cb.imajica1-第96节
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She was sure there were more remarkable sights in the street outside； but Dowd was in no mood； or indeed condition； to go exploring。 He told her they would wait here until he was feeling fitter； and if any of the family returned in the meanwhile she was to keep her silence。 He'd do the talking； he said； or else she'd put not only her own life in jeopardy but that of the whole Peccable clan。
She believed him perfectly capable of such violence； especially in his present pain； which he demanded she help him ameliorate。 She dutifully bathed his face； using water and towels from the kitchen。 The damage was regrettably more superficial than she'd initially believed； and once the wounds were cleaned he rapidly began to show signs of recovery。 She was now presented with a dilemma。 Given that he was healing with superhuman speed； if she was going to exploit his vulnerability and escape it had to be soon。 But if she did…if she fled the house there and then…she'd have turned her back on the only guide to the city she had。 And； more importantly； she would be gone from the spot to which she still hoped Oscar would e； following her across the In Ovo。 She couldn't afford to take the risk of his arriving and finding her gone into a city that from all reports was so vast they might search for each other ten lifetimes and never cross paths。
A wind began to get up after a while； and it carried a member of the Peccable family to the door。 A gangling girl in her late teens or early twenties； dressed in a long coat and flower…print dress； who greeted the presence of two strangers in the house； one clearly recovering from injury； in a studiedly sanguine fashion。
〃Are you friends of Papa's？〃 she asked； removing her spectacles to reveal eyes that were severely crossed。
Dowd said they were and began to explain how they'd e to be here； but she politely asked him if he'd hold off his story until the house had been shuttered against the ing storm。 She turned to Jude for help in this； and Dowd made no objection； correctly assuming that his captive was not going to venture out into an unknown city as a storm came upon it。 So； with the first gusts already rattling the door； Jude followed Hoi…Polloi around the house； locking any windows that were open even an inch； then closing the shutters in case the glass was blown in。
Even though the sandy wind was already obscuring the distance； Jude got a glimpse of the city outside。 It was frus…tratingly brief； but sufficient to reassure her that when she finally got to walk the streets of Yzordderrex her months of waiting would be rewarded with wonders。 There were myriad tiers of streets set on the slopes above the house； leading up to the monumental walls and towers of what Hoi…Polloi identified as the Autarch's palace； and just visible from the attic room window was the ocean； glittering through the thickening storm。 But these were sights… ocean； rooftops； and towers…she might have seen in the Fifth。 What marked this place as another Dominion was the people in the streets outside； some human； many not； all retreating from the wind or the motions it carried。 A creature； its head vast； stumbled up the street with what looked to be two sharp…snouted pigs； barking furiously； under each arm。 A group of youths； bald and robed； ran in the other direction； swinging smoking censers above their heads like bolas。 A man with a canary…yellow beard and china…doll skin was carried； wounded but yelling furiously； into a house opposite。
〃There's riots everywhere；〃 Hoi…Polloi said。 〃I wish Papa would e home。〃
〃Where is he？〃 Jude asked。
〃Down at the harbor。 He had a shipment ing in from the islands。〃
〃Can't you telephone him？〃
〃Telephone？〃 Hoi…Polloi said。
〃Yes； you know； it's a…〃
〃I know what it is；〃 Hoi…Polloi said testily。 〃Uncle Oscar showed me one。 But they're against the law。〃
〃Why？〃
Hoi…Polloi shrugged。 〃The law's the law；〃 she said。 She peered out into the storm before shuttering the final window。 〃Papa will be sensible；〃 she went on。 〃I'm always telling him； Be sensible； and he always is。〃
She led the way downstairs to find Dowd standing on the front step； with the door flung wide。 Hot； gritty air blew in； smelling of spice and distance。 Hoi…Polloi ordered Dowd back inside with a sharpness that made Jude fear for her； but Dowd seemed happy to play the erring guest and did as he was asked。 She slammed the door and bolted it； then asked if anybody wanted tea。 With the lights swinging in every room； and the wind rattling every loose shutter； it was hard to pretend nothing was amiss； but Hoi…Polloi did her best to keep the chat trivial while she brewed a pot of Darjeeling and passed around slices of Madeira cake。 The sheer absurdity of the situation began to amuse Jude。 Here they were having a tea party while a city of untold strangeness was racked by storm and revolution all around。 If Oscar appears now； she thought； he'll be most entertained。 He'll sit down； dunk his cake in his tea； and talk about cricket like a perfect Englishman。
〃Where's the rest of your family？〃 Dowd asked Hoi…Polloi； when the conversation once more returned to her absentee father。
〃Mama and my brothers have gone to the country；〃 she said； 〃to be away from the troubles。〃
〃Didn't you want to go with them？〃
〃Not with Papa here。 Somebody has to look after him。 He's sensible most of the time； but I have to remind him。〃 A particularly vehement gust brought slates rattling off the roof like gunshots。 Hoi…Polloi jumped。 〃If Papa was here；〃 she said； 〃I think he'd suggest we had something to calm our nerves。〃
〃What do you have； lovey？〃 Dowd said。 〃A little brandy； maybe？ That's what Oscar brings； isn't it？〃
She said it was and fetched a bottle； dispensing it to all three of them in tiny glasses。
〃He brought us Dotterel too；〃 she said。
〃Who's Dotterel？〃 Jude inquired。
〃The parrot。 He was a present to me when I was little。 He had a mate but she was eaten by the ragemy next door。 The brute！ Now Dotterel's on his own； and he's not happy。 But Oscar's going to bring me another parrot soon。 He said he would。 He brought pearls for Mama once。 And for Papa he always brings newspapers。 Papa loves newspapers。1'
She babbled on in a similar vein with barely a break in the flow。 Meanwhile； the three glasses were filled and emptied and filled again several times； the liquor steadily taking its toll on Jude's concentration。 In fact she found the monologue； and the subtle motion of the light overhead； positively soporific and finally asked if she might lie down for a while。 Again； Dowd made no objection and let Hoi…Polloi escort Jude up to the guest bedroom； offering only a slurred 〃sweet dreams； lovey〃 as she retired。
She laid her buzzing head down gratefully； thinking as she dozed that it made sense to sleep now； while the storm prevented her from taking to the streets。 When it was over her expedition would begin； with or without Dowd。 Oscar was not ing for her； that much seemed certain。 Either he'd sustained too much injury to follow or else the Express had been somehow damaged by Dowd's late boarding。 Whichever； she could not delay her adventures here any longer。 When she woke； she'd emulate the forces rattling the shutters and take Yzordderrex by storm。
She dreamt she was in a place of great grief： a dark chamber； its shutters closed against the same storm that raged outside the room in which she slept and dreamt…and knew she slept and dreamt even as she did so…and in this chamber was the sound of a woman sobbing。 The grief was so palpable it stung her； and she wanted to soothe it； as much for her own sake as that of the griever。 She moved through the murk towards the sound； encountering curtain after curtain as she went； all gossamer thin； as though the trousseaus of a hundred brides had been hung in this chamber。 Before she could reach the weeping woman； however； a figure moved through the darkness ahead of her； ing to the bed where the woman lay and whispering to her。
〃Kreauchee 。 。 。〃 the other said； and through the veils Jude glimpsed the lisping speaker。
No figure as bizarre as this had ever flitted through her dreams before。 The creature was pale； even in the gloom； and naked； with a back from which sprawled a garden of tails。 Jude advanced a little to see her better； and the creature in her turn saw her； or at least her effect upon the veils； for she looked around the chamber as if she knew there was a haunter here。 Her voice carried alarm when it came
again。
〃There's som'ady here； ledy；〃 it said。 〃I'll see nobody。 Especially Seidux。〃 〃It's notat Seidux。 I seeat no'ady； but I feelat som'ady
here stell。〃
The weeping diminished。 The woman looked up。 There were still veils between Jude and the sleeper's face； and the chamber was indeed dark； but she knew her own features when she saw them； though her hair was plastered to her sweating scalp； and her eyes puffed up with tears。 She didn't recoil at the sight； but stood as still as spirits were able amid gossamer； and watched the woman with her face rise up from the bed。 There was bliss in her expression。
〃He's sent an angel；〃 she said to the creature at her side。 〃Concupiscentia 。 。 。 He's sent an angel to summon me。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃Y
