rr.eastofealing-第24章

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　'There　now；'　said　Professor　Slobe；　'you　have　saved　me　my　old　breath。　They　have　no　souls。　It　is　man's　soul　alone　which　prevents　him　slipping　back　into　the　darkness。　The　soul　cries　out　to　the　light；　the　soul　worships　the　light。　Replace　man　and　the　temple　of　the　lord　of　light　is　cast　down。　The　darkness　returns。'
　'The　whole　menu　was　a　bowl　of　sprouts；'　said　Omally　bitterly。　'I　am　going　to　be　sick。'
　'It　all　sounds　somewhat　eclectic；'　remarked　Jim；　surprising　even　himself。　'I　do　not　pretend　to　understand　much　of　it。'
　'Like　the　sprout；　it　takes　a　bit　of　swallowing；'　the　Professor　replied。　'What　I　am　trying　to　say　is　this：　puter　science　is　founded　upon　the　silicon　chip。　It　has　long　been　suggested　by　scientists　that　life　might　exist　elsewhere　in　the　universe；　life　possibly　with　a　silicon　base。　They　do　not　seem　to　realize　that　they　have　created　it　here　on　Earth；　at　the　behest　of　a　hidden　master。　When　man　is　made　subservient　to　the　machine　he　is　no　longer　in　control　of　his　own　destiny。　Therefore　he　is　no　longer　the　dominant　species。　The　people　of　Brentford　are　being　replaced　one　after　another　by　duplicates　of　themselves。　Soulless　robots　programmed　to　worship　their　master。　Unless　we　act　quickly；　then　all　we　have　ever　known　will　be　lost。'
　Pooley　solemnly　removed　his　wristlet　watch　and　cast　it　into　the　fire。　The　plastic　crackled　amongst　the　flames；　and；　to　add　further　horror　to　a　conversation　which　had　already　been　a　far　cry　from　a　cosy　fireside　chat；　a　shrill　voice　shrieked　out　from　the　flames　calling　for　mercy。
　Omally　crossed　himself。　'I　believe；'　he　said　simply。
　'Then　you　will　fight　with　me？'
　'I　think　that　we　have　little　choice。　Jim？'
　Pooley　raised　his　unmarked　palm。　'Count　me　in；　I　suppose；'　said　he。
　
　17
　The　conversation　wore　long　into　the　night。　John　and　Jim　were　anxious　to　know　exactly　what　plans　the　Professor　had　formulated；　but　the　old　man　was　obstinately　vague　in　his　replies。　It　was　either　that　he　was　as　yet　uncertain　as　to　what　had　to　be　done；　or　that　he　had　already　set　certain　wheels　in　motion　and　feared　the　two　men　might；　out　of　their　eagerness　to　pitch　in　for　the　cause；　confound　them。　Whatever　the　case；　Jim　at　length　returned　to　his　rooms　and　fell　into　a　most　uneasy　sleep　beset　with　ghastly　dreams　of　mechanical　monsters　and　bogey　men　who　loomed　up　from　every　darkened　corner。　Omally；　as　ever；　slept　the　sleep　of　the　just；　which　was　quite　unjust　of　him；　considering　he　had　no　right　to　do　it。
　At　around　eleven　the　next　morning；　the　two　men　met　up　outside　the　Flying　Swan。　Pooley　emptied　what　pennies　remained　to　him　into　the　outspread　palm　of　his　fellow。　'He　won't　take　my　cash　any　more；　simply　runs　his　damn　little　wand　over　my　hand。　It　gives　me　little　pleasure。'
　'If　there　is　a　word　of　truth　to　anything　the　Professor　told　us；　then　at　least　we　have　a　vague　idea　what's　going　on。'
　'Vague　would　be　your　man；　John；　this　is　well　out　of　my　league。'
　'That　is　a　nice　suit　you　have　on　there；'　Omally　observed　as　Jim　strode　on　before　him　into　the　Swan。　'If　a　little　tight　across　the　shoulders　perhaps。'
　The　pale　young　man　in　the　headphones　stood　as　ever　behind　the　jump。　Nothing　had　been　heard　of　Neville　since　he　had　been　whisked　away　in　the　ambulance。　The　Sisters　of　Mercy　said　that　he　had　been　moved　to　another　hospital　but　seemed　uncertain　where。　The　fact　that　ownership　of　the　brewery　had　changed　hands　suggested　that　Brentford　had　seen　the　last　of　the　part…time　barman。　'Replacement；'　the　Professor　had　said；　it　was　a　more　than　unsettling　business。　And　the　thought　that　duplicates　were　even　now　being　created　to　replace　each　living　individual　in　Brentford　was　no　laughing　matter。
　'Usual　please；'　said　Jim；　extending　his　palm。
　The　man　in　the　headset　ran　his　electronic　pen　across　the　outstretched　appendage　and　cleared　his　throat　with　a　curiously　mechanical　coughing　sound。　'Great　day　for　the　race；'　he　said。
　'Yours　or　mine？'　muttered　Jim　beneath　his　breath。
　Omally　bought　his　own。　'It's　just　not　the　same　any　more；'　he　sighed；　as　he　bore　his　pint　over　to　the　table　Jim　now　occupied。　'I　miss　the　thrill　of　the　chase。'
　'I　don't　think　anything　is　ever　going　to　be　the　same　again；'　said　Pooley　unhappily。　'All　is　finished　here。　If　only　we　had　legged　it　away　in　time　we　would　never　be　sitting　here　trapped　like　rats；　waiting　to　be　replaced　by　piles　of　diodes。'
　John　shook　his　head。　'It　is　a　bad　one　to　be　sure。　No　doubt　the　walls　will　expand　to　finally　engulf　the　whole　world；　but　the　Professor　never　did　explain　why　it　all　started　right　here。'
　'Well；　I　suppose　it　had　to　start　somewhere　and　Brentford；　although　worse　than　some；　is；　as　the　world　knows；　better　than　most。　But　it　is　the　unfairness　of　it　that　gets　my　dander　up。　Me；　with　money　to　burn　and　two　dozen　High　Street　shops　to　burn　it　in。　My　God；　I'm　doing　my　best；　but　what　about　teas　at　the　Ritz　and　the　Concorde　flight　to　the　Bahamas？　Such　things　are　day　to　day　affairs　for　lads　with　my　kind　of　scratch。　I　can't　even　buy　people　drinks。　My　entire　wealth　is　without　purpose。'
　'The　Professor　warned　you；　Jim；　the　money　wasn't　meant　for　you。'
　'This　beer　is　definitely　not　what　it　was。'　Pooley　raised　his　pint　and　held　it　towards　the　light。　Through　the　clear　amber　liquid　a　row　of　puter　lines　etched　on　to　the　glass　twinkled　like　the　slats　of　a　Venetian　blind。
　'I　had　been　thinking　the　same；'　Omally　replied。　'It　has　a　definitely　metallic　tang　to　it　nowadays。'
　An　odd　figure　now　entered　the　Flying　Swan。　He　appeared　awkward　and　ill　at　ease　amongst　his　surroundings。　The　stranger　wore　a　wide…brimmed　hat　of　dark　material　and　a　similarly…coloured　cloak　which　reached　to　the　floor；　exposing　only　the　very　tips　of　his　Wellington　boots。
　'It's　Soap；'　Omally　whispered。　'Now　what　do　you　suppose　he　is　doing　here？'
　'e　to　pay　us　our　thirty　quid；　hopefully；'　said　Jim；　who　even　in　wealth　was　never　too　aloof　to　forget　a　creditor。
　Soap　ordered　a　Guinness；　without　the　head；　and　paid　for　the　same　with　a　gold　nugget　which　the　barman　weighed　up　and　mitted　to　the　till。　The　man　in　black　approached　the　two　seated　drinkers。　'Good　day；'　he　said。
　'Not　yet；'　said　the　Omally。　'But　you　have　my　full　permission　to　improve　upon　it　should　you　so　wish。'
　'Might　I　take　a　seat？'
　'If　you　must。'
　Soap　removed　his　hat　and　placed　it　upon　the　table。　His　albino　coiffure　glowed　stunningly　even　in　the　dim　light　of　the　saloon…bar；　the　pink　eyes　wandered　between　the　two　men。　'How's　tricks？'　he　asked。
　'Oh；　going　great　guns；'　Pooley　made　an　airy　gesture。　'Just　sitting　here　drinking　duff　beer；　waiting　for　the　end　of　the　world。　Ringside　seats　to　boot。'
　'Hm。'　Soap　toyed　with　the　ample　brim　of　his　extraordinary　hat。　'I'll　tell　you　what　though；　but。　You're　better　off　here　than　out　there。'　He　thumbed　away　towards　the　glistening　wall　of　light　which　shimmered　in　the　distance　beyond　the　Swan's　upper　panes。　'It's　all　hell　for　sure　in　that　neck　of　the　woods。'
　'You　mean　you've　been　outside？'　Omally　raised　his　ample　eyebrows。
　'Naturally。'　Soap　tugged　lewdly　at　his　lower　eye。　'You　know　the　expression　you　can't　keep　a　good　man　down？　Well　here　it's　a　case　of　a　good　man　down　is　worth　three　in　the　Butts。　Good'n　that；　eh？　One　of　my　own。'
　'Bloody　marvellous；'　said　Pooley　without　conviction。　'So　what　is　going　on　out　there？'
　'Bad　things。'　Soap　stared　sombrely　into　his　pint。　The　sharpened；　ear…rooting　nail　of　his　little　finger　traced　a　runic　symbol　upon　the　knap　of　his　hatbrim。　'Bad　things。'　Soap　sipped　at　his　pint　and　drew　a　slim　wrist　across　his　mouth。　'Bloody　chaos；'　he　said　simply。　'It　makes　me　sick　at　heart　to　see　what　goes　on　out　there；　but　the　Professor　says　that　I　must　keep　the　watch。　Although　he　never　says　for　what。'
　'So　what　have　you　seen；　Soap？'
　'They　are　starving　out　there。'　Soap's　pink　eyes　darted　up　at　his　inquisitor。
　'You're　joking；　surely？'
　'I　am　not。　Since　the　institution　of　the　new　non…monetary　system　of　exchange　the　entire　country　is　literally　in　a　state　of　civil　war。'
　'e　now；'　said　Jim。　'What　you　mean　is　that　a　few　die…hards　are　giving　two　fingers　to　the　printed…palm　brigade。　Bloody　good　luck　to　them　I　say。　I'll　arrange　to　have　a　couple　of　million　drawn　out。　You　take　it　with　my　blessings。'
　'Money　won't　do　it；'　said　Soap。　'Paper　currency　is　illegal。　All　assets　were　ins