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〃 He put his hands； which were clean； on the table。 〃It's only me； lovey。〃
〃Dowd。。。。〃
〃Ah！ To be remembered。 It seems such a little thing； doesn't it？ But it's not。 Really； it's not。〃
The old theatricality was still in his manner； but the mellifluous quality had gone from his voice。 He sounded； and indeed looked； like a parody of himself； his face a mask carved by a hack。
〃Do join us； lovey；〃 he said。 〃We're in this together； after all。〃
Startled as she was to see him （though hadn't Oscar warned her that his type was difficult to kill？） she didn't feel intimidated by him。 She'd seen his tricks and deceits and performances； she'd seen him hanging over an abyss； begging for life。 He was ridiculous。
〃I wouldn't touch Godolphin； by the way；〃 he said。
She ignored the advice and went to the table。
〃His life's hanging by a thread；〃 Dowd went on。 〃If he's moved； I swear his innards will just drop out。 My advice is let him lie。 Enjoy the moment。〃
〃Enjoy？〃 she said； the revulsion she felt surfacing； though she knew it was exactly what the bastard wanted to hear。
〃Not so loud； sweetie；〃 Dowd said； as if pained by her volume。 〃You'll wake the baby。〃 He chuckled。 〃He is a baby； really； pared to us。 Such a little life。。。。〃
〃Why did you do this？〃
〃Where do I begin？ With the petty reasons？ No。 With the big one。 I did it to be free。〃 He leaned in towards her； his face a chiaroscuro jigsaw beneath the lamp。 〃When he breathes his last； lovey…which'H be very soon now…that's the end of the Godolphins。 When he's gone； we're in thrall to nobody。〃
〃You were free in Yzordderrex。〃
〃No。 On a long leash； maybe； but never free。 I felt his desires； I felt his disforts。 A little part of me knew I should be at home with him； making his tea and drying between his toes。 In my heart； I was still his slave。〃 He looked at the body again。 〃It seems almost miraculous； how he manages to linger。〃
He reached for the knife。
〃Leave him！〃 she snapped； and he retreated with surprising alacrity。
She leaned towards Oscar； afraid to touch him for fear of shocking his traumatized system further and stopping it。 There were tics in his face； and his white lips were full of tiny tremors。
〃Oscar？〃 she murmured。 〃Can you hear me？〃
〃Oh； look at you； lovey；〃 Dowd cooed。 〃Getting all doe…eyed over him。 Remember how he used you。 How he oppressed you。〃
She leaned closer to Oscar and said his name again。
〃He never loved either of us；〃 Dowd went on。 〃We were his goods and chattels。 Part of his。。。〃
Oscar's eyes flickered open。
〃。 。 。 inheritance；〃 Dowd said； but the word was barely audible。 As the eyes opened； Dowd retreated a second step； covering himself in shadow。
Oscar's white lips shaped the syllables of Judith's name； but there was no sound to acpany the motion。
〃Oh； God；〃 she murmured； 〃can you hear me？ I want you to know this wasn't all for nothing。 I found her。 Do you understand？ I found her。〃
Oscar made a tiny nod； then； with agonizing delicacy； ran his tongue over his lips and drew enough breath to say； 〃It wasn't true。。。。〃
She caught the words； but not their sense。 〃What wasn't true？〃 she said。
He licked again； his face knotting up with the effort of speech。 This time there was only one word： 〃Inheritance。 。。。〃
〃Not an inheritance？〃 she said。 〃I know that。〃
He made the very tiniest smile； his gaze going over her face from brow to cheek； from cheek to lips； then back to her eyes； meeting them unabashed。
〃I。。。 loved 。。。 you；〃 he said。
〃I know that too；〃 she whispered。
Then his gaze lost its clarity。 His heart stopped beating in its bloody pool； the knots on his face slipped with its cessation。 He was gone。 The last of the Godolphins； dead on the Tabula Rasa's table。
She stood upright； staring at the cadaver； though it distressed her to do so。 If she was ever tempted to toy with darkness； let this sight be a scourge to that temptation。 There was nothing poetic or noble in this scene； only waste。
〃So there it is；〃 Dowd said。 〃Funny。 I don't feel any different。 It may take time； of course。 I suppose freedom has to be learned； like anything else。〃 She could hear desperation beneath this babble； barely concealed。 He was in pain。 〃You should know something；〃 he said。
〃I don't want to hear。〃
〃No； listen； lovey； I want you to know。。。。 He did exactly this to me； on this very table。 He gutted me in front of the Society。 Maybe it's a petty thing； wanting revenge； but then I'm just an actor chappie。 What do I know？〃
〃You killed them all for that？〃
〃Who？〃
〃The Society。〃
〃No； not yet。 But I'll get to them。 For us both。〃
〃You're too late。 They're already dead。〃
This hushed him for fully fifteen seconds。 When he began again； it was more chatter； as empty as the silence he wanted to fill。
〃It was that damn purge； you know； they made themselves too many enemies。 There's going to be a lot of minor Maestros crawling out of the woodwork in the next few days。 It's quite an anniversary； isn't it？ I'm going to get stinking drunk。 What about you？ How will you celebrate； alone or with friends？ This woman you found； for instance。 Is she the partying type？〃
Jude silently cursed her indiscretion。
〃Who is she？〃 Dowd went on。 〃Don't tell me Clara had a sister。〃 He laughed。 〃I'm sorry； I shouldn't laugh； but she was crazy as a coot； you must see that now。 She didn't understand you。 Nobody understands you but me； lovey； and I understand you…〃 '
〃…because we're the same。〃
〃Exactly。 We don't belong to anybody any more。 We're our own inventions。 We'll do what we want； when we want； and we won't give a fuck for the consequences。〃
〃Is that freedom？〃 she said flatly； finally taking her eyes off Oscar and looking up at Dowd's misshapen form。
〃Don't try and tell me you don't want it；〃 Dowd said。 〃I'm not asking you to love me for this； I'm not that stupid； but at least admit it was just。〃
〃Why didn't you murder him in his bed years ago？〃
〃I wasn't strong enough。 Oh； I realize I may not radiate health and efficiency just at the moment； but I've changed a lot since we last met。 I've been down among the dead。 It was very 。。。 educational。 And while I was down there； it began to rain。 Such a hard rain； lovey； let me tell you。 I never saw its like before。 You want to see what fell on me？〃
He pulled up his sleeve and put his arm into the pool of light。 Here was the reason for his lumpen appearance。 His arm； and presumably his entire body； was a patchwork； with the flesh half sealed over fragments of stone which he'd slid into his wounds。 She instantly recognized the iridescence that ran in the fragments； lending their glamour to his wretched meat。 The rain that had fallen on his head was the sloughings of the Pivot。
〃You know what it is； don't you？〃
She hated the ease with which he read her face； but there was no use denying what she knew。
〃Yes； I do；〃 she said。 〃I was in the tower when it started to collapse。〃
〃What a Godsend； eh？ It makes me slow； of course； carrying this kind of weight； but after today I won't be fetching and carrying； so what do I care if it takes me half an hour to cross the room？ I've got power in me； lovey； and I don't mind sharing…〃
He stopped and withdrew his arm from the light。
〃What was that？〃
She'd heard nothing； but she did now： a distant rumbling from below。
〃Whatever were you up to down there？ Not destroying the library； I hope。 I wanted that satisfaction for myself。 Oh； dear。 Well； there'll be plenty of other chances to play the barbarian。 It's in the air； don't you think？〃
Jude's thoughts went to Celestine。 Dowd was perfectly capable of doing her harm。 She had to go back down and warn the Goddess； perhaps find some means of defense。 In the meantime； she'd play along。
〃Where will you go after this？〃 she asked Dowd； lightening her tone as best she could。
〃Back to Regent's Park Road； I thought。 We can sleep in our master's bed。 Oh； what am I saying？ Please don't think I want your body。 I know the rest of the world thinks heaven's in your lap； but I've been celibate for two hundred years and I've pletely lost the urge。 We can live as brother and sister； can't we？ That doesn't sound so bad； now； does it？〃
〃No；〃 she