cb.imajica2-第75部分

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e　They'd　decided　she　wasn't　worthy　to　lay　eyes　on　the　truth　of　Them？　She　concentrated　hard　to　grasp　the　details　of　Their　appearance；　but　either　her　sight　wasn't　sophisticated　enough　or　They　were　resisting　her。　Whichever；　she　could　hold　only　impressions　in　her　head：　that　They　were　naked；　that　Their　eyes　were　incandescent；　that　Their　bodies　ran　with　water。
　〃Do　you　see　Us？〃　Jude　heard　a　voice　she　didn't　recognize…Tishalulle's；　she　presumed…ask。
　〃Yes；　of　course；〃　she　said。　〃But　not。。。　not　pletely。〃
　〃Didn't　I　tell　You？〃　Uma　Umagammagi　said。
　〃Tell　me　what？〃　Jude　wanted　to　know；　then　realized　the　remark　wasn't　directed　at　her　but　at　the　other　Goddesses。
　〃It's　extraordinary；〃　said　Tishalull？。
　The　pliancy　of　Her　voice　was　seductive；　and　as　Jude　attended　to　it　Her　nebulous　form　became　more　particular；　the　syllables　bringing　sight　along　with　them。　Her　face　was　Oriental　in　cast；　and　without　a　trace　of　color　in　cheek　or　lip　or　lash。　Yet　what　should　have　been　bland　was　instead　exquisitely　subtle；　its　symmetry　and　its　curves　delineated　by　the　light　that　flickered　in　Her　eyes。　Below　its　calm；　Her　body　was　another　matter　entirely。　Her　entire　length　was　covered　by　what　Jude　at　first　took　to　be　tattoos　of　some　kind；　following　the　sweep　of　Her　anatomy。　But　the　more　she　studied　the　Goddess…rand　she　did　so　without　embarrassment…the　more　she　saw　movement　in　these　marks。　They　weren't　on　Her　but　in　Hef；　thousands　of　tiny　flaps　opening　and　closing　rhythmically。　There　were　several　shoals　of　them；　she　saw；　each　swept　by　independent　waves　of　motion。　One　rose　up　from　Her　groin；　where　the　inspiration　of　them　all　had　its　place；　others　swept　down　Her　limbs；　out　to　Her　fingertips　and　toes；　the　motion　of　each　shoal　converging　every　ten　or　fifteen　seconds；　at　which　point　a　second　substance　seemed　to　spring　from　these　slits；　forming　the　Goddess　afresh　in　front　of　Jude　rs　astonished　eyes。
　〃I　think　you　should　know　that　I've　met　your　Gentle；〃　Tishalutle〃　said。　〃I　embraced　him　in　the　Cradle。〃
　〃He's　not　mine　any　longer；〃　Jude　replied。
　〃Do　you　care；　Judith？〃
　〃Of　course　she　doesn't　care；〃　came　Jokalaylau's　response。　〃She's　got　his　brother　to　keep　her　bed　warm。　The　Autarch。　The　butcher　of　Yzordderrex。〃
　Jude　turned　her　gaze　towards　the　Goddess　of　the　High　Snows。　The　particulars　of　Her　form　were　more　elusive　than　Tishalull？'s　had　been；　but　Jude　was　determined　to　know　what　She　looked　like；　and　fixed　her　gaze　on　the　spiral　of　cold　flame　that　burned　in　Her　core；　watching　until　it　spat　bright　arcs　out　against　the　limits　of　Jokalaylau's　body。　The　light　of　this　collision　was　brief；　but　by　it　Jude　got　her　glimpse。　An　imperious　Negress；　Her　blazing　eyes　heavy…lid…den；　hovered　there；　Her　hands　crossed　at　the　wrist；　then　turned　back　on　themselves　to　knit　their　fingers。　She　was　not；　after　all；　such　a　terrifying　sight。　But　sensing　that　Her　face　had　been　found；　the　Goddess　responded　with　a　sudden　transformation。　Her　lush　features　were　mummified　in　a　heartbeat；　the　eyes　sinking　away；　the'lips　withering　and　retracting。　Worms　devoured　the　tongue　that　poked　between　Her　teeth。
　Jude　let　out　a　cry　of　revulsion；　and　the　eyes　reignited　in　Jokalaylau's　sockets；　the　wormy　mouth　gaping　as　hard　laughter　rose　from　Her　throat　and　echoed　around　the　temple。
　〃She's　not　so　remarkable；　sister；〃　Jokalaylau　said。　〃Look　at　her　shake。〃
　〃Let　her　alone；〃　Uma　Umagammagi　replied。　〃Why　must　You　always　be　testing　people？〃
　〃We've　endured　because　We've　faced　the　worse　and　survived；〃　Jokalaylau　replied。　〃This　one　would　have　died　in　the　snow。〃
　〃I　doubt　that；〃　Urnagammagi　said。　〃Sweet　Judith…〃
　Still　shaking；　Jude　took　a　moment　to　respond。　〃I'm　not　afraid　of　death；〃　she　said　to　Jokalaylau。　〃Or　cheap　tricks。〃
　Again；　Umagammagi　spoke。　〃Judith；〃　she　said。　〃Look　at　Me。〃
　〃I　just　want　Her　to　understand…〃
　〃Sweet　Judith　。。。〃
　〃…I'm　not　going　to　be　bullied。〃
　〃。。。　look　at　Me。〃
　Now　Jude　did　so；　and　this　time　there　was　no　need　to　pierce　the　ambiguities。　The　Goddess　appeared　to　Jude　without　challenge　or　labor；　and　the　sight　was　a　paradox。　Uma　Umagammagi　was　an　ancient；　Her　body　so　withered　it　was　almost　sexless；　Her　hairless　skull　subtly　elongated；　Her　tiny　eyes　so　wreathed　in　creases　they　were　barely　more　than　gleams。　But　the　beauty　of　Her　glyph　was　here　in　this　flesh：　its　ripples；　its　flickers；　its　ceaseless；　effortless　motion。
　〃Do　you　see　now？〃　Uma　Umagammagi　said。
　〃Yes；　I　see。〃
　〃We　haven't　forgotten　the　flesh　We　had；〃　She　said　to　Jude。　〃We've　known　the　frailties　of　your　condition。　We　remember　its　pains　and　disforts。　We　know　what　it　is　to　be　wounded：　in　the　heart；　in　the　head；　in　the　womb。〃
　〃I　see　that；〃　Jude　said。
　〃Nor　would　We　have　trusted　you　with　knowledge　of　Our　'？　frailty；　unless　We　believed　that　you　might　one　day　be　among　Us。〃
　〃Among　You？〃
　〃Some　divinities　arise　from　the　collective　will　of　peoples；　some　are　made　in　the　heat　of　stars；　some　are　abstractions。　But　some…dare　we　say　the　finest；　the　most　loving？　…　are　the　higher　minds　of　living　souls。　We　are　such　divinities；　sister；　and　Our　memories　of　the　lives　We　lived　and　the　deaths　We　died　are　still　sharp。　We　understand　you；　sweet　Judith；　and　We　don't　accuse　you。〃
　〃Not　even　Jokalaylau？〃　Jude　said。
　The　Goddess　of　the　High　Snows　made　Herself　apparent　to　Her　length　and　breadth；　showing　Jude　Her　entire　form　in　a　single　glance。　There　was　a　paleness　moving　beneath　Her　skin；　and　Her　eyes；　that　had　been　so　luminous；　were　dark。　But　they　were　fixed　on　Jude。　She　felt　the　stare　like　a　stab。
　〃I　want　you　to　see；〃　She　said；　〃what　the　Father　of　the　father　of　the　child　in　you　did　to　My　devotees。〃
　Jude　recognized　the　paleness　now。　It　was　a　blizzard；　driven　through　the　Goddess's　form　by　pain；　and　pricking　every　part　of　Her。　Its　drifts　were　mountainous；　but　at　Jokalaylau's　behest　they　moved　and　uncovered　the　site　of　an　atrocity。　The　bodies　of　women　lay　frozen　where　they'd　fallen；　their　eyes　carved　out；　their　breasts　taken　off。　Some　lay　close　to　smaller　bodies：　violated　children；　dismembered　babes。
　〃This　is　a　little　part　of　a　little　part　of　what　He　did；〃　Jokalaylau　said。
　Appalling　as　the　sight　was；　Jude　didn't　flinch　this　time；　but　stared　on　at　the　horror　until　Jokalaylau　drew　a　cold　shroud　back　over　it。
　〃What　are　You　asking　me　to　do？〃　Jude　said。　〃Are　You　telling　me　I　should　add　another　body　to　the　heap？　Another　child？〃　She　laid　her　hand　on　her　belly。　〃This　child？〃
　She　hadn't　realized　until　now　how　covetous　she　felt　of　the　soul　she　was　nurturing。
　〃It　belongs　to　the　butcher；〃　Jokalaylau　said。
　〃No；〃　Jude　quietly　replied。　〃It　belongs　to　me。〃
　〃You'll　be　responsible　for　its　works？〃
　〃Of　course；〃　she　said；　strangely'　exhilarated　by　this　promise。　〃Bad　can　be　made　from　good；　Goddess；　whole　things　from　broken。〃
　She　wondered　as　she　spoke　if　They　knew　where　these　sentiments　originated；　whether　They　understood　that　she　was　turning　the　Reconciler's　philosophies　to　her　own　maternal　ends。　If　They　did；　They　seemed　not　to　think　less　of　her　for　it。
　〃Then　Our　spirits　go　with　you；　sister；〃　Tishalulle'　said。
　〃Are　You　sending　me　away　again？〃　Jude　asked。
　〃You　came　here　looking　for　an　answer；　and　We　can　provide　it。〃
　〃We　understand　the　urgency　of　this；〃　Uma　Umagammagi　said。　〃And　We　haven't　held　you　here　without　cause。　I've　been　across　the　Dominions　while　you　waited；　looking　for　some　clue　to　this　puzzle。　There　are　Maestros　waiting　in　every　Dominion　to　undertake　the　Reconciliation…〃
　〃Then　Gentle　didn't　begin？〃
　〃No。　He's　waiting　for　your　word。〃
　〃And　what　should　I　tell　him？〃
　〃I've　searched　their　hearts；　looking　for　some　plot…〃
　〃Did　You　find　any？〃
　〃No。　They're　not　pure；　of　course。　Who　is？　But　all　of　them　want　the　Imajica　whole。　All　of　them　believe　the　working　they're　ready　to　perform　can　succeed；〃
　〃Do　You　believe　it　too？〃
　〃Yes；　We　do；〃　said　Tishalulle。　〃Of　course　they　don't　realize　they're　pleting　the　circle。　If　they　did；　perhaps　they'd　think　again。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Because　the　circle　belongs　to　Our　sex；　not　to　theirs；〃　Jokalaylau　put　in。
　〃Not　true；〃　Umagammagi　said。　〃It　belongs　to　any　mind　that　cares　to　conceive　it。〃
　〃Men　are　incapable　of　conceiving；　sister；〃　Jokalaylau　replied；　〃Or　hadn't　You　heard？〃
　Umagammagi　smiled。　〃Even　that　may　change；　if　We　can　coax　them　from　their　terrors。〃
　Her　words　begged　many^guestions；　and　She　knew　it。　Her　eyes　fixed　on　Jude；　and　She　said；　〃We'll　have　time　for　these　works　when　you　e　back。　But　now　I　know　you　need　to　be　fleet。〃
　〃Tell　Gentle　to　be　a　Reconciler；〃　TishatUll6　said；　〃But　share　nothing　that　We've　said　with　him。〃
　〃Do　I　have　to　be　the　one　to　tell　him？〃　Jude　said　to　Umagammagi。　〃If　You've　been　there　once；　can't　You　go　again　and　give　him　the　news？　I　want　to　stay　here。〃
　〃We　understand。　But　he's　in　no　mood　to　trust　Us；　believe　me。　The　message　must　e　from　you；　in　the　flesh。〃
　〃I　see；〃　Jude　said。
　There　was　no　room　for　persuasion；　it　seemed。　She　had　the　plain　answer　she'd　e　here　hoping　to　find。　Now　she　had　to　return　to　the　Fifth　with　it；　unpalatable　as　that　journey　would　be。
　〃May　I　ask　one　question　before　I　go？〃　she　said。
　〃Ask　it；〃　said　Umagammagi。
　〃Why　did　You　show　Yourselves　to　me　this　way？〃
　It　was　Tishalulle'　who　replied。　〃So　that　you'll　know　Us　when　We　e　to　sit　at　your　table　or　walk　beside　you　in　the　street；〃　She　said。
〃Will　you　e　to　the　Fifth？〃
　〃Perhaps；　in　time。　We'll　have　work　there；　when　the　Reconciliation's　achieved。〃
　Jude　imagined　the　transformations　she'd　seen　outside　wrought　in　London：　Mother　Thames　climbing　her　banks；　depositing　the　filth　she'd　been　choked　by　in　Whitehall　and　the　Mall；　then　sweeping　through　the　city；　making　its　squares　into　swimming　pools　and　its　cathedrals　into　playgrounds。　The　thought　made　her　light。
　〃I'll　be　waiting　for　you；〃　she　said　and；　thanking　them；　made　her　departure。
　When　she　got　outside　the　waters　were　waiting　for　her；　the　surf　lush　as　pillows。　She　didn't　delay；　but　went　straight　down　the　beach　and　threw　herself　into　its　fort。　This　time　there　was　no　need　to　swim；　the　tide　knew　its　business。　It　picked　her　up　and　carried　her　across　the　basin　like　a　foamy　chariot；　delivering　her　back　to　the　rocks　from　which　she'd　first　taken　her　plunge。　Lotti　Yap　and　Paramarola　had　gone；　but　finding　her　way　out　of　the　palace　would　be　easier　now　than　when　she'd　first　arrived。　The　wate