cb.imajica2-第76节

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　〃Yes；　send　him　up；　will　you？　And　if　you　can；　find　me　something　to　eat。　Anything　but　sausages。〃
　Gem　headed　off　down　the　stairs；　leaving　Gentle　to　cross　to　the　window　and　throw　it　open。　The　last　morning　that　the　Fifth　would　see　Unreconciled　had　dawned；　and　the　temperature　was　already　high　enough　to　wilt　the　leaves　on　the　tree　outside。　Hearing　Monday's　feet　clattering　up　the　stairs；　Gentle　turned　to　greet　the　messenger；　who　appeared　with　a　half…eaten　hamburger　in　one　hand　and　a　half…smoked　cigarette　in　the　other。
　〃You've　got　something　to　tell　me？〃　he　said。
　〃Yes；　boss。　From　Jude。〃
　〃Where　did　she　go？〃
　〃Yzordderrex。　That's　part　of　what　I'm　supposed　to　tell　you。　She's　gone　to　Yzordderrex。〃
　〃Did　you　see　her　go？〃
　〃Not　exactly。　She　made　me　stand　outside　while　she　went；　so　that's　what　I　did。〃
　〃And　the　rest　of　the　message？〃
　〃She　told　me〃…he　made　a　great　show　of　concentration　now…〃to　tell　you　where　she'd　gone；　and　I've　done　that；　then　she　said　to　tell　you　that　the　Reconciliation　isn't　safe；　and　that　you　weren't　to　do　nothing　until　she　contacted　you　again。〃
　〃Isn't　safe？　Those　were　her　words？〃
　〃That's　what　she　said。　No　kiddinV
　〃Do　you　know　what　she　was　talking　about？〃
　〃Search　me；　boss。〃　His　eyes　had　gone　from　Gentle　to　the　darkest　corner　of　the　room。　〃I　didn't　know　you　had　a　monkey；〃　he　said。　〃Did　you　bring　it　back　with　you？〃
　Gentle　looked　to　the　corner。　Little　Ease　was　there；　staring　up　at　the　Maestro　fretfully；　having　presumably　crept　down　into　the　Meditation　Room　sometime　during　the　night。
　〃Does　it　eat　hamburgers？〃　Monday　said；　going　down　on　his　haunches。
　〃You　can　try；〃　Gentle　said　distractedly。　〃Monday；　is　that　all　Jude　said：　It　isn't　safe？〃　〃That's　it；　boss。　I　swear。〃
　〃She　just　arrived　at　the　Retreat　and　told　you　she　wasn't　ing　back？〃
　〃Oh；　no；　she　took　her　time；〃　Monday　said；　pulling　a　face　as　the　creature　he'd　taken　to　be　an　ape　skulked　from　its　corner　and　started　towards　the　proffered　hamburger。
　He　made　to　stand　up；　but　it　bared　its　teeth　in　a　grin　of　such　ferocity　he　thought　better　of　doing　so　and　simply　extended　his　arm　as　far　as　he　could　to　keep　the　beast　from　his　face。　Little　Ease　slowed　as　it　came　within　sniffing　distance　and；　instead　of　snatching　the　meal；　claimed　it　from　Monday's　hand　with　the　greatest　delicacy；　pinkies　raised。　〃Will　you　finish　the　story？〃　Gentle　said。　〃Oh；　yeah。　Well；　there　was　this　fella　in　the　Retreat　when　we　got　there；　and　she　had　a　long　jaw　with　him。〃　〃This　was　somebody　she　knew？〃　〃Oh；　yeah。〃　〃Who？〃
　〃I　forget　his　name；〃　Monday　said；　but　seeing　Gentle's　brow　frown　protested；　〃That　wasn't　part　of　the　message；　boss。　If　it　had　been　I'd　have　remembered。〃
　〃Remember　anyway；〃　Gentle　said；　beginning　to　suspect　conspiracy。　〃Who　was　he？〃
　Monday　stood　up　and　drew　nervously　on　his　cigarette。　〃I　don't　recall。　There　were　all　these　birds；　you　know；　and　bees　an'　stuff。　I　wasn't　really　listening。　It　was　something　short；　like　Cody　or　Coward　or…〃　〃Dowd；〃
　〃Yeah！　That's　it。　It　was　Dowd。　And　he　was　really　fucked　up；　let　me　tell　you。〃
　〃But　alive。〃
　〃Oh；　yeah；　for　a　while。　Like　I　said；　they　talked　together。〃
　〃And　it　was　after　this　that　she　said　she　was　going　to　Yzordderrex？〃
　〃That's　right。　She　told　me　to　bring　the　stones　back　to　you；　and　the　message　with　'em。〃
　〃Both　of　which　you've　done。　Thank　you。〃
　〃You're　the　boss；　boss；〃　Monday　said。　〃Is　that　all？　If　you　want　me　I'm　on　the　step。　It's　going　to　be　a　scorcher。〃
　He　thundered　off　downstairs。
　〃Shall　I　leave　the　door　open；　Liberatore？〃　Little　Ease　said；　as　it　nibbled　on　the　hamburger。
　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃
　〃I　got　lonely　up　there；〃　the　creature　said。
　〃You　promised　obedience；〃　Gentle　reminded　it。
　〃You　don't　trust　her；　do　you？〃　Little　Ease　replied。　〃You　think　she's　gone　off　to　join　Sartori。〃
　He　hadn't　until　now。　But　the　notion；　now　that　it　was　floated；　didn't　seem　so　improbable。　Jude　had　confessed　what　she　felt　for　Sartori；　in　this　very　house；　and　clearly　believed　that　he　loved　her　in　return。　Perhaps　she'd　simply　slipped　away　from　the　Retreat　while　Monday's　back　was　turned　and　had　gone　to　find　the　father　of　her　child。　If　that　was　the　case；　it　was　paradoxical　behavior；　to　seek　out　the　arms　of　a　man　whose　enemy　she'd　just　helped　towards　victory。　But　this　was　not　a　day　to　waste　analyzing　such　conundrums。　She'd　done　what　she'd　done；　and　there　was　an　end　to　it。
　Gentle　hoisted　himself　up　onto　the　sill；　from　which　perch　he'd　often　planned　his　itinerary；　and　attempted　to　push　all　thoughts　of　her　defection　out　of　his　head。　This　was　a　bad　room　in　which　to　try　and　forget　her；　however。　It　was；　after　all；　the　womb　in　which　she'd　been　made。　The　boards　most　likely　still　concealed　motes　of　the　sand　that　had　marked　her　circle　and　stains；　deep　in　their　grain；　of　the　liquors　he'd　anointed　her　nakedness　with。　Try　as　he　might　to　keep　the　thoughts　from　ing；　one　led　inevitably　to　another。　Imagining　her　naked；　he　pictured　his　hands　upon　her；　slick　with　oils。　Then　his　kisses。　Then　his　body。　And　before　a　minute　had　passed　he　was　sitting　on　the　sill　with　an　erection　nuzzling　against　his　underwear。
　Of　all　the　mornings　to　be　plagued　with　such　distraction！　The　beguilements　of　the　flesh　had　no　place　in　the　work　ahead　of　him。　They'd　brought　the　last　Reconciliation　to　tragedy；　and　he　would　not　allow　them　to　lead　him　from　his　sanctified　path　by　a　single　step。　He　looked　down　at　his　groin；　disgusted　with　himself。
　〃Cut　it　off；〃　Little　Ease　advised。
　If　he　could　have　done　the　deed　without　making　an　invalid　of　himself；　he'd　have　done　so　there　and　then；　and　gladly。　He　had　nothing　but　contempt　for　what　rose　between　his　legs。　It　was　a　hotheaded　idiot；　and　he　wanted　rid　of　it。
　〃I　can　control　it；〃　he　replied。
　〃Famous　last　words；〃　the　creature　said。
　A　blackbird　had　e　into　the　tree　and　was　singing　blithely　there。　He　looked　its　way　and　beyond；　up　through　the　branches　into　the　burnished　blue　sky。　His　thoughts　abstracted　as　he　studied　it；　and　by　the　time　he　heard　Clem　ing　up　the　stairs　with　food　and　drink　the　spasm　of　carnality　had　passed；　and　he　greeted　his　angels　with　a　cooling　brow。
　〃So　now　we　wait；〃　he　told　Clem。
　〃What　for？〃
　〃For　Jude　to　e　back。〃
　〃And　if　she　doesn't？〃
　〃She　will；〃　Gentle　replied。　〃This　is　where　she　was　born。　It's　her　home；　even　if　she　wishes　it　weren't。　She'll　have　to　make　her　way　back　here　eventually。　And　if　she's　conspired　against　us；　Clem…if　she's　working　with　the　enemy…then　I　swear　I'll　draw　a　circle　right　here〃…he　pointed　to　the　boards…〃and　Til　unmake　her　so　well　it'll　be　as　though　she　never　drew　breath。〃
　
　
　19
　
　The　law…defying　waters　were　passionate。　Though　they　carried　Jude　through　the　palace　at　considerable　speed；　roaming　through　corridors　their　passage　had　already　stripped　of　tapestries　and　furnishings；　they　treated　their　cargo　with　care。　She　wasn't　thrown　against　the　walls　or　the　pillars；　but　was　borne　up　on　a　ship　of　surf　that　neither　faltered　nor　foundered　but　hurried；　remotely　helmed；　to　its　destination。　That　place　could　scarcely　be　in　doubt。　The　mystery　at　the　heart　of　the　Autarch's　maze　had　always　been　the　Pivot　Tower；　and　though　she'd　witnessed　the　beginning　of　the　tower's　undoing；　it　was　still；　surely；　her　place　of　debarkation。　Prayers　and　petitions　had　gone　there　for　an　age；　attracted　by　the　Pivot's　authority。　Whatever　force　had　replaced　it；　calling　these　waters；　it　had　set　its　throne　on　the　rubble　of　the　fallen　lord。
　And　now　she　had　proof　of　that；　as　the　waters　carried　her　out　of　the　naked　corridors　and　into　the　still　severer　environs　of　the　tower；　slowing　to　deliver　her　into　a　pool　so　thick　with　detritus　it　was　almost　solid。　Out　of　this　wreckage　rose　a　staircase；　and　she　hauled　herself　from　the　debris　and　lay　on　the　lower　steps；　giddy　but　exhilarated。　The　waters　continued　to　surge　around　the　staircase　like　an　eager　spring　tide；　and　their　clear　desire　to　be　up　the　flight　was　contagious。　She　got　to　her　feet；　after　a　little　time；　and　proceeded　to　climb。
　Although　there　were　no　lights　burning　at　the　top；　there　was　plenty　of　illumination　spilling　down　the　stairs　to　meet　her；　and　like　the　light　at　the　springing　places　it　was　prismatic；　suggesting　there　were　more　waters　ahead　that　had　e　into　the　palace　via　other　routes。　Before　she　was　even　halfway　up　the　flight；　two　women　appeared　and　stared　down　at　her。　Both　were　dressed　in　simple　off…white　shifts；　the　fatter　of　the　pair；　a　woman　of　gargantuan　proportions；　unbuttoned　to　bare　her　breasts　to　the　baby　she　was　nursing。　She　looked　almost　as　infantile　as　her　charge；　her　hair　wispy；　her　face；　like　her　breasts；　heavy　and　sugar…almond　pink。　The　woman　beside　her　was　older　and　slimmer；　her　skin　substantially　darker　than　that　of　her　panion；　her　gray　hair　braided　and　bed　out　to　her　shoulders　like　a　cowl。　She　wore　gloves；　and　glasses；　and　regarded　Jude　with　almost　professorial　detachment。
　〃Another　soul　saved　from　the　flood；〃　she　said。
　Jude　had　stopped　climbing。　Though　neither　woman　had　made　any　sign　that　she　was　forbidden　entry；　she　wanted　to　e　into　this　miraculous　place　as　a　guest；　not　a　trespasser。
　〃Am　I　wele？〃
　〃Of　course；〃　said　the　mother。　〃Have　you　e　to　meet　the　Goddesses？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Are　you　from　the　Bastion；　then？〃
　Before　Jude　could　reply；　her　panion　supplied　the　answer。　〃Of　course　not！　Lo