lrh.fortuneoffear-第59节

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ched　lazily。
　　　The　Countess　Krak　shook　her　head。　In　Voltarian　she　muttered；　〃Well；　I　hope　she　got　her　fill！　The　slut！〃　Then　she　raised　her　microphone　and　said　in　English；　〃The　men　are　all　going　away　now。　They　are　waving　good…bye。
　　　You　see　them　walk　up　the　trail　and　vanish。　They　were　all　very　happy。　Are　you　happy？〃
　　　〃Oh；　yes；〃　came　the　muffled　voice　of　Miss　Simmons　from　the　helmet。
　　　〃Anything　worrying　you？〃
　　　〃I'm　nice　and　lovely　dirty　with　the　mud。　But　my　leg　feels　a　little　strange。〃
　　　〃You　broke　it　dancing　for　joy；〃　said　the　Countess　Krak。
　　　〃Oh；　that's　all　right；　then。〃
　　　The　Countess　Krak　now　took　a　firm　grip　on　her　microphone。　She　said；　〃The　incident　you　have　just　been　through　is　the　right　one；　the　correct　one；　the　one　that　happened。　All　other　memories　of　that　time　and　place　are　false　and　are　gone。　You　have　just　been　through　the　true　one。　Do　you　understand？〃
　　　〃Yes；〃　said　Miss　Simmons。
　　　At　that　instant　there　were　some　shouts　and　car…door　slams　outside。
　　　Somebody　shouted；　〃Get　up　there　to　Apartment　21！〃
　　　I　tingled！　Grafferty！

Chapter　6

　　　The　Countess　Krak　said　into　the　microphone；　〃You　will　lie　there　and　think　of　nothing　until　I　e　back。〃
　　　She　put　down　the　microphone；　stepped　out　of　the　bedroom　and　closed　the　door　behind　her。　Doctor　Kutzbrain　was　still　standing　like　an　awkward　statue。
　　　Feet　were　pounding　up　the　stairs。
　　　The　crash　of　a　boot　against　the　apartment　door！
　　　Lock　flying　into　fragments；　the　door　smashed　open。
　　　Grafferty　and　three　policemen　sprang　into　the　room！
　　　Grafferty　stared　at　the　immobile　Doctor　Kutzbrain。　〃Where's　the　rape…murder？〃　he　roared。
　　　The　Countess　Krak　had　reached　the　black　bag。　She　hit　the　dynamo　plunger；　turning　it　off。　But　she　drew　out　a　small　object　that　looked　like　a　thumbtack。　I　caught　the　briefest　glimpse　of　the　tag　on　it。
　　　Doctor　Kutzbrain　went　into　motion；　drawing　all　eyes。
　　　The　Countess　Krak　stepped　across　the　room　to　him。　She　had　that　tack　held　in　her　fingers。　She　grabbed　Kutzbrain　by　the　shoulder　with　that　same　hand。　At　the　instant　of　contact；　Kutzbrain　let　out　a　yell。
　　　Krak　said；　〃If　it's　a　rapist　you're　looking　for；　here's　your　man！〃　She　stood　away。
　　　Grafferty　shouted　at　Kutzbrain；　〃Where's　the　murder？〃
　　　Doctor　Kutzbrain　inhaled　a　lung　full　of　air。　He　shouted；　〃I　hate　you！　I'll　tear　you　to　bits！　Answer　me！〃
　　　Oh；　Gods；　that　（bleeped）　Krak　had　used　an　interrogator　dart　on　him；　the　one　that　made　a　questioner　so　furious　and　overwrought　he　could　not　ask　sensible　questions！
　　　Grafferty　waved　a　gun。　He　roared；　〃Who　the　hell　do　you　think　you　are；　talking　to　police　that　way？〃
　　　Kutzbrain　shouted；　〃You　must　answer　up！　I'll　kill　you　if　you　don't！　I'll　tear　you　to　bits！〃
　　　Grafferty　signalled　to　two　policemen。　〃Take　him　along；　men。　And　bring　this　girl　as　a　material　witness。　And　you；〃　he　said　to　the　third　cop；　〃look　around　here　and　make　sure　there　isn't　a　corpse　in　one　of　these　rooms。　We　need　evidence！〃
　　　Krak　said；　〃I've　got　the　evidence。　It's　right　here！〃
　　　She　reached　into　the　black　case　and　tore　four　tabs　off　the　black　roll。
　　　She　reached　out　her　hand　to　Grafferty　and　the　cops；　using　a　magician's　forcer　gesture；　the　way　they　make　people　feel　they　have　to　grab　something。
　　　They　each　took　a　tab；　looking　at　it。
　　　The　Countess　Krak　pushed　the　dynamo　plunger。
　　　Grafferty　and　the　three　cops　went　into　rigid　statue　stances！
　　　So　did　Kutzbrain！！
　　　Krak　went　over　and　closed　the　apartment　door　and　put　the　chain　on　it。
　　　She　stood　back　and　inspected　the　five　statues。　They　were　unseeing；　paralyzed　into　awkward　stances。
　　　The　Countess　Krak　went　back　into　the　bedroom。
　　　She　neatly　covered　up　the　naked　body　of　Miss　Simmons　again。　She　picked　up　the　microphone　and　sat　down　in　the　chair。
　　　Miss　Simmons　was　sprawled　out；　relaxed　and　smiling　under　the　helmet。
　　　〃Now；〃　said　the　Countess　Krak；　〃we　will　take　up　how　you　really　feel　about　Wister。　You　know　you　are　not　good　enough　for　him。　But　you　are　eternally　grateful　to　him　for　not　having　you　himself　but　letting　you　be　raped。　Your　gratitude　amounts　to　the　worship　you　would　give　a　saint　and　you　know　you　would　defile　him　if　he　so　much　as　touched　your　body　parts。　You　understand　that；　don't　you？〃
　　　〃Yes；〃　said　Miss　Simmons。
　　　〃Therefore；〃　said　the　Countess　Krak；　〃the　very　next　time　he　es　to　class；　you　will　tell　him　that　he　has　been　such　a　good　student　you　are　passing　him　with　the　highest　grade　for　the　whole　remainder　of　the　course。　You　will　tell
　　　him　that　he　does　not　have　to　attend　your　class　further；　does　not　have　to　take　any　examinations　for　Nature　Appreciation；　that　he　is　unconditionally　plete；　and　you　will　mark　your　records　accordingly　so　there　is　no　slip…up。　Have　you　got　that？〃
　　　〃Yes。〃
　　　〃You　will　also　tell　other　teachers　what　a　fine　student　he　has　been　and　will　believe　it　yourself。　Got　that？〃
　　　〃Yes。〃
　　　〃At　the　very　next　class　he　attends；　you　will　promptly　send　him　away。　You　will　never　have　to　see　him　again。　Isn't　that　nice？〃
　　　〃Very　nice。〃
　　　The　Countess　Krak　fingered　the　mike。　Then　she　took　a　deep　breath。　She　said；　〃After　you　have　sent　Wister　away；　you　can　please　yourself。　It　will　be　your　life　that　you　are　living　and　I　have　no　wish　to　take　control　of　it；　but　I　want　to　give　you　some　very　sound　advice。　Stop　running　around　with　this　Krafft…Ebing　fellow。　He　and　his　pals　Havelock　Ellis　and　Sigmund　Freud　are　a　crummy　crowd。　My　suggestion　to　you　is　that　you　find　a　nice　young　man…NOT　Wister…and　get　married。　It's　your　life；　but　you　should　consider　settling　down　and　doing　things　in　a　more　normal　way。〃
　　　〃A　normal　way；〃　muttered　Simmons。
　　　〃Exactly；〃　said　the　Countess　Krak。　〃You'll　find　it　is　much　more　fun。〃
　　　〃More　fun；〃　muttered　Simmons。
　　　〃Sex　without　love；〃　said　the　Countess　Krak；　〃is　a　waste　of　time。　Do　you　understand？〃
　　　〃Waste　of　time；〃　said　Simmons。
　　　〃Good；〃　said　the　Countess　Krak。　〃Are　you　confused　or　worried　about　anything？〃
　　　〃Oh；　no！〃
　　　〃Good。　You　will　now　forget　I　have　ever　been　here。　When　I　remove　the　helmet　you　will　go　quietly　to　bed　without　leaving　this　room。　You　will　ignore　anything　you　hear　or　see　until　tomorrow。　You　will　have　a　nice　night's　sleep。　You　will　awake　fully　tomorrow　to　a　new　world。　Anything　you　find　or　that　happens　in　this　apartment　or　the　living　room　tomorrow　you　will　disregard；　invent　a　reasonable　explanation　for　and　will　refuse　to　be　troubled　about。　Okay？〃
　　　〃Okay；〃　said　Miss　Simmons。
　　　The　Countess　Krak　turned　off　the　helmet　and　removed　it。　Miss　Simmons　promptly　crawled　under　the　bedcovers　and　was　instantly　asleep。
　　　I　flinched　now　as　the　Countess　Krak　went　out　of　the　bedroom　and　closed　the　door　behind　her。　I　knew　what　I　would　do：　kill　the　witnesses。　My　only　question　was　how　she　would　do　it。　I　was　losing　allies　right　and　left　and　could　only　sit　there　in　that　closet；　trapped；　and　watch；　powerless　to　prevent　the　inexorable；　crushing　wheels　of　Fate。

Chapter　7

　　　Police　Inspector　Grafferty　was　standing　in　a　silly　pose；　immobile；　staring　at　his　hand。　The　three　policemen　remained　in　different　stages　of　arrest；　one　looking　at　the　ceiling；　another　at　the　floor；　the　third　twisted　halfway　round；　staring　blankly　at　his　chief。
　　　Kutzbrain　had　his　mouth　open；　stopped　in　mid…flight　of　overwrought　fury。
　　　The　Countess　walked　up　to　Kutzbrain　and　recovered　her　dart。　She　put　it　in　the　black　container。
　　　Then　she　went　to　each　policeman；　took　his　gun　away；　unloaded　it；　took　his　spare　shells　and　dumped　them　in　the　shopping　bag。　She　put　their　guns　back　in　their　holsters。　She　pried　Grafferty's　from　his　fingers　and　did　the　same　and　then　holstered　it　for　him。　How　had　she　learned　to　do　that？　I　was　puzzled　until　I　recalled　that　Bang…Bang　was　always　around　the　office。　What　had　that　mad　car…bomber　been　teaching　her？　Goose　pimples　broke　out　on　my　arms　despite　the　closet　heat。　I　did　not　like　this！　What　would　she　do　now？　Something　diabolical；　I　was　certain。
　　　She　then　got　on　her　jacket。　She　threw　her　black　sable　short　cape　over　her　shoulders。　She　stepped　to　a　mirror　and　arranged　her　blond　fluffy　hair。　Then　she　recovered　and　drew　on　her　scarlet　gloves。
　　　She　went　over　to　a　window　and　opened　it　an　inch。　It　was　dusk　but　the　sound　of　neighborhood　children　shouting　and　yelling　came　from　the　street。
　　　She　wound　up　the　microphone　cord　very　neatly　and　packed　the　hypnohelmet　in　the　shopping　bag。　She　looked　around　to　see　if　she　had　left　anything。
　　　Then　she　drew　out　a　very　tiny　object。
　　　I　froze。
　　　A　BOMB！
　　　Oh；　my　worst　fears　were　realized。
　　　The　Countess　Krak　looked　at　the　five　men。　It　was　like　a　waxworks　where　they　show　famous　figures　in　the　middle　of　a　notorious　crime。　But　this　crime　was　not　something　of　the　past；　exhibited　for　historical　edification；　it　was　here　and　now！　It　was　about　to　happen　in　all　its　hideous　awfulness！
　　　Those　poor　devils　were　about　to　feel　the　full　fury　of　the　remorseless　Countess　Krak。
　　　Poor　Kutzbrain。　If　only　somebody　had　thought　to　warn　him　that　she　had　slaughtered　three　men　for　simply　making　an　innocent　pass　at　her！　I　knew　she　would　never　forgive　that。　She　had　s