cb.damnationgame-第49部分

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　his　wits。　〃I　don't　believe　this　is　happening；〃　he　said。
　　〃Dogs　are　nothing　to　him；　believe　me。〃　Marty　remembered　watching　Mamoulian　standing　in　the　woods；　staring　down　at　the　earth。　He　had　seen　no　gravedigger　because　there'd　been　none。　They'd　exhumed　themselves；　squirming　out　of　their　plastic　shrouds　and　pawing　their　way　to　the　air。
　　〃It's　easy　with　dogs；〃　Whitehead　said。　〃Isn't　it；　Bella？　You're　trained　to　obey。〃　She　was　sniffing　at　herself；　content　now　that　she'd　seen　Whitehead。　Her　God　was　still　in　his　Heaven；　and　all　was　well　with　the　world。　The　old　man　left　the　door　ajar；　and　turned　back　to　Marty。
　　〃There's　nothing　to　be　afraid　of；〃　he　said。　〃She's　not　going　to　do　us　any　harm。〃　〃He　brought　them　to　the　house？〃　〃Yes；　to　break　up　my　party。　Pure　spite。　It　was　his　way　of　reminding　me　what　he's　capable　of。〃　Marty　stooped　and　righted　another　chair。　He　was　shaking　so　violently；　he　feared　if　he　didn't　sit　down　he'd　fall　down。
　　〃The　lieutenant　was　worse；〃　the　old　man　said；　〃because　he　didn't　obey　like　Bella。　He　knew　what　had　been　done　to　him　was　an　abomination。　That　made　him　angry。〃　Bella　had　woken　with　an　appetite。　That　was　why　she'd　made　her　way　up　to　the　room　she　remembered　most　fondly；　a　place　where　a　man　who　knew　the　best　spot　to　scratch　behind　her　ear　would　coo　soft　words　to　her　and　feed　her　morsels　off　his　plate。　But　tonight　she'd　e　up　to　find　things　changed。　The　man　was　odd　with　her；　his　voice　jangling；　and　there　was　someone　else　in　the　room；　one　she　vaguely　knew　the　scent　of；　but　couldn't　place。　She　was　still　hungry；　such　deep　hunger；　and　there　was　an　appetizing　smell　very　close　to　her。　Of　meat　left　in　the　earth；　the　way　she　liked　it；　still　on　the　bone　and　half　gone　to　putrescence。。　She　sniffed；　almost　blind；　looking　for　the　source　of　the　smell；　and　having　found　it；　began　to　eat。
　　〃Not　a　pretty　sight。〃　She　was　devouring　her　own　body；　taking　gray；　greasy　bites　from　the　decayed　muscle　of　her　haunch。　Whitehead　watched　as　she　pulled　at　herself。　His　passivity　in　the　face　of　this　new　horror　broke　Marty。
　　〃Don't　let　her！〃　he　pushed　the　old　man　aside。
　　〃But　she's　hungry；〃　he　responded；　as　though　this　horror　were　the　most　natural　sight　in　the　world。
　　Marty　picked　up　the　chair　he'd　been　sitting　on　and　slammed　it　against　the　wall。　It　was　heavy；　but　his　muscles　were　brimming；　and　the　violence　was　a　wele　release。　The　chair　broke。
　　The　dog　looked　up　from　her　meal；　the　meat　she　was　swallowing　fell　from　her　cut　throat。
　　〃Too　much；〃　Marty　said；　picking　up　a　leg　of　the　chair　and　crossing　the　room　to　the　door　before　Bella　could　register　what　he　intended。　At　the　last　moment　she　seemed　to　understand　that　he　meant　her　harm；　and　tried　to　get　to　her　feet。　One　of　her　back　legs；　the　haunch　almost　chewed　through；　would　no　longer　support　her；　and　she　staggered；　teeth　bared；　as　Marty　swung　his　makeshift　weapon　down　on　her。　The　force　of　his　blow　shattered　her　skull。　The　snarling　stopped。　The　body　backed　off；　dragging　the　ruined　head　on　a　rope　of　a　neck；　the　tail　tucked　between　its　back　legs　in　fear。　Two　or　three　trembling　steps　of　retreat　and　it　could　go　no　further。
　　Marty　waited；　hoping　to　God　he　wouldn't　have　to　strike　a　second　time。　As　he　watched　the　body　seemed　to　deflate。　The　swell　of　its　chest；　the　remnants　of　its　head；　the　organs　hanging　in　the　vault　of　its　torso　all　collapsed　into　an　abstraction；　one　part　indistinguishable　from　the　next。　He　closed　the　door　on　it；　and　dropped　the　blooded　weapon　at　his　side。
　　Whitehead　had　taken　refuge　across　the　room。　His　face　was　as　gray　as　Bella's　body。
　　〃How　did　he　do　this？〃　Marty　said。　〃How　is　it　possible？〃　〃He　has　power；〃　Whitehead　stated。　It　was　as　simple　as　that；　apparently。　〃He　can　steal　life；　and　he　can　give　it。〃　Marty　dug　in　his　pocket　for　the　linen　handkerchief　he'd　bought　specially　for　this　night　of　dining　and　conversation。　Shaking　it　out；　its　edges　pristine；　he　wiped　his　face。　The　handkerchief　came　away　dirtied　with　specks　of　rot。　He　felt　as　empty　as　the　sac　in　the　hall　outside。
　　〃You　asked　me　once　if　I　believed　in　Hell；〃　he　said。　〃Do　you　remember？〃　〃Yes。〃　〃Is　that　what　you　think　Mamoulian　is？　Something〃…he　wanted　to　laugh…〃something　from　Hell？〃　〃I've　considered　the　possibility。　Brut　I'm　not　by　nature　a　supernaturalist。　Heaven　and　Hell。　All　that　paraphernalia。　My　system　revolts　at　it。〃　〃If　not　devils；　what？〃　〃Is　it　so　important？〃　Marty　wiped　his　sweaty　palms　on　his　trousers。　He　felt　contaminated　by　this　obscenity。　It　would　take　a　long　time　to　wash　the　horror　out；　if　he　ever　could。　He'd　made　the　error　of　digging　too　deep；　and　the　story　he'd　heard…that　and　the　dog　at　the　door…were　the　consequence。
　　〃You　look　sick；〃　Whitehead　said。
　　〃I　never　thought　。　。　。〃　〃What？　That　the　dead　can　get　up　and　walk？　Oh；　Marty；　I　took　you　for　a　Christian；　despite　your　protestations。〃　〃I'm　getting　out；〃　Marty　said。　〃Both　of　us。〃　〃Both？〃　〃Carys　and　me。　We'll　go　away。　From　him。　From　you。〃　〃Poor　Marty。　You're　more　bovine　than　I　thought　you　were。　You　won't　see　her　again。〃　〃Why　not？〃　〃She's　with　him；　damn　you！　Didn't　it　occur　to　you？　She　went　with　him！〃　So　that　had　been　the　unthinkable　solution　to　her　abrupt　vanishing　trick。　〃Willingly；　of　course。〃　〃No。〃　〃Oh；　yes；　Marty。　He　had　a　claim　on　her　from　the　beginning。　He　rocked　her　in　his　arms　when　she　was　barely　born。　Who　knows　what　kind　of　influence　he　has。　I　won　her　back；　of　course；　for　a　while。〃　He　sighed。　〃I　made　her　love　me。〃　〃She　wanted　to　be　away　from　you。〃　〃Never。　She's　my　daughter；　Strauss。　She's　as　manipulative　as　I　am。　Anything　between　you　and　her　was　purely　a　marriage　of　her　convenience。〃　〃You're　a　fucking　bastard。〃　〃That's　a　given；　Marty。　I'm　a　monster；　I　concede　the　point。〃　He　threw　up　his　hands；　palms　out；　innocent　of　everything　but　guilt。
　　〃I　thought　you　said　she　loved　you。　Still　she　went。〃　〃I　told　you：　she's　my　daughter。　She　thinks　the　way　I　do。　She　went　with　him　to　learn　how　to　use　her　powers。　I　did　the　same；　remember？〃　This　line　of　argument；　even　from　vermin　like　Whitehead；　made　a　kind　of　sense。　Beneath　her　strange　conversation　hadn't　there　always　lurked　a　contempt　for　Marty　and　the　old　man　alike；　contempt　earned　by　their　inability　to　sum　her　up？　Given　the　opportunity；　wouldn't　Carys　go　dance　with　the　Devil　if　she　felt　she'd　understand　more　of　herself　by　doing　so？
　　〃Don't　concern　yourself　with　her；〃　Whitehead　said。　〃Forget　her；　she's　gone。〃　Marty　tried　to　hold　on　to　the　image　of　her　face；　but　it　was　deteriorating。　He　was　suddenly　very　tired；　exhausted　to　his　bones。
　　〃Get　some　rest；　Marty。　Tomorrow　we　can　bury　the　whore　together。〃　〃I'm　not　getting　involved　in　this。〃　〃I　told　you　once；　didn't　I；　if　you　stayed　with　me；　there　was　nowhere　I　couldn't　take　you。　It's　more　true　now　than　ever。　You　know　Toy's　dead。〃　〃When？　How？〃　〃I　didn't　ask　the　details。　The　point　is；　he's　gone。　There's　only　you　and　I　now。〃　〃You　made　a　fool　out　of　me。〃　Whitehead's　face　was　a　portrait　of　persuasion。　〃An　error　of　taste；〃　he　said。　〃Forgive　me。〃　〃Too　late。〃　〃I　don't　want　you　to　leave　me；　Marty。　I　won't　let　you　leave　me！　You　hear？〃　His　finger　jabbed　the　air。　〃You　came　here　to　help　me！　What　have　you　done？　Nothing！　Nothing！〃　Blandishment　had　turned　into　accusations　of　betrayal　in　mere　seconds。　One　moment　tears；　the　next　curses；　and　behind　it　all；　the　same　terror　of　being　left　alone。　Marty　watched　the　old　man's　trembling　hands　fist　and　unfist。
　　〃Please　。　。　。〃　he　appealed；　〃。　。　。　don't　leave　me。〃　〃I　want　you　to　finish　the　story。〃　〃Good　boy。〃　〃Everything；　you　understand　me。　Everything。〃　〃What　more　is　there　to　tell？〃　Whitehead　said。　〃I　became　rich。　I　had　entered　one　of　the　fastest…growing　postwar　markets：　pharmaceuticals。　Within　half　a　decade　I　was　up　there　with　the　world　leaders。〃　He　smiled　to　himself。　〃What's　more；　there　was　very　little　illegality　in　the　way　I　made　my　fortune。　Unlike　many；　I　played　by　the　rules。〃　〃And　Mamoulian？　Did　he　help　you？〃　〃He　taught　me　not　to　agonize　over　the　moral　issues。〃　〃And　what　did　he　want　in　return？〃　Whitehead　narrowed　his　eyes。　〃You're　not　so　stupid；　are　you？〃　he　said　appreciatively。　〃You　manage　to　get　right　to　the　hurt　when　it　suits　you。〃　〃It's　an　obvious　question。　You'd　made　a　deal　with　him。〃　〃No！〃　Whitehead　interrupted；　face　set。　〃I　made　no　deal；　not　in　the　way　you　mean　it　anyway。　There　was；　perhaps；　a　gentleman's　agreement；　but　that's　long　past。　He's　had　all　he's　getting　from　me。〃　〃Which　was？〃　〃To　live　through　me；〃　Whitehead　replied。
　　〃Explain；〃　Marty　said；　〃I　don't　understand。〃　〃He　wanted　life；　like　any　other　man。　He　had　appetites。　And　he　satisfied　them　through　me。　Don't　ask　me　how。　I　don't　understand　myself。　But　sometimes　I　could　feel　him　at　the　back　of　my　eyes　。　。　。〃　〃And　you　let　him？〃　〃At　first　I　didn't　even　know　what　he　was　doing：　I　had　other　calls　on　my　attention。　I　was　getting　richer　by　the　hour；　it　seemed。　I　had　houses；　land；　art；　women。　It　was　easy　to　forget　that　he　was　always　there；　watching；　living　by　proxy。
　　〃Then　in　1959　I　married　Evangeline。　We　had　a　wedding　that　would　have　shamed　royalty：　it　was　written　up　in　newspapers　from　here　to　Hong　Kong。　Wealth　and　Influence　marries　Intelligence　and　Beauty：　it　was　the　ideal　match。　It　crowned　my　happiness；　it　really　did。〃　〃You　were　in　love。〃　〃It　was　impossible　not　to　love　Evangeline。　I　think〃…he　sounded　surprised　as　he　spoke…〃I　think　she　even　loved　me。〃　〃What　did　she　make　of　Mamoulian？〃　〃Ah；　there's　the　rub；〃　he　said。　〃She　loathed　him　from　the　start。　She　said　he　was　too　puritanical；　that　his　presence　made　her　feel　perpetually　guilty。　And　she　was　right。　He　loathed　the　body；　its　functions　disgusted　him。　But　he　couldn't　be　free　of　it；　or　its　appetites。　That　was　a　torment　to　him。　And　as　time　went　by　that　streak　of　self…hatred　worsened。〃　〃Because　of　her？〃　〃I　don't　know。　Perhaps。　Now　I　think　back；　he　probably　wanted　her；　the　way　he'd　wanted　beauties　in　the　past。　And　of　course　she　despised　him；　right　from　the　beginning。　Once　she　was　mistress　of　the　house　this　war　of　nerves　just　escalated。　Eventually　she　told　me　to　get　rid　of　him。　This　was　just　after　Carys　was　born。　She　said　she　didn't　like　him　handling　the　baby…which　he　seemed　to　like　to　do。　She　just　didn't　want　him　in　the　house。　I'd　known　him　two　decades　by　now…he'd　lived　in　my　house；　he'd　shared　my　life…and　I　realized　I　knew　nothing　about　him。　He　was　still　the　mythical　card…player　I'd　met　in　Wa