sheritepper.necromancer nine-第37节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　the　room　where　we　were　yesterday？　The　room　which　controls　the　defenders？　Good。　That's　a　good　boy。　Now；　I　want　you　to　go　there。　I　left　it　unlocked　for　you。　I　want　you　to　press　the　lever　down。　Just　do　that；　my　boy。　Then　e　back　and　tell　me。〃　He　patted　Flogshoulder；　almost　absentmindedly；　as　he　turned　to　Shear　with　that　same　fixed　smile。
　〃Shear。　There's　a　minor　emergency。　Nothing　we　can't　take　care　of；　but　I　think　the　mittee　should　be　advised。　Can　you　go　among　the　celebrants　and　suggest　that　we　move　the　celebration　indoors？　Hmm？　And　tell　the　mittee　members　we　will　meet　them　in　the　mittee　room。　Have　you　seen　Hold？　No。　Well；　that　was　more　than　I　could　hope　for；　perhaps　　　　　
　Shear　and　Manacle　began　a　slow　circling　movement　among　those　gathered　in　the　grassy　space。　I　remembered　Manacle　saying　that　the　techs　would　serve　cakes　and　wine。　There　were　no　techs；　and　the　magicians　were　looking　about　themselves　with　pursed　lips　and　expressions　of　annoyance。　A　mutter　began；　grew　in　volume　as　the　celebrants　moved　away；　away　toward　the　doors。　We　waited　for　the　last　dawdlers　to　leave　before　emerging　from　the　ship　with　the　bodies　of　Windlow　and　Himaggery　carried　before　us。　We　staggered　across　the　grass　to　the　machine。　When　we　came　close；　I　was　horrified　to　see　that　the　ribbons　and　garlands　covered　areas　of　corrosion。　Wires　and　tubes　appeared　fused　together　into　a　blackened　mass。　We　stared　at　each　other　for　a　moment。　〃What　can　we　do　but　try？〃　asked　Mavin。　〃We　must。〃
　We　laid　Himaggery　upon　the　slab；　placed　the　tiny　blue　in　the　recess　beside　his　head；　and　Mavin　went　to　the　long；　silver　lever　which　protruded　at　the　side。　Her　eyes　were　shut；　her　lips　moving。　I　don't　know　whom　she　invoked；　what　godling　or　devil。　Perhaps　it　was　only　herself　she　counseled。　Her　hands　were　steady　when　she　thrust　the　lever　up；　in　the　opposite　direction　we　had　seen　it　moved　in　the　laboratories；　and　I　knew　she　had　been　thinking　of　that；　puzzling　it　out。　Could　it　be　that　simple？　I　could　not　dare　to　hope　it　was。
　The　machine　screamed。　I　bit　my　lips　until　the　blood　came。　The　slab　moved；　turned；　swung　beneath　the　blackened　mass　which　towered　above　it。　I　smelled　smoke；　burning　oil。　There　was　no　device　here　to　put　out　fire。　I　only　held　my　breath　and　waited；　waited　while　the　scream　rose　to　an　agonized　howl　be…　fore　diminishing　to　silence。　The　slab　had　not　returned。　Mavin　jiggled　the　lever；　once；　twice。　Slowly　the　slab　dropped　from　beneath　the　machine；　down；　twisting；　out　and　back　toward　us　once　again。　The　blue　was　gone。　Himaggery　looked　like　Himaggery　once　more。　I　could　see　his　chest　move；　tiny；　tiny　movements；　the　shallowest　of　breaths。　We　pulled　him　from　the　slab　and　put　Windlow　in　his　place。
　I　knelt　above　Himaggery　while　Mavin　went　to　the　lever　again。　I　heard　the　ascending　howl；　smelled　burning　once　more。　This　time　there　was　smoke；　harsh　and　biting。　I　coughed。　Himaggery　coughed。　His　head　moved；　his　hand。　I　found　myself　patting　him；　stroking　him；　mumbling　nonsense　into　his　ear。　Then　Mavin's　cry　from　behind　me　brought　me　to　my　feet。
　The　machine　was　on　fire。　Below　the　contorted　mass；　the　slab　moved　out　slowly；　too　slowly。　Already　I　could　see　that　the　blue　was　still　there。　Nothing　had　happened。　Then；　when　it　came　further　into　view；　I　knew　that　something　had　happened…　Windlow's　body　had　been　。　。　。　changed。　Was　it　the　heat　of　the　machine？　Some　ancient　device　which　had　broken　at　last；　irretrievably？　It　didn't　matter。　What　lay　upon　the　slab　could　not　support　life　again；　and　I　knew　this　with　every　cell　which　Dealpas　had　inhabited。　〃Dead；〃　I　whispered；　unable　to　believe　it。　〃Dead。〃
　〃Dead？〃　The　voice　behind　me　was　Himaggery's。　I　turned　to　see　him　trying　to　sit　up；　failing；　and　trying　once　again。　His　eyes　were　unfocused；　blind。　Mavin　was　beside　him　in　that　instant；　ready　with　one　of　the　black　dresses　which　Manacle　had　used　in　his　ceremony；　ready　to　wrap　him　and　coerce　him　back　into　life　once　more。　I　reached　over　the　slab　and　took　Windlow's　blue　into　my　hands；　hands　sticky　with　tears。　I　tried　not　to　look　at　the　slab　again；　but　could　not　stop　the　thought　that　this；　this　is　what　old　Windlow　had　foreseen　and　begged　for　my　help　against。
　Perhaps　Mavin　read　my　mind；　or　my　face。　She　snapped　at　me。　〃There　is　no　time　for　guilt；　Peter。　We　must　get　out　of　this　place。　What　Didir　feared　will　happen　very　soon。　。
　〃The　door　is　locked；〃　I　said　stupidly。　〃Flogshoulder　will　find　the　door　locked。　He　will　have　to　return　to　get　the　key。　We　have　a　little　time。〃
　〃We　have　no　time。　Didir　warned　of　some　general　catastrophe。　Gamelords　know　how　far　we　would　have　to　go　to　escape　it；　but　the　farthest；　the　soonest　would　be　best。〃　She　leaned　across　Himaggery　once　more；　urging　him　to　his　feet。　I　do　not　know　how　he　did　it；　but　the　man　lurched　upright；　mouth　open　in　anguish　as　he　did　so。　She　went　on　even　as　she　urged　him　toward　the　tunnels。　〃The　cars　that　brought　the　bodies　to　this　place　are　still　there；　still　on　the　track。　I　watched　them　when　they　ran　them。　They　will　take　us　away。　　I　followed　her；　placing　Windlow's　blue　tenderly　in　my　pocket　as　I　went。　The　carts　were　there；　just　as　she　had　said。　Himaggery　and　I　climbed　into　the　foremost　one　as　Mavin　fumbled　with　the　controls。　It　shuddered；　made　a　grating　noise；　then　began　to　run　forward　into　the　mountains。
　〃Where？〃　I　asked　her；　seeing　the　daylight　vanish　behind　us。　〃Where　will　you　take　us？〃
　〃Where　the　tracks　go；〃　she　replied。　〃The　carts　came　from　those　cold　caverns；　they　should　return　there。　We　need　distance　between　us　and　this　place；　and　any　other　way　would　take　too　long　　　　　
　So　we　ran　off　into　a　half　darkness。　　There　were　no　magicians。　There　were　no　techs。　We　saw　one　or　two　Tallmen　from　time　to　time；　but　they　stood　by　the　walls　as　still　and　silent　as　trees；　but　unalive。　It　was　then　I　began　to　know　that　they　had　not　truly　been　living　things…or　not　entirely　living　things。　I　thought　of　Tallmen；　and　I　thought　of　music；　and　I　wondered　how　those　who　made　the　one　could　make　the　other。　I　have　not　yet　made　an　answer　to　that。
　Somewhere　early　in　the　journey；　Himaggery　began　to　regain　his　wits。　He　wanted　to　know　what　had　happened；　and　in　order　to　tell　him　that　I　had　to　tell　him　everything；　Laggy　Nap；　my　journey；　Mavin；　Izia；　the　Tallmen；　Manacle；　Quench　。　。　。　and　Didir。　We　passed　one　of　those　dining　places　once；　and　Mavin　stopped　while　we　raided　it。　After　that；　Himaggery　seemed　to　be　better；　though　still　rather　disoriented　and　weak。　When　he　asked　about　Windlow；　I　could　not　answer　him。　I　could　only　look　back　the　way　we　had　e　and　let　the　tears　run　down　my　face。　So　it　was　Mavin　who　told　him；　and　then　there　was　a　silence　which　seemed　without　end。　　Finally　he　broke　it。　〃So　what　is　happening　now？〃
　〃Now　we　are　trying　to　get　away；〃　I　answered。　〃Flogshoulder　will　go　to　the　room。　He　will　find　it　locked。　He　will　return　to　Manacle；　and　one　way　or　another；　with　mittee　approval　or　without　it；　Manacle　will　give　him　the　key。　Or　Manacle　will　go　himself。　Whatever　occurs；　it　will　not　take　long。　Manacle　will　believe　that　Quench　is　more　of　a　threat　than　he　ever　believed　the　Council　was。　The　defenders　are　to　be　used　against　a　threat。　So；　he　will　use　the　defenders。〃
　〃What　will　happen？〃　whispered　Himaggery　from　a　dry　throat。
　〃I　don't　know　for　sure。　I　believe　that　the　defenders　were　never　designed　to　defend　the　magicians。　They　were　designed　to　defend　Home；　wherever　that　may　be。　Another　world；　somewhere。〃
　〃So　you've　figured　that　out；〃　said　Mavin；　drily。
　〃Yes。　The　defenders　were　designed　to　defend　Home　against　the　monsters。〃
　〃Monsters？〃　asked　Himaggery。　〃What　monsters？　Who？〃
　〃Oh；　Himaggery。〃　I　laughed　and　cried　all　at　once。　〃You。　Me。　Mavin。　All　the　children　of　Didir。　She　was　the　monster；　the　girl　monster；　the　one　the　ship　brought。　Only　she。　And　all　those　others　to　watch　her　and　write　down　everything　she　did。　All　of　it；　the　defenders；　everything。　Just　to　keep　one　little　woman　monster　from　threatening　Home。〃
　〃I　thought　so；〃　said　Mavin。　〃I　thought　that　was　the　way　of　it。''
　〃Well；　if　you　thought　so；　I　wish　to　heaven　you　had　told　me！〃　I　said。
　〃So　what　will　the　defenders　do？〃　Himaggery　went　on；　tenacious　as　always。
　〃Destroy　the　place；〃　said　Mavin　with　finality。　〃Destroy　Manacle　and　stupid　Flogshoulder　and　sycophantic　Shear；　all　the　Tallmen　and　the　pits；　all　the　monsters…the　real　ones…and　machines。　Everything。　Or　so　I　believe。〃
　〃So　do　I；〃　I　said。　〃And　we　had　best　be　far　away　when　that　happens。〃
　〃How　far　away？〃
　I　couldn't　tell　him。　Didir　had　thought　only　of　danger；　danger　to　everything。　She　had　not　limited　it　to　a　certain　circle；　a　Demesne　which　could　be　measured　for　chill。　〃Far；〃　I　said。　〃As　far　as　possible。〃
　〃At　least　to　the　end　of　these　tracks；〃　said　Mavin；　practical　as　always。　So　we　rode　along　the　tracks；　deeper　and　deeper　under　the　mountains　as　Himaggery　grew　stronger　and　I　felt　more　the　pain　of　Windlow's　death。　Once　I　thought　of　asking　Mavin　whether　there　was　some　way　out　of　the　place　she　was　taking　us；　but　decided　she　would　not　appreciate　the　question。　If　there　was　a　way　out；　there　would　be　a　way　out。　If　not；　not。　My　asking　would　not　change　it。
　The　way　to　the　caverns　was　a　long　way。　When　we　arrived　there；　I　wished　we　had　not　e。　The　bodies　around　us　lay　in　piles　as　high　as　my　shoulders；　five　or　six　bodies　high；　men　and　women　together；　stack