jherbert.sepulchre-第21部分

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　opportunity　to　study　his　panion　at　close　range　and　he　realised　Kline's　change　had　little　to　do　with　any　physical　aspect；　but　was　linked　with　the　man's　volatile　nature；　his　puzzling　splitpersonality；　for　nothing　in　his　features　had　altered。　There　was　just　a　brightness　to　him；　a　shining　in　those　dark　eyes；　a　sharpness　in　his　tone。　Not　for　the　first　time；　Halloran　wondered　if　his　client　was　on　drugs　of　some　kind。
　　Kline；　whose　face　had　been　in　profile；　suddenly　swung　round　to　confront　him。　'Still　trying　to　figure　me　out；　Halloran？'　He　gave　a　short　laugh。　'Not　easy；　is　it？　Nigh　on　impossible；　I'd　say；　Even　for　me。'　His　laughter　was　longer　this　time。　'Thing　of　it　is；　I'm　unlike　anyone　you've　ever　met　before。　Am　I　right？'　Halloran　continued　rowing。　'I'm　only　interested　in　your　safety。'
　　'Is　that　what　your　bosses　at　Shield　instruct　you　to　tell　your　clients？　Is　that　in　the　handbook？　You　can't　deny　you're　curious　though。　Wouldn't　you　really　like　to　know　more　about　me；　how　I　got　so　rich；　about　this　power　of　mine？　You　would；　wouldn't　you？　Yeah；　I　know　you　would。'
　　'I　admit　I'm　interested。'　Kline　slapped　his　own　knee。　'That's　reasonable。'　He　leaned　forward　conspiratorially。　'I　can　tell　you　I　wasn't　born　this　way。　Oh　no；　not　quite　like　this。　Let's　call　it　a　late　gift。'　His　smile　was　suddenly　gone　and；　although　his　eyes　bore　into　Halloran's；　Kline　seemed　to　be　looking　beyond。
　　'You　make　it　sound　as　if　your　psychic　ability　was　handed　to　you。'　An　oar　had　dredged　up　some　rotted　weeds　and　Halloran　paused　to　free　the　paddle　end。　The　tendrils　were　slick　under　his　touch　and　he　had　to　tug　several　times　to　clear　the　wood。　When　he　dipped　the　oar　back　into　the　water　he　found　Kline　was　smiling　at　him；　no　longer　preoccupied　with　distant　thoughts。
　　'Did　you　sleep　soundly　last　night？'　the　dark…haired　man　enquired。
　　Was　his　smile　really　a　leer？　And　why　the　abrupt　change　in　topic？　'Well　enough　for　the　time　I　had；'　Halloran　replied。
　　'You　weren't　disturbed　at　all？'
　　'Only　by　Neath's　lack　of　security。　You're　taking　unnecessary　risks　here。'
　　'Yeah；　yeah；　we'll　discuss　that　later。　Cora's　an　interesting　lady；　don't　you　think？　I　mean；　she's　not　quite　what　she　seems。　Have　you　realised　that？'
　　'I　don't　know　much　about　her。'
　　'No；　of　course　not。　Has　she　told　you　how　she　came　to　be　working　directly　for　me？　I　decided　I　wanted　Cora　the　first　time　I　laid　eyes　on　her　in　old　Sir　Vic's　office　about　three　years　ago。　Recognised　her　potential；　y'see；　knew　she　had　。　。　。　hidden　depths。　Know　what　I　mean；　Halloran？'　Halloran　ignored　the　insinuations；　but　had　to　hold　his　rising　anger　in　check。　'She　obviously　makes　a　good　PA。'
　　'You're　right；　she　does。　Aren't　you　curious　though？'　Halloran　stopped　rowing；　resting　the　oars　in　the　water；　letting　the　boat　drift。　'About　what？'　he　said　evenly。
　　'Huh！　You　are。　Me　and　Cora；　what　goes　on　between　us。　Does　she　do　more　for　me　than　just　arrange　schedules；　type　letters？　Maybe　you　want　to　know　if　she　and　I　are　lovers。'
　　'That's　none　of　my　business。'　Kline's　smile　was　sly。　'Oh　no？　I'm　an　extremely　aware　person；　Halloran；　and　it　isn't　hard　for　me　to　sniff　out　something　going　on　under　my　nose。　I　don't　mind　you　having　your　fun　as　long　as　you　remember　who　Cora　belongs　to。'
　　'Belongs　to？　You're　talking　as　if　you　own　her；　body　and　soul。'　Kline　turned　away；　still　smiling。　He　squinted　into　the　low　white　mist；　as　if　to　pierce　it。　The　trees　and　slopes　were　faded　along　the　lake's　edge；　the　haziness　of　the　sky　belying　the　sharpness　of　the　early　morning　air。
　　'Can　you　feel　the　weight　of　the　water　beneath　us？'　Kline　suddenly　asked；　still　looking　away　from　the　other　man。　'Can't　you　feel　the　pressure　underneath　these　thin　wooden　boards；　as　if　all　that　liquid　down　there；　all　the　slime　and　murkiness　that　lies　on　the　bottom　of　the　lake；　wants　to　break　through　and　suck　us　down？　Can　you　sense　that；　Halloran？'　He　almost　said　no；　a　total　rejection　of　the　notion。　But　then　Halloran　began　to　feel　the　potency　beneath　his　feet；　as　if　the　water　there　really　could　exert　itself　upwards；　could　creep　through　those　tight　cracks　between　the　boards　like　some　glutinous　absorbing　substance。　Kline's　suggestion　had　somehow　turned　the　lake　into　something　less　passive。　Halloran　shifted　unfortably　on　the　rowing　bench。
　　A　ripple　in　the　lake　caused　the　boat　to　sway。
　　Kline's　attention　was　on　him　once　more　and　his　voice　was　low　in　pitch；　less　excitable；　when　he　spoke。　'Look　over　the　side；　look　into　the　lake。　Notice　how　silky　is　its　skin　beneath　this　mist；　and　how　clear。　But　how　far　can　you　see　into　the　denseness　below？　e　on；　Halloran；　take　a　peek。'　Although　reluctant；　Halloran　did　so。　No　big　deal；　he　told　himself；　no　reason　to　be　churlish。　He　saw　his　own　shadow　on　the　lake。
　　'Keep　watching　the　water；'　came　Kline's　quiet　voice。　'Watch　how　it　swells　and　falls；　as　soft　as　anything　you　could　ever　wish　to　touch。　Look　into　your　own　shadow；　how　dark　it　makes　the　water。　Yet　somehow　the　darkness　allows　you　to　see　more。　Arid　what　if　the　whole　lake　was　shadowed？　What　depths　could　you　perceive　then？'　Halloran　was　only　aware　of　the　blackness　of　his　own　reflection。　But　the　blackness　was　spreading；　widening　in　tranquil　undulations；　forcing　away　the　mist　as　it　grew。　Kline's　voice　coaxed　him　to　keep　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　lapping　water；　not　even　to　blink　lest　that　merest　of　movements　disturb　the　placid　surface；　to　stare　into　the　darkness　until　his　thoughts　could　be　absorbed　。　。　。　absorbed　。　。　。　absorbed　by　the　lake　itself；　drawn　in　so。　that　what　was　hidden　before　could　now　be　viewed　。　。　。
　　。　。　。　There　are　monsters　beneath　us；　Halloran　。　。　。'　He　could　see　the　shapes　moving　around；　sluggish；　lumbering　patches　of　greater　darkness；　and　it　seemed　to　him…it　was　insinuated　to　him…that　these　were　grotesques　who　knew　nothing　of　light；　nothing　of　sun；　creatures　who　slumbered　in　the　depths；　close　to　the　earth's　core。　Among　them　were　sleeker　denizens；　whose　very　tissue…like　structures　prevented　pulverisation　under　such　pressure；　they　glided　between　their　cumbersome　panions；　two　opposite　natures　co…existing　in　a　nocturnal　underworld。　There　were　others　with　them；　but　these　were　less　than　fleeting　shadows。
　　Halloran　sensed　their　yearning；　the　desire　to　ascend　and　make　themselves　known　to　the　world　above；　weary　of　perpetual　gloom　but　imprisoned　by　their　own　form。　Yet　if　they　could　not　rise；　perhaps　something　of　what　they　sought　could　be　lured　down　to　them　。　。　。
　　The　boat　tilted　as　Halloran　leaned　further　over　the　side。
　　'Touch　the　water；'　he　was　softly　urged。　'Feel　its　coldness　。　。　。'　Halloran　stretched　his　hand　towards　the　lake　that　had　bee　a　huge　liquid　umbra；　and　there　was　a　stirring　below　at　his　approach；　a　kind　of　quivering　expectancy。
　　'。　。　。　sink　your　fingers　into　it　。　。　。
　　He　felt　the　wetness　and　its　chill　numbed　more　than　his　flesh　。
　　。　。　。　deeper；　let　it　taste　you　。　。　。
　　The　water　was　up　to　his　wrist；　soaking　his　shirtsleeve　。
　　。　。　。　reach　down；　Halloran；　reach　down　and　。　。　。'　He　heard　laughter。
　　'。　。　。　touch　the　nether…region　。　。　。
　　Halloran　saw　the　shapes　rising　towards　him；　mutations　that　should　only　exist　in　the　depths；　mouths…were　they　mouths？　They　were　openings；　but　were　they　mouths？…gaping；　ready　to　swallow　him　in　。　。　。　to　absorb　him　。　。　。
　　The　laughter　was　sharper；　startling　him　to　his　senses。　Halloran　pulled　his　hand　clear；　standing　in　the　boat　as　if　to　push　himself　as　far　away　from　those　rearing；　avaricious　gullets　as　possible。
　　Still　they　surged　upwards；　climbing　as　a　single　gusher；　an　almost　solid　stream　of　misshapen　beings；　terrible　unearthly　things　without　eyes　but　which　had　limbs　that　were　stunted　and　as　solid　as　their　bodies；　while　others　were　only　tenuous　substances　housed　around　jagged　needle…teeth　。　。　~。　ing　closer；　rushing　as　if　to　shoot　above　the　surface　itself　。　。　。
　　。　。　。　Until　they　began　to　disintegrate；　to　shatter；　to　implode；　for　they　were　never　meant　for　the　fine　atmosphere　of　the　upper　reaches。
　　He　heard　their　anguished　screams　though　there　were　no　sounds…their　torment　was　in　his　mind　only。　All　around　the　boat　the　water　was　bubbling；　white　foam　spouting　upwards　as　if　the　lake　were　boiling。　Here　and　there　geysers　appeared；　jetting　into　the　air　and　carrying　with　them…or　so　Halloran　imagined　remnants　of　flesh；　all　that　was　left　of　the　abyssal　creatures。
　　The　boat　pitched　in　the　ferment　and　Halloran　quickly　sat；　both　hands　gripping　the　sides　for　support；　staying　that　way　until　the　turbulence　began　to　subside；　the　lake　being　peaceful　once　more。
　　The　two　men　were　in　an　area　of　clarity；　for　the　mist　had　been　driven　back　to　form　a　wide　circle　around　the　boat。　Everything　was　still　within　that　clear　area；　the　boat　now　barely　drifting。
　　The　only　sound　was　Kline's　low　chuckling。
　　　
　　　
　　　22　FOOD　FOR　DOGS
　　
　　Charles　Mather　was　kneeling　among　his　shrubs　when　his　wife　called　him　from　the　terrace　steps。　Always　used　to　rising　early；　he　had　found　the　habit　hard　to　break　after　leaving　military　service。　So　nowadays；　rather　than　disturb　Agnes；　who　did　not　share　his　fondness　for　early…morning　activity；　he　would　creep　from　their　bedroom；　dress　in　the　bathroom；　take　tea　in　the　kitchen；　then　wander　out　into　the　garden；　which　had　bee　his　second　love　（Agnes　would　always　be　his　first）。　Whatever　the　season；　there　was　always　work　to　be　done　out　there；　and　for　him　there　was　no　better　way　to　start　the　day　than　with　lungs　full　of　sharp…and　at　that　time　of　the　morning；　reasonably　untainted…air。　The　only　negative　factor　was　that　the　chill　（always　a　chill　first　thing；　be　it　winter；　spring　or　summer）　played　silly…buggers　with　the　metal　in　his　leg。
　　He　looked　up　from　the　bed　he　had　been　turning　over　with　a　short　fork。　'What's　that；　m'　dear？'
　　'The　telephone；　Charles。　Mr　Halloran　is　on　the　telephone。　He　says　it's　important　that　he　speaks　to　you。'　Agnes　was　a　trifle　irritated　because　she'd　had　to　climb　from　a　bath　to　answer　the　phone；　knowing　that　her　husband　would　never　hear　its　ringing　in　the　garden。　Here　she　stood　shivering　with　the　morning　freshness　and　catching　pneumonia　by　the　second。
　　Mather　pushed　himself　up　from　the　padded　kneeler　and；　the　tip　of　his　cane　sinking　into　the　soft　earth。　he　hobbled　towards　the　terrace。
　　'I　should　get　back　inside　if　I　were　you；　Agg