jherbert.sepulchre-第36节

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question。
　　'It's　the　reason　I　bought　Neatly'　Kline　went　on。　'In　these　grounds　I　have　my　own　psychic　generator…the　lake　itself；　one　huge　receptacle　for　spiritual　force。　You　saw　for　yourself　tonight　how　the　lightning　was　drawn　to　it；　and　how　those　mysterious　properties　of　the　waters　reacted。　There　are　hundreds；　maybe　thousands；　of　such　fields　on　our　earth；　places　that　different　races　have　worshipped　from；　built　their　shrines　on；　paid　homage　to；　since　man　first　became　aware　of　the　other　side　of　his　nature。　They　still　do　to　this　day。　And　very　few　really　understand　why。'　He　sat　back　and　the　towel　swung　away　from　his　jaw。　He　was　smiling。
　　'In　some　locations；　metaphysical　and　physical　deposits　bee　almost　one；　and　that's　because　both　kinds　of　energy　are　related。　The　moon　affects　the　minds　of　men；　ask　any　psychiatrist　or　psychologist；　as　well　as　influencing　the　earth's　tides。　Vast　mineral　deposits…ores；　oil；　gas　or　whatever…have　that　potential　because　they're　all　sources　of　energy。　How　d'you　think　I　locate　them　for　Magma？　My　mind's　attracted　to　them　because　it's　from　these　sources　that　it　draws　sustenance；　the　same　way　an　animal　can　sniff　food　from　great　distances；　a　shark　can　sense　blood　in　the　water　from　miles　away。　Instinct　or　mind…power'？　Or　is　it　all　the　same　thing？'　Halloran　understood　what　he　was　being　told；　could　even　appreciate　that　there　was　some　kind　of　weird　logic　to　it；　but　Kline's　dissertation　was　difficult　to　accept。　'Are　you　saying　the　lake　has　particular　properties；　minerals　that　…'
　　'I　don't　know　what　the　fuck　it　has；　Halloran。　Nor　do　I　care。　Maybe　there's　something　underneath　the　lake　itself；　or　in　the　sludge　swilling　on　the　bottom。　None　of　that　matters　to　me；　I'm　just　happy　to　have　my　own　private　supply。'　Kline　rubbed　at　his　hair　again　with　the　towel。　'I　still　have　to　search　out　sources　in　other　parts；　though。　Like　the　Bedouins　have　their　secret　water…holes　all　over　the　desert；　always　handy　when　one　dries　up；　I　have　my　own　wells。　It　involves　some　travelling；　but　like　they　say；　travel　broadens　the　mind。　Right？'
　　'Is　that　how　you　picked　up　your　bodyguards；　passing　through　various　countries？'　Halloran　asked；　keen　to　lead　the　conversation　away　from　such　'mystical'　overtones。
　　Kline　was　reflective。　'Yeah。　Yeah；　I　did　a　lot　of　travelling。　Found　suitable　people　along　the　way。'
　　'People　and　animals。　How　did　you　get　the　jackals　back　into　the　country？'　Kline　shook　his　head。　'They　were　bred　for　me　here。　Unusual　pets；　huh？'
　　'You　could　say。　I　can't　help　wondering　why　you　chose　such　a　breed。'
　　'Because　they're　despicable；　Halloran。　I　like　flat。'　Kline　chuckled　as　he　gazed　into　the　fire。　'And　they're　scavengers。　But　an　underestimated　species；　all　the　same。　Scavengers；　yes；　but　not　cowardly　as　popular　belief　would　have　it。　Oh　no；　they'd　fight　off　eagles　and　hyenas　for　food。　And　they'd　snatch　a　morsel　from　under　a　lion's　nose。'　He　shook　his　head　as　if　in　wonder。　'Cunning；　too。　You　know；　one　will　distract　a　mother　antelope　while　another　grabs　the　baby。　They'll　tear　off　pieces　of　a　kill　and　bury　them　in　different　places　for　another　day　to　foil　rival　scavengers。　They'll　even　swallow　food　and　regurgitate　it　later　to　avoid　the　risk　of　it　being　stolen　by　swooping　eagles　on　the　journey　back　to　their　young。　Wonderful　survivors；　these　creatures；　Halloran。'
　　'As　you　say；　they're　scavengers。'
　　'True；　their　main　diet　is　carrion；　but　they　appreciate　other　delights。　The　jackal　is　very　partial　to　the　afterbirth　of　the　wildebeeste；　for　instance。　They'll　follow　a　herd　for　miles　sniffing　after　the　pregnant　cows。'
　　'There　was　someone　with　them　tonight。　He　was　standing　by　the　lakeside。'　Kline　turned　back　to　Halloran。　'So？'
　　'I　assume　it　was　the　person　who　controls　the　gates。'　The　other　man　nodded。
　　'Someone　else　you　picked　up　abroad？'　Kline　ignored　the　question。　'I　haven't　finished　telling　you　about　the　Sumerians。　Did　I　say　they　were　the　first　astrologers？　No；　I　don't　think　I　did。　They　built　ziggurats；　massive　square　towers；　as　temple　observatories。　That　was　the　start　of　astronomy　just　in　case　you're　unimpressed　by　zodiac　predictions。'　He　draped　the　towel　over　his　head　again　and　rested　back　in　his　chair；　watching　Halloran　from　the　shadows。
　　'Their　nation　sprung　up　between　the　Rivers　Tigris　and　Euphrates　in　what　these　days　is　called　Iraq。　A　green；　lush　area；　desert　all　around。　It's　the　traditional　site　of　the　Garden　of　Eden；　where　that　bad　old　angel　called　Serpent　got　Adam　and　Eve　into　deep　trouble；　and　had　his　wings　clipped…his　legs　too…for　the　rift　he'd　caused。　Serpent　was　forced　to　spend　the　rest　of　his　existence　crawling　on　his　belly；　and　when　you're　immortal；　as　all　angels　are；　that's　a　long　time。　Anyway；　the　Sumerians　knew　how　to　govern　themselves；　with　laws　and　organisation　of　labour　forces　and　rates　and　taxes　and　coalitions　between　the　different　cities。　The　smaller　towns　and　villages　even　had　their　own　mayors　and　municipal　councils。　Thing　is；　they　took　their　farming　seriously　and　because　whole　munities　could　be　fed　by　a　few；　others　were　left　to　get　on　with　developing　new　skills　and　professions。　The　beginning　of　real　civilisation；　Halloran。　For　better　or　worse；　the　start　of　the　whole　cultural　shebang。'
　　'Look；　right　now　there　are　more　relevant　matters　to　discuss。　Like　the　lack　of　security　on　this　estate；　for　instance。'　It　was　as　if　Kline　hadn't　heard　him。　'They　even　had　their　own　sure…fire　method　of　dealing　with　crime。　On　an　eye　for　an　eye　basis；　y'know？　A　son　who　raised　his　hand　against　his　father　would　have　that　hand　cut　off；　same　with　a　doctor　who　fouled　up　an　operation。　An　unfaithful　wife　would　have　a　breast　cut　off。　A　man　who　set　fire　to　a　house；　or　maybe　looted　a　burning　home；　would　be　roasted　alive。'　Kline　sniggered。　'Rough　justice；　but　effective。　And　oh　boy；　their　death　penalty。　As　well　as　roasting　there　was　beating；　strangulation　and　being　thrown　from　their　highest　temples。　Oh　yeah…and　mutilation。　Anyone　who　really　pissed　them　off　was　mutilated；　had　their　arms　and　legs　chopped　off。　The　idea　was　to　make　sure　that　particular　evil　would　never　rise　up　against　them　again。　Literally。　So　they　turned　these　sinners　into　limbless　creatures；　snakes…like　the　Serpent　of　old；　you　see…　only　tit　to　crawl　on　their　bellies　in　the　dirt。　Nasty　way　to　die；　left　all　；Done；　unable　to　move；　the　only　hope　being　that　death　didn't　take　too　long。'　Kline　visibly　shuddered。
　　'You　said　they　were　civilised。'
　　'They　found　a　way　to　make　their　system　work。　A　cruel　regime　in　many　respects；　but　they　taught　the　rest　of　the　world　something。　Strange　thing　is　that；　as　a　race；　they　vanished　from　the　face　of　the　earth。　Can　you　beat　that？　Just　died　out；　absorbed　into　other　cultures。　You　have　to　wonder　why；　don't　you；　considering　all　their　achievements？'
　　'Yeah；'　Halloran　replied　wearily；　'you　have　to　wonder。'
　　'Even　their　language　died　with　them。'　A　burning　coal　cracked；　a　gunshot　sound　that　made　both　men　glance　towards　the　fireplace。
　　After　a　moment；　Halloran　said：　'I　want　to　ask　you　about　Cora。'　Kline　settled　back　in　his　chair　and　slowly　pulled　the　towel　from　his　head。　There　was　a　curious　mixture　of　innocence　and　wickedness　in　his　expression；　perhaps　because　while　his　smile　was　ingenuous；　there　was　a　glint　of　maliciousness　in　his　eyes。
　　'This　on　a　personal　basis；　Halloran；　or　to　do　with　my　protection？T　'Maybe　both。　Why　is　she　so　。　。　。'　an　apt　word　was　difficult　'。　。　。　dependent　on　you？'　The　other　man　giggled；　a　childish　outburst。　Halloran　waited　patiently。
　　'She　isn't；'　came　the　reply。　'Nobody's　ever　truly　dependent　on　another　person；　didn't　you　know　that？　It's　only　their　own　weaknesses　that　they're　servile　to。　An　indulgence　on　their　part。　Self…inflicted。　The　tendency　is　to　use　someone　else　as　a　focus　for　their　own　deficiencies　maybe　even　as　a　patron　to　them。　Surprised　you　haven't　figured　that　out　for　yourself。'　Kline　leaned　forward　as　if　to　make　the　point。　'We　all　have　total　governance　over　our　own　will；　Halloran。　Ultimately；　no　one　can　interfere　with　that。'
　　'People　can　be　corrupted。'　The　reply　was　swift。　'Only　if　that's　what　they　secretly　want。'　Halloran　realised　that　he　was　now　reluctant　to　pursue　the　matter。　'We；　uh；　have　to　make　arrangements　for　tighter　security　around　the　estate。'　Amused；　Kline　studied　his　protector　for　several　seconds。　Why　so　interested　in　Cora？　You　haven't　bee　involved　in　anything　that　might　be　construed　as　''unprofessional〃；　I　hope。　After　all；　you've　been　contracted　to　take　an　interest　in　my　weilbeing；　no　one　else's。'　He　knew　his　client　was　mocking　him　and　wondered；　not　for　the　first　time；　why　Kline　had　sent　Cora　to　him　the　night　before。　'There's　a　difference　between　loyalty　and　dependence。'　Kline　looked　genuinely　surprised。　'You　suggesting　Cora　would　betray　me？'
　　'Not　at　all。　I　just　need　to　know　the　full　picture。'
　　'Well　let's　talk　about　her　some　more。'　Kline　interlaced　his　fingers　over　his　stomach；　his　elbows　resting　on　the　arms　of　the　chair；　eyes　closed　as　if　picturing　Cora　in　his　mind。　'She's　intelligent；　works　hard；　is　super…efficient　at　her　job。　She's　also　some　looker；　wouldn't　you　agree？　A　little　jaded　nowadays；　though；　like　she's　got　deep…rooted　troubles。　D'you　feel　that？　Yeah；　it's　pretty　obvious。　What　do　you　suppose　those　troubles　are？'　He　was　being　taunt