cb.imajica2-第95部分

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　〃Look。〃
　She　looked。　The　stars　were　bright　above　the　city　and　ran　silver　in　the　river　below。　But　there　were　other　forms　in　the　water；　she　realized：　more　solid　but　no　less　silver。　The　talk　they'd　heard　on　the　road　was　true。　Climbing　the　river　were　creatures　that　no　fishing　boat；　however　deep　it　trawled；　would　ever　have　found　in　its　nets。　Some　had　a　trace　of　dolphin　in　them；　or　squid；　or　manta　ray；　but　their　mon　trait　was　a　hint　of　humanity；　buried　as　deep　in　their　past　（or　future）　as　their　homes　were　in　ocean。　There　were　limbs　on　some　of　them；　and　these　few　seemed　to　leap　the　slope　rather　than　swim　it。　Others　were　as　sinuous　as　eels　but　had　heads　that　carried　a　mammalian　cast；　their　eyes　luminous；　their　mouths　fine　enough　to　make　words。
　The　sight　of　their　ascent　was　exhilarating；　and　Jude　stayed　at　the　window　until　the　entire　shoal　had　disappeared　up　the　street。　She　had　no　doubt　of　their　destination；　nor　indeed　of　her　own；　after　this。
　〃We're　as　rested　as　we're　ever　going　to　be；〃　she　said　to　Hoi…Polloi。
　〃So　it's　time　to　go　up　the　hill？〃
　〃Yes。　I　think　it　is。〃
　They　left　the　Peccable　house　at　dawn　in　order　to　make　much　of　the　ascent　before　the　et　climbed　too　high　and　the　humidity　sapped　their　strength。　It　had　never　been　an　easy　journey；　but　even　in　the　cool　early　morning　it　became　a　backbreaking　trudge；　especially　for　Jude；　who　felt　as　though　she　were　carrying　a　lead　weight　in　her　womb　rather　than　a　living　soul。　She　had　to　call　a　halt　to　the　climb　several　times　and　sit　in　the　shade　to　catch　her　breath；　but　on　the　fourth　such　occasion　she　rose　to　find　her　gasps　being　steadily　shallower　and　a　pain　in　her　belly　so　acute　she　could　barely　hold　on　to　consciousness。　Her　agitation…and　Hoi…Polloi's　yelps…drew　helping　hands；　and　she　was　being　lowered　onto　a　knoll　of　flowering　grasses　when　her　waters　broke。
　A　little　less　than　an　hour　later；　not　more　than　half　a　mile　from　where　the　gate　of　the　twin　saints　Creaze　and　Evendown　had　stood；　in　a　grove　busy　with　tiny　turquoise　birds；　she　gave　birth　to　the　Autarch　Sartori's　first　and　only　child。
　
　Though　Jude　and　Hoi…Polloi's　pursuers　had　left　the　lake　maker　in　the　Kwem　with　clear　directions；　they　still　reached　Yzordderrex　six　weeks　later　than　the　women。　This　was　in　part　because　Monday's　sexual　appetite　was　significantly　depleted　after　his　liaison　in　the　Kwem　Palace；　and　he　set　a　far　less　hectic　pace　than　he　had　hitherto；　but　more　particularly　because　Gentle's　enthusiasm　for　cartography　grew　by　leaps　and　bounds。　Barely　an　hour　would　go　by　without　his　remembering　some　province　he'd　passed　through；　or　some　signpost　he'd　seen；　and　whenever　he　did　so　the　journey　was　interrupted　while　he　brought　out　his　handmade　album　of　charts　and　religiously　set　down　the　details；　rattling　off　the　names　of　uplands；　lowlands；　forests；　plains；　highways；　and　cities　like　a　litany　while　he　worked。　He　wouldn't　be　hurried；　even　if　the　chance　of　a　ride　was　missed；　or　a　good　drenching　gained　in　the　process。　This　was；　he　told　Monday；　the　true　great　work　of　his　life；　and　he　only　regretted　that　he'd　e　to　it　so　late。
　These　interruptions　notwithstanding；　the　city　got　closer　day　by　day；　mile　by　mile；　until　one　morning；　when　they　raised　their　heads　from　their　pillows　beneath　a　hawthorn　bush；　the　mists　cleared　to　show　them　a　vast　green　mountain　in　the　distance。
　〃What　is　that　place？〃　Monday　wondered。
　Astonished；　Gentle　said；　〃Yzordderrex。〃
　〃Where's　the　palace？　Where's　the　streets？　All　I　can　see　is　trees　and　rainbows。〃
　Gentle　was　as　confounded　as　the　boy。　〃It　used　to　be　gray　and　black　and　bloody；〃　he　said。
　〃Well；　it's　fucking　green　now。〃
　It　got　greener　the　closer　they　came；　the　scent　of　its　vegetation　so　sweetening　the　air　that　Monday　soon　lost　his　scowl　of　disappointment　and　remarked　that　perhaps　this　wouldn't　be　so　bad　after　all。　If　Yzordderrex　had　turned　into　a　wild　wood；　then　maybe　all　the　women　had　bee　savages；　dressed　in　berry　juice　and　smiles。　He　could　suffer　that　awhile。
　What　they　found　on　the　lower　slopes；　of　course；　were　scenes　more　extraordinary　than　Monday's　most　heated　imaginings。　So　much　of　what　the　inhabitants　of　the　New　Yzordderrex　took　for　granted…the　anarchic　waters；　the　primeval　trees…left　both　man　and　boy　agog。　They　gave　up　voicing　their　awe　after　a　time　and　simply　climbed　through　the　lavish　thicket；　steadily　sloughing　off　the　weight　of　baggage　they'd　accrued　on　their　journey　and　leaving　it　scattered　in　the　grass。
　Gentle　had　intended　to　go　to　the　Eurhetemec　Kesparate　in　the　hope　of　locating　Athanasius；　but　with　the　city　so　transformed　it　was　a　slow　and　difficult　trek；　so　it　was　more　luck　than　wit　that　brought　them；　after　an　hour　or　more；　to　the　gate。　The　streets　beyond　it　were　as　overgrown　as　those　they'd　e　through；　the　terraces　resembling　some　orchard　that　had　been　left　to　riot；　its　fallen　fruit　the　rubble　that　lay　between　the　trees。
　At　Monday's　suggestion；　they　split　up　to　search　for　the　Maestro；　Gentle　telling　the　boy　that　if　he　saw　Jesus　somewhere　in　the　trees　then　he'd　discovered　Athanasius。　But　they　both　came　back　to　the　gate　having　failed　to　find　him；　obliging　Gentle　to　ask　some　children　who'd　e　to　play　swinging　games　on　the　gate　if　any　of　them　had　seen　the　man　who'd　lived　here。　One　of　the　number；　a　girl　of　six　or　so　with　her　hair　so　plaited　with　vines　she　looked　as　though　she　was　sprouting　them；　had　an　answer。
　〃He　went　away；〃　she　said。
　〃Do　you　know　where？'1
　〃Nope；〃　she　said　again；　speaking　on　behalf　of　her　little　tribe。
　〃Does　anybody　know？〃
　〃Nope。〃
　Which　exchange　brought　the　subject　of　Athanasius　to　a　swift　halt。
　〃Where　now？〃　Monday　asked；　as　the　children　returned　to　their　games。
　〃We　follow　the　water；〃　Gentle　replied。
　They　began　to　ascend　again；　while　the　et；　which　had　long　since　passed　its　zenith；　made　the　contrary　motion。　They　were　both　weary　now；　and　the　temptation　to　lie　down　in　some　tranquil　spot　grew　with　every　stride　they　took。　But　Gentle　insisted　they　go　on；　reminding　Monday　that　Hoi…Polloi's　bosom　would　be　a　far　more　fortable　place　to　lay　his　head　than　any　hummock；　and　her　kisses　more　invigorating　than　a　dip　in　any　pool。　His　talk　was　persuasive；　and　the　boy　found　an　energy　Gentle　envied；　bounding　on　to　clear　the　way　for　the　Maestro；　until　they　reached　the　mounds　of　dark　rubble　that　marked　the　walls　of　the　palace。　Rising　from　them；　the　columns　from　which　had　once　hung　an　enormous　pair　of　gates　were　turned　to　playthings　by　the　waters；　which　climbed　the　right　pillar　in　rivulets　and　threw　themselves　across　the　gap　in　a　drizzling　arch　that　squarely　struck　the　top　of　the　left。　It　was　a　most　beguiling　spectacle；　and　one　。　that　claimed　Gentle's　attention　pletely；　leaving　Monday　to　head　between　the　columns　alone。
　After　a　short　time　his　shout　came　back　to　fetch　Gentle；　and　it　was　blissful。
　〃Boss？　Boss！　e　here！〃
　Gentle　followed　where　Monday's　cries　led；　through　the　warm　rain　beneath　the　arch　and　into　the　palace　itself。　He　found　Monday　wading　across　a　courtyard；　fragrant　with　the　lilies　that　trembled　on　its　flood；　towards　a　figure　standing　beneath　the　colonnade　on　the　other　side。　It　was　Hoi…Polloi。　Her　hair　was　plastered　to　her　scalp；　as　though　she'd　just　swum　the　pool；　and　the　bosom　upon　which　Monday　was　so　eager　to　lay　his　head　was　bare。
　〃So　you're　here　at　last；〃　she　said；　looking　past　Monday　towards　Gentle。
　Her　eager　beau　lost　his　footing　halfway　across；　and　lilies　flew　as　he　hauled　himself　to　his　feet。
　〃You　knew　we　were　ing？〃　he　said　to　the　girl。
　〃Of　course；〃　she　replied。　〃Not　you。　But　the　Maestro。　We　knew　the　Maestro　was　ing。〃
　〃But　it's　me　you're　glad　to　see；　right？〃　Monday　spluttered。　〃I　mean；　you　are　glad？〃
　She　opened　her　arms　to　him；　〃What　do　you　think？〃　she　said。
　He　whooped　his　whoop　and　splashed　on　towards　her；　peeling　off　his　soaked　shirt　as　he　went。　Gentle　followed　in　his　wake。　By　the　time　he　reached　the　other　side　Monday　was　stripped　down　to　his　underwear。
　〃How　did　you　know　we　were　ing　here？〃　Gentle　asked　the　girl。
　〃There　are　prophetics　everywhere；〃　she　said。　〃e　on。　I'll　take　you　up。〃
　〃Can't　he　go　on　his　own？〃　Monday　protested。
　〃We'll　have　plenty　of　time　later；〃　Hoi…Polloi　said；　taking　his　hand。　〃But　first　I　have　to　take　him　up　to　the　chambers。〃
　The　trees　within　the　ring　of　the　demolished　walls　dwarfed　those　outside；　inspired　to　unprecedented　growth　by　the　almost　palpable　sanctity　of　this　place。　There　were　women　and　children　in　their　branches　and　among　their　gargantuan　roots；　but　Gentle　saw　no　men　here　and　supposed　that　if　Hoi…Polloi　hadn't　been　escorting　them　they'd　have　been　asked　to　leave。　How　such　a　request　would　have　been　enforced　he　could　only　guess；　but　he　didn't　doubt　that　the　presences　which　charged　the　air　and　earth　here　had　their　ways。　He　knew　what　those　presences　were：　the　promised　Goddesses；　whose　existence　he'd　first　heard　mooted　in　Beatrix；　while　sitting　in　Mother　Splendid's　kitchen。
　The　journey　was　circuitous。　There　were　several　places　where　the　rivers　ran　too　hard　and　deep　to　be　forded；　and　Hoi…Polloi　had　to　lead　them　to　bridges　or　stepping　stones；　then　double　back　along　the　opposite　bank　to　pick　up　the　track　again。　But　the　farther　they　went；　the　more　sentient　the　air　became；　and　though　Gentle　had　countless　questions　to　ask　he　kept　them　to　himself　rather　than　display　his　naivete。
　There　were　tidbits　from　Hoi…Polloi　once　in　a　while；　so　casually　dropped　they　were　enigmas　in　themselves。　〃。。。　the　fires　are　so　ical。。。〃　she　said　at　one　point；　as　they　passed　a　pile　of　twisted　metalwork　that　had　been　one　of　the　Autarch's　war　machines。　And　at　another　place；　where　a　deep　blue　pool　housed　fish　the　size　of　men；　said：　〃。。。　apparently　they　have　their　own　city　。　。　。　but　it's　so　deep　in　the　ocean　I　don't　suppose　I'll　ever　see　it。　The　children　will；　though。　That's　what's　wonderful。。。。〃
　Finally；　she　brought　them　to　a　door　that　was　curtained　with　running　water　and；　turning　to　Gentle；　said；　〃They're　waiting　for　you。〃
　Monday　went　to　step　through　the　curtain　at　Gentle's　side；　but　Hoi…Polloi　restrained　him　with　a　kiss　on　his　neck。
　〃This　is　just　for　the　Maestro；〃　she　said。　〃e　along。　We'll　go　swimming。〃
　〃Boss？〃
　〃Go　ahead；〃　Gentle　told　him。　〃No　harm's　going　to　e　to　me　here。〃
　〃I'll　see　you　later　then；〃　Monday　said；　content　to　have　Hoi…Polloi　tug　him　away。
　Before　they'd　disapp