the stainless steel rat-第32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！


　　　　　There　is　no　such　thing　as　fair　fighting　when　you　are　struggling　for　your　life。　I　squirmed　my　leg　out　from　under　him　and　managed　to　bend　it　enough　to　dig　the　knee　into　his　broken　arm。　His　whole　body　shuddered。　I　did　it　again。　Harder。　He　twisted；　trying　to　pull　away　from　the　pain。　I　heaved　sideways；　throwing　him　off　balance。　His　elbow　bait　as　be　tried　to　save　himself　from　falling　and　I　put　all　my　strength　in　both　hands　turning　that　sinewy　wrist　and　driving　the　hand　backwards。
　It　almost　worked；　but　he　was　still　stronger　than　I　was　and　the　point　of　the　blade　merely　scratched　his　chest。　Even　as　I　was　fighting　to　turn　the　hand　again　he　shuddered　and　died。
　　　　　A　ruse　would　not　have　tricked　mebut　this　was　no　ruse。　I　felt　every　muscle　in　his　body　tighten　rock…bard　in　a　spasm　as　he　fell　sideways。　My　grip　on　his　wrist　didn't　lessen　until　the　light　came　on　in　the　room　behind　me。　Only　then　did　I　see　the　ugly　yellow　stain　halfway　up　the　blade　of　the　knife。　A　quick…acting　nerve　poison；　silent　and　deadly。　There；　on　the　sleeve　of　my　shirt；　was　a　thin　yellow　mark　where　the　blade　had　brushed　me。　I　knew　these　poisons　didn't　need　a　puncture；　they　could　work　just　as　well　on　the　naked　skin。
　　　　　With　infinite　caution；　struggling　against　the　fatigue　that　wanted　my　hands　to　shake；　I　peeled　my　shirt　slowly　off。　Only　when　it　had　been　buried　on　top　of　the　corpse　did　I　let　myself　drop　backwards；　gasping　for　air。
　　　　　My　leg　could　work　now；　though　it　hurt　hideously。　It　must　have　been　bruised　but　not　broken　since　it　supported　my　weight。　Turning；　I　stumbled　to　the　high　window　and　threw　it　open。　Light　streamed　out　on　the　body　behind　me。　Angelina　was　sitting　up　in　bed；　her　face　smooth　and　her　hands　folded　on　the　covers　in　front　of　her。　Only　her　eyes　showing　any　awareness　of　what　had　happened。
　　　　　〃Dead；〃　I　said　with　a　dry　throat；　and　spat　to　clear　it。　〃Killed　by　his　own　poison。〃　I　slumped　into　the　room；　testing　my　leg。
　　　　　〃I　was　sleeping；　I　didn't　hear　him　open　the　window；〃　she　said。　〃Thank　you。〃
　　　　　Actress；　liar；　cheat；　murderess。　She　had　played　a　hundred　roles　in　countless　voices。　Yet　when　she　said　those　final　words　there　was　a　ring　of　unforged　feeling　to　them。　This　murder　attempt　had　e　too　soon　after　the　earlier　traumatic　scene。　Her　defenses　were　still　down；　her　real　emotions　showing。
　　　　　Her　hair　hung　to　her　shoulders；　brushing　the　single　ribbons　of　her　nightgown　which　was　made　of　some　thin　and　soft　fabric；　intimate。　This　sight；　on　top　of　the　events　of　the　evening；　removed　any　reserve　I　might　have　had。　I　was　kneeling　by　the　bed；　holding　her　shoulders　and　staring　deep　into　her　eyes；　trying　to　reach　what　lay　behind　them。　The　locket　with　the　broken　chain　lay　on　the　bedside　table。　I　grabbed　it　in　my　fist。
　　　　　〃Don't　you　realize　this　girl　doesn't　exist　except　in　your　memory；〃　I　said；　and　Angelina　didn't　move。　〃It's　past　like　everything　else。　You　were　a　babynow　you're　a　woman。　You　were　a　little　girlnow　you're　a　woman。　You　may　have　been　this　girlbut　you　are　not　any　more！〃
　　　　　With　a　convulsive　movement　I　turned　and　hurled　the　thing　out　of　the　window　into　the　darkness。
　　　　　〃You're　none　of　those　things　of　the　past；　Angelina！〃　I　said　with　an　intensity　louder　than　a　shout。　〃You　are　yourself　。　。　。　just　yourself！〃
　　　　　I　kissed　her　then　and　there　was　no　trace　of　the　pushing　away　or　rejection　there　had　been　before。　As　I　needed　her；　she　needed　me。
　Chapter　18
　
　　　　　Dawn　was　just　touching　the　sky　when　I　brought　the　assassin's　body　in　to　the　Count。　I　was　deprived　of　the　pleasure　of　waking　him　since　the　sergeant　of　the　guard　had　already　done　this　when　the　roof　sentry　had　been　discovered。　The　guard　was　dead　too；　from　a　tiny　puncture　of　the　same　poison…tipped　blade。　The　guardsmen　and　the　Count　were　all　gathered　around　the　body　on　the　floor　of　the　Count's　sitting　room　and　chattering　away　about　this　mystery；　the　inexplicable　death　of　the　sentry。　They　didn't　see　me　until　I　dropped　my　corpse　down　by　the　other　one；　and　they　all　jumped　back。
　　　　　〃Here's　the　killer；〃　I　told　them；　not　without　a　certain　amount　of　pride。　Count　Cassitor　must　have　recognized　the　thug　because　he　gave　a　shuddering　start　and　popped　his　eyes。　No　doubt　an　ex…relative；　brother…in…law　or　something。　I　imagined　he　hadn't　believed　that　the　Radebrechen　family　would　really　go　through　with　their　threats　of　revenge。
　　　　　A　certain　uneasiness　about　the　guard　sergeant　gave　me　my　first　cue　that　I　was　imagining　wrong。　The　sergeant　glanced　back　and　forth　from　the　corpse　to　the　Count　and　I　wondered　what　thoughts　were　going　through　his　shaven　and　thick…skulled　military　head。　There　were　wheels　within　wheels　here　and　I　would　like　to　have　known　what　was　going　on。　I　made　a　mental　note　to　have　a　buddy…to…buddy　talk　with　sarge　at　the　first　opportunity。　The　Count　chewed　his　cheek　and　cracked　his　knuckles　over　the　bodies；　and　finally　ordered　them　dragged　out。
　　　　　〃Stay　here。　Bent；〃　he　said　as　I　started　to　leave　with　the　others。　I　dropped　into　a　chair　while　he　locked　the　rest　out。　Then　he　made　a　rush　for　the　bar　and　choked　down　about　a　waterglass　full　of　the　local　spirits。　Only　when　he　was　working　on　his　second　glass　did　he　remember　to　offer　me　some　of　this　potable　aqua　regia。　I　wasn't　saying　no；　and　while　I　sipped　at　it　I　wondered　what　he　was　so　upset　about。
　　　　　First　the　Count　checked　the　locks　on　all　the　doors　and　sealed　the　single　window。　His　ring　key　unlocked　the　bottom　drawer　of　his　desk　and　he　took　out　a　small　electronic　device　with　controls　and　an　extendible　aerial　on　top。
　　　　　〃Well　look　at　that！〃　I　said　when　he　pulled　out　the　aerial。　He　didn't　answer　me；　just　shot　a　long　look　at　me　from　under　his　eyebrows；　and　went　back　to　adjusting　the　thing。　Only　when　it　was　turned　on　and　the　green　light　glowed　on　the　top　did　he　relax　a　bit。　
　　　　　〃You　know　what　this　is？〃　he　asked；　pointing　at　the　gadget。
　　　　　〃Of　course；〃　I　said。　〃But　not　from　seeing　them　on　Freibur。　They　aren't　that　mon。〃
　　　　　〃They　aren't　mon　at　all；〃　he　mumbled；　staring　at　the　green　light　which　glowed　steadily。　〃As　far　as　I　know　this　is　the　only　one　on　the　planetso　I　wish　you　wouldn't　mention　it　to　anybody。　Anybody；〃　he　repeated　with　emphasis。
　　　　　〃Not　my　business；〃　I　told　him　with　disarming　lack　of　interest。　〃I　think　a　man's　entitled　to　his　privacy。〃
　　　　　I　liked　privacy　myself　and　had　used　snooper…detectors　like　this　one　plenty　of　times。　They　could　sense　electronic　or　radiation　snoopers　and　gave　instant　warning。　There　were　ways　of　fooling　them；　but　it　wasn't　easy　to　do。　As　long　as　no　one　knew　about　the　thing　the　Count　could　be　sure　he　wasn't　being　eavesdropped　on。　But　who　would　want　to　do　that？　He　was　in　the　middle　of　his　own　buildingand　even　he　must　know　that　snooper　devices　couldn't　be　worked　from　a　distance。　There　was　distinct　smell　of　rat　in　the　air；　and　I　was　beginning　to　get　an　idea　of　what　was　going　on。　The　Count　didn't　leave　me　any　doubt　as　to　who　the　rat　was。
　　　　　〃You're　not　a　stupid　man；　Grav　Diebstall；〃　he　said；　which　means　he　thought　I　was　a　lot　stupider　than　he　was。　〃You've　been　offplanet　and　seen　other　worlds。　You　know　how　backward　and　suppressed　we　are　here；　or　you　wouldn't　have　joined　with　roc　to　help　throw　off　the　yoke　around　our　planet's　neck。　No　sacrifice　is　too　great　if　it　will　bring　closer　this　day　of　liberation。〃　For　some　reason　he　was　sweating　now　and　had　resumed　his　unpleasant　habit　of　cracking　the　knuckles。　The　side　of　his　headwhere　Angela　had　landed　the　bottlewas　covered　with　plasti…skin　and　dry　of　sweat。　I　hoped　it　hurt。
　　　　　〃This　foreign　woman　you　have　been　guarding〃　the　Count　said；　turning　sideways　but　still　watching　me　from　the　corners　of　his　eyes。　〃She　had　been　of　some　help　in　organizing　things；　but　is　now　putting　us　in　an　embarrassing　position。　There　has　been　one　attempt　on　her　life　and　there　will　probably　be　others。　The　Radebrechen　are　an　old　and　loyal　familyher　presence　is　a　continued　insult　to　them。〃　Then　he　pulled　at　his　drink　and　delivered　the　punch　line。
　　　　　〃I　think　that　you　can　do　the　job　she　is　doing。　Just　as　well；　and　perhaps　better。　How　would　you　like　that？〃
　　　　　Without　a　doubt　I　was　just　brimming　over　with　talentor　there　was　a　shortage　of　revolutionaries　on　this　planet。　This　was　the　second　time　within　twelve　hours　that　I　had　been　offered　a　partners