cb.imajica1-第47部分

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　〃I　was　a　faker；　not　an　artist。〃
　〃But　your　hands　are　clever；〃　Pie　replied。
　〃Clever；〃　Gentle　said　softly；　〃but　never　inspired。〃
　This　melancholy　thought　took　him　back；　momentarily；　to　Klein；　and　to　the　rest　of　the　circle　he'd　left　in　the　Fifth：　to　Jude；　Clem；　Estabrook；　Vanessa；　and　the　rest。　What　were　they　doing　this　fine　night？　Had　they　even　noticed　his　departure？　He　doubted　it。
　〃Are　you　feeling　any　better？〃　Pie　inquired。　〃I　see　some　lights　down　the　road　a　little　way。　It　may　be　the　last　outpost　before　the　mountains。〃
　〃I'm　in　good　shape；〃　Gentle　said；　climbing　back　into　the　car。
　They'd　proceeded　perhaps　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　and　were　in　sight　of　the　village；　when　their　progress　was　brought　to　a　halt　by　a　young　girl　who　appeared　from　the　dusk　to　herd　her　doeki　across　the　road。　She　was　in　every　way　a　normal　thirteen…year…old　child　but　for　one：　her　face；　and　those　parts　of　her　body　revealed　by　her　simple　dress；　were　sleek　with　fawny　down。　It　was　plaited　where　it　grew　long　at　her　elbows；　and　her　temples；　and　tied　in　a　row　of　ribbons　at　her　nape。
　〃What　village　is　this？〃　Pie　asked；　as　the　last　of　the　doeki　lingered　in　the　road。
　〃Beatrix；〃　she　said；　and　without　prompting　added；　〃There　is　no　better　place　in　any　heaven。〃　Then；　。shooing　the　last　beast　on　its　way；　she　vanished　into　the　twilight。
　The　streets　of　Beatrix　weren't　as　narrow　as　those　of　Vana…eph；　nor　were　they　designed　for　motor　vehicles。　Pie　parked　the　car　close　to　the　outskirts；　and　the　two　of　them　ambled　into　the　village　from　there。　The　houses　were　unpretentious　affairs；　raised　of　an　ocher　stone　and　surrounded　by　stands　of　vegetation　that　were　a　cross　between　silver　birch　and　bamboo。　The　lights　Pie　had　spotted　from　a　distance　weren't　those　that　burned　in　the　windows；　but　lanterns　that　hung　in　these　trees；　throwing　their　mellow　light　across　the　streets。　Just　about　every　copse　boasted　its　lantern　trimmers…shaggy…faced　children　like　the　herder…some　squatting　beneath　the　trees；　others　perched　precariously　in　their　branches。　The　doors　of　almost　all　the　houses　stood　open；　and　music　drifted　from　several；　tunes　caught　by　the　lantern　trimmers　and　danced　to　in　the　dapple。　Asked　to　guess；　Gentle　would　have　said　life　was　good　here。　Slow；　perhaps；　but　good。
　〃We　can't　cheat　these　people；〃　Gentle　said。　〃It　wouldn't　be　honorable。〃
　〃Agreed；〃　Pie　replied。
　〃So　what　do　we　do　for　money？〃
　〃Maybe　they'll　agree　to　cannibalize　the　vehicle　for　a　good　meal　and　a　horse　or　two。〃
　〃I　don't　see　any　horses。〃
　〃A　doeki　would　be　fine。〃
　〃They　look　slow。〃
　Pie　directed　Gentle's　gaze　up　the　heights　of　the　Jokalay…lau。　The　last　traces　of　day　still　lingered　on　the　snowfields；　but　for　all　their　beauty　the　mountains　were　vast　and　uninviting。
　〃Slow　and　certain　is　safer　up　there；〃　Pie　said。　Gentle　took　Pie's　point。　〃I'm　going　to　see　if　I　can　find　somebody　in　charge；〃　the　mystif　went　on；　and　left　Gentle's　side　to　go　and　question　one　of　the　lantern　trimmers。
　Drawn　by　the　sound　of　raucous　laughter；　Gentle　wandered　on　a　little　farther；　and　turning　a　corner　he　found　two　dozen　of　the　villagers；　mostly　men　and　boys；　standing　in　front　of　a　marionette　theater　that　had　been　set　up　in　the　lee　of　one　of　the　houses。　The　show　they　were　watching　contrasted　violently　with　the　benign　atmosphere　of　the　village。　To　judge　by　the　spires　painted　on　the　backdrop　the　story　was　set　in　Patashoqua；　and　as　Gentle　joined　the　audience　two　characters；　one　a　grossly　fat　woman；　the　other　a　man　with　the　proportions　of　a　fetus　and　the　endowment　of　a　donkey；　were　in　the　middle　of　a　domestic　tiff　so　frenzied　the　spires　were　shaking。　The　puppeteers；　three　slim　young　men　with　identical　mustaches；　were　plainly　visible　above　the　booth　and　provided　both　the　dialogue　and　the　sound　effects；　the　former　larded　with　baroque　obscenities。　Now　another　character　entered…this　a　hunchbacked　sibling　of　Pulcinella…and　summarily　beheaded　Donkey　Dick。　The　head　flew　to　the　ground；　where　the　fat　woman　knelt　to　sob　over　it。　As　she　did　so；　cherubic　wings　unfolded　from　behind　its　ears　and　it　floated　up　into　the　sky；　acpanied　by　a　falsetto　din　from　the　puppeteers。　This　earned　applause　from　the　audience；　during　which　Gentle　caught　sight　of　Pie　in　the　street。　At　the　mystif's　side　was　a　jug…eared　adolescent　with　hair　down　to　the　middle　of　his　back。　Gentle　went　to　join　them。
　〃This　is　Efreet　Splendid；〃　Pie　said。　〃He　tells　me…wait　for　this…he　tells　me　his　mother　has　dreams　about　white　furless　men　and　would　like　to　meet　you。〃
　The　grin　that　broke　through　Efreet's　facial　thatch　was　crooked　but　beguiling。
　〃She'll　like　you；〃　he　announced。
　〃Are　you　sure？〃　Gentle　said。
　〃Certainly！〃
　〃Will　she　feed　us？〃
　〃For　a　furless　whitey；　anything；〃　Efreet　replied。
　Gentle　threw　the　mystif　a　doubtful　glance。　〃I　hope　you　know　what　we're　doing；〃　he　said。
　Efreet　led　the　way；　chattering　as　he　went；　asking　mostly　about　Patashoqua。　It　was；　he　said；　his　ambition　to　see　the　great　city。　Rather　than　disappoint　the　boy　by　admitting　that　he　hadn't　stepped　inside　the　gates；　Gentle　informed　him　that　it　was　a　place　of　untold　magnificence。
　〃Especially　the　Merrow　Ti'　Ti'；〃　he　said。
　The　boy　grinned　and　said　he'd　tell　everybody　he　knew　that　he'd　met　a　hairless　white　man　who'd　seen　the　Merrow　Ti'　Ti'。　From　such　innocent　lies；　Gentle　mused；　legends　came。
　At　the　door　of　the　house；　Efreet　stood　aside；　to　let　Gentle　be　first　over　the　threshold。　He　startled　the　woman　inside　with　his　appearance。　She　dropped　the　cat　she　was　bing　and　instantly　fell　to　her　knees。　Embarrassed；　Gentle　asked　her　to　stand；　but　it　was　only　after　much　persuasion　that　she　did　so；　and　even　then　she　kept　her　head　bewed；　watching　him　furtively　from　the　corners　of　her　small　dark　eyes。　She　was　short…barely　taller　than　her　son；　in　fact…her　face　fine…boned　beneath　its　down。　Her　name　was　Larumday；　she　said；　and　she　would　very　happily　extend　to　Gentle　and　his　lady　（as　she　assumed　Pie　to　be）　the　hospitality　of　her　house。　Her　younger　son；　Emblem；　was　coerced　into　helping　her　prepare　food　while　Efreet　talked　about　where　they　could　find　a　buyer　for　the　car。　Nobody　in　the　village　had　any　use　for　such　a　vehicle；　he　said；　but　in　the　hills　was　a　man　who　might。　His　name　was　Coaxial　Tasko；　and　it　came　as　a　considerable　shock　to　Efreet　that　neither　Gentle　nor　Pie　had　heard　of　the　man。
　〃Everybody　knows　Wretched　Tasko；〃　he　said。　〃He　used　to　be　a　king　in　the　Third　Dominion；　but　his　tribe's　extinct。〃
　〃Will　you　introduce　me　to　him　in　the　morning？〃　Pie　asked。
　〃That's　a　long　time　off；〃　Efreet　said。
　〃Tonight　then；〃　Pie　replied；　and　it　was　thus　agreed　between　them。
　The　food；　when　it　came；　was　simpler　than　the　fare　they'd　been　served　along　the　highway　but　no　less　tasty　for　that：　doeki　meat　marinated　in　a　root　wine；　acpanied　by　bread；　a　selection　of　pickled　goods…including　eggs　the　size　of　small　loaves…and　a　broth　which　stung　the　throat　like　chili；　bringing　tears　to　Gentle's　eyes；　much　to　Efreet's　undisguised　amusement。　While　they　ate　and　drank…the　wine　strong；　but　downed　by　the　boys　like　water…Gentle　asked　about　the　marionette　show　he'd　seen。　Ever　eager　to　parade　his　knowledge；　Efreet　explained　that　the　puppeteers　were　on　their　way　to　Patashoqua　ahead　of　the　Autarch's　host；　who　were　ing　over　the　mountains　in　the　next　few　days。　The　puppeteers　were　very　famous　in　Yzordderrex；　he　said；　at　which　point　Larumday　hushed　him。
　〃But；　Mams…〃　he　began。
　〃I　said　hush。　I　won't　have　talk　of　that　place　in　this　house。　Your　father　went　there　and　never　came　back。　Remember　that。〃
　〃I　want　to　go　there　when　I've　seen　the　Merrow　Ti'　Ti'；　like　Mr。　Gentle；〃　Efreet　replied　defiantly；　and　earned　a　sharp　slap　on　the　head　for　his　troubles。
　〃Enough；〃　Larumday　said。　〃We've　had　too　much　talk　tonight。　A　little　silence　would　be　wele。〃
　The　conversation　dwindled　thereafter；　and　it　wasn't　until　the　meal　was　finished　and　Efreet　was　preparing　to　take　Pie　up　the　hill　to　meet　Wretched　Tasko；　that　the　boy's　mood　brightened　and　his　spring　of　enthusiasms　burst　forth　afresh。　Gentle　was　ready　to　join　them；　but　Efreet　explained　that　his　mother…who　was　presently　out　of　the　room…　wanted　him　to　stay。
　〃You　should　acmodate　her；〃　Pie　remarked　when　the　boy　had　headed　out。　〃If　Tasko　doesn't　want　the　car　we　may　have　to　sell　your　body。〃
　〃I　thought　you　were　the　expert　on　that；　not　me；〃　Gentle　replied。
　〃Now；　now；〃　Pie　said；　with　a　grin。　〃I　thought　we'd　agreed　not　to　mention　my　dubious　past。〃
　〃So　go；〃　Gentle　said。　〃Leave　me　to　her　tender　mercies。　But　you'll　have　to　pick　the　fluff　from　between　my　teeth。〃
　He　found　Mother　Splendid　in　the　kitchen；　kneading　dough　for　the　morrow's　bread。
　〃You've　honored　our　home；　ing　here　and　sharing　our　table；〃　she　said　as　she　worked。　〃And　please；　don't　think　badly　of　me　for　asking；　but。　。　。〃…her　voice　became　a　frightened　whisper…〃what　do　you　want？〃
　〃Nothing；〃　Gentle　replied。　〃You've　already　been　more　than　generous。〃
　She　looked　at　him　balefully；　as　though　he　was　being　cruel；　teasing　her　in　this　fashion。
　〃I've　dreamt　about　somebody　ing　here；〃　she　said。　〃White　and　furless；　like　you。　I　wasn't　sure　whether　it　was　a　man　or　a　woman；　but　now　you're　here；　sitting　at　the　table；　I　know　it　was　you。〃
　First　Tick　Raw；　he　thought；　now　Mother　Splendid。　What　was　it　about　his　face　that　made　people　think