cb.imajica1-第77章
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use and those on the platform made their final farewells。 It wasn't just the vows and tears that came in through the windows。 So did the stench of the animals； and the inevitable zarzi； though with the Brothers and their meal to attract them the insects were uninterested in Gentle's flesh。
Wearied by the hours of waiting and wrung out by his nausea； Gentle dozed and finally fell into so deep a sleep that the train's long…delayed departure didn't stir him； and when he woke two hours of their journey had already passed。 Very little had changed outside the window。 Here were the same expanses of gray…brown earth that had stretched around Mai…ke； clusters of dwellings； built from mud in times of water and barely distinguishable from the ground they stood upon； dotted here and there。 Occasionally they would pass a plot of land…either blessed with a spring or better irrigated than the ground around it…from which life was rising； even more occasionally saw workers bending to reap a healthy crop。 But generally the scene was just as Hairstone Banty had predicted。 There would be many hours of dead land； she'd said； then they would travel through the Steppes； and over the Three Rivers； to the province of Bern； of which L'Himby was the capital city。 Gentle had doubted her petence at the time （she'd been smoking a weed too pungent to be simply pleasurable； and wearing something unseen elsewhere in the town： a smile） but dope fiend or no； she knew her geography。
As they traveled； Gentle's thoughts turned once again to the origins of the power Pie had somehow awakened in him。 If； as he suspected； the mystif had touched a hitherto passive portion of his mind and given him access to capabilities dormant in all human beings； why was it so damned reluctant to admit the fact？ Hadn't Gentle proved in the mountains that he was more than willing to accept the notion of mind embracing mind？ Or was that co…mingling now an embarrassment to the mystif； and its assault on the platform a way to reestablish a distance between them？ If so； it had succeeded。 They traveled half a day without exchanging a single word。
In the heat of the afternoon； the train stopped at a small town and lingered there while the flock from Mai…ke disembarked。 No less than four suppliers of refreshments came through the train while it waited； one exclusively carrying pastries and candies； among which Gentle found a variation on the honey and seed cake that had almost kept him in Attaboy。 He bought three slices； and then two cups of well…sweetened coffee from another merchant； the bination of which soon enlivened his torpid system。 For its part； the mystif bought and ate dried fish； the smell of which drove Gentle even farther from its side。
As the shout came announcing their imminent departure； Pie suddenly sprang up and darted to the door。 The thought went through Gentle's head that the mystif intended to desert him； but it had spotted newspapers for sale on the platform and； having made a hurried purchase； clambered aboard again as the train began to move off。 Then it sat down beside the remains of its fish dinner and had no sooner unfolded the paper than it let out a low whistle。
〃Gentle。 You'd better look at this。〃
It passed the newspaper across the aisle。 The banner headline was in a language Gentle neither understood nor even recognized； but that scarcely mattered。 The photographs below were plain enough。 Here was a gallows； with six bodies hanging from it； and； inset； the death portraits of the executed individuals： among them； Hammeryock and Pontiff Farrow； the lawgivers of Vanaeph。 Below this rogues' gallery a finely rendered etching of Tick Raw； the crazy evocator；
〃So；〃 Gentle said； 〃they got their euppance。 It's the best news I've had in days。〃
〃No； it's not；〃 Pie replied。
〃They tried to kill us； remember？〃 Gentle said reasonably； determined not to be infuriated by Pie's contentiousness。 〃If they got hanged I'm not going to mourn 'em！ What did they do； try and steal the Merrow Ti' Ti'？〃
〃The MerrowTi' Ti' doesn't exist。〃
〃That was a joke； Pie；〃 Gentle said； dead pan。
〃I missed the humor of it； I'm sorry；〃 the mystif said； unsmiling。 〃Their crime…〃 It stopped and crossed the aisle to sit opposite Gentle； claiming the paper from his hands before continuing。 〃Their crime is far more significant；〃 it went on； its voice lowered。 It began to read in the same whisper； precising the text of the paper。 〃They were executed a week ago for making an attempt on the Autarch's life while he and his entourage were on their peace mission in Vanaeph…〃
〃Are you kidding？〃
〃No joke。 That's what it says。〃
〃Did they succeed？〃
〃Of course not。〃 The mystif fell silent while it scanned the columns。 〃It says they killed three of his advisers with a bomb and injured eleven soldiers。 The device was 。 。 。 wait； my Omootajivac is rusty 。 。 。 the device was smuggled into his presence by Pontiff Farrow。 They were all caught alive； it says； but hanged dead； which means they died under torture but the Autarch made a show of the execution anyway。〃
〃That's fucking barbaric。〃
〃It's very mon； particularly in political trials。〃
〃What about Tick Raw？ Why's his picture in there？〃
〃He was named as a co…conspirator； but apparently he escaped。 The damn fool！〃
〃Why'd you call him that？〃
〃Getting involved in politics when there's so much more at stake。 It's not the first time； of course； and won't be the last…〃
〃I'm not following。〃
〃People get frustrated with waiting and they end up stooping to politics。 But it's so shortsighted。 Stupid sod。〃
〃How well do you know him？〃
〃Who？ Tick Raw？〃 The placid features were momentarily confounded。 Then Pie said； 〃He has。 。 。 a certain reputation； shall we say？ They'll find him for certain。 There isn't a sewer in the Dominions he'll be able to hide his head in。〃
〃Why should you care？〃
〃Keep your voice down。〃
〃Answer the question；〃 Gentle replied； dropping his volume as he spoke。
〃He was a Maestro； Gentle。 He called himself an evocator； but it amounts to the same thing： he had power。〃
〃Then why was he living in the middle of a shithole like Vanaeph？〃
〃Not everybody cares about wealth and women； Gentle。 Some souls have higher ambition。〃
〃Such as？〃
〃Wisdom。 Remember why we came on this journey？ To understand。 That's a fine ambition。〃 Pie looked at Gentle； making eye…to…eye contact for the first time since the episode on the platform。 〃Your ambition； my friend。 You and Tick Raw had a lot in mon。〃
〃And he knew it？〃
〃Oh； yes。 。 。。〃
〃Is that why he was so riled when I wouldn't sit down and talk with him？〃
〃I'd say so。〃
〃Shit！〃 〃Hammeryock and Farrow must have taken us for spies； e to wheedle out plots laid against the Autarch。〃
〃But Tick Raw saw the truth。〃
〃He did。 He was once a great man； Gentle。 At least。 。 。 that was the rumor。 Now I suppose he's dead or being tortured。 Which is grim news for us。〃
〃You think he'll name us？〃
〃Who knows？ Maestros have ways of protecting themselves from torture； but even the strongest man can break under the right kind of pressure。〃
〃Are you saying we've got the Autarch on our tails？〃
〃I think we'd know it if we had。 We've e a long way from Vanaeph。 The trail's probably cold by now。〃
〃And maybe they didn't arrest Tick； eh？ Maybe he escaped。〃
〃They still caught Hammeryock and the Pontiff。 I think we can assume they've got a hair…by…hair description of us。〃
Gentle laid his head back against the seat。 〃Shit；〃 he said。 〃We're not making many friends； are we？〃
〃All the more reason that we don't lose each other；〃 the mystif replied。 The shadows of passing bamboo flickered on its face； but it looked at him unblinking。 〃Whatever harm you believe I may have done you； now or in the past； I apologize for it。 I'd never wish you any hurt； Gentle。 Please believe that。 Not the slightest。〃
〃I know；〃 Gentle murmured； 〃and I'm sorry too； truly。〃
〃Shall we agree to postpone our argument until the only opponents we've got left in the Imajica are each other？〃
〃That may be a very long time。〃
〃AH the better。〃
Gentle laughed。 〃Agreed；〃 he said； leaning forward and taking the mystif s hand。 〃We've seen some amazing sights toge
