gns.thedruidconnection-第11部分

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　　Sabat　dropped　to　his　knees；　reached　for　her　hand　and　caught　it　as　it　was　snatched　away。　She　tensed；　her　whole　body　trembled　and　she　managed　a　scream；　a　weak　effort；　a　faint　echo　of　the　cry　they　had　heard　earlier。　Sabat　dropped　the　crucifix　back　into　his　pocket。　He　could　have　used　it　to　devastate　her　but　there　was　no　point。　She　was　at　his　mercy　anyway；　a　nymph　of　the　graveyard　run　to　earth　by　the　hunters。
　　
　　'I　do　not　mean　you　any　harm；'　he　spoke　softly；　smiled。
　　
　　'I　am　。。。　finished；'　she　whispered；　closed　her　eyes；　a　resignation　to　death；　maybe　even　worse。
　　
　　'What　is　your　name？'
　　
　　A　pause；　then　'Sheenah'。
　　
　　'You're　safe　now。　She's　dead；　whoever　she　was。'
　　
　　'Alena　。　。　。　has　been　dead　for　a　very　longtime。'
　　
　　'I　know；　but　she　is　finished　now。　Destroyed　by　the　cross。'
　　
　　Sheenah　shuddered；　continued　to　tremble。　Then　。　。　。　why　don't　you　finish　me；　Sabat？'
　　
　　'You　know　my　name？'
　　
　　'Everybody　in　this　village　knows　your　name。　A　devil　in　human　form　sent　to　make　a　pact　with　the　Oke　Priests。'
　　
　　'My；　my；'　Sabat　glanced　briefly　at　Kent；　then　turned　back　to　the　shivering　girl。　'Look；　Sheenah；　if　you　stop　here　much　longer　you're　likely　to　catch　pneumonia；　like　we　shall　as　well。　Let　us　take　you　back　to　our　place　where　we　can　talk　in　fort。'
　　
　　Terrible　things　would　happen　to　me　if　I　was　seen　talking　to　you；　Sabat。'
　　
　　'From　the　villagers　。。。　or　the　Oke　Priests？'
　　
　　'I　。　。　。　I　do　not　。　。　。　know。'
　　
　　'e　on；'　Sabat　stood　up；　pulled　her　to　her　feet；　let　her　dress　fall　back　into　place。　'It's　a　question　of　Hobson's　Choice；　my　girl。　It　appears　that　whatever　you　do　somebody　is　likely　to　have　unpleasant　things　in　mind　for　you；　in　which　case　I　think　you'd　be　a　lot　better　off　with　Kent　and　myself。'
　　
　　It　was　on　the　way　back　to　their　headquarters；　as　they　moved　slowly；　keeping　to　the　shadows；　that　Sabat　experienced　that　faint　but　pleasant　sensation　beginning　again　in　the　lower　regions　of　his　body。　With　a　supreme　effort　he　managed　to　transfer　his　thoughts　to　other　matters；　even　succeeded　in　shutting　out　Quentin's　whispered　mocking　laughter。
　　
　　Sabat　was　strong　again　now。　The　ungodly　would　know　they　had　been　in　a　fight　whatever　the　eventual　oute。
　　
　　'I'm　a　witch；　you　know。　A　white　witch；　of　course。'
　　
　　Sabat　was　taken　aback　by　the　frank　confession；　admired　the　way　Sheenah　had　recovered　her　posure　as　she　reclined　in　the　armchair　with　a　glass　of　Bacardi　in　her　hand；　almost　arrogant　now。
　　
　　'I　rather　gathered　you　were；'　Sabat　took　a　sip　of　his　whisky；　smiled　disarmingly。　'It　was　just　a　question　of　which　side　you　were　on　out　there　in　the　dark　tonight。　We　couldn't　take　chances。'
　　
　　'Of　course。　I　understand。　I'm　grateful　to　you；　Sabat；　because　without　you　and　your　friend　I　would　surely　have　died　on　the　sacrificial　altar。　Alena；　mistress　of　Alda；　is　terrible　when　her　anger　is　aroused。　The　old　ones　are　not　wholly　evil；　though；　but　at　the　present　time　they　crave　revenge　against　those　who　seek　to　destroy　an　ancient　place　of　worship。'
　　
　　'Which　is　what　I　suspected　it　was　all　about；'　Sabat　said；　stuffing　long…stranded　coarse　tobacco　into　the　bowl　of　his　meerschaum　pipe。　'It's　the　old　religion　versus　the　new；　but　where　do　you　e　in？'
　　
　　'I　am　both　a　medium　and　a　clairvoyant；　amongst　other　things；'　the　girl　smiled；　and　added；　'My　mother；　too；　was　a　witch。　Hounded　from　place　to　place　until　finally　she　sought　refuge　in　this　remote　village。　Then　her　past；　blameless　as　it　was；　caught　up　with　her。　A　couple　of　centuries　ago　she　would　have　been　burned　at　the　stake　on　the　village　green　with　me　alongside　her。　Instead　they　harassed　us；　did　all　kinds　of　stupid　things。　The　local　yobbos　stoned　our　windows　on　more　than　one　occasion　and　once　they　tried　to　set　fire　to　our　house。　Then　mother　died　…　cancer　…　but　the　whole　village　was　laughing；　waiting　for　her　to　die　because　they　claimed　God　was　removing　a　curse　from　their　midst。　D'you　know；　Sabat；'　she　twirled　the　stem　of　the　glass　between　her　slim　fingers　and　stared　at　it　intently；　'in　all　the　years；　I　never　knew　mother　wish　anybody　evil　。　。　。　that　is；　not　until　her　final　hour。　She　was　fading　fast　when　suddenly　she　seemed　to　revive　for　a　minute　or　two　and　she　was　mad　with　pain。　I　tried　to　distract　her　but　she　would　not　have　it。　〃The　evil　lies　with　the　villagers　and　their　hypocritical　church；〃　she　screamed。　〃Not　content　with　driving　out　the　old　religion　they　are　now　trying　to　destroy　it　pletely。　The　temple　of　the　Oke　Priests　is　to　be　ravaged　by　bulldozers　so　that　houses　for　the　unbelievers　can　be　built　on　its　site。　May　the　old　gods　return　and　send　forth　their　Oke　Priests。　May　the　sacred　soil　run　red　with　blood；　and　the　skies　stink　with　the　smoke　of　funeral　pyres。　Let　there　be　death　and　destruction；　and　terror　struck　into　the　hearts　of　these　hypocritical　churchmen　and　villagers。〃　Then　my　mother　died。　I　alone　realised　her　power；　how　she　was　able　to　contact　the　old　ones；　and　I　knew　only　too　well　that　they　would　answer　her　cry　for　help　to　save　the　sacred　place。　It　sounds　ridiculous；　Sabat。　but　I　know　it's　true　。　。　。　just　the　same　as　I　knew　you　would　e　here　once　the　killings　and　the　madness　began。'
　　
　　'I　believe　you；'　Sabat　paused　to　get　his　pipe　going。　'As　you　are　obviously　a　very　genuine　clairvoyant　and　have　also　inherited　your　mother's　powers；　I　suppose　you　know　how　and　why　this　tract　of　ancient　land　has　e　to　be　put　on　the　market。'
　　
　　'I　can　oniy　hazard　a　guess。　Somehow　Bishop　Boyce　and　the　local　planning　officer　worked　it　out　between　them。　This　builder　who　plans　to　build　a　housing　estate　on　the　land　must　be　in　on　it；　too。'
　　
　　'A　three…way　corruption。　But　it'll　take　some　proving。'
　　
　　'There's　a　weak　link。　The　builder；　Darren　Hurst；　has　a　mistress。　Actually　she's　a　high…class　call…girl　named　Lola；　but　that　would　be　the　way　to　get　at　them；　through　her。　You're　the　kind　of　guy　who　could　do　that；　Sabat。'
　　
　　'And　how　d'you　figure　in　all　this；　Sheenah？　You're　hardly　a　churchgoer　and　I　wouldn't've　thought　that　it　worried　you　one　toss。'
　　
　　'Don't　forget；　I　believe　in　the　old　religion；'　Sheenah　smiled。　'It　was　my　mother　who　evoked　the　spirits　of　the　old　Oke　Priests。　Maybe　they　would　have　intervened　anyway；　but　the　fact　remains　that　my　mother　called　them　up　and　now　there's　bloodshed　on　my　conscience。'
　　
　　'But　why　were　you　attacked；　Sheenah？'　Sabat's　eyes　narrowed。　'Surely　you　are　one　of　them！'
　　
　　'I　have　betrayed　them；'　the　slender　fingers　holding　the　glass　trembled　and　slopped　some　of　the　liquid。　'I　am　a　traitor　to　my　own　religion　because　I　do　not　want　them　here。　In　their　eyes　I　have　betrayed　them　because　I　contacted　them　and　beseeched　them　not　to　continue　with　these　sacrifices；　these　killings。　That　was　why　I　incurred　the　wrath　of　Alena；　mistress　of　Alda；　the　Arch…Druid。　Tonight　she　would　have　sacrificed　me；　spilled　my　blood　across　the　tomb　of　Sir　Henry　Grayne　who　was　himself　a　latter…day　druid。'
　　
　　'Sir　Henry　was　a　druid。'　Sabat　was　incredulous。
　　
　　'In　the　modern　sense。　As　you　know；　there　are　still　druid　lodges　scattered　about　the　country　today；　another　branch　of　freemasonry；　men　who　do　good　work；　support　charities。　However；　Sir　Henry　died　before　I　was　born　and　I　have　not　been　able　to　find　out　much　about　him。　Possibly　he　was　a　follower　of　the　old　religion　in　its　truest　sense　which　was　why　he　left　this　land　in　Trust。　He　wanted　it　preserved　so　that　the　spirits　of　the　Oke　Priests　could　continue　to　worship　in　peace　for　evermore。'
　　
　　Things　are　being　clearer；'　Sabat　knocked　his　pipe　out　in　an　ashtray　and　furrowed　his　brow。　'I　suspected　corruption　between　the　bishop　and　other　parties　but　I　was　unaware　of　the　feud　between　the　old　religion　and　the　new。　Obviously　I　was　an　enemy　when　I　arrived　here；　to　such　an　extent　that　I　was　immediately　the　victim　of　a　psychic　attack。'
　　
　　'I　am　terrified；'　Sheenah　was　deathly　white　again；　beginning　to　tremble。　The　three　of　us　have　now　invoked　a　wrath　too　terrible　to　contemplate；　Sabat。　You　have　e　here　in　the　pay　of　the　new　religion　and　within　a　matter　of　hours　of　your　arrival　you　have　destroyed　Alena。　Alda　will　seek　revenge；　not　only　on　yourself　but　on　me；　and　your　panion　here。　Alda's　anger　will　only　be　appeased　when　we　three　have　been　wiped　out　and　the　followers　of　the　new　religion　annihilated　in　a　blood　bath！'
　　
　　'So　we're　the　meat　in　the　sandwich；'　Sabat's　mouth　tightened　into　a　grim；　bloodless　line。　'I　take　on　a　job　to　exorcise　evil　and　find　that　the　evil　has　justice　on　its　side　…　a　battle　against　a　corrupt　church　hierarchy。　Jesus　Christ；　where　the　hell　do　we　go　from　here？'
　　
　　Kent　was　silent。　He　had　the　makings　of　a　lead　feature　article　but　nobody　would　believe　him　if　he　wrote　it。　He；　too；　was　caught　up　in　all　this；　whether　he　liked　it　or　not。　He　had　no　choice　but　to　go　along　with　the　others　and　see　how　it　all　panned　out。　And　he　didn't　like　what　he'd　witnessed　so　far。
　　
　　'I　was　hoping　maybe　I　could　bargain　with　the　Oke　Priests；'　Sheenah　muttered；　'but　now　that　you've　destroyed　Alena　there　will　be　no　chance　of　that。'
　　
　　'I　could　exorcise　the　church　and　its　grounds；　as　I　intended　to　do；　anyway；'　Sabat　answere