cb.imajica1-第36节
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able； playing with a piece of rock。
〃How is he？〃 she wanted to know。
〃Not good；〃 Gentle said。 〃Clem's gone in to look after him。〃
〃Do you want some tea？〃
〃No； thanks。 What I really need's some fresh air。 I think I'll take a walk around the block。〃
There was a fine drizzle falling when he stepped outside； which was wele after the suffocating heat of the sickroom。 He knew the neighborhood scarcely at all； so he decided to stay close to the house； but his distraction soon got the better of that plan and he wandered aimlessly； lost in thought and the maze of streets。 There was a freshness in the wind that made him sigh for escape。 This was no place to solve mysteries。 After the turn of the year everybody would be stepping up to a new round of resolutions and ambitions； plotting their futures like well…oiled farces。 He wanted none of it。
As he began the trek back to the house he remembered that Jude had asked him to pick up milk and cigarettes on his journey； and that he was returning empty…handed。 He turned and went in search of both； which took him longer than he expected。 When he finally rounded the corner； goods in hand； there was an ambulance outside the house。 The front door was open。 Jude stood on the step； watching the drizzle。 She had tears on her face。
〃He's dead；〃 she said。
He stood rooted to the spot a yard from her。 〃When？〃 he said； as if it mattered。
〃Just after you left。〃
He didn't want to weep； not with her watching。 There was too much else he didn't want to stumble over in her presence。 Stony； he said； 〃Where's Clem？〃
〃With him upstairs。 Don't go up。 There's already too many people。〃 She spied the cigarettes in his hand and reached for them。 As her hand grazed his； their grief ran between them。 Despite his intent； tears sprang to his eyes； and he went into her embrace； both of them sobbing freely； like enemies joined by a mon loss or lovers about to be parted。 Or else souls who could not remember whether they were lovers or enemies and were weeping at their own confusion。
16
Since the meeting at which the subject of the Tabula Rasa's library had first been raised； Bloxham had several times planned to perform the duty he'd volunteered himself for and go into the bowels of the tower to check on the security of the collection。 But he'd twice put off the task； telling himself that there were more urgent claims on his time： specifically； the organization of the Society's Great Purge。 He might have postponed a third time had the matter not been raised again； this in a casual aside from Charlotte Feaver； who'd been equally vociferous about the safety of the books at that first gathering and now offered to acpany him on the investigation。 Women baffled Bloxham； and the attraction they exercised over him had always to be set beside the disfort he felt in their pany； but in recent days he'd felt an intensity of sexual need he'd seldom； if ever； experienced before。 Not even in the privacy of his own prayers did he dare confess the reason。 The Purge excited him…it roused his blood and his manhood…and he had no doubt that Charlotte had responded to this heat； even though he'd made no outward show of it。 He promptly accepted her offer； and at her suggestion they agreed to meet at the tower on the last evening of the old year。 He brought a bottle of champagne。
〃We may as well enjoy ourselves；〃 he said； as they headed down through the remains of Roxborough's original house； a floor of which had been preserved and concealed within the plainer walls of the tower。
Neither of them had ventured into this underworld for many years。 It was more primitive than either of them remembered。 Electric Hght had been crudely installed…cables from which bare bulbs hung looped along the passages…but otherwise the place was just as it had been in the first years of the Tabula Rasa。 The cellars had been built for the express purpose of housing the Society's collection； thus for the millennium。 A fan of identical corridors spread from the bottom stairs； lined on both sides with shelves that rose up the brick walls to the curve of the ceilings。 The intersections were elaborately vaulted； but otherwise there was no decoration。
〃Shall we break open the bottle before we start？〃 Bloxham suggested。
〃Why not？ What are we drinking from？〃
His reply was to bring two fluted glasses from his pocket。 She claimed them from him while he opened the bottle； its cork ing with no more than a decorous sigh； the sound of which carried away through the labyrinth and failed to return。 Glasses filled； they drank to the Purge。
〃Now we're here；〃 Charlotte said； pulling her furs up around her； 〃what are we looking for？〃
〃Any sign of tampering or theft；〃 Bloxham said。 〃Shall we split up or go together？〃
〃Oh； together；〃 she replied。
It had been Roxborough's claim that these shelves carried every single volume of any significance in the hemisphere； and as they wandered together； surveying the tens of thousands of manuscripts and books； it was easy to believe the boast。
〃How in hell's name do you suppose they gathered all this stuff up？〃 Charlotte wondered as they walked。
〃I daresay the world was smaller then；〃 Bloxham remarked。 〃They all knew each other； didn't they？ Casanova； Sartori； the te de Saint…Germain。 All fakes and buggers together。〃
〃Fakes？ Do you really think so？〃
〃Most of them；〃 Bloxham said； wallowing in the ill…deserved role of expert。 〃There may have been one or two； I suppose； who knew what they were doing。〃
〃Have you ever been tempted？〃 Charlotte asked him； slipping her arm through the crook of his as they went。
〃To do what？〃
〃To see if any of it's worth a damn。 To try raising a familiar or crossing into the Dominions。〃
He looked at her with genuine astonishment。 〃That's against every precept of the Society；〃 he said。
〃That's not what I asked〃 she replied； almost curtly。 〃I said； Have you ever been tempted？〃
〃My father taught me that any dealings with the Imajica would put my soul in jeopardy。〃
〃Mine said the same。 But I think he regretted not finding out for himself at the end。 I mean； if there's no truth in it； then there's no harm。〃
〃Oh； I believe there's truth in it；〃 Bloxham said。
〃You believe there are other Dominions？〃
〃You saw that damn creature Godolphin cut up in front of us。〃
〃I saw a species I hadn't seen before； that's all。〃 She stopped and arbitrarily plucked a book from the shelves。 〃But I wonder sometimes if the fortress we're guarding isn't empty。〃 She opened the book； and a lock of hair fell from it。 〃Maybe it's all invention；〃 she said。 〃Drug dreams and fancy。〃 She put the book back on the shelf and turned to face Bloxham。 〃Did you really invite me down here to check the security？〃 she murmured。 〃I'm going to be damn disappointed if you did。〃
〃Not entirely；〃 he said。
〃Good；〃 she replied； and wandered on； deeper into the maze。
Though Jude had been invited to a number of New Year's Eve parties； she'd made no firm mitment to attend any of them； for which fact； after the sorrows the day had brought； she was thankful。 She'd offered to stay with Clem once Taylor's body had been taken from the house； but he'd quietly declined； saying that he needed the time alone。 He was forted to know she'd be at the other end of the telephone if he needed her； however； and said he'd call if he got too maudlin。
One of the parties she'd been invited to was at the house opposite her flat； and on the evidence of past years it would raise quite a din。 She'd several times been one of the celebrants there herself； but it was no great hardship to be alone tonight。 She was in no mood to trust the future； if what the New Year brought was more of what the old had offered。
She closed the curtains in the hope that her presence would go undetected； lit some candles； put on a flute concerto； and started to prepare something light for supper。 As she washed her hands； she found that her fingers and palms had taken on a light dusting of color from the stone。 She'd caught herself toying with it several times during the afternoon； and pocketed it； only to find minutes later that it was once again in her hands。 Why the color it had left behind had escaped her until now； she didn't know。 She rubbed her hands briskly beneath the tap to wash the dust off； but when she came to dry them found the color was actually brighter。 She went into the bathroom to study the phenomenon under a more intense light。 It wasn't； as she'd first thought； dust。 The pigment seemed to be in her skin； like a henna stain。 Nor was it confined to her palms。 It had spread to her wrists； where she was sure her flesh hadn't e in contact with the stone。 She took off her blouse and to her shock discovered there were irregular patches of color at her elbows as well。 She started talking to herself； which she always did when she was confounded by something。
〃What the hell is this？ I'm turning blue？ This is ridiculous。〃
Ridiculous； maybe； but none too funny。 There was a crawl of panic in her stomach。 Had she caught some disease from the stone？ Was that why Estabrook had wrapped it up so carefully and hidden it away？
She turned on the shower and stripped。 There were no further stains on her bod
