sheritepper.necromancer nine-第27部分

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with　signs　and　rituals；　speaking　often　of　signtists　and　Searchers。　Is　this　some　kind　of　religion？　Manacle　claims　himself　descended　from　original　Searchers。　Well　enough。　Searchers　after　what？　They　hold　Gamesmen　in　contempt。　There　are　no　women　among　them。　They　seem　to　admit　only　four　kinds　of　beings：　themselves；　monsters；　Gamesmen；　and　pawns。〃
　〃Tallmen；〃　I　offered。
　〃Only　a　lesser　kind　of　monster；　or　perhaps　I　should　say　a　superior　kind　of　monster。　What　is　this　Council　that　Huld　uses　to　frighten　them　with；　as　a　nursemaid　uses　night…bogie　to　frighten　naughty　children？〃
　〃Himaggery　spoke　of　a　Council。　I　thought　he　said　it　was　a　group　of　very　powerful　Gamesmen…I　think　he　said　Gamesmen。　They　search　out　heresy　。。。〃
　〃Some　such　group　has　been　rumored；　yes。　But　is　it　that　group　which　Huld　speaks　of？　And　meantime　we　know　nothing　about　Himaggery　and　Windlow　except　that　they　are　'in　the　laboratories。'　Where　are　the　'laboratories'？　What　are　they？　We　are　rattling　around　in　here　like　seeds　in　a　dry　gourd；　making　a　slithering　noise　with　no　sense。　e；　son；　set　a　plan　for　us。〃
　To　hear　Mavin　say　this　in　such　noise　and　frustration　amused　me。　There　was　no　time　to　be　amused；　no　time　to　treasure　that　moment；　but　I　stored　it　away　to　gloat　over　later。　Of　such　moments　are　adulthood　made。　I　almost　said　〃manhood；〃　but　thought　better　of　that。　〃We　must　not　be　misled　by　the　puzzle；〃　I　told　her。　〃Whatever　the　Council　is；　whatever　this　place　may　be；　whatever　the　history　of　the　place　or　its　reasons　for　existence…none　of　these　are　more　important　than　Himaggery　and　Windlow。　Manacle　will　meet　Huld　after　tonight's　meeting。　So　we　will　go　to　the　meeting　and　hear　what　is　said。　After　that　we　will　follow　Manacle　to　his　meeting　with　Huld；　and　Didir　must　protect　me　as　best　she　can。　If　we　are　inconspicuous；　we　will　likely　pass　unnoticed。〃　
　When　I　said　the　word；　inconspicuous；　it　made　me　think　of　Chance；　and　for　a　moment　I　was　overe　with　a　terrible　homesickness　for　him；　for　Schooltown；　for　the　known　and　familiar　and　sure。　I　gasped；　but　Mavin　had　not　noticed。
　〃I　will　be　inconspicuous；〃　she　growled。　〃And　I　will　be　patient；　but　this　place　itches　me。〃
　It　itched　me；　too；　as　I　tried　to　find　the　place　of　the　meeting。　No　mind　I　sought　through　knew　of　the　meeting　or　where　it　might　be　held。　〃An　exclusive　group；〃　murmured　Mavin；　when　I　told　her　this。　〃Do　you　suppose　the　room　is　never　cleaned？〃
　This　took　me　a　moment　to　puzzle　out。　Then　I　understood　that　the　room　would　undoubtedly　be　cleaned　by　someone；　a　pawn。　I　began　to　search　among　pawnish　minds；　Didir　dipping　here　and　there　as　we　moved　above　the　place。　On　the　sixth　or　seventh　try；　we　found　a　mind　which　had　once　known　of　the　place。　We　went　to　it。　All　of　this　had　taken　so　much　time　that　we　were　there　only　a　moment　before　the　magicians　began　to　arrive；　only　time　to　find　a　dark　corner　in　a　kind　of　balcony　over　the　main　room　where　two　additional　chair…like　shapes　would　go　unnoticed。　The　place　was　under　a　duct　which　brought　in　heat；　and　Mavin　settled　into　it　with　a　tired　sigh。
　〃One　more　shift　and　I　would　have　started　to　eat　myself；〃　she　confessed。　〃I　cannot　store　as　you　do；　my　son。〃
　I　realized　with　some　guilt　that　Shattnir　had　gone　on　storing　power　for　me　at　every　opportunity。　It　had　begun　to　feel　as　natural　as　breathing。　I　let　power　bleed　between　us。　〃Take　from　me；〃　I　whispered　to　her。　〃I　feel　we　will　not　move　from　this　place　for　some　time。〃
　One　wall　of　the　place　below　was　made　up　of　hundreds　of　tiny　windows；　blank　and　black；　except　that　on　one　or　two　a　light　crawled　wormlike　and　green。　One　end　of　the　long　table　had　a　slanted　surface　with　buttons　and　knobs　on　it。　There　had　been　many　surfaces　like　that　in　this　place；　controls　for　the　contrivances　of　the　magicians。　Both　the　windows　and　the　control　surface　looked　dusty；　unused。　A　side　wall　held　rows　of　portraits；　face　after　face；　mushroom　pale　above　black　garb；　gold　plates　identifying　each　in　letters　too　small　for　me　to　read。　The　last　portrait　in　the　bottom　row　was　of　Manacle；　however；　which　told　us　enough。　The　tops　of　the　higher　frames　were　black　with　dust。　The　carpet　of　the　place　was　worn　through　in　spots。　At　each　chair　was　set　an　empty　bottle　and　a　drinking　glass；　a　pad　of　yellowed　paper　and　a　writing　implement。　At　one　place　the　writing　implement　had　been　shifted　in　position；　and　I　could　see　a　pale　pattern　of　it　where　it　had　once　lain　upon　the　paper。　Whoever　might　once　have　cleaned　the　place　had　not　done　so　recently；　perhaps　not　for　years。　Dust　lay　upon　everything　in　a　thick；　gray　film。
　Quench　came　in　to　sit　at　the　place　where　the　writing　implement　had　been　moved。　He　moved　it　back　onto　its　shadow；　carefully；　centering　it　upon　its　image　before　settling　into　the　chair；　arms　folded　across　his　wide　torso。　The　lines　of　his　boxlike　hat　seemed　to　continue　downward　through　his　head；　obdurately　square。
　Others　entered。　There　were　whispers；　mumbling　conversations。　I　risked　a　questing　thought　to　get　pictures　of　long；　half　ruined　corridors；　tumbled　portals　far　to　the　north　and　south；　ramified　networks　of　dusty　catabs；　buried　in　decay。　One　of　those　who　entered　had　white　tabs　at　his　throat。　Others　bowed　toward　him；　murmured　〃Rector。〃　Time　passed。　Some　fifty　were　assembled　before　Manacle　entered。　Well；　now　we　would　learn　what　we　would　learn。
　〃Evening；　gentlemen。　Evening。　Glad　to　see　everyone　is　here　so　promptly。　Well；　we　have　a　considerable　agenda　this　evening。　Let's　call　the　meeting　to　order　and　get　started。　Will　the　Rector　give　the　invocation。〃
　The　tab…fronted　one　rose；　stared　upward　and　intoned；　〃Oh；　Lord；　we　your　children　have　pursued　your　purposes　for　thirty　generations　upon　this　planet。　For　a　thousand　years　we　have　been　faithful　to　your　mandments。　We　have　watched　the　monsters　in　this　place；　have　kept　ourselves　separated　from　them；　have　kept　your　sacred　ordinances　to　research　and　record　everything　that　the　monsters　do。　Now；　as　we　approach　the　holy　season　of　Contact　With　Home；　be　with　us　as　we　consider　grave　matters　which　are　brought　before　us。　Let　us　be　mindful　of　your　ordinances　as　we　consecrate　monsters　to　our　use　in　order　that　your　will　may　be　continued　unto　future　generations。　Keep　us　safe　from　the　vile　seducements　of　Gamesmen　and　the　connivances　of　the　Council。　We　ask　this　as　faithful　sons。　Amen。〃
　During　this　pronouncement；　the　others　in　the　room　had　peered　restlessly　about　themselves　as　though　someone　else　were　expected　to　enter；　but　no　one　did。　There　was　a　brief　silence　when　the　man　finished　speaking。　Manacle　sat　in　his　chair　with　head　forward；　as　though　he　were　asleep。　Quench　cleared　his　throat　with　a　hacking　noise；　and　Dean　Manacle　jerked　upright。
　〃Hmmm；〃　he　mumbled。　〃We　will　move　to　the　minutes　of　the　last　meeting。〃　He　rose　and　pushed　one　of　the　buttons　on　the　table　before　him；　saying　as　he　did　so；　〃I　am　Manacle　of　Monsters；　son　of　Scythe　of　Sinners；　Dean　of　the　Executive　mittee　of　the　Faculty　of　the　College　of　Searchers。　Will　Central　Control　please　read　the　minutes　of　the　last　meeting。〃　He　tilted　his　head　to　one　side　and　seemed　to　be　counting。　Around　the　room　the　others　stared　at　their　fingers　or　murmured　to　one　another；　bored。　When　a　slow　count　of　fifty　had　passed；　Manacle　went　on；　〃Since　Central　Control　does　not　think　it　necessary　to　read　the　minutes　of　the　last　meeting；　may　I　have　a　motion　to　approve　them　as　unread。〃
　〃So　move；〃　said　Quench。　He　did　not　move；　however；　which　was　confusing。　Again；　I　knew　it　must　be　ritual。
　〃Seconded；〃　said　an　anonymous　voice　from　the　end　of　the　long　table。
　〃It　has　been　moved　by　Professor　Quench；　seconded　by　Professor　Musclejaw；　that　we　approve　the　minutes　of　the　last　meeting　as　unread。　All　those　in　favor。　A　chorus　of　grunts　and　snarls　greeted　this。　〃Opposed？　Hearing　none　the　motion　is　passed。〃　There　was　a　pause　while　Dean　Manacle　collected　himself　and　shuffled　through　the　papers　before　him。　〃We　shall　move　to　submittee　reports　。。。　the　submittee　on　portal　repair。〃
　〃Nonsense；〃　said　Quench。
　〃I　beg　your　pardon。〃　Manacle　looked　up；　bristling。　〃The　agenda　calls　for。　。
　〃Nonsense。　The　agenda　calls　for　nonsense。　Stupidity。　Obtuseness。　Obfuscation。　Let's　talk　about　the　Council。　Let's　talk　about　this　Gamesman；　Huld；　who　wants　access　to　the　defenders！〃
　Grunts　of　surprise；　voices　raised　in　anger。　〃The　defenders？　We　don't　allow　access　to　the　defenders！　What　did　he　say？〃
　〃We　will　have　the　report　on　portal　repair；〃　Manacle　shouted。　〃And　the　report　on　the　problems　at　the　monster　labs；　and　on　the　food　stocks　brought　in　by　Gifters。　These　are　important　matters；　Quench。　Vital　matters。
　〃How　vital？〃　boomed　Quench。　〃If　the　Council　is　planning　to　destroy　us　all；　how　vital　is　it　that　the　monster　labs　shall　or　shall　not　meet　quota？　If　we　are　all　killed；　how　important　that　the　northern　portal　cannot　be　repaired；　as　we　know　it　cannot；　as　the　southern　portal　could　not　in　its　time。　If　there　are　none　left　to　have　appetite；　how　vital　is　it　that　the　Gifters　bring　in　their　full　cargoes　of　grain　and　meat？　Vital？　Manacle；　you're　a　fool　and　your　father　before　you　was　a　fool。〃
　I　had　not　seen　until　then　the　little　hammer　which　Manacle　picked　up　from　before　him。　He　whapped　it　upon　the　table；　raising　a　cloud　of　dust　at　which　several　members　began　to　sneeze　and　wipe　their　eyes。　If　this　was　meant　to　restore　order；　it　failed　its　purpose。　A　trembling　oldster　was　shouting　at　Quench　who　was　bellowing　in　reply。　Elsewhere　in　the　room　confusion　multiplied　as　small　groups　and　individuals　rose　in　gesticulating　argument。　Manacle　thrashed　with　his　little　hammer；　voices　rose；　until　at　last　Quench　shouted　down　all　who　would　have　opposed　him。
　〃Sit　down；　you　blasted　idiots。　Now　you　all　listen　to　me　for　a　while。　If　you　choose　to　do　nothing　after　I've　spoken；　well；　it　will　be　no　less　than　you've　done　about　anything　for　fifty　years。　I　will　speak。　I'm　a　full　professor；　entitled　to　my　position；　and　I　will　be　heard；　though　I　am　a　doddering　Emeritus。〃　　
　〃Most　of　you　in　this　room　recall　the　meeting　a　generation　ago　when　Dean　Scythe　admitted　to　this　mittee　that　the　techs　could　not　repair　the　portal　machines；　or　the　air　machines；　or　most　of　the　others；　so　far　as　that　goes。　You　recall　that　we　had　before　us　at　that　time　a　suggestion；　made　by　me；　that　we　set　some　of　our　brighter　young　men　to　studying　the　old　machines　and　the　old　books　in　order　to　learn　abou