cspector.worldwithoutend-第7部分

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f。
　〃Now　you　can　well　imagine　how　annoyed　this　person　would　be　if　they　discovered　their　name　came　up　in　this　sort　of　situation；〃　I　said。　〃So　I　would　suggest　that　we　all　forget　this　unfortunate　incident。〃
　
　Old　Clovis　was　only　too　happy　to　oblige。　He　gave　us　back　our　papers　like　he'd　just　discovered　they'd　been　tainted　with　VITAS。　We　were　ushered　onto　the　plane　without　further　delay。　I　settled　into　the　thick　leather　upholstered　seats　of　the　first…class　section　and　smiled　at　the　attendant　who　handed　me　a　glass　of　single　malt　scotch。
　
　〃Was　that　really　necessary？〃　asked　Caimbeui　after　she　moved　away。
　〃What？〃　I　said；　letting　my　eyes　go　wide　and　innocent。
　〃That　show　you　put　on　back　there。〃
　
　The　plane　gave　a　little　lurch　as　it　backed　from　the　gate。　I　glanced　out　the　scratched　window。　Below　me　I　could　see　the　orange　lights　on　the　ground。
　
　〃No；〃　I　said。　〃We　could　have　missed　the　flight　snaking　around　with　him。　But　I　didn't　have　the　pa…tierce　for　it。　Besides；　he's　going　to　be　too　scared　to　tell　anyone。　He　believes　in　the　omnipotence　of　the　Elders。　You　could　see　it　in　his　eyes。〃
　〃But　you　showed　him。。。〃
　〃I　showed　him　what　would　impress　him　the　most。　Some　people　are　so　literal。〃
　〃I　missed　you。〃
　〃What？〃　It　was　a　strange　and　unexpected　non…sequitur。　And　I　couldn't　believe　my　ears。　
　〃Well；　I　didn't　miss　the　arguing。　But　I　missed　you　when　you　get　like　this。〃　I　didn't　say　anything　to　that。　It　wouldn't　have　made　any　difference　anyway。
　
　She's　running。
　
　The　forest　is　alive　with　sounds　and　smells。　In　the　distance；　the　dying　rabbit　cries　sound　like　a　child's　screams。　The　heavy　scent　of　new…dug　earth　hangs　in　the　air。　Branches　slap　against　her　face；　and　no　matter　how　she　tries　to　push　them　away；　they　keep　ing　back。
　
　Something　is　behind　her。　She　doesn　't　know　what　it　is…only　that　it　will　kill　her　if　it　can。　Looking　over　her　shoulder；　she　tries　to　see　what　it　is。　So　she　doesn't　see　when　she　steps　off　into　space。
　
　She's　falling　now。
　
　Falling　with　nothing　to　save　her。
　
　I　jerked　awake　as　the　plane　passed　into　the　Veil。　It　was　a　nasty　jolt　of　reality；　being　sound　asleep　one　moment　and　wide…awake　the　next。　A　tingling　started　at　the　nape　of　my　neck　and　worked　its　way　up　my　skull。
　
　Pushing　the　plastic　shade　up；　I　peered　out　the　window。　There　was　nothing　but　thick　gray　and　white　clouds　like　the　smoke　of　burning　leaves。　I　struggled　against　the　effects　of　the　Veil。　The　clouds　tried　to　form　themselves　into　shapes。　What　part　of　my　sub…conscious　was　being　dredged　up？　I　didn't　want　to　know　and　pulled　the　shade　down　with　a　snap。　We'd　be　on　the　ground　in　half　an　hour。　I　could　hold　out　against　the　effects　until　then。
　
　〃Pretty　potent　stuff；〃　said　Caimbeul。　〃The　Veil。　It　makes　me　wish　they　would　use　some　other　sort　of　protection。〃
　
　I　shoved　a　hand　through　my　hair。　It　was　virtually　gone　now。　After　centuries　of　having　it　long；　I'd　fi…naily　cut　it　all　off。　All　that　was　left　were　spiky　white　sprouts　about　an　inch　and　a　half　long。　My　head　felt　smooth　and　cool　under　my　fingers。
　
　〃Too　potent；〃　I　said。　〃They're　only　aggravating　things。〃
　
　〃You've　said　that　every　time　anyone's　used　magic　on　any　scale。〃
　
　I　didn't　answer　him；　knowing　that　we'd　just　run　over　the　same　ground　again。　The　engines　whined　and　I　felt　the　thump　as　the　landing　gear　lowered。　Then　I　shoved　the　shade　up　again。　We　broke　through　the　clouds　and　I　could　see　buildings　below　us。　From　here　everything　looked　small　and　not　at　all　real。　Up　here　we　were　still　safe。
　
　I　closed　my　eyes　then；　breathing　slowly　and　deeply　to　relax　myself。　I　had　my　usual　landing　death…grip　on　the　chair　arms。　Blowing　up　in　a　ball　of　fire　was　not　the'way　I　wanted　to　end　my　unnatural　life。　My　ears　popped　several　times　and　I　opened　and　closed　my　mouth　to　help。　Then　I　felt　it。
　
　The　smooth　calluses　and　the　suede　glide　of　Caimbeul's　hand　closing　over　mine。　I　didn't　pull　away。　It　was　too　forting　and　familiar。　I　kept　my　eyes　closed；　not　wanting　to　see　when　we　burst　into　a　huge　ball　of　fire。
　
　There　was　a　sudden　bounce　and　we　were　on　the　ground。　Caimbeul's　hand　disappeared　and　I　was　left　with　only　the　memory　of　his　warm　touch。
　
　Once；　years　ago；　I　lived　in　the　United　States。
　
　I'd　e　to　America　during　the　eighteen…hundreds　when　news　that　the　Sioux　were　using　ritual　magic　drifted　across　the　Atlantic　to　the　fashionable　parlors　I　frequented　then。　It　was　a　topic　of　much　conversation　for　a　few　months；　until　other；　more　interesting　scandals　pushed　their　way　into　idle　gossip。
　
　But　I　knew　the　Sioux　were　playing　with　dangerous　mojo。
　
　The　reports　told　of　self…mutilation　to　help　the　magic。　Blood　magic。　It　was　too　early　for　that　sort　of　thing…unless　they'd　found　a　place　of　power。　They　were　playing　with　forces　they　couldn't　understand　and　wouldn't　be　able　to　control；　even　if　by　some　freak　chance　they　did　work。
　
　I　booked　passage　on　the　next　available　steamer　and　was　making　my　way　west　in　a　matter　of　weeks。　There　was　no　time　for　me　to　admire　the　rawness　of　the　country。　Everything　was　new　here。　Fresh　starts　for　anyone　willing　to　take　it。　The　weight　of　history　had　barely　settled　onto　the　land。
　
　But　that　is　another　part　of　the　story。　The　time　I　am　thinking　of　came　later；　in　the　late　nineteen…thirties　and　early　forties。　I　was　living　in　Texas　then。　The　war　known　as　the　War　to　End　All　Wars　was　barely　cold。　The　embers　of　it　still　smoldered　in　the　battlefields　of　Europe。　But　apparently　they　weren't　ready　for　them　to　be　out　yet。　That　little　Austrian　man　stirred　it　all　up　again　and　the　depths　of　his　hateful　vision　wouldn't　be　known　for　another　six　years。　But　by　then；　it　would　be　too　late　for　us　all。
　
　But　in　Austin　we　didn't　know　about　any　of　that。　The　world　came　to　us　through　newspapers；　mag…zincs；　radio…and　through　the　movies。
　
　It　was　a　blistering　hot　summer。　But　that　was　nothing　unusual。　Most　people　left　the　city　for　cooler　parts　of　the　Hill　Country。　The　ones　who　remained　made　do　with　fans；　ice　blocks；　and　shade。　In　the　eve…ring　the　temperature　would　drop　into　the　high　seventies。　It　was　almost　bearable。
　
　Once　the　initial　shock　of　the　war　wore　off；　life　went　on　as　usual。　For　the　most　part。　Most　Americans　thought　they　would　be　exempt　from　the　conflict。　After　all；　what　did　it　have　to　do　with　them；　this　bloody　war　in　Europe？
　
　And　so；　on　this　summer　night　with　the　heavy　scent　of　lantana　and　moonflowers　in　the　air；　I　went　to　the　movies。　Some　people　were　afraid　of　being　in　closed　places　because　of　the　polio；　but　that　was　never　a　concern　of　mine。
　
　The　theater　was　dimly　lit　and　I　used　a　fan　given　away　at　the　local　Herbert　E。　Butts　grocery　store　to　push　the　sweltering　air　about。　The　lights　went　down　and　the　newsreel　began。　Of　course；　the　war　in　Europe　was　the　first　item。　I　watched　as　scene　after　scene　of　destruction　flashed　across　the　screen。　Many　things　were　being　blown　up　in　Poland　and　France　and　England。
　
　Then　we　were　looking　at　images　of　happily　waving　crowds。　The　little　man　rode　through　them　making　his　straight…arm　salute　to　the　frantically　waving　masses。
　
　And　then　I　saw　her。
　
　At　first　I　couldn't　believe　my　eyes；　but　the　shot　held　and　I　knew　what　I　was　seeing　was　true。　It　was　Alachia。
　
　She　was　sitting　in　one　of　the　cars　in　the　rear　of　the　procession。　An　expression　of　perfect　happiness　was　etched　in　her　face。　A　blond　man　with　his　hair　slicked　back　and　perfect　Aryan　features　waved　at　the　crowds　while　his　other　arm　encircled　her　waist。　He　smiled　down　at　her　and　she　smiled　back。　They　were　gone　in　an　instant；　replaced　by　the　image　of　refugees　fleeing　down　some　unknown　road。
　
　The　screen　went　black　and　then　the　Parade　of　Fashions　appeared。　Sweat　rolled　down　my　face　but　I　was　suddenly　cold。　So　very　cold。
　
　We　rode　the　shuttle　bus　headed　south　toward　Dublin；　hooking　up　to　Dorsett　Street　once　we　were　in　the　city　proper。
　
　We'd　made　it　through　customs　relatively　easily。　There　was　no　need　to　resort　to　the　sort　of　tactics　I'd　used　on　that　idiotic　bureaucrat　from　before。　Like　many　of　the　Dublin　streets；　this　one　turned　and　bent　and　changed　names。　We　took　a　left　onto　Church　Street　and　headed　south　toward　the　river。　Four　Courts　was　to　our　left。　The　dome　of　the　central　building　was　covered　in　the　green　patina　that　es　to　all　copper　as　it　ages。　It　was　a　beautiful　piece　of　　neoclassical　work。　All　white　columns　and　statuary　at　every　corner。　The　fact　that　it　was　standing　after　all　this　time　gave　me　a　fleeting　feeling　of　permanence。
　
　As　we　crossed　Whitworth　Bridge；　I　looked　out　the　window。　Below　us　the　Liffey　River　flowed　a　gray…jade　color；　the　dark　clouds　of　the　late…October　sky　barely　reflected　in　its　depths。
　
　At　the　next　stop；　we　left　the　tram　and　cut　across　West　High　Street。　It　was　a　strange　experience；　to　see　almost　as　many　elves　as　humans　walking　about。　No　one　gave　us　a　second　look。　Oh　well；　perhaps　one　or　two。　We　were　dressed　better　than　the　average　Dubliner。　I　know　the　reports　out　of　the　Tir　have　it　that　the　land　is　green　and　milk　and　honey　flow　from　every　stream；　but　after　all；　this　is　Eire。
　
　Poverty　has　been　at　the　throat　of　the　people　for　generations。　And　goblinization　hadn't　changed　that。　Perhaps　no　one　was　starving；　but　all　was　not　well　in　the　Tir。
　
　At　St。　Nicholas　Street　we　headed　south　and　cut　west　before　we　reached　St。　Patrick's　Park。　I　glanced　back　to　see　if　anyone　was　following　us。　An　old　woman　pulled　a　shopping　cart　filled　with　vegetables；　but　as　far　as　I　could　see　there　was　no　one　tailing　us。
　
　〃How　long　since　you've　been　here？〃　I　asked　Caimbeul。
　〃Oh；　I　get　about；〃　he　said；　shrugging。
　〃Meaning　you've　been　here　recently。〃
　He　gave　me　hard　stare。　〃Yes。　I　was　here　recently。　I　was　invited　to　attend　a　wedding。〃
　〃Whose　wedding？〃
　〃I'd　rather　not　say。〃
　〃Because　I　wasn't　invited？〃
　〃Well；　yes。〃
　〃Well；　I　don't　care　about　that；〃　I　lied。　Weddings　were　highly　symbolic　events　in　the　ever　mu…city。　Full　of　alliances　and　power…jockeying。　Not　being　invited　meant　I　wasn't　considered　a　power　anymore。　That　would　hurt　me　when　I　went　to　the　Court。　No　doubt　Alachia's　hand　at　work　once　more。
　
　We　worked　our　way　across　the　maze　of　streets　that　led　to　St。　Stephen's　Green。　Nestled　next　to　ancient　stone　buildings　were　brick　flats　put　up　in　th