cb.damnationgame-第36节

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　ugly　scars　raking　palm　and　face；　a　thumb　that　would　no　longer　move　properly：　his　facility　with　the　cards　was　permanently　spoiled。　It　was　a　long　and　sorry　tale　he'd　told　Breer　the　day　he'd　returned；　bloodied；　from　his　encounter　with　the　dogs。　A　history　of　promises　broken　and　trust　despised；　of　atrocities　mitted　against　friendship。　The　European　had　wept　freely　in　the　telling　of　it；　and　Breer　had　glimpsed　the　profundity　of　pain　in　him。　They　were　both　despised　men；　conspired　against　and　spat　upon。　Remembering　the　European's　confessional；　the　sense　of　injustice　Breer　had　felt　at　the　time　was　reawoken。　And　here　was　he；　who　owed　the　European　so　much…his　life；　his　sanity…planning　to　turn　his　back　on　his　Savior。　The　Razor…Eater　felt　ashamed。
　　〃Please；〃　he　said；　eager　to　make　amends　for　his　petty　plaints；　〃let　me　go　and　kill　this　man　for　you。〃　〃No；　Anthony。〃　〃I　can；〃　Breer　insisted。　〃I'm　not　afraid　of　dogs。　I　feel　no　pain；　not　now；　not　since　you　came　back。　I　can　kill　him　in　his　bed。〃　〃I'm　sure　you　could。　And　I　will　certainly　need　you；　to　keep　the　dogs　off　me。〃　〃I'll　tear　them　apart。〃　Mamoulian　looked　deeply　pleased。
　　〃You　do　that；　Anthony。　I　loathe　the　species。　Always　have。　You　deal　with　them　while　I　have　words　with　Joseph。〃　〃Why　bother　with　him？　He's　so　old。〃　〃So　am　I；〃　Mamoulian　replied。　〃Older　than　I　look；　believe　me。　But　a　bargain　is　a　bargain。〃　〃It's　difficult；〃　said　Breer；　his　eyes　wet　with　phlegmy　tears。
　　〃What　is？〃　〃Being　the　Last。〃　〃Oh；　yes。〃　〃Needing　to　do　everything　properly；　so　that　the　tribe's　remembered　。　。　。〃　Breer's　voice　broke。　All　the　glories　he'd　missed；　not　being　born　into　a　Great　Age。　What　must　that　dream　time　have　been　like；　when　the　Razor…Eaters　and　the　Europeans；　and　all　the　other　tribes；　held　the　world　in　their　hands？　There　would　never　e　such　an　Age　again；　Mamoulian　had　said　so。
　　〃You　won't　be　forgotten；〃　the　European　promised。
　　〃I　think　I　will。〃　The　European　stood　up。　He　seemed　bigger　than　Breer　remembered　him；　and　darker。
　　〃Have　a　little　faith；　Anthony。　There　is　so　much　to　look　forward　to。〃　Breer　felt　a　touch　at　the　back　of　his　neck。　It　seemed　a　moth　had　alighted　there　and　was　stroking　his　nape　with　its　furred　antennae。　His　head　had　begun　to　buzz；　as　though　the　flies　that　beset　him　had　laid　eggs　in　his　ears；　and　they　were　suddenly　hatching。　He　shook　his　head　to　try　to　dislocate　the　sensation。
　　〃It's　all　right；〃　he　heard　the　European　say　through　the　whirring　of　their　wings。　〃Be　calm。〃　〃I　don't　feel　well；〃　Breer　protested　meekly；　hoping　his　weakness　would　make　Mamoulian　merciful。　The　room　was　fragmenting　around　him；　the　walls　separating　from　the　floor　and　ceiling；　the　six　sides　of　this　gray　box　ing　apart　at　the　seams　and　letting　all　kinds　of　nothingness　in。　Everything　had　disappeared　into　a　fog：　furniture；　blankets；　even　Mamoulian。
　　〃There's　so　much　to　look　forward　to；〃　he　heard　the　European　repeat；　or　was　it　an　echo；　ing　back　to　him　from　some　far…off　cliff　face？　Breer　was　terrified。　Though　he　could　no　longer　even　see　his　outstretched　arm；　he　knew　that　this　place　went　on　forever　and　he　was　lost　in　it。　The　tears　came　thicker。　His　nose　ran；　his　guts　knotted。
　　Just　as　he　thought　he　must　scream　or　lose　his　mind；　the　European　appeared　out　of　the　nothingness　in　front　of　him；　and　by　the　lightning　flash　of　his　eclipsed　consciousness　Breer　saw　the　man　transformed。　Here　was　the　source　of　all　flies；　all　blistering　summers　and　killing　winters；　all　loss；　all　fear；　floating　before　him　more　naked　than　any　man　had　right　to　be；　naked　to　the　point　of　not…being。　Now　he　spread　his　good　hand　toward　Breer。　In　it　were　bone　dice；　carved　with　faces　Breer　almost　recognized；　and　the　Last　European　was　crouching；　and　was　tossing　the　dice；　faces　and　all；　into　the　void；　while　somewhere　close　by　a　thing　with　fire　for　a　head　wept　and　wept　until　it　seemed　they　would　all　drown　in　tears。
　　
　　35
　　Whitehead　took　the　vodka　glass；　and　the　bottle；　and　went　down　to　the　sauna。　It　had　bee　a　favorite　retreat　of　his　during　the　weeks　of　Crisis。　Now；　though　the　danger　was　far　from　over；　he　had　lost　focus　on　the　state　of　the　Empire。　Large　sectors　of　the　corporation's　European　and　Far　Eastern　operations　had　already　been　sold　off　to　cut　their　losses；　receivers　had　been　called　in　to　a　couple　of　smaller　firms；　there　were　mass　redundancies　planned　for　some　of　the　chemical　plants　in　Germany　and　Scandinavia：　last…ditch　attempts　to　stave　off　closure　or　sale。　Joe　had　other　problems　on　his　mind；　however。　Empires　could　be　regained；　life　and　sanity　could　not。　He'd　sent　the　financiers　away；　and　the　government　think…tank　men：　sent　them　back　to　their　banks　and　their　report…lined　offices　in　Whitehall。　There　was　nothing　they　could　tell　him　that　he　wanted　to　hear。　No　graphs；　no　puter　displays；　no　predictions　interested　him。　In　the　five　weeks　since　the　beginning　of　the　Crisis　he　remembered　with　interest　only　one　conversation：　the　debate　he'd　had　with　Strauss。
　　He　liked　Strauss。　More　to　the　point；　he　trusted　Strauss；　and　that　was　a　modity　rarer　than　uranium　in　the　bazaar　Joe　bartered　in。　Toy's　instinct　about　Strauss　had　been　correct；　Bill　had　been　a　man　with　a　nose　for　integrity　in　others。　Sometimes；　particularly　when　the　vodka　filled　him　with　sentiment　and　remorse；　he　missed　Toy　badly。　But　he　was　damned　if　he'd　mourn：　that　had　never　been　his　style；　and　he　wasn't　about　to　start　now。　He　poured　himself　another　glass　of　vodka　and　raised　it。
　　〃To　the　Fall；〃　he　said；　and　drank。
　　He'd　worked　up　a　good　head　of　steam　in　the　white…tiled　room；　and　sitting　on　the　bench　in　the　half…light；　blotched　and　florid；　he　felt　like　some　fleshy　plant。　He　enjoyed　the　sensation　of　sweat　in　the　folds　of　his　belly；　at　his　armpits　and　groin；　simple　physical　stimuli　that　distracted　him　from　bad　thoughts。
　　Maybe　the　European　wouldn't　e　after　all；　he　thought。　Pray　God。
　　Somewhere　in　the　benighted　house　a　door　opened　and　closed；　but　the　drink　and　the　steam　made　him　feel　quite　aloof　from　events　elsewhere。　The　sauna　was　another　planet；　his；　and　his　alone。　He　put　the　drained　glass　down　on　the　tiles　and　closed　his　eyes；　hoping　to　drowse。
　　
　　Breer　went　to　the　gate。　There　was　a　hum　of　electricity　off　it；　and　the　sour　smell　of　power　in　the　air。
　　〃You're　strong；〃　the　European　said。　〃You　told　me　so。　Open　the　gate。〃　Breer　put　his　hand　on　the　wire。　The　boasts　were　true：　he　felt　only　the　slightest　tremor。　There　was　just　a　cooking　smell　and　the　sound　of　his　teeth　chattering　as　he　started　to　tear　the　gate　apart。　He　was　stronger　than　he'd　imagined。　There　was　no　fear　in　him；　and　its　absence　made　him　Herculean。　Now　the　dogs　had　started　to　bark　along　the　fence；　but　he　just　thought：　let　them　e。　He　wasn't　going　to　die。　Perhaps　he　would　never　die。
　　Laughing　like　a　loon；　he　ripped　the　gate　open；　the　hum　stopped　as　the　circuit　was　broken。　The　air　was　tinged　with　blue　smoke。
　　〃That's　good；〃　said　the　European。
　　Breer　tried　to　drop　the　section　of　wire　he　was　holding；　but　some　of　it　had　welded　itself　into　his　palm。　He　had　to　tear　it　out　with　his　other　hand。　He　looked　down　incredulously　at　his　seared　flesh。　It　was　blackened；　and　smelled　appetizing。　Soon；　surely；　it　must　begin　to　hurt　a　little。　No　man…not　even　a　man　like　him；　guiltless　and　sublimely　strong…could　receive　a　wound　like　this　and　not　suffer。　But　there　was　no　sensation。
　　Suddenly…out　of　the　dark…a　dog。
　　Mamoulian　backed　off；　fear　convulsing　him；　but　Breer　was　its　intended　victim。　A　few　paces　from　its　target　the　dog　leaped；　and　its　bulk　struck　Breer　center　chest。　The　impact　toppled　him　over　onto　his　back；　and　the　dog　was　swiftly　on　top　of　him；　jaws　snapping　at　his　throat。　Breer　was　armed　with　a　long…bladed　kitchen　knife；　but　he　seemed　uninterested　in　the　weapon；　though　it　was　within　easy　reach。　His　fat　face　broke　into　a　laugh　as　the　dog　scrabbled　to　get　access　to　the　man's　neck。　Breer　simply　took　hold　of　the　dog's　lower　jaw。　The　animal　snapped　down；　clamping　Breer's　hand　in　its　mouth。　Almost　immediately　it　realized　its　error。　Breer　reached　around　the　back　of　the　dog's　head　with　his　free　hand；　grabbed　a　fistful　of　fur　and　muscle；　and　jerked　neck　and　head　in　opposite　directions。　There　was　a　grinding　sound。　The　dog　roared　in　its　throat；　still　unwilling　to　let　go　of　its　executioner's　hand；　even　as　blood　sprang　from　between　its　clenched　teeth。　Breer　gave　the　dog　another　lethal　wrench。　Its　eyes　showed　white　and　its　limbs　stiffened。　It　slumped　down　onto　Breer's　chest；　dead。
　　Other　dogs　barked　in　the　distance；　responding　to　the　death…yelp　they'd　heard。　The　European　looked　nervously　to　right　and　left　along　the　fence。
　　〃Get　up！　Quickly！〃　Breer　loosed　his　hand　from　the　dog's　maw　and　shrugged　the　corpse　off。　He　was　still　laughing。
　　〃Easy；〃　he　said。
　　〃There's　more。〃　〃Take　me　to　them。〃　〃Maybe　too　many　for　you　to　take　on　all　at　once。〃　〃Was　this　the　one？〃　Breer　asked；　kicking　the　dead　dog　over　so　that　the　European　could　see　it　better。
　　〃The　one？〃　〃That　took　off　your　fingers？〃　〃I　don't　know；〃　the　European　replied；　avoiding　Breer's　blood…spattered　face　as　it　grinned　at　him；　eyes　sparkling　like　an　adolescent's　in　love。
　　〃The　kennels？〃　he　suggested。　〃Finish　them　off　there。〃　〃Why　not？〃　The　European　led　off　from　the　fence　in　the　direction　of　the　kennels。　Thanks　to　Carys；　the　layout　of　the　Sa