cb.imajica1-第69部分

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yes　open；　wanting　to　see　its　face　as　he　came；　and　in　the　time　it　took　for　his　lashes　to　unknit；　the　beauty　in　front　of　him　became　a　mirror。　It　was　his　face　he　was　seeing；　his　body　he　was　holding。　The　illusion　didn't　cool　him。　Quite　the　reverse。　Before　the　mirror　softened　into　flesh；　its　glass　being　the　sweat　on　Pie's　sweet　face；　he　passed　the　point　of　no　return；　and　it　was　with　that　image　in　his　eye…his　face　mingled　with　the　mystif　s…that　his　body　unleashed　its　little　torrent。　It　was；　as　ever；　exquisite　and　racking；　a　short　delirium　followed　by　a　sense　of　loss　he'd　never　made　peace　with。
　The　mystif　began　to　laugh　almost　before　he　was　finished；　and　when　Gentle　drew　his　first　clear　breath　it　was　to　ask；　〃What's　so　funny？〃
　〃The　silence；〃　Pie　said；　suppressing　the　music　so　that　Gentle　could　share　the　joke。
　He'd　lain　here　in　this　cell　hour　after　hour；　unable　to　make　a　moan；　but　he'd　never　heard　a　silence　such　as　this。　The　whole　asylum　was　listening；　from　the　depths　where　Father　Athanasius　wove　his　piercing　crowns　to　N'ashap's　office；　its　carpet　indelibly　marked　with　the　blood　his　nose　had　shed。　There　was　not　a　waking　soul　who'd　not　heard　their　coupling。
　〃Such　a　silence；〃　the　mystif　said。
　As　it　spoke；　the　hush　was　broken　by　the　sound　of　someone　yelling　in　his　cell；　a　rage　of　loss　and　loneliness　that　went　on　unchecked　for　the　rest　of　the　night；　as　if　to　cleanse　the　gray　stone　of　the　joy　that　had　momentarily　tainted　it。
　
　
　27
　
　If　pressed；　Jude　could　have　named　a　dozen　men…lovers；　suitors；　slaves…who'd　offered　her　any　prize　she　set　her　heart　on　in　return　for　her　affections。　She'd　taken　several　up　on　their　largesse。　But　her　requests；　extravagant　as　some　of　them　had　been；　were　as　nothing　beside　the　gift　she'd　asked　of　Oscar　Godolpnin。　Show　me　Yzordderrex；　she'd　said；　and　watched　his　face　fill　with　trepidation。　He'd　not　refused　her　out　of　hand。　To　have　done　so　would　have　crushed　in　a　moment　the　affection　growing　between　them；　and　he　would　never　have　forgiven　himself　that　loss。　He　listened　to　her　request；　then　made　no　further　mention　of　it；　hoping；　no　doubt；　she'd　let　the　subject　lie。
　She　didn't；　however。　The　blossoming　of　a　physical　relationship　between　them　had　cured　her　of　the　strange　passivity　that　had　afflicted　her　when　they'd　first　met。　She　had　knowledge　of　his　vulnerability　now。　She'd　seen　him　wounded。　She'd　seen　him　ashamed　of　his　lack　of　self…control。　She'd　seen　him　in　the　act　of　love；　tender　and　sweetly　perverse。　Though　her　feelings　for　him　remained　strong；　this　new　perspective　removed　the　veil　of　unthinking　acceptance　from　her　eyes。　Now；　when　she　saw　the　desire　he　felt　for　her…and　he　several　times　displayed　that　desire　in　the　days　following　their　consummation…it　was　the　old　Judith；　self…reh'ant　and　fearless；　who　watched　from　behind　her　smiles；　watched　and　waited；　knowing　that　his　devotion　empowered　her　more　by　the　day。　The　tension　between　these　two　selves…the　remnants　of　the　pliant　mistress　his　presence　had　first　conjured　and　the　willful；　focused　woman　she'd　been　（and　now　was　again）…scourged　the　last　dregs　of　dreaminess　from　her　system；　and　her　appetite　for　Dominion…hopping　returned　with　fresh　intensity。　She　didn't　shrink　from　reminding　him　of　his　promise　to　her　as　the　days　went　by；　but　on　the　first　two　occasions　he　made　some　polite　but　spurious　excuse　so　as　to　avoid　talking　further　about　it。
　On　the　third　occasion　her　insistence　won　her　a　sigh；　and　eyes　cast　to　heaven。
　〃Why　is　this　so　important　to　you？〃　he　asked。　〃Yzordderrex　is　an　overpopulated　cesspit。　I　don't　know　a　decent　man　or　woman　there　who　wouldn't　prefer　to　be　here　in　England。〃
　〃A　week　ago　you　were　talking　about　disappearing　there　forever。　But　you　couldn't　you　said；　because　you'd　miss　the　cricket。〃
　〃You've　got　a　good　memory。〃
　〃I　hang　on　your　every　word；〃　she　said；　not　without　a　certain　sourness。
　〃Well；　the　situation's　changed。　There's　most　likely　going　to　be　revolution。　If　we　went　now；　we'd　probably　be　executed　on　sight。〃
　〃You've　e　and　gone　often　enough　in　the　past；〃　she
　pointed　out。　〃So　have　hundreds　of　others；　haven't　they？
　You're　not　the　only　one。　That's　what　magic　is　for：　passing
　between　Dominions。〃
　He　didn't　reply。
　〃I　want　to　see　Yzordderrex；　Oscar；〃　she　said；　〃and　if　you　won't　take　me　I'll　find　a　magician　who　will。〃
　〃Don't　even　joke　about　it。〃L
　〃I　mean　it；〃　she　said　fiercely。　〃You　can't　be　the　only　one
　who　knows　the　way。〃
　〃Near　enough。〃
　〃There　are　others。　Til　find　them　if　I　have　to。〃
　〃They're　all　crazy；〃　he　told　her。　〃Or　dead。〃
　〃Murdered？〃　she　said；　the　word　out　of　her　mouth　before　she'd　fully　grasped　its　implication。
　The　look　on　his　face；　however　（or　rather　its　absence：　the　willed　blankness）；　was　enough　to　confirm　her　suspicion。　The　bodies　she'd　seen　on　the　news　being　carted　away　from　their　games　were　not　those　of　burned…out　hippies　and　sex…　？　crazed　satanists。　They　were　possessors　of　true　power；　men　and　women　who'd　maybe　walked　where　she　longed　to　walk：　in　the　Imajica。
　〃Who's　doing　it；　Oscar？　It's　somebody　you　know；　isn't　it？〃
　He　got　up　and　crossed　to　where　she　sat；　his　motion　so　：　swift　she　thought　for　an　instant　he　meant　to　strike　her。　But　instead　he　dropped　to　his　knees　in　front　of　her；　holding　her　hands　tight　and　staring　up　at　her　with　almost　hypnotic　intensity。
　〃Listen　to　me　carefully；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　certain　familial　duties；　which　I　wish　to　God　I　didn't　have。　They　make　demands　upon　me　I'd　willingly　shrug　off　if　I　could…〃
　〃This　is　all　to　do　with　the　tower；　isn't　it？〃
　〃I'd　prefer　not　to　discuss　that。〃
　〃We　are　discussing　it；　Oscar。〃
　〃It's　a　very　private　and　a　very　delicate　business。　I'm　dealing　with　individuals　quite　without　any　sense　of　morality。　If　they　were　to　know　that　I've　said　even　this　much　to　you；　both　our　lives　would　be　in　the　direst　jeopardy。　I　beg　you；　never　utter　another　word　about　this　to　anyone。　I
　should　never　have　taken　you　up　to　the　tower。〃
　If　its　occupants　were　half　as　murderous　as　he　was　suggesting；　she　thought；　how　much　more　lethal　would　they　be　；　if　they　knew　how　many　of　the　tower's　secrets　she'd　seen？　〃Promise　me　you'll　let　this　subject　alone；〃　he　went　on。
　〃I　want　to　see　Yzordderrex；　Oscar。〃
　〃Promise　me。　No　more　talk　about　the　tower；　in　this　house　or　out　of　it。　Say　it；　Judith。〃
　〃All　right。　I　won't　talk　about　the　tower。〃
　〃In　this　house…〃
　〃…or　out　of　it。　But　Oscar…〃
　〃What；　sweet？〃
　〃I　still　want　to　see　Yzordderrex。〃
　
　The　morning　after　this　exchange　she　went　up　to　Highgate。　It　was　another　rainy　day；　and　failing　to　find　an　unoccupied　cab　she　braved　the　Underground。　It　was　a　mistake。　She'd　never　liked　traveling　by　tube　at　the　best　of　times…it　brought　out　her　latent　claustrophobia…but　she　recalled　as　she　rode　that　two　of　those　murdered　in　the　spate　of　killings　had　died　in　these　tunnels：　one　pushed　in　front　of　a　crowded　train　as　it　drew　into　Piccadilly　station；　the　other　stabbed　to　death　at　midnight；　somewhere　on　the　Jubilee　Line。　This　was　not　a　safe　way　to　travel　for　someone　who　had　even　the　slightest　inkling　of　the　prodigies　half　hidden　in　the　world；　and　she　was　one　of　those　few。　So　it　was　with　no　little　relief　she　stepped　out　into　the　open　air　at　Archway　station　（the　clouds　had　cleared）　and　started　up　Highgate　Hill　on　foot。　Shie　had　no　difficulty　finding　the　tower　itself；　though　the　banality　of　its　design；　together　with　the　shield　of　trees　in　full　leaf　in　front　of　it；　meant　few　eyes　were　likely　to　look　its
　way。
　Despite　the　dire　warnings　issued　by　Oscar　it　was　difficult　to　find　much　intimidating　about　the　place；　with　the　spring　sunshine　warm　enough　to　make　her　slip　off　her　jacket；　and　the　grass　busy　with　sparrows　quarreling　over　worms　raised　by　the　rain。　She　scanned　the　windows；　looking　for　some　sign　of　occupation；　but　saw　none。　Avoiding　the　front　door；　with　its　camera　trained　on　the　step；　she　headed　down　the　side　of　the　building；　her　progress　unimpeded　by　walls　or　barbed　wire。　The　owners　had　clearly　decided　the　tower's　best　defense　lay　in　its　utter　lack　of　character；　and　the　less　they　did　to　keep　trespassers　out　the　fewer　would　be　attracted　in　the　first　place。　There　was　even　less　to　see　from　the　back　than　the　front。　There　were　blinds　down　over　most　of　the　windows；　and　those　few　that　were　not　covered　let　onto　empty　rooms。　She　made　a　plete　circuit　of　the　tower；　looking　for　some　other　way　into　it；　but　there　was　none。
　As　she　returned　to　the　front　of　the　building　she　tried　to　imagine　the　passageways　buried　beneath　her　feet…the　books　piled　in　the　darkness；　and　the　imprisoned　soul　lying　in　a　deeper　darkness　still…hoping　her　mind　might　be　able　to　go　where　her　body　could　not。　But　that　exercise　proved　as　fruitless　as　her　window…watching。　The　real　world　was　implacable；　it　wouldn't　shift　a　particle　of　soil　to　let　her　through。　Discouraged；　she　made　one　final　circuit　of　the　tower；　then　decided　to　give　up。　Maybe　she'd　e　back　here　at　night；　she　thought；　when　solid　reality　didn't　insist　on　her　senses　so　brutally。　Or　maybe　seek　another　journey　under　the　influence　of　the　blue　eye；　though　this　option　made　her　nervous。　She　had　no　real　grasp　of　the　mechanism　by　which　the　eye　induced　such　flights；　and　she　feared　giving　it　power　over　her。　Oscar　already　had　enough　of　that。
　She　put　her　jacket　back　on　and　headed　away　from　the　tower。　To　judge　by　the　absence　of　traffic　on　Hornsey　Lane；　the　hill…which　had　been　clogged　with　traffic…was　still　blocked；　preventing　drivers　from　making　their　way　in　this　direction。　The　gulf　usually　filled　with　the　din　of　vehicles　was　not　empty；　however。　There　were　footsteps　close　behind　her；　and　a　voice。
　〃Who　are　you？〃
　She　glanced　around；　not　assuming　the　question　was　directed　at　her；　but　finding　that　she　and　the　questioner…a　woman　in　her　sixties；　shabbily　dressed　and　sickly…were　the　only　people　in　sight。　Moreover；　the　woman's　stare　was　fixed　upon　her　with　a　near　manic　intensity。　Again；　the　question；　ing　from　a　mouth　that　had　about　it　a　spittle…flecked　asymmetry　that　suggested　the　speaker　had　suffered　a　stroke　in　the　past。
　〃Who　are　you？〃
　Already　irritated　by　her　failure　at　the　tower；　Judith　was　in　no　mood　to　humor　what　was　plainly　the　local　schizophrenic　and　was　turning　on　her　heel　to　walk　away　when　the　woman　spoke　again。　〃Don't　you　know　they'll　hurt　you？〃　〃Who　will？1'she　said。
　〃The　people