cw.blackalibi-第49部分

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ting　point　each　time。　But　it　was　all　Manning　had；　it　was　the　best　he　could　do。　And　it　was　still　a　whole　lot　better　and　quicker　than　having　the　whole　sprawling　city　to　b　over。　At　least　he　knew　which　one　of　those　six　radiating　avenues　to　take　from　here；　now。　The　stake　was　still　as　high　as　ever；　but　the　odds　had　e　down　a　lot。
　　He　sighted　a　cab　in　the　distance　and　bayed　to　it　at　the　top　of　his　lungs。　Five　minutes　later　he　had　alighted　at　the　mouth　of　the　Callejуn。　The　cab　drove　off；　left　him　there　alone。　It　was　black　as　the　mouth　of　hell；　not　a　light　showed　along　its　entire　tortuous　length；　from　where　he　was　through　to　the　other　end。
　　He　plunged　in；　to　begin　a　one…man　search　from　doorway　to　doorway。
　　
　　
　　Half　an　hour　later　he　had　dead…ended　in　the　roofless　chapel。　His　torch　moved　up　and　down　the　walls　in　a　series　of　scallops　as　he　clambered　up　and　down　the　varying　mounds　of　debris。　His　face　looked　gray　in　the　pallid　reflection　of　its　small　glow；　and　there　was　the　shine　of　sweat；　the　sweat　of　failure；　in　the　pinched　indentations　at　the　corners　of　his　eyes　and　mouth。　After　his　third　time　around；　he　turned　and　moved　back　toward　the　entrance。
　　There　was　a　small　click；　and　his　light　went　out；　just　as　his　hopes　had　long　before　this。　He　let　the　door　flap　idly　to　and　fro　behind　him　on　the　slight　current　of　his　egress；　sat　soddenly　down　on　the　worn　steps　outside；　his　spine　a　bow　of　dejection。　There　was　no　place　else　to　go　from　here。
　　Minutes　went　by。　He　looked　up　once；　at　the　patch　of　black　over　him。　It　was　still　night。　How　long　a　night　lasted…sometimes。　But　not　when　you　are　dying。
　　He　rose　to　his　feet　at　last；　began　hobbling　painfully　along　toward　where　the　inset　rejoined　the　main　part　of　the　alley。　A　piece　of　gravel　had　got　into　one　of　his　shoes；　climbing　around　inside　there；　and　was　half　killing　him。　He　had　to　stop　finally；　brace　his　foot　against　the　wall；　and　strip　off　the　offending　shoe。　He　shook　it　out；　felt　along　the　sole　of　his　sock　to　make　sure　the　irritant　was　not　imbedded　in　that。　It　was；　and　it　rolled　into　the　hollow　of　his　hand。
　　The　dangling　shoe　dropped　with　a　clump；　and　he　flicked　on　his　light；　turned　it　into　his　palm。　Something　winked　there　in　its　creases。　A　diminutive　oblong；　tiny　but　bright。　A　microscopic　tube。　A　bead。　One　of　those　things　from　her　dress。
　　It　had　only　been　hurting　him　since　he'd　e　out　of　there。
　　He　shoveled　his　foot　back　into　the　shoe；　ran　up　the　short　steps　and　inside　once　more。
　　He　only　found　it　at　last　because　he　knew　there　was　something　there　to　be　found　now　and　he　wouldn't　quit　looking　until　he　had。　It　was　a　lead　trap　set　into　the　floor　and　indistinguishable　in　size　or　color　from　the　massive　paving　blocks　set　around　it。　He'd　missed　it　because　he'd　been　chiefly　occupied　with　the　walls　until　now；　not　the　littered　flooring　underfoot；　which　had　seemed　solid。　His　quest　had　been　for　a　gap；　an　orifice；　not　anything　of　this　sort。
　　He　was　squatting　down　by　it　now；　getting　excited。　It　had　a　flattened　ring　nosed　through　it。　He　pried　that　up　and　pulled；　and　the　whole　thing　tilted　up　quite　easily；　on　a　sort　of　chain…brace　arrangement　on　the　underside。
　　He　shot　his　light　down　into　it；　to　reveal　a　narrow　oblong　pit；　with　breakneck　stone　steps　leading　down；　but　from　the　side；　not　lengthwise。　On　the　lowest　step　of　all　there　was　another　of　those　tiny　winking　points　of　light；　like　the　one　that　had　rested　in　his　palm　awhile　ago；　outside。
　　〃This　is　for　me；〃　he　told　himself　with　grim　conviction。
　　What　it　was；　where　it　went　to；　he　didn't　know；　only　that　she'd　e　this　way；　so　he　was　going　to　e　this　way；　too。　A　cold　long…buried　air　arose　in　his　face；　like　something　from　another　world；　as　he　disappeared　down　into　it　by　sections；　like　someone　being　swallowed　in　a　quicksand：　first　his　legs；　then　his　thighs；　then　his　middle。　Finally　it　closed　over　his　head。
　　There　was　a　tunnel　stretching　before　him；　almost　to　infinity；　it　seemed。　It　was　shored　at　the　sides　and　top　by　age…blackened　beams；　like　a　mine　shaft。　As　he　moved　along　it　eating　up　distance；　he　almost　received　the　impression　of　standing　still。　There　was　always　still　more　empty　blackness　out　there　ahead　of　the　furthermost　limits　of　the　beam　of　his　light。　Once　his　light　swam　over　the　droppings　of　some　animal；　weeks　old　and　half　dust。
　　So　it　had　been　down　in　here…at　one　time。
　　A　few　paces　farther　on　he　shied　suddenly；　gave　an　instinctive　quirk　to　the　gun　he　was　holding　in　readiness；　as　something　white　gleamed　out　at　him　unexpectedly。　It　was　a　bodiless　skull；　nestled　there　in　the　angle　of　one　of　the　shoring　beams；　grinning　teeth　to　ground　as　if　biting　it。　It　was　ivory　smooth　with　centuries　of　fleshlessness。
　　Then　just　when　he　thought　this　passage　was　never　going　to　reach　anywhere；　never　end；　his　light　head　suddenly　foreshortened；　deflected　upwards　by　steps　before　him　again。
　　Up　over　them　was　the　same　type　of　chained　trap　that　had　admitted　him　just　now　at　the　other　end。　He　put　his　foot　to　the　lowest　step；　and　then　stopped　for　a　moment。　Something　made　him　put　his　light　out　and　sheathe　it　in　the　waistband　of　his　trousers；　before　he　reached　upward　to　open　the　enclosure。　The　gun　he　retained。　He　knew　he　was　getting　near　the　end　of　the　trail　now。
　　It　lifted　without　any　more　recalcitrance　than　its　plement　at　the　other　end；　showing；　if　nothing　else；　that　both　had　seen　frequent　use　lately。　It　was　not；　though；　nor　could　it　be　expected　to　be；　pletely　noiseless。　It　whined　as　it　went　upward；　and　the　chains　jangled　as　they　stayed　it。
　　As　he　came　up　into　the　dark；　he　was　uncannily　aware　of　some　other　presence　near　him。　Some　bated　presence　that　had　detected　him　first；　and　was　holding　itself　craftily　motionless。　He　could　feel　the　skin　across　the　back　of　his　neck　tighten；　and　he　began　fanning　his　gun　warily　against　the　sightless　gloom　that　faced　him。　He　took　a　cautious　step　away　from　the　topmost　step。　Then　another。
　　A　current　of　air　set　in　flux　by　some　unseen　movement　near　him　reached　him　too　late。
　　The　bore　of　a　gun　ground　into　his　backbone　with　electrifying　lack　of　preliminary　and；　as　though　it　were　the　nozzle　of　a　powerful　vacuum　cleaner；　seemed　to　draw　him　from　behind　into　paralyzed　motionlessness。
　　A　hand；　as　cold　with　tension　and　deadly　purpose　as　his　own；　suddenly　came　to　rest　on　his；　took　away　the　gun。　A　surly　voice　breathed　close　to　his　ear；　〃　Quieto！　〃　Before　he　could　identify　it　further；　there　was　a　snap　and　a　light　flashed　on　full　in　his　face；　blinding　him。
　　Belmonte's　voice　suddenly　sounded；　full…tone。　〃My　God；　it's　you；　hombre！　I　nearly…〃
　　〃What　did　you　run　out　on　me　like　that　for？〃　the　American　railed　angrily。
　　〃Sh；　keep　your　voice　down！〃　the　other　cautioned。　He　handed　him　his　gun　back。　〃My　instinct　told　me　to　follow　that　carriage。　I　had　no　time　to　warn　you。　Even　so；　he　nearly　gave　me　the　slip。　When　I　finally　caught　up　with　it；　three　blocks　away　from　the　alley；　it　was　already　empty…〃
　　〃How　long　have　you　been　in　here？〃
　　〃Only　a　few　minutes　ahead　of　you。　I　was　only　beginning　to　look　around　when　I　heard　you　ing　up　through　the　trap…〃
　　〃What　is　it？　What　is　the　place　anyway？〃
　　〃It's　the　old　underground　dungeons　of　the　Inquisition。　That　must　have　been　a　secret　passage　they　built　in　the　old　days。　There's　dozens　and　dozens　of　little　cells；　it's　honeybed　with　them。　e　on；　I'll　show　you　how　far　I'd　gotten　when　you　interrupted　me。　Don't　make　any　noise；　he's　somewhere　down　around　here。〃
　　Although　they　had　been　anything　but　noiseless；　there　was　no　indication　that　anything　around　them　in　the　dark　had　heard…or　was　there　to　hear。　A　cautious　spurt　or　two　of　Manning's　torch　showed　him　what　Belmonte　had　presumably　already　discovered　for　himself　before　his　arrival：　that　they　were　in　a　crumbling；　vaulted　corridor；　squat　stone　pillars　every　few　yards　supporting　the　succession　of　arches　that　roofed　it。　Between　each　two　were　grim…looking　iron　doors。
　　〃You　take　this　side；　I'll　take　the　other；〃　Belmonte　breathed。
　　They　separated；　were　immediately　lost　to　one　another　in　the　gloom。　From　then　on　a　brief　flicker　of　torchlight　every　few　moments；　quickly　doused　again；　alternating　from　side　to　side；　marked　their　progress。　Occasionally　there　was　a　querulous　whimper　of　hinges；　but　man