cb.imajica2-第63部分

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ir　labors　and　went　to　join　the　me1ee。　With　the　energies　in　the　room　diverted；　the　circling　wreckage　began　to　lose　momentum；　but　not　before　a　piece　of　the　splintered　table　struck　one　of　the　open　doors；　sheering　it　off　at　the　hinges。　Clem　saw　the　collision　ing　and　retreated　before　he　too　was　struck；　his　shout　of　alarm　stirring　Sartori。
　Gentle　looked　towards　his　brother。　He'd　left　off　his　sham　of　innocence　and　was　studying　the　stranger　in　the　hallway　with　gleaming　eyes。　He　didn't　leave　his　place　at　the　wall；　。　however。　A　rain　of　wreckage　was　falling　now；　littering　the　room　from　end　to　end；　and　he　clearly　had　no　desire　to　step　into　it。　Instead　he　reached　up　to　snatch　a　uredo　from　his　eye；　intending　to　strike　Clem　down　before　he　could　intervene　again。
　Godolphin's　bulk　was　doubling　Gentle　over；　but　he　strained　to　raise　himself　from　beneath　it；　yelling　a　warning　to　Clem；　who　was　back　at　the　threshold　now；　as　he　did　so。　Clem　heard　the　shout　and　saw　Sartori　snatch　at　his　eye。　Though　he　had　no　knowledge　of　what　the　gesture　meant；　he　was　quick　to　defend　himself；　ducking　behind　the　surviving　door　as　the　killing　blow　flew　his　way。　In　the　same　instant；　Gentle　heaved　himself　to　his　feet；　throwing　off　Godolphin's　body。　He　glanced　in　Clem's　direction　to　be　certain　his　friend　had　survived　and；　seeing　that　he　had；　started　towards　Sartori。　He　had　breath　in　his　body　now；　and　might　easily　have　dispatched　a　pneuma　at　his　enemy。　But　his　hands　wanted　more　than　air　in　them。　They　wanted　flesh；　they　wanted　；　bone。
　Careless　of　the　trash　that　was　both　underfoot　and　falling　from　the　air；　he　ran　at　his　brother；　who　sensed　his　approach　and　turned　his　way。　Gentle　had　time　to　see　the　face　before　him　smile　a　feral　wele；　then　he　was　upon　him。　His　momentum　carried　them　both　back　against　the　drapes。　The　window　behind　Sartori　shattered；　and　the　rail　above　him　broke；　bringing　the　curtain　down。
　This　time　the　light　that　filled　the　room　was　a　blaze；　and　it　felt　directly　on　Gentle's　face。　He　was　momentarily　blinded；　but　his　body　still　knew　its　business。　He　pushed　his　brother　to　the　sill　and　hauled　him　up　over　it。　Sartori　reached　for　a　handhold　and　snatched　at　the　fallen　drape；　but　its　folds　were　of　little　use。　The　cloth　tore　as　he　tipped　backwards；　carried　over　the　sill　by　his　brother's　arms。　Even　then　he　fought　to　keep　himself　from　falling；　but　Gentle　gave　him　no　quarter。　Sartori　flailed　for　a　moment；　scrabbling　at　the　air。　Then　he　was　gone　from　Gentle's　hands；　his　scream　going　with　him；　down　and　down　and　down。
　Gentle　didn't　see　the　fall　and　was　glad　of　it。　Only　when　the　cry　stopped　did　he　retreat　from　the　window　and　cover　his　face；　while　the　circle　of　the　sun　blazed　blue　and　green　and　red　behind　his　lids。　When　he　finally　opened　his　eyes；　it　was　to　devastation。　The　only　whole　thing　in　the　room　was　Clem；　and　even　he　was　the　worse　for　wear。　He'd　picked　himself　up　and　was　watching　the　Oviates；　who'd　fought　so　vehemently　for　a　piece　of　light；　withering　for　excess　of　it。　Their　matter　was　drab　slough；　their　skitters　and　flights　reduced　to　a　wretched　crawling　retreat　from　the　window。
　〃I've　seen　prettier　turds；〃　Gem　remarked。
　Then　he　started　around　the　room；　pulling　all　the　rest　of　the　drapes　down；　the　dust　he　raised　making　the　sun　solid　as　it　came　and　leaving　no　shadow　for　the　peripeteria　to　retreat　to。
　〃Taylor's　here；〃　he　said；　when　the　job　was　done。
　〃In　the　sun？〃
　〃Better　than　that；〃　Clem　replied。　〃In　my　head。　We　think　you　need　guardian　angels；　Maestro。〃
　〃So　do　I；〃　said　Gentle。　〃Thank　you。　Both。〃
　He　turned　back　to　the　window　and　looked　down　at　the　wasteland　into　which　Sartori　had　fallen。　He　didn't　expect　to　see　a　body　there；　nor　did　he。　Sartori　hadn't　survived　all　those　years　as　Autarch　without　finding　a　hundred　feits　to　protect　his　flesh。
　They　met　Monday；　who　had　heard　the　window　breaking　above；　ing　up　the　stairs　as　they　descended。
　〃I　thought　you　was　a　goner；　boss；〃　he　said。
　〃Almost；〃　came　the　reply。
　〃What　do　we　do　about　Godolphin？〃　Clem　said　as　the　trio　headed　down；　together。
　〃We　don't　need　to　do　anything；〃　Gentle　said。　〃There's　an　open　window…〃
　〃I　don't　think　he's　going　to　be　flying　anywhere。〃
　〃No；　but　the　birds　can　get　to　him；〃　Gentle　said　lightly。　〃Better　to　fatten　birds　than　worms。〃
　〃There's　a　morbid　sense　in　that；　I　suppose；〃　Clem　said。
　〃And　how's　Celestine？〃　Gentle　asked　the　boy。
　〃She's　in　the　car；　all　wrapped　up　and　not　saying　very　much。　I　don't　think　she　likes　the　sun。〃
　〃After　two　hundred　years　in　the　dark；　I'm　not　surprised。　We'll　make　her　fortable　once　we　get　to　Gamut　Street。　She's　a　great　lady；　gentlemen。　She's　also　my　mother。〃
　〃So　that's　where　you　get　your　bloody…mindedness　from；〃　Tay　remarked。
　〃How　safe　is　this　house　we're　going　to？〃　Monday　asked。
　〃If　you　mean　how　do　we　stop　Sartori　getting　in；　I　don't　think　we　can。〃
　They'd　reached　the　foyer；　which　was　as　sun…filled　as　ever。
　〃So　what　do　you　think　the　bastard's　going　to　do？〃　Clem　wondered。
　〃He　won't　e　back　here；　I'm　sure　of　that；〃　Gentle　said。　〃I　think　he'll　wander　the　city　for　a　while。　But　sooner　or　later　he'll　be　driven　back　to　where　he　belongs。〃
　〃Which　is　where？〃
　Gentle　opened　his　arms。　〃Here；〃　he　said。
　
　
　16
　
　There　was　surely　no　more　haunted　thoroughfare　in　London　that　blistering　afternoon　than　Gamut　Street。　Neither　those　locations　in　the　city　famous　for　their　phantoms；　nor　those　anonymous　spots…known　only　to　psychics　and　children…　where　reveuants　gathered；　boasted　more　souls　eager　to　debate　events　in　the　place　of　their　decease　as　that　backwater　in　Clerkenwell。　While　few　human　eyes；　even　those　ready　for　the　marvelous　（and　the　car　that　turned　into　Gamut　Street　at　a　little　past　four　o'clock　contained　several　such　eyes）；　could　see　the　phantoms　as　solid　entities；　their　presence　was　clear　enough；　marked　by　the　cold；　still　places　in　the　shimmering　haze　rising　off　the　road　and　by　the　stray　dogs　that　gathered　in　such　numbers　at　the　corners；　drawn　by　the　high　whistle　some　of　the　dead　were　wont　to　make。　Thus　Gamut　Street　cooked　in　a　heat　of　its　own；　its　stew　potent　with　spirits。
　Gentle　had　warned　them　all　that　there　was　no　fort　to　be　had　at　the　house。　It　was　without　furniture；　water；　or　electricity。　But　the　past　was　there；　he　said；　and　it　would　be　a　fort　to　them　all；　after　their　time　in　the　enemy's　tower。
　〃I　remember　this　house；〃　Jude　said　as　she　emerged　from　the　car。
　〃We　should　both　be　careful；〃　Gentle　warned；　as　he　climbed　the　steps。　〃Sartori　left　one　of　his　Oviates　inside；　and　it　nearly　drove　me　crazy。　I　want　to　get　rid　of　it　before　we　all　go　in。〃
　〃I'm　ing　with　you；〃　Jude　said；　following　him　to　the　door。
　〃I　don't　think　that's　wise；〃　he　said。　〃Let　me　deal　with　Little　Ease　first。〃
　〃That's　Sartori's　beast？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Then　I'd　like　to　see　it。　Don't　worry；　it's　not　going　to　hurt　me。　I've　got　a　little　of　its　Maestro　right　here；　remember？〃　She　laid　her　hand　upon　her　belly。　〃I'm　safe。〃
　Gentle　made　no　objection　but　stood　aside　to　let　Monday　force　the　door；　which　he　did　with　the　efficiency　of　a　practiced　thief。　Before　the　boy　had　even　retreated　down　the　steps　again；　Jude　was　over　the　threshold；　braving　the　stale；　cold　air。
　〃Wait　up；〃　Gentle　said；　following　her　into　the　hallway；
　〃What　does　this　creature　look　like？〃　she　wanted　to　know。
　〃Like　an　ape。　Or　a　baby。　I　don't　know。　It　talks　a　lot；　I'm　certain　of　that　much。〃
　〃Little　Ease　。。　…　。〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃Perfect　name　for　a　place　like　this。〃
　She'd　reached　the　bottom　of　the　stairs　and　was　staring　up　towards　the　Meditation　Room。
　〃Be　careful；〃　Gentle　said。
　〃I　heard　you　the　first　time。〃
　〃I　don't　think　you　quite　understand　how　powerful…〃
　〃I　was　born　up　there；　wasn't　I？〃　she　said；　her　tone　as　chilly　as　the　air。　He　didn't　reply；　not　until　she　swung　around　and　asked　him　again。　〃Wasn't　I？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　Nodding；　she　returned　to　her　study　of　the　stairs。　〃You　said　the　past　was　waiting　here；〃　she　said。
　〃Yes。〃
　〃My　past　too？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Probably。〃
　〃I　don't　feel　anything。　It's　like　a　bloody　graveyard。　A　few　vague　recollections；　that's　all。〃
　〃They'll　e。〃
　〃You're　very　certain。〃
　〃We　have　to　be　whole；　Jude。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃
　〃We　have　to　be　。。。　reconciled　。　。　。　with　everything　we　ever　were　before　we　can　go　on。〃
　〃Suppose　I　don't　want　to　be　reconciled？　Suppose　I　want　to　invent　myself　all　over　again；　starting　now？〃
　〃You　can't　do　it；〃　he　said　simply。　〃We　have　to　be　whole　before　we　can　get　home。〃
　〃If　that's　home；〃　she　said；　nodding　in　the　direction　of　the　Meditation　Room；　〃you　can　keep　it。〃
　〃I　don't　mean　the　cradle。〃
　〃What　then？〃
　〃The　place　before　the　cradle。　Heaven。〃
　〃Fuck　Heaven。　I　haven't　got　Earth　sorted　out　yet。〃
　〃You　don't　need　to。〃
　〃Let　me　be　the　judge　of　that。　I　haven't　even　had　a　life　I　could　call　my　own；　and　you're　ready　to　slot　me　into　the　grand　design。　Well；　I　don't　think　I　want　to　go。　I　want　to　be　my　own　design。〃
　〃You　can　be。　As　part　of…〃
　〃Part　of　nothing。　I　want　to　be　me。　A　law　unto　myself。〃
　〃That　isn't　you　talking。　It's　Sartori。〃
　〃What　if　it　is？〃
　〃You　know　what　he's　done；〃　Gentle　replied。　〃The　atrocities。　What　are　you　doing　taking　lessons　from　him？〃
　〃When　I　should　be　taking　them　from　you；　you　mean？　Since　when　were　you　so　damn　perfect？〃　He　made　no　reply；