cb.imajica2-第111部分
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！
。 But the fire's malice wasn't meant for them； and the meteor passed over the city； leaving it unharmed； outblazing the et as it went。
With the fire out of sight； Gentle turned back to his Father。
〃What have You done？〃 he demanded。
The God's attention lingered in the Fifth for a little time； but as Gentle's demand came again He withdrew His mind from His target； and His eyes regained their animation。
〃I've sent a fire for the whore；〃 He said。 It was no longer the lightning that spoke； but His many throats。
〃Why？〃
〃Because she tainted you。。。 she made you want love。〃
〃Is that so bad？〃
〃You can't build cities with love；〃 the God said。 〃You can't make great works。 It's weakness。〃
〃And what about Nisi Nirvana？〃 Gentle said。 〃Is that a weakness too？〃
He dropped to his knees and laid his phantom palms on the ground。 They had no power here； or else he'd have started digging。 Nor could his spirit pierce the ground。 The same barrier that sealed him from his Father's belly kept him from looking into His Dominion's underworld。 But he could ask the questions。
〃Who spoke the words； Father？〃 he asked。 〃Who said： Nisi Nirvana？〃
〃Forget you ever heard those words；〃 Hapexamendios replied。 〃The whore is dead。 It's over。〃
In his frustration Gentle made fists of his hands and beat on the solid ground。
〃There's nothing there but Me；〃 the。many throats went on。 〃My flesh is everywhere。 My flesh is the world； and the world is My flesh。〃
On the Mount of Lipper Bayak； Tick Raw had given up his triumphal jig and was sitting at the edge of his circle； waiting for the curious to emerge from their houses and e up to question him； when the fire appeared in the Fourth… Like Chicka Jackeen； he assumed it was some star of annunciation； sent to mark the victory； and he rose again to hail it。 He wasn't alone。 There were several people below who'd spotted the blaze over the Jokalaylau and were applauding the spectacle as it approached。 When it passed overhead it brought a brief noon to Vanaeph； before going on its way。 It lit Patashoqua just as brightly； then flew out of the Dominion through a fog that had just appeared beyond the city； marking the first passing place between the Dominion of green…gold skies and that of blue。
Two similar fogs had formed in Clerkenwell； one to the southeast of Gamut Street and the other to the northwest； both marking doorways in the newly reconciled Dominion。 It was the latter that became blinding now； as the fire sped through it from the Fourth。 The sight was not unwitnessed。 Several revenants were in the vicinity； and though they had no clue as to what this signified； they sensed some calamity and retreated before the radiance； returning to the house to raise the alarm。 But they were too sluggish。 Before they were halfway back to Gamut Street the fog divided； and the Unbeheld's fire appeared in the benighted streets of Clerkenwell。
Monday saw it first； as he forsook the little fort of the candlelight and returned to the step。 The remnants of
Sartori's hordes were raising a cacophony in the darkness outside； but even as he crossed the threshold to ward them off； the darkness became light。
From her place on the top stair Jude saw Celestine lay her lips against her son's and then； with astonishing strength； lift his dead weight up and pitch him out of the circle。 Either the impact or the ing fire stirred him； and he began to rise； turning back towards his mother as he did so。 He was too late to reclaim his place。 The fire had e。
The window burst like a glittering cloud and the blaze filled the room。 Jude was flung off her feet； but clutched the banister long enough to see Sartori cover his face against the holocaust； as the woman in the circle opened her arms to accept it。 Celestine was instantly consumed； but the fire seemed unappeased and would have spread to burn the house to its foundations had its momentum not been so great。 It sped on through the room； demolishing the wall as it went。 On； on； towards the second fog that Clerkenwell boasted tonight。
〃What the fuck was that？〃 Monday said in the hallway below。
〃God；〃 Jude replied。 〃ing and going。〃
In the First； Hapexamendios raised His misbegotten head。 Even though He didn't need the assembly of sight that gleamed in His skull to see what was happening in His Dominion…He had eyes everywhere…some memory of the body that had once been His sole residence made Him turn now； as best He could； and look behind Him。
〃What is this？〃 He said。
Gentle couldn't see the fire yet； but he could feel whispers of its approach。
〃What is this？〃 Hapexamendios said again。
Without waiting for a reply； He began feverishly to unknit his semblance； something Gentle had both feared and hoped He'd do。 Feared； because the body from which the fire had been issued would doubtless be its destination； and if it was too quickly undone； the fire would have no target。 And hoped； because only in that undoing would he have a chance to locate Pie。 The barrier around his Father's form softened as the God was distracted by the intricacies of this dismantling； and though Gentle had yet to get a second glimpse of Pie he turned his thought to entering the body； but for all His perplexity Hapexamendios was not about to be breached so readily。 As Gentle approached； a will too powerful to be denied seized hold of him。
〃What is this？〃 the God demanded a third time。
Hoping he might yet gain a few precious seconds' reprieve； Gentle answered with the truth。
〃The Imajica's a circle；〃 he said。
〃A circle？〃
〃This is Your fire； Father。 This is Your fire； ing around again。〃
Hapexamendios didn't respond with words。 He understood instantly the significance of what He'd been told and let His hold on Gentle slip again； in order to turn all His will to the business of unknitting Himself。
The ungainly body began to unravel； and in its midst Gentle once again glimpsed Pie。 This time； the mystif saw him。 Its frail limbs thrashed to clear a way through the turmoil between them； but before Gentle could finally wrest himself from his Father's custody the ground beneath Pie 'oh' pah grew unsolid。 The mystif reached up to take hold of some support in the body above； but it was decaying too fast。 The ground gaped like a grave； and； with one last despairing look in Gentle's direction； the mystif sank from sight。
Gentle raised his head in a howl； but the sound he made was drowned out by that of his Father； who…as if in imitation of His child…had also thrown back His head。 But His was a din of fury rather than sorrow； as He wrenched and thrashed in His attempts to speed His unmasking。
Behind Him； now； the fire。 As it came Gentle thought he saw his mother's face in the blaze； shaped from ashes； her eyes and mouth wide as she returned to meet the God who'd raped； rejected； and finally murdered her。 A glimpse； no more； and then the fire was upon its maker； its judgment absolute。
Gentle's spirit was gone from the conflagration at a thought； but His Father…the world His flesh； the flesh His world…could not escape it。 His fetal head broke； and the fire consumed the shards as they flew； its blaze cremating His heart and innards and spreading through His mismatched limbs； burning them away to every last fingertip and toe。
The consequence for His city was both instantly felt and calamitous。 Every street from one end of the Dominion to the other shook as the message of collapse went from the place where its First Cause had fallen。 Gentle had nothing to fear from this dissolution； but the sight of it appalled him nevertheless。 This was his Father； and it gave him neither pleasure nor satisfaction to see the body whose child he was now reel and bleed。 The imperious towers began to topple； their ornament dropping in rococo rains； their arches forsaking the illusion of stone and falling as flesh。 The streets heaved and turned to meat； the houses threw down their bony roofs。 Despite the collapse around him； Gentle remained close to the place where his Father had been consumed； in the hope that he might yet find Pie loh' pah in the maelstrom。 But it seemed Hapexamendios' last voluntary act had been to deny the lovers their reunion。 He'd opened the ground and buri
