p&c.brimstone-第31部分

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　〃So　what's　your　theory？〃　D'Agosta　asked。　
　〃I　am　doing　my　best　not　tohave　a　theory。〃　
　D'Agosta　heard　the　crunching　of　tires　on　gravel；　the　slamming　of　doors；　the　distant　chatter　of　voices。　He　glanced　back　across　the　meadows　and　spotted　the　new　arrival：　a　long；　old…fashioned　limousine；　its　top　down。　A　huge　wicker　basket　was　lashed　across　the　rumble　seat　with　leather　straps。　
　〃Who's　this？〃　D'Agosta　asked。　
　〃Another　guest；〃　Pendergast　said　simply。　
　Now　someone　came　around　the　side　of　the　car：　an　enormous　figure；　grossly　out　of　proportion　to　its　surroundings　but　moving　with　a　remarkable　fluidity　and　ease。　It　was　Fosco；　who；　it　seemed；　had　somehow　made　the　transition　from　witness　to　acquaintance。　
　D'Agosta　looked　over。　〃What's　he　doing　here？〃　
　〃It　seems　he　is　in　possession　of　some　information　of　great　value　that　he's　most　eager　to　pass　on。　And　since　he's　expressed　an　interest　in　viewing　what　passes　for　antiquity　here　in　America；　I　thought　I'd　invite　him　to　Ravenscry。　I　owed　him　a　return　for　an　interesting　night　at　the　opera。〃　
　The　figure　came　striding　swiftly　down　the　path；　waving　his　arm　in　greeting　long　before　he　arrived。　
　〃Marvelous　place！〃　boomed　the　count；　rubbing　his　white…gloved　hands　together。　He　bowed　to　Pendergast；　then　turned　to　D'Agosta。　〃The　good　sergeant。　D'Agosta；　is　it　not？　Always　pleased　to　make　the　acquaintance　of　a　fellow　Italian。　How　do　you　do？〃　
　〃Fine；　thanks。〃　D'Agosta　hadn't　liked　the　man　and　his　flamboyant　ways　at　the　memorial　service；　and　he　liked　him　even　less　now。　
　〃And　this　is　my　ward；　Constance　Greene；〃　said　Pendergast。　
　〃Your　ward；　you　say？　I　am　delighted。〃　Fosco　bowed　and　brought　her　hand　almost；　but　not　quite；　to　his　lips。　
　Constance　inclined　her　head　in　acknowledgment。　〃I　see　you　and　Mr。　Pendergast　share　an　interest　in　exotic　automobiles。〃　
　〃Indeed　we　do；　that　and　much　more。　Mr。　Pendergast　and　I　have　beefriends　。〃　He　beamed。　〃We　are　very　different　in　some　ways。　I　am　a　lover　of　music　and　he　is　not。　I　am　a　lover　of　fine　clothes；　and　he　dresses　like　an　undertaker。　I　am　voluble　and　open；　he　is　silent　and　closed。　I　am　direct；　he　is　diffident。　But　we　do　share　a　love　of　art；　literature；　fine　food；　wine；　and　culture…as　well　as　a　fascination　with　these　dreadful　and　inexplicable　crimes。〃　He　peered　at　Constance；　smiled　again。　
　〃Crimes　are　interesting　only　when　they　are　inexplicable。　Unfortunately；　few　remain　so。〃　
　〃Unfortunately？〃　
　〃I　was　speaking　from　an　aesthetic　point　of　view。〃　
　The　count　turned　to　Pendergast。　〃This　young　lady　is　exceptional。〃　
　〃And　what　is　your　interest　in　the　case；　Count；　besides　mere　fascination？〃　Constance　asked。　
　〃I　wish　to　help。〃　
　〃Count　Fosco　has　already　been　helpful；〃　said　Pendergast。　
　〃And；　as　you　shall　see；　I　will　be　more　helpful　still！　But　first　I　must　tell　you　how　enchanted　I　am　with　this　estate。　Your　great…aunt's；　did　you　say？　So　picturesque！　Falling　into　ruin　and　neglect；　mysterious；　haunted。　It　reminds　me　of　Piranesi's　engravingVeduta　degli　Avanzi　delle　Terme　di　Tito　；　the　Ruins　of　the　Baths　of　Titus。　I　much　prefer　a　building　in　neglect　and　ruin…much　of　my　owncastello　in　Tuscany　is　in　a　delightful　state　of　dilapidation。〃　
　D'Agosta　wondered　what　the　castle　of　a　count　looked　like。　
　〃As　promised；　I　brought　lunch；〃　the　count　boomed。　〃Pinketts！〃　He　clapped　his　hands　and　his　driver；　who　was　about　as　English　as　they　e；　unstrapped　the　huge　wicker　trunk　and　hefted　it　down　the　path；　then　proceeded　to　arrange　a　linen　tablecloth；　bottles　of　wine；　cheeses；　prosciutto；　salami；　silverware；　and　glasses　on　a　stone　table　beneath　the　shade　of　an　enormous　copper　beech。　
　〃This　is　kind　of　you；　Count；〃　said　Pendergast。　
　〃Yes；　Iam　kind；　especially　when　you　see　the　Villa　Calcinaia　'97　Chianti　Classico　Riserva　I've　brought；　made　by　my　neighbor；　the　good　count　Capponi。　But　I　have　something　else　for　you。　Something　even　better　than　wine；　caviar；　and　fois　gras。　If　such　a　thing　is　possible。〃　The　black　eyes　in　his　smooth；　handsome　face　sparkled　with　pleasure。　
　〃And　that　is？〃　
　〃In　good　time；　in　good　time。〃　The　count　began　arranging；　with　fussy　attention；　the　things　on　the　table；　uncorking　and　decanting　a　bottle　of　red　wine；　letting　the　anticipation　build。　At　last；　he　turned　with　a　conspiratorial　grin。　〃By　chance；　I　have　made　a　discovery　of　the　first　importance。〃　He　turned　to　D'Agosta。　〃Does　the　name　Ranier　Beckmann　mean　anything　to　you；　Sergeant？〃　
　〃We　found　that　name　on　Bullard's　puter。　The　guy　he　was　trying　to　locate。〃　
　The　count　nodded　as　if　he'd　known　it　all　along。　〃And？〃　
　〃Bullard　had　done　an　Internet　search　for　a　Ranier　Beckmann；　without　success。　Grove　also　seems　to　have　been　looking　for　Beckmann。　But　we　don't　know　why。〃　
　〃I　was　at　a　luncheon　party　yesterday　and　was　seated　beside　Lady　Milbanke。　She　told　me…between　frequent　displays　of　her　new　necklace…that　a　few　days　before　Jeremy　Grove　was　murdered；　he　had　asked　if　she　could　remend　a　private　detective。　Turned　out　she　could…scandalous　people　often　can。　I　then　went　to　this　gentleman　myself　and　soon　pried　from　him　the　fact　that　Grove　hired　him　。　。　。to　find　a　certain　Ranier　Beckmann　。〃　
　He　paused　dramatically。　〃Grove　was　in　a　panic　to　find　this　man。　When　the　detective　asked　him　for　details；　he　could　provide　none　at　all。　None。　The　detective　stopped　his　investigation　when　he　heard　of　Grove's　death。〃　
　〃Interesting；〃　D'Agosta　said。　
　〃It　would　be　interesting　to　see　if　the　name　Beckmann　turned　up　among　Cutforth's　effects；　as　well；〃　Pendergast　said。　
　D'Agosta　removed　his　cell；　dialed　Hayward's　direct　line。　
　〃Hayward　here；〃　came　the　cool　voice。　
　〃It's　Sergeant　D'Agosta。　Vinnie。　Have　your　people　finished　inventorying　Cutforth's　apartment？〃　
　〃Yes。〃　
　〃The　name　Ranier　Beckmann　turn　up；　by　any　chance？〃　
　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　it　did。〃　D'Agosta　heard　a　rustling　of　paper。　〃We　found　a　notebook　with　his　name　written　on　the　first　page；　in　Cutforth's　hand。〃　
　〃The　rest　of　the　notebook？〃　
　〃Blank。〃　
　〃Thanks。〃　D'Agosta　closed　the　phone　and　related　what　he'd　heard。　
　Pendergast's　face　tensed　with　excitement。　〃This　is　precisely　the　thread　we've　been　looking　for。　Grove；　Cutforth；　Bullard。　Why　were　all　three　looking　for　Beckmann？　Perhapswe　should　find　this　Beckmann　and　see　what　he　has　to　tell　us。〃　
　〃You　may　find　that　a　difficult　proposition；　my　friend；〃　said　the　count。　
　Pendergast　glanced　at　him。　〃And　why　is　that？〃　
　〃Because　the　private　investigator　told　me　something　else。　That　he　was　unable　to　find　any　informationat　all　on　this　Ranier　Beckmann。　No　present　or　past　address；　no　employment　history；　no　family　information。　Nothing。　But　I　leave　that　to　you。〃　The　count；　beaming　with　his　success；　extended　his　white　hands。　〃And　now；　business　concluded；　let　us　be　seated　and　enjoy　our　lunch。〃　He　turned　and　bowed　to　Constance。　〃May　I　be　permitted　to　seat　you　here；　on　my　right？　I　feel　we　have　much　to　talk　about。〃　
　　　
　29　
　
　Even　before　entering；　Harriman　had　formed　a　clear　picture　ofVon　Menck's　sitting　room　in　his　mind。　He　figured　he'd　find　it　carpeted　in　Persian　rugs；　decked　out　with　astrological　charts；　ancient　pentacles；　and　perhaps　Tibetan　durgas　made　of　human　long　bones。　The　room　alone；　he　hoped；　would　make　great　copy。　Thus　he　was　crestfallen　when　the　door　drew　back　at　his　knock　to　reveal　a　simple；　almost　spartan　study。　There　was　a　small　fireplace；　fortable　leather　chairs；　lithographs　of　Egyptian　ruins　on　the　walls。　There　were；　in　fact；　only　two　clues　that　this　room　was　not　just　another　middle…class　parlor：　the　wall　of　glass…fronted　bookcases；　bulging　with　books　and　manuscripts　and　papers；　and　the　Emmy　for　Best　Documentary　that　sat　neglected　on　the　desk　beside　the　telephone　and　old…fashioned　Rolodex。　
　Harriman　took　the　proffered　seat；　hoping　his　hunch　would　prove　correct：　that　Von　Menck　would　give　shape　and　voice　to　the　devil…killings　story。　A　typical　scientist　would　merely　debunk　the　business；　while　some　crank　satanist　would　have　no　credibility。　What　made　Friedrich　Von　Menck　perfect　was　that　he　straddled　the　gray　area　in　between。　While　Von　Menck's　academic　credentials　were　beyond　reproach…doctor　of　philosophy　from　Heidelberg；　doctor　of　medicine　from　Harvard；　doctor　of　divinity　from　Canterbury…he　had　always　made　a　specialty　of　mysticism；　the　paranormal；　the　unexplainable。　His　documentary　on　crop　circles　had　aired　on　PBS　to　great　acclaim；　and　it　had　been　well　done；　salted　with　both　skepticism　and　just　the　right　frisson　of　the　inexplicable。　And；　of　course；　his　earlier　documentary　on　the　exorcisms　in　Cartagena；　Spain；　had　won　the　Emmy。　At　the　time；　it　had　left　even　Harriman　wondering…if　only　until　the　next　mercial　break…if　there　wasn't　something　to　the　idea　of　demonic　possession。　
　Von　Menck　would　provide　more　than　just　an　opinion：　he　would　provide　a　foundation；　a　launching　pad；　an　engine。　If　Von　Menck　couldn't　get　this　story　into　orbit；　nobody　could。　
　The　doctor　greeted　him　with　courtesy；　taking　a　seat　in　the　leather　chair　opposite。　Harriman　liked　him　immediately。　He　was　surprised　to　see　that　the　pelling；　almost　magnetic　personality　projected　on　television　was；　in　fact；　real。　It　had　a　lot　to　do　with　the　man's　low；　mellifluous　voice　and　cool；　ascetic　features；　with　the　prominent　cheekbones　and　finely　molded　chin。　Only　one　thing　seemed　to　be　missing。　On　television；　Von　Menck　had　frequently　smiled…a　raffish　smile　of　wit　and　good　humor；　of　a　man　who　didn't　take　himself　too　seriously。　It　had　the　effect　of　keeping　his　rather　technical　investigations　from　getting　too　heavy。　Now；　however…though　Von　Menck　was　polite　to　a　fault…the　engaging　smile　was　absent。　
　After　a　brief　exchange　of　pleasantries；　the　doctor　got　right　to　the　point。　〃Your　message　stated　you　wished　to　speak　with　me　about　the　recent　killings。〃　
　〃That's　right。〃　Harriman　reached　into　his　pocket　for　his　digital　voice　recorder。　
　〃What　your　paper　has　referred　to　as　the　devil　killings。〃　
　〃Right。〃　Did　he　detect　the　slightest　hint　of　disdain；　or　disapproval；　in　the　doctor's　polite　inflections？　〃Dr。　Von　Menck；　I've　e　to　see　if　you've　framed　an　opinion　on　these　murders。〃　
　Dr。　Von　Menck　leaned　back　in　his　chair；　tented　his　fingers；　and　looked　carefully　at　Harriman。　When　at　last　he　spoke；　it　was　in　very　slow　and　measured　tones。　It　almost　seemed　to　Harriman　the　man　had　been　considering　the　qu