cb.imajica1-第104节
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tions of Plotter； even； on occasion； Koppocovi's farces； crude as they were。 That the Man of Sorrows should have chosen such a place was certainly strange； but who was she to question His purposes？
〃I hear；〃 she said aloud。
Even before the voice in her had faded； she was making her way through the courtyards to the gate by which she would be delivered most readily into the Deliquium Kespa…rate； where Pluthero Quexos had built his shrine to artifice； soon to be reconsecrated in the name of Truth。
Jude took her hands from the window and opened her eyes。 There had been none of the clarity she'd experienced when asleep in this contact…in truth she was not even certain she'd made it…but there was no time left to try again。 Dowd was calling her； and so were the streets of Yzordderrex； blazing though they were。 She'd seen blood spilt from her place by the window； numerous assaults and beatings； troop charges and retreats； civilians warring in rabid packs； and others marching in brigades； armed and ordered。 In such a chaos of factions she had no way of judging the legitimacy of any cause； nor； in truth； did she much care。 Her mission was seek out her sister in this maelstrom； and hope that she in her turn was seeking out Jude。
Quaisoir would be disappointed； of course； if and when they finally met。 Jude was not the messenger of the Lord she was hurrying to find。 But then lords divine or secular were not the redeemers and salvers of the world legend made them out to be。 They were spoilers； they were destroyers。 The evidence of that was out there； in the very streets Jude was about to tread； and if she could only make Quaisoir share and understand that vision； perhaps the promise of sisterhood would not be so unwele a gift to bring to this meeting； which she could not help but think of as a reunion。
35
Demanding directions as he went； usually from wounded men； Gentle took several hours to get from the hosannas of Lickerish Street to the mystif s Kesparate； during which period the city's decline into chaos quickened； so that he went half expecting that the streets of straight houses and blossom…clad trees would be ashes and rubble by the time he arrived。 But when he finally came to the city…within…a…city he found it untouched by looters or demolishers； either because they knew there was little of worth to them here or… more likely…because the lingering superstition about a people who'd once occupied the Unbeheld's Dominion kept them from doing their worst。
Entering； he went first to the chiancula； prepared to do whatever was necessary…threaten； beg； cajole…in order to be returned into the mystif s pany。 The chiancula and all the adjacent buildings were deserted； however； so he began a systematic search of the streets。 They； like the chiancula； were empty； and as his desperation grew his discretion fled； until he was shouting Pie's name to the empty streets like a midnight drunkard。
Eventually； these tactics earned him a response。 One of the quartet who'd appeared to offer such chilly wele when he'd first e here appeared： the mustached young man。 His robes were not held between his teeth this time； and when he spoke he deigned to do so in English。 But the lethal ribbon still fluttered in his hands； its threat undisguised。
〃You came back；〃 he said。
〃Where's Pie？〃
〃Where's the girl child？〃
〃Dead。 Where's Pie？〃
〃You seem different。〃
〃I am。 Where's Pie？〃
〃Not here。〃 〃Where then？〃
〃The mystif s gone up to the palace；〃 the man replied。 〃Why？〃
〃That was the judgment upon it。〃 〃Just to go？〃 Gentle said； taking a step towards the man。 〃There must have been more to…it than that。〃
Though the silk sword protected the man； Gentle came with a burden of power that beggared his own； and sensing this he answered less obliquely。
〃The judgment was that it kill the Autarch；〃 he said。 〃So it's been sent up there alone？〃 〃No。 It took some of our tribe with it and left a few of us to guard the Kesparate。〃
〃How long ago since they went？〃 〃Not very long。 But you won't get into the palace。 Neither will they。 It's suicide。〃
Gentle didn't linger to argue but headed back towards the entrance； leaving the man to guard the blossoms and the empty streets。 As he approached the gate； however； he saw that two individuals； a man and a woman； had just entered and were looking his way。 Both were naked from the waist up； their throats painted with the blue triple stripe he remembered from the siege at the harbor； marking them as members of the Dearth。 At his approach； both acknowledged him by putting palm to palm and inclining their heads。 The woman was half as big again as her panion； her body a glorious machine； her head…shaved but for a ponytail…set on a neck wider than her cranium and； like her arms and belly； so elaborately muscled the merest twitch was a spectacle。
〃I said he'd be here！〃 she told the world。 〃I don't know what you want；〃 he said； 〃but I can't supply it。〃
〃You are John Furie Zacharias？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Called Gentle？〃
〃Yes。 But…〃
〃Then you have to e。 Please。 Father Athanasius sent us to find you。 We heard what happened on Lickerish Street； and we knew it had to be you。 I'm Nikaetomaas；〃 the woman said。 〃This is Roccus Dado。 We've been waiting for you since Estabrook arrived。〃
〃Estabrook？〃 said Gentle。 There was a man he hadn't given a thought to in many a month。 〃How do you know him？〃
〃We found him in the street。 We thought he was the one。 But he wasn't。 He knew nothing。〃
〃And you think I do？〃 Gentle said； exasperated。 〃Let me tell you； I know fuck…all！ I don't know who you think I am； but I'm not your man。〃
〃That's what Father Athanasius said。 He said you were in ignorance…〃
〃Well； he was right。〃
〃But you married the mystif。〃
〃So what？〃 said Gentle。 〃I love it； and I don't care who knows it。〃
〃We realize that；〃 Nikaetomaas said； as though nothing could have been plainer。 〃That's how we tracked you。〃
〃We knew it would e here；〃 Floccus said。 〃And wherever it had gone； you would be。〃
〃It isn't here；〃 Gentle said。 〃It's up in the palace。〃
〃In the palace？〃 said Nikaetomaas； turning her gaze up towards the lowering walls。 〃And you intend to follow it？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Then I'll e with you；〃 she said。 〃Mr。 Dado； go back to Athanasius。 Tell him who we've found and where we've gone。〃
〃I don't want pany；〃 Gentle said。 〃1 don't even trust myself。〃
〃How will you get into the palace without someone at your side？〃 Nikaetomaas said。 〃I know the gates。 I know the courtyards。〃
Gentle turned the options over in his head。 Part of him wanted to go as a rogue； carrying the chaos he'd brought to Lickerish Street as his emblem。 But his ignorance of palace geography could indeed slow him； and minutes might make the difference between finding the mystif alive or dead。 He nodded his consent； and the parties divided at the gate： Floccus Dado back to Father Athanasius； Gentle and Nikaetomaas up towards the Autarch's fortress。
The only subject he broached as they traveled was that of Estabrook。 How was he； Gentle asked： still crazy？
〃He was almost dead when we found him；〃 Nikaetomaas said。 〃His brother left him here for dead。 But we took him to our tents on the Erasure； and we healed him there。 Or； more properly； his being there healed him。〃
〃You did all this； thinking he was me？〃
〃We knew that somebody was going to e from the Fifth to begin the Reconciliation again。 And of course we knew it had to be soon。 We just didn't know what he looked like。〃
〃Well； I'm sorry to disappoint you； but that's twice you've got it wrong。 I'm no more your man than Estabrook。〃
〃Why did you e here； then？〃 she said。
That was an inquiry that deserved a serious reply； if not for her sake； then for his own。
〃There were questions I wanted answered； that I couldn't answer on earth；〃 he said。 〃A friend of mine died； very young。 A woman I knew was almost murdered…〃
〃Judith。〃
〃Yes； Judith。〃
〃We've talked about her a great deal；〃 Nikaetomaas said。 〃Estabrook was obsessed with her。〃
〃Is he still？〃
〃I haven't spoken to him for a long time。 But you know he was trying to bring her to Yzordderrex when his brother intervened。〃
〃Did she e？〃
〃Apparently not；〃 Nikaetomaas said。 〃But Athanasius believes she will eventually。 He says she's part of the story of the Reconciliation。〃
〃How does he work that out？〃
〃From Estabrook's obsession with her； I suppose。 The way he talked about her； it was though she was something holy； and Athanasius loves holy women。〃
〃Let me tell you； I know Judith very well； and she's no Virgin。〃
〃There are other kinds of sanctity among our sex；〃 Nikaetomaas replied； a little testily。
〃I'm sorry。 I didn't mean any offense。 But if there's one thing Jude's always hated it's being put on a pedestal。〃
〃Then maybe it's not the idol we should be studying； but the worshiper。 Athanasius says obsession is fire to our fortress。〃
〃What does that mean？〃
〃That we have to burn down the walls around us； but it takes a very bright flame to do so。〃
〃An obsession； in other words。〃
〃That's one such flame； yes。〃
〃Why would we want to burn down these walls in the first place？ Don't they protect us？〃
〃Because if we don't； we die insid
