cw.blackalibi-第50部分

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m　side　to　side；　marked　their　progress。　Occasionally　there　was　a　querulous　whimper　of　hinges；　but　many　of　the　iron　plaques　were　already　askew　from　age；　didn't　need　to　be　moved　at　all。　One　or　two　were　gone　entirely。　Behind　them　in　every　case；　were　mortar　and　packedearth　cubicles；　most　of　them　little　bigger　than　the　delayed…action　coffins　they　had　eventually　proved　to　be　for　their　inmates。
　　The　endless　succession　of　niches　holding　these　vents　unexpectedly　right…angled；　cut　across　to　meet　Belmonte's　side。　Meaning　this　catab　had　ended　here。　In　its　lateral　face　there　was　but　a　single　iron　door。　Manning　reached　it　first；　having　outdistanced　his　panion　in　the　forward　search。　The　cartwheel　of　his　light　lapped　over　it　momentarily；　then　quickly　dissolved　again。
　　He　shot　it　briefly　downward　at　the　floor；　in　a　signal　to　Belmonte。　The　latter　came　up　beside　him　in　the　dark。　Manning's　voice　was　less　than　a　whisper。　It　had　to　be　guessed　at。　〃Don't　make　any　noise。　Put　your　hand　to　this　one。〃
　　〃Warm。〃
　　〃Warmer　than　the　rest；　anyway；　they're　all　stone…cold。　Something　going　on　behind　it…〃
　　He　started　feeling　along　it　tenderly　with　splayed　fingers　for　the　old…fashioned　staple　grip　his　light　had　shown　him　before。　Before　he　could　plete　the　gesture；　Belmonte　had　elbowed　him　aside；　his　own　hand　was　on　it　instead。　There　was　a　dangerous　sort　of　quietness　about　the　South　American　all　at　once；　as　though　he'd　been　waiting　a　long　time　for　this　approaching　moment。
　　The　thing　swung　out　past　them　on　its　appointed　arc；　and　a　flash　of　unreality；　of　fantasy；　exploded　into　view。
　　It　was　that　their　minds；　conditioned　to　the　realistic；　couldn't　assimilate　what　their　eyes　were　trying　to　show　them。　This　must　have　been　the　torture　chamber　of　this　whole　cruel　place　of　correction　and　exorcism。　Against　the　wall　were　strange　outlines　that　the　modern　mind　had　no　names　for：　things　well　forgotten；　left　behind；　as　the　race　progressed　away　from　its　childish　delight　in　pulling　wings　off　flies。　Chains　hanging　like　fungi；　and　iron　girdles　riveted　into　the　wall；　and　a　thing　like　a　hand　printing　press；　to　cripple　the　straight　bones　nature　had　formed。
　　They　seemed　to　have　been　carried　back　four　hundred　years。　Beyond　that；　even；　into　the　nevernever　land　of　demonology　and　medieval　allegory。　The　place　was　in　use　again。
　　Again；　as　in　the　long　ago；　the　lurid　red　of　fire　glowed　within　the　stone　kiln　at　the　end　of　the　enclosure；　with　its　open　flue　above；　once　used　for　turning　iron　bars　red…hot　or　melting　dipperfuls　of　lead。　And　again；　as　in　the　long　ago；　the　subject　lay　senseless　atop　the　thick；　curved…top　block；　somewhat　similar　to　a　butcher's　chopping　block。　A　subject；　this　time；　in　a　twentieth…century　beaded　evening　gown；　or　the　tatters　that　were　left　of　it。　Legs　dangling　down　over　the　end　of　it；　one　silver　slipper　fallen　off　and　lying　on　the　floor。　Her　head　fell　back　the　other　way；　neck　arched；　hair　streaming　free　and　seeming　to　move　in　the　moving　firelight。
　　Between　her　and　it　was　poised　a　grotesque　silhouette。　Something　that　belonged　on　a　feudal　coat　of　arms。　An　upright　animal。　The　lion；　or　leopard；　rampant。　The　outline　of　the　cat　head　could　be　seen；　two　small　triangular　ears　thrusting　up。
　　The　two　feline　claws　were　poised　over　her　in　striking　position；　about　to　descend；　to　stroke；　softly；　gently　at　first；　just　tearing　the　remnants　of　clothing；　just　scratching　the　smooth　white　skin　below。　Then　faster；　faster；　deeper；　deeper；　as　the　frenzy　mounted…and　the　life…tide　welled　forth。
　　Manning　could　feel　his　senses　trying　to　darken　out；　in　some　form　of　vertigo　or　dizziness；　because　this　thing　wasn't　there；　wasn't　real；　so　that　when　his　faculties　cleared　again　it　would　be　gone。　Just　the　empty　unlit　chamber　would　be　there；　the　way　it　probably　was。　He　also　wanted　to　get　sick　for　a　minute；　because　animals　don't　stand　upright；　and　men…who　do…don't　have　short　pointed　ears　and　spade…shaped　feline　heads；　as　this　apparition　did。
　　A　voice　screamed　something　unintelligible；　but　not　from　over　there；　from　somewhere　close　beside　him。　A　revolver　shot　cracked；　and　he　thought　it　was　the　cleanest；　loveliest　sound　he'd　ever　heard。　The　thing；　whatever　it　was；　reared　up　even　higher　than　before；　claws　threshing　the　air；　then　started　to　go　over　backwards。
　　The　revolver　exploded　a　second　time。　The　thing　in　the　background　went　down　faster；　rolled　over　with　an　air　of　finality；　lay　there　inert；　jaguar；　or　man；　or　jaguar…man。
　　Manning　could　feel　himself　stumbling　forward；　he　lurched　to　his　knees　beside　the　trestle；　picked　her　limp　form　up　in　his　arms；　held　her　protectively　clasped　to　him；　but　more　in　a　state　of　bewilderment　than　active　helpfulness。　Presently　he　became　aware　of　a　heart　beating　somewhere　close　to　his　own；　and　he　knew　she　wasn't　dead。
　　The　revolver　kept　crashing　out；　meanwhile；　and　a　sort　of　chant　of　vengeance　acpanied　it。　〃That's　for　Conchita。〃　Bam。　〃And　that's　for　Conchita。〃　Bam。　〃And　that's　for　all　the　others。〃　Bam。　〃But　this；　this　one　is　for　Conchita　all　over　again！〃
　　Brief　flashes　kept　flickering　over　Belmonte's　face；　lighting　it　momentarily　from　below　each　time。
　　〃Belmonte；　quit；〃　Manning　remonstrated　at　last。　〃Pull　yourself　together。　The　thing's　dead　ten　times　over。〃
　　But　the　revolver　kept　on　clicking　emptily；　over　and　over　again。
　　After　a　while；　he　took　the　empty　gun　away　from　Belmonte；　and　said；　〃Take　care　of　the　girl。〃　Belmonte　took　the　girl　from　him　and　carried　her　out　of　the　place。　Manning　went　over　closer　to　the　huddled　form　lying　on　the　ground；　and　stood　looking　down　at　it。　It　had　fallen　face　downward。　He　turned　it　over　with　his　foot。　He　bent　down　for　a　moment；　just　once；　then　straightened　up　again。
　　When　Belmonte　came　back　presently；　Manning　was　standing　beside　the　kiln；　thrusting　a　small　deep…curved　shovel　down　into　it。　Before　Belmonte　knew　what　he　was　about；　he　had　tipped　it　up　again；　overturned　it。　A　freshet　of　live　coals　spilled　down　over　the　exposed　face　on　the　floor；　forming　a　glowing　puddle；　blanketing　it。　They　only　darkened　momentarily；　then　almost　immediately　they　had　brightened　again　as　fiercely　as　ever。　Dank　steam　struggled　up　between　the　livid　nuggets；　like　thin　snakes。
　　Manning　threw　down　the　shovel　and　they　both　came　away　fast。
　　
　　
　　They　sat　sipping　small　stinging　brandies　in　the　morning　sunlight；　at　a　little　cafй　on　the　Alameda。　A　shoeshine　boy　was　crouched　at　Belmonte's　feet。　All　around　them　life　was　going　on　as　usual。　It　was　hard　to　believe　that　just　a　few　hours　ago；　not　a　stone's　throw　from　here…
　　〃If　you　hadn't　lost　your　head　the　way　you　did…〃　Manning　began。
　　Belmonte　tossed　the　bootblack　a　coin　to　get　rid　of　him。　〃I　lost　my　head？〃　he　smiled。　〃On　the　contrary；　I　kept　my　head　very　well。　There　is　no　capital　punishment　down　here。　The　most　they　could　have　given　him；　by　statute；　is　twenty　years　to　life。〃　He　shrugged。　〃Do　you　see　what　I　mean？〃
　　〃I　see　what　you　mean；〃　Manning　assented。
　　〃One　thing　I　don't　understand；〃　Belmonte　mused。　〃How　did　it　get　into　the　chapel　in　the　first　place？　The　entrance　was　locked　tight；　the　police　had　to　take　crowbars　to　it　themselves　when　they　were　looking　for　it　that　first　night；　you　remember？〃
　　〃The　chapel　is　roofless；　just　four　walls　and　open　sky。　My　conjecture　is　it　ran　into　the　doorway　of　the　house　immediately　adjoining；　came　out　on　the　roof；　or　some　projecting　ledge；　of　that；　and　seeing　its　escape　cut　off；　jumped　from　there　down　into　the　opening　offered　by　the　ruined　chapel；　unseen　by　anyone　against　the　surrounding　blackness。　A　leap　from　such　a　height　wouldn't　be　prohibitive　for　an　animal　of　its　type；　particularly　spurred　on　by　fear。
　　〃He　got　hold　of　it　in　some　way；　anyway；　we　know　that　much。　Your　revolver；　last　night；　deprived　us　of　ever　finding　out　the　exact　details。　Probably　stunned　it　with　a　big　rock　and　dragged　it　back　through　that　tunnel；　that　he'd　already　been　using　for　some　time　past。〃
　　He　waited　until　the　waiter　had　put　down　their　new　jiggers；　gone　away　again。　〃He　was　ripe　for　murder；　anyway。　The　tinder　was　there；　waiting。　The　jaguar　was　the　spark。　The　spark　came　along　and　bang！　all　over　the　place。　Every　large　city　has　dozens　of　his　kind。　Fortunately；　most　of　them　never　blow　a　fuse。　One　in　a　hundred　gets　started　off；