cb.imajica2-第67部分

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easons　for　doing　all　that　she'd　done；　and　she　would　not　make　false　apologies；　but　e　to　the　altars　of　these　Goddesses　with　humility　and　self…respect　in　equal　measure。
　The　gates　were　now　in　view；　the　river　gushing　towards　them；　its　flood　a　whitewater　roar。　Either　its　assault　or　some　previous　violence　had　thrown　both　gates　off　their　hinges；　and　the　water　surged　through　the　gap　ecstatically。
　〃How　do　we　get　through？〃　Hoi…Polloi　yelled　above　the　din。
　〃It's　not　that　deep；〃　Jude　said。　〃We'll　be　able　to　wade　it　if　we　go　together。　Here。　Take　my　hand。〃
　Without　giving　the　girl　time　to　argue　or　retreat；　she　took　firm　hold　of　Hoi…Polloi's　wrist　and　stepped　into　the　river。　As　she'd　said；　it　wasn't　very　deep。　Its　spumy　surface　only　climbed　to　the　middle　of　their　thighs。　But　there　was　considerable　force　in　it；　and　they　were　obliged　to　proceed　with　extreme　care。　Jude　couldn't　see　the　ground　she　was　leading　them　over；　the　water　was　too　wild；　but　she　could　feel　through　her　soles　how　the　river　was　digging　up　the　paving；　eroding　in　a　matter　of　minutes　what　the　tread　of　soldiers；　slaves；　and　penitents　had　not　much　impressed　in　two　centuries。　Nor　was　this　erosion　the　only　threat　to　their　equilibrium。　The　river's　freight　of　alms；　petitions；　and　trash　was　very　heavy　now；　gathered　as　it　was　from　five　or　six　places　in　the　lower　Kesparates。　Slabs　of　wood　knocked　at　their　hamstrings　and　shins；　swaths　of　cloth　wrapped　around　their　knees。　But　Jude　remained　surefooted　and　advanced　with　a　steady　tread　until　they　were　through　the　gates；　glancing　back　over　her　shoulder　now　and　then　to　reassure　Hoi…Polloi　with　a　look　or　a　smile　that；　though　there　was　disfort　here；　there　was　no　great　hazard。
　The　river　didn't　slow　once　it　was　inside　the　palace　walls。　Instead　it　seemed　to　find　fresh　impetus；　its　spume　thrown　ever　higher　as　it　climbed　through　the　courtyards。　The　et's　beams　were　falling　here　in　greater　abundance　than　on　the　Kesparates　below；　and　their　light；　striking　the　water；　threw　silver　filigrees　up　against　the　joyless　stone。　Distracted　by　the　beauty　of　this；　Jude　momentarily　lost　her　footing　as　they　cleared　the　gates　and；　despite　a　cry　of　warning；　fell　back　into　the　river；　taking　Hoi…Polloi　with　her。　Though　they　were　in　no　danger　of　drowning；　the　water　had　sufficient　momentum　to　carry　them　along；　and　Hoi…Polloi；　being　much　the　lighter　of　the　two；　was　swept　past　Jude　at　some　speed。
　Their　attempts　to　stand　up　again　were　defeated　by　the　eddies　and　countercurrents　its　enthusiasm　was　generating；　and　it　was　only　by　chance　that　Hoi…Pollot…thrown　against　a　dam　of　detritus　that　was　choking　part　of　the　flow…was　able　to　use　its　accrued　bulk　to　bring　herself　to　a　halt　and　haul　herself　to　her　knees。　The　water　broke　against　her　with　considerable　vehemence　as　she　did　so；　its　will　to　carry　her　off　undiminished；　but　she　defied　it；　and　by　the　time　Jude　was　carried　to　the　place；　Hoi…Polloi　was　getting　to　her　feet。
　〃Give　me　your　hand！〃　she　yelled；　returning　the　invitation　Jude　had　first　offered　when　they'd　stepped　into　the　flood。
　Jude　reached　to　do　so；　half　turning　in　the　water　to　stretch　for　Hoi…Polloi's　fingers。　But　the　river　had　other　ideas。　As　their　hands　came　within　inches　of　clasping；　the　waters　conspired　to　spin　her　and　snatch　her　away；　their　hold　on　her　so　tight　the　breath　was　momentarily　squeezed　out　of　her。　She　couldn't　even　yell　a　word　of　reassurance　but　was　hauled　off　by　the　flood；　up　through　a　monolithic　archway　and　out　of　sight。
　Violent　as　the　waters　were；　pitching　her　around　as　it　raced　through　the　cloisters　and　colonnades；　she　wasn't　in　fear　of　them；　quite　the　opposite。　The　exhilaration　was　contagious。　She　was　part　of　their　purpose　now；　even　if　they　didn't　know　it；　and　happy　to　be　delivered　to　their　summoner；　who　was　surely　also　their　source。　Whether　that　summoner…be　she　Tishalulle　or　Jokalaylau　or　any　other　Goddess　who　might　be　resident　here　today…judged　her　to　be　a　petitioner　or　simply　another　piece　of　trash；　only　the　end　of　this　ride　would　tell。
　
　If　Yzordderrex　had　bee　a　place　of　glorious　particulars…every　color　singing；　every　bubble　in　its　waters　crystalline…the　Erasure　had　given　itself　over　to　ambiguity。　There　was　no　breath　of　wind　to　stir　the　heavy　mist　that　hung　over　the　fallen　tents　and　over　the　dead；　shrouded　but　unburied；　who　lay　in　their　folds；　nor　did　the　et　have　fire　enough　to　pierce　a　higher　fog；　the　fabric　of　which　left　its　light　dusky　and　drab。　Off　to　the　left　of　where　Gentle's　projection　stood；　the　ring　of　Madonnas　that　Athanasius　and　his　disciples　had　sheltered　in　was　visible　through　the　murk。　But　the　man　he'd　e　here　to　find　wasn't　in　residence　there；　nor　was　there　any　sign　of　him　to　the　right；　though　here　the　fog　was　so　thick　it　blotted　out　everything　that　lay　beyond　an　eight…　or　ten…yard　range。　He　nevertheless　headed　into　it；　loath　to　try　calling　Chicka　Jackeen's　name；　even　if　his　voice　had　possessed　sufficient　strength。　There　was　a　conspiracy　of　suppression　upon　the　landscape；　and　he　was　unwilling　to　challenge　it。　Instead　he　advanced　in　silence；　his　body　barely　displacing　the　mist；　his　feet　making　little　or　no　impression　on　the　ground。　He　felt　more　like　a　phantom　here　than　in　any　of　the　other　meeting　places。　It　was　a　landscape　for　such　souls：　hushed　but　haunted。
　He　didn't　have　to　walk　blindly　for　long。　The　mist　began　to　thin　out　after　a　time；　and　through　its　shreds　he　caught　sight　of　Chicka　Jackeen。　He'd　dug　a　chair　and　small　table　from　the　wreckage　and　was　sitting　with　his　back　to　the　great　wall　of　the　First　Dominion；　playing　a　solitary　game　of　cards　and　talking　furiously　to　himself　as　he　did　so。　We're　all　crazies；　Gentle　thought；　catching　him　like　this。　Tick　Raw　half　mad　on　mustard；　Scopique　bee　an　amateur　arsonist；　Athanasius　marking　sacramental　sandwiches　with　his　pierced　hands；　and　finally　Chicka　Jackeen；　chattering　away　to　himself　like　a　neurotic　monkey。　Crazies　to　a　man。　And　of　all　of　them　he；　Gentle；　was　probably　the　craziest：　the　lover　of　a　creature　that　defied　the　definitions　of　gender；　the　maker　of　a　man　who　had　destroyed　nations。　The　only　sanity　in　his　life…burning　like　a　clear　white　light…was　that　which　came　from　God：　the　simple　purpose　of　a　Reconciler。
　〃Jackeen？〃
　The　man　looked　up　from　his　cards；　somewhat　guiltily。　〃Oh。　Maestro。　You're　here。〃
　〃Don't　say　you　weren't　expecting　me？〃
　〃Not　so　soon。　Is　it　time　for　us　to　go　to　the　Ana？〃
　〃Not　yet。　I　came　to　be　sure　you　were　ready。〃
　〃I　am；　Maestro。　Truly。〃
　〃Were　you　winning？〃
　〃I　was　playing　myself。〃
　〃That　doesn't　mean　you　can't　win。〃
　〃No？　No。　As　you　say。　Then　yes；　I　was　winning。〃　He　rose　from　the　table；　taking　off　the　spectacles　he'd　been　wearing　to　study　his　cards。
　〃Has　anything　e　out　of　the　Erasure　while　you've　been　waiting？〃
　〃No；　not　e　out。　In　fact；　yours　is　the　first　voice　I've　heard　since　Athanasius　left。〃
　〃He's　part　of　the　Synod　now；〃　Gentle　said。　〃Scopique　induced　him　to　join　us；　to　represent　the　Second。〃
　〃What　happened　to　the　Eurhetemec？　Not　murdered？〃
　〃He　died　of　old　age。〃
　〃Will　Athanasius　be　equal　to　the　task？〃　Jackeen　asked；　then；　thinking　his　question　overstepped　the　bounds　of　protocol；　he　said；　〃I'm　sorry。　I've　no　right　to　question　your　judgment　in　this。〃
　〃You've　every　right；〃　Gentle　said。　〃We've　got　to　have　plete　faith　in　each　other。〃
　〃If　you　trust　Athanasius；　then　so　do　I；〃　Jackeen　said　simply。
　〃So　we're　ready。〃
　〃There　is　one　thing　I'd　like　to　report；　if　I　may。〃
　〃What's　that？〃
　〃I　said　nothing's　e　out　of　the　Erasure；　and　that's　true…〃
　〃But　something　went　in？〃
　〃Yes。　Last　night；　I　was　sleeping　under　the　table　here〃…　he　pointed　to　his　bed　of　blankets　and　stone…〃and　I　woke　chilled　to　the　marrow。　I　wasn't　sure　whether　I　was　dreaming　at　first；　so　I　was　slow　to　get　up。　But　when　I　did　I　saw　these　figures　ing　out　of　the　fog。　Dozens　of　them。〃
　〃Who　were　they？〃
　〃Nullianacs；〃　Jackeen　said。　〃Are　you　familiar　with　them？〃
　〃Certainly。〃
　〃I　counted　fifty　at　least；　just　within　sight　of　me。〃
　〃Did　they　threaten　you？〃
　〃I　don't　think　they　even　saw　me。　They　had　their　eyes　on　their　destination…〃
　〃The　First？〃
　〃That's　right。　But　before　they　crossed　over；　they　shed　their　clothes；　and　made　some　fires；　and　burned　every　last　thing　they　wore　or　brought　with　them。〃
　〃All　of　them　did　this？〃
　〃Every　one　that　I　saw。　It　was　extraordinary。〃
　〃Can　you　show　me　the　fires？〃
　〃Easily；〃　Jackeen　said；　and　led　Gentle　away　from　the　table；　talking　as　he　went。　〃I'd　never　seen　a　Nullianac　before；　but　of　course　I've　heard　the　stories。〃
　〃They're　brutes；〃　Gentle　said。　〃I　killed　one　in　Vanaeph；　a　few　months　ago；　and　then　I　met　one　of　its　brothers　in　Yzordderrex；　and　it　murdered　a　child　I　knew。〃
　〃They　like　innocence；　I've　heard。　It's　meat　and　drink　to　them。　And　they're　all　related　to　each　other；　though　nobody's　ever　seen　the　female　of　the　species。　In　fact；　some　say　there　isn't　one。〃
　〃You　seem　to　know　a　lot　about　them。〃
　〃Well；　I　read　a　good　deal；〃　Jackeen　said；　glancing　at　Gentle。　〃But　you　know　what　they　say：　Study　nothing　except　in　the　knowledge…〃
　〃…that　you　already　knew　it。〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　Gentle　looked　at　the　man　with　fresh　interest；　hearing　the　old　saw　from　his　lips。　Was　it　so　monplace　a　dictum　that　every　student　had　it　by　heart；　or　did　Chicka　Jackeen　know　the　significance　of　what　he　was　saying？　Gentle　stopped　walking；　and　Jackeen　stopped　beside　him；　offering　a　smile　that　verged　on　the　mischievous。　Now　it　was　Gentle　who　did　the　studying；　his　text　the　other　man's　face：　and；　reading；　saw　the　dictum　proved。
　〃My　God；〃　he　said。　〃Lucius？〃
　〃Yes；　Maestro。　It's　me。〃
　〃Lucius！　Lucius！〃
　The　years　had　taken　their　toll；　of　course；　though　not　insufferably。　While　the　face　in　front　of　him　was　no　longer　that　of　the　eager　acolyte　he　had　sent　from　Gamut　Street；　it　was　not　marked　by　more　than　a　tenth　of　the　two　centuries　in　between。
　〃This　is　extraordinary；〃　Gentle　said；
　〃I　thought　maybe　you　knew　who　I　was；　and　you　were　playing　a　game　with　me。〃
　〃How　could　I　know？〃
　〃Am　I　really　so　different？〃　the　other　said；　clearly　a　little　deflated。　〃It　took　me　twenty…three　years　to　master　the　feit　of　holding；　but　I　thought　I'd　caught　the　last　of　my　youth　before　it　went　entirely。　A　little　vanity。　Forgive　me。〃
　〃When　did　you　e　here？〃
　〃It　seems　like　a　lifetime；　so　it　probably　is。　I　wandered　back　a