cb.imajica1-第111章

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's　shelves　tinkled　every　time　the　ground　shook；　which　was　often。　One　of　the　shopkeepers　who'd　left　in　high　dudgeon　earlier　came　beating　at　the　door　during　this　siege；　and　stumbled　over　the　threshold　with　blood　streaming　from　his　head　and　tales　of　destruction　from　his　mouth。　The　army　had　called　up　heavy　artillery　in　the　last　hour；　he　reported；　and　it　had　practically　leveled　the　harbor　and　rendered　the　causeway　impassable；　thereby　effectively　sealing　the　city。　This　was　all　part　of　the　Autarch's　plan；　he　said。　Why　else　were　whole　neighborhoods　being　allowed　to　burn　unchecked？　The　Autarch　was　leaving　the　city　to　consume　its　own　citizens；　knowing　the　conflagration　would　not　be　able　to　break　the　palace　walls。
　〃He's　going　to　let　the　mob　destroy　the　city；〃　the　man　went　on；　〃and　he　doesn't　care　what　happens　to　us　in　the　meantime。　Selfish　bastard！　We're　all　going　to　burn；　and　he's　not　going　to　lift　a　finger　to　help　us！〃
　This　scenario　certainly　fitted　the　facts。　When；　at　Gentle's　suggestion；　they　went　up　onto　the　roof　to　get　a　better　view　of　the　situation；　it　seemed　to　be　exactly　as　described。　The　ocean　was　obliterated　by　a　wall　of　smoke　climbing　from　the　embers　of　the　harbor；　further　flame…shot　columns　rose　from　two　dozen　neighborhoods；　near　and　far；　and　through　the　dirty　heat　ing　off　the　Oke　T'Noon's　pyre　the　causeway　was　just　visible；　its　rubble　damming　the　delta。　Clogged　by　smoke；　the　et　shed　a　diminished　light　on　the　city；　and　even　that　was　fading　as　the　long　twilight　deepened。
　〃It's　time　to　leave；〃　Gentle　told　Huzzah。
　〃Where　are　we　going　to　go？〃
　〃Back　to　find　Pie　'oh'　pah；〃　he　replied。　〃While　we　still　can。〃
　
　It　had　been　apparent　from　the　roof　that　there　was　no　safe　route　back　to　the　mystifs　Kesparate。　The　various　factions　warring　in　the　streets　were　moving　unpredictably。　A　street　that　was　empty　one　moment　might　be　thronged　the　next；　and　rubble　the　moment　after　that。　They　would　have　to　go　on　instinct　and　a　prayer；　taking　as　direct　a　path　back　to　where　they'd　left　Pie　'oh'　pah　as　circumstance　allowed。　Dusk　in　this　Dominion　usually　lasted　the　length　of　an　English　midwinter　day…five　or　six　hours…the　tail　of　the　et　keeping　traces　of　light　in　the　sky　long　after　its　fiery　head　had　dropped　beneath　the　horizon。　But　the　smoke　thickened　as　Gentle　and　Huzzah　traveled；　eclipsing　the　languid　light　and　plunging　the　city　into　a　filthy　gloom。　There　were　still　the　fires　to　pensate；　of　course；　but　between　the　conflagration；　in　streets　where　the　lamps　hadn't　been　lit　and　the　citizens　had　shuttered　their　windows　and　blocked　their　keyholes　to　keep　any　sign　of　occupation　from　showing；　the　darkness　was　almost　impenetrable。　In　such　thoroughfares　Gentle　hoisted　Huzzah　onto　his　shoulders；　from　which　vantage　point　she　was　able　to　snatch　sights　to　steer　him　by。
　It　was　slow　going；　however；　halting　at　each　intersection　to　calculate　the　least　dangerous　route　to　follow；　and　taking　refuge　at　the　approach　of　both　governmental　and　revolutionary　troops。　But　for　every　soldier　in　this　war　there　were　half　a　dozen　bystanders；　people　daring　the　tide　of　battle　like　beachbers；　retreating　before　each　wave；　only　to　return　to　their　watching　places　when　it　receded：　a　sometimes　lethal　game。　A　similar　dance　was　demanded　of　Gentle　and　Huzzah。　Driven　off　course　again　and　again；　they　were　obliged　to　trust　to　instinct　as　to　their　direction；　and　inevitably　instinct　finally　deserted　them。
　In　an　unmon　hush　between　clamors　and　bombardments；　Gentle　said；　〃Angel？　I　don't　know　where　we　are　any　more。〃
　A　prehensive　fusillade　had　brought　down　most　of　the　Kesparate　around　them；　and　there　were　precious　few　places　of　refuge　amid　the　rubble；　but　Huzzah　insisted　they　find　one：　a　call　of　nature　that　could　be　delayed　no　longer。
　Gentle　set　her　down；　and　she　headed　off　for　the　dubious　cover　of　a　semidemolished　house　some　yards　up　the　street。　He　stood　guard　at　the　door；　calling　inside　to　her　and　telling　her　not　to　venture　too　far。　He'd　no　sooner　offered　this　warning　than　the　appearance　of　a　small　band　of　armed　men　drove　him　back　into　the　shadows　of　the　doorway。　But　for　their　weapons；　which　had　presumably　been　plucked　from　dead　men；　they　looked　ill　suited　to　the　role　of　revolutionaries。　The　eldest；　a　barrel　of　a　man　in　late　middle　age；　still　wore　the　hat　and　tie　he'd　most　likely　gone　to　work　in　that　morning；　while　two　of　his　acplices　were　barely　older　than　Huzzah。　Of　the　two　remaining　members；　one　was　an　Oethac　woman；　the　other　of　the　tribe　to　which　the　executioner　in　Vanaeph　had　belonged：　a　Nullianac；　its　head　like　hands　joined　in　prayer。
　Gentle　glanced　back　into　the　darkness；　hoping　to　hush　Huzzah　before　she　emerged；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　her。　He　left　the　step　and　headed　into　the　ruins。　The　floor　was　sticky　underfoot；　though　he　couldn't　see　with　what。　He　did　see　Huzzah；　however；　or　her　silhouette；　as　she　rose　from　relieving　herself。　She　saw　him　too　and　made　a　little　noise　of　protest；　which　he　hushed　as　loudly　as　he　dared。　A　fresh　bombardment　close　by　brought　shock　waves　and　bursts　of　light；　by　which　he　glimpsed　their　refuge：　a　domestic　interior；　with　a　table　set　for　the　evening　meal；　and　its　cook　dead　beneath　it；　her　blood　the　stickiness　under　his　heel。
　Beckoning　Huzzah　to　him　and　holding　her　tight；　he　ventured　back　towards　the　door　as　a　second　bombardment　began。　It　drove　the　looters　to　the　step　for　cover；　and　the　Oethac　caught　sight　of　Gentle　before　he　could　retreat　into　shadow。　She　let　out　a　shout；　and　one　of　the　youths　fired　into　the　darkness　where　Gentle　and　Huzzah　had　stood；　the　bullets　spattering　plaster　and　wood　splinters　in　all　directions。　Backing　away　from　the　door　through　which　their　attackers　were　bound　to　e；　Gentle　ushered　Huzzah　into　the　darkest　corner　and　drew　a　breath。　He　barely　had　time　to　do　so　before　the　trigger…happy　youth　was　at　the　doorway；　firing　indiscriminately。　Gentle　unleashed　a　pneuma　from　the　darkness；　and　it　flew　towards　the　door。　He'd　underestimated　his　strength。　The　gunman　was　obliterated　in　an　instant；　but　the　pneuma　took　the　door　frame　and　much　of　the　wall　to　either　side　of　it　at　the　same　time。
　Before　the　dust　could　clear　and　the　survivors　e　after　them；　he　went　to　find　Huzzah；　but　the　wall　against　which　she'd　been　crouching　was　cracked　and　curling　like　a　stone　wave。　He　yelled　her　name　as　it　broke。　Her　shriek　answered　him；　off　to　his　left。　The　Nullianac　had　snatched　her　up；　and　for　a　terrifying　instant　Gentle　thought　it　intended　to　annihilate　her；　but　instead　it　drew　her　to　it　like　a　doll　and　disappeared　into　the　dust　clouds。
　He　started　in　pursuit　without　a　backward　glance；　an　error　that　brought　him　to　his　knees　before　he'd　covered　two　yards　of　ground；　as　the　Oethac　woman　delivered　a　stabbing　blow　to　the　small　of　his　back。　The　wound　wasn't　deep；　but　the　shock　drove　his　breath　from　him　as　he　fell；　and　her　second　blow　would　have　taken　out　the　back　of　his　skull　had　he　not　rolled　out　of　its　way。　The　small　pick　she　was　wielding；　wet　with　his　blood；　buried　itself　in　the　ground；　and　before　she　could　pull　it　free　he　hauled　himself　to　his　feet　and　started　after　Huzzah　and　her　abductor。　The　second　youth　was　moving　after　the　Nullianac；　squealing　with　drugged　or　drunken　glee；　and　Gentle　followed　the　sound　when　he　lost　the　sight；　the　chase　taking　him　out　of　the　wasteland　and　into　a　Kesparate　that　had　been　left　relatively　untouched　by　the　conflict。
　There　was　good　reason。　The　trade　here　was　in　sexual　favors；　and　business　was　booming。　Though　the　streets　were　narrower　than　in　any　other　district　Gentle　had　passed　through；　there　was　plenty　of　light　spilling　from　the　doorways　and　windows；　the　lamps　and　candles　arranged　to　best　illuminate　the　wares　lolling　on　step　and　sill。　Even　a　passing　glance　confirmed　that　there　were　anatomies　and　gratifications　on　offer　here　that　beggared　the　most　dissolute　backwaters　of　Bangkok　or　Tangiers。　Nor　was　there　any　paucity　of　customers。　The　imminence　of　death　seemed　to　have　whipped　up　the　consensual　libido。　Even　if　the　flesh　pushers　and　pill　pimps　who　offered　their　highs　as　Gentle　passed　never　made　it　to　morning；　they'd　die　rich。　Needless　to　say；　the　sight　of　a　Nullianac　carrying　a　protesting　child　barely　warranted　a　look　in　a　street　sacred　to　depravity；　and　Gentle's　calls　for　the　abductor　to　be　stopped　went　ignored。