按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃You bastard；〃 it said。 Its accent had an Australian lilt。
〃You will not speak unless spoken to；〃 said Polo； with quiet； but absolute； authority。 〃Understood？〃 The lidless eye clouded with humility。
〃Yes；〃 the Yattering said。
〃Yes； Mister Polo。〃
〃Yes； Mister Polo。〃 Its tail slipped between its legs like that of a whipped dog。
〃You may stand。〃
〃Thank you； Mr Polo。〃 It stood。 Not a pleasant sight； but one Jack rejoiced in nevertheless。
〃They'll have you yet；〃 said the Yattering。
〃Who will？〃
〃You know；〃 it said； hesitantly。
〃Name them。〃
〃Beelzebub；〃 it answered； proud to name its old master。 〃The powers。 Hell itself。〃
〃I don't think so；〃 Polo mused。 〃Not with you bound to me as proof of my skills。 Aren't I the better of them？〃 The eye looked sullen。
〃Aren't I？〃
〃Yes；〃 it conceded bitterly。 〃Yes。 You are the better of them。〃 It had begun to shiver。
〃Are you cold？〃 asked Polo。
It nodded； affecting the look of a lost child。
〃Then you need some exercise；〃 he said。 〃You'd better go back into the house and start tidying up。〃 The fury looked bewildered； even disappointed； by this instruction。
〃Nothing more？〃 it asked incredulously。 〃No miracles？ No Helen of Troy？ No flying？〃 The thought of flying on a snow…spattered afternoon like this left Polo cold。 He was essentially a man of simple tastes： all he asked for in life was the love of his children； a pleasant home； and a good trading price for gherkins。
〃No flying；〃 he said。
As the Yattering slouched down the path towards the door it seemed to alight upon a new piece of mischief。 It turned back to Polo； obsequious； but unmistakably smug。
〃Could I just say something？〃 it said。
〃Speak。〃
〃It's only fair that I inform you that it's considered ungodly to have any contact with the likes of me。 Heretical even。〃
〃Is that so？〃
〃Oh yes；〃 said the Yattering； warming to its prophecy。 〃People have been burned for less。〃
〃Not in this day and age；〃 Polo replied。
〃But the Seraphim will see；〃 it said。 〃And that means you'll never go to that place。〃
〃What place？〃 The Yattering fumbled for the special word it had heard Beelzebub use。
〃Heaven；〃 it said； triumphant。 An ugly grin had e on to its face； this was the cleverest manoeuvre it had ever attempted； it was juggling theology here。
Jack nodded slowly； nibbling at his bottom lip。
The creature was probably telling the truth： association with it or its like would not be looked upon benignly by the Host of Saints and Angels。 He probably was forbidden access to the plains of paradise。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃you know what I have to say about that； don't you？〃 The Yattering stared at him； frowning。 No； it didn't know。 Then the grin of satisfaction it had been wearing died； as it saw just what Polo was driving at。
〃What do I say？〃 Polo asked it。
Defeated； the Yattering murmured the phrase。
〃Che sera； sera。〃 Polo smiled。 〃There's a chance for you yet；〃 he said； and led the way over the threshold； closing the door with something very like serenity on his face。
PIG BLOOD BLUES
YOU COULD SMELL the kids before you could see them； their young sweat turned stale in corridors with barred windows； their bolted breath sour； their heads musty。 Then their voices； subdued by the rules of confinement。
Don't run。 Don't shout。 Don't whistle。 Don't fight。
They called it a Remand Centre for Adolescent Offenders； but it was near as damn it a prison。 There were locks and keys and warders。 The gestures of liberalism were few and far between and they didn't disguise the truth too well； Tetherdowne was a prison by sweeter name； and the inmates knew it。
Not that Redman had any illusions about his pupils…to…be。 They were hard； and they were locked away for a reason。 Most of them would rob you blind as soon as look at you； cripple you if it suited them； no sweat。 He had too many years in the force to believe the sociological lie。 He knew the victims； and he knew the kids。 They weren't misunderstood morons； they were quick and sharp and amoral； like the razors they hid under their tongues。 They had no use for sentiment； they just wanted out。
〃Wele to Tetherdowne。〃 Was the woman's name Leverton； or Leverfall； or…〃I'm Doctor Leverthal〃 Leverthal。 Yes。 Hard…bitten bitch he'd met at…〃We met at the interview。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃We're glad to see you； Mr Redman。〃
〃Neil； please call me Neil。〃
〃We try not to go on a first name basis in front of the boys； we find they think they've got a finger into your private life。 So I'd prefer you to keep Christian names purely for off…duty hours。〃 She didn't offer hers。 Probably something flinty。
Yvonne。 Lydia。 He'd invent something appropriate。
She looked fifty； and was probably ten years younger。
No make…up； hair tied back so severely he wondered her eyes didn't pop。
〃You'll be beginning classes the day after tomorrow。 The Governor asked me to wele you to the Centre on his behalf； and apologise to you that he can't be here himself。 There are funding problems。〃
〃Aren't there always？〃
〃Regrettably yes。 I'm afraid we're swimming against the tide here； the general mood of the country is very Law and Order orientated。〃 What was that a nice way of saying？ Beat the shit out of any kid caught so much as jay…walking？ Yes； he'd been that way himself in his time； and it was a nasty little cul…de…sac； every bit as bad as being sentimental。
〃The fact is； we may lose Tetherdowne altogether；〃 she said； 〃which would be a shame。 I know it doesn't look like much 。 。 。〃
〃…but it's home；〃 he laughed。 The joke fell among thieves。 She didn't even seem to hear it。
〃You；〃 her tone hardened； 〃you have a solid （did she say sullied？） background in the Police Force。 Our hope is that your appointment here will be weled by the funding authorities。〃 So that was it。 Token ex…policeman brought in to appease the powers that be； to show willing in the discipline department。 They didn't really want him here。 They wanted some sociologist who'd write up reports on the effect of the class…system on brutality amongst teenagers。 She was quietly telling him that he was the odd man out。
〃I told you why I left the force。〃
〃You mentioned it。 Invalided out。〃
〃I wouldn't take a desk job； it was as simple as that； and they wouldn't let me do what I did best。 Danger to myself according to some of them。〃 She seemed a little embarrassed by his explanation。 Her a psychologist too； she should have been devouring this stuff； it was his private hurt he was making public here。 He was ing clean； for Christ's sake。
〃So I was out on my backside； after twenty…four years。〃 He hesitated； then said his piece。 〃I'm not a token policeman； I'm not any kind of policeman。 The force and I parted pany。 Understand what I'm saying？〃
〃Good； good。〃 She didn't understand a bloody word。 He tried another approach。
〃I'd like to know what the boys have been told。〃
〃Been told？〃
〃About me。〃
〃Well； something of your background。〃
〃I see。〃 They'd been warned。 Here e the pigs。
〃It seemed important。〃 He grunted。
〃You see； so many of these boys have real aggression problems。 That's a source of difficulty for so very many of them。 They can't control themselves； and consequently they suffer。〃 He didn't argue； but she looked at him severely； as though he had。
〃Oh yes； they suffer。 That's why we're at such pains to show some appreciation of their situation； to teach them that there are alternatives。〃 She walked across to the window。 From the second storey there was an adequate view of the grounds。 Tetherdowne had been some kind of estate； and there was a good deal of land attached to the main house。 A playing…field； its grass sere in the midsummer drought。 Beyond it a cluster of out…houses； some exhausted trees； shrubbery； and then rough wasteland off to the wall。 He'd seen the wall from the other side。 Alcatraz would have been proud of it。
〃We try to give them a little freedom； a little education and a little sympathy。 There's a popular notion； isn't there； that delinquents enjoy their criminal activi