tp.lightfantastic-第38章

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　'Bring　that　torch　here；'　he　said；　'and　put　that　cigarette　out！'
　He　waited　for　the　explosion　of　infuriated　pride。　But　none　came。　Instead；　the　offending　mage　removed　the　dogend　from　his　lips　with　trembling　fingers　and　ground　it　into　the　floor。
　Trymon　exulted。　So；　he　thought；　they　do　what　I　say。　Just　for　now；　maybe　…　but　just　for　now　is　enough。
　He　peered　at　the　crabby　writing　of　a　wizard　long　dead。
　'Right；'　he　said；　let's　see：　〃To　Appease　Yt；　The　Thynge　That　Ys　The　Guardian　。　。　。〃　'
　

　The　crowd　surged　over　one　of　the　bridges　that　linked　Morpork　with　Ankh。　Below　it　the　river；　turgid　at　the　best　of　times；　was　a　mere　trickle　which　steamed。
　The　bridge　shook　under　their　feet　rather　more　than　it　should。　Strange　ripples　ran　across　the　muddy　remains　of　the　river。　A　few　tiles　slid　off　the　roof　of　a　nearby　house。
　'What　was　that？'　said　Twoflower。
　Bethan　looked　behind　them；　and　screamed。
　The　star　was　rising。　As　the　Disc's　own　sun　scurried　for　safety　below　the　horizon　the　great　bloated　ball　of　the　star　climbed　slowly　into　the　sky　until　the　whole　of　it　was　several　degrees　above　the　edge　of　the　world。
　They　pulled　Rincewind　into　the　safety　of　a　doorway。　The　crowd　hardly　noticed　them；　but　ran　on；　terrified　as　lemmings。
　'The　star's　got　spots　on；'　said　Twoflower。
　'No；'　said　Rincewind。　'They're　。　。　。　things。　Things　going　around　the　star。　Like　the　sun　goes　around　the　Disc。　But　they're　close　in；　because；　because　。　。　。'　he　paused。　'I　nearly　know！'
　'Know　what？'
　'I've　got　to　get　rid　of　this　Spell！'
　'Which　way　is　the　University？'　said　Bethan。
　'This　way！'　said　Rincewind；　pointing　along　the　street。
　'It　must　be　very　popular。　That's　where　everyone's　going。'
　'I　wonder　why？'　said　Twoflower。
　'Somehow；'　said　Rincewind；　'I　don't　think　it's　to　enroll　for　evening　classes。'
　In　fact　Unseen　University　was　under　siege；　or　at　least　those　parts　of　it　that　extruded　into　the　usual；　everyday　dimensions　were　under　siege。　The　crowds　outside　its　gates　were；　generally；　making　one　of　two　demands。　They　were　demanding　that　either　a）　the　wizards　should　stop　messing　about　and　get　rid　of　the　star　or；　and　this　was　the　demand　favoured　by　the　star　people；　that　b）　they　should　cease　all　magic　and　mit　suicide　in　good　order；　thus　ridding　the　Disc　of　the　curse　of　magic　and　warding　off　the　terrible　threat　in　the　sky。
　The　wizards　on　the　other　side　of　the　walls　had　no　idea　how　to　do　a）　and　no　intention　of　doing　b）　and　many　had　in　fact　plumped　for　c）；　which　largely　consisted　of　nipping　out　of　hidden　side　doors　and　having　it　away　on　their　toes　as　far　as　possible；　if　not　faster。
　What　reliable　magic　still　remained　in　the　University　was　being　channelled　into　keeping　the　great　gates　secure。　The　wizards　were　learning　that　while　it　was　all　very　fine　and　impressive　to　have　a　set　of　gates　that　were　locked　by　magic；　it　ought　to　have　occurred　to　the　builders　to　include　some　sort　of　emergency　back…up　device　such　as；　for　example；　a　pair　of　ordinary；　unimpressive　stout　iron　bolts。
　In　the　square　outside　the　gates　several　large　bonfires　had　been　lit；　for　effect　as　much　as　anything　else；　because　the　heat　from　the　star　was　scorching。
　'But　you　can　still　see　the　stars；'　said　Twoflower；　'the　ther　stars；　I　mean。　The　little　ones。　In　a　black　sky。'
　Rincewind　ignored　him。　He　was　looking　at　the　gates。　A　group　of　star　people　and　citizens　were　trying　to　batter　them　down。
　'It's　hopeless；'　said　Bethan。　'We'll　never　get　in。　Where　are　you　going？'
　'For　a　walk；'　said　Rincewind。　He　was　setting　off　determinedly　down　a　side　street。
　There　were　one　or　two　freelance　rioters　here；　mostly　engaged　in　wrecking　shops。　Rincewind　took　no　notice；　but　followed　the　wall　until　it　ran　parallel　to　a　dark　alley　that　had　the　usual　unfortunate　smell　of　all　alleys；　everywhere。
　Then　he　started　looking　very　closely　at　the　stonework。　The　wall　here　was　twenty　feet　high；　and　topped　with　cruel　metal　spikes。
　'I　need　a　knife；'　he　said。
　'You're　going　to　cut　your　way　through？'　said　Bethan。
　'Just　find　me　a　knife；'　said　Rincewind。　He　started　to　tap　stones。
　Twoflower　and　Bethan　looked　at　each　other；　and　shrugged。　A　few　minutes　later　they　returned　with　a　selection　of　knives；　and　Twoflower　had　even　managed　to　find　a　sword。
　'We　just　helped　ourselves；'　said　Bethan。
　'But　we　left　some　money；'　said　Twoflower。　'I　mean；　we　would　have　left　some　money；　if　we'd　had　any　…'
　'So　he　insisted　on　writing　a　note；'　said　Bethan　wearily。
　Twoflower　drew　himself　up　to　his　full　height；　which　was　hardly　worth　it。
　'I　see　no　reason…'　he　began；　stiffly。
　'Yes；　yes；'　said　Bethan；　sitting　down　glumly。　'I　know　you　don't。　Rincewind；　all　the　shops　have　been　smashed　open；　there　was　a　whole　bunch　of　people　across　the　street　helping　themselves　to　musical　instruments；　can　you　believe　that？'
　'Yeah；'　said　Rincewind；　picking　up　a　knife　and　testing　its　blade　thoughtfully。　'Luters；　I　expect。'
　He　thrust　the　blade　into　the　wall；　twisted　it；　and　stepped　ack　as　a　heavy　stone　fell　out。　He　looked　up；　counting　under　his　breath；　and　levered　another　stone　from　its　socket。
　'How　did　you　do　that？'　said　Twoflower。
　'Just　give　me　a　leg　up；　will　you？'　said　Rincewind。　A　moment　later；　his　feet　wedged　into　the　holes　he　had　created；　he　was　making　further　steps　halfway　up　the　wall。
　'It's　been　like　this　for　centuries；'　his　voice　floated　down。　'Some　of　the　stones　haven't　got　any　mOrtar。　Secret　entrance；　see？　Watch　out　below。'
　Another　stone　cracked　into　the　cobbles。
　'Students　made　it　long　ago；'　said　Rincewind。　'Handy　way　in　and　out　after　lights　out。'
　'Ah；'　said　Twoflower；　'I　understand。　Over　the　wall　and　out　to　brightly…lit　tavernas　to　drink　and　sing　and　recite　poetry；　yes？'
　'Nearly　right　except　for　the　singing　and　the　poetry；　yes；'　said　Rincewind。　'A　couple　of　these　spikes　should　be　loose…'　There　was　a　clang。
　'There's　not　much　of　a　drop　this　side；'　came　his　voice　after　a　few　seconds。　'e　on；　then。　If　you're　ing。'
　

　And　so　it　was　that　Rincewind；　Twoflower　and　Bethan　entered　Unseen　University。
　Elsewhere　on　the　campus…
　The　eight　wizards　inserted　their　keys　and；　with　many　a　worried　glance　at　one　another；　turned　them。　There　was　a　faint　little　snicking　sound　as　the　lock　slid　open。
　The　Octavo　was　unchained。　A　faint　octarine　light　played　across　its　bindings。
　Trymon　reached　out　and　picked　it　up；　and　none　of　the　others　objected。　His　arm　tingled。
　He　turned　towards　the　door。
　'Now　to　the　Great　Hall；　brothers；'　he　said；　'if　I　may　lead　the　way　…'
　And　there　were　no　objections。
　He　reached　the　door　with　the　book　tucked　under　his　rm。　It　felt　hot；　and　somehow　prickly。
　At　every　step　he　expected　a　cry；　a　protest；　and　none　came。　He　had　to　use　every　ounce　of　control　to　stop　himself　from　laughing。　It　was　easier　than　he　could　have　imagined。
　The　others　were　halfway　across　the　claustrophobic　dungeon　by　the　time　he　was　through　the　door；　and　perhaps　they　had　noticed　something　in　the　set　of　his　shoulders；　but　it　was　too　late　because　he　had　crossed　the　threshold；　gripped　the　handle；　slammed　the　door；　turned　the　key；　smiled　the　smile。
　He　walked　easily　back　along　the　corridor；　ignoring　the　enraged　screams　of　the　wizards　who　had　just　discovered　how　impossible　it　is　to　pass　spells　in　a　room　built　to　be　impervious　to　magic。
　The　Octavo　squirmed；　but　Trymon　held　it　tightly。　Now　he　ran；　putting　out　of　his　mind　the　horrible　sensations　under　his　arm　as　the　book　shape…changed　into　things　hairy；　skeletal　and　spiky。　His　hand　went　numb。　The　faint　chittering　noises　he　had　been　hearing　grew　in　volume；　and　there　were　other　sounds　behind　them　…　leering　sounds；　beckoning　sounds；　sounds　made　by　the　voices　of　unimaginable　horrors　that　Trymon　found　it　all　too　easy　to　imagine。　As　he　ran　across　the　Great　Hall　and　up　the　main　staircase　the　shadows　began　to　move　and　reform　and　close　in　around　him；　and　he　also　became　aware　that　something　was　following；　something　with　skittery　legs　moving　obscenely　fast。　Ice　formed　on　the　walls。　Doorways　lunged　at　him　as　he　barrelled　past。　Underfoot　the　stairs　began　to　feel　just　like　a　tongue　。　。　。
　Not　for　nothing　had　Trymon　spent　long　hours　in　the　University's　curious　equivalent　of　a　gymnasium；　building　up　mental　muscle。　Don't　trust　the　senses；　he　knew；　because　they　can