bl.necroscope2-第44部分

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le　while。　But；　until　then；　let　me　tend　to　it。〃　He　took　my　hand　and　tried　to　lick　the　salt　blood。
　I　hurled　him　away。　〃Keep　your　vampire's　tongue　to　yourself！〃　I　cried。
　And　with　a　sudden　thrill　of　horror；　perhaps　for　the　first　time；　I　began　to　truly　understand　what　he　had　bee。　And　what　I　was　being。　For　I　had　seen　that　look　of　entirely　unnatural　lust　on　his　face；　and　I　had　suddenly　remembered　that　once　there　were　three　of　us。　。
　I　looked　all　around　the　dungeon；　into　all　of　the　corners　and　cobwebbed　shadows；　and　my　changeling　eyes　penetrated　even　the　darkest　gloom。！　looked　everywhere　and　failed　to　discover　what　I　sought。　Then　I　turned　back　to　Ehrig。　He　saw　my　expression；　began　to　back　away　from　me。　〃Ehrig；〃　I　said；　following；　closing　with　him。　〃Now　tell　me；　pray…what　has　bee　of　the　poor　mutilated　body　of　Vasily？　Where；　pray；　is　the　corpse　of　our　former　colleague；　the　slender；　ever　aggressive。。。　Vasily？〃
　In　a　corner；　Ehrig　had　tripped　on　something。　He　stumbled；　fell…amidst　a　small　pile　of　bones　flensed　almost　white。　Human　bones。
　After　long　moments　I　found　voice。　〃Vasily？〃
　Ehrig　nodded；　shrank　back　from　me；　scuttling　like　a　crab　on　the　floor。　〃The　Ferenczy；　he。。。　he　has　not　fed　us！〃　he　pleaded。
　I　let　my　head　slump；　turned　away　in　disgust。　Ehrig　scrambled　to　his　feet；　carefully　approached。　〃Keep　well　away；〃　I　warned　him；　my　voice　low　and　filled　with　loathing。　〃Why　did　you　not　break　the　bones；　for　their　marrow？〃
　〃Ah；　no！〃　said　Ehrig；　as　if　explaining　to　a　child。　〃The　Ferenczy　told　me　to　leave　Vasily's　bones　for。。。　for　the　burrower　in　the　earth；　that　which　took　shape　in　old　Arvos　and　consumed　him。　It　will　e　for　them　when　all　is　quiet。　When　we　are　asleep。　。
　〃Sleep？〃　I　barked；　turning　on　him。　〃You　think　I'll　sleep？　Here？　With　you　in　the　same　cell？〃
　He　turned　away；　shoulders　slumping。　〃Ah；　you　are　the　proud　one；　Thibor。　As　I　was　proud。　It　goes　before　a　fall；　they　say。　Your　time　is　still　to　e。　As　for　me；　I　will　not　harm　you。　Even　if　I　dared；　if　my　hunger　was　such　that　but　I　would　not　dare。　The　Ferenczy　would　cut　me　into　small　pieces　and　burn　each　one　with　fire。　That　is　his　threat。　Anyway；　I　love　you　as　a　brother。〃
　〃As　you　loved　Vasily？〃　I　scowled　at　him　where　he　gazed　at　me　over　his　hunched　shoulder。　He　had　no　answer。
　〃Leave　me　in　peace；〃　I　growled　then。　〃I　have　much　to　think　about。〃
　I　went　to　one　corner；　Ehrig　to　another。　There　we　sat　in　silence。
　Hours　passed。　Finally　I　did　sleep。　In　my　dreams…for　the　most　part　unremembered；　perhaps　mercifully…I　seemed　to　hear　strange　slitherings；　and　sucking　sounds。　Also　a　period　of　brittle　crunching。
　When　I　awakened；　Vasily's　bones　had　disappeared。
　
　
　Chapter　Nine
　The　voice　of　the　extinct　vampire　faded　in　Harry　Keogh's　incorporeal　mind。　For　long　moments　nothing　further　was　said；　and　they　were　empty　seconds　which　Harry　couldn't　really　afford。　At　any　moment　he　could　find　himself　recalled　by　his　infant　son；　back　through　the　maze　of　the　M？bius　continuum　to　the　garret　flat　in　Hartlepool。　But　if　Harry's　time　was　important；　so　too　was　the　rest　of　mankind's。
　〃I　begin　to　feel　sorry　for　you；　Thibor；〃　he　said；　his　life…force　burning　blue　as　a　neon　firefly　in　the　dark　glade　under　the　trees。　〃I　can　see　how　you　fought　against　it；　how　you　did　not　want　to　bee　what　you　eventually　became。〃
　Eventually？　the　old　Thing　in　the　ground　spoke　up　at　last。　No　eventually　about　it；　Harry…I　had　bee！　From　the　moment　Faethor's　seed　embraced　my　body；　my　brain；　I　was　doomed。　For　from　that　moment　it　was　growing　in　me；　and　growing　quickly。　First　its　effect　became　apparent　in　my　emotions；　my　passions。　I　say　〃apparent〃；　but　scarcely　so　to　me。　Can　you　feel　your　body　healing　after　a　cut　or　a　blow？　Are　you　aware　of　your　hair　or　fingernails　growing？　Does　a　man　who　gradually　bees　insane　know　that　he　is　going　mad？
　Suddenly；　as　the　voice　of　the　vampire　faded　again；　there　came　a　rising　babble　in　Harry's　mind。　A　cry　of　frustration；　of　fury！　He　had　expected　it　sooner　or　later；　for　he　knew　that　Thibor　Ferenczy　was　not　alone　here　in　the　dark　cruciform　hills。　And　now　a　new　voice　formed　words　in　the　necroscope's　consciousness；　a　voice　he　recognised　of　old。
　
　You　old　liar！　You　old　devil！　cried　the　inflamed　spark；　the　enraged　spirit　of　Boris　Dragosani。　Ah！　And　how　is　this　for　irony？　Not　enough　that　I　am　dead；　but　to　have　for　panion　in　my　grave　that　one　creature　I　loathed　above　all　others！　And　worse；　to　know　that　my　greatest　enemy　in　life…the　man　who　killed　me…is　now　the　only　living　man　who　can　ever　reach　me　in　death！　Ha；　ha！　And　to　be　here；　knowing　once　more　the　voices　of　these　two…the　one　demanding；　the　other　wheedling；　beguiling；　seeking　to　lie　as　always…and　knowing　the　futility　of　it　all；　but　yet　yearning；　burning　to　be。。。　involved！　Oh；　God；　if　ever　there　were　a　God；　won't…somebody…speak…to　…meeeee？！
　Pay　no　attention；　said　Thibor　at　once。　He　raves。　For；　as　you　well　know；　Harry；　since　you　were　instrumental；　when　he　killed　me　he　killed　himself。　The　thought　is　enough　to　unhinge　anyone；　and　poor　Boris　was　half…mad　to　begin　with　。
　I　was　made　mad！　Dragosani　howled。　By　a　filthy；　lying；　loathsome　leech　of　a　thing　in　the　ground！　Do　you　know　what　he　did　to　me；　Harry　Keogh？
　〃I　know　of　several　things　he　did　to　you；〃　Harry　answered。　〃Mental　and　physical　torture　seems　an　unending　activity　for　creatures　of　your　sort；　alive　or　dead。　Or　undead！〃
　You　are　right；　Harry！　A　third　voice　from　beyond　the　grave　now　spoke　up。　It　was　a　soft；　whispering　voice；　but　not　without　a　certain　sinister　inflection。　They　are　cruel　beyond　words；　and　none　of　them　is　to　be　trusted！　I　assisted　Dragosani；　I　was　his　friend；　it　was　my　finger　which　triggered　the　bolt　that　struck　Thibor　through　the　heart　and　pinned　him　there；　half…in；　half…out　of　his　grave。　Why；　I　was　the　one　who　handed　Dragosani　the　scythe　to　cut　off　the　monster's　head！　And　how　did　he　pay　me；　eh？　Ah；　Dragosani！　How　can　you　talk　of　lies　and　treachery　and　loathsomeness；　when　you　yourself…You…were…a…monster！　Dragosani　silenced　Max　Batu's　accusations　with　one　of　his　own。　My　excuse　is　simple：　I　had　Thibor's　vampire　seed　in　me。　But　what　of　you；　Max？　What？　A　man　so　evil　he　could　kill　with　a　glance？
　Batu；　a　Mongol　esper　who　in　life　had　held　the　secret　of　the　Evil　Eye；　was　outraged。　Now　hear　this　great　liar；　this　thief。〃　he　hissed　sibilantly。　He　slit　my　throat；　drained　my　blood；　despoiled　my　corpse　and　tore　from　it　my　secret。　He　took　my　power　for　his　own；　to　kill　as　I　killed。　Hah！　Little　good　it　did　him。　Now　we　share　the　same　gloomy　hillside。　Aye；　Thibor；　Dragosani；　and　myself；　and　all　three　of　us　shunned　by　the　teeming　dead。
　〃Listen　to　me；　all　of　you；〃　said　Harry；　before　they　could　start　again。　〃So　you've　all　suffered　injustices；　eh？　Well；　maybe　you　have；　but　none　so　great　as　those　you've　worked。　How　many　men　did　you　kill　with　your　Evil　Eye；　Max；　stopping　them　dead　in　their　tracks　and　crumpling　their　hearts　like　paper？　And　were　they　all　bad　men？　Did　they　deserve　to　die？　As　horribly　as　that？　No；　for　one　at　least　was　my　friend；　as　good　a　man　as　you　could　ever　wish　to　meet。〃
　The　head　of　your　British　E…Branch？　Batu　was　quick　off　the　mark。　But　Dragosani　ordered　me　to　kill　him！
　It　was　our　mission！　Dragosani　railed。　Don't　play　the　innocent　here；　Mongol。　You'd　killed　others　before　him。
　He　also　ordered　Ladislau　Giresci　killed；　said　Batu。　One　of　his　own　countrymen；　and　entirely　innocent！　Ah；　but　Giresci　knew　Dragosani's　secret…that　he　was　a　vampire！
　He　was　a　danger　to。。。　to　the　State！　Dragosani　blustered。　I　worked　only　for　Mother　Russia；　and　…〃You　worked　only　for　yourself！〃　Harry　stopped　him。
　〃The　truth　is；　you　desired　to　be　a　power　in　the　land。　No；　in　the　whole　world！　Lie　if　you　must；　Dragosani；　for　it's　a　trait　of　vampires；　after　all；　but　not　to　yourself。　I've　spoken　to　Gregor　Borowitz；　remember？　And　did　he　too　die　for　Mother　Russia？　The　head　of　your　own　E…Branch？〃
　There　you　have　it；　Dragosani；　said　Thibor；　his　voice　a　dark　chuckle。　Caught　on　your　own　barbs！
　〃Don't　crow；　Thibor；〃　Harry's　voice　was　lower　still。　〃You　were　as　bad　and　probably　worse　than　both　of　them。〃
　I？　Why；　I　have…or　I　had…lain　here　in　the　earth　for　five　hundred　years！　What　harm　can　a　poor　thing　in　the　ground　do；　alone　with　the　worms　in　the　cold　hard　earth？
　〃And　what　of　the　five　hundred　years　before　that？〃　said　Harry。　〃You　know　as　well　as　I　that　Wallachia　trembled　to　your　tread　for　centuries！　The　earth　itself　is　soaked　black　with　the　blood　you　spilled。　And　don't　lay　it　all　at　Faethor　Ferenczy's　feet。　He's　not　entirely　to　blame。　He　knew　what　you　were；　else　he　wouldn't　have　chosen　you。　。
　And　is　that　why　you've　e？　Thibor　asked　after　a　moment。　To　harangue　and　accuse　and　denounce？
　〃No；　I　came　to　learn；〃　said　Harry。　〃Now　look；　I　can't　lie　as　well　as　you　do。　I　was　never　much　of　a　liar　at　the　best　of　times。　So　I'm　sure　you'd　see　through　me　if　I　tried　any　sort　of　subterfuge。　That's　why　I'll　e　straight　out　with　it　。　。
　Well　then？　said　Dragosani。　Out　with　it；　if　you　will。
　Harry　ignored　him；　was　silent　for　a　few　seconds。　〃Thibor；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃a　moment　ago　you　asked　what　harm　you'd　done；　buried　here　these　last　five　hundred　years。〃
　I　can　tell　you　what　harm　he　did！　Dragosani　would　not　be　ignored。　Only　look　at　me！　I　was　an　innocent　child　and　he　taught　me　the　arts　of　necromancy。　L