cb.imajica1-第80章

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　〃I'll　go　to　Him　naked；〃　she　said；　smiling　in　anticipation　of　that　pleasure。　〃He'll　prefer　rne　that　way。〃
　This　mystery　lover　intrigued　Jude　more　and　more。　Hearing　her　own　voice　musky　with　talk　of　nakedness；　she　was　tantalized。　Would　it　not　be　a　fine　thing　to　see　the　consummation？　The　idea　of　watching　herself　couple　with　some　Yzordderrexian　Maestro　had　not　been　among　the　wonderments　she'd　anticipated　discovering　in　this　city；　but　the　notion　carried　an　erotic　frisson　she　could　not　deny　herself。　She　studied　the　reflection　of　her　reflection。　Though　there　were　a　few　cosmetic　differences；　the　essentials　were　hers；　to　the　last　nick　and　mole。　This　was　no　approximation　of　her　face；　but　the　thing　exactly；　which　fact　strangely　excited　her。　She　had　to　find　a　way　to　speak　with　this　woman　tonight。　Even　if　their　twinning　was　simply　a　freak　of　nature；　they　would　surely　be　able　to　illuminate　each　other's　lives　with　an　exchange　of　histories。　All　she　needed　was　a　clue　from　her　doppelganger　as　to　where　in　the　city　she　intended　to　go　looking　for　her　Maestro　lover。
　With　her　face　cleansed；　Quaisoir　got　up　from　in　front　of　the　mirror　and　went　back　into　the　bedroom。　Concupis…centia　was　sitting　by　the　window。　Quaisoir　waited　until　she　was　within　inches　of　her　servant　before　she　spoke；　and　even　then　her　words　were　barely　audible。
　〃We'll　need　a　knife；〃　she　said。
　The　creature　shook　her　head。　〃They　tookat　em　all；〃　she　said。　〃You　seem　how　ey　lookat　and　iookat。〃
　〃Then　we　must　make　one；〃　Quaisoir　replied。　〃Seidux　will　try　to　oppose　our　leaving。〃
　〃You　wishat　to　kill　em？〃
　〃Yes；　I　do。〃
　This　talk　chilled　Jude。　Though　Seidux　had　retreated　before　Quaisoir　when　she'd　threatened　to　cry　rape；　Jude　doubted　that　he'd　be　so　passive　if　challenged　physically。　Indeed；　what　more　perfect　excuse　would　he　need　to　regain　his　dominance　than　her　ing　at　him　with　a　knife？　If　she'd　had　the　means；　she　would　have　been　Clara's　mouthpiece　now　and　echoed　her　sentiments　on　man　the　desola…tor；　in　the　hope　of　keeping　Quaisoir　from　harm。　It　would　be　an　unbearable　irony　to　lose　this　woman　now；　having　found　her　way　（surely　not　by　accident；　though　at　present　it　seemed　so）　across　half　the　Imajica　into　her　very　chamber。
　〃I　cet　shapas　te　knife；〃　Concupiscentia　was　saying。
　〃Then　do　it；〃　Quaisoir　replied；　leaning　still　closer　to　her　fellow　conspirator。
　Jude　missed　the　next　exchange；　because　somebody　called　her　name。　Startled；　she　looked　around　the　room；　but　before　she'd　half　scanned　it　she　recognized　the　voice。　It　was　Hoi…Polloi；　and　she　was　rousing　the　sleeper　after　the　storm。
　〃Papa's　here！〃　Jude　heard　her　say。　〃Wake　up；　Papa's　here！〃
　There　was　no　time　to　bid　farewell　to　the　scene。　It　was　there　in　front　of　her　one　moment；　and　replaced　the　next　with　the　face　of　Peccable's　daughter；　leaning　to　shake　her　awake。
　〃Papa…〃　she　said　again。
　〃Yes；　all　right；〃　Jude　said　brusquely；　hoping　the　girl　would　leave　without　further　exchanges　ing　between　her　and　the　sights　sleep　had　brought。　She　knew　she　had　scant　moments　to　drag　the　dream　into　wakefuiness　with　her；　or　it　would　subside　and　the　details　bee　hazy　the　deeper　it　sank。
　She　was　in　luck。　Hoi…Polloi　hurried　back　down　to　her　father's　side；　leaving　Jude　to　recite　aloud　all　she'd　seen　and　heard。　Quaisoir　and　her　servant　Concupiscentia；　Seidux　and　the　plot　against　him。　And　the　lover；　of　course。　She　shouldn't　forget　the　lover；　who　was　presumably　somewhere　in　the　city　even　now；　pining　for　his　mistress　who　was　locked　up　in　her　gilded　prison。　With　these　facts　fixed　in　her　head；　she　ventured　first　to　the　bathroom；　then　down　to　meet　Peccable。
　Well　dressed　and　better　fed；　Peccable　had　a　face　upon　which　his　present　ire　sat　badly。　He　looked　slightly　absurd　in　his　fury；　his　features　too　round　and　his　mouth　too　small　for　the　rhetoric　they　were　producing。　Introductions　were　made；　but　there　was　no　time　for　pleasantries。　Peccable's　fury　needed　venting；　and　he　seemed　not　to　care　much　who　his　audience　was；　as　long　as　they　sympathized。　He　had　reason　for　fury。　His　warehouse　near　the　harbor　had　been　burned　to　the　ground；　and　he　himself　had　only　narrowly　escaped　death　at　the　hands　of　a　mob　that　had　already　taken　over　three　of　the　Kesparates　and　declared　them　independent　city…states；　thereby　issuing　a　challenge　to　the　Autarch。　So　far；　he　said；　the　palace　had　done　little。　Small　contingents　of　troops　had　been　dispatched　to　the　Caramess；　to　the　Oke　T'Noon；　and　the　seven　Kesparates　on　the　other　side　of　the　hill；　to　suppress　any　sign　of　uprisings　there。　But　no　offensive　had　been　launched　against　the　insurgents　who　had　taken　the　harbor。
　〃They're　nothing　more　than　rabble；〃　the　merchant　said。　〃They've　no　care　for　property　or　person。　Indiscriminate　destruction；　that's　all　they're　good　for！　I'm　no　great　lover　of　the　Autarch；　but　he's　got　to　be　the　voice　of　decent　people　like　me　in　times　like　this！　I　should　have　sold　my　business　a　year　ago。　I　talked　with　Oscar　about　it。　We　planned　to　move　away　from　this　wretched　city。　But　I　hung　on　and　hung　on；　because　I　believe　in　people。　That's　my　mistake；〃　he　said；　throwing　his　eyes　up　to　the　ceiling　like　a　man　martyred　by　his　own　decency。　〃I　have　too　much　faith。〃　He　looked　at　Hoi…Polloi。　〃Don't　I？〃
　〃You　do；　Papa；　you　do。〃
　〃Well；　not　any　more。　You　go　and　pack　our　belongings；　sweet。　We're　getting　out　tonight。〃
　〃What　about　the　house？〃　Dowd　said。　〃And　all　the　collectibles　downstairs？〃
　Peccable　cast　a　glance　at　Hoi…Polloi。　〃Why　don't　you　start　packing　now？〃　he　said；　clearly　unfortable　with　the　idea　of　debating　his　black　market　activities　in　front　of　his　daughter。
　He　cast　a　similar　glance　at　Jude；　but　she　pretended　not　to　prehend　its　significance　and　remained　seated。　He　began　to　talk　anyway。
　〃When　we　leave　this　house　we　leave　it　forever；〃　he　said。　〃There'll　be　nothing　left　to　e　back　to；　I'm　convinced　of　that。〃　The　outraged　bourgeois　of　minutes　before；　appealing　for　civil　stability；　was　now　replaced　by　an　apocalyptic。　〃It　was　bound　to　happen　sooner　or　later。　They　couldn't　control　the　cults　in　perpetuity。〃　〃They？〃　said　Jude。　〃The　Autarch。　And　Quaisoir。〃
　The　sound　of　the　name　was　like　a　blow　to　her　heart。　〃Quaisoir？〃　she　said。
　〃His　wife。　The　consort。　Our　lady　of　Yzordderrex：　Ma'am　Quaisoir。　She's　been　his　undoing；　if　you　ask　me。　He　always　kept　himself　hidden　away；　which　was　wise；　nobody　thought　about　him　much　as　long　as　trade　was　good　and　the　streets　were　lit。　The　taxes；　of　course：　the　taxes　have　been　a　burden　upon　us　all；　especially　family　men　like　myself；　but　let　me　teU　you　we're　better　off　here　than　they　are　in　Pata…shoqua　or　lahmandhas。　No；　I　don't　think　he's　done　badly　by　us。　The　stories　you　hear　about　the　state　of　things　when　he　first　took　over：　Chaos！　Half　the　Kesparates　at　war　with　the　other　half。　He　brought　stability。　People　prospered。　No；　it's　not　his　policies；　it's　her：　she's　his　undoing。　Things　were　fine　until　she　started　to　interfere。　I　suppose　she　thinks　she's　doing　us　a　favor；　deigning　to　appear　in　public。〃
　〃Have　you　。　。　。　seen　her　then？〃　Jude　asked。
　〃Not　personally；　no。　She　stays　out　of　sight；　even　when　she　attends　executions。　Though　I　heard　that　she　showed　herself　today；　out　in　the　open。　Somebody　said　they'd　actually　seen　her　face。　Ugly；　they　said。　Brutish。　I'm　not　surprised。　All　these　executions　were　her　idea。　She　enjoys　them；　apparently。　Well；　people　don't　like　that。　Taxes；　yes。　An　occasional　purge；　some　political　trials…well；　yes；　those　too；　we　can　accept　those。　But　you　can't　make　the　law　into　a　public　spectacle。　That's　a　mockery；　and　we've　never　mocked　the　law　in　Yzordderrex。〃
　He　went　on　in　much　the　same　vein；　but　Jude　wasn't　listening。　She　was　attempting　to　conceal　the　heady　mixture　of　feelings　that　was　coursing　through　her。　Quaisoir；　the　woman　with　her　face；　was　not　some　minor　player　in　the　life　of　Yzordderrex　but　one　of　its　two　potentates；　by　extension；　therefore；　one　of　the　great　rulers　of　the　Imajica。　Could　she　now　doubt　that　there　was　purpose　in　her　ing　to　this　city？　She　had　a　face　which　owned　power。　A　face　that　went　in　secret　from　the　world；　but　that　behind　its　veils　had　made　the　Autarch　of　Yzordderrex　pliant。　The　question　was：　What　did　that　mean？　After　so　unremarkable　a　life　on　earth；　had　she　been　called　into　this　Dominion　to　taste　a　little　of　the　power　that　her　other　took　for　granted？　Or　was　she　here　as　a　diversion；　called　to　suffer　in　place　of　Quaisoir　for　the　crimes　she'd　supposedly　mitted？　And　if　so；　who　was　the　summoner？　Clearly　it　had　to　be　a　Maestro　with　ready　access　to　the　Fifth　Dominion　and　agents　there　to　conspire　with。　Was　Godolpnin　some　part　of　this　plot？　Or　Dowd；　perhaps？　That　seemed　more　likely。　And　what　about　Quaisoir？　Was　she　in　ignorance　of　the　plans　being　laid　on　her　behalf　or　a　fellow　plotter？
　Tonight　would　tell；　Jude　promised　herself。　Tonight　she'd　find　some　way　to　intercept　Quaisoir　as　she　went　to　meet　her　angel…dispatching　lover；　and　before　another　day　had　gone　by　Jude　would　know　whether　she'd　been　brought　from　the　Fifth　to　be　a　sister　or　a　scapegoat。
　
　
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　GENTLE　DID　AS　HE'D　PROMISED　PIE；　and　stayed　with　Huzzah　at　the　cafe　where　they'd　breakfasted　until　the　et's　arc　took　it　behind　the　mountain　and　the　light　of　day　gave　way　to　twilight。　Doing　so　tried　not　only　his　patience　but　his　nerve；　because　as　the　afternoon　wore　on　the　unrest　from　the　lower　Kesparates　spread　up　through　the　streets；　and　it　became　increasingly　apparent　that　the　establishment　would　stand　in　the　middle　of　a　battlefield　by　evening。　Party　by　party；　the　customers　vacated　their　tables　as　the　sound　of　rioting　and　gunfire　crept　closer。　A　slow　rain　of　smuts　began　to　fall；　spiraling　from　a　sky　which　was　intermittently　darkened　now　by　smoke　rising　from　the　burning　Kesparates。
　As　the　first　wounded　began　to　be　carried　up　the　street；　indicating　that　the　field　of　action　was　now　very　near；　the　owners　of　several　nearby　shops　gathered　in　the　cafe　for　a　short　council；　debating；　presumably；　the　best　way　to　defend　their　property。　It　ended　in　accusation；　the　insults　an　education　to　both　Gentle　and　Huzzah。　Two　of　the　owners　returned　with　weapons　a　few　minutes　later；　at　which　point　the　manager；　who　introduced　himself　as　Bunyan　Blew；　asked　Gentle　if　he　and　his　daughter　didn't　have　a　home　to　go　to。　Gentle　replied　that　they　had　promised　to　meet　somebody　here　earlier　in　the　day；　and　they　would　be　most　obliged　if　they　could　remain　until　their　friend　arrived。
　〃I　remember　you；〃　Blew　replied。　〃You　came　in　this　morning；　didn't　you；　with　a　woman？〃　〃That's　who　we're　waiting　for。〃　〃She　put　me　in　mind　of　somebody　I　used　to　know；〃　Blew　said。　〃I　hope　she's　safe　out　there。〃　〃So　do　we；〃　Gentle　replied。
　〃You'd　better　stay　then。　But　you'll　have　to　lend　me　a　hand　barricading　the　place。〃
　Bunyan　explained　that　he'd　known　this　was　going　to　happen　sooner　or　later　and　was　prepared　for　the　eventuality。　There　were　timbers　to　nail　over　the　windows；　and　a　supply　of　small　arms　should　the　mob　try　to　loot　his　shelves。
　In　fact；　his　precautions　proved　unnecessary。　The　street　became　a　conduit　for　ferrying　the　wounded　army　from　the　bat　zone；　which　was　moving　up　the　hill　one　street　east　of　the　cafe。　There　were　two　nerve…racking　hours；　however；　when　the　din　of　shouting　and　gunfire　was　ing　from　all　pass　points；　and　the　bottles　on　Slew's　shelves　tinkled　every　time　the　ground　shook；　which　was　often。　One　of　the　sh