p&c.brimstone-第97部分

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　Shots　echoed　from　the　opening　above；　followed　by　a　tremendous　fusillade；　followed　by　silence。　Then　a　rush　of　voices：Eccoli！　Di　là！　
　D'Agosta　glanced　up　to　see　a　few　heads　craning　out　over　the　gulf。　A　hand　with　a　gun　appeared；　aiming　right　at　him。　He　was　a　sitting　duck。　Christ；　it　was　over。　
　Pendergast's　gun　cracked　from　far　below：　his　final　round。　The　shooter　was　hit　square　in　the　forehead；　he　staggered；　fell；　then　came　hurtling　silently　past；　headed　for　the　rocks　below。　D'Agosta　looked　away；　resumed　his　descent　as　quickly　as　he　dared。　
　From　the　opening　above　came　more　motion。　D'Agosta　saw　another　figure　appear　cautiously；　this　time　with　the　automatic　weapon　in　hand。　D'Agosta　recognized　the　stubby　form　of　an　Uzi。　
　He　flattened　himself　against　the　rock。　Pendergast　had　vanished　out　of　sight　below。　Where　the　hell　was　he？　
　He　heard　the　Uzi　go　off　in　short　bursts；　rounds　humming　past　his　ear。　He　tried　fishing　out　with　his　leg；　searching　for　another　foothold；　but　realized　he　was　protected　only　by　a　thin　shelf　of　rock　overhead；　if　he　moved　again；　he　would　be　exposed。　
　Another　burst　confirmed　the　fact：　he　was　pinned。　
　〃Pendergast！〃　
　No　answer。　
　More　shots　came；　stinging　his　face　with　splinters　of　stone。　He　shifted　one　foot；　probed。　
　Another　burst；　and　he　felt　one　of　the　rounds　nick　his　shoe。　He　pulled　his　leg　back。　He　was　hyperventilating　now；　gasping　for　breath　as　he　clung　to　the　tiny　purchase。　He　had　never　felt　so　terrified　in　his　life。　
　More　shots；　the　stone　fragmenting。　
　They　were　shootingthrough　the　thin　shelf　above　him。　Even　if　he　didn't　move；　they'd　get　him。　He　felt　blood　running　down　his　cheek　from　where　the　stone　chips　had　cut　him。　
　Then　he　heard　a　single　shot；　this　time　from　below；　a　scream　from　overhead；　and　then　another　man　hurtled　past；　Uzi　flying。　
　Pendergast。He　must　have　reached　the　bottom　and　retrieved　the　dead　man's　weapon。　
　D'Agosta　began　to　climb　down　in　a　panic；　slipping；　recovering；　slipping　again。　There　was　another　shot　from　below；　then　another…Pendergast　covering　him；　keeping　the　opening　above　clear　of　men。　
　The　rock　began　to　level　out　a　little　and　he　half　climbed；　half　slid　the　last　twenty　feet。　Then　he　was　on　his　feet　at　the　top　of　a　scree　slope；　soaked　in　perspiration；　heart　hammering；　his　legs　like　jelly。　Pendergast　was　here；　crouched　behind　a　rock；　firing　up　again　at　the　opening。　
　〃Get　the　device　and　let's　go；〃　he　said。　
　D'Agosta　rose；　scrambled　down　to　the　thicket　of　bushes；　and　retrieved　the　weapon。　One　of　its　bulbs　was　slightly　dinged；　and　the　device　looked　a　little　smudged　and　scratched；　but　otherwise　it　seemed　undamaged。　He　slung　it　over　his　shoulder　and　raced　for　the　cover　of　the　trees。　Pendergast　joined　him　a　moment　later。　
　〃Down。　To　the　Greve　road。〃　
　They　took　off　downhill；　leaping　and　running　through　chestnut　trees；　the　sound　of　shots　behind　and　above　growing　fainter　and　fainter。　
　And　then；　suddenly；　Pendergast　stopped　again。　
　In　the　ensuing　silence；　D'Agosta　heard　a　sound　rising　from　below。　The　measured　baying　of　dogs。　
　A　lot　of　dogs。　
　　　
　82　
　
　Pendergast　listened　for　a　moment；　then　he　turned　to　D'Agosta。〃The　count's　boar…hunting　dogs。　With　their　handlers。　ing　up　from　below。〃　
　〃Oh；　my　God　。　。　。〃　
　〃They're　trained　to　fan　out　into　an　impenetrable　line；　trap　their　prey；　and　surround　it。　We've　no　choice。　We've　got　to　go　up　and　over　the　top　of　the　mountain。　That's　our　only　chance　to　escape。〃　
　They　turned　and　began　scrambling　up　through　the　steep　woods；　moving　at　an　angle　to　the　slope；　away　from　the　castle。　It　was　a　tough；　nasty　ascent：　the　chestnut　forest　was　full　of　brush　and　brambles；　the　ground　wet　and　the　leaves　slippery。　D'Agosta　could　hear　the　baying　of　the　dogs　below；　dozens　and　dozens　it　seemed；　overlapping　into　a　cacophony　of　noise。　The　sounds　echoed　clear　across　the　valley；　from　one　end　to　the　other。　They　seemed　to　be　getting　closer。　
　They　climbed　through　an　especially　steep　section　of　forest　and　broke　out　onto　a　gentler　slope；　planted　in　vines；　leaves　yellow　in　the　fall　air。　They　ran　uphill　between　the　rows；　stumbling　and　panting　through　the　wet　clods；　sticky　earth　clinging　to　their　shoes。　
　There　was　no　question：　the　dogs　were　gaining。　
　At　the　far　end　of　the　vineyard；　Pendergast　paused　a　second　to　reconnoiter。　They　were　in　a　couloir　between　two　mountain　ridges。　Above；　the　ridges　narrowed　as　they　approached　the　summit；　about　half　a　mile　away。　The　castle　lay　below　them　on　its　own　projecting　shelf　of　rock；　grim　and　dark。　
　〃e　on；　Vincent；〃　Pendergast　said。　〃There's　not　a　moment　to　lose。〃　
　The　vineyard　gave　way　to　another　steep　slope；　thickly　covered　with　chestnut　trees。　They　thrashed　their　way　upward；　briars　tearing　at　their　already　tattered　clothes。　The　broken　wall　of　some　ancient　ruin　came　into　view　overhead；　an　oldcasa　colonica　sunken　in　vines。　They　climbed　past　the　ruin　and　its　outbuildings　and　entered　an　overgrown　clearing。　Again　Pendergast　paused　to　examine　the　hillside　above　them。　
　D'Agosta　felt　his　heart　was　going　to　explode。　The　microwave　device　was　a　dead　weight　across　his　shoulder。　Staring　down　the　ridgeline；　gasping　for　breath；　he　caught　a　brief　glimpse　of　several　of　the　dogs　below；　running；　baying。　Their　line　was　tightening。　He　could　now　make　out　the　distant　whistling　and　shouting　of　the　handlers。　
　Pendergast　was　staring　intently　upslope；　where　the　couloir　narrowed　toward　the　summit。　〃I　see　a　glint　of　steel。〃　
　〃Men？〃　
　Pendergast　nodded。　〃Have　you　ever　hunted　boar？〃　
　〃No。〃　
　〃That's　precisely　how　we're　being　hunted。　Like　boar。　Up　there；　where　that　draw　narrows；　will　be　the　hunters。　Perhaps　a　dozen；　maybe　more；　arranged　in　blinds。　Their　field　of　fire　will　pletely　cover　the　upper　part　of　the　ridge。〃　He　nodded；　almost　as　if　in　approval。　〃It's　a　standard　hunt。　The　dogs　flush　out　the　boar　and　drive　them　up　a　narrowing　valley　toward　a　ridgeline；　where　they　are　forced　to　break　cover　and　are　taken　down　by　the　hunters。〃　
　〃So　what　do　we　do？〃　
　〃We　don't　behave　like　boar。　Instead　of　runningaway　from　the　dogs；　we　head　sideways。〃　
　He　turned　and　ran　along　the　slope；　at　right　angles　to　the　fall　line；　following　the　rise　and　fall　of　the　topography。　The　baying　of　the　dogs　was　closer；　their　sounds　echoing　back　among　the　rises　of　land；　making　it　appear　as　if　the　animals　were　approaching　from　all　sides。　
　The　steep　flank　of　the　mountain　lay　perhaps　a　quarter　mile　in　front　of　them。　If　they　could　get　over　that；　D'Agosta　thought　as　they　stumbled　forward；　they　could　outflank　the　dogs　and　head　downhill　again。　But　the　forest　grew　ever　steeper　and　denser；　slowing　them　down。　And　then；　quite　suddenly；　they　reached　the　lip　of　a　small　but　very　steep　ravine；　a　stream　at　its　bottom　plunging　down　over　sharp　boulders。　On　the　other　side；　perhaps　twenty　feet　away；　was　a　cliff　of　wet；　moss…covered　rock。　
　It　was　impassable。　
　Pendergast　turned　back。　The　dogs　seemed　very　close　now。　D'Agosta　could　even　hear　the　crackling　of　twigs；　the　breaking　of　brush；　the　curses　of　the　handlers。　
　〃We　can't　cross　this　ravine；〃　Pendergast　said。　〃That　leaves　only　one　choice。　We　must　go　up；　try　to　creep　through　the　line　of　hunters。〃　
　Pendergast　pulled　out　the　handgun　he'd　taken　from　the　fallen　man；　checked　the　magazine。　〃Three　rounds　left；〃　he　said。　〃Let's　go。〃　
　They　resumed　their　climb。　It　seemed　incredible　to　D'Agosta　that　he　could　go　any　farther；　but　adrenaline…and　the　dreadful　baying　of　the　boar　hounds…kept　him　moving。　
　After　a　few　minutes；　the　forest　thinned　and　it　grew　brighter。　They　crouched；　then　crept　forward　slowly。　Above；　the　forest　gave　way　pletely　to　meadows　and　brushy　draws。　D'Agosta　caught　his　breath　in　dismay。　The　draws　were　full　of　impenetrable　brush；　the　meadows　were　open　and　bare；　dotted　with　isolated　copses　of　trees。　The　land　rose　another　quarter　of　a　mile；　hemmed　between　the　two　ridges　of　rock；　finally　topping　over　a　barren　summit。　It　was　like　a　shooting　gallery。　
　Pendergast　examined　the　summit　for　at　least　a　minute；　despite　the　rapidly　approaching　dogs。　Then　he　shook　his　head。　
　〃It's　no　good；　Vincent。　It's　suicide　to　go　farther。　There　will　be　too　many　men　up　there；　and　they've　no　doubt　been　hunting　boar　in　this　valley　all　their　lives。　We'll　never　break　through。〃　
　〃Are　you　sure？　Sure　the　men　are　up　there；　I　mean？〃　
　Pendergast　nodded；　looking　back　up　the　ridge。　〃I　can　see　at　least　half　a　dozen　from　here。　It's　impossible　to　say　how　many　others　are　hidden　behind　the　rock　blinds。〃　He　paused；　as　if　considering。　Then　he　spoke　rapidly；　almost　to　himself。　〃The　ring　is　already　closed　on　either　side　and　above。　And　we　can't　go　down：　we'll　never　penetrate　the　line　of　dogs。〃　
　〃Are　you　positive？〃　
　〃Not　even　a　two…hundred…pound　male　boar；　moving　through　heavy　brush　at　thirty　miles　an　hour；　can　get　past　those　dogs。　As　soon　as　the　boar　hits　the　line；　the　dogs　converge；　and　。　。　。〃　
　He　stopped。　Then　he　looked　at　D'Agosta；　eyes　glittering。　
　〃Vincent；　that's　it。　There　is　a　way　out。Listen　to　me　。　I　will　head　directly　downhill。　When　I　hit　the　line　of　dogs；　their　cry　will　bring　the　others；　and　they'll　bunch。　Meanwhile；　you　move　a　couple　of　hundred　yards　laterally；　that　way；　quick　as　you　can。　Then　go　slowly　downhill。Slowly。　When　you　hear　the　cornering　cry　of　the　dogs…it's　an　unmistakable