cb.imajica2-第112章

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ndios'　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　Hapexamendios；〃　Jude　replied。
　He　shook　his　head；　not　prehending　the　significance　of　this。
　〃How。。。　could　that。。。　be？〃　he　murmured。
　〃The　Imajica's　a　circle；〃　she　said。　He　studied　her　face；　attempting　to　puzzle　this　out。　〃The　fire　went　back　to　the　one　who　sent　it。〃
　Now　the　sense　of　what　she　was　telling　him　dawned。　Even　in　his　agony；　here　was　a　greater　pain。
　〃He's　gone？〃　he　said。
　She　wanted　to　say；　I　hope　so；　but　she　kept　that　sentiment　to　herself　and　simply　nodded。
　〃And　my　mother　too？〃　Sartori　went　on。　The　trembling　quieted；　so　did　his　voice；　which　was　already　frail。　〃I'm　alone；〃　he　said。
　The　anguish　in　these　last　few　words　was　bottomless；　and　she　longed　to　have　some　way　of　forting　him。　She　was　afraid　to　touch　him　for　fear　of　causing　him　still　greater　disfort；　but　perhaps　there　was　more　hurt　in　her　not　doing　so。　With　the　greatest　delicacy　she　laid　her　hand　over　his。
　〃You're　not　alone；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　here。〃
　He　didn't　acknowledge　her　solace；　perhaps　didn't　even　hear　it。　His　thoughts　were　elsewhere。
　〃I　should　never　have　touched　him；〃　he　said　softly。　〃A　man　shouldn't　lay　hands　on　his　own　brother。〃
　As　he　squeezed　out　these　words　there　was　a　moan　from　the　bottom　of　the　stairs；　followed　by　a　yelp　of　pure　joy　from　Clem；　and　then　Monday's　ecstatic　whoops。
　〃Boss　oh　boss　oh　boss！〃
　〃Do　you　hear　that？〃　Jude　said　to　Sartori。
　〃Yes。。。。〃
　〃I　don't　think　you　killed　him　after　all。〃
　A　strange　tic　appeared　around　his　mouth；　which　after　a　moment　she　realized　was　the　shreds　of　a　smile。　She　took　it　to　be　pleasure　at　Gentle's　survival；　but　its　source　was　more　bitter。
　〃That　won't　save　me　now；〃　he　said。
　His　hand；　which　was　laid　on　his　stomach；　began　to　knead　the　muscles　there；　its　clutches　so　violent　that　his　body　began　to　spasm。　Blood　bubbled　up　between　his　lips；　and　he　moved　his　hand　to　his　mouth；　as　if　to　conceal　it。　There；　he　seemed　to　spit　his　blood　into　his　palm。　Then　he　removed　his　hand　and　offered　its　grisly　contents　to　her。
　〃Take　it；〃　he　said；　uncurling　his　fist。
　She　felt　something　drop　into　her　hand。　She　didn't　glance　at　his　gift；　however；　but　kept　her　eyes　fixed　on　his　face　as　he　looked　away　from　her；　back　towards　the　circle。　She　realized；　even　before　his　gaze　had　found　its　resting　place；　that　he　was　looking　away　from　her　for　the　final　time；　and　she　started　to　call　him　back。　She　said　his　name；　she　called　him　love；　she　said　she'd　never　wanted　to　desert　him；　and　never　would　again；　if　he'd　only　stay。　But　her　words　were　wasted。　As　his　eyes　found　the　circle；　the　life　went　from　them；　his　last　sight　not　of　her　but　of　the　place　where　he'd　been　made。
　In　her　palm；　bloody　from　his　belly　and　throat；　lay　the　blue　egg。
　After　a　time；　she　got　up　and　went　out　onto　the　landing。　The　place　at　the　bottom　of　the　stairs　where　Gentle's　body　had　lain　was　empty。　Clem　was　standing　in　the　candlelight　with　both　tears　and　a　broad　smile　on　his　face。　He　looked　up　at　Jude　as　she　started　down　the　stairs。
　〃Sartori？〃　he　said。
　〃He's　dead。〃
　〃What　about　Celestine？〃
　〃Gone；〃　she　said。
　〃But　it's　over；　isn't　it？〃　Hoi…Polloi　said。　〃We're　going　to　live。〃
　〃Are　we？〃
　〃Yes；　we　are；〃　said　Clem。　〃Gentle　saw　Hapexamendios　destroyed。〃
　〃Where　is　Gentle？〃
　〃He　went　outside；〃　Clem　said。　〃He's　got　enough　life　in　him…〃
　〃For　another　life？〃
　〃For　another　twenty；　the　lucky　bugger；〃　came　Tay's　reply。
　Reaching　the　bottom　of　the　stairs；　she　put　her　arms　around　Gentle's　protectors；　then　went　out　onto　the　step。　Gentle　was　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　street；　wrapped　in　one　of　Celestine's　sheets。　Monday　was　at　his　side；　and　he　was　leaning　on　the　boy　as　he　stared　up　at　the　tree　that　grew　outside　number　28。　Hapexamendios'　fire　had　charred　much　of　its　foliage；　leaving　the　branches　naked　and　blackened。　But　there　was　a　breeze　stirring　the　leaves　that　had　survived；　and　after　such　a　long　motionless　time　even　these　shreds　of　wind　were　wele：　final；　simple　proof　that　the　Imajica　had　survived　its　perils　and　was　once　again　drawing　breath。
　She　hesitated　to　join　him；　thinking　perhaps　he'd　prefer　to　have　these　moments　of　meditation　uninterrupted。　But　his　gaze　came　her　way　after　half　a　minute　or　so；　and　though　there　was　only　starlight　and　the　last　guttering　flames　in　the　fretwork　above　to　see　him　by；　the　smile　was　as　luminous　as　ever；　and　as　inviting。　She　left　the　step　but；　as　she　approached；　saw　that　his　smile　was　slender　and　the　wounds　he'd　sustained　deeper　than　cuts。
　〃I　failed；〃　he　said。
　〃The　Imajica's　whole；〃　she　replied。　〃That　isn't　failure。〃
　He　looked　away　from　her；　down　the　street。　The　darkness　was　full　of　agitation。
　〃The　ghosts　are　still　here；〃　he　said。　〃I　swore　to　them　I'd　find　a　way　out；　and　I　failed。　That　was　why　I　went　with　Pie　in　the　first　place；　to　find　Taylor　a　way　out…〃
　〃Maybe　there　isn't　one；〃　came　a　third　voice。
　Clem　had　appeared　on　the　doorstep；　but　it　was　Tay　who　spoke。
　〃I　promised　you　an　answer；〃　Gentle　said。
　〃And　you　found　one。　The　Imajica's　a　circle；　and　there's　no　way　out　of　it。　We　just　go　round　and　round。　Well；　that's　not　so　bad；　Gentle；　We　have　what　we　have。〃
　Gentle　lifted　hi