jherbert.sepulchre-第23部分

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！


p　to　his　sloping　shoulders　and　splayed　there　like　pubics。
　　The　day　of　the　Neanderthal　wasn't　quite　over；　mused　Halloran。
　　Monk　moodily　turned　away；　revealing　the　shambles　of　his　room　in　the　wedge　of　light　from　the　open　door。　Magazines　and　ic…books　littered　the　floor；　a　tray　filled　with　dirty　plates　and　a　beer　can　rested　by　the　bed…a　surprisingly　small　bed　considering　the　man's　bulk。　Halloran　had　no　desire　to　see　further。
　　'Monk；'　he　said　quietly；　and　the　bodyguard　looked　back。　He　stood　there　as　if　rooted；　his　shoulders　hunched　so　that　his　neck　seemed　sunken　into　his　chest。　He　glowered　at　Halloran；　who　told　him；　'Any　disturbance　at　all　you　e　straight　to　me。　Is　that　understood？'
　　'You're　shittin'　me；'　was　the　response。
　　Halloran　shook　his　head。　'You　e　and　get　me。　Not　Kline。　You　warn　me　first。'
　　'That　ain't　the　way。'　over。'
　　'You　find　me　first　or　I'll　break　your　arms　when　the　fuss　is　The　bodyguard　turned　back　all　the　way；　squaring　himself　at　Halloran。　'I'm　paid　to　watch　out　for　Mr　Kline；'　he　said；　his　piping　voice　as　low　as　he　could　register。
　　'I'm　being　paid　more　to　do　the　same。　You　want　to　discuss　it；　take　it　up　with　Kline　in　the　morning。　Tonight　you　do　as　I　say。'　Monk　might　well　have　rushed　him　there　and　then　and　Halloran　didn't　think　it　was　the　memory　of　what　had　happened　last　time　that　prevented　him　from　doing　so：　no；　it　had　more　to　do　with　getting　into　trouble　with　his　employer。　Monk　flicked　his　tongue　across　his　lips；　glistening　them；　his　mind　still　not　made　up。
　　'I　want　you　downstairs　in　two　minutes；'　Halloran　told　him　curtly。　Then　he　walked　away；　hearing　something　shatter　in　the　room　behind。　Monk's　bedroom　must　have　been　even　more　of　a　shambles　with　his　dinner　things　scattered　across　the　floor。　Halloran　smiled；　knowing　that　a　score　would　have　to　be　settled　when　this　affair　was　over；　he；　himself；　was　prepared　to　let　it　lie；　but　he　knew　the　other　man　wouldn't　share　the　same　view。　That　was　going　to　be　Monk's　misfortune。
　　He　returned　to　his　bedroom　on　the　first　floor；　pausing　to　look　out　over　the　centre　courtyard　on　the　way。　The　moon　palely　laminated　the　flagstones；　the　fountain　throwing　a　misshapen　shadow　across　the　whiteness；　an　irregular　stain　on　a　pattern　of　rough　squares。　He　searched　to　one　side　of　the　fountain；　wondering　about　the　sealed　door　he　had　found　in　the　short　corridor　there。　It　had　been　Youssef　Daoud　who　had　disturbed　him　as　he　tried　the　door。
　　Halloran　had　asked　where　the　door　led　to　and　why　was　it　locked；　but　Daoud's　prehension　of　the　English　language　（it　was　mentioned　in　their　files　that　both　Arabs　spoke　good　English）　had　suddenly　bee　very　poor；　and　he　could　only　grin　at　Halloran　and　shake　his　head。　Halloran　had　gone　back　outside　to　the　courtyard。　Later　Cora　told　him　that　the　staircase　the　Arab　had　watched　him　from　led　to　Kline's　private　quarters。
　　Darkness　crept　over　the　rooftops　and　down　into　the　well　below；　thick　clouds　claiming　the　moon　for　their　own；　dim　lights　from　windows　around　the　house　asserting　little　influence　over　the　blackness。　He　moved　away；　going　to　his　room　and　quietly　closing　the　door　behind　him；　relieved　to　shut　the　rest　of　Neath　away　for　a　short　while。　He　shrugged　off　his　jacket；　hanging　it　on　one　of　the　posts　at　the　foot　of　the　bed。　Taking　the　Browning　Hi…Power　from　its　waist…holster；　he　placed　it　on　the　bedside　table；　then　set　his　soft…alarm　clock　for　ten　minutes　to　four。　With　one　last　scan　of　the　grounds　outside　the　window…there　wasn't　much　to　see　save　for　the　black　trumps　of　hills　and　an　orange　glow　over　a　nearby　town…he　lay　on　the　bed；　undoing　two　more　shirt　buttons；　but　leaving　his　shoes　an　and　laced。　He　put　one　pillow　on　top　of　its　mate　and　rested　back；　his　eyes　closing　immediately；　the　dim　light　from　the　bedside　lamp　no　bother　at　all。
　　Sleep　was　not　long　in　ing。　And　with　its　dream　came　a　memory　。　。　。
　　。　。　。　He　could　hear　the　harsh　breathing　from　behind　the　wood　latticework；　as　though　drawing　in　air　was　an　unfortable　process　for　the　priest　。　。　。　Bless　me；　Father；　for　I　have　sinned　。　。　。　Liam　wondered　why　he　did　not　feel　the　shame　he　was　supposed　to。　He　recounted　his　'crimes'　against　the　Holy　Father　in　Heaven　and　smiled　in　the　unlit　confessional；　feeling　no　resentment　even　in　having　to　reveal　secrets　to　a　man　whom　he　had　no　liking　for；　and　worse；　no　respect　for　。　。　。　I've　lied；　Father；　I've　stolen　things　。　。　。　the　bow　of　the　priest's　large　head　in　the　diamond　holes　of　the　struts；　a　nodded　acceptance　of　the　confessor's　iniquity　。　。　。　I've　abused　my　own　body；　Father…that's　how　the　boys　were　taught　to　say　it；　'abused'　instead　of　'pleasured'　。　。　。　and　I've　called　God　dirty　names　。　。　。　movement　stopping　in　the　adjoining　cubicle；　the　priest's　breath　momentarily　held。　。　。　Liam's　smile　widening　。　。　。　I've　asked　God　why's　he's　a　wicked　bastard；　Father　。　。　。　the　bulky　head　turning　towards　him；　the　priest's　eyes；　unseen　but　felt；　burning　through　the　latticework。　He　took　him　from　mam　an'　me　。　。　。　the　boy's　smile　hard；　his　eyes　staring　ahead；　seeing　nothing　。　。　。　Liam；　gunmen　took　your　father's　life；　not　God　。　。　。　why　He　。　。　。　why　He　made　me　Mam　。　。　。　why　He　made　her。　。　。　the　boy's　eyes　moistened；　the　smile　still　there　。　。　。　do　things　。　。　。　mad　things　。　。　。　why　she's　to　go　away　。　。　。　Liam…the　priest　again；　gentle　now　。　。　。　why　。　。　。　the　boy's　first　sob；　the　hunching　of　his　shoulders；　hands　reaching　up；　fingers　sinking　through　the　black　diamonds　of　the　grille；　curling　round；　clutching　and　pulling　as　if　to　wrench　away　a　barrier　against　truth　。　。　。　the　shadow　beyond　moving；　light　thrown　to　show　emptiness　there　。　。　。　the　door　beside　Liam　opening；　Father　O'Connell　reaching　in；　touching　the　boy's　shoulder　。　。　。　Liam　pushing　him　away；　shrinking　down　into　the　booth's　corner；　forcing　his　head　hard　against　his　raised　knees；　tears　uncontrolled；　thin　body　jerking　with　the　outflow　。　。　。　the　priest；　a　burly　and　dark　silhouette；　bending　forward；　arms　outstretched　。　。　。
　　。　。　。　A　tapping　on　the　door。
　　Halloran's　eyes　opened　immediately；　consciousness　returning　almost　as　fast。　The　dream　remained　as　an　image；　one　that　could　be　put　aside　for　the　moment。　He　was　moving　towards　the　door；　gun　tucked　into　holster；　before　the　tapping　resumed。　He　opened　up；　one　foot　rigid　against　the　base　of　the　door　so　that　it　couldn't　be　forced　wider。
　　Outside　stood　Cora。
　　　
　　　
　　　18　UNHOLY　MUNION
　　
　　There　were　candles　all　around　him；　tall　thick…stemmed　candles；　candles　that　were　black。　They　hardly　lit　the　chamber；　though　his　wretchedly　thin　naked　body　glistened　highlights　under　their　subdued　glow；　the　two　dark…skinned　men　had　used　oil　on　him；　their　excitement　enhanced　by　the　slippery　smoothness　of　his　skin。
　　And　there　were　eyes　watching　him　constantly。　Large；　unblinking　eyes；　grouped　together　at　the　far　end　of　the　room。
　　The　youth　moaned；　twisted　his　head；　movement　weakened　by　the　frequent　injection　of　fluid　into　his　veins。　They　kept　him　passive。　But　not　all　the　time。　Sometimes　the　Arabs　liked　to　hear　him　screaming。
　　No　sound　could　escape　this　room；　they　had　said；　grinning　at　him；　holding　each　other's　hand。　This　was　a　secret　place；　one　of　worship；　where　the　walls　were　strengthened　by　the　very　earth　itself。　Scream；　they　had　urged　him。　Shriek；　for　our　delight；　they　had　said　as　long　needles　pierced　his　flesh。　Let　us　see　you　weep；　they　coaxed　as　sharp　things　were　imbedded　in　his　genitalia。
　　They　had　taken　the　hair　from　his　（body；　even　gulled　free　the　eyelashes；　plucked　his　nostrils　clear；　so　that　he　remained　only　gleaming　colourless　flesh；　a　languid；　loose…muscled　object　one　moment；　a　fitful　shivering　creature　the　next。　And　sometimes；　perhaps　because　of　the　drugs；　the　pain　was　exquisite。
　　They　had　removed　his　tongue　when　they　grew　tired　of　his　words；　suspending　his　body　so　that　he　would　not　suffocate　on　his　own　blood；　sealing　the　wound　with　liquid　that　blazed　more　than　the　cutting。　Then　they　had　mocked　his　gibbering　as　they　used　his　body　with　their　own；　thrusting　into　him　with　a　force　that　tore　and　bloodied　him　inside。
　　The　youth　attempted　to　move　his　limbs；　but　they　were　restrained；　not　by　drugs　but　by　manacles。　He　lay　on　the　hard　flat　surface；　arms　and　legs　stretched　outwards；　body　punctured　by　wounds；　many　needles　still　protruding；　metal　du