lrh.villainyvictorious-第35部分

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n't　figure　why　anybody　would　want　pictures　to　play　an　instrument。　You　simply　press　the　right　spots　hard　or　soft。　And　you　don't　want　that　second　box。　That's　drums；　cymbals　and　bells。〃
〃Ah！〃　said　Madison　and　promptly　went　to　work　with　his　tool　on　the　second　box。　He　found　another　slot　Jarp　hadn't　mentioned：　it　was　〃resonance。〃
Striking　one　note　repeatedly；　he　thought　he　finally　had　it　right。
He　wiped　off　his　hands；　flexed　his　fingers；　and　without　daring　to　hope；　experimentally　struck　a　chord。　It　felt　so　weird　not　to　have　anything　move。
Everything；　he　felt；　depended　upon　this　now。
He　took　a　deep　breath　and　began　to　play　〃Beale　Street　Blues。〃
He　got　very　interested。　This　thing　was　putting　out　sound　like　the　most　jangly　honky…tonk　piano　he　had　ever　heard。
He　was　making　an　AWFUL　lot　of　flubs　and　sour　chords。
Too　much　depended　on　this。　He　was　rattled。　He　stopped　playing　and　wiped　off　his　hands　again。　He　shook　his　fingers　in　the　air。　What　piece　had　he　been　enamored　with　and　had　played　a　lot？　Then　he　remembered。　It　was　Scott　Joplin's　music　they　had　used　in　the　movie　The　Sting。　It　seemed　very　appropriate。
He　started　playing。　This　instrument　really　did　have　a　wide　dynamic　range；　the　soft　was　soft　and　the　loud　was　LOUD！　He　started　to　give　it　the　heavy　downbeat　of　ragtime。
He　glanced　sideways　at　his　audience　of　two。　He　could　tell　nothing　from　their　faces。
He　thought　he　had　the　instrument　now。　He　reached　over　to　his　briefcase　and　whipped　out　a　sheet。　〃Now　this；〃　he　said；　〃is　one　of　the　lyrics　of　the　musical。〃　Nothing　had　been　easier　than　to　e　up　with　music；　for　he　could　pirate　the　entire　library　of　Earth　ragtime　and　blues　and　simply　get　words　written　to　it。　He　had　lifted　the　tune　〃The　Trickster　Rag〃　from　a　Broadway　musical　edy；　The　Con　Man。　The　ex…Royal　Academy　reporter　had　put　new　words　to　it。
〃If　you　would　like；〃　said　Madison；　〃I　will　play　the　melody　through　and　then　you　can　sing　it。　It's　called　'The　Outlaw。〃'
Hightee　took　it；　looked　at　it。　Madison　went　through　the　tune　and　then　Hightee　began　to　sing：

We　hunt　him　here；
We　hunt　him　there；
For　he　is　hiding　everywhere：
The　Outlaw！
In　your　favorite　boudoir；
If　you　hear　a　randy　snore；
Don't　look　further　anymore：
The　Outlaw！
If　you　step　into　a　bank
And　see　the　muzzle　of　a　tank；
Don't　ask　who　you　have　to　thank：
The　Outlaw！
If　there　is　a　town　to　steal；
If　the　jewels　are　very　real；
If　the　beauty　has　appeal：
The　Outlaw！
He'll　take　anything　you've　got；
Your　money；　girls；　the　whole　lot；
And　leave　you　tied　up　in　a　knot：
The　Outlaw！
He　will　use　the　smartest　lure
To　take　riches　from　a　boor
And　give　it　to　the　very　poor：
The　Outlaw！
So　for　this　man；　strike　up　the　band；
And　give　to　him　a　helping　hand；
For　he　will　give　us　the　whole　land：
THE　OUTLAW！

Her　brilliant　voice　died　away。
〃Of　course；〃　said　Madison；　〃when　you　sing　it　in　the　play；　you　will　be　wearing　black　shorts　and　boots　and　a　wide…rimmed　black　hat　and　you　will　have　a　gun　on　each　hip　and　then　draw　and　hold　up　the　audience　at　the　end　of　the　song。　And　then　the　Outlaw　himself　rushes　amongst　them；　robs　them　and　runs　off　to　give　it　to　the　poor。　Terrific　theater！〃
A　man　who　must　be　her　bandleader　had　drifted　in。
〃That's　an　amazing　downbeat；〃　said　Hightee。　〃What　do　you　think　of　it；　Tink？〃
〃Primitive；〃　said　Tink。　〃It　probably　came　from　the　backwoods　of　some　planet　like　Flisten　and　then　got　refined　a　bit。　Drums。　You　know；　es　from　beating　sticks　on　logs。　And　the　downbeat　is　probably　some　kind　of　a　charge　motion　at　a　wild　animal。　Hunter　enactment　dances。　You　know；　chug　chug　CHUG；　chug　chug　CHUG。〃
〃You　are　absolutely　right；〃　said　Madison。　〃Except　it　es　from　the　blacks　of　Africa　and　it　got　to　New　Orleans　and　caught　on　all　over　the　place。　It's　called　jazz。〃
〃You　sure　got　that　chorder…bar　sounding　crazy；〃　said　Tink。　〃Why　didn't　you　tune　it　up　for　him；　Jarp？〃
〃He　tuned　it；〃　said　Jarp　defensively。
〃It's　tuned　to　represent　a　honky…tonk　piano；〃　said　Madison。
〃Why　do　you　need　the　pictures　drawn　on　it？〃　said　Tink。
〃Listen；〃　said　Hightee；　glancing　at　her　locket　watch；　〃I've　got　to　run。　I　have　a　show　to　do　this　afternoon。　I'll　walk　you　to　your　car；　Madison。　Somebody　tell　my　maid　to　bring　me　a　jacket　and　tell　my　driver　to　run　out　an　airbus。〃
Madison　walked　with　her　out　of　the　music　practice　room。　He　had　no　clue　as　to　whether　he　had　won　or　lost。　An　awful　lot　depended　on　getting　this　image　built　so　he　could　fit　Heller　to　it。
Hightee　seemed　to　be　a　bit　thoughtful。　They　came　to　the　landing　target。　She　stopped　suddenly；　〃A　MODEL　99！　Good　Heavens！　I　didn't　think　they　ever　would　sell　one！〃
Madison　had　forgotten　all　about　Flick。　Suddenly　he　decided　he　could　at　least　use　this　meeting　to　prevent　further　robberies。　He　said；　〃My　driver　will　be　delighted　to　show　it　to　you。〃
Flick；　scarlet…faced；　trying　to　go　down　on　his　knees　but　too　frozen　to　even　make　them　bend；　just　stood　there。
Madison　said；　〃Flick　is　trying　to　ask　you　if　you'd　honor　him　by　letting　him　drive　you　to　the　studio。〃
〃That　would　be　an　adventure。　I've　heard　these　ride　like　a　cloud。〃　Her　maid　was　hurrying　up　with　her　things　and　she　turned　to　her。　〃Send　Tink　and　the　others　in　my　car。　I'm　going　to　take　a　ride　in　this　Model　99。〃
Flick　managed　to　get　himself　unglued　enough　to　open　the　door　for　her。　When　she　and　Madison　were　in；　Flick；　beet…red　and　gasping；　slid　under　the　controls。
They　flew　to　Joy　City　and　Flick　managed　it　without　ever　taking　his　eyes　off　the　mirrors　which　showed　him　Hightee　in　the　rear　seat。
They　landed　on　a　target　marked　Hightee　which　jutted　out　of　the　huge　dome。　Attendants　rushed　forward。　One　yelled　back　over　his　shoulder；　〃Hey！　Here's　Hightee　in　a　Model　99！〃
Flick　had　a　sudden；　obscured　fight　with　the　attendants　and　opened　the　door　himself。　Although　he　seemed　to　be　having　great　trouble　breathing；　he　stood　there；　straight　as　a　rod；　waiting　to　help　her　out　and　bow。
But　Hightee　did　not　get　out。　She　turned　to　Madison。　〃You　know；　Madison；　you're　a　nice　fellow。　But　any　friend　of　Jettero's　would　be。　I'm　absolutely　bowled　over　by　that…what's　its　name？　Piano　beat？　You　get　the　writer　to　do　the　rest　of　the　book　and　I'll　do　the　show。〃
When　she　had　disappeared　inside　the　dome；　Flick　said；　〃You're　an　absolute　wonder；　Chief。　I　actually　drove　her　in　the　car！　I'm　a　totally　changed　and　reformed　man！〃
Madison　didn't　even　hear　him。　As　they　took　off；　he　was　grinning　from　ear　to　ear。
He　had　a　stage　image　being　manufactured　by　the　most　popular　star　on　Voltar；　the　guy's　own　sister！　And　he　would　soon；　with　other　media；　fit　Heller　to　it。
He　would　soon　put　an　end　to　this　mediocre　hero　worship　Heller　now　experienced　and　push　Heller's　name　to　the　heights　of　true　immortality。
And　he　began　to　hug　himself。　He　had　a　bonus！　When　the　musical　had　been　aired　and　when　she　had　found　Heller　for　him；　he　would　have　another　headline。　It　would　run：

HELLER　BURNS　TEMPLE
KILLS　THOUSANDS
OF　PRIESTS

ROBS　SACRED　IDOL
OF　PRICELESS　EYE
TO　GIVE　PRESENT
TO　HIS　SISTER

Sure…fire！　She　would　even　have　shown　the　evidence　on　Homeview。　He　could　use　the　story　on　an　off　day　when　he　didn't　have　more　exciting　news　to　print　about　Heller。
He　was　REALLY　making　progress　now！

Chapter　3

They　were　nearly　home　when　Flick　turned　around。　〃Chief；　I　just　thought　of　something。　When　you　were　busy　with　Hightee　Heller；　you　got　a　viewer…phone　call　from　Queen　Teenie。〃
Madison　was　jolted　out　of　his　euphoria。　All　his　influence　rested　on　Teenie　Whopper；　who　was　busily　misrepresenting　herself　as　royalty　and　holding　her　position　through　making　page　boys　into　catamites。　It　was；　however；　to　Madison；　the　equivalent　of　a　Royal　mand。
〃Go　up　and　hover！〃　he　manded　nervously。　〃If　she　gave　you　a　connection；　call　it　back　at　once！〃　He　was　very　jittery：　apparently；　due　to　time　lag；　it　was　difficult　to　call　from　Palace　City。　Was　Teenie　in　town？
A　piece　of　upholstery　unfolded　and　a　viewer…phone　was　staring　him　in　the　face。
Teenie's　face　appeared。　She　looked　provoked。　〃I've　been　waiting　out　here　in　the　desert　beside　this　God　（bleeped）　message　center　for　an　hour！　It's　going　to　ruin　my　plexion！〃
〃Oh；　I'm　sorry！〃　said　Madison。
〃Why　didn't　you　call　back？〃　she　snarled。
〃Oh；　I've　been　meaning　to　call　you。　But　I　got　tied　up。〃
〃Tied　up　with　Hightee　Heller！　You　owe　me　a　progress　report　on　Gris！〃
〃Well；　actually；〃　said　Madison；　〃I've　been　working　up　to　that。〃
〃Listen；　Madison。　This　'all　promise　and　no　delivery'　is　just　the　way　PRs　work。　I　know！　You　get　busy；　you　lunkhead。　I'll　e　back　to　this　message　center　at　sunset　and　if　you　don't　have　something　to　report　on　Gris　by　then；　I'll　have　your　cotton…picking　head！〃　She　hung　up　violently。
Women！　Oh；　his　mother　had　taught　him　well。　They　were　trouble！
He　thought　fast。　He　glanced　at　his　Omega　watch　and　saw　that　he　only　had　about　two　hours　left　of　the　day。　He　thought　faster。　Suddenly；　he　said；　〃Fly　me　to　Government　City；　Royal　Courts　and　Prison！〃
〃What　the　blazes？　Chief；　are　you　all　right？　Did　High…tee　run　you　out　of　your　head？〃
〃It's　another　woman。　An　almost…woman。〃
〃Look；　Chief；　we　were　just　lucky　getting　in　and　out　of　the　Domestic　Confederacy　Prison。　You　get　near　a　Royal　Prison　and　that's　that！〃
〃Fly！〃　said　Madison。
They　flashed　above　the　traffic　lanes　and　lanced　along　toward　Government　City。
Madison　soon　saw　the　forbidding　structure。　It　was　perched　upon　a　craggy　hill；　a　fortress　disdainful　and　aloof　from　the　mundane　matters　of　the　worlds。
Flick　didn't　land　in　any　courtyard：　that　was　forbidden　to　anyone　except　the　Emperor。　Instead　he　landed　on　the　sloping　road　outside　its　gates。　He　wouldn't　move　any　nearer　than　a　steep　one　hundred　yards。
〃Good…bye；　Chief〃　said　Flick。　〃It　was　great　while　it　lasted。〃
〃Shut　up；〃　said　Madison。　He　got　out　and　toiled　up　the　pavement。　It　was　heavy　going　for　him；　due　to　the　increased　gravity。
Above　him　loomed　the　towering　pillars　of　the　outer　gate。　As　it　was　still　daylight；　guards　were　standing　there；　stiff　as　statues；　on　the　other　side　of　the　heavy　grill。
〃I　want　to　see　somebody；〃　said　Madison　to　the　nearest　guard。
The　man　just　kept　on　standing　there。　Madison　was　not　as　much　as　a　fly。
Madison　got　out　his　identoplate　and　showed　it。　The　guard　didn't　even　look　at　it。
An　officer　was　ing　up；　electric　saber　clanking。　〃What's　this　unseemly　disturbance　out　here？〃
〃It's　no　disturbance；〃　said　Madison。　〃I've　got　to　see　somebody　in　here。〃
〃Well；　that's　info