jherbert.sepulchre-第18节

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ined；　where　once　there　had　been　carved　animals；　cones　and　spheres；　there　were　protrusions　and　distortions；　the　vegetation　neither　natural　nor　engineered；　but　tortured　and　bizarre。　At　present　these　green　deformities　served　only　to　provide　random　screening　for　anyone　approaching　the　house。
　　'Can　we　sit　for　a　while？'　Halloran　turned　to　Cora　again；　the　fragile　anxiety　behind　her　gaze　puzzled　him。　She　had　changed　iota　jacket　and　jeans　for　their　tour　of　the　grounds；　the　transformation　from　city　lady　into　country　girl　both　easy　and　pleasing。　Even　so；　that　slight　darkness　beneath　her　eyes　seemed　more　pronounced；　tainting　some　of　her　freshness。
　　'We've　covered　quite　a　distance　in　a　short　space　of　time；'　he　said。　'I'm　a　little　breathless　myself。'
　　'It's　not　that。　It's　。　。　。　just　peaceful　up　here。'　He　caught　the　hesitation　and　wondered　at　it。　He　also　caught　her　glance　towards　the　house　as　she'd　spoken。　She　sank　to　her　knees　and　he　followed　suit；　lounging　back　on　one　elbow　while　his　search　roved　the　grounds　below。　The　lake　had　bee　leaden　and　grey；　no　breeze　stirring　its　surface；　no　sunlight　dappling　its　currents。
　　'Tell　me　about　him；　Cora。'　She　looked　startled。　'About　Felix？'　He　nodded。　'Is　he　as　mysterious　as　he　pretends？　Is　he　as　crass　as　he　pretends？　I'll　accept　that　he　can　do　these　wonderful　things　for　Magma…why　else　would　they　insure　his　life　for　so　much？　but　what　is　his　power　exactly；　where　does　it　e　from？'　Her　laugh　was　brittle。　'Perhaps　even　he　doesn't　know　the　answer　to　that　last　question。'
　　'Why　are　you　afraid　of　him？'　Her　look　was　sharp；　angry。　Nevertheless　she　replied。　'Felix　mands　respect。'
　　'Fear　and　respect　aren't　the　same　thing。　You　don't　have　to　tell　me；　but　is　he　much　more　than　an　employer　to　you？'
　　'As　you　say；　I　don't　have　to　tell　you。'　There　was　something　moving　from　the　trees　on　a　slope　at　the　far　side　of　the　house。　Halloran　watched　without　alerting　the　girl。
　　She　mistook　his　silence　for　something　else。　'I'm　sorry；'　she　said。　'I　understand　you're　only　doing　your　job。　I　suppose　it's　important　that　you　know　as　much　as　possible　about　Felix。'　The　shape　had　slunk　back　into　the　trees。　Too　small；　too　low　to　the　ground　to　be　a　deer。　Too　big　and　dark　to　be　a　fox。　Why　hadn't　it　been　mentioned　that　there　was　a　dog　on　the　estate？　Maybe　it　was　a　stray。
　　'It　isn't　quite　that　important；　Cora；'　he　said。　'I　think　the　reason　I　ask　is　that　I　want　to　know　more　about　you；　not　Kline。'　A　subtle　flaring　of　her　pupils；　the　movement　noticed　by　Halloran。　His　words　had　roused　emotions　in　her。　Those　dark　spots　within　the　blue　quickly　retreated。　'I　suppose　that's　part　of　your　job　too。　You　obviously　think　I　could　endanger　Felix　in　some　way。'
　　'It's　possible；　but　it　isn't　why　I'm　interested。'　She　gave　a　small　shake　of　her　head；　her　expression　confused。　'Then　why　。　。　。　？'　He　shrugged。　'It's　bothering　me　too。　Let's　say　I　don't　feel　we're　strangers。'　Cora　stared　at　him。　He　wasn't　smiling；　but　there　was　humour　in　his　eyes。　At　first　she　thought　he　was　mocking　her；　but　then　he　did　smile　and　its　warmth　was　enveloping。　That　warmth　spread　through　her；　seeping　into　her　body　as　if　to　purge　the　coldness　there。　Yet　paradoxically　she　sensed　a　chilling　danger　in　this　man　and　she　was　afraid　of　how　much　he　would　discover　about　her；　about　Kline…about　Neath　itself…before　this　affair　was　through。　She　had　sensed　Kline's　fascination　with　his　newfound　protector　at　their　first　meeting　and　it　frightened　her；　for　there　might　be　unguarded　moments　they　would　all　regret。　There　was　a　perceptiveness　about　Halloran；　a　knowingness；　that　was　intimidating　as　it　was　reassuring。　There　was　the　dichotomy　of　the　man　and　perhaps　that　was　part　of　his　allure。
　　'I　。　。　。　I　think　we　should　return　to　the　house；'　was　all　she　could　think　of　to　say。
　　He　caught　her　wrist　as　she　began　to　rise　and　the　touching　startled　her。　'I'm　here　to　see　that　no　harm　es　to　you；'　he　said。
　　'To　Felix　you　mean；'　she　replied；　staying　there　on　the　ground　when　he　took　his　hand　away。
　　'You're　part　of　it。　Your　safety　is　just　as　important。'
　　'Not　as　far　as　Magma　is　concerned。'　She　managed　to　smile。
　　'You're　part　of　it；'　he　repeated；　and　Cora　was　unsure　of　his　meaning。　'You　still　haven't　answered　any　of　my　questions；'　he　persisted。
　　'I'm　not　sure　that　I　can。　I'm　not　sure　that　I　know。'　He　watched　her　confusion　and　realised　he　had　delved　too　soon。　Cora　could　never　accept　him　so　quickly：　an　instinct　told　him　she　held　secrets　that　bound　her　to　Kline　in　some　way。
　　'All　right；'　he　said。　'For　now。'　He　stood；　then　reached　down　to　pull　her　to　her　feet。
　　At　first　Cora　thought　he　was　angry；　so　forceful　was　his　grip；　but　he　held　her　to　his　chest　for　a　moment　longer　than　necessary；　looking　down　into　her　face；　a　quiet　intensity　to　his　gaze。
　　'Liam　。　。　。'　she　said；　but　he　had　already　released　her　and　turned　away。　She　watched　him　for　a　few　moments　before　following；　an　unsteadiness　to　her　movement　that　threatened　to　make　her　slip。　She　caught　up　with　him　and　Halloran　noticed　her　awkwardness；　this　time　he　reached　for　her　arm　and　held　it　gently；　lending　just　enough　support　to　help　her　walk　more　steadily。　Cora's　breathing　was　shallow；　nervous；　and　she　felt　something　had　drained　from　her；　not　her　strength；　and　not　her　resolution…Felix　Kline　had　subjugated　those　a　long　time　ago…but　perhaps　her　fear　of　Halloran　himself。
　　'Who　are　you？'　she　could　only　whisper。　'Nothing　more　than　you　can　see；'　he　replied。　But　she　felt　that　was　not　quite　true。
　　　
　　　
　　　14　ROOMS　AND　CORRIDORS
　　
　　There　were　dark　places　in　Neath；　corners；　niches；　which　sunlight　could　never　touch；　rooms　Bloomed　in　permanent　dusk。；　corridors　where　dust　motes　seemed　to　clog　the　air；　halls　where　footsteps　echoed　in　emptiness。　Yet　there　were　also　areas　of　dazzling　light；　the　sun　bursting　through　leaded　windows　with　a　force　intensified　by　thick　glass；　these　were　cleansing　places；　where　Neath's　dank　chill　could　be　scoured　from　the　body；　although　only　briefly　as　other　rooms；　other　corridors；　were　entered；　brightness　left　behind　like　some　sealed　core。
　　Halloran　explored　and　found　many　locked　doors。
　　Tapestries　adorned　hallways。　Fine　portraits　hung　in　main　rooms　and　on　stairways；　meaningless　to　anyone　other　than　direct　descendants　of　the　subjects　themselves。　Curved　giltwood　furniture　displayed　itself　in　arrangements　that　precluded　fortable　use。　Ornaments　and　sculptures　were　set　around　the　house　like　museum　pieces；　there　for　admiration　but　perhaps　not　out　of　love…or　so　it　seemed　to　Halloran。　The　house　was　a　showcase　only；　full　of　history；　but　oddly　devoid　of　spirit；　Kline's　attempt　（presumably）　at　presenting　an　aesthetic　side　to　his　nature　revealing　nothing　more　than　an　indifference　to　such　things　（or　at　the　most；　pretensions　towards　them）。　The　giveaway　was　the　separateness　of　each　item；　the　lack　of　relationship　to　those　nearby；　every　piece　of　furniture；　every　sculpture　or　painting；　an　isolated　entity　in　itself；　set…pieces　among　other　set…pieces。　Fine　for　a　museum；　but　not　for　a　home。
　　Yet　spread　among　them；　as　if　at　random。　were　curios　from　a　vastly　different　and　more　ancient　culture：　an　encased　necklace　with　thinly　beaten　gold　pendants　shaped　like　beech　or　willow　leaves；　stone　statuettes　of　a　bearded　man　and　a　woman；　their　hands　clasped　over　their　chests　as　though　in　prayer；　their　eyes　peculiarly　enlarged　so　that　they　appeared　to　be　staring　in　adoration；　aboard　game　of　some　kind；　its　squares　decorated　with　shell　and　what　appeared　to　be　bone；　two　sets　of　stone　counters　of　different　colour　laid　alongside；　a　silver　cup　with　a　robed　figure　in　relief。　Perhaps　these；　thought　Halloran；　along　with　other　similar　items；　were　a　clue　to　where　Kline's　real　interests　in　art　lay；　for　they　provided　a　consistent　thread；　a　continuity　that　was　missing　in　the　other；　later；　antique　pieces。　It　would　seem　that　his　client　had　a　penchant　for　the　older　civilisations。
　　The　room　allocated　to　Halloran　was　at　the　front　of　the　house；　overlooking　the　lawns　and　lake。　Furnishings　were　functional　rather　than　pleasing　to　the　eye：　wardrobe；　chest　of　drawers；　bedside　cabinet…utility　fare　with　no　heritage　to　boast　of。　The　wide　bed；　with　its　multi…coloured；　lumpy　quilt；　looked　fortable　enough；　bedposts　at　each　corner　rose　inches　above　the　head…　and　foot…boards；　the　wood　itself　of　dark　oak。
　　He　had　unpacked　his　suitcase　before　exploring　the　rest　of　the　building；　and　placed　the　black　case　he'd　also　brought　with　him　on　a　shelf　inside　the　wardrobe。
　　His　inspection　had　taken　him　to　every　section　of　the　house　save　where　the　locked　doors　had　hindered　him…even　out　onto　the　various　turrets　from　where　he　had　surveyed　the　surrounding　slopes　with　considerable　unease。　The　frontage；　with　its　lawns　and　placid　lake；　provided　the　only　point　of　clear　view；　the　rear　and　side　aspects　were　defence　uncertainties。　And　worse：　there　was　no　alarm　system　installed　at　Neath。　It　was　difficult　to　understand　why　a　man　who　was　evidently　in　fear　for　his　own　safety　hadn't　had　his　home　wired　against　intrusion；　particularly　when　his　penthouse　in　the　Magma　building　was　a　place　of　high；　albeit　flawed；　security。　Well　at　least　conditions　here　could　soon　be　rectified。　Halloran　had　wandered　on　through　the　house；　examining　window　and　door　locks；　eventually　being　satisfi