lrh.fortuneoffear-第46部分

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hatic　click　and　went　dead。
　　　I　mourned。

Chapter　6

　　　Bitter　in　my　defeat；　I　wandered　out　into　the　yard。　The　day　was　very　cold。　The　sky　was　gray。　A　wind　was　snarling　through　the　bleak　shrubs　like　a　hunting　wolf。　And　it　was　after　me。
　　　I　saw　Ters。　I　walked　over　to　him　and　said；　〃Where　is　the　taxi　driver？〃
　　　He　gave　his　evil　laugh。　〃I　think　he　giving　Utanc　new　car　a　test　drive。〃
　　　〃New　car？〃
　　　〃Just　deliver　this　noon。　Mercedes…Benz。　Brand…new。　Very　nice。　Taxi　driver　have　friend　who　sell。〃
　　　I　frowned。　I　suddenly　realized　that　Utanc　had　not　e　crawling　on　her　knees　to　me　for　money　as　expected。　And　here　she　was　with　a　new　Mercedes…Benz！　They　cost　a　double　fortune！　Where　was　she　getting　any　money？　Credit　cards？　A　surge　of　rage　raced　through　me。　I　would　have　it　out　with　her！
　　　〃Where　did　they　go？〃　I　demanded。　〃Which　way？〃
　　　〃I　think　Agricultural　Station。〃　And　he　laughed　his　evil　laugh。
　　　I　jumped　into　the　car。　〃Take　me　there！〃　I　demanded。　The　station　contained　Faht　Bey's　office。　Was　this　some　sort　of　plot　to　impoverish　me？
　　　We　roared　away。　I　was　looking　up　and　down　the　road；　trying　to　spot　Utanc　and　the　new　car。　We　pulled　up　at　the　station。　No　sign　of　that　car。
　　　I　rushed　into　the　hall　just　outside　Faht　Bey's　office。　I　was　on　the　brink　of　stepping　through　the　door。　Fortunately；　my　reflexes　are　very　fast。　Faht　Bey　was　in　some　sort　of　a　conference。　I　stopped。　Several　Turkish　women　and　men　were　sitting　around　his　desk；　backs　to　me。
　　　Faht　Bey　saw　me。　He　made　a　motion　with　his　hand；　a　sign　to　go　away。　I　backed　up　quickly。
　　　As　I　backed；　one　of　the　women　looked　toward　the　door。
　　　Yikes！　Even　through　the　veil；　I　recognized　her　as　one　of　the　first　women　I　had　had　in　the　car！
　　　Faht　Bey　crossed　the　room。　He　came　into　the　hall　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。　〃Listen；〃　he　said；　〃I　wouldn't　go　in　there　right　now　if　I　were　you。〃
　　　〃Some　kind　of　trouble？〃　I　said。
　　　〃I　don't　know　yet；〃　said　Faht　Bey。　〃In　fact；　I　don't　know　what　it　is　all　about　yet。　About　an　hour　ago；　that　woman　of　yours；　Utanc；　came　by　to　tell　me　that　some　people　wanted　to　see　me；　and　they've　just　now　arrived。〃
　　　〃Have　they　said　anything？〃　I　pleaded。
　　　〃Only　something　about　pregnancy。　Listen；　why　don't　you　e　back　later？　I　may　know　what　it　is　by　then。〃
　　　〃Pregnancy？〃　I　said。　〃Listen；　if　there's　any　trouble　with　pregnancy；　it　can　be　handled。　Don't　promise　anything！　But　it　can　be　handled！〃
　　　I　rushed　out。　I　jumped　into　the　car。　〃Take　me　to　the　hospital！〃　I　demanded。
　　　If　one　of　those　women　was　pregnant；　the　answer　was　very　plain。　I　had　not　been　a　Rockecenter　family　〃spi〃　without　learning　anything。　You　handled　pregnancy　with　abortion　every　time！　And　Prahd　was　the　man　to　see　on　this。　I　would　get　his　agreement　to　do　an　abortion　on　that　woman　and　everything　would　be　all　right。
　　　I　rushed　into　the　hospital；　through　the　lobby　and　to　Prahd's　office。　I　leaped　in。　He　was　sitting　at　his　desk。
　　　〃Pregnancy！〃　I　said。　〃You've　got　to　handle　it！〃
　　　Young　Doctor　Prahd　Bittlestiffender　looked　at　me。　In　a　sad　voice　he　said；　〃I　am　glad　you　have　finally　e　to　confess。〃
　　　〃I　didn't　mean　to；〃　I　said。　〃It　was　an　accident。　She　looked　so　beautiful　lying　there；　I　could　not　resist。〃
　　　〃And　you　took　no　precautions。〃
　　　〃How　was　I　to　know　she　would　get　pregnant　just　that　one　time！　It　was　up　to　her　to　take　precautions！〃
　　　〃And　you　expect　a　young　girl　to　know　these　things？〃　he　said。
　　　〃She's　not　that　young！〃　I　disputed。
　　　〃She's　young　enough　that　her　father　is　raving　mad　about　it！　And　she　isn't　even　of　age。〃
　　　A　horrible　thought　struck　me。　〃Who　are　we　talking　about？〃
　　　〃Nurse　Bildirjin；〃　said　Prahd。　〃Oh；　Officer　Gris；　to　think　that　you　would　contribute　to　the　delinquency　of　a　minor　behind　my　back；　to　leap　on　her　and　rape　her…　…　〃
　　　〃Hold　it！〃　I　cried。　〃If　we're　talking　about　Nurse　Bildirjin；　SHE　raped　me！〃
　　　〃You　just　confessed　that　she　was　just　lying　there　and　you　could　not　resist　jumping　on　her！〃
　　　〃No；　no！　That　was　somebody　else！〃　My　head　was　spinning。　Suddenly　I　got　a　grip　on　it。　〃Wait；　you　sleep　with　Nurse　Bildirjin　all　the　time！〃
　　　〃No；　no；〃　said　Prahd。　〃I　take　the　most　careful　precautions。　You　don't　think　a　qualified　cellologist　would　take　a　chance　like　that…she　being　a　minor　and　all。　Besides；　I've　made　scope　tests　and　examined　the　gene　pattern；　and　just　like　the　Widow　Tayl's；　it's　indubitably　yours。　And　now　you　infer　there　is　some　other　woman；　too！　Officer　Gris；　you　should　control　yourself！　You　can't　just　run　around　impregnating　women　left　and　right；　day　in　and　day　out。　And　on　two　different　planets；　too！〃
　　　〃Listen；〃　I　said。　〃As　a　cellologist　you　would　have　no　trouble　at　all　terminating　these　pregnancies。　I　tell　you　the　planets　are　overpopulated　anyway。　Just　perform　some　abortions　and　that　will　be　that。〃
　　　〃That　would　not　be　that；〃　said　young　Doctor　Prahd。　〃That　would　be　murder。　And　murder　is　something　not　even　you　can　make　me　do；　Officer　Gris。　Unlike　some　I　know；　I　have　my　own　moral　standards；　to　say　nothing　of　the　cellologist's　code。　Murder　is　out！〃
　　　〃Then　what　can　I　do？〃　I　cried；　wringing　my　hands。
　　　〃You're　asking　me　after　you　seduce　my　girl？〃
　　　〃Prahd；　remember　that　we　are　friends；　and　what　is　a　girl　between　friends？〃
　　　〃Trouble；〃　said　Prahd。　〃You　see；　it　wouldn't　be　so　bad　if　she　had　not　been　morning…sick。　Her　father　is　the　leading　doctor　of　the　area　and　noticed　it。　And　she　told　him。　You　probably　know　that　his　favorite　sport　is　quail　hunting。　That's　why　he　named　his　daughter　Bildirjin；　which　means　'quail'　in　Turkish。　He's　one　of　the　best　shots　in　the　country　and　he　has　one　of　the　biggest　shotguns。　And　as　she　is　a　minor；　you　could　also　go　to　prison。　Have　you　ever　seen　the　inside　of　a　Turkish　jail？〃
　　　I　was　beginning　to　moan。
　　　He　continued；　〃I　think　he　has　a　thing　about　cutting　off　testicles；　so　possibly　shooting　off　yours　would　be　how　his　mind　is　running　right　now。　However；　if　you　would　really　take　my　suggestion。。。〃
　　　It　was　too　much。　I　could　no　longer　stand　his　sadistic　chatter。　It　was　obvious　he；　too；　was　after　me！
　　　I　rushed　out　of　his　office。　I　looked　up　and　down　the　corridor。　Thank　Gods；　it　was　way　past　hours　when　the　town　doctors　worked　in　the　free　clinic。
　　　I　sped　to　the　car。　I　leaped　in。
　　　〃Take　me　home；　quick！〃　I　pleaded。　In　the　villa　I　would　be　able　to　fort　up　and　defend　myself！
　　　In　the　yard；　I　was　out　of　the　car　before　it　stopped　moving。　I　raced　across　the　patio　and　into　my　room。　I　barred　the　door　and　stood　there　with　my　back　against　it；　breathing　hard。
　　　What　a　disaster！　How　was　I　going　to　get　out　of　it？
　　　There　was　a　knock。　For　a　moment　I　thought　that　Nurse　Bildirjin's　father　had　followed　me　up。　Then　I　realized　that　the　sound　came　from　the　secret　tunnel　door。
　　　The　father　would　not　know　about　that。　I　opened　it　cautiously。
　　　There　stood　Faht　Bey。
　　　He　came　in　looking　over　his　shoulder　fearfully。
　　　He　spoke　in　a　very　low　voice；　〃This　is　real　trouble；　Gris。　I　told　you　I　would　let　you　know　when　I　had　found　out。　Well；　unfortunately；　I　have　found　out。　It　is　pretty　awful。〃
　　　I　got　a　grip　on　the　bottom　of　the　bed。　I　would　take　it　like　a　man。　〃Tell　me；〃　I　said。
　　　Faht　Bey　shook　his　head　sadly。　〃Are　you　sure　that　you　can　take　this？〃
　　　〃Go　ahead；〃　I　said；　bracing　myself　further。
　　　〃It's　pretty　bad　news；〃　he　said。
　　　〃For　Gods'　sake；　tell　me；〃　I　pleaded。
　　　〃You　know　the　taxi　driver；　Ahmed。〃
　　　〃Yes；　I　know　the　taxi　driver；　Ahmed！〃
　　　〃He's　going　to　testify　that　it　was　at　your　orders。〃
　　　〃WHAT　was　at　my　orders？〃　I　screeched。
　　　〃And　it　very　well　could　get　him　off。〃
　　　〃Testify　to　WHAT？〃　I　begged。
　　　〃Maybe　you　better　sit　down　in　the　chair　there；〃　said　Faht　Bey。　〃This　is　pretty　awful。〃
　　　I　collapsed。
　　　〃Here；〃　said　Faht　Bey；　taking　a　bullet　out　of　his　shoulder　gun　and　putting　it　between　my　teeth。　〃Bite　on　that　and　you　won't　break　your　molars　when　I　tell　you。〃
　　　I　bit　on　it。
　　　〃You　know　that　the　taxi　driver　they　call　Ahmed　is　really　a　convicted　criminal　from　Modon。〃
　　　I　nodded。
　　　〃Did　you　know　that　the　driver　Ters　is　a　Turkish　munist　who　just　s