cb.imajica1-第50部分

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　obliterated　the　way　ahead。　When　that　happened　Pie　pulled　out　the　pass…the　face　of　which　looked　more　like　a　star　map　to　Gentle's　untutored　eye…and　assessed　their　direction　from　that。　Only　once　did　Gentle　remark　that　he　hoped　the　mystif　knew　what　it　was　doing；　earning　such　a　withering　glance　for　his　troubles　it　silenced　him　utterly　on　the　matter　thereafter。
　Despite　weather　that　was　worsening　by　the　day…making　Gentle　think　wistfully　of　an　English　January…good　fortune　did　not　entirely　desert　them。　On　the　fifth　day　beyond　the　snow　line；　in　a　lull　between　gusts；　Gentle　heard　bells　ringing；　and　following　the　sound　they　discovered　a　group　of　half　a　dozen　mountain　men；　tending　to　a　flock　of　a　hundred　or　more　cousins　to　the　terrestrial　goat；　these　shaggier　by　far　and　purple　as　crocuses。　The　herders　spoke　no　English；　and　only　one　of　them；　whose　name　was　Kuthuss　and　who　boasted　a　beard　as　shaggy　and　as　purple　as　his　beasts　（leading　Gentle　to　wonder　what　marriages　of　convenience　had　occurred　in　these　lonely　uplands）；　had　any　words　in　his　vocabulary　that　Pie　could　prehend。　What　he　told　was　grim。　The　herders　were　bringing　their　herds　down　from　the　High　Pass　early　because　the　snow　had　covered　ground　the　beasts　would　have　grazed　for　another　twenty　days　in　a　normal　season。　This　was　not；　he　repeated　several　times；　a　normal　season。　He　had　never　known　the　snow　to　e　so　early　or　fall　so　copiously；　never　known　the　winds　to　be　so　bitter。　In　essence；　he　advised　them　not　to　attempt　the　route　ahead。　It　would　be　tantamount　to　suicide。　Pie　and　Gentle　talked　this　advice　over。　The　journey　was　already　taking　far　longer　than　they'd　anticipated。　If　they　went　back　down　below　the　snow　line；　tempting　as　the　prospect　of　relative　warmth　and　fresh　food　was；　they　were　wasting　yet　more　time。　Days　when　all　manner　of　horrors　could　be　unfolding：　a　hundred　villages　like　Beatrix　destroyed；　and　countless　lives　lost。
　〃Remember　what　I　said　when　we　left　Beatrix？〃　Gentle　said。
　〃No；　to　be　honest；　I　don't。〃
　〃I　said　we　wouldn't　die；　and　I　meant　it。　We'll　find　a　way　through。〃
　〃I'm　not　sure　I　like　this　messianic　conviction；〃　Pie　said。　〃People　with　the　best　intentions　die；　Gentle。　e　to　think　of　it；　they're　often　the　first　to　go。〃
　〃What　are　you　saying？　That　you　won't　e　with　me？〃
　〃I　said　I'd　go　wherever　you　go；　and　I　will。　But　good　intentions　won't　impress　the　cold。〃
　〃How　much　money　have　we　got？〃
　〃Not　much。〃
　〃Enough　to　buy　some　goatskins　off　these　men？　And　maybe　some　meat？〃
　A　plex　exchange　ensued　in　three　languages…with　Pie　translating　Gentle's　words　into　the　language　Kuthuss　understood　and　Kuthuss　in　turn　translating　for　his　fellow　herders。　A　deal　was　rapidly　struck；　the　herders　seemed　much　persuaded　by　the　prospect　of　hard　cash。　Rather　than　give　over　their　own　coats；　however；　two　of　them　got　about　the　business　of　slaughtering　and　skinning　four　of　the　animals。　The　meat；　they　cooked　and　shared　among　the　group。　It　was　fatty　and　underdone；　but　neither　Gentle　nor　Pie　declined；　and　it　was　washed　down　。with　a　beverage　they　brewed　from　boiled　snow；　dried　leaves；　and　a　dash　of　liquor　which　Pie　understood　Kuthuss　to　have　called　the　piss　of　the　goat。　They　tasted　it　in　spite　of　this。　It　was　potent；　and　after　a　shot　of　it…downed　like　vodka…Gentle　remarked　that　if　this　made　him　a　piss…drinker；　so　be　it。
　The　neirt　day；　having　been　supplied　with　skins；　meat；　and　the　makings　of　several　pots　of　the　herders'　beverage；　plus　a　pan　and　two　glasses；　they　made　their　inarticulate　farewells　and　parted　pany。　The　weather　closed　in　soon　after；　and　once　again　they　were　lost　in　a　white　wilderness。　But　their　spirits　had　been　buoyed　up　by　the　meeting；　and　they　made　steady　progress　for　the　next　two　and　a　half　days；　until；　as　twilight　approached　on　the　third；　the　animal　Gentle　was　riding　started　to　show　signs　of　exhaustion；　its　head　drooping；　its　hooves　barely　able　to　clear　the　snow　they　were　trudging　through。
　〃I　think　we'd　better　rest　him；〃　Gentle　said。
　They　found　a　niche　between　boulders　so　large　they　were　almost　hills　in　themselves；　and　lit　a　fire　to　brew　up　some　of　the　herders'　liquor。　It；　more　than　the　meat；　was　what　had　sustained　them　through　the　most　demanding　portions　of　the　journey　so　far；　but　try　as　they　might　to　use　it　sparingly；　they　had　almost　consumed　their　modest　supply。　As　they　drank　they　talked　about　what　lay　ahead。　Kuthuss'　predictions　were　proving　correct。　The　weather　was　worsening　all　the　time；　and　the　chances　of　encountering　another　living　soul　up　here　if　they　were　to　get　into　difficulty　were　surely　zero。　Pie　took　a　moment　to　remind　Gentle　of　his　conviction　that　they　weren't　going　to　die；　e　blizzard；　e　hurricane；　e　the　echo　of　Hapexamendios　Himself；　down　from　the　mountain。
　〃And　1　meant　what　I　said；〃　Gentle　replied。　〃But　I　can　still　fret　about　it；　can't　I？〃　He　put　his　hands　closer　to　the　fire。　〃Any　more　in　the　piss　pot？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　not。〃
　〃I　tell　you；　when　we　e　back　this　way〃…Pie　made　a　wry　face…〃we　will；　we　will。　When　we　e　back　this　way　we've　got　to　get　the　recipe。　Then　we　can　brew　it　back　on　earth。〃
　They'd　left　the　doeki　a　little　distance　away　and　heard　now　a　lowing　sound。
　〃Chester！〃　Gentle　said；　and　went　to　the　beasts。
　Chester　was　lying　on　its　side；　its　flank　heaving。　Blood　streamed　from　its　mouth　and　nose；　melting　the　snow　it　poured　upon。
　〃Oh；　shit；　Chester；〃　Gentle　implored；　〃don't　die。〃
　But　he'd　no　sooner　put　what　he　hoped　was　a　forting　hand　on　the　doeki's　flank　than　it　turned　its　glossy　brown　eye　towards　him；　let　out　one　final　moan；　and　stopped　breathing。
　〃We　just　lost　fifty　percent　of　our　transport；〃　he　said　to　Pie。
　〃Look　on　the　bright　side。　We　gained　ourselves　a　week　of　meat。〃
　Gentle　glanced　back　towards　the　dead　animal；　wishing　he'd　taken　Pie's　advice　and　never　named　the　beast。　Now　when　he　sucked　its　bones　he'd　be　thinking　of　Klein。
　〃Will　you　do　it　or　should　I？〃　he　said。　〃I　suppose　it　should　be　me。　I　named　him；　I　should　skin　him。〃
　The　mystif　didn't　argue；　only　suggested　that　it　should　move　the　other　animal　out　of　sight　of　the　scene；　in　case　it　too　lost　all　will　to　live；　seeing　its　rade　disemboweled。　Gentle　agreed；　and　watched　while　Pie　led　the　fretting　creature　away。　Wielding　the　blade　they'd　been　given　as　they　left　Beatrix；　he　then　set　about　his　butchering。　He　rapidly　discovered　that　neither　he　nor　the　knife　were　equal　to　the　task。　The　doeki's　hide　was　thick；　its　fat　rubbery；　its　meat　tough。　After　an　hour　of　hacking　and　tearing　he'd　only　managed　to　strip　the　hide　from　the　upper　half　of　its　back　leg　and　a　small　portion　of　its　flank。　He　was　sticky　with　its　blood　and　sweating　inside　his　coat　of　furs。
　〃Shall　I　take　over？〃　Pie　suggested。
　〃No；〃　Gentle　snapped；　〃I　can　do　it；〃　and　continued　to　labor　in　the　same　inept　fashion；　the　blade　dulled　by　now　and　the　muscles　driving　it　weary。
　He　waited　a　decent　interval；　then　got　up　and　went　back　to　the　fire　where　Pie　was　sitting；　gazing　into　the　flames。　Disgruntled　by　his　defeat；　he　tossed；　the　knife　down　in　the　melting　snow　beside　the　fire。
　〃I　give　up；〃　he　said。　〃It's　all　yours。〃
　Somewhat　reluctantly；　Pie　picked　up　the　knife；　proceeded　to　sharpen　it　on　the　rock　face；　then　went　to　work。　Gentle　didn't　watch。　Repulsed　by　the　blood　that　had　spattered　him；　he　elected　to　brave　the　cold　and　wash　it　off。　He　found　a　place　a　little　way　from　the　fire　where　the　ground　was　untrammeled；　removed　his　coat　and　shirt；　and　knelt　down　to　bathe　in　the　snow。　His　skin　crawled　at　the　chill；　but　some　urge　to　self…mortification　was　satisfied　by　this　testing　of　will　and　flesh；　and　when　he'd　cleaned　his　hands　and　face　he　rubbed　the　pricking　snow　into　his　chest　and　belly；　though　the　doeki's　fluids　hadn't　stained　him　there。　The　wind　had　dropped　in　the　last　little　while；　and　the　sky　visible　between　the　rocks　was　more　gold　than　green。　He　was　seized　by　the　need　to　stand　unencumbered　in　its　light；　and　without　putting　his　coat　back　on　he　clambered　up　over　the　rocks　to　do　so。　His　hands　were　numb；　and　the　climb　was　more　arduous　than　he'd　anticipated；　but　the　scene　above　and　below　him　when　he　reached　the　top　of　the　rock　was　worth　the　effort。　No　wonder　Hapexamendios　had　e　here　on　His　way　to　His　resting　place。　Even　gods　might　be　inspired　by　such　grandeur。　The　peaks　of　the　Jokalaylau　receded　in　apparently　infinite　procession；　their　white　slopes　faintiy　gilded　by　the　heavens　they　reached　for。　The　silence　could　not　have　been　more　utter。
　This　vantage　point　served　a　practical　as　well　as　an　aesthetic　purpose。　The　High　Pass　was　plainly　visible。　And　so；　some　distance　off　to　the　right；　was　a　sight　perplexing　enough　for　him　to　call　the　mystif　up　from　its　work。　A　glacier；　its　surface　shimmering；　lay　a　mile　or　more　from　the　rock。　But　it　wasn't　the　spectacle　of　such　frozen　enormity　that　claimed　Gentle's　eye；　it　was　the　presence　within　the　ice　of　a　litter　of　darker　forms。
　〃You　want　to　go　and　find　out　what　they　are？〃　the　mystif　said；　washing　its　bloodied　hands　in　the　snow。
　〃I　think　we　should；〃　Gentle　replied；　〃If　we're　walking　in　the　Unbeheld's　footsteps；　we　should　make　it　our　business　to　see　what　He　saw。〃
　〃Or　what　He　caused；〃　Pie　said。
　They　descended；　and　Gentle　put　his　shirt　and　coat　back　on。　The　clothes　were　warm；　having　been　left　beside　the　fire；　and　he　was　glad　of　that　fort；　but　they　also　stank　of　his　sweat　and　of　the　animals　whose　backs　they'd　been　stripped　from；　and　he　half　wished　he　could　go　naked；　rather　than　be　burdened　by　another　hide。
　〃Have　you　finished　with　the　skinning？〃　Gentle　asked　Pie　as　they　set　off；　going　by　foot　rather　than　waste　the　energies　of　their　remaining　vehicle。
　〃I've　done　what　I　can；〃　Pie　replied；　〃but　it's　crude。　I'm　no　butcher。〃
　〃Are　you　a　cook？〃　Gentle　asked。　〃Not　really。　Why'd　you　ask？〃
　〃I've　been　thinking　about　food　a　lot；　that's　all。　You　know；　after　this　trip　I　may　never　eat　meat　again。　The　fat！　The　gristle！　It　turns　my　stomach　thinking　about　it。〃　〃You've　got　a　sweet　tooth。〃
　〃You　noticed。　I'd　kill　for　a　plate　of　profiteroles　right　now；　swimming　in　chocolate　sauce。〃　He　laughed。　〃Listen　to　me。　The　glories　of　Jokalaylau　laid　before　us　and　I'm　obsessing　on　profiteroles。〃　Then　again；　deadly　serious。　〃Do　they　have　chocolate　in　Yzordderrex？〃
　〃By　now；　I'm　sure　they　do。　But　my　people　eat　plainly；　so　I　never　got　an　addiction　for　sugar。　Fish；　on　the　other　hand…〃
　〃Fish？〃