uplift4.brightnessreef-第70节

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　the　page；　laboriously。　His　eyes　recognized　the　symbols；　but　clearly；　no　sense　was　being　made　of　the　sentence…phrase　itself。
　　It　had　been　the　same　with　books　in　GalSix；　Anglic；　and　GalSeven；　tearing　Sara's　heart　to　see　his　frustration　turn　into　torment。　Perhaps　only　now　was　the　injured　man　ing　to　know　fully　what　had　been　ripped　away　from　him。　What　he　had　forever　lost。
　　Ariana　Foo；　on　the　other　hand；　seemed　eminently　satisfied。　She　beamed　at　Sara。　〃This　is　no　rube　from　the　outer　hamlets；〃　the　old　woman　ruled。　〃He　was　an　educated　person；　familiar　with　every　language　currently　in　use　among　the　Six。　If　we　have　time；　we　must　take　him　to　the　Linguistics　Wing　and　try　some　of　the　forgotten　dialects！　Galactic　Twelve　would　clinch　it。　Only　three　scholars　on　Jijo　know　any　of　it　today。〃
　　〃What's　the　point？〃　Sara　asked。　〃You've　made　your　case。　Why　not　let　him　be？〃
　　〃In　a　minute；　dear。　One　or　two　more；　then　we'll　be　off。　I've　saved　the　best　for　last。〃
　　Two　library　staff　members　watched　nervously　as　Ariana　reached　over　to　a　stack　of　books　by　her　side。　Some　were　priceless；　with　rings　set　in　their　spines　where　chains　normally　kept　them　locked　to　their　shelves。　The　archivists　clearly　did　not　like　seeing　them　pawed　by　a　speechless　barbarian。
　　Unwilling　to　watch；　Sara　turned　away。
　　The　rest　of　the　Children's　Wing　was　placid…and　contained　few　children。　Scholars；　teachers；　and　traveling　librarians　from　all　six　races　came　here　to　study；　copy；　or　select　books　to　borrow；　carrying　their　precious　cargo　by　cart；　boat；　or　pack　donkey　to　settlements　throughout　the　Slope。　Sara　observed　a　red　qheuen　carefully　gather　some　of　the　heavy；　brass…bound　albums　required　by　her　kind；　assisted　by　two　lorniks　trained　as　assistants　and　page…turners。　One　lornik　swatted　at　a　polisher　bee　that　was　working　its　way　across　the　cover　of　a　book；　rubbing　its　abdomen　amorously　across　the　jacket；　buffing　it　to　a　fine　sheen　and　erasing　part　of　the　title。　No　one　knew　what　function　the　insectoids　once　served　for　the　departed　Buyur；　but　they　were　a　damned　nuisance　nowadays。
　　Sara　saw　others　from　every　race；　educators　who　refused　to　let　a　mere　crisis　interfere　with　the　serious　task　of　instructing　the　next　generation。　Beyond　the　qheuen；　an　elderly　traeki　selected　volumes　treated　to　resist　the　fluids　emitted　by　new　stacks　of　rings；　too　clumsy　to　control　their　secretions。
　　A　low　moan　brought　Sara　back　around　to　see　the　Stranger　holding　before　him　a　long；　slim　book　so　old；　the　colors　had　gone　all　dingy　and　gray。　The　man's　dark　features　clouded　with　clashing　emotions。　Sara　had　no　time　to　read　the　title；　only　to　glimpse　a　skinny　black　feline　figure　on　the　cover；　wearing　a　red…and…white…striped　stovepipe　hat。　Then；　to　the　librarians'　gasping　dismay；　he　clutched　the　volume　tightly　to　his　chest；　rocking　back　and　forth　with　eyes　closed。
　　〃Something　from　his　childhood；　I'll　warrant；〃　Ariana　Foo　diagnosed；　scribbling　on　her　pad。　〃According　to　the　indexes；　this　fable　was　widely　popular　among　children　in　northwestern　Earth　civilization　almost　continuously　for　over　three　centuries；　so　we　can　tentatively　localize　his　cultural　origins。。。。〃
　　〃How　nice。　Then　you're　finished？〃　Sara　demanded；　caustically。
　　〃Hm？　Oh；　yes；　I　suppose　so。　For　now。　Get　him　settled　down　will　you；　pet？　Then　bring　him　along。　I'll　be　waiting　in　the　main　Listening　Parlor。〃　With　that；　Ariana　nodded　briskly　to　the　chim　assigned　to　push　her　chair；　leaving　Sara　behind　to　deal　with　the　upset　Stranger。
　　He　was　muttering　to　himself；　as　he　did　from　time　to　time；　repeating　the　same　short　phrase；　over　and　over。　Something　that　wormed　its　way　out；　despite　the　damage　to　his　brain。　In　this　case；　it　was　clearly　nonsense；　sparked　by　intense　emotion。
　　〃。。。　a　wocket　in　my　pocket。。。〃　he　said　again　and　again；　chortling　poignantly；　〃。。。　a　wocket　in　my　pocket。。。〃
　　Gently；　firmly；　Sara　managed　to　pry　the　ancient　tome　out　of　his　trembling　hands；　returning　the　treasure　to　the　disapproving　librarians。　With　patience　she　encouraged　the　wounded　man　to　stand；　though　his　dark　eyes　were　fogged　with　a　kind　of　misery　Sara　found　she　could　fathom。　She；　too；　had　lost　someone　precious　to　her。
　　Only　the　one　he　was　mourning　was　himself。
　　Two　g'Kek　savants　met　them　by　the　entrance　to　the　Listening　Parlor；　physician　researchers　who　had　examined　the　Stranger　soon　after　he　arrived　in　Biblos。　One　now　took　him　by　the　hand。
　　〃Sage　Foo　wishes　you　to　attend　her　in　the　observing　room；　next　door；〃　the　other　one　said。　One　eyestalk　gestured　toward　an　opening　farther　down　the　hall。　When　the　Stranger　looked　at　Sara　questioningly；　she　gave　him　an　encouraging　nod。　His　trusting　smile　only　made　her　feel　worse。
　　The　observing　room　was　dimly　illuminated　by　light　streaming　in　through　two　circular　windows…exquisite　slabs　of　spun　glass；　flawless　except　for　the　characteristic　central　stem…which　looked　into　another　chamber　where　the　two　g'Kek　doctors　could　be　seen　seating　the　Stranger　before　a　large　box　with　a　crank　on　one　side　and　a　trumpetlike　horn　rising　from　the　other。
　　〃e　in；　pet。　And　please　close　the　door。〃
　　It　took　several　duras　for　Sara's　eyes　to　adapt　and　see　who　sat　with　Ariana。　By　then　it　was　too　late　to　flee。
　　The　whole　party　from　Tarek　Town　was　present；　along　with　two　humans　dressed　in　scholars'　robes。　Ulgor　and　Blade　had　reason　to　be　here；　of　course。　Blade　had　helped　rescue　the　Stranger　from　the　swamp；　and　Ulgor　was　an　honorary　delegate　from　Dolo　Village。　Even　Jop　had　an　official　interest。　But　why　were　Jomah　and　Kurt　the　Exploser　in　the　room？　Whatever　cryptic　guild　business　brought　them　from　Tarek；　the　old　man　and　boy　now　watched　the　proceedings　with　the　silent　intensity　that　was　a　trademark　of　their　family　and　craft。
　　The　human　scholars　turned　toward　her。
　　Banner　and　Taine…the　very　persons　she　had　hoped　to　avoid　during　this　visit。
　　Both　men　rose　to　their　feet。
　　Sara　hesitated；　then　bowed　at　the　waist。　〃Masters。〃
　　〃Dear　Sara。〃　Bonner　sighed；　leaning　on　his　cane　more　than　she　recalled　when　she　had　last　seen　the　balding　topologist。　〃How　we've　missed　you　in　these　dusty　halls。〃
　　〃As　I've　missed　you；　master；〃　she　replied；　surprised　how　true　it　was。　Perhaps　in　the　numbness　after　Joshu's　passing；　she　had　closed　off　too　many　good　memories　as　well　as　bad。　The　warmth　of　the　old　savant's　hand　on　her　arm　recalled　their　many　walks；　discussing　the　arcane；　endlessly　fascinating　habits　of　shapes；　the　sort　that　could　be　described　with　symbols　but　never　seen　by　human　eyes。
　　〃Please　don't　call　me　master　anymore；〃　he　asked。　〃You　are　an　adept　now；　or　should　be　soon　enough。　e；　have　a　seat　between　us；　like　old　times。〃
　　A　bit　too　much　like　old　times；　Sara　realized；　meeting　the　eyes　of　the　other　mathematician…sage。　The　tall；　silver…haired　algebraist　seemed　unchanged；　still　distant；　enigmatic。　Taine　nodded　and　spoke　her　name；　then　sat　again　facing　the　windows。　Typically；　he　had　chosen　the　position　farthest　from　the　nonhumans　in　the　room。
　　Sage　Taine's　disfort　around　the　other　septs　was　not　rare。　A　minority　felt　that　way　in　every　race；　a　reaction　deep…rooted　in　ancient　drives。　What　mattered　was　how　you　dealt　with　it；　and　Taine　was　unfailingly　polite　to　the　urs　or　g'Kek　teachers　who　came　to　consult　him　about　the　binomial　theorem。　Given　the　handicap；　it　was　just　as　well　the　tall　savant　could　live　a　scholar's　cloistered　life。。。　like　the　one　Sara　herself　had　expected…
　　…until　a　visiting　bookbinder　became　an　unlikely　suitor；　filling　Sara's　heart　with　unexpected　possibilities。
　　…until　she　boldly　announced　to　her　confused　colleagues　a　new　focus　for　her　studies；　language；　of　all　things。
　　…until　Joshu　sickened　when　pepper　pox　swept　through　the　Valley　of　the　Bibur；　a　plague　that　took　its　victims　with　agonizing　suddenness；　and　she　had　to　watch　another　woman　perform　the　rites　of　mourning；　knowing　that　everyone　was　watching；　to　see　how　she'd　react。
　　…until；　after　the　funeral；　Sage　Taine　approached　her　with　stiff　formality　and　renewed　his　earlier　proposal　of　marriage。
　　…until；　in　a　rush；　she　fled　this　place　of　dust　and　memories；　running　home　to　her　treehouse　overlooking　the　great　dam　where　she　was　born。
　　Now　it　all　circled　around　again。　Taine　had　seemed　so　austerely　beautiful　when　she　first　came　to　Biblos　in　her　teens；　a　towering　figure；　impressive　beyond　pare。　But　things　had　changed　inside　her　since。　Everything　had　changed。
　　Abruptly；　Taine's　aristocratic　bearing　broke　as　he　cursed　and　slapped　his　neck；　then　peered　at　his　hand；　frowning　in　disappointment。　Sara　glanced　at　Bonner；　who　whispered；　〃Parrot　ticks。　Such　annoyances。　If　one　gets　in　your　ear；　Ifni　help　you。　I　heard　everything　double　for　a　week；　till　Vorjin　fished　the　damn　thing　out。〃
　　Ariana　Foo　made　an　emphatic　throat…clearing　sound；　drawing　their　attention　forward。　〃I've　already　explained　to　the　others；　Sara；　my　belief　that　your　Stranger　is　a　man　from　the　stars。　Further　research　illuminates　the　nature　of　his　injuries。〃
　　Her　chimp　assistant　passed　out　sheets　of　paper；　streaked　from　hasty；　hand…cranked　photocopying；　showing　the　stylized　profile　of　a　man's　head；　with　arrows　and　captions　pointing　to　parts。　Most　of　the　words　were　gibberish　to　Sara；　though　Lark　might　have　found　them　familiar。
　　〃I　recalled　reading　about　thi