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！
〃Victory；〃 Pie prompted； stepping aside to let the summoner step into the Meditation Room。 It was； as ever； bare。 〃Shall I leave you alone？〃 Pie asked。
〃No；〃 the Maestro said hurriedly。 Then； more quietly： 〃Please。 No。〃
He went to the window from which 。he had stood those many evenings watching the nymph Allegra at her toilet。 The branches of the tree he'd spied her through thrashed themselves to splinter and pulp against the panes。
〃Can you make me forget； Pie 'oh' pah？ There are such feits； aren't there？〃
〃Of course。 But is that what you want？〃
〃No； what I really want is death； but I'm too afraid of that at the moment。 So 。。。 it will have to be forgetfulness。〃
〃The true Maestro folds pain into his experience。〃
〃Then I'm not a true Maestro；〃 he returned。 〃I don't have the courage for that。 Make me forget； mystif。 Divide me from what I've done and what I am forever。 Make a feit that'll be a river between me and this moment； so that I'm never tempted to cross it。〃
〃How will you live？〃
The Maestro puzzled over this for a few moments。 〃In increments；〃 he finally replied。 〃Each part ignorant of the part before。 Well。 You can do this for me？〃
〃Certainly。〃
〃It's what 1 did for the woman I made for Godolphin。 Every ten years she'll start to undo her life and disappear。 Then she'll invent another one and live it； never knowing what she left behind。〃
Listening to himself plot the life he'd lived； Gentle heard a perverse satisfaction in his voice。 He had condemned himself to two hundred years of waste； but he'd known what he was doing。 He'd made the same arrangements precisely for the second Judith and had contemplated every consequence on her behalf。 It wasn't just cowardice that made him shun these memories。 It was a kind of revenge upon himself for failing； to banish his future to the same limbo he'd made for his creature。
〃I'll have pleasure； Pie；〃 he said。 〃I'll wander the world and enjoy the moments。 I just won't have the sum of them。〃
〃And what about me？〃
〃After this； you're free to go；〃 he said。
〃And do what？ Be what？〃
〃Whore or assassin； I don't care；〃 the Maestro said。
The remark had been thrown off casually…surely not intended as an order to the mystif。 But was it a slave's duty to distinguish between a mand made for the humor of it and one to be followed absolutely？ No； it was a slave's duty to obey； especially if the dictate came； as did this； from a beloved mouth。 Here； with a throwaway remark； the master had circumscribed his servant's life for two centuries； driving it to deeds it had doubtless abhorred。
Gentle saw the tears shining in the mystif's eyes and felt its suffering like a hammer pounding at his heart。 He hated himself then； for his arrogance and his carelessness； for not seeing the harm he was doing a creature that only wanted to love him and be near him。 And he longed more than ever to be reunited with Pie； so that he could beg forgiveness for this cruelty。
〃Make me forget；〃 he said again。 〃I want an end to this。〃
The mystif was speaking； Gentle saw； though whatever incantations its lips shaped were spoken in a voice he couldn't hear。 The breath that bore them made the flame he'd set on the floor flicker； however； and as the mystif instructed its master in forgetfulness the memories went out with the flame。
Gentle rummaged for the box of matches and struck one； using its light to find the smoking wick； then reigniting it。 But the night of storm had passed back into history； and Pie 'oh' pah； beautiful； obedient； loving Pie 'oh' pah； had gone with it。 He sat down in front of the candle and waited； wondering if there was some coda to e。 But the house was dead from cellar to eaves。
〃So；〃 he said to himself。 〃What now； Maestro？〃
He had his answer from his stomach； which made a little thunder of its own。
〃You want food？〃 he asked it； and it gurgled its reply。 〃Me too；〃 he said。
He got up and started down the stairs； preparing himself for a return to modernity。 As he reached the bottom； however； he heard something scraping across the bare boards。 He raised the candle； and his voice。
〃Who's there？〃
Neither the light nor his demand brought an answer。 But the sound went on； and others joined it； none of them pleasant： a low； agonized moan； a wet； dragging sound； a whistling inhalation。 What melodrama was his memory preparing to stage for him； he wondered； that had need of these hoary devices？ They might have inspired fear in him once upon a time； but not now。 He'd seen too many horrors face to face to be chilled by imitations。
〃What's this about？〃 he asked the shadows； and was somewhat surprised to have his question answered。
〃We've waited for you a long time；〃 a wheezing voice told him。
〃Sometimes we thought you'd never e home；〃 another said。 There was a fluting femininity in its tone。
Gentle took a step in the direction of the woman； and the rim of the candle's reach touched what looked to be the hem of a scarlet skirt； which was hastily twitched out of sight。 Where it had lain； the bare boards shone with fresh blood。 He didn't advance any further； but listened for another pronouncement from the shadows。 It came soon enough。 Not the woman this time； but the wheezer。
〃The fault was yours；〃 he said。 〃But the pain's been ours。 All these years； waiting for you。〃
Though corrupted by anguish； the voice was familiar。 He'd heard its lilt in this very house。
〃Is that Abelove？〃 he said。
〃Do you remember the maggot…pie？〃 the man said； confirming his identity。 〃The number of times I've thought： That was my error； bringing the bird into the house。 Tyrwhitt would have no part of it； and he survived； didn't he？ He died in his dotage。 And Roxborough； and Godolphin； and you。 All of you lived and died intact。 But me； I just suffered here； flying against the glass but never hard enough to cease。〃 He moaned； and though his rebuke was as absurd as it had been when first uttered； this time Gentle shuddered。 〃I'm not alone； of course；〃 Abelove said。 〃Esther's here。 And Flores。 And Byam…Shaw。 And Bloxham's brother…in…law； do you remember him？ So there'll be plenty of pany for you。〃
〃I'm not staying；〃 Gentle said。
〃Oh； but you are；〃 said Esther。 〃It's the least you can do。〃
〃Blow out the candle；〃 Abelove said。 〃Save yourself the distress of seeing us。 We'll put out your eyes； and you can live with us blind。〃
〃I'll do no such thing；〃 Gentle said； raising the light so that it cast its net wider。
They appeared at its farthest edge； their viscera catching the gleam。 What he'd taken to be Esther's skirt was a train of tissue； half flayed from her hip and thigh。 She clutched it still； pulling it up around her； seeking to conceal her groin from him。 Her decorum was absurd； but then perhaps his reputation as a womanizer had so swelled over the passage of the years that she believed he might be aroused by her； even in this appalling state。 There was worse； however。 Byam…Shaw was barely recognizable as a human being； and Bloxham's brother…in…law looked to have been chewed by tigers。 But whatever their condition they were ready for revenge； no doubt of that。 At Abelove's mand they began to close upon him。
〃You've already been hurt enough；〃 Gentle said。 〃I don't want to hurt you again。 I advise you to let me pass。〃
〃Let you pass to do what？〃 Abelove replied； his terrible wounding clearer with every step he took。 His scalp had gone； and one of his eyes lolled on his cheek。 When he lifted his arm to point his next accusation at Gentle； it was with the littlest finger； which was the only one remaining on that hand。 〃You want to try again； don't you？ Don't deny it！ You've got the old ambition in your head！〃
〃You died for the Reconciliation；〃 Gentle said。 〃Don't you want to see it achieved？〃
〃It's an abomination！〃 Abelove replied。 〃It was never meant to be！ We died proving that。 You render our sacrifice worthless if you try； then fail again。〃
〃I won't fail；〃 Gentle said。
〃No； you won't；〃 Esther replied； dropping her skirt to uncoil a garrote of her gut。 〃Because you won't get the chance。〃
He looked from one wretched face to the next and realized that he didn't have a hope of dissuading them from their intentions。 They had