cb.torturedsouls-第4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！


。　This　was　the　man　who'd　orphaned　her；　why　not　enjoy　his　superstitious　fear？
　　〃You　think　I'm　a　stupid　man？〃　he　said。
　　〃To　be　afraid　the　way　you're　afraid　now？　Yes。　I　think　that's　pitiful。〃
　　〃I　don't　want　your　contempt。〃　Cascarellian　said；　with　a　strange　sincerity。
　　〃I　have　enough　enemies。〃
　　〃Then　don't　make　one　of　me。〃　Lucidique　said。　〃Let　me　go。　Let　me　see　the　sky！〃
　　〃I'll　take　you　out；　if　that's　what　you　want。〃
　　〃You　will？〃
　　〃Yes。　We'll　go　wherever　you　like。〃
　　〃I　want　to　go　out　into　the　desert。　Away　from　the　city。〃
　　〃Really？　Why？〃
　　〃I　told　you。　I　want　to　see　the　sky。。。〃
　　
　　　IV
　　The　next　day；　a　convoy　of　three　cars　wound　through　the　chaotic　streets　of　Primorduim　and　headed　for　the　West　Gate。　In　the　first　car；　two　of　Cascarellian's　best　men…loyal　bodyguards　who'd　seen　him　through　many　attempts　upon　his　life。　In　the　back　car；　the　three　brothers；　wondering　aloud　（as　they　increasingly　did　these　days）　if　a　kind　of　lunacy　had　overtaken　their　father。　Why　was　he　indulging　this　woman　Lucidique　in　her　whims？　Didn't　he　understand　that　she　had　every　reason　to　hate　him；　to　plot　against　him？
　　In　the　middle　car；　chauffeured　by　Marius；　Cascarellian's　driver　for　three　decades；　sat　the　Don　himself；　acpanied　by　Lucidique。
　　〃Satisfied？〃　he　said　to　her；　once　they　were　outside　the　gates；　and　in　sight　of　the　open　sky。
　　〃A　little　further；　please。。。〃　she　said。
　　〃Don't　think　you　can　fool　me；　woman。　You　may　be　cleverer　than　most　of　your　sex；　but　you　won't　escape　me；　if　that's　your　thought！〃
　　They　drove　on　in　silence　for　a　distance。
　　〃I　think　we've　e　far　enough。　And　you've　seen　enough　of　the　sky　for　one　day！〃
　　〃Can't　I　just　get　out　and　walk？〃
　　〃Walking　now；　is　it？〃
　　〃Please。　There's　no　harm　in　that　surely？　Look。。。open　ground　in　every　direction。〃
　　Cascarellian　considered　this　for　a　moment。　Then　he　called　the　convoy　to　a　halt。
　　A　dust　storm　was　on　the　horizon；　slowly　approaching　the　road。
　　〃You'd　better　be　quick！〃　the　Don　told　her。
　　Lucidique　watched　the　approaching　wall　of　sand；　then　glanced　round　at　the　men　who　were　getting　out　of　the　cars；　particularly　the　brothers。　They　smiled　slyly　as　they　eyed　her。　One　of　them　flicked　his　tongue　between　his　lips；　the　obscene　inference　plain。
　　It　was　the　last　straw。　Lucidique　turned　her　back　on　him…on　them　all…and　began　to　walk　towards　the　sand…storm。
　　A　chorus　of　warnings　instantly　erupted　behind　her。　〃Don't　take　another　step！〃　one　of　the　brothers　said；　〃Or　I'll　shoot　you！〃
　　She　turned　to　him；　her　arms　opened　wide。　〃So　shoot！　she　said。
　　Then　she　turned　again　and　strode　on。
　　〃e　back　here；　woman！〃　the　Don　yelled。　〃There's　nothing　out　there　but　sand。〃
　　The　wind　from　the　storm　was　whipping　up　Lucidique's　hair　now。　It　was　like　a　dark　halo　around　her　head。
　　〃Do　you　hear　me？〃　the　Don　called　after　her。
　　Lucidique　looked　over　her　shoulder。
　　〃e　walk　with　me；〃　she　said　to　him。
　　The　old　man　drew　hard　on　his　cigar；　and　then　went　after　the　woman。
　　His　sons　set　up　a　chorus　of　plaint：　what　was　he　doing？　Was　he　out　of　his　mind？
　　He　ignored　them。　He　simply　followed　in　Lucidique's　footsteps　across　the　sand。
　　She　glanced　over　her　shoulder　at　the　old　man；　who　wore　a　curious　expression。　In　some　strange　way　he　was　happy　at　that　moment；　happier　than　he'd　been　in　many　years；　with　the　wind　hot　against　his　face；　and　the　beautiful　woman　calling　to　him　to　e　with　her…
　　Seeing　that　he　was　obeying　her；　she　returned　her　gaze　to　the　sandstorm；　which　was　now　no　more　than　a　hundred　yards　off。　There　was　something　moving　at　its　heart。　She　was　not　surprised。　Though　she　hadn't　planned　the　reunion　that　lay　ahead　she　had　nevertheless　known　in　her　heart　that　it　was　ing。　Her　life　since　she'd　stepped　into　her　father's　death…chamber；　and　seen　Kreiger　at　work；　had　been　like　a　strange　dream；　which　she　was　somehow　shaping　without　conscious　effort。
　　She　stopped　walking。　Cascarellian　had　caught　up　with　her　and　seized　her　arm。　He　had　a　knife　in　the　other　hand。　He　pressed　it　to　her　breast。
　　〃So　that's　where　he　is！〃　said　Cascarellian　staring　at　the　dark　giant　in　the　heart　of　the　storm。　〃Your　Scythe…Meister。〃
　　As　he　spoke；　the　sandstorm　picked　up　a　sudden　spurt　of　speed　and　came　at　them…
　　〃Don't　e　any　closer！〃　the　Don　warned　the　creature　in　the　storm。　〃I'll　kill　her。〃
　　He　pressed　the　knife　into　Lucidique's　skin；　just　enough　to　draw　blood。
　　〃Tell　him　to　keep　his　distance；〃　he　warned。
　　〃It　isn't　Kreiger。　It's　a　man　called　Agonistes。　He　has　God's　finger…prints　upon　him。〃
　　The　heresy　of　this　made　Cascarellian's　devoted　stomach　turn。　〃Don't　talk　that　way！〃　he　said；　and　with　a　sudden　spurt　of　righteousness　he　drove　the　knife　into　her　heart。　She　reached　out；　and　touched　the　wound；　then　with　her　finger　bloody　grazed　his　forehead。　A　death　mark。
　　Cascarellian　let　the　body　drop　to　the　ground　and　ordered　a　quick　retreat　to　the　cars　before　the　storm　reached　them。　This　grim　business　wasn't　finished；　just　because　she　was　dead。　He　knew　that。　It　was　just　beginning。
　　
　　He　turned　the　house　into　a　fortress。　He　had　the　windows　sealed；　and　blessed　with　holy　water。　He　bricked　up　the　chimneys。　He　had　guards　and　dogs　patrolling　the　place　night　and　day。
　　After　a　week　he　began　to　believe　that　perhaps　his　faith　and　his　gifts　of　money　to　the　diocese；　buying　congregations　praying　for　his　safety；　were　having　some　effect。
　　He　started　to　relax。
　　Then；　on　the　afternoon　of　the　eighth　day；　a　wind　came　out　of　the　West：　a　sandy　wind。　It　hissed　at　the　sealed　doors　and　the　windows。　It　whined　beneath　the　floorboards。　The　old　man　took　two　tranquilizers　and　a　glass　of　wine；　and　went　to　sit　in　his　bath。
　　A　pleasant　torpor　overcame　him　as　he　sat　in　the　warm　water。　His　eyes　fluttered　closed。
　　And　then　her　voice。　Somehow　she'd　got　in。　She'd　survived　the　knife　to　her　heart　and　she'd　got　in。
　　〃Look　at　you；〃　she　said。　〃Naked　as　a　baby。〃
　　He　grabbed　his　towel　to　cover　himself；　but　as　he　did　so　she　stepped　out　of　the　shadows　and　showed　herself　to　him；　in　all　her　terrible　glory。　She　was　not　the　Lucidique　he'd　known；　not　remotely。　Her　whole　body　was　transformed。　She'd　bee　a　living　weapon。
　　〃Oh　Jesus　help　me。。。〃　he　murmured。
　　She　reached　forward　and　she　castrated　him　with　one　sweep　of　her　scythe。　He　clamped　his　bloody　hands　to　his　empty　groin　and　stumbled　out　to　the　landing；　calling　for　help。　But　the　house　was　silent　from　roof　to　cellar。　He　called　his　sons'　names；　one　by　one。　None　came。　Only　his　old　dog　Malleus　answered　his　call；　and　when　he　trotted　through　from　the　kitchen　he　left　red　paw…marks　on　the　white　carpet。　He　was　eating　something　human。
　　〃All　dead。〃　Lucidique　said。
　　Then；　very　gently；　she　took　hold　of　the　back　of　Cascarellian's　neck；　the　way　a　mother…cat　catches　hold　of　an　errant　kitten；　and　lifted　him　up；　effortlessly。　The　blood　from　his　vacant　groin　slapped　against　the　carpet。
　　She　put　her　blade　to　his　chest　and　cut　out　his　heart。　Then　she　let　his　body　tumble　back　down　the　stairs。
　　
　　Later；　when　the　wind　had　dropped；　and　she　could　see　the　stars　clearly；　she　went　out　into　the　street；　leaving　the　door　to　the　Cascarellian　mansion　wide　open　so　that　atrocity　there　should　be　soon　discovered。　Then　she　headed　out；　through　a　variety　of　back　streets　and　alleys；　to　the　West　Gate；　and　thence　into　the　waiting　desert。
　　
　　
　　　Book　Four
　　　The　Surgeon　of　the　Sacred　Heart
　　
　　　I
　　With　the　Emperor　and　his　family　dead　at　the　hand　of　The　Scythe…Meister；　and　the　head　Don　of　Primordium；　Duraf　Cascarellian；　slaughtered　by　Lucidique　（along　with　most　of　his　sons　and　bodyguards）　an　uneasy　peace　had　settled　on　the　city。　The　minor　brawls　and　battles　that　had　erupted　after　the　Great　Insurrection　quietened　down。　It　was　as　though　nobody　wanted　to　draw　attention　to　themselves；　not　with　so　many　murderous　forces　abroad　in　the　city's　streets。
　　The　Military　junta　that　had　taken　charge　of　the　running　of　the　city　during　this　crisis　was　headed　by　a　triumvirate　of　Generals：　Bogoto；　Urbano　and　Montefalco。　They　were　no　better　nor　worse　than　any　of　their　type：　men　who'd　risen　to　the　top　of　their　belligerent　trade　by　showing　the　greatest　propensity　for　cruelty　and　control。
　　But　b