cb.imajica2-第62节
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〃It's you； isn't it？〃 he said softly。
In reply； the motion in the light became more agitated。
〃I thought so；〃 Clem said； ing to a halt a couple of yards from the edge of the pool。
〃What does he want？〃 Jude said。 〃Can you tell？〃
Clem glanced back at her； his expression both awed and afraid。
〃He wants me to let him in；〃 he replied。 〃He wants to be here。〃 He tapped his chest。 〃Inside me。〃
Jude smiled。 The day had brought little in the way of good news； but here was some： the possibility of a union she'd never have believed possible。 Still Clem hesitated； keeping his distance from the light。
〃I don't know if I can do it；〃 he said。
〃He's not going to hurt you；〃 Jude said。
〃I know；〃 Clem said； glancing back at the light。 Its gilded dust was more hectic than ever。 〃It's not the hurt。。。〃
〃What then？〃
He shook his head。
〃I did it； man；〃 Monday said。 〃Just close your eyes and think of England。〃
This earned a little laugh from Clem； who was still staring at the light when Jude voiced the final persuasion。
〃You loved him；〃 she said。
The laugh caught in Clem's throat； and in the utter hush that followed he murmured； 〃I still do。〃
〃Then be with him。〃
He looked back at her one last time and smiled。 Then he stepped into the light。
To Jude's eyes there was nothing so remarkable about the sight。 It was just a door； and a man stepping through it into sunlight。 But there was significance in it now she'd never understood before； and as she stood witness a warning of Oscar's returned to her head； spoken as they'd prepared to leave for Yzordderrex。 She'd e back changed； he'd said； seeing the world she'd left with clearer eyes。 Here was proof of that。 Perhaps sunlight had always been numinous； and doorways signs of a greater passage than that of one room to another。 But she'd not seen it； until now。
Clem stood in the beams for perhaps thirty seconds； his hands palm up in front of him。 Then he turned back towards her； and she saw that Taylor had e with him。 If she'd been asked to name the places where she saw his presence； she couldn't have done so。 There was no change in his physiognomy； no particular in which they could be seen； unless it was in signs so subtle…the angle of his head； the fixedness of his mouth…that she couldn't distinguish them。 But he was there； no doubt of it。 And so was an urgency that had not been in Clem a minute before。
〃Take Celestine out of here；〃 he said to Jude and Monday。 〃There's something terrible going on upstairs。〃
He left the doorway； heading for the stairs。
〃Do you want help？〃 Jude said。
〃No。 Stay with her。 She needs you。〃
At this； Celestine uttered her first words since leaving the cell。 〃I don't need her；〃 she said。
Clem reeled around on one heel； ing back to the woman and putting his nose an inch from hers。
〃You know； I'm finding you hard to like； madam！〃 he snapped。
Jude laughed out loud； hearing Tay's irascible tones so clearly。 She'd forgotten how his and Clem's natures had dovetailed； before sickness had taken the piss and vinegar outofTay。
〃We're here because of you； remember that；〃 Tay said。 〃And you'd still be down there picking the fluff from your navel if Judy hadn't brought us。〃
Celestine narrowed her eyes。 〃Put me back； then；〃 she said。
〃Just for that〃…Jude held her breath； he wouldn't； surely？ … 〃I'm going to give you a big kiss and ask you very politely to stop being a cantankerous old bag。〃 He kissed her on the nose。 〃Now let's get going；〃 he said to Monday； and before Celestine could summon a reply he headed to the stairs and was up them and out of sight。
Exhausted by his outpouring of pain； Sartori turned from Gentle and began to wander back to the chair where he'd been sitting at the start of their interview。 He idled as he went； kicking over those servile scraps that came to dote on him and pausing to look up at Godolphin's gutted body； then setting it in motion with a touch； so that its bulk eclipsed and uncovered him by turns； as he went to his little throne。 There were peripeteria gathered around in a sycophantic horde； but Gentle didn't wait for him to order them against him。 Sartori was no less dangerous for the despair he'd just expressed； all it did was free him from any last hope of peace between them。 It freed Gentle too。 This had to end in Sartori's dispatch； or the Devil he'd decided to be would undo the Great Work all over again。 Gentle drew breath。 As soon as his brother turned he'd let the pneuma fly and be done。
〃What makes you think you can kill me； brother？〃 Sartori said； still not turning。 〃God's in the First Dominion； and Mother's nearly dead downstairs。 You're alone。 All you have is your breath。〃
Godolphin's body continued to swing between them； but the man kept his back turned。
〃And if you unknit me； what do you do to yourself in the process？ Have you thought about that？ Kill me； and maybe you kill yourself。〃
Gentle knew Sartori was capable of planting such doubts all night。 It was the plement to his own lost skill with seduction： dropping these possibilities into promising earth。 He wouldn't be delayed by them。 His pneuma readied； he started after the man； pausing only for the swing of Godolphin's corpse； then stopping on the other side of it。 Sartori still refused to show his face； and Gentle had no option but to waste a little of the killing breath with words。
〃Look at me； brother；〃 he said。
He read the intention to do so in Sartori's body； a motion beginning in his heels and torso and head。 But before his face came in sight Gentle heard a sound behind him and glanced back to see the third actor here…the dead Godolphin…dropping from his gallows。 He had time to glimpse the Oviates in the carcass； then it was upon him。 It should have been easy to stand aside； but the beasts had done more than nest in the corpse。 They were busy in Godolphin's rotted muscle； engineering the resurrection Sartori had begged Gentle to perform。 The corpse's arms snatched hold of him； and its bulk； all the vaster for the weight of parasites； bore him to his knees。 The breath went out of him as harmless air； and before he could take another his arms were caught and twisted to breaking point behind his back。
〃Never turn your back on a dead man；〃 Sartori said； finally showing his face。
There was no triumph on it； though he'd incapacitated his enemy in one swift maneuver。 He turned his sorrowful eyes up to the host of peripeteria that had been Godolphin's gallows and； with the thumb of his left hand； described a tiny circle。 They took their cue instantly； the motion appearing in their cloud。
〃I'm more superstitious than you； brother；〃 Sartori said； reaching behind him and throwing over his chair。 It didn't lie where it fell； but rolled on around the room as though the motion overhead had some correspondence below。 〃I'm not going to lay a hand on you；〃 he went on。 〃In case there is some consequence for a man who takes his other's life。〃 He raised his palms。 〃Look； I'm blameless；〃 he said； stepping back towards the draped windows。 〃You're going to die because the world is ing apart。〃
While he spoke the motion around Gentle increased； as the peripeteria took their summoner's cue。 They were insubstantial as individuals； but en masse they had considerable authority。 As their circling speeded up； it generated a current strong enough to lift the chair Sartori had overthrown into the air。 The light fixtures were sheared off the walls； taking cobs of plaster with them； the handles were ripped from the doors； and the rest of the chairs snatched up to join the tarantella； smashed to firewood as they collided with each other。 Even the table； enormous as it was； began to move。 At the eye of this storm Gentle struggled to free himself from Godolphin's cold embrace。 He might have done so； given time； but the circle and its freight of shards closed on him too quickly。 Unable to protect himself； all he could do was bow his head against the hail of wood； plaster； and glass； the breath pummeled from him by the assault。 Only once did he lift his eyes to look for Sartori through the storm。 His brother stood flat against the wall； his head thrown back as he watched the execution。 If there was any feeling on his face； it was that of a man offended by what he saw； a lamb obliged to watch helplessly as his panion was pulped。
It seemed he didn't hear the voice raised in the corridor outside； but Gentle did。 It was Clem； calling the Maestro's name and beating on the door。 Gentle didn't have the strength left to reply。 His body sagged in Godolphin's arms as the fusillade increased； striking his skull and rib cage and thighs。 Clem； God love him； didn't need an answering call。 He slammed himself against the door repeatedly； and the lock suddenly burst； throwing both doors open at once。
There was more light outside than in； of course； and just as before it was drawn into the darkened room at a rush； sweeping past the astonished Clem。 The peripeteria were as desperate as ever to have a sliver of illumination for themselves； and their swirling ranks fell into confusion at the appearance of the light。 Gentle felt the hold on him loosen as those Oviates who'd quickened Godolphin's corpse left off their labors and w
