cb.imajica1-第59节

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　〃Did　you　brew　up？〃
　〃There's　nothing　left　to　burn。〃
　〃And　what's　the　weather　like？〃
　〃Don't　ask。〃
　〃That　bad？〃
　〃We　should　get　a　move　on。　The　thicker　the　snow　gets；　the　more　difficult　it'll　be　to　find　the　pass。〃
　They　roused　the　doeki；　which　made　plain　its　disgruntle…ment　at　having　to　breakfast　on　words　of　encouragement　rather　than　hay；　and；　with　the　meat　Pie　had　prepared　the　day　before　loaded；　left　the　shelter　of　the　rock　and　headed　out　into　the　snow。　There　had　been　a　short　debate　before　they　left　as　to　whether　they　should　ride　or　not；　Pie　insisting　that　Gentle　should　do　so；　given　his　present　delicacy；　but　he'd　argued　that　they　might　need　the　doeki's　strength　to　carry　them　both　if　they　got　into　worse　difficulties；　and　they　should　preserve　such　energies　as　it　still　possessed　for　such　an　emergency。　But　he　soon　began　to　stumble　in　snow　that　was　waist　high　in　places；　his　body；　though　somewhat　healed　by　sleep；　not　equal　to　the　demands　upon　it。
　〃We'll　go　more　quickly　if　you　ride；〃　Pie　told　him。
　He　needed　little　persuasion　and　mounted　the　doeki；　his　fatigue　such　that　he　could　barely　sit　upright　with　the　wind　so　strong；　and　instead　slumped　against　the　beast's　neck。　He　only　occasionally　raised　himself　from　that　posture；　and　when　he　did　the　scene　had　scarcely　changed。
　〃Shouldn't　we　be　in　the　pass　by　now？〃　he　murmured　to　Pie　at　one　point；　and　the　look　on　the　mystif　s　face　was　answer　enough。　They　were　lost。　Gentle　pushed　himself　into　an　upright　position　and；　squinting　against　the　gale；　looked　for　some　sign　of　shelter；　however　small。　The　world　was　white　in　every　direction　but　for　them；　and　even　they　were　being　steadily　erased　as　ice　clogged　the　fur　of　their　coats　and　the　snow　they　were　trudging　through　deepened。　Until　now；　however　arduous　the　journey　had　bee；　he　hadn't　countenanced　the　possibility　of　failure。　He'd　been　his　own　best　convert　to　the　gospel　of　their　indestructibility。　But　now　such　confidence　seemed　self…deception。　The　white　world　would　strip　all　color　from　them；　to　get　to　the　purity　of　their　bones。
　He　reached　to　take　hold　of　Pie's　shoulder；　but　misjudged　the　distance　and　slid　from　the　doeki's　back。　Relieved　of　its　burden　the　beast　slumped；　its　front　legs　buckling。　Had　Pie　not　been　swift　and　pulled　Gentle　out　of　harm's　way；　he　might　have　been　crushed　beneath　the　creature's　bulk。　Hauling　back　his　hood　and　swiping　the　snow　from　the　back　of　his　neck；　he　got　to　his　feet　and　found　Pie's　exhausted　gaze　there　to　meet　him。
　〃I　thought　I　was　leading　us　right；〃　the　mystif　said。
　〃Of　course　you　did。〃
　〃But　we've　missed　the　pass　somehow。　The　slope's　getting　steeper。　I　don't　know　where　the　fuck　we　are；　Gentle。〃
　〃In　trouble　is　where　we　are；　and　too　tired　to　think　our　way　out　of　it。　We　have　to　rest。〃
　〃Where？〃
　〃Here；〃　Gentle　said。　〃This　blizzard　can't　go　on　forever。　There's　only　so　much　snow　in　the　sky；　and　most　of　it's　already　fallen；　right？　Right？　So　if　we　can　just　hold　on　till　the　storm's　over；　and　we　can　see　where　we　are…〃
　〃Suppose　by　that　time　it's　night　again？　We'll　freeze；　my　friend。〃
　〃Do　we　have　any　other　choice？〃　Gentle　said。　〃If　we　go　on　we'll　kill　the　beast　and　probably　ourselves。　We　could　march　right　over　a　gorge　and　never　know　it。　But　if　we　stay　here。　。　。　together。　。　。　maybe　we're　in　with　a　chance。'*
　〃I　thought　I　knew　our　direction。〃
　〃Maybe　you　did。　Maybe　the　storm'll　blow　over；　and　we'll　find　ourselves　on　the　other　side　of　the　mountain。〃　Gentle　put　his　hands　on　Pie's　shoulders；　sliding　them　around　the　back　of　the　mystif's　neck。　〃We　have　no　choice；〃　he　said　slowly。
　Pie　nodded；　and　together　they　settled　as　best　they　could　in　the　dubious　shelter　of　the　doeki's　body。　The　beast　was　still　breathing；　but　not；　Gentle　thought；　for　long。　He　tried　to　put　from　his　mind　what　would　happen　if　it　died　and　the　storm　failed　to　abate；　but　what　was　the　use　of　leaving　such　plans　to　the　last？　If　death　seemed　inevitable；　would　it　not　be　better　for　him　and　Pie　to　meet　it　together…to　slit　their　wrists　and　bleed　to　death　side　by　side…rather　than　slowly　freeze；　pretending　to　the　end　that　survival　was　plausible？　He　was　ready　to　voice　that　suggestion　now；　while　he　still　had　the　energy　and　focus　to　do　so；　but　as　he　turned　to　the　mystif　some　tremor　reached　him　that　was　not　the　wind's　tirade　but　a　voice　beneath　its　harangue；　calling　him　to　stand　up。　He　did　so。
　The　gusts　would　have　blown　him　over　had　Pie　not　stood　up　with　him；　and　his　eyes　would　have　missed　the　figures　in　the　drifts　but　that　the　mystif　caught　his　arm　and；　putting　its　head　close　to　Gentle's；　said；　〃How　the　hell　did　they　get　out？〃
　The　women　stood　a　hundred　yards　from　them。　Their　feet　were　touching　the　snow　but　not　impressing　themselves　upon　it。　Their　bodies　were　wound　with　cloth　brought　from　the　ice；　which　billowed　around　them　as　the　wind　filled　it。　Some　held　treasures；　claimed　from　the　glacier：　pieces　of　I　their　temple；　and　ark；　and　altar。　One；　the　young　girl　whose　corpse　had　moved　Gentle　so　much；　held　in　her　arms　the　head　of　a　Goddess　carved　in　blue　stone。　It　had　been　badly　vandalized。　There　were　cracks　in　its　cheeks；　and　parts　of　its　nose；　and　an　eye；　were　missing。　But　it　found　light　from　somewhere　and　gave　off　a　serene　radiance。
　〃What　do　they　want？〃　Gentle　said；
　〃You；　maybe？〃　Pie　ventured。
　The　woman　standing　closest　to　them；　her　hair　rising　half　her　height　again　above　her　head；　courtesy　of　the　wind；　beckoned。
〃I　think　they　want　us　both　to　go；〃　Gentle　said。
　〃That's　the　way　it　looks；〃　Pie　said；　not　moving　a　muscle。
　〃What　are　we　waiting　for？〃
　〃I　thought　they　were　dead；〃　the　mystif　said。
　〃Maybe　they　were。〃
　〃So　we　take　the　lead　from　phantoms？　I'm　not　sure　that's　wise。〃
　〃They　came　to　find　us；　Pie；〃　Gentle　said。
　Having　beckoned；　the　woman　was　turning　slowly　on　her　toe　tips；　like　a　mechanical　Madonna　that　Clem　had　once　given　Gentle；　which　had　played　〃Ave　Maria〃　as　it　turned。
　〃We're　going　to　lose　them　if　we　don't　hurry。　What's　your　problem；　Pie？　You've　talked　with　spirits　before。〃
　〃Not　like　these；〃　Pie　said。　〃The　Goddesses　weren't　all　forgiving　mothers；　you　know。　And　their　rites　weren't　all　milk　and　honey。　Some　of　them　were　cruel。　They　sacrificed　men。〃
　〃You　think　that's　why　they　want　us？〃
　〃It's　possible。〃
　〃So　we　weigh　that　possibility　against　the　absolute　certainty　of　freezing　to　death　where　we　stand；〃　Gentle　said。
　〃It's　your　decision。〃
　〃No；　this　one　we　make　together。　You've　got　fifty　percent　of　the　vote　and　fifty　percent　of　the　responsibility。〃
　〃What　do　you　want　to　do？〃
　〃There　you　go　again。　Make　up　your　own　mind　for　once。〃
　Pie　looked　at　the　departing　women；　their　forms　already　disappearing　behind　a　veil　of　snow。　Then　at　Gentle。　Then　at　the　doeki。　Then　back　at　Gentle。　〃I　heard　they　eat　men's　balls。〃
　〃So　what　are　you　worried　about？〃
　〃AH　right！〃　the　mystif　growled；　〃I　vote　we　go。〃
　〃Then　it's　unanimous。〃
　Pie　started　to　haul　the　doeki　to　its　feet。　It　didn't　want　to　move；　but　the　mystif　had　a　fine；turn　of　threat　when　pressed；　and　began　to　berate　it　ripely。
　〃Quick；　or　we'll　lose　them！〃　Gentle　said。
　The　beast　was　up　now；　and　tugging　on　its　bridle　Pie　led　it　in　pursuit　of　Gentle；　who　was　forging　ahead　to　keep　their　guides　in　sight。　The　snow　obliterated　the　women　pletely　at　times；　but　he　saw　the　beckoner　glance　back　several　times；　and　knew　that　she'd　not　let　her　foundlings　get　lost　again。　After　a　time；　their　destination　came　in　sight。　A　rock　face；　slate…gray　and　sheer；　loomed　from　the　murk；　its　summit　lost　in　mist。
　〃If　they　want　us　to　climb；　they　can　think　again；〃　Pie　yelled　through　the　wind。
　〃No；　there's　a　door；〃　Gentle　shouted　over　his　shoulder。　〃See　it？〃
　The　word　rather　flattered　what　was　no　more　than　a　jagged　crack；　like　a　bolt　of　black　lightning　burned　into　the　face　of　the　cliff。　But　it　represented　some　hope　of　shelter；　if　nothing　else。
　Gentle　turned　back　to　Pie。　〃Do　you　see　it；　Pie？〃
　〃I　see　it；〃　came　the　response。　〃But　I　don't　see　the　women。〃
　One　sweeping　glance　along　the　rock　face　confirmed　the　mystifs　observation。　They'd　either　entered　the　cliff　or
　floated　up　its　face　into　the　clouds。　Whichever；　they'd　removed　themselves　quickly。
　〃Phantoms；〃　Pie　said；　fretfully。
　〃What　if　they　are？〃　Gentle　replied。　〃They　brought　us　to　shelter。〃
　He　took　the　doeki's　rein　from　Pie's　hands　and　coaxed　the　animal　on；　saying；　〃See　that　hole　in　the　wall？　It's　going　to　be　warm　inside。　Remember　warm？〃
　The　snow　thickened　as　they　covered　the　last　hundred　yards；　until　it　was　almost　waist　deep　again。　But　all　three…　man；　animal；　and　mystif…made　the　crack　alive。　There　was　more　than　shelter　inside；　there　was　light。　A　narrow　passageway　presented　itself；　its　black　walls　encased　in　ice；　with　a　fire　flickering　somewhere　out　of　sight　in　the　cavern's　depths。
　Gentle　had　let　slip　the　doeki's　reins；　and　the　wise　animal　was　already　heading　away　down　the　passage；　the　sound　of　its　hooves　echoing　against　the　glittering　walls。　By　the　time　Gentle　and　Pie　caught　up　with　it；　a　slight　bend　in　the　passage　had　revealed　the　source　of　the　light　and　warmth　it　was　heading　towards。　A　broad　but　shallow　bowl　of　beaten　brass　was　set　in　a　place　where　the　passage　widened；　and　the　fire　was　burning　vigorously　in　its　center。　There　were　two　curiosities；　however：　one；　that　the　flame　was　not　gold　but　blue；　two