cb.damnationgame-第54部分

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fire　and　a　flight　of　steps　and　a　room　with　a　table　and　a　guttering　flame。　Almost　like　the　room　they　were　in　now；　in　fact；　but　smelling　of　old　fire　rather　than　souring　wine。
　　〃I　remember；〃　he　said；　〃when　the　game　was　over　Mamoulian　stood　up　and　shook　hands　with　me。　Cold　hands。　Icy　hands。　Then　the　door　opened　behind　me。　I　half…turned　to　see。　It　was　Vasiliev。〃　〃The　lieutenant？〃　〃Horribly　burned。〃　〃He'd　survived；〃　Marty　breathed。
　　〃No；〃　came　the　reply。　〃He　was　quite　dead。〃　Marty　thought　maybe　he'd　missed　something　in　the　story　that　would　justify　this　preposterous　statement。　But　no；　the　insanity　was　presented　as　plain　truth。　〃Mamoulian　was　responsible；〃　Whitehead　went　on。　He　was　trembling；　but　the　tears　had　stopped；　boiled　away　by　the　glare　of　the　memory。　〃He'd　raised　the　lieutenant　from　the　dead；　you　see。　Like　Lazarus。　He　needed　functionaries；　I　suppose。〃　As　the　words　faltered　the　scratching　began　again　at　the　door；　an　unmistakable　appeal　for　entry。　This　time　Whitehead　heard　it。　His　moment　of　weakness　had　passed；　apparently。　His　head　jerked　up。　〃Don't　answer　it；〃　he　manded。
　　〃Why　not？〃　〃It's　him；〃　he　said；　eyes　wild。
　　〃No。　The　European's　gone。　I　saw　him　leave。〃　〃Not　the　European；〃　Whitehead　replied。　〃It's　the　lieutenant。　Vasiliev。〃　Marty　looked　incredulous。　〃No；〃　he　said。
　　〃You　don't　know　what　Mamoulian　can　do。〃　〃You're　being　ridiculous！〃　Marty　stood　up；　and　picked　his　way　through　the　glass。　Behind　him；　he　heard　Whitehead　say　〃no〃　again；　〃please；　Jesus；　no；〃　but　he　turned　the　handle　and　opened　the　door。　Meager　candlelight　found　the　would…be　entrant。
　　It　was　Bella；　the　Madonna　of　the　kennels。　She　stood　uncertainly　on　the　threshold；　her　eyes；　what　was　left　of　them；　turned　balefully　up　to　look　at　Marty；　her　tongue　a　rag　of　maggoty　muscle　that　hung　from　her　mouth　as　if　she　lacked　the　strength　to　withdraw　it。　From　somewhere　in　the　pit　of　her　body；　she　exhaled　a　thin　whistle　of　air；　the　whine　of　a　dog　seeking　human　fort。
　　Marty　took　two　or　three　stumbling　steps　back　from　the　door。
　　〃It　isn't　him；〃　Whitehead　said；　smiling。
　　〃Jesus　Christ。〃　〃It's　all　right；　Martin。　It　isn't　him。〃　〃Close　the　door！〃　Marty　said；　unable　to　move　and　do　it　himself。　Her　eyes；　her　stench；　kept　him　at　bay。
　　〃She　doesn't　mean　any　harm。　She　used　to　e　up　here　sometimes；　for　tidbits。　She　was　the　only　one　of　them　I　trusted。　Vile　species。〃　Whitehead　pushed　himself　away　from　the　wall　and　walked　across　to　the　door；　kicking　broken　bottles　ahead　of　him　as　he　went。　Bella　shifted　her　head　to　look　at　him；　and　her　tail　began　to　wag。　Marty　turned　away；　revolted；　his　reason　thrashing　around　to　find　some　sane　explanation；　but　there　was　none　to　be　had。　The　dog　had　been　dead：　he'd　parceled　her　up　himself。　There　was　no　question　of　premature　burial。
　　Whitehead　was　staring　at　Bella　across　the　threshold。
　　〃No；　you　can't　e　in；〃　he　told　her；　as　if　she　were　a　living　thing。
　　〃Send　it　away；〃　Marty　groaned。
　　〃She's　lonely；〃　the　old　man　replied；　chiding　him　for　his　lack　of　passion。　It　crossed　Marty's　mind　that　Whitehead　had　lost　his　wits。　〃I　don't　believe　this　is　happening；〃　he　said。
　　〃Dogs　are　nothing　to　him；　believe　me。〃　Marty　remembered　watching　Mamoulian　standing　in　the　woods；　staring　down　at　the　earth。　He　had　seen　no　gravedigger　because　there'd　been　none。　They'd　exhumed　themselves；　squirming　out　of　their　plastic　shrouds　and　pawing　their　way　to　the　air。
　　〃It's　easy　with　dogs；〃　Whitehead　said。　〃Isn't　it；　Bella？　You're　trained　to　obey。〃　She　was　sniffing　at　herself；　content　now　that　she'd　seen　Whitehead。　Her　God　was　still　in　his　Heaven；　and　all　was　well　with　the　world。　The　old　man　left　the　door　ajar；　and　turned　back　to　Marty。
　　〃There's　nothing　to　be　afraid　of；〃　he　said。　〃She's　not　going　to　do　us　any　harm。〃　〃He　brought　them　to　the　house？〃　〃Yes；　to　break　up　my　party。　Pure　spite。　It　was　his　way　of　reminding　me　what　he's　capable　of。〃　Marty　stooped　and　righted　another　chair。　He　was　shaking　so　violently；　he　feared　if　he　didn't　sit　down　he'd　fall　down。
　　〃The　lieutenant　was　worse；〃　the　old　man　said；　〃because　he　didn't　obey　like　Bella。　He　knew　what　had　been　done　to　him　was　an　abomination。　That　made　him　angry。〃　Bella　had　woken　with　an　appetite。　That　was　why　she'd　made　her　way　up　to　the　room　she　remembered　most　fondly；　a　place　where　a　man　who　knew　the　best　spot　to　scratch　behind　her　ear　would　coo　soft　words　to　her　and　feed　her　morsels　off　his　plate。　But　tonight　she'd　e　up　to　find　things　changed。　The　man　was　odd　with　her；　his　voice　jangling；　and　there　was　someone　else　in　the　room；　one　she　vaguely　knew　the　scent　of；　but　couldn't　place。　She　was　still　hungry；　such　deep　hunger；　and　there　was　an　appetizing　smell　very　close　to　her。　Of　meat　left　in　the　earth；　the　way　she　liked　it；　still　on　the　bone　and　half　gone　to　putrescence。。　She　sniffed；　almost　blind；　looking　for　the　source　of　the　smell；　and　having　found　it；　began　to　eat。
　　〃Not　a　pretty　sight。〃　She　was　devouring　her　own　body；　taking　gray；　greasy　bites　from　the　decayed　muscle　of　her　haunch。　Whitehead　watched　as　she　pulled　at　herself。　His　passivity　in　the　face　of　this　new　horror　broke　Marty。
　　〃Don't　let　her！〃　he　pushed　the　old　man　aside。
　　〃But　she's　hungry；〃　he　responded；　as　though　this　horror　were　the　most　natural　sight　in　the　world。
　　Marty　picked　up　the　chair　he'd　been　sitting　on　and　slammed　it　against　the　wall。　It　was　heavy；　but　his　muscles　were　brimming；　and　the　violence　was　a　wele　release。　The　chair　broke。
　　The　dog　looked　up　from　her　meal；　the　meat　she　was　swallowing　fell　from　her　cut　throat。
　　〃Too　much；〃　Marty　said；　picking　up　a　leg　of　the　chair　and　crossing　the　room　to　the　door　before　Bella　could　register　what　he　intended。　At　the　last　moment　she　seemed　to　understand　that　he　meant　her　harm；　and　tried　to　get　to　her　feet。　One　of　her　back　legs；　the　haunch　almost　chewed　through；　would　no　longer　support　her；　and　she　staggered；　teeth　bared；　as　Marty　swung　his　makeshift　weapon　down　on　her。　The　force　of　his　blow　shattered　her　skull。　The　snarling　stopped。　The　body　backed　off；　dragging　the　ruined　head　on　a　rope　of　a　neck；　the　tail　tucked　between　its　back　legs　in　fear。　Two　or　three　trembling　steps　of　retreat　and　it　could　go　no　further。
　　Marty　waited；　hoping　to　God　he　wouldn't　have　to　strike　a　second　time。　As　he　watched　the　body　seemed　to　deflate。　The　swell　of　its　chest；　the　remnants　of　its　head；　the　organs　hanging　in　the　vault　of　its　torso　all　collapsed　into　an　abstraction；　one　part　indistinguishable　from　the　next。　He　closed　the　door　on　it；　and　dropped　the　blooded　weapon　at　his　side。
　　Whitehead　had　taken　refuge　across　the　room。　His　face　was　as　gray　as　Bella's　body。
　　〃How　did　he　do　this？〃　Marty　said。　〃How　is　it　possible？〃　〃He　has　power；〃　Whitehead　stated。　It　was　as　simple　as　that；　apparently。　〃He　can　steal　life；　and　he　can　give　it。〃　Marty　dug　in　his　pocket　for　the　linen　handkerchief　he'd　bought　specially　for　this　night　of　dining　and　conversation。　Shaking　it　out；　its　edges　pristine；　he　wiped　his　face。　The　handkerchief　came　away　dirtied　with　specks　of　rot。　He　felt　as　empty　as　the　sac　in　the　hall　outside。
　　〃You　asked　me　once　if　I　believed　in　Hell；〃　he　said。　〃Do　you　remember？〃　〃Yes。〃　〃Is　that　what　you　think　Mamoulian　is？　Something〃…he　wanted　to　laugh…〃something　from　Hell？〃　〃I've　considered　the　possibility。　Brut　I'm　not　by　nature　a　supernaturalist。　Heaven　and　Hell。　All　that　paraphernalia。　My　system　revolts　at　it。〃　〃If　not　devils；　what？〃　〃Is　it　so　important？〃　Marty　wiped　his　sweaty　palms　on　his　trousers。　He　felt　contaminated　by　this　obscenity。　It　would　take　a　long　time　to　wash　the　horror　out；　if　he　ever　could。　He'd　made　the　error　of　digging　too　deep；　and　the　story　he'd　heard…that　and　the　dog　at　the　door…were　the　consequence。
　　〃You　look　sick；〃　Whitehead　said。
　　〃I　never　thought　。　。　。〃　〃What？　That　the　dead　can　get　up　and　walk？　Oh；　Marty；　I　took　you　for　a　Christian；　despite　your　protestations。〃　〃I'm　getting　out；〃　Marty　said。　〃Both　of　us。〃　〃Both？〃　〃Carys　and　me。　We'll　go　away。　From　him。　From　you。〃　〃Poor　Marty。　You're　more　bovine　than　I　thought　you　were。　You　won't　see　her　again。〃　〃Why　not？〃　〃She's　with　him；　damn　you！　Didn't　it　occur　to　you？　She　went　with　him！〃　So　that　had　been　the　unthinkable　solution　to　her　abrupt　vanishing　trick。　〃Willingly；　of　course。〃　〃No。〃　〃Oh；　yes；　Marty。　He　had　a　claim　on　her　from　the　beginning。　He　rocked　her　in　his　arms　when　she　was　barely　born。　Who　knows　what　kind　of　influence　he　has。　I　won　her　back；　of　course；　for　a　while。〃　He　sighed。　〃I　made　her　love　me。〃　〃She　wanted　to　be　away　from　you。〃　〃Never。　She's　my　daughter；　Strauss。　She's　as　manipulative　as　I　am。　Anything　between　you　and　her　was　purely　a　marriage　of　her　convenience。〃　〃You're　a　fucking　bastard。〃　〃That's　a　given；　Marty。　I'm　a　monster；　I　concede　the　point。〃　He　threw　up　his　hands；　palms　out；　innocent　of　everything　but　guilt。
　　〃I　thought　you　said　she　loved　you。　Still　she　went。〃　〃I　told　you：　she's　my　daughter。　She　thinks　the　way　I　do。　She　went　with　him　to　learn　how　to　use　her　powers。　I　did　the　same；　remember？〃　This　line　of　argument；　even　from　vermin　like　Whitehead；　made　a　kind　of　sense。　Beneath　her　strange　conversation　hadn't　there　always　lurked　a　contempt　for　Marty　and　the　old　man　alike；　contempt　earned　by　their　inability　to　sum　her　up？　Given　the　opportunity；　wouldn't　Carys　go　dance　wit