cb.imajica2-第57章

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We　can　live　as　brother　and　sister；　can't　we？　That　doesn't　sound　so　bad；　now；　does　it？〃
　〃No；〃　she　said；　fighting　the　urge　to　spit　her　disgust　in　his　face。　〃No；　it　doesn't。〃
　〃Well；　look；　why　don't　you　wait　for　me　downstairs？　I've　got　a　bit　of　business　left　to　do　here。　Rituals　have　to　be　observed。〃
　〃Whatever　you　say；〃　she　replied。
　She　left　him　to　his　farewells；　whatever　they　were；　and　headed　back　to　the　stairs。　The　rumbling　that　had　caught　his　attention　had　ceased；　but　she　hurried　down　the　concrete　flight　with　high　hopes。　The　cell　was　open；　she　knew　it。　In　a　matter　of　moments　she'd　set　her　eyes　on　the　Goddess　and；　perhaps　as　importantly；　Celestine　would　set　her　eyes　on　Jude。　In　one　sense；　what　Dowd　had　expressed　above　was　true。　With　Oscar　dead；　she　was　indeed　free　from　the　curse　of　her　creation。　It　was　tune　to　know　herself　and　be　known。
　As　she　walked　through　the　remaining　room　of　Roxborough's　house　and　started　down　the　stairs　into　the　cellar；　she　sensed　the　change　that　had　e　over　the　maze　below。　She　didn't　have　to　search　for　the　cell；　the　energy　in　the　air　moved　like　an　invisible　tide；　carrying　her　towards　its　source。　And　there　it　was；　in　front　of　her：　the　cell　wall　a　heap　of　splinters　and　rubble；　the　gap　its　collapse　had　made　rising　to　the　ceiling。　The　dissolution　she'd　initiated　was　still　going　on。　Even　as　she　approached；　further　bricks　fell　away；　their　mortar　turned　to　dust。　She　braved　the　fall；　clambering　up　over　the　wreckage　to　peer　into　the　cell。　It　was　dark　inside；　but　her　eyes　soon　found　the　mummified　form　of　the　prisoner；　lying　in　the　dirt。
　There　was　no　movement　in　the　body　whatsoever。　She　went　to　it　and　fell　to　her　knees　to　tear　at　the　fine　threads　that　Roxborough　or　his　agents　had　bound　Celestine　with。　They　were　too　tough　for　her　fingers；　so　she　went　at　them　with　her　teeth。　The　threads　were　bitter；　but　her　teeth　were　sharp；　and　once　one　succumbed　to　her　bites　others　quickly　followed。　A　tremor　passed　through　the　body；　as　if　the　captive　sensed　liberation。　As　with　the　bricks；　the　message　of　unmaking　was　contagious；　and　she'd　only　snapped　half　a　dozen　of　the　threads　when　they　began　to　stretch　and　break　of　their　own　volition；　aided　by　the　motion　of　the　body　they'd　bound。　Her　cheek　was　stung　by　the　flight　of　one；　and　she　was　obliged　to　retreat　as　the　unfettering　spread；　the　threads　describing　sinuous　motions　as　they　broke；　their　severed　ends　bright。
　The　trdmors　in　Celestine's　body　were　now　convulsions；　growing　as　the　ambition　of　the　threads　increased。　They　weren't　simply　flying　wildly；　Jude　realized；　they　were　reaching　out　in　all　directions；　up　towards　the　ceiling　of　the　cell　and　to　its　walls。　Stung　by　them　once；　the　only　way　she　could　avoid　further　contact　was　by　backing　away　to　the　hole　through　which　she'd　e　and　then　out；　stumbling　over　the　rubble。
　As　she　emerged　she　heard　Dowd's　voice；　somewhere　in　the　labyrinth　behind　her。　〃What　have　you　been　doing；　lovey？〃
　She　wasn't　quite　sure；　was　the　truth。　Though　she'd　been　the　initiator　of　this　unbinding；　she　wasn't　its　mistress。　The　cords　had　an　urgency　of　their　own；　and　whether　it　was　Celestine　who　moved　them；　or　Roxborough　who'd　plaited　into　them　the　instruction　to　destroy　anyone　who　came　seeking　his　prisoner's　release；　they　were　not　about　to　be　placated　or　contained。　Some　were　snatching　at　the　edge　of　the　hole；　dragging　away　more　of　the　bricks。　Others；　demonstrating　an　elasticity　she　hadn't　expected；　were　nosing　over　the　rubble；　turning　over　stones　and　books　as　they　advanced。
　〃Oh；　my　Lord；〃　she　heard　Dowd　say；　and　turned　to　see　him　standing　in　the　passageway　half　a　dozen　yards　behind　her；　with　his　surgeon's　knife　in　one　hand　and　a　bloody　handkerchief　in　the　other。
　This　was　the　first　sight　she　had　of　him　head　to　foot；　and　the　burden　of　Pivot　shards　he　carried　was　apparent。　He　looked　utterly　maladroit；　his　shoulders　mismatched　and　his　left　leg　turned　inward；　as　though　a　shattered　bone　had　been　badly　set。
　〃What's　in　there？〃　he　said；　hobbling　towards　her。　〃Is　this　your　friend？〃
　〃I　suggest　you　keep　your　distance；〃　she　said。
　He　ignored　her。　〃Did　Roxborough　wall　something　up？　Look　at　those　things！　Is　it　an　Oviate？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃What　then？　Godolphin　never　told　me　about　this。〃
　〃He　didn't　know。〃
　〃But　you　did？〃　he　said；　glancing　back　at　her　as　he　advanced　to　study　the　cords；　which　were　emerging　all　the　time。　〃I'm　impressed。　We've　both　kept　our　little　secrets；　haven't　we？〃
　One　of　the　cords　reared　suddenly　from　the　rubble；　and　he　jumped　back；　the　handkerchief　dropping　from　his　hand。　It　unfolded　as　it　fell；　and　the　piece　of　Oscar's　flesh　Dowd　had　wrapped　in　it　landed　in　the　dirt。　It　was　vestigial；　but　she　knew　it　well　enough。　He'd　cut　off　the　curiosity　and　carried　it　away　as　a　keepsake。
　She　let　out　a　moan　of　disgust。　Dowd　started　to　stoop　to　pick　it　up；　but　her　rage…which　she'd　concealed　for　Celes…tine's　sake…erupted。
　〃You　scumbag！〃　she　said；　and　went　at　him　with　both　hands　raised　above　her　head；　locked　into　a　single　fist。
　He　was　heavy　with　shards　and　couldn't　rise　fast　enough　to　avoid　her　blow。　She　struck　the　back　of　his　neck；　a　clout　that　probably　hurt　her　more　than　him；　but　unbalanced　a　body　already　too　asymmetrical　for　its　own　good。　He　stumbled；　prey　to　gravity；　and　sprawled　in　the　rubble。　He　knew　his　indignity；　and　it　enraged　him。
　〃Stupid　cow！〃　he　said。　〃Stupid；　sentimental　cow！　Pick　it　up！　Go　on；　pick　it　up！　Have　it　if　you　want　to。〃
　〃I　don't　want　it。〃
　〃No；　I　insist　It's　a　gift；　brother　to　sister。〃
　〃I'm　not　your　sister！　I　never　was　and　I　never　will　be！〃
　Mites　were　appearing　from　his　mouth　as　he　lay　on　the　rubble；　some　of　them　grown　fat　as　cockroaches　on　the　power　he　carried　in　his　skin。　Whether　they　were　for　her　benefit　or　to　protect　him　against　the　presence　in　the　wall　she　didn't　know；　but　seeing　them　she　took　a　step　away　from　him。
　〃I'm　going　to　forgive　you　this；〃　he　said；　all　magnanimity。　〃You're　overwrought；　I　know。〃　He　raised　his　arm。　〃Help　me　up；〃　he　said。　〃Tell　me　you're　sorry；　and　it's　forgotten。〃
　〃I　loathe　everything　you　are；〃　she　said。
　Despite　the　mites；　it　was　self…preservation　that　made　her　speak；　not　courage。　This　was　a　place　of　power。　The　truth　would　serve　her　better　here　than　a　lie；　however　politic。
　He　withdrew　his　arm　and　started　to　haul　himself　up。　As　he　did　so　she　took　two　steps　forward　and；　picking　up　the　bloodied　handkerchief；　claimed　with　it　the　last　of　Oscar。　As　she　stoofl　up　again；　almost　guilty　at　what　she'd　done；　she　caught　sight　of　a　motion　in　the　wall。　A　pale　form　had　appeared　against　the　darkness　of　the　cell；　as　ripe　and　rounded　a　form　as　the　wall　that　framed　it　was　ragged。　Celestine　was　floating；　or　rather　was　borne　up　as　Quaisoir　had　been　borne　up；　on　ribbons　of　flesh；　the　filaments　that　had　once　smothered　her　clinging　to　her　limbs　like　the　remnants　of　a　coat　and　draped　around　her　head　as　a　living　hood。　The　face　beneath　was　delicately　boned；　but　severe；　and　what　beauty　it　might　have　possessed　was　spoiled　by　the　dementia　that　burned　in　it。　Dowd　was　still　in　the　process　of　rising　and　turned　to　follow　Jude's　astonished　gaze。　When　he　set　eyes　on　the　apparition　his　body　failed　him；　and　he　fell　back　onto　the　rubble；　belly　down。　From　his　mite…spawning　mouth　came　one　terrified　word。
　〃Celestine？〃
　The　woman　had　approached　the　limits　of　her　cell　and　now　raised　her　hands　to　touch　the　bricks　that　had　sealed　her　in　for　so　long。　Though　she　merely　brushed　them；　they　seemed　to　flee　her　fingers；　tumbling　down　to　join　the　rest；　There　was　ample　room　for　her　to　emerge；　but　she　hung　back　and　spoke　from　the　shadows；　her　pupils　flicking　back　and　forth　maniacally；　her　lips　curling　back　from　her　teeth　as　though　in　rehearsal　for　some　ghastly　revelation。　She　matched　Dowd's　single　utterance　with　a　word　of　her　own：　〃Dowd。〃
　〃Yes　。。。〃　he　murmured；　〃it's　me；〃　So　he'd　been　honest　in　some　part　of　his　biography　at　least；　Jude　thought。　She　knew　him；　just　as　he'd　claimed　to　know　her。
　〃Who　did　this　to　you？〃　he　said。
　〃Why　ask　me；〃　Celestine　said；　〃when　you　were　part　of　the　plot？〃　In　her　voice　was　the　same　mingling　of　lunacy　and　posure　her　body　exhibited；　her　mellifluous　tones　acpanied　by　a　fluttering　that　was　almost　a　second　voice；　speaking　in　tandem　with　the　first。
　〃I　didn't　know；　I　swear；〃　Dowd　said。