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〃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 silent these days； and before he could clear a path through the whispers Sartori had recovered his equilibrium。
〃So Lucius is alive；〃 he said。
〃Just in memory。 In Gamut Street。〃
〃That fuckhead Little Ease let you have quite an education； didn't he？ I'll have his guts。〃 He sighed。 〃I miss Rosengarten； you know。 He was so very loyal。 And Racidio and Mattalaus。 I had some good people in Yzordderrex。 People I could trust； people who loved me。 It's the face； I think； it inspires devotion。 You must have noticed that。 Is it the divine in you； or is it just the way we smile？ I resist the notion that one's a symptom of the other。 Hunchbacks can be saints and beauties perfect monsters。 Haven't you found that？〃
〃Certainly。〃
〃You see how much we agree？ We sit here in the dark； and we talk like friends。 I truly think if we never again stepped out into the light we could learn to love each other； after a time。〃
〃That can't happen。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Because I've work to do； and I won't let you delay me。〃
〃You did terrible harm last time； Maestro。 Remember that。 Put it in your mind's eye。 Remember how it looked； seeing the In Ovo spilling out。。。。〃
By the sound of Sartori's voice； Gentle guessed that the man had risen to his feet。 But again it was difficult to be certain； when the darkness was so profound。 He stood up himself； his chair tipping over behind him。
〃The In Ovo's a filthy place；〃 Sartori was saying。 〃And believe me； I don't want it dirtying up this Dominion。 But I'm afraid that may be inevitable。〃
Now Gentle was certain there was some duplicity here。 Sartori's voice no longer had a single source but was being subtly disseminated throughout the room； as though he was seeping into the darkness。
〃If you leave this room； brother…if you leave me alone…there'll be such horror unleashed on the Fifth。〃
〃I won't make any errors this time。〃
〃Who's talking about error？〃 Sartori said。 〃I'm talking about what I'll do for righteousness' sake； if you desert me。〃
〃So e with me。〃
〃What for？ To be your disciple？ Listen to what you're saying！ I've got as much right to be called Messiah as you。 Why should I be a piddling acolyte？ Do me the courtesy of understanding that； at least。〃
〃So do I have to kill you？〃
〃You can try。〃
〃I'm ready to do it； brother； if you force me。〃
〃So am I。 So am I。〃
There was no purpose in further debate； Gentle thought。 If he was going to kill the man； as it seemed he must； he wanted to do it swiftly and cleanly。 But he needed light for the deed。 He moved towards the door； intending to open it； but as he did so something touched his face。 He put his hand up to snatch it away； but it had already gone； flitting towards the ceiling。 What defense was this？ He'd sensed no living thing when he'd entered the room； other than Sartori。 The darkness had been inert。 Either it had now taken on some illusory life as an extension of Sartori's will； or else his other had used the darkness as a cover for some summoning。 But what？ There'd been no evocations spoken； no hint of a feit。 If he'd managed to call up some defender； it was flimsy and witless。 He heard it flapping against the ceiling like a blinded bird。
〃I thought we were alone；〃 he said。 〃Our last conversation needs witnesses； or how would the world know I gave you a chance to save it？〃 〃Biographers； now？〃 〃Not exactly。。。。〃
〃What then？〃 Gentle said； his outstretched hand reaching the wall and sliding along it towards the door。 〃Why don't you show me？〃 he said； his palm closing around the handle。 〃Or are you too ashamed？〃
With this； he pulled not one but both doors open。 The phenomenon that followed was more startling than dire。 The meager light in the passageway outside was drawn into the room in a rush； as though it were milk； sucked from day's teat to feed what waited inside。 It flew past him； dividing as it went； going to a dozen places around the room； high and low。 Then the handles were snatched from Gentle's grip； and the doors slammed。
He turned back to face the room and as he did so heard the table being thrown over。 Some of the light had been drawn to what lay beneath。 There was Godolphin； gutted； his entrails splayed around him； his kidneys laid on his eyes； his heart at his groin。 And skittering around his body； some of the entities this arrangement had called forth； carrying fragments of the light stolen through the door。 None of them made much sense to Gentle's eye。 They had no limbs recognizable as such； nor any trace of features； nor； in most cases； heads upon which features might have sat。 They were scraps of nonsense； some strung together like the cloggings of a drain； and mindlessly busy； others lying like bloated fruit； splitting and splitting and showing themselves seedless。
Gentle looked towards Sartori。 He hadn't taken any light for himself； but a loop of wormy life Hung over his head and cast its baleful brightness down。
〃What have you done？〃 Gentle asked him。
〃There are workings a Reconciler would never stoop to know。 This is one。 These beasts are Oviates。 Peripeteria。 You can't raise the weightier beasts with a corpse that's cold。 But these things know how to be pliant； and that's all either you or I have ever really asked for from our abettors； isn't it？ Or our loved ones； e to that。〃
〃Well； you've shown me them now；〃 Gentle said。 〃You can send them home。〃
〃Oh； no； brother。 I want you to know what they can do。 They're the least of the least； but they've got some maddening tricks。〃
Sartori glanced up； and the loop of wretchedness above him went from its cherished place； moving towards Gentle； then to the ground； its target not the living but the dead。 It was around Godolphin's neck in moments； while in the air above it an alliance of its fellows formed； congealing into a peristaltic cloud。 The loop tightened like a noose and rose； hauling Godolphin up。 The kidneys fell from his eyes； they were open beneath。 The heart dropped from his groin； there was a wound where his manhood had been。 Then the remaining innards spilled from his carcass； preserved in a jelly of cold blood。 The peripeteria overhead offered themselves as a gallows for the ascending noose and； having it in their midst； rose again； so that the dead man's feet were pulled clear off the ground。
〃This is obscene； Sartori；〃 Gentle said。 〃Stop it。〃
〃It's not very pretty； is it？ But think； brother； think what an army of them could do。 You couldn't even heal this single little horror； never mind this a thousandfold。〃 He paused； then said； with genuine inquiry in his voice； 〃Or could you？ Could you raise poor Oscar？ From the dead； I mean。 Could you do that？〃
He left his place at the other end of the room and moved towards Gentle； the look on his face； tit by the gallows； one of exhilaration at this possibility。 〃If you could do that；〃 he said； 〃I swear I'd be your perfect disciple。 I would。〃
He was past the hanged man now and ing within a yard or two of Gentle。 〃I swear；〃 he said again。
〃Let him down。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because it's pointless and pathetic。〃
〃Maybe that's what I am；〃 Sartori said。 〃Maybe that's what I've been from the beginning； and I never had the wit to realize it。〃
This was a new tack； Gentle thought。 Five minutes before the man had been demanding due respect as an aspirant Messiah； now he was wallowing in self…abnegation。
〃I've had so many dreams； brother。 Oh； the cities I've imagined！ The empires！ But I could never quite remove the niggling doubt； you know？ The worm at the back of the skull that keeps saying； It'll e to nothing； it'll e to nothing。 And you know what？ The worm was right。 All I ever attempted was doomed from the beginning； because of what we are to each other。〃
Tragic； Clem had said； describing the look on Sartori's face as he'd fled the cellar。 And perhaps in his way he was。 But what had he learned； that had brought him so low？ It had to be goaded out of him； now or never。
〃I saw your empire；〃 Gentle replied。 〃It didn't fall apart because there was some judgment on it。 You built it ou