cc.themediterraneancaper2-第53部分

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hell　and　tried　to　stop　me。〃
　〃I'm　the　one　who　should　offer　apologies；〃　Zacynthus　said。　〃I　deserve　the　dunce　award　of　the　year。　God；　how　could　I　have　been　so　blind？　I　should　have　guessed　something　was　wrong　when　Darius　was　never　able　to　intercept　any　messages　between　the　passing　Minerva　ships　and　the　villa。〃
　〃I　could　have　relayed　my　suspicions　to　you　on　the　road　this　morning。〃　Pitt　said。　〃But　it　hardly　seemed　the　right　time　or　place　particularly　In　front　of　Darius。　Secondly；　without　one　hundred　percent　proof　I　doubt　seriously　whether　you　or　Zeno　would　have　believed　my　accusation。〃
　〃You　were　quite　right；〃　Zacynthus　admitted。　〃Tell　me　this。　Where　did　you　find　out　about　the　Queen　Jocasta？〃
　〃The　Air　Force　has　a　funny　habit　about　loaning　out　their　vehicles；　sooner　or　later　they　want　them　back。　After　Giordino　and　I　left　you；　we　stopped　off　at　Brady　Field　and　returned　the　truck　to　the　motorpool。　Colonel　Lewis　was　waiting　for　us。　It　was　he　who　alerted　me　to　the　Queen　Jocasta。　One　of　his　morning　patrols　sighted　her　cruising　north　toward　Thasos。　The　next　step　was　to　check　the　ship's　cargo　and　destination　with　the　Minerva　Line's　agent　in　Athens。　His　reply　added　to　an　interesting　coincidence。　Not　only　were　two　Minerva　ships　passing　by　the　villa　Within　twelve　hours　of　each　other；　but　both　were　headed　for　ports　in　the　United　States。　I　began　to　get　the　picture…von　Till；　or　rather　Heibert；　Intended　to　switch　the　sub　and　the　heroin　from　the　Queen　Artemisia　to　the　Queen　Jocajta。〃
　〃You　might　have　let　me　in　on　your　secret；〃　Zacynthus　said　with　a　noticeable　trace　of　bitterness。　〃I　came　within　a　hair　of　locking　Giordino　up　when　he　bounded　into　my　headquarters；　demanding　that　I；　together　with　Colonel　Zeno's　men；　follow　him　into　the　labyrinth。〃
　Pitt　studied　him。　The　inspector's　face　was　grim。　〃I　considered　it；〃　Pitt　said　honestly。　〃But　I　figured　the　less　everyone　concerned　knew；　the　less　chance　there　was　for　Darius　to　get　suspicious。　I　also　purposely　kept　the　girl　in　the　dark　because　it　was　essential　that　her　message；　warning　your　headquarters　of　my　plans　to　search　for　the　cavern；　reek　with　serious　intentions　when　Darius　intercepted　it。　My　actions　were　devious；　I　admit；　but　my　reasons　were　valid。〃
　〃To　think　that　the　Bureau's　finest　investigator　was　shown　up　by　a　rank　amateur。〃　Then　Zacynthus　grinned　and　there　was　a　warm　hint　in　the　smile　that　removed　the　acid　from　his　words。　〃But　It　was　worth　it；　well　worth　it。〃
　Pitt　was　greatly　relieved。　He　didn't　wish　to　make　an　enemy　of　Zacynthus。　He　turned　and　looked　at　von　Till。　The　old　German　stared　back　at　Pitt　with　a　contempt　in　his　eyes　that　went　far　beyond　mere　hate。　The　only　feeling　that　suddenly　welled　within　Pitt　was　one　of　disgust。　He　spoke　quietly；　but　his　cold　voice　carried　to　every　inch　of　the　cavern。
　〃You　would　have　to　die　a　hundred　thousand　deaths；　and　then　some；　to　repay　all　the　lives　you　stole；　old　man。　Most　men　are　born　and　go　to　the　grave　without　killing　anyone；　but　your　list　stretches　endlessly　from　the　helpless　prisoners　you　condemned　to　the　cold　waters　of　the　North　Sea　to　the　schoolgirls　you　sold　into　slavery　in　the　scum…infested　back　alleys　of　Casablanca。　How　ironic　that　a　man　who　caused　so　many　other　people　to　die　in　agony　should　die　horribly　also。　My　only　regret　is　that　I　won't　be　there　to　see　your　neck　stretched；　Heibert；　see　your　withered　old　body　jerk　and　bounce　when　it　hits　the　end　of　the　rope。　They　say　the　shock　forces　the　bladder　and　the　bowels　to　move。　That's　a　fitting　end　for　you；　old　man。　Thrown　in　an　unmarked　pauper's　grave　to　rot　through　eternity　in　your　own　filth。
　Muttering　incoherent　words；　his　face　distorted　In　blind　anger。　and　entirely　oblivious　to　the　surrounding　guns　of　the　gendarmerie；　von　Till　hurled　himself　at　Pitt。　It　was　the　mad　gesture　of　a　hysterical　man。　Giordino's　forty…five　clubbed　him　on　the　back　of　the　neck　before　he　took　the　second　step。　He　fell　awkwardly　to　the　deck　in　a　crumpled　heap　and　lay　as　if　dead。　Giordino　didn't　even　look　down　as　he　holstered　the　gun。
　〃You　cracked　him　a　bit　hard；〃　Zacynthus　said　reprovingly。
　〃Vermin　don't　die　easily；〃　Giordino　replied　impassively；　〃especially　when　they're　as　mean　as　that　old　bastard。〃
　Darius　had　not　moved　or　spoken　since　Giordino　shot　him。　Any　other　man　would　have　gripped　a　wounded　and　bleeding　hand；　not　Darius。　The　huge　brute　let　his　hand　hang　limply　to　one　side；　indifferently　allowing　the　blood　to　splatter　on　the　sub's　deck。　The　lost　expression　on　his　face　reminded　Pitt　of　a　newly　caged　gorilla　he　had　once　seen　in　the　San　Diego　Zoo；　an　ugly　misshapen　monster　who　could　not　grasp　the　meaning　of　the　barred　walls　and　the　strange　looking　animals　beyond　that　stood　five　deep；　observing　his　every　movement。　Pitt　was　very　happy　indeed　that　at　least　five　of　Zeno's　gendarmerie　had　their　guns　trained　between　Darius'　cold　black　eyes。
　Pitt　nodded　toward　Darius。　〃What　happens　to　him？〃
　〃A　fast　trial；〃　Zacynthus　answered。　〃Then　the　firing　squad…〃
　〃There　will　be　no　trial；〃　Zeno　interrupted。　〃The　gendarmerie　have　never　admitted　to　a　traitor　in　their　ranks。〃　His　voice　was　grave；　yet　his　eyes　were　filled　with　sadness。　〃Captain　Darius　died　in　the　performance　of　his　duties。〃
　The　cavern　suddenly　became　silent　Pitt；　Zacynthus　and　Giordino　all　exchanged　puzzled　glances　over　Zeno's　use　of　the　past　tense。
　Darius　said　nothing。　He　displayed　no　emotion；　no　sign　of　fear；　only　a　resignation　to　a　fate　that　precluded　even　the　remotest　possibility　of　hope。　Slowly；　very　carefully。　like　a　man　who　hadn't　tasted　sleep　in　days。　he　climbed　from　the　sub　onto　the　dock　and　stood　before　Zeno；　his　head　bowed。
　〃It　seems　I　have　known　you　for　many　years；　Darius；〃　Zeno　sounded　very　tired。　〃Yet　I　haven't　really　known　you　at　all。　God　alone　knows　why　you　came　to　be　what　you　are。　It　is　a　pity。　the　gendarmerie　lost　a　good　man。　。　。〃　Zeno　hesitated；　groping　for　words；　but　he　could　think　of　nothing　else　to　say。　Carefully；　almost　to　the　point　of　meticulousness；　he　withdrew　the　cartridge　clip　from　his　gun　and　removed　all　the　shells　except　one。　Then　he　reinserted　the　clip　and　held　out　the　gun；　butt　first；　to　Darius。
　Nodding；　as　if　in　secret　understanding；　and　searching　Zeno's　eyes　for　a　sign　that　never　came；　Darius　took　the　gun；　turned　slowly　towards　the　tunnel；　and　began　walking　numbly　across　the　dock。
　〃No　goodbye；　no　regrets；　no　to　hell　with　you；〃　Giordino　said　〃unprehendingly。　〃Just　like　that；　he　wanders　off　and　blows　his　brains　out。　Ten　will　get　you　one　that　Darius　makes　a　break　for　it。〃
　〃His　life　ended　when　he　became　a　traitor；〃　Zeno　said　quietly。　〃Darius　knew　it　then…he　knows　it　now。
　An　early　death　was　his　fate　when　he　dropped　from　the　womb；　there　was　no　escaping　it。　Five　minutes　to　talk　with　his　God　and　prepare　his　soul…then　he　will　squeeze　the　trigger。〃
　Giordino　watched　Darius　fade　into　the　blackness　of　the　tunnel　and　said　nothing。　The　finality　of　Zeno's　words　shattered　all　his　doubts　over　Darius'　intentions。　Until　the　day　he。　himself；　died；　Giordino　would　never　understand　how　anyone　could　let　loose　of　life　so　unquestioningly。
　He　turned　back　to　Pitt。　〃Time's　a　wasting；　we're　running　out　of　the　money。　Gunn　is　probably　having　a　spastic　fit　wondering　what　happened　to　his　precious　scientists。〃
　〃Can't　say　as　I　blame　him。〃　The　voice　came　from　Knight。　who　was　climbing　out　of　the　deck　hatch；　a　sly　smile　across　his　face。　〃Great　intellect　is　hard　to　e　by　these　days。〃
　〃An　egghead　edian；〃　Giordino　groaned。　〃What　has　science　e　to？〃
　In　spite　of　the　pain　in　his　leg；　Pitt　couldn't　help　but　laugh。　〃Maybe　some　of　Knight's　Intellect　will　rub　off　on　you　when　you　escort　him　and　the　other　eggheads　back　to　the　First　Attempt。　I'm　holding　you　responsible　until　they're　safely　on　board。〃
　〃Talk　about　appreciation；〃　Giordino　groaned　again。　〃After　all　I've　done　for　you。〃
　〃It's　better　to　give；　than　to　receive；〃　Pitt　said　soothingly。　〃Now　hop　to　it。　If　you　expect　to　swim　out　through　the　submerged　tunnels；　you　and　the　others　will　have　to　retrieve　the　diving　gear　from　the　bottom。〃
　Woodson　crawled　from　the　hatch　and　walked　over　to　Pitt。　〃Maybe　I　better　stick　with　you；　Major；　until　you're　bedded　down。〃
　〃No　thanks。〃　Pitt　answered；　mildly　surprised　at　the　look　of　genuine　concern　on　Woodson's　otherwise　expressionless　face。