pzb.lostsouls-第54节
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ed feet below。 Later the man found out that several suicides had occurred from that spot。 Considering the state he and Steve were in after driving all night； if they saw a large expanse of water； they might be tempted to take a swim。
They crossed the square and were soon deep in the Quarter again。 The side street they were on did not look as well travelled as some of the others。 The long shutters on either side of the doorway stoops hung crooked； their bright paint fading； and some of the cobblestones in the sidewalk were smashed to pieces。 Steve's pace slowed as they passed a dark little bar； and he stared in longingly at the rows of bottles reflected in the mirror。 〃So what do we do now？〃 he asked Ghost。 〃You think they're here yet？〃
Ghost closed his eyes and tried to send his mind out； tried to find something familiar； something young and lonely； something green…eyed and frightening。 At last he opened his eyes and shook his head。 〃I can't tell。 There's too much magic here。 This place is too haunted。 I can't separate it all。〃
Steve clawed at his hair。 〃Well fuck it； then！ Let's just go back to that bar！ Jesus； I thought you'd know what to do once we got here。〃
〃Calm down；〃 said Ghost。 〃I'm working on it。 First we need a place to stay； I guess。〃 Steve shrugged。 Okay； thought Ghost； if that's how it is； then that's how it is。 Steve's tired and disgusted； I don't blame him。 And maybe when we find Ann； she'll tell us to fuck off。 But I'm not giving up yet。 〃e on；〃 he said。 〃We'll ask around for a cheap place。 Then maybe we can get a drink and decide what we're gonna do next。〃
They asked at several hotels and guest houses； starting with the modest ones and progressing to the seedy…looking dumps。 There was nothing under fifty dollars a night； which would take just about all the cash they had。 〃Let's just stay up all night drinking；〃 Steve suggested。 Ghost was almost ready to agree with him when he saw a small wooden sign at the mouth of an alley： MAGICK SHOPPE。 Below that； in smaller letters： Arkady Raventon； Proprietor。
Had he found his way here on purpose？ Were such places like a magnet to that part of his mind？ Ghost was too tired to care much； at any rate he would inquire here。 He felt fortable among practitioners of the occult； he had grown up around them。 Maybe Arkady Raventon； Proprietor； would know of a cheap place to stay。
The shop was far back at the end of an alley； its door hidden behind shadows and garbage cans。 〃Creepy place；〃 said Steve。
〃You never know；〃 Ghost told him。 〃There might be somebody here who can help us。 You got a better idea？〃
The alley was dim； and the inside of the shop seemed fully black。 Steve and Ghost stood just inside the door for a moment； waiting for their eyes to adjust to the sudden absence of light。 Slowly； pinpoints of fire began to appear in the darkness。 They were candles； Ghost realized； scented votive candles； the only source of light in the shop。 He smelled cinnamon； orange blossoms； nutmeg。 And under the perfume of the candles； a smell like the back room of Miz Catlin's store。 Spices and ancient dust； herbs and medicines； rust and wood and bone。 He breathed in deep。 His nose prickled。 He sneezed once； twice； three times。
〃Bless you；〃 said a voice from within the darkness。 〃If your spirit has escaped your body； I promise not to capture it。〃
Only now did the darkness in the shop begin to soften。 Ghost made out a figure standing behind a long glass counter； a small emaciated figure draped in white。 The proprietor。 Ghost saw sharp jutting cheekbones and hollow eyes； thin dark hair； spidery hands resting flat on the glass； bony fingers splayed。
〃We just got into town；〃 said Ghost。 〃We're looking for a place to stay a few days。〃 He stepped forward。 His feet felt too big； his arms long and awkward。 The shop seemed too full of stuff； the walls leaning in toward the center of the room。 There were shelves crammed with tiny bottles and boxes。 There were books…at a glance he saw the I Ching； titles by Aleister Crowley and Robert Anton Wilson； crudely printed booklets promising charms for love and luck and revenge。 He saw a rack of bejewelled metal daggers； jars full of herbs； candies； sticks of incense。 At the back of the shop hung a curtain of colored plastic beads； and beyond that； more blackness。
〃I am Arkady Raventon；〃 said the proprietor。 Ghost could see his face more clearly now； but could discern no hint of age。 The skin was smooth； the eyes depthless dark pools。 He took the hand Arkady offered； a hand whose bones would surely crumble if Ghost squeezed too hard； a hand with bones like the bones of lizards。 The hand was dry； cool； the grip surprisingly strong。 Ghost opened his mouth to introduce himself and Steve； who was lounging near the door looking skeptical。
But before he could speak； Arkady Raventon said； 〃You must be Miz Deliverance's son。 Or is it grandson？ Yes； grandson surely。 Miz Deliverance's grandson。〃
Ghost heard Steve's sharp intake of breath。 He met Arkady's limpid dark gaze。 〃How did you know？〃
Arkady smiled。 Was that a youthful smile； open and easy？ Or was it the wise； humorless grin of an old； old man？ 〃Everyone knows of Miz Deliverance；〃 he said。 〃Everyone who has dealings with magick。〃 Ghost could hear the k。 〃You may be too young to know it； child； but your grandmother is a legend from here to the mountains of West Virginia。〃
〃I knew it；〃 said Steve。 〃She was a witch。〃
〃A white witch；〃 Arkady told him。 〃A benign conjurer。 And a fabled beauty too； in her youth。 My own mother told me tales of her hair like yellow spun glass； her lips bowed like the lips of the infant Christ； her clear unlying blue eyes。 I saw a silvery old photograph of Miz Deliverance once； taken when she was about your age。 Yes； she was a fabled beauty。 And you are her image； Ghost。 Her very image。〃
〃I didn't tell you my name；〃 said Ghost。
Arkady smiled again。 〃Poor child！ Did your grandmother let you think you were the only sensitive in the world？ I have been to the other side； Ghost。 I know things too。 I know you。
Steve came forward and stood next to Ghost； positioning himself so that he shielded Ghost a little。 〃Wait a minute。 What the fuck are you talking about？ What do you mean； you've been to the other side？〃
〃I brought myself back from the dead；〃 said Arkady Raventon。
They went through the front room of Arkady's shop； through the dimness； the smell of dust； cobwebs； herbs。 They went through the back room； where flowers and plaster saints and bones （chicken bones； Ghost thought； though Steve eyed them warily） were arranged on a small altar covered with a velvet dropcloth。 On either side of the altar； pink and black candles burned。
In a torrent of dust； Arkady swept aside a heavy velvet curtain and led them up a narrow dark staircase。 They climbed； climbed； turned a corner。 The staircase grew even darker。 Ghost had to feel for the stairs； placing his sneaker carefully each time。 He raised his hand to his face and wiggled his fingers。 Before his eyes； five pale wavering sticks danced； they might have been a trick of the darkness； an afterimage of light。 Still Arkady led them upward。
They went around another corner and now Ghost could see a dim rectangle of light far above them。 At last they came to another velvet curtain； beyond that was daylight。 Arkady pulled the curtain aside。 At the top of the stairs was a cozy suite of rooms with clean white walls； large windows that let in dazzling sunshine； hardwood floors gleaming golden。
Arkady showed them the rooms one after another。 〃That one is mine。 The small one belongs to two of my brother's friends。 And this〃…indicating it with a grand sweep of his arm 〃is the room where you may stay。 If you so wish。 I would not think of turning Miz Deliverance's grandson away from my door。〃
The room was simple。 A clean mattress。 A window high up on the rear wall。 A square room。 Four walls of equal length； four sensible walls to contain Ghost's thoughts； to keep out green…eyed wraiths and voices that might invade his mind at night。 A place for Steve and him to whisper the nights away； snatch a few troubled hours of sleep； then go out and do whatever it was they had e to New Orleans to do。
〃It looks okay to me；〃 he said； and waited for Steve to argue。 Steve wouldn't want to stay here in a room above a voodoo shop given to them like a gift by a creepy little proprietor who claimed to have known Ghost's grandmother； or to have heard of her。 Steve would be suspicious； cynical； probably spooked； though he wouldn't want to admit that last one。 But maybe Steve was exhausted from being on the road； or maybe he wanted a drink so badly that he would agree to anything； or maybe he just didn't give a damn anymore。
He only sighed and let his long body sag against the door…frame as he said； 〃Whatever you think。 We'll take it。〃
〃You said you brought yourself back from the dead；〃 Ghost reminded Arkady as they finished descending the stairs。 Behind him； Ghost heard Steve mutter something； but he ignored it。
Arkady drew himself up to his full spare height。 〃Perhaps I spoke too soon。〃 The hem of his white robe shushed agains
