cb.imajica2-第19部分

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　〃I'm　sorry　to　interrupt；〃　he　said。
　〃I　was　ing　to　find　you　anyway；〃　Gentle　said。　〃Just　to　say　thank　you；　and　goodbye。〃
　〃Before　you　go；〃　Floccus　said；　blinking　maniacally；　〃I've　a　message　for　you。〃　He'd　sweated　all　the　color　from　his　face　and　stumbled　over　every　other　word。
　〃I'm　sorry　for　my　behavior；〃　Gentle　said；　trying　to　soothe　him。　〃You　did　all　you　could　have　done；　and　all　you　got　for　it　was　my　foul　temper；〃
　〃No　need　to　apologize。〃
　〃Pie　had　to　go；　and　I　have　to　stay。　That's　the　way　of　it。〃
　〃It's　a　pleasure　to　have　you　back；〃　Floccus　gushed。　〃Really；　Maestro；　really。〃
　That　Maestro　gave　Gentle　a　clue　to　this　performance。　〃Floccus？　Are　you　afraid　of　me？〃　he　said。　〃You　are；　aren't　you？〃
　〃Afraid？　Ah；　well…ah；　yes。　In　a　manner　of　speaking。　Yes。　What　happened　out　there；　your　getting　so　close　to　the　Erasure　and　not　being　claimed；　and　the　way　you've　changed〃…the　dark　garb　still　clung　about　him；　he　realized；　its　slow　dispersal　draping　shreds　of　smoke　around　his　limbs…〃it　puts　a　different　plexion　on　things。　I　hadn't　understood；　forgive　me；　it　was　stupid；　I　hadn't　understood；　you　know；　that　I　was　in　the　panyof；　well；　such　a　power。　If　I；　you　know；　caused　any　offense…〃
　〃You　didn't。〃
　〃I　can　be　frivolous。〃
　〃You　were　fine　pany；　Floccus。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Maestro。　Thank　you。　Thank　you。〃
　〃Please　stop　thanking　me。〃
　〃Yes。　I　will。　Thank　you。〃
　〃You　said　you　had　a　message。〃
　〃I　did？　I　did。〃
　〃Who　from？〃
　〃Athanasius。　He'd　like　very　much　to　see　you。〃
　Here　was　the　third　farewell　he　owed；　Gentle　thought。　〃Then　take　me　to　him；　if　you　would；〃　he　said；　and　Floccus；　his　face　flooded　with　relief　that　he'd　survived　this　interview；　turned　and　led　him　from　the　empty　bed。
　In　the　few　minutes　it　took　for　them　to　thread　their　way　through　the　body　of　the　tent；　the　wind；　which　had　dropped　almost　to　nothing　at　twilight；　began　to　rise　with　fresh　ferocity。　By　the　time　Floccus　ushered　him　into　the　chamber　where　Athanasius　waited；　it　was　beating　at　the　walls　wildly；　The　lamps　on　the　floor　flickered　with　each　gust；　and　by　their　panicky　light　Gentle　saw　what　a　melancholy　place　Athanasius　had　chosen　for　their　parting。　The　chamber　was　a　mortuary；　its　floor　littered　with　bodies　wrapped　in　every　kind　of　rag　and　shroud；　some　neatly　parceled；　most　barely　covered：　further　proof…as　if　it　were　needed…of　how　poor　a　place　of　healing　this　was。　But　that　argument　was　academic　now。　This　was　neither　the　time　nor　the　place　to　bruise　the　man's　faith；　not　with　the　night　wind　thrashing　at　the　walls　and　the　dead　everywhere　underfoot。
　〃Do　you　want　me　to　stay？〃　Floccus　asked　Athanasius；　clearly　desperate　to　be　shunned。
　〃No；　no。　Go　by　all　means；〃　the　other　replied。　Floccus　turned　to　Gentle　and　made　a　little　bow。　〃It　was　an　honor；　sir；〃　he　said；　then　beat　a　hasty　retreat。
　When　Gentle　looked　back　towards　Athanasius；　the　man　had　wandered　to　the　far　end　of　the　mortuary　and　was　staring　down　at　one　of　the　shrouded　bodies。　He　had　dressed　for　this　somber　place；　the　loose　bright　garb　he'd　been　wearing　earlier　discarded　in　favor　of　robes　so　deep　a　blue　they　were　practically　black。
　〃So；　Maestro；〃　he　said。　〃I　was　looking　for　a　Judas　in　our　midst　and　I　missed　you。　That　was　careless；　eh？〃
　His　tone　was　conversational；　which　made　a　statement　Gentle　already　found　confusing　doubly　so。
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　he　said。
　〃I　mean　you　tricked　your　way　into　our　tents；　and　now　you　expect　to　depart　without　paying　a　price　for　your　desecration。〃
　〃There　was　no　trick；〃　Gentle　said。　〃The　mystif　was　sick；　and　I　thought　it　could　be　healed　here。　If　I　failed　to　observe　the　formalities　out　there；　you'll　excuse　me。　I　didn't　have　time　to　take　a　theology　lesson。〃
　〃The　mystif　was　never　sick。　Or　if　it　was　you　sickened　it　yourself；　so　you　could　worm　your　way　in　here。　Don't　even　bother　to　protest。　I　saw　what　you　did　out　there。　What's　the　mystif　going　to　do；　make　some　report　on　us　to　the　Unbeheld？〃
　〃What　are　you　accusing　me　of　exactly？〃
　〃Do　you　even　e　from　the　Fifth；　I　find　myself　wondering；　or　is　that　also　part　of　the　plot？〃
　〃There　is　no　plot。〃
　〃Only　I've　heard　that　revolution　and　theology　are　bad　bedfellows　there；　which　of　course　seems　strange　to　us。　How　can　one　ever　be　separated　from　the　other？　If　you　want　to　change　even　a　little　part　of　your　condition；　you　must　expect　the　consequences　to　reach　the　ears　of　divinities　sooner　or　later；　and　then　you　must　have　your　reasons　ready。〃
　Gentle　listened　to　all　of　this；　wondering　if　it　might　not　be　simplest　to　quit　the　room　and　leave　Athanasius　to　ramble。　Clearly　none　of　this　really　made　any　sense。　But　he　owed　the　man　a　little　patience；　perhaps；　if　only　for　the　words　of　wisdom　he'd　bestowed　at　the　wedding。
　〃You　think　I'm　involved　in　some　conspiracy；〃　Gentle　said。　〃Is　that　it？〃
　〃I　think　you're　a　murderer；　a　liar；　and　an　agent　of　the　Autarch；〃　Athanasius　said；
　〃You　call　me　a　liar？　Who's　the　one　who　seduced　all　these　poor　fuckers　into　thinking　they　could　be　healed　here；　you　or　me？　Look　at　them！〃　He　pointed　along　the　rows。　〃You　call　this　healing？　I　don't。　And　if　they　had　the　breath…〃
　He　reached　down　and　snatched　the　shroud　off　the　corpse　closest　to　him。　The　face　beneath　was　that　of　a　pretty　woman。　Her　open　eyes　were　glazed。　So　was　her　face：　painted　and　glazed。　Carved；　painted；　and　glazed。　He　tugged　the　sheet　farther　back；　hearing　Athanasius'　hard；　humorless　laugh　as　he　did　so。　The　woman　had　a　painted　child　perched　in　the　crook　of　her　arm。　There　was　a　gilded　halo　around　its　head；　and　its　tiny　hand　was　raised　in　benediction。
　〃She　may　lie　very　still；〃　Athanasius　said。　〃But　don't　be　deceived。　She's　not　dead；〃
　Gentle　went　to　another　of　the　bodies　and　drew　back　its　covering。　Beneath　lay　a　second　Madonna；　this　one　more　baroque　than　the　first；　its　eyes　turned　up　in　a　beatific　swoon。　He　let　the　shroud　drop　from　between　his　fingers。
　〃Feeling　weak；　Maestro？〃　Athanasius　said。　〃You　conceal　your　fear　very　well；　but　you　don't　deceive　me。〃
　Gentle　looked　around　the　room　again。　There　were　at　least　thirty　bodies　laid　out　here。　〃Are　all　of　them　Madonnas？〃　he　said。
　Reading　Gentle's　bewilderment　as　anxiety；　Athanasius　said；　〃Now　I　begin　to　see　the　fear。　This　ground　is　sacred　to　the　Goddess。〃　〃Why？〃
　〃Because　tradition　says　a　great　crime　was　mitted　against　Her　sex　near　this　spot。　A　woman　from　the　Fifth　Dominion　was　raped　hereabouts；　and　the　spirit　of　the　Holy　Mother　calls　sacred　any　ground　thus　marked。〃　He　went　down　on　his　haunches　and　uncovered　another　of　the　statues；　touching　it　reverentially。　〃She's　with　us　here；〃　he　said。　〃In　every　statue。　In　every　stone。　In　every　gust　of　wind。　She　blesses　us；　because　we　dare　to　e　so　close　to　Her　enemy's　Dominion。〃
　〃What　enemy？〃
　〃Are　you　not　allowed　to　utter　his　name　without　dropping　to　your　knees？〃　Athanasius　said。　〃Hapexamendios。　Your　Lord；　the　Unbeheld。　You　can　confess　it。　Why　not？　You　know　my　secret　now；　and　I　know　yours。　We're　transparent　to　each　other。　I　do　have　one　question；　however；　before　you　leave。〃　〃What's　that？〃
　〃How　did　you　find　out　we　worship　the　Goddess？　Was　it　Floccus　who　told　you　or　Nikaetomaas？〃
　〃Nobody。　I　didn't　know　and　I　don't　much　care。〃　He　started　to　walk　towards　the　man。　〃I'm　not　afraid　of　your　Virgins；　Athanasius。〃
　He　chose　one　nearby　and　unveiled　her；　from　starry　crown　to　cloud…treading　toe。　Her　hands　were　clasped　in　prayer。　Stooping；　just　as　Athanasius　had；　Gentle　put　his　hand　over　the　statue's　knitted　fingers。
　〃For　what　it's　worth；〃　he　said；　〃I　think　they're　beautiful。　I　was　an　artist　once　myself。〃
　〃You're　strong。　Maestro；　I'll　say　that　for　you。　I　expected　you　to　be　brought　to　your　knees　by　Our　Lady。〃
　〃First　I'm　supposed　to　kneel　for　Hapexamendios；　now　for　the　Virgin。〃
　〃One　in　fealty；　one　in　fear。〃
　〃I'm　sorry　to　disappoint　you；　but　my　legs　are　my　own。　I'll　kneel　when　I　choose　to。　If　I　choose　to。〃
　Athanasius　looked　puzzled。　〃I　think　you　half　believe　that；〃　he　said。
　〃Damn　right　I　do。　I　don't　know　what　kind　of　conspiracy　you　think　I'm　guilty　of；　but　I　swear　there's　none。〃
　〃Maybe　you're　more　His　instrument　than　I　thought；〃　Athanasius　said。　〃Maybe　you're　ignorant　of　His　purpose。〃
　〃Oh；　no；〃　Gentle　said。　〃I　know　what　work　I'm　meant　to　do；　and　I　see　no　reason　to　be　ashamed　of　it。　If　I　can　reconcile　the　Fifth　I　will。　I　want　the　Imajica　whole；　and　I'd　have　thought　you　would　too。　You　can　visit　the　Vatican。　You'll　find　it's　full　of　Madonnas。〃
　As　though　inspired　to　fury　by　his　words；　the　wind　beat　at　the　walls　with　fresh　venom；　a　gust　finding　its　way　into　the　chamber；　raising　several　of　the　lighter　shrouds　into　the　air　and　extinguishing　one　of　the　lamps。
　〃He　won't　save　you；〃　Athanasius　said；　clearly　believing　this　wind　had　e　to　carry　Gentle　away。　〃Nor　will　your　ignorance；　if　that's　what's　kept　you　from　harm。〃
　He　looked　back　towards　the　bodies　he'd　been　studying　as　Floccus　departed。
　〃Lady；　forgive　us；〃　he　said；　〃for　doing　this　in　your　sight。〃
　The　words　were　a　signal；　it　seemed。　Four　of　the　figures　moved　as　he　spoke；　sitting　up　and　pulling　the　shrouds　from　their　heads。　No　Madonnas　these。　They　were　men　and　women　of　the　Dearth；　carrying　blades　like　crescent　moons。　Athanasius　looked　back　at　Gentle。
　〃Will　you　accept　the　blessing　of　Our　Lady　before　you　die？〃　he　said。
　Somebody　had　already　begun　a　prayer　behind