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's sleep。 Beside him； Madeleine drove relentlessly； a female robot who handled the vehicle as efficiently as she did everything else； not even glancing in his direction。 He wondered where her thoughts were leading her。
At the start of the journey he had kept his eyes on the road； memorised every signpost； every bend； their route indelibly imprinted in his brain so that he could have found it again with ease； retraced it if he had to。 Then drowsiness had begun to thwart his plans。 It was the warmth of the sun through the glass that was doing it； he wound the window down a few inches and the cool air streaming in onto his pallid features revived him。 But only temporarily。 He felt weak； as though he could sleep the sleep of the exhausted。 They were making sure their tracks were covered。
Occasionally he wakened； sometimes on a sharp bend that threw him against the door； or when Madeleine braked hard and pulled onto the verge to allow an oning vehicle to pass。 Each time the sun was lower in the western sky。 But always he slept again。
Time passed。 Sabat stirred； tried to make himself fortable but it was impossible。 His neck ached where it had cricked and then a painful bout of pins and needles had him opening his eyes。 It was dark now。
Madeleine Gaufridi gave no sign that she was aware that her passenger was awake； staring straight ahead of her where the powerful headlights lit up a narrow road lined on both sides by tall fir trees。 A straight stretch and she accelerated amidst a rattle of loose bodywork； the floorboards vibrating noisily。 A steep incline； rising all the time； they were somewhere up in the mountains but Sabat had no idea where。 Neither did he care。
She was forced to change down into second gear； operating the level with a casualness that came from experience。 Sabat smiled his admiration for this strange girl。 It seemed that everything she did was done to perfection。 He could not have driven better himself。
'I trust you are fully refreshed after your long sleep。' She turned her head； a half…smile on her lips。
'Refreshed but hellishly stiff；' he answered； shifting his position yet again。 'Christ； we must have been driving for hours。 Where are we？'
'In the mountains；' non…mittal； watching the road again。 'We shall reach our destination shortly。' She was a silhouette once again； apprehensive by the way she now gripped the steering wheel with both hands。
They came upon the village unexpectedly； chalets built at the foot of a hillside； the peak of which was enshrouded by darkness。 Silent dwelling places； no lights showing。 Eerie。 Sabat supposed that this was a mountain holiday resort and it was too early in the year for the annual visitors to have taken up residence； or a skiing centre where everybody had left because the snows had melted。 So stark and modern； all the more sinister because it was empty。 A place of the dead！
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 fr