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It was necessarily brief。 He could hear the words clearly now； rising from the surge of waves。 They distracted him with promises。
〃Nisi Nirvana；〃 they said； 〃Nisi Nirvana；。。。〃
By the time he'd finished his note； laid down the album and the pen beside it； and returned to the edge of the promontory； the sun of this Dominion was emerging from the storm clouds overhead to shed its light on the waves below。 The beams placated them for a time； soothing their frenzy and piercing them； so that Gentle had a glimpse of the ground they were moving over。 It was not； it seemed； an earth at all； but another sky； and in it was a sphere so majestic that to his eyes all the bodies in the heavens of the Imajica…all stars； all moons； all noonday suns…could not in their sum have touched its glory。 Here was the door that his Father's city had been built to seal； the door through which his mother's name in fable had been whispered。 It had been closed for millenniums； but now it stood open； and through it a music of voices was rising； going on its way to every wandering spirit in Imajica and calling them home to rapture。
In its midst was a voice Gentle knew； and before he'd even glimpsed its source his mind had shaped the face that called him； and his body felt the arms that would wrap him around and bear him up。 Then they were there…those arms； that face…rising from the door to claim him； and he needed to imagine them no longer。 〃Are you finished？〃 he was asked。 〃Yes；〃 he replied。 〃I'm finished。〃
〃Good；〃 said Pie 'oh' pah； smiling。 〃Then we can begin。〃
The congregation Chicka Jackeen had left at the perimeter of the First had steadily begun to venture along the peninsula as their courage and curiosity grew。 Monday was of course among them； and Jackeen was just about to call the boy and summon him to the Reconciler's side when Monday let out a cry of his own； pointing back along the promontory。 Jackeen turned and fixed his eyes…as did they all…on the two figures standing on the headland； embracing。 Later there would be much discussion between these witnesses as to what they'd actually seen。 All agreed that one of the pair was the Maestro Sartori。 As to the other； opinions differed widely。 Some said they saw a woman； others a man； still others a cloud with a piece of sun burning in it。 But whatever these ambiguities； what followed was not in doubt。 Having embraced； the two figures advanced to the limit of the promontory； where they stepped out into the air and were gone。
Two weeks later； on the penultimate day of a cheerless December； Clem was sitting in front of the fire in the dining room of number 28； a spot from which he'd seldom risen since Christmas； when he heard a hectic beating on the front door。 He was not wearing a watch…what did time matter now？ … but he assumed it was long after midnight。 Anyone calling at such an hour was likely to be either desperate or dangerous； but in his present bleak mood he scarcely cared what harm might await him in the street outside。 There was nothing left for him here： in this house； in this life。 Gentle had gone； Judy had gone； and so； most recently； had Tay。 It was five days since he'd heard his lover whisper his name。
〃Clem 。。。 I have to go。〃
〃Go？〃 he'd replied。 〃Where to？〃
〃Somebody opened the door；〃 came Tay's reply。 〃The dead are being called home。 I have to go。〃
They wept together for a while； tears pouring from
Clem's eyes while the sound of Tay's anguish racked him from within。 But there was no help for it。 The call had e； and though Tay was grief…stricken at the thought of parting from Clem； his existence between conditions had bee unbearable； and beneath the sorrow of parting was the joyful knowledge of imminent release。 Their strange union was over。 It was time for the living and the dead to part。
Clem hadn't known what loss really was until Tay left。 The pain of losing his lover's physical body had been acute enough； but losing the spirit that had so miraculously returned to him was immeasurably worse。 It was not possible； he thought； to be emptier than this and still be a living being。 Several times during those dark days he'd wondered if he should simply kill himself and hope he would be able to follow his lover through whatever door now stood open。 That he didn't was more a consequence of the responsibility he felt than from lack of courage。 He was the only witness to the miracles of Gamut Street left in this Dominion。 If he departed； who would there be to tell the tale？
But such imperatives seemed frail things at an hour like this； and as he rose from the fire and crossed to the front door； he allowed himself the thought that if these midnight callers came with death in their hands perhaps he would not refuse it。 Without asking who was on the other side； he slid back the bolts and opened the door。 To his surprise he discovered Monday standing in the driving sleet。 Beside him stood a shivering stranger； his thinning curls flattened to his skull。
〃This is Chicka Jackeen；〃 Monday said as he hauled his sodden guest over the threshold。 〃Jackie； this is Clem； eighth wonder of the world。 Well； am I too wet to get a hug？〃
Clem opened his arms to Monday； who embraced him with fervor。
〃I thought you and Gentle had gone forever；〃 Clem said。
〃Well； one of us has；〃 came the reply。
〃I guessed as much；〃 Clem said。 〃Tay went after him。 And the revenants too。〃
〃When was this？〃
〃Christmas Day。〃
Jackeen's teeth were chattering； and Clem ushered him through to the fire； which he had been fueling with sticks of furniture。 He threw on a couple of chair legs and invited Jackeen to sit by the blaze to thaw out。 The man thanked him and did so。 Monday； however； was made of sterner stuff。 Availing himself of the whisky that sat beside the hearth； he put several mouthfuls into his system； then set about clearing the room； explaining as he dragged the table into the corner that they needed some working space。 With the floor cleared； he opened his jacket and pulled Gentle's gazetteer from beneath his arm； dropping it in front of Clem。
〃What's this？〃
〃It's a map of the Imajica；〃 Monday said。
〃Gentle's work？〃
〃Yep。〃
Monday went down on his haunches and flipped the album open； taking out the loose leaves and handing the cover back up to Clem。
〃He wrote a message in it；〃 Monday said。
While Clem read the few words Gentle had scribbled on the cover； Monday began to arrange the sheets side by side on the floor； carefully aligning them so that the maps became an unbroken flow。 As he worked； he talked； his enthusiasm as unalloyed as ever。
〃You know what he wants us to do； don't you？ He wants us to draw this map on every fuekin' wall we can find！ On the pavements！ On our foreheads！ Anywhere and everywhere。〃
〃That's quite a task；〃 said Clem。
〃I'm here to help you；〃 Chicka Jackeen said。 〃In whatever capacity I can。〃
He got up from the fire and came to stand beside Clem； where he could admire the pattern that was emerging on the floor in front of them。
〃That's not the only thing you've e to do； is it？〃 Monday said。 〃Be honest。〃
〃Well； no；〃 said Jackeen。 〃I'd also like to find myself a wife。 But that will have to wait。〃
〃Damn right！〃 said Monday。 〃This is our business now。〃
He stood up and stepped out of the circle which the pages of Gentle's album had formed。 Here was the Imajica； or rather the tiny part of it which the Reconciler had seen： Patashoqua and Vanaeph； Beatrix and the mountains of the Jokalaylau； Maike； the Cradle； L'Himby； and the Kwem； the Lenten Way； the delta； and Yzordderrex。 And then the crossroads outside the city； and the desert beyond； with a single track leading to the borders of the Second Dominion。 On the other side of that border； the pages were practically empty。 The wanderer had sketched the peninsula he'd sat on； but beyond it he'd simply written： 'This is a new world。
〃And this；〃 said Jackeen； stooping to indicate the cross at the end of the promontory； 〃is where the Maestro's pilgrimage ended。〃
〃Is that where he's buried？〃 Clem said。
〃Oh； no；〃 Jackeen said。 〃He's gone to places that'll make this life seem like a dream。 He's left the circle； you see。〃
〃No； I don't；〃 said Clem。 〃If he's left the