cb.imajica2-第58节
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again； with the youth following。 Once outside； he looked up； cupping his hand over his brow to study the sky at his zenith。 Seeing him do so； Jude realized who the sky watcher she'd glimpsed in the Boston Bowl had been。 It was a small solving； but she wasn't about to spurn the satisfaction it provided。
〃Sartori is Gentle's brother； is that right？〃 Clem said。 〃I'm afraid I'm still hazy on the family relations。〃
〃They're not brothers； they're twins；〃 she replied。 〃Sartori is his perfect double。〃
〃How perfect？〃 Clem asked； looking at her with a small； almost mischievous smile on his face。 〃Oh 。。。 very perfect。〃 〃So it wasn't so bad； his being here？〃 She shook her head。 〃It wasn't bad at all；〃 she replied。 Then； after a moment： 〃He told me he loved me； Clem。〃 〃Oh； Lord。〃 〃And I believed him。〃
〃How many dozens of men have told you that？〃 〃Yes； but he was different。。。。〃 〃Famous last words。〃
She looked at the sun watcher for a few seconds； puzzled by the calm that had e over her。 Was the mere memory of his mitment to her enough to assuage every dread？ 〃What are you thinking？〃 Clem asked her。 〃That he feels something Gentle never did；〃 she replied。 〃Maybe never could。 Before you say it； I know the whole thing's repulsive。 He's a destroyer。 He's wiped out whole countries。 How can I be feeling anything for him？〃 〃You want the cliches？〃 〃Tell me。〃
〃You feel what you feel Some people go for sailors； some people go for men in rubber suits and feather boas。 We do what we do。 Never explain； never apologize。 There。 That's all you're getting。〃
Her hands went to his face。 She cupped it； then kissed it。 〃You are sublime；〃 she said。 〃We're going to survive； aren't we？〃
〃Survive and prosper；〃 he said。 〃But I think we'd better find your beau； for everybody's…〃
He stopped as her grip on him tightened。 All trace of joy had gone from her face。
〃What's wrong？〃
〃Celestine。 I sent him up to Highgate。 To Roxborough's tower。〃
〃I'm sorry； I'm not following this。〃
〃It's bad news；〃 she said； leaving his embrace and hurrying to the front door。
Gentle relinquished his zenith watching at her summons and returned to the step as she repeated what she'd just told Clem。
〃What's up in Highgate？〃 he said。
〃A woman who wanted to see you。 Does the name Nisi Nirvana mean anything to you？〃
Gentle puzzled over this for a moment。 〃It's something from a story；〃 he said。
〃No； Gentle。 She's real。 She's alive。 At least she was。〃
It hadn't been sentiment alone that had moved the Autarch Sartori to have the streets of London depicted in such loving detail on the walls of his palace。 Though he'd spent only a little time in this city…no more than weeks； between his birth and his departure for the Reconciled Dominions… Mother London and Father Thames had educated him right royally。 Of course the metropolis visible from the summit of Highgate Hill； where he stood now； was vaster and grimmer than the city he'd wandered then； but there were enough signs remaining to stir some poignant and pungent memories。 He'd learned sex in these streets； from the professionals around Drury Lane。 He'd learned murder at the riverside； watching the bodies washed up in the mud on a Sunday morning after the slaughters of Saturday night。 He'd learned law at Lincoln's Inn Field and seen justice done at Tyburn。 All fine lessons； that had helped to make him the man he was。 The only lesson he couldn't remember learning； whether in these streets or any other； was how to be an architect。 He must have had a tutor in that； he presumed； at some time。 After all； wasn't he the man whose vision had built a palace that would stand in legend； even though its towers were now rubble？ Where； in the furnace of his genes or in his history； was the kindling spark of that genius？ Perhaps he'd only discover the answer in the raising of his New Yzordderrex。 If he was patient and watchful； the face of his mentor would sooner or later appear in its walls。 There would have to be a great demolishing； however； before the foundations were laid； and banalities like the Tabula Rasa's tower； which he now came in sight of； would be the first to be condemned。 He crossed the forecourt to the front door； whistling as he went and wondering if the woman Judith had been so insistent he meet…this Celestine…could hear his trill。 The door stood open； but he doubted any thief； however opportunist； had dared enter。 The air around the threshold fairly pricked with power； putting him in mind of his beloved Pivot Tower。
Still whistling； he crossed the foyer to a second door and stepped through it into a room he knew。 He'd walked these ancient boards twice in his life： the first time the day before the Reconciliation； when he'd presented himself to Roxborough here； passing himself off as the Maestro Sartori for the perverse pleasure of shaking the hands of the Reconciler's patrons before the sabotage he'd planned took them to Hell； the second time； the night after the Reconciliation； with storms tearing up the skies from Hadrian's Wall to Land's End。 On this occasion he'd e with Chant； his new familiar； intending to kill Lucius Cobbitt； the boy he'd made his unwitting agent in the sabotage。 Having searched for him in Gamut Street and found him gone； he'd braved the storm…there were forests uprooted and lifted in the air； and a man struck by lightning burning on Highgate Hill…only to discover that Roxborough's house was empty。 He'd never found Cobbitt。 Driven from the safety of Gamut Street by his sometime Maestro； the youth had probably fallen prey to the storm； as so many others had that night。
Now the room stood silent； and so did he。 The lords who'd built this house； and their children； who'd raised the tower above； were dead。 It was a wele hush； in it； there'd be time for dalliance。 He wandered over to the mantelpiece and headed down the stairs； descending into a library he'd never known existed until this moment。 He might have been tempted to linger； perusing the laden shelves； but the pricking power he'd… felt at the front door was stronger than ever and drew him on； more intrigued with every yard。
He heard the woman's voice before he set eyes on her； emanating from a place where the restless dust was so thick it was like walking in a delta fog。 Barely visible through it； a scene of sheer vandalism： books； scrolls； and manuscripts reduced to shreds or buried in the wreckage of the shelves they'd been laid upon。 And beyond the rubble； a hole in the brick； and from the hole； a call。
〃Is that Sartori？〃
〃Yes；〃 he said。
〃e closer。 Let me see you。〃
He presented himself at the bottom of the heap of rubble。
〃I thought she'd failed to find you；〃 Celestine said。 〃Or else you'd refused to e。〃
〃How could I refuse a summons like this？〃 he said softly。
〃Do you think this is some kind of liaison？〃 she replied。 〃Some secret tryst？〃
Her voice was raw with the dust； and bitter。 He liked the sound of it。 Women who had anger in them were always so much more interesting than their contented sisters。
〃e in； Maestro；〃 she said to him。 〃Let me put you to rights。〃
He clambered up over the stones and peered into the darkness。 The cell was a wretched hole； as sordid as anything beneath his palace； but the woman who'd occupied it was no anchorite。 Her flesh hadn't been chastened by incarceration； but looked lush； for all the marks upon it。 The tendrils that clung to her body extolled her fluency； moving over her thighs and breasts and belly like unctuous snakes。 Some clung to her head and paid court at her honey lips； others lay between her legs in bliss。 He felt her tender gaze on him and luxuriated in it。
〃Handsome；〃 she said。
He took her pliment as an invitation to approach； but as he did so she made a murmur of distress； and he stopped in his tracks。
〃What's this shadow in you？〃 she said。
〃Nothing to be afraid of；〃 he told her。
Some of the filaments parted； and longer tendrils； these not courtiers but part of her substance； uncurled from behind her； clinging to the rough wall and hauling her up。
〃I've heard that before；〃 she said。 〃When a man tells you there's nothing to be afraid of； he's lying。 Even you； Sartori。〃
〃I won't e any closer if it bothers you；〃 he said。
It wasn't respect for the woman's unease that moved him to pliance； but the sight of the ribbons that had lifted her。 Quaisoir had sprouted such appendages； he recalled； after her intimacies with the women of the Bastion of the Banu。 They were evidence of some facility in the other sex he had no real prehension of： a remnant of crafts all but banished from the Reconciled Dominions by Hapexamendios。 Perhaps they'd seen a new； poisonous flowering in the Fifth in the time since he'd left。 Until he knew the scope of their authority； he'd be circumspect；
〃I'd like to ask a question； if I may？〃 he said。
〃Yes？〃
〃How do you know who I am？〃
〃First； tell me where you've been all these years。〃
Oh； the temptation he felt to tell her the truth； then； and parade his achievements in the hope of impressing her。 But he'd e here in the guise of his other； and； as with Judith； he'd have to choose the moment of his unmasking carefully。
〃I've been wandering；〃 he said。 It wasn't so untrue。
〃Where？〃
