cb.imajica1-第14章

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　In　fact；　Nathaniel　had　grown　into　a　dissolute　of　considerable　proportions　by　the　time　Dowd　entered　his　employ；　and　could　not　have　cared　less　what　kind　of　creature　Dowd　was　as　long　as　he　procured　the　right　kind　of　pany。　And　so　it　had　gone　on；　generation　after　generation；　Dowd　changing　his　face　on　occasion　（a　simple　trick；　or　feit）　so　as　to　conceal　his　longevity　from　the　withering　human　world。　But　the　possibility　that　one　day　his　double…dealing　would　be　discovered　by　the　Tabula　Rasa；　and　they　would　search　through　their　library　and　find　some　vicious　sway　to　destroy　him；　never　entirely　left　his　calculations：　especially　now；　waiting　for　the　call　into　their　presence。
　That　call　was　an　hour　and　a　half　in　ing；　during　which　time　he　distracted　himself　thinking　about　the　shows　that　were　opening　in　the　ing　week。　Theater　remained　his　great　love；　and　there　was　scarcely　a　production　of　any　significance　he　failed　to　see。　On　the　following　Tuesday　he　had　tickets　for　the　much…acclaimed　Lear　at　the　National　and　then；　two　days　later；　a　seat　in　the　stalls　for　the　revival　of　Turandot　at　the　Coliseum。　Much　to　look　forward　to；　once　this　wretched　interview　was　over；
　At　last　the　lift　hummed　into　life　and　one　of　the　Society's　younger　members；　Giles　Bloxham；　appeared。　At　forty；　Bloxham　looked　twice　that　age。　It　took　a　kind　of　genius；　Godolphin　had　once　remarked　when　talking　about　Bloxham　（he　liked　to　report　on　the　absurdities　of　the　Society；　particularly　when　he　was　in　his　cups）；　to　look　so　dissipated　and　have　nothing　to　regret　for　it。
　〃We're　ready　for　you　now；〃　Bloxham；　said；　indicating　that　Dowd　should　join　him　in　the　lift。　〃You　realize；〃　he　said　as　they　ascended；　〃that　if　you're　ever　tempted　to　breathe　a　word　of　what　you　see　here；　the　Society　will　eradicate　you　so　quickly　and　so　thoroughly　your　mother　won't　even　know　you　existed？〃
　This　overheated　threat　sounded　ludicrous　delivered　in　Bloxham's　nasal　whine；　but　Dowd　played　the　chastened　functionary。　〃I　perfectly　understand；〃　he　said。
　〃It's　an　extraordinary　step；〃　Bloxham　continued；　〃calling　anyone　who　isn't　a　member　to　a　meeting。　But　these　are　extraordinary　times。　Not　that　it's　any　of　your　business。〃　〃Quite　so；〃　Dowd　said；　all　innocence。　Tonight　he'd　take　their　condescension　without　argument；　he　thought；　more　confident　by　the　day　that　something　was　ing　that　would　rock　this　tower　to　its　foundations。　When　it　did；　he'd　have　his　revenge。
　The　lift　door　opened；　and　Bloxham　ordered　Dowd　to　follow　him。　The　passages　that　led　to　the　main　suite　were　stark　and　uncarpeted；　the　room　he　was　led　into；　the　same。　The　drapes　were　drawn　over　all　the　windows；　the　enormous　marble…topped　table　that　dominated　the　room　was　lit　by　overhead　lamps；　the　wash　of　their　light　thrown　up　on　the　five　members；　two　of　them　women；　sitting　around　it。　To　judge　by　the　clutter　of　bottles；　glasses；　and　overfilled　ashtrays；　and　the　brooding；　weary　faces；　they　had　been　debating　for　many　hours。　Bloxham　poured　himself　a　glass　of　water　and　took　his　place。　There　was　one　empty　seat：　Godolphin's。　Dowd　was　not　invited　to　occupy　it　but　stood　at　the　end　of　the　table；　mildly　disfited　by　the　stares　of　his　interrogators。　Not　one　face　among　them　would　have　been　known　by　the　populace　at　large。　Though　all　of　them　had　descended　from　families　of　wealth　and　influence；　these　were　not　public　powers。　The　Society　forbade　any　member　to　hold　office　or　take　as　a　spouse　an　individual　who　might　invite　or　arouse　the　curiosity　of　the　press。　It　worked　in　mystery；　for　the　demise　of　mystery。　Perhaps　it　was　that　paradox…more　than　any　other　aspect　of　its　nature…which　would　finally　undo　it。
　At　the　other　end　of　the　table　from　Dowd；　sitting　in　front　of　a　heap　of　newspapers　doubtless　carrying　the　Burke　reports；　sat　a　professorial　man　in　his　sixties；　white　hair　oiled　to　his　scalp；　Dowd　knew　his　name　from　Godolphin's　description：　Hubert　Shales；　dubbed　The　Sloth　by　Oscar。　He　moved　and　spoke　with　the　caution　of　a　glass…boned　theologian。
　〃You　know　why　you're　here？〃　he　said。
　〃He　knows；〃　Bloxham　put　in。
　〃Some　problem　with　Mr。　Godolphin？〃　Dowd　ventured。
　〃He's　not　here；〃　said　one　of　the　women　to　Dowd's　right；　her　face　emaciated　beneath　a　confection　of　dyed　black　hair。　Alice　Tyrwhitt；　Dowd　guessed。　〃That's　the　problem。〃
　〃So　I　see；〃　Dowd　said。
　〃Where　the　hell　is　he？〃　Bloxham　demanded。
　〃He's　traveling；〃　Dowd　replied。　〃I　don't　think　he　anticipated　a　meeting。〃
　〃Neither　did　we；〃　said　Lionel　Wakeman；　flushed　with　the　Scotch　he'd　imbibed；　the　bottle　lying　in　the　crook　of　his　arm。
　〃Where's　he　traveling？〃　Tyrwhitt　asked。　〃It's　imperative　we　find　him。〃
　〃I'm　afraid　I　don't　know；〃　Dowd　said。　〃His　business　takes　him　all　over　the　world。〃
　〃Anything　respectable？〃　Wakeman　slurred。
　〃He's　got　a　number　of　investments　in　Singapore；〃　Dowd　replied。　〃And　in　India。　Would　you　like　me　to　prepare　a　dossier？　I'm　sure　he'd　be…〃
　〃Bugger　the　dossier！〃　Bloxham　said。　〃We　want　him　here！　Now！〃
　〃I'm　afraid　I　don't　know　his　precise　whereabouts。　Somewhere　in　the　Far　East。〃
　The　severe　but　not　unalluring　woman　to　Wakeman's　left　now　entered　the　exchange；　stabbing　her　cigarette　in　the　ashtray　as　she　spoke。　This　could　only　be　Charlotte　Feaver：　Charlotte　the　Scarlet；　as　Oscar　called　her。　She　was　the　last　of　the　Roxborough　line；　he'd　said；　unless　she　found　a　way　to　fertilize　one　of　her　girlfriends。
　〃This　isn't　some　damn　club　he　can　visit　when　it　fucking　well　suits　him；〃　she　said。
　〃That's　right；〃　Wakeman　put　in。　〃It's　a　damn　poor　show。〃
　Shales　picked　up　one　of　the　newspapers　in　front　of　him　and　pitched　it　down　the　table　in　Dowd's　direction。
　〃I　presume　you've　read　about　this　body　they　found　in　Clerkenwell？〃　he　said。
　〃Yes。　I　believe　so。〃
　Shales　paused　for　several　seconds；　his　sparrow　eyes　going　from　one　member　to　another。　Whatever　he　was　about　to　say；　its　broaching　had　been　debated　before　Dowd　entered。
　〃We　have　reason　to　believe　that　this　man　Chant　did　not　originate　in　this　Dominion。〃
　〃I'm　sorry？〃　Dowd　said；　feigning　confusion。　〃1　don't　follow。　Dominion？〃
　〃Spare　us　your　discretion；〃　Charlotte　Feaver　said；　〃You　know　what　we're　talking　about。　Oscar　hasn't　employed　you　for　twenty…five　years　and　kept　his　counsel。〃
　〃I　know　very　little；〃　Dowd　protested。
　〃But　enough　to　know　there's　an　anniversary　imminent；〃　Shales　said。
　My；　my；　Dowd　thought；　they're　not　as　stupid　as　they　look。
　〃You　mean　the　Reconciliation？〃　he　said。
　〃That's　exactly　what　I　mean。　This　ing　midsummer…〃
　〃Do　we　have　to　spell　it　out？〃　Bloxham　said。　〃He　already　knows　more　than　he　should。〃
　Shales　ignored　the　interruption　and　was　beginning　again　when　a　voice　so　far　unheard；　emanating　from　a　bulky　figure　sitting　beyond　the　reach　of　the　light；　broke　in。　Dowd　had　been　waiting　for　this　man；　Matthias　McGann；　to　say　his　piece。　If　the　Tabula　Rasa　had　a　leader；　this　was　he。
　〃Hubert？〃　he　said。　〃May　I？〃
　Shales　murmured；　〃Of　course。〃
　〃Mr。　Dowd；〃　said　McGann；　〃I　don't　doubt　that　Oscar　has　been　indiscreet。　We　all　have　our　weaknesses。　You　must　be　his。　Nobody　here　blames　you　for　listening。　But　this　Society　was　created　for　a　very　specific　purpose　and　on　occasion　has　been　obliged　to　act　with　extreme　severity　in　the　pursuit　of　that　purpose。　I　won't　go　into　details。　As　Giles　says；　you're　already　wiser　than　any　of　us　would　like。　But　believe　me；　we　will　silence　any　and　all　who　put　this　Dominion　at　risk。〃
　He　leaned　forward。　His　face　announced　a　man　of　good　humor；　presently　unhappy　with　his　lot。
　〃Hubert　mentioned　that　an　anniversary　is　imminent。　So　it　is。　And　forces　with　an　interest　in　subverting　the　sanity　of　this　Dominion　may　be　readying　themselves　to　celebrate　that　anniversary。　So　far；　this〃…he　pointed　to　the　newspaper…〃is　the　only　evidence　we'd　found　of　such　preparations；　but　if　there　are　others　they　will　be　swiftly　terminated　by　this　Society　and　its　agents。　Do　you　understand？〃
　He　didn't　wait　for　an　answer。
　〃This　sort　of　thing　is　very　dangerous；〃　he　went　on。　〃People　start　to　investigate。　Academics。　Esoterics。　They　start　to　question；　and　they　start　to　dream。〃
　〃I　could　see　how　that　would　be　dangerous；〃　Dowd　said。
　〃Don't　smarm；　you　smug　little　bastard；〃　Bloxham　burst　out。　〃We　all　know　what　you　and　Godolphin　have　been　doing。　Tell　him；　Hubert！〃
　〃I've　traced　some　artifacts　of　。　。　。