cb.imajica2-第24章

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ost　it　was　prey　to　the　Erasure　and　was　instantly　snatched　towards　the　tear　through　which　it　had　appeared。　Gentle　started　after　it；　but　his　limbs　had　been　more　severely　traumatized　by　the　convulsion　than　he'd　thought；　and　his　legs　simply　folded　up　beneath　him。　He　fell　heavily；　but　raised　his　head　in　time　to　catch　sight　of　the　mystif　disappearing　into　the　void。　Sprawled　on　the　hard　ground；　he　remembered　his　first　pursuit　of　Pie；　through　the　empty；　icy　streets　of　Manhattan。　He'd　fallen　then；　too；　and　looked　up　as　he　did　now　to　see　the　riddle　escaping　him；　unsolved。　But　it　had　turned　that　first　time；　turned　and　spoken　to　him　across　the　river　of　Fifth　Avenue；　offering　him　the　hope；　however　frail；　of　another　meeting。　Not　so　now。　It　went　into　the　Erasure　like　smoke　through　a　drafty　door；　its　cry　stopping　dead。
　〃Not　again；〃　Gentle　murmured。
　The　monk　was　crouching　at　his　side。　〃Can　you　stand；〃　he　asked；　〃or　shall　I　get　help？〃
　Gentle　put　his　hands　beneath　him　and　pushed　himself　up　into　a　kneeling　position；　making　no　reply　to　the　question。　With　the　mystif　s　disappearance；　the　malignant　wind　that　had　e　after　it；　and　brought　such　devastation；　was　dropping　away；　and　as　it　did　so　the　debris　it　had　been　keeping　aloft　descended　in　a　grim　hail。　For　a　second　time　the　monk　raised　his　hands　to　ward　off　the　descending　force。　Gentle　was　barely　aware　of　what　was　happening。　His　eyes　were　on　the　Erasure；　which　was　rapidly　losing　its　roiling　motion。　By　the　time　the　rain　of　canvas；　stones；　and　bodies　had　stopped；　every　last　trace　of　detail　had　gone　from　the　divide；　and　it　was　once　again　an　absence　over　which　the　eye　slid；　finding　no　purchase。
　Gentle　got　to　his　feet　and；　turning　his　eyes　from　the　nullity；　scanned　the　desolation　that　lay　in　every　other　direction　but　one。　The　circle　of　Madonnas　he'd　glimpsed　through　the　storm　was　still　intact；　and　sheltering　in　its　midst　were　half　a　hundred　survivors；　some　of　them　on　their　knees　sobbing　or　praying；　many　kissing　the　feet　of　the　statues　that　had　shielded　them；　still　others　gazing　towards　the　Erasure　from　which　the　destruction　that　claimed　all　but　these　fifty；　plus　the　Maestro　and　the　monk；　had　e。
　〃Do　you　see　Athanasius？〃　Gentle　asked　the　man　at　his　side。
　〃No；　but　he's　alive　somewhere；〃　came　the　reply。　〃He's　like　you；　Maestro；　he's　got　too　much　purpose　in　him　to　die。〃
　〃I　don't　think　any　purpose　would　have　saved　me　if　you　hadn't　been　here；〃　Gentle　remarked。　〃You've　got　real　power　in　your　bones。〃
　〃A　little；　maybe；〃　the　monk　replied；　with　a　modest　smile。　〃I　had　a　fine　teacher。〃
　〃So　did　I；〃　Gentle　said　softly。　〃But　I　lost　it。〃　Seeing　the　Maestro's　eyes　filling；　the　monk　made　to　withdraw；　but　Gentle　said；　〃Don't　worry　about　the　tears。　I've　been　running　from　them　too　long。　Let　me　ask　you　something。　I'll　quite　understand　if　you　say　no。〃
　〃What；　Maestro？〃
　〃When　I　leave　here；　I'm　going　back　to　the　Fifth　to　prepare　for　a　Reconciliation。　Would　you　trust　me　enough　to　join　the　Synod；　to　represent　the　First？〃
　The　monk's　face　broke　into　bliss；　shedding　years　as　he　smiled；　〃It　would　be　my　honor；　Maestro；〃　he　said。
　〃There's　risk　in　it；〃　Gentle　warned。
　〃There　always　was。　But　I　wouldn't　be　here　if　it　weren't　for　you。〃
　〃How　so？〃
　〃You're　my　inspiration；　Maestro；〃　the　man　replied；　inclining　his　head　in　deference。　〃Whatever　you　require　of　me；　I'll　perform　as　best　I　can。〃
　〃Stay　here；　then。　Watch　the　Erasure　and　wait。　I'll　find　you　when　the　time　es。〃　He　spoke　with　more　certainty　than　he　felt；　but　then　perhaps　the　illusion　of　petence　was　part　of　every　Maestro's　repertoire。
　〃I'll　be　waiting；〃　the　monk　replied。
　〃What's　your　name？〃
　〃When　I　joined　the　Dearthers　they　called　me　Chicka　Jackeen。〃
　〃Jackeen？〃
　〃It　means　worthless　fellow；〃　the　man　replied。
　〃Then　we've　got　much　in　mon；〃　Gentle　said。　He　took　the　man's　hand　and　shook　it。　〃Remember　me；　Jackeen。〃
　〃You've　never　left　my　mind；〃　the　man　replied。
　There　was　some　subtext　here　Gentle　couldn't　grasp；　but　this　was　no　time　to　delve。　He　had　two　demanding　and　dangerous　journeys　ahead　of　him：　the　first　to　Yzordderrex；　the　second　from　that　city　back　to　the　Retreat。　Thanking　Jackeen　for　his　good　offices；　Gentle　left　him　at　the　Erasure　and　picked　his　way　back　through　the　devastation　towards　the　circle　of　Madonnas。　Some　of　the　survivors　were　leaving　its　shelter　to　begin　a　search　of　the　site；　presumably　in　the　hope…vain；　he　suspected…of　finding　others　alive。　It　was　a　scene　of　grief　and　bewilderment　he'd　witnessed　too　many　times　on　his　journey　through　the　Dominions。　Much　as　he　would　have　liked　to　believe　it　was　mere　happenstance　that　these　scenes　of　devastation　coincided　with　his　presence；　he　couldn't　afford　to　indulge　such　self…delusion。　He　was　as　surely　wedded　to　the　storm　as　he　was　to　Pie。　More　so　now；　perhaps；　with　the　mystif　gone。〃
　Jackeen's　observation　that　Athanasius　was　too　purposeful　a　soul　to　have　perished　was　confirmed　as　Gentle　drew　closer　to　the　circle。　The　man　was　standing　at　the　center　of　a　knot　of　Dearthers；　leading　a　prayer　of　thanks　to　the　Holy　Mother　for　their　survival。　As　Gentle　reached　the　perimeter；　Athanasius　raised　his　head。　One　eye　was　closed　beneath　a　scab　of　blood　and　dirt；　but　there　was　enough　hatred　in　the　other　to　burn　in　a　dozen　eyes。　Meeting　its　gaze；　Gentle　advanced　no　further；　but　the　priest　dropped　the　volume　of　his　prayer　to　a　whisper　anyway；　preventing　the　trespasser　from　hearing　the　terms　of　his　devotion。　Gentle's　ears　were　not　so　dulled　by　the　din　he　didn't　catch　a　few　of　the　phrases；　however。　Though　the　woman　represented　in　so　many　modes　around　the　circle　was　clearly　the　Virgin　Mary；　she　appar…〃　ently　went　by　other　names　here；　or　else　had　sisters。　He　heard　her　called　Uma　Umagammagi；　Mother　Imajica；　and　heard　too　the　name　Huzzah　had　first　whispered　to　him　in　her　cell　beneath　the　maison　de　sante：　Tishalull6。　There　was　a　third；　though　it　took　Gentle　a　little　time　to　be　certain　he'd　understood　the　naming　aright；　and　that　was　Jokalaylau。　Athanasius　prayed　that　she'd　keep　a　place　for　them　at　her　side　in　the　snows　of　paradise；　which　made　Gentle　wonder　rather　sourly　if　the　man　had　ever　trodden　those　wastes；　that　he　could　think　them　a　heavenly　place。
　Though　the　names　were　strange；　the　inspiring　spirit　was　not。　Athanasius　and　his　forlorn　congregation　were　praying　to　the　same　loving　Goddess　at　whose　shrines　in　the　Fifth　countless　candles　were　lit　every　day。　Even　Gentle　at　his　most　pagan　had　conceded　the　presence　of　that　woman　in　his　life　and　worshiped　her　the　only　way　he'd　known　how：　with　the　seduction　and　temporary　possession　of　her　sex。　Had　he　known　a　mother　or　a　loving　sister　he　might　have　learned　a　better　devotion　than　lust；　but　he　hoped　and　believed　the　Holy　Woman　would　forgive　him　his　trespasses；　even　if　Athanasius　would　not。　The　thought　forted　him。　He　would　need　all　the　protection　he　could　assemble　in　the　battle　that　lay　ahead；　and　it　was　no　little　solace　to　think　that　the　Mother　Imajica　had　her　worshiping　places　in　the　Fifth；　where　that　battle　would　be　fought。
　With　the　ad　hoc　service　over；　Athanasius　let　his　congregation　go　about　the　business　of　searching　the　wreckage。　For　his　part；　he　stayed　in　the　middle　of　the　circle；　where　a　few　survivors　who'd　made　it　that　far；　but　perished；　lay　sprawled。
　〃e　here；　Maestro；〃　Athanasius　said。　〃There's　something　you　should　see。〃
　Gentle　stepped　into　the　circle；　expecting　Athanasius　to　show　him　the　corpse　of　a　child　or　some　fragile　beauty；　broken。　But　the　face　at　his　feet　was　male；　and　far　from　innocent。
　〃You　knew　him；　I　think。〃
　〃Yes。　His　name　was　Estabrook。〃
　Charlie's　eyes　were　closed；　his　mouth　too：　sealed　up　in　the　moment　of　his　passing。　There　was　very　little　sign　of　physical　damage。　Perhaps　his　heart　had　simply　given　out　in　the　excitement。
　〃Nikaetomaas　said　you　brought　him　here　because　you　thought　he　was　me。〃
　〃We　thought　he　was　a　Messiah；〃　Athanasius　said。　〃When　we　realized　he　wasn't　we　kept　looking；　expecting　a　miracle。　Instead…〃
　〃You　got　me。　For　what　it's　worth；　you　were　right。　I　did　bring　all　this　destruction　with　me。　I　don't　quite　know　why；　and　I　don't　expect　you　to　forgive　me　for　it；　but　I　want　you　to　understand　that　I　take　no　pleasure　in　it。　All　I　want　to　do　is　make　good　the　damage　I've　done。〃
　〃And　how　will　you　do　that；　Maest