cb.imajica1-第94章
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to the ground。
〃Papa！〃 Huzzah said。
It was indeed the sergeant； with Scopique in tow； who emerged through the smoke。 His eyes weren't on his daughter； whom he'd just saved from death。 They were on the soldiers he'd dispatched to do so。 He looked traumatized by the deed。 Even when Huzzah went to him； sobbing with relief and fear； he barely noticed her。 It wasn't until Gentle shook him from his daze of guilt； saying they should get going while they had half a chance； that he spoke。
〃They were my men；〃 he said。
〃And this is your daughter；〃 Gentle replied。 〃You made the right choice。〃
N'ashap was still battering at the cell door； yelling for help。 It could only be moments before he got it。
〃What's the quickest way out？〃 Gentle asked Scopique。
〃I want to let the others out first；〃 Scopique replied。 〃Father Athanasius； Izaak； Squalling…〃
〃There's no time；〃 Gentle said。 〃Tell him； Pie！ We have to go now or not at all。 Pie？ Are you with us？〃
〃Yes。 。 。。〃
〃Then stop dreaming and let's get going。〃
Still protesting that they couldn't leave the rest under lock and key； Scopique led the quintet up by a back way into the night air。 They came out not onto the parapet but onto bare rock。
〃Which way now？〃 Gentle asked。
There was already a proliferation of shouts from below。 N'ashap had doubtless been liberated and would be ordering a full alert。
〃We have to head for the nearest landfall。〃
〃That's the peninsula；〃 Scopique said； redirecting Gentle's gaze across the Cradle towards an arm of low…lying land that was barely discernible in the murk of the night。
That murk was their best ally now。 If they moved fast enough it would cloak them before their pursuers even knew which direction they'd headed in。 There was a beetling pathway down the island's face to the shore； and Gentle led the way； aware that every one of the four who were following was a liability： Huzzah a child； her father still racked by guilt； Scopique casting backwards glances； and Pie still dazed by the bloodshed。 This last was odd in a creature he'd first encountered in the guise of assassin； but then this journey had changed them both。
As they reached the shore； Scopique said； 〃I'm sorry； I can't go。 You all head on。 I'm going to try and get back in and let the others out。〃
Gentle didn't attempt to persuade him otherwise。 〃If that's what you want to do； good luck；〃 he said。 〃We have to go。〃
〃Of course you do！ Pie； I'm sorry； my friend； but I couldn't live with myself if I turned my back on the others。 We've suffered too long together。〃 He took the mystifs hand。 〃Before you say it； I'll stay alive。 I know my duty； and I'll be ready when the time es。〃
〃I know you will；〃 the mystif replied； drawing the handshake into an embrace。
〃It will be soon；〃 Scopique said。
〃Sooner than I'd wish；〃 Pie replied； then； leaving Scopique to head back up the cliff face； the mystif joined Gentle； Huzzah； and Aping； who were already ten yards from the shore。
The exchange between Pie and Scopique…with its intimation of a shared agenda hitherto kept secret…had not gone unnoted by Gentle； nor would it go unquestioned。 But this was not the time。 They had at least half a dozen miles to travel before they reached the peninsula； and there was already a swell of noise from behind them； signaling pursuit。 Torch beams raked the shore as the first of N'a…shap's troops emerged to give chase； and from within the walls of the asylum rose the din of the prisoners； finally giving voice to their rage。 That； like the murk； might confound the hounds； but not for long。
The torches had found Scopique； and the beams now scanned the shore he'd been ascending from； each sweep wider than the one that preceded it。 Aping was carrying Huzzah； which speeded their progress somewhat； and Gentle was just beginning to think that they might stand a chance of survival when one of the torches caught them。 It was weak at such a distance； but strong enough that its light picked them out。 Gunfire followed immediately。 They were difficult targets； however； and the bullets went well wide。
〃They'll catch us now；〃 Aping gasped。 〃We should surrender。〃 He set his daughter down and threw his gun to the ground； turning to spit his accusations in Gentle's face。 〃Why did I ever listen to you？ I was crazy；〃
〃If we stay here they'll shoot us on the spot；〃 Gentle replied。 〃Huzzah as well。 Do you want that？〃
〃They won't shoot us；〃 he said； taking hold of Huzzah with one hand and raising the other to catch the beams。 〃Don't shoot！〃 he yelled。 〃Don't shoot！ Captain？ Captain！ Sir！ We surrender！〃
〃Fuck this；〃 Gentle said； and reached to haul Huzzah from her father's grip。
She went into Gentle's arms readily； but Aping wasn't about to relinquish her so easily。 He turned to snatch her back； and as he did so a bullet struck the ice at their feet。 He let Huzzah go and turned to attempt a second appeal。 Two shots cut him short； the first striking his leg； the second his chest。 Huzzah let out a shriek and wrenched herself from Gentle's hold； dropping to the ground at her father's
head。
The seconds they'd lost in Aping's surrender and death were the difference between the slimmest hope of escape and none。 Any one of the twenty or so troops advancing upon them now could pick them off at this distance。 Even N'ashap； who was leading the group； his walk still unsteady； could scarcely have failed to bring them down。 〃What now？〃 said Pie；
〃We have to stand our ground；〃 Gentle replied。 〃We've got no choice。〃
That very ground； however； was no steadier than N'a…shap's walk。 Though this Dominion's suns were in another hemisphere and there was only midnight from horizon to horizon； a tremor was moving through the frozen sea that both Pie and Gentle recognized from almost fatal experience。 Huzzah felt it too。 She raised her head； her sobs quieting。
〃The Lady；〃 she murmured。 〃What about her？〃 said Gentle。 〃She's near us。〃
Gentle put out his hand； and Huzzah took it。 As she got up she scanned the ground。 So did he。 His heart had started to pound furiously； as the memories of the Cradle's liquifi…cation flooded back。
〃Can you stop her？〃 he murmured to Huzzah。 〃She's not e for us；〃 the girl said； and her gaze went from the still solid ground beneath their feet to the group that N'ashap was still leading in their direction。 〃Oh； Goddess 。 。 。〃 Gentle said。
A cry of alarm was rising from the middle of the approaching pack。 One of the torch beams went wild； then another； and another； as one by one the soldiers realized their jeopardy。 N'ashap let out a shout himself： a demand for order among his troops that went unobeyed。 It was difficult to see precisely what was going on； but Gentle could imagine it well enough。 The ground was softening； and the Cradle's silver waters were bubbling up around their feet。 One of the men fired into the air as the sea's shell broke beneath him； another two or three started back towards the island； only to find their panic excited a quicker dissolution。 They went down as if snatched by sharks； silver spume fountaining where they'd stood。 N'ashap was still attempting to preserve some measure of mand； but it was a lost cause。 Realizing this； he began to fire towards the trio； but with the ground rocking beneath him； and the beams no longer trained on his targets； he was virtually shooting blind。
〃We should get out of here；〃 Gentle said； but Huzzah had better advice。
〃She won't hurt us if we're not afraid；〃 she said。 Gentle was half tempted to reply that he was indeed afraid； but he kept his silence and his place； despite the fact that the evidence of his eyes suggested the Goddess had no patience with dividing the bad from the misguided or the unrepentant from the prayerful。 All but four of their pursuers…N'ashap numbered among them…had already been claimed by the sea； some gone beneath the tide entirely； others still struggling to reach some solid place。 Gentle saw one man scrambling up out of the water； only to have the ground he was crawling upon liquify beneath him with such speed the Cradle had closed over him before he had time to scream。 Another went down shouting at the water that was bubbling up around him； the last sight of him his gun；
