el.angeleyes-第5部分

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　behind　them。
　He　led　her　through　absolute　blackness。　She　heard　the　squeal　of　another　door　opening；　Ariel's　voice　whispering；　〃Now　duck　your　head。〃
　There　were　more　steps；　and　the　chill　mineral　dampness　that　bred　mold　and　lichen　wafted　over　her。　The　steps　were　very　steep　and　quite　narrow。　The　rich　scents　of　limestone　and　earth　enveloped　her；　Tori　thought。　It's　like　smelling　one's　own　grave；　and　for　an　instant　she　felt　the　hairs　stirring　at　the　base　of　her　neck。
　〃These　tunnels　date　back　to　the　eighteenth　century。〃　Tori　wondered　why　he　was　still　whispering。　After　all；　down　in　the　bowels　of　the　earth　who　could　overhear　their　conversation？
　〃These　tunnels　are　something　of　a　tourist　attraction　nowadays；〃　Ariel　continued；　his　lips　brushing　her　ear。　〃The　tourists　are　told　that　these　tunnels　were　built　to　aid　in　the　defense　of　the　city　during　wartime。　But　the　truth　is　the　Jesuits　built　them　in　order　to　smuggle　in　contraband。　The　king　had　decreed　that　Buenos　Aires；　like　the　other　Spanish　colonies；　could　trade　only　with　Spain。　But　at　the　behest　of　the　clever　Jesuits；　ships　of　other　nationalities　moored　in　the　port；　pretending　to　work　on　repairs　while　the　priests　off…loaded　their　cargo　into　these　secret　tunnels。〃
　Ariel　snapped　on　a　flashlight；　and　Tori　could　see　the　arched　ceilings；　the　branching　corridors。　Along　the　sides　of　the　tunnels　were　modern　lights　within　protective　metal　grills　above　the　equally　modern　concrete　walkway。
　He　led　her　around　a　turning；　into　a　small　chamber；　down　another　steep　flight　of　stone　steps。　Here　the　tunnels　seemed　older；　cruder；　or　perhaps　merely　in　a　state　of　disrepair。　The　air　was　closer；　mustier；　and　there　were　no　modern　lights；　no　concrete　walkway。　Loose　stones　ground　beneath　their　feet。
　Ariel　stopped　them　abruptly。　He　squeezed　her　hand　as　he　played　the　beam　of　the　flash　over　a　heap　of　pale　bones。　With　a　start；　Tori　saw　that　she　was　staring　at　a　grisly　jumble　of　human　skeletons。
　〃Here　is　all　that's　left　of　the　disappeared；〃　Ariel　whispered。　〃At　least　some　of　them；　poor　bastards。　Dumped　here　to　rot　beneath　the　city。〃
　〃What…〃
　Ariel's　hand　went　over　her　mouth　as　he　snapped　off　the　flashlight's　beam。
　Sounds…faint；　indistinct…wafted　toward　them　from　some　unknown　direction。　Ariel　stood　very　still；　he　seemed　scarcely　to　be　breathing。
　The　sounds　came　swiftly　closer。　Tori　strained　to　hear　what　they　were。　As　they　neared；　the　sounds　resolved　themselves　into　male　voices；　then　words；　and　Tori　thought。　My　God；　they're　speaking　Japanese。
　〃Perhaps　Rega　could　have　been　of　some　further　use；〃　one　voice　said。
　〃his　use　was　at　an　end；〃　the　other　said。　〃Given　half　a　reason；　he　would　have　betrayed　us。〃　A　laugh。　〃Besides；　it　felt　good　to　put　the　gun　against　the　back　of　his　neck；　pull　the　trigger；　and　boom！　Like　snuffing　out　a　candle　in　a　church。　In　that　instant；　you　know　something　significant　has　happened：　the　law　has　been　transgressed。〃
　〃I　am　a　Shintoist；〃　the　first　voice　said。　〃God　and　the　devil　mean　nothing　to　me；　like　the　blink　of　an　eye　seen　in　a　mirror。　All　illusion。〃
　〃I　am　Catholic；〃　me　second　voice　said；　〃so　I　understand　the　meaning　of　punishment…and　of　sin。〃
　〃I　don't　understand。　How　can　you　be　a　Catholic　and　a　sinner？〃
　That　laugh　again。'　'I　cannot　be　redeemed　if　I　haven't　sinned；　so　these　days　I　do　my　best　to　ignore　the　law。　Also；　as　you　must　suspect；　there　is　a　measure　of　personal　pleasure　for　me　in　violation。〃　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
　〃Let's　get　on　with　it；〃　the　first　voice　said。
　It　was　impossible　to　say　just　how　close　the　voices　were。　Perhaps　they　were　around　an　unseen　corner；　perhaps　much　nearer　than　that…tunnel　acoustics　being　treacherously　unpredictable。
　Tori　suspected　that　Ariel　was　thinking　the　same　thing。　She　thought　he　wanted　to　get　out　of　there　but　was　afraid　of　being　seen　or　heard。
　Suddenly　a　light　snapped　on；　and　Tori　and　Ariel　were　caught　in　its　piercing　beam。　Tori　could　make　out　the　blossom　of　two　black　figures；　faceless；　on　me　move。
　〃Hey；　look！〃
　〃Who　the　fuck　〃
　The　glint；　dark　and　evil；　of　machine　pistols。
　〃Madre　de　Dios！〃　Ariel　breathed。　He　grabbed　her　hand；　pulled　her　out　of　the　circle　of　light。　They　began　to　stumble　their　way　back　down　the　tunnel。
　The　light　flashed　wildly；　illuminating　the　tunnel　in　rhythmic　bursts；　casting　their　distorted　shadows　against　me　rough　stone　walls。　They　heard　swift　footfalls　behind　them。
　〃They're　ing　after　us！〃　Tori　said。
　Ariel　said　nothing；　pulling　her　after　him　down　the　twisting　tunnel。　They　gained　a　flight　of　steps；　raced　down　them。　But　they　could　hear　the　heavy　footfalls；　the　panting　breaths　that　told　them　their　pursuers　were　gaining　on　them。　Tori　wondered　what　in　God's　name　he　had　led　her　into。
　〃Faster！〃　Ariel's　voice　barked　from　out　of　the　darkness。　〃If　they　catch　us；　they'll　kill　us！〃
　We'll　never　outrun　them。　Tori　thought　as　they　rushed　past　an　open　archway。　Impulsively；　she　reached　out；　grabbed　Ariel；　brought　him　up　short。
　〃What…〃
　''In　here！''　she　whispered　in　his　ear；　and　ducking　down；　they　entered　the　pitch…blackness　beyond　the　portal。
　It　smelled　musty；　and　Tori　could　hear　the　scrabbling　of　tiny　nails　against　loose　rock。　Ariel　used　his　hands　like　a　blind　man；　feeling　the　wall；　following　its　contours。
　Light　flared　behind　them　and　they　both　froze；　then　it　faded；　and　they　continued　on　their　way　in　the　darkness；　into　another；　smaller　chamber；　then　a　third；　even　smaller　one。
　For　the　first　time　Tori　failed　to　scent　a　flow　of　air；　and　she　was　suddenly　afraid　that　they　had　worked　themselves　into　a　dead　end。　On　the　other　hand；　ing　in　here　had　thrown　their　pursuers　off　their　trail。　She　began　to　relax　somewhat。
　Light　returned　again　to　the　outer　corridor；　and　now　she　could　hear　voices　talking　in　Japanese。　The　light　increased　so　that　the　edges　of　it　spilled　into　the　chamber　they　were　in。
　Tori　looked　around；　she　had　been　right。　There　was　only　one　exit　out　of　this　tiny　room；　and　in　order　to　use　it；　they　would　have　to　get　past　the　Japanese　who　were　hunting　them。
　In　the　dim；　inconstant　light；　she　could　make　out　a　mounded　shape　against　me　far　wall。　Breaking　free　of　Ariel；　she　went　over　to　inspect　it　more　closely…and　was　confronted　by　a　veritable　cairn　of　human　skeletons。
　The　disappeared。　More　than　she　could　count。　In　a　brief　glare　of　light　tiny　red　eyes　peered　out　at　her　from　the　labyrinth　of　bones。
　The　light　increased；　but　the　voices　had　ceased；　a　clear　indication　that　the　Japanese　thought　they　were　nearing　their　quarry。
　Tori　made　up　her　mind；　she　turned　back　to　Ariel；　said；　〃Quick！〃　and　taking　him　by　the　hand；　drew　him　down　to　the　cairn　of　bones　and　skulls。　They　burrowed　their　way　through　the　skeletons。　Tori　heard　a　brief　high…pitched　squeal；　and　the　red　eyes　were　gone。　The　smell　of　putrefaction　and　earth　was　overpowering；　it　was　as　if　they　climbed　into　a　grave　that　was　now　closing　round　them。
　When　she　reached　the　far　wall；　she　curled　up　in　a　ball。　Ariel　did　the　same。　All　around　them　the　forest　of　the　dead　rose　up　in　an　angular　chaos　of　arms；　legs；　spines。　Buried　beneath　the　bones；　the　two　of　them　watched　the　arched　portal　through　which　their　pursuers　would　emerge。　Tori　could　feel　the　heat　from　Ariel's　body　curled　against　hers。　They　were　like　doomed　lovers；　breathing　in　the　dark；　breathing　in　the　dead；　waiting　for　death　to　claim　them。
　A　beam　of　light　entered　the　chamber；　played　across　the　cairn　of　skeletons。　It　penetrated　the　latticework　structure；　deeper　and　deeper；　darkness　and　light；　revealing　layer　upon　layer　of　bones；　as　a　spotlight　pierces　deep　water。
　Tori　saw　a　bar　of　light　touch　her　skin；　the　flesh　white　among　the　white　bones；　a　glare　in　her　eyes；　dazzling　her；　and　she　closed　them；　praying　that　she　and　Ariel　had　buried　themselves　deep　enough　so　the　Japanese　could　not　distinguish　the　living　from　the　dead。　At　that　moment　she　felt　a　kinship　with　these　poor；　murdered　people。　If　their　spirits　were　still　here；　she　prayed　they　would　reach　out　to　protect　her。
　She　breathed　tidally；　shut　her　mind　down；　diminished　her　wa；　her　inner　energy　which；　if　these　Japanese　had　been　trained　as　she　had；　they　might　be　able　to　sense　even　though　she　was　hidden　from　their　sight。
　Beside　her；　Ariel　did　not　move。　He　might　have　been　dead。　He　knew　what　to　do；　too。
　〃Bah！　There's　not