iancaldwell&dustinthomason.theruleoffour-第24节
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through the city。 He was brought in this way to the gallows； where he was hanged until he was not fully dead； but only half…dead。 At this time he was cut down； and the entrails were sliced from his body and burned before him by the executioner。 His heart was removed and displayed to the assembled crowd。 The executioner then decapitated the carcass； quartered the remains； and displayed the pieces on pikes in public locations； to serve as a deterrent to future traitors。〃
Taft returns his focus to the audience as he says this； to see its reaction。 Now he circles back toward the slides。
〃With this in mind； let us reconsider our pictures。 We see that many of the details correspond to the punishment I've just described。 The victims are drawn to the location of their deaths…or rather； perhaps a bit ironically； they draw the executioner's chariot themselves。 They are dismembered； and their limbs are shown to the assembled crowd； which in this instance consists of wild animals。
〃Instead of being hanged； however； the women are slain with a sword。 What are we to make of this？ One possible explanation is that beheading； either by ax or sword； was a punishment reserved for those of high rank； for whom hanging was deemed too base。 Perhaps； then； we may infer that these were ladies of distinction。
〃Finally； the animals that appear in the crowd will remind many of you of the three beasts from the opening canto of Dante's 'Inferno；' or the sixth verse of Jeremiah。〃 Taft looks out across the lecture hall。
〃I was just about to say that 。 。 。〃 Gil whispers with a smile。
To my surprise； Charlie hushes him。
〃The lion signifies the sin of pride；〃 Taft goes on。 〃And the wolf represents covetousness。 These are the vices of a high traitor…a Satan or a Judas…just as the punishment seems to suggest。 But here the Hypnerotomachia diverges： Dante's third beast is a leopard； representing lust。 Yet Francesco Colonna includes a dog instead of a leopard； suggesting that lust was not one of the sins for which the two women are being punished。〃
Taft pauses； letting the audience chew on this for a moment。
〃What we are beginning to read； then；〃 he begins again； 〃is the vocabulary of cruelty。 Despite what many of you may think； it is not a purely barbaric language。 Like all of our rituals； it is rich with meaning。 You must simply learn to read it。 I will therefore offer one additional piece of information； which you may use in interpreting the image…then I will pose a question； and leave the rest to you。
〃Your final clue is a fact that many of you probably know； but have overlooked： namely； that we can tell Polia has misidentified the child； simply by noting the weapon the child is carrying。 For if the little boy in the nightmare had truly been Cupid； as Polia claims； then his weapon would not have been the sword。 It would have been the bow and arrow。〃
There are murmurs of assent in the crowd； hundreds of students seeing Valentine's Day in an entirely new light。
〃Therefore I ask you： who is this child that brandishes a sword； forces women to draw his war chariot through a difficult forest； then slaughters them as if they were guilty of treason？〃
He waits； as if preparing to deliver the answer； but instead says； 〃Solve this； and you will begin to understand the hidden truth of the Hypnerotomachia。 Perhaps you will also begin to understand the significance not only of death； but of the form death takes when it es。 All of us…we of faith and we who lack it…are too accustomed to the sign of the cross to understand the significance of the crucifix。 But religion； Christianity in particular； has always been the story of death in the midst of life； of sacrifices and martyrs。 Tonight； of all nights； as we memorate the sacrifice of the most famous of those martyrs； it is a fact we should be loath to forget。〃
Removing his glasses； and folding them into his breast pocket； Taft tips his head and says； 〃I entrust you with this； and place my faith in you。〃 With a plodding step back； he adds； 〃Thank you all； and good night。〃
Applause erupts from every corner of the hall…at first awkwardly； but soon to a heavy crescendo。 Despite the earlier interruption； the audience has been seduced by this strange man； mesmerized by his fusion of intellect and gore。
Taft nods his head and shuffles toward the table by the podium； meaning to sit down； but the applause continues。 Some in the audience take to their feet； continuing to clap。
〃Thank you；〃 he says again； still standing； hands pressed atop the back of his chair。 Even as he speaks； the old smile returns to his features。 It's as if he has been watching the audience all along； never the other way around。
Professor Henderson rises and strides toward the lectern； silencing the applause。
〃By tradition；〃 she says； 〃we will be offering refreshments this evening in the courtyard between this auditorium and the chapel。 I understand that the maintenance and ground crews have set up a number of space heaters beneath the tables。 Please e out to join us。〃
Turning to Taft； she adds； 〃That said； let me thank Dr。 Taft for such a memorable lecture。 You certainly made quite an impression。〃 She smiles； but with a certain restraint。
The audience applauds again； then slowly begins to filter through the exit。
Taft watches it do so； and I in turn watch him。 This is one of the few times I have ever seen the man； recluse that he is。 Now I finally understand why Paul finds him so magnetic。 Even when you know he's making a game of you； it's almost impossible to take your eyes off him。
Slowly Taft begins to hulk across the stage。 As the white screen mechanically retracts into a slot in the ceiling； the three slides bee a whisper of gray over the blackboards beyond。 I can barely make out the wild animals devouring the women's remains； the child floating off into the air。
〃You ing？〃 Charlie asks； lingering behind Gil by the exit。
I hurry after them。
Chapter 11
〃You couldn't find Paul？〃 Charlie asks once I've caught up。
〃He didn't want my help。〃
But when I mention what I overheard outside； Charlie looks at me as if I shouldn't have let him go。 Someone stops beside us to greet Gil； and Charlie turns to me。
〃Did Paul go after Curry？〃 he asks。
I shake my head。 〃Bill Stein。〃
〃Are you guys ing to the reception？〃 Gil calls out； sensing a quick getaway。 〃We could use the turnout。〃
〃Sure；〃 I say； and Gil seems pacified。 His mind is elsewhere； we're returning to his element。
〃We'll have to avoid Jack Parlow and Kelly…they only want to talk about the ball；〃 he says； returning to our sides。 〃But it shouldn't be bad。〃
He leads us down the steps into the pale blue courtyard； where all the tracks Curry and Paul made in the snow have blown over。 The tents are brimming with students； and almost immediately I remember how futile it is trying to avoid anyone with Gil around。 We march through the snow to a canopy almost beneath the chapel； but he exerts an inescapable social gravity。
First to e is the blond girl from the door。
〃Tara； how are you？〃 Gil says graciously when she arrives beneath the canvas roof。 〃A lot more excitement than you were expecting； huh？〃
Charlie has no interest in her pany。 To avoid a scene； he concerns himself at the table； where the silver dispensers are warming fresh hot chocolate。
〃Tara；〃 Gil says； 〃you know Tom； don't you？〃
She finds a polite way of saying she doesn't。
〃Ah； well；〃 Gil says lightly。 〃Different classes。〃
It takes me a second to realize he's referring to sophomores and seniors。
〃Tom； this is Tara Pierson； a member of the 2001 section；〃 he continues； seeing that Charlie is avoiding us。 〃Tara； this is my good friend Tom Sullivan。〃
The introduction serves only to embarrass。 No sooner has Gil finished speaking than Tara finds a moment when we can talk out of his sight and points at Charlie。
〃I'm so sorry about what I said to your friend back there；〃 she begins。 〃I had no idea who you guys were。 。 。 。〃
And on； and on。 Her point seems to be that we deserve better treatment than the other nobodies she's never met because Gil and I brush our teeth over the same sink。 The longer she talks； the more I wonder how she wasn't laughed out of Ivy。 There is a legend…true or not； I don't know…that sophomores like Tara； who have nothing to remend them but their looks； sometimes find their way into the membership thanks to a special process called 〃third…floor bicker。〃 They're invited up to the secretive third floor of the club and told that they won't be admitted without some special show of willingness。 I can only guess at the exact nature of the deed； and Gil； of course； denies that anything like this process even exists。 But I suppose that's the magic of a myth like third…floor bicker： the more unspoken it's left； the more unspeakable it bees。
Tara must guess what I'm thinking； or maybe she just notices I'm not paying attention anymore； because she finally es up with some excuse and minces off into the snow。 Good riddance； I think； watching her slink over to another tent； hair flopping in the wind。
I spot Katie。 She's standing by the outer edge of the tent on the opposite side； tired of talking。 The cup of hot chocolate
