cb.imajica1-第75章

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　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　was　a　high　unmusical　holler　in　the　midst　of　the　din；　rising　and　falling　like　a　warrior　cry。　Before　either　Pie　or　Gentle　could　remark　on　this；　Huzzah　was　following　the　rest　of　the　children；　darting　between　the　puddles　and　the　rooting　ragemy　to　do　so。　Gentle　looked　at　Pie；　who　shrugged；　then　they　both　headed　after　Huzzah；　the　trail　leading　them　down　an　alleyway　into　a　broad　and　busy　street；　which　was　emptying　at　an　astonishing　rate　as　pedestrians　and　drivers　alike　sought　cover　from　whatever　was　racing　down　the　hill　in　their　direction。
　The　hollerer　came　first：　an　armored　man　of　fully　twice　Gentle's　height；　carrying　in　each　fist　scarlet　flags　that　snaked　behind　him　as　he　ran；　the　pitch　and　volume　of　his　cry　undimmed　by　the　speed　at　which　he　moved。　On　his　heels　came　a　battalion　of　similarly　armored　soldiers…　none；　even　in　the　troop；　under　eight　feet　tall…and　behind　them　again　a　vehicle　which　had　clearly　been　designed　to　mount　and　descent　the　ferocious　slopes　of　the　city　with　minimum　disfort　to　its　passengers。　The　wheels　were　the　height　of　the　hollerer；　the　carriage　itself　low…slung　between　them；　its　bodywork　sleek　and　dark；　its　windows　darker　still。　A　gull　had　bee　caught　between　the　spokes　of　the　wheels　on　the　way　down　the　hill；　and　it　flapped　and　bled　there　as　the　wheels　turned；　its　screeches　a　wretched　but　perfect　plement　to　the　cacophony　of　wheels；　engine；　and　hollerer。
　Gentle　took　hold　of　Huzzah　as　the　vehicle　raced　past；　though　she　was　in　no　danger　of　being　struck。　She　looked　around　at　him；　wearing　a　wide　grin。
　〃Who　was　that？〃　she　said。
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　A　woman　sheltering　in　the　doorway　beside　them　furnished　the　answer。　〃Quaisoir；〃　she　said。　〃The　Autarch's　woman。　There's　arrests　being　made　down　in　the　Scoriae。　More　Dearthers。〃
　She　made　a　small　gesture　with　her　fingers；　moving　them　across　her　face　from　eye　to　eye；　then　down　to　her　mouth；　pressing　the　knuckles　of　first　and　third　fingers　against　her　nostrils　while　the　middle　digit　tugged　at　her　lower　lip；　all　this　with　the　speed　of　one　who　made　the　sign　countless　times　in　a　day。　Then　she　turned　off　down　the　street；　keeping　close　to　the　wall　as　she　went。
　〃Athanasius　was　a　Dearther；　wasn't　he？〃　Gentle　said。　〃We　should　go　down　and　see　what's　happening。〃
　〃It's　a　little　too　public；〃　Pie　said。
　〃We'll　stay　to　the　back　of　the　crowd；〃　Gentle　said。　〃I　want　to　see　how　the　enemy　works。〃
　Without　giving　Pie　time　to　object；　Gentle　took　Huzzah's　hand　and　headed　after　Quaisoir's　troop。　It　wasn't　a　difficult　trail　to　follow。　Everywhere　along　the　route　faces　were　once　more　appearing　at　windows　and　doors；　like　anemones　showing　themselves　again　after　being　brushed　by　the　underbelly　of　a　shark：　tentative；　ready　to　hide　their　tender　heads　again　at　the　merest　sign　of　a　shadow。　Only　a　couple　of　tots；　not　yet　educated　in　terror；　did　as　the　three　strangers　were　doing　and　took　to　the　middle　of　the　street；　where　the　et's　light　was　brightest。　They　were　quickly　reclaimed　for　the　relative　safety　of　the　doorways　in　which　their　guardians　hovered。
　The　ocean　came　into　view　as　the　trio　descended　the　hill；　and　the　harbor　was　now　visible　between　the　houses；　which　were　considerably　older　in　this　neighborhood　than　in　the　Oke　T'Noon　or　up　by　the　Caramess。　The　air　was　clean　and　quick　here；　it　enlivened　their　step。　After　a　short　while　the　domestic　dwellings　gave　way　to　docklands：　warehouses；　cranes；　and　silos　reared　around　them。　But　the　area　was　by　no　means　deserted。　The　workers　here　were　not　so　easily　cowed　as　the　occupants　of　the　Kesparate　above；　and　many　were　leaving　off　their　labors　to　see　what　this　rumpus　was　all　about。　They　were　a　far　more　homogenized　group　than　Gentle　had　seen　elsewhere；　most　a　cross　between　Oethac　and　Homo　sapiens；　massive；　even　brutish　men　who　in　sufficient　numbers　could　certainly　trounce　Quaisoir's　battalion。　Gentle　hoisted　Huzzah　up　to　ride　on　his　back　as　they　joined　this　congregation；　fearful　she'd　be　trampled　if　he　didn't。　A　few　of　the　dockers　gave　her　a　smile；　and　several　stood　aside　to　let　her　mount　secure　a　better　place　in　the　crowd。　By　the　time　they　came　within　sight　of　the　troops　again　they　were　thoroughly　concealed。
　A　small　contingent　of　the　soldiers　had　been　charged　to　keep　onlookers　from　straying　too　close　to　the　field　of　action；　and　this　they　were　attempting　to　do；　but　they　were　vastly　outnumbered；　and　as　the　crowd　swelled　it　steadily　pushed　the　cordon　towards　the　site　of　the　hostilities；　a　warehouse　some　thirty　yards　down　the　street；　which　had　apparently　been　laid　siege　to。　Its　walls　were　pitted　with　bullet　strikes；　and　its　lower　windows　smoked。　The　besieging　troops…who　were　not　dressed　showily　like　Quaisoir's　battalion；　but　in　the　monochrome　Gentle　had　seen　paraded　in　L'Himby…were　presently　hauling　bodies　out　of　the　building。　Some　were　on　the　second　story；　pitching　dead　men…　and　a　couple　who　still　had　life　in　them…out　of　the　windows　onto　the　bleeding　heap　below。　Gentle　remembered　Beatrix。　Was　this　cairn　building　one　of　the　marks　of　the　Autarch's　hand？
　〃You　shouldn't　be　seeing　this；　angel；〃　Gentle　told　Huz…zah；　and　tried　to　lift　her　off　his　shoulders。　But　she　held　fast；　taking　fistfuls　of　his　hair　as　security。
　〃I　want　to　see；〃　she　said。　〃I've　seen　it　with　Daddy；　lots　of　times。〃
　〃Just　don't　get　sick　on　my　head；〃　Gentle　warned。
　〃I　won't；〃　she　said；　outraged　at　the　suggestion。
　There　were　fresh　brutalities　unfolding　below。　A　survivor　had　been　dragged　from　the　building　and　was　kicked　to　the　ground　a　few　yards　from　Quaisoir's　vehicle；　the　doors　and　windows　of　which　were　still　closed。　Another　was　defending　himself　as　best　he　could　from　bayonet　jabs；　yelling　in　defiance　as　his　tormentors　encircled　him。　But　everything　came　to　a　sudden　halt　with　the　appearance　on　the　warehouse　roof　of　a　man　wearing　little　more　than　ragged　underwear；　who　opened　his　arms　like　a　soul　in　search　of　martyrdom　and　proceeded　to　harangue　the　assembly　below。
　〃That's　Athanasius！〃　Pie　murmured　in　astonishment。
　The　mystif　was　far　sharper　sighted　than　Gentle；　who　had　to　squint　hard　to　confirm　the　identification。　It　was　indeed　Father　Athanasius；　his　beard　and　hair　longer　than　ever；　his　hands；　brow；　and　flank　running　with　blood。
　〃What　the　hell's　he　doing　up　there；〃　Gentle　said；　〃giving　a　sermon？〃
　Athanasius'　address　wasn't　simply　directed　at　the　troops　and　their　victims　on　the　cobblestones　below。　He　repeatedly　turned　his　head　towards　the　crowd；　shouting　in　their　direction　too。　Whether　he　was　issuing　accusations；　prayers；　or　a　call　to　arms；　the　words　were　lost　to　the　wind；　however。　Soundless；　his　display　looked　faintly　absurd　and　undoubtedly　suicidal。　Rifles　were　already　being　raised　below；　to　put　him　in　their　sights。
　But　before　a　shot　could　be　fired　the　first　prisoner；　who'd　been　kicked　to　his　knees　close　to　Quaisoir's　vehicle；　slipped　custody。　His　captors；　distracted　by　Athanasius'　performance；　were　slow　to　respond；　and　by　the　time　they　did　so　their　victim　was　already　dashing　towards　the　crowd；　ignoring　quicker　escape　routes　to　do　so。　The　crowd　began　to　part；　anticipating　the　man's　arrival　in　its　midst；　but　the　troops　behind　him　were　already　turning　their　muzzles　his　way。　Realizing　they　intended　to　fire　in　the　direction　of　the　crowd；　Gentle　dropped　to　his　haunches；　yelling　for　Huzzah　to　clamber　down。　This　time　she　didn't　protest。　As　she　slipped　from　his　shoulders　several　shots　were　fired。　He　glanced　up　and　through　the　。mesh　of　bodies　caught　sight　of　Athanasius　falling　back；　as　if　struck；　and　disappearing　behind　the　parapet　around　the　roof。
　〃Damn　fool；〃　he　said　to　himself；　and　was　about　to　scoop　Huzzah　up　and　carry　her　away　when　a　second　round　of　shots　froze　him　in　his　tracks。
　A　bullet　caught　one　of　the　dockers　a　yard　from　where　he　crouched；　and　the　man　went　down　like　felled　timber。　Gentle　looked　around　for　Pie；　rising　as　he　did　so。　The　escaping　Dearther　had　also　been　hit；　but　he　was　still　staggering　forward；　heading　towards　a　crowd　that　was　now　in　confusion。　Some　were　fleeing；　some　standing　their　ground　in　defiance；　some　going　to　the　aid　of　the　fallen　docker。
　It　was　doubtful　the　Dearther　saw　any　of　this。　Though　the　momentum　of　his　flight　still　carried　him　forward；　his　face…too　young　to　boast　a　beard…was　slack　and　expressionless；　his　pale　eyes　glazed。　His　lips　worked　as　though　to　impart　some　final　word；　but　a　sharpshooter　below　denied　him　the　fort。　Another　bullet　struck　the　back　of　his　neck　and　appeared　on　the　other　side；　where　three　fine　blue　lines　were　tattooed　across　his　throat；　the　middle　one　bisecting　his　Adam's　apple。　He　was　thrown　forward　by　the　bullet's　impact；　the　few　men　between　him　and　Gentle　parting　as　he　fell。　His　body　hit　the　ground　a　yard　from　Gentle；　with　only　a　few　twitches　of　life　left　in　it。　Though　his　face　was　to　the　ground；　his　hands　still　moved；　making　their　way　through　the　dirt　towards　Gentle's　feet　as　if　they　knew　where　they　were　going。　His　left　arm　ran　out　of　power　before　it　could　reach　its　destination；　but　the　right　had　sufficient　will　behind　it　to　find　the　scuffed　toe　of　Gentle's　shoe。
　He　heard　Pie　murmuring　to　him　from　close　by；　coaxing　him　to　e　away；　but　he　couldn't　forsake　the　man；　not　in　these　last　seconds。　He　started　to　stoop；　intending　to　clasp　the　dying　fingers　in　his　palm；　but　he　was　too　late　by　seconds。　The　arm　lost　its　power；　and　the　hand　dropped　back　to　the　ground　lifeless。
　〃Now　will　you　e？〃　Pie　said。
　Gentle　tore　his　eyes　from　the　corpse　and　looked　up。　The　scene　had　gained　him　an　audience；　and　there　was　a　disturbing　anticipation　in　their　faces；　puzzlement　and　respect　mingled　with　the　clear　expectation　of　some　pronouncement。　Gentle　had　none　to　offer　and　opened　his　arms　to　show　himself　empty…handed。　The　assembly　stared　on；　unblinking；　and　he　half　thought　they　might　assault　him　if　he　didn't　speak；　but　a　further　burst　of　gunfire　from　the　siege　site　broke　the　moment；　and　the　starers　gave　up　their　scrutiny；　some　shaking　their　heads　as　though　waking　from　a　trance。　The　second　of　the　captives　had　been　executed　against　the　warehouse　wall；　and　shots　were　now　being　fired　into　the　pile　of　bodies　to　silence　some　survivor　there。　Troops　had　also　appeared　on　the　roof；　presumably　intending　to　pitch　Athanasius'　body　down　to　crown　the　cairn。　But　they　were　denied　that　satisfaction。　Either　he'd　faked　being　struck；　or　eke　he'd　survived　the　wounding　and　crawled　off　to　safety　while　the　drama　unfolded　below。　Whichever；　he'd　left　his　pursuers　empty…handed。
　Three　of　the　cordon　keepers；　all　of　whom　had　fled　for　cover　as　their　rades　fired　on　the　crowd；　now　reappeared　to　claim　the　body　of　the　escapee。　They　encountered　a　good　deal　of　passive　resistance；　however；　the　crowd　ing　between　them　and　the　dead　youth；　jostling　them。　They　forced　their　way　through　with　well…aimed　jabs　from　bayonets　and　rifle　butts；　but　Gentle　had　time　to　retreat　from　in　front　of　the　corpse　as　they　did　so。
　He　had　also　had　time　to　look　back　at　the　corpse…strewn　stage　visible　beyond　the　heads　of　the　crowd。　The　door　of　Quaisoir's　vehicle　had　opened；　and　with　her　elite　guard　forming　a　shield　around　her　she　finally　stepped　out　into　the　light　of　day。　This　was　the　consort　of　the　Imajica's　vilest　tyrant；　and　Gentle　lingered　a　d