cb.imajica1-第74章

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tail；　her　forelimbs　withered　and　boneless　things；　bred　to　such　vestigial　condition　over　generations。　Her　large　green　eyes　seeped　constantly；　the　feathery　fans　to　either　side　of　her　face　dipping　to　brush　the　moisture　from　her　rouged　cheeks。
　〃Where's　Quaisoir？〃　he　demanded。　She　drew　a　coquettish　fan　of　her　tails　over　her　lower　face　and　giggled　behind　them　like　a　geisha。　The　Autarch　had　slept　with　her　once；　in　a　kreauchee　fugue；　and　the　creature　never　let　him　by　without　a　show　of　flirtation。
　〃Not　now；　for　Christ's　sake；〃　he　said；　disgusted　at　the　display。　〃I　want　my　wife！　Where　is　she？〃
　Concupiscentia　shook　her　head；　retreating　from　his　raised　voice　and　fist。　He　pushed　past　her　into　the　bedroom。　If　there　was　any　tiny　wad　of　kreauchee　to　be　had；　it　would　be　here；　in　her　boudoir；　where　she　lazed　away　so　many　days；　listening　to　Concupiscentia　sing　hymns　and　lullabies。　The　chamber　smelled　like　a　harbor　bordello；　a　dozen　sickly　perfumes　draping　the　air　like　the　veils　that　hung　around　the　bed。

　〃I　want　kreauchee！〃　he　said。　〃Where　is　it？〃
　Again；　a　great　shaking　of　the　head　from　Concupiscentia；　this　time　acpanied　by　whimpering。
　〃Where？〃　he　shouted。　〃Where？〃
　The　perfume　and　the　veils　sickened　him；　and　he　began　to　rip　at　the　silks　and　gossamers　in　his　rage。　The　creature　didn't　intervene　until　he　picked　up　the　Bible　lying　open　on　the　pillows　and　threatened　to　rip　out　its　onion…leaf　pages。
　〃Pleas　ep！〃　she　squealed。　〃Please　ep！　Shellem　beat　I　if　ye　taurat　the　Book。　Quaisoir　lovat　the　Book。〃
　It　wasn't　often　he　heard　the　gloss；　the　pidgin　English　of　the　islands；　and　the　sound　of　it…as　misshapen　as　its　source…infuriated　him　even　more。　He　tore　half　a　dozen　pages　from　the　Bible；　just　to　make　her　squeal　again。　She　obliged。
　〃I　want　kreauchee！〃　he　said。
　〃I　havat！　I　havat！〃　the　creature　said；　and　led　him　from　the　bedroom　into　the　enormous　dressing　room　that　lay　next　door；　where　she　began　to　search　through　the　gilded　boxes　on　Quaisoir's　dressing　table。
　Catching　sight　of　the　Autarch's　reflection　in　the　mirror；　she　made　a　tiny　smile；　like　a　guilty　child；　before　bringing　a　package　out　of　the　smallest　of　the　boxes。　He　snatched　it　from　her　fingers　before　she　had　a　chance　to　proffer　it。　He　knew　from　the　smell　that　stung　his　nostrils　that　this　was　good　quality；　and　without　hesitating　he　unwrapped　it　and　put　the　whole　wad　into　his　mouth。
　〃Good　girl；〃　he　told　Concupiscentia。　〃Good　girl。　Now；　do　you　know　where　your　mistress　got　it？〃
　Concupiscentia　shook　her　head。　〃She　goallat　alon　unto　the　Kesparates；　many　nights。　Sometimes　shellem　a　goat　beggar；　sometimes　shellem　goat…〃
　〃A　whore。〃
　〃No；　no。　Quaisoir　isem　a　whore。〃
　〃Is　that　where　she　is　now？〃　the　Autarch　said。　〃Is　she　out　whoring？　It's　a　little　early　for　that；　isn't　it；　or　is　she　cheaper　in　the　afternoon？〃
　The　kreauchee　was　better　than　he'd　hoped；　he　felt　it　striking　him　as　he　spoke；　lifting　his　melancholy　and　replacing　it　with　a　vehement　buzz。　Even　though　he'd　not　penetrated　Quaisoir　in　four　decades　（nor　had　any　desire　to）；　in　some　moods　news　of　her　infidelities　could　still　depress　him。　But　the　drug　took　all　that　pain　away。　She　could　sleep　with　fifty　men　a　day；　and　it　wouldn't　take　her　an　inch　from　his　side。　Whether　they　felt　contempt　or　passion　for　each　other　was　irrelevant。　History　had　made　them　indivisible　and　would　hold　them　together　till　the　Apocalypse　did　them　part。
　〃Shellem　not　whoring；〃　Concupiscentia　piped　up；　determined　to　defend　her　mistress's　honor。　〃Shellem　downer　ta　Scoriae。〃
　〃The　Scoriae？　Why？〃
　〃Executions；〃　Concupiscentia　replied；　pronouncing　this　word…learned　from　her　mistress's　lips…perfectly。
　〃Executions？〃　the　Autarch　said；　a　vague　unease　surfacing　through　the　kreauchee's　soothings。　〃What　executions？〃
　Concupiscentia　shook　her　head。　〃I　dinnet　knie；〃　she　said。　〃Jest　executions。　Allovat　executions。　She　prayat　to　tern…〃
　〃I'm　sure　she　does。〃
　〃We　all　prayat　far　the_sols；　so　ta　go　intat　the　presence　of　the　Unbeheld　washed…〃
　Here　were　more　phrases　repeated　parrot　fashion；　the　kind　of　Christian　cant　he　found　as　sickening　as　the　decor。　And；　like　the　decor；　these　were　Ouaisoir's　work。　She'd　embraced　the　Man　of　Sorrows　only　a　few　months　ago；　but　it　hadn't　taken　her　long　to　claim　she　was　His　bride。　Another　infidelity；　less　syphilitic　than　the　hundreds　that　had　gone　before；　but　just　as　pathetic。
　The　Autarch　left　Concupiscentia　to　babble　on　and　dispatched　his　bodyguard　to　locate　Rosengarten。　There　were　questions　to　be　answered　here；　and　quickly；　or　else　it　wouldn't　only　be　the　Scoriae　where　heads　would　roll。
　
　Traveling　the　Lenten　Way；　Gentle　had　e　to　believe　that；　far　from　being　the　burden　he'd　expected　her　to　be；　Huzzah　was　a　blessing。　If　she　hadn't　been　with　them　in　the　Cradle　he　was　certain　the　Goddess　Tishalulle　would　not　have　intervened　on　their　behalf；　nor　would　hitchhiking　along　the　highway　have　been　so　easy　if　they　hadn't　had　a　winsome　child　to　thumb　rides　for　them。　Despite　the　months　she'd　spent　hidden　away　in　the　depths　of　the　asylum　（or　perhaps　because　of　them）；　Huzzah　was　eager　to　engage　everyone　in　conversation；　and　from　the　replies　to　her　innocent　inquiries　he　and　Pie　gleaned　a　good　deal　of　information　he　doubted　they'd　have　e　by　otherwise。　Even　as　they'd　crossed　the　causeway　to　the　city；　she'd　struck　up　a　dialogue　with　a　woman　who'd　happily　supplied　a　list　of　the　Kesparates　and　even　pointed　out　those　that　were　visible　from　where　they'd　walked。　There　were　too　many　names　and　directions　for　Gentle　to　hold　in　his　head；　but　a　glance　towards　Pie　confirmed　that　the　mystif　was　attending　closely　and　would　have　all　of　them　by　heart　by　the　time　they　reached　the　other　side。
　〃Wonderful；〃　Pie　said　to　Huzzah　when　the　woman　had　departed。　〃I　wasn't　sure　I'd　be　able　to　find　my　way　back　to　my　people's　Kesparate。　Now　I　know　the　way。〃
　〃Up　through　the　Oke　T'Noon；　to　the　Caramess；　where　they　make　the　Autarch's　sweetmeats；〃　Huzzah　said；　repeating　the　directions　as　if　she　was　reading　them　off　a　blackboard。　〃Follow　the　wall　of　the　Caramess　till　we　get　to　Smooke　Street；　then　up　to　the　Viaticum；　and　we'll　be　able　to　see　the　gates　from　there。〃
　〃How　did　you　remember　all　that？〃　Gentle　said；　to　which　Huzzah　somewhat　disdainfully　asked　how　he　could　have　allowed　himself　to　forget。
　〃We　mustn't　get　lost；〃　she　said。
　〃We　won't；〃　Pie　replied。　〃There'll　be　people　in　my　Kesparate　who'll　help　us　find　your　grandparents。〃
　〃If　they　don't　it　doesn't　matter；〃　Huzzah　said；　looking　gravely　from　Pie　to　Gentle。　〃I'll　e　with　you　to　the　First　Dominion。　I　don't　mind。　I'd　like　to　see　the　Unbeheld。〃
　〃How　do　you　know　that's　where　we're　going？〃　Gentle
　said。
　〃I've　heard　you　talking　about　it；〃　she　replied。　〃That's　what　you're　going　to　do；　isn't　it？　Don't　worry；　I'm　not　scared。　We've　seen　a　Goddess；　haven't　we？　He'll　be　the　same；　only　not　as　beautiful。〃
　This　unflattering　notion　amused　Gentle　mightily。
　〃You're　an　angel；　you　know　that？〃　he　said；　going　down　on　his　haunches　and　sliding　his　arms　around　her。
　She'd　put　on　a　few　pounds　in　weight　since　they'd　begun　their　journey　together；　and　her　hug；　when　she　returned　it；
　was　strong。
　〃I'm　hungry；〃　she　murmured　in　his　ear。
　〃Then　we'll　find　somewhere　to　eat；〃　he　replied。　〃We　can't　have　our　angel　going　hungry。〃
　They　walked　up　through　the　steep　streets　of　the　Oke　T'Noon　until　they　were　clear　of　the　throng　of　itinerants　ing　off　the　causeway。　Here　there　were　any　number　of　…establishments　offering　breakfast；　from　stalls　selling　barbecued　fish　to　cafes　that　might　have　been　transported　from　the　streets　of　Paris；　but　that　the　customers　sipping　coffee　were　more　extraordinary　than　even　that　city　of　exotics　could　boast。　Many　were　species　whose　peculiarities　he　now　took　for　granted：　Oethacs　and　Heratea；　distant　relatives　of　Mother　Splendid　and　Hammeryock；　even　a　few　who　resembled　the　one…eyed　croupier　from　Attaboy。　But　for　every　member　of　a　tribe　whose　features　he　recognized；　there　were　two　or　three　he　did　not。　As　in　Vanaeph；　Pie　had　warned　him　that　staring　too　hard　would　not　be　in　their　best　interests；　and　he　did　his　best　not　to　enjoy　too　plainly　the　array　of　courtesies；　humors；　lunacies；　gaits；　skins；　and　cries　that　filled　the　streets。　But　it　was　difficult。　After　a　time　they　found　a　small　caf6　from　which　the　smell　of　food　was　particularly　tempting；　and　Gentle　sat　down　beside　one　of　the　windows；　from　which　he　could　watch　the　parade　without　drawing　too　much　attention。
　〃I　had　a　friend　called　Klein；〃　he　said　as　they　ate；　〃back　in　the　Fifth　Dominion。　He　liked　to　ask　people　what　they'd　do　if　they　knew　they　only　had　three　days　to　live。〃　〃Why　three？〃　Huzzah　asked。
　〃I　don't　know。　Why　three　anything？　It's　one　of　those　numbers。〃
　〃　'In　any　fiction　there's　only　ever　room　for　three　players；'　〃　the　mystif　remarked。　〃　The　rest　must　be　。。　。'　〃…its　flow　faltered　in　mid…quotation…〃　'agents；'　something；　and　something　else。　That's　a　line　from　Pluthero　Quexos。〃　〃Who's　he？〃　〃Nevermind。〃　〃Where　was　I？〃　〃Klein；〃　said　Huzzah。
　〃When　he　got　around　to　asking　me　this　question；　I　told　him；　If　I　had　three　days　left　I'd　go　to　New　York；　because　you've　got　more　chance　of　living　out　your　wildest　dreams　there　than　anywhere。　But　now　I've　seen　Yzordderrex…〃　〃Not　much　of　it；〃　Huzzah　pointed　out。　〃It's　enough；　angel。　If　he　asks　me　again　I'm　going　to　tell　？　him　I'd　like　to　die　in　Yzordderrex。〃
　〃Eating　breakfast　with　Pie　and　Huzzah；〃　she　said。　〃Perfect。〃
　〃Perfect；〃　she　replied；　echoing　his　intonation　precisely。　〃Is　there　anything　I　couldn't　find　here　if　I　looked　hard　enough？〃
　〃Some　peace　and　quiet；〃　Pie　remarked。　The　hubbub　from　outside　was　certainly　loud；　even　in　the　cafe。
　〃I'm　sure　we'll　find　some　little　courtyards　up　in　the　palace；〃　Gentle　said。
　〃Is　that　where　we're　going？〃　Huzzah　asked。　〃Now　listen；〃　said　Pie。　〃For　one　thing；　Mr。　Zacharias　'。'？　doesn't　know　what　the　hell　he's　talking　about…〃　；；。。　〃Language；　Pie；〃　Gentle　put　in。
　〃And　for　another；　we　brought　you　here　to　find　your　pandparents；　and　that's　our　first　priority。　Right；　Mr。　Zacharias？〃　。　〃What　if　you　can't　find　them？〃　Huzzah　said。
　〃We　will；〃　Pie　replied。　〃My　people　know　this　city　from
　top　to　bottom。〃
　〃Is　that　possible？〃　Gentle　said。　〃I　somehow　doubt　it。〃　〃When　you've　finished　your　coffee；〃　Pie　said；　〃I'll　allow
　them　to　prove　you　wrong。〃
　With　their　bellies　filled；　they　headed　on　through　the　streets；　following　the　route　they'd　had　laid　out　for　them：　from　the　Oke　T'Noon　to　the　Caramess；　following　the　wall　until　they　reached　Smooke　Street。　In　fact　the　directions　were　not　entirely　reliable。　Smooke　Street；　which　was　a　narrow　thoroughfare；　and　far　emptier　than　those　they'd　left；　did　not　lead　them　onto　the　Viaticum　as　they'd　been　told　it　would；　but　rather　into　a　maze　of　buildings　as　plain　as　barracks。　There　were　children　playing　in　the　dirt；　and　among　them　wild　ragemy；　an　unfortunate　cross　between　porcine　and　canine　strains　that　Gentle　had　seen　spitted　and　served　in　Mai…ke　but　which　here　seemed　to　be　treated　as　pets。　Either　the　mud；　the　children；　or　the　ragemy　stank；　and　their　smell　had　attracted　zarzi　in　large　numbers。
　〃We　must　have　missed　a　turning；〃　the　mystif　said。　〃We'd　be　best　to…〃
　It　stopped　in　mid…sentence　as　the　sound　of　shouting　rose　from　nearby；　bringing　the　children　up　out　of　the　mud　and　sending　them　off　in　pursuit　of　its　source。　There