sheritepper.necromancer nine-第31部分

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　We　had　asked　him　how　he　had　learned　to　speak？　Surely　he　remembered　a　childhood？
　At　that　his　eyes　had　rolled　back　in　his　head　and　he　had　trembled　like　a　drumhead。　Mavin　had　said　sadly；　〃Let　it　go；　Peter。　I　do　not　know　whether　it　was　born　of　human　kind；　but　it　has　been　changed　beyond　recognition。　This　is　only　an　empty　vessel；　drained　of　all　but　limited　speech　and　directed　action　and　fear　of　pain。　Let　it　go。〃
　That　was　when　we　had　let　him　go。
　Now　we　leaned　against　a　wall　and　considered。　Somewhere　in　this　tangled；　underground　labyrinth　were　the　inner　doors　the　Tallman　had　spoken　of。　Somewhere　in　this　web　of　a　place　we　would　find　some　answers；　but　we　would　not　find　them　standing　against　a　wall。　We　would　have　to　follow　some　of　them。　〃I　will　not　do　this；〃　Mavin　said　with　asperity；　〃mock　that　unfortunate　creature　by　saying　them。　They　are　magicians；　and　so　I　will　say。
　〃Say　away；〃　I　mented。　〃Particularly　if　it　will　help　some。〃
　Easier　conceived　of　than　acplished。　There　were　none　of　the　magicians　about。　Perhaps　it　was　not　a　time　they　moved　about。　Perhaps　the　earlier　occurrence　had　been　a　random　happening　with　little　chance　of　repetition。　We　wandered；　baffled　and　frustrated。　Bells　rang。　Machines　wheezed　and　gulped。　Tallmen　moved　quietly　past。　Silence　came。
　〃Perhaps　it　is　night　outside；〃　said　Mavin。　〃These　beings　must　once　have　lived　beneath　the　sun。　Perhaps　they　keep　its　time　still。〃
　〃If　that　is　so；　they　maybe　sleeping　rather　than　watching　what　goes　on　around　them。　And　if　that　is　so；　then　we　might　risk　other　bodies　than　these。〃　We　hesitated；　wondering　whether　it　was　wise　to　take　the　risk。
　At　last　she　said；　〃If　it　finds　us　anything；　it　is　worth　it。　I　will　go　left；　you　right；　as　fast　and　as　far　as　possible。　Meet　here　when　they　begin　to　move　about　again。〃
　So　we　agreed；　and　I　set　out　as　furred…Peter　once　more；　on　legs　as　swift　as　I　could　Shift　them。　I　had　no　luck；　none；　and　returned　to　the　place　heavy　with　anger　and　disappointment。　Mavin　was　there　already；　curled　against　the　wall　half　asleep；　and　I　knew　at　once　she　had　been　luckier　than　I。
　〃I　found　them；〃　she　said。　〃Found　the　inner　doors。　Sleep　now；　and　when　we　have　rested；　we　will　find　a　way　through　them。〃　　We　were　well　hidden。　I　gave　up　anger　in　favor　of　sleep　and　dreamed　long；　too　well；　of　Izia。
　
　9。　The　Inner　Doors
　The　place　of　the　magicians　was　full　of　niches　and　corners；　almost　as　though　they　provided　space　for　invisible　beings；　Tallmen　and　servants　whom　they　did　not　see。　We　found　such　a　niche；　a　place　from　which　we　could　see　the　doors　Mavin　had　found　without　being　seen　ourselves。　The　doors　were　quite　ordinary；　a　wide　pair　of　time…blotched　panels　without　handles　or　knobs；　and　beside　them　a　little　booth　of　glass；　though　I　suspected　it　wits　of　a　material　more　durable　than　that。　We　had　not　long　to　wait　before　one　of　the　magicians　came　into　the　booth；　an　old　one；　jowls　jiggling　and　pouches　beneath　his　eyes；　a　nose　which；　had　I　seen　it　in　a　tavern　in　Betand；　I　would　have　considered　evidence　of　much　wine　toping。　He　hawked　and　mumbled　to　himself　for　a　time；　his　voice　carried　out　to　us　through　some　contrivance　or　other　which　made　it　echo　and　boom。
　〃Huskpaw　here；〃　he　mumbled。　〃On　duty；　Huskpaw。　Huskpaw　is　on　duty。　Doors　unlocked。　Oh；　turn　to　tum；　boredom；　weariness；　and　ennui；　clutches　and　concatenations　of　all　tedium。〃　Then　he　must　have　heard　a　sound　because　he　stiffened；　sat　himself　down　before　the　glass　and　took　a　pose　of　watchfulness。　　We　heard　the　voice　of　Manacle。　〃Doctor　Manacle；　here；　Proctor　Huskpaw。　Desirous　of　egress　。　。　。〃
　〃What　business　have　you　among　the　monsters？〃　rapped　Huskpaw；　so　rapidly　I　knew　it　was　rote；　even　as　he　reached　for　whatever　thing　it　was　controlled　the　doors。
　He　received　a　giggle　in　response；　the　voice　of　Shear。　〃Doctor　Manacle　goes　forth　to　select　monsters　for　consecration；　Proctor　Huskpaw。　It　is　time。　The　ceremonies　will　not　wait。
　〃Lecturer　Shear；〃　Manacle's　voice；　cold　as　a　battlefield　after　Great　Game。　〃I　can　make　my　own　explanations；　if　you　please！　Huskpaw；　give　your　handle　a　twist　there；　my　good　fellow。　Your　Dean　goes　forth　among　monsters　to　select　a　few　for　consecration。　Write　me　down　as　upon　the　business　of　the　college。〃
　〃Certainly；　Dean　Manacle。　At　once；　sir。　Written　as　upon　the　business　of　the　college。　Surely。　Proctor　Huskpaw　at　your　convenience；　sir。　。　。　。〃　opening　the　doors　through　which　Manacle　and　Shear　emerged；　Shear　still　in　a　high　good　humor；　obviously　unsuppressed。　Mavin　twitched　at　me；　and　we　followed　them；　hearing　Huskpaw's　voice　behind　us　as　we　went；　〃Oh；　certainly；　Dean；　certainly；　Doctor；　Dean　Manacle；　Dean　Mumblehead；　Dean　monster…lover。　Blast　and　confusion　upon　him　and　his　lick…ass　Shear；　old　stuff…sox。　May　he　rot。〃　　We　followed　the　two　on　a　circuitous　route　before　they　stopped　at　last　beside　one　of　the　monster　pits；　whether　the　one　we　had　been　in　or　some　other；　I　could　not　tell。　They　leaned　at　ease　upon　a　railing；　looked　at　the　farther　wall　without　letting　their　eyes　move　downward；　and　discussed　the　grotesques　which　seethed　below。
　〃Nothing　here　worth　consecration；　eh；　Shear？　Not　for　us；　at　any　rate。　Perhaps　for　Quench？　Now；　I　have　the　idea　that　Quench　would　select　some　of　these　for　consecration；　don't　you？〃　Titter；　giggle；　elbow　into　the　ribs　of　the　shorter　magician。　〃But　nothing　for　us。　Pity。　That's　what　es　of　being　discriminating。　Bother　and　overwork；　all　to　maintain　one's　standards　　　　　They　wandered　off　along　the　corridors；　Mavin　and　I　still　close　behind　them　in　our　Tallmen　guises。　They　might　have　seen　us　if　they　had　turned；　but　they　did　not。　They　were　oblivious　to　our　presence　as　though　they　were　the　only　living　creatures　in　all　that　vast　place。　　They　came　to　a　second　pit；　or　perhaps　the　same　one　from　another　side。　Mavin　shifted　uneasily　at　my　side。　The　two　magicians　leaned　upon　the　railing　once　more　and　stared　at　the　ceiling　fifty　manheights　above　them。
　〃Now；　there　are　some　likely　ones　here；　aren't　there；　Shear？　That　three…legged　one；　yonder；　with　the　tentacles？　Most　interesting。　I　must　remember　to　bring　that　to　the　attention　of　my　son；　Tutor　Flogshoulder；　to　be　included　in　his　research。　Ah；　yes；　that　one　would　make　interesting　watching。　One　could　get　a　decent　footnote　out　of　that。　Somehow；　however；　I　do　not　feel　it　would　be　。。。　quite　。。。　right　for　consecration；　do　you；　Shear？〃
　Shear；　tittering；　responding　with　a　shaken　head；　a　flurry　of　expostulation。　〃Not　at　all；　my　dear　Dean。　At　least；　not　for　one　of　your　taste　and　standards。　No。　Certainly　not。　For　Quench；　perhaps。　Or　for　Hurlbar。　Not　for　you。　Certainly　not。　　They　were　off　again。　Again　we　followed。　Three　times　more　the　scene　was　repeated。　I　watched　them　carefully。　They　never　looked　into　the　pits　they　talked　over。　They　never　saw　anything　except　the　featureless　walls　of　the　place。　It　was　some　kind　of　Game；　perhaps　a　ritual。　I　could　sense　Mavin's　impatience；　but　the　play　was　nearing　its　close。　They　had　e　to　a　different　kind　of　pit；　shallower；　cleaner；　in　a　place　where　the　dismal　hooting　of　the　ventilators　was　somewhat　muted；　the　drip　from　the　ceilings　somehow　stopped。　This　time　the　two　looked　down；　and　this　time　they　were　silent　as　they　looked。　Mavin　and　I　faded　into　an　alcove。
　〃Oh；　here　are　some　who　will　do！〃　Manacle；　greedy　as　a　child　seeing　sweets。　〃Not　well；　but　better　than　the　others　we　have　examined。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Shear　in　agreement。　〃Not　perfect；　but　then；　who　can　expect　perfection　in　these　difficult　times？　Still；　better　than　any　of　the　others　we　have　seen　。。。　　Manacle　whistled　sharply；　and　a　Tallman　materialized　at　his　side　out　of　some　corner　or　cross　corridor。　There　were　murmured　instructions。　The　Tallman　entered　the　cage；　dropped　below　my　sight。　The　creak　of　the　rising　cage　riveted　our　attention　as　it　squealed　its　way　upward。　In　it　the　Tallman　stood；　surrounded　by　four　little　girls。　　〃No；　no；　no；〃　Manacle　cried；　full　of　shrill　anger。　〃Not　that　one；　idiot。　That　one；　over　there　in　the　corner。　Take　this　one　back　and　get　me　that　one。〃　The　cage　dropped　again　to　return　with　some　exchange　made　which　I　could　not　detect。　The　little　girls　were　clad　in　white　kilts；　not　entirely　clean；　above　which　their　slender　chests　were　as　breastless　as　any　baby's。　Shear　and　Manacle　gazed　at　them　with　greedy　satisfaction。　〃Oh；　these　will　do　very