　back　of　her　neck；　feel　her　heart　beating　like　mad。　Her　hand　strayed　closer　to　the　butt　of　her　gun。　
　There　was　a　pattern　here；　if　only　she　could　see　it。　Therehad　to　be。　
　She　fought　to　stay　rational。　Her　only　way　out　of　this　was　Buck　himself。　There　was　no　other。　
　Quickly；　she　went　back　over　her　knowledge　of　deviant　psychology；　over　Buck's　possible　motivations。　What　had　Wentworth　said？Possibly　paranoid　schizophrenic；　potential　for　a　Messianic　plex。　Deep　down；　she　was　still　convinced　Buck　was　no　schizophrenic。　
　But　a　Messianic　plex　。　。　。　？　
　The　need　to　be　the　Messiah。Perhaps…just　perhaps…Wentworth　was　more　right　on　that　point　than　he　knew。　
　Then；　in　an　instant　of　revelation；　it　came　to　her。　All　of　Buck's　new　hopes；　new　desires；　were　suddenly　laid　bare。　This　talk　about　Romans…they　weren't　talking　about　Roman　Catholics。　They　were　talking　about　real　Romans。　Pagan　Romans。　Centurions。The　soldiers　who　came　to　arrest　Jesus。　
　She　suddenly　understood　the　script　Buck　was　following。That　was　why　he　ignored　her；　walked　back　into　the　tent。She　didn't　fit　into　his　vision　of　what　had　to　happen。　
　She　faced　the　crowd；　addressed　them　in　her　loudest　voice。　〃A　band　of　soldiers　are　ing　to　arrest　Buck！〃　
　This　had　a　galvanic　effect　on　the　crowd。　The　yelling　faltered　a　little；　front　to　back；　like　the　ripple　of　a　stone　on　a　pond。　
　〃Did　you　hear！〃　
　〃The　soldiers　are　ing！〃　
　〃They're　ing！〃Hayward　yelled　encouragingly。　
　The　crowd　took　up　the　cry　as　she　hoped　they　would；　acting　as　a　megaphone　to　Buck。〃The　soldiers　are　ing！The　centurions　are　ing！　〃　
　There　was　a　movement　in　the　crowd；　a　kind　of　general　sigh。　As　one　group　moved　back；　Hayward　saw　that　Buck　had　reappeared　at　the　door　of　his　tent。　The　crowd　seethed　with　expectation。　Todd　raised　his　rock　once　again；　then　hesitated。　
　It　was　the　opening　she　needed。　Momentary；　but　just　enough　to　call　Rocker。　She　slipped　out　her　radio　and　bent　forward；　shielding　herself　from　the　crowd。　
　〃missioner！〃　she　called　out。　
　For　a　moment；　static。　Then　Rocker's　voice　crackled　over　the　tiny　speaker。　
　〃What　the　hell's　going　on；　Captain？　It　sounds　like　a　riot。　We're　mobilizing；　we're　going　innow　and　getting　your　assout　…〃　
　〃No！〃　Hayward　said　sharply。　〃It'll　be　a　bloodbath！〃　
　〃She's　using　her　radio！〃　Todd　screamed。　〃Betrayer！〃　
　〃Sir；listen　to　me。　Send　in　thirty…three　men。　Thirty…threeexactly　。　And　those　undercover　cops　you've　been　using　for　on…site　intel；　the　ones　dressed　like　Buck's　followers？　Send　in　one　of　them。Just　one。　〃　
　〃Captain；　I　have　no　idea　what　you're…〃　
　〃Shut　up；　please；　andlisten　。　Buck　has　to　act　out　the　passion　of　Christ。　That's　how　he　sees　himself。　He's　New　York's　sacrificial　lamb。　There's　no　other　explanation　for　his　behavior。　So　we've　got　to　play　along；　let　him　act　it　out。　The　undercover　cop；　he's　the　shill；　he's　Judas；　he's　got　to　embrace　Buck。　Do　you　hear；　sir？He's　got　to　embrace　Buck。　And　then　the　cops　move　in　and　make　the　cuff。　You　do　that；　missioner；andthere'll　be　no　riot　。　Buck　will　go　peacefully。　Otherwise…〃　
　〃But　thirty　men？　That's　not　enough…〃　
　〃Thirty…three。The　number　in　a　Roman　band。〃　
　〃Get　her　radio！〃Hayward　was　jostled。　She　spun　away；　shielding　her　radio。　
　〃Are　you　telling　me　Buck　thinks…〃　
　〃Just　do　it；　sir。Now！　〃　
　Hayward　felt　herself　shoved　hard　from　behind。　She　lost　her　grip　on　the　radio；　and　it　went　flying　into　the　crowd。　
　〃Agent　of　darkness！〃　
　Hayward　had　no　idea　if　Rocker　had　understood。　More　to　the　point；　she　didn't　know　how　the　crowd　would　act。　Buck　might　have　his　script；　but　would　this　frenzied　mob　follow　it；　too？　
　She　looked　toward　Buck；　who　was　now　wading　into　the　crowd。　〃Make　way　for　the　soldiers　of　Rome！〃　she　yelled。　〃Make　way！〃　She　pointed　southwest；　the　direction　she　knew　the　police　would　e　from。　
　It　was　amazing：　people　were　turning；　looking。　Buck　himself　was　looking。　He　was　standing；　calm　and　tall；　waiting　for　the　drama　to　begin。　
　〃Here　they　e！〃others　were　yelling。　〃Here　they　e！〃　
　There　was　a　surge　of　confusion；　a　scuffling　as　the　rest　of　the　group　began　to　arm　themselves　with　rocks　and　sticks。　Suddenly　Buck　held　up　his　arms；　tried　to　say　something。　The　sound　of　the　crowd　fell。　
　〃He's　about　to　speak！〃people　called　out。〃Silence；　everyone！〃　
　Buck　intoned　in　a　deep；　penetrating　voice；　〃Make　way　for　the　centurions！〃　
　This　took　everyone　by　surprise。　Some　took　tighter　grips　on　their　makeshift　weapons；　others　looked　over　their　shoulders；　in　the　direction　of　the　approaching　police。　Still　others　looked　at　Buck；　uncertain　they　had　heard　him　correctly。　
　〃This　is　as　it　should　be！〃　Buck　cried。　〃It　is　time　to　fulfill　that　which　the　prophets　have　spoken。　Make　way；　my　brothers　and　sisters；　make　way！〃　
　The　cry　was　taken　up；　at　first　raggedly；　then　with　growing　conviction。〃Make　way！〃　
　〃Do　not　fight　them！〃　Buck　cried。　〃Drop　your　weapons！　Make　way　for　the　centurions！〃　
　〃Make　way　for　the　centurions！〃　
　Buck　spread　his　hands；　and　the　crowd　began　to　part　hesitatingly　before　him。　
　As　she　watched；　Hayward　felt　a　flush　spread　through　her　limbs。　It　was　working。　The　attention　of　the　crowd　had　shifted　from　her。　Only　Todd；　the　aide…de…camp；　seemed　not　to　accept　the　change。　He　was　still　staring　from　her　to　Buck　and　back　again；　as　if　too　caught　up　in　the　frenzy　of　the　moment　to　shift　direction。　
　〃Traitor！〃　he　barked　at　her。　
　And　now；　right　on　cue；　a　phalanx　of　cops　came　running　through　the　distant　trees　toward　them。　Rockerhad　understood；　after　all：　he'd　e　thro