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took its toll on her strength。 The wounded ribbons loosened and fell in wreaths around Sartori's neck； uncovering the other face and confirming Celestine in her distress。 She withdrew the ribbons entirely； gathering them into her lap。
With his sight returned； Sartori wrenched his head around to identify his captor。 Seeing Gentle； he instantly gave up his struggle to free himself and stood in the Reconciler's arms； quite pacified。
〃Why do I always find you doing harm； brother？〃 Gentle asked him。
〃Brother？〃 said Sartori。 〃Since when was it brother？〃
〃That's what we are。〃
〃You tried to kill me in Yzordderrex； or have you forgotten？ Has something changed？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Gentle； 〃I have。〃
〃Oh？〃
〃I'm ready to accept our。。。 kinship。〃
〃A fine word。〃
〃In fact； I accept my responsibility for everything I was； am； or will be。 I've got your Oviate to thank for that。〃
〃That's good to hear；〃 Sartori said。 〃Especially in this pany。〃
He looked back at Celestine。 She was still standing； though it was plainly the filaments hugging the wall that held her up； not her legs。 Her eyes were flickering closed； and there were tremors running through her body。 Gentle knew she needed aid； but he could do nothing while he was burdened with Sartori； so he turned and pitched his brother towards the cave door。 Sartori went from him like a doll； only raising his arms to break his fall at the very last。
〃Help her if you want；〃 he said； staring back at Gentle with slackened features。 〃It's no skin off my nose。〃
Then he lifted himself up。 For an instant Gentle thought he intended some reprisal； and drew breath to defend himself。
But the other simply said； 〃I'm on my belly； brother。 Would you harm me here？〃
As if to prove how low he'd fallen and was willing to stay； he began to slink over the earth； like a snake driven from a hearth。
〃You're wele to her；〃 he said； and disappeared into the brighter murk beyond the door。
Celestine's eyes had closed by the time Gentle looked back； her body hanging limply from the tenacious ribbons。 He went towards her； but as he approached her lids flickered open；
〃No。。。〃 she said。 〃I don't want。。。 you。。。 near。。。 me。〃
Could he blame her？ One man with his face had already attempted murder； or violation； or both。 Why should she trust another？ Nor was this any time to be pleading his innocence； she needed help； not apology。 The question was； from whom？ Jude had made it clear on the way up that she'd been sent from this woman's side the same way he was being sent。 Perhaps Clem could nurse the woman。
〃I'll send somebody to help you；〃 he said； and headed out into the passageway。
Sartori had disappeared： lifted himself off his belly and taken to his heels。 Once again Gentle went in his footsteps； back towards the stairs。 He'd covered half that distance when Jude； Clem； and Monday appeared。 Their frowns evaporated when they saw Gentle。
〃We thought he'd murdered you；〃 Jude said。 _ 〃He didn't touch me。 But he's hurt Celestine； and she won't let me near her。 Clem； will you see if you can help？ But be careful。 She may look sick； but she's strong。〃
〃Where is she？〃
〃Jude'lltake you。 I'm going after Sartori。〃
〃He's gone up the tower；〃 Monday said。
〃He didn't even look at us；〃 Jude said。 She sounded almost offended。 〃He just stumbled out and up the stairs。 What the hell did you dp to him？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃I never saw an expression like that on his face before。 Or yours； e to that。〃
〃Like what？〃
〃Tragic；〃 said Clem。
〃Maybe we're going to win a quicker victory than I thought；〃 Gentle said； starting past them to the stairs。
〃Wait；〃 Jude said。 〃We can't tend to Celestine here。 We need to take her somewhere safer。〃
〃Agreed。〃
〃The studio； maybe？〃
〃No；〃 Gentle said。 〃There's a house I know in Clerken…well where we'll be safe。 He drove me out of it once。 But it's mine； and we're going back to it。 AH of us。〃
15
The sun that met Gentle in the foyer put him in mind of Taylor； whose wisdom； spoken through a sleeping boy； had begun this day。 That dawn already seemed an age ago； the hours since then had been so filled with journeys and revelations。 It would be this way until the Reconciliation； he knew。 The London he'd wandered in his first years； brimming with possibilities…a city Pie had once said hid more angels than God's skirts…was once again a place of presences； and he rejoiced in the fact。 It gave heat to his heels as he mounted the stairs； two and three at a time。 Strange as it was； he was actually eager to see Sartori's face again： to speak with his other and know his mind。
Jude had prepared him for what he'd find on the top floor： bland corridors leading to the Tabula Rasa's table； and the body sprawled there。 The scent of Godolphin's undoing was there to meet him as he stepped into the passageway： a sickening reminder； though he scarcely needed one； that revelation had a grimmer face and that those last halcyon days； when he'd been the most lauded metaphysician in Europe； had ended in atrocity。 It would not happen again； he swore to himself。 Last time the ceremonies had been brought to grief by the brother waiting for him at the end of this corridor； and if he had to mit fratricide to remove the danger of a recurrence； then so be it。 Sartori was the spirit of his own imperfections made flesh。 To kill him would be a cleansing； and wele； perhaps； to them both。
As he advanced along the corridor the sickly smell of Godolphin's putrefaction grew stronger。 He held his breath against it and came to the door in utter silence。 It nevertheless swung open as he approached； his own voice inviting him in。
〃There's no harm in here； brother； not from me。 And I don't need you on your belly to prove your good intentions。〃
Gentle stepped inside。 All the drapes were drawn against the sun； but even the sturdiest fabric usually let some trace of light through its weave。 Not so here。 The room was sealed by something more than curtains and brick； and Sartori was sitting in this darkness； his form visible only because the door was ajar。
〃Will you sit？〃 he said。 〃I know this isn't a very wholesome slab〃…the body of Oscar Godolphin had gone； the mess of his blood and rot remaining in pools and smears… 〃but I like the formality。 We should negotiate like civilized beings； yes？〃
Gentle acceded to this； walking to the other end of the table and sitting down； content to demonstrate good faith unless or until Sartori showed signs of treachery。 Then he'd be swift and calamitous。
〃Where did the body go？〃 he asked。
〃It's here。 I'll bury it after we've talked。 This is no place for a man to rot。 Or maybe it's the perfect place； I don't know。 We can vote on it later。〃
〃Suddenly you're a democrat。〃
〃You said you were changing。 So am I。〃
〃Any particular reason？〃
〃We'll get to that later。 First…〃
He glanced towards the door； and it swung closed； plunging them both into utter darkness。
〃You don't mind； do you？〃 Sartori said。 〃This isn't a conversation we should have looking at ourselves。 The mirror's bad enough。〃
〃You didn't mind in Yzordderrex。〃
〃I was incarnate there。 Here I feel。。。 immaterial。 I was really impressed by what you did in Yzordderrex； by the way。 One word from you； and it just crumbled away。〃
〃Your handiwork； not mine。〃
〃Oh； don't be obtuse。 You know what history'll say。 It won't give a fuck about the politics。 It'll say the Reconciler arrived； and the walls came tumbling down。 And you're not going to argue with that。 It feeds the legend； it makes you look messianic。 That's what you really want； isn't it？ The question is： if you're the Reconciler； what am I？ 〃
〃We don't have to be enemies。〃
〃Didn't I say the very same thing in Yzordderrex？ And didn't you try and murder me？〃
〃1 had good reason。〃
〃Name one。〃
〃You destroyed the first Reconciliation。〃
〃It wasn't the first。 There've been three other attempts to my certain knowledge。〃
〃It was my first。 My Great Work。 And you destroyed it。〃
〃Who did you hear that from？〃
〃From Lucius Cobbitt；〃 Gentle replied。
There was a silence then； and in it Gentle thought he heard the darkness move； a sound like silk on silk。 But his head was never quite