cb.imajica1-第52章
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den from every sight but hers； a cell in which a bound woman had lain in darkness for a suffering age。 She heard the prisoner's scream now； in her mind's ear： that howl of madness that had driven her up out of the ground and back through the dark streets to the safety of her own house and head。 Was the woman still screaming； she wondered； or had she sunk back into the atose state from which she'd been so unkindly woken？ The thought of her pain brought tears to Jude's eyes； mingling with the rain。
〃What are you doing？〃
Oscar had reappeared from the tower and was hurrying across the gravel towards her； his jacket raised and tented over his head。
〃My dear； you'll freeze to death。 Get in the car。 Please； please。 Get in the car。〃
She did as he suggested； the rain running down her neck。
〃I'm sorry；〃 she said。 〃I 。 。 。 I wondered where you'd gone； that was all。 Then 。 。 。 I don't know 。 。 。 the place seemed familiar。〃
〃It's a place of no importance；〃 he said。 〃You're shivering。 Would you prefer we didn't go to the opera？〃
〃Would you mind？〃
〃Not in the least。 Pleasure shouldn't be a trial。 You're wet and cold； and we can't have you getting a chill。 One sickly individual's enough。〃
She didn't question this last remark； there was too much； else on her mind。 She wanted to sob； though whether out of joy or sorrow she wasn't sure。 The dream she'd e to dismiss as fancy was founded in solid fact； and this solid fact beside her…Godolphin…was in turn touched by something momentous。 She'd been persuaded by his practiced understatement： the way he talked of traveling to the Dominions as he would of boarding a train； and his expeditions in Yzordderrex as a form of tourism as yet unavailable to the great unwashed。 But his reductionism was a screen…whether he was aware of the fact or not…a ploy to conceal the greater significance of his business。 His ignorance； or arrogance； might well kill him； she began to suspect： which thought was the sorrow in her。 And the joy？ That she might save him； and he learn to love her out of gratitude。
Back at the house they both changed out of their formal attire。 When she emerged from her room on the top floor she found him on the stairs； waiting for her。
〃I wonder。 。 。 perhaps we should talk？〃
They went downstairs into the tasteful clutter of the lounge。 The rain beat against the window。 He drew the curtains and poured them brandies to fortify them against the cold。 Then he sat down opposite her。
〃We have a problem； you and I。〃
〃We do？〃
〃There's so much we have to say to each other。 At least 。 。 。 here am I presuming it's reciprocal； but for myself； certainly 。。 。 certainly I've got a good deal I want to say； and I'm damned if I know where to begin。 I'm aware that I owe you explanations； about what you saw at the estate； about
Dowd and the voiders； about what I did to Charlie。 The list goes on。 And I've tried； really I have； to find some way to
make it all clear to you。 But the truth is； I'm not sure of the truth myself。 Memory plays such tricks〃…she made a mur…mur of agreement…〃especially when you're dealing with
places and people who seem to belong half in your dreams。
Or in your nightmares。〃 He drained his glass and reached for the bottle he'd set on the table beside him。
〃I don't like Dowd；〃 she said suddenly。 〃And I don't
trust him。〃
He looked up from refilling his glass。 〃That's percep…tive；〃 he said。 〃You want some more brandy？〃 She prof…fered her glass； and he poured her an ample measure。 〃I agree with you；〃 he said。 〃He's a dangerous creature； for a number of reasons。〃
〃Can't you get rid of him？〃
〃He knows too much； I'm afraid。 He'd be more danger…ous out of my employ than in it。〃
〃Has he got something to do with these murders？ Just today； I saw the news…〃
He waved her inquiry away。 〃You don't need to know about any of that； my dear；〃 he said。 〃But if you're at risk…〃
〃I'm not。 I'm not。 At least be reassured about that。〃 〃So you know all about it？〃
〃Yes；〃 he said heavily。 〃I know a little something。 And so does Dowd。 In fact； he knows more about this whole situation than you and I put together。〃
She wondered about this。 Did Dowd know about the prisoner behind the wall； for instance； or was that a secret she had entirely to herself？ If so； perhaps she'd be wise to keep it that way。 When so many players in this game had information she lacked； sharing anything…even with Oscar…might weaken her position； perhaps threaten her life。 Some part of her nature not susceptible to the blandishments of luxury or the need for love was lodged behind that wall with the woman she'd woken。 She would leave it there； safe in the darkness。 The rest…anything else she knew…she'd share。
〃You're not the only one who crosses over；〃 she said。 〃A friend of mine went。〃
〃Really？〃 he said。 〃Who？〃
〃His name's Gentle。 Actually； his real name's Za…charias。 John Furie Zacharias。 Charlie knew him a little。〃
〃Charlie。 。 。 。〃 Oscar shook his head。 〃Poor Charlie。〃 Then he said； 〃Tell me about Gentle。〃
〃It's plicated；〃 she said。 〃When I left Charlie he got very vengeful。 He hired somebody to kill me。 。 。。〃
She went on to tell Oscar about the murder attempt in New York and Gentle's later intervention； then about the events of New Year's Eve。 As she related this she had the distinct impression that at least some of what she was telling him he already knew； a suspicion confirmed when she'd finished her description of Gentle's removal from this Dominion。
〃The mystif took him？〃 he said。 〃My God； that's a risk！〃
〃What's a mystif？〃 she asked。
〃A very rare creature indeed。 One would be born into the Eurhetemec tribe once in a generation。 They're reputedly extraordinary lovers。 As I understand it； they have no sexual identity； except as a function of their partner's desire。〃
〃That sounds like Gentle's idea of paradise。〃
〃As long as you know what you want；〃 Oscar said。 〃If you don't I daresay it could get very confusing。〃
She laughed。 〃He knows what he wants； believe me。〃
〃You speak from experience？〃
〃Bitter experience。〃
〃He may have bitten off more than he can chew； so to speak； keeping the pany of a mystif。 My friend in Yzordderrex…Peccable…had a mistress for a while who'd been a madam。 She'd had a very plush establishment in Patashoqua； and she and I got on famously。 She kept telling me I should bee a white slaver and bring her girls from the Fifth； so she could start a new business in Yzordderrex。
She reckoned we'd have made a fortune。 We never did it； of course。 But we both enjoyed talking about things venereal。 It's a pity that word's so tainted； isn't it？ You say venereal； and people immediately think of disease； instead of Venus。 。 。 。〃 He paused； seeming to have lost his way； then said； 〃Anyway； she told me once that she'd employed a mystif for a while in her bordello； and it caused her no end of problems。 She'd almost had to close her place； because of the reputation she got。 You'd think a creature like that would make the ultimate whore； wouldn't you？ But apparently a lot of customers just didn't want to see their desires made flesh。〃 He watched her as he spoke； a smile playing around his lips。 〃I can't imagine why。〃
〃Maybe they were afraid of what they were。〃
〃You'd consider that foolish； I assume。〃
〃Yes； of course。 What you are； you are。〃
〃That's a hard philosophy to live up to。〃
〃No harder than running away。〃
〃Oh； I don't know。 I've thought about running away quite a lot of late。 Disappearing forever。〃
〃Really？〃 she said； trying to stifle any show of agitation。 〃Why？〃
〃Too many birds ing home to roost。〃
〃But you're staying？〃
〃I vacillate。 England's so pleasant in the spring。 And I'd miss the cricket in the summer months。〃
〃They play cricket everywhere； don't they？〃
〃Not in Yzordderrex they don't。〃
〃You'd go there forever？〃
〃Why not？ Nobody would find me； because nobody would ever guess where I'd gone。〃
〃I'd know。〃
〃Then maybe I'd have to take you with me；〃 he said tentatively； almost as though he were making the proposal in all seriousness and was afraid of being refused。 〃Could you bear that thought？〃 he said。 〃Of leaving the Fifth； I mean。〃
〃I could bear it。〃
He paused。 Then： 〃I think it's about time I showed you some of my treasures；〃 he said； rising from his chair。 〃e on。〃
She'd known from oblique remarks of Dowd's that the locked room on the second floor contained some kind of collection； but its nature； when he finally unlocked the door and ushered her in； astonished her。
〃All this was collected in the Dominions；〃 Oscar explained； 〃and brought back by hand。〃
He escorted her around the room； giving her a capsule summary of what some of the stranger objects were and bringing from hiding tiny items she might otherwise have overlooked。 Into the former category； among others； went the Boston Bowl and Gaud Maybellome's Encyclopedia of Heavenly Signs； into the latter a bracelet of beetles caught by the killing jar in their daisy chain coupling…fourteen generations； he explained； male entering female； and female in turn devouring the male in front； the circle joined by the youngest female and the oldest male； who； by dint of the latter's suicidal acrobatics； were face to face。
She had many questions； of course； and he was pleased to play the teacher。 But there were several inquiries he had no answers to。 Like the empire looters from whom he was descended； he'd assembled the collection with mitment； taste； and ignorance in equal measure。 Yet when he spoke qf the artifacts； even those whose function he had no clue to； there was a touching fervor in his tone； familiar as he was with the tiniest detail of the tiniest piece。
〃You gave some objects to Charlie； didn't you？〃 she said。
〃Once in a while。 Did you see them？〃
〃Yes； indeed；〃 she said； the brandy tempting her tongue to confess the dream of the blue eye； her brain resisting it。
〃If things had been different；〃 Oscar said； 〃Charlie might have been the one wandering the Dominions。 I owe him a glimpse。〃
〃 'A piece of the miracle；' 〃 she quoted。
〃That's right。 But I'm sure he felt ambivalent about them。〃
〃That was Charlie。〃
〃True； true。 He was too English for his own good。 He never had the courage of his feelings； except where you were concerned。 And who could blame him？〃
She looked up from the trinket she was studying to find that she too was a subject of study； the look on his face unequivocal。
〃It's a family problem；〃 he said。 〃When it es to 。 。 。 matters of the heart。〃
This confession made； a look of disfort crossed his face； and his hand went to his ribs。 〃I'll leave you to look around if you like；〃 he said。 〃There's nothing in here that's really volatile。〃
〃Thank you。〃
〃Will you lock up after yourself？〃
〃Of course。〃
She watched him go； unable to think of anything to detain him； but feeling forsaken once he'd gone。 She heard him go to his bedroom； which was down the hall on the same floor； and close the door behind him。 Then she turned her attention back to the treasures on the shelves。 It wouldn't stay there； however。 She wanted to touch； and be touched by； something warmer than these relics。 After a few moments of hesitation she left them in the dark； locking the door
