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！
Gentle shook his head。
〃But you haven't seen the Merrow Ti' Ti” Tick protested。
〃I know what you're trying to do； Tick；〃 Gentle said。 〃And I thank you for it； really I do； but I don't want to see the Fourth again。〃
〃Well； what do you want to see？〃
The answer was simple： 〃Nothing。〃
〃Oh； now stop this； Gentle；〃 Tick Raw said。 〃It's getting damn boring。 You're behaving as though we lost everything。 We didn't。〃
〃I did。〃
〃She'll e back。 You'll see。〃
〃Who will？〃
〃Judith。〃
Gentle almost laughed at this。 〃It's not Judith I've lost；〃 he said。
Tick Raw realized his error then； and came as near to dumbfounded as he ever got。 All he could manage was： 〃Ah。。。。〃
For the first time since Tick Raw had appeared at his bedside the month before； Gentle actually looked at his guest。 〃Tick；〃 he said。 〃I'm going to tell you something I've told nobody else。〃
〃What's that？〃
〃When I was in my Father's city 。 。 。〃 He paused； as though the will to tell was going from him already； then began again。 〃When I was in my Father's city I saw Pie 'oh' pah。〃
〃Alive？〃
〃For a time。〃
〃Oh； Jesu。 How did it die？〃
〃The ground opened up beneath it。〃
〃That's terrible； terrible。〃
〃Do you see now why it doesn't feel like a victory？〃
〃Yes； I see。 But Gentle…〃
〃No more persuasions； Tick。〃
〃…there are such changes in the air。 Maybe there are the miracles in the First； the way there are in Yzordderrex。 It's not out of the question。〃
Gentle studied his tormentor； eyes narrowed。
〃The Eurhetemecs were in the First long before Hapexamendios； remember；〃 Tick went on。 〃And they worked wonders there。 Maybe those times have returned。 The land doesn't forget。 Men forget； Maestros forget。 But the land？ Never。〃
He stood up。
〃e with me to a passing place；〃 he said。 〃Let's look for ourselves。 Where's the harm？ I'll carry you on my back if your legs don't work。〃
〃That won't be necessary；〃 Gentle said； and throwing off the sheets got out of bed。
Though the month of August had yet to begin； the early months of summer had been marked by such excesses that the season had burned itself out prematurely； and when Gentle； acpanied by Tick and Clem； stepped out into Gamut Street； he met the first chills of autumn on the step。 Clem had found the fog that let onto the First Dominion within forty…eight hours of the Reconciliation； but had not entered it。 After all that he'd heard about the state of the Unbeheld's city； he'd had no wish to see its horrors。 He led the Maestros to the place readily enough； however。 It was little more than half a mile from the house； hidden in a cloister behind an empty office building： a bank of gray fog； no more than twice the height of a man； which rolled upon itself in the shadowed corner of the empty yard。
〃Let me go first；〃 Clem said to Gentle。 〃We're still your guardians。〃
〃You've done more than enough；〃 Gentle said。 〃Stay here。 This won't take long。〃
Clem didn't contradict the instruction but stepped aside to let the Maestros enter the fog。 Gentle had passed between Dominions many times now and was used to the brief disorientation that always acpanied such passage。 But nothing； not even the abattoir nightmares that had haunted him after the Reconciliation； could have prepared him for what was waiting on the other side。 Tick Raw； ever a man of instant responses； vomited as the stench of putrescence came to meet them through the fog； and though he stumbled after Gentle； determined not to leave his friend to face the First alone； he covered his eyes after a single glance。
The Dominion was decayed from horizon to horizon。 Everywhere rot； and more rot： suppurating lakes of it； and festering hills。 Overhead； in skies Gentle had barely seen as he passed through his Father's city； clouds the color of old bruises half hid two yellowish moons； their light falling on a filth so atrocious the hungriest kite in the Kwem would have starved rather than feed here。
〃This was the City of God； Tick；〃 Gentle said。 〃This was my Father。 This was the Unbeheld。〃
In a sudden fury he tore at Tick's hands； which were clamped to the man's face。
〃Look； damn you； look！ I want to hear you tell me about the wonders； Tick！ Go on！ Tell me！ Tell me！〃
Tick didn't go back to the house when he and Gentle emerged from the passing place； but with some murmured words of apology headed off into the dusk； saying he needed to be on his home turf for a while and that he'd e back when he'd regained his posure。 Sure enough； three days later he reappeared at number 28； still a little queasy； still a little shamefaced； to find that Gentle had not returned to his bed but was up and about。 The Reconciler's mood was brisk rather than blithe。 His bed； he explained to Tick； was not the refuge it had previously been。 As soon as he closed his eyes he saw the slaughterhouse of the First in every atrocious detail and could now only sleep when he'd driven himself to such exhaustion that there was no time between his head striking the pillow and oblivion for his mind to dwell on what he'd witnessed。
Luckily； Tick had brought distractions； in the form of a party of eight tourists （he preferred excursionists） from Vanaeph who were relying upon him to introduce them to the rites and rarities of the Fifth Dominion。 Before the tour began； however； they were eager to pay their respects to the great Reconciler； and did so with a succession of painfully overworked speeches； which they read aloud before presenting Gentle with the gifts they'd brought： smoked meats； perfumes； a small picture of Patashoqua rendered in zarzi wings； a pamphlet of erotic poems by Pluthero Quexos' sister。
The group was the first of many Tick brought in the next few weeks； freely admitting to Gentle that he was turning a handsome profit from his new role。 〃Have a Holy Day in the City of Sartori〃 was his pitch^ and the more satisfied customers who returned to Vanaeph with tales of eel pies and Jack the Ripper； the more who signed on to take the excursion。 He knew the boom time couldn't last； of course。 In a short while the professional tour operators in Patashoqua would start trading； and he'd be unable to pete with their slick packages； except in one particular regard。 Only he could guarantee an audience； however brief； with the Maestro Sartori himself。
The time was ing； Gentle realized； when the Fifth would have to face the fact that it was Reconciled； whether it liked it or not。 The first few sightseers from Vanaeph and Patashoqua might be ignored； but when their families came； and their families' families…creatures in shapes； size； and assemblies that demanded attention…the people of this Dominion would be able to overlook them no longer。 It would not be long before Gamut Street became a sacred highway； with travelers passing down it in not one but both directions。 When it did； living in the house would bee untenable。 He； Clem； and Monday would have to vacate number 28 and leave it to bee a shrine。
When that day arrived…and it Would be soon…he would be forced to make a momentous decision。 Should he seek out some sanctuary here in Britain or leave the island for a country where none of his lives had ever； taken him？ Of one thing he was certain： he would not return to the Fourth； or any Dominion beyond it。 Though it was true that he'd never seen Patashoqua； there had only ever been one soul he'd wanted to see it with； and that soul was gone。
Times were no less strange or demanding for Jude。 She'd decided to leave the pany in Gamut Street on the spur of the moment； expecting that she'd return there in due course。 But the longer she stayed away； the harder it became to return。 She hadn't realized； until Sartori was gone； how much she'd mourn。 Whatever the source of the feelings she had for him； she felt no regrets。 All she felt was loss。 Night after night she'd wake up in the little flat she and Hoi…Polloi had rented together （the old place was too full of memories）； shaken to tears by the same terrible dream。 She was climbing those damn stairs in Gamut Street； trying to reach Sartori as he lay burning at the top； but for all her toil never managing to advance a single step。 And always the same words on her lips when Hoi…Polloi woke h