cb.imajica1-第41部分

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t　brother　Oscar。　She　tried　by　the　most　direct　route　first：　the　telephone　directory。　He　wasn't　listed。　She　then　tried　via　Lewis　Leader；　but　he　claimed　to　have　no　knowledge　of　the　man's　whereabouts　or　fortunes；　telling　her　that　the　affairs　of　the　two　brothers　were　quite　separate；　and　he　had　never　been　called　to　deal　with　any　matter　involving　Oscar　Godolphin。
　〃For　all　I　know；〃　he　said；　〃the　man　could　be　dead。〃　Having　drawn　a　blank　with　the　direct　routes；　she　was　thrown　back　upon　the　indirect。　She　returned　to　Esta…brook's　house　and　scoured　it　thoroughly；　looking　for　Oscar's　address　or　telephone　number。　She　found　neither；　but　she　did　turn　up　a　photograph　album　Charlie　had　never　shown　to　her；　in　which　pictures　of　what　she　took　to　be　the　two　brothers　appeared。　It　wasn't　difficult　to　distinguish　one　from　the　other。　Even　in　those　early　pictures　Charlie　had　the　troubled　look　the　camera　always　found　in　him；　whereas　Oscar；　younger　by　a　few　years；　was　nevertheless　the　more　confident　of　the　pair：　a　little　overweight；　but　carrying　it　easily；　smiling　an　easy　smile　as　he　hooked　his　arm　around　his　brother's　shoulders。　She　removed　the　most　recent　of　the　photographs　from　the　album　which　pictured　Charles　at　puberty　or　thereabouts；　and　kept　it。　Repetition；　she　found；　made　theft　easier。　But　it　was　the　only　information　about　Oscar　she　took　away　with　her。　If　she　was　to　get　to　the　traveler　and　find　out　in　what　world　he'd　bought　his　souvenirs；　she'd　have　to　work　on　Estabrook　to　do　so。　It　would　take　time；　and　her　impatience　grew　with　every　short　and　rainy　day。　Even　though　she　had　the　freedom　to　buy　a　ticket　anywhere　on　the　planet；　a　kind　of　claustrophobia　was　upon　her。　There　was　another　world　to　which　she　wanted　access。　Until　she　got　it；　Earth　itself　would　be　a　prison。
　Leader　called　Oscar　on　the　morning　of　January　seventeenth　with　the　news　that　his　brother's　estranged　wife　was　asking　for　information　on　his　whereabouts。
　〃Did　she　say　why？〃
　〃No；　not　precisely。　But　she's　very　clearly　sniffing　after　something。　She's　apparently　seen　Estabrook　three　times　in　the　last　week。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Lewis。　I　appreciate　this。〃
　〃Appreciate　it　in　hard　cash；　Oscar；〃　Leader　replied。　〃I've　had　a　very　expensive　Christmas。〃
　〃When　have　you　ever　gone　empty…handed？〃　Oscar　said。　〃Keep　me　posted。〃
　The　lawyer　promised　to　do　so；　but　Oscar　doubted　he'd　provide　much　more　by　way　of　useful　information。　Only　truly　despairing　souls　confided　in　lawyers；　and　he　doubted　Judith　was　the　despairing　type。　He'd　never　met　her…　Charlie　had　seen　to　that…but　if　she'd　survived　his　pany　for　any　time　at　all　she　had　to　have　a　will　of　iron。　Which　begged　the　question：　Why　would　a　woman　who　knew　（presuming　she　did）　that　her　husband　had　conspired　to　kill　her；　seek　out　his　pany；　unless　she　had　an　ulterior　motive？　And　was　it　conceivable　that　said　motive　was　finding　brother　Oscar？　If　so；　such　curiosity　had　to　be　nipped　in　the　bud。　There　were　already　enough　variables　at　play；　what　with　the　Society's　purge　now　under　way；　and　the　inevitable　police　investigation　on　its　heels；　not　to　mention　his　new　majordomo　Augustine　（ne　Dowd）；　who　was　behaving　in　altogether　too　snotty　a　fashion。　And　of　course；　most　volatile　of　these　variables；　sitting　in　his　asylum　beside　the　heath；　Charlie　himself；　probably　crazy；　certainly　unpredictable；　with　all　manner　of　tidbits　in　his　head　which　could　do　Oscar　a　lot　of　harm。　It　could　be　only　a　matter　of　time　before　he　started　to　bee　talkative；　and　when　he　did；　what　better　ear　to　drop　his　discretions　into　than　that　of　his　inquiring　wife？
　That　evening　he　sent　Dowd　（he　couldn't　get　used　to　that　saintly　Augustine）　up　to　the　clinic；　with　a　basket　of　fruit　for　his　brother。
　〃Find　a　friend　there；　if　you　can；〃　he　told　Dowd。　〃I　need　to　know　what　Charlie　babbles　about　when　he's　being　bathed。〃
　〃Why　don't　you　ask　him　directly？〃
　〃He　hates　me；　that's　why。　He　thinks　I　stole　his　mess　of　pottage　when　Papa　introduced　me　into　the　Tabula　Rasa　instead　of　Charlie。〃
　〃Why　did　your　father　do　that？〃
　〃Because　he　knew　Charlie　was　unstable；　and　he'd　do　the　Society　more　harm　than　good。　I've　had　him　under　control　until　now。　He's　had　his　little　gifts　from　the　Dominions。　He's　had　you　fawn　upon　him　when　he　needed　something　out　of　the　ordinary；　like　his　assassin。　This　all　started　with　that　fucking　assassin！　Why　couldn't　you　have　just　killed　the　woman　yourself？〃
　〃What　do　you　take　me　for？〃　Dowd　said　with　distaste。　〃I　couldn't　lay　hands　on　a　woman。　Especially　not　a　beauty。〃
　〃How　do　you　know　she's　a　beauty？〃
　〃I've　heard　her　talked　about。〃
　〃Well；　I　don't　care　what　she　looks　like。　I　don't　want　her　meddling　in　my　business。　Find　out　what　she's　up　to。　Then　we'll　work　out　our　response。〃
　Dowd　came　back　a　few　hours　later；　with　alarming　news。　〃Apparently　she's　persuaded　him　to　take　her　to　the　estate。〃
　〃What？　What？〃　Oscar　bounded　from　his　chair。　The　parrots　rose　up　squawking　in　sympathy。　〃She　knows　more　than　she　should。　Shit！　All　that　heartache　to　keep　the　Society　out　of　our　hair；　and　now　this　bitch　conies　along　and　we're　in　worse　trouble　than　ever。〃
　〃Nothing's　happened　yet。〃
　〃But　it　will；　it　will！　She'll　wind　him　around　her　little　finger；　and　he'll　tell　her　everything。〃
　〃What　do　you　want　to　do　about　it？〃
　Oscar　went　to　hush　the　parrots。　〃Ideally？〃　he　said；　as　he　smoothed　their　ruffled　wings。　〃Ideally　I'd　have　Charlie　vanish　off　the　face　of　the　earth。〃
　〃He　had　much　the　same　ambition　for　her；〃　Dowd　observed。
　〃Meaning　what？〃
　〃Just　that　you're　both　quite　capable　of　murder。〃
　Oscar　made　a　contemptuous　grunt。　〃Charlie　was　only　playing　at　it；〃　he　said。　〃He's　got　no　balls！　He's　got　no　vision！〃　He　returned　to　his　high…backed　chair；　his　expression　sullen。　〃It's　not　going　to　hold；　damn　it；〃　he　said。　〃I　can　feel　it　in　my　gut。　We've　kept　things　neat　and　tidy　so　far；　but　it's　not　going　to　hold。　Charlie　has　to　be　taken　out　of　the　equation。〃
　〃He's　your　brother。〃
　〃He's　a　burden。〃
　〃What　I　mean　is：　he's　your　brother。　You　should　be　the　one　to　dispatch　him。〃
　Oscar's　eyes　widened。　〃Oh；　my　Lord；〃　he　said。
　〃Think　what　they'd　say　in　Yzordderrex；　if　you　were　to　tell　them。〃
　〃What？　That　I　killed　my　own　brother？　I　don't　see　much　charm　in　that。〃
　〃But　that　you　did　what　you　had　to　do；　however　unpalatable；　to　keep　the　secret　safe。〃　Dowd　paused　to　let　the　idea　blossom。　〃That　sounds　heroic　to　me。　Think　what　they'll　say。〃
　〃I'm　thinking。〃
　〃It's　your　reputation　in　Yzordderrex　you　care　about；　isn't　it；　not　what　happens　in　the　Fifth？　You've　said　before　that　this　world's　getting　duller　all　the　time。〃
　Oscar　pondered　this　for　a　while。　〃Maybe　I　should　slip　away。　Kill　them　both　to　make　sure　nobody　ever　knows　where　I've　gone…〃
　〃Where　we've　gone。〃
　〃…then　slip　away　and　pass　into　legend。　Oscar　Godolphin；　who　left　his　crazy　brother　dead　beside　his　wife　and　disappeared。　Oh；　yes。　That'd　make　quite　a　headline　in　Patashoqua。〃　He　mused　a　few　moments　more。　〃What's　the　classic　sibling　murder　weapon？〃　he　finally　asked。
　〃The　jawbone　of　an　ass。〃
　〃Ridiculous。〃
　〃You'll　think　of　something　better。！'
　〃So　I　will。　Make　me　a　drink；　Dowdie。　And　have　one　yourself。　We'll　drink　to　escape。〃
　〃Doesn't　everybody？〃　Dowd　replied；　but　the　remark　was　lost　on　Godolphin；　who　was　already　plunged　deep　into　murderous　thought。
　
　
　20
　
　Gentle　and　Pie　were　six　days　on　the　Patashoquan　Highway；　days　measured　not　by　the　watch　on　Pie's　wrist　but　by　the　brightening　and　darkening　of　the　peacock　sky。　On　the　fifth　day　the　watch　gave　up　the　ghost　anyway；　maddened；　Pie　supposed；　by　the　magnetic　field　surrounding　a　city　of　pyramids　they　passed。　Thereafter；　even　though　Gentle　wanted　to　preserve　some　sense　of　how　time　was　proceeding　in　the　Dominion　they'd　left；　it　was　virtually　impossible。　Within　a　few　days　their　bodies　were　acmodating　the　rhythm　of　their　new　world；　and　he　let　his　curiosity　feast　on　more　pertinent　matters：　chiefly；　the　landscape　through　which　they　were　traveling。
　It　was　diverse。　In　that　first　week　they　passed　out　of　the　plain　into　a　region　of　lagoons…the　Cosacosa…which　took　two　days　to　cross；　and　thence　into　tracts　of　ancient　conifers　so　tall　that　clouds　hung　in　their　topmost　branches　like　the　nests　of　ethereal　birds。　On　the　other　side　of　this　stupendous　forest；　the　mountains　Gentle　had　glimpsed　days　before　came　plainly　into　view。　The　range　was　called　the　Jokalay…lau；　Pie　informed　him；　and　legend　had　it　that　after　the　Mount　of　Lipper　Bayak　these　heights　had　been　Hapexa…mendios'　next　resting　place　as　He'd　crossed　through　the　Dominions。　It　was　no　accident；　it　seemed；　that　the　landscapes　they　passed　through　recalled　those　of　the　Fifth；　they　had　been　chosen　for　that　similarity。　The　Unbeheld　had　strode　the　Imajica　dropping　seeds　of　humanity　as　He　went…even　to　the　very　edge　of　His　sanctum…in　order　to　give　the　species　He　favored　new　challenges；　and　like　any　good　gardener　He'd　dispersed　them　where　they　had　the　best　hope　of　prospering。　Where　the　native　crop　could　be　conquered　or　acmodated；　where　the　living　was　hard　enough　to　make　sure　only　the　most　resilient　survived；　but　the　land　fertile　enough　to　feed　their　children；　where　rain　came；　where　light　came；　where　all　the　vicissitudes　that　strengthened　a　species　by　occasional　calamity…tempest；　earthquake；　flood…were　to　hand。
　But　while　there　was　much　that　any　terrestrial　traveler　would　have　recognized；　nothing；　not　the　smallest　pebble　underfoot；　was　quite　like　its　counterpart　in　the　Fifth。　Some　of　these　disparities　were　too　vast　to　be　missed：　the　green…gold　of　the　heavens；　for　instance；　or　the　elephantine　snails　that　grazed　beneath　the　cloud…nested　trees。　Others　were　smaller　but　equally　bizarre；　like　the　wild　dogs　that　ran　along　the　highway　now　and　then；　hairless　and　shiny　as　patent　leather；　or　grotesque；　like　the　horned　kites　that　swooped　on　any　animal　dead　or　near…dead　on　the　road　and　only　rose　from　their　meals；　purple　wings　opening　like　cloaks；　when　the　vehicle　was　almost　upon　them；　or　absurd；　like　the　bone…white　lizards　that　congregated　in　their　thousands　along　the　edge　of　the　lagoons；　the　urge　to　turn　somersaults　passing　through　their　colonies　in　waves。
　Perhaps　finding　some　new　response　to　these　experiences　was　out　of　the　question　when　the　sheer　proliferation　of　travelers'　tales　had　all　but　exhausted　the　lexicon　of　discovery。　But　it　nevertheless　irrita