gns.snakes-第33部分

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　　She　didn't　want　to　look；　never　wanted　to　see　a　snake　again　as　long　as　she　lived　but　she　had　to　check；　make　sure。
　　
　　Cynthia　climbed　out　of　bed；　crossed　to　the　window；　parted　the　curtains。　She　had　taken　to　leaving　the　exterior　light　on　all　night　since　Peter's　death；　a　150…watt　bulb　which　illuminated　almost　the　entire　driveway。　And　now　there　was　no　doubt　in　her　mind　that　it　was　a　snake　that　was　making　the　noise。　Reality；　no　dream；　a　six…foot　length　of　diamond…covered　death　flinging　itself　insanely　at　the　door。
　　
　　The　thing　was　mad；　crazy　with　anger；　obsessed　with　a　desire　to　force　an　entry；　throwing　itself　at　the　polished　oak…panelled　woodwork；　falling　back；　trying　again；　a　whiplash　of　fury　that　had　only　one　thought　in　its　poisoned　mind…to　kill；　to　take　revenge　on　those　who　had　slaughtered　its　mate。　It　knew；　you　could　tell；　knew　that　this　was　the　place。　Cynical　vengeance…it　would　take　the　life　of　the　mate　of　he　who　had　slaughtered　its　own　mate。
　　
　　But　it　could　not　get　inside　the　house。　Or　could　it？　Cynthia　clutched　the　window　sill；　her　terror　mounting。　Not　through　the　door；　certainly；　but　perhaps　there　was　a　ventilator　somewhere　through　which　it　could　pass　by　contracting　its　vile　body。　Or　a　window　left　open。　When　your　husband　was　three　days　dead　you　could　not　rely　on　yourself　to　attend　to　detail。
　　
　　She　was　safe；　though。　All　she　had　to　do　was　to　ensure　that　the　bedroom　door　was　shut；　pick　up　the　bedside　phone　and　call　the　police。　They　would　e　with　guns；　shoot　the　snake。　
　　
　　Even　as　she　was　turning　away　to　check　the　door　something　out　on　the　drive　caught　her　eye；　had　her　peering　intently。　A　cat　or　something；　a　creature　which　travelled　in　furtive　darting　movements；　crouched　low。　The　snake　will　kill　it！　She　wanted　to　tap　the　window；　shout；　warn　it　before　it　was　too　late。　But　she　could　not　move；　just　stood　transfixed。
　　
　　It　was　no　cat；　it　was　too　large；　had　a　bushy　tail　like　a　fox　but　it　certainly　was　not　Reynard。　It　was　chattering；　a　sound　that　reminded　her　of　a　flock　of　birds　feeding　hungrily　on　a　bird…table　in　winter。
　　
　　The　rattler　had　stopped　hurling　itself　at　the　door；　had　fallen　back　and　there　was　no　mistaking　the　fear　in　its　posture。　To　flee　or　to　stay　and　fight？　The　serpent　body　was　tense；　head　raised；　looking　about　it　as　though　seeking　an　avenue　of　escape。
　　
　　It　made　a　move　to　flee；　covered　no　more　than　a　yard　before　the　furry　streamlined　creature　was　upon　it；　jaws　moving　with　incredible　speed；　seizing　the　rattlesnake　by　the　back　of　its　head。　The　attacker　rose　up　on　its　hind　legs；　its　prey　still　gripped　in　its　teeth；　shaking　it；　biting　it。　Rattling　it；　death　rattles　that　were　frantic　at　first　like　a　child's　marbles　box　being　shaken；　dying　away　to　the　odd　click。　And　then　silence。
　　
　　Cynthia　watched　as　the　ferocious　four…legged　animal　cast　the　snake　to　one　side；　a　limp　harmless　corpse；　sniffed　at　it　as　though　making　sure　that　there　was　no　life　there。　Then　it　bounded　away；　hurrying　as　though　it　had　an　urgent　appointment　somewhere；　a　purposefulness　about　those　jerky　movements　until　the　shadows　beyond　the　bright　artificial　light　swallowed　it　up。
　　
　　Cynthia　Eversham　was　still　standing　at　the　window　when　the　eastern　sky　began　to　lighten。　She　had　not　phoned　the　police；　she　had　no　intention　of　doing　so　now　because　the　rattlesnake　was　dead　and　she　was　in　no　danger。
　　
　　Today　was　going　to　be　a　severe　test　for　her；　as　it　was　for　any　woman　who　had　to　face　the　ordeal　of　a　husband's　funeral。
　　
　　At　first　the　mongooses　had　kept　together；　travelling　side　by　side；　picking　up　the　fresh　scent　in　the　disused　churchyard。　Gone　was　their　domestication；　they　were　back　in　the　land　of　their　ancestors　where　snakes　were　an　everyday　prey　to　be　hunted　down　and　killed；　had　cast　off　the　mantle　of　captivity。
　　
　　They　found　the　Russell's　viper　first；　the　faint　starlight　glinting　evilly　on　its　greenish　scales　as　it　crossed　the　open　tract　of　land　in　front　of　the　church。　One　of　the　most　feared　snakes　of　India　and　Burma；　it　instinctively　smelled　its　hated　foe　in　the　vicinity；　turned　its　toadish　head；　showed　its　half…inch　fangs。　Fear；　but　that　would　not　stop　it　from　fighting；　giving　a　good　account　of　itself。　Sometimes　a　viper　overcame　and　killed　a　mongoose；　this　could　be　one　of　those　occasions。
　　
　　It　saw　its　pursuer；　turned　and　waited。　e　and　get　me；　mongoose。　The　mongoose　stopped；　began　chattering　loudly；　danced　in　the　manner　which　stoats　sometimes　employ　in　order　to　create　a　gathering　of　curious　birds。　First　one　way；　then　another；　always　just　out　of　reach　of　those　terrible　venomous　fangs；　a　macabre　ballet。
　　
　　The　viper's　head　darted；　followed　every　move。　Just　a　little　closer；　mongoose；　and　you　will　be　dead。　Intent；　oblivious　to　all　else。
　　
　　Which　was　why　the　Russell's　viper　was　unaware　of　the　approach　from　behind　of　the　second　animal；　until　the　fangs　of　Tick；　the　female；　sunk　deep　into　the　back　of　its　head；　dragged　it　flaying　and　lashing　from　the　fray；　allowing　Rick　to　move　in　for　the　death　blow。
　　
　　They　left　the　mangled　viper's　corpse　draped　across　the　church　steps；　moved　on　with　haste　for　this　was　to　be　a　rare　night　of　carnage；　the　like　of　which　they　might　never　see　again。　They　heard　gunfire；　made　a　detour　of　the　Rising　Sun　even　though　the　night　air　was　heavy　with　the　stench　of　snake's　blood。
　　
　　And　then　they　split　up；　each　following　a　different　spoor；　pointed　noses　close　to　the　ground　where　reptile　bellies　had　flattened　and　soured　the　dry　undergrowth。
　　
　　Tick　came　upon　the　African　mamba　in　a　shrubbery；　surprised　it　and　struck　quickly；　hurled　the　dead　greenish　body　from　the　branches　where　it　had　been　curled；　heard　it　slump　on　to　a　bed　of　dead　dry　leaves；　roll　once　and　lie　still；　not　even　twitching。
　　
　　Rick　had　the　longest　battle　of　all　for　the　cobra　was　a　large　male；　eighteen　feet　in　length；　its　dark　colour　a　perfect　camouflage　in　the　gloom　of　a　silent　garden。　Only　inbred　mongoose　instincts　and　reflexes　saved　him　from　the　lunging　bite　which　is　capable　of　killing　an　elephant　in　a　few　hours。　The　head；　as　large　as　a　man's　clenched　fist；　missed　by　a　fraction　and　for　the　next　few　minutes　Rick　was　on　the　defensive；　dancing　another　ballet　of　life　and　death；　chattering　ferociously；　trying　to　lure　his　adversary　into　a　headlong　rush。
　　
　　Possibly　its　lifetime　of　confinement　in　a　zoo　cage　had　robbed　the　cobra　of　that　extra　bit　of　cunning　which　would　have　swayed　the　oute　of　this　battle　in　its　favour。　Had　it　been　jungle　bred　and　born　it　may　well　have　hung　back　for　an　extra　minute　or　two；　awaited　an　opening；　an　Achilles'　heel　in　the　bounding；　cavorting　creature　that　confronted　it。　But　all　it　knew　was　blind　hatred　and　it　struck　viciously；　missed　a　second　time；　enabling　the　mongoose　to　secure　a　hold　on　the　underside　of　its　hooded　head。
　　
　　Rick　played　his　foe　as　a　fisherman　might　play　a　fifteen…pound　salmon；　holding　on；　letting　the　other　tire　from　its　efforts　and　its　wound；　keeping　his　teeth　firmly　sunk　in　the　reptilian　flesh　until　at　length　the　cobra　began　to　tire。
　　
　　It　took　the　mongoose　twenty　minutes　to　overe　its　enemy　and　when　it　was　all　over　Rick　lay　exhausted；　panting；　chattering　softly。　He　waited；　and　in　due　course　Tick　joined　him　and　the　deadly　partnership　was　plete　again。
　　
　　They　sniffed　at　each　other；　their　way　of　checking　to　see　if　either　had　suffered　wounds；　asking　questions　and　receiving　answers　in　the　manner　for　which　Nature　had　equipped　them。
　　
　　Then　they　were　lusting　again　for　the　blood　of　their　hated　foe；　disappearing　into　the　darkness。
　　
　　For　this　night　of　snake　death　was　not　over　yet。
　　
　　
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　19
　　
　　IT　WAS　starting　to　get　light。　Keith　Doyle　stretched　his　aching　and　cramped　limbs；　was　aware　of　the　knotted　fear　in　the　pit　of　his　stomach；　his　thirst…swollen　tongue　threatening　to　make　him　throw　up　or　choke　him。　He　was　cold；　shivering；　wondered　if　he　had　caught　a　chill　but　that　was　a　minor　inconvenience　when　pared　with　the　ordeal　that　was　to　e；　the　gauntlet　of　death　which　he　had　to　run。　This　was　it；　the　moment　that　could　not　be　put　off　any　longer。
　　
　　He　reached　over　into　the　back；　picked　up　the　sickle。　Sharp　as　its　blade　was　it　felt　puny；　a　mere　token　weapon　against　the　multi…coloured　length　of　death　that　was　coiled　up　on　the　bonnet　watching　him　with　unblinking　eyes。　The　bloody　thing　guessed；　knew　what　he　was　about　to　do。　You　could　read　the　sadistic　glint　in　its　baleful　glare。　e　on；　Man；　you've　kept　me　waiting　long　enough。　You'll　soon　be　dead；　your　girl　too。　Hurry　up；　I'm　bored。
　　
　　'Keith　。。。　no！　I　don't　want　you　to　go。'　Kirsten　clutched　at　his　arm；　her　fingernails　gouging　his　sunburned　skin。　'Please；　let's　give　it　another　try；　see　if　someone　es。'
　　
　　'We　can't；　we　won't　make　it　through　another　day。'
　　
　　She　closed　her　eyes；　knew　that　he　had　to　go；　that　it　was　their　only　chance　of　survival。　And　that　she　had　to　stay　here　and　wait。
　　
　　'I'll　go　through　the　back　doors；'　he　muttered。
　　
　　The　snake　moved；　unfurled　a　foot　or　so　of　its　coiled　length。　Damn　it；　the　bloody　thing　had　heard　him；　understood。
　　
　　Not　only　that；　it　read　your　thoughts；　knew　what　you　were　thinking；　that　he　was　g