sheritepper.necromancer nine-第37部分

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ity。　In　ancient　times；　of　course；　the　pattern　was　reunited　with　the　body　when　both　had　reached　their　destination。　It　is　this　process　we　reenact　during　the　ceremony。　We　don't　really　do　it；　of　course。　Some　of　the　younger　men　act　the　part　of　bodies；　and　we　use　the　blues　symbolically。　It's　only　a　ritual；　but　very　impressive　for　all　that。　But　then　I've　told　you　all　this　before。〃
　〃Why　don't　you　actually　do　it？〃　Huld　asked。　Didir　could　detect　an　avidity　in　this　question　though　the　tone　of　voice　was　deliberately　casual。　〃That　would　be　even　more　impressive。〃
　〃Why；　ah　。。。　I'm　not　sure；〃　began　Manacle；　only　to　be　interrupted　by　his　unfortunate　son。
　〃Because　no　one　knows　how；　the　techs　say。　The　manuals　aren't　there；　not　where　they　belong。　Of　course；　all　techs　are　fools；　as　we　all　know；　but　that's　what　they　say。〃
　〃Do　they　think　the　books　were　lost？〃　Huld；　pursuing。　〃Or　destroyed；　perhaps？　Or　taken　away？〃
　Flogshoulder　put　on　a　thoughtful　face；　marred　by　the　obvious　vacancy　within　his　skull。　〃I　should　know。　Truly　I　should。　I've　heard　them　talking　about　it　often　enough。　They　say　Quench　asked　for　the　same　books；　and　they've　been　looking　for　them。　　
　〃Quench。〃　Manacle　turned　red；　blustering。　〃Quench！〃
　〃Yes；　Father。　Quench　thinks　it　was　Nitch　took　the　books；　that's　it。　You　remember　Nitch？　The　books　have　been　gone　since　he　went。〃
　〃Went？〃　asked　Huld　softly；　so　softly。　〃Went？〃
　〃Away。　He　went　away。　At　least；　I　think　he　went　away。　Didn't　he　go　away；　Father？〃
　Manacle　nodded　angrily；　muttering　and　counting　under　his　breath　as　he　walked　along。　〃Quench；　thirteen　fourteen。　Damn　Quench。　Fifteen。　Mind　his　own　business；　keep　to　his　place。　Sixteen。　He　and　Nitch　two　of　a　kind；　ungrateful　wretches。　Seventeen。　Ah；　this　is　it。　The　seventeenth　door　from　the　corner；　on　the　right。　You　wanted　to　see　the　defenders；　Huld。　Well；　here　we　are。　I'll　just　find　the　key　here；　somewhere；　among　all　these　little　ones　I　think。　Gracious；　haven't　looked　in　here　almost　since　my　investiture。　Yes。　This　one。〃
　The　door　swung　wide。　They　went　through　it；　leaving　it　open　behind　them。　I　faded　into　the　wall　surface；　unseen；　unheeded。　The　room　was　empty　save　for　one　of　those　control　surfaces　which　abounded　in　the　place；　this　one　with　a　large　red　lever　and　five　covered　keyholes；　all　bearing　legends　in　archaic　letters　of　a　kind　I　had　seen　only　once　before…in　that　old　book　which　Windlow　had　so　coveted；　the　one　I　had　found　with　the　Gamesmen　of　Barish。
　〃They　are　self…repairing；〃　said　Manacle　in　a　self…important　tone。　〃Requiring　no　maintenance；　no　techs；　for　which　we　may　rejoice。　Should　we　need　to　activate　them；　I　have　only　to　turn　these　keys　in　those　holes；　five　of　them。　At　one　time　each　key　was　kept　by　a　separate　member　of　the　faculty；　but　upon　my　investiture；　I　brought　them　all　together　in　the　interest　of　efficiency。　There　are　times　when　ritual　must　give　way　to　convenience；　don't　you　agree？　So；　I　have　only　to　insert　them　thus；　and　thus；　and　thus；　here；　and　here；　turning　each　one；　so。　Now；　if　any　of　us　were　to　move　the　lever；　the　defenders　would　be　activated　at　once。　We　will　not　do　that；　of　course。　There　is　no　need。　However；　I　will　leave　the　keys　here　and　turned；　just　in　case。　No　point　in　wasting　time　later；　if　your　warnings；　dear　Huld；　were　to　prove　accurate　and　immediate。〃
　〃What…ah；　what　form　do　the　defenders　take？〃　This　in　Huld's　sweetest　voice。　Peter；　who　had　been　Huld's　captive　in　the　dungeons　of　Bannerwell；　did　not　trust　that　voice。
　〃I　do　not　recall　ever　having　heard　what　form　the　defenders　take。　What　is　that　phrase　in　the　ritual；　Flogshoulder？　You　have　learned　it　more　recently　than　I…gracious；　I　have　not　thought　of　that　in　fifty　years。　Something　about　'Defense　of　the　home；　to　hold　inviolate…'　〃
　〃No；　Father。　It　goes；　'Should　they　gain　power　to　the　extent　that　the　base　is　threatened；　in　order　that　Home　be　held　inviolate　the　defenders　shall　be　activated　that　the　signtists　and　searchers　be　held　in　glorious　memory。〃
　〃That's　not　how　I　learned　it；〃　objected　Shear。　〃I　learned　it　when　I　was　only　a　boy；　before　I　could　read。　It　went；　'Should　their　power　and　extent　again　threaten　the　base；　the　defenders　will　assure　that　Home　is　inviolate　through　the　selfless　action　of　signtists　and　searchers　held　forever　in　glorious　memory。〃
　〃Glorious　memory；〃　said　Manacle　happily。　〃I　think　of　that　whenever　we　have　the　ceremony。　The　base。　That's　where　the　shiptower　is；　dear　Huld；　and　therefore　the　ceremony　is　held　there。　It's　very　impressive；　quite　my　favorite　occasion。　Let　me　tell　you　about　it。
　〃We　begin　by　placing　a　number　of　the　bodies　in　the　shiptower；　along　with　some　of　the　young　fellows　who　play　the　part。　We　put　some　blues　there；　as　well；　for　verisimilitude。　The　unloading　machines　are　all　polished　and　garlanded　with　flowers。
　〃Then　I；　as　Dean；　have　the　honor　to　take　the　part　of　Capan。　I　emerge　from　the　shiptower　and　recite　the　inspiring　words　of　dedication。　All　the　Faculty　is　there；　of　course；　down　to　the　least　boychild。　I　recite　the　words；　then　I　start　the　unloading　machines　and　they　bring　out　the　bodies　and　the　blues。　We　put　the　young　men　into　the　rejoining　machine；　together　with　some　blues　to　make　it　look　real；　and　they　emerge　at　once；　all　glowing　and　eager。　Then　I　give　them　the　Capan　gown。　This　is　symbolic；　you　understand；　of　our　continuation　in　the　academic　tradition　from　the　time　of　Capan　to　the　present。　We　still　wear　the　Capan　gown　in　his　honor。　It　is　moving；　my　dear　Huld；　very　moving。　Then　the　machines　take　the　rest　of　the　bodies　and　the　blues；　the　real　ones；　away　to　the　caverns　while　Capan　（I　still　have　that　part；　of　course）　brings　a　monster　out　of　the　ship　and　puts　her　in　the　pit。　This　is　symbolic　too。　It　symbolizes　our　mission　to　search　the　monsters　and　record　everything　about　them。　Everyone　cheers。
　〃Then；　I　go　back　in　the　shiptower　and　do　the　'Calling　Home'　or　'Signal　Home'　as　it's　sometimes　called。　I　go　alone　into　the　shiptower　and　instruct　the　instrument　to　contact　Home　with　our　message；　then　I　e　out　and　tell　everybody　what　message　has　been　called　Home　and　what　Home　said。　Everyone　gets　very　choked　up　at　that；　and　the　choir　sings；　and　the　techs　serve　special　cake；　and　we　all　drink　wine。　A　very　happy　time；　Huld。　A　very　happy　time。〃　He　wiped　his　eyes　on　the　corner　of　his　robe；　looking　all　at　once　grave　and　grandfatherly；　eyes　full　of　an　old　and　childlike　joy。　I　wanted　to　kick　him；　but　he　went　on　in　happy　ignorance　of　my　intent。　〃We　give　each　other　gifts；　too；　in　honor　of　the　occasion。　I　still　have　some　gifts　my　father　gave　me；　years　ago。〃
　〃You　bring　a　monster　out　of　the　ship？〃　said　Huld。　〃Does　this　mean　that　in　that　long　ago　time　your　forefathers　brought　the　monsters　to　this　place？〃
　〃Oh；　yes。　Certainly。　Our　forefathers　came。　With　the　monsters。　To　keep　Home　inviolate；　to　watch　and　record。〃
　〃Gamesmen　were　here；　then；　when　your　forefathers　came？〃
　〃Oh；　I　suppose　so；　Huld。　Yes。　They　must　have　been；　how　else　would　they　be　here　now？　Your　people。　And　the　pawns；　of　course。〃
　〃And　the　monsters　in　your　pits　are　the　descendents　of　those　your　forefathers　brought？〃
　〃Oh；　no；　sir；〃　babbled　Flogshoulder。　eager　with　his　tiny　bits　of　information。　〃They　do　not　reproduce　at　all　well；　sir。　No；　many　of　the　monsters　in　the　pits　are　made　in　the　monster　labs。　I　will　be　supervisor　there；　next　term。　Also；　we　pay　the　Gifters　to　bring　some　from　outside。　And　some　。。。　well；　some　。
　〃You　may　say　it；　my　boy；〃　said　Manacle；　still　kindly　with　his　nostalgic　glow。　〃Some　are　born　to　our　own　consecrated　monsters；　to　be　reared　in　special　pits　and　adapted　properly　for　our　use。　Waste　not；　want　not。；'　He　made　a　high　pitched　little　obscenity　of　laughter。
　〃Interesting。〃　said　Huld。　〃Very　interesting。　Well。　If　you　will　just　show　me　whatever　books　there　are　which　describe　the　defenders；　our　business　may　be　concluded　for　a　time。〃
　〃Oh；　my　dear　Huld。　I　thought　you　understood。　There　are　no　manuals　for　the　defenders！　Either　there　never　were　any；　and　that　may　well　be　the　case；　or　Nitch　took　them　when　he　went。　In　any　case；　it　doesn't　matter。　They　are　self…repairing；　my　dear　fellow。　You　needn't　concern　yourself　about　them。　If　we　need　them；　we　have　only　to　press　that　lever　down。　Everything　else　has　been　done。〃
　I　could　feel　Huld's　baffled　fury　from　across　the　room；　feel　his　heat。　〃D