cb.imajica2-第64部分

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　〃Tell　me　as　much　as…　Whoa！　I　see　a　cab！〃
　Clem　stepped　out　into　the　street　and　waved　the　vehicle　down。　They　both　got　in　and　Clem　supplied　the　driver　with　directions。　As　he　was　doing　so；　the　man　peered　into　his　mirror。
　〃Is　that　someone　you　know？〃
　They　looked　back　along　the　bridge　to　see　Monday　pelting　towards　them。　Seconds　later　the　paint…smeared　face　was　at　the　taxi　window；　and　Monday　was　begging　to　join　them。
　〃You've　got　to　let　me　e　with　you；　boss。　It's　not　fair　if　you　don't。　I　gave　you　my　colors；　didn't　I？　Where　would　you　be　without　my　colors？〃
　〃I　can't　risk　your　getting　hurt；〃　Gentle　said。
　〃If　I　get　hurt　it's　my　hurt　and　it's　my　fault。〃
　〃Are　we　going；　or　what？〃　the　driver　wanted　to　know。
　〃Let　me　e；　boss。　Please。〃
　Gentle　shrugged；　then　nodded。　The　grin；　which　had　gone　from　Monday's　face　during　his　appeal；　returned　in　glory；　and　he　clambered　into　the　cab；　rattling　his　tobacco　tin　of　chalks　like　a　ju…ju　as　he　did　so。
　〃I　brought　the　colors；〃　he　said；　〃just　in　case　we　need　'em。　You　never　know　when　we　might　have　to　draw　a　quick　Dominion　or　something；　right？〃
　Though　the　journey　to　Judith's　flat　was　relatively　short；　there　were　signs　everywhere…mostly　small；　but　so　numerous　their　sum　became　significant…that　the　days　of　venomous　heat　and　uncleansing　storm　were　taking　their　toll　on　the　city　and　its　occupants。　There　were　vociferous　altercations　at　every　other　corner；　and　some　in　the　middle　of　the　street；　there　were　scowls　and　furrows　on　every　passing　face。
　〃Tay　said　there　was　a　void　ing；〃　Clem　remarked　as　they　waited　at　an　intersection　for　two　furious　motorists　to　be　stopped　from　making　nooses　of　each　other's　neckties。　〃Is　this　all　part　of　it？〃
　〃It's　bloody　madness　is　what　it　is；〃　the　cabbie　chimed　in。　〃There's　been　more　murders　in　the　last　five　days　than　in　all　of　last　year。　I　read　that　somewhere。　And　it's　not　just　murders；　neither；　it's　people　toppin'　themselves。　A　mate　of　mine；　a　cabbie　like；　was　up　the　Arsenal　on　Tuesday　and　this　woman　just　throws　herself　in　front　of　his　cab。　Straight　under　the　front　wheels。　Bloody　tragic。〃
　The　fighters　had　finally　been　refereed　and　were　being　escorted　to　opposite　pavements。
　〃I　don't　know　what　the　world's　ing　to；〃　the　cabbie　said。　〃It's　bloody　madness。〃
　His　piece　said；　he　turned　on　the　radio　as　the　traffic　began　moving　again；　and　began　whistling　3n　out…of…tune　acpaniment　to　the　ballad　that　emerged。
　〃Is　this　something　we　can　help　stop？〃　Clem　asked　Gentle。　〃Or　is　it　just　going　to　get　worse？〃
　〃I　hope　the　Reconciliation　will　put　an　end　to　it。　But　I　can't　be　certain。　This　Dominion's　been　sealed　up　for　so　long；　it's　poisoned　itself　with　its　own　shit。〃
　〃So　we　just　have　to　pull　down　the　sod　din'　walls；〃　Monday　said；　with　the　glee　of　a　born　demolisher。　He　rattled　his　tin　of　colors　again。　〃You　mark　'em；〃　he　said；　〃and　I'll　knock　'em　down。　Easy。〃
　
　The　child；　Jude　had　been　told；　had　more　purpose　in　it　than　most；　and　she　believed　it。　But　what　did　that　mean；　besides　the　risk　of　its　fury　if　she　tried　to　unhouse　it？　Would　it　grow　faster　than　others？　Would　she　be　big　with　it　by　dusk；　and　her　water　ready　to　break　before　morning？　She　lay　in　the　bedroom　now；　the　day's　heat　already　weighing　on　her　limbs；　and　hoped　the　stories　she'd　heard　from　radiant　mothers　were　true；　that　her　body　would　pour　palliatives　into　her　bloodstream　to　ease　the　traumas　of　nurturing　and　expelling　another　life。
　When　the　doorbell　rang　her　first　instinct　was　to　ignore　it；　but　her　visitors；　whoever　they　were；　kept　on　ringing　and　eventually　began　to　shout　up　at　the　window。　One　called　for　Judy；　the　other；　more　oddly；　for　Jude。　She　sat　up；　and　for　a　moment　it　was　as　though　her　anatomy　had　shifted。　Her　heart　thumped　in　her　head；　and　her　thoughts　had　to　be　dragged　up　out　of　her　belly　to　form　the　intention　to　leave　the　room　and　go　down　to　the　door。　The　voices　were　still　summoning　her　from　below；　but　they　petered　out　as　she^　headed　down　the　stairs；　and　she　was　ready　to　find　the　doorstep　empty　when　she　got　there。　Not　so。　There　was　an　adolescent　there；　besmirched　with　color；　who　upon　sight　of　her　turned　and　hollered　to　her　other　visitors；　who　were　across　the　street；　peering　up　at　her　flat。
　〃She's　here！〃　he　yelled。　〃Boss？　She's　here！〃
　They　started　back　across　the　road　towards　the　step；　and　as　they　came　her　heart；　still　beating　in　her　head；　took　up　a　suicidal　tempo。　She　reached　out　for　some　support　as　the　man　at　Clem's　side　met　her　eyes　and　smiled。　This　wasn't　Gentle。　At　least　it　wasn't　the　egg…thief　Gentle　who'd　left　a　couple　of　hours　before；　his　face　flawless。　This　one　hadn't　shaved　for　several　days　and　had　a　brow　of　scabs。
　She　backed　away　from　the　step；　her　hand　failing　to　find　the　door　though　she　wanted　to　slam　it。　〃Keep　away　from　me；〃　she　said。
　He　stopped　a　yard　or　two　from　the　threshold；　seeing　the　panic　on　her　face。　The　youth　had　turned　to　him；　and　the　imposter　signaled　that　he　should　retreat；　which　he　did；　leaving　the　line　of　vision　between　them　clear。
　〃I　know。I　look　like　shit；〃　the　scabby　face　said。　〃But　it's　me；　Jude。〃
　She　took　two　steps　back　from　the　blaze　in　which　he　stood　（How　the　light　liked　him！　Not　like　the　other；　who'd　been　in　shadow　every　time　she'd　set　eyes　on　him）；　her　sinews　fluttering　from　toes　to　fingertips；　their　motion　escalating　as　though　a　fit　was　about　to　seize　her。　She　reached　for　the　banister　and　took　hold　of　it　to　keep　herself　from　falling　over。
　〃It　can't　be；〃　she　said。
　This　time　the　man　made　no　reply。　It　was　his　acplice　in　this　deceit…Clem；　of　all　people…who　said；　〃Judy。　We　have　to　talk　to　you。　Can　I　e　in？〃
　〃Just　you；〃　she　said。　〃Not　them。　Just　you。〃
　〃Just　me。〃
　He　came　to　the　door；　approaching　her　slowly；　palms　out；　〃What's　happened　here？〃　he　said。
　〃That's　not　Gentle；〃　she　told　him。　〃Gentle's　been　with　me　for　the　last　two　days。　And　nights。　That's。。。　I　don't　know　who。〃
　The　imposter　heard　what　she　was　telling　Clem。　She　could　see　his　face　over　the　other　man's　shoulder；　so　shocked　the　words　might　have　been　blows。　The　more　she　tried　to　explain　to　Clem　what　had　happened；　the　more　she　lost　faith　with　what　she　was　saying。　This　Gentle；　waiting　outside；　was　the　man　she'd　left　on　the　studio　step；　standing　bewildered　in　the　sun　as　he　was　now。　And　if　this　was　he；　then　the　lover　who'd　e　to　her；　the　egg　licker　and　fertilizer；　was　some　other　some　terrible　other。
　She　saw　Gentle　make　the　man's　name　with　his　lips：　〃Sartori；〃
　Hearing　the　name　and　knowing　it　was　true…knowing　that　the　butcher　of　Yzordderrex　had　found　a　place　in　her　bed；　heart；　and　womb…the　convulsions　threatened　to　overtake　her　pletely。　But　she　clung　to　the　solid；　sweaty　world　as　best　she　could；　determined　that　these　men；　his　enemies；　should　know　what　he'd　done。
　〃e　in；〃　she　said　to　Gentle。　〃e　in　and　close　the　door。〃
　He　brought　the　boy　with　him；　but　she　didn't　have　the　will　to　waste　on　objecting。　He　also　brought　a　question：　〃Did　he　harm　you？〃
　〃No；〃　she　said。　She　almost　wished　he　had；　wished　he'd　given　her　a　glimpse　of　his　atrocious　self。　〃You　told　me　he　was　changed；　Gentle；〃　she　said。　〃You　said　he　was　a　monster；　he　was　corrupted；　you　said。　But　he　was　exactly　like　you。〃
　She　let　her　rage　simmer　in　her　as　she　spoke；　working　its　alchemy　on　the　abhorrence　she　felt　and　turning　it　into　purer；　wiser　stuff。　Gentle　had　misled　her　with　his　descriptions　of　his　other；　creating　in　her　mind's　eye　a　man　so　tainted　by　his　deeds　he　was　barely　human。　There'd　been　no　malice　in　his　deception；　only　the　desire　to　be　utterly　divided　from　the　man　who　shared　his　face。　But　now　he　knew　his　error　and　was　plainly　ashamed。　He　hung　back；　watching　her　while　the　tremors　in　her　body　slowed。　There　was　steel　in　her　sinew　and　it　held　her　up；　lent　her　the　strength　to　finish　the　account。　There　was　no　sense　in　keeping　the　last　part　of　Sartori's　deceit　from　either　Gentle　or　Clem。　It　would　be　apparent　soon　enough。　She　laid　her　hand　on　her　belly。
　〃I'm　pregnant；〃　she　said。　〃His　child。　Sartori's　child。〃
　In　a　more　rational　world　she　might　have　been　able　to　interpret　the　expression　on　Gentle's　face　as　he　received　the　news；　but　its　plexity　defied　her。　There　was　anger　in　the　maze；　certainly；　and　bafflement　too。　But　was　there　also　a　little　jealousy？　He　hadn't　wanted　her　pany　when　they'd　returned　from　the　Dominio