cb.coldheart canyon-第54节

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and　looked　towards　the　flickering　figures　weaving　between　the　trees。　〃She　used　to　have　orgies　all　the　time　in　the　Golden　Age；　and　I　liked　nothing　better　than　to　pick　my　way　amongst　the　configurations　and　watch。〃
　 〃But　not　now？〃

　 〃No。　There's　only　so　much　human　intercourse　anyone　can　watch。〃
　 〃Do　they　look　horrible？〃
　 〃Oh　no。　They　look　the　way　they　looked　at　the　height　of　their　beauty；　because　that's　the　way　they　want　to　remember　themselves。　Perfect；　forever。　Or　at　least　for　as　long　as　God　allows　this　place　to　last。〃
　 Tammy　caught　the　apocalyptic　undertone　in　this。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　she　said。
　 〃That　sooner　or　later　there'll　be　an　end　to　this　endless　indulgence。　A　Day　of　Judgment；　if　you　will。　And　I　think…〃　he　dropped　his　voice　to　a　whisper；　though　there　was　no　one　nearby　〃…you　may　be　its　Deliverer。〃
　 〃Me？〃　She　also　dropped　her　voice；　〃Why　me？〃
　 〃It's　just　a　hunch。　A　piece　of　wishful　thinking　if　you　like。　They've　had　their　time。　And　I　think　some　of　them　know　it。　They're　a　little　more　desperate　than　they　used　to　be。　A　little　more　shrill。〃
　 〃Why　don't　they　just　leave！〃
　 〃Ah。　We　had　to　e　to　that　at　last。　The　reason's　very　plex；　and　to　tell　you　the　truth　I　would　not　really　know　where　to　begin。　Let　me　put　it　this　way。　They　are　afraid　that　if　they　leave　this　Canyon　they　may　break　the　spell　that　keeps　them　in　their　strange　state　of　perfection。〃
　 〃And　do　you　believe　that？〃
　 〃Yes；　I　believe　it。　They're　prisoners　here。　Beautiful　prisoners。〃
　
　 A　few　minutes　after　Katya　and　Todd　had　left　the　party　out　on　the　night…lawn；　a　whisper　went　amongst　the　revenants；　and　one　by　one　they　gave　up　their　pleasures；　whatever　they'd　been；　and　turned　their　hollow　gazes　towards　the　house。
　 There　are　only　so　many　times　you　can　play　out　the　old　flesh　games　without　losing　interest　in　them。　Yes；　you　could　add　piquancy　if　you　introduced　a　whip；　or　some　rope；　you　could　mate　with　somebody　of　your　own　sex　（or；　if　that　was　what　you'd　done　in　your　lifetime；　with　somebody　of　the　opposite　gender）。　But　all　of　it　grew　wearying　with　repetition。　No　feast　can　ever　be　so　tempting　that　finally　the　act　of　eating　doesn't　lose　its　appeal。　Sooner　or　later　even　the　most　ambitious　glutton　must　crawl　away　and　seek　the　solace　of　the　vomitorium。
　 It　was　the　same　for　the　ghosts。　They'd　been　here　in　the　presence　of　their　own　perfection　for　decades；　and　now　it　meant　nothing　to　them。　They'd　seen　that　beauty　denied　and　debauched；　they'd　seen　it　locked　in　every　configuration　lust　could　devise；　and　there　was　nothing　left　to　surprise　them。　The　presence　of　living　flesh；　in　the　form　of　Todd　Pickett；　might　momentarily　re…ignite　some　old　flames；　but　the　conflagration　quickly　died　away　once　he　was　removed　from　their　pany。
　 Now　their　eyes　went　to　the　house；　and　though　they　said　nothing；　the　same　thought　went　through　all　their　melancholy　heads。
　 Maybe　tonight；　something　would　change。　Maybe　tonight；　with　this　man　in　her　pany；　the　Queen　of　Sorrows　would　make　a　mistake。。。
　 A　few　of　them　began　to　move　in　the　general　direction　of　the　house；　attempting　to　seem　casual；　but　fixing　their　silvery　eyes　on　their　destination。
　 A　bank　of　cloud　had　e　in　off　the　Pacific　and　covered　both　moon　and　stars。　On　the　ridge　of　the　opposite　side　of　the　Canyon　some　of　the　grotesque　offspring　of　these　weary　beauties　began　a　wordless　howling　in　the　darkness。　The　sound　was　loud　enough　to　carry　down　the　hill　to　Sunset　and　the　Beverly　Hill　flats。　Several　valets　parking　cars　for　a　private　party　on　Rexford　Drive　paused　to　ment　on　the　weird　din　from　up　in　the　hills；　a　couple　of　patients；　close　to　death　at　Cedars…Sinai；　called　for　their　priests；　a　man　who　lived　next　door　to　the　house　on　Van　Nuys　where　Lyle　and　Eric　Menendez　had　murdered　their　mother　and　father；　decided…hearing　the　sound…to　give　up　screenwriting　and　move　back　to　Wisconsin。
　
　 Todd　heard　it　too；　of　course。
　 〃What　in　God's　name　is　that？〃
　 He　and　Katya　were　deep　in　the　bowels　of　the　house；　in　a　place　he　had　never　known　existed；　much　less　explored。
　 〃Take　no　notice；〃　Katya　told　him；　as　the　noise　came　again；　even　louder　and　more　plaintive。　〃Whatever　it　is；　it's　out　there；　it's　not　in　here　with　us。〃　She　took　hold　of　his　arm；　and　kissed　his　cheek。　He　could　smell　Ava　on　her。　His　erection　still　throbbed。　〃Are　you　ready？〃　she　said　to　him。
　 〃Ready　for　what？〃
　 They　were　approaching　a　door　just　a　little　smaller　than　the　front　door；　and　similarly　medieval　in　style。
　 〃On　the　other　side　of　that　door　is　something　that　was　given　to　me　a　long　time　ago。　It　changed　my　life。　As　I　told　you；　it　will　also　change　yours。　When　you　first　get　in　there；　it's　bewildering。　You　just　have　to　trust　me。　I'm　going　to　be　with　you　all　the　time；　even　if　you　can't　always　see　me。　And　I　swear　no　harm　is　going　to　e　to　you。　You　understand　me；　Todd？　This　is　my　house。　Even　this　place；　which　will　seem　very　remote　from　everything　you've　seen　so　far；　is　also　mine。〃
　 He　didn't　know　quite　what　to　make　of　any　of　this；　but　his　curiosity　was　certainly　piqued。
　 〃So　don't　be　afraid；〃　she　told　him。
　 〃I　won't　be；〃　he　said；　wondering　what　kind　of　game　she　was　playing　now。　She；　who　knew　so　many；　what　did　she　have　up　her　sleeve？
　 As　had　happened　so　many　times　now；　she　read　his　thoughts。　〃This　isn't　a　game；〃　she　said。　〃Or　if　it　is；　it's　the　most　serious　game　in　God's　creation。〃
　 There　was　surely　a　trace　of　condescension　here；　but　what　the　hell？
　 〃I'm　ready；〃　he　said。
　 She　smiled。　〃In　half　an　hour　you'll　realize　what　an　absurd　thing　it　is　you've　just　said；〃　she　told　him。
　 〃Why？〃
　 〃Because　nobody　can　be　ready　for　this。〃
　 Then　she　pushed　open　the　door。
　
　 Before　Tammy　went　to　find　Todd；　she　had　to　eat。　Had　to。
　 So；　while　Todd　was　stepping　over　the　threshold　into　a　place　that　would　change　his　life；　Tammy　was　in　the　kitchen　three　stories　above；　at　the　open　fridge；　gorging　on　whatever　her　hands　found。　Cold　chicken；　potato　salad；　some　Chinese　takeaway。
　 〃Do　we　have　to　do　this　now？〃　Zeffer　said；　looking　around　nervously。　〃She　could　e　in　here　at　any　minute。〃
　 〃Yes；　well　let　her。　I'm　hungry；　Willem。　In　fact　I'm　fucking　starving。　Give　me　a　hand　here；　will　you？〃
　 〃What　do　you　want？〃
　 〃Something　sweet。　Then　I'm　done。〃
　 He　dug　around　on　the　inner　shelves　of　the　fridge　and　found　an　almost…intact　cherry　pie；　the　sight　of　which　made　Tammy　coo　the　way　most　women　cooed　when　they　saw　babies。　Zeffer　watched　her　with　an　expression　of　bemusement　on　his　face。　She　was　too　hungry　to　care。　She　lifted　a　slice　of　pie　to　her　mouth；　but　before　she　could　get　it　to　her　tongue；　Zeffer　caught　hold　of　her　wrist。
　 〃What？〃　she　said。
　 〃Listen。〃
　 Tammy　listened。　She　heard　nothing；　so　she　shook　her　head。
　 〃Listen；〃　he　said　again；　and　this　time　she　heard　what　he　was　drawing　her　attention　to。　The　windows　were　shaking。　So　were　the　doors。　The　cutlery　on　the　sink　was　rattling；　as　were　the　plates　in　the　cupboards。
　 She　let　the　slice　of　pie　drop　from　her　fingers；　her　appetite　suddenly　vanished。
　 〃What's　going　on？〃　she　wanted　to　know。
　 〃They're　downstairs；〃　Zeffer　said；　his　voice　tinged　with　superstitious　awe。　〃Todd　and　Katya。　They've　gone　downstairs。〃
　 〃What　are　they　doing　there？〃
　 〃You　don't　want　to　know；〃　Zeffer　said　hurriedly。　〃Please。　I　beg　you。　Let's　just　go。〃
　 The　windows　were　shaking　with　mounting　violence；　the　boards　creaked　beneath　their　feet。　It　was　as　though　the　entire　structure　of　the　house　was　protesting　about　whatever　was　happening　in　its　midst。
　 Tammy　went　to　the　kitchen　sink；　ran　some　cold　water；　and　washed　the　food　from　around　her　mouth。　Then　she　skirted　around　Zeffer　and　headed　to　the　door　that　led　to　the　turret　and　the　staircase。
　 〃Wrong　direction；〃　Zeffer　said。　He　pointed　to　the　other　door。　〃That's　the　safest　way　out。〃
　 〃If　Todd's　down　there；　then　that's　the　way　I　want　to　go；〃　Tammy　said。
　 As　she　spoke　she　felt　a　blast　of　chilly　air　ing　up　from　below。　It　smelled　nothing　like　the　rest　of　the　house；　nor　of　the　gardens　outside。　Something　about　it　made　the　small　hairs　at　her　nape　prickle。
　 She　looked　back　down　at　Zeffer；　with　a　question　on　her　face。
　 〃I　think　I　need　to　tell　you　what's　down　there　before　you　take　one　more　step；〃　he　said。
　
　 Outside；　the　spirits　of　the　dead　waited　and　listened。　They　had　heard　the　door　that　led　into　the　Chamber　of　the　Hunt　opened；　they　knew　some　lucky　fool　was　about　to　step　into　the　Devil's　Country。　If　they　could　have　stormed　the　house　and　slipped　through　the　door　ahead　of　him；　they　would　have　gladly　done　so；　at　any　price。　But　Katya　had　been　too　clever。　She　had　put　up　defenses　against　such　a　siege：　five　icons　beaten　into　the　threshold　of　each　of　the　doors　that　would　drive　a　dead　soul　to　oblivion　if　they　attempted　to　cross。　They　had　no　choice；　therefore；　but　to　keep　a　respectful　distance；　hoping　that　some　day　the　icons　would　lose　their　terrible　potency；　or　that　Katya　would　simply　declare　an　amnesty　upon　her　guests　and　tear　the　icons　out　of　the　thresholds；　allowing　her　sometime　lovers　and　friends　back　inside。
　 Meanwhile；　they　waited；　and　listened；　and　remembered　what　it　had　been　like　for　them　in　the　old　days；　when　they'd　been　able　to　go　back　and　forth　into　the　house　at　will。　It　had　been　bliss；　back　then：　all　you　had　to　do　was　step　into　the　Devil's　Country