cb.imajica1-第104章

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also　appeared　on　the　roof；　presumably　intending　to　pitch　Athanasius'　body　down　to　crown　the　cairn。　But　they　were　denied　that　satisfaction。　Either　he'd　faked　being　struck；　or　eke　he'd　survived　the　wounding　and　crawled　off　to　safety　while　the　drama　unfolded　below。　Whichever；　he'd　left　his　pursuers　empty…handed。
　Three　of　the　cordon　keepers；　all　of　whom　had　fled　for　cover　as　their　rades　fired　on　the　crowd；　now　reappeared　to　claim　the　body　of　the　escapee。　They　encountered　a　good　deal　of　passive　resistance；　however；　the　crowd　ing　between　them　and　the　dead　youth；　jostling　them。　They　forced　their　way　through　with　well…aimed　jabs　from　bayonets　and　rifle　butts；　but　Gentle　had　time　to　retreat　from　in　front　of　the　corpse　as　they　did　so。
　He　had　also　had　time　to　look　back　at　the　corpse…strewn　stage　visible　beyond　the　heads　of　the　crowd。　The　door　of　Quaisoir's　vehicle　had　opened；　and　with　her　elite　guard　forming　a　shield　around　her　she　finally　stepped　out　into　the　light　of　day。　This　was　the　consort　of　the　Imajica's　vilest　tyrant；　and　Gentle　lingered　a　dangerous　moment　to　see　what　mark　such　intimacy　with　evil　had　made　upon　her。
　When　she　came　into　view　the　sight　of　her；　even　with　eyes　that　were　far　from　perfect；　was　enough　to　snatch　the　breath　from　him。　She　was　human；　and　a　beauty。　Nor　was　she　simply　any　beauty。　She　was　Judith。
　Pie　had　hold　of　his　arm；　drawing　him　away；　but　he
　wouldn't　go。
　〃Look　at　her。　Jesus。　Look　at　her；　Pie。　Look！〃
　The　mystif　glanced　towards　the　woman。
　〃It's　Judith；〃　Gentle　said。
　〃That's　impossible。〃
　〃It　is！　It　is！　Use　your　fucking　eyes！　It's　Judith！〃
　As　if　his　raised　voice　was　a　spark　to　the　bone…dry　rage　of　the　crowd　all　around；　violence　suddenly　erupted；　its　focus　the　trio　of　soldiers　who　were　still　attempting　to　claim　the　dead　youth。　One　was　bludgeoned　to　the　ground　while　another　retreated；　firing　as　he　did　so。　Escalation　was　instantaneous。　Knives　were　slid　from　their　sheaths；　machetes　unhooked　from　belts。　In　the　space　of　five　seconds　the　crowd　became　an　army　and　five　seconds　later　claimed　its　first　three　lives。　Judith　was　eclipsed　by　the　battle；　and　Gentle　had　little　choice　but　to　go　with　Pie；　more　for　the　sake　of　Huzzah　than　for　his　own　safety。　He　felt　strangely　inviolate　here；　as　though　that　circle　of　expectant　stares　had　lent　him　a　charmed　life。
　〃It　was　Judith；　Pie；〃　he　said　again；　once　they　were　far　enough　from　the　shouts　and　shots　to　hear　each　other　speak；　Huzzah　had　taken　firm　hold　of　his　hand　and　swung　on　his　arm　excitedly。　〃Who's　Judith？〃　she　said。　〃A　woman　we　know；〃　Gentle　said。　〃How　could　that　be　her？〃　The　mystif　s　tone　was　as　fretful　as　it　was　exasperated。　〃Ask　yourself：　How　could　that　be　her？　If　you've　got　an　answer；　I'm　happy　to　hear　it。　Truly　I　am。　Tell　me。〃
　〃I　don't　know　how；〃　Gentle　said。　〃But　I　trust　my　eyes。〃
　〃We　left　her　in　the　Fifth；　Gentle。〃
　〃If　I　got　through；　why　shouldn't　she？〃
　〃And　in　the　space　of　two　months　she　takes　over　as　the　Autarch's　wife？　That's　a　meteoric　rise；　wouldn't　you　say？〃
　A　fresh　fusillade　of　shots　rose　from　the　siege　site；　followed　by　a　roar　of　voices　so　profound　it　reverberated　in　the　stone　beneath　their　feet。　Gentle　stopped；　walked；　and　looked　back　down　the　slope　towards　the　harbor。
　〃There's　going　to　be　a　revolution；〃　he　said　simply。
　〃I　think　it's　already　begun；〃　Pie　replied。
　〃They'll　kill　her；〃　he　said；　starting　back　down　the　hill。
　〃Where　the　hell　are　you　going？〃　Pie　said。
　〃I'm　ing　with　you；〃　Huzzah　piped　up；　but　the　mystif　took　hold　of　her　before　she　could　follow。
　〃You're　not　going　anywhere；〃　Pie　said；　〃except　home　to　your　grandparents。　Gentle；　will　you　listen　to　me？　It's　not　Judith。〃
　Gentle　turned　to　face　the　mystif；　attempting　a　reasoning　tone。　〃If　it's　not　her　then　it's　her　double；　it's　her　echo。　Some　part　other；　here　in　Yzordderrex。〃
　The　mystif　didn't　reply。　It　merely　studied　Gentle；　as　if　coaxing　him　with　its　silence　to　articulate　his　theory　more　fully。
　〃Maybe　people　can　be　in　two　places　at　one　time；〃　Gentle　said。　Frustration　made　him　grimace。　〃I　know　it　was　her；　and　nothing　you　can　say's　going　to　change　my　mind。　You　two　go　in　to　the　Kesparate。　Wait　for　me。　I'll…〃
　Before　he　could　finish　his　instructions；　the　holler　that　had　first　announced　Quaisoir's　descent　from　the　heights　of　the　city　was　raised　again；　this　time　at　a　higher　pitch；　to　be　drowned　out　almost　instantly　by　a　surge　of　celebratory　cheering。
　〃That　sounds　like　a　retreat　to　me；〃　Pie　said；　and　was　proved　right　twenty　seconds　later　with　the　reappearance　of　Quaisoir's　vehicle；　surrounded　by　the　tattered　remnants　of　her　retinue。
　The　trio　had　plenty　of　time　to　step　out　of　the　path　of　wheels　and　boots　as　they　thundered　up　the　slope；　for　the　pace　of　the　retreat　was　not　as　swift　as　that　of　the　advance。　Not　only　was　the　ascent　steep　but　many　of　the　elite　had　sustained　wounds　in　defending　the　vehicle　from　assault　and　trailed　blood　as　they　ran。
　〃There's　going　to　be　such　reprisals　now；〃　Pie　said。
　Gentle　murmured　his　agreement　as　he　stared　up　the　slope　where　the　vehicle　had　gone。　〃I　have　to　see　her　again；〃　he　said。
　〃That's　going　to　be　difficult；〃　Pie　replied。
　〃She'll　see　me；〃　Gentle　said。　〃If　I　know　who　she　is；　then　she's　going　to　know　who　I　am。　I'll　lay　money　on　it。〃
　The　mystif　didn't　take　up　the　bet。　It　simply　said；　〃What
　now？〃
　〃We　go　to　your　Kesparate；　and　we　send　out　a　search　party　to　look　for　Huzzah's　folks。　Then　we　go　up〃…he　nodded　towards　the　palace…〃and　get　a　closer　look　at　Quai…soir。　I've　got　some　questions　to　ask　her。　Whoever　she　is；〃
　
　The　wind　veered　as　the　trio　retraced　their　steps；　the　relatively　clear　ocean　breeze　giving　sudden　way　to　a　blister…ingly　hot　assault　off　the　desert。　The　citizens　were　well　prepared　for　such　climatic　changes；　and　at　the　first　hint　of　a　shift　in　the　wind；　scenes　of　almost　mechanical；　and　therefore　ical；　efficiency　were　to　be　seen　high　and　low。　Washing　and　potted　plants　were　gathered　from　window…sills；　ragemy　and　cats　gave　up　their　sun　traps　and　headed　inside；　awnings　were　rolled　up　and　windows　shuttered。　In　a　matter　of　minutes　the　street　was　emptied。
　〃I've　been　in　these　damn　storms；〃　the　mystif　said。　〃I　don't　think　we　want　to　be　walking　about　in　one。〃
　Gentle　told　it　not　to　fret；　and　hoisting　Huzzah　onto　his　shoulders；　he　set　the　pace　as　the　storm　scourged　the　streets。　They'd　asked　for　fresh　directions　a　few　minutes　before　the　wind　veered；　and　the　shopkeeper　who'd　supplied　them　had　known　his　geography。　The　directions　were　good　even　if　walking　conditions　were　not。　The　wind　smelt　like　flatulence　and　carried　a　blinding　freight　of　sand；　along　with　ferocious　heat。　But　they　at　least　had　the　freedom　of　the　streets。　The　only　individuals　they　glimpsed　were　either　felonious；　crazy；　or　homeless；　into　all　three　of　which　categories　they　themselves　fell。
　They　reached　the　Viaticum　without　error　or　incident；　and　from　there　the　mystif　knew　its　way。　Two　hours　or　more　after　they'd　left　the　siege　at　the　harbor　they　reached　the　Eurhetemec　Kesparate；　The　storm　was　showing　signs　of　fatigue；　as　were　they；　but　Pie's　voice　fairly　sang　when　it　announced；　〃This　is　it。　This　is　the　place　where　I　was　born。〃
　The　Kesparate　in　front　of　them　was　walled；　but　the　gates　were　open；　swinging　in　the　wind。
　〃Lead　on；〃　Gentle　said；　setting　Huzzah　down。
　The　mystif　pushed　the　gate　wide　and　led　the　way　into　streets　the　wind　was　unveiling　before　them　as　it　fell；　dropping　sand　underfoot。　The　streets　rose　towards　the　palace；　as　did　almost　every　street　in　Yzordderrex；　but　the　dwellings　built　upon　it　were　very　different　from　those　elsewhere　in　the　city。　They　stood　discreet　from　one　another；　tall　and　burnished；　each　possessed　of　a　single　window　that　ran　from　above　the　door　to　the　eaves；　where　the　structure　branched　into　four　overhanging　roofs；　lending　the　buildings；　when　side　by　side；　the　look　of　a　stand　of　petrified　trees。　In　the　street　in　front　of　the　houses　were　the　real　thing：　trees　whose　branches　still　swayed　in　the　dying　gusts　like　kelp　in　a　tidal　pool；　their　boughs　so　supple　and　their　tight　white　blossoms　so　hardy　the　storm　had　done　them　no　harm。
　It　wasn't　until　he　caught　the　tremulous　look　on　Pie's　face　that　Gentle　realized　what　a　burden　of　feeling　the　mystif　bore；　stepping　back　into　its　birthplace　after