cb.imajica2-第85部分

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　lips；　so　Jude　answered　them　as　plainly　as　she　could。
　〃The　Imajica's　a　circle；〃　she　said。
　〃How　do　you　know？〃　Clem　asked。
　〃The　Goddesses　told　me。〃
　She　was　almost　at　the　bottom　of　the　stairs；　and　now　that　she　was　closer　to　mother　and　son　she　could　see　that　Gentle　was　literally　holding　on　to　life；　clutching　at　Celestine's　arm　and　staring　up　into　her　face。　Only　when　Jude　sank　down　onto　the　bottom　stair　did　Gentle's　eyes　go　to　her。
　〃I。。。　never　knew；〃　he　said。
　〃I　know；〃　she　replied；　thinking　he　was　speaking　of　Hapexamendios'　plot。　〃I　didn't　want　to　believe　it　either。〃
　Gentle　shook　his　head。　〃I　mean　the　circle；〃　he　said。　〃I　never　knew　it　was　a　circle。。。。〃
　〃It　was　the　Goddesses'　secret；〃　Jude　said。
　Now　Celestine　spoke；　her　voice　as　soft　as　the　flames　that　lit　her　lips。　〃Doesn't　Hapexamendios　know？〃
　Jude　shook　her　head。
　〃So　whatever　fire　he　sends；〃　Celestine　murmured；　〃will　burn　its　way　around　the　circle。〃
　Jude　studied　her　face；　knowing　there　was　some　profit　in　this　knowledge　but　too　exhausted　to　make　sense　of　it。　Celestine　looked　down　at　Gentle's　face。
　〃Child？〃　she　said。
　〃Yes；　Mama。〃
　〃Go　to　Him；〃　she　said。　〃Take　your　spirit　into　the　First　and　find　your　Father。〃
　The　effort　of　breathing　seemed　almost　too　much　for　Gentle；　never　mind　a　journey。　But　what　his　body　was　incapable　of；　maybe　his　spirit　could　achieve。　He　lifted　his　fingers　towards　his　mother's　face。　She　caught　hold　of　them。
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　Gentle　said。
　〃Call　His　fire；〃　Celestine　said。
　Jude　looked　towards　Clem　to　see　if　this　exchange　made　any　more　sense　to　him　than　it　did　to　her；　but　he　looked　pletely　perplexed。　What　was　the　use　of　inviting　death　when　it　was　going　to　e　anyway；　and　all　too　quickly？
　〃Delay　Him；〃　Celestine　was　telling　Gentle。　〃Go　to　Him　as　a　loving　son；　and　hold　His　attention　for　as　long　as　you　can。　Flatter　Him。　Tell　Him　how　much　you　want　to　see　His　face。　Can　you　do　that　for　me？〃
　〃Of　course；　Mama。〃
　〃Good。〃
　Content　that　her　child　would　do　as　he　was　charged；　Celestine　laid　Gentle's　hand　back　upon　his　chest；　and　slid　her　knees　out　from　beneath　his　head；　lowering　it　tenderly　to　the　boards。　She　had　one　last　instruction　for　him。
　〃When　you　go　into　the　First；　go　through　the　Dominions。　He　mustn't　know　that　there's　another　way；　do　you　understand？〃
　〃Yes；　Mama。〃
　〃And　when　you　get　there；　child；　listen　for　the　voice。　It's　in　the　ground。　You'll　hear　it；　if　you　listen　carefully。　It　says…〃
　〃Nisi　Nirvana。〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃I　remember；〃　Gentle　said。　〃Nisi　Nirvana。〃
　As　if　the　name　were　a　blessing　and　would　protect　him　as　he　went　on　his　way；　he　closed　his　eyes　and　took　his　leave。
　Celestine　didn't　indulge　in　sentiment　but　rose；　pulling　the　sheet　up　around　her　as　she　crossed　to　the　bottom　of　the　stairs。　〃Now　I　have　to　speak　to　Sartori。〃
　〃That's　going　to　be　difficult；〃　Jude　said。　〃The　door's　locked　and　guarded。〃
　〃He's　my　son；〃　Celestine　replied；　looking　up　the　flight。　〃He'll　open　it　for　me。〃
　And　so　saying；　she　ascended。
　
　
　24
　
　Gentle's　spirit　went　from　the　house；　thinking　not　of　the　Father　that　awaited　him　in　the　First　Dominion　but　of　the　mother　he　was　leaving　behind。　In　the　hours　since　his　return　from　the　Tabula　Rasa's　tower　they'd　shared　all　too　brief　a　time　together。　He'd　knelt　beside　her　bed　for　a　few　minutes　while　she　told　the　story　of　Nisi　Nirvana。　He'd　held　on　to　her　in　the　Goddesses'　rain；　ashamed　of　the　desire　he　felt　but　unable　to　deny　it。　And　finally；　moments　ago；　he'd　lain　in　her　arms　while　the　blood　seeped　out　of　him。　Child；　lover；　cadaver。　There　was　the　arc　of　a　little　life　there；　and　they'd　have　to　be　content　with　it。
　He　didn't　entirely　prehend　her　purpose　in　sending　him　from　her；　but　he　was　too　confounded　to　do　anything　but　obey。　She　had　her　reasons；　and　he　had　to　trust　them；　now　that　the　work　he'd　labored　to　achieve　had　soured。　That　too　he　didn't　entirely　prehend。　It　had　happened　too　fast。　One　moment　he'd　been　so　remote　from　his　body　he　was　almost　ready　to　forget　it　entirely；　the　next　he　was　back　in　the　Meditation　Room；　with　Jude's　grip　earning　his　screams；　and　his　brother　mounting　the　stairs　behind　her；　his　knives　gleaming。　He'd　known　then；　seeing　death　in　his　brother's　face；　why　the　mystif　had　torn　itself　to　shreds　in　order　to　make　him　seek　Sartori　out。　Their　Father　was　there　in　that　face；　in　that　despairing　certainty；　and　had　been　all　along；　no　doubt。　But　he'd　never　seen　it。　All　he'd　ever　seen　was　his　own　beauty；　twisted　out　of　true；　and　told　himself　how　fine　it　was　to　be　Heaven　to　his　other's　Hell。　What　a　mockery　that　was！　He'd　been　his　Father's　dupe…His　agent；　His　fool…　and　he　might　never　have　realized　it　if　Jude　hadn't　dragged　him　raw　from　the　Ana　and　showed　him　in　terrible　particulars　the　destroyer　in　the　mirror。
　But　the　recognition　had　e　so　late；　and　he　was　so　ill　equipped　to　undo　the　damage　he'd　done。　He　could　only　hope　that　his　mother　understood　better　than　he　where　the　little　hope　left　to　them　lay。　In　pursuit　of　it；　he'd　be　her　agent　now　and　go　into　the　First　to　do　whatever　he　could　at　her　behest。
　He　went　the　long　way　round；　as　she'd　instructed；　his　path　taking　him　back　over　the　territories　he'd　traveled　when　he'd　sought　out　the　Synod；　and　though　he　longed　to　swoop　out　of　the　air　and　pass　the　time　of　a　new　day　with　the　others；　he　knew　he　couldn't　linger。
　He　glimpsed　them　as　he　went；　however；　and　saw　that　they'd　survived　the　last　hectic　minutes　in　the　Ana　and　were　back　in　their　Dominions；　beaming　with　their　triumph。　On　the　Mount　of　Lipper　Bayak；　Tick　Raw　was　howling　to　the　heavens　like　a　lunatic；　waking　every　sleeper　in　Vanaeph　and　stirring　the　guards　in　the　watchtowers　of　Patashoqua。　In　the　Kwem；　Scopique　was　clambering　up　the　slope　of　the　Pivot　pit　where　he'd　sat　to　do　his　part；　tears　of　joy　in　his　eyes　as　he　turned　them　skyward。　In　Yzordderrex；　Athanasius　was　on　his　knees　in　the　street　outside　the　Eurhetemec　Kesparate；　bathing　his　hands　in　a　spring　that　was　leaping　up　at　his　wounded　face　like　a　dog　that　wanted　to　lick　him　well。　And　on　the　borders　of　the　First；　where　Gentle's　spirit　slowed；　Chicka　Jackeen　was　watching　the　Erasure；　waiting　for　the　blank　wall　to　dissolve　and　give　him　a　glimpse　of　Hapexa…mendios'　Dominion。
　His　gaze　left　the　sight；　however；　when　he　felt　Gentle's　presence。　〃Maestro？〃　he　said。
　More　than　any　of　the　others；　Gentle　wanted　to　share　something　of　what　was　afoot　with　Jackeen；　but　he　dared　not。　Any　exchange　this　close　to　the　Erasure　might　be　monitored　by　the　God　behind　it；　and　he　knew　he'd　not　be　able　to　converse　with　this　man；　who'd　shown　him　such　devotion；　without　offering　some　word　of　warning；　so　he　didn't　tempt　himself。　Instead　he　manded　his　spirit　on；　hearing　Jackeen　call　his　name　again　as　he　went。　But　before　the　appeal　could　e　a　third　time　he　passed　through　the　Erasure　and　into　the　Dominion　beyond。　In　the　blind　moments　before　the　First　appeared；　his　mother's　voice　echoed　in　his　head。
　〃She　went　into　a　city　of　iniquities；〃　he　heard　her　saying；　〃where　no　ghost　was　holy；　and　no　flesh　was　whole。〃
　Then　the　Erasure　was　behind　him；　and　he　was　hovering　on　the　perimeters　of　the　City　of　God。
　No　wonder　his　brother　had　been　an　architect；　he　thought。　Here　was　enough　inspiration　for　a　nation　of　prodigies；　a　labor　of　ages；　raised　by　a　power　for　whom　an　age　was　the　measure　of　a　breath。　Its　majesty　spread　in　every　direction　but　the　one　behind；　the　streets　wider　than　the　Patashoquan　Highway　and　so　straight　they　only　disappeared　at　their　vanishing　point；　the　buildings　so　monumental　the　sky　was　barely　visible　between　their　eaves。　But　whatever　suns　or　satellites　hung　in　the　heavens　of　this　Dominion；　the　city　had　no　need　of　their　illumination。　Cords　of　light　ran　through　the　paving　stones；　and　through　the　bricks　and　slabs　of　the　great　houses；　their　ubiquity　ensuring　that　all　but　the　most　vapid　shadows　were　banished　from　the　streets　and　plazas。
　He　moved　slowly　at　first；　expecting　soon　to　encounter　one　of　the　city's　inhabitants；　but　after　passing　over　half　a　dozen　intersections　and　finding　no　soul　on　the　streets；　he　began　to　pick　up　his　speed；　slowing　only　when　he　glimpsed　some　sign　of　life　behind　the　facades。　He　wasn't　nimble　enough　to　catch　a　face；　nor　was　he　so　presumptuous　as　to　enter　uninvited；　but　he　several　times　saw　curtains　moving；　as　though　some　shy　but　curious　citizen　was　retiring　from　the　sill　before　he　could　return　the　scrutiny。　Nor　was　this　the　only　sign　of　such　presences。　Carpets　left　hanging　over　balustrades　still　shook；　as　if　their　beaters　had　just　retired　from　their　patios；　vines　dropped　their　leaves　down　as　fruit　gatherers　fled　for　the　safety　of　their　rooms。
　It　seemed　that　however　fast　he　traveled…and　he　was　moving　faster　than　any　vehicle…he　couldn't　overtake　the　rumor　that　drove　the　populace　into　hiding。　They　left　nothing　behind：　no　pet；　no　child；　no　scrap　of　litter；　no　stroke　of　graffiti。　Each　was　a　model　citizen　and　kept　his　or　her　life　out　of　sight　behind　the　drapes　and　the　closed　doors。
　Such　emptiness　in　a　metropolis　so〃　clearly　built　to　teem　might　have　seemed　melancholy　had　it　not　been　for　the　structures　themselves；　which　were　built　of　materials　so　diverse　in　texture　and　color；　and　were　lent　such　vitality　by　the　light　that　ran　in　them；　that；　even　though　they　were　deserted；　the　streets　and　plazas　had　a　life　of　their　own。　The　builders　had　banished　gray　and　brown　from　their　palette　and　in　its　place　had　found　slate；　stone；　paving；　and　tiles　of　every　conceivable　hue　and　nuance；　mingling　their　colors　with　an　audacity　no　architect　of　the　Fifth　would　have　dared。　Street　after　street　presented　a　spectacle　of　glorious　color：　facades　of　lilac　and　amber；　colonnades　of　brilliant　purples；　squares　laid　out　in　ocher　and　blue。　And　everywhere；　amid　the　riot；　scarlet　of　eye…pricking　intensity；　and　a　white　as　perfect；　and　here　and　there；　used　more　sparingly　still；　flicks　and　snippets　of　black：　a　tile；　a　brick；　a　seam　in　a　slab。
　But　even　such　beauty　could　pall；　and　after　a　thousand　such　streets　had　slipped　by…all　as　heroically　built；　all　as　lushly　colored…the　sheer　excess　of　it　became　sickening；　and　Gentle　was　glad　of　the　lightning　that　he　saw　erupt　from　one　of　the　nearby　streets；　its　brilliance　sufficient　to　bleach　the　color　from　the　facades　for　a　flickering　time。　In　search　of　its　source；　he　redirected　himsel