cb.imajica1-第23章

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n　the　infant；　however　unmusical　the　bination。　But　he　was　not　the　only　influence。　He　hadn't　brought　the　crocodile　or　the　zebra　or　the　dog　（though　he　would　lay　claim　to　the　parrot）。　No；　there　had　always　been　routes　through　from　Earth　into　the　Dominions；　other　than　that　at　the　Retreat。　Some；　no　doubt；　had　been　opened　by　Maestros　and　esoterics；　in　all　manner　of　cultures；　for　the　express　purpose　of　their　passing　to　and　fro　between　worlds。　Others　were　conceivably　opened　by　accident；　and　perhaps　remained　open；　marking　the　sites　as　haunted　or　sacred；　shunned　or　obsessively　protected。　Yet　others；　these　in　the　smallest　number；　had　been　created　by　the　sciences　of　the　other　Dominions；　as　a　means　of　gaining　access　to　the　heaven　of　the　Succulent　Rock。
　In　such　a　place；　this　near　the　walls　of　the　lahmandhas　in　the　Third　Dominion；　Godolphin　had　acquired　his　most　sacred　possession：　a　Boston　Bowl；　plete　with　its　forty…one　colored　stones。　Though　he'd　never　used　it；　the　bowl　was　reputedly　the　most　accurate　prophetic　tool　known　in　the　worlds；　and　now…sitting　amid　his　treasures；　with　a　sense　growing　in　him　that　events　on　earth　in　the　last　few　days　were　leading　to　some　matter　of　moment…he　brought　the　bowl　down　from　its　place　on　the　highest　shelf；　unwrapped　it；　and　set　it　on　the　table。　Then　he　took　the　stones　from　their　pouch　and　laid　them　at　the　bottom　of　the　bowl。　Truth　to　tell；　the　arrangement　didn't　look　particularly　promising：　the　bowl　resembled　something　for　kitchen　use；　plain　fired　ceramic；　large　enough　to　whip　eggs　for　a　couple　of　souffles。　The　stones　were　more　colorful；　varying　in　size　and　shape　from　tiny　flat　pebbles　to　perfect　spheres　the　size　of　an　eyeball。
　Having　set　them　out；　Godolphin　had　second　thoughts。　Did　he　even　believe　in　prophecy？　And　if　he　did；　was　it　wise　to　know　the　future？　Probably　not。　Death　was　bound　to　be　in　there　somewhere；　sooner　or　later。　Only　Maestros　and　deities　lived　forever；　and　a　man　might　sour　the　balance　of　his　span　knowing　when　it　was　going　to　end。　But　then；　suppose　he　found　in　this　bowl　some　indication　as　to　how　the　Society　might　be　handled？　That　would　be　no　small　weight　off　his　shoulders。
　〃Be　brave；〃　he　told　himself；　and　laid　the　middle　finger　of　each　hand　upon　the　rim；　as　Peccable；　who'd　once　owned　such　a　bowl　and　had　it　smashed　by　his　wife　in　a　domestic　row；　had　instructed。
　Nothing　happened　at　first；　but　Peccable　had　warned　him　the　bowls　usually　took　some　time　to　start　from　cold。　He　waited　and　waited。　The　first　sight　of　activation　was　a　rattling　from　the　bottom　of　the　bowl　as　the　stones　began　to　move　against　each　other；　the　second　a　distinctly　acidic　odor　rising　to　jab　at　his　sinuses；　the　third；　and　most　startling；　the　sudden　ricocheting　of　one　pebble；　then　two；　then　a　dozen；　across　the　bowl　and　back；　several　skipping　higher　than　the　rim。　Their　ambition　increased　by　the　movement；　until　all　forty…one　were　in　violent　motion；　so　violent　that　the　bowl　began　to　move　across　the　table；　and　Oscar　had　to　take　a　firm　hold　of　it　to　keep　it　from　turning　over。　The　stones　struck　his　fingers　and　knuckles　with　stinging　force；　but　the　pain　was　made　sweeter　by　the　success　that　now　followed；　as　the　speed　and　motion　of　the　multifarious　shapes　and　colors　began　to　describe　images　in　the　air　above　the　bowl。
　Like　all　prophecy；　the　signs　were　in　the　eye　of　the　beholder；　and　perhaps　another　witness　would　have　seen　different　forms　in　the　blur。　But　what　Godolphin　saw　seemed　quite　plain　to　him。　The　Retreat；　for　one；　half　hidden　in　the　copse。　Then　himself；　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　mosaic；　either　ing　back　from　Yzordderrex　or　preparing　to　depart。　The　images　lingered　for　only　a　brief　time　before　changing；　the　Retreat　demolished　in　the　storm　of　stones　and　a　new　structure　raised　in　the　whirl：　the　tower　of　the　Tabula　Rasa。　He　fixed　his　eyes　on　the　prophecy　with　fresh　deliberation；　denying　himself　the　fort　of　blinking　to　be　certain　he　missed　nothing。　The　tower　as　seen　from　the　street　gave　way　to　its　interior。　Here　they　were；　the　wise　ones；　sitting　around　the　table　contemplating　their　divine　duty。　They　were　navel　defluffers　and　snot　rollers　to　a　man。　Not　one　of　them　would　be　capable　of　surviving　an　hour　in　the　alleyways　of　East　Yzordderrex；　he　thought；　down　by　the　harbor　where　even　the　cats　had　pimps。　Now　he　saw　himself　step　into　the　picture；　and　something　he　was　doing　or　saying　made　the　men　and　women　before　him　jump　from　their　seats；　even　Lionel。
　〃What's　this？〃　Oscar　murmured。
　They　had　wild　expressions　on　their　faces；　every　one。　Were　they　laughing？　What　had　he　done？　Cracked　a　joke？　Passed　wind？　He　studied　the　prophecy　more　closely。　No；　it　wasn't　humor　on　their　faces。　It　was　horror。
　〃Sir？〃
　Dowd's　voice　from　outside　the　door　broke　his　concentration。　He　looked　away　from　the　bowl　for　a　few　seconds　to　snap；　〃Go　away。〃
　But　Dowd　had　urgent　news。　〃McGann's　on　the　telephone；〃　he　said。
　〃Tell　him　you　don't　know　where　I　am。〃　Oscar　snorted；　returning　his　gaze　to　the　bowl。　Something　terrible　had　happened　in　the　time　between　his　looking　away　and　looking　back。　The　horror　remained　on　their　faces；　but　for　some　reason　he'd　disappeared　from　the　scene。　Had　they　dispatched　him　summarily？　God；　was　he　dead　on　the　floor？　Maybe。　There　was　something　glistening　on　the　table；　like　spilled　blood。　〃Sir！〃
　〃Fuck　off；　Dowdy。〃　〃They　know　you're　here；　sir。〃
　They　knew；　they　knew。　The　house　was　being　watched；　and　they　knew。
　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃Tell　him　I'll　be　down　in　a　moment。〃
　〃What　did　you　say；　sir？〃
　Oscar　raised　his　voice　over　the　din　of　the　stones；　looking　away　again；　this　time　more　willingly；　〃Get　his　whereabouts。　I'll　call　him　back。〃
　Again；　he　returned　his　gaze　to　the　bowl；　but　his　concentration　had　faltered；　and　he　could　no　longer　interpret　the　images　concealed　in　the　motion　of　the　stones。　Except　for　one。　As　the　speed　of　the　display　slowed　he　seemed　to　catch…oh；　so　fleetingly…a　woman's　face　in　the　mele~e。　His　replacement　at　the　Society's　table；　perhaps；　or　his　dispatcher。
　He　needed　a　drink　before　he　spoke　to　McGann。　Dowd；　ever　the　anticipator；　had　already　mixed　him　a　whisky　and　soda；　but　he　forsook　it　for　fear　it　would　loosen　his　tongue。　Paradoxically；　what　had　been　half　revealed　by　the　Boston　Bowl　helped　him　in　his　exchange。　In　extreme　circumstances　he　responded　with　almost　pathological　detachment；　it　was　one　of　his　most　English　traits。　He　had　thus　seldom　been　cooler　or　more　controlled　than　now；　as　he　told　McGann　that　yes；　indeed；　he　had　been　traveling；　and　no；　it　was　none　of　the　Society's　business　where　or　about　what　pursuit。　He　would　of　course　be　delighted　to　attend　a　gathering　at　the　tower　the　following　day；　but　was　McGann　aware　（indeed　did　he　care？）　that　tomorrow　was　Christmas　Eve？
　〃I　never　miss　Midnight　Mass　at　St。　Martin…in…the　Fields；〃　Oscar　told　him；　〃so　I'd　appreciate　it　greatly　if　the　meeting　could　be　concluded　quickly　enough　to　allow　me　time　to　get　there　and　find　a　pew　with　a　good　view。〃
　He　delivered　all　of　this　without　a　tremor　in　the　voice。　McGann　attempted　to　press　him　as　to　his　whereabouts　in　the　last　few　days；　to　which　Oscar　asked　why　the　hell　it　mattered。
　〃I　don't　ask　about　your　private　affairs；　now；　do　I？〃　he　said；　in　a　mildly　affronted　tone。　〃Nor；　by　the　way；　do　I　spy　on　your　ings　and　goings。　Don't　splutter；　McGann。　You　don't　trust　me　and　I　don't　trust　you。　I　will　take　tomorrow's　meeting　as　a　forum　to　debate　the　privacy　of　the　Society's　members　and　a　chance　to　remind　the　gathering　that　the　name　of　Godolphin　is　one　of　the　cornerstones　of　the　Society。〃
　〃AH　the　more　reason　for　you　to　be　forthright；〃　McGann　said。
　〃I'll　be　perfectly　forthright；〃　was　Oscar's　reply。　〃You'll　have　ample　evidence　of　my　innocence。〃　Only　now；　with　the　war　of　wits　won；　did　he　accept　the　whisky　and　soda　Dowd　had　mixed　for　him。　〃Ample　and　definitive。〃　He。　silently　toasted　Dowd　as　he　talked；　knowing　as　he　sipped　it　that　there'd　be　blood　shed　before　Christmas　Day　dawned。　Grim　as　that　prospect　was；　there　was　no　avoiding　it　now。
　When　he　put　the　phone　down　he　said　to　Dowd；　〃I　think　I'll　wear　the　herringbone　suit　tomorrow。　And　a　plain　shirt。　White。　Starched　collar。〃
　〃And　the　tie？〃　Dowd　asked；　replacing　Oscar's　drained　glass　with　a　fresh　one。
　〃I'll　be　going　straight　on　to　Midnight　Mass；〃　Oscar　said。
　〃Black；　then。