cb.imajica2-第92节

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　Jude　waited　in　the　hall　long　enough　to　be　sure　that　Monday　wasn't　dead；　then　she　headed　towards　the　stairs。　The　currents　which　had　induced　such　disforts　were　no　longer　circling　in　the　system　of　the　house：　sure　sign　that　some　new　phase　of　the　working…possibly　its　last…was　under　way　above。　Clem　joined　her　at　the　bottom　of　the　stairs；　armed　with　another　two　of　Monday's　homemade　bludgeons。
　〃How　many　of　these　creatures　are　there　out　there？〃　he　demanded。
　〃Maybe　half　a　dozen。〃
　〃You'll　have　to　watch　the　back　door　then；〃　he　said；　thrusting　one　of　the　weapons　at　Jude。
　〃You　use　it；〃　she　said；　'pressing　past　him。　〃Keep　them　out　for　as　long　as　you　can。〃
　〃Where　are　you　going？〃
　〃To　stop　Gentle。〃
　〃Stop　him？　In　God's　name；　why？〃
　〃Because　Dowd　was　right。　If　he　pletes　the　Reconciliation　we're　dead。〃
　He　cast　the　bludgeons　aside　and　took　hold　of　her。　〃No；　Judy；〃　he　said。　〃You　know　I　can't　let　you　do　that。〃
　It　wasn't　just　Clem　speaking；　but　Tay　as　well：　two　voices　and　a　single　utterance。　It　was　more　distressing　than　anything　she'd　heard　or　seen　outside；　to　have　this　mand　issue　from　a　face　she　loved。　But　she　kept　her　calm。
　〃Let　go　of　me；〃　she　said；　reaching　for　the　banister　to　haul　herself　up　the　stairs。
　〃He's　twisted　your　mind；　Judy；〃　the　angels　said。　〃You　don't　know　what　you're　doing。〃
　〃I　know　damn　well；〃　she　said；　and　fought　to　wrest　herself　free。
　But　Clem's　arms；　despite　their　blistering；　were　unyielding。　She　looked　for　some　help　from　Monday；　but　he　and　Hoi…Polloi　had　their　backs　to　the　door；　against　which　the　gek…a…gek　were　beating　their　massive　limbs。　Stout　as　the　timbers　were；　they'd　splinter　soon。　She　had　to　get　to　Gentle　before　the　beasts　got　in；　or　it　was　all　over。
　And　then；　above　the　din　of　assault；　came　a　voice　she'd　only　heard　raised　once　before。
　〃Let　her　go。〃
　Celestine　had　emerged　from　her　bedroom；　draped　in　a　sheet。　The　candlelight　shook　all　around　her；　but　she　was　steady；　her　gaze　mesmeric。　The　angels　looked　around　at　her；　Clem's　hands　still　holding　Jude　fast。
　〃She　wants　to…〃
　〃I　know　what　she　wants　to　do；〃　Celestine　said。　〃If　you're　our　guardians；　guard　us　now。　Let　her　go。〃
　Jude　felt　doubt　loosen　the　hold　on　her。　She　didn't　give　the　angels　time　to　change　their　mind；　but　dragged　herself　free　and　started　up　the　stairs　again。　Halfway　up；　she　heard。a　shout　and　glanced　down　to　see　both　Hoi…Polloi　and　Monday　thrown　forward　as　the　door's　middle　panel　broke　and　a　prodigious　limb　reached　through　to　snatch　at　the　air。
　〃Go　on！〃　Celestine　yelled　up　to　her；　and　Jude　returned　to　her　ascent　as　the　woman　stepped　onto　the　bottom　stair　to　guard　the　way。
　Though　there　was　far　less　light　above　than　below；　the　details　of　the　physical　world　became　more　insistent　as　she　climbed。　The　flight　beneath　her　bare　feet　was　suddenly　a　wonderland　of　grains　and　knotholes；　its　geography　entrancing。　Nor　was　it　simply　her　sight　that　filled　to　brimming。　The　banister　beneath　her　hand　was　more　alluring　than　silk；　the　scent　of　sap　and　the　taste　of　dust　begged　to　be　sniffed　and　savored。　Defying　these　distractions；　she　fixed　her　attention　on　the　door　ahead；　holding　her　breath　and　removing　her　hand　from　the　banister　to　minimize　the　sources　of　sensation。　Even　so；　she　was　assailed。　The　creaks　of　the　stairs　were　rich　enough　to　be　orchestrated。　The　shadows　around　the　door　had　nuances　to　parade　and　called　for　her　devotion。　But　she　had　a　rod　at　her　back：　the　motion　from　below。　It　was　getting　louder　all　the　time；　and　now…cutting　through　the　shouts　and　roars…came　the　sound　of　Sartori's　voice。
　〃Where　are　you　going；　love？〃　he　asked　her。　〃You　can't　leave　me。　I　won't　let　you。　Look！　Love？　Look！　I've　brought　the　knives。〃
　She　didn't　turn　to　see；　but　closed　her　eyes　and　stopped　her　ears　with　her　hands；　stumbling　up　the　rest　of　the　stairs　blind　and　deaf。　Only　when　her　toes　were　no　longer　stubbed；　and　she　knew　she　was　at　the　top；　did　she　dare　the　sight　again。　The　seductions　began　again；　instantly。　Every　nick　in　every　nail　of　the　door　said；　Stop　and　study　me。　The　dust　rising　around　her　was　a　constellation　she　could　have　lost　herself　in　forever。　She　pitched　herself　through　it；　with　her　gaze　glued　to　the　door　handle；　and　clasped　it　so　hard　the　disfort　canceled　the　beguilings　long　enough　for　her　to　turn　it　and　throw　the　door　open。　Behind　her　Sartori　was　calling　again；　but　this　time　his　voice　was　slurred；　as　though　he　was　distracted　by　profusion。
　In　front　of　her　was　his　mirror　image；　naked　at　the　center　of　the　stones。　He　sat　in　the　universal　posture　of　the　meditator：　legs　crossed；　eyes　closed；　hands　laid　palms　out　in　his　lap　to　catch　whatever　blessings　were　bestowed。　Though　there　was　much　in　the　room　to　call　her　attention…mantelpiece；　window；　boards；　and　rafters…their　sum　of　enticements；　vast　as　it　was；　could　not　pete　with　the　glory　of　human　nakedness；　and　this　nakedness；　that　she'd　loved　and　lain　beside；　more　than　any　other。　Neither　the　blandishments　of　the　。；　walls…their　stained　plaster　like　a　map　of　some　unknown　country…nor　the　persuasions　of　the　crushed　leaves　at　the　^　sill　could　distract　her　now。　Her　senses　were　fixed　on　the　：　Reconciler；　and　she　crossed　the　room　to　him　in　a　few　short　；　strides；　calling　his　name　as　she　went。
　He　didn't　move。　Wherever　his　mind　wandered；　it　was　too　far　from　this　place…or　rather；　this　place　was　too　small　a　part　of　his　arena…for　him　to　be　claimed　by　any　voices　here；　however　desperate。　She　halted　at　the　edge　of　the　circle。　Though　there　was　nothing　to　suggest　that　what　lay　inside　was　in　flux；　she'd　seen　the　harm　done　to　both　Dowd　and　his　voider　when　the　bounds　had　been　injudiciously　breached。　From　down　below　she　heard　Celestine　raise　a　cry　of　warning。　There　was　no　time　for　equivocation。　What　the　circle　would　do　it　would　do；　and　she'd　have　to　take　the　consequences。
　Steeling　herself；　she　stepped　over　the　perimeter。　Instantly；　the　myriad　disforts　that　attended　passage　afflicted　her…itches；　pangs；　and　spasms…and　for　a　moment　…　she　thought　the　circle　intended　to　dispatch　her　across　the　In　Ovo。　But　the　work　it　was　about　had　overruled　such　functions；　and　the　pains　simply　mounted　and　mounted；　driving　her　to　her　knees　in　front　of　Gentle。　Tears　spilled　from　her　knitted　lids；　and　the　ripest　curses　from　her　lips。　The　circle　hadn't　killed　her；　but　another　minute　of　its　persecutions　and　it　might。　She　had　to　be　quick。
　She　forced　open　her　streaming　eyes　and　set　her　gaze　on　Gentle。　Shouts　hadn't　roused　him；　nor　had　curses；　so　she　didn't　waste　her　breath　with　more。　Instead　she　seized　his　shoulders　and　began　to　shake　him。　His　muscles　were　lax；　and　he　lolled　in　her　grasp；　but　either　her　touch　or　the　fact　of　her　trespass　in　this　charmed　circle　won　a　response。　He　gasped　as　though　he'd　been　drawn　up　from　some　airless　deep。
　Now　she　began　to　talk。
　〃Gentle？　Gentle！　Open　your　eyes！　Gentle。　I　said；　Open　your　fucking　eyes！〃
　She　was　causing　him　pain；　she　knew。　The　tempo　and　volume　of　his　gasps　increased；　and　his　face；　which　had　been　beatifically　placid；　was　knotted　with　frowns　and　grimaces。　She　liked　the　sight。　He'd　been　so　smug　in　his　messianic　mode。　Now　there　had　to　be　an　end　to　that　placency；　and　if　it　hurt　a　little　it　was　his　own　damn　fault　for　being　too　much　his　Father's　child。
　〃Can　you　hear　me？〃　she　yelled　at　him。　〃You've　got　to　stop　the　working。　Gentle！　You've　got　to　stop　it！〃
　His　eyes　started　to　flicker　open。
　〃Good！　Good！〃　she　said；　talking　at　his　face　like　a　school…marm　trying　to　coax　a　delinquent　pupil。
　〃You　can　do　it！　You　can　open　your　eyes。　Go　on！　Do　it！　If　you　won't；　I'll　do　it　for　you；　I'm　warning　you！〃
　She　was　as　good　as　her　word；　lifting　her　right　hand　to　his　left　eye　and　thumbing　back　the　lid。　His　eyeball　was　rolled　back　into　its　socket。　Wherever　he　was；　it　was　still　a　tong　way　off；　and　she　wasn't　sure　her　body　had　the　strength　to　resist　its　harrowment　while　she　coaxed　him　home。
　Then；　from　the　landing　behind　her；　Sartori's　voice。
　〃It's　too　late；　love；〃　he　said。　〃Can't　you　feel　it？　It's　too　late。〃
　She　didn't　need　to　look　back　at　him。　She　could　picture　him　well　enough；　with　the　knives　in　his　hands　and　elegy　on　his　face。　Nor　did　she　reply。　She　needed　every　last　ounce　of　will　and　wit　to　stir　the　man　in　front　of　her。
　And　then　inspiration！　Her　hand　went　from　his　face　to　his　groin；　from　his　eyelid　to　his　testicles。　Surely　there　was　enough　of　the　old　Gentle　left　in　the　Reconciler　to　value　his　manhood。　The　flesh　of　his　scrotum　was　loose　in　the　warmth　of　the　room。　His　balls　were　heavy　in　her　hand；　heavy　and　vulnerable。　She　held　them　hard。
　〃Open　your　eyes；〃　she　said；　〃or　so　help　me　I'm　going　to　hurt　you。〃
　He　remained　impassive。　She　tightened　her　grip。　〃Wake　up；〃　she　said。
　Still　nothing。　She　squeezed　harder；　then　twisted。　〃Wake　up！〃
　His　breath　quickened。　She　twisted　again；　and　his　eyes　suddenly　opened；　his　gasps　being　a　yell　which　didn't　stop　until　there　was　no　breath　left　in　his　lungs　to　loose　it　on。　As　he　inhaled　his　arms　rose　to　take　hold　of　Jude　at　the　neck。　She　lost　her　grip　on　his　balls；　but　it　didn't　matter。　He　was　awake　and　raging。　He　started　to　rise　and；　as　he　did　so；　pitched　her　out　of　the　circle。　She　landed　clumsily；　but　began　harassing　him　before　she'd　even　raised　her　head。
　〃You've　got　to　stop　the　working！〃
　〃Crazy　。；。　woman　。。。〃　he　growled。
　〃I　mean　it！