cb.imajica2-第25节

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　〃Yes；　in　a　while。〃
　The　answer　was　more　repetition。　〃You'll　e　back。〃
　This　time　Jude　didn't　bother　replying；　but　crossed　to　the　passageway　and　climbed　back　up　to　the　door。　Concupis…centia　was　still　waiting　on　the　other　side；　asleep　now；　her　form　delineated　by　the　first　signs　of　dawn　through　the　window　on　the　sill　of　which　she　rested。　The　fact　that　day　was　breaking　surprised　Jude；　she'd　assumed　that　there　were　several　hours　yet　before　the　et　reared　its　burning　head。　She　was　obviously　more　disoriented　than　she'd　thought；　the　time　she'd　spent　in　the　room　with　Quaisoir…listening　to　the　prayers；　eating；　and　arguing…not　minutes　but　hours。　She　went　to　the　window　and　looked　down　at　the　dim　courtyards。　Birds　stirred　on　a　ledge　somewhere　below　her　and　rose　suddenly；　heading　into　the　brightening　sky；　taking　her　eye　with　them；　up　towards　the　tower。　Quaisoir　had　been　unequivocal　about　the　dangers　of　venturing　there。　But　for　all　her　talk　of　love　between　women；　wasn't　she　still　in　thrall　to　the　mythologies　of　the　man　who'd　made　her　Queen　of　Yzordderrex；　and　therefore　bound　to　believe　that　the　places　he　kept　her　from　would　do　her　harm？　There　was　no　better　time　to　challenge　that　mythology　than　now；　Jude　thought；　with　a　new　day　beginning；　and　the　power　that　had　uprooted　the　Pivot　and　raised　such　walls　around　it　gone。
　She　went　to　the　stairs　and　started　to　climb。　After　a　few　steps　their　curve　took　her　into　utter　darkness；　and　she　was　obliged　to　ascend　as　blind　as　the　sister　she'd　left　below；　her　palm　flat　against　the　cold　wall。　But　after　maybe　thirty　stairs　her　outstretched　arm　encountered　a　door；　so　heavy　she　first　assumed　it　to　be　locked。　It　required　all　her　strength　to　open；　but　her　effort　was　well　rewarded。　On　the　other　side　was　a　passageway　lighter　than　the　staircase　she'd　climbed；　though　still　gloomy　enough　to　limit　her　sight　to　less　than　ten　yards。　Hugging　the　wall；　she　advanced　with　great　caution；　her　route　bringing　her　to　the　corner　of　a　corridor；　the　door　that　had　once　sealed　it　off　from　the　chamber　at　its　end　blown　from　its　hinges　and　lying；　fractured　and　twisted；　on　the　tiled　floor　beyond。　She　paused　here；　in　order　to　listen　for　any　sign　of　the　wrecker's　presence。　There　was　none；　so　she　moved　on　past　the　place；　her　gaze　drawn　to　a　flight　of　stairs　that　led　up　to　her　left。　Forsaking　the　passageway；　she　began　a　second　ascent；　this　one　also　leading　into　darkness；　until　she　rounded　a　corner　and　a　sliver　of　light　descended　to　meet　her。　Its　source　was　the　door　at　the　summit　of　the　stairs；　which　stood　slightly　ajar。
　Again；　she　halted　a　moment。　Though　there　was　no　overt　indication　of　power　here…the　atmosphere　was　almost　tranquil…she　knew　that　the　force　she'd　e　to　confront　was　undoubtedly　waiting　in　its　silo　at　the　top　of　the　stairs；　and　more　than　likely　sentient。　She　didn't　discount　the　possibility　that　this　hush　was　contrived　to　soothe　her；　and　the　light　sent　to　coax。　But　if　it　wanted　her　up　there；　it　must　have　a　reason。　And　if　it　didn't…if　it　was　as　lifeless　as　the　stone　underfoot…　she　had　nothing　to　lose。
　〃Let's　see　what　you're　made　of；〃　she　said　aloud；　the　challenge　delivered　at　least　as　much　to　herself　as　the　Unbeheld's　Pivot。　And　so　saying；　she　went　to　the　door。
　
　Though　there　were　undoubtedly　more　direct　routes　to　the　Pivot　Tower　than　the　one　he'd　taken　with　Nikaetomaas；　Gentle　decided　to　go　the　way　he　half　remembered　rather　than　attempt　a　shortcut　and　find　himself　lost　in　the　labyrinth。　He　parted　pany　with　Floccus　Dado；　Sighshy；　and　litter　at　the　Gate　of　Saints　and　began　his　climb　through　the　palace；　checking　on　his　position　relative　to　the　Pivot　Tower　from　every　window。
　Dawn　was　in　the　offing。　Birds　rose　singing　from　their　nests　beneath　the　colonnades　and　swooped　over　the　courtyards；　indifferent　to　the　bitter　smoke　that　passed　for　mist　this　morning。　Another　day　was　imminent；　and　his　system　was　badly　in　need　of　sleep。　He'd　dozed　a　little　on　the　journey　from　the　Erasure；　but　the　effect　had　been　cosmetic。　There　was　a　fatigue　in　his　marrow　which　would　bring　him　to　his　knees　very　soon　now；　and　the　knowledge　of　that　made　him　eager　to　plete　the　day's　business　as　quickly　as　possible。　He'd　e　back　here　for　two　reasons。　First；　to　finish　the　task　Pie's　appearance　and　wounding　had　diverted　him　from：　the　pursuit　and　execution　of　Sartori。　Second；　whether　he　found　his　doppelganger　here　or　not；　to　make　his　way　back　to　the　Fifth；　where　Sartori　had　talked　of　founding　his　New　Yzordderrex。　It　wouldn't　be　difficult　to　get　home；　he　knew；　now　that　he　was　alive　to　his　capacities　as　a　Maestro。　Even　without　the　mystif　to　point　the　way；　he'd　be　able　to　dig　from　memory　the　means　to　pass　between　Dominions。
　But　first；　Sartori。　Though　two　days　had　passed　since　he'd　let　the　Autarch　slip；　he　nursed　the　hope　that　his　other　would　still　be　haunting　his　palace。　After　all；　removal　from　this　self…made　womb；　where　his　smallest　word　had　been　law　and　his　tiniest　deed　worshipful；　would　be　painful。　He'd　linger　awhile；　surely。　And　if　he　was　going　to　linger　anywhere；　it　would　be　close　to　the　object　of　power　that　had　made　him　the　undisputed　master　of　the　Reconciled　Dominions：　the　Pivot。
　He　was　just　beginning　to　curse　himself　for　losing　his　way　when　he　came　upon　the　spot　where　Pie　had　fallen。　He　recognized　it　instantly；　as　he　did　the　distant　door　that　led　into　the　tower。　He　allowed　himself　a　moment　of　meditation　at　the　spot　where　he'd　cradled　Pie；　but　it　wasn't　their　fond　exchanges　here　that　filled　his　head；　it　was　the　mystif　s　last　words；　uttered　in　anguish　as　the　force　behind　the　Erasure　claimed　it。
　Sartori；　Pie　had　said。　Find　him。。。　he　knows。。。。
　Whatever　knowledge　Sartori　possessed…and　Gentle　guessed　it　would　concern　plots　laid　against　the　Reconciliation…he；　Gentle；　was　ready　to　do　whatever　was　required　in　order　to　squeeze　this　information　from　his　other　before　he　delivered　the　coup　de　grace。　There　were　no　moral　niceties　here。　If　he　had　to　break　every　bone　in　Sartori's　body；　it　would　be　a　little　hurt　set　beside　the　crimes　he'd　mitted　as　Autarch；　and　Gentle　would　perform　such　duties　gladly。
　Thought　of　torture；　and　the　pleasure　he'd　take　in　it；　had　tempted　him　from　his　meditation　entirely；　and　he　gave　up　on　his　pursuit　of　equilibrium。　Venom　swilling　in　his　belly；　he　headed　down　the　corridor；　through　the　door；　and　into　the　tower。　Though　the　et　was　climbing　towards　midmorning；　very　little　of　its　light　gained　access　to　the　tower；　but　those　few　beams　that　did　creep　in　showed　him　empty　passageways　in　all　directions。　He　still　advanced　with　caution；　this　was　a　maze　of　chambers；　any　one　of　which　might　conceal　his　enemy。　Fatigue　left　him　less　light…footed　than　he'd　have　liked；　but　he　reached　the　stairs　that　curled　up　towards　the　silo　itself　without　his　stumblings'attracting　any　attention；　and　began　to　climb。　The　door　at　the　top　had　been　opened；　he　remembered；　with　the　key　of　Sartori's　thumb；　and　he'd　have　to　repeat　the　feit　himself　in　order　to　enter。
　That　was　no　great　challenge。　They　had　the　same　thumbs；　to　the　tiniest　whorl。
　As　it　was；　he　needed　no　feit。　The　door　was　open　wide；　and　somebody　was　moving　about　inside。　Gentle　halted　ten　steps　from　the　threshold　and　drew　breath。　He'd　need　to　incapacitate　his　other　quickly　if　he　was　to　prevent　retaliation：　a　pneuma　to　take　off　his　right　hand；　another　for　his　left。　Breath　readied；　he　climbed　swiftly　to　the　top　of　the　stairs　and　stepped　into　the　tower。
　His　enemy　was　standing　beneath　the　Pivot；　arms　raised；　reaching　for　the　stone。　He　was　all　in　shadow；　but　Gentle　caught　the　motion　of　his　head　as　he　turned　towards　the　door；　and　before　the　other　could　lower　his　arms　in　defense；　Gentle　had　his　fist　to　his　mouth；　the　breath　rising　in　his　throat。　As　it　filled　his　palm　his　enemy　spoke；　but　the　voice　when　it　came　was　not　his　own；　as　he'd　expected；　but　that　of　a　woman。　Realizing　his　error；　he　clamped　his　fist　around　the　pneuma　to　quench　it；　but　the　power　he'd　unleashed　wasn't　about　to　be　cheated　of　its　quarry。　It　broke　from　between　his　fingers；　its　force　fragmented　but　no　less　eager　for　that。　The　pieces　flew　off　around　the　silo；　some　darting　up　the　sides　of　the　Pivot；　others　entering　its　shadow　and　extinguished　there。　The　woman　cried　out　in　alarm　and　retreated　from　her　attacker；　backing　against　the　opposite　wall。　There　the　light　found　her　perfection。　It　was　Judith；　or　at　least　it　seemed　to　be。　He'd　seen　this　face　in　Yzordderrex　once　already　and　been　mistaken。
　〃Gentle？〃　she　said。　〃Is　that　you？〃
　It　sounded　like　her　too。　But　then　hadn't　that　been　his　promise　to　Roxborough；　that　he'd　fashion　a　copy　indistinguishable　from　the　original？
　〃It's　me；〃　she　said。　〃It's　Jude。〃
　Now　he　began　to　believe　it　was；　fof　there　was　more　proof　in　that　last　syllable　than　sight　could　ever　supply。　Nobody　in　her　circle　of　admirers；　besides　Gentle；　had　ever　called　her　Jude。　Judy；　sometimes；　Juju；　even；　but　never　Jude。　That　was　his　diminution；　and　to　his　certain　knowledge　she'd　never　suffered　another　to　use　it。
　He　repeated　it　now；　his　hand　dropping　from　his　mouth　as　he　spoke；　and　seeing　the　smile　spread　across　his　face　she　ventured　back　towards　him；　returning　into　the　shadow　of　the　Pivot　as　he　came　to　meet　her。　The　move　saved　her　life；　Seconds　after　she　left　the　wall　a　slab　of　rock；　blasted　from　the　heights　of　the　silo　by　the　pneuma；　f