cb.imajica1-第97节
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〃He's sent an angel；〃 she said to the creature at her side。 〃Concupiscentia 。 。 。 He's sent an angel to summon me。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃Yes。 For certain。 This is a sign。 I'm going to be forgiven。〃
A sound at the door drew the woman's attention。 A man in uniform； his face lit only by the cigarette he drew upon； stood watching。
〃Get out；〃 the woman said。
〃I came only to see that you were fortable； Ma'am Quaisoir。〃
〃I said get out； Seidux。〃
〃If you should require anything…〃
Quaisoir got up suddenly and pitched herself through the veils in Seidux's direction。 The suddenness of this assault took Jude by surprise； as it did its target。 Though Quaisoir was a head shorter than her captor； she had no fear of him。 She slapped the cigarette from his lips。
〃I don't want you watching me；〃 she said。 〃Get out。 Hear me？ Or shall I scream rape？〃
She began to tear at her already ragged clothes； exposing her breasts。 Seidux retreated in confusion； averting his eyes。
〃As you wish！〃 he said； heading out of the chamber。 〃As you wish！〃
Quaisoir slammed the door on him and turned her attention back to the haunted room。
〃Where are you； spirit？〃 she said； moving back through the veils。 〃Gone？ No； not gone。〃 She turned to Concupiscentia。 〃Do you feel its presence？〃 The creature seemed too frightened to speak。 〃I feel nothing；〃 Quaisoir said； now standing still amid the shifting veils。 〃Damn Seidux！ The spirit's been driven out！〃
Without the means to contradict this； all Jude could do was wait beside the bed and hope that the effect of Seidux's interruption…which had seemingly blinded them to her presence…would wear off now that he'd been exiled from the chamber。 She remembered as she waited how Clara had talked about men's power to destroy。 Had she just witnessed an example of that； Seidux's mere presence enough to poison the contact between a dreaming spirit and a waking one？ If so； he'd done it all unknowing： innocent of his power； but no more forgivable for that。 How many times in any day did he and the rest of his kind…hadn't Clara said they were another species？…spoil and mutilate in their unwitting way； Jude wondered； preventing the union of subtler natures？
Quaisoir sank back down on the bed； giving Jude time to ponder the mystery her face represented。 She hadn't doubted from the moment she'd entered this chamber that she was traveling here much as she'd first traveled to the tower； using the freedom of a dream state to move invisibly through the real world。 That she no longer needed the blue eye to facilitate such movement was a puzzle for another time。 What concerned her now was to find out how this woman came to have her face。 Was this Dominion somehow a mirror of the world she'd left？ And if not…if she was the only woman in the Fifth to have a perfect twin…what did that echo signify？
The wind was beginning to abate； and Quaisoir dispatched her servant to the window to remove the shutters。 There was still a red dust hanging in the atmosphere； but； moving to the sill beside the creature； Jude was presented with a vista that； had she possessed breath in this state； would have taken it away。 They were perched high above the city； in one of the towers she'd briefly glimpsed as she'd gone around the Peccable house with Hoi…Polloi； bolting and shuttering。 It was not simply Yzordderrex that lay before her； but signs of the city's undoing。 Fires were raging in a dozen places beyond the palace walls； and within those walls the Autarch's troops were mustering in the courtyards。 Turning her dream gaze back towards Quaisoir； Jude saw for the first time the sumptuousness of the chamber in which she'd found the woman。 The walls were tapestries； and there was no stick of furniture that did not pete in its gilding； If this was a prison； then it was fit for royalty。
Quaisoir now came to the window and looked out at the panorama of fires。
〃I have to find Him；〃 she said。 〃He sent an angel to bring me to Him； and Seidux drove the angel out。 So I'll have to go to Him myself。 Tonight。 。 。〃
Jude listened； but distractedly； her mind more occupied by the opulence of the chamber and what it revealed about her twin。 It seemed she shared a face with a woman of some significance； a possessor of power； now dispossessed； and planning to break the bonds set upon her。 Romance seemed to be her reason。 There was a man in the city below with whom she desperately wanted to be reunited； a lover who sent angels to whisper sweet nothings in her ear。 What kind of man？ she wondered。 A Maestro； perhaps； a wielder of magic？
Having studied the city for a time； Quaisoir left the window and went through to her dressing room。
〃I mustn't go to Him like this；〃 she said； starting to undress。 〃That would be shameful。〃
The woman caught sight of herself in one of the mirrors and sat down in front of it； peering at her reflection with distaste。 Her tears had made mud of the kohl around her eyes； and her cheeks and neck were blotchy。 She took a piece of linen from the dressing table； sprinkled some fragrant oil upon it； and began to roughly clean her face。
〃I'll go to Him naked；〃 she said； smiling in anticipation of that pleasure。 〃He'll prefer rne that way。〃
This mystery lover intrigued Jude more and more。 Hearing her own voice musky with talk of nakedness； she was tantalized。 Would it not be a fine thing to see the consummation？ The idea of watching herself couple with some Yzordderrexian Maestro had not been among the wonderments she'd anticipated discovering in this city； but the notion carried an erotic frisson she could not deny herself。 She studied the reflection of her reflection。 Though there were a few cosmetic differences； the essentials were hers； to the last nick and mole。 This was no approximation of her face； but the thing exactly； which fact strangely excited her。 She had to find a way to speak with this woman tonight。 Even if their twinning was simply a freak of nature； they would surely be able to illuminate each other's lives with an exchange of histories。 All she needed was a clue from her doppelganger as to where in the city she intended to go looking for her Maestro lover。
With her face cleansed； Quaisoir got up from in front of the mirror and went back into the bedroom。 Concupis…centia was sitting by the window。 Quaisoir waited until she was within inches of her servant before she spoke； and even then her words were barely audible。
〃We'll need a knife；〃 she said。
The creature shook her head。 〃They tookat em all；〃 she said。 〃You seem how ey lookat and iookat。〃
〃Then we must make one；〃 Quaisoir replied。 〃Seidux will try to oppose our leaving。〃
〃You wishat to kill em？〃
〃Yes； I do。〃
This talk chilled Jude。 Though Seidux had retreated before Quaisoir when she'd threatened to cry rape； Jude doubted that he'd be so passive if challenged physically。 Indeed； what more perfect excuse would he need to regain his dominance than her ing at him with a knife？ If she'd had the means； she would have been Clara's mouthpiece now and echoed her sentiments on man the desola…tor； in the hope of keeping Quaisoir from harm。 It would be an unbearable irony to lose this woman now； having found her way （surely not by accident； though at present it seemed so） across half the Imajica into her very chamber。
〃I cet shapas te knife；〃 Concupiscentia was saying。
〃Then do it；〃 Quaisoir replied； leaning still closer to her fellow conspirator。
Jude missed the next exchange； because somebody called her name。 Startled； she looked around the room； but before she'd half scanned it she recognized the voice。 It was Hoi…Polloi； and she was rousing the sleeper after the storm。
〃Papa's here！〃 Jude heard her say。 〃Wake up； Papa's here！〃
There was no time to bid farewell to the scene。 It was there in front of her one moment； and replaced the next with the face of Peccable's daughter； leaning to shake her awake。
〃Papa…〃 she said again。
〃Yes； all right；〃 Jude said brusquely； hoping the girl would leave without further exchanges ing between her and the sights sleep had brought。 She knew she had scant moments to drag the dream into wakefuiness with her； or it would subside and the details bee hazy the deeper it sank。
She was in luck。 Hoi…Polloi hurried back down to her father's side； leaving Jude to recite aloud all she'd seen and heard。 Quaisoir and her servant Concupiscentia； Seidux and the plot against him。 And the lover； of course。 She shouldn't forget the lover； who was presumably somewhere in the city even now； pining for his mistress who was locked up in her gilded prison。 With these facts fixed in her head； she ventured first to the bathroom； then down to meet Peccable。
Well dressed and better fed； Peccable had a face upon which his present ire sat badly。 He looked slightly absurd in his fury； his features too round and his mouth too small for the rhetoric they were producing。 Introductions were made； but there was no time for pleasantries。 Peccable's fury needed venting； and he seemed not to care much who his audience was； as long as they sympathized。 He had reason for fury。 His warehouse near the harbor had been burned to the ground； and he himself had only narrowly escaped death at the hands of a mob that had already ta
