preston&child.thecabinetofcuriosities-第96节

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　As　if　in　answer；　there　was　a　sharp　rasping　sound。　A　small　flame　now　hovered　over　Pendergast's　left　hand：　a　slim　gold　lighter；　burning　yellow　in　the　dim　light。　Without　saying　a　word；　he　touched　the　flame　to　the　end　of　the　paper。
　〃Wait！〃　cried　Smithback；　lunging　forward。　Pendergast；　holding　the　burning　paper　aloft；　adroitly　sidestepped　his　grab。
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　Smithback　wheeled　around。　〃For　God's　sake；　give　me　that…〃
　The　old；　accordioned　sheet　was　already　half　gone；　black　ash　curling；　breaking　off；　dropping　to　the　frozen　earth　of　the　grave。
　〃Stop！〃　Smithback　gasped；　stepping　forward　again。　〃Think　this　out！　You　can't…〃
　〃I　have　thought　it　out；〃　Pendergast　replied。　〃I've　done　nothing；　these　last　six　weeks　of　searching；　but　think　it　out。　It　was　a　member　of　the　Pendergast　family；　to　my　everlasting　shame；　who　brought　this　formula　to　light。　So　many　died　for　it：　so　many　Mary　Greenes　that　history　will　never　know。　I；　having　uncovered　it；　must　be　the　one　to　destroy　it。　Believe　me：　this　is　the　only　way。　Nothing　created　out　of　such　suffering　can　be　allowed　to　exist。〃
　The　flame　had　crawled　up　to　the　final　edge；　Pendergast　opened　his　fingers；　and　the　unburned　corner　flared　into　ash　on　its　way　to　the　turned　earth。　Gently；　Pendergast　pressed　it　into　Mary　Greene's　grave。　When　he　stepped　back；　nothing　remained　but　a　black　stain　in　the　brown　earth。
　A　brief；　shocked　silence　followed。
　Then　Smithback　put　his　head　into　his　hands。　〃I　can't　believe　it。　Did　you　bring　us　here　just　to　see　that？〃
　Pendergast　nodded。
　〃Why？〃
　〃Because　what　I　have　just　done　was　too　important　to　do　alone。　It　was　an　action　that　required　witnesses…if　only　for　the　sake　of　history。〃
　As　Nora　looked　at　Pendergast；　she　saw…behind　the　conflict　still　evident　on　his　face…a　bottomless　sorrow；　an　exhaustion　of　spirit。
　Smithback　shook　his　head　miserably。　〃Do　you　know　what　you've　done？　You've　just　destroyed　the　greatest　medical　advance　ever　made。〃
　The　FBI　agent　spoke　again；　his　voice　low　now；　almost　a　whisper。　〃Can't　you　see？　This　formula　would　have　destroyed　the　world。　Leng　already　had　the　answer　to　his　problem　right　in　his　hand。　Had　he　released　this　into　the　world；　it　would　have　been　the　end。　He　only　lacked　the　objectivity　to　see　it。〃
　Smithback　did　not　reply。
　Pendergast　glanced　at　the　writer　for　a　moment。　Then　he　dropped　his　gaze　to　the　grave。　His　shoulders　seemed　to　droop。
　Nora　had　been　standing　back；　watching；　listening；　without　saying　a　word。　Suddenly；　she　spoke。
　〃I　understand；〃　she　said。　〃I　know　how　difficult　that　decision　must　have　been。　For　what　it's　worth；　I　think　you　did　the　right　thing。〃
　As　she　spoke；　Pendergast's　eyes　remained　on　the　ground。　Then；　slowly；　his　gaze　rose　to　meet　her　own。　Perhaps　it　was　her　imagination；　but　the　anguish　in　his　face　seemed　to　lessen　almost　imperceptibly　at　her　words。
　〃Thank　you；　Nora；〃　he　said　quietly。



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