cb.imajica2-第20部分

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ir　folds　soon　concealed　the　ground　and　slowed　his　step。　Nor　did　he　have　to　puzzle　much　over　their　purpose。　Now　that　he　was　unacpanied　by　Athanasius；　the　air　was　determined　to　deny　him　the　defense　of　walking　here　as　an　innocent；　as　a　man　in　pursuit　of　an　errant　lover。　Wrapped　in　black　and　attended　by　drums；　his　profounder　nature　was　here　revealed：　he　was　a　Maestro　with　a　murderous　power　at　his　lips；　and　there　would　be　no　concealing　that　fact；　either　from　the　Erasure　or　from　those　who　were　meditating　upon　it。
　Several　of　the　worshipers　had　been　stirred　from　their　contemplations　by　the　sound　of　the　stones　and　now　looked　up　to　see　they　had　an　ominous　figure　in　their　midst。　One；　kneeling　alone　close　to　Gentle's　path；　rose　in　panic　and　fled；　uttering　a　prayer　of　protection。　Another　fell　prostrate；　sobbing。　Rather　than　intimidate　them　further　with　his　gaze；　Gentle　turned　his　eyes　on　God's　Nowhere；　scouring　the　ground　close　to　the　margin　of　solid　earth　and　void　for　some　sign　of　Pie　'oh'　pah。　The　sight　of　the　Erasure　no　longer　distressed　him　as　it　had　when　he'd　first　stepped　out　here　with　Athanasius。　Clothed　as　he　was；　and　thus　announced；　he　came　before　the　void　as　a　man　of　power。　For　him　to　have　attempted　the　rites　of　Reconciliation；　he　must　have　made　his　peace　with　this　mystery。　He　had　nothing　to　fear　from　it。
　By　the　time　he　set　eyes　on　Pie　'oh'　pah　he　was　three　or　four　hundred　yards　from　the　door；　and　the　assembly　of　meditators　had　thinned　to　a　brave　few　who'd　wandered　from　the　mam　knot　of　the　congregation　in　search　of　solitude。　Some　had　already　retreated；　seeing　him　approach；　but　a　stoical　few　kept　their　praying　places　and　let　this　stranger　pass　by　without　so　much　as　glancing　up　at　him。　Now　so　folded　in　sable　breath　he　feared　Pie　would　not　recognize　him；　Gentle　began　to　call　the　mystif　s　name。　The　call　went　unacknowledged。　Though　the　mystif's　head　was　no　more　than　a　dark　blur　in　the　murk；　Gentle　knew　what　its　hungry　eyes　were　fixed　upon：　the　enigma　that　was　coaxing　its　steady　step　the　way　a　cliff　edge　might　coax　a　suicide。　He　picked　up　his　pace；　his　momentum　moving　steadily　larger　stones　as　he　went。　Though　there　was　no　sign　that　the　mystif　was　in　any　hurry；　he　feared　that　once　it　was　in　the　equivocal　region　between　solid　ground　and　nothingness；　it　would　be　irretrievable。
　〃Pie！〃　he　yelled　as　he　went。　〃Can　you　hear　me？　Please；　stop！〃
　The　words　went　on　clouding　and　clothing　him；　but　they　had　no　effect　upon　Pie　until　Gentle　turned　his　requests　into　an　order。
　〃Pie　'oh'　pah。　This　is　your　Maestro。　Stop。〃
　The　mystif　stumbled　as　Gentle　spoke；　as　though　his　demand　had　put　an　obstacle　in　its　way。　A　small；　almost　bestial　sound　of　pain　escaped　it。　But　it　did　as　its　sometime　summoner　had　ordered　and　stopped　in　its　tracks　like　a　dutiful　servant；　waiting　until　the　Maestro　reached　its　side。
　Gentle　was　within　ten　paces；　now；　and　saw　how　far　advanced　the　process　of　unknitting　was。　The　mystif　was　barely　more　than　a　shadow　among　shadows；　its　features　impossible　to　read；　its　body　insubstantial。　If　Gentle　needed　any　further　proof　that　the　Erasure　was　not　a　place　of　healing；　it　was　in　the　sight　of　the　uredo；　which　was　more　solid　than　the　body　it　had　fed　upon；　its　livid　stains　intermittently　brightening　like　embers　caught　by　a　gusting　wind。
　〃Why　did　you　leave　your　bed？〃　Gentle　said；　his　pace　slowed　once　again　as　he　approached　the　mystif。　Its　form　seemed　so　tenuous　he　feared　any　violent　motion　might　disperse　it　entirely。　〃There's　nothing　beyond　the　Erasure　you　need；　Pie。　Your　life's　here；　with　me。〃
　The　mystif　took　a　little　time　to　reply。　When　it　did　its　voice　was　as　ethereal　as　its　substance；　a　slender；　exhausted　plea　emerging　from　a　spirit　at　the　edge　of　total　collapse。
　〃I　don't　have　any　life　left；　Maestro；〃　it　said。
　〃Let　me　be　the　judge　of　that。　I　swore　to　myself　I　wouldn't　let　you　go　again；　Pie。　I　want　to　look　after　you；　make　you　well。　Bringing　you　here　was　a　mistake；　I　see　that　now。　I'm　sorry　if　it's　brought　you　pain；　but　I'll　take　you　away…〃
　〃It　wasn't　a　mistake。　You　found　your　way　here　for　your　own　reasons。〃
　〃You're　my　reason；　Pie。　I　didn't　know　who　I　was　till　you　found　me；　and　I'll　forget　myself　again　if　you　go。〃
　〃No；　you　won't；〃　it　said；　the　dubious　outline　of　its　head　turning　in　Gentle's　direction。　Though　there　was　no　gleam　to　mark　the　place　where　its　eyes　had　been；　Gentle　knew　it　was　looking　at　him。　〃You're　the　Maestro　Sartori。　The　Reconciler　of　the　Imajica。〃　It　faltered　for　a　long　moment。　When　its　voice　came　again；　it　was　frailer　than　ever。　〃And　you　are　also　my　master；　and　my　husband；　and　my　dearest　brother。　。。。　If　you　order　me　to　stay；　then　I　will　stay。　But　if　you　love　me；　Gentle；　then　please　。。。　let。。。　me　。。。　go。〃
　The　request　could　scarcely　have　been　made　more　simply　or　more　eloquently；　and　had　Gentle　known　without　question　there　was　an　Eden　on　the　other　side　of　the　Erasure；　ready　to　receive　Pie's　spirit；　he　would　have　let　the　mystif　go　there　and　then；　agonizing　as　it　would　be。　But　he　believed　differently　and　was　ready　to　say　it；　even　in　such　proximity　to　the　void。
　〃It's　not　heaven；　Pie。　Maybe　God's　there；　maybe　not。
　But　until　we　know…〃
　〃Why　not　just　let　me　go　now　and　see　for　myself？　I'm　not　afraid。　This　is　the　Dominion　where　my　people　were　made。　I　want　to　see　it。〃　In　these　words　there　was　the　first　hint　of　passion　Gentle　had　so　far　heard。　〃I'm　dying；　Maestro。　I　need　to　lie　down　and　sleep。〃
　〃What　if　there's　nothing　there；　Pie？　What　if　it's　only　emptiness？〃
　〃I'd　prefer　the　absence　to　the　pain。〃　The　reply　defeated　Gentle　utterly。　〃Then　you'd　better　go；〃　he　said；　wishing　he　could　find　some　more　tender　way　to　relinquish　his　hold；　but　unable　to　conceal　his　desolation　with　platitudes。　However　much　he　wanted　to　save　Pie　from　suffering；　his　sympathy　could　not　outweigh　the　need　he　felt；　nor　quite　annul　the　sense　of　ownership　which；　however　unsavory；　was　a　part　of　what　he　felt　towards　this　creature。
　〃I　wish　we　could　have　taken　this　last　journey　together；　Maestro；〃　Pie　said。　〃But　you've　got　work　to　do；　I　know。　Great　work。〃
　〃And　how　do　I　do　it　without　you？〃　Gentle　said；　knowing　this　was　a　wretched　gambit…and　half　ashamed　of　it…but　unwilling　to　let　the　mystif　pass　from　life　without　voicing　every　desire　he　knew　to　keep　it　from　going。
　〃You're　not　alone；〃　Pie　said；　〃You've　met　Tick　Raw　and　Scopique。　They　were　both　members　of　the　last　Synod；　and　they're　ready　to　work　the　Reconciliation　with　you。〃　〃They're　Maestros？〃
　〃They　are　now。　They　were　novices　the　last　time；　but　they're　prepared　now。　They'll　work　in　their　Dominions　while　you　work　in　the　Fifth。〃
　〃They　waited　all　this　time？〃
　〃They　knew　you'd　e。　Or；　if　not　you；　somebody　in　your　place。〃
　He'd　treated　them　both　so　badly；　he　thought；　Tick　Raw　especially。
　〃Who'll　represent　the　Second？〃　he　said。　〃And　the　First？〃
　〃There　was　a　Eurhetemec　in　Yzordderrex；　waiting　to　work　for　the　Second；　but　he's　dead。　He　was　old　the　last　time；　and　he　couldn't　wait。　I　asked　Scopique　to　find　a　replacement。〃
　〃And　here？〃
　〃I'd　hoped　that　honor　might　fall　to　me；　but　now　you'll　need　to　find　someone　in　my　place。　Don't　look　so　lost；　Maestro；　please。　You　were　a　great　Reconciler…〃
　〃I　failed。　How　great　is　that？〃
　〃You　won't　fail　again。〃
　〃I　don't　even　know　the　ceremonies。〃
　〃You'll　remember；　after　a　time。〃
　〃How？〃
　〃All　that　we　did　and　said　and　felt　is　still　waiting　in　Gamut　Street。　All　our　preparations；　all　our　debates。　Even　me。〃
　〃Memory　isn't　enough；　Pie。〃
　〃I　know。。。。〃
　〃I　want　you　real。　I　want　you　。。。　forever。〃
　〃Maybe；　when　the　Imajica　is　whole　again　and　the　First　Dominion　opens；　you'll　find　me。〃
　There　was　some　tiny　hope　in　that；　he　thought；　though　whether　it　would　be　enough　to　keep　him　from　despair　when　the　mystif　had　disappeared　he　didn't　know。
　〃May　I　go？〃　Pie　said。
　Gentle　had　never　uttered　a　harder　syllable　than　his　next。　〃Yes；〃　he　said。
　The　mystif　raised　its　hand；　which　was　no　more　than　a　five…fingered　wisp　of　smoke；　and　put　it　against　Gentle's　lips。
　He　felt　no　physical　contact；　but　his　heart　jumped　in　his　chest。
　〃We're　not　lost；〃　Pie　said。　〃Trust　in　that。〃　Then　the　fingers　dropped　away；　and　the　mystif　started　from　Gentle's　side　towards　the　Erasure。　There　were　perhaps　a　dozen　yards　to　cover；　and　as　the　gap　diminished