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〃We're here because of you； remember that；〃 Tay said。 〃And you'd still be down there picking the fluff from your navel if Judy hadn't brought us。〃
Celestine narrowed her eyes。 〃Put me back； then；〃 she said。
〃Just for that〃…Jude held her breath； he wouldn't； surely？ … 〃I'm going to give you a big kiss and ask you very politely to stop being a cantankerous old bag。〃 He kissed her on the nose。 〃Now let's get going；〃 he said to Monday； and before Celestine could summon a reply he headed to the stairs and was up them and out of sight。
Exhausted by his outpouring of pain； Sartori turned from Gentle and began to wander back to the chair where he'd been sitting at the start of their interview。 He idled as he went； kicking over those servile scraps that came to dote on him and pausing to look up at Godolphin's gutted body； then setting it in motion with a touch； so that its bulk eclipsed and uncovered him by turns； as he went to his little throne。 There were peripeteria gathered around in a sycophantic horde； but Gentle didn't wait for him to order them against him。 Sartori was no less dangerous for the despair he'd just expressed； all it did was free him from any last hope of peace between them。 It freed Gentle too。 This had to end in Sartori's dispatch； or the Devil he'd decided to be would undo the Great Work all over again。 Gentle drew breath。 As soon as his brother turned he'd let the pneuma fly and be done。
〃What makes you think you can kill me； brother？〃 Sartori said； still not turning。 〃God's in the First Dominion； and Mother's nearly dead downstairs。 You're alone。 All you have is your breath。〃
Godolphin's body continued to swing between them； but the man kept his back turned。
〃And if you unknit me； what do you do to yourself in the process？ Have you thought about that？ Kill me； and maybe you kill yourself。〃
Gentle knew Sartori was capable of planting such doubts all night。 It was the plement to his own lost skill with seduction： dropping these possibilities into promising earth。 He wouldn't be delayed by them。 His pneuma readied； he started after the man； pausing only for the swing of Godolphin's corpse； then stopping on the other side of it。 Sartori still refused to show his face； and Gentle had no option but to waste a little of the killing breath with words。
〃Look at me； brother；〃 he said。
He read the intention to do so in Sartori's body； a motion beginning in his heels and torso and head。 But before his face came in sight Gentle heard a sound behind him and glanced back to see the third actor here…the dead Godolphin…dropping from his gallows。 He had time to glimpse the Oviates in the carcass； then it was upon him。 It should have been easy to stand aside； but the beasts had done more than nest in the corpse。 They were busy in Godolphin's rotted muscle； engineering the resurrection Sartori had begged Gentle to perform。 The corpse's arms snatched hold of him； and its bulk； all the vaster for the weight of parasites； bore him to his knees。 The breath went out of him as harmless air； and before he could take another his arms were caught and twisted to breaking point behind his back。
〃Never turn your back on a dead man；〃 Sartori said； finally showing his face。
There was no triumph on it； though he'd incapacitated his enemy in one swift maneuver。 He turned his sorrowful eyes up to the host of peripeteria that had been Godolphin's gallows and； with the thumb of his left hand； described a tiny circle。 They took their cue instantly； the motion appearing in their cloud。
〃I'm more superstitious than you； brother；〃 Sartori said； reaching behind him and throwing over his chair。 It didn't lie where it fell； but rolled on around the room as though the motion overhead had some correspondence below。 〃I'm not going to lay a hand on you；〃 he went on。 〃In case there is some consequence for a man who takes his other's life。〃 He raised his palms。 〃Look； I'm blameless；〃 he said； stepping back towards the draped windows。 〃You're going to die because the world is ing apart。〃
While he spoke the motion around Gentle increased； as the peripeteria took their summoner's cue。 They were insubstantial as individuals； but en masse they had considerable authority。 As their circling speeded up； it generated a current strong enough to lift the chair Sartori had overthrown into the air。 The light fixtures were sheared off the walls； taking cobs of plaster with them； the handles were ripped from the doors； and the rest of the chairs snatched up to join the tarantella； smashed to firewood as they collided with each other。 Even the table； enormous as it was； began to move。 At the eye of this storm Gentle struggled to free himself from Godolphin's cold embrace。 He might have done so； given time； but the circle and its freight of shards closed on him too quickly。 Unable to protect himself； all he could do was bow his head against the hail of wood； plaster； and glass； the breath pummeled from him by the assault。 Only once did he lift his eyes to look for Sartori through the storm。 His brother stood flat against the wall； his head thrown back as he watched the execution。 If there was any feeling on his face； it was that of a man offended by what he saw； a lamb obliged to watch helplessly as his panion was pulped。
It seemed he didn't hear the voice raised in the corridor outside； but Gentle did。 It was Clem； calling the Maestro's name and beating on the door。 Gentle didn't have the strength left to reply。 His body sagged in Godolphin's arms as the fusillade increased； striking his skull and rib cage and thighs。 Clem； God love him； didn't need an answering call。 He slammed himself against the door repeatedly； and the lock suddenly burst； throwing both doors open at once。
There was more light outside than in； of course； and just as before it was drawn into the darkened room at a rush； sweeping past the astonished Clem。 The peripeteria were as desperate as ever to have a sliver of illumination for themselves； and their swirling ranks fell into confusion at the appearance of the light。 Gentle felt the hold on him loosen as those Oviates who'd quickened Godolphin's corpse left off their labors and went to join the me1ee。 With the energies in the room diverted； the circling wreckage began to lose momentum； but not before a piece of the splintered table struck one of the open doors； sheering it off at the hinges。 Clem saw the collision ing and retreated before he too was struck； his shout of alarm stirring Sartori。
Gentle looked towards his brother。 He'd left off his sham of innocence and was studying the stranger in the hallway with gleaming eyes。 He didn't leave his place at the wall； 。 however。 A rain of wreckage was falling now； littering the room from end to end； and he clearly had no desire to step into it。 Instead he reached up to snatch a uredo from his eye； intending to strike Clem down before he could intervene again。
Godolphin's bulk was doubling Gentle over； but he strained to raise himself from beneath it； yelling a warning to Clem； who was back at the threshold now； as he did so。 Clem heard the shout and saw Sartori snatch at his eye。 Though he had no knowledge of what the gesture meant； he was quick to defend himself； ducking behind the surviving door as the killing blow flew his way。 In the same instant； Gentle heaved himself to his feet； throwing off Godolphin's body。 He glanced in Clem's direction to be certain his friend had survived and； seeing that he had； started towards Sartori。 He had breath in his body now； and might easily have dispatched a pneuma at his enemy。 But his hands wanted more than air in them。 They wanted flesh； they wanted ； bone。
Careless of the trash that was both underfoot and falling from the air； he ran at his brother； who sensed his approach and turned his way。 Gentle had time to see the face before him smile a feral wele； then he was upon him。 His momentum carried them both back against the drapes。 The window behind Sartori shattered； and the rail above him broke； bringing the curtain down。
This time the light that filled the room was a blaze； and it felt directly on Gentle's face。 He was momentarily blinded； but his body still knew its business。 He pushed his brother to the si