gns.cannibalcult-第18节

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　answer　for。　A　left…wing　terrorist；　he　has　diversified　from　car…bombs　and　such　things　to　an　alliance　with　the　dark　powers　and　they　appear　to　have　accepted　him　as　a　disciple。　Pray　God；　Sabat；　that　we　shall　be　in　time　to　prevent　this　Walpurgisnacht　feast；　for　if　it　es　about　the　ultimate　in　evil　will　result；　a　coalition　of　malevolence　in　hell　and　on　earth。　A　n　unstoppable　power　will　be　unleashed　on　the　world　and　cannibalism　will　spread　with　the　rapidity　of　a　contagious　plague？
　　
　　Sabat　was　waiting　on　the　Schweizeshof　beside　Lake　Lucerne　as　the　sinking　evening　sun　turned　the　waters　a　rich　golden　colour。　So　peaceful；　it　was　impossible　to　believe　that　the　ing　night　held　such　perils。　He　sauntered　casually；　watching　every　blue　Peugeot　that　came　along。　Every　other　car　on　the　road　tonight　seemed　to　be　a　Peugeot。　Eventually　one　of　them　would　draw　into　the　kerb　and　Pieter　Daunay　would　be　behind　the　wheel。
　　
　　And　the　Witchfinder　must　be　killed！　Not　just　because　Andre　Schmid　and　Madeleine　Gaufridi　（Sabat　still　preferred　to　think　of　her　by　her　first　name；　remember　their　meeting　up　on　the　Jungfrau　when　she　displayed　all　the　innocence　of　a　young　nun　fleeing　from　her　own　conscience）　demanded　it。　But　because　that　was　the　only　way　Quentin　Sabai's　unholy　secret　could　be　protected　。。。
　　
　　His　anger　mounted；　a　seething　fury　that　had　his　whole　body　trembling；　his　vision　a　distorted　red　haze　so　that　he　was　scarcely　aware　of　the　blue　Peugeot　gliding　into　the　kerb；　the　hunchbacked　driver　reaching　behind　to　open　the　rear　door。
　　
　　Just　another　driver　offering　a　pedestrian　a　lift；　something　that　happened　a　hundred　times　a　day　in　Lucerne　and　elsewhere。　The　car　pulled　away；　edged　into　the　steady　stream　of　traffic。
　　
　　Sabat's　fury　simmered；　his　eyes　riveted　on　the　humped　figure　behind　the　wheel。　An　enemy；　a　dangerous　one；　one　who　had　already　meddled　in　the　affairs　of　his　family。　He　had　to　be　eliminated；　but　not　right　now。
　　
　　Sabat　got　his　anger　under　control；　a　time…bomb　ticking　away　inside　him。　He　could　easily　have　made　an　excuse　and　got　Daunay　to　stop　the　car；　shot　him　and　dragged　him　into　the　forest　which　bordered　the　road。　For　a　number　of　reasons　he　bided　his　time。　A　slight　hesitancy；　but　he　would　expel　that　before　they　reached　the　mountains；　he　did　not　even　understand　why　he　was　uncertain。　He　had　no　conscience　where　killing　was　concerned。　Secondly；　he　wanted　to　present　Madeleine　and　Andre　Schmid　with　undoubted　proof　that　he　had　carried　out　his　assignment。　A　kind　of　personal　pride　in　his　own　ruthless　efficiency。
　　
　　Sabat　stroked　the　butt　of　his　revolver　in　its　holster　beneath　his　coat；　gave　a　sigh　of　satisfaction　and　nestled　himself　fortably　in　a　corner　of　the　back　seat
　　
　　Pieter　Daunay　changed　down　to　second　gear　and　the　Peugeot　began　the　ascent　of　the　steep　mountain　road；　entering　a　land　of　darkness　where　unspeakable　evil　lurked。
　　
　　Sabat　smiled　to　himself。　Soon　it　would　be　time　to　kill。
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　ELEVEN
　　　
　　THE　ROAD　was　rising　very　steeply　now；　a　1：4　gradient。　The　Peugeot's　engine　stuttered；　picked　up　again。　Pieter　Daunay's　hand　rested　on　the　gear　lever；　ready　to　change　down　to　bottom。
　　
　　'How　much　further？'　he　grunted；　the　first　time　either　of　them　had　spoken　since　the　suburbs　of　Lucerne　had　fallen　away　behind　them；　its　lights　shielded　by　the　dark　mountain　forests；　just　a　faint　orange　glow　in　the　night　sky　behind。
　　
　　'Not　far。'　There　was　a　sudden　eagerness　about　Sabat's　voice。'　Somewhere　on　the　left　after　this　next　bend。　Slow　down　or　you'll　miss　it。　It's　only　a　gap　in　the　trees　but　there's　a　track　leading　up　from　it。　We'd　better　pull　off　the　road　there　and　go　the　rest　of　the　way　on　foot；　otherwise　they'll　hear　the　engine　and　see　the　lights。'
　　
　　The　only　sign　that　Daunay　had　heard　was　that　he　braked；　slowed　down　to　20　k。p。h；；　head　turned　to　the　left；　searching　for　the　concealed　track　amidst　the　trees。
　　
　　'There　it　is。'
　　
　　The　Frenchman　swung　the　wheel　over；　the　tyres　sinking　into　the　soft　grass；　starting　to　spin。　The　Peugeot　slewed；　nearly　struck　a　tree。　Reversing；　almost　getting　stuck；　a　narrow　angle　but　eventually　the　car　finished　up　pointing　back　the　way　it　had　e。　Engine　and　lights　died；　plunging　everywhere　into　a　sudden　eerie　black　silence。
　　
　　'It　is　best　to　caterfor　all　eventualities；'　PieterDaunay　said；　easing　open　the　door。　'Just　in　case　we　have　to　make　a　quick　getaway；　Sabat。'
　　
　　Sabat　hesitated；　let　his　eyesight　bee　accustomed　to　the　darkness　of　the　forest。　A　half　moon　and　scudding　clouds　cast　patches　of　faint　silvery　light；　the　shadows　impenetrable　as　though　they　hid　a　thousand　evils。　The　silence　hung　heavy；　not　so　much　as　a　rustling　of　a　tiny　nocturnal　creature。　Tonight　everything　was　afraid　to　venture　forth；
　　
　　'Lead　the　way；'　Daunay's　whisper　was　terse。　'I　am　right　behind　you。*
　　
　　Sabat　moved；　his　SAS　training　taking　over；　a　shadow　that　glided　and　merged　with　the　other　shadows。　The　flesh　on　the　back　of　his　neck　prickled　for　a　multitude　of　reasons。　Daunay　was　as　dangerous　as　he　was　himself　and　he　would　have　preferred　to　have　his　panion　where　he　could　see　him。　However；　to　have　suggested　that　the　Frenchman　lead　the　way　would　have　been　ridiculous　and　aroused　suspicion。　This　was　truly　a　game　of　cat　and　mouse。
　　
　　Daunay　must　be　eliminated！　Quentin's　reminder　of　his　mission　had　Sabat's　stomach　tightening　like　it　was　being　crushed　in　a　bout　of　colic。　He　would　kill　Daunay…　but　what　then？　Just　him　and　Madeleine　and　that　awful　corpse　which　had　already　begun　to　repair　its　guillotine　mutilation。　Madeleine　claimed　Louis　Nevillon　would　rise　on　Walpurgisnacht；　that　his　body　would　not　be　eaten；　that　he　would　join　them　in　an　unholy；　obscene；　nauseating　banquet。　Whose　body　would　they　eat　then？
　　
　　'How　far？'　Pieter　Daunay　was　impatient。　Their　feet　had　to　be　forcibly　dragged　from　the　treacly　mud。　'Could　we　not　walk　through　the　forest？'
　　
　　'I　only　know　this　way；'　Sabat　replied。　'We　cannot　risk　being　lost　It　should　not　be　far　now。'
　　
　　They　seemed　to　have　been　walking　for　hours　but　in　reality　it　had　probably　been　no　more　than　twenty　minutes；　progress　that　was　slow；　pausing　every　few　yards　to　listen…but　there　was　only　an　unbroken　silence。　As　though　these　whole　mountains　were　waiting　for　something　to　happen。
　　
　　A　bend　in　the　track　where　a　large　pool　of　muddy　rainwater　had　formed。　They　skirted　it；　clutching　at　some　overhanging　prickly　larch　branches　as　they　trod　a　precarious　route　along　the　grassy　sides　of　the　path。　Sabat's　breathing　was　shallow；　the　clearing　in　which　the　old　chapel　stood　was　only　a　matter　of　twenty　yards　ahead　of　them。　He　pulled　up　abruptly　and　Daunay　bumped　into　him；　almost　slipped　into　the　mud；　cursed　beneath　his　breath。　'What　have　you　stopped　for；　Sabat？'　'We　are　almost　there。　Another　few　yards　and　we　shall　see　the　chapel。'　Sabat　turned　but　Daunay　was　just　an　outline　against　the　trees；　his　face　bathed　in　shadow　that　hid　his　expression。
　　
　　'Move　on　then。　Let　us　get　it　over　and　done　with！'　'Pieter；　we　have　not　planned　this　far。　They　may　well　know　of　our　ing　for　their　powers　are　extraordinary。　We　could　be　walking　into　a　trap。'
　　
　　'A　trap　set　by　you；　Sabat？　An　evil　associate　sent　to　lure　me　to　their　den　of　evil？'　Daunay　laughed　grimly。
　　
　　Sabat　tensed；　the　accusation　piercing　him　like　a　sword　thrust。　He　was　at　a　disadvantage；　his　enemy　behind　him　and　alerted。　'No；　of　course　not。　I。。。'
　　
　　Sabat　caught　his　breath　as　something　hard　and　round　dug　painfully　into　the　small　of　his　back。　He　recognised　it　instantly；　knew　that　he　had　left　it　too　late。　The　hunted　had　bee　the　hunter。　A　faint　metallic　click　as　the　safety　catch　on　Pieter　Daunay's　automatic　was　pushed　forward。
　　
　　'I　would　not　hesitate　to　shoot　you；　Sabat；　and　I　think　you　know　that。　A　game　of　scheme　and　counter…scheme　but　I　think　I　have　outwitted　you。　Now　that　you　have　brought　me　to　this　place　I　have　no　further　use　for　you。　However；　if　there　is　a　trap　prepared　inside　that　chapel；　then　it　is　you　who　will　walk　into　it。　Walk　slowly　and　keep　your　hands　where　I　can　see　them！'　Sabat　took　a　step　forward。　He　thought　about　the　？38　in　its　holster　but　knew　he　had　no　chance　of　drawing　it；　not　against　a　man　like　Pieter　Daunay；　this　Witchfmder　who　might　have　stepped　out　of　the　middle　ages　was　not　blurring。
　　
　　The　pressure　of　the　gun　on　Sabat's　spine　was　pushing　him　forward；　moving　him　like　some　electronically　controlled　automaton。　He　forced　his　brain　to　work；　trying　desperately　to　formulate　some　kind　of　plan…but　there　wasn't　any。　He　was　a　puppet　being　controlled。
　　
　　He　stared　ahead；　saw　the　dim　shape　of　the　tiny　chapel。　Faint　streaks　of　light　shafted　out　of　the　cracks　in　the　ill…fitting　door。　The　black　candles　still　burned。　Obviously　Madeleine　was　still　in　there；　Sabat　had　taken　the　van　and　unless　Schmid　and　his　followers　had　been　and　fetched　her　away　she　still　had　to　be　there。　Alone　with　the　ghastly　remains　of　the　Beast　of　France。
　　
　　Sabat's　mind　was　reeling。　He　wondered　if　anything　had　transpired　during　his　absence。　The　way　the　severed　head　appeared　to　have　knitted　back　on　to　the　shoulders　was　something　that　defied　explanation；　did　not　bear　thinking　about。　Ins