cb.imajica1-第43章

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he　lovers　shaken　from　their　intercourse　by　falls　of　dust；　out　and　up；　into　the　rain；　and　into　a　night　not　blue　but　bitterest　black。　The　din　of　the　woman's　terror　acpanied　her　all　the　way　back　to　the　house；　where；　to　her　infinite　relief；　she　found　her　own　body　still　standing　in　the　candle…lit　room。　She　slid　into　it　with　ease；　and　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　room　for　a　minute　or　two；　sobbing；　until　she　began　to　shudder　with　cold。　She　found　her　dressing　gown　and；　as　she　put　it　on；　realized　that　her　wrists　and　elbows　were　no　longer　stained。　She　went　into　the　bathroom　and　consulted　the　mirror；　Her　face　was　similarly　cleansed。
　Still　shivering；　she　returned　to　the　living　room　to　look　for　the　blue　stone。　There　was　a　substantial　hole　in　the　wall　where　its　impact　had　gouged　out　the　plaster。　The　stone　itself　was　unharmed；　lying　on　the　rug　in　front　of　the　hearth。　She　didn't　pick　it　up。　She'd　had　enough　of　its　delirium　for　one　night。　Avoiding　its　baleful　glance　as　best　she　could；　she　threw　a　cushion　over　it。　Tomorrow　she'd　plan　some　way　of　ridding　herself　of　the　thing。　Tonight　she　needed　to　tell　somebody　what　she'd　experienced；　before　she　began　to　doubt　it。　Someone　a　little　crazy；　who'd　not　dismiss　her　account　out　of　hand；　someone　already　half　believing。　Gentle；　of　course。
　
　
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　TOWARDS　MIDNIGHT；　THE　TRAFFIC　outside　Gentle's　studio　dwindled　to　almost　nothing。　Anybody　who　was　going　to　a　party　tonight　had　arrived。　They　were　deep　in　drink；　debate；　or　seduction；　determined　as　they　celebrated　to　have　in　the　ing　year　what　the　going　had　denied　them。
　Content　with　his　solitude；　Gentle　sat　cross…legged　on　the　floor；　a　bottle　of　bourbon　between　his　legs　and　canvases　propped　up　against　the　furniture　all　around　him。　Most　of　them　were　blank；　but　that　suited　his　meditation。　So　was　the　future。
　He'd　been　sitting　in　this　ring　of　emptiness　for　about　two　hours；　drinking　from　the　bottle；　and　now　his　bladder　needed　emptying。　He　got　up　and　went　to　the　bathroom；　using　the　tight　from　the　lounge　to　go　by　rather　than　face　his　reflection。　As　he　shook　the　last　drops　into　the　bowl；　that　light　went　off。　He　zipped　himself　up　and　went　back　into　the　studio。　The　rain　lashed　against　the　window；　but　there　was　sufficient　illumination　from　the　street　for　him　to　see　that　the　door　out　onto　the　landing　stood　inches　ajar。
　〃Who's　there？〃　he　said。
　The　room　was　still　for　a　moment；　then　he　glimpsed　a　form　against　the　window；　and　the　smell　of　something　burned　and　cold　pricked　his　nostrils。　The　whistler！　My　God；　it　had　found　him！
　Fear　made　him　fleet。　He　broke　from　his　frozen　posture　and　raced　to　the　door。　He　would　have　been　through　it　and　away　down　the　stairs　had　he　not　almost　tripped　on　the　dog　waiting　obediently　on　the　other　side。　It　wagged　its　tail　in　pleasure　at　the　sight　of　him　and　halted　his　flight。　The　whistler　was　no　dog　lover。　So　who　was　here？
　Turning　back；　he　reached　for　the　light　switch　and　wasabout　to　flip　it　on　when　the　unmistakable　voice　of　Pie　'oh'　pah　said；　〃Please　don't。　I　prefer　the　dark。〃
　Gentle's　finger　dropped　from　the　switch；　his　heart　hammering　for　a　different　reason。　〃Pie？　Is　that　you？〃
　〃Yes；　it's　me；〃　came　the　reply。　〃I　heard　you　wanted　to　see　me；　from　a　friend　of　yours。〃
　〃I　thought　you　were　dead。〃
　〃I　was　with　the　dead。　Theresa　and　the　children。〃
　〃Oh；　God。　Oh；　God。〃
　〃You　lost　somebody　too；〃　Pie　'oh'　pah　said。
　It　was　wise；　Gentle　now　understood；　to　have　this　exchange　in　darkness：　to　talk；　in　shadow；　of　the　grave　and　the　lambs　it　had　claimed。
　〃I　was　with　the　spirits　of　my　children　for　a　time。　Your　friend　found　me　in　the　mourning　place；　spoke　to　me；　told　me　you　wanted　to　see　me　again。　This　surprises　me；　Gentle。〃
　〃As　much　as　you　talking　to　Taylor　surprises　me；〃　Gentle　replied；　though　after　their　conversation　it　shouldn't　have　done。　〃Is　he　happy？〃　he　asked；　knowing　the　question　might　be　viewed　as　a　banality；　but　wanting　reassurance。
　〃No　spirit　is　happy；〃　Pie　replied。　〃There's　no　release　for　them。　Not　in　this　Dominion　or　any　other。　They　haunt　the　doors；　waiting　to　leave；　but　there's　nowhere　for　them　to　go。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃That's　a　question　that's　been　asked　for　many　generations；　Gentle。　And　unanswered。　As　a　child　I　was　taught　that　before　the　Unbeheld　went　into　the　First　Dominion　there　was　a　place　there　into　which　all　spirits　were　received。　My　people　lived　in　that　Dominion　then；　and　watched　over　that　place；　but　the　Unbeheld　drove　both　the　spirits　and　my　people　out。〃
　〃So　the　spirits　have　nowhere　to　go？〃
　〃Exactly。　Their　numbers　swell；　and　so　does　their　grief。〃
　He　thought　of　Taylor；　lying　on　his　deathbed；　dreaming
　of　release；　of　the　final　flight　into　the　Absolute。　Instead；　if
　Pie　was　to　be　believed；　his　spirit　had　entered　a　place　of　lost　souls；　denied　both　flesh　and　revelation。　What　price　understanding　now；　when　the　end　of　everything　was　limbo？
　〃Who　is　this　Unbeheld？〃　Gentle　said。
　〃Hapexamendios；　the　God　of　the　Imajica。〃
　〃Is　He　a　God　of　this　world　too？〃
　〃He　was　once。　But　He　went　out　of　the　Fifth　Dominion；　through　the　other　worlds；　laying　their　divinities　waste；　until　He　reached　the　Place　of　Spirits。　Then　He　drew　a　veil　across　that　Dominion…〃
　〃And　became　Unbeheld。〃
　〃That's　what　I　was　taught。〃
　The　formality　and　plainness　of　Pie　'oh'　pah's　account　lent　the　story　authority；　but　for　all　its　elegance　it　was　still　a　tale　of　gods　and　other　worlds；　very　far　from　this　dark　room　and　the　cold　rain　running　on　the　glass。
　〃How　do　I　know　any　of　this　is　true？〃　Gentle　said。
　〃You　don't；　unless　you　see　it　with　your　own　eyes；〃　Pie　'oh'　pah　replied。　His　voice　when　he　said　this　was　almost　sultry。　He　spoke　like　a　seducer。
　〃And　how　do　I　do　that？〃
　〃You　must　ask　me　direct　questions；　and　I'll　try　to　answer　them。　I　can't　reply　to　generalities。〃
　〃All　right；　answer　this：　Can　you　take　me　to　the　Dominions？〃
　〃That　I　can　do。〃
　〃I　want　to　follow　in　the　footsteps　of　Hapexamendios。　Can　we　do　that？〃
　〃We　can　try。〃
　〃I　want　to　see　the　Unbeheld；　Pie　'oh'　pah。　I　want　to　know　why　Taylor　and　your　children　are　in　Purgatory。　I　want　to　understand　why　they're　suffering。〃
　There　was　no　question　in　this　speech；　therefore　no　reply　except　the　other's　quickening　breath。
　〃Can　you　take　us　now？〃　Gentle　said。
　〃If　that's　what　you　want。〃
　〃It's　what　I　want；　Pie。　Prove　what　you've　said　is　true；　or　leave　me　alone　forever。〃
　It　was　eighteen　minutes　to　midnight　when　Jude　got　into　her　car　to　start　her　journey　to　Gentle's　house。　It　was　an　easy　drive；　with　the　roads　so　clear；　and　she　was　several　times　tempted　to　jump　red　lights；　but　the　police　were　especially　vigilant　on　this　night；　and　any　infringement　might　bring　them　out　of　hiding。　Though　she　had　no　alcohol　in　her　system；　she　was　by　no　means　sure　it　was　innocent　of　alien　influences。　She　therefore　drove　as　cautiously　as　at　noon；　and　it　took　fully　fifteen　minutes　to　reach　the　studio。　When　she　did　she　found　the　upper　windows　dark。　Had　Gentle　decided　to　drown　his　sorrows　in　a　night　of　high　life；　she　wondered；　or　was　he　already　fast　asleep？　If　the　latter；　she　had　news　worth　waking　him　for。
　〃There　are　some　things　you　should　understand　before　we　leave；〃　Pie　said；　tying　their　wrists　together；　left　to　right；　with　a　belt。　〃This　is　no　easy　journey；　Gentle。　This　Dominion；　the　Fifth；　is　unreconciled；　which　means　that　getting　to　the　Fourth　involves　risk。　It's　not　like　crossing　a　bridge。　Passing　over　requires　considerable　power。　And　if　anything　goes　wrong；　the　consequences　will　be　dire。〃
　〃Tell　me　the　worst。〃
　〃In　between　the　Reconciled　Dominions　and　the　Fifth　is　a　state　called　the　In　Ovo。　It's　an　ether；　in　which　things　that　have　ventured　from　their　worlds　are　imprisoned。　Some　of　them　are　innocent。　They're　there　by　accident。　Some　were　dispatched　there　as　a　judgment。　They're　lethal。　I'm　hoping　we'll　pass　through　the　In　Ovo　before　any　of　them　even　notice　we're　there。　But　if　we　were　to　bee　separated…〃
　〃I　get　the　picture。　You'd　better　tighten　that　knot。　It　could　still　work　loose。〃
　Pie　bent　to　the　task；　with　Gentle　fumbling　to　help　in　the　darkness。
　〃Let's　assume　we　get　through　the　In　Ovo；〃　Gentle　said。　〃What's　on　the　other　side？〃
　〃The　Fourth　Dominion；〃　Pie　replied。　〃If　I'm　accurate　in　my　bearings；　we'll　arrive　near　the　city　of　Patashoqua。〃
　〃And　if　not？〃