sheritepper.necromancer nine-第36节
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like that before。 It soared and pierced； made me want to laugh and cry。 Some of the voices were as high； almost； as women's voices； others a rumbling bass； muttering like drums。 I had thought these magicians wholly without honor or sense。 Now I had to revise my opinion。 Whatever they lacked； they did not lack art。 Perhaps it was this art that had kept them alive。 I looked down from my high perch to see Manacle at the foot of the ladder； the tears flowing down his face； a face lit from within with a kind of exaltation。
After the singing came a blare of trumpets。 This came from a machine somewhere。 The sound was inglorious pared to what had gone before。 Manacle came up the ladder； slowly； puffing a little as he climbed。 Below him the groups of magicians drew away to seat themselves。 I counted them while he climbed； perhaps a thousand。 Not many to rattle in a place of such size。 Of that thousand； there were only fifty or sixty young ones； and one or two were very young indeed； being carried by their fathers who pointed out each step of the ceremony。 Mavin and I took the shapes of the place around us； were invisible when Manacle stepped from the high ladder into the tower。 Once there he closed the door behind him； then waited for some signal from without。 It came in a second blare of trumpets； and a hideous； monstrous machine…like roaring which built into an unbearable level of sound before fading away。 I heard Manacle murmur； 〃The sound of the ship landing。 Now。 The ship has landed。〃 He thrust the door before him open and went out onto the ladder。
See it now； this tiny man upon this high place； all in gold…decked black； his fellows gathered below and staring upward； pale faces like saucers there； silence； and respect from every eye。 Hear him cry out in a voice changed and made dramatic； 〃Behold the planet。 I； Capan Barish； have brought signtists and Searchers from afar upon a sacred mission。 e forth！ e forth！〃
Then see the machines reach into the shiptower and remove the bodies of the young magicians who were playing the part； all covered with paint to appear gray and hard。 See the machines take blues from the ship； clatter and clamor across the grass to the great； garlanded resurrection contrivance； decked with flowers and fluttering with ribbons of silver and gold； all dancing in the light wind of morning。 See the young magicians laid upon the slab with the blues； from which they leap up； shouting； wiping the paint from their faces as Manacle es down from his high place； slow step by slow step； all in dignity and purpose to greet each one of them and drop a black gown over each clean…wiped head。 Then see them move away across the meadow while the machine goes on unloading； real bodies this time； and Manacle begins his slow climb up the spidery ladder once more。 As he climbed； the singing began again； and I found myself wishing he would not climb so fast if the singing might go on while he climbed forever。 Silly。 Yes； but it was what I thought and what you would have thought had you heard it。
Then was an unexpected interruption。 Manacle came through the entry and back into the ship to make inexplicable clicks and bangs； opening and shutting something。 In a short time he was back； leading by the hand one of the consecrated monsters。 No。 Leading by the hand a young woman。 She was naked to the waist； her high breasts tilted and goosefleshed in the chill； her empty face staring outward at nothing。 Manacle led her out upon the ladder； crying； 〃Behold； the monster！ Toward which all your Search shall be that Home be kept inviolate！〃 Then he took her down the stairs to a pit they had prepared for her somewhere below。 I did not see that； could not。 When he had led her out； I had remembered。 They were Didir's memories； burned into me outside that room of the defenders； as real to me as my own。 I remembered the landing； the huge sound of the engines； fires guttering blackly at the base of the ship； green hills in early light。 I had been half naked； just wakened by Captain； as he had promised； before any of the others。 He supported me with one arm； gesturing out at the world； 〃Behold； little monster。 A world for you； and for me； and for our children and our children's children。〃 And I； Didir； had said； 〃The researchers will not let us have this world；〃 and he had replied； 〃Some day。〃
It had been the sight of the girl's body and the gold…striped uniform which had stormed the old memory； the sound of a male voice； lustful； adoring； confident。 It was only a memory； but it collapsed me； and I came to myself with Mavin shaking me； saying； 〃Peter！ What ails you？ e to； boy。 Manacle is ing back up the ladder。〃 So； I drew myself together and we hid ourselves once more； fortuitously； as it happened。 Before Manacle arrived； someone else came up the hidden stair。 Quench。
Quench； scuttering into the place and hiding himself all in one swift motion as though he had practiced it twenty times before。 I heard Manacle arriving； heard the singing begin again； slow； ceremonial； mighty and premonitory。 Some great climactic thing was to happen now。 The music made that clear。
But all that happened was that Manacle shut the door behind him and sat down； disconsolately； upon the metal floor。 He took a writing implement from a pocket； with a piece of paper； and sat there； alternately chewing the one and jotting upon the other。
The singing built into a climax； slowed； and dwindled to silence。 Still he sat。 After a time the singing began again； and it went as before。 At this； he stood up and sighed； murmuring to himself。 〃Well； well。 That will do as well as any message。 I used it five years ago； but it will do as well as any。〃 And reached to open the door。
〃Do as well as what； Manacle？〃 It was Quench； leaning against a shiny panel； boring into Manacle with eyes which could have burned holes in stone。 〃Why have you not Called Home； Manacle？ That is what you are supposed to have done。 Call Home。 I wish to hear what Home has to say！〃
〃Oh； Quench。 Quench； you monster。 What are you doing here？ Why have you e？ You are disrupting the ceremony。 Get out of my way。 I have to tell them。〃
〃Tell them what？ That you did not Call Home？ That there was no message from Home？ That there has not been any message from Home for…for how long； Manacle？ How long； you little； insignificant dribble。 How long？〃 He shook Manacle； waving him like a flag。 〃Tell me； or I'll break your bones。〃
〃Don't be a fool； Quench。 You know it's only a ceremony。 We all know it's only a ceremony。 The message from Home is only a ritual。 We all know 。
〃We don't all know。 We all may suspect； but we don't all know。 How long has it been。 Manacle。 I want to know。 Now！〃
〃My 。。。 my great…grandfather's time。 Not since then。 Not since then to Call Home。 And no message received from Home long before that。 The machines stopped working； Quench。 It wasn't anyone's fault。 They just stopped working。〃
〃So it's all a mockery and a deceit。 All of it。 The monster watching； and the Faculty…all of it。〃
〃No； no； Quench。 You know that isn't true。 It's worth something； worth preserving。 You mustn't； mustn't 。。。〃
〃I mustn't； mustn't I？ Manacle； for the sake of those poor fools down there； I won't drag you out on the platform and expose you for what you are； an empty sack of nothing。 I'll leave you to go to them； Manacle； with your lies and your ceremonial message。 You！ I remember a time when being Capan meant something。 As for me； I'm off to the Council。〃
〃What…where…what are you going to do？〃
〃I'm leaving； Manacle。 I'm leaving with all the techs who want to leave with me； and that means almost all of them。 We disabled the power machine for the boots this morning。 You can't hold them； and they won't be held。 We're going。 Some of the younger men may go with us； and if not…well； be that as it may。 I'm sorry for you all； Manacle； but there's nothing I can do to save you； and I won't perish with you。〃
And he was gone； clattering down the spiralling stairs。 Mavin and I could hear him； down and down until the sound faded； and I knew he had e to the cargo space at the bottom and gone out through it。 Manacle was crying before us； great tears oozing down his face。 The singing outside had reached its climax once more。 He gulped； made a little heartbroken sound； then wiped his face upon his sleeve； leaving long red welts upon it from the harsh gold trim。 Unconscious of this he stepped to the door； straightened himself； and opened it。 As Mavin and I slipped away to follow Quench； we heard his voice crying to the world； 〃Message； message from Home。〃
12。 Huld Again
We arrived at the cargo space near the bottom of the tower…the 〃ship〃…only moments before Manacle himself came down。 He wore a forced； fixed smile as he met Flogshoulder and Shear near the ladder。 I heard Shear say； 〃Where are the techs？ They should be here to unload the bodies and take them back to…〃 and Flogshoulder interrupting； as always； with some inconsequentiality。 Manacle did not hear either of them。
He laid hands upon Flogshoulder and said； 〃Quiet； my boy。 Be still。 Now listen to me； for all your life is worth。 Remember the room where we were yesterday？ The room which controls the defenders？ Good。 That's a good boy。 N
