sheritepper.necromancer nine-第29部分
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wanted to see the cargo for yourself？ Well； Flogshoulder will be glad to take us through and explain the process。 If it's convenient； my dear boy。〃
The dear boy； who suffered from an unfortunate superfluity of teeth； gaped； then covered this gaucherie with a self…conscious giggle。 〃Oh； it's quite convenient； Father。 Most interesting for guests； too。 Just e through here。 Don't mind the techs； they haven't the wits of a bunwit and don't understand anything but machines。 He led the way into the polished room； Mavin and I following。 I believed they would stop us； see us； forbid us entry。 They did not。 Across the room a pair of Tallmen pushed brooms along the aisles； as invisible as we。
At the first sight of Huld； I had gone deep into myself and now was letting Didir guide me by small promptings from with…in as the words of those in the room flowed through and away。 The sight of the two bodies upon the chill dark slab at the center of the place almost broke my posure。 Mavin's was destroyed。 I saw her stumble and turn pale before catching herself； to continue the endless recitation of some nonsense rhyme。 The bodies were Windlow and Himaggery； cold and gray as when I had seen Windlow at the Blot。 I let Didir tune my eyes to their keenest and watched； to see the slow； slow rise of chests over the shallowest of breaths。 They were alive； alive but laid out like meat on that dark slab。
Huld approached the slab and hung over the bodies like some predatory bird； his nose stabbing at them beakwise； peering and peering until he was satisfied and returned to Manacle's side。
〃So； you have two of them；〃 he said。 〃If you had the boy； I would have cheered you； Manacle。 As it is； you have only delayed the time of ruin； not forestalled it。〃
〃Oh； e； e； my dear fellow。 The situation is not that grave。
〃Grave enough。 If you are not to perish with all your colleagues； measures must be taken。 Still； having these two is better than nothing。 What do you do with them now？〃
〃We're getting ready for the ceremony； dear fellow。 We'll use these to make blues and bodies for the occasion； two bunwits with one arrow； so they say。 That will remove the threat of these two； permanently； just as it has removed the threat of thousands in the past； and it will give us trade goods for the Gifters。 Would you like to see the process？〃
I do not know why Mavin and I did not act then。 Surely we did not understand what was to occur； or we did not realize it would happen at once。 Perhaps we had concentrated so on being unseen and unnoticed that we had not allowed for the need for sudden intervention。 In any ease； we did nothing。 Flogshoulder gestured imperiously at one of the greenclad 〃techs。〃 That man leaned forward to move along； silver lever。 At that the dark slab rotated； dropped； and moved beneath a contorted mass of metal and glass with wires and tubes protruding from it which had been making a low humming sound。 The hum ascended into a scream； lights flickered； there was a smell of burning and a cloud of acrid smoke。 One of the techs coughed； shouted； pumped a piece of equipment to produce a puff of bad smelling mist。 The fire went out； the scream dropped into a hum once more； the slab twisted and returned to its former position。
Himaggery and Windlow were still there； still there； but I knew before Manacle reached forward to tap old Windlow's arm what sound I would hear…the sound of ice； faintly ringing； bell…like； metallic； dead。 Beside each frozen skull rested a Gamespiece； tiny； blue。 I looked upon them with my Shifter's eyes； eyes which can be those of a hawk to see the beetle upon the grass from a league's height。 These 〃blues〃 were no crude carvings； no anonymous； featureless gamespieces。 These were Himaggery and Windlow in small； each in his appropriate guise； and even the moth wing mask of the Seer could not hide the glitter of Windlow's eyes。 If this thing did not weep； I was blind。 I started to move forward； but Mavin caught my arm to hold me。 If Huld had been alert and Reading at that moment； we would have been discovered。 Huld； however； was listening with avid attention to Manacle。 If Huld thought the information important； then I did also。
〃The contrivance；〃 said Manacle in a pompous； didactic tone which reminded me a little of Gamesmaster Gervaise； was used by our forefathers when we came to this place。 Evidently the length of the journey； or the time it took； did not allow persons to travel while awake and alive in the ordinary way。 No； the fleshy part was preserved； as you see； for storage。 They can be kept forever； these bodies； or so the techs say。 However； when resurrected； these bodies would have no memory； no intelligence…all of that is wiped clean by the process； so we are told。 So a record was made。 A record containing all thought and memory； and this record was embodied in the form you see。 Blues。 That is what we call them。 We make a few hundred each year to use in the Calling Home ceremony。 Then we give them to the Gifters to use in trade。
〃I have seen them；〃 said Huld。 〃Kept in cold chests。 Why are they kept cold？〃
〃Well…I am not certain。 Perhaps one of the techs would know。 The techs make the gameboards。 after all； don't they Flogshoulder〃
〃I will ask a tech。 Father。 It is not something which interests me。 Hardly in our field； you know。〃 He went away to return in a moment with an old； pleat…faced man with tired eyes。 〃Tech； why are the blues kept in cold chests？ And are the gameboards made here？ You have a word for it； I think。 Micro…micro something？〃
〃Microcircuitry。 Supervisor。 The gameboards are made with microcircuitry。 To make the Gamespieces move。 They are kept cold because they are supposed to last longer that way。 The manuals say they break down very rapidly if they get warm。〃
〃There are manuals？〃 Huld； greedy…voiced。 Too greedy…voiced； for Manacle gave him a sharp look before taking him by the arm to guide him away。 〃So。 Interesting； isn't it； Huld？ And now you need worry about those two no more。 Their bodies will be stored in the caves； used in the ceremony； then put into the caves once more and forever。 Their blues will go into some Trader's wagon to be given to some Gamesmaster as a giftie。 I sometimes wonder if they feel anything； those bodies。 They seem very dead。〃
Huld； pretending a disinterest I knew he did not feel； 〃How are the bodies and the blues joined together again？〃
〃Oh； my dear fellow。 Who knows？ I wouldn't know。 We haven't done that in a thousand years。 There may be a book about it somewhere； but I doubt the machinery to do it even works。 Why would one care？〃 They went out the way they had e； still chatting； leaving Mavin and me behind； hidden among the sighing machines。 When they had put a little distance between them and us； I hissed at her。
〃One of us must go after them。 One must stay here to see where they put Windlow and Himaggery。 Which？〃
She thrust me away。 〃You must go after Huld。 I have no Didir to protect my mind； and I cannot keep up this rhyming and jiggy song forever。 You go。 I will stay。 I will meet you in that place they held the meeting； soon as may be。 Go！〃 And I went。 I went in a fever of impatience and anger； anger at myself； at
Huld； at the silly； fatuous Manacle and his idiot son。 If we were to save Himaggery and Windlow now； we would have to restore them to wholeness； put their two halves together； body and spirit； and who knew how to do that？ The books？ What books and where？ I was reaching the end of my ability to slink and sly about； the limit of my self…control。 It was Didir and Dora who saved me； who soothed me into sleep like a fretful child and held me there； barely ticking； while they followed Huld； Manacle； Shear and toothy Flogshoulder deeper into the labyrinth while Huld sought information。 〃These books； Manacle。 The ones which tell about rejoining the bodies。 Have you seen them？ Read them？ What did they say about 。。。 the blues？〃
〃I don't recall seeing anything about them in books。 But then； I recall what my father said about them。 A pattern； he said。 The pattern of a personality。 Yes。 That was well put。 The pattern of a personality。 In ancient times； of course； the pattern was reunited with the body when both had reached their destination。 It is this process we reenact during the ceremony。 We don't really do it； of course。 Some of the younger men act the part of bodies； and we use the blues symbolically。 It's only a ritual； but very impressive for all that。 But then I've told you all this before。〃
〃Why don't you actually do it？〃 Huld asked。 Didir could detect an avidity in this question though the tone of voice was deliberately casual。 〃That would be even more impressive。〃
〃Why； ah 。。。 I'm not sure；〃 began Manacle； only to be interrupted by his unfortunate son。
〃Because no one knows how； the techs say。 The manuals aren't there； not where they belong。 Of course； all techs are fools； as we all know； but that's what they say。〃
〃Do they think the books were lost？〃 Huld； pursuing。 〃Or destroyed； perhaps？ Or taken away？〃
Flogshoulder put on a thoughtful face； marred by the obvious vacancy within his skull。 〃I should know。 Truly I should。 I've heard them talking about it often enough。 They say Quench asked for the same books； and they've been looking for them。
〃Quench。〃 Manacle turned red； blustering。 〃Quench！〃
〃Yes； Father。 Quench thinks it was Nitch took the books； that's it。 You remember Nitch？ The books have been gone since he went。〃
〃Went？〃 asked Huld softly； so softly。 〃Went？〃
〃Away。 He went away。 At least； I think he went away。 Didn't he go away； Father？〃
Manacle nodded angrily； muttering and counting under his breath as he walked along。 〃Quench； thirteen fourteen。 Damn Quench。 Fifteen。 Mind his own business； keep to his place。 Sixteen。 He and Nitch two of a kind； ungrateful wretches。 Seventeen。 Ah； this is it。 The seventeenth door from the corner； on the right。 You wanted to see the defenders； Huld。 Well； here we are。 I'll just find the key here； somewhere； among all these little ones I think。 Gracious； haven't looked in here almost since my investiture。 Yes。 This one。〃
The door swung wide。 They went through it； leaving it open behind them。 I faded into the wall surface； unseen； unheeded。 The room w
