p&c.brimstone-第114部分

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ing　on　a　remarkable　front　of　surprise　and　alarm；　mingled　with　subservient　cooperation。　
　D'Agosta　maintained　a　stony　silence；　keeping　his　canvas　bag　well　away　from　Fosco。　He　noticed　that；　this　time；　none　of　the　massive　doors　scraped　closed　behind　them。　
　The　count　led　the　way　down　the　central　gallery　and　into　a　room　D'Agosta　hadn't　seen　before：　a　large　and　elegant　library；　its　walls　covered　with　ancient　volumes；　leather　spines　stamped　and　gilded。　A　fire　crackled　merrily　on　the　hearth。　
　〃Please；　gentlemen；〃　Fosco　said；　ushering　them　in。　〃Have　a　seat。　Can　I　offer　you　sherry？　A　cigar？〃　
　〃I'm　afraid　there　is　no　time　for　pleasantries；〃　Esposito　said。　He　reached　into　his　pocket；　withdrew　a　sheet　of　paper　bearing　official　stamps；　laid　it　on　the　table。　〃Here　is　the　warrant。　We　will　search　the　basements　and　cellars　first；　then　work　our　way　up。〃　
　The　count　had　taken　a　cigar　from　a　carved　wooden　box。　〃Of　course　I　shall　cooperate；　but　I'd　like　to　know　what　it's　about。〃　
　〃Sergeant　D'Agosta　has　leveled　very　grave　charges　against　you。〃　
　〃Againstme　？〃　the　count　said。　He　glanced　at　D'Agosta。　〃Whatever　are　you　talking　about？〃　
　〃Kidnapping；　attempted　murder…and　the　accusation　that　you　are　still　holding　Pendergast。〃　
　The　surprise　on　Fosco's　face　deepened。　〃But　this…this　is　outrageous！〃　He　lowered　the　cigar；　looking　from　D'Agosta　to　Esposito　and　back　again。　〃Sergeant；　is　this　true？　Do　you　make　such　accusations？〃　
　〃Let's　go；〃　said　D'Agosta　impatiently。　Although　he　kept　his　tone　level；　he　seethed　inwardly　at　the　masterful　acting。　The　count　truly　looked　like　a　man　struggling　with　shock　and　disbelief。　
　〃Well。　If　that　is　the　case；　who　am　I　to　protest？〃　Fosco　examined　the　cigar；　snipped　off　the　end　with　a　tiny　silver　clipper；　lit　it。　〃But　you　may　put　away　that　warrant；　Officer。　I　give　you　and　your　men　free　run　of　the　castle。　Every　door　is　open　to　you。　Search　where　you　will。　Please　allow　me　to　assist　you　in　any　way　I　can。〃　
　Esposito　turned　briskly　to　some　of　the　carabinieri；　speaking　in　Italian。　The　men　saluted；　fanned　out；　disappeared。　
　Esposito　turned　back　to　D'Agosta。　〃Sergeant；　perhaps　you　could　take　us　to　the　room　where　you　were　incarcerated　for　the　night。　Count；　you　will　acpany　us。〃　
　〃I　would　insist　upon　it。　The　Foscos　are　an　ancient　and　noble　family；　and　we　value　our　honor　above　all　else。　These　charges　must　be　addressed；　and　settled；　immediately。〃　He　glanced　back　at　D'Agosta　with　just　a　trace　of　indignation。　
　D'Agosta　led　the　way　down　the　gallery；　through　the　drawing　room；　and　into　the　long　procession　of　elegant　chambers。　The　count　followed；　walking　in　his　peculiar　light…footed　way；　pointing　out　various　works　of　art　and　sights　of　interest　for　thecolonnello　；　who　ignored　him。　The　remaining　two　carabinieri　brought　up　the　rear。　
　Then　came　a　point　where　D'Agosta　lost　his　way。　He　looked　around；　stepped　forward；　stopped　again。　There　had　been　a　door　in　this　stuccoed　wall…hadn't　there？　
　〃Sergeant？〃　Esposito　said。　
　〃Perhaps　I　could　be　of　assistance？〃　Fosco　volunteered。　
　D'Agosta　glanced　through　one　doorway；　backtracked；　looked　through　another。　It　had　been　less　than　twenty…four　hours；　he　couldn't　have　forgotten。　Could　he？　He　advanced；　touched　the　stucco；　but　it　was　old；　crumbling；　anything　but　fresh。　
　〃The　sergeant　said　the　apartment　where　he　was　held　prisoner　was　in　the　tower　itself；〃　thecolonnello　told　Fosco。　
　The　count　cast　a　puzzled　gaze　on　thecolonnello　；　turned　to　D'Agosta。　〃There　is　only　one　apartment　in　the　tower；　but　it　is　not　this　way。〃　
　〃Take　us　to　it。〃　
　The　count　led　them　quickly　through　a　series　of　passages　and　low；　dark　stone　rooms；　barren　of　furnishings。　
　〃This　is　the　oldest　part　of　the　castle；〃　Fosco　said。　〃Dating　back　to　the　ninth　century。　It's　rather　cold　and　depressing。　There　are　no　modern　amenities　like　electricity　or　plumbing。　I　never　e　here　myself。〃　
　Within　a　minute；　they　had　reached　the　heavy　iron　door　of　the　keep。　Fosco　opened　it　with　difficulty；　the　lock　rusty。　The　door　creaked　open；　Fosco　brushing　away　cobwebs。　He　led　the　way　up　the　staircase　beyond；　the　echo　of　feet　filling　the　stony　spaces。　Reaching　the　landing；　D'Agosta　paused　before　the　door　of　their　apartment。　It　was　ajar。　
　〃Is　this　it？〃　Esposito　asked。　
　D'Agosta　nodded。　
　Esposito　beckoned　to　his　men；　who　came　forward；　opened　the　door；　and　stepped　inside。　Esposito　followed；　D'Agosta　on　his　heels。　
　The　snug　apartment　where　he'd　spent　the　night　before　last　was　gone。　The　rugs；　bookshelves；　and　furniture　were　nowhere　to　be　seen。　Lights；　plumbing　fixtures…everything　that　had　been　retrofitted　into　the　space　was　now　gone。　Instead；　he　gazed　into　a　chill；　dark　vault　filled　with　decaying　lumber；　broken　stone　carvings；　moldering　stacks　of　heavy　draperies。　A　massive　iron　chandelier；　twisted　and　rusting；　lay　on　the　floor。　Everything　was　coated　in　a　thick　mantle　of　dust。　It　looked　like　a　storage　area　for　the　cast…off　detritus　of　past　centuries。　
　〃Sergeant…are　you　sure　this　is　the　room？〃　
　D'Agosta's　astonishment　gave　way　to　puzzlement；　then　anger。　〃Yes；　but　it　wasn't　like　this。　It　wasn't　like　this　at　all。　There　were　bedrooms；　a　bathroom…〃　
　The　room　fell　silent。　
　So　that's　the　game；D'Agosta　thought。　〃The　count　has　used　the　twelve　hours　it　took　to　get　the　warrant　to　fix　things。　To　disguise　everything。〃　
　Esposito　ran　his　finger　over　the　dust　on　an　old；　wormy　table；　rubbed　it　between　thumb　and　finger；　then　looked　at　D'Agosta　rather　intently。　He　turned　to　the　count。　〃Are　there　any　other　apartments　in　the　tower？〃　
　〃As　you　can　see；　this　occupies　the　entire　upper　floor。〃　
　Esposito　looked　back　at　D'Agosta。　〃All　right。　What　next？〃　
　〃We　went　down　to　dinner。〃　D'Agosta　was　careful　to　keep　his　voice　calm。　〃In　the　main　dining　room。　Fosco　said　we'd　never　leave　the　castle　alive。　There　was　an　exchange　of　gunfire。　I　killed　his　manservant。〃　
　The　count's　eyebrows　shot　up　again。　〃Pinketts？〃　
　Within　five　minutes；　they　were　stepping　into　the　cheery　diningsalotto　。　But　it　was　as　D'Agosta　had　begun　to　fear：　there　were　no　bloodstains；　no　sign　of　any　struggle。　The　remains　of　a　single　breakfast　lay　on　the　table。　
　〃You'll　excuse　me；　I　hope；〃　Fosco　said；　gesturing　toward　the　half…eaten　meal。　〃You　caught　me　breakfasting。　As　I　said；　I　was　not　expecting　visitors。　And　I　gave　the　staff　a　few　days　off。〃　
　Esposito　was　strolling　around　the　room；　hands　clasped　behind　his　back；　examining　the　walls；　searching　for　chips　or　holes　that　would　indicate　bullet　marks。　He　asked；　〃Sergeant；　how　many　rounds　were　exchanged？〃　
　D'Agosta　thought　a　moment。　〃Four。　Three　went　into　Pinketts。　The　other　should　be　somewhere　on　the　wall　above　the　fireplace。　If　it　hasn't　been　plastered　over。〃　
　But　of　course　there　was　no　mark：　none　at　all。　
　Esposito　turned　toward　the　count。　〃This　Pinketts；　may　we　meet　him？〃　
　〃He's　back　in　England　for　a　few　weeks。　Left　the　day　before　yesterday…a　death　in　the　family；　I　understand。　I　would　be　glad　to　give　you　his　address　and　telephone　number　in　Dorset。〃　
　Esposito　nodded。　〃Later。〃　
　Another　silence　fell　over　the　room。　
　He's　not　English！D'Agosta　almost　shouted。And　his　name's　not　Pinketts！　But　he　knew　there　was　no　point　in　arguing　about　it　now。　Fosco　had　clearly　prepared　things　all　too　well。　And　he　would　not　allow　himself　to　rise　to　the　bait…not　in　front　of　thecolonnello　。　
　Find　Pendergast。　That's　the　most　important　thing。　
　Two　of　the　carabinieri　returned；　speaking　rapidly　in　Italian　to　thecolonnello　。　Esposito　turned　to　D'Agosta。　〃My　men　found　no　sign　of　the　car　in　the　garages　or　anywhere　else　on　the　grounds。〃　
　〃He's　obviously　disposed　of　it。〃　
　Esposito　nodded　thoughtfully。　〃What　was　the　rental　pany？〃　
　〃Eurocar。〃　
　Esposito　turned　back　to　his　men；　spoke　in　Italian。　The　men　nodded　and　left。　
　〃After　Fosco　returned　from　Florence；　we　were　locked　in　an　old　storeroom；〃　D'Agosta　said；　struggling　against　a　growing　sense　of　panic。　〃In　the　cellars。　I　can　lead　you　there。　The　stairway's　just　off　the　pantry。〃　
　〃Please。〃　And　Esposito　gestured　for　him　to　proceed。　
　D'Agosta　led　the　group　out　of　the　dining　room；　through　the　large　and　empty　kitchen；　and　into　the　pantry　beyond。　The　staircase　leading　down　to　the　storage　cellars　was　now　covered　by　a　massive　armoire；　copper　pots　and　cookware　h