bl.necroscope2-第59节

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　A　simple　enough　deduction。
　〃But　have　you　no　desire　to　use　such　remains；　like　Thibor；　to　raise　yourself　up　again？〃
　You　are　na？ve；　Harry。　If！　could；　I　probably　would。　But　how？　I　died　here　and　may　not　depart　this　spot。　And　anyway。　I　know　that　you　will　destroy　whatever　Thibor　left　buried　in　that　castle　a　thousand　years　ago…if　it　has　survived。　But　a　thousand　years；　Harry…think　of　it！　Even　I　do　not　know　if　vampire　protoplasm　can　live　that　long；　in　those　circumstances。
　〃But　it　might　have　survived。　Doesn't　that。。。　interest　you？〃
　Harry　detected　something　like　a　sigh。　Harry；　I　will　tell　you　something。　Believe　me　if　you　like；　or　disbelieve；　but　I　am　at　peace。　With　myself；　anyway。　I　have　had　my　day　and　I　am　satisfied。　If　you　had　lived　for　thirteen　hundred　years　then　you　might　understand。　Perhaps　you　will　believe　me　if　I　say　that　even　you　have　been　a　disturbance。　But　you　must　disturb　me　no　longer。　My　debt　to　Ladislau　Giresci　is　paid　in　full。　Farewell。
　Harry　waited　a　moment；　then　said；　〃Goodbye；　Faethor。〃
　And　tired　now；　strangely　weary；　he　found　a　space…time　door　and　returned　to　the　M？bius　continuum。
　
　Harry　Keogh's　conversation　with　Faethor　Ferenczy　had　ended　none　too　soon；　Harry　Jnr　was　awake　and　calling　his　father's　mind　home。　Snatched　from　the　M？bius　continuum　into　the　infant's　increasingly　powerful　id；　Harry　was　obliged　to　wait　out　his　son's　period　of　wakefulness；　which　continued　into　Sunday　evening。　It　was　7。30　P。M。　In　England　when　finally　Harry　Jnr　went　back　to　sleep；　but　in　Romania　it　was　two　hours　later　and　darkness　had　already　fallen。
　The　vampire…hunters　had　a　suite　of　rooms　in　an　old　world　inn　on　the　outskirts　of　lonesti。　There　in　a　fortable　pine…panelled　lounge　they　finalised　their　plans　for　Monday　and　enjoyed　drinks　before　making　an　early　night　of　it。　That　at　least　was　their　intention。　Only　Irma　Dobresti　was　absent；　having　gone　into　Pitesti　to　make　final　arrangements　for　certain　ordnance　supplies。　She　had　wanted　to　be　sure　the　requisition　was　ready。　All　of　the　men　were　agreed　that　whatever　she　lacked　in　looks　and　personal　charm；　Irma　certainly　made　up　for　in　efficiency。
　Harry　Keogh；　when　he　materialised；　found　them　with　drinks　in　their　hands　around　a　log　fire。　The　only　warning　of　his　ing　was　when　Carl　Quint　suddenly　sat　bolt　upright　in　his　easy　chair；　spilling　his　slivovitz　into　his　lap。
　
　Visibly　paling；　staring　all　about　the　room　with　eyes　round　as　saucers；　Quint　stood　up；　but　even　standing　it　was　as　if　he　had　shrunk　down　into　himself。　〃Oh…oh！〃　he　managed　to　gasp。
　Gulharov　was　plainly　puzzled　but　Krakovitch；　too；　felt　something。　He　shivered　and　said；　〃What？　What？　I　think　there　is　some　…；　〃You're　right；〃　Alec　Kyle　cut　him　off；　hurrying　to　the　main　door　of　the　suite　and　locking　it；　then　turning　off　all　the　lights　except　one。　〃There　is　something。　Take　it　easy；　all　of　you。　He's　ing。〃
　〃What？〃　Krakovitch　said　again；　his　breath　pluming　as　the　temperature　plummeted。　〃Who　is。。。　ing？〃
　Quint　took　a　deep　breath。　〃Felix；〃　he　said；　his　voice　shivery；　〃you'd　better　tell　Sergei　not　to　panic。　This　is　a　friend　of　ours…but　at　first　meeting　he　may　e　as　a　bit　of　a　shock！〃
　Krakovitch　spoke　to　Gulharov　in　Russian；　and　the　young　soldier　put　down　his　glass　and　slowly　got　to　his　feet。　And　right　then；　at　that　very　moment；　suddenly　Harry　was　there。
　He　took　his　usual　form；　except　that　now　the　infant　was　no　longer　foetal　but　seated　in　his　mid…section；　and　it　no　longer　turned　aimlessly　on　its　own　axis　but　seemed　to　recline　against　Harry；　eyes　closed；　in　an　attitude　almost　of　meditation。　Also；　the　Keogh　manifestation　seemed　paler；　had　less　luminosity；　while　the　image　of　the　child　was　definitely　brighter。
　Krakovitch；　after　the　initial　shock；　recognised　Keogh　at　once。　〃My　God！〃　he　blurted。　〃A　ghost…two　ghosts！　Yes；　and　I　know　one　of　them。　That　thing　is　Harry　Keogh！〃
　〃Not　a　ghost；　Felix；〃　said　Kyle　as　he　took　the　Russian's　arm。　〃It's　something　rather　more　than　a　ghost…but　nothing　to　be　afraid　of；　I　assure　you。　Is　Sergei　all　right？〃
　Gulharov's　Adam's　apple　bobbed　frantically；　his　hands　shook　and　his　eyes　bulged；　if　he　could　have　run　he　probably　would　have；　but　the　strength　had　gone　out　of　his　legs。　Krakovitch　spoke　to　him　sharply　in　Russian；　told　him　to　sit；　that　everything　was　in　order。　Sergei　didn't　believe　him　but　he　sat　anyway；　almost　collapsing　into　his　chair。
　〃The　floor's　yours；　Harry；〃　said　Kyle。
　〃For　the　sake　of　goodness！〃　said　Krakovitch；　feeling　a　growing　hysteria；　but　trying　to　stay　calm　for　Gulharov's　sake。　〃Won't　someone　explain？〃
　Keogh　looked　at　him；　at　Gulharov；　too。　You　are　Krakovitch；　he　said　to　the　former。　You　have　psychic　awareness；　which　makes　it　easier。　But　your　friend　doesn't。　I'm　getting　through　to　him；　but　it's　an　effort。
　Krakovitch　opened　and　closed　his　mouth　like　a　fish；　saying　nothing；　then　thumped　down　into　his　chair　beside　Gulharov。　He　licked　dry　lips；　glanced　at　Kyle。　〃Not　。
　not　a　ghost？〃
　No；　I'm　not；　Harry　answered。　But　1　suppose　it's　an　understandable　mistake。　Look；　I　haven't　time　to　explain　my　circumstances。　Now　that　you've　seen　me；　maybe　Kyle　will　do　that　for　me？　But　later。　Right　now　I'm　short　of　time　again；　and　what　I　have　to　say　is　rather　important。
　〃Felix；〃　said　Kyle；　〃try　to　put　your　astonishment　behind　you。　Just　accept　that　this　is　happening　and　try　to　take　in　what　he's　saying。　I'll　tell　you　all　about　it　just　as　soon　as　I　have　the　chance。〃
　The　Russian　nodded；　got　a　grip　of　himself；　said；　〃Very　well。〃
　Harry　told　all　that　he'd　learned　since　the　last　time　he　and　Kyle　had　spoken。　His　terms　of　expression　were　very　abbreviated；　he　brought　the　INTESP　men　up　to　date　in　less　than　half　an　hour。　Finally　he　was　done；　and　looked　to　Kyle　for　his　response。　How　are　things　in　England？
　
　〃I　contact　our　people　tomorrow　at　noon；〃　Kyle　told　him。
　And　the　house　in　Devon？
　〃I　think　the　time　has　e　to　order　them　in。〃
　Keogh　nodded。　So　do　I。　When　do　you　make　your　move　in　the　cruciform　hills？
　〃We　finally　get　to　see　the　place　tomorrow；〃　Kyle　answered。　〃After　that。。。　Tuesday；　in　daylight！〃
　Well；　remember　what　I've　told　you。　What　Thibor　left　behind　is…big！
　〃But　it　lacks　intelligence。　And　as　I　said；　we'll　be　working　in　daylight。〃
　Again　the　Keogh　apparition　nodded。　I　suggest　you　move　in　on　Harkley　House　and　Bodescu　at　the　same　time。　By　now　he　has　to　be　pretty　sure　what　he　is　and　he's　probably　explored　his　vampire　powers；　though　from　what　we　know　of　him　he　doesn't　have　Thibor〃　or　Faethor's　cunning　or　insularity。　They　guarded　their　Wamphyri　identities…jealously！　They　didn't　go　around　making　more　vampires　unnecessarily。　On　the　other　hand　Yulian　Bodescu；　perhaps　because　he's　had　no　instruction；　is　a　time…bomb！　Frighten　him；　then　make　a　mistake　and　let　him　go　free；　and　he'll　go　like　wildfire；　a　vile　cancer　in　the　guts　of　all　humanity。
　Kyle　knew　he　was　right。　〃I　agree　with　you　on　the　timing；〃　he　said；　〃but　are　you　sure　you're　not　just　worrying　about　Bodescu　getting　to　Thibor　before　we　can　act　against　him？〃
　I　might　be；　the　apparition　frowned。　But　as　far　as　we　know　Bodescu　isn't　even　aware　of　the　cruciform　hills　and　what's　buried　there。　But　put　that　aside　for　now。　Tell　me；　do　your　men　in　England　know　what　has　to　be　done？　It　isn't　every　man　who'd　have　the　stomach　for　it。　it's　rough　work。　The　old　methods…the　stake；　decapitation；　fire　…there　are　no　other　ways。　Nothing　else　will　work。　It　can't　be　done　with　kid　gloves。　The　fire　at　Harkley　will　have　to　be　a　big　one。　A　bonfire！　Because　of　the　cellars。
　〃Because　we　don't　know　what's　down　there？　I　agree。　When　I　speak　to　my　men　tomorrow；　I'll　make　sure　they　fully　understand。　They　already　do；　I'm　sure；　but　I'll　make　absolutely　certain。　The　whole　house　has　to　go…from　the　cellars　up！　Yes；　and　maybe　down　a　little；　too。〃
　Good；　said　Keogh。　For　a　moment　he　stood　silent；　a　hologram　of　thin　blue　neon　wires。　He　seemed　a　little　uncertain；　about　something；　like　an　actor　needing　a　prompt。　Then　he　said：　Look；　I've　things　to　do。　There　are　people…dead　people…I　need　to　thank　properly　for　their　help。　And　i've　not　yet　worked　out　how　to　break　my　baby　son's　hold　on　me。　That's　being　a　problem。　So　if　you'll　excuse　me。
　Kyle　stepped　forward。　There　seemed　some　sort　of　air　of　finality　about　Harry　Keogh。　Kyle　wanted　to　hold　out　his　hand　but　knew　there　was　nothing　there。　Nothing　of　any　substance；　anyway。　〃Harry；〃　he　said。　〃Er；　give　them　our　thanks；　too。　Your　friends；　I　mean。〃
　I　will；　said　the　other。　He　smiled　a　wan　smile　and　disappeared　in　a　rapidly　dispersing　burst　of　foxfire。
　For　long　moments　there　was　a　breathless　silence。　Then　Kyle　turned　the　light　up　and　Krakovitch　drew　a　massive　breath　of　air。　Finally　he　expelled　it；　and　said：　〃And　now　…now　I　hope　you'll　agree　that　you　owe　me　something　of　an　explanation！〃
　Which　was　something　Kyle　could　only　go　along　with　。　。
　
　Harry　Keogh　had　done　all　he　could。　The　rest　of　it　lay　in　the　hands　of　the　physically　alive；　or　at　least　with　people　who　still　had　hands　to　accept　it。
　In　the　M？bius　continuum　Harry　felt　a　mental　tugging；　even　sleeping；　his　baby　son's　attraction　was　still　enormous。　Harry　Jnr　was　tightening　his　grip；　and　Harry　Snr　was　sure　that　he　had　been　right　about　the　infant：　he　was　drawing　on　his　mind；　leeching　his　knowledge；　absorbing　the　substance　of　his　id。　Soon　Harry　must