el.angeleyes-第4节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Ariel　looked　at　her。　〃I　believe　you　have　the　most　extraordinary　eyes　I've　ever　seen；〃　he　said。　〃This　afternoon　they　were　turquoise；　green；　I　thought。　Now　they　are　the　color　of　cobalt。〃
　Tori　laughed。　〃My　father　used　to　call　me　Angel　Eyes。　My　brother　and　I　had　the　same　eyes。〃
　〃Had？〃　Ariel　had　caught　a　tone　as　well　as　a　tense。
　Tori　put　her　head　down　into　darkness。　〃My　brother's　dead。〃
　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　Tori　took　a　deep　breath。　〃Well。　He　was　a　wonderful　man。　And　he　was　blessed。　Before　he　died；　he　flew　like　an　angel。　And　like　an　angel；　he　saw　the　whole　planet　spread　out　before　him。〃　Ariel　looked　at　her　quizzically；　and　she　smiled　sadly。　〃My　brother　was　an　astronaut。〃
　Ariel　snapped　his　fingers。''Nunn。　Wait　a　minute。　Greg　Nunn？　The　American　who　died　in　that　joint　mission　to　Mars　with　the　Russians？　What　was　that；　last　year？〃
　〃Eighteen　months。〃
　〃Greg　Nunn　was　your　brother？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　It　was　just　a　whisper；　but　it　told　the　discerning　listener　volumes。　Ariel　wisely　decided　to　change　the　subject。　〃Estilo　mentioned　that　you　are　retired；〃　he　said。　〃From　what？〃
　What　to　tell　him？　〃Family　business；〃　Tori　said。　Not　exactly　a　lie；　but　not　the　truth；　either。
　He　grunted。　〃Me；　too。　Only　I'm　still　in　it。〃　They　began　to　walk。　''It　used　to　be　fun　when　my　father　ran　it。　I　could　do　pretty　much　what　I　wanted。　I　never　realized　how　boring　the　meat　business　was　until　my　father　died　and　I　was　obliged　to　take　it　over。　Responsibility　seemed　to　drain　all　the　fun　out　of　the　work。''
　They　were　at　the　cemetery's　gate；　and　passing　through　into　me　street。　Tori　had　the　feeling　that　an　oppressive　weight　had　lifted　from　her。　In　there；　it　had　seemed　as　if　the　very　air　she　had　been　breathing　was　humid　with　the　spirits　of　the　dead。　She　took　one　last　look　at　the　sad…faced　stone　angels；　as　though　she　could　hear　their　wings　rustling　in　the　windswept　night。
　〃So　running　the　business　isn't　enough；〃　Tori　said；　giving　him　an　opening　to　perhaps　talk　about　why；　as　Estilo　had　said；　he　was　really　in　Buenos　Aires。
　〃I　don't　believe　I'm　in　the　mood　to　go　back　to　Estilo's；〃　Ariel　said；　as　if　he　hadn't　heard　her　question。　〃It's　raining；　and　the　climate　is　not　conducive　to　a　party。''
　Tori　wondered　whether　by　the　climate　he　meant　the　weather　or　his　state　of　mind。　Either　way；　it　was　all　right；　she　had　no　desire　to　wedge　herself　back　into　Estilo's　ultratrendy　crowd。
　He　took　her　to　Cafe　Tortoni；　a　well…known　jazz　bar　on　the　Avenida　de　Mayo。
　〃Are　you　often　up　late　at　night？〃
　〃Only　when　I'm　traveling；〃　Ariel　said。　He　shrugged。　〃I　don't　know　what　it　is；　but　all　my　business　associates　seem　to　be　aficionados　of　la　vida　nocturna…　night　life。〃
　Tori　had　been　in　love　with　the　night　life；　twice。　As　an　underage　teenager　she　had　used　her　beauty　to　hang　out　in　Los　Angeles'　most　dangerous　night　spots。　Years　later　the　clandestine　late…night　clubs　of　Tokyo；　so　far　away　from　her　native　L。A。；　had　held　another　form　of　danger。　But　by　that　time　she　was　an　entirely　different　person；　wasn't　she？
　They　drank　cane　brandy　while　a　black　saxophonist　made　noises　in　concert　with　a　West　Indian　snare　drummer　and　a　blond；　slick…fingered　bassist。　It　didn't　sound　much　like　music；　but　everyone　seemed　content　to　listen　to　it。
　When　the　set　was　through；　Ariel　looked　at　his　watch。　〃It's　after　midnight。　Are　you　tired？〃
　Tori　shook　her　head。
　〃Good。〃　He　paid　the　check；　then　led　her　out　of　the　restaurant。　They　picked　up　a　taxi　on　the　avenue；　and　Ariel　told　the　driver；　〃La　Manzana　de　las　Luces。〃　The　driver　shrugged；　headed　south　into　the　downtown　district。
　The　Square　of　Enlightenment；　between　Peru　and　Bolivar　at　the　intersection　of　the　Avenida　Julio　Roca；　was　a　treasure　trove　of　historical　landmarks。　But　the　only　one　Tori　could　remember　offhand　was　the　offices　of　La　Prensa；　Argentina's　most　famous　newspaper。
　The　taxi　let　them　off　on　Peru；　and　Ariel　stopped　in　front　of　number　222。　It　had　an　Italian…designed　facade　typical　of　the　mid…1880s；　though　Ariel　informed　her　the　building　itself　was　more　than　a　hundred　years　older　than　that。
　〃This　place　has　belonged　variously　to　two　newspapers　and　the　University　of　Buenos　Aires；〃　Ariel　said。　〃But　by　far　its　most　interesting　tenant　was　the　General　Attorney　of　the　Jesuits；　for　whom；　apparently；　it　was　built。　King　Charles　the　Third　of　Spain　kicked　the　order　out　in　1767。　But　before　then　some　fascinating　goings…on　occurred　here。〃
　〃Like　what？〃
　〃e　on；〃　Ariel　said。　〃I'll　show　you。〃
　He　led　her　around　to　the　side　of　the　structure。　Here　the　narrow　alley　was　dimly　lit。　They　went　down　a　flight　of　ancient　stone　steps　so　worn　they　were　concave　in　their　centers。　Tori　saw　that　even　in　the　gloom　Ariel　had　no　difficulty　negotiating　them。
　A　moment　later　she　heard　what　she　suspected　was　the　grate　of　an　old　key　in　an　even　older　lock。　A　stained　wood…plank　door　creaked　inward　on　iron　hinges。　A　musty　darkness　loomed。
　〃Is　this　okay？〃　Tori　asked。
　〃Do　you　like　to　take　chances？〃
　She　heard　his　voice　as　a　disembodied　whisper；　and　did　not　answer。
　〃Watch　your　step；〃　Ariel　said；　reaching　back　and　taking　her　hand。　He　pulled　her　inside；　closed　the　door　behind　them。
　He　led　her　through　absolute　blackness。　She　heard　the　squeal　of　another　door　opening；　Ariel's　voice　whispering；　〃Now　duck　your　head。〃
　There　were　more　steps；　and　the　chill　mineral　dampness　that　bred　mold　and　lichen　wafted　over　her。　The　steps　were　very　steep　and　quite　narrow。　The　rich　scents　of　limestone　and　earth　enveloped　her；　Tori　thought。　It's　like　smelling　one's　own　grave；　and　for　an　instant　she　felt　the　hairs　stirring　at　the　base　of　her　neck。
　〃These　tunnels　date　back　to　the　eighteenth　century。〃　Tori　wondered　why　he　was　still　whispering。　After　all；　down　in　the　bowels　of　the　earth　who　could　overhear　their　conversation？
　〃These　tunnels　are　something　of　a　tourist　attraction　nowadays；〃　Ariel　continued；　his　lips　brushing　her　ear。　〃The　tourists　are　told　that　these　tunnels　were　built　to　aid　in　the　defense　of　the　city　during　wartime。　But　the　truth　is　the　Jesuits　built　them　in　order　to　smuggle　in　contraband。　The　king　had　decreed　that　Buenos　Aires；　like　the　other　Spanish　colonies；　could　trade　only　with　Spain。　But　at　the　behest　of　the　clever　Jesuits；　ships　of　other　nationalities　moored　in　the　port；　pretending　to　work　on　repairs　while　the　priests　off…loaded　their　cargo　into　these　secret　tunnels。〃
　Ariel　snapped　on　a　flashlight；　and　Tori　could　see　the　arched　ceilings；　the　branching　corridors。　Along　the　sides　of　the　tunnels　were　modern　lights　within　protective　metal　grills　above　the　equally　modern　concrete　walkway。
　He　led　her　around　a　turning；　into　a　small　chamber；　down　another　steep　flight　of　stone　steps。　Here　the　tunnels　seemed　older；　cruder；　or　perhaps　merely　in　a　state　of　disrepair。　The　air　was　closer；　mustier；　and　there　were　no　modern　lights；　no　concrete　walkway。　Loose　stones　ground　beneath　their　feet。
　Ariel　stopped　them　abruptly。　He　squeezed　her　hand　as　he　played　the　beam　of　the　flash　over　a　heap　of　pale　bones。　With　a　start；　Tori　saw　that　she　was　staring　at　a　grisly　jumble　of　human　skeletons。
　〃Here　is　all　that's　left　of　the　disappeared；〃　Ariel　whispered。　〃At　least　some　of　them；　poor　bastards。　Dumped　here　to　rot　beneath　the　city。〃
　〃What…〃
　Ariel's　hand　went　over　her　mouth　as　he　snapped　off　the　flashlight's　beam。
　Sounds…faint；　indistinct…wafted　toward　them　from　some　unknown　direction。　Ariel　stood　very　still；　he　seemed　scarcely　to　be　breathing。
　The　sounds　came　swiftly　closer。　Tori　strained　to　hear　what　they　were。　As　they　neared；　the　sounds　resolved　themselves　into　male　voices；　then　words；　and　Tori　thought。　My　God；　they're　speaking　Japanese。
　〃Perhaps　Rega　could　have　been　of　some　further　use；〃　one　voice　said。
　〃his　use　was　at　an　end；〃　the　other　said。　〃Given　half　a　reason；　he　would　have　betrayed　us。〃　A　laugh。　〃Besides；　it　felt　good　to　put　the　gun　against　the　back　of　his　neck；　pull　the　trigger；　and　boom！　Like　snuffing　out　a　candle　in　a　church。　In　that　instant；　you　know　something　significant　has　happened：　the　law　has　been　transgressed。〃
　〃I　am　a　Shintoist；〃　the　first　voice　said。　〃God　and　the　devil　mean　nothing　to　me；　like　the　blink　of　an　eye　seen　in　a　mirror。　All　illusion。〃
　〃I　am　Catholic；〃　me　second　voice　said；　〃so　I　understand　the　meaning　of　punishment…and　of　sin。〃
　〃I　don't　understand。　How　can　you　be　a　Catholic　and　a　sinner？〃
　That　laugh　again。'　'I　cannot　be　redeemed　if　I　haven't　sinned；　so　these　days　I　do　my　best　to　ignore　the　law。　Also；　as　you　must　suspect；　there　is　a　measure　of　personal　pleasure　for　me　in　violation。〃　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　〃Let's　get　on　with　it；〃　the　first　voice　said。
　It　was　impossible　to　say　just　how　close　the　voices　were。　Perhaps　they　were　around　an　unseen　corner；　perhaps　much　nearer　than　that…tunnel　acoustics　being　treacherously　unpredictable。
　Tori　suspected　that　Ariel　was　thinking　the　same　thing。　She　thought　he　wanted　to　get　out　of　there　but　was　afraid　of　being　seen　or　heard。
　Suddenly　a　light　snapped　on；　and　Tori　and　Ariel　were　caught　in　its　piercing　beam。　Tori　could　make　out　the　blossom　of　two　black　figures；　faceless；　on　me　move。
　〃Hey；　look！〃
　〃Who　the　fuck　〃
　The　glint；　dark　and　evil；　of　machine　pistols。
　〃Madre　de　Dios！〃　Ariel　breathed。　He　grabbed　her　hand；　pulled　her　out　of　the　circle　of　light。　They　began　to　stumble