gns.thedruidconnection-第10部分

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　　Even　as　he　leaped　forward　that　acrid　smoke　billowed　and　came　to　the　aid　of　the　unknown　wretched　figure；　taking　him　full　in　the　face；　forcing　him　to　turn　aside　and　gasp　for　fresh　air。　Kent　ducked；　came　up　beneath　the　putrid　fumes；　pushed　his　way　forward。
　　
　　The　Grotesque　screamed　as　she　turned　to　flee；　a　yell　that　was　scarcely　human；　but　even　as　he　leaped　in　pursuit　the　thought　crossed　Sabat's　mind　that　it　was　not　the　despairing　fear…stricken　cry　that　they　had　heard　a　few　minutes　earlier。　Was　there　another　monstrosity　within　the　bounds　of　this　awful　cemetery？
　　
　　The　chase　was　on；　an　eerie　flitting　figure　dodging　between　the　headstones；　whirling　and　leaping　with　unbelievable　agility　for　one　so　ancient。　Their　instinctive　SAS　training　had　caused　the　two　men　to　split　up；　a　two…pronged　pursuit　which　would　surely　corner　this　smoke　witch　before　long。　She　ran；　hesitated　by　a　gap　in　the　hedge；　then　burst　through　it　into　the　adjoining　rough　field。　And　as　if　the　moon　had　already　decreed　that　she　should　not　escape；　it　came　out　from　the　clouds　yet　again　and　shone　down　with　all　the　brightness　it　could　muster；　illuminating　the　scene；　creating　weird　shadows。
　　
　　On　she　ran；　skipping　with　a　lightness　that　kept　her　ten　yards　ahead　of　the　two　men；　a　direct　line　to　where　there　was　yet　another　gap　in　the　straggling　hawthorn　hedge。　Freedom　beckoned　her；　a　footpath　that　would　have　taken　her　to　the　safety　of　the　woods。　Then　she　screamed　again；　a　cry　of　physical　and　mental　agony；　staggering　back　as　though　some　invisible　barrier　had　not　only　barred　her　progress　but　burned　her　flesh。
　　
　　'She　can't　leave　this　place！'　Sabat　called　out　to　Kent。　'She　can　only　survive　within　its　boundaries。　Keep　after　her；　we'll　run　her　down。'
　　
　　Like　a　woodland　nymph　she　was　fleeing　again；　this　time　following　the　course　of　the　perimeter　hedge　but　keeping　a　yard　or　so　from　it　as　though　she　feared　its　powers。　Kent　was　following　on　her　heels；　Sabat　embarking　upon　a　diagonal　course；　trying　to　cut　her　off。　Surely　they　must　corner　her　before　long。
　　
　　Then　came　the　smoke　again；　thicker　and　more　acrid　than　ever；　a　dense　suffocating　fog　that　shut　out　the　moonlight；　reducing　everything　to　a　grey　gloom；　a　place　of　silhouettes　and　unearthly　shapes。　Sabat　coughed；　ducked　and　drew　in　fresh　air；　held　his　breath。　The　fire　must　be　in　this　field　and　not　in　the　cemetery；　a　pile　of　dead　vegetation　left　to　smoulder　by　some　agricultural　worker。　The　fugitive　might　escape　beneath　its　cover　and　。　。　。
　　
　　He　pulled　up；　found　himself　wondering　where　Kent　had　got　to。　It　was　as　though　Sabat　had　stepped　into　a　strange　land　in　no　way　connected　with　a　rural　village。　A　fringe　of　trees　formed　a　space　that　might　have　been　a　forest　clearing　except　that　it　was　impossible　to　discern　one's　surroundings　clearly　because　the　smoke　was　gushing　forth　from　a　huge　rectangular　pile　of　what　appeared　to　be　lumps　of　turf　or　maybe　peat。　And　on　top　of　this；　defiant；　arms　and　face　raised　to　the　heavens　beyond　the　smoke　clouds；　stood　the　one　whom　they　had　been　pursuing。
　　
　　Sabat　stood　and　stared；　was　suddenly　aware　of　being　joined　by　Kent；　heard　the　latter's　intake　of　breath　and　a　muttered　'Jesus　Christ！'　They　saw　the　old　woman　clearly　as　the　silvery…grey　beams　of　smoke…filtered　moonlight　shone　on　her。　A　pathetic；　sorry　figure；　Sabat　reflected。　Wasted；　as　though　a　skeleton　had　been　exhumed　with　strips　of　decaying　flesh　still　clinging　to　the　dead　bones。　The　rotting　clothing　appeared　to　have　torn　and　shredded　still　further　in　the　chase　so　that　the　figure　beneath　was　displayed　in　its　full　obscenity；　a　nauseating　nakedness　that　made　the　two　men　wish　that　they　did　not　have　to　look。
　　
　　Her　voice　was　a　low　moan；　a　prayer　or　plea　to　some　unknown　deity　as　she　stood　atop　the　burning　heap；　calling　for　help　in　her　hour　of　desperate　need。　The　atmosphere　seemed　to　e　alive　as　though　pending　an　electric　storm。　Sabat　was　aware　of　the　static；　the　way　his　flesh　goose　pimpled；　clammy　fingers　touching　him　again。　He　reacted　instantly；　saw　the　situation　for　what　it　was；　a　threat　to　their　lives　and　their　souls。　His　hand　delved　into　the　pocket　of　his　corduroy　jacket；　fingers　closing　over　that　tiny　silver　crucifix。　It　snagged　on　a　thread；　got　caught。　Oh　God；　the　forces　of　darkness　were　working　on　him　already；　obstructing　him。　Even　Kent　was　holding　on　to　him。　With　a　determined　effort；　calling　upon　every　last　physical　and　mental　reserve；　Sabat　pushed　his　panion　away　and　at　the　same　time　dragged　the　small　cross　clear　of　his　pocket。　It　seemed　to　have　grown　heavy　these　last　few　seconds；　several　pounds　in　weight　that　required　a　deliberate　effort　to　raise　above　his　head。　Even　as　he　managed　it　the　smoke　came　at　him　with　full　force；　a　blinding；　suffocating　mass　that　almost　had　him　staggering　back。　No　longer　could　he　see　that　fearsome　creature　on　the　smouldering　peat。　He　didn't　even　know　if　she　was　still　there。
　　
　　Sabat's　arm　went　back；　shot　forward　with　full　force。　Many　times　had　he　lobbed　dummy　grenades　in　SAS　training　exercises　under　similar　conditions；　running　the　gauntlet　of　smoke　bombs　and　tear　gas。　Now；　that　training　was　repaying　him。　He　sensed　that　he　was　on　target　even　before　the　unearthly　scream　rang　out；　threw　himself　flat　as　the　sky　above　zig…zagged　with　forked　lightning。　Self…preservation；　he　did　not　even　think　about　Kent；　for　the　other　had　undergone　the　same　training　and　it　was　up　to　him　to　act　likewise。　You　threw　yourself　to　the　ground　and　kept　down；　and　if　you　were　religious　you　prayed　to　God。　If　not；　you　trusted　to　luck。
　　
　　The　smoke　thickened；　a　rancid　smell　and　cloying　taste　which　reminded　Sabat　of　that　oven　which　had　once　cooked　living　human　flesh。*　Finally　it　thinned　and　only　then　did　he　raise　his　head；　squinting　through　half…closed　eyes。
　　
　　The　moon　was　shining　again　and　displaying　a　three…feet　high　rectangle　of　blackened　squares　of　turf；　charred　and　smelling　evilly。　But　there　was　no　sign　of　she　who　had　made　her　last　stand　on　its　summit。
　　
　　'What　happened？'　A　dishevelled　Kent　was　on　his　knees　a　few　yards　away；　staring　in　bewilderment。
　　
　　'My　power　was　greater　than　hers；'　Sabat　smiled　wanly；　'or　theirs；　at　this　given　time。　What　you　see　there　is　a　sacrificial　turf　altar　of　the　ancient　Oke　Priests。　Doubtless　we　shall　learn　in　due　course　that　a　supply　of　turf　had　been　delivered　for　replacing　part　of　the　church　lawns　but　take　it　from　me；　Kent；　it　was　brought　here　for　a　very　different　reason。　You　heard　what　she　said　about　the　Lupercal　Cave？　Well；　that　was　a　temple　used　by　the　druids　not　far　from　Rome　where　dogs　and　goats；　and　sometimes　humans；　were　sacrificed。　That　woman　intended　to　do　that　to　us。　Without　her　altar；　her　power　was　limited。　She　had　to　get　back　to　it　before　we　caught　her。　We　almost　left　it　too　late。　Fortunately　I　was　on　target　when　I　threw　the　crucifix；　otherwise　I　guess　that　would　have　been　the　end　for　us。'
　　
　　'You're　convincing　me　fast；'　Kent　was　visibly　shaken。　'But　。　。　。　that　scream　we　heard；　the　one　which　brought　us　here。　。　。　。　'
　　
　　'My　God；　yes；'　Sabat　tensed　and　stared　about　him。　'I'd　almost　forgotten。　That　certainly　wasn't　our　druid　witch；　unless　of　course　she　was　deliberately　luring　us　here。　There　must　be　somebody　else　here　who　has　already　paid　the　supreme　penalty。　。　。　。　'
　　
　　'Listen！'　Kent　caught　Sabat's　arm。

　　
　　From　somewhere　nearby　they　heard　a　low　moaning　sound　as　though　somebody　was　in　terrible　pain；　a　noise　that　died　away　and　then　came　back　again。
　　
　　Sabat　paused；　drew　a　deep　breath；　an　instant　preparation　for　yet　another　joust　with　the　powers　of　evil。　They　weren't　letting　up　tonight！　He　glanced　at　Kent；　two　strong　men　making　a　mutual　pledge；　a　loyalty　that　was　unquestioned。　Then；　without　speaking；　they　set　off　back　in　the　direction　of　the　churchyard。
　　
　　
　　　CHAPTER　SIX
　　
　　THEY　RE…ENTERED　the　churchyard　by　that　gap　in　the　hedge　and　stood　listening。　Sabat　wiped　the　ashes　from　his　crucifix；　almost　felt　its　latent　power。　Silence。　Another　trick？
　　
　　Then　they　heard　the　noise　again；　a　low　intermittent　groaning　that　came　from　somewhere　close　at　hand。
　　
　　'Over　there；'　Kent　whispered；　'behind　that　huge　headstone。'
　　
　　They　approached　stealthily；　Sabat　in　the　lead。　He　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　name　on　the　huge　tombstone　…　SIR　HENRY　GRAYNE。　And　as　he　lowered　his　gaze　he　saw　a　pair　of　bare　feet　protruding　from　behind　the　marble；　twitching　feebly。
　　
　　'It's　a　young　girl/　Kent　knew　he　was　stating　the　obvious　but　somebody　had　to　say　something。
　　
　　They　stared；　saw　the　young　girl　lying　there　on　the　gravel　which　had　been　spread　and　raked　across　the　grave。　She　was　clad　in　a　sackcloth…type　shift　which　was　pulled　up　to　reveal　that　she　was　naked　underneath。　Her　slim　fingers　clutched　the　material；　crumpling　it　with　such　ferocity　that　her　knuckles　were　white。　A　slim　figure；　no　more　than　twenty　at　the　most；　dark　haired　with　perfectly　proportioned　features　that　were　screwed　up　into　a　mask　of　sheer　terror。　Her　dark　eyes　widened　with　fear　when　she　saw　them；　tried　to　edge　away　but　her　strength　failed　her　and　she　flopped　back　down　again；　moaning。
　　
　　Sabat　dropped　to　his　knees；　reached　for　her　hand　and　caught　it　as　it　was　snatched　away。　She　t