jherbert.sepulchre-第67部分

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ll　he　asked　in　return　was　their　worship；　their　veneration　of　his　ways。　Burnt　offerings　pleased　him；　the　roasting　of　men；　women　and　children。　Defilement　of　the　other　gods　he　demanded。　The　torture　of　innocents　was　an　appeasement　to　him；　for　they　also　feared　Marduk　as　much　as　their　rulers　did。　The　kings　and　princes；　the　other　high　priests；　were　powerless　to　act　against　him。　Until　King　Hammurabi；　that　is；　who　united　all　the　state　leaders　against　Marduk；　whom　he　declared　was　an　evil　god　who　should　be　known　forever　more　as　Bel…Marduk。'　Halloran　glanced　up　at　the　stairway。　He　thought　he　had　heard　movement　in　the　passage。
　　'The　king　denounced　Bel…Marduk　as　a　fallen　god；'　Kline　went　on　in　a　voice　that　lurched　with　anger。　'Much　later　the　Jews　referred　to　him　as　the　Fallen　Angel。'　Halloran　frowned。
　　'Ah；　I　see　a　glimmer　of　understanding；'　Kline　remarked。　'Yes；　I　do　mean　the　Fallen　Angel　of　the　Bible；　later　to　bee　known　as　the　Devil。'　The　lilt　of　Irish　was　in　Halloran's　mild　ment。　'You're　crazy；　Kline。'　A　silence。
　　Then　a　low　chuckle。
　　'One　of　us　might　be；'　said　Kline。　'But　listen　on；　there's　more　to　tell。'　The　staring　eyes　of　the　stone　effigies　around　the　shaded　figure　seemed　threatening。　Halloran　tried　to　close　them　from　his　mind。
　　'Bel…Marduk　was　destroyed　for　preaching　the　〃perverted　message〃。　His　limbs　were　torn　from　him；　his　tongue　cut　out；　so　that　his　immortal　soul　would　be　trapped　inside　a　body　which　could　only　lie　in　the　dirt。　The　priests　rendered　him　as　a　snake；　and　they　called　him　Serpent。'　The　dark　figure　leaned　forward。　'Does　it　sound　familiar　to　you；　Halloran？　Didn't　your　Catholic　priests　teach　you　of　Lucifer；　the　Fallen　Angel；　who　was　cursed　to　crawl　in　the　dust　as　a　snake　for　his　corruption　of　the　innocents；　for　revealing　the　secrets　of　the　Tree　of　Life　to　the　unworthy？　Don't　you　see　where　those　stories　of　the　Bible　e　from？　I　told　you　last　night　that　the　traditional　site　of　the　Garden　of　Eden　was　the　land　between　the　rivers　Tigris　and　Euphrates　in　Sumeria　from　where；　according　to　tablets　found　in　Mesopotamia；　the　Jewish　race　originated。　It　was　from　Ur　of　the　Chaldees　that　Abraham　led　his　tribe　north　into　Syria；　then　through　Canaan　into　Egypt。　They　took　with　them　stories　that　later　became　the　myths　of　their　Bible。　The　Great　Flood；　the　baby　Moses　found　among　bulrushes…borrowed　history！　The　Hebrew　account　of　the　Creation　and　the　first　chapters　of　Genesis…they　were　based　on　old　Sumerian　legends。　Legends　because　the　old　kings　had　ordered　all　records　of　their　early　history　to　be　destroyed；　their　way　of　ensuring　Bel…Marduk's　corruption　would　not　be　passed　on　to　other　generations。　But　they　didn't　understand　how；　evil　can　be　inherited；　not　learned　from　the　written　word。'　There　were　figures　at　the　top　of　the　stairs；　but　Kline　appeared　not　to　notice。
　　'We　Jews　even　adopted　the　Cabala　as　our　own；　claiming　it　was　passed　on　from　Noah　to　Abraham；　from　Abraham　to　Moses；　who　initiated　seventy　elders　into　the　mysteries　during　their　years　of　wandering　in　the　wilderness。　Bel…Marduk's　teachings　were　never　discontinued；　nor　was　his　revenge　on　mankind！　Even　the　other　man…god；　Jesus　Christ；　who　chose　the　Jews　as　his　people；　couldn't　stem　the　flow！　He　came　to　undo　the　Serpent's　work；　the　only　way　of　redeeming　earth's　people。　And　look　what　happened；　Halloran。　He　was　executed；　just　like　his　predecessor；　Bel…Marduk！　Makes　you　wonder　why　he　bothered；　doesn't　it？　Look　around　you　today；　Halloran；　and　you'll　see　the　conflict　still　goes　an。　You're　part　of　it；　I'm　part　of　it。'　Kline　leaned　forward　once　more。　'The　question　is；'　he　said　craftily；　'on　which　side　of　the　struggle　are　you？'　Halloran　could　give　no　answer。
　　Kline　pushed　himself　back　into　the　chair。　'Bring　her　dawn！'　he　called　out。
　　There　was　movement　from　above　and　Halloran　raised　his　eyes　to　see　Cora；　flanked　by　Palusinski　and　the　other　Arab；　descending　the　stairway。　She　wore　her　bathrobe；　its　belt　tied　loosely　at　the　front；　and　her　step　was　unsteady。　When　she　reached　the　bottom　and　looked　around　the　soft　bewilderment　in　her　eyes　was　obvious。　He　wondered　if　the　drug　had　been　forced　upon　her。
　　'Liam　。　。　。'　she　began　to　say　on　seeing　him。
　　'Concerned　for　your　lover；　Cora　dear？'　came　Kline's　voice　from　the　shadows。　Now　there　was　fear　as　she　looked　to…wards　the　source。
　　'What　are　you　going　to　do　with　her；　Kline？'　Halloran　demanded。
　　'Nothing　at　all。　Cora　won't　be　harmed。　I　haven't　groomed　her　for　that。　But　I　need　a　new　ally；　you　see；　someone　who'll　watch　for　me。　I　always　knew　a　replacement　would　be　necessary　one　day；　I　just　didn't　realise　how　imminent　that　day　was。'
　　'You　can't　make　her　take　his　place。'
　　'Oh；　I　can。　She's　filth；　Halloran；　degenerate。　You　must　understand　that　by　now。　She's　bee…no；　she's　almost　bee…what　I've　always　wanted　her　to　be。　The　final　depravity　is　about　to　happen。'
　　'You　made　her　like　this？'
　　'Of　course。　Cora　was　a　sweet　little　thing　when　she　first　came　to　my　attention；　much　too　good　for　the　likes　of　you　and　me。　An　English　Rose；　you　might　say。　It　was　an　interesting　exercise　turning　her　into　something　else。'
　　'With　drugs？'
　　'At　the　beginning。　She　never　even　realised。　A　few　drops　of　something　mixed　with　her　food　or　her　drink；　enough　only　to　soften　her　inhibitions。　A　gradual　process；　an　extremely　slow　journey　into　degradation。　Eventually　the　drugs　were　hardly　necessary…I'd　helped　Cora　develop　certain　〃tastes〃。　There　was　more　to　be　achieved　before　she　became　mine　pletely；　but　now　time　is　too　precious；　the　process　has　to　be　hastened　if　she's　to　fulfil　her　role。'　The　wire　was　cruel　against　his　throat　as　Halloran　tensed。　'You　can't　make　her　into　something　like　that。'
　　'Like　my　Keeper？　Why　not？　Who　would　know；　who　would　care？　She'll　merely　leave　the　employ　of　the　Magma　Corporation　to　bee　my　private　assistant。　These　kind　of　relationships　develop　all　the　time　in　business；　surely　you　know　that？'
　　'This　is　insane。'
　　'That's　a　stupid　assertion　you　keep　making；　Halloran。　You　don't　believe　anything　I've　told　you。'　Despite　his　anger；　Halloran　smiled。
　　'You　confuse　me；'　Kline　said；　weariness　heavy　in　his　voice。　'For　a　while　I　thought　you　could　be　of　use　to　me；　like　the　others。　I　searched　the　world　for　men　such　as　Palusinski　and　Monk；　Khayed　and　Daoud；　seeking　out　wickedness　wherever　it　might　lurk。　They're　indebted　to　me；　these　men；　because　I　gave　them　a　channel　for　their　evil…and　such　a　fine　evil　it　is。　There　are　more；　many　more；　as　these　four；　and　I　use　them　on　my　journeys。　You　could　have　joined　us　because　you're　not　unlike　them。　Yet　I　can't　know　you；　and　that　makes　me　wary。　You　saved　me　from　assassination…my　dreams　and　my　senses　have　told　me　the　threat　is　near…but　still　I　can't　bring　myself　to　trust　you。　You're　an　enigma；　and　while　that　may　have　its　fascination　for　me；　I　see　no　reason　to　have　an　unknown　quantity　so　close；　particularly　at　a　time　when　things　are　not　as　they　should　be。　No；　you'll　have　to　be　disposed　of。'　The　wire　bit　deeper　as　the　Arab　behind　Halloran　giggled。
　　'Aren't　you　forgetting　something？'　the　operative　managed　to　say　despite　his　throat's　constriction。　The　wire　loosened　once　more　and　he　swallowed　hard。
　　'Tell　me。'　It　came　as　a　sneer。
　　'My　organisation　knows　where　I　am；　who　I'm　working　for。　I　can't　just　disappear。'
　　'Tut；　tut；'　Kline　said　flatly。　'What　a　fool　I　am　for　overlooking　that。'　The　mocking　ceased　just　as　abruptly。　'Don't　you　see？　You　put　up　a　valiant　fight　against　intruders；　but　they　murdered　you　before　my　own　bodyguards　drove　them　off。　How's　that？　Convincing？　Who　can　prove　otherwise？　And　incidentally；　Monk　was　one　of　them；　a　traitor　in　our　midst。　He　went　with　them　after　we　fought　them　off。　In　fact；　he　was　the　swine　who　murdered　you。'　Halloran　ignored　the　laughter。　'Cora　…'
　　'She　won't　be　saying　anything　against　me　after　tonight！'　Kline　snapped。　His　hands　thumped　the　side　of　the　chair。　'Time　to　press　on。　All　this　talk　is　wearying。　Help　me；　Asil。'　The　Arab　brushed　past　Cora　and　Palusinski　and　hurried　to　where　his　master　sat　among　the　effigies。
　　'Let　Halloran　stand；　Youssef；　but　watch　him；　keep　him　harnessed。'　The　wire　brought　Halloran　to　his　feet　and　he　had　to　concentrate　to　keep　himself　steady；　for　his　head　was　still　groggy。　Cora　took　a　step　towards　him　and　Palus