lrh.villainyvictorious-第10部分

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〃Well；　I　ain't　going　to　break　into　any　of　these　palaces；〃　said　Flick。　〃That　would　be　a　fast　route　to　Camp　Kill；　with　all　these　guards　around。　Tell　you　what；　we'll　fly　to　Slum　City　and　rob　a　store。　You　can　shoot　the　watchman。〃
Madison　wished　Flick　wouldn't　keep　building　on　that　image；　yet　he　could　see　respect　for　him　was　dwindling。　〃I　don't　have　a　gun。〃
〃Blowholes！　The　assignments　I　get！　My　last　boss　lost　all　his　pay　in　gambling　and　finally　got　stabbed　in　a　dice　game。　Now　I'm　going　to　starve　to　death。〃
〃Don't　you　have　any　pay？　Any　quarters？〃
〃In　the　Apparatus？　A　driver's　boss　is　supposed　to　provide　all　that。　And　I　get　a　murderer　who　isn't　even　packing　a　gun；　that's　dead　broke　and　has　no　pay　status。　Can't　you　do　anything？〃
It　jarred　Madison。　Yes；　there　was　something　he　could　do。　He　could　be　a　knight…errant。　He　could　rescue　Teenie；　that　had　been　allowed。　He　would　do　it　even　though　the　thought　of　sleeping　three　in　an　aircar　presented　new　problems。
He　mentally　donned　his　plumed　helmet。　〃Drive　back　to　that　park　in　front　of　the　Royal　Palace。　I've　got　to　rescue　a　girl。〃

Chapter　4

They　drove　back　a　mile　and　slid　along　the　curving　path　where　he　had　first　seen　her。　The　light　seemed　bad：　apparently　in　this　place　they　followed　day　and　night；　and　this　must　be　dusk。
The　garden　space　around　the　painted　statue　was　all　dug　up　but　no　workmen　were　about。　Flick　stopped。
Suddenly；　from　under　the　sculptured　purple　cloak　of　some　long…dead　monarch；　an　Apparatus　guard　moved　out；　rifle　levelled。　It　was　the　same　guard　he　had　seen　before。　Madison　hastily　presented　his　identoplate　through　the　window。　The　guard　saw　〃Apparatus〃　and　relaxed。
〃There　was　a　girl　here　earlier；〃　said　Madison。
〃Oh；　yeah；〃　said　the　guard。　〃They're　gone　now。　You　haven't　got　a　puffstick；　have　you？〃
〃Give　him　one；〃　Madison　told　Flick。
With　a　very　dirty　look；　Flick　plied。　He　gave　the　guard　an　even　dirtier　look　when　he　had　to　light　it　for　him。
〃They　went　over　that　way；〃　said　the　guard。　〃Between　those　two　orange…colored　buildings。〃
Flick　headed　in　that　direction。　〃This　is　getting　worse　and　worse；〃　he　said。
Madison　privately　agreed　with　him。　If　he　found　her；　she　would　probably　be　covered　with　mud　and　this　car；　not　overly　clean　already；　would　really　ruin　all　his　clothes　then。　Anyway；　she　would　be　terribly　happy　to　see　him　and　know　that；　as　his　assistant；　she　would　be　free。
They　burst　into　an　area　of　pools。　There　was　a　circular　series　of　waterfalls；　each　one　lower　than　the　next；　the　water　spilling　off　the　lips　in　shimmering　sheets；　the　underlighting　turning　them　into　a　cacophony　of　colors。
They　would　have　passed　them　by　but　Madison　saw　a　sudden　movement　on　a　rim。　It　was　pretty　far　away。
TEENIE！
She　was　running　along　a　lip。　She　dived　through　scarlet　lights　into　the　next　pool。　She　swam　across　it。　She　dived　through　yellow　lights　in　the　next　pool　and　swam　toward　the　next　fall。
A　sign　plainly　said：

NO　SWIMMING

Oh；　Gods；　she　was　going　to　get　into　trouble　before　he　even　had　a　chance　to　rescue　her！
Frantically；　he　directed　the　airbus　to　a　point　where　she　would　e　out　if　she　dived　into　the　ground…level　pool。
She　did！　Her　body　glistened　as　she　shot　through　a　sheet　of　yellow　light。　She　came　swimming　boldly　across。
Madison　got　out　of　the　car。　He　waited　at　the　pool　edge。
Teenie　came　to　the　rim　and　with　an　agile　leap；　sprang　up　on　it；　gleaming　in　the　red　lights。　She　was　very　lean：　her　stomach　and　her　thighs　were　flat。　Water　cascaded　from　her　shoulders　and　made　sparkling　rivulets　down　her　legs。　She　swept　her　light　brown　hair　out　of　her　big　eyes　and　looked　at　him。
〃Teenie！〃　he　cried。　〃I've　got　great　news。　I've　got　a　chance　to　get　us　back　to　Earth。　And　you're　my　assistant　now！　You're　not　a　slave　anymore！〃
She　shrugged。　She　turned　and　walked　over　to　a　bench　where　she　had　evidently　left　her　purse。　She　got　out　a　b　and　began　to　whip　the　water　out　of　her　hair　with　it。
Madison　couldn't　understand　it。　She　didn't　seem　glad　to　see　him　at　all！　He　walked　closer。　〃Don't　you　understand？　I've　freed　you！　And　when　I　saw　the　horrible　way　they　treat　slaves；　you　ought　to　be　very　happy！〃
She　gathered　her　wet　hair　into　a　ponytail　and　put　a　rubber　band　around　it。　Then　she　went　over　to　the　pool　waterfall　and　fished　up　the　piece　of　sackcloth　she　had　been　wearing。　She　wrung　it　out　and；　without　putting　it　on；　tossed　it　over　her　shoulder。　She　picked　up　her　purse　and　began　to　walk　off。
She　seemed　cross。
Madison　tried　to　find　a　reason　for　it。　Why　was　she　angry　with　him？　He　hadn't　been　the　one　who　had　gotten　her　into　this　mess。　That　had　been　Gris。
He　followed　her；　Flick　driving　the　airbus　at　a　slow　pace　behind　him。　The　little　procession　went　down　a　curving　promenade；　between　two　other　buildings。　They　were　approaching　a　gold　structure　that　was　ornate　but　seemed　very　aged。　Vines　had　crept　up　its　several　stories　and　were　tangled　in　its　balconies。　The　wide；　curving　staircase　was　so　huge　that　it　made　the　thin　Teenie　look　like　a　toy　in　a　giant　world。
Madison　followed　up。　Flick　stopped　at　the　bottom。
She　went　through　a　pair　of　gold　doors　you　could　have　flown　a　Boeing　jetliner　through。
Madison　entered　after　her。
They　were　in　a　mammoth　hall；　all　festooned　with　golden　cords　woven　into　patterns　through　which　three…dimensional　painted　angels　flew　against　a　white　sky。　The　floor　was　in　patterns　of　clouds。　Hundreds　of　jewelled　chairs　lined　the　walls：　it　must　be　some　sort　of　a　salon。
There　was　a　mound　of　silken…fabricked　pillows　in　the　middle　of　the　floor。　Teenie　sat　down　on　them　and　they　were　promptly　spotted　with　water。
Madison　walked　up　to　her；　his　footsteps　sounding　hollowly　in　the　vast　place。　〃Teenie；〃　he　pleaded。　〃I　know　a　lot　of　these　palaces　are　deserted　now　that　families　have　moved　out。　But　you're　just　riding　for　an　awful　fall。　First　you're　swimming　in　a　no…swimming　pool　and　now　you're　ing　in　here　just　because　it's　an　empty　building　and　you're　even　ruining　those　pillows。　Please　e　along　and　let　me　get　you　out　of　here。　Guards　may　drop　by　at　any　time　to　turn　off　the　lights　or　something。〃
She　picked　up　what　must　have　been　a　priceless　silken　cover　from　a　low　table　within　her　reach　and　began　to　swab　herself　with　it；　using　it　for　a　towel。　She　was　ruining　it！　Oh；　how　could　he　stop　her　from　sure　disaster？
〃Don't　be　cross　with　me；〃　he　begged。　〃I　am　your　friend！〃
She　gave　a　short；　barking　laugh。　〃You're　a　fine　one　to　talk。　Some　friend！　On　that　freighter；　you　didn't　help　me　a　bit。　You　didn't　even　volunteer　to　keep　books　for　me！　You　could　have　put　up　signs；　'The　One　and　Only　Too…Too！'　You're　even　a　lousy　PR。〃
〃Oh；　e　off　of　it；〃　said　Madison。　〃I　couldn't　get　involved　with　a　filthy　business　like　that！　You　were　making　that　poor　boy　into　a　prostitute；　ruining　his　life！　You　even　had　him　smoking　pot。　You　have　no　conscience！　No　moral　sense　of　any　kind！〃
〃You're　a　fine　one　to　talk；　sleeping　with　your　mother！〃
〃That's　just　the　way　I　was　raised！〃
〃Well；　this　is　just　the　way　I　was　raised！〃　snapped　Teenie。　〃Have　you　got　any　money？〃
〃Well；　no。〃
〃And　I　bet　you　came　around　here　just　to　borrow　some。〃
Madison　received　a　shock。　He　had　sort　of　wondered　if　they　had　let　her　keep　hers。
〃I　landed　with　a　thousand　credits；〃　said　Teenie。　〃I　got　it　stashed。　I'll　let　you　have　ten　credits　and　that's　the　limit。　You　can　then　proceed　to　get　lost。〃
Ten　credits？　He　didn't　know　what　things　cost　but　it　wasn't　enough　to　sell　his　pride　for。　〃I　wouldn't　touch　money　made　out　of　the　body　of　that　poor　boy！〃
〃That　'poor　boy；'　as　you　call　him；　happens　to　be　a　catamite　that　that　（bleep）　Gris　set　onto　Lord　Endow。　Lord　Endow　is　the　head　of　the　Exterior　Division　and　the　top　man　over　the　Apparatus；　when　he　can　stop　drooling　long　enough。　So　I　taught　that　'poor　boy；'　as　you　call　him；　a　few　little　tricks　he　could　do　and　when　he　got　back　here　he　pleased　Lord　Endow　no　end。　The　goofy　old　（bleepard）　went　absolutely　delirious　over　Too…Too。〃
〃Wait　a　minute；〃　said　Madison；　in　Voltarian；　〃you　just　shifted　languages。　When　you　started　talking　about　Endow；　you　shifted　to　Voltarian。〃
〃Of　course　I　did。　And　it's　court　Voltarian。　What　you　just　said；　you　said　in　executive　Voltarian。〃
〃But　how。。。〃
〃Well；　Lord　Endow　would　do　anything　Too…Too　asked；　even　jump　over　one　of　this　assortment　of　moons　they　got　on　this　planet。　And　I　right　away　got　sent　to　page　school。　They　hypnotrained　me　to　talk；　read　and　write　court　Voltarian　in　five　days。　But　meantime；　Too…Too　told　all　the　other　catamites　about　the　wonderful　trip　he　had　had；　and　boy；　were　they　envious！　（Bleeped）　by　a　whole　crew　for　six　weeks！　He　was　the　hero　of　the　hour！　So　he's　got　me　teaching　the　other　catamites　and　we're　including　all　the　pages。〃
〃Wait　a　minute；〃　said　Madison。　〃You　must　be　lying；　Teenie。　I　saw　you　doing　slave　work　with　my　own　eyes！〃
〃Well；　jumping　Jesus　Christ；　Maddie；　you　really　are　dumb。　Is　that　why　you　were　chattering　about　me　being　a　slave？　Listen；　buster；　I've　only　got　a　limited　supply　of　marijuana　seed　and　those　dumb　gardeners　would　have　wasted　it。　Sure　they　got　a　growth　catalyst　that　matures　it　in　a　week；　but　the　old　（bleeps）　are　160；　would　you　believe　it？　And　they　potter　and　totter　when　they　ought　to　be　drilling　and　tilling。　We're　tearing　up　all　the　flower　beds　in　sight　and　planting　the　whole　place　properly　with　Mary　Jane。〃
〃Oh；　God；〃　said　Madison。　〃More　trouble。　They'll　kill　us。　You're　my　assistant　now。　Please；　get　out　of　this　palace　before　they　shoot　us。〃
〃（Bleep）；　Maddie！　Nobody's　going　to　shoot　us。　Too…Too　told　Lord　Endow　I　was　a　movie　queen　on　Earth。　So　the　drooling　old　（bleepard）　gave　me　this　palace。　Two　hundred　and　thirty　rooms！　Some　queen　abandoned　it　about　a　hundred　or　a　thousand　years　ago；　poisoned　or　old　age　or　something。　But　all　her　things　are　still　here：　Queen　Hora；　it　says　on　the　silver　trays。　I'm　getting　cold。〃
She　snapped　her　fingers　in　a　peculiar　way　and　two　old　men　in　ornate　silver　livery；　who　must　have　been　hovering　in　one　of　the　several　hallways；　rushed　in。　They　threw　a　gauzy　silken　robe　on　her　that　left　her　twice　as　naked　as　before。　They　snapped　up　the　table　cover　she　had　used　for　a　towel　and　vanished　back　into　the　hall。
Teenie　snapped　her　fingers　again；　in　a　different　way；　and　two　old　women　trotted　out。　They　were　dressed　in　silver　gowns。　One　bore　a　crystal　jug　of　sparklewater　on　a　crystal　tray　with　crystal　glasses。　The　other　expertly　balanced　a　silver　tray　which　must　have　had　t