lrh.villainyvictorious-第36部分

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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　informative；〃　said　the　officer。　〃All　it　lacks　is　his　name；　your　business　and　what　plot　you　are　involved　in　to　subvert　the　machinery　of　state。　Be　off。〃
〃Look；〃　pleaded　Madison；　〃this　is　a　matter　of　life　and　death。〃
〃There's　plenty　of　both　in　here；〃　said　the　officer。　〃They're　doing　life；　most　of　them；　and　we　have　assorted　brands　of　death。　Now　get　out　of　here！〃
〃Please；　please；〃　said　Madison。　〃It's　my　life　I'm　talking　about。〃
〃Talk　away；〃　said　the　officer。　〃In　living　memory；　no　one　has　had　the　nerve　to　walk　up　this　road　to　this　gate　and　ask　to　get　in。。。。〃
The　statue　guard　said；　without　moving　his　mouth；　〃Correction；　sir。　Gris　did。〃
〃Gris！〃　said　Madison。　〃That's　it。　I　am　his　dearest　friend。　I　must　see　him！〃
The　officer　bent　his　head　way　forward　and　looked　at　Madison　through　the　bars。　He　suddenly　walked　off　and　Madison　fidgeted　nervously。　He　could　see　the　officer　talking　into　a　courtyard　call　box。
The　officer　came　back　and　gave　a　signal　to　open　the　gates　wide　enough　for　Madison　to　slip　through。　Then　he　gave　another　signal。　The　gates　clanged　shut　and　two　guards　ceased　to　be　statues　and　abruptly　took　Madison　by　the　arms；　one　on　each　side；　and　marched　him　forward　saying；　〃Hup！　Hup！　Hup！〃　the　same　way　Madison　had　heard　his　criminals　chant。　Was　he　under　arrest？
They　followed　the　officer　into　the　main　entrance　and　through　the　vast　echoey　halls。　The　officer　opened　a　door　and　they　were　in　a　courtroom。　They　walked　Madison　straight　across　it　and　stopped　him　in　front　of　a　door。
The　officer　frisked　him；　appropriated　his　identoplate　and　went　through　the　door。　He　came　back　and　held　it　open。
The　two　guards　catapulted　Madison　into　a　room。　It　was　a　stone…walled　chamber　but　it　had　a　rich　rug　on　the　floor。　A　huge　block　of　stone；　like　a　desk；　had　another　rich　hanging　thrown　over　it。　An　old　man；　dressed　in　black；　was　in　a　chair　behind　the　desk　staring　out　the　window。
The　man　swivelled　the　chair　around。　He　picked　up　Madison's　identoplate　and　looked　at　it。　He　fixed　Madison　with　a　wintry　eye。
〃So　you're　a　friend　of　Soltan　Gris。　Well；　well。　I　am　Lord　Turn。　You　can　speak　freely　here。〃
Madison　took　it　that　they　must　be　alone　but　he　heard　a　clank　behind　him。　The　officer　was　standing　against　the　far　wall；　keeping　an　eye　on　him。
〃I　just　wanted　to　make　sure　he　was　all　right；〃　said　Madison；　lamely。　〃I　want　to　see　him。〃
〃Do　you　have　a　Royal　order？〃
〃No；〃　said　Madison。
〃Then　how　could　you　possibly　expect　to　be　able　to　see　a　prisoner　here？〃
〃I　am　very　dose　to　Lombar　Hisst；　Spokesman　to　His　Majesty。〃
〃Hmm；〃　said　Lord　Turn。　〃Tell　me。。。　Madison？　Do　you　know　anything　of　the　crimes　of　Gris？〃
〃Well；　sir；　I　did　not　e　here　to　testify。　He　may…　…　〃
〃No；　no。　This　is　not　a　court　you're　standing　in。　You　couldn't　testify　anyway　unless　a　court　was　in　session。　Let　me　put　this　another　way。　Do　you　know　Royal　Officer　Jettero　Heller？〃
〃Well；　yes；　Your　Honor…　…　〃
〃Your　Lordship；〃　corrected　the　officer　fifty　feet　away。
〃。。。　Your　Lordship；〃　said　Madison。　〃I　do　know　Jettero　Heller。〃
〃Do　you　know　where　he　is？〃
〃Well；　no；　Your　Hon…Your　Lordship。〃
〃Blast！〃　said　Lord　Turn。
〃I　know　there's　a　general　warrant　out　for　him；〃　said　Madison；　〃and　I　would　be　happy　to…　…　〃
〃General　warrant；　piffle；〃　said　Lord　Turn。　〃I　am　holding　his　prisoner　here。　And　I　am　quite　sure　that　Jettero　has　a　very　good　reason　to　put　this　Soltan　Gris　in　Royal　custody。　But　I　DO　wish　the　lad　had　given　me　a　note　or　something　to　say　what　Gris　has　DONE！〃
The　conversation　had　gone　all　sixes　and　sevens　for　Madison。　He　realized　he　could　not　now　say　that　Gris　was　a　criminal　to　end　all　criminals；　as　he　had　already　said　he　was　his　friend；　thinking　they　would　let　him　have　visitors。　Maybe　they　could　get　him　for　contempt　or　lying　to　a　judge。　The　cold　chill　of　this　stately　place　was　gnawing　into　him。
〃I'm　looking　everywhere　for　Heller　myself！〃　he　said　in　a　desperate　effort　to　appear　helpful。
〃And　you　haven't　found　him？〃
〃No；　Your　Lordship；　but　I　have　lines　out。〃
Lord　Turn　looked　at　him　and　then　barked　a　short；　dry　laugh。　He　punched　a　couple　of　buttons　on　his　desk　and　a　court　clerk　appeared　first；　being　just　next　door。
Lord　Turn　said；　〃This　is　a　man　named　Madison。　I　see　what　this　is　all　about　now。　It's　just　another　crude　attempt　by　Lombar　Hisst　to　bypass　all　normal　procedures。　For　some　reason；　Hisst　does　not　want　to　produce　a　Royal　warrant　or　even　a　Royal　pass。　He's　sent　another　man　in　here　to　see　Gris。〃　He　turned　to　the　guard　officer。　〃Did　you　find　any　poison　on　this　Madison　here？〃
〃No；　Your　Lordship。〃
〃Oh；　heavens；〃　said　Madison；　〃I　wasn't　sent　here　by　Hisst！〃
〃You　just　said　you　were；〃　said　Turn。
〃I　just　wanted　to　make　sure　my　friend　Gris　was　all　right！〃　wailed　Madison。
A　warder　had　e　in　in　response　to　Turn's　second　buzz。　He　rattled　his　opening　plates。
〃Is　the　prisoner　Gris　all　right？〃　said　Lord　Turn　to　him。
〃Chipper　as　a　songbird；　Your　Lordship。　Just　sitting　there　all　day　and　half　the　night　dictating　his　confession。　He's　on　his　third　roll　of　vocoscriber　paper。　Singing　like　a　songbird；　too；　Your　Lordship。〃
〃Well；　maybe　someday　we'll　know　what　this　is　all　about；〃　said　Turn。　〃That's　all；　Warder。　Now；　Clerk；　look　at　this　identoplate。　Stamp　it　on　something。　And　leave　an　order　at　the　gate　that　this　Madison　is　to　be　let　in　if　he　ever　finds　where　that　dear　boy　Jettero　has　gotten　to。〃
Mistaking　this　for　kindness；　Madison　said；　〃Could　I　see　Gris　for　just　a　moment？〃
〃And；〃　said　Lord　Turn　to　his　clerk；　〃issue　another　order　for　Gris　not　to　be　permitted　to　stand　near　windows。　I　think　Hisst　is　trying　to　assassinate　him。〃　He　turned　to　Madison。　〃Now；　as　for　you；　if　I　find　out　that　you　have　found　out　where　Jettero　Heller　is　and　have　NOT　told　me；　I　will　have　you　picked　up　on　a　judge's　order　and　thrown　into　a　detention　cell　until　you　tell　me　why　you　withheld　the　information。〃　He　turned　to　the　guard　officer。　〃Throw　him　out！〃

Chapter　4

Madison　picked　himself　up　off　the　pavement；　wishing　the　guards　had　not　taken　the　order　so　literally。
Flick　kept　out　of　sight　until　he　was　sure　the　gate　was　closed　and　then　he　ran　out　and；　acpanying　the　limping　Madison；　tried　to　brush　him　off。
〃I　told　you　not　to　go　near　that　place；〃　said　Flick。
Madison　didn't　like　this　decline　of　image。　〃I　shouldn't　have　gone　for　the　guard's　saber。　I　should　have　aimed　for　his　windpipe。〃
〃ets！　Well；　at　least　they　threw　you　out　instead　of　in。　Even　His　Majesty　is　careful　how　he　orders　that　lot　around。〃
As　Madison　climbed　into　the　airbus　he　noticed　the　sun　was　almost　set。　He　had　Flick　go　up　a　few　thousand　feet。　He　thought　hard　for　a　few　moments　and　then　suddenly　a　plan　came　to　him。
He　straightened　up　his　clothes；　put　on　a　reassuring　face　and　called　Teenie。
She　answered　instantly。　〃That's　better！〃　she　said。　〃I'm　sure；〃　and　there　was　a　threatening　edge　in　her　voice；　〃that　you　have　good　news。　Did　you　see　the　（bleepard）？〃
〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Madison。　〃And　Teenie…I　mean；　Your　Majesty…you　would　be　absolutely　boiled　over。　I　spoke　of　you　and　he　gave　the　most　insulting　laugh　I　have　ever　heard。〃
〃WHAT？〃
〃And　he　leaned　back；　idly　eating　grapes…he's　getting　fat　as　a　pig…and　he　said；　'Madison；　when　you　see　her；　give　her　my　best：　up　her　（bleep）！'〃
〃Oh；　the　（bleepard）。〃
〃Yes；　I　thought　so；　too。　They've　got　him　writing　his　memoirs　and　he　showed　me　some　of　them；　what　he　thought　were　funny　passages　about　you。　He　absolutely　rolled　on　the　floor　with　laughter　over　his　own　jokes！　Oh；　I　could　have　killed　him；　but　the　warders　were　right　there　and　they'd　taken　away　my　knife。　Such　a　crass　exhibition　of　unfeeling　callousness；　I　have　never　before　witnessed　in　my　life。〃
She　had　gone　white　as　a　sheet。
〃He's　bragging；〃　continued　Madison；　〃of　how　he　led　you　on　just　for　the　pleasure　of　casting　you　aside。〃
She　was　grinding　her　teeth。　She　suddenly　snapped；　〃That　settles　it！〃
Madison　went　into　sudden　alarm。　He　had　overshot　his　mark。　He　had　not　intended　for　her　to　do　anything。　His　plan　was　very　simple：　he　would　simply　begin　to　try　Gris　in　the　press　and　push　it　to　such　a　public　pitch　that　the　Emperor　would　have　no　choice　but　to　issue　a　Royal　order　for　a　trial。　Then；　under　that　guise；　he　would　get　Gris　to　start　testifying　all　sorts　of　accusations　against　Heller　and　he　could　make　these　into　headlines　that　would　shake　the　universe。
It　was　a　very　good　plan。　Just　plain　straight　PR；　Earth　style；　done　all　the　time。　But　it　required　preparation　and　work　and　time。　It　didn't　need　any　sudden　interventions。
Teenie　had　not　gone　on　speaking。　Madison　said；　〃What　settles　what？〃
〃They're　not　even　going　to　try　him；　are　they？〃
〃Well；　they　will　if　I　work　on　it　hard　enough。〃
〃Yah？　Well；　Madison；　you　be　out　here　at　dawn　tomorrow。　I　see　back　of　you　on　this　viewer…phone；　you've　got　a　new　car。　Fuel　it　up。　We're　going　to　take　a　trip。〃
Before　he　could　say　a　word；　she　had　hung　up。　It　left　him　in　quite　a　quandary。
That　was　the　trouble　with　amateurs。　They　got　ideas。　And　ideas　from　an　amateur　PR　were　mostly　useless　and　ideas　from　Teenie　might　be　very　deadly。
He　very　well　recalled　the　chaos　Gris　caused。　Everything　had　been　running　along　well　until　Gris　tried　to　muscle　in　on　the　PR　business。　Amateurs　just　didn't　understand　the　smooth　nuances　of　it。
Madison　scanned　over　his　plan　again。　It　was　quite　standard　and　flawless。　Create　a　public　storm　around　Gris；　using　the　media；　and　then　get　the　trial　itself　to　create　a　public　storm　around　Heller。　And　even　if　His　Majesty；　for　some　reason；　illness　or　otherwise；　didn't　stamp　an　order　for　the　trial；　public　pressure　would　make　it　vital　that　Lord　Turn　change　his　mind。　It　would　work。
What　in　Heaven's　name　was　Teenie　planning？　It　could　well　wreck　everything！　He　had　only　intended　to　keep　her　interested！　Not　throw　her　into　a　stampede　of　senseless　activity！
Oh；　he　mustn't　let　this　gorgeous　victory　elude　him　just　when　it　was　beckoning。
He　thought　of　the　sad　plight　of　Heller；　shivering　unknown　in　some　lonely　hideout；　waiting　for　Madison　to　rescue　him　for　posterity。　What　a　waste　of　material！
Knowing　how　to　handle　Gris　and　Heller　in　PR　terms　was　easy。　Handling　an　almost…woman　like　Teenie　might　be　quite　something　else！　What　a　potential　obstruction！
〃Eighteen　point；〃　he　said；　〃quote　Madison　on　Edge　of　Cliff