hh.thessrat.sings.the.blues-第22章

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r　from　the　negativity　that　blights　lives；　weakens　cultures；　sickens　even　the　strongest。　Do　you　know　what　I'm　talking　about？〃
　Neither　Floyd　nor　Steengo　answered　so　it　was　up　to　me。　I　nodded。
　〃We　do。　Although　we　might　quibble　with　some　of　your　conclusions　the　object　of　your　attentions　is　quite　clear。　I　can　promise　you　that　while　we　are　enjoying　your　hospitality；　neither　I　nor　my　associates　will　talk　to　anyone　about　the　other　sex。　That　is　girls；　women；　females。　It　is　a　taboo　topic。　But；　since　you　raised　the　issue　I　assume　that　you　can　discuss　it　。　。　。〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Right；　answer　enough。　We　will　therefore　enjoy　your　hospitality　and　not　spoil　it。〃
　〃You　are　wise　beyond　your　years；　young　Jim；〃　he　said；　and　a　trace　of　a　smile　returned。　〃Now　you　must　be　tired。　You　will　be　shown　to　your　quarters。〃
　The　doors　opened；　he　turned　away。　End　of　interview。　We　strolled　out　as　nonchalantly　as　we　could。　Old　Goldy　led　us　out　as　he　had　led　us　in；　to　some　pretty　luxurious；　although　still　red　brick；　quarters。　He　turned　on　the　TV；　checked　that　the　faucets　worked　in　the　bathroom；　raised　and　lowered　the　curtains；　then　bowed　himself　out　and　closed　the　door。　I　touched　my　finger　to　my　lips。　Floyd　and　Steengo　waited　in　twitching　silence　while　I　used　the　detector；　borrowed　from　Tremearne；　to　sweep　the　room　for　bugs。　After　what　we　had　seen　on　TV　I　had　a　great　admiration　for　the　electronics　in　this　place。
　〃Nothing；〃　I　said。
　〃No　women；〃　Steengo　said。　〃And　we　can't　even　talk　about　them。〃
　〃I　can　live　with　that　for　awhile；〃　Floyd　cut　in。　〃But　who　was　that　singing　our　number？〃
　〃That；〃　I　said；　〃was　a　very　nifty　example　of　some　first…class　electronic　dubbing。〃
　〃But　where　did　that　joker　e　from？〃　Floyd　said。　〃There　I　am　playing　right　beside　him…and　I　swear　that　I　have　never　seen　him　before。　Maybe　we　really　did　blow　baksheesh　and　this　whole　planet　is　a　drug…inspired　nightmare！〃
　〃Keep　cool；　keep　calm。　That　guy　was　nothing　but　a　bunch　of　electronic　bytes　and　bits。　Some　really　good　techs　digitalized　that　entire　song；　with　all　of　us　playing　it。　Then　they　animated　a　puter…generated　male　singer　to　follow　all　of　Madonette's　movements。　Wrote　her　image　out；　wrote　his　in…then　re…recorded　the　whole　thing　just　as　if　it　were　going　out　live。　Only　with　a　him　instead　of　a　her。〃
　〃But　why？〃　Steengo　asked；　dropping　wearily　into　one　of　the　deep　lounges。
　〃Now　you　have　asked　the　right　question。　And　the　answer　is　obvious。　This　side　of　Paradise　is　for　men　only。　Not　only　haven't　we　seen　any　women　here…but　pretty　obviously　they　have　been　edited　out　of　TV　and　presumably　everything　else　going。　It's　a　real　man's　world。　And　don't　say　why　again　because　I　don't　know。　You　saw　how　high　that　wall　is　when　we　were　on　our　way　here。　And　we　know　from　views　of　the　thing　from　space　that　the　city　is　on　both　sides　of　the　wall。　So　the　women…if　there　are　any　women…might　very　well　be　on　the　other　side。〃
　No　one　said　why　again　but　that　was　the　only　thing　on　our　minds。　I　stared　at　their　worried　faces　and　tried　to　think　of　something　nice。　I　did。　〃Madonette；'；'　I　said。
　〃What　about　her？〃　Steengo　asked。
　〃We've　got　to　tell　her　what　has　happened。〃　I　stuck　my　thumb　in　my　ear　and　addressed　my　pinkie。　〃Jim　calling　Madonette。　Are　you　on…line？〃
　〃Very　much　so。〃
　〃I　read　you　as　well；〃　Tremearne　said　tinnily　from　my　thumbnail。
　I　outlined　the　events　of　the　day。　Said　over　and　awaited　any　reaction。　Madonette　gasped；　nor　could　I　blame　her；　but　Tremearne　was　all　business　as　usual。
　〃You　are　doing　well　on　your　side　of　the　wall。　Is　it　time　for　Madonette　to　check　out　her　side？〃
　〃Not　yet；　not　until　we　have　a　few　answers　to　an　awful　lot　of　questions。〃
　〃Agreed…but　only　for　now。　What　have　you　discovered　about　the　artifact？〃
　〃Negative　so　far。　Give　us　a　break；　Captain。　Don't　you　think　that　getting　in　here；　pressing　the　flesh　and　doing　a　gig　is　enough　for　one　day？〃　The　silence　lengthened。　〃Yes；　sir；　right　you　are…it's　not　enough。　One　alien　artifact　ing　up。　Over　and　out。〃
　I　pulled　my　finger　out　of　my　ear；　wiped　the　earwax　off　of　it；　stared　gloomily　into　space。
　〃How　do　we　find　it？〃　Floyd　asked。
　〃I　haven't　the　slightest　idea。　I　just　said　that　to　get　Tremearne　off　my　neck。〃
　〃I　know　how　we　start；〃　Steengo　said。　I　launched　a　quizzical　look　in　his　direction。
　〃First　the　Esc　and　now　this。　Our　humble　harp　player　reveals　hidden　depths。〃　He　nodded　and　smiled。
　〃All　those　years　laboring　for　the　League　perhaps。　Didn't　the　ancient　gladhander　at　the　gate　tell　us　that　there　would　be　a　market　at　dawn　tomorrow？〃
　〃His　very　words；〃　Floyd　said。　〃But　so　what？　The　artifact　is　long　gone　from　the　market。〃
　〃Of　course。　But　the　merchants　aren't。　There　is　a　good　chance　that　whoever　bought　the　thing　might　still　be　there。〃
　〃A　genius！〃　I　applauded。　〃Behind　those　gray　hairs　lies　even　grayer　gray　matter　that　knows　how　to　think！〃
　He　nodded　acceptance。　〃I　never　did　enjoy　retirement。　What's　next；　boss　Jim？〃
　〃Grab　Goldy。　Show　strong　interest　in　the　market。　Have　him　lay　on　a　guide　to　take　us　there　when　it　opens　in　the　morning　。　。　。
　As　though　speaking　his　name　had　been　a　summons；　bugles　sounded；　the　door　opened；　our　gilt…garbed　guardian　came　in。
　〃A　summons　for　you；　oh　lucky　ones。　Iron　John　will　see　you　in　the　Veritorium。　e！〃
　We　went…since　we　had　little　choice。　For　a　change　Goldy　was　not　in　a　chatty　mood；　waving　off　our　queries　with　a　flick　of　his　hand。　More　corridors；　more　bricks…and　another　door。　It　opened　into　misty　darkness。　Stumbling　and　barking　our　ankles　we　made　our　way　to　a　row　of　waiting　chairs；　sat　down　as　instructed。　It　was　even　darker　when　Goldy　closed　the　door　behind　him　as　he　left。
　〃I　don't　like　this；〃　Floyd　muttered；　muttering　for　all　of　us。
　〃Patience；〃　I　said　for　lack　of　any　more　intelligent　answer；　then　nervously　squeezed　my　knuckles　until　they　cracked。　There　was　a　movement　of　air　in　the　darkness　and　a　growing　glow。　Iron　John　swam　into　view；　a　blown…up　image　really。　He　pointed　at　us。
　〃The　experience　that　you　are　about　to　have　is　vital　to　your　existence。　Its　memory　will　sustain　you　and　uplift　you　and　will　never　be　forgotten。　I　know　that　you　will　be　ever　grateful　and　I　accept　your　tearful　thanks　in　advance。　This　is　the　experience　that　will　change　you；　develop　you；　enrich　you。　Wele；　wele；　to　the　first　day　of　the　rest　of　your　new　and　fulfilling　lives。〃
　As　his　image　faded　I　coughed　to　cover　the　grunt　of　suspicion　that　this　old　bushwah　evoked。　Never　try　to　con　a　conman。　I　settled　my　rump　more　fortably　in　the　chair　and　prepared　to　be　entertained。
　As　soon　as　it　started　1　could　see　that　the　holofilm　was　very　professionally　made。　I　appreciated　that　the　young；　the　gullible　…or　the　just　plain　stupid…would　be　very　impressed　by　it。　The　mist　churned；　the　russet　light　grew　brighter　and　I　was　suddenly　in　the　midst　of　the　scene。
　The　king　watched　in　silence　as　the　group　of　armed　men　walked　warily　into　the　forest　and　disappeared　from　sight　among　the　trees。　Outwardly　he　was　patient　as　he　waited；　although　he　reached　up　and　touched　his　crown　from　time　to　time　as　though　reassuring　himself　that　it　was　still　there；　that　he　was　still　king。　A　very　long　time　later　he　stiffened；　turned　his　head　and　listened　as　slow　footsteps　shuffled　through　the　thick　leaves　below　the　trees。　But　no　warrior　appeared；　just　the　thick　and　twisted　figure　of　his　fester；　headdress　bobbling；　laps　moist　with　flecked　。saliva。
　〃What　did　you　see？〃　the　king　asked　at　last。
　〃Gone；　Majesty。　All　gone。　Just　lake　all　of　those　who　have　gone　before。　Vanished　among　the　trees　around　the　lake。　None　returned。　〃
　〃None　ever　return；　〃　the　king　said；　sorrow　and　defeat　dragging　him　down。　He　stood　that　way；　unknowing；　unseeing　as　a　young　man　appeared　and　strode　towards　him；　a　silent　gray　dog　walked　at　his　side。　The　jester；　jaw　agape；　spittle　pendulous；　hacked　away　as　the　stranger　approached。
　〃Why　do　you　grieve；　oh　king？〃　he　asked　in　a　light　and　clear　voice。
　〃1　grieve　for　there　is　part　of　the　forest　in　my　kingdom　where　men　do　go…but　none　return。　They　go　in　tens　and　twenties…but　none　is　ever　seen　again。
　〃I　will　go；〃　the　young　man　said；　〃but　I　will　go　alone。〃
　He　snapped　his　fingers　and；　without　another　word　being　spoken；　man　and　dog　walked　off　into　the　forest。　Beneath　the　trees　and　pendant　mosses；　around　the　hedges　and