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〃He said he remembered being suckled。 That was the first thing he could recall： the teat at his mouth。〃
Only now did Gentle grasp the subject under debate here。 Once again his memory had found some fragment of conversation between himself and the mystif pertinent to his present concerns。 They'd talked of childhood memories in this very room； and the Maestro had been plunged into the same distress which he felt now； and for the same reason。
〃But to remember a story；〃 Pie was saying。 〃Particularly one you didn't like…〃
〃It wasn't that I didn't like it；〃 the Maestro said。 〃At least； it didn't frighten me； the way a ghost story might have done。 It was worse than that。。。。〃
〃We don't have to talk about this；〃 Pie said； and for a moment Gentle thought the conversation was going to fizzle out there。 He wasn't altogether certain he'd have minded if it had。 But it seemed to have been one of the unwritten rules of this house that no inquiry was ever fled from； however disfiting。
〃No； I want to explain if I can；〃 the Maestro said。 〃Though what a child fears is sometimes hard to fathom。〃
〃Unless we can listen with a child's heart；〃 Pie said。
〃That's harder still。〃
〃We can try； can't we？ Tell me the story。〃
〃Well； it always began the same way。 My mother would say； I want you to remember； child； and I'd know right away what was going to follow。 There was a woman called Nisi Nirvana； and she went into a city full of iniquities。。。。〃
Now Gentle heard the story again； this time from his own lips； told to the mystif。 The woman； the city； the crime； the child； and then； with a sickening inevitability； the story beginning again with the woman and the city and the crime。
〃Rape isn't a very pretty subject for a nursery tale；〃 Pie observed。
〃She never used that word。〃
〃But that's what the crime is； isn't it？〃
〃Yes；〃 he said softly； though he was unfortable with the admission。 This was his mother's secret； his mother's pain。 But yes； of course； Nisi Nirvana was Celestine； and the city of terrors was the First Dominion。 She'd told her child her own story； encoded in a grim little fable。 But more bizarrely than that； she'd folded the listener into the tale； and even the telling of the tale itself； creating a circle impossible to break because all of its constituent elements were trapped inside。 Was it that sense of entrapment that had so distressed him as a child？ Pie had another theory； however； and was voicing it from across the years。
〃No wonder you were so afraid；〃 the mystif said； 〃not knowing what the crime was； but knowing it was terrible。 I'm sure she meant no harm by it。 But your imagination must have run riot。〃
Gentle didn't reply； or； rather； couldn't。 For the first time in these conversations with Pie he knew more than history did； and the discontinuity fractured the glass in which he'd been seeing the past。 He felt a bitter sense of loss； adding to the distress he'd carried into this room。 It was as though the tale of Nisi Nirvana marked the divide between the self who'd occupied these rooms two hundred years before； ignorant of his divinity； and the man he was now； who knew that the story of Nisi Nirvana was his mother's story； and the crime she'd told him about was the act that had brought him into being。 There could be no more dallying in the past after this。 He'd learned what he needed to know about the Reconciliation； and he couldn't justify further loitering。 It was time to leave the fort of memory； and Pie with it。
He picked up the bottle of beer and struck off the cap。 It probably wasn't wise to be drinking alcohol at this juncture； but he wanted to toast the past before it faded from view entirely。 There must have been a time〃； he thought； when he and Pie had raised a glass to the millennium。 Could he conjure such a moment now and join his intention with the past one last time？ He raised the bottle to his lips and； as he drank； heard Pie laughing across the room。 He looked in the mystlf's direction； and there； fading already； he caught a glimpse of his lover； not with a glass in hand but a carafe； 。 toasting the future。 He lifted the beer bottle to touch the carafe； but the mystif was fading too fast。 Before past and present could share the toast； the vision was gone。 It was time to begin。
Downstairs； Monday was back； talking excitedly。 Setting the bottle down on the mantelpiece； Gentle went out onto the landing to find out what all the furor was about。 The boy was at the door； in the middle of describing the state of the city to Clem and Jude。 He'd never seen a stranger Saturday night； he said。 The streets were practically empty。 The only thing that was moving was the traffic lights。
〃At least we'll have an easy trip；〃 Jude said。
〃Are we going somewhere？〃
She told him； and he was well pleased。
〃I like it out in the country；〃 he said。 〃We can do what the fuck we like。〃
〃Let's just make it back alive；〃 she said。 〃He's relying on us。〃
〃No problem；〃 Monday said cheerily。 Then； to Clem： 〃Look after the boss…man； huh？ If things get weird； we can always call on Irish and the rest。〃
〃Did you tell them where we are？〃 Clem said。
〃They're not going to fetch up lookin' for a bed； don't worry；〃 Monday said。 〃But the way I reckon it； the more friends we got； the better。〃 He turned to Jude。 〃I'm ready when you are；〃 he said； and headed back outside。
〃This shouldn't take more than two or three hours；〃 Jude told Clem。 〃Look after yourself。 And him。〃
She glanced up the stairs as she spoke； but the candles at the bottom threw too frail a light to reach the top； and she failed to see Gentle there。 It was only when she'd gone from the step； and the car was roaring away down the street； that he made his presence known。
〃Monday's e back；〃 Clem said。
〃I heard。〃
〃Did he disturb you？ I'm sorry。〃
〃No； no。 I was finished anyway。〃
〃The night's so hot；〃 Clem said； gazing up at the sky。
〃Why don't you sleep for a while？ I can stand guard。〃
〃Where's that bloody pet of yours？〃
〃He's called Little Ease； Clem； and he's on the top floor； keeping watch。〃
〃I don't trust him； Gentle。〃
〃He'll do us no harm。 Go and lie down。〃
〃Have you finished with Pie？〃
〃I think I've learned what I can。 Now I've got to check on the rest of the Synod。〃
〃How'11 you do that？〃
〃I'll leave my body upstairs and go traveling。〃
〃That sounds dangerous。〃
〃I've done it before。 But my flesh and blood'll be vulnerable while I'm out of it。〃
〃As soon as you're ready to go； wake me。 I'll watch over you like a hawk。〃
〃Have an hour's nap first。〃
Clem picked up one of the candles and went to look for a place to lie down； leaving Gentle to take over his post at the front door。 He sat on the step with his head laid against the door frame and enjoyed what little breeze the night could supply。 There were no lamps working in the street。 It was the light of the moon； and the stars in array around it； that picked out the details in the house opposite and caught the pale undersides of the leaves when the wind lifted them。 Lulled； he fell into a doze and missed the shooting stars。
〃Oh； how beautiful；〃 the girl said。 She couldn't have been more than sixteen； and when she laughed； which her beau had made her do a lot tonight； she sounded even younger。 But she wasn't laughing now。 She was standing in the darkness staring up at the meteor shower； while Sartori looked on admiringly。
He'd found her three hours earlier； wandering through the Midsummer Fair on Hampstead Heath； and had easily charmed himself into her pany。 The fair was doing poor business； with so few people out and about； so when the rides closed down； which they did at the first sign of dusk； he talked her into ing into the City with him。 They'd buy some wine； he said； and wander； find a place to sit and talk and watch the stars。 It was a long time since he'd indulged himself in a seduction…Judith had been another kind of challenge entirely…but the tricks of the trade came back readily enough； and the satisfaction of watching her resistance crumble； plus the wine he imbibed； did much to assuage the pain of recent defeats。
The girl…her name was Monica…was both lovely and pliant。 She met his gaze only coyly at