cb.imajica2-第86部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


each　the　color　from　the　facades　for　a　flickering　time。　In　search　of　its　source；　he　redirected　himself　and　came　into　a　square；　at　the　center　of　which　stood　a　solitary　figure；　a　Nullianac；　its　head　thrown　back　as　it　unleashed　its　silent　bolts　into　the　barely　glimpsed　sky。　Its　power　was　many　orders　of　magnitude　greater　than　anything　Gentle　had　witnessed　from　its　like　before。　It；　and　presumably　its　brothers；　had　a　piece　of　the　God's　power　between　the　palms　of　its　face；　and　its　capacity　for　destruction　was　now　stupendous。
　Sensing　the　approach　of　the　wanderer；　the　creature　left　off　its　rehearsals　and　floated　up　from　the　square　as　it　searched　for　this　interloper。　Gentle　didn't　know　what　harm　it　could　do　to　him　in　his　present　condition。　If　the　Nullianacs　were　now　Hapexamendios'　elite；　who　knew　what　authority　they'd　been　lent？　But　there　was　no　profit　in　retreat。　If　he　didn't　seek　some　direction；　he　might　wander　here　forever　and　never　find　his　Father。
　The　Nullianac　was　naked；　but　there　was　neither　sensuality　nor　vulnerability　in　that　state。　Its　flesh　was　almost　as　bright　as　its　fire；　its　form　without　visible　means　of　procreation　or　evacuation：　without　hair；　without　nipples；　without　navel。　It　turned　and　turned　and　turned　again；　looking　for　the　entity　whose　nearness　it　sensed；　but　perhaps　the　new　scale　of　its　destructive　powers　had　made　it　insensitive；　because　it　failed　to　find　Gentle　until　his　spirit　hovered　a　few　yards　away。
　〃Are　you　looking　for　me？〃　he　said。
　It　found　him　now。　Arcs　of　energy　played　back　and　forth　between　the　palms　of　its　head；　and　out　of　their　cracklings　the　creature's　unmelodious　voice　emerged。
　〃Maestro；〃　it　said。
　〃You　know　who　I　am？〃
　〃Of　course；〃itsaid。　〃Of　course。〃
　Its　head　wove　like　that　of　a　mesmerized　snake　as　it　drew　closer　to　Gentle。
　〃Why　are　you　here？〃　it　said。
　〃To　see　my　Father。〃
　〃Ah。〃
　〃1　came　here　to　honor　Him。〃
　〃So　do　we　all。〃
　〃I'm　sure。　Can　you　take　me　to　Him？〃
　〃He's　everywhere；〃　the　Nullianac　said。　〃This　is　His　city；　and　He's　in　its　every　mote。〃
　〃So　if　I　speak　to　the　ground　I　speak　to　Him；　do　I？〃
　The　Nullianac　mused　on　this　for　a　few　moments。　〃Not　the　ground；〃　it　said。　〃Don't　speak　to　the　ground。〃
　〃Then　what？　The　walls？　The　sky？　You？　Is　my　Father　in　you？〃
　The　arcs　in　the　Nullianac's　head　grew　more　excitable。　〃No；〃　it　said。　〃I　wouldn't　presume…〃
　〃Then　will　you　take　me　to　where　I　can　do　Him　devotion？　There　isn't　much　time。〃
　It　was　this　remark　more　than　any　other　which　gained　the　Nullianac's　pliance。　It　nodded　its　death…laden　head。
　〃I'll　take　you；〃　it　said；　and　rose　a　little　higher；　turning　from　Gentle　as　it　did　so。　〃But　as　you　say；　we　must　be　swift。　His　business　cannot　wait　long。〃
　
　Though　Jude　had　been　loath　to　let　Celestine　climb　the　stairs　above；　knowing　as　she　did　what　lay　at　the　top；　she　also　knew　that　her　presence　would　only　spoil　what　little　chance　the　woman　had　of　gaining　access　to　the　Meditation　Room；　so　she　reluctantly　stayed　below；　listening　hard…as　did　they　all…for　some　clue　to　what　was　transpiring　in　the　shadows　of　the　landing。
　The　first　sound　they　heard　was　the　warning　growls　of　the　gek…a…gek；　followed　by　Sartori's　voice；　telling　trespassers　that　their　lives　would　be　forfeit　if　they　attempted　to　enter。　Celestine　answered　him；　but　in　a　voice　so　low　the　sense　of　what　she　said　was　lost　before　it　reached　the　bottom　of　the　flight；　and　as　the　minutes　passed…were　they　minutes？　perhaps　only　dreadful　seconds；　waiting　for　another　eruption　of　violence…Jude　could　resist　the　temptation　no　longer　and；　snuffing　out　the　candles　closest　to　her；　started　a　slow　ascent。
　She　expected　the　angels　to　make　some　move　to　stop　her；　but　they　were　too　preoccupied　with　tending　to　Gentle's　body；　and　she　climbed　unhindered　by　all　but　her　caution。　Celestine　was　still　outside　the　door；　she　saw；　but　the　Oviates　were　no　longer　blocking　her　way。　At　the　instruction　of　the　man　inside　they'd　shrunk　away　and　were　waiting；　bellies　to　the　ground；　for　a　cue　to　do　mischief。　Jude　was　now　almost　halfway　up　the　flight；　and　she　was　able　to　catch　fragments　of　the　exchange　that　was　under　way　between　mother　and　son。　It　was　Sartori's　voice　she　heard　first；　a　wasted　whisper。
　〃It's　over；　Mama。。。。〃
　〃I　know；　child；〃　Celestine　said。　There　was　conciliation　in　her　tone；　not　rebuke。
　〃He's　going　to　kill　everything。。。。〃
　〃Yes。　I　know　that　too。〃
　〃I　had　to　hold　the　circle　for　Him　。　。　。　it's　what　He　wanted。〃
　〃And　you　had　to　do　what　He　wanted。　I　understand　that；　child。　Believe　me；　I　do。　1　served　Him　too；　remember？　It's　no　great　crime。〃
　At　these　words　of　forgiveness；　the　door　of　the　Meditation　Room　clicked　open　and　slowly　swung　wide。　Jude　was　too　far　down　the　staircase　to　see　more　than　the　rafters；　lit　either　by　a　candle　or　the　halo　of　Oviate　tissue　that　had　attended　on　Sartori　when　he　was　out　in　the　street。　With　the　door　open；　his　voice　was　much　clearer。
　〃Will　you　e　in？〃　he　asked　Celestine。
　〃Do　you　want　me　to？〃
　〃Yes；　Mama。　Please。　I'd　like　us　to　be　together　when　the　end　conies。〃
　A　familiar　sentiment；　Jude　thought。　Apparently　he　didn't　much　care　what　breast　he　laid　his　sobbing　head　on；　as　long　as　he　wasn't　left　to　die　alone。　Celestine　put　up　no　further　show　of　ambivalence　but　accepted　her　child's　invitation　and　stepped　inside。　The　door　didn't　close；　nor　did　the　gek…a…gek　creep　back　into　place　to　block　it。　Celestine　was　quickly　gone　from　sight；　however。　Jude　was　sorely　tempted　to　continue　her　ascent　and　watch　what　unfolded　inside；　but　she　was　afraid　that　any　further　advance　would　be　sensed　by　the　Oviates；　so　she　gingerly　sat　down　on　the　stairs；　halfway　between　the　Maestro　at　the　top　and　the　body　at　the　bottom。　There　she　waited；　listening　to　the　silence　of　the　house；　of　the　street；　of　the　world。
　In　her　mind；　she　shaped　a　prayer。
　Goddess；　she　thought；　this　is　Your　sister；　Judith。　There's　a　fire　ing；　Goddess。　It's　almost　upon　me；　and　I'm　afraid。
　From　above；　she　heard　Sartori　speak；　his　voice　now　so　low　she　could　catch　none　of　his　words　even　with　the　door　open。　But　she　heard　the　tears　that　they　became；　and　the　sound　broke　her　concentration。　The　thread　of　her　prayer　was　lost。　No　matter。　She'd　said　enough　to　summarize　her　feelings。
　The　fire's　almost　upon　me；　Goddess。　lam　afraid。
　What　was　there　left　to　say？
　
　The　speed　at　which　Gentle　and　the　Nullianac　traveled　didn't　diminish　the　scale　of　the　city　they　were　passing　through：　quite　the　opposite。　As　the　minutes　passed；　and　the　streets　continued　to　flicker　by；　thousand　upon　thousand；　their　buildings　all　raised　from　the　same　ripely　colored　stone；　all　built　to　obscure　the　sky；　all　laid　to　the　horizon；　the　magnitude　of　this　labor　began　to　seem　not　epic　but　insane。　However　alluring　its　colors　were；　however　satisfying　its　geometries　and　exquisite　its　details；　the　city　was　the　work　of　a　collective　madness：　a　pulsive　vision　that　had　refused　to　be　placated　until　it　had　covered　every　inch　of　the　Dominion　with　monuments　to　its　own　relentlessness。　Nor　was　there　any　sign　of　any　life　on　any　street；　leading　Gentle　to　a　suspicion　that　he　finally　voiced；　not　as　a　statement　but　as　a　question。
　〃Who　lives　here？〃　he　said。
　〃Hapexamendios。〃
　〃And　who　else？〃
　〃It's　His　city；〃　the　Nullianac　said；
　〃Are　there　no　citizens？〃
　〃It's　His　city。〃
　The　answer　was　plain　enough：　the　place　was　deserted。　The　shaking　of　vines　and　drapes　he'd　seen　when　he'd　first　arrived　had　either　been　caused　by　his　approach　or；　more　likely；　been　a　game　of　illusion　the　empty　buildings　had　devised　to　while　away　the　centuries。
　But　at　last；　after　traveling　through　innumerable　streets　that　were　indistinguishable　from　each　other；　there　were　finally　subtle　signs　of　change　in　the　structures　ahead。　Their　luscious　colors　were　steadily　deepening；　the　stone　so　drenched　it　must　soon　surely　ooze　and　run。　And　there　was　a　new　elaboration　in　the　fagades；　and　a　perfection　in　their　proportions；　that　made　Gentle　think　that　he　and　the　Nullianac　were　approaching　the　First　Cause；　the　district　of　which　the　streets　they'd　passed　through　had　been　imitations；　diluted　by　repetition。
　Confirming　his　suspicion　that　the　journey　was　nearing　its　end；　Gentle's　guide　spoke。
　〃He　knew　you'd　e；〃　it　said。　〃He　sent　some　of　my　brothers　to　the　perimeter　to　look　for　you。〃
　〃Are　there　many　of　you？〃
　〃Many；〃　the　Nulh'anac　said。　〃Minus　one。〃　It　looked　in　Gentle's　direction；　〃But　you　know　this；　of　course。　You　killed　him。〃
　〃He　would　have　killed　me　if　I　hadn't。〃
　〃And　wouldn't　that　have　been　a　proud　boast　for　our；　tribe；〃　it　said；　〃to　have　killed　the　Son　of　God？〃
　It　made　a　laugh　from　its　lightning；　though　there　was　more　humor　in　a　death　rattle。
　〃Aren't　you　afraid？〃　Gentle　asked　it；
　〃Why　should　I　be　afraid？〃
　〃Talking　this　way　when　my　Father　may　hear　you？〃
　〃He　needs　my　service；〃　came　the　reply。　〃And　I　do　not　need　to　live。〃　It　paused；　then　said；　〃Though　I　would　miss　burning　the　Dominions。〃
　Now　it　was　Gentle's　turn　to　ask　why。
　〃Because　it's　what　I　was　born　to　do。　I've　lived　too　long；　waiting　for　this。〃
　〃How　long？〃
　〃Many　thousands　of　years；　Maestro。　Many；　many　thousands。〃：
　It　silenced　Gentle；　to　think　that　he　was　traveling　beside　an　entity　whose　span　was　so　much　vaster　than　his　own；　and　anticipated　this　imminent　destruction　as　its　life's　reward。　How　far　off　was　that　prize？　he　wondered。　His　sense　of　time　was　impoverished　without　the　tick　of　breath　and　heartbeat　。　to　aid　it；　and　he　had　no　clue　as　to　whether　he'd　vacated　his　body　in　Gamut　Street　two　minutes　before；　or　five；　or　ten。　It　was　in　truth　academic。　With　the　Dominions　reconciled；　Hapexamendios　could　choose　His　moment；　and　Gentle's　only　fort　was　the　continued　presence　of　his　guide；　who　would　be；　he　suspected；　gone　from　his　side　at　the　first　call　to　arms。
　As　the　street　ahead　grew　denser；　the　Nullianac's　speed　and　height　dropped；　until　they　were　hovering　inches　above　the　ground；　the　buildings　around　them　grotesquely　elaborate　now；　every　fraction　of　their　brick　and　stonework　etched　and　carved　and　filigreed。　There　was　no　beauty　in　these　intricacies；　only　obsession。　Their　surfeit　was　more　morbid　than　lively；　like　the　ceaseless；　witless　motion　of　maggots。　And　the　same　decadence　had　overe　the　colors；　the　delicacy　and　profusion　of　which　he'd　so　admired　in　the　suburbs。　Their　nuances　were　gone。　Every　color　n