cb.imajica1-第54章

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　When　she　slept；　it　was　deeply；　and　when　she　woke　again；　it　was　like　sleeping；　dark　and　pleasurable；　the　former　because　the　drapes　were　still　drawn；　and　between　their　cracks　she　could　see　that　the　sky　was　still　benighted；　the　latter　because　Oscar　was　behind　her；　and　inside。　One　of　his　hands　was　upon　her　breast；　the　other　lifting　her　leg　so　that　he　could　ease　his　upward　stroke。　He'd　entered　her　with　skill　and　discretion；　she　realized。　Not　only　had　he　not　stirred　her　until　he　was　embedded；　but　he'd　chosen　the　virgin　passage；　which…had　he　suggested　it　while　she　was　awake…she'd　have　attempted　to　coax　him　from；　fearing　the　disfort。　In　truth；　there　was　none；　though　the　sensation　was　quite　unlike　anything　she'd　felt　before。　He　kissed　her　neck　and　shoulder　blade；　light　kisses；　as　though　he　was　unaware　of　her　wakefulness。　She　made　it　known　with　a　sigh。　His　stroke　slowed　and　stopped；　but　she　pressed　her　buttocks　back　to　meet　his　thrust；　satisfying　his　curiosity　as　to　the　limit　of　its　access；　which　was　to　say　none。　She　was　happy　to　accept　him　entirely；　trapping　his　hand　against　her　breast　to　press　it　to　rougher　service；　while　putting　her　own　at　the　connecting　place。　He'd　dutifully　slipped　on　a　condom　before　entering　her；　which；　together　with　the　fact　that　he'd　already　poured　forth　once　tonight；　made　him　a　near　perfect　lover：　slow　and　certain。
　She　didn't　use　the　dark　to　reconfigure　him。　The　man　pressing　his　face　into　her　hair；　and　biting　at　her　shoulder；　wasn't…like　the　mystif　he'd　described…a　reflection　of　imagined　ideals。　It　was　Oscar　Godolphin；　paunch；　curiosity；　and　all。　What　she　did　reconfigure　was　herself；　so　that　she　became　in　her　mind's　eye　a　glyph　of　sensation：　a　line　dividing　from　the　coil　of　her　pierced　core；　up　through　her　belly　to　the　points　of　her　breasts；　then　intersecting　again　at　her　nape；　crossing　and　being　woven　spirals　beneath　the　hood　of　her　skull。　Her　imagination　added　a　further　refinement；　inscribing　a　circle　around　this　figure；　which　burned　in　the　darkness　behind　her　lips　like　a　vision。　Her　rapture　was　perfected　then：　being　an　abstraction　in　his　arms；　yet　pleasured　like　flesh。　There　was　no　greater　luxury。
　He　asked　if　they　might　move；　saying　only；　〃The　wound。　。　。〃　by　way　of　explanation。
　She　went　onto　her　hands　and　knees；　he　slipping　from　her　for　a　tormenting　moment　while　she　did　so；　then　putting　the　curiosity　back　to　work。　His　rhythm　instantly　became　more　urgent；　his　fingers　in　her　sex；　his　voice　in　her　head；　both　expressing　ecstasy。　The　glyph　brightened　in　her　mind's　eye；　fiery　from　end　to　end。　She　yelled　out　to　him；　first　only　yes　and　yes；　then　plainer　demands；　inflaming　him　to　new　invention。　The　glyph　became　blinding；　burning　away　all　thought　of　where　she　was；　or　what；　all　memory　of　conjunctions　past　subsumed　in　this　perpetuity。
　She　was　not　even　aware　that　he'd　spent　himself　until　she　felt　him　withdrawing；　and　then　she　reached　behind　her　to　keep　him　inside　a　while　longer。　He　obliged。　She　enjoyed　the　sensation　of　his　softening　inside　her；　and　even；　finally；　his　exiting；　the　tender　muscle　yielding　its　prisoner　reluctantly。　Then　he　rolled　over　onto　the　bed　beside　her　and　reached　for　the　light。　It　was　dim　enough　not　to　sting；　but　still　too　bright；　and　she　was　about　to　protest　when　she　saw　that　he　was　putting　his　fingers　to　his　injured　side。　Their　congress　had　unknitted　the　wound。　Blood　was　running　from　it　in　two　directions：　down　towards　the　curiosity；　still　nestled　in　the　condom；　and　down　his　side　to　the　sheet。
　〃It's　all　right；〃　he　said　as　she　made　to　get　up。　〃It　looks　worse　than　it　is。〃
　〃It　still　needs　something　to　staunch　it；〃　she　said。
　〃That's　good　Godolphin　blood；〃　he　said；　wincing　and　grinning　at　the　same　moment。　His　gaze　went　from　her　face　to　the　portrait　above　the　bed。　〃It's　always　flowed　freely；〃　he　said。
　〃He　doesn't　look　as　though　he　approved　of　us；〃　she　said。
　〃On　the　contrary；〃　Oscar　replied。　〃I　know　for　a　fact　he'd　adore　you。　Joshua　understood　devotion。〃
　She　looked　at　the　wound　again。　Blood　was　seeping　between　his　fingers。
　〃Won't　you　let　me　cover　that　up？〃　she　said。　〃It　makes　me　queasy。〃
　〃For　you　。　。　。　anything。〃
　〃Have　you　got　any　dressing？〃
　〃Dowd's　probably　got　some；　but　1　don't　want　him　knowing　about　us。　At　least；　not　yet。　Let's　keep　it　our　secret。〃
　〃You；　me；　and　Joshua；〃　she　said。
　〃Even　Joshua　doesn't　know　what　we　got　up　to；〃　Oscar　said；　without　a　trace　of　irony　audible　in　his　voice。　〃Why　do　you　think　1　turned　the　light　out？〃
　In　lieu　of　fresh　dressing　she　went　through　to　the　bathroom　to　find　a　towel。　While　she　was　doing　so　he　spoke　to　her　through　the　open　door。
　〃I　meant　what　I　said；　by　the　way；〃　he　told　her。
　〃About　what？〃
　〃That　I'll　do　anything　for　you。　At　least；　anything　that's　in　my　power　to　do　or　give。　I　want　you　to　stay　with　me；　Judith。　I'm　no　Adonis；　I　know　that。　But　I　learned　a　lot　from　Joshua　。　。　。　about　devotion；　1　mean。〃　She　emerged　with　the　towel　to　be　greeted　by　the　same　offer。　〃Anything　you　want。〃
　〃That's　very　generous。〃
　〃The　pleasure's　in　the　giving；〃　he　said。
　〃I　think　you　know　what　I'd　like　most。〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　no　good　at　guessing　games。　Only　cricket。　Just　tell　me。〃
　She　sat　down　on　the　edge　of　the　bed　and　gently　tugged　his　hand　from　the　wound　in　his　side；　wiping　the　blood　from　between　his　fingers。
　〃Say　it；〃　he　told　her。
　〃Very　well；〃　she　said。　〃I　want　you　to　take　me　out　of　this　Dominion；　I　want　you　to　show　me　Yzordderrex。〃
　
　
　25
　
　Twenty…two　days　after　emerging　from　the　icy　wastes　of　the　Jokalaylau　into　the　balmier　climes　of　the　Third　Dominion…days　which　had　seen　Pie　and　Gentle's　fortunes　rise　dramatically　as　they　journeyed　through　the　Third's　diverse　territories…the　wanderers　were　standing　on　a　station　platform　outside　the　tiny　town　of　Mai…ke；　waiting　for　the　train　that　once　a　week　came　through　on　its　way　from　the　city　of　lahmandhas；　in　the　northeast；　to　L'Himby；　half　a　day's　journey　to　the　south。
　They　were　eager　to　be　departing。　Of　all　the　towns　and　villages　they'd　visited　in　the　past　three　weeks；　Mai…ke　had　been　the　least　weling。　It　had　its　reasons。　It　was　a　munity　under　siege　from　the　Dominion's　two　suns；　the　rains　which　brought　the　region　its　crops　having　failed　to　materialize　for　six　consecutive　years。　Terraces　and　fields　that　should　have　been　bright　with　shoots　were　virtually　dust　bowls；　stocks　hoarded　against　this　eventuality　critically　depleted。　Famine　was　imminent；　and　the　village　was　in　no　mood　to　entertain　strangers。　The　previous　night　the　entire　populace　had　been　out　hi　the　drab　streets　praying　aloud；　these　imprecations　led　by　their　spiritual　leaders；　who　had　about　them　the　air　of　men　whose　invention　was　nearing　its　end。　The　noise；　so　unmusical　Gentle　had　observed　that　it　would　irritate　the　most　sympathetic　of　deities；　had　gone　on　until　first　light；　making　sleep　impossible。　As　a　consequence；　exchanges　between　Pie　and　Gentle　were　somewhat　tense　this　morning。
　They　were　not　the　only　travelers　waiting　for　the　train。　A　fanner　from　Mai…ke〃　had　brought　a　herd　of　sheep　onto　the　platform；　some　of　them　so　emaciated　it　was　a　wonder　they　could　stand；　and　the　flock　had　brought　with　them　clouds　of　the　local　pest：　an　insect　called　a　zarzi；　that　had　the　wing…span　of　a　dragonfly　and　a　body　as　fat　and　furred　as　a　bee。　It　fed　on　sheep　ticks；　unless　it　could　find　something　more　tempting。　Gentle's　blood　fell　into　this　latter　category；　and　the　lazy　whine　of　the　zarzi　was　never　far　from　his　ears　as　he　waited　in　the　midday　heat。　Their　one　informant　in　Mai…ke；　a　woman　called　Hairstone　Banty；　had　predicted　that　the　train　would　be　on　time；　but　it　was　already　well　overdue；　which　didn't　augur　well　for　the　hundred　other　pieces　of　advice　she'd　offered　them　the　night　before。
　Swatting　zarzi　to　left　and　right；　Gentle　emerged　from　the　shade　of　the　platform　building　to　peer　down　the　track。　It　ran　without　crook　or　bend　to　its　vanishing　point；　empty　every　mile　of　the　way。　On　the　rails　a　few　yards　from　where　he　stood；　rats；　a　gangrenous　variety　called　graveolents；　toed　and　fro…ed；　gathering　dead　grasses　for　the　nests　they　were　constructing　between　the　rails　and　the　gravel　the　rails　were　set　upon。　Their　industry　only　served　to　irritate　Gentle　further。
　〃We're　stuck　here　forever；〃　he　said　to　Pie；　who　was　squatting　on　the　platform　making　marks　on　the　stone　with　a　sharp　pebble。　〃This　is　Hairstone's　revenge　on　a　couple　of　hoopreo。〃
　He'd　heard　this　term　whispered　in　their　presence　countless　times。　It　meant　anything　from　exotic　stranger　to　repugnant　leper；　depending　on　the　facial　expression　of　the　speaker。　The　people　of　Mai…ke　were　keen　face…pullers；　and　when　they'd　used　the　word　in　Gentle's　pany　there　was　little　doubt　which　end　of　the　scale　of　affections　they　had　in　mind。
　〃It'll　e；〃　said　Pie。　〃We're　not　the　only　ones　waiting。〃
　Two　more　groups　of　travelers　had　appeared　on　the　platform　in　the　last　few　minutes：　a　family　of　Mai'keacs；　three　generations　represented；　who　had　tugged　everything　they　owned　down　to　the　station；　and　three　women　in　voluminous　robes；　then〃　heads　shaved　and　plastered　with　white　mud；　nuns　of　the　Goetic　Kicaranki；　an　order　as　despised　in　Mai…k6　as　any　well…fed　hoopreo。　Gentle　took　some　fort　from　the　appearance　of　these　fellow　travelers；　but　the　track　was　still　empty；　the　graveolents；　who　would　surely　be　the　first　to　sense　any　disturbance　in　the　rails；　going　about　their　nest　building　unperturbed。　He　wearied　of　watching　them　very　quickly　and　turned　his　attention　to　Pie's　scrawlings。
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃
　〃I'm　trying　to　work　out　how　long　we've　been　here。〃
　〃Two　days　in　Mai…ke；　a　day　and　a　half　on　the　road　from　Attaboy…〃
　〃No；　no；〃　said　the　mystif；　〃I'm　trying　to　work　it　out　in　Earth　days。　Right　from　first　arriving　in　the　Dominions。〃
　〃We　tried　that　in　the　mountains；　and　we　didn't　get　anywhere。〃
　〃That's　because　our　brains　were　frozen　stiff。〃
　〃So　have　you　done　it？〃
　〃Give　me　a　little　time。〃
　〃Time；　we've　got；〃　Gentle　said；　returning　his　gaze　to　the　antics　of　graveolents。　〃These　little　buggers'll　have　grandchildren　by　the　time　the　damn　train　arrives。〃
　The　mystif　went　on　with　its　calculations；　leaving　Gentle　to　wander　back　into　the　parative　fort　of　the　waiting　room；　which；　to　judge　by　the　sheep　droppings　on　the　floor；　had　been　used　to　pen　entire　flocks　in　the　recent　past。　The　zarzi　followed　him；　buzzing　around　his　brow。　He　pulled　from　his　ill…fitting　jacket　（bought　with　money　he　and　Pie　had　won　gambling　in　Attaboy）　a　dog…eared　copy　of　Fanny　Hill…the　only　volume　in　English；　besides　Pilgrim's　Progress；　which　he'd　been　able　to　purchase…and　used　it　to　flail　at　the　insects；　then　gave　up。　They'd　tire　of　him　eventually；　or　else　he'd　bee　immune　to　their　attacks。　Whichever；　he　didn't　care。
　He　leaned　against　the　graffiti…covered　wall　and　yawned。　He　was　bored。　Of　all　things；　bored！　If；　when　they'd　first　arrived　in　Vanaeph；　Pie　had　suggested　that　a　few　weeks　later　the　wonders　of　the　Reconciled　Dominions　would　have　bee　tedious；　Gentle　would　have　laughed　the　thought　off　as　nonsense。　With　a　gold…green　sky　above　and　the　spires　of　Patashoqua　gleaming　in　the　distance；　the　scope　for　adventure　had　seemed　endless。　But　by　the　time　he'd　reached　Beatrix…the　fond　memories　of　which　had　not　been　entirely　erased　by　images　of　its　ruin…he　was　traveling　like　any　man　in　a　foreign　land；　prepared　for　occasional　re