cb.imajica1-第95部分

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on　their　flock　as　if　affrighted　by　them　one　moment　and　up　to　heaven　the　next。　But　it　was　their　apparel　that　drew　Gentle's　appalled　gaze。　They　were　clothed　in　their　largesse：　dressed　in　food　from　throat　to　foot。　Coats　of　meat；　still　smoking　from　the　ovens；　covered　their　torsos；　sausages　hung　in　steaming　loops　around　their　necks　and　wrists；　at　their　groins　hung　sacks　heavy　with　bread；　while　the　layers　of　their　skirts　were　of　fruit　and　fish。　The　crowd　instantly　surged　forward　to　denude　them；　the　brawlers　merciless　in　their　hunger；　beating　each　other　as　they　climbed　for　their　share。
　The　saints　were　not　without　defense；　however；　there　were　penalties　for　the　gluttonous。　Hooks　and　spikes；　expressly　designed　to　wound；　were　set　among　the　bountiful　folds　of　skirts　and　coats。　The　devotees　seemed　not　to　care；　but　climbed　up　over　the　statues；　disdainful　of　fruit　and　fish；　in　order　to　reach　the　steaks　and　sausages　above。　Some　fell；　doing　themselves　bloody　mischief　on　the　way　down；　others…scrambling　over　the　victims…reached　their　goals　with　shrieks　of　glee　and　set　about　loading　the　bags　on　their　backs。　Even　then；　in　their　triumph；　they　were　not　secure。　Those　behind　either　dragged　them　from　their　perches　or　pulled　the　bags　from　their　backs　and　pitched　them　to　acplices　in　the　crowd；　where　they　in　turn　were　set　upon　and　robbed。
　Nikaetomaas　held　on　to　Gentle's　belt　so　that　they　wouldn't　be　separated　in　this　melee；　and　after　much　maneuvering　they　reached　the　base　of　the　statues。　The　machine　had　been　designed　to　block　the　gates；　but　Nikaetomaas　now　squatted　down　in　front　of　the　plinth；　and…her　activities　concealed　from　the　guards　watching　from　above　the　gate…tore　at　the　casing　that　housed　the　vehicle's　wheels。　It　was　beaten　metal；　but　it　came　away　like　cardboard　beneath　her　assault；　its　rivets　flying。　Then　she　ducked　into　the　gap　she'd　created。　Gentle　followed。　Once　below　the　saints；　the　din　of　the　crowd　became　remoter；　the　thump　of　bodies　punctuating　the　general　hubbub。　It　was　almost　pletely　dark；　but　they　shimmied　forward　on　their　stomachs；　the　engine…huge　and　hot…dripping　its　fluids　on　them　as　they　went。　As　they　reached　the　other　side；　and　Nikaetomaas　began　to　prize　away　the　casing　there；　the　sound　of　shouting　became　louder。　Gentle　looked　around。　Others　had　discovered　Nikaetomaas1　handiwork　and；　perhaps　thinking　there　were　new　treasures　to　be　discovered　beneath　the　idols；　were　following：　not　two　or　three；　now；　but　many。　Gentle　began　to　lend　Nikaetomaas　a　hand；　as　the　space　filled　up　with　bodies；　new　brawls　erupting　as　the　pursuers　fought　for　access。　The　whole　structure；　enormous　as　it　was；　began　to　shudder；　the　bination　of　brawlers　below　and　above　conspiring　to　tip　it。　With　the　violence　of　the　rocking　increasing　by　the　moment；　Gentle　had　sight　of　escape。　A　sizable　courtyard　lay　on　the　other　side　of　the　saints；　scored　by　the　tracks　of　the　engine　and　littered　with　discarded　food。
　The　instability　of　the　machine　had　not　gone　unnoticed；　and　two　guards　were　presently　forsaking　their　meal　of　prime　steak　and　raising　the　alarm　with　panicked　shouts。　Their　retreat　allowed　Nikaetomaas　to　wriggle　free　unnoticed；　then　turn　to　haul　Gentle　after　her。　The　juggernaut　was　now　close　to　toppling；　and　shots　were　being　fired　on　the　other　side　as　the　guards　above　the　gate　sought　to　dissuade　the　crowd　from　further　burrowings。　Gentle　felt　hands　grasping　at　his　legs；　but　he　kicked　back　at　them；　as　Nikaetomaas　dragged　him　forward；　and　slid　out　into　the　open　air　as　several　cracks；　like　sudden　thunder；　announced　that　the　saints　were　tired　of　teetering　and　ready　to　fall。　Backs　bent；　Gentle　and　Nikaetomaas　darted　across　the　rind…　and　crust…littered　ground　to　the　safety　of　the　shadows　as；　with　a　great　din　the　saints　fell　backwards　like　ic　drunkards；　a　mass　of　their　adherents　still　clinging　to　arms　and　coats　and　skirts。　The　structure　came　apart　as　it　hit　the　ground；　pitching　pieces　of　carved；　cooked；　and　crippled　flesh　in　all　directions。
　The　guards　were　descending　from　the　ramparts　now；　to　stem　with　bullets　the　flow　of　the　crowd。　Gentle　and　Nikaetomaas　didn't　linger　to　watch　this　fresh　horror　but　took　to　their　heels；　up　and　away　from　the　gates；　the　pleas　and　howls　of　those　maimed　by　the　fall　following　them　through　the　darkness。
　〃What's　the　din；　Rosengarten？〃
　〃There's　a　minor　problem　at　the　Gate　of　Saints；　sir。〃
　〃Are　we　under　siege？〃
　〃No。　It　was　merely　an　unfortunate　accident。〃
　〃Fatalities？〃
　〃Nothing　significant。　The　gate's　now　been　sealed。〃
　〃And　Quaisoir？　How's　she？〃
　〃I　haven't　spoken　with　Seidux　since　early　evening。〃
　〃Then　find　out。〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　Rosengarten　withdrew；　and　the　Autarch　returned　his　attention　to　the　man　transfixed　in　the　chair　close　by。
　〃These　Yzordderrexian　nights；〃　he　said　to　the　fellow；　〃they're　so　very　long。　In　the　Fifth；　you　know；　they're　half　this　length；　and　I　used　to　plain　they　were　over　too　soon。　But　now〃…he　sighed…〃now　I　wonder　if　I　wouldn't　be　better　off　going　back　there　and　founding　a　New　Yzordderrex。　What　do　you　think？〃
　The　man　in　the　chair　didn't　reply。　His　cries　had　long　since　ceased；　though　the　reverberations；　more　precious　than　the　sound　itself；　and　more　tantalizing；　continued　to　shake　the　air；　even　to　the　ceiling　of　this　chamber；　where　clouds　sometimes　formed　and　shed　delicate；　cleansing　rains。
　The　Autarch　drew　his　own　chair　up　closer　to　the　man。　A　sac　of　living　fluid　the　size　of　his　head　was　clamped　to　the　victim's　chest；　its　limbs；　fine　as　thread；　puncturing　him；　and　reaching　into　his　body　to　touch　his　heart；　lungs；　liver；　and　lights。　He'd　summoned　the　entity；　which　was　the　shreds　of　a　once　much　more　fabulous　beast；　the　renunciance；　from　the　In　Ovo；　selecting　it　as　a　surgeon　might　choose　some　instrument　from　a　tray；　to　perform　a　delicate　and　very　particular　task。　Whatever　the　nature　of　such　summoned　beasts；　he　had　no　fear　of　them。　Decades　of　such　rituals　had　familiarized　him　with　every　species　that　haunted　the　In　Ovo；　and　while　there　were　certainly　some　he　would　never　have　dared　bring　into　the　living　world；　most　had　enough　base　instinct　to　know　their　master's　voice　and　would　obey　him　within　the　confines　of　their　wit。　This　creature　he'd　called　Abelove；　after　a　lawyer　he'd　known　briefly　in　the　Fifth；　who'd　been　as　leechlike　as　this　scrap　of　malice；　and　almost　as　foul　smelling。
　〃How　does　it　feel？〃　the　Autarch　asked；　straining　to　catch　the　merest　murmur　of　a　reply。　〃The　pain's　passed；　hasn't　it？　Didn't　I　say　it　would？〃
　The　man's　eyes　flickered　open；　and　he　licked　his　lips。　They　made　something　very　close　to　a　smile。
　〃You　feel　a　kind　of　union　with　Abelove；　am　I　right？　It's　worked　its　way　into　every　little　part。　Please　speak；　or　I'll　take　it　from　you。　You'll　bleed　from　every　hole　it's　made；　but　that　pain　won't　be　anything　beside　the　loss　you'll　feel。〃
　〃Don't。　。　。〃　the　man　said。　〃Then　talk　to　me；〃　the　Autarch　replied；　all　reason。　〃Do　you　know　how　difficult　it　is　to　find　a　leech　like　this？　They're　almost　extinct。　But　I　gave　this　one　to　you；　didn't　I？　And　all　I'm　asking　is　that　you　tell　me　how　it　feels。〃
　〃It　feels。　。　。　good。〃
　〃Is　that　Abelove　talking；　or　you？〃
　〃We're　the　same；〃　came　the　reply。
　〃Like　sex；　is　it？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Like　love；　then？〃
　〃No。　Like　I'm　unborn　again。〃
　〃In　the　womb？〃
　〃In　the　womb。〃
〃Oh；　God；　how　I　envy　you。　I　don't　have　that　memory。　I　never　floated　in　a　mother。〃
　The　Autarch　rose　from　his　chair；　his　hand　covering　his　mouth。　It　was　always　like　this　when　the　dregs　of　kreauchee　moved　in　his　veins。　He　became　unbearably　tender　at　such　times；　moved　to　expressions　of　grief　and　rage　at　the　obscurest　cue。
　〃To　be　joined　with　another　soul；〃　he　said；　〃indivisibly。　Consumed　and　made　whole　in　the　same　moment。　What　a　precious　joy。〃
　He　turned　back　to　his　prisoner；　whose　eyes　were　closing　again。　The　Autarch　didn't　notice。
　〃It's　times　like　this；〃　he　said；　〃I　wish　I　were　a　poet。　I　wish　I　had　the　words　to　express　my　yearning。　I　think　that　if　I　knew　that　one　day…I　don't　care　how　many　years　from　now；　centuries　even；　I　don't　care…if　I　knew　that　one　day　I　was　going　to　be　united；　indivisibly；　with　another　soul；　I　could　begin　to　be　a　good　man。〃
　He　sat　down　again　beside　the　captive；　whose　eyes　were　pletely　closed。
　〃But　it　won't　happen；〃　he　said；　tears　beginning　to　e。　〃We're　too　much　ourselves。　Afraid　of　letting　go　of　what　we　are　in　case　we're　nothing；　and　holding　on　so　tight　we　lose　everything　else。〃　Agitation　was　shaking　the　tears　out　of　his　eyes　now。　〃Are　you　listening　to　me？〃　he　said。
　He　shook　the　man；　whose　mouth　fell　open；　a　trickle　of　saliva　dribbling　from　one　corner。
　''Listen！〃　he　raged。　〃I'm　giving　you　my　pain　here！〃
　Receiving　no　response；　he　stood　up　and　struck　his　captive　across　the　face　so　hard　the　man　toppled　over；　the　chair　to　which　he　was　bound　falling　with　him。　The　creature　clamped　to　his　chest　convulsed　in　sympathy　with　its　host。
　〃I　didn't　bring　you　here　to　sleep！〃　the　Autarch　said。　〃I　want　you　to　share　your　pain　with　me。〃
　He　put　his　hands　on　the　leech　and　began　to　tear　it　from　the　man's　chest。　The　creature's　panic　flooded　its　host；　and　instantly　the　man　began　to　writhe；　the　cords　drawing　blood　as　he　fought　to　keep　the　leech　from　being　stolen。　Less　than　an　hour　before；　when　Abelove　had　been　brought　out　of　the　shadows　and　displayed　to　the　prisoner；　he'd　begged　to　be　spared　its　touch。　Now；　finding　his　tongue　again；　he　pleaded　twice　as　hard　not　to　be　separated　from　it；　his　pleas　swooping　into　screams　when　the　parasite's　filaments；　barbed　so　as　to　prevent　their　removal；　were　wrenched　from　the　organs　they'd　pierced。　As　soon　as　they　broke　surface　they　began　to　flail　wildly；　seeking　to　return　to　their　host　or　find　a　new　one。　But　the　Autarch　was　unmoved　by　the　panic　of　either　lover　and　divided　them　like　death　itself；　pitching　Abelove　across　the　chamber　and　taking　the　man's　face　in　fingers　sticky　with　his　infatuate's　blood。
　〃Now；〃　he　said。　〃How　does　it　feel？〃
　〃Give　it　back　。　。　。　please　。；。　give　it　back。〃
　〃Is　this　like　being　born？〃　the　Autarch　said。
　〃Whatever　you　say！　Yes！　Yes！　Just　give　it　back！〃
　The　Autarch　left　the　man's　side　and　crossed　the　chamber　to　the　spot　where　he'd　made　the　summoning。　He　picked　his　way　through　the　spirals　of　human　gut　he'd　arranged　on　the　floor　as　bait　and　snatched　up　the　knife　still　lying　in　the　blood　beside　th