cspector.worldwithoutend-第6部分

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skinned　woman　with　white　hair　who'd　been　arrested　for　sorcery；　well；　I　assumed　it　must　be　you。〃
　
　〃Have　you　known　all　along　that　I've　been　here？〃　I　asked。
　
　〃Of　course；〃　she　said。　〃I　just　couldn't　take　any　　action　on　it　for　a　while。　Besides；　I　wanted　you　out　of　the　way　until　I　decided　what　to　do　with　you。〃
　
　I　closed　my　eyes。　Knowing　Alachia；　she　could　keep　me　here　for　decades　before　letting　me　go。　By　that　time　I　might　well　have　lost　my　mind。
　
　〃What　do　you　propose？〃　I　asked。
　〃Just　what　I　said。　You　keep　out　of　my　way　in　this　matter。　I　will　act　as　queen　to　this　tiny　nation。〃
　〃This　is　madness；　Alachia；〃　I　said。　〃Why　would　you　want　this？〃
　〃Because　I　need　to　rule；〃　she　said。
　〃And　if　I　don't　agree？〃
　〃I'll　find　someplace　where　I　can　leave　you　to　rot；〃　she　said。　〃You　won't　die；　unfortunately。　But　you'll　certainly　wish　you　had。　That　is；　if　you　still　have　your　sanity　intact　after　all　those　years　locked　up　and　alone。　It's　really　not　much　of　a　choice；　is　it？〃
　
　She　had　me　there。　I　couldn't　stop　her　from　what　she　was　about。　But　I　could　certainly　see　my　way　clear　to　making　her　life　difficult　once　she　let　me　out。
　
　〃Very　well；〃　I　said。　〃I　agree。〃
　
　She　came　to　the　throne　on　November　17；　1558　and　ruled　for　an　astonishing　forty…five　years。　And　at　every　turn　I　made　her　way　as　difficult　as　possible。　Oh　I　didn't　act　directly；　that　has　never　been　my　way。　But　I　knew　people　on　both　sides；　and　it　was　a　simple　matter　to　sow　the　seeds　of　distrust　and　paranoia。　All　I　had　to　do　was　stir　the　pot。　Between　juggling　the　French　and　Spanish；　she　was　forced　to　look　to　the　welfare　of　the　country。
　
　Besides；　it　was　a　source　of　constant　amusement　to　me　that　she　was　referred　to　as　the　Virgin　Queen。
　
　That　wasn't　the　first；　nor　would　it　be　the　last；　time　she　did　such　a　thing。　But　the　brazenness　with　which　she　acted　in　this　matter　always　amazed　me。　And　after　that　time；　I　always　made　sure　to　stop　her　whenever　I　could。
　
　Do　you　think　you'll　escape　me　through　the　past？
　Do　you　think　that　by　telling　them　you'll　be　safe？
　Don't　you　know　that　I've　been　waiting…
　as　patient　as　time　itself？
　Don't　you　know　you　can　never　stop　me？
　
　〃I　tried　to　stop　her；〃　I　said。
　〃What？〃　asked　Caimbeul。
　
　I　hadn't　realized　I'd　spoken　aloud。
　
　〃Nothing；〃　I　said。　With　a　quick　snap　of　my　wrist　I　pulled　the　drapes　together　and　shut　out　the　storm。　〃I　suppose　I　should　pack。〃
　There　was　the　creak　of　leather　as　he　settled　back　into　my　chair。
　〃So；〃　he　said；　〃you're　going　to　tell　them。　Where　will　you　go　first？〃
　〃The　Seelie　Court；〃　I　said。　〃It　should　be　the　least　hostile　reception。〃
　〃If　you　can　find　them。〃
　This　made　me　laugh。
　〃Ah；　Caimbeul；〃　I　said。　〃That　will　be　the　easy　part。〃
　It　was　drizzling　the　next　morning　as　we　loaded　our　bags　into　Caimbeul's　rental　car。　I'd　set　the　alarm　and　cast　spells；　and　as　I　locked　the　front　door　I　had　the　terrible　feeling　that　this　would　be　the　last　time　I　would　ever　see　Arran。
　
　Damn　them　all；　I　thought。　If　they　would　only　have　listened。　If　they　'd　stopped　playing　with　things　they　only　barely　understood。　Then　I　wouldn't　have　to　leave　my　house　and　venture　into　matters　I've　spent　hundreds　of　years　avoiding。
　
　But　I　knew　the　worst　of　the　bunch　were　the　ones　who　knew　the　dangers　and　went　ahead　with　their　foolishness　anyway。　Damn　them；　too。
　
　Caimbeul　had　opened　the　passenger…side　door　and　stood　there　waiting　for　me　to　get　in。　I　dropped　into　the　synthleather　seat；　sniffing　the　vinyl　scent　of　new　car　as　I　did。　After　shutting　the　door　behind　me；　Caimbeul　came　around　the　front　of　the　car　and　got　in　on　his　side。
　
　〃I　made　some　plane　reservations　while　you　were　still　asleep；〃　he　said。　〃It　was　bloody　expensive　and　I　expect　to　be　reimbursed。〃
　〃I　can't　believe　you're　bringing　up　money　at　a　time　like　this；〃　I　said。
　
　Out　the　er　of　my　eye　I　saw　him　shrug。
　
　〃I　know　you're　good　for　it；〃　he　said。
　〃So　are　you。　You've　got　piles　of　the　stuff　hidden　everywhere。　What's　a　plane　ticket　to　you？〃
　〃That's　not　it；〃　he　said；　primly。　〃It's　the　principle　of　the　thing。〃　'
　〃The　principle　of　the。。。〃　And　then　I　couldn't　continue　because　I　was　laughing　too　hard。
　I　contented　myself　with　watching　the　passing　scenery　and　playing　with　the　vid；　trying　to　get　some　de
　　cent　signal　to　e　in。　But　all　I　found　were　walls　of　noise　and　static。　Finally　I　managed　to　tune　in　a　prehistoric　station　that　was　doing　a　retrospective　of　tum…of…the…century　music。　Snapping　off　the　trideo　portion；　I　let　the　sounds　wash　over　me。　I　confess　I　liked　the　older　flat…screen　stuff：　Nine　Inch　Nails；　Cold　Bodies；　Sister　Girl's　Straight　Jacket。　Nothing　like　a　little　atonality　with　my　angst。
　
　Every　so　often　I　would　glance　over　at　Caimbeul。　Excuse　me。　Harlequin。　I　don't　think　that　name　will　ever　e　trippingly　to　my　lips。　And　I　hate　what　it　represents　even　more。
　
　Yes；　I　know　you　think　you　understand　him。　You　might　even　think　you　know　him　well；　but　you　don't。　I've　known　him　for　longer　than　either　of　us　cares　to　remember。　And　he　wasn't　as　you　see　him　now。　That　stupid　painted　face。　Though　he　wasn't　what　many　would　call　handsome；　I　have　always　found　him　attractive。　Maybe　even　beautiful。　Oh；　I　know　that　sounds　peculiar；　but　there　is　an　aspect　of　ugliness　that　is　so　shocking　and　strange　it　bees　beauty。
　
　And　his　wild　hair；　all　gold　and　brown　woven　together。　He'd　let　it　grow　long　again；　which　I　like。　But　he　insisted　on　pulling　it　back　in　that　ridiculous　pony　tail。　It　made　me　want　to　sneak　up　behind　him　with　a　scissors　and　cut　it　off。　Either　you　wear　it　long　or　you　don't　was　my　way　of　thinking。
　
　His　hands　lay　easily　on　the　wheel。　I　knew　they　were　smooth　and　feminine　with　calluses　on　the　fingertips。　There　was　a　hint　of　yellow　between　the　first　and　second　fingers　where　he　held　those　Gaullets　he　smoked。　And　he　smelled　of　tobacco　and　clean　linen。　And　I　wondered　whether　he　remembered　those　sorts　of　things　about　me。　The　little　details　that　only　e　from　intimacy。
　
　〃Will　you　turn　that　off？〃　he　asked。
　〃I　like　it；〃　I　replied　as　I　leaned　forward　and　nudged　the　volume　button　up　a　little。
　〃I　know；〃　he　said。　〃You　always　did　have　terrible　taste　in　music。〃
　〃No；　I've　always　had　broad　taste　in　music。　Unlike　you　who　only　seem　to　like　classical　music　and　the　occasional　jazz　group。〃
　〃I　prefer　to　think　of　it　as　a　refined　taste。〃
　〃I　know　you　do。〃
　
　We　didn't　say　anything　else　and　I　went　back　to　watching　the　kilometers　slip　by　as　the　rain　streamed　across　the　windows。
　
　Edinburgh　was　crowded。　Old　ladies　were　crying　and　hugging　unfortable…looking　teens。　Suits　hurried　by；　oblivious　to　everything　but　their　own　sense　of　self…importance。　I've　never　been　too　fond　of　corporate　thinking。　That　whole　bigger　is　better　drek　was　what　had　led　to　most　of　the　problems　in　the　world；　as　far　as　I　could　tell。　Okay；　indoor　plumbing　was　the　one　exception　to　this　rule；　but　otherwise。。。
　
　We　found　the　gate　for　the　flight　to　Tir　na　nOg。　As　we　came　around　the　er；　I　saw　that　the　usual　security　measures　were　in　place。　All　our　luggage　was　going　to　be　searched。　There　would　be　the　usual　weapons　scan　and　the　endless　procession　of　bureaucratic　red　tape。　Like　I　said：　corporate　thinking。　
　
　The　worst　of　it　was　that　once　we　got　to　the　Tir；　all　this　would　begin　again。
　
　As　we　approached　the　head　of　the　line；　the　elver　official　looked　up　from　the　display　screen　where　he　was　sliding　credsticks　to　check　documentation。　He　gestured　us　forward；　ignoring　several　people　ahead　of　us。
　
　〃May　I　see　your　passports　and　visas？〃　he　said。　He　tried　to　keep　it　polite；　but　you　could　tell　he　wasn't　going　to　take　no　for　an　answer。
　
　We　handed　over　our　sticks　with　our　Ids　and　travel　permits　on　them；　and　he　asked　us　to　step　into　a　small　room　off　the　main　corridor。　As　the　door　shut　behind　us　I　could　hear　the　other　passengers　whispering　to　each　other。　You　could　cut　the　paranoia　with　a　knife。
　
　〃Is　there　a　problem？〃　Caimbeui　asked。
　
　The　security　drone　didn't　answer　as　he　sat　down　at　a　display　on　the　far　side　of　a　small　formica　table　in　the　center　of　the　room。　The　walls　were　a　dirty　white　and　one　of　the　fluorescent　lights　flickered　on　and　off　erratically。　I　read　his　name　off　his　badge：
　
　Clovis　Blackeye。　No　wonder　he　was　an　officious　prig。　With　a　name　like　that　I'd　be　a　drekhead；　too。
　
　He　was　gaunt　and　stoop…shouldered　for　an　elf。　His　hair　was　tied　back　into　a　ponytail　and　was　shot　through　with　premature　gray。　A　perpetual　expression　of　misery　lined　his　face　and　made　his　eyes　look　sunken　and　bruised。　He　knew　he　would　never　be　anything　more　than　a　low…level　bureaucrat。
　
　Sometimes　there　was　no　explaining　UGE。
　
　〃I　said；　'Is　there　a　problem？'　
　Clovis　finally　looked　up　from　the　screen。　His　beady　eyes　swung　from　Caimbeui　to　me。　〃It　says　here　that　you're　visiting　relatives　in　Tir　na　nog。　But　it　doesn't　list　who　those　relatives　might　be。〃
　〃Is　that　necessary？〃　I　asked。
　〃How　do　we　know　you　really　have　relatives　in　the　Tir？　Maybe　you're　from　that　other　place；　e　to　cause　trouble。〃
　〃That　other　place？〃
　〃Tir　Taimgire。　The　fallen　ones。〃
　I　glanced　at　Caimbeui　and　he　rolled　his　eyes。　Nothing　worse　than　a　patriotic　officious　prick。
　〃And　perhaps　we　have　relatives　who　don't　want　every　low…level　clerk　knowing　who　their　relatives　are；〃　I　said。
　
　His　flat　piggy　nose　flared　slightly。
　〃That's　not　for　you　to　decide；〃　he　said。　〃Now　tell　me　or　you　don't　get　on　that　plane。〃
　
　I　leaned　forward　across　the　table　then　and　grabbed　his　collar。　For　a　moment　I　thought　he　might　resist；　but　the　force　of　my　will　kept　him　from　moving。　It　was　as　easy　as　a　snake　hypnotizing　a　rat。
　
　〃Listen　to　me；　little　brother；〃　I　said　in　Eireann　sperethiel。　My　accent　might　have　been　a　bit　off；　but　otherwise　I　was　letter　perfect。　〃You　are　playing　in　things　far　beyond　your　knowledge　or　concern。　You　wish　to　know　who　we　are　to　visit？　Then　e　closer　and　I　shall　tell　you。〃
　
　I　jerked　him　across　the　table　and　whispered　a　name　in　his　ear。　The　blood　fled　from　his　already　pasty　cheeks。　As　he　pulled　away；　I　let　him　see　me…really　see　me。　These　are　the　kinds　of　tricks　I　hate…　obvious　displays　of　power…but　he'd　slotted　me　off。
　〃Now　you　can　well　imagine　how　annoyed　this　person　would　be　if　they　discovered　their　name　came