cb.imajica1-第96部分

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　gut　he'd　arranged　on　the　floor　as　bait　and　snatched　up　the　knife　still　lying　in　the　blood　beside　the　blindfolded　head；　returning　at　no　more　than　an　amble　to　where　the　victim　was　lying。　There　he　cut　the　prisoner's　bonds　and　stood　back　to　watch　the　rest　of　the　show。　Though　he　was　grievously　wounded；　his　punctured　lungs　barely　able　to　draw　breath；　the　man　fixed　his　eyes　on　the　object　of　his　desire　and　began　to　crawl　towards　it。　Ashen；　the　Autarch　let　him　crawl；　knowing　as　he　went　that　the　distance　was　too　great；　and　the　scene　must　end　in　tragedy。
　The　lover　had　advanced　no　more　than　a　couple　of　yards　when　there　was　a　rapping　on　the　door。
　〃Go　away！〃　the　Autarch　said；　but　the　rapping　came　again；　this　time　acpanied　by　Rosengarten's　voice。
　〃Quaisoir's　gone；　sir；〃　he　said。
　The　Autarch　watched　the　crawling　man's　despair　and　despaired　himself。　Despite　all　his　indulgences；　the　woman　had　deserted　him　for　the　Man　of　Sorrows。
　〃e　in！〃　he　called。
　Rosengarten　entered　and　made　his　report。　Seidux　was　dead；　stabbed　and　thrown　from　a　window。　Quaisoir's　quarters　were　empty；　her　servant　vanished；　her　dressing　room　overturned。　A　search　for　her　abductors　was　already　under　way。
　〃Abductors？〃　the　Autarch　said。　〃No；　Rosengarten。　There　are　no　abductors。　She's　gone　of　her　own　accord。〃
　Not　once　as　he　spoke　did　he　take　his　eyes　off　the　lover；　who　had　covered　a　third　of　the　distance　between　his　chair　and　his　darling　but　was　weakening　fast。
　〃It's　over；〃　the　Autarch　said。　〃She's　gone　to　find　her　Redeemer；　the　poor　bitch。〃
　〃Then　shouldn't　I　dispatch　troops　to　find　her？〃　Rosengarten　said。　〃The　city's　dangerous。〃
　〃So's　she　when　she　wants　to　be。　The　women　in　the　Bastion　taught　her　some　unholy　stuff。〃
　〃I　hope　that　cesspit's　been　burned　to　the　ground；〃　Rosengarten　said；　with　a　rare　passion。
　〃I　doubt　it　is；〃　the　Autarch　replied。　〃They've　got　ways　of　protecting　themselves。〃
　〃Not　from　me；　they　haven't；〃　Rosengarten　boasted。
　〃Yes；　even　from　you；〃　the　Autarch　told　him。　〃Even　from　me。　The　power　of　women　can't　be　scoured　away；　however　hard　we　try。　The　Unbeheld　attempted　it；　but　he　didn't　succeed。　There's　always　some　corner…〃
　〃Just　say　the　word；〃　the　mander　broke　in；　〃and　I'll　go　down　there　now。　Hang　the　bitches　in　the　streets。〃
　〃No；　you　don't　understand；〃　the　Autarch　said；　his　voice　almost　monotonous；　but　all　the　more　sorrowful　for　that。　〃The　corner　isn't　out　there；　it's　in　here。〃　He　pointed　to　his　skull。　〃It's　in　our　minds。　Their　mysteries　obsess　us；　even　though　we　put　them　out　of　sight。　Even　me。　God　knows；　I　should　be　free　of　it。　I　wasn't　cast　out　like　the　rest　of　you　were。　How　can　I　yearn　for　something　I　never　had？　But　I　do。〃　He　sighed。　〃Oh；　I　do。〃
　He　looked　around　at　Rosengarten；　whose　expression　was　unprehending。
　〃Look　at　him。〃　The　Autarch　glanced　back　at　the　captive　as　he　spoke。　〃He's　got　seconds　left　to　live。　But　the　leech　gave　him　a　taste　and　he　wants　it　back　again。〃
　〃A　taste　of　what？〃
　〃Of　the　womb；　Rosengarten。　He　said　it　was　like　being　in　the　womb。　We're　all　cast　out。　Whatever　we　build；　wherever　we　hide；　we're　cast　out。〃
　As　he　spoke　the　prisoner　gave　a　last　exhausted　moan　and　lay　still。　The　Autarch　watched　the　body　awhile；　the　only　sound　in　the　vastness　of　the　chamber　the　weakening　motions　of　the　leech　on　the　cold　floor。
　〃Lock　the　doors　and　seal　them　up；〃　the　Autarch　said；　turning　to　leave　without　looking　back　at　Rosengarten。　〃I'm　going　to　the　Pivot　Tower。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃e　and　find　me　when　it's　light。　These　nights；　they're　too　long。　Too　long。　I　wonder；　sometimes　。　。　。〃
　But　what　he　wondered　had　gone　from　his　head　before　it　could　reach　his　lips；　and　when　he　left　the　lovers'　tomb　it　was　in　silence。
　
　
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　Gentle's　thoughts　had　not　often　turned　to　Taylor　as　he　and　Pie　journeyed；　but　when；　in　the　streets　outside　the　palace；　Nikaetomaas　had　asked　him　why　he'd　e　to　the　Imajica；　it　had　been　Taylor's　death　he'd　spoken　of　first；　and　only　then　of　Judith　and　the　attempt　upon　her　life。　Now；　as　he　and　Nikaetomaas　passed　through　the　balmy；　benighted　courtyards　and　up　into　the　palace　itself；　he　thought　of　the　man　again；　lying　on　his　final　pillow；　talking　about　floating　and　charging　Gentle　to　solve　mysteries　that　he'd　not　had　time　to　solve　himself。
　〃I　had　a　friend　in　the　Fifth　who　would　have　loved　this　place；〃　Gentle　said。　〃He　loved　desolation。〃
　It　was　here；　in　every　courtyard。　Gardens　had　been　planted　in　many　of　them　and　left　to　riot。　But　riot　took　energy；　and　nature　was　weary　here；　the　plants　throttling　themselves　after　a　few　spurts　and　withering　back　into　earth　the　color　of　ash。　The　scene　was　not　so　different　once　they　got　inside；　wandering　mapless　down　galleries　where　the　dust　was　as　thick　as　the　soil　in　the　dead　gardens；　into　forsaken　annexes　and　chambers　laid　out　for　guests　who　had　breathed　their　last　decades　before。　Most　of　the　walls；　whether　of　chambers　or　galleries；　were　decorated：　some　with　tapestries；　many　others　with　immense　frescoes；　and　while　there　were　scenes　Gentle　recognized　from　his　travels…Patashoqua　under　a　green…gold　sky；　with　a　flight　of　air　balloons　rising　from　the　plain　outside　its　walls；　a　festival　at　the　L'Himby　temples…the　suspicion　grew　on　him　that　the　finest　of　these　images　were　of　earth；　or；　more　particularly；　of　England。　Doubtless　the　pastoral　was　a　universal　mode；　and　shepherds　wooed　nymphs　in　the　Reconciled　Dominions　just　as　sonnets　described　them　doing　in　the　Fifth；　but　there　were　details　of　these　scenes　that　were　indisputably　English：　swallows　swooping　in　mild　summer　skies；　cattle　drinking　in　water　meadows　while　their　herders　slept；　the　Salisbury　spire　rising　from　a　bank　of　oaks；　the　distant　towers　and　domes　of　London；　glimpsed　from　a　slope　on　which　maids　and　swains　made　dalliance；　even　Stonehenge；　relocated　for　drama's　sake　to　a　hill　and　set　against　thunder…heads。
　〃England；〃　Gentle　said　as　they　went。　〃Somebody　here　remembers　England。〃
　Though　they　passed　by　these　works　too　fast　for　him　to　scrutinize　them　carefully；　he　saw　no　signature　on　any。　The　artists　who'd　sketched　England；　and　returned　to　depict　it　so　lovingly；　were　apparently　content　to　remain　anonymous。
　〃I　think　we　should　start　climbing；〃　Nikaetomaas　suggested　when　by　chance　their　wanderings　brought　them　to　the　foot　of　a　monumental　staircase。　〃The　higher　we　are　the　more　chance　we'll　have　of　grasping　the　geography。〃
　The　ascent　was　five　flights　long…more　deserted　galleries　presenting　themselves　on　every　floor…but　it　finally　delivered　them　onto　a　roof　from　which　they　were　able　to　glimpse　the　scale　of　the　labyrinth　they　were　lost　in。　Towers　twice　and　three　times　the　height　of　the　one　they'd　climbed　loomed　above　them　while；　below；　the　courtyards　were　laid　out　in　all　directions；　some　crossed　by　battalions　but　most　as　deserted　as　every　other　corridor　and　chamber。　Beyond　them　lay　the　palace　walls；　and　beyond　the　walls　themselves　the　smoke…shrouded　city；　the　sound　of　its　convulsions　dim　at　such　a　distance。
　Lulled　by　the　remoteness　of　this　aerie；　both　Gentle　and　Nikaetomaas　were　startled　by　a　motion　that　erupted　much　closer　by。　Almost　grateful　for　signs　of　life　in　this　mausoleum；　even　if　it　was　the　enemy；　they　headed　in　pursuit　of　the　din　makers；　back　down　a　flight　of　stairs　and　across　an　enclosed　bridge　between　towers。
　〃Hoods！〃　Nikaetomaas　said；　tucking　her　ponytail　back　into　her　shirt　and　pulling　the　crude　cowl　over　her　head。　Gentle　did　the　same；　though　he　doubted　such　a　disguise　would　offer　them　much　protection　if　they　were　discovered。
　Orders　were　being　given　in　the　gallery　ahead；　and　Gentle　drew　Nikaetomaas　into　hiding　to　listen。　The　officer　had　words　of　inspiration　for　his　squad；　promising　every　man　who　brought　a　Eurhetemec　down　a　month's　paid　leave。　Somebody　asked　him　how　many　there　were；　and　he　replied　that　he'd　heard　six；　but　he　didn't　believe　it　because　they'd　slaughtered　ten　times　that　number。　However　many　there　are；　he　said…six；　sixty；　six　hundred…they're　outnumbered　and　trapped。　They　won't　get　out　alive。　So　saying；　he　divided　his　contingent　and　told　them　to　shoot　on　sight。
　Three　soldiers　were　dispatched　in　the　direction　of　Nika…etomaas　and　Gentle's　hiding　place。　They　had　no　sooner　passed　than　she　stepped　out　of　the　shadows　and　brought　two　of　the　three　down　with　single　blows。　The　third　turned　to　defend　himself；　but　Gentle…lacking　the　mass　or　muscle　power　that　made　Nikaetomaas　so　effective…used　momentum　instead；　flinging　himself　against　the　man　with　such　force　he　threw　both　of　them　to　the　ground。　The　soldier　raised　his　gun　towards　Gentle's　skull；　but　Nikaetomaas　took　hold　of　both　weapon　and　hand；　hauling　the　man　up　by　his　arm　until　he　was　head　to　head　with　her；　the　gun　pointing　at　the　roof；　the　fingers　around　it　too　crushed　to　fire。　Then　she　pulled　his　helmet　off　with　her　free　hand　and　peered　at
　him。
　〃Whereas　the　Autarch？〃
　The　man　was　too　pained　and　too　terrified　to　claim　ignorance。　〃The　Pivot　Tower；〃　he　said。
　〃Which　is　where？〃
　〃It's　the　tallest　tower；〃　he　sobbed；　scrabbling　at　the　arm　he　was　dangling　by；　down　which　blood　was　running。
　〃Take　us　there；〃　Nikaetomaas　said。　〃Please；〃
　Teeth　gritted；　the　man　nodded　his　head；　and　she　let　him　go。　The　gun　went　from　his　pulverized　fingers　as　he　struck　the　ground。　She　invited　him　to　stand　with　a　hooked　finger。
　〃What's　your　name？〃　she　asked　him。
　〃Yark　Lazarevich；〃　he　told　her；　nursing　his　hand　in　the　crook　of　his　arm。
　〃Well；　Yark　Lazarevich；　if　you　make　any　attempt…or　I　choose　to　interpret　any　act　of　yours　as　an　attempt…to　alert　help；　I　will　swat　the　brains　from　your　pan　so　fast　they'll　be　in　Patashoqua　before　your　pants　fill。　Is　that　plain？〃
　〃That's　plain。〃
　〃Do　you　have　children？〃
　〃Yes。　I've　got　two。〃
　〃Think　of　them　fatherless　and　take　care。　You　have　a　question？〃
　〃No；　I　just　wanted　to　explain　that　the　tower's　quite　a　way　from　here。　I　don't　want　you　thinking　I'm　leading　you　astray。〃
　〃Be　fast；　then；〃　she　said；　and　Lazarevich　took　her　at　her　word；　leading　them　back　across　the　bridge　towards　the　stairs；　explaining　as　he　went　that　the　quickest　route　to　the　tower　was　through　the　Cesscordium；　and　that　was　two　floors　down。
　They　had　descended　perhaps　a　dozen　steps　when　shots　were　fired　behind　them；　and　one　of　Lazarevich's　two　rades　staggered　into　view；　adding　shouts　to　his　gunfire　to　raise　the　alarm。　Had　he