cb.imajica1-第84部分

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　〃I've　been　in　these　damn　storms；〃　the　mystif　said。　〃I　don't　think　we　want　to　be　walking　about　in　one。〃
　Gentle　told　it　not　to　fret；　and　hoisting　Huzzah　onto　his　shoulders；　he　set　the　pace　as　the　storm　scourged　the　streets。　They'd　asked　for　fresh　directions　a　few　minutes　before　the　wind　veered；　and　the　shopkeeper　who'd　supplied　them　had　known　his　geography。　The　directions　were　good　even　if　walking　conditions　were　not。　The　wind　smelt　like　flatulence　and　carried　a　blinding　freight　of　sand；　along　with　ferocious　heat。　But　they　at　least　had　the　freedom　of　the　streets。　The　only　individuals　they　glimpsed　were　either　felonious；　crazy；　or　homeless；　into　all　three　of　which　categories　they　themselves　fell。
　They　reached　the　Viaticum　without　error　or　incident；　and　from　there　the　mystif　knew　its　way。　Two　hours　or　more　after　they'd　left　the　siege　at　the　harbor　they　reached　the　Eurhetemec　Kesparate；　The　storm　was　showing　signs　of　fatigue；　as　were　they；　but　Pie's　voice　fairly　sang　when　it　announced；　〃This　is　it。　This　is　the　place　where　I　was　born。〃
　The　Kesparate　in　front　of　them　was　walled；　but　the　gates　were　open；　swinging　in　the　wind。
　〃Lead　on；〃　Gentle　said；　setting　Huzzah　down。
　The　mystif　pushed　the　gate　wide　and　led　the　way　into　streets　the　wind　was　unveiling　before　them　as　it　fell；　dropping　sand　underfoot。　The　streets　rose　towards　the　palace；　as　did　almost　every　street　in　Yzordderrex；　but　the　dwellings　built　upon　it　were　very　different　from　those　elsewhere　in　the　city。　They　stood　discreet　from　one　another；　tall　and　burnished；　each　possessed　of　a　single　window　that　ran　from　above　the　door　to　the　eaves；　where　the　structure　branched　into　four　overhanging　roofs；　lending　the　buildings；　when　side　by　side；　the　look　of　a　stand　of　petrified　trees。　In　the　street　in　front　of　the　houses　were　the　real　thing：　trees　whose　branches　still　swayed　in　the　dying　gusts　like　kelp　in　a　tidal　pool；　their　boughs　so　supple　and　their　tight　white　blossoms　so　hardy　the　storm　had　done　them　no　harm。
　It　wasn't　until　he　caught　the　tremulous　look　on　Pie's　face　that　Gentle　realized　what　a　burden　of　feeling　the　mystif　bore；　stepping　back　into　its　birthplace　after　the　passage　of　so　many　years。　Having　such　a　short　memory；　he'd　never　carried　such　luggage　himself。　There　were　no　cherished　recollections　of　childhood　rites；　no　Christmas　scenes　or　lullabies。　His　grasp　of　what　Pie　might　be　feeling　had　to　be　an　intellectual　construct　and　fell…he　was　sure…well　shy　of　the　real　thing。
　〃My　parents'　home；〃　the　mystif　said；　〃used　to　be　between　the　chianculi〃…it　pointed　off　to　its　right；　where　the　last　remnants　of　sand…laden　gusts　still　shrouded　the　distance…〃and　the　hospice。〃　It　pointed　to　its　left；　a　white…walled　building。
　〃So　somewhere　near；〃　Gentle　said。
　〃I　think　so；〃　Pie　said；　clearly　pained　by　the　tricks　memory　was　playing。
　〃Why　don't　we　ask　somebody？〃　Huzzah　suggested。
　Pie　acted　upon　the　suggestion　instantly；　walking　over　to　the　nearest　house　and　rapping　on　the　door。　There　was　no　reply。　It　moved　next　door　and　tried　again。　This　house　was　also　vacated。　Sensing　Pie's　unease；　Gentle　took　Huzzah　to　join　the　mystif　on　the　third　step。　The　response　was　the　same　here；　a　silence　made　more　palpable　by　the　drop　in　the　wind。
　〃There's　nobody　here；〃　Pie　said；　remarking；　Gentle　knew；　not　simply　on　the　empty　houses　but　on　the　whole
　hushed　vista。
　The　storm　was　pletely　exhausted　now。　People　should　have　been　appearing　in　their　doorsteps　to　brush　off　the　sand　and　peer　at　their　roofs　to　see　they　were　still　secure。　But　there　was　nobody。　The　elegant　streets；　laid　with　such　precision；　were　deserted　from　end　to　end。
　〃Maybe　they've　all　gathered　in…one　place；〃　Gentle　suggested。　〃Is　there　some　kind　of　assembly　place？　A　church　or
　a　senate？〃
　〃The　chianculi's　the　nearest　thing；〃　Pie　said；　pointing　towards　a　quartet　of　pale　yellow　domes　set　amid　trees　shaped　like　cypresses　but　bearing　Prussian　blue　foliage。　Birds　were　rising　from　them　into　the　clearing　sky；　their　shadows　the　only　motion　on　the　streets　below。
　〃What　happens　at　the　chianculi？〃　Gentle　said　as　they　started　towards　the　domes。
　〃Ah！　In　my　youth；〃　the　mystif　said；　attempting　a　lightness　of　tone　it　clearly　didn't　feel；　〃in　my　youth　it　was　where　we　had　the　circuses。〃
　〃I　didn't　know　you　came　from　circus　stock。〃　〃They　weren't　like　any　Fifth　Dominion　circus；〃　Pie　replied。　〃They　were　ways　we　remembered　the　Dominion　we'd　been　exiled　from。〃
　〃No　clowns　and　ponies？〃　Gentle　said。　〃No　clowns　and　ponies；〃　Pie　replied；　and　would　not　be　drawn　on　the　subject　any　further。
　Now　that　they　were　close　to　the　chianculi；　its　scale…and　that　of　the　trees　surrounding　it…became　apparent。　It　was　fully　five　stories　high　from　the　ground　to　the　apex　of　its　largest　dome。　The　birds；　having　made　one　celebratory　circuit　of　the　Kesparate；　were　now　settling　in　the　trees　again；　chattering　like　myna　birds　that　had　been　taught　Japanese。
　Gentle's　attention　was　briefly　claimed　by　the　spectacle；　only　to　be　grounded　again　when　he　heard　Pie　say；　〃They're　not　all　dead。〃
　Emerging　from　between　the　Prussian　blue　trees　were　four　of　the　mystif　s　tribe；　negroes　wrapped　in　undyed　robes　like　desert　nomads；　some　folds　of　which　they　held　between　their　teeth；　covering　their　lower　faces。　Nothing　about　their　gait　or　garments　offered　any　clue　to　their　sex；　but　they　were　evidently　prepared　to　oust　trespassers；　for　they　came　armed　with　fine　silver　rods；　three　feet　or　so　in　length　and　held　across　their　hips。
　〃On　no　account　move　or　even　speak；〃　the　mystif　said　to　Gentle　as　the　quartet　came　within　ten　yards　of　where　they　stood。
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃This　isn't　a　weling　party。〃
　〃What　is　it　then？〃
　〃An　execution　squad。〃
　So　saying；　the　mystif　raised　its　hands　in　front　of　its　chest；　palms　out；　then…breaking　its　own　edict…it　stepped　forward；　addressing　the　squad　as　it　did　so。　The　language　it　spoke　was　not　English　but　had　about　it　the　same　oriental　lilt　Gentle　had　heard　from　the　beaks　of　the　settling　birds。　Perhaps　they'd　indeed　been　speaking　in　their　owners'　tongue。
　One　of　the　quartet　now　let　the　bitten　veil　drop；　revealing　a　woman　in　early　middle　age；　her　expression　more　puzzled　than　aggressive。　Having　listened　to　Pie　for　a　time；　she　murmured　something　to　the　individual　at　her　right；　winning　only　a　shaken　head　by　way　of　response。　The　squad　had　continued　to　approach　Pie　as　it　talked；　their　stride　steady；　but　now；　as　Gentle　heard　the　syllables　Pie　'oh'　pah　appear　in　the　mystif　s　monologue；　the　woman　called　a　halt。　Two　more　of　the　veils　were　dropped；　revealing　men　as　finely　boned　as　their　leader。　One　was　lightly　mustached；　but　the　seeds　of　sexual　ambiguity　that　blossomed　so　exquisitely　in　Pie　were　visible　here。　Without　further　word　from　the　woman；　her　panion　went　on　to　reveal　a　second　ambiguity；　altogether　less　attractive。　He　let　one　hand　drop　from　the　silver　rod　he　carried　and　the　wind　caught　it；　a　ripple　passing　through　its　length　as　though　it　were　made　not　of　steel　but　of　silk。　He　lifted　it　to　his　mouth　and　draped　it　over　his　tongue。　It　fell　in　soft　loops　from　his　lips　and　fingers；　still　glinting　like　a　blade　even　though　it　folded　and　fluttered。
　Whether　this　gesture　was　a　threat　or　not　Gentle　couldn't　know；　but　in　response　to　it　the　mystif　dropped　to　its　knees　and　indicated　with　a　wave　of　its　hand　that　Gentle　and　Huz…zah　should　do　the　same。　The　child　cast　a　rueful　glance　in　Gentle's　direction；　looking　to　him　for　endorsement。　He　shrugged　and　nodded；　and　they　both　knelt；　though　to　Gentle's　way　of　thinking　this　was　the　last　position　to　adopt　in　front　of　an　execution　squad。
　〃Get　ready　to　run；〃　he　whispered　across　to　Huzzah；　and　she　returned　a　nervous　little　nod。
　The　mustachioed　man　had　now　begun　to　address　Pie；　speaking　in　the　same　tongue　the　mystif　had　used。　There　was　nothing　in　either　his　tone　or　attitude　that　was　particularly　threatening；　though　neither；　Gentle　knew；　were　foolproof　indications。　There　was　some　fort　in　the　fact　of　dialogue；　however；　and　at　a　certain　point　in　the　exchange　the　fourth　veil　was　dropped。　Another　woman；　younger　than　the　leader　and　altogether　less　amiable；　was　taking　over　the　conversation　with　a　more　strident　tone；　waving　her　ribbon　blade　in　the　air　inches　from　Pie's　inclined　head；　Its　lethal　capacity　could　not　be　in　doubt。　It　whistled　as　it　sliced　and　hummed　as　it　rose　again；　its　motion；　for　all　its　ripples；　chillingly　controlled。　When　she'd　finished　talking；　the　leader　apparently　ordered　them　to　their　feet。　Pie　obliged；　glancing　around　at　Gentle　and　Huzzah　to　indicate　they　should　do　the　same。
　〃Are　they　going　to　kill　us？〃　Huzzah　murmured。　Gentle　took　her　hand。　〃No；　they're　not；〃　he　said。　〃And　if　they　try；　I've　got　a　trick　or　two　in　my　lungs。〃　〃Please；　Gentle；〃　Pie　said。　〃Don't　even…〃
　A　word　from　the　squad　leader　silenced　the　appeal；　and　the　mystif　answered　the　next　question　directed　at　it　by　naming　its　panions：　Huzzah　Aping　and　John　Furie　Za…charias。　There　then　followed　another　short　exchange　between　the　members　of　the　squad；　during　which　time　Pie　snatched　a　moment　to　explain。
　〃This　is　a　very　delicate　situation；'。'　Pie　said。
　〃I　think　we've　grasped　that　much。〃
　〃Most　of　my　people　have　gone　from　the　Kesparate。〃
　〃Where？〃
　〃Some　of　them　tortured　and　killed。　Some　taken　as　slave　labor。〃
　〃But　now　the　prodigal　returns。　Why　aren't　they　happy　to　see　you？〃
　〃They　think　I'm　probably　a　spy；　or　else　I'm　crazy。　Either　way；　I'm　a　danger　to　them。　They're　going　to　keep　me　here　to　question　me。　It　was　either　that　or　a　summary　execution。〃
　〃Some　homeing。〃
　〃At　least　there's　a　few　of　them　left　alive。　When　we　first　got　here；　I　thought…〃
　〃I　know　what　you　thought。　So　did　I。　Do　they　speak　any　English？〃
　〃Of　course。　But　it's　a　matter　of　pride　that　they　don't。〃
　〃But　they'll　understand　me？〃
　〃Don't；　Gentle。〃
　〃I　want　them　to　know　we're　not　their　enemies；〃　Gentle　said；　and　turned　his　address　to　the　squad。　〃You　already　know　my　name；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　here　with　Pie　'oh'　pah　because　we　thought　we'd　find　friends　here。　We're　not　spies。　We're　not　assassins。〃
　〃Let　it　alone；　Gentle；〃　Pie　said。
　〃We　came　a　long　way　to　be　here；　Pie　and　me。　All　the　way　from　the　Fifth。　And　right　from　the　beginning　Pie's　dreamed　about　seeing　you　people　again。　Do　you　understand？　You're　the　dream　Pie's　e　all　this　way　to　find。〃
　〃They　don't　care；　G