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！
〃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 told her。 〃That way nobody sees me； enemies or friends。〃
As the bounding wall came in sight the skies changed with almost eerie haste； the few fluffy clouds that minutes before had been drifting in the blue now congregating into a lowering bank that first shed a light drizzle and a minute later was bursting like a dam。 The downpour had its advantages； however； sluicing from their clothes； hair； and skin all trace of Yzordderrexian dust。 By the time they'd clambered through the mesh of timbers and convolvulus around the gate and trudged along the muddied road to the village… there to take shelter in the post office…they could have passed for two tourists （one with a somewhat bizarre taste in hiking clothes） who'd strayed too far from the beaten track and needed help to find their way home。
Though neither of them had any valid currency in their pockets； Jude was quick to persuade one of two lads who stopped in the post office to drive them back into London； promising a healthy fee at the other end if he did so。 The storm worsened as they traveled； but Gentle rolled down the window in the back and stared at the passing panorama of an England he hadn't seen for half a year； content to let the rain soak him all over again。
Jude was meanwhile left to endure a monologue from their driver。 He had a mutinous palate； which rendered every third word virtually unintelligible； but the gist of his chatter was plain enough。 It was the opinion of every weather watcher he knew； he said； and these were folk who lived by the land and had ways of predicting floods and droughts no fancy…talking meteorologist ever had； that the country was in for a disastrous summer。
〃We'll either be cooked or drowned；〃 he said； prophesying months of monsoons and heatwaves。
She'd heard talk like this before；； of course； the weather was an English obsession。 But having e from the ruins of Yzordderrex； with the burning eye of the et overhead and the air stinking of death； the youth's casually apocalyptic chatter disturbed her。 It was as if he was willing some cataclysm to overtake his little world； not prehending for a moment what that implied。
When he grew bored with predicting ruination； he started to ask her questions about where she and her friend had been ing from or going to when the storm had caught them。 She saw no reason not to tell him they'd been at the estate； so she did so。 Her reply earned her what studied disinterest had failed to achieve for three quarters of an hour： his silence。 He gave her a baleful look in the mirror and then turned on the radio； proving； if nothing else； that the shadow of the Godolphin family was sufficient to hush even a doomsayer。 They traveled to the outskirts of London without further exchange； the youth only breaking the silence when he needed directions。
〃Do you want to be dropped at the studio？〃 she asked Gentle。
He was slow to answer； but when he did it was to reply that； yes； that's where he wanted to go。 Jude furnished instructions to the driver and then turned her gaze back towards Gentle。 He was still staring out the window； rain speckling his brow and cheeks like sweat； drops hanging off his nose； chin； and eyelashes。 The smallest of smiles curled the corners of his mouth。 Catching him unawares like this； she almost regretted her dismissal of his overtures at the estate。 This face； for all that the mind behind it had done； was the face that had appeared to her while she slept in Quaisoir's bed： the dream lover whose imagined caresses had brought from her cries so loud her sister had heard them two rooms away。 Certainly； they could never again be the lovers who'd courted in the great house two centuries before。 But their shared history marked them in ways they had yet to discover； and perhaps when those discoveries were all made they'd find a way to put into flesh the deeds she dreamed in Quaisoir's bed。
The rainstorm had preceded them to the city； unleashed its torrent； and moved off； so that by the time they reached the outskirts there was sufficient blue sky overhead to promise a warm； if glistening； evening。 The traffic was still clogged； however； and the last three miles of the journey took almost as long as the previous thirty。 By the time they reached Gentle's studio their driver； used to the quiet roads around the estate； was out of sympathy with the whole endeavor and had several times broken his silence to curse the traffic and warn his passengers that he was going to require very considerable repense for his troubles。
Jude got out of the car along with Gentle and on the studio step…out of the driver's earshot…asked him if he had enough money inside to pay the man。 She would rather take a taxi from here； she said； than endure his pany any longer。 Gentle replied that if there was any cash in the studio； it certainly wouldn't be sufficient。
〃It looks like I'm stuck with him then；〃 Jude said。 〃Never mind。 Do you want me to e up with you？ Have you got a key？〃
〃There'll be somebody in downstairs；〃 he replied。 〃They've got a spare。〃
〃Then I suppose this is it。〃 It was so bathetic； parting like this after all that had gone before。 〃I'll ring you when we've both slept〃
〃The phone's probably been cut off。〃
〃Then ring me from a box； huh？ I won't be at Oscar's； I'll be at home。〃
The conversation might have guttered out there； but for his reply。
〃Don't stay away from him on my account；〃 he said。
〃What do you mean by that？〃
〃Just that you've got your love affairs；〃 he said。
〃And what？ You've got yours？〃
〃Not exactly。〃
〃What then？〃
〃I mean； not exactly love affairs。〃 He shook his head。 〃Never mind。 We'll talk about it some other time。〃
〃No；〃 Jude told him； taking his arm as he tried to turn from her。 〃We'll talk about it now。〃
Gentle sighed wearily。 〃Look； it doesn't matter；〃 he said。
〃If it doesn't matter； just tell me。〃
He hesitated for several seconds。 Then he said； 〃I got married。〃
〃Did you indeed？〃 she said； with feigned lightness。 〃And who's the lucky girl？ Not the kid you were talking about？〃
〃Huzzah？ Good God； no。〃
He paused for a tiny time； frowning deeply。
〃Go on；〃 she said。 〃Spit it out。〃
〃I married Pie 'oh' pah。〃
Her first impulse was to laugh…the thought was absurd…but before the sound escaped her she caught the frown on his face and revulsion overtook laughter。 This was no joke。 He'd married the assassin； the sexless thing who was a function of its lover's every desire。 And why was she so stunned？ When Oscar had described the species to her； hadn't she herself remarked that it was Gentle's idea of paradise？
〃That's some secret；〃 she said。
〃I would have told you about it sooner or later。〃
Now she allowed herself a little laughter； soft and sour。 〃Back there you almost had me believing there was something between us。〃
〃That's because there was；〃 he replied。 〃Because there always will be。〃
〃Why should that matter to you now？〃。
〃I have to hold on to a little of what I was。 What I dreamed。〃
〃And what did you dream？〃
〃That the three of us…〃 He stopped； sighing。 Then： 〃That the three of us would find some way to be together。〃 He wasn't looking at her but at the empty ground between them； where he'd clearly wanted his beloved Pie to stand。 〃The mystif would have learned to love you；〃 he said。
〃I don't want to hear this；〃 she snapped。
〃It would have been anything you desired。 Anything。〃
〃Stop；〃 she told him。 〃Just stop。〃
He shrugged。 〃It's all right；〃 he said。 〃Pie's dead。 And we're going our different ways。 It was just some stupid dream I had。 I thought you'd want to know it； that's all。〃
〃I don't want anything from you；〃 she replied coldly。 〃You can keep your lunacies to yourself from now on！〃
She'd long since let go of his arm； leaving him to retreat up the steps。 But he didn't go。 He simply stood watching her； squinting like a drunkard trying to hook one thought to another。 It was she who retreated； shaking her head as she turned her back on him and crossed the puddled pavement to the car。 Once in； the door s