cb.imajica1-第20章

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　〃Let's　hope　not；〃　Lionel　put　in。　〃Insanity　usually　runs　in　the　family。〃
　〃Well；　I'm　not　crazy；〃　Alice　said。　〃And　I'm　damn　sure　my　friends　are　as　sane　and　normal　and　human　as　I　am。　If　they　were　anything　else；　I'd　know　it。〃
　〃Godolphin；〃　McGann　said；　〃you've　been　uncharacteristically　quiet。〃
　〃I'm　soaking　up　the　wisdom；〃　Oscar　replied。
　〃Have　you　reached　any　conclusions？〃
　〃Things　go　in　cycles；〃　he　said；　taking　his　time　to　reply。　He　was　as　certain　of　his　audience　as　any　man　could　ever　hope　to　be。　〃We're　ing　to　the　end　of　the　millennium。　Reason'11　be　supplanted　by　unreason。　Detachment　by　sentiment。　I　think　if　I　were　a　fledgling　esoteric　with　a　nose　for　history；　it　wouldn't　be　difficult　to　turn　up　details　of　what　was　attempted…the　experiment；　as　Bloxham　called　it…　and　maybe　get　it　into　my　head　that　the　time　was　right　to　try　again。〃
　〃Very　plausible；〃　said　McGann。
　〃Where　would　such　an　adept　get　the　information？〃　Shales　inquired。
　〃Self…taught。〃
　〃From　what　source？　We've　got　every　tome　of　any　value　buried　in　the　ground　beneath　us。〃
　〃Every　one？〃　said　Godolphin。　〃How　can　we　be　so　sure？〃
　〃Because　there　hasn't　been　a　significant　act　of　magic　performed　on　earth　in　two　centuries；〃　was　Shales'　reply。　〃The　esoterics　are　powerless；　lost。　If　there'd　been　the　least　sign　of　magical　activity　we'd　know　about　it。〃
　〃We　didn't　know　about　Godolphin's　little　friend；〃　Charlotte　pointed　out；　denying　Oscar　the　pleasure　of　that　irony　dropping　from　his　own　lips。
　〃Are　we　even　sure　the　library's　intact？〃　Charlotte　went　on。　〃How　do　we　know　books　haven't　been　stolen？〃　〃Who　by？〃　said　Bloxham。
　〃By　Dowd；　for　one。　They've　never　been　properly　catalogued。　I　know　that　Leash　woman　attempted　it；　but　we　all　know　what　happened　to　her。〃
　The　tale　of　the　Leash　woman；　who　had　been　a　member　of　the　Society；　was　one　of　its　lesser　shames：　a　catalogue　of　accidents　that　had　ended　in　tragedy。　In　essence；　the　obsessive　Clara　Leash　had　taken　it　upon　herself　to　make　a　full　account　of　the　volumes　in　the　Society's　possession　and　had　suffered　a　stroke　while　doing　so。　She'd　lain　for　three　days　on　the　cellar　floor。　By　the　time　she　was　discovered；　she　was　barely　alive　and　quite　without　her　wits。　She　survived；　however；　and　eleven　years　later　was　still　a　resident　in　a　hospice　in　Sussex；　witless　as　ever。
　〃It　still　shouldn't　be　that　difficult　to　find　out　if　the　place　has　been　tampered　with；〃　Charlotte　said。
　Bloxham　agreed。　〃That　should　be　looked　into；〃　he　said。　〃I　take　it　you're　volunteering；〃　said　McGann。　〃And　if　they　didn't　get　their　information　from　downstairs；〃　Charlotte　said；　〃there　are　other　sources。　We　don't　believe　we　have　every　last　book　dealing　with　the　Imajica　in　our　hands；　do　we？〃
　〃No；　of　course　not；〃　said　McGann。　〃But　the　Society's　broken　the　back　of　the　tradition　over　the　years。　The　cults　in　this　country　aren't　worth　a　damn；　we　all　know　that。　They　cobble　workings　together　from　whatever　they　can　scrape　up。　It's　all　piecemeal。　Senseless；　None　of　them　have　the　wherewithal　to　conceive　of　a　Reconciliation。　Most　of　them　don't　even　know　what　the　Imajica　is。　They're　putting　hexes　on　their　bosses　at　the　bank。〃
　Godolphin　had　heard　similar　speeches　for　years。　Talk　of　magic　in　the　Western　World　as　a　spent　force：　self…congratulatory　accounts　of　cults　that　had　been　infiltrated　and　discovered　to　be　groups　of　pseudo…scientists　exchanging　arcane　theories　in　a　language　no　two　of　them　agreed　upon；　or　sexual　obsessives　using　the　excuse　of　workings　to　demand　favors　they　couldn't　seduce　from　their　partners；　or；　most　often；　crazies　in　search　of　some　mythology；　however　ludicrous；　to　keep　them　from　plete　psychosis。　But　among　the　fakes；　obsessives；　and　lunatics　was　there　perhaps　a　man　who　instinctively　knew　the　route　to　the　Imajica？　A　natural　Maestro；　born　with　something　in　his　genes　that　made　him　capable　of　reinventing　the　workings　of　the　Reconciliation？　Until　now　the　possibility　hadn't　occurred　to　Godolphin…　he'd　been　too　preoccupied　by　the　secret　that　he'd　lived　with　most　of　his　adult　life…but　it　was　an　intriguing；　and　disturbing；　thought。
　〃I　believe　we　should　take　the　risk　seriously；〃　he　pronounced。　〃However　unlikely　we　think　it　is。〃
　〃What　risk？〃　McGann　said。
　〃That　there　is　a　Maestro　out　there。　Somebody　who　understands　our　forefathers'　ambition　and　is　going　to　find　his　own　way　of　repeating　the　experiment。　Maybe　he　doesn't　want　the　books。　Maybe　he　doesn't　need　the　books。　Maybe　he's　sitting　at　home　somewhere；　even　now；　working　out　the　problems　for　himself。〃
　〃So　what　do　we　do？〃　said　Charlotte。
　〃We　purge；〃　said　Shales。　〃It　pains　me　to　say　it；　but　Godolphin's　right。　We　don't　know　what's　going；　on　out　there。　We've　kept　an　eye　on　things　from　a　distance；　and　occasionally　arranged　to　have　somebody　put　under　permanent　sedation；　but　we　haven't　purged。　I　think　we've　got　to　begin。〃
　〃How　do　we　go　about　that？〃　Bloxham　wanted　to　know。　He　had　a　zealot's　gleam　in　his　dishwater　eyes。
　〃We've　got　our　allies。　We　use　them。　We　turn　over　every　stone；　and　if　we　find　anything　we　don't　like；　we　kill　it。〃
　〃We're　not　an　assassination　squad。〃
　〃We　have　the　finance　to　hire　one；〃　Shales　pointed　out。　〃And　the　friends　to　cover　the　evidence　if　need　be。　As　I　see　it；　we　have　one　responsibility：　to　prevent；　at　all　costs；　another　attempt　at　Reconciliation。　That's　what　we　were　born　to　do。〃
　He　spoke　with　a　total　lack　of　melodrama；　as　though　he　were　reciting　a　shopping　list。　His　detachment　impressed　the　room。　So　did　the　last　sentiment；　however　blandly　it　was　presented。　Who　could　fail　to　be　stirred　by　the　thought　of　such　purpose；　reaching　back　over　generations　to　the　men　who　had　gathered　on　this　spot　two　centuries　before？　A　few　bloodied　survivors；　swearing　that　they；　and　their　children；　and　their　children's　children；　and　so　on　until　the　end　of　the　world　would　live　and　die　with　one　ambition　burning　in　their　hearts：　the　prevention　of　another　such　apocalypse。
　At　this　juncture　McGann　suggested　a　vote；　and　one　was　taken。　There　were　no　dissenting　voices。　The　Society　was　agreed　that　the　way　forward　lay　in　a　prehensive　purge　of　all　elements…innocent　or　not…who　might　presently　be　tampering；　or　tempted　to　tamper；　with　rituals　intended　to　gain　access　to　so…called　Reconciled　Dominions。　All　conventional　religious　structures　would　be　excluded　from　this　sanction；　as　they　were　utterly　ineffectual　and　presented　a　useful　distraction　for　some　souls　who　might　have　been　tempted　towards　esoteric　practices。　The　shams　and　the　profiteers　would　also　be　passed　over。　The　pier…end　palmists　and　fake　psychics；　the　spiritualists　who　wrote　new　concertos　for　dead　posers　and　sonnets　for　poets　long　since　dust…all　these　would　be　left　untouched。　Only　those　who　stood　a　chance　of　tripping　over　something　Jmajical；　and　acting　upon　it；　would　be　rooted　out。　It　would　be　an　extensive　and　sometimes　brutal　business；　but　the　Society　was　the　equal　of　the　challenge。　This　was　not　the　first　purge　it　had　masterminded　（though　it　would　be　the　first　of　this　scale）；　the　structure　was　in　place　for　an　invisible　but　prehensive　cleansing。　The　cults　would　be　the　prime　targets：　their　acolytes　would　be　dispersed；　their　leaders　bought　off　or　incarcerated。　It　had　happened　before　that　England　had　been　sluiced　clean　of　every　significant　esoteric　and　thaumatur…gist。　Now　it　would　happen　again。
　〃Is　the　business　of　the　day　concluded？〃　Oscar　asked。　〃Only　Mass　calls　me。〃
　〃What's　to　be　done　with　the　body？〃　Alice　Tyrwhitt　asked。
　Godolphin　had　his　answer　ready　and　waiting。　〃It's　my　mess　and　I'll　clear　it　up；〃　he　said；　with　due　humility。　〃I　can　arrange　to　have　it　buried　in　a　motorway　tonight；　unless　anybody　has　a　better　idea？〃
　There　were　no　objections。
　〃Just　as　long　as　it's　out　of　here；〃　Alice　said。
　〃I'll　need　some　help　to　wrap　it　up　and　get　it　down　to　the　car。　Bloxham；　would　you　oblige？〃
　Reluctant　to　refuse；　Bloxham　went　in　search　of　something　to　contain　the　carcass。
　〃I　see　no　reason　for　us　to　sit　and　watch；〃　Charlotte　said；　rising　from　her　seat。　〃If　that's　the　night's　business；　I'm　going　home。〃
　As　she　headed　to　the　door；　Oscar　took　his　cue　to　sow　one　last　triumphant　mischief。
　〃I　suppose　we'll　be　all　thinking　the　same　thing　tonight；〃　he　said。
　〃What's　that？〃　Lionel　asked。
　〃Oh；　just　that　if　these　things　are　as　good　at　imitation　as　they　appear　to　be；　then　we　can't　entirely　trust　each　other　from　now　on。　I'm　assuming　we're　all　still　human　at　the　moment；　but　who　knows　what　Christmas　will　bring？〃
　Half　an　hour　later；　Oscar　was　ready　to　depart　for　Mass。　For　all　his　earlier　squeamishness；　Bloxham　had　done　well；　returning　Dowd's　guts　into　the　bowl　of　the　carcass　and　mummifying　the　whole　sorry　slab　in　plastic　and　tape。　He　and　Oscar　had　then　lugged　the　corpse　to　the　lift　and；　at　the　bottom；　out　of　the　tower　to　the　car。　It　was　a　fine　night；　the　moon　a　virtuous　sliver　in　a　sky　rife　with　stars。　As　ever；　Oscar　took　beauty　where　he　could　find　it　and；　before　setting　off；　halted　to　admire　the　spectacle。
　〃Isn't　it　stupendous；　Giles？〃
　〃It　is　indeed！〃　Bloxham　replied。　〃It　makes　my　head　spin。〃
　〃All　those　worlds。〃
　〃Don't　worry；〃　Bloxham　replied。　〃We'll　make　sure　it　never　happens。〃
　Confounded　by　this　reply；　Oscar　looked　across　at　the　other　man；　to　see　that　he　wasn't　looking　at　the　stars　at　all　but　was　still　busying　himself　with　the　body。　It　was　the　thought　of　the　ing　purge　he　found　stupendous；
　〃That　should　do　it；〃　Bloxham　said；　slamming　the　trunk　and　offering　his　hand　for　shaking。
　Glad　that　he　had　the　shadows　to　conceal　his　distaste；　Oscar　shook　it；　and　bid　the　boor　good　night。　Very　soon；　he　knew；　he　would　have　to　choose　sides；　and　despite　the　success　of　tonight's　endeavor；　and　the　security　he'd　won　with　it；　he　was　by　no　means　sure　that　he　belonged　among　the　ranks　of　the　purgers；　even　though　they　were　certain　to　carry　the　day。　But　then　if　his　place　was　not　there；　where　was　his　place？　This　was　a　puzzlement；　and　he　was　glad　he　had　the　soothing　spectacle　of　Midnight　Mass　to　distract　him　from　it。
　Twenty…five　minutes　later；　as　he　climbed　the　steps　of　St。　Martin…in…the…Fields；　he　found　himself　offering　up　a　little　prayer；　its　sentiments　not　so　very　different　from　those　of　the　carols　this　congregation　would　presently　be　singing。　He　prayed　that　hope　was　somewhere　out　there　in　the　city　tonight；　and　that　it　might　e　into　his　heart　and　scour　him　of　his　doubts　and　confusions；　a　light　that　would　not　only　burn　in　him　but　would　spread　throughout　the　Dominions　and　illuminate　the　Imajica　from　one　end　to　the　other。　But　if　such　a　divinity　was　near；　he　prayed　that　the　songs　had　it　wrong；　because　sweet　as　tales　of　Nativity　were；　time　was　short；　and　if　hope　was　only　a　babe　tonight　then　by　the　time　it　had　reached　redeeming　age　the　worlds　it　had　e　to　save　would　be　dead。
　
　
　12
　
　TAYLOR　BRIGGS　HAD　once　told　Judith　that　he　measured　out　his　life　in　summers。　When　his　span　came　to　an　end；　he　said；　it　would　be　the　summers　he　remembered　and；　counting　them；　count　himself　blessed　among　them。　From　the　romances　of　his　youth　to　the　days　of　the　last　great　orgies　in　the　back　rooms　and　bathhouses　of　New　York　and　San　Francisco；　he　could　recall　his　career　in　love　by　sniffing　the　sweat　from　his　armpits。　Judith　had　envied　him　at　the　time。　Like　Gentle；　she　had　difficulty　remembering　more　than　ten　years　of　her　past。　She　had　no　recollection　of　her　adolescenc