cb.imajica2-第81章

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。　But　the　fire's　malice　wasn't　meant　for　them；　and　the　meteor　passed　over　the　city；　leaving　it　unharmed；　outblazing　the　et　as　it　went。
　With　the　fire　out　of　sight；　Gentle　turned　back　to　his　Father。
　〃What　have　You　done？〃　he　demanded。
　The　God's　attention　lingered　in　the　Fifth　for　a　little　time；　but　as　Gentle's　demand　came　again　He　withdrew　His　mind　from　His　target；　and　His　eyes　regained　their　animation。
　〃I've　sent　a　fire　for　the　whore；〃　He　said。　It　was　no　longer　the　lightning　that　spoke；　but　His　many　throats。
　〃Why？〃
　〃Because　she　tainted　you。。。　she　made　you　want　love。〃
　〃Is　that　so　bad？〃
　〃You　can't　build　cities　with　love；〃　the　God　said。　〃You　can't　make　great　works。　It's　weakness。〃
　〃And　what　about　Nisi　Nirvana？〃　Gentle　said。　〃Is　that　a　weakness　too？〃
　He　dropped　to　his　knees　and　laid　his　phantom　palms　on　the　ground。　They　had　no　power　here；　or　else　he'd　have　started　digging。　Nor　could　his　spirit　pierce　the　ground。　The　same　barrier　that　sealed　him　from　his　Father's　belly　kept　him　from　looking　into　His　Dominion's　underworld。　But　he　could　ask　the　questions。
　〃Who　spoke　the　words；　Father？〃　he　asked。　〃Who　said：　Nisi　Nirvana？〃
　〃Forget　you　ever　heard　those　words；〃　Hapexamendios　replied。　〃The　whore　is　dead。　It's　over。〃
　In　his　frustration　Gentle　made　fists　of　his　hands　and　beat　on　the　solid　ground。
　〃There's　nothing　there　but　Me；〃　the。many　throats　went　on。　〃My　flesh　is　everywhere。　My　flesh　is　the　world；　and　the　world　is　My　flesh。〃
　On　the　Mount　of　Lipper　Bayak；　Tick　Raw　had　given　up　his　triumphal　jig　and　was　sitting　at　the　edge　of　his　circle；　waiting　for　the　curious　to　emerge　from　their　houses　and　e　up　to　question　him；　when　the　fire　appeared　in　the　Fourth…　Like　Chicka　Jackeen；　he　assumed　it　was　some　star　of　annunciation；　sent　to　mark　the　victory；　and　he　rose　again　to　hail　it。　He　wasn't　alone。　There　were　several　people　below　who'd　spotted　the　blaze　over　the　Jokalaylau　and　were　applauding　the　spectacle　as　it　approached。　When　it　passed　overhead　it　brought　a　brief　noon　to　Vanaeph；　before　going　on　its　way。　It　lit　Patashoqua　just　as　brightly；　then　flew　out　of　the　Dominion　through　a　fog　that　had　just　appeared　beyond　the　city；　marking　the　first　passing　place　between　the　Dominion　of　green…gold　skies　and　that　of　blue。
　Two　similar　fogs　had　formed　in　Clerkenwell；　one　to　the　southeast　of　Gamut　Street　and　the　other　to　the　northwest；　both　marking　doorways　in　the　newly　reconciled　Dominion。　It　was　the　latter　that　became　blinding　now；　as　the　fire　sped　through　it　from　the　Fourth。　The　sight　was　not　unwitnessed。　Several　revenants　were　in　the　vicinity；　and　though　they　had　no　clue　as　to　what　this　signified；　they　sensed　some　calamity　and　retreated　before　the　radiance；　returning　to　the　house　to　raise　the　alarm。　But　they　were　too　sluggish。　Before　they　were　halfway　back　to　Gamut　Street　the　fog　divided；　and　the　Unbeheld's　fire　appeared　in　the　benighted　streets　of　Clerkenwell。
　Monday　saw　it　first；　as　he　forsook　the　little　fort　of　the　candlelight　and　returned　to　the　step。　The　remnants　of
　Sartori's　hordes　were　raising　a　cacophony　in　the　darkness　outside；　but　even　as　he　crossed　the　threshold　to　ward　them　off；　the　darkness　became　light。
　From　her　place　on　the　top　stair　Jude　saw　Celestine　lay　her　lips　against　her　son's　and　then；　with　astonishing　strength；　lift　his　dead　weight　up　and　pitch　him　out　of　the　circle。　Either　the　impact　or　the　ing　fire　stirred　him；　and　he　began　to　rise；　turning　back　towards　his　mother　as　he　did　so。　He　was　too　late　to　reclaim　his　place。　The　fire　had　e。
　The　window　burst　like　a　glittering　cloud　and　the　blaze　filled　the　room。　Jude　was　flung　off　her　feet；　but　clutched　the　banister　long　enough　to　see　Sartori　cover　his　face　against　the　holocaust；　as　the　woman　in　the　circle　opened　her　arms　to　accept　it。　Celestine　was　instantly　consumed；　but　the　fire　seemed　unappeased　and　would　have　spread　to　burn　the　house　to　its　foundations　had　its　momentum　not　been　so　great。　It　sped　on　through　the　room；　demolishing　the　wall　as　it　went。　On；　on；　towards　the　second　fog　that　Clerkenwell　boasted　tonight。
　〃What　the　fuck　was　that？〃　Monday　said　in　the　hallway　below。
　〃God；〃　Jude　replied。　〃ing　and　going。〃
　In　the　First；　Hapexamendios　raised　His　misbegotten　head。　Even　though　He　didn't　need　the　assembly　of　sight　that　gleamed　in　His　skull　to　see　what　was　happening　in　His　Dominion…He　had　eyes　everywhere…some　memory　of　the　body　that　had　once　been　His　sole　residence　made　Him　turn　now；　as　best　He　could；　and　look　behind　Him。
　〃What　is　this？〃　He　said。
　Gentle　couldn't　see　the　fire　yet；　but　he　could　feel　whispers　of　its　approach。
　〃What　is　this？〃　Hapexamendios　said　again。
　Without　waiting　for　a　reply；　He　began　feverishly　to　unknit　his　semblance；　something　Gentle　had　both　feared　and　hoped　He'd　do。　Feared；　because　the　body　from　which　the　fire　had　been　issued　would　doubtless　be　its　destination；　and　if　it　was　too　quickly　undone；　the　fire　would　have　no　target。　And　hoped；　because　only　in　that　undoing　would　he　have　a　chance　to　locate　Pie。　The　barrier　around　his　Father's　form　softened　as　the　God　was　distracted　by　the　intricacies　of　this　dismantling；　and　though　Gentle　had　yet　to　get　a　second　glimpse　of　Pie　he　turned　his　thought　to　entering　the　body；　but　for　all　His　perplexity　Hapexamendios　was　not　about　to　be　breached　so　readily。　As　Gentle　approached；　a　will　too　powerful　to　be　denied　seized　hold　of　him。
　〃What　is　this？〃　the　God　demanded　a　third　time。　
　Hoping　he　might　yet　gain　a　few　precious　seconds'　reprieve；　Gentle　answered　with　the　truth。
　〃The　Imajica's　a　circle；〃　he　said。
　〃A　circle？〃
　〃This　is　Your　fire；　Father。　This　is　Your　fire；　ing　around　again。〃
　Hapexamendios　didn't　respond　with　words。　He　understood　instantly　the　significance　of　what　He'd　been　told　and　let　His　hold　on　Gentle　slip　again；　in　order　to　turn　all　His　will　to　the　business　of　unknitting　Himself。
　The　ungainly　body　began　to　unravel；　and　in　its　midst　Gentle　once　again　glimpsed　Pie。　This　time；　the　mystif　saw　him。　Its　frail　limbs　thrashed　to　clear　a　way　through　the　turmoil　between　them；　but　before　Gentle　could　finally　wrest　himself　from　his　Father's　custody　the　ground　beneath　Pie　'oh'　pah　grew　unsolid。　The　mystif　reached　up　to　take　hold　of　some　support　in　the　body　above；　but　it　was　decaying　too　fast。　The　ground　gaped　like　a　grave；　and；　with　one　last　despairing　look　in　Gentle's　direction；　the　mystif　sank　from　sight。
　Gentle　raised　his　head　in　a　howl；　but　the　sound　he　made　was　drowned　out　by　that　of　his　Father；　who…as　if　in　imitation　of　His　child…had　also　thrown　back　His　head。　But　His　was　a　din　of　fury　rather　than　sorrow；　as　He　wrenched　and　thrashed　in　His　attempts　to　speed　His　unmasking。
　Behind　Him；　now；　the　fire。　As　it　came　Gentle　thought　he　saw　his　mother's　face　in　the　blaze；　shaped　from　ashes；　her　eyes　and　mouth　wide　as　she　returned　to　meet　the　God　who'd　raped；　rejected；　and　finally　murdered　her。　A　glimpse；　no　more；　and　then　the　fire　was　upon　its　maker；　its　judgment　absolute。
　Gentle's　spirit　was　gone　from　the　conflagration　at　a　thought；　but　His　Father…the　world　His　flesh；　the　flesh　His　world…could　not　escape　it。　His　fetal　head　broke；　and　the　fire　consumed　the　shards　as　they　flew；　its　blaze　cremating　His　heart　and　innards　and　spreading　through　His　mismatched　limbs；　burning　them　away　to　every　last　fingertip　and　toe。
　The　consequence　for　His　city　was　both　instantly　felt　and　calamitous。　Every　street　from　one　end　of　the　Dominion　to　the　other　shook　as　the　message　of　collapse　went　from　the　place　where　its　First　Cause　had　fallen。　Gentle　had　nothing　to　fear　from　this　dissolution；　but　the　sight　of　it　appalled　him　nevertheless。　This　was　his　Father；　and　it　gave　him　neither　pleasure　nor　satisfaction　to　see　the　body　whose　child　he　was　now　reel　and　bleed。　The　imperious　towers　began　to　topple；　their　ornament　dropping　in　rococo　rains；　their　arches　forsaking　the　illusion　of　stone　and　falling　as　flesh。　The　streets　heaved　and　turned　to　meat；　the　houses　threw　down　their　bony　roofs。　Despite　the　collapse　around　him；　Gentle　remained　close　to　the　place　where　his　Father　had　been　consumed；　in　the　hope　that　he　might　yet　find　Pie　loh'　pah　in　the　maelstrom。　But　it　seemed　Hapexamendios'　last　voluntary　act　had　been　to　deny　the　lovers　their　reunion。　He'd　opened　the　ground　and　buried　the　mystif　in　the　pit　of　His　decay；　sealing　it　with　His　will　to　prevent　Gentle　from　ever　finding　Pie　again。
　There　was　nothing　left　for　the　Reconciler　to　do　but　leave　the　city　to　its　decease；　which　in　due　course　he　did；　not　taking　the　route　across　the　Dominions　but　going　back　the　way　the　fire　had　e。　As　he　flew；　the　sheer　enormity　of　what　was　under　way　became　apparent。　If　every　living　body　that　had　passed　a　span　on　Earth　had　been　left　to　putrefy　here　in　the　First；　the　sum　of　their　flesh　would　not　begin　to　approach　that　of　this　city。　Nor　would　this　carrion　rot　into　the　ground　and　its　deposition　feed　a　new　generation　of　life。　It　was　？？　the　ground；　it　was　the　life。　With　its　passing；　there　would　only　be　putrescence　here：　decay　laid　on　decay　laid　on　decay。　A　Dominion　of　filth；　polluted　until　the　end　of　time。
　Ahead；　now；　the　fog　that　divided　the　city's　outskirts　from　the　Fifth。　Gentle　passed　through　it；　returning　gratefully　to　the　modest　streets　of　Clerkenwell。　They　were　drab；　of　course；　after　the　brilliance　of　the　metropolis　he'd　left。　But　he　knew　the　air　had　the　sweetness　of　summer　leaves　upon　it；　even　if　he　couldn't　smell　that　sweetness；　and　the　wele　sound　of　an　engine　from　Holborn　or　Gray's　Inn　Road　could　be　heard；　as　some　fleet　fellow；　knowing　the　worst　was　past；　got　about　his　business。　It　was　unlikely　to　be　legal　work　at　such　an　hour。　But　Gentle　wished　the　driver　well；　even　in　his　crime。　The　Dominion　had　been　saved　for　thieves　as　well　as　saints。
　He　didn't　linger　at　the　passing　place　but　went　as　fast　as　his　weary　thoughts　would　drive　him；　back　to　number　28　and　the　wounded　body　that　was　still　clinging　to　continuance　at　the　bottom　of　the　stairs。
　At　the　top；　Jude　hadn't　waited　for　the　smoke　to　clear　before　venturing　into　the　Meditation　Room。　Despite　a　warning　shout　from　Clem　she'd　gone　up　into　the　murk　to　find　Sartori；　hoping　that　he'd　survived。　His　creatures　hadn't。　Their　corpses　were　twitching　close　to　the　threshold；　not　struck　by　the　blast；　she　thought；　but　laid　low　by　their　summoner's　decline。　She　found　that　summoner　easily　enough。　He　was　lying　close　to　where　Celestine　had　pitched　him；　his　body　arrested　in　the　act　of　turning　towards　the　circle。
　It　had　been　his　undoing。　The　fire　that　had　carried　his　mother　to　oblivion　had　seared　every　part　of　him。　The　ashes　of　his　clothes　had　been　fused　with　his　blistered　back；　his　hair　singed　from　his　scalp；　his　face　cooked　beyond　tenderness。　But　like　his　brother；　lying　in　ribbons　below；　he　refused　to　give　up　life。　His　fingers　clutched　the　boards；　his　lips　still　worked；　baring　teeth　as　bright　as　a　death's…head　smile。　There　was　even　power　in　his　sinews。　When　his　blood…filled　eyes　saw　Jude　he　managed　to　push　himself　up；　until　his　body　rolled　over　onto　its　charred　spine；　and　he　used　his　agonies　to　fuel　the　hand　that　clutched　at　her；　dragging　her　down　beside　him。
　〃My　mother。。。〃
　〃She's　gone。〃
　There　was　bafflement　on　his　face。　〃Why？〃　he　said；　shudders　convulsing　him　as　he　spoke。　〃She　seemed。。。　to　want　it。　Why？〃
　〃So　that　she'd　be　there　when　the　fire　took　Hapexame