cb.imajica2-第51部分

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　〃Why　don't　you　e　with　me？〃
　〃Just。。。　go　。。。　away。〃
　She　looked　up。　The　sun　had　found　the　wall　behind　him　and　was　celebrating　there。　But　he　remained　in　shadow。　For　all　his　grand　purpose；　he　was　still　made　to　be　fugitive：　a　liar　and　a　fraud。
　〃I　want　to　e　back；〃　he　said。
　She　didn't　answer。
　〃If　you're　not　here；　I'll　know　what　you　want　from　me。〃
　Without　a　further　word　he　went　to　the　door　and　let　himself　out。　Only　as　she　heard　the　front　door　slam　did　she　shake　herself　from　her　stupor　and　realize　he'd　taken　the　egg　with　him　as　he　went。　But　then　like　all　mirror　lovers　he　was　fond　of　symmetry；　and　it　probably　pleased　him　to　have　that　piece　of　her　in　his　pocket；　knowing　she　had　a　piece　of　him　hi　a　deeper　place　still。
　
　
　14
　
　Even　though　Gentle　had　known　the　tribe　of　the　South　Bank　only　a　few　hours；　parting　from　them　wasn't　easy。　He'd　felt　more　secure　in　their　pany　for　that　short　time　than　he'd　felt　with　many　men　and　women　he'd　known　for　years。　They；　for　their　part；　were　used　to　loss…it　was　the　theme　of　almost　every　life　story　he'd　heard…so　there　were　no　histrionics　or　accusations；　just　a　heavy　silence。　Only　Monday；　whose　victimization　had　first　stirred　the　stranger　from　his　passivity；　made　any　attempt　to　have　Gentle　linger。
　〃We've　only　got　a　few　more　walls　to　paint；〃　he　said；　〃and　we'll　have　covered　them　all。　A　few　days。　A　week　at　the　most。〃
　〃I　wish　I　had　that　long；〃　Gentle　told　him。　〃But　I　can't　postpone　the　work　I　came　back　to　do。〃
　Monday　had　of　course　been　asleep　while　Gentle　talked　with　Tay　（and　had　woken　much　confounded　by　the　respect　he　got）；　but　the　others；　especially　Benedict；　had　new　words　to　add　to　the　vocabulary　of　miracles。
　〃So　what　does　a　Reconciler　do？〃　he　asked　Gentle。　〃If　you're　goin'　off　to　the　Dominions；　man；　we　want　to　be　in'　with　you。〃
　〃I'm　not　leaving　Earth。　But　if　and　when　I　do；　you'll　be　the　first　to　know　about　it。〃
　〃What　if　we　never　see　you　again？〃　Irish　said。
　〃Then　I'll　have　failed。〃
　〃And　you're　dead　and　gone？〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃He　won't　fuck　up；〃　Carol　said。　〃Will　you；　love？〃
　〃But　what　do　we　do　with　what　we　know？〃　Irish　said；　clearly　troubled　by　this　burden　of　mysteries。　〃With　you　gone；　it　won't　make　sense　to　us。〃
　〃Yes；　it　will；〃　Gentle　said。　〃Because　you'll　be　telling　other　people；　and　that　way　the　stories　will　stay　alive　until　the　door　to　the　Dominions　is　open。〃
　〃So　we　should　tell　people？〃
　〃Anyone　who'll　listen。〃
　There　were　murmurs　of　assent　from　the　assembly。　Here　at　least　was　a　purpose；　a　connection　with　the　tale　they'd　heard　and　its　teller。
　〃If　you　need　us　for　anything；〃　Benedict　purred；　〃you　know　where　to　find　us。〃
　〃Indeed　1　do；〃　Gentle　said；　and　went　with　Clem　to　the　gate。
　〃And　what　if　anybody　es　looking　for　you？〃　Carol　called　after　them。
　〃Tell　'em　I　was　a　mad　bastard　and　you　kicked　me　over　the　bridge。〃
　This　earned　a　few　grins。
　〃That's　what　we'll　say；　Maestro；〃　Irish　said。　〃But　I'm　tellin'　you；　if　you　don't　e　back　for　us　one　of　these　days；　we're　goin'　to　e　lookin'　for　you。〃
　The　farewells　over；　Clem　and　Gentle　headed　up　onto　Waterloo　Bridge　hi　search　of　a　cab　to　take　them　across　the　city　to　Jude's　place。　It　wasn't　yet　six；　and　though　the　flow　of　northbound　traffic　was　beginning　to　thicken　as　the　first　muters　appeared；　there　were　no　taxis　to　be　had；　so　they　started　across　the　bridge　on　foot　in　the　hope　of　finding　a　cab　on　the　Strand。
　〃Of　all　the　pany　to　have　found　you　in；〃　Clem　remarked　as　they　went；　〃that　has　to　be　the　strangest。〃
　〃You　came　looking　for　me　there；〃　Gentle　pointed　out；　〃so　you　must　have　had　some　inkling。〃
　〃I　suppose　I　must。〃
　〃And　believe　me；　I've　kept　stranger　pany。　A　lot　stranger。〃
　〃I　believe　it。　I'd　like　you　to　tell　me　about　the　whole　journey　one　day　soon。　Will　you　do　that？〃
　〃I'll　do　my　best。　But　it'll　be　difficult　without　a　map。　I　kept　telling　Pie　I'd　draw　one；　so　that　if　I　ever　passed　through　the　Dominions　again　and　got　lost。。。〃
　〃You'd　be　found。〃
　〃Exactly。〃
　〃And　did　you　make　a　map？〃
　〃No。　There　was　never　time；　somehow。　There　always　seemed　to　be　something　new　to　distract　me。〃
　〃Tell　me　as　much　as…　Whoa！　I　see　a　cab！〃
　Clem　stepped　out　into　the　street　and　waved　the　vehicle　down。　They　both　got　in　and　Clem　supplied　the　driver　with　directions。　As　he　was　doing　so；　the　man　peered　into　his　mirror。
　〃Is　that　someone　you　know？〃
　They　looked　back　along　the　bridge　to　see　Monday　pelting　towards　them。　Seconds　later　the　paint…smeared　face　was　at　the　taxi　window；　and　Monday　was　begging　to　join　them。
　〃You've　got　to　let　me　e　with　you；　boss。　It's　not　fair　if　you　don't。　I　gave　you　my　colors；　didn't　I？　Where　would　you　be　without　my　colors？〃
　〃I　can't　risk　your　getting　hurt；〃　Gentle　said。
　〃If　I　get　hurt　it's　my　hurt　and　it's　my　fault。〃
　〃Are　we　going；　or　what？〃　the　driver　wanted　to　know。
　〃Let　me　e；　boss。　Please。〃
　Gentle　shrugged；　then　nodded。　The　grin；　which　had　gone　from　Monday's　face　during　his　appeal；　returned　in　glory；　and　he　clambered　into　the　cab；　rattling　his　tobacco　tin　of　chalks　like　a　ju…ju　as　he　did　so。
　〃I　brought　the　colors；〃　he　said；　〃just　in　case　we　need　'em。　You　never　know　when　we　might　have　to　draw　a　quick　Dominion　or　something；　right？〃
　Though　the　journey　to　Judith's　flat　was　relatively　short；　there　were　signs　everywhere…mostly　small；　but　so　numerous　their　sum　became　significant…that　the　days　of　venomous　heat　and　uncleansing　storm　were　taking　their　toll　on　the　city　and　its　occupants。　There　were　vociferous　altercations　at　every　other　corner；　and　some　in　the　middle　of　the　street；　there　were　scowls　and　furrows　on　every　passing　face。
　〃Tay　said　there　was　a　void　ing；〃　Clem　remarked　as　they　waited　at　an　intersection　for　two　furious　motorists　to　be　stopped　from　making　nooses　of　each　other's　neckties。　〃Is　this　all　part　of　it？〃
　〃It's　bloody　madness　is　what　it　is；〃　the　cabbie　chimed　in。　〃There's　been　more　murders　in　the　last　five　days　than　in　all　of　last　year。　I　read　that　somewhere。　And　it's　not　just　murders；　neither；　it's　people　toppin'　themselves。　A　mate　of　mine；　a　cabbie　like；　was　up　the　Arsenal　on　Tuesday　and　this　woman　just　throws　herself　in　front　of　his　cab。　Straight　under　the　front　wheels。　Bloody　tragic。〃
　The　fighters　had　finally　been　refereed　and　were　being　escorted　to　opposite　pavements。
　〃I　don't　know　what　the　world's　ing　to；〃　the　cabbie　said。　〃It's　bloody　madness。〃
　His　piece　said；　he　turned　on　the　radio　as　the　traffic　began　moving　again；　and　began　whistling　3n　out…of…tune　acpaniment　to　the　ballad　that　emerged。
　〃Is　this　something　we　can　help　stop？〃　Clem　asked　Gentle。　〃Or　is　it　just　going　to　get　worse？〃
　〃I　hope　the　Reconciliation　will　put　an　end　to　it。　But　I　can't　be　certain。　This　Dominion's　been　sealed　up　for　so　long；　it's　poisoned　itself　with　its　own　shit。〃
　〃So　we　just　have　to　pull　down　the　sod　din'　walls；〃　Monday　said；　with　the　glee　of　a　born　demolisher。　He　rattled　his　tin　of　colors　again。　〃You　mark　'em；〃　he　said；　〃and　I'll　knock　'em　down。　Easy。〃
　
　The　child；　Jude　had　been　told；　had　more　purpose　in　it　than　most；　and　she　believed　it。　But　what　did　that　mean；　besides　the　risk　of　its　fury　if　she　tried　to　unhouse　it？　Would　it　grow　faster　than　others？　Would　she　be　big　with　it　by　dusk；　and　her　water　ready　to　break　before　morning？　She　lay　in　the　bedroom　now；　the　day's　heat　already　weighing　on　her　limbs；　and　hoped　the　stories　she'd　heard　from　radiant　mothers　were　true；　that　her　body　would　pour　palliatives　into　her　bloodstream　to　ease　the　traumas　of　nurturing　and　expelling　another　life。
　When　the　doorbell　rang　her　first　instinct　was　to　ignore　it；　but　her　visitors；　whoever　they　were；　kept　on　ringing　and　eventually　began　to　shout　up　at　the　window。　One　called　for　Judy；　the　other；　more　oddly；　for　Jude。　She　sat　up；　and　for　a　moment　it　was　as　though　her　anatomy　had　shifted。　Her　heart　thumped　in　her　head；　and　her　thoughts　had　to　be　dragged　up　out　of　her　belly　to　form　the　intention　to　leave　the　room　and　go　down　to　the　door。　The　voices　were　still　summoning　her　from　below；　but　they　petered　out　as　she^　headed　down　the　stairs；　and　she　was　ready　to　find　the　doorstep　empty　when　she　got　there。　Not　so。　There　was　an　adolescent　there；　besmirched　with　color；　who　upon　sight　of　her　turned　and　hollered　to　her　other　visitors；　who　were　across　the　street；　peering　up　at　her　flat。
　〃She's　here！〃　he　yelled。　〃Boss？　She's　here！〃
　They　started　back　across　the　road　towards　the　step；　and　as　they　came　her　heart；　still　beating　in　her　head；　took　up　a　suicidal　tempo。　She　reached　out　for　some　support　as　the　man　at　Clem's　side　met　her　eyes　and　smiled。　This　wasn't　Gentle。　At　least　it　wasn't　the　egg…thief　Gentle　who'd　left　a　couple　of　hours　before；　his　face　flawless。　This　one　hadn't　shaved　for　several　days　and　had　a　brow　of　scabs。
　She　backed　away　from　the　step；　her　hand　failing　to　find　the　door　though　she　wanted　to　slam　it。　〃Keep　away　from　me；〃　she　said。
　He　stopped　a　yard　or　two　from　the　threshold；　seeing　the　panic　on　her　face。　The　youth　had　turned　to　him；　and　the　imposter　signaled　that　he　should　retreat；　which　he　did；　leaving　the　line　of　vision　between　them　clear。
　〃I　know。I　look　like　shit；〃　the　scabby　face　said。　〃But　it's　me；　Jude。〃
　She　took　two　steps　back　from　the　blaze　in　which　he　stood　（How　the　light　liked　him！　Not　like　the　other；　who'd　been　in　shadow　every　time　she'd　set　eyes　on　him）；　her　sinews　fluttering　from　toes　to　fingertips；　their　motion　escalating　as　though　a　fit　was　about　to　seize　her。　She　reached　for　the　banister　and　took　hold　of　it　to　keep　herself　from　falling　over。
　〃It　can't　be；〃　she　said。
　This　time　the　man　made　no　reply。　It　was　his　acplice　in　this　deceit…Clem；　of　all　people…who　said；　〃Judy。　We　have　to　talk　to　you。　Can　I　e　in？〃
　〃Just　you；〃　she　said。　〃Not　them。　Just　you。〃
　〃Just　me。〃
　He　came　to　the　door；　approaching　her　slowly；　palms　out；　〃What's　happened　here？〃　he　said。
　〃That's　not　Gentle；〃　she　told　him。　〃Gentle's　been　with　me　for　the　last　two　days。　And　nights。　That's。。。　I　don't　know　who。〃
　The　imposter　heard　what　she　was　telling　Clem。　She　could　see　his　face　over　the　other　man's　shoulder；　so　shocked　the　words　might　have　been　blows。　The　more　she　tried　to　explain　to　Clem　what　had　happened；　the　more　she　lost　faith　with　what　she　was　saying。　This　Gentle；　waiting　outside；　was　the　man　she'd　left　on　the　studio　step；　standing　bewildere