bl.necroscope2-第24部分

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　She　had　called　him　a　〃funny　little　thing〃；　but　in　fact　George　was　right。　Yulian　had　been　more　than　just　funny。　For　one　thing；　he　never　cried。　No；　not　quite　true；　he　had　cried　when　hungry；　at　least　when　he　was　very　small。　And　he　had　cried　in　direct　sunlight。　Photophobia；　apparently；　right　from　infancy。　Oh；　yes；　and　he'd　cried　at　least　one　other　time；　at　his　christening。　Though　that　had　seemed　more　rage…or　outrage…than　crying　proper。　As　far　as　Anne　knew；　he　never　had　been　properly　christened。
　She　let　her　thoughts　take　hold；　carrying　her　back。　Yulian　had　just　started　to　walk…to　toddle；　anyway…when　Helen　came　along。　That　was　a　month　or　so　before　poor　Georgina　had　been　well　enough　to　go　home　and　take　him　back。　Anne　remembered　that　time　well。　She'd　been　heavy　with　milk；　fat　as　butter　and　happier　than　at　any　other　time　in　her　life。　And　rosy？　What　a　picture　of　health　she'd　been！
　One　day　when　Helen　was　just　six　weeks　old；　while　she　was　feeding　her；　Yulian　had　e　toddling　like　a　little　robot；　looking　for　that　extra　ounce　of　affection　of　which　Helen　had　robbed　him。　Jealousy　even　then；　yes；　for　he　was　no　longer　all　important。　On　impulse…feeling　a　pang　of　pity　for　the　poor　mite…she'd　picked　him　up；　bared　her　other　breast　to　him；　her　left　breast；　and　fed　him。
　Even　remembering　it；　the　twinge　of　pain　in　her　nipple　came　back　like　a　wasp　sting　to　bother　her。　〃Oh！〃　she　said；　stirring　where　she　had　fallen　half…asleep。
　〃You　all　right？〃　George　was　quick　to　inquire。　〃Wind　your　window　down　a　little　more。　Get　some　fresh　air。〃
　The　steady　purr　of　the　car's　engine　brought　her　back　to　the　present。　〃Cramp；〃　she　lied。　〃Pins　and　needles。　Can　we　stop　somewhere…the　next　cafe？〃
　〃Of　course；〃　he　answered。　〃There　should　be　one　any　time　now。〃
　Anne　slumped；　returned　half…reluctantly　to　her　memories。　Feeding　Yulian；　yes。。。　She'd　sat　down　with　both　babies；　nodded　off　while　they　fed；　Helen　on　the　right；　Yulian　on　the　left。　It　had　been　strange；　a　sort　of　languor　had　e　over　her；　a　lethargy　she　hadn't　the　will　to　resist。　But　then；　when　the　pain　came；　she'd　e　quickly　awake。　Helen　had　been　crying；　and　Yulian　had　been…bloody！She'd　stared　at　the　toddler　in　something　close　to　shock。　Those　peculiar　black　eyes　of　his　fixed　unwaveringly　on　her　face。　And　his　red　mouth；　fixed　like　a　lamprey　on　her　breast！　Her　milk　and　blood　had　run　down　the　swollen　curve　of　her　breast；　and　his　face　had　been　smeared　and　glistening　red　with　it；　so　that　he'd　looked　like　a　dark…eyed　gorging　leech。
　When　she'd　cleaned　herself　up；　and　cleaned　up　Yulian　too；　she'd　seen　how　he'd　bitten　through　the　skin　around　her　nipple：　his　teeth　had　left　tiny　punctures。　The　bites　had　taken　a　long　time　to　heal；　but　their　sting　had　never　quite　gone　away。。。
　Then　there　had　been　the　frog　episode。　Anne　didn't　really　want　to　dwell　on　that；　but　it　formed　a　persistent　picture　in　her　mind；　one　she　couldn't　wipe　clear。　It　had　happened　after　Georgina　had　sold　up　in　London；　on　the　last　day　before　she　and　Yulian　had　left　the　city　and　gone　down　to　Devon　to　live　in　the　old　manor　house。
　George　had　built　a　pond　in　the　garden　of　their　Green…ford　home　when　Helen　was　one；　since　when；　with　a　minimum　of　help；　the　pond　had　stocked　itself。　Now　there　were　lilies；　a　clump　of　rushes；　an　ornamental　shrub　bending　over　the　water　like　a　Japanese　picture；　and　a　large　species　of　green　frog。　There　were　water　snails；　too；　and　at　the　edges　a　little　green　scum。　Anne　called　it　scum；　anyway。　Mid…summer　and　there　would　normally　be　dragonflies；　but　that　year　they'd　only　seen　one　or　two；　and　they'd　been　small　ones　of　their　sort。
　She　had　been　in　the　garden　with　the　children；　watching　Yulian　where　he　played　with　a　soft　rubber　ball。　Or　perhaps　〃played〃　is　the　wrong　word；　for　Yulian　had　difficulty　playing　like　other　children。　He　seemed　to　have　a　philosophy：　a　ball　is　a　ball；　a　rubber　sphere。　Drop　it　and　it　bounces；　toss　it　against　a　wall　and　it　returns。　Other　than　that　it　has　no　practical　use；　it　cannot　be　considered　a　source　of　lasting　interest。　Others　might　argue　the　point；　but　that　summed　up　Yulian's　feelings　on　the　subject。　Anne　really　didn't　know　why　she'd　bought　the　ball　for　him；　he　never　really　played　with　anything。　He　had　bounced　it；　however；　twice。　And　he'd　tossed　it　against　the　garden　wall；　once。　But　on　the　rebound　it　had　rolled　to　the　edge　of　the　pond。
　Yulian　had　followed　it　with　eyes　half　scornful；　until　suddenly　his　interest　had　quickened。　At　the　edge　of　the　pond　something　leaped：　a　large　frog；　shiny　green；　poising　itself　where　it　landed；　with　two　legs　in　the　water　and　two　on　dry　land。　And　the　five…year　old　child　froze；　being　still　as　a　cat　in　the　first　seconds　that　it　senses　prey。　It　was　Helen　who　ran　to　retrieve　the　ball；　then　skipped　away　with　it　up　the　garden；　but　Yulian　had　eyes　only　for　the　frog。
　At　that　point　George　had　called　out　from　inside　the　house：　something　about　the　kebabs　burning。　They　were　to　be　the　main　course　in　a　farewell　meal　for　Georgina。　George　was　supposed　to　be　doing　chef。
　Anne　had　rushed　to　save　the　day；　along　the　crazy…paving；　under　the　arch　of　roses　on　their　trellis　to　the　paved　patio　area　at　the　rear　of　the　house。　It　had　taken　a　minute；　two　at　the　outside；　to　lift　the　steaming　meat　from　the　grill　onto　a　plate　on　the　outdoor　table。　Then　Georgina　had　e　drifting　downstairs　in　that　slow　get…there…eventually　fashion　of　hers；　and　George　had　appeared　from　the　kitchen　with　his　herbs。
　〃Sorry；　darling；〃　he'd　apologised。　〃Timing　is　everything；　and　I'm　out　of　practice。　But　I've　got　it　all　together　now　and　all's　well。。。〃
　Except　that　all　had　not　been　well。
　Hearing　Helen's　cry　of　alarm　from　the　lower　garden；　Anne　had　breathlessly　retraced　her　steps。
　At　first；　as　she　reached　the　pond；　Anne　hadn't　quite　known　what　she　was　seeing。　She　thought　Yulian　must　have　fallen　face　down　in　the　green　scum。　Then　her　eyes　focussed　and　the　picture　firmed。　And　however　much　she'd　tried　to　forget　it；　it　had　remained　firm　to　this　day：
　The　tiny　white　mosaic　tiles　at　the　edge　of　the　pond；　slimed　with　blood　and　guts；　and　Yulian　slimed；　too；　his　face　and　hands　sticky　with　goo。　Cross…legged　by　the　pond　like　a　buddha；　Yulian；　the　frog　like　a　torn　green　plastic　bag　in　his　inexpert　hands；　slopping　its　contents。　And　that　child　of…of　innocence？　studying　its　innards；　smelling　it；　listening　to　it；　apparently　astonished　by　its　plexity。
　Then　his　mother　had　e　wafting　up　from　behind；　saying；　〃Oh　dear；　oh　dear！　Was　it　a　live　thing？　Oh；　I　see　it　was。　He　does　that　sometimes。　Opens　things　up。　Curiosity。　To　see　how　they　work。〃
　And　Anne；　aghast；　snatching　up　the　whining　Helen　and　turning　her　face　away；　gasping；　〃But　Georgina；　that's　not　some　old　alarm…clock…it's　a　frog！〃
　〃Is　it？　Is　it？　Oh　dear！　Poor　thing！〃　She'd　fluttered　her　hands。　〃But　it's　a　phase　he's　going　through；　that's　all。　He'll　grow　out　of　it。。。〃
　And　Anne　remembered　thinking；　God；　1　certainly　hope　so！
　〃Devon！〃　said　George　triumphantly；　jogging　her　elbow；　startling　her。　〃Did　you　see　the　sign；　the　county　boundary？　And　look；　there's　your　cafe！　Cream　teas；　fudge；　clotted　cream！　We'll　top　the　car　up；　have　a　bite　to　eat；　and　then　we're　on　the　last　leg。　Peace　and　quiet　for　a　whole　week。　Lord；　how　I　can　use　it。。。　〃
　Arriving　at　the　house　and　turning　off　the　Paignton　road　into　its　grounds；　the　party　in　the　car　found　Georgina　and　Yulian　waiting　for　them　on　the　gravel　drive。　At　first　they　very　nearly　failed　to　notice　Georgina；　for　she　was　over…shadowed　by　her　son。　As　George　stopped　the　car；　Helen's　jaw　fell　open　a　little。　Anne　simply　stared。　George　himself　thought；　Yulian？　Yes；　of　course　it　is。　But　what's　he　been　doing　right？
　Getting　out　of　the　car；　finally　Anne　spoke；　echoing　George's　thoughts。…　〃Yulian！　My；　but　what　a　couple　of　years　have　done　for　you！〃　He　held　her　briefly；　taller　by　inches；　then　turned　to　Helen　where　she　got　out　of　the　back　seat　and　stretched。
　〃I'm　not　the　only　one　who　has　grown；〃　he　said。　His　voice　was　that　dark　one　Helen　had　heard　on　a　previous　occasion；　apparently　his　natural　voice　now。　He　held　her　at　arm's　length；　stared　at　her　with　those　unfathomable　eyes。
　He's　handsome　as　the　devil；　she　thought。　Or　perhaps　handsome　was　the　wrong　word　for　it。　Attractive；　yes…almost　unnaturally　so。　His　long；　straight　chin；　not　quite　lantern…jaw；　high　brow；　straight；　flatfish　nose…and　especially　his　eyes…all　bined　to　form　a　face　which　might　seem　quite　odd　on　anyone　else's　shoulders。　But　coupled　with　that　voice；　and　with　Yulian's　mind　behind　it；　the　effect　was　quite　devastating。　He　looked　somehow　foreign；　almost　alien。　His　dark　hair；　flowing　naturally　back　and　forming　something　of　a　mane　at　the　back　of　his　neck；　made　him　seem　even　more　wolfish　than　she'd　remembered。　That　was　it…wolfish！　And　he　was　getting　tall　as　a　tree。
　〃You're　still　slim；　anyway；〃　she　finally　found　something　to　say；　however　uninspired。　〃But　what's　Aunt　Georgina　been　feeding　you？〃
　He　smiled　and　turned　to　George；　nodded　and　held　out　his　hand。　〃George。　Did　you　have　a　good　journey？　We've　worried　a　little…the　roads　get　so　crowded　down　here　in　the　summer。〃
　George！　George　groaned　inwardly。　First　names；　just　like　with　Mummy；　hey？　Still；　it　was　better　than　being　shied　away　from。
　〃The　drive　was　fine。〃　George　forced　a　smile；　checking　Yulian　out　but　unobtrusively。　The　youth　topped　him　by　a　g