cb.imajica1-第61节

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　and　not　make　a　mark　on　its　hideless　back。
　He　heard　Pie　calling　behind　him　now：　〃Where　the　hell　are　you？〃
　The　mystif　was　following　him　into　the　shadows；　he　saw。
　〃Don't　e　any　further；〃　he　told　it。
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃I　may　need　a　marker　to　find　my　way　back。〃
　〃Just　turn　around。〃
　〃Not　till　I　find　her；〃　Gentle　said；　forging　on　with　his　arms　outstretched。
　The　floor　was　slick　beneath　him；　and　he　had　to　proceed　with　extreme　caution。　But　without　the　woman　to　guide　them　through　the　mountain；　this　maze　might　prove　as　fatal　as　the　snows　they'd　escaped。　He　had　to　find　her。
　〃Can　you　still　hear　me？〃　he　called　back　to　Pie。
　The　voice　that　told　him　yes　was　as　faint　as　a　long…distance　call　on　a　failing　line。
　〃Keep　talking；〃　he　yelled。
　〃What　do　you　want　me　to　say？〃
　〃Anything。　Sing　a　song。〃
　〃I'm　tone　deaf。〃
　〃Talk　about　food；　then。〃
　〃All　right；〃　said　Pie；　〃I　already　told　you　about　the　ugi…chee　and　the　bellyful　of　eggs…〃
　〃It's　the　foulest　thing　I　ever　heard；〃　Gentle　replied。
　〃You'll　like　it　once　you　taste　it。〃
　〃As　the　actress　said　to　the　bishop。〃
　He　heard　Pie's　muted　laughter　e　his　way。　Then　the　mystif　said；　〃You　hated　me　almost　as　much　as　you　hated　fish；　remember？　And　I　converted　you。〃
　〃I　never　hated　you。〃
　〃In　New　York　you　did。〃
　〃Not　even　then。　I　was　just　confused。　I'd　never　slept　with　a　mystif　before。〃
　〃How　did　you　like　it？〃
　〃It's　better　than　fish　but　not　as　good　as　chocolate。〃
　〃What　did　you　say？〃
　〃I　said…〃
　〃Gentle？　I　can　hardly　hear　you。〃
　〃I'm　still　here！〃　he　replied；　shouting　now。　〃I'd　like　to　do　it　again　sometime；　Pie。〃
　〃Do　what？〃
　〃Sleep　with　you。〃
　〃I'll　have　to　think　about　it。〃
　〃What　do　you　want；　a　proposal　of　marriage？〃
　〃That　might　do　it。〃
　〃All　right！〃　Gentle　called　back。　〃So　marry　me！〃
　There　was　silence　behind　him。　He　stopped　and　turned。　Pie's　form　was　a　blurred　shadow　against　the　distant　light　of　the　sanctum。
　〃Did　you　hear　me？〃　he　yelled。
　〃I'm　thinking　it　over。〃
　Gentle　laughed；　despite　the　darkness　and　the　unease　it　had　wrung　from　him。　〃You　can't　take　forever；　Pie；〃　he　hollered。　〃I　need　an　answer　in…〃　He　stopped　as　his　outstretched　fingers　made　contact　with　something　frozen　and　solid。　〃Oh；　shit〃
　〃What's　wrong？〃
　〃It's　a　fucking　dead　end！〃　he　said；　stepping　right　up　to　the　surface　he'd　encountered　and　running　his　palms　over　the　ice。　〃Just　a　blank　wall。〃
　But　that　wasn't　the　whole　story。　The　suspicion　he'd　had　that　this　was　nebulous　territory　was　stronger　than　ever。　There　was　something　on　the　other　side　of　this　wall；　if　he　could　only　reach　it。
　〃Make　your　way　back；〃　he　heard　Pie　entreating。
　〃Not　yet；〃　he　said　to　himself；　knowing　the　words　wouldn't　reach　the　mystif。　He　raised　his　hand　to　his　mouth　and　snatched　an　expelled　breath；
　〃Did　you　hear　me；　Gentle？〃　Pie　called。
　Without　replying　he　slammed　the　pneuma　against　the　wall；　a　technique　his　palm　was　now　expert　in。　The　sound　of　the　blow　was　swallowed　by　the　murk；　but　the　force　he　unleashed　shook　a　freezing　hail　down　from　the　roof。　He　didn't　wait　for　the　reverberations　to　settle　but　delivered　a　second　blow；　and　a　third；　each　impact　opening　further　the　wounds　in　his　hand；　adding　blood　to　the　violence　of　his　blows。　Perhaps　it　fueled　them。　If　his　breath　and　spittle　did　such　service；　what　power　might　his　blood　contain；　or　his　semen？
　As　he　stopped　to　draw　a　fresh　lungful；　he　heard　the　mystif　yelling；　and　turned　to　see　it　moving　towards　him　across　a　gulf　of　frantic　shadow。　It　wasn't　just　the　wall　and　the　roof　above　that　was　shaken　by　his　assault：　the　very　air　was　in　a　furor；　shaking　Pie's　silhouette　into　fragments。　As　his　eyes　fought　to　fix　the　image；　a　vast　spear　of　ice　divided　the　space　between　them；　hitting　the　ground　and　shattering。　He　had　time　to　raise　his　arms　over　his　face　before　the　shards　struck　him；　but　their　impact　threw　him　back　against　the　wall。
　〃You'll　bring　the　whole　place　down！〃　he　heard　Pie　yell　as　new　spears　fell。
　〃It's　too　late　to　change　our　minds！〃　Gentle　replied。　〃Move；　Pie！''
　Light…footed；　even　on　this　lethal　ground；　the　mystif　dodged　through　the　ice　towards　Gentle's　voice。　Before　it　was　even　at　his　side；　he　turned　to　attack　the　wall　afresh；　knowing　that　if　it　didn't　capitulate　very　soon　they'd　be　buried　where　they　stood。　Snatching　another　breath　from　his　lips　he　delivered　it　against　the　wall；　and　this　time　the　shadows　failed　to　swallow　the　sound。　It　rang　out　like　a　thunderous　bell。　The　shock　wave　would　have　pitched　him　to　the　floor　had　the　mystif　s　arms　not　been　there　to　catch　him。　〃This　is　a　passing　place！〃　it　yelled
　〃What　does　that　mean？〃
　〃Two　breaths　this　time；〃　was　its　reply。　〃Mine　as　well　as　yours；　in　one　hand。　Do　you　understand　me？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　He　couldn't　see　the　mystif；　but　he　felt　it　raise　his　hand　to
　its　mouth。
　〃On　a　count　of　three；〃　Pie　said。　〃One。〃
　Gentle　drew　a　breathful　of　furious　air。
　〃Two。〃
　He　drew　again；　deeper　still。
　〃Three！〃
　And　he　expelled　it；　mingled　with　Pie's；　into　his　hand。　Human　flesh　wasn't　designed　to　govern　such　force。　Had　Pie　not　been　beside　him　to　brace　his　shoulder　and　wrist；　the　power　would　have　erupted　from　his　palm　and　taken　his　hand　with　it。　But　they　flung　themselves　forward　in　unison；　and　he　opened　his　hand　the　instant　before　it　struck　the　wall。　The　roar　from　above　redoubled；　but　it　was　drowned　out　moments　later　by　the　havoc　they'd　wrought　ahead　of　them。　Had　there　been　room　to　retreat　they'd　have　done　so；　but　the　roof　was　pitching　down　a　fusillade　of　stalactites；　and　all　they　could　do　was　shield　their　bare　heads　and　stand　their　ground　as　the　wall　stoned　them　for　their　crime；　knocking　them　to　their　knees　as　it　split　and　fell。　The　motion　went　on　for　what　seemed　like　minutes；　the　ground　shuddering　so　violently　they　were　thrown　down　yet　again；　this　time　to　their　faces。　Then；　by　degrees；　the　convulsions　slowed。　The　hail　of　stone　and　ice　became　a　drizzle；　and　stopped；　and　a　miraculous　gust　brought　warm　wind　to　their　faces。
　They　looked　up。　The　air　was　murky；　but　light　was　catching　glints　off　the　daggers　they　lay　on；　and　its　source　was　somewhere…up　ahead。　The　mystif　was　first　to　its　feet；　hauling　Gentle　up　beside　it。
　〃A　passing　place；〃　it　said　again。
　It　put　its　arm　around　Gentle's　shoulders；　and　together　they　stumbled　towards　the　warmth　that　had　roused　them。　Though　the　gloom　was　still　deep；　they　could　make　out　the　vague　presence　of　the　wall。　For　all　the　scale　of　the　upheaval；　the　fissure　they'd　made　was　scarcely　more　than　a　man's　height。　On　the　other　side　it　was　foggy；　but　each　step　took　them　closer　to　the　light。　As　they　went；　their　feet　sinking　into　a　soft　sand　that　was　the　color　of　the　fog；　they　heard　the　ice　bells　again　and　looked　back；　expecting　to　see　the　women　following。　But　the　fog　already　obscured　the　fissure　and　the　sanctum　beyond；　and　when　the　bells　stopped；　as　they　did　moments　later；　they　lost　all　sense　of　its　direction。
　〃We've　e　out　into　the　Third　Dominion；〃　Pie　said。
　〃No　more　mountains？　No　more　snow？〃
　〃Not　unless　you　want　to　find〃　your　way　back　to　thank　them。〃
　Gentle　peered　ahead　into　the　fog。　〃Is　this　the　only　way　out　of　the　Fourth？〃
　〃Lord；　no；〃　said　Pie。　〃If　we'd　gone　the　scenic　route　we'd　have　had　the　choice　of　a　hundred　places　to　cross。　But　this　must　have　been　their　secret　way；　before　the　ice　sealed　it　up。〃
　The　light　showed　Gentle　the　mystif　s　face　now；　and　it　bore　a　wide　smile。
　〃You　did　fine　work；〃　Pie　said。　〃I　thought　you'd　gone　crazy。〃
　〃I　think　I　did；　a　little；〃　Gentle　replied。　〃I　must　have　a　destructive　streak。　Hapexamendios　would　be　proud　of　me。〃　He　halted　to　give　his　body　a　moment's　rest。　〃I　hope　there's　more　than　fog　in　the　Third。〃
　〃Oh；　believe　me；　there　is。　It's　the　Dominion　I've　longed　to　see　more　than　any　other；　while　I've　been　in　the　Fifth。　It's　full　of　light　and　fertility。　We'll　rest；　and　we'll　feed；　and　we'll　get　strong　again。　Maybe　go　to　L'Himby　and　see　my　friend　Scopique。　We　deserve　to　indulge　ourselves　for　a　few　days　before　we　head　for　the　Second　and　join　the　Lenten　Way。〃
　〃Will　that　take　us　to　Yzordderrex？〃
　〃Indeed　it　will；〃　Pie　said；　coaxing　Gentle　into　motion　again。　〃The　Lenten　Way's　the　longest　road　in　the　Tmajica；　It　must　be　the　length　of　the　Americas；　and　more。〃
　〃A　map！〃　said　Gentle。　〃I　must　start　making　that　map。〃
　The　fog　was　beginning　to　thin；　and　with　the　growing　light　came　plants：　the　first　greenery　they'd　seen　since　the　foothills　of　the　Jokalaylau。　They　picked　up　their　pace　as　the　vegetation　became　lusher　and　scented；　calling　them　on　to　the　sun。
　〃Remember；　Gentle；〃　Pie　said；　when　they'd　gone　a　little　way；　〃I　accepted。〃
　〃Accepted　what？〃　Gentle　asked。
　The　fog　was　wispy　now；　they　could　see　a　warm　new　world　awaiting　them。
　〃You　proposed；　my　friend；　don't　you　remember？〃
　〃I　didn't　hear　you　accept。〃
　〃But　I　did；〃　the　mystif　replied；　as　the　verdant　landscape　was　unveiled　before　them。　〃If　we　do　nothing　else　in　this　Dominion；　we　should　at　the　very　least　get　married！〃
　
　
　24
　
　England　saw　an　early　spring　that　year；　with　the　days　being　balmy　at　the　end　of　February　and；　by　the　middle　of　March；　warm　enough　to　have　coaxed　April　and　May　flowers　forth。　The　pundits　were　opining　that　if　no　further　frosts　came　along　to　kill　the　blooms　and　chill　the　chicks　in　their　nests；　there　would　be　a　surge　of　new　l