cb.imajica2-第70部分

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ttempt　to　spoil　a　glory　he　knew　he　couldn't　share。　And　maybe　that　was　true；　maybe　she'd　been　duped。
　〃Are　we　going　to　collect　these　stones　or　what？〃　Monday　said。
　〃I　think　we　have　to；〃　she　said；　still　musing。
　〃What　are　they　for？〃
　〃They're　。　。　。　like　stepping　stones；〃　she　said；　her　voice　losing　momentum　as　a　thought　distracted　her。
　Indeed　they　were　stepping　stones。　They　were　a　way　back　to　Yzordderrex；　which　suddenly　seemed　like　an　open　road；　along　which　she　might　yet　find　some　guidance；　in　these　last　hours；　to　help　her　make　a　choice。
　She　threw　her　cigarette　down　into　the　embers。　〃You're　going　to　have　to　take　the　stones　back　to　Gamut　Street　on　your　own；　Monday。〃
　〃Where　are　you　going？〃
　〃To　Yzordderrex。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃It's　too　plicated　to　explain。　You　just　have　to　swear　to　me　that　you'll　do　exactly　as　I　tell　you。〃
　〃I'm　ready；〃　he　said。
　〃All　right。　So　listen　up。　When　I'm　gone　I　want　you　to　take　the　stones　back　to　Gamut　Street　and　carry　a　message　along　with　them。　It　has　to　go　to　Gentle　personally；　you　understand？　Don't　trust　anybody　else　with　it。　Even　Clem。〃
　〃I　understand；〃　Monday　said；　beaming　with　pleasure　at　this　unlooked…for　honor。　〃What　have　I　got　to　tell　him？〃
　〃Where　I've　gone；　for　one　thing。〃
　〃Yzordderrex。〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃Then　tell　him〃…she　pondered　for　a　moment…〃tell　him　the　Reconciliation　isn't　safe；　and　he　mustn't　start　the　working　until　I　contact　him　again。〃
　〃It　isn't　safe；　and　he　mustn't　start　the　working…〃
〃…until　I　contact　him　again。〃
　〃I've　got　that。　Is　there　any　more？〃
　〃That's　it；〃　she　said。　〃Now；　all　I've　got　to　do　is　find　the　circle。〃
　She　started　to　scan　the　mosaic；　looking　for　the　subtle　differences　in　tone　that　marked　the　stones。　From　past　experience；　she　knew　that　once　they'd　been　lifted　from　their　niches　the　Yzordderrexian　Express　would　be　under　way；　so　she　told　Monday　to　wait　outside　until　she'd　gone。　He　looked　worried　now；　but　she　told　him　she'd　e　to　no　harm。
　〃It's　not　that；〃　he　said；　〃I　want　to　know　what　the　message　means。　If　you're　telling　the　boss　it's　not　safe；　does　that　mean　he　won't　open　the　Dominions？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃But　I　want　to　see　Patashoqua　and　L'Himby　and　Yzordderrex；〃　he　said；　listing　the　places　like　charms。
　〃I　know　that；〃　she　said。　〃And　believe　me；　I　want　the　Dominions　opened　just　as　much　as　you　do。〃
　She　studied　his　face　in　the　dying　firelight；　looking　for　some　clue　as　to　whether　he　was　being　placated；　but　for　all　his　youth　he　was　a　master　of　concealment。　She'd　have　to　trust　that　he'd　put　his　duties　as　a　messenger　above　his　desire　to　see　the　Imajica　and　relay　the　spirit　of　her　warning；　if　not　its　precise　text。
　〃You've　got　to　make　Gentle　understand　the　danger　he's　in；〃　she　said；　hoping　this　tack　would　make　him　conscientious。
　〃I　will；〃　he　said；　now　faintly　irritated　by　her　insistence。
　She　let　the　subject　lie　and　returned　to　the　business　of　finding　the　stones。　He　didn't　offer　his　assistance；　but　retreated　to　the　door；　from　which　he　said；　〃How　will　you　get　back？〃
　She'd　found　four　of　the　stones　already；　and　the　birds　on　the　roof　had　set　up　a　fresh　cacophony；　suggesting　that　they　felt　some　tremor　of　change　below。
　〃I'll　deal　with　that　problem　when　I　get　to　it；〃　she　replied。
　The　birds　suddenly　rose　up　and；　unnerved；　Monday　stepped　out　of　the　Retreat　altogether。　Jude　glanced　up　at　him　as　she　dug　out　another　stone。　The　fire　between　them　had　already　been　fanned　into　flame；　and　now　its　ashes　were　stirred　up；　rising　in　a　smutty　cloud　to　hide　the　door　from　view。　She　scanned　the　mosaic；　checking　to　see　if　she'd　missed　a　stone；　but　the　itches　and　aches　she　remembered　from　her　first　crossing　were　already　creeping　through　her　body；　proof　that　the　passing　place　was　about　its　work。
　Oscar　had　told　her；　on　this　very　spot；　that　the　disforts　of　passage　diminished　with　repetition；　and　his　words　proved　correct。　She　had　time；　as　the　walls　blurred　around　her；　to　glimpse　the　door　through　the　swirling　ash　and　realize；　all　too　late；　that　she　should　have　looked　out　at　the　world　one　last　time　before　leaving　it。　Then　the　Retreat　disappeared；　and　the　In　Ovo's　delirium　was　oppressing　her；　its　prisoners　rising　in　their　legions　to　claim　her。　Traveling　alone；　she　went　more　quickly　than　she　had　with　Oscar　（at　least　that　was　her　impression）；　and　she　was　out　the　other　side　before　the　Oviates　had　time　to　sniff　the　heels　of　her　glyph。
　The　walls　of　the　merchant　Peccable's　cellar　were　brighter　than　she　remembered　them。　The　reason：　a　lamp　which　burned　on　the　floor　a　yard　from　the　circle　and　beyond　it　a　figure；　its　face　a　blur；　which　came　at　her　with　a　bludgeon　and　laid　her　unconscious　on　the　floor　before　she'd　uttered　a　word　of　explanation。
　
　
　18
　
　The　mantle　of　night　was　falling　on　the　Fifth　Dominion；　and　Gentle　found　Tick　Raw　near　the　summit　of　the　Mount　of　Lipper　Bayak；　watching　the　last　dusky　colors　of　day　drop　from　the　sky。　He　was　eating　while　he　did　so；　a　bowl　each　of　sausage　and　pickle　between　his　feet　and　a　large　pot　of　mustard　between　these；　into　which　meat　and　vegetable　alike　were　plunged；　Though　Gentle　had　e　here　as　a　projection…his　body　left　sitting　crosslegged　in　the　Meditation　Room　in　Gamut　Street…he　didn't　need　nose　or　palate　to　appreciate　the　piquancy　of　Raw's　meal；　imagination　sufficed。
　He　looked　up　when　Gentle　approached；　unperturbed　by　the　phantom　watching　him　eat。
　〃You're　early；　aren't　you？〃　he　remarked；　glancing　at　his　pocket　watch；　which　hung　from　his　coat　on　a　piece　of　string。　〃We've　got　hours　yet。〃
　〃I　know。　I　just　came…〃
　〃…to　check　up　on　me；〃　Tick　Raw　said；　the　sting　of　pickle　in　his　voice。　〃Well；　I'm　here。　Are　you　ready　in　the　Fifth？〃
　〃We're　getting　there；〃　Gentle　said；　somewhat　queasily。
　Though　he'd　traveled　this　way　countless　times　as　the　Maestro　Sartori…his　mind；　empowered　by　feits；　carrying　his　image　and　his　voice　across　the　Dominions…and　had　reacquainted　himself　with　the　technique　easily　enough；　the　sensation　was　damn　strange。
　〃What　do　I　look　like？〃　he　asked　Tick　Raw；　remembering　as　he　spoke　how　he'd　attempted　to　describe　the　mystif　on　these　very　slopes。
　〃Insubstantial；〃　Tick　Raw　replied；　squinting　up　at　him；　then　returning　to　his　meal。　〃Which　is　fine　by　me；　because　there's　not　enough　sausage　for　two。〃
　〃I'm　still　getting　used　to　what　I'm　capable　of。〃
　〃Well；　don't　take　too　long　about　it；〃　Tick　Raw　said。　〃We've　got　work　to　do。〃
　〃And　I　should　have　realized　that　you　were　part　of　that　work　when　I　was　first　here；　but　I　didn't；　and　for　that　I　apologize。〃
　〃Accepted；〃　Tick　Raw　said。
　〃You　must　have　thought　I　was　crazy。〃
　〃You　certainly…how　shall　I　put　this？　…　you　certainly　confounded　me。　It　took　me　days　to　work　out　why　you　were　so　damn　obstreperous。　Pie　talked　to　me；　you　know；　tried　to　make　me　understand。　But　I'd　been　waiting　for　somebody　to　e　from　the　Fifth　for　so　long　I　was　only　listening　with　half　an　ear。〃
　〃I　think　Pie　probably　hoped　my　meeting　with　you　would　make　me　remember　who　the　hell　I　was。〃
　〃How　long　did　it　take？〃
　〃Months。〃
　〃Was　it　the　mystif　who　hid　you　from　yourself　in　the　first　place？〃
　〃Yes；　of　course。〃
　〃Well；　it　did　too　good　a　job。　That'll　teach　it。　Where's　your　flesh　and　blood；　by　the　way？〃
　〃Back　in　the　Fifth。〃
　〃Take　my　advice；　don't　leave　it　too　long。　I　find　the　bowels　mutiny；　and　you　e　back　to　find　you're　sitting　in　shite。　Of　course；　that　could　be　a　personal　weakness。〃
　He　selected　another　sausage　and　chewed　on　it　as　he　asked　Gentle　why　the　hell　he'd　let　the　mystif　make　him　forget。
　〃I　was　a　coward；〃　Gentle　replied。　〃I　couldn't　face　my　failure。〃
　〃It's　hard；〃　Tick　Raw　said。　〃I've　lived　all　these　years　wondering　if　I　could　have　saved　my　Maestro；　Uter　Musky；　if　I'd　been　quicker　witted。　I　still　miss　him。〃
　〃I'm　responsible　for　what　happened　to　him；　and　I've　no　excuses。〃
　〃We've　all　got　our　frailties；　Maestro：　my　bowels；　your　cowardice。　None　of　us　is　perfect。　But　I　presume　your　being　here　means　we're　finally　going　to　have　another　try？〃
　〃That's　my　intention；　yes。〃
　Again；　Tick　Raw　looked　at　his　watch；　doing　a　mute　calculation　as　he　chewed。　〃Twenty　of　your　Fifth　Dominion　hours　from　now；　or　thereabouts。〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃Well；　you'll　find　me　ready；〃　he　said；　consuming　a　sizable　pickle　in　one　bite。
　〃Do　you　have　anyone　to　help　you？〃
　His　mouth　full；　all　Tick　could　manage　was：　〃on't　'eed　un。〃　He　chewed　on；　then　swallowed。　〃Nobody　even　knows　I'm　here；〃　he　explained。　〃I'm　still　wanted　by　the　law；　even　though　I　hear　Yzordderrex　is　in　ruins。〃
　〃It's　true。〃
　〃I　also　hear　the　Pivot's　quite　transformed；〃　Tick　Raw　said。　〃Is　that　right？〃
　〃Into　what？〃
　〃Nobody　can　get　near　enough　to　find　out；〃　he　replied。　〃But　if　you're　planning　to　check　on　the　whole　Synod…〃
　〃I　am。〃
　〃Then　maybe　you'll　see　for　yourself　while　you're　in　the　city。　There　was　a　Eurhetemec　representing　the　Second；　if　I　remember…〃
　〃He's　dead。〃
　〃So　who's　there　now？〃
　〃I'm　hoping　Scopique's　found　someone。〃
　〃He's　in　the　Third；　isn't　he？　At　the　Pivot　pit？〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃And　who's　at　the　Erasure？〃
　〃A　man　called　Chicka　Jackeen。〃
　〃I've　never　heard　of　him；〃　Tick　Raw　said。　〃Which　is　odd。　I　get　to　hear　about　most　Maestros。　Are　you　sure　he's　a　Maestro？〃
　〃Certainly。〃
　Tick　Raw　shrugged。　〃I'll　meet　him　in　the　Ana　then。　And　don't　worry　about　me；　Sa