cb.imajica2-第85部分

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w　you're　the　Reconciler；　and　you　did　what　Christos　Himself　couldn't　do。　You'll　be　made　Pope；　and　you'll　write　your　memoirs〃…Gentle　laughed…〃and　I'll　never　see　you　again。　And　that's　as　it　should　be。　That's　right　and　proper。　But　before　you　bee　hopelessly　famous　and　feted；　I　wondered：　would　you　。。；　bless　me？〃
　〃Bless　you？〃
　Little　Ease　raised　its　long…fingered　hands　to　ward　off　the　rejection　it　thought　was　ing。　〃I　understand！　I　understand！〃　it　said。　〃You've　already　been　kind　to　me　beyond　measure…〃
　〃It's　not　that；〃　said　Gentle；　going　down　on　his　haunches　in　front　of　the　creature　the　way　he　had　when　its　head　had　been　beneath　Jude's　heel。　〃I'd　do　it　if　I　could。　But　Ease；　I　don't　know　how。　I'm　not　a　Messiah。　I've　never　had　a　ministry。　I've　never　preached　a　gospel　or　raised　the　dead。〃
　〃You've　got　your　disciples；〃　Little　Ease　said。
　〃No。　I've　had　some　friends　who've　endured　me；　and　some　mistresses　who've　humored　me。　But　I've　never　had　the　power　to　inspire。　I　frittered　it　away　on　seductions。　I　don't　have　the　right　to　bless　anybody。　…　〃
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　the　creature　said。　〃I　won't　mention　it　again。〃
　Then　it　did　again　what　it　had　done　when　Gentle　had　set　it　free：　took　his　hand　and　laid　its　brow　upon　his　palm。
　〃I'm　ready　to　die　for　you；　Liberatore。〃
　〃I'm　hoping　that　won't　be　necessary。〃
　Little　Ease　looked　up。　〃Between　us？〃　it　said。　〃So　am　I。〃
　Its　oath　made；　it　returned　to　gathering　up　the　leaves　it　had　deposited　on　the　floor；　putting　plugs　of　them　up　its　nose　to　stop　the　stench。　But　Gentle　told　it　to　let　the　rest　lie。　The　scent　of　the　sap　was　sweeter　than　the　smell　that　would　permeate　the　house　if；　or　rather　when；　Sartori　arrived。　At　the　mention　of　the　enemy；　Little　Ease　hoisted　itself　back　up　onto　the　sill。
　〃Any　sign？〃　Gentle　asked　it。
　〃Not　that　I　see。〃
　〃But　what　do　you　feel？〃
　〃Ah；〃　it　said；　looking　up　through　the　canopy　of　leaves。　〃It's　such　a　beautiful　night；　Liberatore。　But　he's　going　to　try　and　spoil　it。〃
　〃I　think　you're　right。　Stay　here　a　while　longer；　will　you？　I　want　to　go　around　the　house　with　Clem。　If　you　see　anything…〃
　〃They'll　hear　me　in　L'Himby；〃　Ease　promised。
　The　beast　was　as　good　as　its　word。　Gentle　hadn't　reached　the　bottom　of　the　stairs　when　it　set　up　a　din　so　loud　it　brought　dust　from　the　rafters。　Yelling　for　Monday　and　Clem　to　make　sure　all　the　doors　were　bolted；　Gentle　started　up　the　stairs　again；　reaching　the　summit　in　time　to　see　the　door　of　the　Meditation　Room　flung　open　and　Little　Ease　backing　through　it　at　speed；　shrieking。　Whatever　warning　the　creature　was　trying　to　offer；　it　was　inprehensible。
　Gentle　didn't　try　and　interpret　it；　but　raced　towards　the　room；　drawing　his　breath　in　readiness　to　drive　Sartori's　invaders　out。　The　window　was　empty　when　he　entered；　but　the　circle　was　not。　Within　the　ring　of　stones　two　forms　were　unknotting　themselves。　He'd　never　seen　the　phenomenon　of　passage　from　this　perspective　before；　and　he　stood　as　much　aghast　as　awed。　There　were　too　many　raw　surfaces　in　this　process　for　fortable　viewing。　But　he　studied　the　forms　with　mounting　excitement；　certain　long　before　they　were　reconstituted　that　one　of　the　travelers　was　Jude。　The　other；　when　she　appeared；　was　a　cross…eyed　girl　of　seventeen　or　so；　who　fell　to　her　knees　sobbing　with　terror　and　relief　the　moment　her　muscles　were　her　own　again。　Even　Jude；　who'd　made　this　journey　four　times　now；　was　shaking　violently　and　would　have　fallen　when　she　stepped　from　the　circle　had　Gentle　not　caught　her　up。
　〃The　In　Ovo。。。〃　she　gasped；　〃almost　had　us。。。。〃
　Her　leg　had　been　gouged　from　knee　to　ankle。
　〃。。。　felt　teeth　in　me。。。。〃
　〃You're　all　right；〃　Gentle　said。　〃You've　still　got　two　legs。　Clem！　Clem！〃
　He　was　already　at　the　door；　with　Monday　in　pursuit。
　〃Have　we　got　something　to　bind　this　up？〃
　〃Of　course！　I'll　go…〃
　〃No；〃　said　Jude。　〃Take　me　down。　This　is　no　floor　to　bleed　on。〃
　Monday　was　left　to　fort　Hoi…Polloi；　while　Clem　and　Gentle　carried　Jude　to　the　door。
　〃I've　never　seen　the　In　Ovo　like　that　before；〃　she　said。　〃Crazy。。。。〃
　〃Sartori's　been　in；〃　Gentle　said；　〃finding　himself　an　army。〃
　〃He　certainly　stirred　them　up。〃
　〃We　were　about　to　give　up　on　you；〃　Clem　said。
　Jude　raised　her　head。　Her　skin　was　waxen　with　shock；　and　her　smile　too　tentative　to　be　joyful。　But　it　was　there；　at　least。
　〃Never　give　up　on　the　messenger；〃　she　said。　〃Especially　if　she's　got　good　news。〃
　It　was　three　hours　and　four　minutes　to　midnight；　and　there　wasn't　time　for　a　lengthy　exchange；　but　Gentle　wanted　some　explanation…however　brief…of　what　had　taken　Jude　to　Yzordderrex。　So　she　was　made　fortable　in　the　front　room；　which　Monday's　scavengings　had　furnished　with　pillows；　foodstuffs；　and　even　magazines；　and　there；　while　Clem　bound　her　leg　and　foot；　she　did　her　best　to　encapsulate　all　that　had　happened　to　her　since　she'd　left　the　Retreat。
　It　didn't　make　easy　telling；　and　there　were　a　couple　of　occasions　when　she　attempted　to　describe　scenes　in　Yzordderrex　and　simply　gave　up；　saying　that　she　knew　no　words　to　describe　what　she'd　witnessed　and　felt。　Gentle　listened　without　once　interrupting　her；　though　his　expression　grew　grimmer　when　she　told　of　how　Uma　Umagammagi　had　passed　through　the　Dominions；　seeking　out　the　Synod　to　be　certain　their　motives　were　pure。
　When　she　was　finished　he　said；　〃I　was　in　Yzordderrex　too。　It's　changed　quite　a　bit；〃
　〃For　the　better；〃　Jude　said。
　〃I　don't　like　ruin；　however　picturesque　it　is；〃　Gentle　replied。
　Jude　eyed　him　strangely　at　this；　but　she　said　nothing。
　〃Are　we　safe　here？〃　Hoi…Polloi　said；　addressing　nobody　in　particular。　〃It's　so　dark。〃
　〃Course　we're　safe；〃　Monday　said；　putting　his　arm　around　the　girl's　shoulders。　〃We　got　the　whole　fuckin'　place　sealed　up。　He's　not　going　to　get　in；　is　he；　boss？〃
　〃Who？〃　Jude　asked。
　〃Sartori；〃　said　Monday。
　〃Is　he　somewhere　in　the　vicinity？〃
　Gentle's　silence　was　reply　enough。
　〃And　you　think　a　few　locks　are　going　to　keep　him　out？〃
　〃Won't　they？〃　said　Hoi…Polloi。
　〃Not　if　he　wants　to　get　in；〃　Jude　said。
　〃He　won't；〃　Gentle　replied。　〃When　the　Reconciliation　begins；　there's　going　to　be　a　flow　of　power　through　this　house　。。。　my　Father's　power。〃
　The　thought　was　as　distasteful　to　Jude　as　Gentle　assumed　it　would　be　to　Sartori；　but　her　response　was　subtler　than　revulsion。
　〃He's　your　brother；〃　she　reminded　him；　〃Don't　be　so　sure　he　won't　want　a　taste　of　what's　in　here。　And　if　he　does；　he'll　e　and　get　it。〃
　He　stared　hard　at　her。
　〃Are　we　talking　about　power；　here；　or　you？〃
　Jude　took　a　moment　before　replying。　Then　she　said；　〃Both。〃
　Gentle　shrugged。　〃If　that　happens；　you'll　make　your　decision；〃　he　said。　〃You've　made　them　before；　and　you've　been　wrong。　Maybe　it's　time　to　have　a　little　faith；　Jude。〃　He　stood　up。　〃Share　what　the　rest　of　us　already　know；〃　he　said。
　〃And　what's　that？〃
　〃That　in　a　few　hours　we'll　be　standing　in　a　legendary　place。〃
　Monday　softly　said；　〃Yeah；〃　and　Gentle　smiled。
　〃Take　care　down　here；　all　of　you；〃　he　said；　and　headed　to　the　door。
　Jude　reached　for　Clem；　and　with　his　help　hauled　herself　to　her　feet。　By　the　time　she　reached　the　door　Gentle　was　already　on　the　stairs。
　She　didn't　say　his　name。　He　simply　stopped　for　a　moment　and；　without　turning；　said；　〃I　don't　want　to　hear。〃
　Then　he　continued　his　ascent；　and　she　knew　by　the　slope　of　his　shoulders　and　the　weight　of　his　tread　that　for　all　his　prophetic　talk　there　was　a　little　worm　of　doubt　in　him　just　as　there　was　in　her；　and　he　was　afraid　that　if　he　turned　and　saw　her；　it　would　fatten　on　their　look　and　choke　him。
　The　scent　of　sap　was　waiting　for　him　on　the　threshold；　and　as　he'd　hoped　it　masked　the　sourer　smell　from　the　darkened　streets　outside。　Otherwise　his　room；　in　which　he'd　lounged　and　laughed　and　debated　the　conundrums　of　the　cosmos；　offered　no　solace。　It　suddenly　seemed　to　him　a　stagnant　place；　too　well　feited　and　swayed　for　its　own　good：　the　last　place　on　earth　to　perform　his　work。　But　then　hadn't　he　berated　Jude；　just　moments　ago；　for　not　having　sufficient　faith？　There　was　no　great　power　in　geography。　It　was　all　rooted　in　the　Maestro's　faith　in　the　miraculous；　and　in　the　will　that　sprang　from　that　faith。
　In　preparation　for　the　work　ahead；　he　undressed。　Once　naked；　he　crossed　to　the　mantelpiece；　intending　to　fetch　the　candles　off　it　and　set　them　around　the　circle。　But　the　sight　of　their　flames　in　flickering　array　made　him　think　instead　of　worship；　and　he　dropped　to　his　knees　in　front　of　the　empty　grate　to　pray。　The　Lord's　Prayer　came　most　readily　to　his　lips；　and　he　recited　it　aloud。　Its　sentiments　had　never　been　apter；　of　course。　But　after　tonight　it　would　be　a　museum　piece；　a　relic　of　a　time　before　the　Lord's　Kingdom　had　e　and　His　will　been　done；　on　Earth　and　in　Heaven。
　A　touch　on　the　back　of　his　neck　brought　this　recitation　to　a　halt。　He　opened　his　eyes；　raised　his　head；　turned。　The　room　was　empty；　but　his　nape　still　tingled　where　the　touch　had　e。　This　wasn't　memory；　he　knew。　It　was　something　more　delicate　than　that；　a　reminder　of　the　other　prize　that　lay　at　the　end　of　this　night's　work。　Not　glory；　not　the　gratitude　of　the　Dominions：　Pie　'oh'　pah。　He　looked　up　at　the　stained　wall　above　the　mantelpiece　and　seemed　for　a　moment　to　see　the　mystif　s　face　there；　changing　with　each　flicker　of　the　can