cc.themediterraneancaper2-第17部分

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　Pitt's　hand　clenched　into　fists。　〃And　if　I　do？'
　Von　Till　smiled　menacingly。　〃I　will　not　threaten　you；　Major。　If　you　persist　in　exercising　aggressive　stupidity；　I　shall　merely　punish　Teri。〃
　〃You　rotten　shit…eating　kraut；〃　Pitt　snarled；　fighting　down　a　surging　urge　to　kick　von　Till　in　the　crotch。　〃I　don't　know　what　the　hell　your　little　conspiracy　amounts　to；　but　I　can　definitely　go　on　record　as　stating　that　I'll　take　great　personal　pleasure　in　screwing　it　up。　And　I　can　begin　by　telling　you　that　the　attack　on　Brady　Field　failed　to　achieve　its　intention。　The　National　Underwater　Marine　Agency's　ship　is　staying　right　where　it's　anchored　until　its　scientific　research　activities　are　pleted。〃
　Von　Till's　hands　trembled　but　his　face　remained　impassive。　〃Thank　you；　Major。　That　is　a　bit　of　information　I　did　not　expect　quite　so　soon。
　At　last；　the　old　kraut　is　dropping　his　guard；　Pitt　thought。　There　could　be　no　doubt　about　it　now；　it　was　von　Till　who　had　plotted　to　get　rid　of　the　First　Attempt。　But　why？　The　question　still　remained　unanswered。　Pitt　tried　a　shot　in　the　dark。　〃You're　wasting　your　time；　von　Till。　The　divers　on　the　First　Attempt　have　already　discovered　the　sunken　treasure。　They're　in　the　act　of　raising　it　now。〃
　Von　Till　broke　out　in　a　broad　smile；　and　Pitt　knew　immediately　the　lie　was　a　mistake。
　〃A　very　poor　attempt；　Major。　You　could　not　be　more　wrong。〃
　He　drew　the　Luger　from　under　his　armpit　and　pointed　the　dark　blue　barrel　at　Pitt's　neck。　Then　he　opened　the　corridor　door。　〃If　you　please？〃　he　said；　beckoning　with　the　gun　toward　the　threshold。
　Pitt　took　a　quick　glance　through　the　darkened　doorway。　The　corridor　beyond　was　dimly　lighted　with　candles　and　seemed　pletely　deserted。　He　hesitated。　〃Please　express　my　thanks　to　Teri　for　the　excellent　dinner。〃
　〃I　shall　pass　on　your　pliment〃
　〃And　thank　you；　Herr　von　Till；〃　Pitt　said　sarcastically；　〃for　your　hospitality。〃
　Von　Till　smirked；　clicked　his　heels　and　bowed。　〃It　was　my　pleasure〃　He　placed　a　hand　on　the　head　of　the　dog；　whose　lip　curled；　showing　a　prodigious　white　fang。
　The　door's　archway　was　low　and　Pitt　had　to　stoop　to　enter　the　tunnel…like　entrance。　He　took　a　few　cautious　steps。
　〃Major　Pitt！〃
　〃Yes；〃　Pitt　replied；　turning　and　facing　the　fat　shadow　at　the　entryway。
　There　was　a　sadistic　anticipation　in　von　Till's　voice。　〃it　is　a　pity　you　will　not　be　able　to　witness　the　next　flight　of　the　yellow　Albatros。〃
　Before　Pitt　could　answer　the　door　slammed　shut　and　a　heavy　bolt　dropped　into　its　catch　like　a　thunder…clap　and　echoed　ominously　toward　the　unseen　reaches　of　the　dim　corridor。
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　A　spasm　of　anger　swept　over　Pitt。　He　was　half　tempted　to　slam　his　fist　against　the　door；　but　one　look　at　the　heavy　planking　changed　his　mind。　Turning　again　to　the　corridor；　he　found　it　still　empty。　He　shivered　unconsciously。　He　had　no　illusions　as　to　what　lay　ahead。　It　was　certain　now　that　von　Till　never　meant　for　him　to　leave　the　villa　alive。　He　remembered　the　knife　and　felt　a　tinge　of　assurance　as　he　slipped　it　out　of　his　sock。　The　flickering　yellow　light　from　the　candles；　mounted　in　rusted　metal　holders　high　on　the　walls。　glinted　dully　on　the　blade　and　made　the　tiny　pointed　knife　look　woefully　inadequate　for　the　job　of　self…defense。　Only　one　forting　thought　ran　through　Pitt's　mind：　However　small；　the　knife　was　better　than　nothing。
　Suddenly　a　blast　of　heavy；　chilling　air　blew　through　the　corridor　like　an　invisible　hand　and　snuffed　out　the　candles；　leaving　Pitt　standing　in　a　sea　of　suffocating　blackness。
　His　senses　strained　to　penetrate　the　gloom；　but　could　detect　no　sound；　no　glimmer　of　light。
　〃Now　the　fun　begins；〃　he　murmured；　bracing　his　body　for　the　unknown。
　Pitt's　spirits　touched　zero　and　he　could　feel　the　first　terror　striking　symptoms　of　panic　edging　rapidly　into　his　mind。　He　remembered　reading　somewhere　that　nothing　is　more　horrifying　or　unprehending　to　the　human　mind　than　total　darkness。　To　not　know　or　be　able　to　perceive　what　lies　beyond　one's　sight　or　touch；　acts　on　the　brain　like　a　short　circuit　in　a　puter　it　runs　amok。　What　the　brain　cannot　see；　it　creates；　usually　some　nightmarish　event　that　is　grossly　exaggerated　or　embellished　like　a　delusion　of　being　bitten　by　a　shark　or　run　over　by　a　lootive　while　locked　in　a　closet　Recalling　the　semi…amusing　phraseology；　he　grinned　in　the　darkness　and　the　first　probes　of　panic　slowly　reversed　into　a　sensation　of　logic　calm。
　His　next　thought　was　to　use　the　Zippo　to　relight　the　candles。　But　if　someone　or　something　were　awaiting　in　the　ambush　further　down　the　corridor；　he　reasoned；　it　would　be　best　to　remain　in　pitch　darkness　and　keep　them　at　the　same　disadvantage。　Stooping；　he　quickly　unlaced　his　shoes；　discarding　them；　and　began　inching　along　the　cool　wall。　The　corridor　led　him　past　several　wooden　doors；　each　barred　by　large　bands　of　iron。　He　was　in　the　midst　of　testing　one　of　the　doors　when　he　paused；　listening　intently。
　There　was　a　sound　somewhere　ahead　in　the　blackness。　It　was　indefinable　and　inexplicable；　but　quite　audible。　It　could　have　been　a　moan　or　a　growl；　Pitt　didn't　know　which。　Then　the　sound　faded　and　died　into　nothingness。
　Determined　now　that　a　real　menace　was　waiting；　some　creature　of　the　dark；　that　was　physical；　could　make　noises　and　probably　reason；　spurred　Pitt's　sense　of　caution。　He　lay　down　on　the　corridor　floor　and　crept　ahead　without　sound；　his　ears　listening　and　his　sensitive　fingertips　feeling　out　the　way。　The　floor　was　smooth　and　unyielding；　and　In　spots　it　was　damp。　He　crawled　on　through　an　oily　slime　that　soiled　his　uniform；　soaking　into　the　material　and　causing　it　to　stick　to　his　skin。　He　mentally　cursed　his　unfortable　predicament　as　he　crept　onward。
　After　what　seemed　like　hours；　Pitt　imagined　he　had　dragged　his　stomach　over　at　least　two　miles　of　cement；　but　his　rational　mind　knew　it　was　close　to　eighty　feet。　The　musty　smell　of　antiquity　lay　on　the　floor　and　reminded　him　of　the　interior　of　an　old　steamer　trunk　that　once　belonged　to　his　grandfather。　He　remembered　hiding　in　its　dark　cubicle　and　pretending　he　was　a　stowaway　on　a　ship　bound　for　the　mysterious　orient。　It's　strange；　he　thought　incongruously；　how　smells　can　bring　back　dormant　and　forgotten　memories。
　Abruptly；　the　feel　of　the　floor　and　walls　changed　from　smooth　concrete　to　rough；　jointed　masonry。　The　passageway　left　the　more　modern　construction　behind　and　became　old　and　hand　hewn。
　Pitt's　hand　felt　the　wall　stop　and　branch　to　the　right。　A　gentle　touch　of　air　on　his　cheeks　told　him　he　had　e　to　cross…passage。　He　froze　and　listened。
　There　it　was　again　。　。　。　The　sound　was　halting　and　furtive。　This　time　it　was　a　clicking　noise；　like　the　kind　long　nailed　animals　make　on　a　hard　surfaced　floor。
　Pitt　shivered　uncontrollably　and　broke　out　in　a　cold　sweat。　He　pressed　his　body　flat　into　the　damp　cobbled　ground；　knife　pointed　in　the　direction　of　the　approaching　sound。
　The　clicking　became　louder。　Then　it　stopped　and　a　torturous　silence　set　in。
　Pitt　tried　to　contain　his　breathing　to　hear　better；　all　his　ears　could　detect　was　his　own　heartbeat　Something　was　out　there；　not　ten　feet　away。　He　pared　himself　with　a　blind　man　who　was　being　stalked　down　a　back…street　alley。　The　eerie；　spine…chilling　atmosphere　of　the　surroundings　numbed　his　thinking　with　a　sense　of　hopelessness。　He　shook　it　off；　forcing　his　mind　to　concentrate　on　methods　of　bating　the　unseen　terror。
　The　musty　stench　of　the　tunnel　suddenly　became　overpowering；　nearly　making　him　sick。　He　also　detected　a　faint　animal　odor。　But　from　what　kind　of　animal？
　Quickly　a　plan　formed　in　Pitt's　mind；　and　he　decided　to　take　a　gamble　on　the　unknown　quantity。　The　Zippo　came　out　of　his　pocket。　He　flipped　the　little　wheel　against　the　flint　and　held　it　a　brief　instant　until　the　wick　burned　brightly。　He　cast　It　up　and　into　the　air　ahead。　The　tiny　flame　sailed　through　the　darkness　and　illuminated　two　glowing　fluorescent　eyes；　backed　by　a　giant　shadow　that　danced　hellishly　on　the　walls　and　floor　of　the　passageway。　The　lighter　clinked　to　the　ground；　its　flame　snuffed　out　by　the　fall。　A　low　menacing　growl　came　from　the　eyes　and　echoed　through　the　stone　labyrinth。
　Pitt　reacted　instantly　and　coiled　on　the　hard　floor。　Then　he　whipped　over　on　his　back　and　th