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of Celestine as she spoke； lying in darkness beneath the Tabula Rasa's tower。
〃Have you got somebody in mind？〃 Gentle asked。
〃Maybe；〃 she said； as reluctant as ever to share that secret。
He caught the whiff of evasion。 〃I'm going to need help； Jude；〃 he said。 〃I hope； whatever's been between us in the past…good and bad…we can find some way to work together that'll benefit us both。〃
A wele sentiment； but not one she was willing to open her heart for。 She simply said； 〃Let's hope so；〃 and left it at that。
He didn't press the issue； but turned the conversation to lighter matters。 〃What was the dream you had？〃 he asked her。 She looked confounded for a moment。 〃You said you had a dream about me； remember？〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 she replied。 〃It was nothing； really。 Past history。〃
When they reached Peccable's house it was still intact； though several others in the street had been reduced to blackened rubble by missiles or arsonists。 The door stood open； and the interior had been prehensively looted； down to the tulips and the vase on the dining room table。 There was no sign of bloodshed； however； except those scabby stains Dowd had left when he'd first arrived； so she presumed that Hoi…Polloi and her father had escaped unharmed。 The signs of frantic thieving did not extend to the cellar。 Here； though the shelves had been cleared of the icons； talismans； and idols； the removal had been made calmly and systematically。 There was not a rosary remaining； or any sign that the thieves had broken a single charm。 The only relic of the cellar's life as a trove was set in the floor the ring of stones that echoed that of the Retreat。
〃This is where we arrived；〃 Jude said。
Gentle stared down at the design in the floor。 〃What is it？〃 he said。 〃What does it mean？〃
〃I don't know。 Does it matter？ As long as it gets us back to the Fifth…〃
〃We've got to be careful from now on；〃 Gentle replied。 〃Everything's connected。 It's all one system。 Until we understand our place in the pecking order； we're vulnerable。〃
One system； she'd speculated on that possibility in the room beneath the tower： the Imajica as a single； infinitely elaborate pattern of transformation。 But just as there were times for such musings； so there were also times for action； and she had no patience with Gentle's anxieties now。
〃If you know another way out of here；〃 she said； 〃let's take it。 But this is the only way I know。 Godolphin used it for years and it never harmed him； till Dowd screwed it up。〃
Gentle had gone down on his haunches and was laying his fingers on the stones that bound the mosaic。
〃Circles are so powerful；〃 he said。
〃Are we going to use it or not？〃 。
He shrugged。 〃I don't have a better way；〃 he said； still reluctant。 〃Do we just step inside？〃
〃That's all。〃
He rose。 She laid her hand on his shoulder； and he reached up to clasp it。
〃We have to hold tight；〃 she said。 〃I only got a glimpse of the In Ovo； but I wouldn't want to get lost there。〃
〃We won't get lost；〃 he said； and stepped into the circle。
She was with him a heartbeat later； and already the Express was getting up steam。 The solid cellar walls and empty shelves began to blur。 The forms of their translated selves began to move in their flesh。
The sensation of passage awoke in Gentle memories of the outward journey； when Pie 'oh' pah had stood beside him where Jude was now。 Remembering； he felt a stab of inconsolable loss。 There were so many people he'd encountered in these Dominions whom he'd never set eyes on again。 Some； like Efreet Splendid and his mother； Nikaetomaas； and Huzzah； because they were dead。 Others； like Athanasius； because the crimes Sartori had mitted were his crimes now； and whatever good he hoped to do in the future would never be enough to expunge them。 The hurt of these losses was of course negligible beside the greater grief he'd sustained at the Erasure； but he'd not dared dwell too much upon that； for fear it incapacitated him。 Now； however； he thought of it； and the tears started to flow； washing the last glimpse of Peccable's cellar away before the mosaic had removed the travelers from it。
Paradoxically； had he been leaving alone the despair might not have cut so deep。 But as Pie had been fond of saying； there was only ever room for three players in any drama； and the woman in the flux beside him； her glyph burning through his tears； would from this moment on remind him that he had departed Yzordderrex with one of those three left behind。
7
One hundred and fifty…seven days after beginning his journey across the Reconciled Dominions； Gentle once again set foot on the soil of England。 Though it wasn't yet the middle of June； spring had arrived prematurely； and the season on its heels was at its height。 Flowers not due to blossom for another month were already blowsy and heavy…headed with seeds； bird and insect life abounded； as species that normally appeared months apart flourished simultaneously。 This summer's dawns were announced not with choruses but with full…throated choirs； by midday the skies from 'coast to coast were cloudy with feeding millions； the wheels slowing through the afternoon； until by dusk the din had bee a music （sated and survivors alike giving thanks for the day） so rich it lulled even the crazy into remedial sleep。 If a Reconciliation could indeed be planned and achieved in the little time before midsummer； then it would be burgeoning country that the rest of the Imajica would greet： an England of bountiful harvests； spread beneath a melodious heaven。
It was full of music now； as Gentle wandered from the Retreat out across the dappled grass to the perimeter of the copse。 The parkland was familiar to him； though its lovingly tended arbors were jungles now； and its lawns were veldt。
〃This is Joshua's place； isn't it？〃 he said to Jude。 〃Which way's the house？〃
She pointed across a wilderness of gilded grass。 The roof of the mansion was barely visible above the surf of fronds and butterflies。
〃The very first time I saw you was in that house；〃 he told her； 〃I remember。。。 Joshua called you down the stairs。 He had a pet name you despised。 Peachblossom； was it？ Something like that。 As soon as I set eyes on you…〃
〃It wasn't me；〃 Jude said； halting this romantic reverie。 〃It was Quaisoir。〃
〃Whatever she was then； you are now。〃
〃I doubt that。 It was a long time ago； Gentle。 The house is in ruins； and there's only one Godolphin left。 History isn't going to repeat itself。 I don't want it to。 I don't want to be anybody's object。〃
He acknowledged the warning in these words with an almost formal statement of intent。
〃Whatever I did that caused you or anybody else harm；〃 he said； 〃I want to make good。 Whether I did it because I was in love； or because I was a Maestro and I thought I was above mon decency。 。 。 。 I'm here to heal the hurt。 I want Reconciliation； Jude。 Between us。 Between the Dominions。 Between the living and the dead if I can do it。〃
〃That's a hell of an ambition；〃
〃The way I see it； I've been given a second chance。 Most people don't get that。〃
His plain sincerity mellowed her。 〃Do you want to wander to the house； for old time's sake？〃 she asked him。
〃Not unless you do。〃
〃No； thanks。 I had my little fit of deja vu when I convinced Charlie to bring me here。〃
Gentle had of course told her about his encounter with Estabrook in the Dearthers' tents and about the man's subsequent demise。 She'd been unmoved。
〃He was a difficult old bugger； you know；〃 she now remarked。 〃I must have known in my gut he was a Godolphin； or I'd never have put up with his damn fool games。〃
〃I think he was changed by the end；〃 Gentle said。 〃Maybe you'd have liked him a little more。〃
〃You've changed too；〃 she said； as they started to wander towards the gate。 〃People are going to be asking a lot of questions； Gentle。 Like： Where have you been and what have you been doing？〃
〃Why does anybody even have to know I'm back？〃 he said。 〃I never meant that much to any of them； except Taylor； and he's gone。〃
〃Clem； too；〃
〃Maybe。〃
〃It's your choice；〃 she said。 〃But when you've got so many enemies； you may need some of your friends。〃
〃I'd prefer to stay invisible；〃 he to