按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Madeleine was slowing； glancing from one side of the road to the other as though she was unfamiliar with her surroundings。 More chalets now； a whole street of them； windows like dark orbs that saw the newers； the VW's headlights reflected； flashing angrily。 The buildings were petering out now； just a few scattered houses； older ones constructed of stone。
Madeleine Gaufridi was sucking in her breath； frustration and uncertainty suddenly terminating in an audible sigh of relief。
'This is the place；* she spoke as though to herself。 'I feared that we had missed it or else it did not exist。'
Sabat saw a long stone…built place which he thought at first was a farm building； possibly a haystore or a cattle shed。 His eyes narrowed as he saw a shaft of light ing from beneath the large ill…fitting door。 At least there was somebody in this unknown mountain village。 But what was this place？ Madeleine was swinging the van across the road which had virtually petered out into a rutted cart…track。 She grated the reverse gear； leaned out of the window as she backed across the soft grass； only braked when she was a matter of two or three feet from the lighted doorway。
The silence seemed to rush at Sabat as she killed the engine and switched off the lights。 The heater fan groaned to a halt and for a moment Madeleine sat there as though she was reluctant to disembark； perhaps wishing she had not e here in the first place。 Then she moved with a sudden decisiveness； swung open the door and leapt down。 'e on； Sabat； we have work to do。 We must hurry for we have to be back in Lucerne before daylight。'
Sabat climbed down； slammed the door with a metallic clang which the mountain night air echoed； a noise that had a ring of finality about it。 His scalp tingled； instinctively he checked and found that he still carried his ？38。 That was strange； for surely Schmid and his followers would disarm a dangerous enemy。 But Sabat was no enemy for was he not one of them now； working for them； a fellow cannibal sent to guard the beautiful 'Queen of the Sabbath' on her nocturnal mission？ They had let him keep his gun because they knew as well as he did that Quentin Sabat would not use it against them。
The heavy door was swinging open noiselessly on well…oiled hinges as though their arrival had been anticipated。 Possibly the vehicle had been seen or heard。
Sabat checked； felt Madeleine's fingers clutching at his arm。 She； too； was drawing back； afraid to enter this mysterious lighted place。 They had an unrestricted view of the interior。 At some time it had obviously been a small chapel； a raised floor at the rear on which an altar had once stood； high windows that might； many years ago； have been of stained glass but were now crudely boarded up。 Where the pews had stood on either side of the narrow aisle there were now long slabs of white marble supported by heavy oak trestles。 Two or three shrouded immobile shapes lay on them which could only be corpses awaiting burial！
'It's a morgue！' Sabat hissed。
'Yes；' Madeleine's voice trembled with a nervousness that reminded Sabat of their first meeting in the Ice Palace on the topmost slopes of the Jungfrau； an encounter that now seemed unreal and almost lost in the mists of time； the beginning of a deception。 'This is the chapel of the mountain dead； the place where the goatherds are brought when they die； for their families are too poor to pay for transport and a funeral in the lower regions。'
'Somebody's ing！' Sabat stiffened； noted a small door at the rear of the interior； perhaps once the entrance to a vestry； opening slowly。
'This will be Monsieur Grien；' Madeleine shuddered。 'He is the keeper of the dead； the mortician of the mountains！'
Sabat's first impression of Monsieur Grien was one of utter revulsion； no twisted hunchbacked grotesque dwarf so monplace in B…rated horror movies could have pared with the figure which shuffled into view。 The other was clad in some kind of homespun overalls of a dirty grey colour that were splashed and stained with dark crimson； filth and dried blood ingrained in the coarse material。 The head was bald； reflected the light from the single oil…lamp which hung in the aisle； features that had wizened with age； the skin shrunken so that the head was virtually skeletal。 Hollowed eyes that stared out into the night； a toothless mouth moving with muttered curses at this interruption。 A bony hand gestured impatiently for them to enter。
'That is the one；' Grien pointed towards the furthermost shrouded figure。 'Take it and begone； for I do not like this business。'
'You are being well paid for it；' Madeleine regained her confidence with a sudden anger and moved forward with Sabat at her heels。 'Do not forget that； Monsieur Grien。 In fact； consider yourself fortunate that we have given you any money at all for we can prove； if necessary； that on occasions empty coffins have been lowered into their graves because the corpses have been taken elsewhere！'
The bald…headed man shrank back； his black cavity of a mouth wide in a mute cry of terror and when he spoke again it was a cringing whine。 'I meant no harm； it is only that I am busy。 A goatherd slipped on the crags today and the sharp rocks below dissected the corpse。 I have to sew it back together before his family e to view him tomorrow。 I meant no harm； I assure you。 I am pleased to be of assistance。'
'Then you must help my panion here to carry this body to our vehicle。' Madeleine moved forward； slender fingers that trembled only slightly gripping a corner of the shroud。 'But first we must check that it is the right one。'
The cloth was cast aside and in that first awful moment in which Sabat was afforded a view of the corpse on the slab he was fighting to stop himself from uttering a cry of revulsion and turning his head away。 Merciful God； to think that they could transport a hideous cargo like that across the continent； that strong men could sleep in their beds whilst it remained unburied or uncremated！ He almost threw up； tasted the tang that still lingered on his palate from last night's meal； smelled it again here as it drifted up from that month…old corpse。
It was Louis Nevillon all right。 The head so neatly severed from the shoulders rested on the belly； as though the navel had engorged and developed features。 Eyes that should have been closed were wide and staring： seeing！ The nostrils were clogged with mucus that had bubbled and dried； the lips open as though rigor mortis had frozen that final curse。 White flesh bloated as though it was ready to live again。
Madeleine's fear was gone； replaced by an expression of sadness that was slowly transforming into one of breathless joy。 She smiled； her dark eyes sparkled； and she was leaning over the mutilated remains of the Beast of France。
'My dearest；' a whisper that was intended only for dead ears。 'You have not left me after all。 You knew that I would e to you； that soon we shall be together again。'
Her lips pouted； descended slowly on to Louis Nevillon's