cb.imajica1-第69章

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　bullets　went　well　wide。
　〃They'll　catch　us　now；〃　Aping　gasped。　〃We　should　surrender。〃　He　set　his　daughter　down　and　threw　his　gun　to　the　ground；　turning　to　spit　his　accusations　in　Gentle's　face。　〃Why　did　I　ever　listen　to　you？　I　was　crazy；〃
　〃If　we　stay　here　they'll　shoot　us　on　the　spot；〃　Gentle　replied。　〃Huzzah　as　well。　Do　you　want　that？〃
　〃They　won't　shoot　us；〃　he　said；　taking　hold　of　Huzzah　with　one　hand　and　raising　the　other　to　catch　the　beams。　〃Don't　shoot！〃　he　yelled。　〃Don't　shoot！　Captain？　Captain！　Sir！　We　surrender！〃
　〃Fuck　this；〃　Gentle　said；　and　reached　to　haul　Huzzah　from　her　father's　grip。
　She　went　into　Gentle's　arms　readily；　but　Aping　wasn't　about　to　relinquish　her　so　easily。　He　turned　to　snatch　her　back；　and　as　he　did　so　a　bullet　struck　the　ice　at　their　feet。　He　let　Huzzah　go　and　turned　to　attempt　a　second　appeal。　Two　shots　cut　him　short；　the　first　striking　his　leg；　the　second　his　chest。　Huzzah　let　out　a　shriek　and　wrenched　herself　from　Gentle's　hold；　dropping　to　the　ground　at　her　father's
　head。
　The　seconds　they'd　lost　in　Aping's　surrender　and　death　were　the　difference　between　the　slimmest　hope　of　escape　and　none。　Any　one　of　the　twenty　or　so　troops　advancing　upon　them　now　could　pick　them　off　at　this　distance。　Even　N'ashap；　who　was　leading　the　group；　his　walk　still　unsteady；　could　scarcely　have　failed　to　bring　them　down。　〃What　now？〃　said　Pie；
　〃We　have　to　stand　our　ground；〃　Gentle　replied。　〃We've　got　no　choice。〃
　That　very　ground；　however；　was　no　steadier　than　N'a…shap's　walk。　Though　this　Dominion's　suns　were　in　another　hemisphere　and　there　was　only　midnight　from　horizon　to　horizon；　a　tremor　was　moving　through　the　frozen　sea　that　both　Pie　and　Gentle　recognized　from　almost　fatal　experience。　Huzzah　felt　it　too。　She　raised　her　head；　her　sobs　quieting。
　〃The　Lady；〃　she　murmured。　〃What　about　her？〃　said　Gentle。　〃She's　near　us。〃
　Gentle　put　out　his　hand；　and　Huzzah　took　it。　As　she　got　up　she　scanned　the　ground。　So　did　he。　His　heart　had　started　to　pound　furiously；　as　the　memories　of　the　Cradle's　liquifi…cation　flooded　back。
　〃Can　you　stop　her？〃　he　murmured　to　Huzzah。　〃She's　not　e　for　us；〃　the　girl　said；　and　her　gaze　went　from　the　still　solid　ground　beneath　their　feet　to　the　group　that　N'ashap　was　still　leading　in　their　direction。　〃Oh；　Goddess　。　。　。〃　Gentle　said。
　A　cry　of　alarm　was　rising　from　the　middle　of　the　approaching　pack。　One　of　the　torch　beams　went　wild；　then　another；　and　another；　as　one　by　one　the　soldiers　realized　their　jeopardy。　N'ashap　let　out　a　shout　himself：　a　demand　for　order　among　his　troops　that　went　unobeyed。　It　was　difficult　to　see　precisely　what　was　going　on；　but　Gentle　could　imagine　it　well　enough。　The　ground　was　softening；　and　the　Cradle's　silver　waters　were　bubbling　up　around　their　feet。　One　of　the　men　fired　into　the　air　as　the　sea's　shell　broke　beneath　him；　another　two　or　three　started　back　towards　the　island；　only　to　find　their　panic　excited　a　quicker　dissolution。　They　went　down　as　if　snatched　by　sharks；　silver　spume　fountaining　where　they'd　stood。　N'ashap　was　still　attempting　to　preserve　some　measure　of　mand；　but　it　was　a　lost　cause。　Realizing　this；　he　began　to　fire　towards　the　trio；　but　with　the　ground　rocking　beneath　him；　and　the　beams　no　longer　trained　on　his　targets；　he　was　virtually　shooting　blind。
　〃We　should　get　out　of　here；〃　Gentle　said；　but　Huzzah　had　better　advice。
　〃She　won't　hurt　us　if　we're　not　afraid；〃　she　said。　Gentle　was　half　tempted　to　reply　that　he　was　indeed　afraid；　but　he　kept　his　silence　and　his　place；　despite　the　fact　that　the　evidence　of　his　eyes　suggested　the　Goddess　had　no　patience　with　dividing　the　bad　from　the　misguided　or　the　unrepentant　from　the　prayerful。　All　but　four　of　their　pursuers…N'ashap　numbered　among　them…had　already　been　claimed　by　the　sea；　some　gone　beneath　the　tide　entirely；　others　still　struggling　to　reach　some　solid　place。　Gentle　saw　one　man　scrambling　up　out　of　the　water；　only　to　have　the　ground　he　was　crawling　upon　liquify　beneath　him　with　such　speed　the　Cradle　had　closed　over　him　before　he　had　time　to　scream。　Another　went　down　shouting　at　the　water　that　was　bubbling　up　around　him；　the　last　sight　of　him　his　gun；　held　high　and　still　firing。
　AH　the　torch　carriers　had　succumbed　now；　and　the　only　illumination　was　from　the　cliff　top；　where　soldiers　who'd　had　the　luck　to　be　left　behind　were　training　their　beams　on　the　massacre；　throwing　into　silhouette　the　figures　of　N'ashap　and　the　other　three　survivors；　one　of　whom　was　making　an　attempt　to　race　towards　the　solid　ground　where　Gentle；　Pie；　and　Huzzah　stood。　His　panic　undid　him。　He'd　only　run　five　strides　when　silvery　foam　bubbled　up　in　front　of　him。　He　turned　to　retrace　his　steps；　but　the　route　had　already　gone　to　seething　silver。　In　desperation　he　flung　away　his　weapons　and　attempted　to　leap　to　safety；　but　fell　short　and　went　from　sight　in　an　instant。
　One　of　the　remaining　trio；　an　Oethac；　had　fallen　to　his　knees　to　pray；　which　merely　brought　him　closer　to　his　executioner；　who　drew　him　down　in　the　throes　of　his　imprecation；　giving　him　time　only　to　snatch　at　his　rade's　leg　and　pull　him　down　at　the　same　time。　The　place　where　they'd　vanished　did　not　cease　to　seethe　but　redoubled　its　fury　now。　N'ashap；　the　last　alive；　turned　to　face　it；　and　as　he　did　so　the　sea　rose　up　like　a　fountain；　until　it　was　half　his　height　again。
　〃Lady；〃　Huzzah　said。
　It　was。　Carved　in　water；　a　breasted　body；　and　a　face　dancing　with　glints　and　glimmers：　the　Goddess；　or　her　image；　made　of　her　native　stuff；　then　gone　the　same　instant　as　it　broke　and　dropped　upon　N'ashap。　He　was　borne　down　so　quickly；　and　the　Cradle　left　rocking　so　placidly　the　instant　after；　it　was　as　though　his　mother　had　never　made　him。
　Slowly；　Huzzah　turned　to　Gentle。　Though　her　father　was　dead　at　her　feet；　she　was　smiling　in　the　gloom；　the　first　open　smile　Gentle　had　seen　on　her　face。
　〃The　Cradle　Lady　came；〃　she　said。
　They　waited　awhile；　but　there　were　no　further　visitations。　What　the　Goddess　had　done…whether　it　was　to　save　the　child；　as　Huzzah　would　always　believe；　or　because　circumstance　had　put　within　her　reach　the　forces　that　had　tainted　Her　Cradle　with　their　cruelty…She　had　done　with　an　economy　She　wasn't　about　to　spoil　with　gloating　or　sentiment。　She　closed　the　sea　with　the　same　efficiency　She'd　employed　to　open　it；　leaving　the　place　unmarked。
　There　was　no　further　attempt　at　pursuit　from　the　guards　left　on　the　cliff；　though　they　kept　their　places；　torches　piercing　the　murk。
　〃We've　got　a　lot　of　sea　to　cross　before　dawn；〃　Pie　said。
　〃We　don't　want　the　suns　ing　up　before　we　reach　the　peninsula。〃
　Huzzah　took　Gentle's　hand。　〃Did　Papa　ever　tell　you　where　we're　going　in　Yzordderrex？〃
　〃No；〃　he　said。　〃But　we'll　find　the　house。〃　She　didn't　look　back　at　her　father's　body；　but　fixed　her　eyes　on　the　gray　bulk　of　the　distant　headland　and　went　without　plaint；　sometimes　smiling　to　herself；　as　she　remembered　that　the　night　had　brought　her　a　glimpse　of　a　parent　that　would　never　again　desert　her。
　
　
　29
　
　The　territory　that　lay　between　the　shores　of　the　Cradle　and　the　limits　of　the　Third　Dominion　had　been；　until　the　Autarch's　intervention；　the　site　of　a　natural　wonder　universally　held　to　mark　the　center　of　the　Imajica：　a　column　of　perfectly　hewn　and　polished　rock　to　which　as　many　names　and　powers　had　been　ascribed　as　there　were　shamans；　poets；　and　storytellers　to　be　moved　by　it。　There　was　no　munity　within　the　Reconciled　Dominions　that　had　not　enshrined　it　in　their　mythology　and　found　an　epithet　to　mark　it　as　their　own。　But　its　truest　name　was　also　perhaps　its　plainest：　the　Pivot。　Controversy　had　raged　for　centuries　about　whether　the　Unbeheld　had　set　it　down　in　the　smoky　wastes　of　the　Kwem　to　mark　the　midpoint　between　the　perimeters　of　the　Imajica；　or　whether　a　forest　of　such　columns　had　once　stood　in　the　area；　and　some　later　hand　（moved；　perhaps；　by　Hapexamendios'　wisdom）　had　leveled　all　but　this　one。
　Whatever　the　arguments　about　its　origins；　however；　nobody　had　ever　contested　the　power　that　it　had　accrued　standing　at　the　center　of　the　Dominions。　Lines　of　thought　had　passed　across　the　Kwem　for　centuries；　carrying　a　freight　of　force　which　the　Pivot　had　drawn　to　itself　with　a　magnetism　that　was　virtually　irresistible。　By　the　time　the　Autarch　came　into　the　Third　Dominion；　having　already　established　his　particular　brand　of　dictatorship　in　Yzordderrex；　the　Pivot　was　the　single　most　powerful　object　in　the　Imajica。　He　laid　his　plans　for　it　brilliantly；　returning　to　the　palace　he　was　still　building　in　Yzordderrex　and　adding　several　features；　though　their　purpose　did　not　bee　apparent　until　almost　two　years　later；　when；　acting　with　the　kind　of　speed　that　usually　attends　a　coup；　he　had　the　Pivot　toppled；　transported；　and　set　in　a　tower　in　his　palace　before　the　blood　of　those　who　might　have　raised　objections　to　this　sacrilege　was　dry。
　Overnight；　the　geography　of　the　Imajica　was　transformed。　Yzordderrex　became　the　heart　of　the　Dominions。　Thereafter；　there　would　be　no　power；　either　secular　or　sacred；　that　did　not　originate　in　that　city；　there　would　be　no　crossroads　sign　in　any　of　the　Reconciled　Dominions　that　did　not　carry　its　name；　nor　any　highway　that　did　not　have　upon　it　somewhere　a　petitioner　or　penitent　who'd　turned　his　eyes　towards　Yzordderrex　in　hope　of　salvation。　Prayers　were　still　uttered　in　the　name　of　the　Unbeheld；　and　blessings　murmured　in　the　forbidden　names　of　the　Goddesses；　but　Yzordderrex　was　the　true　Lord　now；　the　Autarch　its　mind　and　the　Pivot　its　phallus。
　One　hundred　and　seventy…nine　years　had　passed　since　the　day　the　Kwem　had　lost　its　great　wonder；　but　the　Autarch　still　made　pilgrimages　into　the　wastes　when　he　felt　the　need　for　solitude。　Some　years　after　the　removal　of　the　Pivot　he'd　had　a　small　palace　built　close　to　the　place　where　it　had　stood；　spartan　by　parison　with　the　architectural　excesses　of　the　folly　that　crowned　Yzordderrex。　This　was　his　retreat　in　confounding　times；　where　he　could　meditate　upon　the　sorrows　of　absolute　power；　leaving　his　Military　High　mand；　the　generals　who　ruled　the　Dominions　on　his　behalf；　to　do　so　under　the　eye　of　his　once…beloved　Queen；　Quaisoir。　Lately　she　had　developed　a　taste　for　repression　that　was　waning　in　him；　and　he'd　several　times　thought　of　retiring　to　the　palace　in　the　Kwem　permanently　and　leaving　her　to　rule　in　his　stead；　given　that　she　took　so　much　more　pleasure　from　it　than　he。　But　such　dreams　were　an　indulgence；　and　he　knew　it。　Though　he　ruled　the　Imajica　invisibly…not　one　soul；　outside　the　circle　of　twenty　or　so　who　dealt　with　him　daily；　would　have　known　him　from　any　other　white　man　with　good　taste　in　clothes…his　vision　had　shaped　the　rise　of　Yzordderrex；　and　no　other　would　ever　petently　replace　it。
　On　days　like　this；　however；　with　the　coid　air　off　the　Lenten　Way　whining　in　the　spires　of　the　Kwem　Palace；　he　wished　he　could　send　the　mirror　he　met　in　the　morning　back。to　Yzordderrex　in　his　place　and　let　his　reflection　rule。　Then　he　could　stay　here　and　think　about　the　distant　past：　England　in　midsummer。　The　streets　of　London　bright　with　rain　when　he　woke；　the　fields　outside　the　city　peaceful　and　buzzing　with　bees。　Scenes　he　pictured　longingly　when　he　was　in　elegiac　mood。　Such　moods　seldom　lasted　long；　however。　He　was　too　much　of　a　realist；　and　he　demanded　truth　fro