jherbert.sepulchre-第32部分

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　　'Refreshing；　huh？'　he　said。　'I　love　the　rain。　It　purges　the　flesh。　Pure　and　fresh；　uncontaminated　by　human　effluence。　You　ought　to　get　dry。　Don't　want　my　bodyguard　ing　down　with　pneumonia。'
　　'I'll　take　a　bath　before　I　turn　in。'　He　realised　ruefully　there　would　be　scant　time　for　sleeping　if　he　were　to　keep　to　his　own　schedule。
　　The　room　was　like　most　others　at　Neath…sparsely　furnished　and　cold　in　atmosphere；　even　the　roaring　fire　Kline　had　ordered　to　be　lit　infusing　little　spiritual　warmth　to　the　surrounds。　Save　for　the　fire　glow　there　was　no　other　light　source　in　the　room；　for　Kline　had　switched　it　off　moments　before。　On　a　pedestal　in　one　corner；　its　face　animated　by　dancing　shadows；　stood　the　stone　figure　of　a　robed　woman；　the　eyes　were　wide　and　staring；　her　hair　swept　back　in　almost　mediaeval　style。　Above　the　mantel　over　the　fireplace　was　a　frieze　depicting　chariots　and　soldiers　on　the　march；　its　colours；　almost　lost　in　the　shadows；　were　of　blue　and　white　with　the　palest　of　reds　for　contrast。
　　'Made　of　shell　and　limestone；'　Kline　said　when　he　noticed　Halloran　studying　the　frieze　while　Khayed　tended　the　fire　and　Daoud　went　off　to　fetch　a　towel。　'Part　of　the　Royal　Standard　of　Ur。　See　one　of　the　enemy　being　crushed　by　a　chariot？　There　was　plenty　of　gore　in　art　and　literature　even　in　those　distant　days。　People's　taste　doesn't　change　much；　does　it？　You　know　anything　at　all　about　the　Sumerians；　Halloran？'　With　the　feeling　he　was　about　to　find　out；　Halloran　shook　his　head。　'History　was　never　one　of　my　strong　points。'
　　'Not　even　ancient　history？　I　think　you'd　have　found　it　fascinating。；　'I'm　more　concerned　with　what's　going　on　right　now。　You　agreed　to　answer　some　questions。'
　　'Sure。　Just　relax。　Let　me　tell　you　something　about　these　Sumerians　first；　okay？　Never　too　late　to　learn；　right？'　Daoud　returned　with　a　towel　at　that　moment；　which　he　handed　to　his　employer。
　　'You　can　go　ahead　and　feed　Palusinski；'　Kline　told　him。　'Our　Polish　friend　has　been　drooling　all　evening。'　The　Arab　grinned。　'I　have　kept　for　him　some　tasty　morsels；'　he　replied　and　beside　him；　having　pleted　his　task　at　the　fireplace；　Khayed　chuckled。　Halloran　noted　that；　unlike　yesterday；　Daoud　had　not　bothered　to　disguise　his　understanding　of　the　English　language。　Both　Arabs　gave　a　slight　bow　and　left　the　room。
　　Kline　dried　his　hair　with　the　towel；　his　rain…soaked　jeans　and　sweater　apparently　not　bothering　him。　Halloran　watched　his　client；　tiny　orange　glows　fluttering　in　Kline's　dark　eyes；　his　features　sharp　as　if　he　were　eager　for　conversation；　with　no　thought　for　the　lateness　of　the　hour。　One　side　of　the　psychic's　body　was　in　shadow；　the　side　close　to　the　fire　warmly　lit；　shades　of　yellow　dancing　on　his　skin。　His　chair　and　body　cast　one　corner　of　the　room　into　deep；　wavering　gloom；　but　from　its　midst　Halloran　could　see　and　feel　those　enlarged　eyes　of　the　stone　woman　staring　at　him。
　　Kline　draped　the　towel　over　his　head　like　a　shawl　so　that　only　the　tip　of　his　nose　and　chin　caught　the　glow　from　the　fire。　'Did　you　know　they　invented　the　written　word'　At　Halloran's　quizzical　expression　he　added；　'The　Sumerians。'
　　'No；　I　didn't　know　that；'　Halloran　answered　tonelessly。
　　'Yep。　And　they　were　the　first　to　count　in　units　of　ten　and　sixties。　That's　how　we　got　sixty　minutes　to　an　hour　and　sixty　seconds　in　a　minute。　They　applied　it　to　time；　y'see。　It's　why　we　divide　a　circle　into　360　degrees；　too。　Not　only　that；　but　those　old　boys　invented　the　wheel。　How　about　that？'
　　'Kline；　I'm　not　really　…'
　　'You　might　be。'　The　retort　was　sharp；　but　a　hand　was　immediately　raised；　palm　outwards；　to　indicate　no　offence　was　meant。　'They　knew　about　algebra　and　geometry；　even　had　some　idea　of　anatomy　and　surgery。　I'm　talking　about　3000　BC；　Halloran；　3000　BC　and　earlier。　Can　you　beat　that？　Shit；　the　rest　of　the　world　was　barely　past　Neolithic！'
　　'You　haven't　told　me　why　you　went　out　on　the　lake　tonight。'
　　'Huh？　I　thought　I　had。'
　　'No。'
　　'Okay；　okay。　Look；　would　you　believe　me　if　I　told　you　that　the　lake　acts　as　some　kind　of　conductor　to　my　psychic　power？　That　my　psyche　draws　strength　from　certain　physical　sources。　You　know　how　a　divining　rod　in　the　hands　of　special　people　is　attracted　towards　an　underground　spring　or　subterranean　lake；　how　it　vibrates　with　energy　and　bends　towards　the　source？　My　mind　does　the　same　thing；　only　it　also　absorbs　psychic　energy　from　these　places。'
　　'That's　impossible。　You're　mixing　the　physical　with　the　psychical。'
　　'And　you　naturally　assume　there's　no　connection　between　the　two。　Never　heard　of　kinetic　energy；　Halloran？　How　d'you　imagine　certain　gifted　people　can　move　inanimate　objects　through　the　power　of　their　own　minds？　It's　that　very　connection　I'm　talking　about；　the　link　between　the　physical　and　the　psychical。　There's　energy　in　everything　around　us；　but　energy　itself　has　no　form；　no　substance…it's　an　incorporeal　thing；　just　like　our　own　mindwave　patterns。　Is　it　getting　through　to　you；　or　are　you　the　type　that　never　wants　to　understand？'　Kline　was　leaning　forward　so　that　his　whole　face　was　in　the　shadow　of　the　cowl。　Halloran　did　not　respond　to　the　last　question。
　　'It's　the　reason　I　bought　Neatly'　Kline　went　on。　'In　these　grounds　I　have　my　own　psychic　generator…the　lake　itself；　one　huge　receptacle　for　spiritual　force。　You　saw　for　yourself　tonight　how　the　lightning　was　drawn　to　it；　and　how　those　mysterious　properties　of　the　waters　reacted。　There　are　hundreds；　maybe　thousands；　of　such　fields　on　our　earth；　places　that　different　races　have　worshipped　from；　built　their　shrines　on；　paid　homage　to；　since　man　first　became　aware　of　the　other　side　of　his　nature。　They　still　do　to　this　day。　And　very　few　really　understand　why。'　He　sat　back　and　the　towel　swung　away　from　his　jaw。　He　was　smiling。
　　'In　some　locations；　metaphysical　and　physical　deposits　bee　almost　one；　and　that's　because　both　kinds　of　energy　are　related。　The　moon　affects　the　minds　of　men；　ask　any　psychiatrist　or　psychologist；　as　well　as　influencing　the　earth's　tides。　Vast　mineral　deposits…ores；　oil；　gas　or　whatever…have　that　potential　because　they're　all　sources　of　energy。　How　d'you　think　I　locate　them　for　Magma？　My　mind's　attracted　to　them　because　it's　from　these　sources　that　it　draws　sustenance；　the　same　way　an　animal　can　sniff　food　from　great　distances；　a　shark　can　sense　blood　in　the　water　from　miles　away。　Instinct　or　mind…power'？　Or　is　it　all　the　same　thing？'　Halloran　understood　what　he　was　being　told；　could　even　appreciate　that　there　was　some　kind　of　weird　logic　to　it；　but　Kline's　dissertation　was　difficult　to　accept。　'Are　you　saying　the　lake　has　particular　properties；　minerals　that　…'
　　'I　don't　know　what　the　fuck　it　has；　Halloran。　Nor　do　I　care。　Maybe　there's　something　underneath　the　lake　itself；　or　in　the　sludge　swilling　on　the　bottom。　None　of　that　matters　to　me；　I'm　just　happy　to　have　my　own　private　supply。'　Kline　rubbed　at　his　hair　again　with　the　towel。　'I　still　have　to　search　out　sources　in　other　parts；　though。　Like　the　Bedouins　have　their　secret　water…holes　all　over　the　desert；　always　handy　when　one　dries　up；　I　have　my　own　wells。　It　involves　some　travelling；　but　like　they　say；　travel　broadens　the　mind。　Right？'
　　'Is　that　how　you　picked　up　your　bodyguards；　passing　through　various　countries？'　Halloran　asked；　keen　to　lead　the　conversation　away　from　such　'mystical'　overtones。
　　Kline　was　reflective。　'Yeah。　Yeah；　I　did　a　lot　of　travelling。　Found　suitable　people　along　the　way。'
　　'People　and　animals。　How　did　you　get　the　jackals　back　into　the　country？'　Kline　shook　his　head。　'They　were　bred　for　me　here。　Unusual　pets；　huh？'
　　'You　could　say。　I　can't　help　wondering　why　you　chose　such　a　breed。'
　　'Because　they're　despicable；　Halloran。　I　like　flat。'　Kline　chuckled　as　he　gazed　into　the　fire。　'And　they're　scavengers。　But　an　underestimated　species；　all　the　same。　Scavengers；　yes；　but　not　cowardly　as　popular　belief　would　have　it。　Oh　no；　they'd　fight　off　eagles　and　hyenas　for　food。　And　they'd　snatch　a　morsel　from　under　a　lion's　nose。'　He　shook　his　head　as　if　in　wonder。　'Cunning；　too。　You　know；　one　will　distract　a　mother　antelope　while　another　grabs　the　baby。　They'll　tear　off　pieces　of　a　kill　and　bury　them　in　different　places　for　another　day　to　foil　rival　scavengers。　They'll　even　swallow　food　and　regurgitate　it　later　to　avoid　the　risk　of　it　being　stolen　by　swooping　eagles　on　the　journey　back　to　their　young。　Wonderful　survivors；　these　creatures；　Halloran。'
　　'As　you　say；　they're　scavengers。'
　　'True；　their　main　diet　is　carrion；　but　they　appreciate　other　delights。　The　jackal　is　very　partial　to　the　afterbirth　of　the　wildebeeste；　for　instance。　They'll　follow　a　herd　for　miles　sniffing　after　the　pregnant　cows。'
　　'There　was　someone　with　them　tonight。　He　was　standing　by　the　lakeside。'　Kline　turned　back　to　Halloran。　'So？'
　　'I　assume　it　was　the　person　who　controls　the　gates。'　The　other　man　nodded。
　　'Someone　else　you　picked　up　abroad？'　Kline　ignored　the　question。　'I　haven't　finished　telling　you　about　the　Sumerians。　Did　I　say　they　were　the　first　astrologers？　No；　I　don't　think　I　did。　They　built　ziggurats；　massive　square　towers；　as　temple　observatories。　That　was　the　start　of　astronomy　just　in　case　you're　unimpressed　by　zodiac　predictions。'　He　draped　the　towel　over　his　head　again　and　rested　back　in　his　chair；　watching　Halloran　from　the　shadows。
　　'Their　nation　sprung　up　between　the　Rivers　Tigris　and　Euphrates　in　what　these　days　is　called　Iraq。　A　green；　lush　area；　desert　all　around。　It's　the　traditional　site　of　the　Garden　of　Eden；　where　that　bad　old　angel　called　Serpent　got　Adam　and　Eve　into　deep　trouble；　and　had　his　wings　clipped…his　legs　too…for　the　rift　he'd　caused。　Serpent　was　forced　to　spend　the　rest　of　his　existence　crawling　on　his　belly；　and　when　you're　immortal；　as　all　angels　are；　that's　a　long　time。　Anyway；　the　Sumerians　knew　how　to　govern　themselves；　with　laws　and　organisation　of　labour　forces　and　rates　and　taxes　and　coalitions　between　the　different　cities。　The　smaller　towns　and　villages　even　had　their　own　mayors　and　municipal　councils。　Thing　is；　they　took　their　farming　seriously　and　because　whole　munities　could　be　fed　by　a　few；　others　were　left　to　get　on　with　developing　new　skills　and　professions。　The　beginning　of　real　civilis