cb.imajica1-第39部分

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he　sky。　The　creature　feU　in　the　filth；　its　hands　dropping　the　blades　to　reach　for　the　wound。　They　never　touched　the　place。　Its　life　went　out　of　it　in　a　spasm；　and　its　prayerful　head　was　permanently　silenced。
　At　least　as　shaken　by　the　other's　death　as　by　the　proximity　of　his　own；　Gentle　got　to　his　feet；　his　gaze　going　from　the　body　hi　the　dirt　to　his　fist。　He　opened　it。　The　spittle　had　gone；　transformed　into　some　lethal　dart。　A　seam　of　discoloration　ran　from　the　baU　of　his　thumb　to　the　other　side　of　his　hand。　That　was　the　only　sign　of　the　pneuma's　passing。
　〃Holy　shite；〃　he　said。
　A　small　crowd　had　already　gathered　at　the　end　of　the　cul…de…sac；　and　heads　appeared　over　the　wall　behind　him。　From　every　side　came　an　agitated　buzz　that　wouldn't；　he　guessed；　take　long　to　reach　Hammeryock　and　Pontiff　Farrow。　It　would　be　naive　to　suppose　they　ruled　Vanaeph　with　only　one　executioner　in　their　squad。　There'd　be　others；　and　here；　soon。　He　stepped　over　the　body；　not　caring　to　look　too　closely　at　the　damage　he'd　done；　but　aware　with　only　a　passing　glance　that　it　was　substantial。
　The　crowd；　seeing　the　conquerer　approach；　parted。　Some　bowed；　others　fled。　One　said；　〃Bravo！〃　and　tried　to　kiss　his　hand。　He　pressed　his　admirer　away　and　scanned　the　alleys　in　every　direction；　hoping　for　some　sign　of　Pie　'oh'　pah。　Finding　none；　he　debated　his　options。　Where　would　Pie　go？　Not　to　the　top　of　the　mount。　Though　that　was　a　visible　rendezvous；　their　enemies　would　spot　them　there。　Where　else？　The　gates　of　Patashoqua；　perhaps；　that　the　mystif　had　pointed　out　when　they'd　first　arrived？　It　was　as　good　a　place　as　any；　he　thought；　and　started　off；　down　through　teeming　Vanaeph　towards　the　glorious　city。
　His　worst　expectations…that　news　of　his　crime　had　reached　the　Pontiff　and　her　league…were　soon　confirmed。　He　was　almost　at　the　edge　of　the　township；　and　within　sight　of　the　open　ground　that　lay　between　its　borders　and　the　walls　of　Patashoqua；　when　a　hue　and　cry　from　the　streets　behind　announced　a　pursuing　party。　In　his　Fifth　Dominion　garb；　jeans　and　shirt；　he　would　be　easily　recognized　if　he　started　towards　the　gates；　but　if　he　attempted　to　stay　within　the　confines　of　Vanaeph　it　would　be　only　a　matter　of　time　before　he　was　hunted　down。　Better　to　take　the　chance　of　running　now；　he　decided；　while　he　stiU　had　a　lead。　Even　if　he　didn't　make　it　to　the　gates　before　they　came　after　him；　they　surely　wouldn't　dispatch　him　within　sight　of　Pata…shoqua's　gleaming　walls。
　He　put　on　a　fair　turn　of　speed　and　was　out　of　the　township　in　less　than　a　minute；　the　motion　behind　him　gathering　volume。　Though　it　was　difficult　to　judge　the　distance　to　the　gates　in　a　light　that　lent　such　iridescence　to　the　ground　between；　it　was　certainly　no　less　than　a　mile；　perhaps　twice　that。　He'd　not　got　far　when　the　first　of　his　pursuers　appeared　from　the　outskirts　of　Vanaeph；　runners　fresher　and　lighter　than　he；　who　rapidly　closed　the　distance　between　them。　There　were　plenty　of　travelers　ing　and　going　along　the　straight　road　to　the　gates。　Some　pedestrians；　most　in　groups　and　dressed　like　pilgrims；　other；　finer　figures；　mounted　on　horses　whose　flanks　and　heads　were　painted　with　gaudy　designs；　still　others　riding　on　shaggy　derivatives　of　the　mule。　Most　envied　however；　and　most　rare；　were　those　in　motor　vehicles；　which；　though　they　basically　resembled　their　equivalents　in　the　Fifth…a　chassis　riding　on　wheels…were　in　every　other　regard　fresh　inventions。　Some　were　as　elaborate　as　baroque　altarpieces；　every　inch　of　their　bodywork　chased　and　filigreed。　Others；　with　spindly　wheels　twice　the　height　of　their　roofs；　had　the　preposterous　delicacy　of　tropical　insects。　Still　others；　mounted　on　a　dozen　or　more　tiny　wheels；　their　exhausts　giving　off　a　dense；　bitter　fume；　looked　like　speeding　wreckage；　asymmetrical　and　inelegant　farragoes　of　glass　and　metalwork。　Risking　death　by　hoof　and　wheel；　Gentle　joined　the　traffic　and　put　on　a　new　spurt　as　he　dodged　between　the　vehicles。　The　leaders　of　the　pack　behind　him　had　also　reached　the　road。　They　were　armed；　he　saw；　and　had　no　punction　about　displaying　their　weapons。　His　belief　that　they　wouldn't　attempt　to　kill　him　among　witnesses　suddenly　seemed　frail。　Perhaps　the　law　of　Vanaeph　was　good　to　the　very　gates　of　Patashoqua。　If　so；　he　was　dead。　They　would　overtake　him　long　before　he　reached　sanctuary。
　But　now；　above　the　din　of　the　highway；　another　sound　reached　him；　and　he　dared　a　glance　off　to　his　left；　to　see　a　small；　plain　vehicle；　its　engine　badly　tuned；　careering　in　his　direction。　It　was　open…topped；　its　driver　visible：　Pie　'oh'　pah；　God　love　him；　driving　like　a　man…or　mystif…possessed。　Gentle　changed　direction　instantly；　veering　off　the　road　and　dividing　a　herd　of　pilgrims　as　he　did　so；　and　raced　towards　Pie's　noisy　chariot。
　A　chorus　of　whoops　at　his　back　told　him　the　pursuers　had　also　changed　direction；　but　the　sight　of　Pie　had　given　heat　to　Gentle's　heels。　His　turn　of　speed　was　wasted；　however。　Rather　than　slowing　to　let　Gentle　aboard；　Pie　drove　on　past；　heading　towards　the　hunters。　The　leaders　scattered　as　the　vehicle　bore　down　upon　them；　but　it　was　a　figure　Gentle　had　missed；　being　carried　in　a　sedan　chair；　who　was　Pie's　true　target。　Hammeryock；　sitting　on　high；　ready　to　watch　the　execution；　was　suddenly　a　target　in　his　turn。　He　yelled　to　his　bearers　to　retreat；　but　in　their　panic　they　failed　to　agree　on　a　direction。　Two　pulled　left；　two　right。　One　of　the　chair's　arms　splintered；　and　Hammeryock　was　pitched　out；　hitting　the　ground　hard。　He　didn't　get　up。　The　sedan　chair　was　discarded；　and　its　bearers　fled；　leaving　Pie　to　veer　around　and　head　back　towards　Gentle。　With　their　leader　felled；　the　scattered　pursuers；　most　likely　coerced　into　serving　the　Pontiffs　in　the　first　place；　had　lost　heart。　They　were　not　sufficiently　inspired　to　risk　Hammeryock's　fate　and　so　kept　their　distance；　while　Pie　drove　back　and　picked　up　his　gasping　passenger。
　〃I　thought　maybe　you'd　gone　back　to　Tick　Raw；〃　Gentle　said；　once　he　was　aboard。
　〃He　wouldn't　have　wanted　me；〃　Pie　said。　〃I've　had　congress　with　a　murderer。〃
　〃Who's　that？〃
　〃You；　my　friend；　you！　We're　both　assassins　now。〃
　〃I　suppose　we　are。〃
　〃And　not　much　wele　in　this　region；　I　think。〃
　〃Where　did　you　find　the　vehicle？〃
　〃There's　a　few　of　them　parked　on　the　outskirts。　They'll　be　in　them　soon　enough；　and　after　us。〃
　〃The　sooner　we're　in　the　city　the　better；　then。〃
　〃I　don't　think　we'd　be　safe　there　for　long；〃　the　mystif　replied。
　It　had　maneuvered　the　vehicle　so　that　its　snub　nose　faced　the　highway。　The　choice　lay　before　them。　Left；　to　the　gates　of　Patashoqua。　Right；　down　a　highway　which　ran　on　past　the　Mount　of　Lipper　Bayak　to　a　horizon　that　rose；　at　the　farthest　limit　of　the　eye；　to　a　mountain　range。
　〃It's　up　to　you；〃　Pie　said。
　Gentle　looked　longingly　towards　the　city；　tempted　by　its　spires。　But　he　knew　there　was　wisdom　in　Pie's　advice。
　〃We'll　e　back　someday；　won't　we？〃　he　said。
　〃Certainly；　if　that's　what　you　want。〃
　〃Then　let's　head　the　other　way。〃
　The　mystif　turned　the　vehicle　onto　the　highway；　against　the　predominant　flow　of　traffic；　and　with　the　city　behind　them　they　soon　picked　up　speed。
　〃So　much　for　Patashoqua；〃　Gentle　said　as　the　walls　became　a　mirage。
　〃No　great　loss；〃　Pie　remarked。
　〃But　I　wanted　to　see　the　Merrow　Ti'　TV；〃　Gentle　said。
　〃No　chance；〃　Pie　returned。
　〃Why？〃
　〃It　was　pure　invention；〃　Pie　said。　〃Like　all　my　favorite　things；　including　myself。　Pure　invention！〃
　
　
　19
　
　Though　Jude　had　made　an　oath；　in　all　sobriety；　to　follow　Gentle　wherever　she'd　seen　him　go；　her　plans　for　pursuit　were　stymied　by　a　number　of　claims　upon　her　energies；　the　most　pressing　of　which　was　Clem's。　He　needed　her　advice；　fort；　and　organizational　skills　in　the　dreary；　rainy　days　that　followed　New　Year；　and　despite　the　urgency　of　her　agenda　she　could　scarcely　turn　her　back　on　him。　Taylor's　funeral　took　place　on　January　ninth；　with　a　memorial　service　which　Clem　took　great　pains　to　perfect。　It　was　a　melancholy　triumph：　a　time　for　Taylor's　friends　and　relations　to　mingle　and　express　their　affections　for　the　departed　man。　Jude　met　people　she'd　not　seen　in　many　years；　and　few；　if　any；　failed　to　ment　on　the　one　conspicuous　absentee：　Gentle。　She　told　everybody　what　she'd　told　Clem。　That　Gentle　had　been　going　through　a　bad　time；　and　the　last　she'd　heard　he　was　planning　to　leave　on　holiday。　Clem；　of　course；　would　not　be　fobbed　off　with　such　vague　excuses。　Gentle　had　left　knowing　that　Taylor　was　dead；　and　Clem　viewed　his　departure　as　a　kind　of　cowardice。　Jude　didn't　attempt　to　defend　the　wanderer。　She　simply　tried　to　make　as　little　mention　of　Gentle　in　Clem's　presence　as　she　could。
　But　the　subject　would　keep　ing　up；　one　way　or　another。　Sorting　through　Taylor's　belongings　after　the　funeral；　Clem　came　upon　three　watercolors；　painted　by　Gentle　in　the　style　of　Samuel　Palmer；　but　signed　with　his　own　name　and　dedicated　to　Taylor。　Pictures　of　idealized　landscapes；　they　couldn't　help　but　turn　Clem's　thoughts　back　to　Taylor's　unrequited　love　for　the　vanished　man；　and　Jude's　to　the　place　he　had　vanished　for。　They　were　among　the　few　items　that　Clem；　perhaps　vengefully；　wanted　to　destroy；　but　Jude　persuaded　him　otherwise。　He　kept　one　in　memory　of　Taylor；　gave　one　to　Klein；　and　gave　the　third　to　Jude。
　Her　duty　to　Clem　not　only　took　its　toll　upon　her　time　but　upon　her　focus。　When；　in　the　middle　of　the　month；　he　suddenly　announced　that　he　was　going　to　leave　the　next　day　for　Tenerife；　there　to　tan　his　troubles　away　for　a　fortnight；　she　was　glad　to　be　released　from　the　daily　duties　of　friend　and　forter　but　found　herself　unable　to　rekindle　the　heat　of　ambition　that　had　flared　in　her　at　the　month's　first　hour。　She　had　one　unlikely　touchstone；　however：　the　dog。　She　only　had　to　look　at　the　mutt　and　she　remembered…as　though　it　were　an　hour　ago…standing　at　the　door　of　Gentle's　flat　and　seeing　the　pair　dissolving　in　front　of　her　astonished　eyes。　And　on　the　heels　of　that　memory　came　thoughts　of　the　news　she　had　been　carrying　to　Gentle　that　night：　the　dream　journey　induced　by　the　stone　that　was　now　wrapped　up　and　hidden　from　sight　and　seeing　in　her　wardrobe。　She　was　not　a　great　lover　of　dogs；　but　she'd　taken　the　mongrel　home　that　night；　knowing　it　would　perish　if　she　didn't。　It　quickly　ingratiated　its