pzb.lostsouls-第49部分

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les；　a　smell　like　the　back　room　of　Miz　Catlin's　store。　Spices　and　ancient　dust；　herbs　and　medicines；　rust　and　wood　and　bone。　He　breathed　in　deep。　His　nose　prickled。　He　sneezed　once；　twice；　three　times。
　　〃Bless　you；〃　said　a　voice　from　within　the　darkness。　〃If　your　spirit　has　escaped　your　body；　I　promise　not　to　capture　it。〃
　　Only　now　did　the　darkness　in　the　shop　begin　to　soften。　Ghost　made　out　a　figure　standing　behind　a　long　glass　counter；　a　small　emaciated　figure　draped　in　white。　The　proprietor。　Ghost　saw　sharp　jutting　cheekbones　and　hollow　eyes；　thin　dark　hair；　spidery　hands　resting　flat　on　the　glass；　bony　fingers　splayed。
　　〃We　just　got　into　town；〃　said　Ghost。　〃We're　looking　for　a　place　to　stay　a　few　days。〃　He　stepped　forward。　His　feet　felt　too　big；　his　arms　long　and　awkward。　The　shop　seemed　too　full　of　stuff；　the　walls　leaning　in　toward　the　center　of　the　room。　There　were　shelves　crammed　with　tiny　bottles　and　boxes。　There　were　books…at　a　glance　he　saw　the　I　Ching；　titles　by　Aleister　Crowley　and　Robert　Anton　Wilson；　crudely　printed　booklets　promising　charms　for　love　and　luck　and　revenge。　He　saw　a　rack　of　bejewelled　metal　daggers；　jars　full　of　herbs；　candies；　sticks　of　incense。　At　the　back　of　the　shop　hung　a　curtain　of　colored　plastic　beads；　and　beyond　that；　more　blackness。
　　〃I　am　Arkady　Raventon；〃　said　the　proprietor。　Ghost　could　see　his　face　more　clearly　now；　but　could　discern　no　hint　of　age。　The　skin　was　smooth；　the　eyes　depthless　dark　pools。　He　took　the　hand　Arkady　offered；　a　hand　whose　bones　would　surely　crumble　if　Ghost　squeezed　too　hard；　a　hand　with　bones　like　the　bones　of　lizards。　The　hand　was　dry；　cool；　the　grip　surprisingly　strong。　Ghost　opened　his　mouth　to　introduce　himself　and　Steve；　who　was　lounging　near　the　door　looking　skeptical。
　　But　before　he　could　speak；　Arkady　Raventon　said；　〃You　must　be　Miz　Deliverance's　son。　Or　is　it　grandson？　Yes；　grandson　surely。　Miz　Deliverance's　grandson。〃
　　Ghost　heard　Steve's　sharp　intake　of　breath。　He　met　Arkady's　limpid　dark　gaze。　〃How　did　you　know？〃
　　Arkady　smiled。　Was　that　a　youthful　smile；　open　and　easy？　Or　was　it　the　wise；　humorless　grin　of　an　old；　old　man？　〃Everyone　knows　of　Miz　Deliverance；〃　he　said。　〃Everyone　who　has　dealings　with　magick。〃　Ghost　could　hear　the　k。　〃You　may　be　too　young　to　know　it；　child；　but　your　grandmother　is　a　legend　from　here　to　the　mountains　of　West　Virginia。〃
　　〃I　knew　it；〃　said　Steve。　〃She　was　a　witch。〃
　　〃A　white　witch；〃　Arkady　told　him。　〃A　benign　conjurer。　And　a　fabled　beauty　too；　in　her　youth。　My　own　mother　told　me　tales　of　her　hair　like　yellow　spun　glass；　her　lips　bowed　like　the　lips　of　the　infant　Christ；　her　clear　unlying　blue　eyes。　I　saw　a　silvery　old　photograph　of　Miz　Deliverance　once；　taken　when　she　was　about　your　age。　Yes；　she　was　a　fabled　beauty。　And　you　are　her　image；　Ghost。　Her　very　image。〃　
　　〃I　didn't　tell　you　my　name；〃　said　Ghost。
　　Arkady　smiled　again。　〃Poor　child！　Did　your　grandmother　let　you　think　you　were　the　only　sensitive　in　the　world？　I　have　been　to　the　other　side；　Ghost。　I　know　things　too。　I　know　you。
　　Steve　came　forward　and　stood　next　to　Ghost；　positioning　himself　so　that　he　shielded　Ghost　a　little。　〃Wait　a　minute。　What　the　fuck　are　you　talking　about？　What　do　you　mean；　you've　been　to　the　other　side？〃
　　〃I　brought　myself　back　from　the　dead；〃　said　Arkady　Raventon。
　　
　　They　went　through　the　front　room　of　Arkady's　shop；　through　the　dimness；　the　smell　of　dust；　cobwebs；　herbs。　They　went　through　the　back　room；　where　flowers　and　plaster　saints　and　bones　（chicken　bones；　Ghost　thought；　though　Steve　eyed　them　warily）　were　arranged　on　a　small　altar　covered　with　a　velvet　dropcloth。　On　either　side　of　the　altar；　pink　and　black　candles　burned。
　　In　a　torrent　of　dust；　Arkady　swept　aside　a　heavy　velvet　curtain　and　led　them　up　a　narrow　dark　staircase。　They　climbed；　climbed；　turned　a　corner。　The　staircase　grew　even　darker。　Ghost　had　to　feel　for　the　stairs；　placing　his　sneaker　carefully　each　time。　He　raised　his　hand　to　his　face　and　wiggled　his　fingers。　Before　his　eyes；　five　pale　wavering　sticks　danced；　they　might　have　been　a　trick　of　the　darkness；　an　afterimage　of　light。　Still　Arkady　led　them　upward。
　　They　went　around　another　corner　and　now　Ghost　could　see　a　dim　rectangle　of　light　far　above　them。　At　last　they　came　to　another　velvet　curtain；　beyond　that　was　daylight。　Arkady　pulled　the　curtain　aside。　At　the　top　of　the　stairs　was　a　cozy　suite　of　rooms　with　clean　white　walls；　large　windows　that　let　in　dazzling　sunshine；　hardwood　floors　gleaming　golden。
　　Arkady　showed　them　the　rooms　one　after　another。　〃That　one　is　mine。　The　small　one　belongs　to　two　of　my　brother's　friends。　And　this〃…indicating　it　with　a　grand　sweep　of　his　arm　〃is　the　room　where　you　may　stay。　If　you　so　wish。　I　would　not　think　of　turning　Miz　Deliverance's　grandson　away　from　my　door。〃
　　The　room　was　simple。　A　clean　mattress。　A　window　high　up　on　the　rear　wall。　A　square　room。　Four　walls　of　equal　length；　four　sensible　walls　to　contain　Ghost's　thoughts；　to　keep　out　green…eyed　wraiths　and　voices　that　might　invade　his　mind　at　night。　A　place　for　Steve　and　him　to　whisper　the　nights　away；　snatch　a　few　troubled　hours　of　sleep；　then　go　out　and　do　whatever　it　was　they　had　e　to　New　Orleans　to　do。
　　〃It　looks　okay　to　me；〃　he　said；　and　waited　for　Steve　to　argue。　Steve　wouldn't　want　to　stay　here　in　a　room　above　a　voodoo　shop　given　to　them　like　a　gift　by　a　creepy　little　proprietor　who　claimed　to　have　known　Ghost's　grandmother；　or　to　have　heard　of　her。　Steve　would　be　suspicious；　cynical；　probably　spooked；　though　he　wouldn't　want　to　admit　that　last　one。　But　maybe　Steve　was　exhausted　from　being　on　the　road；　or　maybe　he　wanted　a　drink　so　badly　that　he　would　agree　to　anything；　or　maybe　he　just　didn't　give　a　damn　anymore。
　　He　only　sighed　and　let　his　long　body　sag　against　the　door…frame　as　he　said；　〃Whatever　you　think。　We'll　take　it。〃
　　
　　〃You　said　you　brought　yourself　back　from　the　dead；〃　Ghost　reminded　Arkady　as　they　finished　descending　the　stairs。　Behind　him；　Ghost　heard　Steve　mutter　something；　but　he　ignored　it。
　　Arkady　drew　himself　up　to　his　full　spare　height。　〃Perhaps　I　spoke　too　soon。〃　The　hem　of　his　white　robe　shushed　against　the　floor；　raised　a　cloud　of　dust　around　his　bony　ankles。　
　　〃No；　Mr。　Raventon。　I'd　really　like　to　hear　about　it。〃　
　　〃Arkady；〃　said　Arkady　absently。　His　eyes　had　gone　distant。　He　led　them　into　the　back　room　of　the　shop　and　stood　beside　the　altar；　stroking　its　corner。
　　Ghost's　gaze　wandered　over　the　wooden　framework；　the　dropcloth　of　dark　sapphire　velvet。　He　saw　things　he　had　not　noticed　before：　intricate　enamel　charms；　little　scrolls　of　parchment；　an　inverted　wooden　cross　bristling　with　nails。
　　Arkady's　dry；　faintly　foreign　voice　brought　him　back　to　attention。　〃It　was　cold　in　Paris　that　winter。　As　cold　as　the　moon。　As　cold　as　loneliness。　As　cold　as　the　kiss　that　killed　me。〃
　　His　eyes　flicked　to　Ghost's；　to　Steve's。　Ghost's　were　wide　open；　a　little　scared；　he　was　picking　up　a　barrage　of　feelings　from　Arkady；　sorrow　and　fear　and　pain；　but　all　of　them　were　overlaid　with　the　facile　pleasure　of　a　gifted　actor　performing　a　cherished　role。　Ghost　didn't　know　what　to　make　of　it。　Steve's　eyes　were　hooded；　wary；　waiting　for　lies。
　　〃Yes；　my　young　friends。　My　poor　young　friends　with　your　beautiful　faces　and　your　innocent　dreams。　You　think　love　is　sweet；　that　it　can　never　hurt。　But　it　was　not　the　Parisian　cold　that　killed　me；　not　the　wind　in　my　bones；　not　the　ice　that　rimed　my　heart。　It　was　the　kiss　of　a　lover。〃
　　〃The　kiss？〃　Steve's　voice　was　heavy　with　cynicism。　
　　〃Well；　perhaps　a　bit　more　than　just　the　kiss。　But　you　must　allow　me　my　bit　of　romance。〃　Sarcasm　sharpened　Arkady's　voice；　and　Ghost　shot　Steve　a　warning　look。　Steve　stared　at　the　altar。
　　〃So；〃　Arkady　went　on；　〃this；　ah；　kiss…and　the　rest　of　my　lover's　body　as　well…was　ripe　with　death。　Ripe；　and　sweet　as　rotten　fruit。　Have　you　ever　bitten　into　a　rotten　peach；　either　of　you？　A　plum？　A　melon；　perhaps？　There　is　one　moment　of　absolute；　blissful；　delicious　sweetness　before　the　taste　of　decay　oozes　over　your　tongue。　That　is　how　it　was　with　my　lover。　And　then　the　sickness　rotted　my　lover　away；　and　I　had　caught　it　too　by　that　time；　and　I　was　alone。　In　Paris；　in　the　winter。　I　was　alone。〃　A　faint　smile　played　about　Arkady's　lips。
　　〃Have　I　mentioned　my　brother　Ashley？　No？　Ashley　was　my　younger　brother。　The　beauty　of　the　Raventons。〃　Arkady　laughed；　a　sound　like　wind　among　chips　of　crystal。　〃When　I　went　to　Paris；　he　stayed　here；　and　I　vowed　that　I　would　e　back。　I　had　to　teach　him；　you　see。　I　had　to　tell　him　all　I　knew　of　magick；　of　death　and　love　and　pain。　Ashley　was　to　be　my　apprentice。　And　I　went　to　Paris；　and　the　sickness　took　me。　But　I　had　vowed　to　Ashley　that　I　would　return。　I　had　given　him　my　word。　And　I　would　not　break　that。〃
　　Arkady's　fingers　strayed　to　the　altar；　toyed　with　the　dark　velvet　dropcloth。　〃So　before　I　died；　I　prepared。　I　had　just　enough　time　to　find　the　things　I　needed。　I　sent　for　powders　from　Haiti；　for　potions　from　Guatemala。　I　procured　the　blood　of　an　ancient　man　in　the　Rue　aux　Fers；　the　bones　of　a　child　in　the　catabs　of　Montmartre。
　　〃But　at　last　I　could　search　no　longer。　The　sickness　came　and　smiled　its　final　soft　dark　smile　at　me；　and　my　blood　dried　in　my　veins；　and　my　eyeballs　shriveled。　One　morning　before　dawn　I　swallowed　the　concoction　I　had　made；　and　I　let　the　sickness　take　me。　I　felt　its　lips　upon　mine；　its　tongue　lapping　the　last　sour　drop　of　spit　from　my　mouth。　I　felt　my　life　leave　me。　I　felt　my　very　selfness　slip　away；　there　was　one　instant　in　which　I　thought；　My　God；　now　I　am　dead。
　　〃And　then　I　was。　And　I　awoke　in　the　morgue　of　a　Paris　hospital；　and　when　I　stretched　myself　and　stuffed；　one　of　the　morgue　attendants　suffered　a　heart　attack。　Fortunately　it　was　not　fatal。〃
　　This　time　Arkady's　laughter　was　like　the　clanging　of　a　heavy　door；　a　door　of　stone　or　steel；　a　door　that　would　not　be　opened　again　for　a　very　long　time。　〃Then　I　made　my　way　home　to　New　Orleans；　to　keep　my　vow　to　Ashley。　But；　as　any　sad　story　should　end；　Ashley　too　had　died；　and　had　not　e　back。　He　would　never　be　my　apprentice。　He　would　learn　none　of　my　secrets。〃
　　Ghost　licked　his　lips　nervously。　His　tongue　was　as　dry　as　Arkady's