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！
〃e in； Maestro；〃 she said to him。 〃Let me put you to rights。〃
He clambered up over the stones and peered into the darkness。 The cell was a wretched hole； as sordid as anything beneath his palace； but the woman who'd occupied it was no anchorite。 Her flesh hadn't been chastened by incarceration； but looked lush； for all the marks upon it。 The tendrils that clung to her body extolled her fluency； moving over her thighs and breasts and belly like unctuous snakes。 Some clung to her head and paid court at her honey lips； others lay between her legs in bliss。 He felt her tender gaze on him and luxuriated in it。
〃Handsome；〃 she said。
He took her pliment as an invitation to approach； but as he did so she made a murmur of distress； and he stopped in his tracks。
〃What's this shadow in you？〃 she said。
〃Nothing to be afraid of；〃 he told her。
Some of the filaments parted； and longer tendrils； these not courtiers but part of her substance； uncurled from behind her； clinging to the rough wall and hauling her up。
〃I've heard that before；〃 she said。 〃When a man tells you there's nothing to be afraid of； he's lying。 Even you； Sartori。〃
〃I won't e any closer if it bothers you；〃 he said。
It wasn't respect for the woman's unease that moved him to pliance； but the sight of the ribbons that had lifted her。 Quaisoir had sprouted such appendages； he recalled； after her intimacies with the women of the Bastion of the Banu。 They were evidence of some facility in the other sex he had no real prehension of： a remnant of crafts all but banished from the Reconciled Dominions by Hapexamendios。 Perhaps they'd seen a new； poisonous flowering in the Fifth in the time since he'd left。 Until he knew the scope of their authority； he'd be circumspect；
〃I'd like to ask a question； if I may？〃 he said。
〃Yes？〃
〃How do you know who I am？〃
〃First； tell me where you've been all these years。〃
Oh； the temptation he felt to tell her the truth； then； and parade his achievements in the hope of impressing her。 But he'd e here in the guise of his other； and； as with Judith； he'd have to choose the moment of his unmasking carefully。
〃I've been wandering；〃 he said。 It wasn't so untrue。
〃Where？〃
〃In the Second Dominion； and occasionally the Third。〃
〃Were you ever in Yzordderrex？〃
〃Sometimes。〃
〃And in the desert outside the city？〃
〃There too。 Why do you ask？〃
〃I was there once。 Before you were born。〃
〃I'm older than I look；〃 he told her。 〃I know it doesn't show…〃
〃I know how long you've lived； Sartori；〃 she replied。 〃To the very day。〃
Her certainty nourished the disfort bred by the sight of the tendrils。 Could she read his thoughts； this woman？ If so…if she knew what he was and all he'd done…why wasn't she in awe of him？
There was no profit in pretending that he didn't care that she seemed to know so much。 Plainly but politely； he asked her how'； preparing as he spoke a profusion of excuses if she was simply one of the Maestrb's casual conquests and accused him of forgetting her。 But the accusation； when it came； was of another kind entirely。
〃You've done great harm in your life； haven't you？〃 she said to him。
〃No more than most；〃 he protested mildly。 〃I've been tempted to a few excesses； certainly。 But then hasn't everybody？〃
〃A few excesses？〃 she said。 〃I think you've done more than that。 There's evil in you； Sartori。 I smell it in your sweat； the way I smelled coitus in the woman。〃
Her mention of Judith…who else could this venereal woman be？ … reminded him of the prophecy he'd made to her two nights before。 They would find darkness in each other； he'd said； and that was a perfectly human condition。 The argument had proved potent then。 Why not now？
〃It's just the humanity in me you can sense；〃 he said to Celestine。
She was clearly unpersuaded。 〃Oh； no；〃 she replied。 〃I'm the humanity in you。〃
He was about to laugh this absurdity off； but her stare hushed him。
〃What part of me are you？〃 he murmured。
〃Don't you know yet？〃 she said。 〃Child； I'm your mother。〃
Gentle led the way as they stepped into the cool of the tower's foyer。 There was no sound from anywhere in the building； above or below；
〃Where's Celestine？〃 he asked Jude。 She led him to the door into the Tabula Rasa's meeting room； where he told them all； 〃This is something for me to do； brother to brother。〃
〃I'm not afraid；〃 Monday piped up。
〃No； but I am；〃 Gentle said with a smile。 〃And I wouldn't want you to see me piss my pants。 Stay up here。 I'll be out double quick。〃
〃Make sure you are；〃 Clem said。 〃Or we're ing down to get you。〃
With that promise as fort； Gentle slipped through the door into what remained of Roxborough's house。 Though he'd felt nothing in the way of memories as he'd entered the tower； he felt them now。 They weren't as material as those that visited him in Gamut Street； where the very boards seemed to have recorded the souls that had trodden them。 These were vague recollections of the times he'd drunk and debated around the great oak table。 He didn't allow nostalgia to delay him； however； but passed through the room like a man vexed by admirers； arms raised against their blandishments； and headed down into the cellar。 He'd had this labyrinth and its contents （all spined and skin…bound； whether human or not） described to him by Jude； but the sight still amazed him。 All this wisdom； buried in darkness。 Was it any wonder the Imajical life of the Fifth had been so anemic in the last two centuries； when all the liquors that might have fortified it had been hidden here？
But he hadn't e to browse； glorious as that prospect was。 He'd e for Celestine； who'd trailed； of all things； the name Nisi Nirvana to bring him here。 He didn't know why。 Though he vaguely remembered the name； and knew there was some story to go with it； he could neither remember the tale nor recall whose knee he'd first heard it at。 Perhaps she knew the answer。
There was a wonderful agitation here。 Even the dust would not lie down and die； but moved in giddy constellations； which he divided as he strode。 He made no false turns； but the route from the steps to the place where Celestine lay was still a long one； and before he'd reached it he heard a cry。 It wasn't a woman's cry； he thought； but the echoes disfigured it； and he couldn't be certain。 He picked up his speed； turning corner after corner； knowing as he went that his other had preceded him every step of the way。 There were no further cries after the first； but as his destination came in view…it looked like a cave； raggedly dug from the wall； an oracle's home…he heard a different sound： that of bricks； grinding their gritty faces together。 There were small but constant falls of dried mortar from the ceiling； and a subtle trembling in the ground。 He started up over the litter of fallen rock； which was strewn like a battlefield with gutted books； to the inviting crack。 As he did so he caught a glimpse of a violent motion inside； which had him to the threshold in a stumbling rush。
〃Brother？〃 he said； even before he'd found Sartori in the gloom。 〃What are you doing？〃
Now he saw his other； closing on the woman in the corner of the cave。 She was almost naked； but far from defenseless。 Ribbons； like the rags of a bridal train but made of her flesh； were springing from her shoulders and back； their power clearly more substantial than their delicacy implied。 Some were clinging to the wall above her head； but the bulk were extended towards Sartori and wrapped around his head like a smothering hood。 He clawed at them； working his fingers between them to get a better grip。 Fluid ran from the gouged flesh； and cobs of matter came away in his fists。 It could only be a matter of time before he released himself； and when he did he'd do her no little harm。
Gentle didn't call to his brother a second time。 What was the use？ The man was deafened。 Instead； he crossed the cave at a stumbling rush and took hold of Sartori from behind； dragging his brother's arms from their maiming work and pinning them to his sides。 As he did so he saw Celestine's gaze go between the two figures in front of her； and either the shock of what she was witnessing or her exhaustion took its toll on her