cb.coldheart canyon-第75节

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　 As　she　watched　the　thicket；　the　last　of　the　light　went　from　the　sky；　and　the　darkness　revealed　several　bright　points　of　light　in　the　bushes；　where　the　revenants　were　standing；　watching　her。　Even　after　all　these　years　she　could　still　be　disfited　by　a　sight　like　this；　by　the　fact　that　the　dead　were　around　her　in　such　numbers。
　 Enough；　she　thought　to　herself；　and　turning　on　her　heel　hurried　towards　the　stairs　that　led　back　up　to　the　house。
　 As　she　did　so　she　heard　the　swish　of　grass　against　swiftly　running　limbs。　They　were　ing　across　the　lawn　in　pursuit　of　her。
　 She　picked　up　her　pace；　until　she　reached　the　relative　safety　of　the　stairs。
　 Behind　her；　a　soft　voice；　sounding　as　though　it　came　from　a　palate　full　of　pulp　and　disease；　said：　〃Let　us　in。〃
　 There　was　a　moment's　silence。　Then　another　said。　〃We　just　want　to　e　back　into　the　house。〃
　 〃We　won't　do　any　harm。〃　said　a　third。
　 〃Please；　let　us　in。。。〃
　 She'd　been　wrong　about　the　numbers　of　revenants　assembled　here；　she　slowly　realized。　She　thought　there'd　been　perhaps　ten；　but　there　were　two　or　three　times　that　number　out　there　in　the　darkness。　Whatever　the　decayed　and　corrupted　condition　of　their　palates；　they　all　attempted　to　say　the　same　thing：
　 〃Let　us　in。　Let　us　in。　Let　us　in。〃
　 She　would　have　ignored　them；　once　upon　a　time：　turned　her　back　on　their　pleas　and　climbed　the　stairs。　But　she　was　changing。　Katya　the　heart…breaker…the　woman　who'd　never　given　a　damn　for　what　anybody　wanted　but　herself…was　rapidly　being　a　thing　of　the　past。　If　she　was　going　to　e　back　with　Todd　and　live　here；　they　couldn't　live　the　idyllic　life　she　had　in　mind　while　these　hungry　souls　waited　outside。　Even　with　the　five　iron　icons　hammered　into　the　threshold　of　each　of　the　doors；　and　in　the　sills　of　even　the　smallest　windows；　their　presence　preventing　the　dead　from　ever　setting　foot　in　the　house；　the　occupants　were　in　a　state　of　siege。　It　was　no　place　to　have　a　honeymoon。
　 She　raised　her　hand　to　silence　their　murmuring。
　 〃Listen　to　me；〃　she　said。
　 The　chorus　began　to　subside。
　 〃I'm　going　to　be　leaving　the　house　for　a　few　hours；〃　Katya　said；　her　voice　a　little　tentative　at　the　beginning；　but　gaining　strength　as　she　proceeded。　〃But　when　I　e　back　I　intend　to　make　some　changes。　I　don't　want　you　living　in　misery。　That　has　to　stop。〃
　 She　started　to　turn　away；　intending　to　leave　the　statement　there。　But　some　of　her　congregation　didn't　want　to　let　her　go　without　hearing　something　more　specific　in　her　reply。
　 〃What　changes　are　you　going　to　make？〃　someone　demanded。
　 〃Is　that　you；　Roman？〃　Katya　said；　scanning　the　crowd。
　 The　speaker　didn't　have　time　to　identify　himself。　There　were　more　questions。　Somebody　wanted　to　know　why　she　was　leaving；　somebody　else　demanded　to　know　how　long　they　would　have　to　wait。
　 〃Listen　to　me；　listen　to　me；〃　she　said；　quieting　the　rising　hubbub。　〃I　understand　that　you　all　want　to　e　into　the　house。　But　I　don't　think　you　understand　the　consequences。〃
　 〃We'll　take　them；　whatever　they　are；〃　somebody　said。　There　was　a　general　murmur　of　agreement　to　this。
　 〃If　that's　what　you　want；〃　Katya　replied；　〃I　will　consider　it。　When　I　get　back…〃
　 〃What　if　you　don't　e　back？〃
　 〃Trust　me。　I　will。〃
　 〃Trust　you？　Oh　please。〃　The　mocking　voice　emerged　from　a　bitter；　painted　face　amongst　the　crowd。　〃You　tricked　us　all。　Why　the　hell　should　we　trust　you　now？〃
　 〃Theda；〃　Katya　said。　〃I　don't　have　the　time　to　explain　right　now。〃
　 〃Well　you　hold　on；　honey；　because　we　want　some　answers。　We've　had　years　of　waiting　to　go　back　into　that　room…〃
　 〃Then　you　can　afford　to　wait　a　few　hours　more；〃　Katya　replied；　and　without　waiting　for　Theda　Bara　to　e　back　with　a　retort　she　turned　and　headed　on　up　the　steps　to　the　top　of　the　flight。
　 There　was　a　moment…just　a　quarter　of　a　beat；　there　at　the　top　of　the　stairs…when　she　thought　she'd　misjudged　her　audience；　and　they'd　e　up　the　stairs　after　her；　their　patience　finally　exhausted。　But　they'd　stayed　below。　Even　Theda。　Perhaps　somebody　had　caught　hold　of　her　arm；　to　keep　her　from　doing　something　stupid。
　 Katya　opened　the　back　door；　stepping　over　the　threshold。　Occasionally；　in　the　last　several　decades；　one　of　the　assembly　outside　had　taken　it　into　their　heads　to　test　the　power　of　the　icons　Zeffer　had　brought　back　from　Romania；　and　had　personally　hammered　deep　into　the　wood。　The　five　icons　were　called；　Zeffer　had　told　her；　the　Iron　Word。　It　was　powerful　magic　designed　to　drive　off　anything　that　did　not　belong　beside　cot　or　hearth。　Katya　had　never　actually　witnessed　what　happened　when　one　of　the　phantoms　had　tested　the　threshold。　She'd　only　heard　the　screams；　and　seen　the　looks　of　terror　on　the　faces　of　those　who'd　goaded　the　victim。　Of　the　trespasser　himself；　nothing　remained；　except　a　rise　in　the　humidity　of　the　air　around　the　threshold；　as　though　the　revenant　had　been　exploded　into　vapor。　Even　these　traces　lingered　for　only　a　moment。　As　soon　as　the　air　cooled　the　witnesses　retreated　from　the　door；　looks　of　terror　still　fixed　on　their　faces。
　 She　had　no　idea　how　the　Iron　Word　worked。　She　only　knew　that　Zeffer　had　paid　a　member　of　Sandru's　scattered　brotherhood　a　small　fortune　to　possess　the　secret；　and　then　another　sum　to　have　the　icons　created　in　sufficient　numbers　that　every　door　and　window　be　guarded。　It　had　been　worth　the　investment：　the　Iron　Word　did　its　job。　Katya　felt　like　her　mother；　who'd　always　boasted　that　she　kept　a　'clean　house'。　Of　course　Mother　Lupescu's　definition　of　moral　cleanliness　had　been　purely　her　own。
　 You　could　fuck　her　twelve…year…old　daughter　for　a　small　coin；　but　you　could　not　say　Christ　when　you　were　shooting　your　load　between　her　tiny　titties　without　being　thrown　out　of　the　house。
　 And　in　her　turn　that　twelve…year…old　had　grown　up　with　her　own　particular　rules　of　domestic　cleanliness。　In　short：　the　dead　did　not　cross　the　threshold。
　 You　had　to　draw　the　line　somewhere；　or　all　hell　would　break　loose。　On　that　Mama　Lupescu　and　her　daughter　would　have　agreed。
　
　 She　got　herself　a　cup　of　milk　from　the　refrigerator　to　calm　her　stomach；　which　always　troubled　her　when；　as　now；　she　was　unsettled　for　some　reason　or　another。　Then　she　went　through　the　house；　taking　her　time　passing　from　one　room　to　another；　and　as　she　came　to　the　front　door　she　heard　the　sound　of　a　car　ing　up　the　street。　She　stepped　outside；　and　walked　along　the　front　path　until　she　reached　the　pool　of　light　from　the　car's　headlights。
　 〃Is　that　you；　Jerry？〃
　 A　car　door　opened。
　 〃Yes；　it's　me；〃　he　said。　〃Was　I　expected？〃
　 〃You　were。〃
　 〃Well；　thank　God　for　that。〃
　 She　went　to　the　little　gate；　and　stepped　out　onto　the　narrow　sidewalk　Jerry　had　got　out　of　the　car。　He　had　a　barely…suppressed　look　of　shock　on　his　face；　seeing　her　step　beyond　the　bounds　of　her　little　dominion　for　the　first　time。
　 〃Are　we　actually　going　somewhere？〃　he　asked　her。
　 〃I　certainly　hope　so；〃　she　said；　playing　it　off　lightly。　She　could　not　pletely　conceal　her　unease；　however。　It　was　there　in　her　eyes。　But　there　was　also　something　else　in　her　glance；　besides　the　unease：　something　far　more　remarkable。　A　kind　of　sweetness；　even　innocence。　She　looked　like　a　girl　out　on　her　first　Prom　Night；　tip…toeing　to　the　edge　of　womanhood。
　 Amazing；　Jerry　thought。　Knowing　all　that　he　knew　about　Katya…all　that　she'd　done　and　caused　to　have　done…to　be　able　to　find　that　look　in　her　memory　banks；　and　put　it　up　there　on　her　face；　so　that　it　looked　as　real　as　it　did；　that　was　a　performance。
　 〃Where　will　I　be　taking　you　tonight；　ma'am？〃　Jerry　asked　her。
　 〃I'm　not　exactly　sure。　You　see　we're　going　to　be　looking　for　somebody。〃
　 〃Are　we　indeed？　And　may　I　take　a　guess　at　who？〃
　 Katya　smiled。　〃Too　easy；〃　she　said。
　 〃We'll　find　him　for　you。　Don't　you　worry。〃
　 〃You　were　the　one　who　got　him　to　e　up　here　in　the　first　place；　Jerry。　So　you're　the　match…maker。　And　thank　you。　From　both　of　us；　thank　you。　It's　been　quite　a　remarkable　time　for　me；　Jerry。　I　never　thought　I'd　ever　fall　in　love　again。　And　with　an　actor。〃　She　laughed。　〃You'd　think　I'd　have　learned　by　now。〃
　 〃I　hope　it's　a　happy　mistake。〃
　 〃Oh　it　is；　Jerry。　It's　perfect。　He's　perfect。〃
　 〃Is　he？〃
　 〃For　me。　Yes。　Perfect　for　me。〃
　 〃So　will　you　be　joining　him　somewhere？〃
　 〃Yes。〃
　 〃But　you're　not　exactly　sure　where？〃
　 〃That's　right。〃
　 〃Well；　I'm　going　to　hazard　a　guess　and　say　he's　at　Maxine's；　because　I　know　she's　having　a　big　bash　tonight。　Do　you　want　me　to　call　her；　and　ask　her　if　he's　there？　Maybe　tell　her　I'm　bringing　a　special　guest？〃
　 〃No；　I　think　it's　best　we　just　do　this　quietly；　don't　you？〃
　 〃However　you　prefer。　Tonight's　your　night。〃
　 〃I　don't　want　any　big　hoopla；〃　Katya　said。　〃I　just　want　to　find　him。〃
　 For　a　moment　the　illusion　disappeared　pletely；　and　reality　showed　itself：　the　desperate　hunger　of　a　woman　who　needed　to　find　the　love　of　her　life。　Not　tomorrow；　or　the　day　after；　but　tonight。　She　had　no　time　to　waste；　this　woman；　no　time　for　error　or　procrastination。
　 〃Shall　we　go？〃　she　said。
　 〃Ready　when　you　are。〃
　 She　went　to　the　car　and　started　to　fumble　with　the　doorhandle。
　 〃Please；〃　Jerry　said。　〃Allow　me。〃　He　came　round　to　the　passenger　side　and　opened　the　door。
　 〃Thank　you；　Jerry。　How　nice。　Old…fashioned　man