cb.imajica1-第94部分

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n　he'd　first　e　here　appeared：　the　mustached　young　man。　His　robes　were　not　held　between　his　teeth　this　time；　and　when　he　spoke　he　deigned　to　do　so　in　English。　But　the　lethal　ribbon　still　fluttered　in　his　hands；　its　threat　undisguised。
〃You　came　back；〃　he　said。
　〃Where's　Pie？〃
　〃Where's　the　girl　child？〃
　〃Dead。　Where's　Pie？〃
　〃You　seem　different。〃
　〃I　am。　Where's　Pie？〃
　〃Not　here。〃　〃Where　then？〃
　〃The　mystif　s　gone　up　to　the　palace；〃　the　man　replied。　〃Why？〃
　〃That　was　the　judgment　upon　it。〃　〃Just　to　go？〃　Gentle　said；　taking　a　step　towards　the　man。　〃There　must　have　been　more　to…it　than　that。〃
　Though　the　silk　sword　protected　the　man；　Gentle　came　with　a　burden　of　power　that　beggared　his　own；　and　sensing　this　he　answered　less　obliquely。
　〃The　judgment　was　that　it　kill　the　Autarch；〃　he　said。　〃So　it's　been　sent　up　there　alone？〃　〃No。　It　took　some　of　our　tribe　with　it　and　left　a　few　of　us　to　guard　the　Kesparate。〃
　〃How　long　ago　since　they　went？〃　〃Not　very　long。　But　you　won't　get　into　the　palace。　Neither　will　they。　It's　suicide。〃
　Gentle　didn't　linger　to　argue　but　headed　back　towards　the　entrance；　leaving　the　man　to　guard　the　blossoms　and　the　empty　streets。　As　he　approached　the　gate；　however；　he　saw　that　two　individuals；　a　man　and　a　woman；　had　just　entered　and　were　looking　his　way。　Both　were　naked　from　the　waist　up；　their　throats　painted　with　the　blue　triple　stripe　he　remembered　from　the　siege　at　the　harbor；　marking　them　as　members　of　the　Dearth。　At　his　approach；　both　acknowledged　him　by　putting　palm　to　palm　and　inclining　their　heads。　The　woman　was　half　as　big　again　as　her　panion；　her　body　a　glorious　machine；　her　head…shaved　but　for　a　ponytail…set　on　a　neck　wider　than　her　cranium　and；　like　her　arms　and　belly；　so　elaborately　muscled　the　merest　twitch　was　a　spectacle。
　〃I　said　he'd　be　here！〃　she　told　the　world。　〃I　don't　know　what　you　want；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　can't　supply　it。〃
　〃You　are　John　Furie　Zacharias？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Called　Gentle？〃
　〃Yes。　But…〃
　〃Then　you　have　to　e。　Please。　Father　Athanasius　sent　us　to　find　you。　We　heard　what　happened　on　Lickerish　Street；　and　we　knew　it　had　to　be　you。　I'm　Nikaetomaas；〃　the　woman　said。　〃This　is　Roccus　Dado。　We've　been　waiting　for　you　since　Estabrook　arrived。〃
　〃Estabrook？〃　said　Gentle。　There　was　a　man　he　hadn't　given　a　thought　to　in　many　a　month。　〃How　do　you　know　him？〃
　〃We　found　him　in　the　street。　We　thought　he　was　the　one。　But　he　wasn't。　He　knew　nothing。〃
　〃And　you　think　I　do？〃　Gentle　said；　exasperated。　〃Let　me　tell　you；　I　know　fuck…all！　I　don't　know　who　you　think　I　am；　but　I'm　not　your　man。〃
　〃That's　what　Father　Athanasius　said。　He　said　you　were　in　ignorance…〃
　〃Well；　he　was　right。〃
　〃But　you　married　the　mystif。〃
　〃So　what？〃　said　Gentle。　〃I　love　it；　and　I　don't　care　who　knows　it。〃
　〃We　realize　that；〃　Nikaetomaas　said；　as　though　nothing　could　have　been　plainer。　〃That's　how　we　tracked　you。〃
　〃We　knew　it　would　e　here；〃　Floccus　said。　〃And　wherever　it　had　gone；　you　would　be。〃
　〃It　isn't　here；〃　Gentle　said。　〃It's　up　in　the　palace。〃
　〃In　the　palace？〃　said　Nikaetomaas；　turning　her　gaze　up　towards　the　lowering　walls。　〃And　you　intend　to　follow　it？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Then　I'll　e　with　you；〃　she　said。　〃Mr。　Dado；　go　back　to　Athanasius。　Tell　him　who　we've　found　and　where　we've　gone。〃
　〃I　don't　want　pany；〃　Gentle　said。　〃1　don't　even　trust　myself。〃
　〃How　will　you　get　into　the　palace　without　someone　at　your　side？〃　Nikaetomaas　said。　〃I　know　the　gates。　I　know　the　courtyards。〃
　Gentle　turned　the　options　over　in　his　head。　Part　of　him　wanted　to　go　as　a　rogue；　carrying　the　chaos　he'd　brought　to　Lickerish　Street　as　his　emblem。　But　his　ignorance　of　palace　geography　could　indeed　slow　him；　and　minutes　might　make　the　difference　between　finding　the　mystif　alive　or　dead。　He　nodded　his　consent；　and　the　parties　divided　at　the　gate：　Floccus　Dado　back　to　Father　Athanasius；　Gentle　and　Nikaetomaas　up　towards　the　Autarch's　fortress。
　The　only　subject　he　broached　as　they　traveled　was　that　of　Estabrook。　How　was　he；　Gentle　asked：　still　crazy？
　〃He　was　almost　dead　when　we　found　him；〃　Nikaetomaas　said。　〃His　brother　left　him　here　for　dead。　But　we　took　him　to　our　tents　on　the　Erasure；　and　we　healed　him　there。　Or；　more　properly；　his　being　there　healed　him。〃
　〃You　did　all　this；　thinking　he　was　me？〃
　〃We　knew　that　somebody　was　going　to　e　from　the　Fifth　to　begin　the　Reconciliation　again。　And　of　course　we　knew　it　had　to　be　soon。　We　just　didn't　know　what　he　looked　like。〃
　〃Well；　I'm　sorry　to　disappoint　you；　but　that's　twice　you've　got　it　wrong。　I'm　no　more　your　man　than　Estabrook。〃
　〃Why　did　you　e　here；　then？〃　she　said。
　That　was　an　inquiry　that　deserved　a　serious　reply；　if　not　for　her　sake；　then　for　his　own。
　〃There　were　questions　I　wanted　answered；　that　I　couldn't　answer　on　earth；〃　he　said。　〃A　friend　of　mine　died；　very　young。　A　woman　I　knew　was　almost　murdered…〃
　〃Judith。〃
　〃Yes；　Judith。〃
　〃We've　talked　about　her　a　great　deal；〃　Nikaetomaas　said。　〃Estabrook　was　obsessed　with　her。〃
　〃Is　he　still？〃
　〃I　haven't　spoken　to　him　for　a　long　time。　But　you　know　he　was　trying　to　bring　her　to　Yzordderrex　when　his　brother　intervened。〃
　〃Did　she　e？〃
　〃Apparently　not；〃　Nikaetomaas　said。　〃But　Athanasius　believes　she　will　eventually。　He　says　she's　part　of　the　story　of　the　Reconciliation。〃
　〃How　does　he　work　that　out？〃
　〃From　Estabrook's　obsession　with　her；　I　suppose。　The　way　he　talked　about　her；　it　was　though　she　was　something　holy；　and　Athanasius　loves　holy　women。〃
　〃Let　me　tell　you；　I　know　Judith　very　well；　and　she's　no　Virgin。〃
　〃There　are　other　kinds　of　sanctity　among　our　sex；〃　Nikaetomaas　replied；　a　little　testily。
　〃I'm　sorry。　I　didn't　mean　any　offense。　But　if　there's　one　thing　Jude's　always　hated　it's　being　put　on　a　pedestal。〃
　〃Then　maybe　it's　not　the　idol　we　should　be　studying；　but　the　worshiper。　Athanasius　says　obsession　is　fire　to　our　fortress。〃
　〃What　does　that　mean？〃
　〃That　we　have　to　burn　down　the　walls　around　us；　but　it　takes　a　very　bright　flame　to　do　so。〃
　〃An　obsession；　in　other　words。〃
　〃That's　one　such　flame；　yes。〃
　〃Why　would　we　want　to　burn　down　these　walls　in　the　first　place？　Don't　they　protect　us？〃
　〃Because　if　we　don't；　we　die　inside；　kissing　our　own　reflections；〃　Nikaetomaas　said；　the　reply　too　well　turned　to　be　improvised。
　〃Athanasius　again？〃　Gentle　said。
　〃No；〃　said　Nikaetomaas。　〃An　aunt　of　mine。　She's　been　locked　up　in　the　Bastion　for　years；　but　in　here〃…Nikaetomaas　pointed　to　her　temple…〃she's　free。〃
　〃And　what　about　the　Autarch？〃　Gentle　said；　turning　his　gaze　up　towards　the　fortress。
　〃What　about　him？〃
　〃Is　he　up　there；　kissing　his　reflection？〃
　〃Who　knows？　Maybe　he's　been　dead　for　years；　and　the　state's　running　itself。〃
　〃Do　you　seriously　believe　that？〃
　Nikaetomaas　shook　her　head。　〃No。　He's　alive；　behind　his　walls。〃
　〃What's　he　keeping　out；　I　wonder？〃
　〃Who　knows？　Whatever　he's　afraid　of；　I　don't　think　it　breathes　the　same　air　that　we　do。〃
　Before　they　left　the　rubble…strewn　thoroughfares　of　the　Kesparate　called　Hittahitte；　which　lay　between　the　gates　of　the　Eurhetemec　Kesparate　and　the　wide　Roman　streets　of　Yzordderrex's　bureaucratic　district；　Nikaetomaas　dug　around　in　the　ruins　of　a　garret　for　some　means　of　disguise。　She　found　a　collection　of　filthy　garments　which　she　insisted　Gentle　don；　then　found　some　equally　disgusting　for　herself。　Their　faces　and　physiques　had　to　be　concealed；　she　explained；　so　that　they　could　mingle　freely　with　the　wretched　they'd　find　gathered　at　the　gates。　Then　they　headed　on；　their　climb　bringing　them　into　streets　lined　with　buildings　of　classical　severity　and　scale；　as　yet　unscorched　by　the　torches　that　were　being　passed　from　hand　to　hand；　roof　to　roof；　in　the　Kesparates　below。　They　would　not　remain　pristine　much　longer；　Nikaetomaas　predicted。　When　the　rebels'　fire　reached　these　edifices…the　Taxation　Courts　and　the　Bureaus　of　Justice…it　would　leave　no　pillar　unblack…ened。　But　for　now　the　travelers　moved　between　monoliths　as　quiet　as　mausoleums。
　On　the　other　side；　the　reason　for　their　donning　of　stinking　and　louse…ridden　clothes　became　apparent。　Nikaetomaas　had　brought　them　not　to　one　of　the　great　gates　of　the　palace　but　to　a　minor　opening；　around　which　a　group　dressed　in　motley　indistinguishable　from　their　own　was　gathered。　Some　of　them　carried　candles。　By　their　fitful　light　Gentle　could　see　that　there　was　not　a　single　body　that　was　whole　among　them。
　〃Are　they　waiting　to　get　in？〃　he　asked　his　guide。
　〃No。　This　is　the　gate　of　Saint　Creaze　and　Saint　Evendown。　Have　you　not　heard　of　them　in　the　Fifth？　I　thought　that's　where　they　were　martyred。〃
　〃Very　possibly。〃
　〃They　appear　everywhere　in　Yzordderrex。　Nursery　rhymes；　puppet　plays…〃
　〃So　what　happens　here？　Do　the　saints　make　personal　appearances？〃
　〃After　a　fashion。〃
　〃And　what　are　these　people　hoping　for？〃　Gentle　asked；　casting　a　glance　among　the　wretched　assembly。　〃Healing？〃
　They　were　certainly　in　dire　need　of　such　miracles。　Crippled　and　diseased；　suppurating　and　broken；　some　of　them　looked　so　weak　they'd　not　make　it　till　morning。
　〃No；〃　Nikaetomaas　replied。　〃They're　here　for　sustenance。　I　only　hope　the　saints　aren't　too　distracted　by　the　revolution　to　put　in　an　appearance。〃
　She'd　no　sooner　spoken　than　the　sound　of　an　engine　chugging　into　life　on　the　far　side　of　the　gates　pitched　the　crowd　into　frenzy。　Crutches　became　weapons；　and　diseased　spittle　flew；　as　the　invalids　fought　for　a　place　close　to　the　bounty　they　knew　was　imminent。　Nikaetomaas　pushed　Gentle　forward　into　the　brawl；　where　he　was　obliged　to　fight；　though　he　felt　ashamed　to　do　so；　or　else　have　his　limbs　torn　from　their　sockets　by　those　who　had　fewer　than　he。　Head　down；　arms　flailing；　he　dug　his　way　forward　as　the　gates　began　to　open。
　What　appeared　on　the　other　side　drew　gasps　of　devotion　from　all　sides　and　one　of　incredulity　from　Gentle。　Trundling　forward　to　fill　the　breadth　of　the　gates　was　a　fifteen…foot　study　in　kitsch：　a　sculpted　representation　of　Saints　Creaze　and　Evendown；　standing　shoulder　to　shoulder；　their　arms　stretched　out　towards　the　yearning　crowd；　while　their　eyes　rolled　in　their　carved　sockets　like　those　of　carnival　dummies；　looking　down　on　their　flock　as　if　affrighted　by　them　one　moment　and　up　to　heaven　the　next。　But　it　was　their　appar