bl.necroscope2-第52部分

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he　dead　Mongol　sided　with　Thibor　against　his　murderer。
　〃I　can　hear　nothing；〃　Harry　tried　to　break　into　the　din　and　through　it　to　Dragosani。　〃Absolutely　nothing！〃
　The　telepathic　cacophony　went　on　unabated；　louder　if　anything；　more　insistent　than　ever。　In　life　Max　Batu　had　been　able　to　concentrate　hatred　into　a　glare　that　could　kill；　in　death　his　concentration　hadn't　failed　him；　if　anything　the　mental　din　he　created　was　greater　than　Thibor's。　And　since　there　was　no　physical　effort　involved；　they　could　probably　keep　it　up　indefinitely。　Quite　literally；　Dragosani　was　being　shouted　down。
　Harry　attempted　to　lift　his　voice　above　all　three：　〃If　I　leave　you　now；　be　sure　I　won't　be　back！〃　But　even　as　he　issued　his　threat　he　realised　that　it　no　longer　carried　any　weight。　Thibor　was　shouting　for　his　life；　the　sort　of　life　he　had　not　known　since　the　day　they　buried　him　here　five　hundred　years　ago。　Even　if　the　others　did　quieten　down；　he　would　go　right　on　bellowing。
　Stalemate。　And　too　late；　anyway。
　Harry　felt　the　first　tug　of　a　force　he　couldn't　resist；　a　force　that　drew　him　as　a　pass　is　drawn　northwards。　Harry　Jnr　was　stirring　again；　ing　awake　for　his　scheduled　feed。　For　the　next　hour　or　so　the　father　must　merge　again　with　the　id　of　his　infant　son。
　
　The　tugging　strengthened；　an　undertow　that　began　to　draw　Harry　along　with　it。　He　searched　for　a　M？bius　door；　found　one　and　started　towards　it。
　In　that　same　instant　of　time；　as　he　made　to　enter　the　M？bius　continuum；　something　other　than　Harry　Jnr　stirred；　something　in　the　earth　where　the　rubble　of　Thibor's　tomb　lay　scattered。　Perhaps　the　concentrated　mental　uproar　had　disturbed　it。　Maybe　it　had　sensed　events　of　moment。　Anyway；　it　moved；　and　Harry　Keogh　saw　it。
　Great　stone　slabs　were　shoved　aside；　tree　roots　snapped　loudly　where　something　massive　heaved　its　bulk　beneath　them；　the　earth　erupted　in　a　black　spray　as　a　pseudopod　thick　as　a　barrel　uncoiled　itself　and　lashed　upwards　almost　as　high　as　the　trees。　It　swayed　there　among　the　treetops；　then　was　drawn　down　again。
　Harry　saw　this…and　then　he　was　through　the　door　and　into　the　Mobius　continuum。　And　incorporeal　as　he　was；　still　he　shuddered　as　he　sped　across　hitherto　hypothetical　spaces　towards　the　mind　of　his　infant　son。　And　uppermost　in　his　own　mind　this　single　thought：　〃Ground　to　clear〃；　indeed！
　
　Sunday；　10。00　A。M。　Bucharest。　The　Office　of　Cultural　and　Scientific　Exchanges；　（USSR）；　housed　in　a　converted　museum　of　many　domes；　standing　conveniently　close　to　the　Russian　University。　The　wrought…iron　gates　being　opened　by　a　yawning；　uniformed　attendant　and　a　black　Volkswagen　Variant　accelerating　out　into　the　quiet　streets　and　heading　for　the　motorway　to　Pitesti。
　Inside　the　car　Sergei　Gulharov　was　driving；　with　Felix　Krakovitch　as　front…seat　passenger；　and　Alec　Kyle；　Carl　Quint　and　an　extremely　thin；　hawk…faced；　bespectacled；　middle…aged　Romanian　woman　in　the　back。　She　was　Irma　Dobresti；　a　high…ranking　official　with　the　Ministry　of　Lands　and　Properties　and　a　true　disciple　of　Mother　Russia。
　Because　Dobresti　spoke　English；　Kyle　and　Quint　were　a　little　more　careful　than　usual　how　they　spoke　to　each　other　and　what　they　said。　It　was　not　that　they　feared　they'd　let　something　slip　about　their　mission；　for　she　would　see　more　than　enough　of　that；　but　simply　that　they　might　err　and　make　some　ment　about　the　woman　herself。　Not　that　they　were　especially　rude　or　churlish　men；　but　Irma　D？bresti　was　a　very　different　sort　of　woman。
　She　wore　her　black　hair　in　a　bun；　her　clothes　were　almost　a　uniform：　dark　grey　shoes；　skirt；　blouse　and　coat。　She　wore　no　make…up　or　jewellery　at　all　and　her　features　were　sharp　and　mannish。　Where　womanly　curves　and　other　feminine　charms　were　concerned；　Nature　seemed　to　have　forgotten　Irma　Dobresti　entirely。　Her　smile；　showing　yellow　teeth；　was　something　she　switched　on　and　off　like　a　dim　light；　and　on　those　few　occasions　when　she　spoke　her　voice　was　deep　as　any　man's；　her　words　blunt　and　always　to　the　point。
　〃If　I　were　not　thinly；〃　she　said；　making　a　mon　enough　mistake　in　her　attempt　at　casual　conversation；　〃this　long　ride　is　most　unfortable。〃　She　sat　on　the　extreme　left；　Quint　in　the　middle　and　then　Kyle。
　The　two　Englishmen　glanced　at　each　other。　Then　Quint　smiled　obligingly。　〃Er；　true；〃　he　said。　〃Your　thinlyness　is　most　acmodating。〃
　〃Good。〃　She　gave　a　curt　nod。
　The　car　sped　on　out　of　the　city；　picked　up　the　motorway。　。
　Kyle　and　Quint　had　spent　the　night　at　the　Dunarea　Hotel　in　the　city　centre；　while　Krakovitch　had　spent　most　of　it　up　and　about　making　connections　and　arrangements。　This　morning；　looking　haggard　and　hollow…eyed；　he'd　tuned　them　for　breakfast。　Gulharov　had　picked　them　up　and　they'd　driven　to　the　Office　of　Cultural　and　Scientific　exchanges　where　Dobresti　had　been　getting　her　instructions　from　a　Soviet　liaison　officer。　She　had　met　Krakovitch　〃lie　night　before。　Now　they　were　on　their　way　into　the　Romanian　countryside；　following　a　route　Krakovitch　knew　fairly　well。
　〃Actually；〃　he　said；　stifling　a　yawn；　〃this　not　too　surprising。　ing　here；　I　mean。〃　He　turned　to　look　at　his　guests。　〃I　know　this　place。　After　that　business　at　（Chateau　Bronnitsy；　when　Party　Leader　Brezhnev　give　tie　my　appointment；　he　ordered　me　to　find　out　everything　I　could　about。。。　about　what　happened。　I　suspected　Dragosani　was　at　root　of　it。　So　I　came　here。〃
　〃You　followed　his　old　tracks；　you　mean？〃　said　Kyle。
　Krakovitch　nodded。　〃When　Dragosani　have　holiday；　he　always　e　here；　to　Romania。　No　family；　no　friends；　but　he　e　here。〃
　Quint　nodded。　〃He　was　born　here。　Romania　was　home　to　him。〃
　〃And　he　did　have　one　friend　here；〃　Kyle　quietly　added。　Krakovitch　yawned　again；　peered　at　Kyle　through　eyes　which　were　a　little　red　in　their　corners。　〃So　it　would　seem。　anyway；　he　used　to　call　this　place　Wallachia；　not　Romania。　Wallachia　is　a　country　long　gone　and　forgotten；　Hut　not　by　Dragosani。〃
　〃Where　exactly　are　we　going？〃　Kyle　asked。
　〃I　was　hoping　you　could　tell　me！〃　said　Krakovitch。　〃You　said　Romania；　a　place　in　the　foothills　where　Dragosani　was　a　boy。　So　that　is　where　we　are　going。　We'll　stay　at　a　little　village　he　liked　off　the　Corabia…Calinesti　highway。　We　should　be　there　in　maybe　two　hours。　After　that；〃　he　It　rugged；　〃your　guess　is　as　good　as　mine。〃
　Oh；　we　can　do　better　than　that；〃　said　Kyle。　〃How　far　is　Slatina　from　this　place　where　we're　staying？〃
　
　〃Slatina？　Oh；　about　…；　〃One　hundred　twenty　kilometres；〃　said　Irma　Dobresti。　Krakovitch　had　earlier　told　her　the　name　of　the　place　they　were　staying…a　difficult　and　meaningless　name　to　the　two　Englishmen…but　she　had　known　it　fairly　well。　A　cousin　of　hers　had　lived　there　once。　〃About　an　hour　and　half　to　travelling。〃
　〃Do　you　want　to　go　straight　to　Slatina？〃　Krakovitch　asked。　〃What's　in　Slatina；　anyway？〃
　〃Tomorrow　will　do；〃　said　Kyle。　〃We　can　spend　tonight　making　plans。　As　for　what's　in　Slatina；
　〃Records；〃　Quint　cut　in。　〃There'll　be　a　local　registrar；　won't　there？〃
　〃Pardon？〃　Krakovitch　didn't　know　the　word。
　〃A　person　who　registers　marriages　and　births；〃　Kyle　explained。
　〃And　deaths；〃　Quint　added。
　〃Ah！　I　begin　to　see；〃　said　Krakovitch。　〃But　you　are　mistaken　if　you　think　a　small　town's　records　will　go　back　five　hundred　years　to　Thibor　Ferenczy。〃
　Kyle　shook　his　head。　〃That's　not　it。　We　have　our　own　vampire；　remember？　We　know　he；　er；　got　started　out　here。　And　we　more　or　less　know　how。　We　want　to　find　out　where　Ilya　Bodescu　died。　The　Bodescus　were　staying　in　Slatina　when　he　had　some　sort　of　skiing　accident　in　the　hills。　If　we　can　trace　someone　who　was　involved　in　the　recovery　of　his　body；　we'll　be　within　an　ace　of　finding　Thibor's　tomb。　Where　Ilya　Bodescu　died；　that's　where　the　old　vampire　was　buried。〃
　〃Good！〃　said　Krakovitch。　〃There　should　be　a　police　report；　statements…perhaps　even　a　coroner's　report。〃
　〃Doubting；〃　said　Irma　Dobresti；　shaking　her　head。　〃How　long　ago　this　man　die？〃
　〃Eighteen；　nineteen　years；〃　Kyle　answered。
　〃Simple　death…accident。〃　Dobresti　shrugged。　〃Not　suspicious…no　coroner's　report。　But　police　report；　yes。　Also；　ambulance　recovery。　They　make　report；　too。〃
　Kyle　began　to　warm　towards　her。　〃That's　good　reasoning；〃　he　said。　〃As　for　getting　hold　of　those　reports　through　the　local　authorities；　that's　your　job；　Mrs　er　〃Not　Mrs。　Never　had　time。　Just　call　me　Irma；　please。〃　She　smiled　her　yellow…toothed　smile。
　Her　attitude　in　all　of　this　puzzled　Quint　a　little。　〃You　don't　think　it's　a　bit　odd　that　we're　here　hunting　for　a　vampire；　er；　Irma？〃
　She　looked　at　him；　raised　an　eyebrow。　〃My　parents　e　from　the　mountains；〃　she　said。　〃When　I　am　little　they　sometimes　talk　about　wampir。　Up　there　in　Carpatii　Meridionali；　old　people　still　believe。　Once　there　were　great　bears　up　there。　And　sabretooth　tigers。　Before　that；　big　lizards…er；　dinosaurs？　Yes。　They　are　no　more…but　they　were。　Later；　there　was　plague　that　swept　the　world。　All　of　these　things；　gone。　Now　you　tell　me　that　my　parents　were　right；　there　were　vampires；　too。　Odd？　No；　I　not　think　so。　If　you　want　hunt　vampires；　where　better　than　Romania；　eh？〃
　Krakovitch　smiled。　〃Romania；〃　he　said；　〃has　always　been　something　of　an　island。〃
　〃True；〃　Dobresti　agreed。　〃But　that　not　always　good。　World　is　big。　No　strength　in　being　small。　Also；　being　cut　off　means　stagnation。　N