lrh.villainyvictorious-第55部分

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〃Say　yes；〃　hissed　the　Widow　Tayl。
Gris　took　a　look　at　her　slitted；　determined　eyes。　He　looked　at　the　hostile　faces　of　the　other　women。
It　suddenly　occurred　to　him　that　he　could　buy　a　little　more　life。　He　could　postpone　his　execution　simply　by　setting　a　forward　date；　a　month　away；　for　this　marriage。
〃YES！〃　he　shouted。
Lord　Turn　was　amazed。
Hope　suddenly　lit　the　faces　of　the　women。
〃Good；〃　said　the　Widow　Tayl；　〃we　will　be　married　right　here　this　afternoon。　Be　ready。〃
Gris　tried　to　open　his　mouth　to　speak。
The　cell　was　empty　and　the　door　clanged　shut。

Chapter　3

Madison；　of　course；　had　the　headlines　set　and　ready　to　go。　By　noon；　papers　were　all　over　the　streets　with　variants　of　the　headline：

SACRIFICIAL　BRIDE
TO　REFORM　GRIS

Of　course；　there　were　statements　by　Crobe　to　the　effect　that　it　was　a　nearly　impossible　feat。　He　could　not　possibly　guarantee　any　success　due　to　the　fact　that　Gris　〃had　e　to　him　too　late〃…the　usual　psychiatric　hedge　they　used　on　Earth。
But　what　attracted　public　attention；　as　Madison　knew　it　would；　was　the　probable　fate　of　a　beautiful　woman。　Thousands　upon　thousands　of　people　began　to　gather　on　the　lower　slopes　of　the　Royal　prison。　Many　were　weeping；　none　had　any　hope；　all　thought　it　was　a　cruel　thing　to　do　and　all　thought　that　the　nobility　of　Pratia　Tayl　was　beyond　any　possible　estimation。
Madison　didn't　even　need　his　own　camera　crew。　Hbmeview　had　covered　the　deputation　going　in　and　ing　out　and　it　was　down　there　now　in　the　afternoon　sunlight；　putting　on　the　air　live　this　vast　throng　of　gathering　people；　getting　close…ups　of　faces；　getting　opinions。　He　had　hardly　had　to　tell　the　manager　of　Homeview　what　to　do　at　all。
For　Madison　had　another　mission　of　his　own。　With　Apparatus…provided　credentials　and　in　the　uniform　of　a　General　Services　officer；　he　was　going　to　act　as　the　〃bridegroom's　friend；〃　a　necessary　personnel　of　the　ceremony。
The　guards　searched　him　for　weapons　and　poison　and　promised　him　that　they　would　be　watching　through　the　slot　with　a　gun　on　him　if　he　so　much　as　made　a　gesture　at　Gris。　And　they　let　him　in。
Gris　was　lying　on　his　bunk　in　a　state　of　collapse。　He　had　failed　utterly　to　buy　his　month。　The　thought　of　being　married　to　the　Widow　Tayl　was　only　offset　by　the　fact　that　he　would　not　live　very　long　anyway。
The　bunk　was　actually　an　inset　ledge　in　the　stone。
When　a　pad　was　on　it；　as　now；　it　had　only　about　four　feet　of　clearance　to　its　overhead。
He　saw　what　he　took　to　be　a　General　Services　officer　being　let　in。　That　didn't　necessarily　mean　Apparatus。　He　had　expected　they　would　send　someone　to　help　him　get　ready；　and　sure　enough　the　fellow　had　some　boxes　under　his　arm。　He　was　also　reassured　when　he　saw　a　gun　barrel　trained　through　the　cell　view…slot。　So　he　lay　there　watching。
Then　suddenly　the　features　under　the　cap　began　to　register。
In　horrible　shock　he　shot　upright！
He　hit　his　head！
It　didn't　knock　him　out。　It　sent　his　wits　spinning。　He　thought　he　was　at　42　Mess　Street；　New　York　City。　No；　he　must　be　on　the　yacht　Golden　Sunset。
Madison？　It　was　MADISON！
〃Oh；　no；〃　said　Gris。　〃No；　no；　no！〃
Madison　found　a　stool　and　sat　down　beside　the　bunk。　〃Well；　Smith；〃　he　said　in　English；　〃I　mean　Gris。　I　certainly　hate　to　see　an　associate　of　Mr。　Bury's　in　trouble。　Don't　be　concerned。　I　am　here　to　help　you　out。〃
Gris　went　into　terror。　〃Oh；　please；　dear　Gods；　Madison。　Don't　act　as　my　PR！〃
〃Of　course　not；〃　said　Madison。　〃I　am　your　friend。　I　will　do　everything　I　can　to　see　you　e　out　of　this　in　great　shape。〃
〃Oh；　no；　no；　please。　Please　Madison；　don't　help　me。〃
〃Oh；　nonsense；　Gris。　That　is　what　friends　are　for。　Now　listen　to　me　carefully。　You　are　going　to　get　out　of　this　with　flying　colors。〃
〃You　mean。。。　you　mean　I　have　a　chance　of　getting　off？〃
〃Oh；　more　than　a　chance；　Smith。　There　are　people　working　day　and　night　to　keep　you　from　being　executed。　It's　the　very　last　thing　your　friends　want！〃
〃I　have　friends？〃
〃Why；　of　course　you　have！　You　have　no　idea　how　much　has　been　done　for　you　already。　We're　going　to　get　you　brought　to　trial。〃
〃WHAT？〃
〃Absolutely。　Not　only　that；　it　will　be　a　fair　trial。　You　don't　think　the　Widow　Tayl　is　desirous　of　being　a　double　widow；　do　you？　Why；　no。　She's　got　money　by　the　ton　and　she　will　hire　the　very　best　attorneys。　I　can　assure　you　that　you　have　a　very　long　and　very　interesting　life　ahead　of　you。〃
〃Madison；　for　the　love　of　your　mother；　don't　torture　me　this　way。　I　haven't　got　a　chance。　You're　just　up　to　something　horrible。　I　know　it！〃
〃Oh；　Smith；　I'm　shocked。　You　are　not　my　client。　I'm　still　working　on　Heller。〃
〃You　are？〃
〃Of　course。　You　and　I　are　just　the　old　team；　Smith　and　Madison。　Same　as　always。　But　I　probably　haven't　got　all　day　to　talk　to　you；　so　you　better　remember　what　I'm　telling　you。　When　you　get　up　on　that　stand；　I　want　you　to　accuse　Heller　as　the　sole　reason　for　all　your　woes。〃
〃But　that's　true；〃　said　Gris。　〃He　is！〃
〃Excellent！　I　knew　you　would　agree。　So　when　they　put　you　on　trial。。。〃
〃They　won't　try　me。　They'll　just　execute　me。　And　if　I　ever　walk　out　of　this　prison；　Lombar　Hisst　will　have　me　cut　down　ten　feet　from　the　gate。〃
〃Don't　give　it　a　second　thought。　I　am　Lombar's　right…hand　man…or　he　is　mine；　I　forget　which。　So　if　we　get　you　to　trial；　you　do　what　you're　told。　Understand？〃
〃All　you　want　me　to　do　is　accuse　Heller？〃
〃Right。〃
〃Any　and　all　crimes　I　can　think　of？〃
〃Right！〃
Gris　started　to　e　out　of　it。　He　began　to　see　some　light。　〃They'll　realize　he's　the　one　behind　all　this。〃
〃Right。〃
〃I'll　do　it。〃
〃Good。　Now　we've　got　to　get　you　ready　for　your　wedding。〃
Madison　had　to　keep　his　smile　from　spreading　into　a　triumphant　grin。　Gris　didn't　even　suspect　how　absolutely　diabolical　the　real　plan　was！

Chapter　4

Late　that　afternoon；　the　marriage　took　place　in　the　prison。
Lord　Turn　would　not　permit　camera　crews　inside　and　they　had　to　be　content　with　what　they　could　shoot　from　outside　the　courtyard　gates。
The　late　afternoon　sun　made　the　grim　old　castle　a　dark　silhouette　and　fell　upon　the　countless　thousands　of　people　who　covered　the　flanks　of　the　hill。　Priests　were　passing　amongst　them；　exhorting　them　to　pray；　and　the　crowd　sat　or　knelt；　young　and　old；　covered　with　a　blanket　of　buzzing　sound。
When　the　marriage　priest　and　the　friend　of　the　bride　and　friend　of　the　groom　appeared　at　the　gate；　exiting；　the　priest　made　a　sign　that　the　marriage　had　been　performed。　A　bined　sigh　of　hope　from　thousands　of　throats　swept　down　the　hill　like　a　wind。
All　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　highest　tower　now；　for　they　knew　that　the　sacrificial　bride　and　the　hated　Gris　were　there；　alone。　Nobody　from　the　crowd　left：　they　knew　that　at　midnight　the　wife　would　depart　the　prison。　They　prayed　for　her。　Would　the　therapy　work？　Would　she　ever　be　seen　again　alive？
The　sun　went　down。　The　moon　Niko　rose：　it　bathed　the　ancient　fortress　with　an　eerie　light；　it　made　the　uplifted　faces　a　greenish　haze　on　the　hill。
The　crowd　did　not　miss　the　fact　that　an　ambulance　stood　outside　the　gates；　a　medical　team　ready。　As　the　Homeview　announcer　said；　when　the　cameras　panned　it；　it　was　there　to　grasp　the　possible　hope　that　the　bride；　no　matter　how　abused；　could　be　treated　and　kept　alive。
But　what　went　on　outside　the　prison　and　what　went　on　inside　were　two　different　things。
During　the　ceremony；　Gris　had　been　numb　as　stone。　Pratia　Tayl；　on　the　other　hand；　with　sparkling　eye；　had　been　chattering　like　a　loose　cogwheel。　And　when　the　two　friends　and　priest　had　left；　she　was　not　even　disconcerted　by　the　fact　that　a　guard　remained　at　the　blastgun　slot；　ready　to　intervene。
Pratia　had　brought　a　basket　containing　a　wedding　feast　which　had　survived　the　minute　inspections　and　tests　given　it。　With　movements　not　unlike　a　golden　songbird；　she　hopped　about；　spreading　the　estibles　upon　a　glittering　cloth。　She　was　popping　bits　and　pieces　at　Gris's　mouth…and　missing　much　of　the　time…even　before　they　sat　down　formally。　They　were　missing　because　Gris　was　too　numb　to　open　his　lips。
〃Oh；　you　just　wait；〃　prattled　Pratia；　〃we'll　have　such　fun。　You　won't　have　to　work　anymore；　for　you'll　be　out　of　the　Apparatus。　And　all　you'll　have　to　do　is　simply　lie　on　a　bed　and　I'll　throw　food　at　you　like　this。　Your　heaviest　exertions　will　consist　of　simply　sleeping　and　（bleeping）。　Isn't　it　marvelous？　Have　another　berry。〃
Gris　was　in　the　total　grip　of　unreality。　He　had　been　peacefully　in　this　tower　for　months；　his　only　panions　a　vocoscriber　and　his　materials。　Occasionally；　the　inmate　in　the　next　cell　would　scratch　on　the　wall；　now　and　then　a　bird　would　sit　on　the　window　ledge　and　chirp　and　fly　away。　All　this　motion　sounded　to　him　like　a　din。　There　seemed　to　be；　as　well；　some　sort　of　a　swelling　moan　outside　he　could　not　account　for；　for　he　was　still　under　orders　not　to　go　near　a　window。
Sex　was　far　from　attractive　to　him　these　days。　Since　Prahd　had　changed　his　anatomy；　women　had　given　him　nothing　but　solid　trouble。　Also　this　marriage　had　not　bought　him　any　time。　He　really　didn't　believe　he'd　have　a　trial。　He　had　confessed　his　life　away；　the　best　he　could　hope　for　was　the　most　painless　execution　Lord　Turn　could　give　him。　During　the　ceremony；　the　more　he　had　looked　at　Madison；　the　less　he　believed　what　Madison　had　said。　The　record　of　J。　Warbler　Madman　was　a　proven　thing　to　Gris。　After　his　momentary　hope；　Gris　had　backslid。
〃Oh；　have　some　of　this　pink　sparklewater。　It　is　the　very　best：　extremely　nutritious；〃　said　Pratia。　〃It　will　get　your　strength　up。〃　And　she　laughed　a　little　bell…like　laugh。　〃You're　really　going　to　need　it。〃　Then　she　shook　a　finger　at　him。　〃Don't　be　so　unresponsive！　You　simply　must　stop　worrying。　Three　of　the　very　best　attorneys　in　all　Voltar　will　defend　you。　Trust　me！〃
〃I　don't　think　any　of　you　understand；〃　said　Gris。　〃I　am　Heller's　prisoner。　For　some　reason　His　Majesty　has　not　issued　orders　to　finish　me　off。　But　he　will。　He　will。
Even　if　you　could　help　me；　I　just　confessed　to　every　crime　in　the　book。　I　don't　believe　you　and　I　don't　believe；　Gods　forbid；　Madison。〃
〃Oh；　don't　be　so　gloomy。　Look　there！　It's　already　dark　outside！　Now　have　you　had　enough　food　and　drink　to　feel　really　fortified？　You　have。　Good。　Now　you　just　turn　your　back　and　I'll　fix　up　the　bed　there　and　WHEEE！〃
He　sat　facing　the　blank　wall　and　heard　her　working　busily　in　the　stone　alcove。　She　had　brought　a　roll　of　bedding　and　he　had　no　idea