gns.snakes-第7章

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　and　buying　this　bungalow　she　had　to　rely　solely　on　her　pension。
　　
　　Her　thoughts　turned　to　the　snakes　again。　What　a　terrible　thing　to　happen。　PC　Aylott　had　called　round　earlier　in　the　day　to　warn　her；　warn　everybody　in　Stainforth　to　stay　indoors　and　keep　the　doors　and　windows　shut。　Well；　you　couldn't　really　do　that　this　weather；　the　heat　would　suffocate　you。　Those　snakes　wouldn't　be　looking　to　enter　houses；　she　told　herself；　they　would　be　heading　for　the　woods　and　the　moors；　as　far　from　human　habitation　as　they　could　get。
　　
　　She　dozed；　aware　of　the　flies　buzzing　on　the　windows；　a　kind　of　soothing　summer　sound；　perhaps　the　only　redeemable　feature　the　filthy　little　insects　had。　Later　on　she　would　give　them　a　squirt　of　fly…killer　but　she　couldn't　be　bothered　right　now。
　　
　　Footsteps。　She　opened　her　eyes；　listened；　tried　to　will　them　to　turn　in　off　the　pavement　and　crunch　their　way　up　the　short　gravel　path　to　the　front　door。　But　they　carried　on；　faded　away　in　the　direction　of　the　village；　sank　her　hopes。
　　
　　Goodness；　it　was　almost　dusk；　she　must　have　fallen　asleep。　Surely　John　wouldn't　be　long　now。　She　began　to　worry；　it　was　almost　half　past　nine。　If　he　wasn't　home　by　ten　then　she　would　go　to　the　fence　and　shout　for　the　Howarths；　ask　them　to　phone　the　police　station　for　news　of　her　nephew。　The　Howarths　were　always　very　good　about　phoning　for　her；　she　really　ought　to　get　a　telephone　of　her　own　put　in　before　the　winter　in　case　of　an　emergency。　She'd　give　John　until　ten　o'clock；　no　longer。
　　
　　The　grandfather　clock　in　the　corner　ticked　loudly。　Somehow　it　was　out　of　place　in　this　modern　bungalow　but　she　wouldn't　get　rid　of　it。　You　had　to　cling　on　to　a　few　things　that　reminded　you　of　happier　days。

　　
　　Ten　to　ten。　Elsie　Harrison　sucked　her　lips；　it　really　was　getting　quite　dark　outside　now。　She　listened　hard；　but　there　did　not　seem　to　be　anybody　about　outside　at　all。　Probably　the　villagers　had　taken　the　policeman's　advice　literally　and　were　all　remaining　indoors。　She　wondered　if　the　Howarths　might　have　their　windows　shut　and　be　unable　to　hear　her。　She　must　do　her　best　to　rouse　them。
　　
　　She　reached　for　her　sticks；　had　to　exert　considerable　effort　to　haul　herself　up　out　of　the　easy　chair；　felt　a　wave　of　slight　dizziness　as　she　came　upright。　That　was　her　blood　pressure　but　she　wasn't　going　to　tell　the　nurse　about　her　dizzy　turns；　she　knew　too　much　about　her　already。
　　
　　She　felt　for　the　light　switch；　pressed　it　down。　The　strip　light　in　the　ceiling　flickered　hesitantly；　took　a　second　or　two　before　it　gave　off　that　dazzling　white　light　that　lit　up　every　corner　of　the　room。　Elsie　Harrison　blinked；　had　to　wait　for　her　eyes　to　adjust。　One　unsteady　step　in　the　direction　of　the　door　and　then　she　stopped；　gave　a　little　cry　of　fear。
　　
　　The　snake　was　lying　on　the　mat　just　inside　the　slightly　open　back　door。　Motionless；　it　might　have　been　dead；　or　a　stuffed　woollen　draught…stopper　like　those　they　sold　for　75p　down　at　the　church　rummage　sales；　except　that　its　eyes　moved；　glittered　and　winked　evilly　in　the　fluorescent　lighting。
　　
　　The　reptile　was　three　feet；　maybe　four　feet　long；　olive　coloured；　tapering　from　the　blunt　squat　snout　down　to　a　fine　slender　tail。　Now　it　moved；　almost　a　lazy　stretching　of　its　entire　body。　See　just　how　long　I　am　and　I'm　not　dead　or　stuffed。　I'm　alive！
　　
　　Elsie　Harrison's　dizziness　returned　causing　her　to　sway　unsteadily　and　then　it　passed。　Her　heart　began　to　pound　as　though　it　were　deliberately　racing　against　the　ticking　of　the　grandfather　clock　in　the　corner；　triggering　off　her　fear。　She　wanted　to　scream；　a　piercing　cry　that　would　fetch　the　Howarths　round　on　the　run；　but　her　throat　had　gone　dry　and　a　kind　of　temporary　seizure　paralysed　her　vocal　cords。
　　
　　She　glanced　about　her。　The　snake　barred　her　escape　via　the　door　and　she　could　not　reach　the　window　without　going　near　the　fearsome　intruder。　Just　the　corner　behind　the　chair　she　had　vacated；　nowhere　else。　She　was　trapped。
　　
　　Keeping　her　eyes　firmly　on　the　reptile　she　moved　awkwardly；　unsteadily　backwards；　until　finally　she　had　the　chair　between　herself　and　her　adversary。　She　was　breathing　heavily　and　there　was　a　sharp　pain　in　her　chest。
　　
　　She　leaned　on　the　upholstery；　clasping　a　walking　stick　in　either　hand；　wondering　if　she　had　the　strength　to　strike　a　blow　if　the　thing　advanced。　She'd　darned　well　have　a　go　if　it　came　any　nearer。　Oh；　please　God；　send　John　home　soon。
　　
　　She　would　have　to　shout　out　to　warn　him　when　she　heard　him　ing　or　else　he　would　walk　right　into　it。　And　all　she　could　manage　at　the　moment　was　a　hoarse　whisper。
　　
　　'Go　away；　you　devil。　Go　away。'
　　
　　The　snake　did　not　move；　just　lay　there　stretched　out　across　the　doormat；　watching　her。　Waiting。　She　wondered　what　kind　it　was；　some　venomous　viper　from　the　swamps　of　somewhere…or…other；　no　doubt。　Her　flesh　crawled　and　her　heartbeat　was　speeding　up　even　faster；　hurting　her　with　those　fast　little　hammer　blows　inside　her　chest　that　she　had　felt　this　past　six　months　but　had　kept　to　herself。
　　
　　The　light　wasn't　as　bright　as　it　usually　was；　quite　dim　in　fact。　Perhaps　the　fitting　was　going；　due　for　replacement。
　　
　　Elsie　leaned　her　full　weight　on　the　back　of　the　chair。　She　couldn't　stand　much　longer。　The　pain　in　her　hip　had　started　up　viciously　but　it　wasn't　as　bad　as　the　one　in　her　chest。　Oh　Lord；　she　couldn't　stand　it　much　longer。　'Go　away；　you　devil；　and　let　me　sit　down。　D'you　hear　me；　go　away？'
　　
　　And　then　something　inside　her　seemed　to　explode；　an　agonising　pain　as　though　she　had　been　delivered　a　physical　blow；　throwing　her　back　against　the　wall　behind　her。　She　cried　out；　a　pathetic　little　shriek　of　terror　and　the　dimness　turned　to　blackness。　She　slumped　forward　and　the　chair　rolled　sideways　on　its　flimsy　castors；　Elsie　Harrison　pitching　headlong；　unconscious　before　she　hit　the　floor。
　　
　　Even　then　the　snake　did　not　move。　Possibly　there　was　a　slight　change　of　reptilian　expression　on　its　blunt　features。　One　of　puzzlement。
　　
　　It　was　after　nine　o'clock　before　the　shotgun…carrying　searchers　had　finished　bing　the　moorland　above　Stainforth。　Hot　and　weary；　their　feet　painful　after　the　necessity　of　wearing　knee…length　protective　rubber　boots；　disillusioned。　The　dogs　lay　panting；　licking　at　tufts　of　grass　in　the　hope　of　obtaining　a　droplet　of　moisture　but　there　was　none。　A　barren　wilderness　where　only　the　heather　and　bracken　survived；　bilberry　bushes　loaded　with　red　fruit　that　would　ripen　in　a　month　or　so；　the　domain　of　the　grouse　and　the　buzzard；　even　the　free…ranging　sheep　preferring　the　lower　slopes　where　there　were　patches　of　shade　to　be　found。
　　
　　John　Price　had　had　his　misgivings　from　the　start；　a　feeling　that　one　sometimes　got　that　it　was　all　going　to　be　a　waste　of　time。　You　sensed　you　were　in　the　wrong　place　but　with　no　alternative　you　had　to　start　somewhere。
　　
　　The　snakes　were　definitely　not　on　the　moor　unless　they　had　gone　to　ground　somewhere　and　it　was　unlikely　that　every　one　of　the　escaped　eight　reptiles　would　have　done　that。　Of　course；　the　dogs　had　no　idea　what　they　were　hunting；　they　could　not　be　expected　to。　They　were　the　sacrificial　victims；　it　was　inevitable　that　should　one　of　them　e　upon　a　reptile　it　would　attack　in　ignorance　and　get　bitten。　There　was　no　other　way；　canine　lives　were　expendable；　human　lives　were　not。
　　
　　They　beat　out　the　three…thousand…acre；　triangular　moorland　from　its　apex；　the　furthermost　point。　John　had　to　agree　with　Colonel　Marks　that　that　was　the　logical　thing　to　do　even　though　the　slight　breeze　was　blowing　towards　the　ragged　line　of　police　and　army。　You　knew　then；　when　you　finally　arrived　at　the　rocky　outcrop　overlooking　Stainforth　village；　that　the　poisonous　reptiles　were　not　on　the　moor。　A　process　of　elimination。　Tomorrow　it　would　be　the　grassy　slopes　down　to　the　arable　land　that　would　be　thrashed　out。　On　day　three　it　would　be　the　barley　and　oilseed　rape　fields。　And　after　that。。。
　　
　　Nightfall　was　the　snakes'　greatest　ally。　They　could　have　been　lying　low　further　down　by　day　and　with　the　ing　of　darkness　they　might　start　to　move。　Upwards。　So　tomorrow　whilst　the　searchers　toiled　down　below；　their　prey　could　be　safely　ensconced　several　hundred　feet　above　them　up　on　the　moorland。
　　
　　But　not　all　of　them；　John　Price　was　adamant　about　that。　They　were　not　hunting　a　flock　of　snakes；　rather　six　very　different　species。　The　pairs　would　stay　together　in　all　probability。　But　nobody　really　knew；　they　could　only　guess。　The　killers　were　in　a　strange　alien　environment　and　there　was　no　way　of　knowing　how　they　might　react。　There　was　no　book　of　rules　to　consult。
　　
　　John　heard　the　whine　of　the　helicopters　again。　The　choppers　were　flying　low；　sweeping　the　grassy　slopes；　determined　not　to　give　up　until　the　light　was　gone　altogether。　A　long　shot；　but　when　lives　were　at　stake　you　played　every　card　you　had。
　　
　　'We'll　have　to　call　it　a　day；'　the　sweat…grimed　colonel　was　polishing　his　spectacles；　dejection　in　his　tone；　head　bowed　as　though　their　failure　to　find　the　snakes　was　a　personal　affront　to　his　own　rank　and　status。　'We'll　make　an　early　start　in　the　morning。　7　a。m。　Everybody　assemble　at　the　police　station。　It's　the　hillsides　and　slopes　tomorrow；　working　back　towards　the　village。　The　choppers　will　be　out　before　then；　scouring。　We　can　only　hope。'
　　
　　Chief　Inspector　Watts　nodded　but　declined　to　ment。　Everybody　knew　the　position；　the　colonel　had　said　everything　there　was　to　be　said。　Surely　the　reptiles　had　to　show　up　somewhere；　the　worrying　factor　was　just　where。
　　
　　It　was　10。05　when　John　Price　disembarked　from　the　camouflaged　army　Land　Rover　and　began　to　walk　the　length　of　the　village　in　the　direction　of　Aunt　Elsie's　bungalow。　His　feet　dragged　but　mentally　he　was　still　alert。　On　a　balmy　summer　evening　such　as　this　he　would　have　expected　to　see　families　enjoying　the　late　evening　in　deck…chairs　in　their　gardens　or　taking　a　stroll　before　going　to　bed。　The　main　street　was　deserted；　lights　showing　in　some　of　the　houses　on　either　side。
　　
　　He　passed　the　Rising　Sun。　The　beer…garden　at　the　side　was　deserted；　an　air　of　desolation　about　the　array　of　white…painted　tables　and　chairs；　an　empty　glass　tipped　over　with　insects　crawling　inside　it　after　the　dregs；　you　had　the　feeling　that　it　had　been　like　that　since　yesterday；　that　nobody　had　ventured　out　there。　Stay　indoors　and　be　safe；　never　mind　the　stifling　atmosphere；　that's　a　small　price　to　pay　for　your　life。
　　
　　There　were　people　in　the　bar；　he　heard　their　voices　and　the　wafting　aroma　of　beer　almost　tempted　him　inside。　God；　he　could　swallow　a　pint　of　lager　at　one　go。　But　the　thought　of　his　aunt　all　alone　dissuaded　him。　She　would　doubtless　be　worrying；　probably　had　been　all　day　and　he　was　later　than　he　had　anticipated。　The　trouble　with　Elsie　Harrison　was　that　she　was　always　so　precise…what　time　will　you　be　home；　John？　Even　when　he　just　popped　out　for　a　quick　half。
　　
　　Between　ten　and　half　past　meant　she　started　looking　out　for　him　at　five　to　ten。　He　had　not　failed　to　notice　the　pack　of　low…alcohol　shandies　lined　up　on　the　shelf　in　the　fridge；　a　subtle　move　on　her　part　to　keep　him　in　at　nights；　depriving　him　of　that　one　half…hour　o