preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第92节

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a　flash；　when　the　bloated　eye　had　fixed　on　hers：　she　knew　this　man。　As　grotesquely　malformed　as　it　now　was；　she　remembered　seeing　that　distinctive　face　before；　so　powerful；　so　self…confident；　emerging　from　the　back　of　a　limousine　outside　the　Catherine　Street　digsite。
　The　shock　nearly　took　her　breath　away。　She　looked　with　horror　at　the　figure's　retreating　back。　What　had　the　Surgeon　done　to　him？　Was　there　anything　she　could　do　to　help？
　Even　as　the　thought　came　to　her；　she　realized　the　man　was　far　beyond　help。　She　lowered　the　flashlight　from　the　grotesque　form　as　it　shuffled　slowly；　aimlessly　away　from　her；　back　toward　a　room　beyond　the　lab。
　She　thrust　the　light　forward。　And　then；　in　the　edge　of　the　flashlight's　beam；　she　made　out　Pendergast。
　He　was　in　the　next　room；　lying　on　his　side；　blood　pooling　on　the　ground　below　him。　He　looked　dead。　Nearby；　a　large；　rusted　axe　lay　on　the　floor。　Beyond　it　was　an　upended　executioner's　block。
　Suppressing　a　cry；　she　ran　through　the　connecting　archway　and　knelt　before　him。　To　her　surprise；　the　FBI　agent　opened　his　eyes。
　〃What　happened？〃　she　cried。　〃Are　you　all　right？〃
　Pendergast　smiled　weakly。　〃Never　better；　Dr。　Kelly。〃
　She　flashed　her　light　at　the　pool　of　blood；　at　the　crimson　stain　that　covered　his　shirtfront。　〃You're　been　hurt！〃
　Pendergast　looked　at　her；　his　pale　eyes　cloudy。　〃Yes。　I'm　afraid　I'll　need　your　help。〃
　〃But　what　happened？　Where's　the　Surgeon？〃
　Pendergast's　eyes　seem　to　clear　a　little。　〃Didn't　you　see　him；　ah；　walk　past？〃
　〃What？　The　man　covered　with　sores？　Fairhaven？　He's　the　killer？〃
　Pendergast　nodded。
　〃Jesus！　What　happened　to　him？〃
　〃Poisoned。〃
　〃How？〃
　〃He　picked　up　several　of　the　objects　in　this　room。　Take　care　not　to　follow　his　example。　Everything　you　see　here　is　an　experimental　poison…delivery　system。　When　he　handled　the　various　weapons；　Fairhaven　absorbed　quite　a　cocktail　of　poisons　through　his　skin：　neurotoxins　and　other　fast…acting　systemics；　no　doubt。〃
　He　grasped　her　hand　with　his　own；　slippery　with　blood。　〃Smithback？〃
　〃Alive。〃
　〃Thank　God　for　that。〃
　〃Leng　had　started　to　operate。〃
　〃I　know。　Is　he　stable？〃
　〃Yes；　but　I　don't　know　for　how　long。　We've　got　to　get　him…and　you…to　a　hospital　right　away。〃
　Pendergast　nodded。　〃There's　an　acquaintance　of　mine；　a　doctor；　who　can　arrange　everything。〃
　〃How　are　we　going　to　get　out　of　here？〃
　Pendergast's　gun　lay　on　the　ground　nearby；　and　he　reached　for　it；　grimacing　a　little。　〃Help　me　up；　please。　I　need　to　get　back　to　the　operating　room；　to　check　on　Smithback　and　stop　my　own　bleeding。〃
　She　helped　the　agent　to　his　feet。　Pendergast　stumbled　a　little；　leaning　heavily　on　her　arm。　〃Shine　your　light　on　our　friend　a　moment；　if　you　please；〃　he　said。
　The　Fairhaven…thing　was　shuffling　along　one　wall　of　the　room。　He　ran　into　a　large　wooden　cabinet；　stopped；　backed　up；　came　forward　again；　as　if　unable　to　negotiate　the　obstacle。　Pendergast　gazed　at　the　thing　for　a　moment；　then　turned　away。
　〃He's　no　longer　a　threat；〃　he　murmured。　〃Let's　get　back　upstairs；　as　quickly　as　possible。〃
　They　retraced　their　steps　back　through　the　chambers　of　the　subbasement；　Pendergast　stopping　periodically　to　rest。　Slowly；　painfully；　they　mounted　the　stairs。
　In　the　operating　room；　Smithback　lay　on　the　table；　still　unconscious。　Nora　scanned　the　monitors　quickly：　the　vitals　remained　weak；　but　steady。　The　liter　bag　of　saline　was　almost　empty；　and　she　replaced　it　with　a　third。　Pendergast　bent　over　the　journalist；　drew　back　the　covers；　and　examined　him。　After　a　few　moments；　he　stepped　back。
　〃He'll　survive；〃　he　said　simply。
　Nora　felt　a　huge　sense　of　relief。
　〃Now　I'm　going　to　need　some　help。　Help　me　get　my　jacket　and　shirt　off。〃
　Nora　untied　the　jacket　around　Pendergast's　midsection；　then　helped　him　remove　his　shirt；　exposing　a　ragged　hole　in　his　abdomen；　thickly　encrusted　in　blood。　More　blood　was　dripping　from　his　shattered　elbow。
　〃Roll　that　tray　of　surgical　instruments　this　way；〃　he　said；　gesturing　with　his　good　hand。
　Nora　rolled　the　tray　over。　She　could　not　help　but　notice　that　his　torso；　although　slender；　was　powerfully　muscled。
　〃Grab　those　clamps　over　there；　too；　please。〃　Pendergast　swabbed　the　blood　away　from　the　abdominal　wound；　then　irrigated　it　with　Betadine。
　〃Don't　you　want　something　for　the　pain？　I　know　there's　some…〃
　〃No　time。〃　Pendergast　dropped　the　bloody　gauze　to　the　floor　and　angled　the　overhead　light　toward　the　wound　in　his　abdomen。　〃I　have　to　tie　off　these　bleeders　before　I　grow　any　weaker。〃
　Nora　watched　him　inspect　the　wound。
　〃Shine　that　light　a　little　lower；　would　you？　There；　that's　good。　Now；　if　you'd　hand　me　that　clamp？〃
　Although　Nora　had　a　strong　stomach；　watching　Pendergast　probe　his　own　abdomen　made　her　feel　distinctly　queasy。　After　a　moment　he　laid　down　the　clamp；　took　up　a　scalpel；　and　made　a　short　cut　perpendicular　to　the　wound。
　〃You're　not　going　to　operate　on　yourself；　are　you？〃
　Pendergast　shook　his　head。　〃Just　a　quick…and…dirty　effort　to　stop　the　bleeding。　But　I've　got　to　reach　this　colic　vein；　which；　with　all　my　exertion；　has　unfortunately　retracted。〃　He　made　another　little　cut；　and　then　probed　into　the　wound　with　a　large；　tweezer…like　instrument。
　Nora　winced；　tried　to　think　of　something　else。　〃How　are　we　going　to　get　out　of　here？〃　she　asked　again。
　〃Through　the　basement　tunnels。　My　research　on　this　area　turned　up　the　fact　that　a　river　brigand　once　lived　along　this　stretch　of　Riverside。　Based　on　the　extent　of　the　cellars　below　us；　I　feel　certain　now　that　this　was　his　residence。　Did　you　notice　the　superb　view　of　the　Hudson　the　house　manded？〃
　〃No；〃　Nora　replied；　swallowing。　〃Can't　say　I　did。〃
　〃That's　understandable；　considering　the　North　River　Water　Pollution　Control　Plant　now　blocks　much　of　the　view；〃　Pendergast　said　as　he　fished　a　large　vein　out　of　the　wound　with　the　clamp。　〃But　a　hundred　and　fifty　years　ago；　this　house　would　have　had　a　sweeping　view　of　the　lower　Hudson。　River　pirates　were　fairly　mon　in　the　early　nineteenth　century。　They　would　slip　out　onto　the　river　after　dark　to　hijack　moored　ships　or　capture　passengers　for　ransom。〃　He　paused　while　he　examined　the　end　of　the　vein。　〃Leng　must　have　known　this。　A　large　subbasement　was　the　first　thing　he　wanted　in　a　house。　I　believe　we　will　find　a　way　down　to　the　river；　via　the　subbasement。　Hand　me　that　absorbable　suture；　if　you　please？　No；　the　larger　one；　the　4…0。　Thank　you。〃
　Nora　looked　on；　wincing　inwardly；　as　Pendergast　ligated　the　vein。
　〃Good；〃　he　said　a　few　moments　later；　as　he　released　the　clamp　and　put　the　suture　aside。　〃That　vein　was　causing　most　of　the　bleeding。　I　can　do　nothing　about　my　spleen；　which　has　obviously　been　perforated；　so　I'll　merely　cauterize　the　smaller　bleeders　and　close　the　wound。　Would　you　hand　me　the　electrocauterer；　please？　Yes；　that's　it。〃
　Nora　handed　the　device…a　narrow　blue　pencil　at　the　end　of　a　wire；　two　buttons　marked　cut　and　cauterize　on　its　side…to　the　FBI　agent。　Once　again；　he　bent　over　his　wound。　There　was　a　sharp　crackling　sound　as　he　cauterized　a　vein。　This　was　followed　by　another　crackling　noise…much　longer　this　time…and　a　thin　wisp　of　smoke　rose　into　the　air。　Nora　averted　her　eyes。
　〃What　was　Leng's　ultimate　project？〃　she　asked。
　Pendergast　did　not　respond　immediately。　〃Enoch　Leng　wanted　to　heal　the　human　race；〃　he　said　at　last；　still　bent　over　the　wound。　〃He　wanted　to　save　it。〃
　For　a　moment；　Nora　wasn't　sure　she　had　heard　correctly。　〃Save　the　human　race？　But　he　was　killing　people。　Scores　of　people。〃
　〃So　he　was。〃　Another　crackling　noise。
　〃Save　it　how？〃
　〃By　eliminating　it。〃
　Nora　looked　back　at　him。
　〃That　was　Leng's　grand　project：　to　rid　the　earth　of　humanity；　to　save　mankind　from　itself；　from　its　own　unfitness。　He　was　searching　for　the　ultimate　poison…hence　those　rooms　full　of　chemicals；　plants；　poisonous　insects　and　reptiles。　Of　course；　I　had　plenty　of　tangential　evidence　before：　the　poisonous　materials　on　the　glass　fragments　you　unearthed　from　Leng's　old　laboratory；　for　example。　Or　the　Greek　inscription　on　the　escutcheon　outside　the　house。　Did　you　notice　it？〃
　Nora　nodded　her　head　numbly。
　〃It's　the　final　words　of　Socrates；　spoken　as　he　took　the　fatal　poison。
　'Crito；　I　owe　a　cock　to　Asclepius；　will　you　remember　to　pay　the　debt？'　Yet　another　thing　I　should　have　realized　sooner。〃　He　cauterized　another　vein。　〃But　it　wasn't　until　I　saw　the　room　full　of　weapons　that　I　made　the　connection　and　realized　the　scope　of　his　plans。　Because　creating　the　ultimate　poison　alone　wasn't　enough…he　would　also　have　to　create　a　delivery　system；　a　way　to　make　it　reach　across　the　globe。　That's　when　the　more　vexing；　inexplicable　parts　of　the　cabinet…the　clothing；　weapons；　migratory　birds；　windborne　spores；　and　the　rest…made　sense　to　me。　Among　other　things；　while　researching　this　delivery　system；　he　had　collected　all　manner　of　poisoned　objects：　clothing；　weapons；　accessories。　And　much　of　it　was　poisoned　by　himself…redundant　experiments　with　all　manner　of　poisons。〃
　〃My　God；〃　Nora　said。　〃What　a　crazy　scheme。〃
　〃It　was　an　ambitious　scheme；　certainly。　One　he　realized　would　take　several　lifetimes　to　plete。　That　was　why　he　developed　his；　ah；　method　of　life　extension。〃
　Pendergast　put　the　electrocauterer　carefully　to　one　s