cb.imajica2-第6章

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　dropping　to　his　knees；　preparing　to　crawl　away　beneath　the　spiraling　skirts　of　filament
　Jude　felt　slip　what　little　hold　her　fingers　had　and　let　out　cry　for　help。
　〃Sister？〃　Quaisoir　said。
　〃Here！〃　Jude　yelled。　〃Quickly。〃
　As　Quaisoir　moved　towards　the　well；　the　tendrils'　lightest　touch　enough　to　propel　her　forward；　Dowd　made　his　move；　ducking　beneath　the　tendrils。　He'd　mistimed　his　escape；　however。　One　of　the　filaments　caught　his　shoulder　and；　spiraling　around　his　neck；　pitched　him　over　the　edge　of　the　well。　As　he　went；　Jude's　right　hand　lost　its　purchase　entirely；　and　she　began　to　slide；　a　final　desperate　yell　ing　from　her　as　she　did　so。　But　Quaisoir　was　as　swift　in　saving　as　dispatching。　Before　the　well's　rim　rose　to　eclipse　the　scene　above；　Jude　felt　the　filaments　seize　her　wrist　and　arm；　their　spirals　instantly　tightening　around　her。　She　seized　them　in　return；　her　exhausted　muscles　quickened　by　the　touch；　and　Quaisoir　drew　her　up　over　the　edge　of　the　well；　depositing　her　on　the　pavement。　She　rolled　over　onto　her　back　and　panted　like　a　sprinter　at　the　tape；　while　Quaisoir's　filaments　unknitted　themselves　and　returned　to　serve　their　mistress。
　It　was　the　sound　of　Dowd's　begging；　echoing　up　from　the　well　where　he　was　suspended；　that　made　her　sit　up。　There　was　nothing　in　his　cries　she　might　not　have　predicted　from　a　man　who'd　rehearsed　servitude　over　so　many　generations。　He　promised　Quaisoir　eternal　obedience　and　utter　self…abnegation　if　only　she'd　save　him　from　this　terror。　Wasn't　mercy　the　jewel　in　any　heavenly　crown；　he　sobbed；　and　wasn't　she　an　angel？
　〃No；〃　Quaisoir　said。　〃Nor　am　I　the　bride　of　Christ。〃
　Undeterred；　he　began　a　new　cycle　of　descriptions　and　negotiations：　what　she　was；　what　he　would　do　for　her；　in　perpetuity。　She　would　find　no　better　servant；　no　humbler　acolyte。　What　did　she　want；　his　manhood？；　it　was　nothing；　he　would　geld　himself　there　and　then。　She　only　had　to　ask。　If　Jude　had　any　doubt　as　to　the　strength　Quaisoir　had　gained；　she　had　evidence　of　it　now；　as　the　tendrils　drew　their　prisoner　up　from　the　well。　He　gushed　like　a　holed　bucket　as　he　came。　〃Thank　you；　a　thousand　times；　thank　you。〃
　In　view　now；　he　was　in　double　jeopardy；　Jude　saw；　his　feet　hanging　over　empty　air　and　the　tendrils　around　his　throat　tight　enough　to　throttle　him；　had　he　not　relieved　their　pressure　by　thrusting　his　fingers　between　noose　and　neck。　Tears　poured　down　his　cheeks；　in　theatrical　excess。

　〃Ladies；〃　he　said。　〃How　do　I　begin　to　make　amends？〃　Quaisoir's　response　was　another　question。　〃Why　was　I　misled　by　you？〃　she　said。　〃You're　just　a　man。　What　do　you　know　about　divinities？〃
　Dowd　looked　afraid　to　reply；　not　certain　which　would　be　more　likely　to　prove　fatal；　denial　or　affirmation。　〃Tell　her　the　truth；〃　Jude　advised　him。　〃I　served　the　Unbeheld　once；〃　he　said。　〃He　found　me　in　the　desert　and　sent　me　to　the　Fifth　Dominion。〃　〃Why？〃
　〃He　had　business　there。〃　〃What　business？〃
　Dowd　began　to　squirm　afresh。　His　tears　had　dried　up。　The　drama　had　gone　from　his　voice。
　〃He　wanted　a　woman；〃　he　said；　〃to　bear　him　a　son　in　the　Fifth。〃
　〃And　you　found　one？〃
　〃Yes；　I　did。　Her　name　was　Celestine。〃
　〃And　what　happened　to　her？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　I　did　what　I　was　asked　to　do；　and…〃
　〃What　happened　to　her？〃　Quaisoir　said　again；　more　forcefully。
　〃She　died；〃　Dowd　replied；　trailing　that　possibility　to　see　if　it　was　challenged。　When　it　wasn't　he　took　it　up　with　fresh　gusto。　〃Yes；　that's　what　happened。　She　perished。　In　childbirth；　so　I　believe。　Hapexamendios　impregnated　her；　you　see；　and　her　poor　body　couldn't　bear　the　responsibility。〃
　Dowd's　style　was　by　now　too　familiar　to　deceive　Jude。　She　knew　the　music　he　put　into　his　voice　when　he　lied；　and　heard　it　clearly　now。　He　was　well　aware　that　Celestine　was　alive。　There　had　been　no　such　music　in　his　early　revelations；　however…his　talk　of　procuring　for　Hapexamendios…which　seemed　to　indicate　that　this　was　indeed　a　service　he'd　done　the　God。
　〃What　about　the　child？〃　Quaisoir　asked　him。　〃Was　it　a　son　or　a　daughter？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said。　〃Truly；　I　don't。〃
　Another　lie；　and　one　his　captor　sensed。　She　loosened　the　noose；　and　he　dropped　a　few　inches；　letting　out　a　sob　of　terror　and　clutching　at　the　filaments　in　his　panic。
　〃Don't　drop　me！　Please　God；　don't　drop　me！〃
　〃What　about　the　child？〃
　〃What　do　1　know？〃　he　said；　tears　beginning　again；　only　this　time　the　real　thing。　〃I'm　nothing。　I'm　a　messenger。　A　spear…carrier。〃
　〃A　pimp；〃　she　said。
　〃Yes；　that　too。　I　confess　it。　I'm　a　pimp！　But　it's　nothing；　it's　nothing。　Tell　her；　Judith！　I'm　just　an　actor　chappie。　A　fucking　worthless　actor　chappie！〃
　〃Worthless；　eh？〃
　〃Worthless！〃
　〃Then　good　night；〃　Quaisoir　said；　and　let　him　go。
　The　noose　slipped　through　his　fingers　with　such　suddenness　he　had　no　time　to　take　a　faster　hold；　and　he　dropped　like　a　dead　man　from　a　cut　rope；　not　even　beginning　to　shriek　for　several　seconds；　as　though　sheer　disbelief　had　silenced　him　until　the　iris　of　smoky　sky　above　him　had　closed　almost　to　a　dot。　When　his　din　finally　rose　it　was　high…pitched；　but　brief。
　As　it　stopped；　Jude　laid　her　palms　against　the　pavement　and；　without　looking　up　at　Quaisoir；　murmured　her　thanks；　in　part　for　her　preservation　but　at　least　as　much　for　Dowd's　dispatch。
　〃Who　was　he？〃　Quaisoir　asked。
　〃I　only　know　a　little　part　of　this；〃　Jude　replied。
　〃Little　by　little；〃　Quaisoir　said。　〃That's　how　we'll　understand　it　all。　Little。。。　by　。。。　little。〃
　Her　voice　was　exhausted；　and　when　Jude　looked　up　she　saw　the　miracle　was　leaving　Quaisoir's　cells。　She　had　sunk　to　the　ground；　her　unfurled　flesh　withdrawing　into　her　body；　the　beatific　blue　fading　from　her　skin。　Jude　picked　herself　up　and　hobbled　from　the　edge　of　the　hole。
　Hearing　her　footsteps；　Quaisoir　said；　〃Where　are　you　going？〃
　〃Just　away　from　the　well；〃　Jude　said；　laying　her　brow　and　her　palms　against　the　wele　chill　of　the　wall。　〃Do　you　know　who　I　am？〃　she　asked　Quaisoir；　after　a　little　time。
　〃Yes；〃　came　the　soft　reply。　〃You're　the　me　I　lost。　You're　the　other　Judith。〃
　〃That's　right。〃　She　turned　to　see　that　Quaisoir　was　smiling；　despite　her　pain。
　〃That's　good；〃　Quaisoir　said。　〃If　we　survive　this；　maybe　you'll　begin　again　for　both　of　us。　Maybe　you'll　see　the　visions　I　turned　my　back　on。〃
　〃What　visions？〃
　Quaisoir　sighed。　〃I　was　loved　by　a　great　Maestro　once；〃　she　said。　〃He　showed　me　angels。　They　used　to　e　to　our　table　in　sunbeams。　I　swear。　Angels　in　sunbeams。　And　I　thought　we'd　live　forever；　and　I'd　learn　all　the　secrets　of　the　sea。　But　I　let　hurt　lead　me　out　of　the　sun。　I　let　him　persuade　me　the　spirits　didn't　matter。　Only　our　will　mattered；　and　if　we　willed　pain；　then　that　was　wisdom。　I　lost　myself　in　such　a　little　time；　Judith。　Such　a　little　time。〃　She　shuddered。　〃I　was　blinded　by　my　crimes　before　anyone　ever　took　a　knife　to　me。〃
　Jude　looked　pityingly　on　her　sister's　maimed　face。　〃We've　got　to　find　somebody　to　clean　your　wounds；〃　she　said。
　〃I　doubt　there's　a　doctor　left　alive　in　Yzordderrex；〃　Quaisoir　replied。　〃They're　always　the　first　to　go　in　any　revolution；　aren't　they？　Doctors；　tax　collectors；　poets。。。。〃
　〃If　we　can't　find　anybody　else；　I'll　do　it；〃　Jude　said；　leaving　the　security　of　the　wall　and　venturing　back　down　the　incline　to　where　Quaisoir　sat。
　〃I　thought　I　saw　Jesus　Christ　yesterday；〃　she　said。　〃He　was　standing　on　a　roof　with　his　arms　open　wide。　I　thought　he'd　e　for　me；　so　that　I　could　make　my　confession；　That's　why　I　came　here：　to　find　Jesu。　I　heard　his　messenger。〃
　〃That　was　me。〃
　〃You　were　。。。　in　my　thoughts？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃So　I　found　you　instead　of　Christos。　That　seems　like　a　greater　miracle。〃　She　reached　out　towards　Jude；　who　took　her　hand。　〃Isn't　it；　sister？〃
　'Tm　not　sure　yet；〃　Jude　said。　〃I　was　myself　this　morning。　Now　what　am　I？　A　copy；　a　forgery。〃
　The　word　brought　Klein's　Bastard　Boy　to　mind：　Gentle　the　faker；　making　profit　from　other　people's　genius。　Is　that　why　he'd　obsessed　upon　her？　Had　he　seen　in　her　some　subtle　clue　to　her　true　nature　and　followed　her　out　of　devotion　to　the　sham　she　was？
　〃I　was　happy；〃　she　said；　thinking　back　to　the　good　times　she'd　shared　with　him。　〃Maybe　I　didn't　always　realize　I　was　happy；　but　I　was。　I　was　myself。〃
　〃You　still　are。〃
　〃No；〃　she　said；　as　c