cc.themediterraneancaper2-第25部分

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　that　hideous　gun　and　leave　us　alone。　My　uncle　has　great　influence　with　the　island　authorities。　One　word　from　him　and　you'll　find　yourself　rotting　your　miserable　life　away　in　a　mainland　prison。〃
　〃I　am　well　aware　of　Bruno　von　Till's　influence；〃　the　guide　said　indifferently。　〃Unfortunately　it　makes　little　impression　on　me。　The　final　decision　concerning　your　arrest　or　release　rests　entirely　with　my　superior　in　Panaghia；　Inspector　Zacynthus。　He　will　wish　to　see　you。　Any　lies　to　him　and　your　immediate　futures　shall　be　very　lamentable　indeed。　If　you　will　all　please　step　behind　the　wall；　you　will　find　a　pathway　leading　approximately　two　hundred　yards　to　a　waiting　car〃　He　swung　the　gun　from　Pitt　to　Teri。　〃A　warning；　gentlemen。　Do　not　entertain　any　thoughts　of　a　foolish　move。　If　I　detect　even　a　slight　facial　tic　on　either　of　you；　I　shall　place　a　bullet　in　the　brain　of　this　delicate　and　lovely　creature。　Now；　shall　we　proceed？〃
　Five　minutes　later　they　all　reached　the　car；　a　black　Mercedes　parked　inconspicuously　under　a　copse　of　fir　trees。　The　driver's　door　was　open　and　a　man　dressed　in　a　spotless　ice　cream　suit　sat　casually　behind　the　wheel　with　one　foot　solidly　planted　on　the　ground　outside。　At　their　approach　he　rose　and　opened　the　rear　door。
　Pitt　looked　at　the　man　for　a　long　moment。　The　contrast　between　the　neatly　pressed　white　suit　and　the　dark　ugly　face　presented　an　impressive　picture。　About　two　inches　above　Pitt's　own　height；　the　man　looked　like　a　chiseled　stone　colossus；　and　just　as　solid。　He　had　the　largest　set　of　shoulders　Pitt　had　ever　seen；　and　must　have　weighted　at　least　260　pounds。　The　face　was　misproportioned　and　strikingly　repulsive；　and　yet　there　was　a　strange　sort　of　beauty　about　it；　the　kind　that　artists　sought　to　capture　on　canvas。　Pitt　wasn't　fooled。　He　could　read　a　man　who　had　an　indifferent　attitude　toward　killing。　His　paths　had　crossed　many　times　with　lovable　looking　brutes　who　murdered　as　if　it　were　a　run…of…the…mill；　everyday　routine。
　The　guide　stepped　back　and　walked　around　to　the　front　of　the　car。　He　nodded　at　the　other　man。
　〃We　have　guests；　Darius。　Three　little　goats　who　have　lost　their　way。　We　will　take　them　to　Inspector　Zacynthus。　They　can　stage　their　little　act　for　him。〃　He　turned　to　Pitt。　〃You　will　enjoy　the　Inspector's　pany；　he　is　an　excellent　listener。〃
　Darius　soberly　gestured　at　the　back　seat。　〃You　two　In　here；　the　girl　rides　in　front〃　His　voice　was　what　one　would　have　expected；　deep　and　rasping。
　Pitt　relaxed　against　the　seat　and　ran　through　a　dozen　different　plans　for　escape；　each　with　less　chance　of　success　than　the　previous　one。　The　guide　had　them　by　the　testicles　as　long　as　Teri　was　present　Without　her；　he　thought；　he　and　Giordino　stood　tossup　odds　of　overpowering　the　guide　and　grabbing　the　gun。　There　was　also　the　possibility　that　if　they　made　an　attempt　the　guide　wouldn't　have　the　courage　to　shoot　a　woman；　but　Pitt　wasn't　about　to　risk　Teri's　life　to　find　out。　The　guide　bowed　with　obviously　forced　courtesy。
　〃Be　a　gentleman；　Darius；　and　offer　the　lovely　young　lady　your　coat。　Her　。。。　ab　。。　。　prominent　attractions　might　prove　embarrassing　and　somewhat　distracting　as　we　drive。〃
　〃Don't　bother；〃　Teri　said　contemptuously。　〃I'll　not　wear　that　bloody　ape's　coat。　I　have　nothing　I　want　to　hide。　Besides；　it'll　give　me　great　pleasure　to　see　a　greasy　worm　like　you　squirm。〃
　The　guide's　eyes　grew　cold；　then　lie　united　thinly　and　shrugged。　〃As　you　wish。〃
　Teri　lifted　her　negligee　lightly　around　her　thighs　and　climbed　into　the　car。　The　guide　followed；　sandwiching　her　between　him　and　the　bilking　Darius　who　hunched　over　the　steering　wheel。　Then　the　Mercedes'　diesel　engine　knocked　into　life　and　the　car　started　rolling　over　the　narrow；　twisting　road；　on　many　stretches　edged　by　deep　and　marsh　covered　ditches。　The　guide's　flickering　eyes　bounced　from　Pitt　to　Giordino　and　back　again；　never　once　twitching　the　automatic　glued　to　Teri's　right　ear。　His　determined　vigilance　and　unflagging　concentration　was；　it　seemed　to　Pitt；　unduly　fanatical。
　Pitt；　warily　watching　for　any　negative　sign　from　the　guide；　very　slowly　extracted　a　cigarette　from　his　breast　pocket　and　just　as　slowly　lit　it。
　〃Tell　me；　whatever　your　name　is　。　。　。〃
　〃Polycitus　Anaxamander　Zeno；〃　the　guide　offered。　〃At　your　service。〃
　〃Tell　me〃　Pitt　repeated　without　an　attempt　at　pronouncing　Zeno's　full　name。　〃How　did　you　happen　to　be　coiled　back　there　at　the　passage　when　we　came　out？〃
　〃I　have　an　inquisitive　nature；〃　Zeno　said　through　a　twisted　smile。　〃When　I　perceived　that　you　and　your　friend　had　mysteriously　disappeared　from　my　tour；　I　asked　myself：　What　would　those　two　surly　looking　characters　find　in　the　ruins　that　would　interest　them？　The　answer　eluded　my　humble　mind　so　I　turned　my　gawking　entourage　over　to　a　fellow　guide　and　returned　to　the　amphitheatre。　You　were　nowhere　to　be　found。　Then　I　spied　the　broken　bar　in　the　gate。　。。　no　great　feat　I　assure　you；　I　know　every　stone　and　crack　on　the　site。　Certain　you　would　reappear；　I　sat　and　waited。〃
　〃You'd　have　felt　like　an　idiot　if　we　hadn't〃
　〃It　was　only　a　question　of　that。　There　is　no　other　way　out　of　the　Pit　of　Hades。〃
　〃The　Pit　of　Hades？〃　Pitt's　curiosity　was　aroused。
　〃Why　do　you　call　it　that？〃
　〃I　find　your　sudden　interest　in　archaeology　quite　unexpected。　However；　since　you　ask　。　。　。〃　There　was　puzzlement　in　Zeno's　eyes；　yet　a　mixture　of　attention　and　amusement。　〃During　the　golden　age　of　Greece；　our　ancestors　held　their　criminal　trials　in　the　amphitheatre。　This　location　was　chosen　because　their　juries　consisted　of　one　hundred　elected　townspeople。　It　was　their　contention；　and　a　very　wise　one；　that　the　more　people　who　rendered　a　judgment；　the　more　just　the　verdict。　In　a　matter　of　circumstantial　evidence；　the　defendant；　if　decided　guilty；　was　given　a　choice　of　instant　death　or　the　Pit　of　Hades〃
　〃What　was　so　bad　about　the　pit？〃　Giordino　asked；　his　eyes　trained　on　the　reflection　of　Darius'　face　in　the　rearview　mirror；　sizing　him　up。
　〃The　pit　was　in　reality　not　a　pit；〃　Zeno　continued。　〃But　rather　a　vast　underground　labyrinth　with　a　hundred　different　passages　and　only　two　openings；　an　entrance　and　a　hidden　exit；　which　was　a　closely　guarded　secret。〃
　〃At　least　the　condemned　were　given　an　opportunity　to　reach　freedom。〃　Pitt　flicked　an　ash　into　the　tray　on　the　armrest
　〃The　choice　was　not　as　opportune　as　it　might　appear。　You　see；　the　labyrinth　contained　a　very　hungry　lion　who　had　little　to　eat；　except；　of　course；　an　occasional　passing　felon。〃
　Pitt's　studied　calm　folded　end　his　face　turned　grim；　but　he　quickly　gained　control　again。　The　picture　of　von　Till's　smirking　features　entered　his　mind　again。　Why　did　the　old　kraut；　he　wondered；　use　historical　events　to　cloak　his　mysterious　schemes？　Perhaps　this　obsession　for　dramatics　might　prove　to　be　the　chink　in　von　Till's　armor。　Pitt　sat　back　and　drew　deeply　on　his　cigarette。
　〃A　fascinating　myth。〃
　〃I　assure　you　it　is　no　myth；〃　Zeno　said　seriously。　〃The　number　of　condemned　Greeks　who　died　In　the　Pit　of　Hades；　their　screams　echoing　through　the　dark　tunnels；　is　endless。　Even　in　recent　years；　before　the　entrance　was　barred；　several　people　wandered　into　the　pit　and　vanished；　swallowed　up　by　the　unknown。　There　is　no　record　of　a　successful　escape。〃
　Pitt　flipped　his　cigarette　through　an　open　window
　into　the　passing　countryside。　He　looked　at　Giordino；　then　more　slowly　at　Zeno。　A　smug　grin　spread　across　his　face　and　widened　into　a　broad　smile。
　Zeno　stared　at　Pitt　speculatively。　Then　he　gave　an
　unprehending　shrug　and　motioned　to　Darius。　Darius　nodded　and　a　few　seconds　later　the　Mercedes　turned　onto　the　main　road。　The　wheels　sped　over　the　worn　two
　lane　pavement。　The　trees；　lining　the　shoulders　like　forgotten　sentinels；　flashed　past　in　a　blur　of　dust　and　green
　leaves。　The　air　was　cooler　now；　and；　twisting　around　in　the　seat；　Pitt　could　see　the　setting　sun's　rays　strike　the　bald；　tree…bare　peak　of　Hypsaxion；　the　highest　point　on　the　island。　He　remembered　reading　somewhere　that　a　Greek　poet　had　described　Thasos　as　〃a　wild　ass's　back；　covered　with　wild　wood。〃　Though　the　description　was　twenty…seven　hundred　years　old；　he　thought；　it　was　still　true　today。
　And　then；　Darius　back…shifted　and　the　Mercedes　was　slowing　down。　It　turned　again；　this　time　leaving　the　highway；　its　tires　crunching　on　a　rough；　gravel…strewn　country　lane　that　led　upward　Into　a　wooded　ravine。
　Why　Darius　had　left　the　main　road　before　reaching　Panaghia　Pitt　could　not　guess；　any　more　than　he　could　guess　why　Zeno　acted　the　part　of　an　armed　undercover　agent　instead　of　a　friendly　tourist　guide。　That　old　feeling　of　danger　tapped　Pitt　on　the　shoulder　again；　and　he　felt　a　tinge　of　uncontrolled　anxiety。
　The　Mercedes　bumped　heavily　over　a　dip；　rose　steeply　up　a　long　ramp　and　entered　a　large　barn　like　building　through　a　doorway　that　had　been　designed　to　acmodate　heavy　trucks　requiring　high　roof　clearances。　The　weather…beaten　walls　of　the　wooden　structure　were　covered　with　the　remnants　of　gray…green　paint；　long　since　peeled　and　blistered　from　the　fierce　Aegean　sun。　An　instant　before　the　inside　gloom　enveloped　the　car；　Pitt　caught　a　glimpse　of　an　overhead　sign　whose　faded　black　letters　were　printed　in　German。　Then；　as　Darius　turned　off　the　ignition；　he　heard