p&c.brimstone-第62部分

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r　sees。〃　
　〃Indeed。〃　
　〃Here　in　Italy；　we　make　do　with　what　we　have。〃　
　Reaching　the　far　end　of　the　corridor；　they　went　up　another　flight　of　stairs。　From　the　landing；　they　passed　through　what　D'Agosta　realized　must　have　once　been　a　secret　door　in　the　wall；　mounted　a　tiny　circular　staircase；　passed　through　crowded　rooms　smelling　of　mold　and　overheated　fax　machines…and　then　suddenly　arrived　at　a　small；　grimy　door　bearing　nothing　but　a　number。　Here　Esposito　stopped　with　a　smile。　Then　he　pushed　the　door　open　and　ushered　them　in。　
　D'Agosta　stepped　into　a　light…flooded　room　that　ended　in　a　wall　of　glassed…in　columns　and　arches。　Beyond　lay　a　sweeping　view　southward；　over　the　Arno　River。　Almost　despite　himself；　he　was　drawn　toward　the　view。　
　From　above；　finally；　Florence　looked　like　he　had　imagined　it：　a　city　of　church　domes　and　towers；　red…tile　roofs；　gardens；　and　piazze；　surrounded　by　steep　green　hills　covered　with　fairy…tale　castles。　There　was　the　Ponte　Vecchio　and　the　Pitti　Palace；　the　Boboli　Gardens；　the　dome　of　San　Frediano　in　Cestello；　and；　beyond；　the　hill　of　Bellosguardo。　It　was　a　moment　before　he　could　shift　his　attention　back　to　the　room　itself。　
　It　was　large　and　open；　filled　with　rows　of　old　mahogany　desks。　The　floor；　polished　by　five　hundred　years　of　feet；　was　inlaid　in　a　striking　array　of　colored　marbles；　and　on　the　stuccoed　walls　hung　giant　paintings　of　old　men　in　armor。　There　was　a　tense　air　in　the　room；　and　a　number　of　men　in　suits　at　the　desks　were　glancing　nervously　in　their　direction。　The　killing…and　its　bizarre　particulars　especially…were　clearly　on　everyone's　mind。　
　〃Wele　to　the　Nucleo　Investigativo；　the　elite　unit　of　the　carabinieri　of　which　I　am　in　charge。　We　investigate　the　major　crimes。〃　Esposito　looked　at　D'Agosta　sideways。　〃Is　this　your　first　visit　to　Italy；　Sergeant　D'Agosta？〃　
　〃It　is。〃　
　〃And　how　do　you　find　it？〃　
　〃It's　。　。　。　not　quite　what　I　expected。〃　
　He　could　see　a　faint　look　of　amusement　in　the　man's　eyes。　Esposito's　hand　swept　over　the　skyline。　〃Beautiful；　no？〃　
　〃From　up　here。〃　
　〃The　Florentines　。　。　。〃　He　rolled　his　eyes。　〃They　live　in　the　past。　They　believe　they　created　everything　beautiful　in　the　world…art；　science；　music；　literature…and　that　is　enough。　Why　do　anything　more？　They've　been　resting　on　their　laurels　for　four　hundred　years。　Where　I　grew　up　we　have　a　saying：Nun　cagnà　'a　via　vecchia　p'a　nova；　ca　saie　chello　che　lasse；　nun　saie　chello　ca　trouve。　〃　
　〃Don't　live　in　the　past…you　will　know　what　you've　lost　but　not　what　you've　found？〃　D'Agosta　asked。　
　Esposito　went　still。　Then　he　smiled。　〃Your　family　is　originally　from　Naples？〃　
　D'Agosta　nodded。　
　〃This　is　remarkable。　And　you　actually　speak　Neapolitan？〃　
　〃I　thought　I　grew　up　speaking　Italian。〃　
　Esposito　laughed。　〃This　is　not　the　first　time　I　have　heard　of　this　happening。　You　are　fortunate；　Sergeant；　to　speak　a　beautiful　and　ancient　language　no　longer　taught　in　any　school。　Anyone　can　learn　Italian；　but　only　a　real　man　can　speaknapolitano。　I　myself　am　from　Naples。　Impossible　to　work　there；　of　course；　but　a　marvelous　place　to　live。〃　
　〃Si　suonne　Napele　viato　a　tte；〃D'Agosta　said。　
　Esposito　looked　even　more　astonished。　〃'Blessed　be　you　if　you　dream　of　Naples。'　What　a　lovely　saying。　I've　never　heard　it　before。〃　
　〃When　I　was　a　little　boy；　my　grandmother　used　to　whisper　that　in　my　ear　every　time　she　kissed　me　good　night。〃　
　〃And　did　you　ever　dream　of　Naples？〃　
　〃I　sometimes　dreamed　of　a　city　that　I　thought　was　Naples；　but　I'm　sure　it　was　all　my　imagination。　I've　never　been　there。〃　
　〃Then　don't　go。　Live　in　your　dreams：　they　are　always　so　much　better。〃　He　turned　to　Pendergast。　〃And　now…as　you　Americans　say…to　business。〃　
　He　led　them　to　a　small　sitting　area　in　a　far　corner　of　the　room；　couches　and　chairs　positioned　around　an　old　stone　table。　Esposito　waved　his　hand。〃Caffè　per　noi；　per　favore。〃　
　In　moments；　a　woman　appeared　with　a　tray　of　tiny　cups　of　espresso。　Esposito　took　one；　tossed　it　back；　then　drank　a　second　just　as　quickly。　He　slipped　out　a　pack　of　cigarettes；　offered　them　around。　
　〃Ah；　you　Americans　never　smoke。〃　He　took　one　himself；　lit　it；　exhaled。　〃This　morning；　between　seven　and　eight；　I　received　sixteen　telephone　calls…one　from　the　American　Embassy　in　Rome；　five　from　the　American　Consulate　on　the　Lungarno；　one　from　the　U。S。　State　Department；　two　from　theNew　York　Times　；　one　from　theWashington　Post　；　one　from　the　Chinese　Embassy　in　Rome；　and　five　from　various　unpleasant　people　in　Mr。　Bullard's　pany。〃　He　looked　up；　eyes　twinkling。　〃Given　that；　and　what　you　told　me　just　now　in　the　café；　it's　clear　this　Bullard　was　an　important　man。〃　
　〃You　didn't　know　him？〃　Pendergast　asked。　
　〃By　reputation　only。〃　Inhale；　exhale。　〃My　colleagues　at　thepolizia　have　a　file　on　him　already；　which　naturally　they　will　not　share　with　us。〃　
　〃I　could　supply　you　with　far　more　on　Bullard；　but　it　would　do　you　no　good。　The　information　will　only　distract　you；　as　it　did　me。〃　
　Esposito　turned　to　the　two　carabinieri　who　were　whispering　together　behind　him。〃Basta'　cù　stì　fessarie！　Mettiteve　à　faticà！　Marònna　meja；　chist'　so　propri'　sciem'！〃　
　D'Agosta　suppressed　a　laugh。　〃I　understood　that。〃　
　〃I　didn't；〃　said　Pendergast。　
　〃He　was　just　telling　those　men　in；　ah；　Neapolitan；　'Cut　the　bullshit　and　get　back　to　work。'〃　
　〃My　men　are　foolish　and　superstitious。　Half　of　them　believe　this　to　be　the　work　of　the　devil。　The　other　half　think　it　the　work　of　some　secret　society。　As　you　know；　Florentine　nobility　is　rife　with　them。〃　Inhale；　exhale。　〃It　appears　to　me；　Mr。　Pendergast；　that　we　have　a　joker　on　our　hands。〃　
　〃On　the　contrary；　our　killer　could　not　be　more　serious。〃　
　〃But　all　this…chest　è　'nà　scena　rò　diavulo？e；　now。　All　this　may　scare　my　men　half　to　death；　but　you？〃　
　〃I　assure　you　there　is　a　most　purposeful　design　here。〃　
　〃I　see　you　already　have　a　theory　as　to　what　happened　to　Mr。　Bullard。　Perhaps　you　will　be　kind　enough　to　share　it　with　me？〃　Thecolonnello　leaned　forward；　elbows　on　his　knees。　〃After　all；　I've　already　done　you　an　enormous　favor　by　not　reporting　your　presence　at　the　scene　of　the　crime。　Otherwise；　you　would　be　filling　out　paperwork　from　now　until　Christmas。〃　
　〃I　am　grateful；〃　said　Pendergast。　〃But　for　now；　there's　little　more　I　can　tell　you　than　what　I　mentioned　last　night。　We're　investigating　two　mysterious　deaths　that　took　place　recently　in　New　York　State。　Locke　Bullard　was　a　possible　suspect。　At　the　very　least；　he　was　involved　in　some　extremely　shady　dealings。　But　as　it　happens；　his　own　death　patterns　the　first　two。〃　
　〃I　see。　And　do　you　have　any　ideas？　Conjectures？〃　
　〃It　would　be　unwise　for　me　to　answer　that　question。　And　you　wouldn't　believe　me　if　I　did。〃　
　〃Va　be'。Well　then；　what　now？〃　He　leaned　back；　picked　up　yet　another　cup　of　espresso；　and　tossed　it　back　like　a　Russian　tosses　back　a　shot　of　vodka。　
　〃I　would　like　you　to　do　a　search　of　all　deaths　in　Italy　over　the　past　year　in　which　the　body　was　found　burned　or　partially　burned。〃　
　Esposito　smiled。　〃Anotherfavor　。　。　。〃　He　let　his　voice　trail　off　into　a　cloud　of　smoke。　〃Here　in　Italy；　we　believe　in　the　principle　of　reciprocation。　I　would　like　you　to　tell　me；　Mr。　Pendergast；　what　you　will　be　doing　forme　。〃　
　Pendergast　leaned　forward。　〃Colonnello；　all　I　can　say　is；　one　way　or　another　Iwill　return　the　favor。〃　
　Esposito　gazed　at　him　for　a　moment；　stubbed　out　his　cigarette。　〃Well　then。　You're　looking　for　a　burned　corpse　in　Italy。〃　He　laughed。　〃That　would　involve　half　the　homicides　in　the　South。　The　Mafia；　Camorra；　Cosa　Nostra；　the　Sardinians…burning　their　victims　after　killing　them　is　a　time…honored　tradition。〃　
　〃We　can　safely　eliminate　homicides　related　to　organized　crime；　family　or　business　feuds；　or　any　for　which　you've　already　caught　the　killer。　We're　looking　for　one　that　is　isolated；　perhaps　an　older　person；　probably　rural。〃　
　D'Agosta　stared　at　Pendergast。　What　was　he　driving　at？　There　was　an　eager　glint　in　his　eyes。　He　was　clearly　hot　on　some　trail　and；　as　usual；　wasn't　sharing　it　with　anyone。　
　〃That　will　narrow　things　down　tremendously；〃　said　Esposito。　〃I'll　get　someone　on　it　right　away。　It　might　take　a　day　or　two…we　are　not　nearly　as　puterized　as　your　FBI。〃　
　〃I　am　most　grateful。〃　Pendergast　rose　and　shook　Esposito's　hand。　
　The　policeman　leaned　forward　and　said；〃Quann'　'o　diavulo　t'accarezza；　vo'll'ànema。〃　
　As　they　exited　into　the　sun；　Pendergast　turned　to　D'Agosta。　〃I　find　that　I　need　to　call　on　you　again　for　a　translation。〃　
　D'Agosta　grinned。　〃It's　an　old　Neapolitan　proverb。You　need　a　strong　heart　to　resist　the　devil's　caresses。　〃　
　〃Appropriate。〃　Pendergast　inhaled。　〃What　a　fine　day。　Shall　we　go　sightseeing？〃　
　〃What'd　you　have　in　mind？〃　
　〃I　hear　Cremona　is　lovely　this　time　of　year。〃　
　　　
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　D'Agosta　stepped　out　of　the　Cremona　train　station　into　thewarm　sunlight　of　late　morning。　A　wind　had　sprung　up　and　was　shaking　the　leaves　of　the　plane　trees　in　the　broad　piazza　that　lay　before　them。　Beyond　was　the　old　part　of　the　city；　a　cheerful　medieval　jumble　of　red…brick　buildings　rising　from　a　maze　of　narrow　streets。　Pendergast　chose　one　of　these…the　Corso　Garibaldi…and　began　striding　down　it　quickly；　his　black　suit　coat　flapping　behind　him　in　the　stiff　wind。　
　With　a　sigh　of　resignation；　D'Agosta　hastened　to　keep　up。　He　noticed　the　agent　hadn't　bothered　to　consult　a　map。　Pendergast　had　spent　most　of　the　train　ride　talking　about　the　history　of　the　nearby　marble　quarries　at　Carrara；　and　the　extraordinary　coincidence　that　the　source　of　the　purest　white　marble　in　the　world　was　located　only　a　few　dozen　miles　downriver　from　the　birthplace　of　the　Renaissance；　giving　the　Florentine　sculptors　options　other　than　black　or　green　marble。　He　had　deftly　deflected　D'Agosta's　inquiries　as　to　the　reason　why　sightseeing　had　taken　them　here。　
　〃Now　what？〃　D'Agosta　asked；　sounding　a　little　more　irritated　than　he　intended。　
　〃Coffee。〃　Pendergast　swerved　into　a　café　and　approached　the　zinc　bar。　D'Agosta　felt　his　irritation　swell。　
　〃Due　caffè；　per　favore；〃Pendergast　said。　
　〃Since　when　did　coffee　bee　your　favorite　drink？　I　thought　you　were　a　green…tea　man。〃　
　〃Usually；　yes。　But　when　in　Rome…or　Cremona；　as　the　case　may　be　。　。　。〃　
　The　coffees　arrived；　in　the　usua