rr.eastofealing-第22章

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　The　young　man　waggled　a　finger。　'Naughty；　naughty；'　said　he。
　Jim　clenched　and　unclenched　his　fists。　'Has　the　world　gone　mad？'　he　asked。　'Has　the　brewery　lost　its　bloody　marbles？'
　The　young　man　shrugged。　'Since　the　takeover　everything　seems　to　have　changed。'
　'Takeover；　what　takeover？'
　'Hadn't　you　heard？　Lateinos　and　Romiith　bought　the　brewery　out。　An　offer　too　good　to　refuse　I　suppose。'
　Jim　began　to　flap　his　hands　wildly　and　spin　about　in　small　circles。　Omally；　who　had　followed　him　in；　knew　this　to　be　a　bad　sign。　Pooley　sought　men　to　kill。　Two　of　such　were　now　tinkering　at　the　counter's　end。　'Who　are　they？'　Jim　ceased　his　foolish　gyrations。　'What　are　they　up　to？'
　The　pale　young　man　smiled　wanly。　'Installing　a　terminal；　of　course。　Under　the　new　system　every　establishment　must　have　its　own　terminal；　you　know。'
　'John；'　said　Jim；　'John；　hold　me　back。'　Omally　did　as　he　was　bidden。　'What；　if　one　might　make　so　bold；　is　a　terminal？'　he　asked。
　'My　goodness　me；'　the　pale　young　man　tittered　to　himself；　'we　do　live　in　the　dark　ages　around　here；　don't　we？'　He　grinned　towards　the　two　henchmen；　who　exchanged　knowing　glances　and　sniggered。　'This　terminal；'　he　explained；　'is　modular　in　concept；　with　a　net…working　capability　that　is　virtually　plug…in。　It　has　a　one　hundred　and　twenty…eight　bit　multitasking　operation；　super…advanced　WP　forms　and　spread　sheet　planner；　wide　area　network　configuration；　multi…key　ISAM　on　shared　data　bases；　L　and　R　six…six…six　Asynch　emulations；　soft　fort　and　bitmapped　graphics。'
　'Bit…mapped　graphics；　eh？'
　The　young　man　cleared　his　throat　with　a　curiously　mechanical　coughing　sound。　'Bit…mapped；'　he　said　slowly。　Above　his　left　eyebrow　the　short　row　of　eighteen　vertical　lines　gave　his　face　a　permanently　quizzical　expression。　'Now；　perhaps；　sir；　you　would　care　to　order？'
　'Two　pints　of　Large；'　said　Omally。
　'As　you　wish；　sir。　Will　your　irate　panion　be　thinking　to　order　two　for　himself　also；　do　you　think？　Once　he　recovers　his　senses？'
　'We　are　only　just　outnumbered；'　quoth　Pooley。　'Shall　we　make　a　fight　of　it？'
　'All　in　good　time；　Jim。　Now　please　calm　yourself　and　lend　me　a　couple　of　quid。'　The　pale　barman　raised　a　tattooed　eyebrow。　'Usury　is　strictly　forbidden　upon　the　premises；　by　order　of　the　brewery。'
　'A　pox　on　the　brewery；'　said　John。　'Jim　is　minding　some　money　for　me。　Can　I　have　it　back　please；　Jim？'
　'Certainly。'　Pooley　thrust　a　couple　of　hundred　smackers　into　Omally's　outstretched　palm　and　outstretched　his　own　towards　the　nearest　pint。
　The　new　barman　deftly　reached　across　the　counter…top　and　caught　up　Jim's　wrist　in　a　vice…like　grip。
　Turning　Jim's　palm　towards　the　ceiling　he　drew　out　a　light…wand　and　ran　it　across。　'Your　credit　rating　is　triple　A；'　he　said。　'Two　pints　for　yourself　is　it？'
　'Make　it　three；'　said　Jim　bitterly。　'I　feel　a　bit　of　a　thirst　ing　on。'
　'As　you　please；　sir。'　The　pale　young　barman　replaced　his　headphones　and；　nodding　to　himself；　drew　off　the　business。
　Bearing　their　pints　away；　John　and　Jim　stalked　off　to　a　side…table　where　they　dropped　into　a　brace　of　chairs　and　sat　staring　into　one　another's　eyes。
　After　a　somewhat　pregnant　pause；　Jim　said；　'I've　had　enough　of　all　this；　John。'
　Omally　nodded　thoughtfully。　'It　is　not　very　much　to　my　own　liking；'　said　he；　gulping　away　the　nearest　pint。　'If　you　want　my　considered　opinion　I　feel　that　we　should　both　do　very　well　to　have　it　away　from　this　district　post　haste。'
　'Look　at　those　bastards。'　Jim　gestured　towards　the　brewery　henchmen　who　were　even　now　tearing　up　the　Swan's　antique　carpeting　to　run　a　power…line　across　the　floor。
　'Rio　would　be　your　man；'　said　John。　'Dusky　maidens　rolling　green　cigars　upon　their　bronzed　thighs。　A　train…robber　chum　of　mine　has　lodgings　thereabouts。　The　climate　so　they　say　is　ideal　for　the　professional　drinking　man　or　the　unemployed　war　criminal。'
　Pooley　considered　his　printed　palm。　'I　can't　be　having　with　all　this　stuff。　Things　are　no　longer　healthy　hereabouts。'
　'So　let　us　away。'
　Jim　chewed　upon　a　thumbnail。　'I　think　you're　right；'　said　he。　'But　what　about　all　this　Revelations　business？　Do　you　think　that　the　Professor　is　correct　in　his　theories？　If　it　is　the　end　of　the　world　then　it　might　catch　up　with　us　even　in　Rio。'
　Omally　downed　another　pint。　'I　have　my　doubts　about　the　whole　thing。　Listen；　with　the　old　currant　bun　beaming　down　and　a　bottle　or　two　of　duty…free　on　the　patio　table　we　can　give　the　matter　serious　thought。　What　do　you　say？'
　'I　say　it's　time　we　had　a　holiday。'
　'Good　man。　Now　the　travel　agent's　in　the　Baling　Road　closes　at　six；　I　can　be　up　there　in　five　minutes　on　the　bike　and　back　in　another　five；　I'll　book　us　aboard　an　aeroplane　for　first　thing　tomorrow。'
　'Do　it　then。'　Jim　dragged　out　another　bundle　of　banknotes　and　thrust　them　at　John。　'Go　at　once。　I'll　get　some　bottles　to　take　out；　this　place　is　beginning　to　depress　me。'
　'Right　then；　I　will　be　back　directly。'　Omally　left　the　Swan　and　mounted　up　Marchant；　who　had　set　himself　in　for　an　evening　kip。　He　bumped　down　the　kerb　and　pedalled　furiously　up　the　Haling　Road。　Cresting　the　railway　bridge　he　swept　down　the　other　side；　legs　outspread；　past　the　Mowlem's　building。　Without　warning　he　suddenly　came　into　contact　with　a　great　body　of　halted　traffic。　The　road　was　a　shambles　of　stalled　automobiles　and　shouting　drivers。　Cars　were　parked　at　crazy　angles　across　the　road；　and　those　at　the　vanguard　lay；　their　bonnets　stove　in　and　steam　issuing　from　their　shattered　radiators。　A　blank　wall　of　dark　light　rose　from　the　street　at　the　junction　with　the　Great　West　Road。　It　soared　into　the　sky；　an　impenetrable　barrier　blocking　all　further　progress。　Omally　dragged　on　his　brakes　but　his　iron　stallion　appeared　to　have　developed　ideas　of　its　own。　It　rocketed　him　headlong　into　the　boot　of　a　stalled　Morris　Minor。　John　sailed　forward　in　a　blizzard　of　whirling　banknotes；　to　tumble　down　on　to　the　bonnet　of　the　defunct　automobile　and　roll　on　to　the　roadway。　Cursing　and　spitting　he　slowly　dragged　himself　to　his　feet　and　stared　up　at　the　grim　barrier　ahead；　struck　dumb　with　amazement　and　disbelief。　The　curtains；　which　the　Professor　had　observed　for　so　many　weeks　through　his　rooftop　viewer；　had　finally　closed　upon　the　borders　of　the　Brentford　triangle。
　And　the　parish　was　now　pletely　sealed　off　from　the　outside　world。
　
　16
　As　word　spread　from　house　to　house　that　the　veil　was　drawn　down；　the　people　of　the　parish　flocked　into　the　streets。　They　flowed　hurriedly　towards　the　borders　to　stand；　their　noses　pressed　against　the　walls　of　hard　air；　staring　out　into　the　beyond。　The　vista；　normally　so　mundane　as　to　be　invisible；　now　assumed　a　quality　of　remoteness　and　unreality。　That　none　might　any　longer　pass　into　that　world　made　it　fairyland　and　the　figures　that　moved　there　became　exaggerated　and　larger　than　life。　And　though　they　shouted　and　coo…eed　and　smote　the　barrier　with　sticks　and　staves；　the　world　beyond　did　not　see　them；　nor　hear　their　cries　for　help。　The　world　beyond　simply　went　on　doing　that　which　it　had　always　done　…　which　wasn't　very　much；　although　it　seemed　so　now。　Although　the　trapped　people　watched　desperately　for　some　sign　which　might　signal　the　recognition　of　their　plight　by　the　free　folk；　who　now　passed　within　inches；　none　came。　Their　faces　never　turned　and　they　went　about　their　business　as　ever　they　had。　To　the　world　outside　it　seemed　that　Brentford　had　simply　ceased　to　exist。
　What　attempts　were　made　to　stir　up　a　bit　of　healthy　rioting　were　stifled　almost　as　soon　as　they　were　begun　by　the　arrival　of　police　snatch　squads。　Strange　pale　young　men　in　protective　uniforms；　sporting　minuscule　headphones；　and　carrying　small　black　boxes　attached　to　their　belts；　moved　swiftly　into　the　crowds　to　bear　away　the　outspoken　to　waiting　meat…wagons。　Those　who　had　voiced　plaint　reappeared　hours　later　passive　and　unplaining；　clearing　their　throats　before　speech　with　curiously　mechanical　coughing　sounds。　Brentford's　ghost　people　drifted　back　to　haunt　their　houses　and　closed　their　doors　behind　them。
　Days　began　to　pass　one　upon　another；　each　one　the　same　as　the　last。　Pooley　and　Omally　sat　in　the　Swan　bitterly　regarding　the　new　barman　as　he　soullessly　directed　the　redecoration　of　the　grand　old　watering　hole。