cb.imajica1-第102章
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tion； and from the replies to her innocent inquiries he and Pie gleaned a good deal of information he doubted they'd have e by otherwise。 Even as they'd crossed the causeway to the city； she'd struck up a dialogue with a woman who'd happily supplied a list of the Kesparates and even pointed out those that were visible from where they'd walked。 There were too many names and directions for Gentle to hold in his head； but a glance towards Pie confirmed that the mystif was attending closely and would have all of them by heart by the time they reached the other side。
〃Wonderful；〃 Pie said to Huzzah when the woman had departed。 〃I wasn't sure I'd be able to find my way back to my people's Kesparate。 Now I know the way。〃
〃Up through the Oke T'Noon； to the Caramess； where they make the Autarch's sweetmeats；〃 Huzzah said； repeating the directions as if she was reading them off a blackboard。 〃Follow the wall of the Caramess till we get to Smooke Street； then up to the Viaticum； and we'll be able to see the gates from there。〃
〃How did you remember all that？〃 Gentle said； to which Huzzah somewhat disdainfully asked how he could have allowed himself to forget。
〃We mustn't get lost；〃 she said。
〃We won't；〃 Pie replied。 〃There'll be people in my Kesparate who'll help us find your grandparents。〃
〃If they don't it doesn't matter；〃 Huzzah said； looking gravely from Pie to Gentle。 〃I'll e with you to the First Dominion。 I don't mind。 I'd like to see the Unbeheld。〃
〃How do you know that's where we're going？〃 Gentle
said。
〃I've heard you talking about it；〃 she replied。 〃That's what you're going to do； isn't it？ Don't worry； I'm not scared。 We've seen a Goddess； haven't we？ He'll be the same； only not as beautiful。〃
This unflattering notion amused Gentle mightily。
〃You're an angel； you know that？〃 he said； going down on his haunches and sliding his arms around her。
She'd put on a few pounds in weight since they'd begun their journey together； and her hug； when she returned it；
was strong。
〃I'm hungry；〃 she murmured in his ear。
〃Then we'll find somewhere to eat；〃 he replied。 〃We can't have our angel going hungry。〃
They walked up through the steep streets of the Oke T'Noon until they were clear of the throng of itinerants ing off the causeway。 Here there were any number of …establishments offering breakfast； from stalls selling barbecued fish to cafes that might have been transported from the streets of Paris； but that the customers sipping coffee were more extraordinary than even that city of exotics could boast。 Many were species whose peculiarities he now took for granted： Oethacs and Heratea； distant relatives of Mother Splendid and Hammeryock； even a few who resembled the one…eyed croupier from Attaboy。 But for every member of a tribe whose features he recognized； there were two or three he did not。 As in Vanaeph； Pie had warned him that staring too hard would not be in their best interests； and he did his best not to enjoy too plainly the array of courtesies； humors； lunacies； gaits； skins； and cries that filled the streets。 But it was difficult。 After a time they found a small caf6 from which the smell of food was particularly tempting； and Gentle sat down beside one of the windows； from which he could watch the parade without drawing too much attention。
〃I had a friend called Klein；〃 he said as they ate； 〃back in the Fifth Dominion。 He liked to ask people what they'd do if they knew they only had three days to live。〃 〃Why three？〃 Huzzah asked。
〃I don't know。 Why three anything？ It's one of those numbers。〃
〃 'In any fiction there's only ever room for three players；' 〃 the mystif remarked。 〃 The rest must be 。。 。' 〃…its flow faltered in mid…quotation…〃 'agents；' something； and something else。 That's a line from Pluthero Quexos。〃 〃Who's he？〃 〃Nevermind。〃 〃Where was I？〃 〃Klein；〃 said Huzzah。
〃When he got around to asking me this question； I told him； If I had three days left I'd go to New York； because you've got more chance of living out your wildest dreams there than anywhere。 But now I've seen Yzordderrex…〃 〃Not much of it；〃 Huzzah pointed out。 〃It's enough； angel。 If he asks me again I'm going to tell ？ him I'd like to die in Yzordderrex。〃
〃Eating breakfast with Pie and Huzzah；〃 she said。 〃Perfect。〃
〃Perfect；〃 she replied； echoing his intonation precisely。 〃Is there anything I couldn't find here if I looked hard enough？〃
〃Some peace and quiet；〃 Pie remarked。 The hubbub from outside was certainly loud； even in the cafe。
〃I'm sure we'll find some little courtyards up in the palace；〃 Gentle said。
〃Is that where we're going？〃 Huzzah asked。 〃Now listen；〃 said Pie。 〃For one thing； Mr。 Zacharias '。'？ doesn't know what the hell he's talking about…〃 ；；。。 〃Language； Pie；〃 Gentle put in。
〃And for another； we brought you here to find your pandparents； and that's our first priority。 Right； Mr。 Zacharias？〃 。 〃What if you can't find them？〃 Huzzah said。
〃We will；〃 Pie replied。 〃My people know this city from
top to bottom。〃
〃Is that possible？〃 Gentle said。 〃I somehow doubt it。〃 〃When you've finished your coffee；〃 Pie said； 〃I'll allow
them to prove you wrong。〃
With their bellies filled； they headed on through the streets； following the route they'd had laid out for them： from the Oke T'Noon to the Caramess； following the wall until they reached Smooke Street。 In fact the directions were not entirely reliable。 Smooke Street； which was a narrow thoroughfare； and far emptier than those they'd left； did not lead them onto the Viaticum as they'd been told it would； but rather into a maze of buildings as plain as barracks。 There were children playing in the dirt； and among them wild ragemy； an unfortunate cross between porcine and canine strains that Gentle had seen spitted and served in Mai…ke but which here seemed to be treated as pets。 Either the mud； the children； or the ragemy stank； and their smell had attracted zarzi in large numbers。
〃We must have missed a turning；〃 the mystif said。 〃We'd be best to…〃
It stopped in mid…sentence as the sound of shouting rose from nearby； bringing the children up out of the mud and sending them off in pursuit of its source。 There was a high unmusical holler in the midst of the din； rising and falling like a warrior cry。 Before either Pie or Gentle could remark on this； Huzzah was following the rest of the children； darting between the puddles and the rooting ragemy to do so。 Gentle looked at Pie； who shrugged； then they both headed after Huzzah； the trail leading them down an alleyway into a broad and busy street； which was emptying at an astonishing rate as pedestrians and drivers alike sought cover from whatever was racing down the hill in their direction。
The hollerer came first： an armored man of fully twice Gentle's height； carrying in each fist scarlet flags that snaked behind him as he ran； the pitch and volume of his cry undimmed by the speed at which he moved。 On his heels came a battalion of similarly armored soldiers… none； even in the troop； under eight feet tall…and behind them again a vehicle which had clearly been designed to mount and descent the ferocious slopes of the city with minimum disfort to its passengers。 The wheels were the height of the hollerer； the carriage itself low…slung between them； its bodywork sleek and dark； its windows darker still。 A gull had bee caught between the spokes of the wheels on the way down the hill； and it flapped and bled there as the wheels turned； its screeches a wretched but perfect plement to the cacophony of wheels； engine； and hollerer。
Gentle took hold of Huzzah as the vehicle raced past； though she was in no danger of being struck。 She looked around at him； wearing a wide grin。
〃Who was that？〃 she said。
〃I don't know。〃
A woman sheltering in the doorway beside them furnished the answer。 〃Quaisoir；〃 she said。 〃The Autarch's woman。 There's arrests being made down in the Scoriae。 More Dearthers。〃
She made a small gesture with her fingers； moving them across her face from eye to eye； then down to her mouth； pressing the knuckles of first and third fingers against her nostrils while the middle digit tugged at her lower lip； all this with the speed of one who made the
