cb.imajica2-第84部分

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　did　Gentle。
　He　took　a　third　step　toward　her　and　raised　the　knives　above　his　head。　She　didn't　look　away；　but　turned　her　face　up　towards　him；　daring　him　to　spoil　with　his　blades　what　he'd　caressed　with　his　fingers　only　minutes　before。
　〃I　would　have　died　for　you；〃　he　murmured。　The　blades　were　at　the　top　of　their　gleaming　arc；　ready　to　fall。　〃Why　wouldn't　you　die　for　me？〃
　He　didn't　wait　for　an　answer；　even　if　she'd　had　one　to　give；　but　let　the　knives　descend。　As　they　came　for　her　eyes　she　looked　away；　but　before　they　caught　her　cheek　and　neck　the　Reconciler　howled　behind　her；　and　the　whole　room　shook。　She　was　thrown　from　her　knees；　Sartori's　blades　missing　her　by　inches。　The　candles　on　the　mantelpiece　guttered　and　went　out；　but　there　were　other　lights　to　take　their　place。　The　stones　of　the　circle　were　flickering　like　tiny　bonfires　flattened　by　a　high　wind；　flecks　of　their　brightness　racing　from　them　to　strike　the　walls。　At　the　circle's　edge　stood　Gentle。　In　his　hand；　the　reason　for　this　turmoil。　He'd　picked　up　one　of　the　stones；　arming　himself　and　breaking　the　circle　in　the　same　moment。　He　clearly　knew　the　gravity　of　his　deed。　There　was　grief　on　his　face；　so　profound　it　seemed　to　have　incapacitated　him。　Having　raised　the　stone　he　was　now　motionless；　as　if　his　will　to　undo　the　working　had　already　lost　momentum。
　She　got　to　her　feet；　though　the　room　was　shaking　more　violently　than　ever。　The　boards　felt　solid　enough　beneath　；　her；　but　they'd　darkened　to　near　invisibility。　She　could　see　only　the　nails　that　kept　them　in　place；　the　rest；　despite　the　light　from　the　stones；　was　pitch　black；　and　as　she　started　towards　the　circle　she　seemed　to　be　treading　a　void。
　There　was　a　noise　acpanying　every　tremor　now：　a　；　mingling　of　tortured　wood　and　cracking　plaster；　all　underscored　by　a　guttural　boiling；　the　source　of　which　she　didn't　prehend　until　she　reached　the　edge　of　the　circle。　The　darkness　beneath　them　was　indeed　a　void…the　In　Ovo；　opened　by　Gentle's　breaking　of　the　circle…and　in　it；　al…　；　ready　woken　by　Sartori's　dabblings；　the　prisoners　that　connived　and　suppurated　there；　rising　at　the　scent　of　escape。
　At　the　door；　the　gek…a…gek　set　up　a　clamor　of　anticipation；　sensing　the　release　of　their　fellows。　But　for　all　their　power　they'd　have　few　of　the　spoils　in　the　ing　massacre。　There　were　forms　appearing　below　that　made　them　look　kittenish：　entities　of　such　elaboration　neither　Jude's　eyes　nor　wits　could　enpass　them。　The　sight　terrified　her；　but　if　this　was　the　only　way　to　halt　the　Reconciliation；　then　so　be　it。　History　would　repeat　itself；　and　the　Maestro　be　twice　damned。
　He'd　seen　the　Oviates'　ascent　as　clearly　as　she　and　was　frozen　by　the　sight。　Determined　to　prevent　him　from　reestablishing　the　status　quo　at　all　costs；　she　reached　to　snatch　the　stone　from　his　hand；　so　as　to　pitch　it　through　the　window。　But　before　her　fingers　could　grasp　it　he　looked　up　at　her。　The　anguish　went　from　his　face；　and　rage　replaced　it。
　〃Throw　the　stone　away！〃　she　yelled。
　His　eyes　weren't　on　her；　however。　They　were　on　a　sight　at　her　shoulder。　Sartori！　She　threw　herself　aside　as　the　knives　came　down　and；　clutching　the　mantelpiece；　turned　back　to　see　the　brothers　face　to　face；　one　armed　with　blades；　the　other　with　the　stone。
　Sartori's　glance　had　gone　to　Jude　as　she　leapt；　and　before　he　could　return　it　to　his　enemy　Gentle　brought　the　stone　down　with　a　two…handed　blow；　striking　sparks　from　one　of　the　blades　as　he　dashed　it　from　his　brother's　fingers。　While　the　advantage　was　his；　Gentle　went　after　the　second　blade；　but　Sartori　had　it　out　of　range　before　the　stone　could　connect；　so　Gentle　swung　at　the　empty　hand；　the　cracking　of　his　brother's　bones　audible　through　the　din　of　Oviates　and　boards　and　cracking　walls。
　Sartori　made　a　pitiful　yell　and　raised　his　fractured　hand　in　front　of　his　brother；　as　if　to　win　remorse　for　the　hurt。　But　as　Gentle's　eyes　went　to　Sartori's　broken　hand；　the　other；　whole　and　sharp；　came　at　his　flank。　He　glimpsed　the　blade　and　half　turned　to　avoid　it；　but　it　found　his　arm；　opening　it　to　the　bone　from　wrist　to　elbow。　He　dropped　the　stone；　a　rain　of　blood　ing　after；　and　as　his　palm　went　up　to　stem　the　flow　Sartori　entered　the　circle；　slashing　back　and　forth　as　he　came。
　Defenseless；　Gentle　retreated　before　the　blade　and；　arching　back　to　avoid　the　cuts；　lost　his　footing　and　went　down　beneath　his　attacker。　One　stab　would　have　finished　him　there　and　then。　But　Sartori　wanted　intimacy。　He　straddled　his　brother's　body　and　squatted　down　upon　it；　slashing　at　Gentle's　arms　as　he　attempted　to　ward　off　the　coup　de　grace。
　Jude　scoured　the　unsolid　boards　for　the　fallen　knife；　her　gaze　distracted　by　the　malignant　forms　that　were　everywhere　turning　their　faces　to　freedom。　The　blade；　if　she　could　find　it；　would　be　of　no　use　against　them；　but　it　might　still　dispatch　Sartori。　He'd　planned　to　take　his　own　life　with　one　of　these　knives。　She　could　still　turn　it　to　such　work；　if　she　could　only　find　it。
　But　before　she　could　do　so；　she　heard　a　sob　from　the　circle　and；　glancing　back；　saw　Gentle　sprawled　beneath　his　brother's　weight；　horrendously　wounded；　his　chest　sliced　open；　his　jaw；　cheeks；　and　temples　slashed；　his　hands　and　arms　crisscrossed　with　cuts。　The　sob　wasn't　his；　but　Sartori's。。　He'd　raised　the　knife　and　was　uttering　this　last　cry　before　he　plunged　the　blade　into　his　brother's　heart。
　His　grief　was　premature。　As　the　knife　came　down；　Gentle　found　the　strength　to　thrash　one　final　time；　and　instead　of　finding　his　heart　the　blade　entered　his　upper　chest　below　his　clavicle。　Slickened；　the　handle　slipped　through　Sartori's　fingers。　But　he　had　no　need　to　reclaim　it。　Gentle's　rally　was　over　as　suddenly　as　it　had　begun。　His　body　uncurled；　its　spasms　ceased；　and　he　lay　still。
　Sartori　rose　from　his　seat　on　his　brother's　belly　and　looked　down　at　the　body　for　a　time；　then　turned　to　survey　the　spectacle　of　the　void。　Though　the　Oviates　were　close　to　the　surface　now；　he　didn't　hurry　to　act　or　retreat；　but　surveyed　the　whole　panorama　at　the　center　of　which　he　stood；　his　eyes　finally　ing　to　rest　on　Jude。
　〃Oh；　love；〃　he　said　softly。　〃Look　what　you've　done。　You've　given　me　to　my　Heavenly　Father。〃
　Then　he　stooped　and　reached　out　of　the　circle　to　take　hold　of　the　stone　that　Gentle　had　removed　and；　with　the　finesse　of　a　painter　laying　down　a　final　stroke；　put　it　back　in　place。
　The　status　quo　wasn't　instantly　restored。　The　forms　below　continued　to　rise；　seething　with　frustration　as　they　sensed　that　their　route　into　the　Fifth　had　been　sealed。　The　fire　in　the　stone　began　to　go　out；　but　before　their　last　gutterings　Sartori　murmured　an　order　to　the　gek…a…gek　and　they　sloped　from　their　places　at　the　door；　their　flat　heads　skimming　the　ground。　Jude　thought　at　first　they　were　ing　for　her；　but　it　was　Gentle　they'd　been　ordered　to　collect。　They　divided　around　the　circle　and　reached　over　its　perimeter；　taking　hold　of　the　body　almost　tenderly　and　lifting　it　out　of　their　Maestro's　way。
　〃Down　the　stairs；〃　he　told　them；　and　they　retreated　to　the　door　with　their　burden；　leaving　the　circle　in　Sartori's　sole　possession。
　A　terrible　calm　had　descended。　The　last　glimpses　of　the　In　Ovo　had　disappeared；　the　light　in　the　stones　was　all　but　gone。　In　the　gathering　darkness　she　saw　Sartori　find　his　place　at　the　center　of　the　circle　and　sit。
　〃Don't　do　this；〃　she　murmured　to　him。
　He　raised　his　head　and　made　a　little　grunt；　as　though　he　was　surprised　she　was　still　in　the　room。
　〃It's　already　done；〃　he　said。　〃All　I　have　to　do　is　hold　the　circle　till　midnight。〃
　She　heard　a　moan　from　below；　as　Clem　saw　what　the　Oviates　had　brought　to　the　top　of　the　stairs。　Then　came　the　thump；　thump；　thump　as　the　body　was　thrown　down　the　flight。　There　could　only　be　seconds　before　they　came　back　for　her；　seconds　to　coax　him　from　the　circle。　She　knew　only　one　way；　and　if　it　failed　there　could　be　no　further　appeal。
　〃I　love　you；〃　she　said。
　It　was　too　dark　to　see　him；　but　she　felt　his　eyes。
　〃I　know；〃　he　said；　without　feeling。　〃But　my　Heavenly　Father　will　love　me　more。　It's　in　His　hands　now。〃
　She　heard　the　Oviates　moving　behind　her；　their　breaths　chilly　on　her　neck。
　〃I　don't　ever　want　to　see　you　again；〃　Sartori　said。
　〃Please　call　them　off；〃　she　begged　him；　remembering　the　way　Clem　had　been　apprehended　by　these　beasts；　his　arms　half　swallowed。
　〃Leave　of　your　volition；　and　they　won't　touch　you；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　about　my　Father's　business。〃
　〃He　doesn't　love　you。。。。〃
　〃Leave。〃
　〃He's　incapable。。。。〃
　〃Leave；〃
　She　got　to　her　feet。　There　was　nothing　left　to　say　or　do。　As　she　turned　her　back　on　the　circle　the　Oviates　pressed　their　cold　flanks　against　her　legs　and　kept　her　trapped　between　them　until　she　reached　the　threshold；　to　be　certain　she　made　no　last　attempt　on　their　summoner's　life。　Then　she　was　allowed　to　go　unescorted　onto　the　landing。　Clem　was　halfway　up　the　stairs；　bludgeon　in　hand；　but　she　instructed　him　to　stay　where　he　was；　fearful　that　the　gek…a…gek　would　claw　him　to　shreds　if　he　climbed　another　step。
　The　door　to　the　Meditation　Room　slammed　behind　her；　and　she　glanced　back　to　confirm　what　she'd　already　guessed：　that　the　Oviates　had　followed　her　out　and　were　now　standing　guard　at　the　threshold。　Still　nervous　that　they'd　land　some　last　blow；　she　crossed　to　the　top　of　the　flight　as　though　she　were　walking　on　eggs　and　only　picked　up　her　speed　once　she　was　on　the　stairs。
　There　was　light　below；　but　the　scene　it　illuminated　was　as　grim　as　anything　above。　Gentle　was　lying　at　the　bottom　of　the　stairs；　his　head　laid　on　Celestine's　lap。　The　sheet　she'd　worn　had　fallen　from　her　shoulders；　and　her　breasts　were　bare；　bloodied　where　she'd　held　her　son's　face　to　her　skin。
　〃Is　he　dead？〃　Jude　murmured　to　Clem。
　He　shook　his　head。　〃He's　holding　on。〃
　She　didn't　have　to　ask　what　for。　The　front　door　was　open；　hanging　half　demolished　from　its　hinges；　and　through　it　she　could　hear　the　first　stroke　of　midnight　from　a　distant　steeple。
　〃The　circle's　plete；〃　she　said。
　〃What　circle？〃　Clem　asked　her。
　She　didn't　reply。　What　did　it　matter　now？　But　Celestine　had　looked　up　from　her　meditation　on　Gentle's　face；　and　the　same　question　was　in　her　eyes　as　on　Clem's　lips；　so　Jude　answered　them　as　plainly　as　she　could。
　〃The　Imajica's　a　circle；〃　she　said。
　〃How