ib.thewaspfactory-第24部分

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the　face　for　as　long　as　it　likes；　inspecting　the　tiny　candles　with　its　dead　cousins　buried　inside　if　it　likes；　or　ignoring　them　if　it　would　rather。
　　
　　Having　made　its　way　to　the　edge　of　the　face；　though；　where　I　have　sealed　it　with　a　wall　of　plywood　two　inches　high；　topped　with　a　metre…circle　of　glass　I　had　the　glazier　in　the　town　make　specially；　the　wasp　can　enter　one　of　twelve　corridors　through　little　wasp…sized　doors；　one　opposite　each　of　those…to　the　wasp…　vast　numerals。　If　the　Factory　so　chooses；　the　weight　of　the　wasp　trips　a　delicate　see…saw　trigger　made　from　thin　pieces　of　tin　can；　thread　and　pins；　and　a　tiny　door　closes　behind　the　insect；　confining　it　to　the　corridor　it　has　chosen。　Despite　the　fact　that　I　keep　all　the　door　mechanisms　well　oiled　and　balanced；　and　repair　and　test　them　until　the　slightest　tremor　sets　them　off…I　have　to　tread　very　lightly　when　the　Factory　is　doing　its　slow　and　deadly　work…sometimes　the　Factory　does　not　want　the　wasp　in　its　first　choice　of　corridor；　and　lets　it　crawl　back　out　on　to　the　face　again。
　　
　　Sometimes　the　wasps　will　fly；　or　crawl　upside　down　on　the　bottom　of　the　circle　of　glass；　sometimes　they　stay　a　long　time　by　the　closed…off　hole　in　the　centre　through　which　they　enter；　but　sooner　or　later　they　all　choose　a　hole　and　a　door　which　work；　and　their　fate　is　sealed。
　　
　　Most　of　the　deaths　the　Factory　has　to　offer　are　automatic；　but　some　do　require　my　intervention　for　the　coup　de　grace；　and　that；　of　course；　has　some　bearing　on　what　the　Factory　might　be　trying　to　tell　me。　I　must　pull　the　trigger　on　the　old　air…gun；　if　the　wasp　crawls　down　it；　I　must　turn　on　the　current　if　it　falls　into　the　Boiling　Pool。　If　it　ends　up　crawling　into　the　Spider's　Parlour　or　the　Venus　Cave　or　the　Antery；　then　I　can　just　sit　and　watch　nature　take　its　course。　If　its　path　takes　it　to　the　Acid　Pit　or　the　Ice　Chamber　or　the　rather　jocularly　named　Gents　（where　the　instrument　of　ending　is　my　own　urine；　usually　quite　fresh）；　then　again　I　can　merely　observe。　If　it　falls　into　the　many　charged　spikes　of　the　Volt　Room；　I　can　watch　the　insect　get　zapped；　if　it　trips　the　Deadweight；　I　can　watch　it　get　crushed　and　ooze；　and；　if　it　stumbles　through　to　the　Blade　Corridor；　I　can　see　it　chopped　and　writhe。　When　I　have　some　of　the　alternative　deaths　attached　I　can　watch　it　tip　molten　wax　over　itself；　see　it　eat　poisoned　jam　or　be　skewered　to　a　pin　propelled　by　a　rubber　band；　it　can　even　set　off　a　chain　of　events　which　ought　to　end　with　it　trapped　in　a　sealed　chamber　blasted　by　carbon　dioxide　from　a　soda…syphon　bulb；　but　if　it　should　choose　either　the　hot　water　or　the　rifled　length　of　the　Twist　of　Fate；　then　I　have　to　take　a　direct　part　in　its　death。　And；　if　it　goes　for　the　Fiery　Lake；　it　is　me　who　has　to　press　the　rod　which　flicks　the　lighter　which　ignites　the　petrol。
　　
　　Death　by　fire　has　always　been　at　Twelve；　and　it　is　one　of　the　Ends　never　replaced　by　one　of　the　Alternatives。　I　have　signified　Fire　as　Paul's　death；　that　happened　near　to　midday；　just　as　Blyth's　exit　by　venom　is　represented　by　the　Spider's　Parlour　at　Four。　Esmerelda　probably　died　by　drowning　（the　Gents）；　and　I　put　her　time　of　death　arbitrarily　at　Eight；　to　keep　things　symmetrical。
　　
　　I　watched　the　wasp　e　up　out　of　the　jar；　under　a　photograph　of　Eric　I　had　placed　face　down　on　the　glass。　The　insect　wasted　no　time；　it　was　up　on　the　face　of　the　Factory　in　seconds。　It　crawled　over　the　maker's　name　and　the　vear　the　clock　was　born；　ignored　the　wasp　candles　totally；　and　went　more　or　less　straight　for　the　big　XII；　over　that　and　through　the　door　opposite；　which　snicked　quietly　closed　behind　it。　It　went　at　a　fast　crawl　down　the　corridor；　through　the　lobster…pot　funnel　made　from　thread　which　would　stop　it　from　turning　back；　then　entered　the　highly　polished　steel　funnel　and　slipped　down　into　the　glass…covered　chamber　where　it　would　die。
　　
　　I　sat　back　then；　sighing。　I　pushed　a　hand　through　my　hair　and　leaned　forward　again；　watching　the　wasp　where　it　had　fallen　as　it　clambered　about　the　blackened　and　rainbowcoloured　bowl　of　steel　mesh　which　had　been　sold　as　a　tea…strainer　but　now　hung　over　a　bowl　of　petrol。　I　smiled　ruefully。　The　chamber　was　well　ventilated　with　many　small　holes　in　the　metal　top　and　bottom　of　the　glass　tube；　so　that　the　wasp　would　not　choke　on　the　petrol　fumes；　a　slight　odour　of　petrol　could　usually　be　sensed　when　the　Factory　was　primed；　if　you　put　your　mind　to　it。　I　could　smell　that　petrol　as　I　watched　the　wasp；　and　perhaps　there　was　just　a　trace　of　drying　paint　in　the　atmosphere；　too；　though　I　couldn't　be　sure。　I　shrugged　to　myself　and　pushed　down　on　the　chamber　button；　so　that　a　length　of　dowling　slid　down　its　guide　of　aluminium　tent…pole　and　came　into　contact　with　the　wheel　and　gas…release　mechanism　on　top　of　the　disposable　lighter　poised　over　the　pool　of　petrol。
　　
　　It　didn't　even　need　a　few　tries　to　catch；　it　went　first　time；　and　the　thin　flames；　still　quite　bright　in　the　early　gloom　of　the　morning…lit　loft；　curled　and　licked　about　the　open　mesh　of　the　strainer。　The　flames　did　not　go　through；　but　the　heat　did；　and　the　wasp　flew　up；　buzzing　angrily　above　the　silent　flames；　bumping　against　the　glass；　falling　back；　hitting　the　side　of　the　strainer；　going　over　the　edge；　starting　to　fall　into　the　flames；　then　flying　back　up　again；　knocking　off　the　steel　tube　of　the　funnel　a　few　times；　then　falling　back　into　the　steel…mesh　trap。　It　leaped　up　a　final　time；　flew　hopelessly　for　a　few　seconds；　but　its　wings　must　have　been　singed；　because　it　was　crazily　erratic　in　its　flight　and　soon　fell　into　the　gauze　bowl　and　died　there；　struggling；　then　curling；　then　staying　still；　smoking　slightly。
　　
　　I　sat　and　watched　the　blackened　insect　bake　and　crisp；　sat　and　watched　the　calm　flames　rise　to　the　mesh　and　fan　round　it　like　a　hand；　sat　and　watched　the　reflection　of　the　little　quivering　flames　on　the　far　side　of　the　glass　tube；　then　at　last　reached　over；　unclipped　the　base　of　the　cylinder；　slid　the　petrol…dish　toward　me　under　a　metal　cover　and　snuffed　the　fire。　I　undid　the　top　of　the　chamber　and　reached　in　with　a　pair　of　tweezers　to　remove　the　body。　I　placed　it　in　a　matchbox　and　put　that　on　the　altar。
　　
　　The　Factory　does　not　always　give　up　its　dead；　the　acid　and　the　ants　leave　nothing；　and　the　Venus　fly…trap　and　the　spider　give　back　only　a　husk；　if　anything。　Again；　though；　I　had　a　burned　body；　again　I　would　have　to　do　some　disposing。　I　put　my　head　in　my　hands；　rocking　forward　on　the　small　stool。　The　Factory　surrounded　me；　the　altar　was　at　my　back。　I　gazed　round　the　Factory's　paraphernalia　of　places；　its　many　ways　to　death；　its　crawlways　and　corridors　and　chambers；　its　lights　at　the　ends　of　tunnels；　its　tanks　and　containers　and　hoppers；　its　triggers；　its　batteries　and　threads；　supports　and　stands；　tubes　and　wires。　I　clicked　a　few　switches；　and　tiny　propellers　whirred　down　branch…corridors；　sending　air　sucked　down　vents　over　thimblefuls　of　jam　and　down　towards　the　face。　I　listened　to　them　for　a　while；　until　I　could　smell　jam　myself；　but　that　was　to　tempt　slow　wasps　to　their　ends；　and　not　for　me。　I　turned　the　motors　off。
　　
　　I　started　switching　everything　off；　disconnecting；　emptying　and　feeding。　The　morning　was　growing　stronger　in　the　space　beyond　the　skylights；　and　I　could　hear　a　couple　of　early　birds　calling　in　the　new　fresh　air。　When　the　ritual　standing…down　of　the　Factory　was　pleted　I　went　back　to　the　altar；　looking　round　it　at　all　its　parts；　the　assortment　of　miniature　plinths　and　small　jars；　the　souvenirs　of　my　life；　the　previous　things　I've　found　and　kept。　Photographs　of　all　my　dead　relations；　the　ones　I've　killed　and　the　ones　that　just　died。　Photographs　of　the　living：　Eric；　my　father；　my　mother。　Photographs　of　things；　a　BSA　500　（not　the　bike；　unfortunately；　I　think　my　father　destroyed　all　the　photographs　of　it）；　the　house　when　it　was　still　bright　with　swirling　paint；　even　a　photograph　of　the　altar　itself。
　　
　　I　passed　the　matchbox　containing　the　dead　wasp　over　the　altar；　waved　it　around　in　front　of　it；　before　the　jar　of　sand　from　the　beach　outside；　the　bottles　of　my　precious　fluids；　a　few　shavings　from　my　father's　stick；　another　matchbox　with　a　couple　of　Eric's　first　teeth　set　in　cotton　wool；　a　phial　with　some　of　my　father's　hair；　another　with　some　rust　and　paint　scraped　from　the　bridge　to　the　mainland。　I　lit　wasp　candles；　closed　my　eyes；　held　the　matchbox　coffin　in　front　of　my　forehead　so　that　I　could　feel　the　wasp　in　there　from　inside　my　head；　an　itching；　tickling　sensation　just　inside　my　skull。　After　that　I　blew　the　candles　out；　covered　the　altar；　stood　up；　dusted　down　my　cords；　took　up　the　photograph　of　Eric　I'd　placed　on　the　glass　of　the　Factory　and　wrapped　the　coffin　in　it；　secured　it　with　a　rubber　band　and　put　the　package　in　my　jacket　pocket。

　　
　　I　walked　slowly　along　the　beach　towards　the　Bunker；　my　hands　in　my　pockets；　my　head　down；　watching　the　sand　and　my　feet　but　not　really　watching　them。　Everywhere　I　turned　there　was　fire。　The　Factory　had　said　it　twice；　I　had　turned　to　it　instinctively　when　attacked　by　the　rogue　buck；　and　it　was　squeezed　into　every　spare　corner　of　my　memory。　Eric　brought　it　closer　all　the　time；　too。
　　
　　I　brought　my　face　up　to　the　sharp　air　and　the　pastel　blues　and　pink　of　the　new　sky；　feeling　the　damp　breeze；　hearing　the　hiss　of　the　distant；　outgoing　tide。　Somewhere　a　sheep　bleated。
　　
　　I　had　to　try　Old　Saul；　I　had　to　make　the　attempt　to　contact　my　mad；　crazy　brother　before　these　many　fires　conjoined　and　swept　Eric　away；　or　swept　my　life　on　the　island　away。　I　tried　to　pretend　to　myself　that　it　might　not　really　be　that　serious；　but　I　knew　in　my　bones　it　was；　the　Factory　does　not　lie；　and　for　once　it　had　been　paratively　specific。　I　was　worried。
　　
　　In　the　Bunker；　with　the　wasp's　coffin　resting　in　front　of　Old　Saul's　skull　and　the　light　ing　out　through　the　sockets　of　his　long…dried　eyes；　I　knelt　in　the　pungent　darkness　before　the　altar；　head　bowed。　I　thought　of　Eric；　I　remembered　him　as　he　was　before　he　had　his　unpleasant　experience；　when；　although　he　had　been　away　from　the　island；　he　was　still　really　part　of　it。　I　remembered　him　as　the　clever；　kind；　excitable　boy　he　had　been；　and　I　thought　of　what　he　was　now：　a　force　of　fire　and　disruption　appr