cb.coldheart canyon-第8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！


　 〃Is　it　like　this　all　over？〃　Zeffer　said；　his　astonishment　unfeigned。
　 〃All　over。　There　are　thirty…three　thousand；　two　hundred　and　sixty…eight　tiles；　and　there　is　obscene　matter　on　two　thousand；　seven　hundred　and　ninety…eight　of　them。〃
　 〃You've　obviously　made　a　study；〃　Zeffer　observed。
　 〃Not　I。　An　Englishman　who　worked　with　Father　Nicholas　did　the　counting。　For　some　reason　the　numbers　remained　in　my　head。　I　think　it's　old　age。　Things　you　want　to　remember；　you　can't。　And　things　that　don't　mean　anything　stick　in　your　head　like　a　knife。〃
　 〃That's　not　a　pretty　image；　with　respect。〃
　 〃With　respect；　there's　nothing　pretty　about　the　way　I　feel；〃　Sandru　replied。　〃I　feel　old　to　my　marrow。　On　a　good　day　I　can　barely　get　up　in　the　morning。　On　a　bad　day；　I　just　wish　I　were　dead。〃
　 〃Lord。〃
　 Sandru　shrugged。　〃That's　what　living　in　this　place　does　to　you　after　a　while。　Everything　drains　out　of　you　somehow。〃
　 Zeffer　was　only　half…listening。　He　was　exhilarated　by　what　he　saw；　and　he　had　no　patience　with　Sandru's　melancholy；　his　thoughts　were　with　the　walls；　and　the　pictures　on　the　walls。
　 〃Are　there　records　documenting　how　this　was　created？　It　is　a　masterpiece；　in　its　way。〃
　 〃One　of　a　kind；〃　Sandru　said。
　 〃Absolutely　one　of　a　kind。〃
　 〃To　answer　your　question；　no；　there　are　no　records。　It's　assumed　that　it　was　funded　by　Duke　Goga；　who　had　lately　returned　from　the　Crusades　with　a　large　amount　of　booty；　claimed　from　the　infidel　in　the　name　of　Christ。〃
　 〃But　to　build　a　room　like　this　with　money　you'd　made　on　the　Crusades！〃　Zeffer　said　incredulously。
　 〃I　agree。　It　seems　like　an　unlikely　thing　to　do　in　the　name　of　God。　Of　course　none　of　this　is　proved。　There　are　some　people　who　will　tell　you　that　Goga　went　missing　on　one　of　his　hunts；　and　it　wasn't　him　who　built　this　place　at　all。〃
　 〃Who　then？〃
　 〃Lilith；　the　Devil's　wife；〃　the　Father　said；　dropping　his　voice　to　a　whisper。　〃Which　would　make　this　the　Devil's　Country；　no？〃
　 〃Has　anybody　tried　to　analyze　the　work？〃
　 〃Oh　yes。　The　Englishman　I　spoke　of；　George　Soames；　claimed　he　had　discovered　evidence　of　twenty…two　different　styles　amongst　the　designs。　But　that　was　just　the　painters。　Then　there　were　the　men　who　actually　made　the　tiles。　Fired　them。　Sorted　out　the　good　from　the　bad。　Prepared　the　paint。　Cleaned　the　brushes。　And　there　must　have　been　some　system　to　align　everything。〃
　 〃The　rows　of　tiles？〃
　 〃I　was　thinking　more　of　the　alignment　of　interior　with　the　exterior。〃
　 〃Perhaps　they　built　the　room　first。〃
　 〃No。　The　Fortress　is　two…and…a…half　centuries　older　than　this　room。〃
　 〃My　God；　so　to　get　the　alignment　so　perfect…？〃
　 〃Is　quite　miraculous。　Soames　found　fifty…nine　geographical　markers…　certain　stones；　trees；　the　spire　of　the　old　abbey　in　Darscus…which　are　visible　from　the　tower　and　are　also　painted　on　the　wall。　He　calculated　that　all　fifty…nine　were　correctly　aligned；　within　half　a　degree　of　accuracy。〃
　 〃Somebody　was　obsessive。〃
　 〃Or　else；　divinely　inspired。〃
　 〃You　believe　that？〃
　 〃Why　not？〃
　 Zeffer　glanced　back　at　the　arena　on　the　wall　behind　him；　with　all　its　libidinous　excesses。　〃Does　that　look　like　the　kind　of　work　that　somebody　would　do　in　the　name　of　God？〃
　 〃As　I　said；〃　Sandru　replied；　〃I　no　longer　know　where　God　is　and　where　He　isn't。〃
　 There　was　a　long　silence；　during　which　Zeffer　continued　to　survey　the　walls。　Finally　he　said：　〃How　much　do　you　want　for　it？〃
　 〃How　much　do　I　want　for　what？〃
　 〃For　the　room？〃
　 Sandru　barked　out　a　laugh。
　 〃I　mean　it；〃　Zeffer　said。　〃How　much　do　you　want　for　it？〃
　 〃It's　a　room；　Mr。　Zeffer；〃　Sandru　said。　〃You　can't　buy　a　room。〃
　 〃Then　it's　not　for　sale？〃
　 〃That's　not　my　point…〃
　 〃Just　tell　me：　is　it　for　sale　or　not？〃
　 Again；　laughter。　But　this　time　there　was　less　humor；　more　bemusement。　〃I　don't　see　that　it's　worth　talking　about；〃　Sandru　said；　putting　the　brandy　bottle　to　his　lips　and　drinking。
　 〃Let's　say　a　hundred　thousand　dollars。　What　would　that　be　in　lei？　What's　the　lei　worth　right　now？　A　hundred　and　thirty…two…and…a…half　to　the　dollar？〃
　 〃If　you　say　so。〃
　 〃So　that's　what？　Thirteen　million；　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　lei。〃
　 〃You　jest。〃
　 〃No。〃
　 〃Where　would　you　find　such　money？〃　A　pause　followed。　〃If　I　may　ask？〃
　 〃Over　the　years；　I've　made　some　very　lucrative　investments　on　behalf　of　Katya。　We　own　large　parts　of　Los　Angeles。　Half　a　mile　of　Sunset　Boulevard　is　in　her　name。　Another　half　mile　in　mine。〃
　 〃And　you　would　sell　all　that　to　own　this？〃
　 〃A　little　piece　of　Sunset　Boulevard　for　your　glorious　Hunt？　Why　not？〃
　 〃Because　it's　just　a　room　covered　with　filthy　tile。〃
　 〃So　I　have　more　money　than　sense。　What　does　it　matter　to　you？　A　hundred　thousand　dollars　is　a　great　deal　of　money。〃
　 〃Yes；　it　is。〃
　 〃So；　do　we　have　a　deal　or　not？〃
　 〃Mr。　Zeffer；　this　is　all　too　sudden。　We're　not　talking　about　a　chair　here。　This　is　part　of　the　fabric　of　the　Fortress。　It　has　great　historical　significance。〃
　 〃A　minute　ago　it　was　just　a　room　covered　with　filthy　tile。〃
　 〃Filthy　tile　of　great　historical　significance；〃　Sandru　said；　allowing　himself　a　little　smile。
　 〃Are　you　saying　we　can't　find　some　terms　that　are　mutually　satisfying？　Because　if　you　are…〃
　 〃No；　no；　no。　I'm　not　saying　that。　Perhaps　we　could　eventually　agree　on　a　price；　if　we　talked　about　it　for　a　while。　But　how　would　you　ever　get　it　back　to　California？〃
　 〃That　would　be　my　problem。　This　is　the　twenties；　Father。　Anything's　possible。〃
　 〃And　then　what？　Suppose　you　could　get　everything　back　to　Hollywood？〃
　 〃Another　room；　the　same　proportions…〃
　 〃You　have　such　a　room？〃
　 〃No。　I'd　build　one。　We　have　a　house　in　the　Hollywood　Hills。　I'd　put　it　in　as　a　surprise　for　Katya。〃
　 〃Without　telling　her？〃
　 〃Well　if　I　told　her　it　wouldn't　be　a　surprise。〃
　 〃I'm　just　astonished　that　she　would　allow　you　to　do　such　a　thing。　A　woman　like　that。〃
　 〃Like　what？〃
　 The　question　caught　Sandru　off…balance。　〃Well。。。so。。。〃
　 〃Beautiful？〃
　 〃Yes。〃
　 〃I　think　our　conversation's　e　full…circle；　Father。〃
　 Sandru　conceded　the　point　with　a　little　nod；　lifting　the　brandy　bottle　as　he　did　so。
　 〃So　she's　not　as　perfect　as　her　face　would　suggest？〃　he　asked　at　last。　〃Not　remotely。　Thank　God。〃
　 〃This　place；　with　all　its　obscenities；　would　please　her？〃　〃Yes；　I　think　it　would。　Why？　Does　that　make　you　more　open　to　the　idea　of　selling　it　to　me？〃
　 〃I　don't　know；〃　Sandru　replied；　frowning。　〃This　whole　conversation　hasn't　turned　out　the　way　I　thought　it　would。　I　expected　you　to　e　down　here　and　maybe　buy　a　table；　or　a　tapestry。　Instead　you　want　to　buy　the　walls！〃　He　shook　his　head　again。　〃I　was　warned　about　you　Americans；〃　he　added；　his　tone　no　longer　amused。
　 〃What　were　you　warned　about？〃
　 〃Oh；　that　you　thought　nothing　was　beyond　your　grasp。　Or　beyond　your　pocket。〃
　 〃So　the　money　isn't　enough。〃
　 〃The　money；　the　money。〃　He　made　an　ugly　sound　in　the　back　of　his　throat。　〃What　does　the　money　matter？　You　want　to　pay　a　hundred　thousand　dollars　for　it？　Pay　it。　I'll　never　see　a　lei　so　why　should　I　care　what　it　costs　you？　You　can　steal　it　as　far　as　I　am　concerned。〃
　 〃Let　me　understand　you　clearly。　Are　you　agreeing　to　the　sale？〃
　 〃Yes；〃　Father　Sandru　said；　his　tone　weary　now；　as　though　the　whole　subject　had　suddenly　lost　all　trace　of　pleasure　for　him。　〃I'm　agreeing。〃　〃Good。　I'm　delighted。〃
　 Zeffer　returned　through　the　maze　of　furniture　to　the　door；　where　the　priest　stood。　He　extended　his　hand。　〃It's　been　wonderful　dealing　with　you；　Father　Sandru。〃
　 Sandru　looked　down　on　the　proffered　hand；　and　then…after　a　moment　of　study…took　it。　His　fingers　were　cold；　his　palm　clammy。　〃Do　you　want　to　stay　and　look　at　what　you've　bought？〃
　 〃No。　I　don't　think　so。　I　think　we　both　need　a　little　sun　on　our　faces。〃　Sandru　said　nothing　to　this；　he　just　turned　and　led　the　way　out　along　the　corridor　to　the　stairs。　But　the　expression　on　his　face；　as　he　turned；　was　perfectly　clear：　there　was　no　more　pleasure　to　be　found　above　as　there　was　down　here　in　the　cold；　nor　prospect　of　any。
　
　
　THREE
　 There　were　ten　thousand　things　Zeffer　had　not　witnessed；　or　even　glimpsed；　in　his　brief　visit　to　the　vast；　mysterious　chambers　in　the　Fortress's　bowels；　images　haunting　the