cb.imajica2-第71部分

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ldren　playing　nearby。
　She　allowed　herself　only　a　minute　to　catch　her　breath；　then　she　got　to　her　feet　and　started　up　the　beach　towards　the　temple。　Its　doorway　was　as　elaborately　eroded　as　the　blocks；　a　veil　of　bright　water　concealing　the　interior　from　those　waiting　nearby。　There　were　perhaps　a　dozen　women　at　the　threshold。　One；　a　girl　barely　past　pubescence；　was　walking　on　her　hands；　somebody　else　seemed　to　be　singing；　but　the　music　was　so　close　to　the　sound　of　running　water　that　Jude　couldn't　decide　whether　a　voice　was　flowing　or　some　stream　was　aspiring　to　melody。　As　at　the　pool；　nobody　objected　to　her　sudden　appearance；　nor　remarked　on　the　fact　that　she　was　weighed　down　by　waterlogged　clothes　while　they　were　in　various　states　of　undress。　A　benign　languor　was　on　them　all；　and　had　it　not　been　for　Jude's　willpower　she　might　have　let　it　claim　her　too。　She　didn't　hesitate；　however；　but　stepped　through　the　water　door　without　so　much　as　a　murmur　to　those　waiting　at　the　threshold。
　Inside；　there　was　no　solid　sight　to　greet　her。　Instead；　the　air　was　filled　with　forms　of　light；　folding　and　unfolding　as　though　invisible　hands　were　performing　a　lucid　origami。　They　weren't　working　towards　petty　resemblance；　but　transforming　their　radiant　stuff　over　and　over；　each　new　shape　on　its　way　to　being　another　before　it　was　fixed。　She　looked　down　at　her　arms。　They　were　still　visible；　but　not　as　flesh　and　blood。　They'd　learned　the　trick　of　the　light　already　and　were　blossoming　into　a　multiplicity　of　forms　in　order　to　join　the　play。　She　reached　out　to　touch　one　of　her　fellow　visitors　with　her　burgeoning　fingers　and；　brushing　her；　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　woman　from　whom　this　origami　had　emerged。　She　appeared　the　way　a　body　might　if　a　damp　sheet　billowed　against　it；　momentarily　clinging　to　the　shape　of　her　hip；　her　cheek；　her　breast；　then　billowing　again　and　snatching　the　glimpse　away。　But　there'd　been　a　smile　there；　she　was　certain　of　that。
　Reassured　that　she　was　neither　alone　nor　unwele　here；　she　began　to　advance　into　the　temple。　The　promise　of　eroticism　she'd　first　felt　as　she　gazed　into　the　pool　was　now　realized。　She　felt　the　forms　of　her　own　body　spreading　like　milk　dropped　into　the　fluid　air　and　grazing　the　bodies　of　those　she　was　passing　between。　Musings；　most　no　more　than　half　formed；　mingled　with　the　sensation。　Perhaps　she　would　dissolve　here　and　flow　out　through　the　walls　to　join　the　waters　around　the　islands；　or　perhaps　she　was　already　in　that　sea；　and　the　flesh　and　blood　she　thought　she'd　owned　was　just　a　figment　of　those　waters；　conjured　to　fort　the　lonely　land。　Or　perhaps。。。　or　perhaps。。。　or　perhaps。　These　speculations　were　not　divorced　from　the　brushing　of　form　against　form　but　were　part　of　the　pleasure；　her　nerves　bearing　these　fruits；　which　in　turn　made　her　more　tender　to　the　touches　of　her　panions。
　They　were　falling　away　as　she　advanced；　she　realized。　Her　progress　was　taking　her　up　into　the　heights　of　the　temple。　If　there　had　been　solid　ground　beneath　her　feet；　she'd　lost　all　sense　of　it　as　she　crossed　the　threshold　and　rose　without　effort；　her　stuff　possessed　of　the　same　law…defying　genius　as　had　been　the　waters　below。　There　was　another　motion　ahead　and　above　her；　more　sinuous　than　the　forms　she'd　met　at　the　door；　and　she　rose　towards　it　as　if　summoned；　praying　that　when　the　moment　came　she'd　have　the　words　and　lips　to　shape　the　thoughts　in　her　head。　The　motion　was　getting　clearer　and　if　she'd　had　any　doubt　below　as　to　whether　these　sights　were　imagined　or　seen；　she　now　had　such　dichotomies　swept　away。
　She　was　both　seeing　with　her　imagination　and　imagining　she　saw　the　glyph　that　hung　in　the　air　in　front　of　her：　a　Mobius　strip　of　light…haunted　water；　a　steady　rhythm　passing　through　its　seamless　loop　and　throwing　off　waves　of　brilliant　color；　which　shed　bright　rains　around　her。　Here　was　the　raiser　of　springs；　here　was　the　summoner　of　rivers；　here　was　the　sublime　presence　whose　strength　had　brought　the　palace　to　rubble　and　made　a　home　for　oceans　and　children　where　there'd　only　been　terror　before。　Here　was　Uma　Umagammagi。
　Though　she　studied　the　Goddess's　glyph；　Jude　could　see　no　hint　of　anything　that　breathed；　sweated；　or　corrupted　in　it。　But　there　was　such　an　emanation　of　tenderness　from　the　form　that；　faceless　as　the　Goddess　was；　it　seemed　to　Jude　she　could　feel　Her　smile；　Her　kiss；　Her　loving　gaze。　And　love　it　was。　Though　this　power　knew　her　not　at　all；　Jude　felt　embraced　and　forted　as　only　love　could　embrace　and　fort。　There'd　never　been　a　time　in　her　life；　until　now；　when　some　part　of　her　had　not　been　afraid。　It　was　the　condition　of　being　alive　that　even　bliss　was　attended　by　the　imminence　of　its　decease。　But　here　such　terrors　seemed　absurd。　This　face　loved　her　unconditionally　and　would　do　so　forever。
　〃Sweet　Judith；〃　she　heard　the　Goddess　say；　the　voice　so　charged；　so　resonant；　that　these　few　syllables　were　an　aria。　〃Sweet　Judith；　what's　so　urgent　that　you　risk　your　life　to　e　here？〃
　As　Uma　Umagammagi　spoke；　Jude　saw　her　own　face　appearing　in　the　ripples；　brightening；　then　teased　out　into　a　thread　of　light　that　was　run　into　the　Goddess's　glyph。　She's　reading　me；　Jude　thought。　She's　trying　to　understand　why　I'm　here；　and　when　She　does　She'll　take　the　responsibility　away。　I'll　be　able　to　stay　in　this　glorious　place　with　Her；　always。
　〃So；〃　said　the　Goddess　after　a　time。　〃This　is　a　grim　business。　It　falls　to　you　to　choose　between　stopping　this　Reconciliation　or　letting　it　go　on　and　risking　some　harm　from　Hapexamendios…〃
　〃Yes；〃　Jude　replied；　grateful　that　she'd　been　relieved　of　the　need　to　explain　herself。　〃I　don't　know　what　the　Unbeheld　is　planning。　Maybe　nothing　。。。〃
　〃。。。　and　maybe　the　end　of　the　Imajica。〃
　〃Could　He　do　that？〃
　〃Very　possibly；〃　said　Uma　Umagammagi。　〃He's　done　harm　to　Our　temples　and　Our　sisters　many；　many　times；　both　in　His　own　person　and　through　His　agents。　He's　a　soul　in　error；　and　lethal。〃
　〃But　would　He　destroy　a　whole　Dominion？〃
　〃I　can　no　more　predict　Him　than　you　can；〃　Umagammagi　said。　〃But　I'll　mourn　if　the　chance　to　plete　the　circle　is　missed。〃
　〃The　circle？〃　said　Jude。　〃What　circle？〃
　〃The　circle　of　the　Imajica；〃　the　Goddess　replied。　〃Please　understand；　sister；　the　Dominions　were　never　meant　to　be　divided　this　way。　That　was　the　work　of　the　first　human　spirits；　when　they　came　into　their　terrestrial　life。　Nor　was　there　any　harm　in　it；　at　the　beginning。　It　was　their　way　of　learning　to　live　in　a　condition　that　intimidated　them。　When　they　looked　up；　they　saw　stars。　When　they　looked　down；　they　saw　Earth。　They　couldn't　make　their　mark　on　what　was　above；　but　what　was　below　could　be　divided　and　owned　and　fought　over。　From　that　division；　all　others　sprang。　They　lost　themselves　to　territories　and　nations；　all　shaped　by　the　other　sex；　of　course；　all　named　by　them。　They　e；ven　buried　themselves　in　the　Earth　to　have　it　more　utterly；　preferring　worms　to　the　pany　of　light。　They　were　blinded　to　the　Imajica；　and　the　circle　was　broken；　and　Hapexamendios；　who　was　made　by　the　will　of　these　men；　grew　strong　enough　to　forsake　His　makers　and　so　passed　from　the　Fifth　Dominion　into　the　First…〃
　〃…murdering　Goddesses　as　He　went。〃
　〃He　did　harm；　yes；　but　He　could　have　done　greater　harm　still　if　He'd　known　the　shape　of　the　Imajica。　He　could　have　discovered　what　mystery　it　circled　and　gone　there　instead。〃
　〃What　mystery's　that？〃
　〃You're　going　back　into　a　dangerous　place；　sweet　Judith；　and　the　less　you　know　the　safer　you'll　be。　When　the　time　es；　we　will　unravel　these　mysteries　together；　as　sisters。　Until　then　take　fort　that　the　error　of　tire　Son　is　also　the　error　of　the　Father；　and　in　time　all　errors　must　undo　themselves　and　pass　away。〃
　〃So　if　they'll　solve　themselves；〃　Jude　said；　〃why　do　I　have　to　go　back　to　the　Fifth？〃
　Before　Uma　Umagammagi　could　resume　speaking；　another　voice　intruded。　Particles　rose　between　Jude　and　the　Goddess　as　this　other　woman　spoke；　pricking　Jude's　flesh　where　they　touched；　reminding　her　of　a　state　that　knew　ice　and　fire。
　〃Why　do　you　trust　this　woman？〃　the　stranger　said。
　〃Because　she　came　to　us　openhearted；　Jokalaylau；〃　the　Goddess　replied。
　〃How　openhearted　is　a　woman　who　treads　dry…eyed　in　the　place　where　her　sister　died？〃　Jokalaylau　said。　〃How　openhearted　is　a　woman　who　es　into　Our　presence　without　shame；　when　she　has　the　Autarch　Sartori's　child　in　her　womb？〃
　〃We　have　no　place　for　shame　here；〃　Umagammagi　said。
　〃You　may　have　no　place；〃　Jokalaylau　said；　rising　into　view　now。　〃I　have　plenty。〃
　Like　her　sister；　Jokalaylau　was　here　in　Her　essential　form：　a　more　plex　shape　than　that　of　Uma　Umagammagi；　and　less　pleasing　to　the　eye；　because　the　motions　that　ran　in　it　were　more　hectic；　Her　form　not　so　much　rippling　as　boiling；　shedding　its　pricking　darts　as　it　did　so。
　〃Shame　is　wholly　appropriate　for　a　woman　who　has　lain　with　one　of　Our　enemies；〃　she　said。
　Despite　the　intimidation　Jude　felt　from　the　Goddess；　she　spoke　out　in　her　own　defense。
　〃It's　not　as　simple　as　that；〃　she　said；　her　courage　fueled　by　the　frustration　she　felt；　having　this　intruder　spoil　the　congress　between　herself　and　Uma　Umagammagi。　〃I　didn't　know　he　was　the　Autarch。〃
　〃Who　did　you　imagine　he　was？　Or　didn't　you　care？〃
　The　exchange　might　have　escalated；　but　that　Uma　Umagammagi　spoke　again；　her　tone　as　serene　as　ever。
　〃Sweet　Judith；〃　she　said；　〃let　me　speak　with　my　sister。　She's　suffered　at　the　hands　of　the　Unbeheld　more　than　either　Tishalulle〃　or　myself；　and　She'll　not　readily　forgive　any　flesh　touched　by　Him　or　His　children。　Please　understand　Her　pain；　as　I　hope　to　make　Her　understand　yours。〃
　She　spoke　with　such　delicacy　that　Jude　now　felt　the　shame　Jokalaylau　had　accused　her　of　lacking：　not　for　the　child；　but　for　her　rage。
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　she　said。　〃That　was　。。。　inappropriate。〃
　〃If　you'll　wait　on　the　shore；〃　said　Uma　Umagammagi；　〃we'll　speak　together　again　in　a　little　while。〃
　From　the　moment　that　the　Goddess　had　talked　of　Jude's　returning　to　the　Fifth；　she'd　known　this　parting　would　e。　But　she　hadn't　prepared　herself　to　leave　the　Goddess's　embrace　so　soon；　and　now　that　she　felt　gravity　claiming　her　again；　it　was　an　agony。　There　was　no　help　for　it；　however。　If　Uma　Umagammagi　knew　what　she　suffered…　and　how　could　She　not？　…　She　did　nothing　to　ameliorate　the　hurt；　but　f