lrh.villainyvictorious-第15部分

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Teenie　opened　her　mouth　to　tell　them　all　good　night　when　the　guard　captain　in　flashing　silver　caught　her　attention　and　pointed　way　over　to　the　wall　where　Madison　cowered。
（Bleep）　that　guard　captain；　choked　Madison。　Teenie　had　obviously　forgotten　all　about　him；　for　now　she　frowned　and　looked　toward　him　as　though　she　had　noted　some　unwanted　bug。　The　staff　looked　toward　him　as　well　and　glared：　evidently　his　crime　of　provoking　their　darling　Queen　Teenie　had　circulated　through　the　whole；　vast　palace。
The　guard　captain　and　Teenie　engaged　in　a　whispered　conversation。　Then；　with　two　guards　flanking　her；　she　followed　the　captain　over　to　where　Madison　sat。
〃They　reminded　me；〃　said　Teenie；　in　English；　〃that　I　have　several　dress　fittings　in　the　morning　and　gardening　in　the　afternoon。　They　couldn't　find　time　to　fit　in　a　trial；　so　we'll　have　it　now。　Guilty　or　not　guilty？〃
〃Of　what？〃　wailed　Madison。
〃In　the　confines　of　a　palace；　unless　he　is　dealing　with　a　person　of　higher　rank；〃　said　Teenie；　〃the　nobleman　has　the　power　of　life　and　death　over　offenders　to　his　property　or　person。〃
〃I　didn't　offend　you！〃　cried　Madison　in　English。　〃I　was　just　trying　to　get　your　help！　You　NEED　me！〃
She　turned　to　the　guard　captain　and；　in　Voltarian；　she　said；　〃He　pleads　guilty　as　charged。　Enter　it　in　the　palace　records。〃
〃TEENIE！〃　cried　Madison；　〃You　MUST　listen。。。。〃
〃I　don't　have　to　listen　to　you；〃　she　said　in　English。
〃You're　guilty　as　hell　and　you　know　it。　You　never　even　lifted　a　finger　to　stop　that　（bleep）　Gris。　You　got　yourself　into　this　mess　because　you　didn't　play　ball　with　me。〃　She　shifted　to　Voltarian；　〃I　therefore　pronounce　the　prisoner　guilty　and　the　sentence　is　to　be　carried　out　without　fail。〃
The　guard　captain　nodded。
Madison　said；　〃You　haven't　said　what　the　sentence　is！〃
She　was　speaking　in　English　again。　〃Well；　Maddie；　I　get　all　heated　up　conducting　these　classes；　they　sometimes　bring　me　to　the　brink　of　（bleep）　and　I　ache。　I've　always　wanted　to　break　that　fixation　you　have　on　your　mother。　So　you're　sentenced　to　ing　up　to　my　bedroom　and　（bleeping）　me　until　I'm　all　limp　and　satisfied。〃
〃OH；　NO！〃　screamed　Madison；　and　cringed　back　so　hard　his　chains　rattled。　Then　he　thought　in　quick　streaks　of　blue　light　and　inspiration　hit　him。　〃Look；〃　he　said；　〃right　down　under　that　floor　there　are　250　boys！　I　can　still　hear　the　music　pound！　Any　one　of　them　would…　…　〃
〃Maddie；〃　she　said　sharply　in　English；　〃you　got　your　wires　crossed。　The　moment　I　start　（bleeping）　one　of　those　pages；　the　rest　would　be　so　jealous　of　him　they'd　slaughter　him！　Besides；　I'm　making　them　into　perfectly　good　catamites　and　it　would　ruin　them。〃
〃You've　got　men　on　this　staff！〃　cried　Maddie　in　English。
〃They're　moners　and　they'd　be　executed　if　they　were　found　in　bed　with　royalty；〃　said　Teenie；　continuing　in　English。　〃I'm　too　fond　of　them　to　put　them　at　risk。　Queen　Hora　used　to　use　noble　guard　officers：　she　had　a　whole　regiment　of　them。　But　they　are　not　here。　So　can　the　chatter；　Maddie。　You're　for　it；　me　bucko　boy。〃
Madison　was　shuddering　to　the　depths　of　his　soul。　〃No；〃　he　pleaded。　〃The　answer　is　no！〃
Teenie　smiled　and　it　made　him　flinch。　He　knew　this　wasn't　all　of　it。
〃All　right；〃　she　said；　glancing　at　her　Mickey　Mouse　watch；　〃just　sit　there　and　think　it　over。　This　guard　captain　has　orders　that　if　you　don't　e　up　to　my　room　tonight；　then；　straight　up　sharp　at　6：00　A。　M。　you　are　to　be　taken　to　the　dungeons　and　executed　with　an　electric　axe。　So　if　you　change　your　mind；　your　guard　here　will　have　orders　to　bring　you　up　to　my　room；　no　matter　the　hour。〃
She　gave　him　a　little　mocking　wave　and　turned　away。
The　staff　insisted　that　she　sit　on　a　little　silver　seat　with　handles　as　she　might　be　too　tired　after　her　long　evening　to　walk　up　the　stairs；　and　they　bore　her　off；　up　the　golden　steps　and　out　of　sight。

Chapter　11

For　a　very　long　time　Madison　sat；　and　he　sat　in　the　deepest　gloom。　The　metal　chair　was　cold；　the　chains　were　colder　and　the　guard's　electric　axe；　with　its　racing　sparks；　chilled　him　even　more。
It　was　dark　now　in　the　hall。　The　rock　music　from　below　was　only　the　faintest　thumping；　more　like　the　mutter　of　some　hungry　beast　than　music。
Half…seen　in　the　dimness；　the　painted　angels　on　the　walls　seemed　to　look　at　him。　He　had　little　doubt　that　he　would　be　joining　the　real　angels　soon　and　spend　the　rest　of　eternity　sitting　on　some　cloud　holding　a　useless　harp。　Madison　knew　he　could　never　learn　to　play　it。
At　length　he　was　able　to　struggle　up　out　of　his　shock；　enough　to　think　about　his　terrible　conflict：　If　he　did　go　upstairs　he　would　die；　if　he　didn't　go　upstairs　he　would　die。
He　had　been　very　well　brought　up：　He　had　to　be　true　to　his　mother　at　any　cost；　even　his　life。　Since　he　had　been　a　baby　it　had　been　dinned　into　him　that　boys　who　did　not　sleep　with　their　mothers　were　unnatural　and　it　had　been　proven　to　him　without　doubt；　even　in　his　schools；　where　the　word　of　the　psychiatrist　Freud　was　five　times　holier　than　God's。　Unless　one　had　a　firm　Oedipus　plex；　expressing　libidinous　desires　for　one's　mother；　one　could　never　hope　to　be　a　genius　at　his　trade。　To　abandon　it　would　be　a　negation　of　his　own　wits。　Without　this　bright　spark；　according　to　all　Freudian　teachings；　he　would　fall　into　crass　mediocrity；　descended　to　a　mere　hack　or　drudge。　There　was　no　such　thing；　according　to　psychologists；　as　a　genius　who　was　not　neurotic。　Without　that　genius…which　Madison　never　doubted…he　would　die　professionally。　Like　all　PR　men；　belief　in　himself　was　the　first　thing　one　had　to　establish　and　only　then　could　others　believe　in　him。
But　his　mother　had　reinforced　it　by　continually　reminding　him　of　how　indulgent　she　was。　After　his　father　departed　she　had　not　burdened　him　with　another　whom　he　could　only　hate；　and　how　very　few　mothers　would　bother　to　give　a　son　this　much　attention。　His　mother　was　a　dear　thing；　still　quite　pretty　at　forty…nine。　When　he　thought　of　all　the　sacrifices　she　had　made　for　him；　foregoing　all　other　men；　the　least　he　could　do　was　reciprocate　and　forego　all　other　women。　But　it　went　deeper　than　that：　pletely　aside　from　any　Freudian　orders　from　his　child　psychologist；　made　more　real　with　mild　electric　shocks；　he　truly　loved　her。　She　had　warned　him　repeatedly　of　the　dangers　of　other　women；　as　had　his　current　psychiatrist；　and　colliding　in　life　with　such　heartless　creatures　as　Teenie；　he　agreed　with　them　utterly。　It　would　not　only　wreck　him　mentally　to　have　sex　with　Teenie；　it　would　break　his　mother's　heart。　She　would　probably　mit　suicide；　a　thing　she　often　had　to　be　prevented　from　doing；　and　he　knew；　if　that　happened；　he　would　promptly　do　the　same。
No；　to　go　up　those　stairs　and　get　in　bed　with　Teenie　would　be　the　end　of　all　he　knew。　Impossible！　That　was　out。　Better　to　die　at　dawn。　Far　better。
His　thoughts　turned　to　Heller。　Victory　had　been　almost　within　his　grasp　when　everything　had　e　so　unaccountably　unstuck。　The　headlines　he　had　been　getting　for　Heller　had　been　magnificent！　He　fondly　recalled　the　stories　about　Toots　Switch；　Maizie　Spread　and　Dolores　Pubiano　de　Copula。　Absolute　masterpieces；　guaranteed　to　stamp　the　name　of　Wister　indelibly　forever　upon　the　public　consciousness。　Wister　would　have　bee　known；　as　those　trials　progressed；　as　the　greatest　outlaw　lover　in　history。　And　such　plans　he　had　had；　to　embellish　and　add　glitter　to　the　outlaw　part　of　it！　Wister　robbing　the　Federal　Reserve　Bank　had　been　the　least　of　his　PR　projections。　He　could　have　made　it　all　soar　to　greater　and　greater　heights。　He　could　have　had　every　law…enforcement　agency　in　the　world；　every　one　of　them　from　Nazi　Interpol　right　on　down　to　the　meanest　town　cop；　absolutely　baying　on　Wister's　trail　and　slavering　to　catch　him。　It　would　have　ended　with　the　biggest　public　execution　man　had　ever　known。　Wister　would　have　been　absolutely　IMMORTAL！
Then　he　brightened　up。　He　could　do　the　same　thing　here　if　he　had　a　chance。　That　the　man's　real　name　was　Heller　made　no　difference　in　his　plans。　He　was　tireless　enough　to　simply　scrub　his　other　work　and　start　anew。　They　had　Domestic　Police。　They　had　the　Army　Division。　And　even　if　the　Fleet　might　be　lukewarm　at　first；　he　could　heat　them　up。　If　he　worked　this　right；　he　would　have　the　whole　Apparatus　behind　him。
He　began　to　daydream　in　the　dim　and　empty　hall：　headlines　about　Heller　robbing　the　estates　of　Lords　and　giving　the　proceeds　to　the　poor；　Heller　robbing　spaceships；　18…point　type；　Heller　kidnapping　the　daughter　of　some　earl　or　duke　and　story　after　story　of　her　pleading　with　him　piteously　to　be　raped…how　the　public　would　LOVE　it！　Headlines　of　Heller　robbing　every　bank　on　every　planet　of　the　entire　Confederacy；　each　one　with　a　new　twist；　each　one　with　new　blood；　each　one　with　new　staggering　amounts　of　loot　being　given　to　the　poor。　What　a　hero　he　would　be！　Heller；　the　most　hunted　outlaw　in　125；000　years！　Confederacy　history！　MAGNIFICENT！
Then　he　had　another　idea：　He　could　hyphenate　Heller's　name。　He　could　call　him　Heller…Wister　and　rake　in　and　rake　over　ALL　the　earlier　stories；　spreading　them　throughout　the　entire　Confederacy。　No；　his　earlier　work　was　NOT　lost…it　was　only　being　amplified！
Ah；　now　he　was　getting　somewhere。　And　he　could　safely　begin　to　dream　the　greatest　dream　of　all：　Madison　walking　up　to　Bury　in　a　sort　of　offhand　way；　〃Well；　Mr。　Bury；　I　finally　finished　a　job　for　you。　Heller…Wister　is　immortal。〃　And　Mr。　Bury　would　take　him　by　the　hand；　tears　of　gratitude　sparkling　in　his　eyes　and　in　a　voice　charged　with　emotion　say；　〃Madison；　you　are　restored　to　grace。　Please；　please　accept　the　presidency　of　F。　F。　B。　O。　and　please　forgive　me　for　ever　doubting　you　for　a　second。　Never　again　will　I　chase　you　in　army　tanks！〃
The　glow　faded。　A　chill　wind　blew　in　the　hall。　The　reality　of　the　situation　was　that；　right　now；　if　Bury　even　caught　sight　of　him；　even　providing　he　could　get　home；　he　would　be　stood　up　against　a　wall　and　shot。　It　was　death　if　he　did　not　succeed　with　Heller…Wister。　Death　without　even　the　fort　of　a　blindfold　or　cigarette：　it　was　a　good　thing　he　didn't　smoke。
A　bit　of　the　rock　music　from　down　below　beat　for　a　moment　more　loudly　against　the　floor。　The　rhythm　sounded　so　much　like　Earth　that　it　gave　him　pause。　He　began　to　get　a　sort　of　hunted　feeling：　Bury　was　sort　of　supernatural…maybe　he　could　even　reach　him　here！　When　he　thought　of　possible　links　between　Rock