bl.necroscope2-第24节
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She had called him a 〃funny little thing〃； but in fact George was right。 Yulian had been more than just funny。 For one thing； he never cried。 No； not quite true； he had cried when hungry； at least when he was very small。 And he had cried in direct sunlight。 Photophobia； apparently； right from infancy。 Oh； yes； and he'd cried at least one other time； at his christening。 Though that had seemed more rage…or outrage…than crying proper。 As far as Anne knew； he never had been properly christened。
She let her thoughts take hold； carrying her back。 Yulian had just started to walk…to toddle； anyway…when Helen came along。 That was a month or so before poor Georgina had been well enough to go home and take him back。 Anne remembered that time well。 She'd been heavy with milk； fat as butter and happier than at any other time in her life。 And rosy？ What a picture of health she'd been！
One day when Helen was just six weeks old； while she was feeding her； Yulian had e toddling like a little robot； looking for that extra ounce of affection of which Helen had robbed him。 Jealousy even then； yes； for he was no longer all important。 On impulse…feeling a pang of pity for the poor mite…she'd picked him up； bared her other breast to him； her left breast； and fed him。
Even remembering it； the twinge of pain in her nipple came back like a wasp sting to bother her。 〃Oh！〃 she said； stirring where she had fallen half…asleep。
〃You all right？〃 George was quick to inquire。 〃Wind your window down a little more。 Get some fresh air。〃
The steady purr of the car's engine brought her back to the present。 〃Cramp；〃 she lied。 〃Pins and needles。 Can we stop somewhere…the next cafe？〃
〃Of course；〃 he answered。 〃There should be one any time now。〃
Anne slumped； returned half…reluctantly to her memories。 Feeding Yulian； yes。。。 She'd sat down with both babies； nodded off while they fed； Helen on the right； Yulian on the left。 It had been strange； a sort of languor had e over her； a lethargy she hadn't the will to resist。 But then； when the pain came； she'd e quickly awake。 Helen had been crying； and Yulian had been…bloody！She'd stared at the toddler in something close to shock。 Those peculiar black eyes of his fixed unwaveringly on her face。 And his red mouth； fixed like a lamprey on her breast！ Her milk and blood had run down the swollen curve of her breast； and his face had been smeared and glistening red with it； so that he'd looked like a dark…eyed gorging leech。
When she'd cleaned herself up； and cleaned up Yulian too； she'd seen how he'd bitten through the skin around her nipple： his teeth had left tiny punctures。 The bites had taken a long time to heal； but their sting had never quite gone away。。。
Then there had been the frog episode。 Anne didn't really want to dwell on that； but it formed a persistent picture in her mind； one she couldn't wipe clear。 It had happened after Georgina had sold up in London； on the last day before she and Yulian had left the city and gone down to Devon to live in the old manor house。
George had built a pond in the garden of their Green…ford home when Helen was one； since when； with a minimum of help； the pond had stocked itself。 Now there were lilies； a clump of rushes； an ornamental shrub bending over the water like a Japanese picture； and a large species of green frog。 There were water snails； too； and at the edges a little green scum。 Anne called it scum； anyway。 Mid…summer and there would normally be dragonflies； but that year they'd only seen one or two； and they'd been small ones of their sort。
She had been in the garden with the children； watching Yulian where he played with a soft rubber ball。 Or perhaps 〃played〃 is the wrong word； for Yulian had difficulty playing like other children。 He seemed to have a philosophy： a ball is a ball； a rubber sphere。 Drop it and it bounces； toss it against a wall and it returns。 Other than that it has no practical use； it cannot be considered a source of lasting interest。 Others might argue the point； but that summed up Yulian's feelings on the subject。 Anne really didn't know why she'd bought the ball for him； he never really played with anything。 He had bounced it； however； twice。 And he'd tossed it against the garden wall； once。 But on the rebound it had rolled to the edge of the pond。
Yulian had followed it with eyes half scornful； until suddenly his interest had quickened。 At the edge of the pond something leaped： a large frog； shiny green； poising itself where it landed； with two legs in the water and two on dry land。 And the five…year old child froze； being still as a cat in the first seconds that it senses prey。 It was Helen who ran to retrieve the ball； then skipped away with it up the garden； but Yulian had eyes only for the frog。
At that point George had called out from inside the house： something about the kebabs burning。 They were to be the main course in a farewell meal for Georgina。 George was supposed to be doing chef。
Anne had rushed to save the day； along the crazy…paving； under the arch of roses on their trellis to the paved patio area at the rear of the house。 It had taken a minute； two at the outside； to lift the steaming meat from the grill onto a plate on the outdoor table。 Then Georgina had e drifting downstairs in that slow get…there…eventually fashion of hers； and George had appeared from the kitchen with his herbs。
〃Sorry； darling；〃 he'd apologised。 〃Timing is everything； and I'm out of practice。 But I've got it all together now and all's well。。。〃
Except that all had not been well。
Hearing Helen's cry of alarm from the lower garden； Anne had breathlessly retraced her steps。
At first； as she reached the pond； Anne hadn't quite known what she was seeing。 She thought Yulian must have fallen face down in the green scum。 Then her eyes focussed and the picture firmed。 And however much she'd tried to forget it； it had remained firm to this day：
The tiny white mosaic tiles at the edge of the pond； slimed with blood and guts； and Yulian slimed； too； his face and hands sticky with goo。 Cross…legged by the pond like a buddha； Yulian； the frog like a torn green plastic bag in his inexpert hands； slopping its contents。 And that child of…of innocence？ studying its innards； smelling it； listening to it； apparently astonished by its plexity。
Then his mother had e wafting up from behind； saying； 〃Oh dear； oh dear！ Was it a live thing？ Oh； I see it was。 He does that sometimes。 Opens things up。 Curiosity。 To see how they work。〃
And Anne； aghast； snatching up the whining Helen and turning her face away； gasping； 〃But Georgina； that's not some old alarm…clock…it's a frog！〃
〃Is it？ Is it？ Oh dear！ Poor thing！〃 She'd fluttered her hands。 〃But it's a phase he's going through； that's all。 He'll grow out of it。。。〃
And Anne remembered thinking； God； 1 certainly hope so！
〃Devon！〃 said George triumphantly； jogging her elbow； startling her。 〃Did you see the sign； the county boundary？ And look； there's your cafe！ Cream teas； fudge； clotted cream！ We'll top the car up； have a bite to eat； and then we're on the last leg。 Peace and quiet for a whole week。 Lord； how I can use it。。。 〃
Arriving at the house and turning off the Paignton road into its grounds； the party in the car found Georgina and Yulian waiting for them on the gravel drive。 At first they very nearly failed to notice Georgina； for she was over…shadowed by her son。 As George stopped the car； Helen's jaw fell open a little。 Anne simply stared。 George himself thought； Yulian？ Yes； of course it is。 But what's he been doing right？
Getting out of the car； finally Anne spoke； echoing George's thoughts。… 〃Yulian！ My； but what a couple of years have done for you！〃 He held her briefly； taller by inches； then turned to Helen where she got out of the back seat and stretched。
〃I'm not the only one who has grown；〃 he said。 His voice was that dark one Helen had heard on a previous occasion； apparently his natural voice now。 He held her at arm's length； stared at her with those unfathomable eyes。
He's handsome as the devil； she thought。 Or perhaps handsome was the wrong word for it。 Attractive； yes…almost unnaturally so。 His long； straight chin； not quite lantern…jaw； high brow； straight； flatfish nose…and especially his eyes…all bined to form a face which might seem quite odd on anyone else's shoulders。 But coupled with that voice； and with Yulian's mind behind it； the effect was quite devastating。 He looked somehow foreign； almost alien。 His dark hair； flowing naturally back and forming something of a mane at the back of his neck； made him seem even more wolfish than she'd remembered。 That was it…wolfish！ And he was getting tall as a tree。
〃You're still slim； anyway；〃 she finally found something to say； however uninspired。 〃But what's Aunt Georgina been feeding you？〃
He smiled and turned to George； nodded and held out his hand。 〃George。 Did you have a good journey？ We've worried a little…the roads get so crowded down here in the summer。〃
George！ George groaned inwardly。 First names； just like with Mummy； hey？ Still； it was better than being shied away from。
〃The drive was fine。〃 George forced a smile； checking Yulian out but unobtrusively。 The youth topped him by a g
