cb.torturedsouls-第6部分

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　looked　like　a　man　who　had　just　discovered　some　truly　terrible　thing　about　himself；　or　God；　or　both。
　　〃These　we　kill；〃　Montefalco　said；　very　calmly。
　　General　Urbano　began　to　nod；　but　the　motion　was　too　much　for　his　sickened　system。　He　puked　a　yellowish　puke；　which　spattered　his　immaculately　polished　boots。　He　took　out　a　handkerchief　and　wiped　his　mouth；　then　he　said：
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃Yes？〃
　　〃Yes。　These　we　kill。〃
　　Later　that　night；　Montefalco　went　back　to　see　Talisac。　He　went　alone；　which　turned　out　to　be　a　wise　move。　Neither　Urbano　nor　Bogoto　had　the　guts　for　what　awaited　him　there。
　　The　place　had　deteriorated　considerably　in　the　forty…eight　hours　since　he'd　last　stepped　over　the　threshold；　the　bodies　were　still　everywhere；　but　they　were　in　a　new　condition。　It　looked　as　though　all　the　moisture；　all　the　energy；　had　been　sucked　out　of　them；　leaving　them　withered。　The　eyes　had　gone　from　the　sockets　and　the　lips　had　been　drawn　back　from　the　teeth；　giving　them　all　the　look　of　blind；　squealing　monkeys。
　　The　flesh　on　their　torsos　had　withered　to　bones；　as　had　the　meat　on　their　arms　and　legs。　The　skin　itself　was　now　like　a　thin　layer　of　dried　tissue；　covering　the　structure　of　the　bone。　When　the　dwarf　Camille　appeared　to　greet　Montefalco；　and　kicked　a　couple　of　the　corpses　aside；　they　rolled　away　from　her　kick　like　so　many　paper　mannequins。
　　〃Is　it　done？〃　Montefalco　asked　her。
　　〃Oh　yes；　it's　done；〃　Camille　said　with　a　twinkling　smile；　〃and　I　think　you're　going　to　be　very　pleased。〃
　　A　voice　emerged　from　the　shadows；　speaking　words　Montefalco　could　not　prehend。
　　〃He's　asking　me　to　unveil　it；〃　Camille　said。
　　The　General　scanned　the　dirt…walled　room；　looking　for　what　'it'　might　be；　and　there　at　the　end　of　the　chamber　he　saw　a　monumental　form；　covered　with　a　threadbare　tapestry　obviously　brought　down　from　the　floor　above。
　　〃That？〃　he　said；　not　waiting　for　confirmation　before　approaching　it。　As　he　strode　through　the　bodies；　they　cracked　beneath　his　heels；　erupting　into　dust　and　fragments。　Soon　the　room　was　filled　with　spiralling　bits　of　pale　human　stuff。
　　Montefalco　grabbed　hold　of　the　tapestry。　As　he　did　so；　Camille　named　the　thing…'VENAL　ANATOMICA。〃
　　The　General　pulled　the　tapestry　off　and　revealed　it。
　　As　might　have　been　guessed　from　its　scale　beneath　the　carpet；　it　was　of　heroic　size；　nine　feet　tall　or　more。　It　had　death's　face；　and　was　equipped　with　a　variety　of　medieval　murder　weapons。　There　were　nails　crudely　hammered　into　its　shoulder　and　leg。　Blood　had　coagulated　around　the　nails；　but　when　Anatomica　began　to　move　（as　now　it　did）　fresh　blood　bubbled　up　from　the　wounds　and　ran　down　his　body。
　　〃Does　it　know　me？〃　the　General　asked。
　　〃Yes；〃　said　Camille；　〃it　is　ready　to　obey　your　instructions。〃　Talisac　spoke；　and　Camille　translated！　〃He　says　he　has　no　loyalty　to　its　Creator；　only　to　you；　General　Montefalco。〃
　　〃That's　good　to　hear。〃
　　Montefalco　beckoned　to　it。
　　〃e　on　then。〃
　　The　creature　made　a　hesitant　step。　Then　another。
　　〃Can　I　e　with　you？〃　Camille　said。
　　Montefalco　looked　down　at　her　nakedness。　〃Only　if　you　cover　yourself　up；〃　he　said。
　　She　smiled；　and　then　went　away　to　fetch　herself　a　flea…bitten　fur　coat。
　　They　went　out　into　the　night　together：　the　three　of　them。　The　General；　the　Dwarf　and　Venal　Anatomica。
　　Daybreak　wasn't　far　off。　Neither　was　the　end　of　certain　things。　Though　Greta　Sabatier　had　been　killed　by　the　bandits　on　the　road　to　Calcyx…a　fate　she　had　not　foreseen…she　had　been　right　about　that　much。　An　age　was　ing　to　an　end：　and　it　was　the　Age　of　Lovers。
　　
　　
　　　Book　Six
　　　The　Second　ing
　　　
　　　I
　　In　his　bunker　of　dirt　and　corpses　Talisac　waited　alone；　while　his　body…which　was　a　thing　without　precedent…twitched　and　jumped　and　spasmed。
　　There　was　a　child　inside　of　him；　the　MONGROID；　the　infant　of　the　Second　ing。　Or　so　he'd　e　to　believe；　after　the　years　he'd　spent　experimenting　upon　others；　and　himself。　It　wasn't　until　he　had　created　an　homunculus　that　would　be　to　all　intents　and　purposes　his　child；　its　flesh　made　up　of　the　same　DNA　as　his；　that　he　had　e　to　believe　there　was　something　holy　in　the　imminent　arrival。　It　was　another　Virgin　Birth。
　　In　only　a　matter　of　hours　now；　the　child　would　be　in　his　arms。
　　He　would　have　no　one　to　share　the　triumph　of　what　he'd　achieved；　but　so　be　it。　He'd　been　alone　all　his　life；　even　in　the　pany　of　his　fellow　human　beings。　Alone　with　his　ambition；　alone　with　his　failures；　alone　with　the　strange　dreams　that　came　to　find　him　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　dreams　of　his　child；　speaking　to　him；　telling　him　that　the　world　was　going　to　end；　but　that　it　wouldn't　matter；　because　they'd　be　together；　Man　and　Child；　to　the　End　of　Time。
　　He　could　feel　the　child　struggling　to　get　out　now。　He　could　hear　its　tiny；　high…pitched　voice　as　it　worked　to　free　itself。
　　The　pain　was　excruciating；　a　vicious　hallucinogen。　He　sobbed　and　he　screamed；　the　Convent　had　never　heard　such　cursings　as　it　heard　now。
　　But　finally　the　womb　tore　as　the　Holy　Child　scrabbled　with　his　little　hands；　his　little　nails；　and　in　a　gush　of　blood…tinged　fluids　the　Mongroid　was　disgorged　onto　the　ground　amongst　the　corpses。
　　
　　　II
　　〃Kreiger？〃
　　Lucidique　went　to　the　window　and　called　down　into　the　garden　around　her　father's　house。　Zarles　Kreiger；　The　Scythe…Meister；　who　had　lately　bee　Lucidique's　lover；　had　gone　out　into　the　garden　to　bring　her　some　perfumed　flowers。　The　bedroom　stank　of　the　pungent　oil　that　their　violently　transfigured　bodies　gave　off。　It　was　a　bitter　and　unpleasant　smell；　not　the　salty　smell　of　natural　sex。
　　But　the　garden　was　full　of　sweet　smelling　flowers　that　would　conceal　the　bitterness；　and　some　of　the　strangest　scents　were　those　of　blossoms　that　opened　after　dark。　It　was　now　almost　two　in　the　morning；　and　the　smells　that　rose　from　the　darkened　garden　were　giddyingly　strong。
　　She　called　Kreiger's　name　again。　Then　she　seemed　to　see　him；　a　dark　presence　moving　through　the　bushes。
　　If　it　was　indeed　Kreiger；　why　didn't　he　answer　her　call？　Perhaps　it　wasn't　him。
　　Keeping　her　silence　now；　she　crept　down　the　stairs　and　went　out　into　the　garden。
　　There　was　a　gentle；　balmy　breeze　tonight：　it　made　the　bushes　and　trees　churn。　The　garden　was　large；　and　its　layout　plex；　but　she'd　been　playing　here　since　she　was　a　child。　She　could　have　found　her　way　down　its　narrow；　labyrinthine　paths　and　around　its　rose　patches　and　secret　groves　with　her　eyes　closed。
　　She　went　directly　to　the　place　where　she　thought　she'd　seen　the　man　when　she'd　been　up　at　the　bedroom　window。　Despite　the　sweetness　of　honeysuckle　and　the　night…blooming　jasmine；　her　nostrils　caught　the　scent　of　something　else；　somebody　else；　in　the　vicinity。　There　was　a　stink　that　was　not　the　bitter　smell　of　her　own　body；　or　that　of　Kreiger。　This　was　something　else。　Something　that　made　her　think　of　disease；　of　corruption；　of　death。
　　She　stood　very　still。　Something　moved　through　the　bushes　close　by。　She　saw　its　form；　silhouetted　against　the　starless　sky：　a　vast　misshapen　head；　armoured　shoulders；　the　chest　of　an　ox。　Whatever　it　was；　it　walked　with　a　pronounced　limp；　dragging　its　left　leg。　The　closer　it　came　to　her　the　stronger　the　smell　of　corruption　became。　This　trespasser　was　the　source；　no　doubt　of　that。
　　Then；　from　the　darkness　close　by；　the　sound　of　her　lover's　voice：
　　〃Lucidique！　Get　away　from　here！　Quickly！〃
　　There　was　something　broken　in　his　voice。
　　〃What's　happened　to　you？〃　she　said；　afraid　of　the　answer。
　　Hearing　her　voice；　the　trespasser　looked　in　her　direction。　A　hood　of　flesh　slid　slickly　back　from　the　upper　half　of　its　face。　revealing　its　skeletal　features。　This　was…like　them…a　monster。　And　yet　it　was　not　like　them。　Not　Agonistes'　handiwork；　at　least。　Not　the　product　of　the　unsung　architect　of　Eden。
　　This　trespasser　was　a　charnel…house　child　if　ever　there　was　one。　It　was　made　of　parcels　of　rotten　flesh　and　nerve　and　bone；　all　nailed　together　and　given　foetid　breath。
　　She　retreated　as　it　strode　towards　her。　She　knew　how　to　kill；　that　was　not　in　doubt。　But　the　creature　still　made　her　afraid。　It　was　a　powerhouse；　and　indifferent；　she　guessed；　to　any　pain　she　might　be　able　to　cause　it。
　　〃Go！〃　she　heard　Kreiger　yelling　to　her。
　　Her　eyes　flittered　in　his　direction；　and　by　the　light　shed　from　the　bedroom　window　she　saw　him；　on　the　ground；　blood　pouring　out　of　him。
　　〃Christ！〃
　　She　started　towards　him；　but　the　trespasser　moved　to　intercept　her；　its　vast　hands　eager　to　tear　out　her　throat。
　　But　she　wasn't　going　to　flee　the　garden；　not　with　her　lover　lying　there　in　the　dirt；　bleeding　from　a　hundred　places。　Instead　she　turned　and　led　the　limping　slaughterer　away　from　Kreiger；　dodging　through　the　darkened　garden；　using　her　knowledge　of　its　layout　to　double　the　distance　between　them。
　　Still　it　came　after　her；　throwing　its　weight　through　the　tangle　of　thorny　bushes；　emitting　a　guttural　din　as　it　did　so；　like　the　noise　of　some　immense　mechanism　that　imperfectly　copied　the　sound　of　a　tormented　animal；　a　bull；　perhaps；　beneath　the　slaughterer's　hammer。　It　was　horrible　to　hear。
　　She　had　e　to　the　place　where　she　hoped　to　outwit　her　pursuer：　a　tree　which　she　had　climbed　a　thousand　times　as　a　child；　and　now　climbed　again；　so　quickly　that　by　the　time　the　trespasser　came　in　sight　of　it　she　was　already　concealed　in　its　verdant　canopy。
　　Now；　she　thought；　if　the　beast　would　only　wander　beneath　the　tree；　she　could　perhaps　kill　it。　Drop　out　of　the　branches　and　cut　open　its　throat。　Even　if　it　was　something　that　was　made　from　mortuary　slops；　it　drew　breath；　and　if　she　could　open　its　throat　from　ear　to　ear；　it　would　be　dead　as　any　other　slitted　thing。
　　But　about　six　feet　from　the　tree　the　creature　stopped；　and　sniffed　the　air；　looking　around　suspiciously。　Did　it　sense　that　there　was　a　trap　laid　for　it　here？　She　couldn't　believe　it　had　the　wit　to　be　so　cautious。　And　yet　it　had　halted；　hadn't　it？　And　now　it　retreated　from　the　tree；　loosing　a　low；　barely　audible　noise　in　its　throat；　limping　off　into　the　darkness。
　　She　carefully　parted　the　foliage；　to　see　if　she　could　discover　what　it　was　up　to。　There　was　some　sound　from　the　direction　in　which　she'd　e；　and　then　an　audible　moa