tp.lightfantastic-第33章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　

　It　was　nearly　noon　when　Twoflower　awoke。　He　couldn't　remember　why　he　was　in　a　hayloft；　or　why　he　was　wearing　someone　else's　coat；　but　he　did　wake　up　with　one　idea　right　in　the　forefront　of　his　mind。
　He　decided　it　was　vitally　important　to　tell　Rincewind　about　it。
　He　fell　out　of　the　hay　and　landed　on　the　Luggage。
　'Oh；　you're　here；　are　you？'　he　said。　'I　hope　you're　ashamed　of　yourself。'
　The　Luggage　looked　bewildered。
　'Anyway；　I　want　to　b　my　hair。　Open　up；'　said　Twoflower。
　The　Luggage　obligingly　flipped　its　lid。　Twoflower　rooted　around　among　the　bags　and　boxes　inside　until　he　found　a　b　and　mirror　and　repaired　some　of　the　damage　of　the　night。　Then　he　looked　hard　at　the　Luggage。
　'I　suppose　you　wouldn't　like　to　tell　me　what　you've　done　with　the　Octavo？'
　The　Luggage's　expression　could　only　be　described　as　wooden。
　'All　right。　e　on；　then。'
　Twoflower　stepped　out　into　the　sunlight；　which　was　slightly　too　bright　for　his　current　tastes；　and　wandered　aimlessly　along　the　street。　Everything　seemed　fresh　and　new；　even　the　smells；　but　there　didn't　seem　to　be　many　people　up　yet。　It　had　been　a　long　night。
　He　found　Rincewind　at　the　foot　of　the　Tower　of　Art；　upervising　a　team　of　workmen　who　had　rigged　up　a　gantry　of　sorts　on　the　roof　and　were　lowering　the　stone　wizards　to　the　ground。　He　seemed　to　be　assisted　by　a　monkey；　but　Twoflower　was　in　no　mood　to　be　surprised　at　anything。
　'Will　they　be　able　to　be　turned　back？'　he　said。
　Rincewind　looked　around。　'What？　Oh；　it's　you。　No；　probably　not。　I'm　afraid　they　dropped　poor　old　Wert；　anyway。　Five　hundred　feet　onto　cobbles。'
　'Will　you　be　able　to　do　anything　about　that？'
　'Make　a　nice　rockery。'　Rincewind　turned　and　waved　at　the　workmen。
　'You're　very　cheerful；'　said　Twoflower；　a　shade　reproachfully。　'Didn't　you　go　to　bed？'
　'Funny　thing；　I　couldn't　sleep；'　said　Rincewind。　'I　came　out　for　a　breath　of　fresh　air；　and　no…one　seemed　to　have　any　idea　what　to　do；　so　I　just　sort　of　got　people　together；'　he　indicated　the　librarian；　who　tried　to　hold　his　hand；　'and　started　organising　things。　Nice　day；　isn't　it？　Air　like　wine。'
　'Rincewind；　I've　decided　that　…'
　'You　know；　I　think　I　might　re…enroll；'　said　Rincewind　cheerfully。　'I　think　I　could　really　make　a　go　of　things　this　time。　I　can　really　see　myself　getting　to　grips　with　magic　and　graduating　really　well。　They　do　say　if　it's　summa　cum　laude；　then　the　living　is　easy　…　。'
　'Good；　because　…'
　There's　plenty　of　room　at　the　top；　too；　now　all　the　big　boys　will　be　doing　doorstop　duty；　and　…'
　'I'm　going　home。'
　'…　a　sharp　lad　with　a　bit　of　experience　of　the　world　could　…　what？'
　'Oook？'
　'I　said　I'm　going　home；'　repeated　Twoflower；　making　polite　little　attempts　to　shake　off　the　librarian；　who　was　trying　to　pick　lice　off　him。
　'What　home？'　said　Rincewind；　astonished。
　'Home　home。　My　home。　Where　I　live；'　Twoflower　explained　sheepishly。　'Back　across　the　sea。　You　know。
　Where　I　came　from。　Will　you　please　stop　doing　that？'
　'Oh。'
　'Oook？'
　There　was　a　pause。　Then　Twoflower　said；　'You　see；　last　night　it　occurred　to　me；　I　thought；　well；　the　thing　is；　all　this　travelling　and　seeing　things　is　fine　but　there's　also　a　lot　of　fun　to　be　had　from　having　been。　You　know；　sticking　all　your　pictures　in　a　book　and　remembering　things。'
　'There　is？'
　'Oook？'
　'Oh；　yes。　The　important　thing　about　having　lots　of　things　to　remember　is　that　you've　got　to　go　somewhere　afterwards　where　you　can　remember　them；　you　see？　You've　got　to　stop。　You　haven't　really　been　anywhere　until　you've　got　back　home。　I　think　that's　what　I　mean。'
　Rincewind　ran　the　sentence　across　his　mind　again。　It　didn't　seem　any　better　second　time　around。
　'Oh；'　he　said　again。　Well；　good。　If　that's　the　way　you　look　at　it。　When　are　you　going；　then？'
　'Today；　I　think。　There's　bound　to　be　a　ship　going　part　of　the　way。'
　'I　expect　so；'　said　Rincewind　awkwardly。　He　looked　at　his　feet。　He　looked　at　the　sky。　He　cleared　his　throat。
　'We've　been　through　some　times　together；　eh？'　said　Twoflower；　nudging　him　in　the　ribs。
　'Yeah；'　said　Rincewind；　contorting　his　face　into　something　like　a　grin。
　'You're　not　upset；　are　you？'
　'Who；　me？'　said　Rincewind。　'Gosh；　no。　Hundred　and　one　things　to　do。'
　That's　all　right；　then。　Listen；　let's　go　and　have　breakfast　and　then　we　can　go　down　to　the　docks。'
　Rincewind　nodded　dismally；　turned　to　his　assistant；　and　took　a　banana　out　of　his　pocket。
　'You've　got　the　hang　of　it　now；　you　take　over；'　he　muttered。
　'Oook。'
　

　In　fact　there　wasn't　any　ship　going　anywhere　near　the　Agatean　Empire；　but　that　was　an　academic　point　because　Twoflower　simply　counted　gold　pieces　into　the　hand　of　the　first　captain　with　a　halfway　clean　ship　until　the　man　suddenly　saw　the　merits　of　changing　his　plans。
　Rincewind　waited　on　the　quayside　until　Twoflower　had　finished　paying　the　man　about　forty　times　more　than　his　ship　was　worth。
　'That's　settled；　then；'　said　Twoflower。　'He'll　drop　me　at　the　Brown　Islands　and　I　can　easily　get　a　ship　from　there。'
　'Great；'　said　Rincewind。
　Twoflower　looked　thoughtful　for　a　moment。　Then　he　opened　the　Luggage　and　pulled　out　a　bag　of　gold。
　'Have　you　seen　Cohen　and　Bethan？'　he　said。
　'I　think　they　went　off　to　get　married；'　said　Rincewind。　'I　heard　Bethan　say　it　was　now　or　never。'
　'Well；　when　you　see　them　give　them　this；'　said　Twoflower；　handing　him　the　bag。　'I　know　it's　expensive；　setting　up　home　for　the　first　time。'
　Twoflower　had　never　fully　understood　the　gulf　in　the　exchange　rate。　The　bag　could　quite　easily　set　Cohen　up　with　a　small　kingdom。
　'I'll　hand　it　over　first　chance　I　get；'　he　said；　and　to　his　own　surprise　realised　that　he　meant　it。
　'Good。　I've　thought　about　something　to　give　you；　too。'
　'Oh；　there's　no　…'
　Twoflower　rummaged　in　the　Luggage　and　produced　a　large　sack。　He　began　to　fill　it　with　clothes　and　money　and　the　picture　box　until　finally　the　Luggage　was　pletely　empty。　The　last　thing　he　put　in　was　his　souvenir　musical　cigarette　box　with　the　shell…encrusted　lid；　carefully　wrapped　in　soft　paper。
　'It's　all　yours；'　he　said；　shutting　the　Luggage's　lid。　'I　shan't　really　need　it　any　more；　and　it　won't　fit　on　my　wardrobe　anyway。'
　'What？'
　'Don't　you　want　it？'
　'Well；　I　…　of　course；　but　…　it's　yours。　It　follows　you；　not　me。'
　'Luggage；'　said　Twoflower；　'this　is　Rincewind。　You're　his；　right？'
　The　Luggage　slowly　extended　its　legs；　turned　very　deliberately　and　looked　at　Rincewind。
　'I　don't　think　it　belongs　to　anyone　but　itself；　really；'　said　Twoflower。
　'Yes；'　said　Rincewind　uncertainly。
　'Well；　that's　about　it；　then；'　said　Twoflower。　He　held　out　his　hand。
　'Goodbye；　Rincewind。　I'll　send　you　a　postcard　when　I　get　home。　Or　something。'
　'Yes。　Any　time　you're　passing；　there's　bound　to　be　someone　here　who　knows　where　I　am。'
　'Yes。　Well。　That's　it；　then。'
　'That's　it；　right　enough。'
　'Right。'
　'Yep。'
　Twoflower　walked　up　the　gangplank；　which　the　impatient　crew　hauled　up　behind　him。
　The　rowing　drum　started　its　beat　and　the　ship　was　propelled　slowly　out　onto　the　turbid　waters　of　the　Ankh；　now　back　to　their　old　level；　where　it　caught　the　tide　and　turned　towards　the　open　sea。
　Rincewind　watched　it　until　it　was　a　dot。　Then　he　looked　down　at　the　Luggage。　It　stared　back　at　him。
　'Look；'　he　said。　'Go　away。　I'm　giving　you　to　yourself；　do　you　understand？'
　He　turned　his　back　on　it　and　stalked　away。　After　a　few　seconds　he　was　aware　of　the　little　footsteps　behind　him。　He　spun　around。
　'I　said　I　don't　want　you！'　he　snapped；　and　gave　it　a　kick。
　The　Luggage　sagged。　Rincewind　stalked　away。
　After　he　had　gone　a　few　yards　he　stopped　and　listened。　There　was　no　sound。　When　he　turned　the　Luggage　was　where　he　had　left　it。　It　looked　sort　of　huddled。　Rincewind　hought　for　a　while。
　'All　right；　then；'　he　said。　'e　on。'
　He　turned　his　back　and　strode　off　to　the　University。　After　a　few　minutes　the　Luggage　appeared　to　make　up　its　mind；　extended　its　legs　again　and　padded　after　him。　It　didn't　see　that　it　had　a　lot　of　choice。
　They　headed　along　the　quay　and　into　the　city；　two　dots　on　a　dwindling　landscape　which；　as　the　perspective　broadened；　included　a　tiny　ship　starting　out　across　a　wide　green　sea　that　was　but　a　part　of　a　bright　circling　ocean　on　a　cloud…swirled　Disc　on　the　back　of　four　giant　elephants　that　themselves　stood　on　the　shell　of　an　enormous　turtle。
　Which　soon　became　a　glint　among　the　stars；　and　disappeared。
　The　End
　
　＇1＇　They　won't　be　described；　since　even　the　pretty　ones　looked　like　the　offspring　of　an　octopus　and　a　bicycle。　It　is　well　known　that　things　from　undesirable　universes　are　always　seeking　an　entrance　into　this　one；　which　is　the　psychic　equivalent　of　handy　for　the　buses　and　closer　to　the　shops。　
　
　＇2＇　A　Thaum　is　the　basic　unit　of　magical　strength。　It　has　been　universally　established　as　the　amount　of　magic　needed　to　create　one　small　white　pigeon　or　three　normal　sized　billiard　balls。　
　
　＇3＇　An　interesting　metaphor。　To　nocturnal　trolls；　of　course；　the　dawn　of　time　lies　in　the　future。　
　
　＇4＇　Not　precisely；　of　course。　Trees　didn't　burst　into　flame；　people　didn't　suddenly　bee　very　rich　and　extremely　dead；　and　the　seas　didn't　flash　into　steam。　A　better　simile；　in　fact；　would　be　'not　like　molten　gold'。　
　
　＇5＇　No…one　knows　why；　but　all　the　most　truly　mysterious　and　magical　items　are　bought　from　shops　that　appear　and；　after　a　trading　life　even　briefer　than　a　double…glazing　pany；　vanish　like　smoke。　There　had　been　various　attempts　to　explain　this；　all　of　which　don't　fully　account　for　the　observed　facts。　These　shops　turn　up　anywhere　in　the　universe；　and　their　immediate　non…existence　in　any　particular　city　can　normally　be　deduced　from　crowds　of　people　wandering　the　streets　clutching　defunct　magical　items；　ornate　guarantee　cards；　and　looking　very　suspiciously　at　brick　walls。　
　



1