cb.imajica2-第32章

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　〃Clem；　too；〃
　〃Maybe。〃
　〃It's　your　choice；〃　she　said。　〃But　when　you've　got　so　many　enemies；　you　may　need　some　of　your　friends。〃
　〃I'd　prefer　to　stay　invisible；〃　he　told　her。　〃That　way　nobody　sees　me；　enemies　or　friends。〃
　As　the　bounding　wall　came　in　sight　the　skies　changed　with　almost　eerie　haste；　the　few　fluffy　clouds　that　minutes　before　had　been　drifting　in　the　blue　now　congregating　into　a　lowering　bank　that　first　shed　a　light　drizzle　and　a　minute　later　was　bursting　like　a　dam。　The　downpour　had　its　advantages；　however；　sluicing　from　their　clothes；　hair；　and　skin　all　trace　of　Yzordderrexian　dust。　By　the　time　they'd　clambered　through　the　mesh　of　timbers　and　convolvulus　around　the　gate　and　trudged　along　the　muddied　road　to　the　village…　there　to　take　shelter　in　the　post　office…they　could　have　passed　for　two　tourists　（one　with　a　somewhat　bizarre　taste　in　hiking　clothes）　who'd　strayed　too　far　from　the　beaten　track　and　needed　help　to　find　their　way　home。
　
　Though　neither　of　them　had　any　valid　currency　in　their　pockets；　Jude　was　quick　to　persuade　one　of　two　lads　who　stopped　in　the　post　office　to　drive　them　back　into　London；　promising　a　healthy　fee　at　the　other　end　if　he　did　so。　The　storm　worsened　as　they　traveled；　but　Gentle　rolled　down　the　window　in　the　back　and　stared　at　the　passing　panorama　of　an　England　he　hadn't　seen　for　half　a　year；　content　to　let　the　rain　soak　him　all　over　again。
　Jude　was　meanwhile　left　to　endure　a　monologue　from　their　driver。　He　had　a　mutinous　palate；　which　rendered　every　third　word　virtually　unintelligible；　but　the　gist　of　his　chatter　was　plain　enough。　It　was　the　opinion　of　every　weather　watcher　he　knew；　he　said；　and　these　were　folk　who　lived　by　the　land　and　had　ways　of　predicting　floods　and　droughts　no　fancy…talking　meteorologist　ever　had；　that　the　country　was　in　for　a　disastrous　summer。
　〃We'll　either　be　cooked　or　drowned；〃　he　said；　prophesying　months　of　monsoons　and　heatwaves。
　She'd　heard　talk　like　this　before；；　of　course；　the　weather　was　an　English　obsession。　But　having　e　from　the　ruins　of　Yzordderrex；　with　the　burning　eye　of　the　et　overhead　and　the　air　stinking　of　death；　the　youth's　casually　apocalyptic　chatter　disturbed　her。　It　was　as　if　he　was　willing　some　cataclysm　to　overtake　his　little　world；　not　prehending　for　a　moment　what　that　implied。
　When　he　grew　bored　with　predicting　ruination；　he　started　to　ask　her　questions　about　where　she　and　her　friend　had　been　ing　from　or　going　to　when　the　storm　had　caught　them。　She　saw　no　reason　not　to　tell　him　they'd　been　at　the　estate；　so　she　did　so。　Her　reply　earned　her　what　studied　disinterest　had　failed　to　achieve　for　three　quarters　of　an　hour：　his　silence。　He　gave　her　a　baleful　look　in　the　mirror　and　then　turned　on　the　radio；　proving；　if　nothing　else；　that　the　shadow　of　the　Godolphin　family　was　sufficient　to　hush　even　a　doomsayer。　They　traveled　to　the　outskirts　of　London　without　further　exchange；　the　youth　only　breaking　the　silence　when　he　needed　directions。
　〃Do　you　want　to　be　dropped　at　the　studio？〃　she　asked　Gentle。
　He　was　slow　to　answer；　but　when　he　did　it　was　to　reply　that；　yes；　that's　where　he　wanted　to　go。　Jude　furnished　instructions　to　the　driver　and　then　turned　her　gaze　back　towards　Gentle。　He　was　still　staring　out　the　window；　rain　speckling　his　brow　and　cheeks　like　sweat；　drops　hanging　off　his　nose；　chin；　and　eyelashes。　The　smallest　of　smiles　curled　the　corners　of　his　mouth。　Catching　him　unawares　like　this；　she　almost　regretted　her　dismissal　of　his　overtures　at　the　estate。　This　face；　for　all　that　the　mind　behind　it　had　done；　was　the　face　that　had　appeared　to　her　while　she　slept　in　Quaisoir's　bed：　the　dream　lover　whose　imagined　caresses　had　brought　from　her　cries　so　loud　her　sister　had　heard　them　two　rooms　away。　Certainly；　they　could　never　again　be　the　lovers　who'd　courted　in　the　great　house　two　centuries　before。　But　their　shared　history　marked　them　in　ways　they　had　yet　to　discover；　and　perhaps　when　those　discoveries　were　all　made　they'd　find　a　way　to　put　into　flesh　the　deeds　she　dreamed　in　Quaisoir's　bed。
　The　rainstorm　had　preceded　them　to　the　city；　unleashed　its　torrent；　and　moved　off；　so　that　by　the　time　they　reached　the　outskirts　there　was　sufficient　blue　sky　overhead　to　promise　a　warm；　if　glistening；　evening。　The　traffic　was　still　clogged；　however；　and　the　last　three　miles　of　the　journey　took　almost　as　long　as　the　previous　thirty。　By　the　time　they　reached　Gentle's　studio　their　driver；　used　to　the　quiet　roads　around　the　estate；　was　out　of　sympathy　with　the　whole　endeavor　and　had　several　times　broken　his　silence　to　curse　the　traffic　and　warn　his　passengers　that　he　was　going　to　require　very　considerable　repense　for　his　troubles。
　Jude　got　out　of　the　car　along　with　Gentle　and　on　the　studio　step…out　of　the　driver's　earshot…asked　him　if　he　had　enough　money　inside　to　pay　the　man。　She　would　rather　take　a　taxi　from　here；　she　said；　than　endure　his　pany　any　longer。　Gentle　replied　that　if　there　was　any　cash　in　the　studio；　it　certainly　wouldn't　be　sufficient。
　〃It　looks　like　I'm　stuck　with　him　then；〃　Jude　said。　〃Never　mind。　Do　you　want　me　to　e　up　with　you？　Have　you　got　a　key？〃
　〃There'll　be　somebody　in　downstairs；〃　he　replied。　〃They've　got　a　spare。〃
　〃Then　I　suppose　this　is　it。〃　It　was　so　bathetic；　parting　like　this　after　all　that　had　gone　before。　〃I'll　ring　you　when　we've　both　slept〃
　〃The　phone's　probably　been　cut　off。〃
　〃Then　ring　me　from　a　box；　huh？　I　won't　be　at　Oscar's；　I'll　be　at　home。〃
　The　conversation　might　have　guttered　out　there；　but　for　his　reply。
　〃Don't　stay　away　from　him　on　my　account；〃　he　said。
　〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃
　〃Just　that　you've　got　your　love　affairs；〃　he　said。
　〃And　what？　You've　got　yours？〃
　〃Not　exactly。〃
　〃What　then？〃
　〃I　mean；　not　exactly　love　affairs。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃Never　mind。　We'll　talk　about　it　some　other　time。〃
　〃No；〃　Jude　told　him；　taking　his　arm　as　he　tried　to　turn　from　her。　〃We'll　talk　about　it　now。〃
　Gentle　sighed　wearily。　〃Look；　it　doesn't　matter；〃　he　said。
　〃If　it　doesn't　matter；　just　tell　me。〃
　He　hesitated　for　several　seconds。　Then　he　said；　〃I　got　married。〃
　〃Did　you　indeed？〃　she　said；　with　feigned　lightness。　〃And　who's　the　lucky　girl？　Not　the　kid　you　were　talking　about？〃
　〃Huzzah？　Good　God；　no。〃
　He　paused　for　a　tiny　time；　frowning　deeply。
　〃Go　on；〃　she　said。　〃Spit　it　out。〃
　〃I　married　Pie　'oh'　pah。〃
　Her　first　impulse　was　to　laugh…the　thought　was　absurd…but　before　the　sound　escaped　her　she　caught　the　frown　on　his　face　and　revulsion　overtook　laughter。　This　was　no　joke。　He'd　married　the　assassin；　the　sexless　thing　who　was　a　function　of　its　lover's　every　desire。　And　why　was　she　so　stunned？　When　Oscar　had　described　the　species　to　her；　hadn't　she　herself　remarked　that　it　was　Gentle's　idea　of　paradise？
　〃That's　some　secret；〃　she　said。
　〃I　would　have　told　you　about　it　sooner　or　later。〃
　Now　she　allowed　herself　a　little　laughter；　soft　and　sour。　〃Back　there　you　almost　had　me　believing　there　was　something　between　us。〃
　〃That's　because　there　was；〃　he　replied。　〃Because　there　always　will　be。〃
　〃Why　should　that　matter　to　you　now？〃。
　〃I　have　to　hold　on　to　a　little　of　what　I　was。　What　I　dreamed。〃
　〃And　what　did　you　dream？〃
　〃That　the　three　of　us…〃　He　stopped；　sighing。　Then：　〃That　the　three　of　us　would　find　some　way　to　be　together。〃　He　wasn't　looking　at　her　but　at　the　empty　ground　between　them；　where　he'd　clearly　wanted　his　beloved　Pie　to　stand。　〃The　mystif　would　have　learned　to　love　you；〃　he　said。
　〃I　don't　want　to　hear　this；〃　she　snapped。
　〃It　would　have　been　anything　you　desired。　Anything。〃
　〃Stop；〃　she　told　him。　〃Just　stop。〃
　He　shrugged。　〃It's　all　right；〃　he　said。　〃Pie's　dead。　And　we're　going　our　different　ways。　It　was　just　some　stupid　dream　I　had。　I　thought　you'd　want　to　know　it；　that's　all。〃
　〃I　don't　want　anything　from　you；〃　she　replied　coldly。　〃You　can　keep　your　lunacies　to　yourself　from　now　on！〃
　She'd　long　since　let　go　of　his　arm；　leaving　him　to　retreat　up　the　steps。　But　he　didn't　go。　He　simply　stood　watching　her；　squinting　like　a　drunkard　trying　to　hook　one　thought　to　another。　It　was　she　who　retreated；　shaking　her　head　as　she　turned　her　back　on　him　and　crossed　the　puddled　pavement　to　the　car。　Once　in；　the　door　s