bl.necroscope2-第21节

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's　mother。　She　had　felt　something　ing；　and　she　knew　that　it　had　been　here。　As　she；　too；　fainted；　so　there　came　a　thunderbolt　that　struck　the　steeple；　and　a　cannonade　of　thunder　that　rolled　on　and　on。
　Then　there　was　only　silence。　And　light　gradually　returning；　and　dust　shaken　down　in　rivulets　from　rafters　high　overhead。
　And　George　and　Anne；　white　as　ghosts；　gaping　at　each　other　in　the　church's　lightening　gloom。
　And　Yulian；　angelic　in　his　godfather's　arms。。。
　Georgina　was　a　year　making　her　recovery。　Yulian　spent　the　time　with　his　godparents；　at　the　end　of　which　they　had　their　own　child　to　fuss　over　and　care　for。　His　mother　spent　it　in　a　somewhat　select　sanatorium。　No　one　was　much　surprised；　her　breakdown；　so　long　delayed；　had　finally　arrived　with　a　vengeance。　George　and　Anne；　and　others　of　Georgina's　friends；　visited　her　regularly；　but　no　one　mentioned　the　abortive　christening　or　the　death　of　the　vicar。
　That　had　been　a　stroke　or　some　such。　The　old　man's　health　had　been　waning。　He'd　lasted　only　a　few　hours　after　his　collapse　in　the　church。　George　had　gone　with　him　in　an　ambulance　to　the　hospital；　had　been　with　him　when　he　died。　The　old　man　had　e　to　in　the　final　moments　before　he　passed　forever　from　this　world。
　His　eyes　had　focussed　on　George's　face；　widened；　filled　with　memory；　disbelief。　〃It's　all　right；〃　George　had　…forted　him；　patting　the　hand　which　grasped　his　forearm　with　a　feverish　strength。　〃Take　it　easy。　You're　in　good　hands。〃
　〃Good　hands？　Good　hands！　My　God！〃　The　old　man　had　been　quite　lucid。　〃I　dreamed。。。　I　dreamed。。。　there　was　a　christening。　You　were　there。〃　It　was　almost　an　accusation。
　George　smiled。　〃There　was　supposed　to　be　a　christening；〃　he'd　answered。　〃But　don't　worry；　you　can　finish　it　when　you're　up　and　about　again。〃
　〃It　was　real？〃　the　old　man　tried　to　sit　up。　〃It　was　real！〃
　George　and　a　nurse　supported　him　in　his　bed；　lowered　him　as　he　collapsed　again　on　to　his　pillows。　Then　he　caved　in。　His　face　contorted　and　he　seemed　to　crumple　into　himself。　The　nurse　rushed　from　the　room　shouting　for　a　doctor。　Still　convulsing；　the　vicar　beckoned　George　closer　with　a　twitching　finger。　His　face　was　fluttering；　had　turned　the　colour　of　lead。
　George　put　his　ear　to　the　old　man's　whispering　lips；　heard：　〃Christen　it？　No；　no…you　mustn't！　First…first　have　it　exorcised！〃
　And　those　were　the　last　words　he　ever　spoke。　George　mentioned　it　to　no　one。　Obviously　the　old　boy's　mind　had　been　going；　too。
　A　week　after　the　christening　Yulian　developed　a　rash　of　tiny　white　blisters　on　his　forehead。　They　eventually　dried　up　and　flaked　away；　leaving　barely　visible　marks　exactly　like　freckles。。。
　
　
　Chapter　Five
　〃He　was　a　funny　little　thing！〃　Anne　Lake　laughed；　shook　her　head　and　set　her　blonde　hair　flying　in　the　breeze　from　the　car's　half…open　window。　〃Do　you　remember　when　we　had　him　that　year？〃
　It　was　late　in　the　summer　of　〃77　and　they　were　driving　down　to　stay　with　Georgina　and　Yulian　for　a　week。　The　last　time　they'd　seen　them　was　two　years　ago。　George　had　thought　the　boy　was　strange　then；　and　he'd　said　so　on　several　occasions…not　to　Georgina　and　certainly　not　to　Yulian　himself；　of　course　not；　but　to　Anne；　in　private。　Now　he　said　so　again：
　〃Funny　little　thing？〃　He　cocked　an　eyebrow。　〃That's　one　way　of　putting　it；　I　suppose。　Weird　would　be　a　better　way！　And　from　what　I　remember　of　him　last　time　we　came　down　he　hasn't　changed…what　was　a　weird　baby　is　now　a　weird　young　man！〃
　〃Oh；　George；　that's　ridiculous。　All　babies　are　different　from　each　other。　Yulian　was；　well；　more　different；　that's　all。〃
　〃Listen；〃　said　George。　That　child　wasn't　two　months　old　when　he　came　to　us…and　he　had　teeth！　Teeth　like　little　needles…sharp　as　hell！　And　I　remember　Georgina　saying　he　was　born　with　them。　That's　why　she　couldn't　breast…feed　him。〃
　〃George；〃　said　Anne　warningly；　a　little　sharply；　reminding　him　that　Helen　sat　in　the　back　of　the　car。　She　was　their　daughter：　a　beautiful；　occasionally　precocious　girl　of　sixteen。
　Helen　sighed；　very　deliberately　and　audibly；　and　said；　〃Oh；　mother！　I　know　what　breasts　are　for…apart　from　being　natural　attractions　for　the　opposite　sex；　that　is。　Why　must　you　put　them　on　your　taboo　list？〃
　〃Ta…boob　list！〃　George　grinned。
　〃George！〃　said　Anne　again；　more　forcefully。
　〃Nineteen　seventy…seven；〃　Helen　scoffed；　〃but　you'd　never　know　it。　Not　in　this　family。　I　mean；　feeding　your　baby's　natural；　isn't　it？　More　natural　than　letting　your　breasts　be　groped　in　the　back　row　of　some　grubby　flea…pit　cinema！〃
　〃Helen！〃　Anne　half…turned　in　her　seat；　her　lips　…pressing　to　a　thin　line。
　〃It's　been　a　long　time；〃　George　glanced　at　his　wife；　semi…ruefully。
　〃What　has？〃　she　snapped。
　〃Since　I　was　groped　in　a　flea…pit　cinema；〃　he　said。
　Anne　snorted　her　exasperation。　〃She　gets　it　from　you！〃　she　accused。　〃You've　always　treated　her　like　an　adult。〃
　〃Because　she　is　an　adult；　very　nearly；〃　he　answered。　〃You　can　only　guide　them　so　far；　Anne　my　love；　and　after　that　they're　on　their　own。　Helen's　healthy；　intelligent；　happy；　good…looking；　and　she　doesn't　smoke　pot。　She's　worn　a　bra　for　nearly　four　years；　and　every　month　she…〃
　〃George！　〃Taboo！〃　said　Helen；　giggling。
　〃Anyway；〃　George's　irritation　was　showing　now；　〃we　weren't　talking　about　Helen　but　Yulian。　Helen；　I　submit；　is　normal。　Her　cousin…or　cousin　once　removed；　or　whatever…is　not。〃
　〃Give　me　a　for…instance；〃　Anne　argued。　〃An　example。　Not　normal；　you　say。　Well　then；　is　he　abnormal？　Subnormal？　Where's　his　defect？〃
　〃Whenever　Yulian　crops　up；〃　Helen　joined　in　from　the　back；　〃you　two　always　end　up　arguing。　Is　he　really　worth　it？〃
　〃Your　mother's　a　very　loyal　person；〃　George　told　her　over　one　shoulder。　〃Georgina　is　her　cousin　and　Yulian　is　Georgina's　son。　Which　means　they're　untouchable。　Your　mother　won't　face　simple　facts；　that's　all。　She's　the　same　with　all　her　friends：　she　won't　hear　a　word　against　them。　Very　laudable。　But　I　call　a　spade　a　spade。　I　find…and　have　always　found…Yulian　a　bit　much。　As　I　said　before；　weird。〃
　〃You　mean；〃　Helen　pressed；　〃a　bit　nine…bob　notish？〃
　〃Helen！〃　her　mother　protested　yet　again。
　〃I　get　that　one　from　you！〃　Helen　stopped　her　dead　in　her　tracks。　〃You　always　talk　about　gays　as　nine…bobbers。〃
　〃I　never　talk　about。。。　about　homosexuals！〃　Anne　was　furious。　〃And　certainly　not　to　you　about　them！〃
　〃I've　heard　Daddy…in　conversation　with　you；　about　one　or　two　of　his　man…friends…say　that　so…and…so　is　gay　as　a　defrocked　vicar；〃　said　Helen　matter…of…factly。　〃And　you've　replied：　〃What；　so…and…so；　nine…bobbish？　Really？〃'
　Anne　rounded　on　her　and　might　well　have　lashed　out　physically　if　she　could　have　reached　her。　Red…faced；　she　cried；　〃Then　in　future　we'll　have　to　lock　you　in　your　bloody　room　before　we　dare　have　an　adult　conversation！　You　horrid　girl！〃
　〃Perhaps　you　better　had。〃　Helen　was　equally　quick　to　rise。　〃Before　I　also　start　to　swear！〃
　〃All　right；　all　right。r　George　quietened　them。　〃Points　taken　all　round。　But　we're　on　holiday；　remember？　I　mean；　it's　probably　my　fault；　but　Yulian's　a　sore　point　with　me；　that's　all。　And　I　can't　even　explain　why。　But　he　usually　keeps　out　of　the　way　most　of　the　time　we're　there；　and　I　can't　help　it　but　I　hope　it's　the　same　this　time。　For　my　peace　of　mind；　anyway。　He's　simply　not　my　type　of　lad。　As　for　him　being　how's…your…father…〃　（Helen　some…how　contrived　not　to　snigger）　〃…I　can't　say。　But　he　did　get　kicked　out　of　that　boarding　school；　and…〃
　〃He　did　not！〃　Anne　had　to　have　her　say。　〃Kicked　out；　indeed！　He　got　his　qualifications　a　year　early；　left　a　year　before　the　rest。　I　mean　to　say；　do　qualifications…does　being　intelligent　above　the　average…certify　someone　as　a　raving。。。　homosexual？　Heaven　forbid！　Clever　Miss　Know…it…all　here　has　a　couple　of　second　class　〃A〃　levels；　which　apparently　make　her　near…omniscient；　in　which　case　Yulian　has　to　be　close　to　godlike！　George；　what　qualifications　do　you　have？〃
　〃I　fail　to　see　what　that　has　to　do　with　it；〃　he　answered。　〃The　way　I　hear　it；　more　gays　e　out　of　the　universities　than　ever　came　out　of　all　the　secondary　moderns　put　together。　And…'
　〃George？〃
　〃I　was　an　apprentice；〃　he　sighed；　〃as　you　well　know。　Trade　qualifications；　I've　got　them　all。　And　then　I　was　a　journeyman…an　architect　earning　money　for　my　boss；　until　I　got　into　business　for　myself。　And　anyway…〃
　〃What　academic　qualifications？〃　she　was　determined。
　George　drove　the　car；　said　nothing；　wound　down　his　window　a　little　and　breathed　warm　air。　After　a　while：　The　same　as　you；　darling。〃
　〃None　whatsoever！〃　Anne　was　triumphant。　〃Why；　Yulian's　cleverer　than　all　of　us　put　together。　On　paper；　anyway。　I　say　give　him　time　and　he'll　show　us　all　a　thing　or　two。　Oh；　I　admit　he's　quiet；　es　and　goes　like　a　ghost；　seems　less　active　and　enthusiastic　about　life　than　a　boy　his　age　should　be。　But　give　him　a　break；　for　God's　sake！　Look　at　his　disadvantages。　He　never　knew　his　father；　was　brought　up　by　Georgina　entirely　on　her　own；　and　she's　never　been　altogether　with　it　since　Ilya　died；　has　lived　in　that　gloomy　old　mansion　of　a　place　for　twelve　years　of　his　young　life。　Little　wonder　he's　a　bit；　well；　reticent。〃
　She　seemed　to　have　won　the　day。　They　said　nothing　to　dispute　her　logic；　had　apparently　lost　all　interest　in　the　argument。　Anne　searched　her　mind　for　a　new　to