sheritepper.necromancer nine-第31节

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some　of　our　brighter　young　men　to　studying　the　old　machines　and　the　old　books　in　order　to　learn　about　them。　You　recall　that　my　suggestion　was　met　with　typical　revulsion　and　obstinate　lack　of　understanding。　No；　you　all　said；　we　wouldn't　deny　our　sons　their　chance　at　earning　their　degrees　by　asking　them　to　be　mere　techs。〃　Quench　spat　the　word　at　them　bitterly。　〃Oh；　no。　Every　one　of　us　had　been　assistant；　associate；　tutor；　lecturer；　assistant　professor…all　of　it。　Each　of　you　wanted　the　same　for　his　boys。〃
　So；　old　Scythe　suggested　we　pick　some　Gamesmen　and　bring　them　in　to　learn　about　the　machines；　that　we　give　some　Gamesmen　the　old　books；　that　we　turn　our　future　over　to　the　Gamesmen　because　we　were　too　proud　to　be　techs。　So　we　brought　some　of　em　in。　There　was　that　fellow　Nitch；　came　and　went　for　a　decade。　Where　is　he　now？　Gone　to　use　what　he　learned　for　his　own　profit；　I　have　no　doubt。　And　there　were　others。　Fixed　a　few　things；　but　not　for　long。　Now　there's　this　fellow　Huld；　threatening　us　with　the　Council。　Telling　us　the　Council　is　going　to　destroy　us…the　Council　we've　cooperated　with　for　hundreds　of　years　by　taking　up　dangerous　Gamesmen　and　putting　them　away　when　the　Council　told　us　to。　Now　here's　Huld　telling　us　the　Council　is　creating　Gamesmen　with　dangerous　new　talents。　Here's　Huld　saying　he　will　protect　us　if　we　only　give　him　access　to　the　defenders。　And　idiot　Manacle　has　half　told　him　we'd　do　it。　And；　while　all　that's　going　on；　Manacle　wants　us　to　sit　here　talking　about　repairing　the　north　portal　which　has　been　in　ruins　for　five　generations。　Outrageous　piftie！〃　He　subsided　into　seething　silence；　picked　up　the　writing　implement　before　him　and　broke　it　in　two。　There　was　a　horrified　gasp　from　others　in　the　room。
　〃You　broke　the　pencil。〃　Manacle　trembled。　〃They've　been　here　since　my　great…grandfather's　time；　and　you　broke　one。
　〃Piffle；〃　repeated　Quench。　The　angry　silence　was　not　broken　until　an　old　voice　quavered　in　treble　confusion。
　〃Excuse　me；　but　what　are　you　suggesting；　Professor　Quench？　Are　you　saying　we　should　not　listen　to　Huld？　Or　should　listen　to　Huld？　Do　we　now　distrust　our　colleagues　of　the　Council。。
　〃I'm　suggesting；〃　said　Quench；　〃that　we　do　now　what　we　should　have　done　generations　ago。　Get　some　of　the　young　assistants　and　associates　out　of　the　watching　labs。　Let　them　put　their　'search'　aside　for　the　moment。　There's　nothing　new　in　it　anyway。　Hasn't　been　anything　new　in　it　for　ten　generations。　We　can　create　monsters　until　we're　sick　of　it　and　watch　them　till　we're　bored　to　death；　and　there'll　be　nothing　new　in　it。　Why；　a　year's　watch　doesn't　produce　a　footnote。　No；　let's　create　a　degree　in　machinery；　for　College's　sake。　Create　a　degree　in　repair。　Let　the　young　men　'search'　in　the　old　books。　Stop　depending　upon　these　Gamesmen。
　〃Heresy；〃　thundered　the　Rector。　〃Professor　Quench。　you　speak　heresy　of　the　most　pernicious　sort。　Our　forefathers　made　a　sacred　covenant　with　Home　to　search　and　record　information　about　monsters。　To　think　of　creating　a　degree　in　some　other　discipline。〃　
　〃Oh；　monster　offal；〃　snarled　Quench。　〃You　pray　that　we　be　kept　safe　from　the　vile　seducements　of　the　Gamesmen；　and　then　you　fall　right　into　their　vile　seducements　yourself。〃
　〃Holy　Scripture。
　〃Holy　Scripture　be　shat　upon。　You　read　it　your　way；　Rector；　and　I'll　read　it　mine。　When　we're　all　dead；　what　will　be　the　sense　of　Holy　Scripture？　You　know　what　I　think　of　your　sacred　covenants？　They　don't　make　sense！〃
　〃Sir；　you　question　the　very　basis　of　our　history；　the　foundations　of　our　faith。〃
　〃I　question　your　data；　Rector。〃　There　was　a　shocked　intake　of　breath。　This　was　evidently　a　serious　charge；　though　I　could　not　tell　why。　〃I　question　whether　our　forefathers　ever　agreed　to　do　what　you　say　they　did。　In　any　case；　it's　susceptible　of　proof。　Ask　Home。〃
　The　shocked　silence　extended；　built；　was　broken　at　last　by　Manacle。　〃Ask　Home？　What　do　you　mean；　sir？〃
　〃I　mean；　ask　Home。　Two　days　now；　isn't　it？　Aren't　we　getting　the　blues　assembled　for　the　ceremony？　Getting　ready　for　the　rigamarole？　Going　to　send　the　Signal？　Right？　Signal　says　we're　all　spandy…dandy；　doing　well；　following　the　sacred　covenants；　right？　This　time　let's　tell　them　we've　got　some　religious　questions　and　would　appreciate　clarification　of　the　scriptures。〃　Vie　glared　at　the　open　mouths　around　the　table。　I　dare　you。　And；　while　we're　at　it；　it　might　be　a　good　idea　to　find　out　if　the　defenders　still　work。　Lord　knows　the　portals　don't。〃
　〃The　defenders　are　self…repairing；〃　said　Manacle。　〃If　the　Council　were　to　strike　at　us　for　any　reason；　it　would　be　at　their　peril。　I　would　release　the　defenders　in　a　moment；　Quench；　and　they　would　work　as　they　did　a　thousand　years　ago。　Depend　upon　it。
　〃I　don't　depend　upon　it；〃　he　replied。　〃I　depend　upon　rust　and　decay；　spoilation　and　corrosion；　that's　what　I　depend　upon。　And　on　my　memory。　I　remember　that　we　need　food　and　fuel　from　outside。　There　are　Gamesmen　out　there　who　would　limit　our　access　to　those；　and　the　Council　has　helped　us　with　that　by　identifying　the　rogues　and　removing　them；　sending　them　in　to　us　to　be　made　into　blues。　In　return；　we　supply　drugs　to　make　them　live　long。　Balance；　Manacle。　Balance。　Mutual　advantage。　Why　would　they　change　all　that？　I　think　this　Gamesman　of　yours　may　he　full　of　vile　seducements；　all　right；　and　the　evil　intentions　may　not　e　from　the　Council
　The　Rector；　sneering；　said；　〃Does　our　respected　Professor　Emeritus　postulate　a　fifth　force？　Some　mythological　concept？〃
　〃Maybe；〃　replied　Quench；　with　a　sneer　of　his　own。　〃Have　you　heard　of　Wizards；　Rector？　Not　your　field；　hmmm'？　Haven't　heard　of　Immutables；　either；　I　suppose？　Not　your　field。　No；　I　thought　not。　Well；　an　aged　Emeritus　can　prowl　around　outside　a　little；　as　I　have　done。　No；　no；　don't　look　horrified…I　said　I　can　prowl　around　out　there　without　promising　my　academic　dignity；　even　if　it　isn't　my　field。　There　may　he　a　fifth　force；　Rector。　And　I'd　like　to　move　we　find　out。〃
　〃You're　out　of　order。〃　Manacle　hammered；　raising　another　cloud　of　dust　with　every　blow。　〃The　Agenda　says。。。〃
　〃Get　your　head　out　of　your　backside；　Manacle！　I　move　we　get　some　of　the　young　men　working　on　the　old　books；　if　they　have　wits　enough。〃
　〃Is　there　a　second？　Motion　dies　for　lack　of　a　second；〃　gabbled　Manacle；　his　voice　a　shriek　which　cut　through　the　babble　around　him。　〃I　will　appoint　a　submittee　to　study　the　matter　which　the　Gamesman　Huld　has　warned　us　of。　Is　there　further　business　to　be　brought　before　this　mitteehearing　none　this　meeting　is　adjourned。〃　He　collapsed　momentarily　into　his　chair；　lips　moving　in　and　out　like　a　fish's。
　〃Piffle；〃　shouted　Quench。　〃There's　no　hope　for　you。〃
　Mavin　and　I　did　not　move。　There　seemed　little　hope　for　us　either。　We　had　understood　hardly　a　word　of　what　had　been　said；　and　below　us　in　the　meeting　room；　Manacle　rose　and　fled　through　the　door　as　though　to　escape　Quench's　words。
　
　10。　The　Labs
　〃Don't　let　Manacle　out　of　our　sight；〃　Mavin　whispered　as　we　slithered　out　of　our　chair　shapes　and　into　the　guise　of　ubiquitous；　invisible　Tallmen。　Her　warning　came　late；　for　we　had　already　lost　sight　of　him；　and　it　was　only　the　sound　of　his　voice　echoing　back　from　a　twisting　corridor　which　led　us　in　the　right　direction。　He　had　been　joined　by　Shear；　who　was　receiving　a　Manacle　harangue　with　obsequious　little　cries　of　outrage　and　acclaim。
　〃You　know　why　he　does　it！〃　asserted　Manacle；　beating　Shear　upon　the　shoulder　to　emphasize　his　point。　〃That　Quench！　He　does　it　because　he　never　begot　a　son　on　his　breeders；　not　one。　Only　monsters。　Dozens　of　them。　Why；　the　pits　are　full　of　his　get；　but　not　one　boy　to　carry　on　the　academic　tradition。　Why　should　he　care　whether　our　boys　get　their　professorships？　Not　him！　'Get　the　boys　out　of　the　monster　labs。　Create　a　degree　in　machinery；'　〃　he　mimicked　viciously。　〃Emeritus　or　not；　he　ought　to　be　stripped　of　his　membership　on　the　mittee。　He　ought　to　be　driven　off　the　Faculty。
　〃He　has　some　followers；〃　Shear　said　nervously。　〃Some　who　believe　he　may　be　right。〃
　〃Right？　The　man's　a　fool。　Wants　us　to　turn　out　the　only　person　who's　capable　of　helping　us。　Wants　us　to　send　Huld　away　empty…handed。　Scared　to　death　Huld　will　learn　something　that　will　endanger　us。　Poof。　I　could　give　Huld　the　keys　to　the　defenders　this　minute；　and　it　wouldn't　hurt　us　as　much　as　making　an　enemy　of　him。　Well；　I　have　no　intention　of　sending　Huld　away　in　a　fury。　Quench　can　blather　all　he　likes；　but　I　think　we　need　the　man；　and　I'll　tell　him　how　highly　we　regard　him　when　we　meet　him　　　　　
　〃You're　meeting　Huld？〃　Shear　stared　guiltily　about；　afraid　he　might　be　seen。　His　eyes　slid　across　Mavin　and　me；　but　we　did　not　exist　in　his　vision。　〃Do　you　think　that's　wise？〃
　〃1　wouldn't　do　it　otherwise；〃　snarled　Manacle。　〃I've　had　enough；　Shear；　now　don't　you　start　on　me。　Just　trot　along　here　to　the　labs　where　I'm　meeting　Huld　and　we'll　have　a　talk。　My　son；　Flogshoulder；　is　supervisor　of　the　transformation　labs　this　term。　We'll　have　privacy；　and　you　can　watch　them　make　the　blues。　That　always　amuses　you。
　〃Yes。　But　should　Huld　see　that？　I　mean；　it's　private　。。。　part　of　the　ritual。
　〃Oh；　poof。　I　know　it's　part　of　the　ritual；　but　what　does　Huld　care　about　that？　He　knows；　in　any　case。　What's　he　going　to　do？　Steal　the　bodies？〃
　I　stole　a