cb.imajica1-第64部分

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　〃You　speak　from　experience？〃
　〃Bitter　experience。〃
　〃He　may　have　bitten　off　more　than　he　can　chew；　so　to　speak；　keeping　the　pany　of　a　mystif。　My　friend　in　Yzordderrex…Peccable…had　a　mistress　for　a　while　who'd　been　a　madam。　She'd　had　a　very　plush　establishment　in　Patashoqua；　and　she　and　I　got　on　famously。　She　kept　telling　me　I　should　bee　a　white　slaver　and　bring　her　girls　from　the　Fifth；　so　she　could　start　a　new　business　in　Yzordderrex。
　She　reckoned　we'd　have　made　a　fortune。　We　never　did　it；　of　course。　But　we　both　enjoyed　talking　about　things　venereal。　It's　a　pity　that　word's　so　tainted；　isn't　it？　You　say　venereal；　and　people　immediately　think　of　disease；　instead　of　Venus。　。　。　。〃　He　paused；　seeming　to　have　lost　his　way；　then　said；　〃Anyway；　she　told　me　once　that　she'd　employed　a　mystif　for　a　while　in　her　bordello；　and　it　caused　her　no　end　of　problems。　She'd　almost　had　to　close　her　place；　because　of　the　reputation　she　got。　You'd　think　a　creature　like　that　would　make　the　ultimate　whore；　wouldn't　you？　But　apparently　a　lot　of　customers　just　didn't　want　to　see　their　desires　made　flesh。〃　He　watched　her　as　he　spoke；　a　smile　playing　around　his　lips。　〃I　can't　imagine　why。〃
　〃Maybe　they　were　afraid　of　what　they　were。〃
　〃You'd　consider　that　foolish；　I　assume。〃
　〃Yes；　of　course。　What　you　are；　you　are。〃
　〃That's　a　hard　philosophy　to　live　up　to。〃
　〃No　harder　than　running　away。〃
　〃Oh；　I　don't　know。　I've　thought　about　running　away　quite　a　lot　of　late。　Disappearing　forever。〃
　〃Really？〃　she　said；　trying　to　stifle　any　show　of　agitation。　〃Why？〃
　〃Too　many　birds　ing　home　to　roost。〃
　〃But　you're　staying？〃
　〃I　vacillate。　England's　so　pleasant　in　the　spring。　And　I'd　miss　the　cricket　in　the　summer　months。〃
　〃They　play　cricket　everywhere；　don't　they？〃
　〃Not　in　Yzordderrex　they　don't。〃
　〃You'd　go　there　forever？〃
　〃Why　not？　Nobody　would　find　me；　because　nobody　would　ever　guess　where　I'd　gone。〃
　〃I'd　know。〃
　〃Then　maybe　I'd　have　to　take　you　with　me；〃　he　said　tentatively；　almost　as　though　he　were　making　the　proposal　in　all　seriousness　and　was　afraid　of　being　refused。　〃Could　you　bear　that　thought？〃　he　said。　〃Of　leaving　the　Fifth；　I　mean。〃
　〃I　could　bear　it。〃
　He　paused。　Then：　〃I　think　it's　about　time　I　showed　you　some　of　my　treasures；〃　he　said；　rising　from　his　chair。　〃e　on。〃
　She'd　known　from　oblique　remarks　of　Dowd's　that　the　locked　room　on　the　second　floor　contained　some　kind　of　collection；　but　its　nature；　when　he　finally　unlocked　the　door　and　ushered　her　in；　astonished　her。
　〃All　this　was　collected　in　the　Dominions；〃　Oscar　explained；　〃and　brought　back　by　hand。〃
　He　escorted　her　around　the　room；　giving　her　a　capsule　summary　of　what　some　of　the　stranger　objects　were　and　bringing　from　hiding　tiny　items　she　might　otherwise　have　overlooked。　Into　the　former　category；　among　others；　went　the　Boston　Bowl　and　Gaud　Maybellome's　Encyclopedia　of　Heavenly　Signs；　into　the　latter　a　bracelet　of　beetles　caught　by　the　killing　jar　in　their　daisy　chain　coupling…fourteen　generations；　he　explained；　male　entering　female；　and　female　in　turn　devouring　the　male　in　front；　the　circle　joined　by　the　youngest　female　and　the　oldest　male；　who；　by　dint　of　the　latter's　suicidal　acrobatics；　were　face　to　face。
　She　had　many　questions；　of　course；　and　he　was　pleased　to　play　the　teacher。　But　there　were　several　inquiries　he　had　no　answers　to。　Like　the　empire　looters　from　whom　he　was　descended；　he'd　assembled　the　collection　with　mitment；　taste；　and　ignorance　in　equal　measure。　Yet　when　he　spoke　qf　the　artifacts；　even　those　whose　function　he　had　no　clue　to；　there　was　a　touching　fervor　in　his　tone；　familiar　as　he　was　with　the　tiniest　detail　of　the　tiniest　piece。
　〃You　gave　some　objects　to　Charlie；　didn't　you？〃　she　said。
　〃Once　in　a　while。　Did　you　see　them？〃
　〃Yes；　indeed；〃　she　said；　the　brandy　tempting　her　tongue　to　confess　the　dream　of　the　blue　eye；　her　brain　resisting　it。
　〃If　things　had　been　different；〃　Oscar　said；　〃Charlie　might　have　been　the　one　wandering　the　Dominions。　I　owe　him　a　glimpse。〃
　〃　'A　piece　of　the　miracle；'　〃　she　quoted。
　〃That's　right。　But　I'm　sure　he　felt　ambivalent　about　them。〃
　〃That　was　Charlie。〃
　〃True；　true。　He　was　too　English　for　his　own　good。　He　never　had　the　courage　of　his　feelings；　except　where　you　were　concerned。　And　who　could　blame　him？〃
　She　looked　up　from　the　trinket　she　was　studying　to　find　that　she　too　was　a　subject　of　study；　the　look　on　his　face　unequivocal。
　〃It's　a　family　problem；〃　he　said。　〃When　it　es　to　。　。　。　matters　of　the　heart。〃
　This　confession　made；　a　look　of　disfort　crossed　his　face；　and　his　hand　went　to　his　ribs。　〃I'll　leave　you　to　look　around　if　you　like；〃　he　said。　〃There's　nothing　in　here　that's　really　volatile。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃
　〃Will　you　lock　up　after　yourself？〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　She　watched　him　go；　unable　to　think　of　anything　to　detain　him；　but　feeling　forsaken　once　he'd　gone。　She　heard　him　go　to　his　bedroom；　which　was　down　the　hall　on　the　same　floor；　and　close　the　door　behind　him。　Then　she　turned　her　attention　back　to　the　treasures　on　the　shelves。　It　wouldn't　stay　there；　however。　She　wanted　to　touch；　and　be　touched　by；　something　warmer　than　these　relics。　After　a　few　moments　of　hesitation　she　left　them　in　the　dark；　locking　the　door　behind　her。　She　would　take　the　key　back　to　him；　she'd　decided。　If　his　words　of　admiration　were　not　simply　flattery…if　he　had　bed　on　his　mind…she'd　know　it　soon　enough。　And　if　he　rejected　her；　at　least　there'd　be　an　end　to　this　trial　by　doubt。
　She　knocked　on　the　bedroom　door。　There　was　no　reply。　There　was　light　seeping　from　under　the　door；　however；　so　she　knocked　again　and　then　turned　the　handle　and；　saying　his　name　softly；　entered。　The　lamp　beside　the　bed　was　burning；　illuminating　an　ancestral　portrait　that　hung　over　it。　Through　its　gilded　window　a　severe　and　sallow　individual　gazed　down　on　the　empty　sheets。　Hearing　the　sound　of　running　water　from　the　adjacent　bathroom；　Jude　crossed　the　bedroom；　taking　in　a　dozen　details　of　this；　his　most　private　chamber；　as　she　did　so：　the　plushness　of　the　pillows　and　the　linen；　the　spirit　decanter　and　glass　beside　the　bed；　the　cigarettes　and　ashtray　on　a　small　heap　of　well…thumbed　paperbacks…　Without　declaring　herself；　she　pushed　the　door　open。　Oscar　was　sitting　on　the　edge　of　the　bath　in　his　undershorts；　dabbing　a　washcloth　to　a　partially　healed　wound　in　his　side。　Reddened　water　ran　over　the　furry　swell　of　his　belly。　Hearing　her；　he　looked　up。　There　was　pain　on　his　face。
　She　didn't　attempt　to　offer　an　excuse　for　being　there；　nor　did　he　request　one。　He　simply　said；　〃Charlie　did　it。〃
　〃You　should　see　a　doctor。〃
　〃I　don't　trust　doctors。　Besides；　it's　getting　better。〃　He　tossed　the　washcloth　into　the　sink。　〃Do　you　make　a　habit　of　walking　into　bathrooms　unannounced？〃　he　said。　〃You　could　have　walked　in　on　something　even　less…〃
　〃Venereal？〃　she　said。
　〃Don't　mock　me；〃　he　replied。　〃I'm　a　crude　seducer；　I　know。　It　es　from　years　of　buying　pany。〃
　〃Would　you　be　more　fortable　buying　me？〃　she　said。
　〃My　God；〃　he　replied；　his　look　appalled。　〃What　do　you　take　me　for？〃
　〃A　lover；〃　she　said　plainly。　〃My　lover？〃
　〃I　wonder　if　you　know　what　you're　saying？〃
　〃What　I　don't　know　I'll　learn；〃　she　said。　〃I've　been　hiding　from　myself；　Oscar。　Putting　everything　out　of　my　head　so　I　wouldn't　feel　anything。　But　I　feel　a　lot。　And　I　want　you　to　know　that。〃
　〃I　know；〃　he　said。　〃More　than　you　can　understand；　I　know。　And　it　makes　me　afraid；　Judith。〃
　〃There's　nothing　to　be　afraid　of；〃　she　said；　astonished　that　it　was　she　who　was　mouthing　these　words　of　reassurance　when　he　was　the　elder　and　presumably　the　stronger；　the　wiser。　She　reached　out　and　put　her　palm　flat　against　his　massive　chest。　He　bent　forward　to　kiss　her；　his　mouth　closed　until　he　met　hers　and　found　it　open。　One　hand　went　around　her　back；　the　other　to　her　breast；　her　murmur　of　pleasure　smeared　between　their　mouths。　His　touch　moved　down；　over　her　stomach；　past　her　groin；　to　hoist　up　her　skirt　and　retrace　its　steps。　His　fingers　found　her　sopping…she'd　been　wet　since　first　stepping　into　the　treasure　room…and　he　slid　his　whole　hand　down　into　the　hot　pouch　of　her　underwear；　pressing　the　heel　of　his　palm　against　the　top　of　her　sex　while　his　long　middle　digit　sought　out　her　fundament；　gently　catching　its　flukes　with　his　nail。
　〃Bed；〃　she　said。
　He　didn't　let　her　go。　They　made　an　ungainly　exit　from　the　bathroom；　with　him　guiding　her　backwards　until　she　felt　the　edge　of　the　bed　behind　her　thighs。　There　she　sat　down；　taking　hold　of　the　waistband　of　his　blood…stained　shorts　and　easing　them　down　while　she　kissed　his　belly。　Suddenly　bashful；　he　reached　to　stop　her；　but　she　pulled　them　down　until　his　penis　appeared。　It　was　a　curiosity。　Only　a　little　engorged；　it　had　been　deprived　of　its　foreskin；　which　made　its　outlandishly　bulbous；　carmine　head　look　even　more　inflamed　than　the　wound　in　its　wielder's　side。　The　stem　was　very　considerably　thinner　and　paler；　its　length　knotted　with　veins　bearing　blood　to　its　crown。　If　it　was　this　disproportion　that　embarrassed　him　he　had　no　need；　and　to　prove　her　pleasure　she　put　her　lips　against　the　head。　His　objecting　hand　was　no　longer　in　evidence。　She　heard　him　make　a　little　moan　above；　and　looked　up　to　see　him　staring　down　at　her　with　somet