cspector.worldwithoutend-第26部分

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　A　banging　woke　me　the　next　morning。　〃Doesn't　anyone　just　knock　in　this　hotel？〃　asked　Caimbeui。　We　were　tangled　up　together；　just　like　we　used　to　be　in　other；　happier　times。　He　threw　off　the　covers　and　grabbed　his　robe　from　the　edge　of　the　bed。
　
　I　pulled　the　covers　up　over　my　head　and　tried　to　go　back　to　sleep；　but　then　I　remembered　where　I　was　and　what　that　meant。　With　a　groan；　I　threw　the　covers　off　and　made　my　way　to　the　bathroom。
　
　Just　as　I　shut　the　door；　I　heard　the　sound　of　voices；　so　I　poked　my　head　out。
　
　〃What？　Surprised　to　see　me？〃
　
　Ehran。
　
　I　groaned。　More　bad　luck。　But　wasn't　that　always　the　case？　I　rummaged　through　Caimbeul's　suitcase　and　found　a　shirt；　a　pair　of　pants；　and　a　belt。　Not　fashionable；　but　it　would　have　to　do。
　
　As　I　pushed　open　the　door　leading　to　the　living　room；　I　could　see　them　squaring　off　against　one　another；　even　though　they　would　never　actually　do　anything　here。
　
　〃Well；　well；〃　I　said　brightly；　stepping　into　the　room。　〃Ehran；　won't　you　join　us　for　breakfast？〃
　〃Aina；〃　he　said。　〃It's　been　a　long　time。〃
　〃Isn't　it　always？〃　I　replied。　〃I　know　the　two　of　you　are　just　dying　to　go　at　one　another；　but　I'm　really　famished。　I'll　call　down。　What　are　you　in　the　mood　for？〃
　〃Answers；〃　Ehran　said。
　〃I　don't　think　that's　on　the　menu。〃
　
　He　jerked　his　thumb　toward　Caimbeul。　〃Why　do　you　spend　so　much　of　your　time　with　him？〃　I　half　expected　Caimbeul　to　take　the　bait；　but　he　only　glared　back　at　his　old　rival。　Maybe　he　was　keeping　quiet　because　he　knew　how　important　all　of　this　was　to　me。
　
〃Slumming；〃　I　said。　〃It　keeps　me　off　the　streets。　Really；　Ehran；　who　knows　why　certain　people　always　seem　to　end　up　together？〃　〃Then　tell　me　why　you're　both　here。　And　why　did　you　have　a　meeting　with　Lugh　Surehand　last　night？　Which　seems　to　have　resulted　in　an　emergency　meeting　of　the　High　Council　being　called。〃
〃Good　heavens；　Ehran；〃　I　said。　〃With　spies　that　good；　why　do　you　need　to　e　to　us？〃
〃When　I　found　out　you　were　here　as　well　as　him；　I　decided　to　e；〃　Ehran　said。
　
　I　opened　the　room　service　menu　and　glanced　over　the　selections。　〃Really；　Ehran；　I'm　touched；　but　we've　never　been　close。　And　only　rarely　allied。　Why　e？〃
　
　〃Don't　try　to　discuss　anything　with　him；　Aina；〃　said　Caimbeul。　While　Ehran　and　I　had　been　talking；　he'd　walked　to　the　window　and　pulled　open　the　drapes。　Weak　sunlight　filled　the　room。　The　sky　was　overcast　and　looked　like　it　might　rain。
　〃Don't　listen　to　him；　Aina；〃　said　Ehran。　〃He　just　thinks…〃
　〃Would　you　both　shut　up？〃　I　nearly　shouted。　〃Haven't　you　grown　tired　of　all　this　bickering？　There　are　more　important　matters　at　stake　than　your　interminable　feud。〃
　〃Well；　now　we're　getting　down　to　it；〃　said　Ehran。
　
　〃For　heaven's　sake；　Aina；〃　said　Caimbeul。　〃Don't　breathe　a　word　to　him。　He'll　go　running　to　everyone　else　quick　as　you　please；　and　you'll　be　sunk　before　you've　had　a　fair　hearing。〃
　
　Then　they　were　off　and　running。　Nothing　ever　got　solved　between　the　two　of　them…it　was　still　that　old　business。　I　confess；　my　sympathies　lay　with　Caimbeui…he　was　the　aggrieved　party；　after　all…but　that's　another　story；　for　another　time。
　
　I　waited　until　they　ran　out　of　steam；　which　they　eventually　did。　They　sat　at　opposite　ends　of　the　room　glowering　at　each　other。
　
　〃So；〃　I　said。　〃What　would　you　both　like　for　breakfast？〃
　
　〃Why　won't　you　tell　me？〃　Ehran　asked　for　perhaps　the　thirtieth　time。
　
　I　wiped　my　mouth　with　the　napkin　and　dropped　it　onto　my　empty　plate　with　the　remains　of　the　lavish　breakfast　we'd　ordered。　Caimbeui　had　loaded　a　plate　with　food；　then　disappeared　into　his　bedroom。　Pouring　myself　another　cup　of　coffee…the　real　stuff；　not　that　awful　soykaf…I　got　up　and　went　to　one　of　the　large　armchairs　and　plopped　down　on　it。
　
　〃First；　because　you　and　Aithne　are　long…time　friends。　I　suspect　anything　you　hear　from　me　goes　straight　back　to　him。　Second；　you're　also　close　to　Alachia。　Oh；　don't　give　me　the　surprised　look。　I　know　she's　been　a　member　of　the　Council　since　the　beginning。　You　were　smart　to　try　to　keep　that　secret；　though。　There　are　still　a　few　of　us　who　remember　the　old　days。
　
　〃I　would　hate　to　think　what　might　happen　should　Alachia's　influence　bee　more。。。　assertive。　I　believe　things　might　get　very　difficult　indeed。　Just　remember；　Lofwyr　is　keeping　an　eye　on　things。〃
　
　Ehran　didn't　say　anything；　but　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　lit　a　cigarette。　I　got　up　and　went　to　open　the　terrace　doors。　Nasty　habit；　that。　I'd　taken　it　up　briefly　and　put　it　aside　as　quickly。　The　Indians　had　the　right　idea　about　tobacco。　It　wasn't　a　thing　to　be　taken　casually。　They　understood　that。　Unfortunately；　the　Europeans　didn't。
　
　〃I　might　think　that　there　was　a　threat　in　what　you're　saying；〃　said　Ehran。
　〃No；〃　I　said　softly。　〃I　don't　threaten。　You　know　better　than　that。　I'm　just　letting　you　know　my　position。〃
　〃Don't　you　think　it's　a　bad　idea　to　alienate　me　right　before　the　meeting　of　the　Council？〃　He　blew　little　smoke　rings　and　watched　them　float　away　from　him。
　〃I　know　you're　willing　to　hear　the　truth。　And　that　you　might　be　willing　to　overlook　my　unfortunate　choice　in　panions。〃
　Ehran　smiled　at　me。　〃I've　always　liked　you；　despite　your　strange　politics。〃　〃That　and　Aithne。〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃We've　all　made　enemies　of　one　another　over　the　years。　It　es　from　time　and　contact。　Such　a　terrible　thing…to　be　bound　together　over　such　a　span。　Do　you　sometimes　grow　weary？〃
　〃Oh；　yes；〃　I　said。　I　rose　from　my　chair　and　went　to　the　terrace　doors　to　close　them。　Now　that　Ehran　had　finished　with　his　cigarette；　I　found　the　chill　air　more　than　I　could　bear。　It　seeped　into　my　bones　today。　I　tried　to　blame　it　on　the　humidity；　the　gray　sky；　the　wind。
　〃Sometimes；〃　he　said　softly；　〃I　wonder　if　we　all　don't　go　a　little　mad　from　it。　In　our　own　ways；　of　course；〃
　〃How　so？〃
　〃Harlequin's　and　my　ongoing　quarrel。　Alachia's　actions　in　Blood　Wood。　Your　own　rejection　of　your　people　for　the　Great　Worms。　Are　not　all　of　these　insanity？〃
　
　〃It　all　depends　on　where　you're　looking　from；〃　I　replied。
　
　He　pushed　himself　away　from　the　table。　〃I　won't　say　anything　to　anyone　about　your　being　here；〃　he　said。　〃You　may　count　on　my　discretion。　By　the　way；　whatever　happened　to　young　Oakforest？　Glasgian；　you　remember？　He　was　seen　ing　up　here；　then　he　never　came　out。　Where　is　he？〃
　
　〃I　have　no　idea　what　you're　talking　about；〃　I　said。　〃Maybe　your　spies　got　it　wrong。〃
　〃I　doubt　it。　They're　quite　good　at　this　sort　of　thing。〃
　〃Well；　he's　not　here。〃
　〃Then　you　won't　mind　if　I　take　a　look…〃
　〃Yes；　I　would；〃　I　said　quickly。　〃You're　treading　a　fine　line　here；　Ehran。　Even　if　he　were　here；　which　he's　not；　it　wouldn't　be　any　of　your　business。　Let's　leave　it　at　that。　Shall　we？〃
　He　gave　another　faint　smile。　〃Very　well；　Aina；〃　he　said。　〃But　this　is　a　dangerous　game　you're　playing。〃
　I　walked　to　the　door　and　opened　it。　〃I　know；　but　when　has　it　ever　not　been？〃
　As　soon　as　the　door　shut；　Caimbeui　opened　the　door　to　his　room　and　peered　out。
　〃I　thought　he'd　never　leave；〃　he　said
　〃I　can't　believe　you　left　me　here　to　deal　with　him；〃　I　said。　〃And　he　knows　about　Glasgian。〃
　〃Yes；　I　heard　that。〃
　〃Well；　we've　got　to　get　him　out　of　here；〃　I　said。　〃I　just　don't　know　if　he's　up　to　anything　but　the　conventional　means。〃
　〃We　may　have　no　other　choice。〃
　
　I　nodded；　then　turned　and　walked　over　to　my　bedroom　door　and　opened　it。　The　room　was　still　dark；　the　shades　pulled。　A　wedge　of　light　from　the　living　room　spilled　across　the　bed；　which　was　empty。　I　hit　the　switch　on　the　wall；　flooding　the　room　with　elec…trio　light。
　
　The　room　was　empty。　Glasgian　Oakforest　was　gone。
　
　
　〃He's　gone；〃　I　said。
　〃What？〃
　〃He's　gone。〃
　
　Caimbeui　elbowed　past　me　into　the　room。
　
　〃Maybe　the　bathroom？〃　he　asked。
　I　pointed　to　the　open　bathroom　door。　〃Unless　he's　thinner　than　I　remember。　Or　he's　hiding　in　the　shower　stall。〃
　Caimbeui　went　and　checked　in　the　stall。　〃No；　not　here。〃
　I　sagged　against　the　dresser　facing　the　bed。　'This　is　very　bad；〃　I　said。　〃What　if　he　goes　to　Aithne？　We're　lost　then。〃
　〃I　don't　think　he'll　do　that；〃　Caimbeui　said。　He　touched　the　bed　where　Glasgian　had　lain。　〃It's　cold。　He's　probably　been　gone　for　a　while。　I　suspect　he　didn't　leave　by　the　usual　methods；　because　otherwise　Ehran　wouldn't　have　asked　about　him。〃
　
　〃Maybe　Ehran　took　him；〃　I　said。
　
　Caimbeui　shook　his　head。　〃Not　his　style。　Now；　I'd　expect　it　from　Alachia；　except　she'd　be　here　now　crowing　about　it。　And　I　don't　think　her　network　is　sophisticated　as　Ehran's。　What　surprises　me　is　that　we　haven't　heard　from　Aithne　yet。〃
　
　〃Dumb　luck；〃　I　said。　〃What　are　we　going　to　do？〃
　
　〃Nothing；〃　he　replied。　〃For　right　now。　Whoever　has　him　will　show　their　hand　eventually；　and　if　he　got　out　of　here　himself；　then　I　doubt　we'll　hear　anything。　He'll　be　too　damn　scared。　After　all；　he's　had　a　look　at　what　happens　to　people　who　get　on　the　wrong　side　of　your　faithful　panion。〃
　
　〃Don't　call　him　that；〃　I　snapped。　〃I　haven't　seen　him　in　millennia。　I　took　care　of　him　long　ago。　You　know　that。　I'm　tired　of　paying　for　that　mistake。　It　won't　just　be　me　facing　him　this　time。　I'll　have　the　support　of　the　others。〃
　
　Caimbeui　shrugged。　〃Perhaps；〃　he　said。　〃There's　no　telling　what　they'll　do。〃
　
　I　ran　a　hand　across　my　scalp。　〃They've　got　to　see　what's　happening。　After　you　tell　them　about　Maui；　they'll　understand。　But　what　has　me　worried　is　how　anyone　got　past　those　wards。〃
　
　Caimbeui　didn't　say　anything。
　
　The　rest　of　the　day　dragged　on　interminably。　After　the　way　the　morning　went；　I　kept　expecting　more　unwele　visitors。　But　they　never　arrived。
　
　The　maids　came　and　tidied　the　rooms；　and　I　wondered　which　one　of　them　was　Ehran's　spy。　Or　maybe　all　of　them　were。
　
　I　jumped　at　every　noise；　and　Caimbeul's　annoying　habits　became　more　and　more　glaring。　Pencil…tapping。　Humming。　Leg…jiggling。　He　twitched　and　fidgeted　and　moved　around　like　a　six…year…old　needing　to　pee。
　
　I　wondered　why　I'd　ever　had　anything　to　do　with　him。
　
　The　day　of　the　Council　meeting　dawned　clear　and　cold。　The　drizzle　and　gray　skies　that　had　continued　for　the　last　two　days　broke。　It　irked　me　that　the　session　had　been　set　up　for　late　afternoon。　I　had　to　waste　yet　ano