lrh.villainyvictorious-第20部分

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The　first　incipient　nervous　breakdown　occurred　when　the　son　of　Snor　had　been　unable　to　wake　his　father　up　long　enough　to　get　him　to　stamp　and　certify　a　blanket　order　giving　Madison　the　run　of　Homeview。　Finally　the　boy　had　been　persuaded　by　Teenie　to　go　back　and；　when　no　nurses　or　doctors　were　about；　and　out　of　the　sight　of　the　security　scanners；　get　Lord　Snor's　seal　of　the　Interior　Division　out　of　a　desk　and　stamp　the　order　himself。
The　next　threatened　crackup　happened　when　the　manager　of　Homeview　at　the　Joy　City　Studios　had　been　unable　to　believe　that　Lord　Snor　would　issue　such　an　order　and　had　tried　to　call　Palace　City　to　verify　it。　Unable　to　connect　with　Snor；　he　had　gotten　back　at　Madison…he　evidently　did　not　like　the　Apparatus…by　giving　him　a　lousy　crew。　No　director；　a　scrub　team　of　drivers　and　crewmen　and；　worst　of　all；　a　cameraman　whose　wife　had　just　left　him　and　who　was　not　yet　recovered　from　a　five…day　drunk。　〃A　stinking　order　from　the　stinking　Apparatus　to　do　a　stinking　event　only　deserves　a　stinking　crew；〃　he　had　said；　little　reckoning　that　he　was　putting　Madison's　life　on　the　line…and　he　probably　would　have　cheered　if　he　had　found　out。　〃We'll　put　it　in　the　Family　Hour；　so　hold　it　on　time；　for　we　won't　reprogram　all　of　Homeview　just　to　insert　a　stinking　clip。〃　Madison　had　left　him　wondering　what　the　blazes　a　PR　man　was　and　had　had　to　be　content　with　what　he　got。　Hair…raising！
Then　a　page　had　had　to　sneak　into　a　meeting　of　the　Grand　Council。　It　had　only　been　attended　by　five　members　and　these　were　all　bleary　with　speedballs。　The　page　had　slipped　the　prewritten　resolution　under　the　palsied　hand　of　the　Crown　who　was　stamping　something　else　and　then　he　had　to　get　it　logged　by　a　clerk　who　was　too　deaf　to　hear　things　that　were　being　passed。　Madison　had　crouched　outside　shivering　until　the　page　sauntered　out；　tapping　his　jacket　to　signify　he　now　had　a　legal　order　to　the　Master　of　Palace　City　to　change　building　names。
It　had　taken　every　credit　Teenie　could　scrape　up　to　bribe　the　Master　to　order　the　name　wanted　and　to　make　the　ceremonial　arrangements　for　the　right　minute　of　the　day。　If　this　final　result；　about　to　be　received；　did　not　work；　then　Teenie　would　be　after　his　blood　again。
And　then　there　had　been　the　struggle　of　pages　and　sons　to　get　most　of　the　Lords　to　feel　indulgent　enough　toward　children　to　agree　to　attend　the　affair；　followed　by　the　heroic　feat　of　actually　getting　them　into　their　robes　and　out　there。
Throughout　the　event；　Madison　had　been　too　tied　up　with　guiding　Lombar　to　keep　an　eye　on　the　Home…view　crew。　It　had　been　HARROWING　to　have　to　walk　along　with　dignified　mien　and　resist　all　cravings　to　watch　that　（bleeped）　cameraman　and　see　if　he　even　had　the　thing　on；　much　less　pointed　at　the　exact　required　angle。　If　Madison　had　looked；　the　camera　would　have　gotten　him　subjective…looking　into　its　lens…like　some　gawker。　So　as　of　right　here　and　now；　walking　across　the　antechamber；　bringing　the　chief　back　to　his　desk；　Madison　did　NOT　know　what　he　had　in　the　can。
Lombar　lumbered　to　his　desk　in　front　of　the　bolted　door　of　the　Emperor's　bedchamber　and　sank　down　in　his　chair。　There　was　no　telling　what　his　reaction　was　thus　far：　he　was　pletely　silent。
Madison　went　over　to　the　Homeview　screen　and　with　a　bit　of　fiddling　got　it　turned　on。　He　didn't　know　how　to　calculate　the　transmission　time　as　the　signal　had　left　Palace　City　through　a　thirteen…minute　future　drag；　had　been　transmitted　to　the　planetary　network　center　at　Joy　City　and　then　had　to　e　back　and　go　through　time　relays　to　get　back　into　Palace　City　time。　So　he　didn't　know　how　to　set　the　digitals　to　be　sure　he　was　ahead　of　the　program　on　the　screen's　recording　strip；　which　would　give　him　a　replay。　His　palms　were　dripping　and　his　hands　shook。
Oh；　God；　he　was　about　to　do　a　thing　which　no　PR　with　any　brains　would　ever　dream　of　doing：　showing　a　client　a　program　which　the　PR　himself　had　not　previewed。　With　a　drunk　cameraman；　heavens　knew　what　was　on　that　strip　and　if　that　camera　had　even　wobbled；　Madison　knew　he　would　be　dead。
He　abandoned　time　calculation。　He　just　yanked　the　strip　ahead　at　random　and　hoped　he　was　before　the　start　point　he　wanted。
He　got　the　afternoon　〃Family　Hour。〃　There　was　a　picture　of　a　woman　rocking　a　child　and　crooning　while　the　mentator　went　on　and　on　about　the　joys　of　motherhood。
Madison　stole　a　glance　at　Hisst　but　Hisst　was　just　sitting　there；　eyes　upon　the　screen。　Madison　couldn't　figure　the　reaction。
The　mentator　said　that　you　should　never　feed　a　child　anything　but　mother's　milk　so　that　〃what　gets　indrawn　with　sweet　nourishment　carries　with　it；　on　this　channel　of　deliciousness；　a　soft　and　vibrant　flow　of　love　and　family。〃
Madison　wished　desperately　he　knew　how　to　fast…forward　the　strip。　He　glanced　at　Hisst　to　see　how　he　was　taking　it：　the　yellow　eyes；　aside　from　their　ever…present　flicker　of　insanity；　were　unreadable。
The　picture　showed　a　lot　of　shots　of　strange　animals　rutting　in　dirt　and　the　announcer　condemned　all　beast　milk　as　imparting　only　lust　and　greed；　and　wound　up　in　style。
Now　there　came　a　series　of　views　of　ancient　buildings。　SCHOOLS！　Oh；　thank　heavens；　this　was　finally　the　start　of　the　program　they　had　just　enacted。
A　rather　nasal　mentator　voice　was　running　along　with　a　history　of　schools　and　began　to　show　those　which　had　been　named　after　members　of　the　Royal　family　and　even　Emperors。
Madison　cast　a　covert　glance　at　Hisst。　He　was　just　sitting　there　in　his　gaudy　scarlet　Apparatus　general's　full…dress　uniform；　more　like　a　brutish　Devil　than　a　man。　One　couldn't　tell　what　he　was　thinking。
Then　suddenly　the　part　that　Madison　had　been　waiting　for　came　on。　〃。。。　but　times　change　and　the　parade　of　power　across　the　stage　of　history　can　ever　glitter　to　new　heights。　Yesterday　it　was　determined　by　Lord　Snor；　Lord　of　the　Interior；　acting　through　the　Master　of　Palace　City；　to　celebrate　our　dedication　to　fineness　and　decency　in　tomorrow's　noblemen　and　courtiers　and　celebrate　as　well　the　glory　and　dedication　of　our　magnificent　and　relentless　protector　of　the　realm；　Lombar　Hisst；　Spokesman　of　the　Emperor。。。〃　Madison　thought　the　text　was　absolutely　great；　for；　after　all；　he　had　written　it　himself；　but　he　didn't　quite　like　the　trumpet　fanfare：　it　sounded　more　like　razzmatazz。　He　glanced　anxiously　at　Hisst　to　see　how　he　was　taking　it　but　Madison　could　get　no　reaction　at　all！
〃。。。　by　changing　the　name　of　the　Page　Royal　School　to　the　Hisst　Royal　School。〃
God；　thought　Madison；　he　isn't　even　blinking。　He's　just　sitting　there！　Can't　he　see　I've　built　in　a　name　association　so　people　will　think　of　him　as　Royal？　Yet；　no　sign。
There　were　pictures　of　the　school　and　past　classes；　then　a　picture　of　the　school　as　it　had　been　today。　（Bleep）！　It　looked　a　bit　shabbier！　It　was　a　round　pillbox　of　a　building　enclosing　a　hidden　sports　field；　big　enough；　but　some　of　the　blue　and　red　ropes；　in　stone；　had　gaps　in　them　and　there　was　even　a　broken　window！
But　the　cameraman；　even　though　his　camera　was　unsteady；　had　opened　up　the　view　and　there　were　the　two　lines　of　waiting　Lords！
Martial　music！
And　here　came　Hisst　striding　along　to　go　between　the　twin　lines　of　waiting　Lords；　each　Lord　flanked　by　a　son　or　a　page。　They　were　pretty　drugged…up　Lords　but　at　this　distance　one　missed　it。
NOW；　right　here；　this　was　the　tricky　part！　If　the　cameraman　erred　in　any　way；　Madison　was　dead；　dead；　dead！
Hisst　strode　between　the　two　lines。
THE　FIRST　ONES　BOWED！
Then；　as　Hisst　passed；　there　was　bow　and　bow　and　bow。　The　sons　and　pages　were　tugging　at　their　sleeves　and　every　Lord　was　bowing　very　low。
Madison　was　watching　so　closely　he　was　almost　losing　his　eyeballs。　One　slightest　slip　of　that　camera　and　he　would　be　executed！　And　the　cameraman　had　been　drunk！
Hisst　was　through　the　lines。　But　it　wasn't　over　yet。　Hisst　would　be　walking　that　path　again　presently　at　Madison's　utmost　peril。
On　the　screen；　Hisst　stepped　into　the　path　of　the　illusion　projector。　A　technician　turned　it　on。　And　the　electronic　illusion　of　Hisst；　two　hundred　feet　tall；　like　a　gigantic　red　Devil；　seemed　to　pat　the　top　of　the　school　and　the　speakers　boomed　out　as　he　blessed　it。
Screams　of　cheers　racketed。　Totally　and　only　boys；　and　piping　and　shrill。　Were　some　of　them　more　like　animal　calls？
One　could　not　tell　what　Hisst；　there　at　his　desk；　thought　of　any　of　it。　No　client　reaction！　Had　Hisst　seen　something　Madison　had　missed？　Oh；　pray　the　Lord；　no！
Hisst　was　walking　back　now。　The　martial　music　banged　and　throbbed。　Once　more　he　had　to　pass　between　the　lines　of　the　waiting　Lords。
Would　they　bow？
Would　the　cameraman　slip？
Ah；　the　first　two　Lords　bowed；　then　the　second　two；　then　the　third　pair。。。。　Madison　was　watching　every　inch　of　that　way　like　a　hawk…or　more　like　a　chicken　that　any　instant　could　get　its　head　cut　off。
Every　pair　of　Lords　bowed！
Hisst　climbed　into　his　local　ground　car　on　the　screen。
The　scene　shifted　to　a　cathedral　and　the　announcer　said；　〃We　will　now　bring　you　to　Casterly　Church　for　afternoon　vespers。〃
It　was　over。
Madison；　however；　knew　that　his　own　trial　was　not。　The　client　may　or　may　not　have　detected　something　Madison　had　not　seen。　The　client　reaction　was　everything！
Lombar　roused　himself。　He　pointed　at　the　screen　and　said；　〃Play　that　again！〃　Was　he　angry？　Was　he　pleased？　Had　he　suspected？
Madison　suffered　the　agonies　of　the　damned　while　the　strip　ran　through　once　more。
Then　Lombar　uttered　a　shuddering　sigh。　He　said；　〃They　bowed　to　me。〃
Then　he　sat　there　for　a　while。
Then　he　said；　〃They　bowed　to　me；　Lombar　Hisst；　a　moner。〃
Then　he　shook　his　head。　He　said；　〃If　I　hadn't　been　there　myself；　I　would　never　credit　it！〃
Then　he　sort　of　rotated　his　head　and　blinked　his　eyes　and　said；　〃Lords？　Bowing　to　a　moner？〃　Then；　〃It's　never　happened　before　in　the　whole　125；000　years　of　Voltar　history！〃
Then　he　was　blinking　rapidly。　〃It　can　only　mean　one　thing。　They　knew　about　the　angels！〃
〃Well；　I　wouldn't　count　on　them　bowing　all　the　time；〃　said　Madison。　〃After　all；　we　have　to　prepare　the　minds　of　the　people　to　eventually　accept　you　as　Emperor。〃
〃Yes；〃　said　Hisst。　〃Yes。　We　have　to　prepare　their　minds。〃　And　he　was　off　into　some　daydream；　spinning　in　who…knew…what　part　of　the　universe。
Madison　let　him　spin　for　a　little　while　but；　after　all；　this　was　a　client　and　he　had　to　close。
〃So　you　can　now　hono