cb.imajica1-第46章

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ic；　sickly；　sour　and　sweet；　and　sounds　that　made　his　skull　shake　and　his　gut　quiver。
　There　had　been　nothing　in　his　life　to　date；　either　waking　or　sleeping；　to　prepare　him　for　this。　He'd　studied　the　mas…terworks　of　great　imaginers…he'd　painted　a　passable　Goya；　once；　and　sold　an　Ensor　for　a　little　fortune…but　the　difference　between　paint　and　reality　was　vasts　a　gap　whose　scale　he　could　not　by　definition　have　known　until　now；　when　he　had　around　him　the　other　half　of　the　equation。　This　wasn't　an　invented　place；　its　inhabitants　variations　on　experienced　phenomena。　It　was　independent　of　his　terms　of　reference：　a　place　unto　and　of　itself。
　When　he　looked　up　again；　daring　the　assault　of　the　strange；　he　was　grateful　that　he　and　Pie　were　now　in　a　quarter　occupied　by　more　human　entities；　though　even　here　there　were　surprises。　What　seemed　to　be　a　three…legged　child　skipped　across　their　path　only　to　look　back　with　a　face　wizened　as　a　desert　corpse；　its　third　leg　a　tail。　A　woman　sitting　in　a　doorway；　her　hair　being　bed　by　her　consort；　drew　her　robes　around　her　as　Gentle　looked　her　way；　but　not　fast　enough　to　conceal　the　fact　that　a　second　consort；　with　the　skin　of　a　herring　and　an　eye　that　ran　all　the　way　around　its　skull；　was　kneeling　in　front　of　her；　inscribing　hieroglyphics　on　her　belly　with　the　sharpened　heel　of　its　hand。　He　heard　a　range　of　tongues　being　spoken；　but　English　seemed　to　be　the　monest　parlance；　albeit　heavily　accented　or　corrupted　by　the　labial　anatomy　of　the　speaker。　Some　seemed　to　sing　their　speech；　some　almost　to　vomit　it　up。
　But　the　voice　that　called　to　them　from　one　of　the　crowded　alleyways　off　to　their　right　might　have　been　heard　on　any　street　in　London：　a　lisping；　pompous　holler　demanding　they　halt　in　their　tracks。　They　looked　in　its　direction。　The　throng　had　divided　to　allow　the　speaker　and　his　party　of　three　easy　passage。
　〃Play　dumb；〃　Pie　muttered　to　Gentle　as　the　lisper；　an　overfed　gargoyle；　bald　but　for　an　absurd　wreath　of　oiled　kiss　curls；　approached。
　He　was　finely　dressed；　his　high　black　boots　polished　and　his　canary　yellow　jacket　densely　embroidered　after　what　Gentle　would　e　to　know　as　the　present　Patashoquan　fashion。　A　man　much　less　showily　garbed　followed；　an　eye　covered　by　a　patch　that　trailed　the　tail　feathers　of　a　scarlet　bird　as　if　echoing　the　moment　of　his　mutilation。　On　his　shoulders　he　carried　a　woman　in　black；　with　silvery　scales　for　skin　and　a　cane　in　her　tiny　hands　with　which　she　tapped　her　mount's　head　to　speed　him　on　his　way。　Still　farther　behind　came　the　oddest　of　the　four。
　〃A　Nullianac；〃　Gentle　heard　Pie　murmur。
　He　didn't　need　to　ask　if　this　was　good　news　or　bad。　The　creature　was　its　own　best　advertisement；　and　it　was　selling　harm。　Its　head　resembled　nothing　so　much　as　praying　hands；　the　thumbs　leading　and　tipped　with　lobster's　eyes；　the　gap　between　the　palms　wide　enough　for　the　sky　to　be　seen　through　it；　but　flickering；　as　arcs　of　energy　passed　from　side　to　side。　It　was　without　question　the　ugliest　living　thing　Gentle　had　ever　seen。　If　Pie　had　not　suggested　they　obey　the　edict　and　halt；　Gentle　would　have　taken　to　his　heels　there　and　then；　rather　than　let　the　Nullianac　get　one　stride　closer　to　them。
　The　lisper　had　halted　and　now　addressed　them　afresh。　〃What　business　have　you　in　Vanaeph？〃　he　wanted　to　know。
　〃We're　just　passing　through；〃　Pie　said；　a　reply　somewhat　lacking　in　invention；　Gentle　thought。
　〃Who　are　you？〃　the　man　demanded。
　〃Who　are　you？〃　Gentle　returned。
　The　patch…eyed　mount　guffawed　and　got　his　head　slapped　for　his　troubles。
　〃Loitus　Hammeryock；〃　the　lisper　replied。
　〃My　name's　Zacharias；〃　Gentle　said；　〃and　this　is…〃
　〃Casanova；〃　Pie　said；　which　earned　him　a　quizzical　glance　from　Gentle。
　〃Zooical！〃　the　woman　said。　〃D'yee　speakat　te　gloss？〃
　〃Sure；〃　said　Gentle；　〃I　speakat　te　gloss。〃
　〃Be　careful；〃　Pie　whispered　at　his　side。
　〃Bone！　Bone！〃　the　woman　went　on；　and　proceeded　to　tell　them；　in　a　language　which　was　two　parts　English；　or　a　variant　thereof；　one　part　Latin；　and　one　part　some　Fourth　Dominion　dialect　that　consisted　of　tongue　clicks　and　teeth　tappings；　that　all　strangers　to　this　town；　Neo　Vanaeph；　had　to　register　their　origins　and　intentions　before　they　were　allowed　access：　or；　indeed；　the　right　to　depart。　For　all　its　ramshackle　appearance；　Vanaeph　was　no　lawless　stew；　it　appeared；　but　a　tightly　policed　township；　and　this　woman…　who　introduced　herself　in　this　flurry　of　lexicons　as　Pontiff　Farrow…was　a　significant　authority　here。
　When　she'd　finished；　Gentle　cast　a　confounded　look　in　Pie's　direction。　This　was　proving　more　difficult　terrain　by　the　moment。　Unconcealed　in　the　Pontiffs　speech　was　threat　of　summary　execution　if　they　failed　to　answer　their　inquiries　satisfactorily。　The　executioner　among　this　party　was　not　hard　to　spot：　he　of　the　prayerful　head…the　Nul…lianac…waiting　in　the　rear　for　his　instructions。
　〃So；〃　said　Hammeryock。　〃We　need　some　identification。〃
　〃I　don't　have　any；〃　Gentle　said。
　〃And　you？〃　he　asked　the　mystif；　which　also　shook　its　head。
　〃Spies；〃　the　Pontiff　hissed。
　〃No；　we're　just。　。　。　tourists；〃　Gentle　said。
　〃Tourists？〃　said　Hammeryock。
　〃We've　e　to　see　the　sights　of　Patashoqua。〃　He　turned　to　Pie　for　support。　〃Whatever　they　are。〃
　〃The　tombs　of　the　Vehement　Loki　Lobb；〃　Pie　said；　clearly　scratching　around　for　the　glories　Patashoqua　had　to　offer；　〃and　the　Merrow　Ti'　Ti'。〃
　That　sounded　pretty　to　Gentle's　ears。　He　faked　a　broad　smile　of　enthusiasm。　〃The　Merrow　Ti'　Ti'！〃　he　said。　〃Absolutely！　I　wouldn't　miss　the　Merrow　Ti'　Ti'　for　all　the　tea　in　China。〃
　〃China？〃　said　Hammeryock。
　〃Did　I　say　China？〃
　〃You　did。〃
　〃Fifth　Dominion；〃　the　Pontiff　muttered。　〃Spiatits　from　the　Fifth　Dominion。〃
　〃I　object　strongly　to　that　accusation；〃　said　Pie　'oh'　pah。
　〃And　so；〃　said　a　voice　behind　the　accused；　〃do　I。〃
　Both　Pie　and　Gentle　turned　to　take　in　the　sight　of　a　scabrous；　bearded　individual；　dressed　in　what　might　generously　have　been　described　as　motley　and　less　generously　as　rags；　standing　on　one　leg　and　scraping　shit　off　the　heel　of　his　other　foot　with　a　stick。
　〃It's　the　hypocrisy　that　turns　my　stomach；　Hammeryock；〃　he　said；　his　expression　a　maze　of　wiles。　〃You　two　pontificate；〃　he　went　on；　eyeing　his　pun's　target　as　he　spoke；　〃about　keeping　the　streets　free　from　undesirables；　but　you　do　nothing　about　the　dog　shite！〃
　〃This　isn't　your　business；　Tick　Raw；〃　Hammeryock　said。
　〃Oh；　but　it　is。　These　are　my　friends；　and　you've　insulted　them　with　your　slurs　and　your　suspicions。〃
　〃Friends；　sayat？〃　the　Pontiff　murmured。
　〃Yes；　ma'am。　Friends。　Some　of　us　still　know　the　difference　between　conversation　and　diatribe。　I　have　friends；　with　whom　I　talk　and　exchange　ideas。　Remember　ideas？　They're　what　make　life　worth　living。〃
　Hammeryock　could　not　disguise　his　unease；　hearing　his　mistress　thus　addressed；　but　whoever　Tick　Raw　was　he　wielded　sufficient　authority　to　silence　any　further　objection。
　〃My　dearlings；〃　he　said　to　Gentle　and　Pie；　〃shall　we　repair　to　my　home？〃
　As　a　parting　gesture　he　lobbed　the　stick　in　Ham…meryock's　direction。　It　landed　in　the　mud　between　the　man's　legs。
　〃Clean　up；　Loitus；〃　Tick　Raw　said。　〃We　don't　want　the　Autarch's　heel　sliding　in　shite；　now；　do　we？〃
　The　two　parties　then　went　their　separate　ways；　Tick　Raw　leading　Pie　and　Gentle　off　through　the　labyrinth。
　〃We　want　to　thank　you；〃　Gentle　said。
　〃What　for？〃　Tick　Raw　asked　him；　aiming　a　kick　at　a　goat　that　wandered　across　his　path。
　〃Talking　us　out　of　trouble；〃　Gentle　replied。　〃We'll　be　on　our　way　now。〃
　〃But　you've　got　to　e　back　with　me；〃　Tick　Raw　said。
　〃There's　no　need。〃
　〃Need？　There's　every　need！　Have　I　got　this　right？〃　he　said　to　Pie。　〃Is　there　need　or　isn't　there？〃
　〃We'd　certainly　like　the　benefit　of　your　insights；〃　Pie　said。　〃We're　strangers　here。　Both　of　us。〃　The　mystif　spoke　in　an　oddly　stilted　fashion；　as　if　it　wanted　to　say　more；　but　couldn't。　〃We　need　reeducating；〃　it　said。
　〃Oh？〃　said　Tick　Raw。　〃Really？〃
　〃Who　is　this　Autarch？〃　Gentle　asked。
　〃He　rules　the　Reconciled　Dominions；　from　Yzordder…rex。　He's　the　greatest　power　in　the　Imajica。〃
　〃And　he's　ing　here？〃
　〃That's　the　rumor。　He's　losing　his　grip　in　the　Fourth；　and　he　knows　it。　So　he's　decided　to　put　in　a　personal　appearance。　O