iancaldwell&dustinthomason.theruleoffour-第27部分

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　〃Instead　of　being　hanged；　however；　the　women　are　slain　with　a　sword。　What　are　we　to　make　of　this？　One　possible　explanation　is　that　beheading；　either　by　ax　or　sword；　was　a　punishment　reserved　for　those　of　high　rank；　for　whom　hanging　was　deemed　too　base。　Perhaps；　then；　we　may　infer　that　these　were　ladies　of　distinction。
　〃Finally；　the　animals　that　appear　in　the　crowd　will　remind　many　of　you　of　the　three　beasts　from　the　opening　canto　of　Dante's　'Inferno；'　or　the　sixth　verse　of　Jeremiah。〃　Taft　looks　out　across　the　lecture　hall。
　〃I　was　just　about　to　say　that　。　。　。〃　Gil　whispers　with　a　smile。
　To　my　surprise；　Charlie　hushes　him。
　〃The　lion　signifies　the　sin　of　pride；〃　Taft　goes　on。　〃And　the　wolf　represents　covetousness。　These　are　the　vices　of　a　high　traitor…a　Satan　or　a　Judas…just　as　the　punishment　seems　to　suggest。　But　here　the　Hypnerotomachia　diverges：　Dante's　third　beast　is　a　leopard；　representing　lust。　Yet　Francesco　Colonna　includes　a　dog　instead　of　a　leopard；　suggesting　that　lust　was　not　one　of　the　sins　for　which　the　two　women　are　being　punished。〃
　Taft　pauses；　letting　the　audience　chew　on　this　for　a　moment。
　〃What　we　are　beginning　to　read；　then；〃　he　begins　again；　〃is　the　vocabulary　of　cruelty。　Despite　what　many　of　you　may　think；　it　is　not　a　purely　barbaric　language。　Like　all　of　our　rituals；　it　is　rich　with　meaning。　You　must　simply　learn　to　read　it。　I　will　therefore　offer　one　additional　piece　of　information；　which　you　may　use　in　interpreting　the　image…then　I　will　pose　a　question；　and　leave　the　rest　to　you。
　〃Your　final　clue　is　a　fact　that　many　of　you　probably　know；　but　have　overlooked：　namely；　that　we　can　tell　Polia　has　misidentified　the　child；　simply　by　noting　the　weapon　the　child　is　carrying。　For　if　the　little　boy　in　the　nightmare　had　truly　been　Cupid；　as　Polia　claims；　then　his　weapon　would　not　have　been　the　sword。　It　would　have　been　the　bow　and　arrow。〃
　There　are　murmurs　of　assent　in　the　crowd；　hundreds　of　students　seeing　Valentine's　Day　in　an　entirely　new　light。
　〃Therefore　I　ask　you：　who　is　this　child　that　brandishes　a　sword；　forces　women　to　draw　his　war　chariot　through　a　difficult　forest；　then　slaughters　them　as　if　they　were　guilty　of　treason？〃
　He　waits；　as　if　preparing　to　deliver　the　answer；　but　instead　says；　〃Solve　this；　and　you　will　begin　to　understand　the　hidden　truth　of　the　Hypnerotomachia。　Perhaps　you　will　also　begin　to　understand　the　significance　not　only　of　death；　but　of　the　form　death　takes　when　it　es。　All　of　us…we　of　faith　and　we　who　lack　it…are　too　accustomed　to　the　sign　of　the　cross　to　understand　the　significance　of　the　crucifix。　But　religion；　Christianity　in　particular；　has　always　been　the　story　of　death　in　the　midst　of　life；　of　sacrifices　and　martyrs。　Tonight；　of　all　nights；　as　we　memorate　the　sacrifice　of　the　most　famous　of　those　martyrs；　it　is　a　fact　we　should　be　loath　to　forget。〃
　Removing　his　glasses；　and　folding　them　into　his　breast　pocket；　Taft　tips　his　head　and　says；　〃I　entrust　you　with　this；　and　place　my　faith　in　you。〃　With　a　plodding　step　back；　he　adds；　〃Thank　you　all；　and　good　night。〃
　　
　Applause　erupts　from　every　corner　of　the　hall…at　first　awkwardly；　but　soon　to　a　heavy　crescendo。　Despite　the　earlier　interruption；　the　audience　has　been　seduced　by　this　strange　man；　mesmerized　by　his　fusion　of　intellect　and　gore。
　Taft　nods　his　head　and　shuffles　toward　the　table　by　the　podium；　meaning　to　sit　down；　but　the　applause　continues。　Some　in　the　audience　take　to　their　feet；　continuing　to　clap。
　〃Thank　you；〃　he　says　again；　still　standing；　hands　pressed　atop　the　back　of　his　chair。　Even　as　he　speaks；　the　old　smile　returns　to　his　features。　It's　as　if　he　has　been　watching　the　audience　all　along；　never　the　other　way　around。
　Professor　Henderson　rises　and　strides　toward　the　lectern；　silencing　the　applause。
　〃By　tradition；〃　she　says；　〃we　will　be　offering　refreshments　this　evening　in　the　courtyard　between　this　auditorium　and　the　chapel。　I　understand　that　the　maintenance　and　ground　crews　have　set　up　a　number　of　space　heaters　beneath　the　tables。　Please　e　out　to　join　us。〃
　Turning　to　Taft；　she　adds；　〃That　said；　let　me　thank　Dr。　Taft　for　such　a　memorable　lecture。　You　certainly　made　quite　an　impression。〃　She　smiles；　but　with　a　certain　restraint。
　The　audience　applauds　again；　then　slowly　begins　to　filter　through　the　exit。
　Taft　watches　it　do　so；　and　I　in　turn　watch　him。　This　is　one　of　the　few　times　I　have　ever　seen　the　man；　recluse　that　he　is。　Now　I　finally　understand　why　Paul　finds　him　so　magnetic。　Even　when　you　know　he's　making　a　game　of　you；　it's　almost　impossible　to　take　your　eyes　off　him。
　Slowly　Taft　begins　to　hulk　across　the　stage。　As　the　white　screen　mechanically　retracts　into　a　slot　in　the　ceiling；　the　three　slides　bee　a　whisper　of　gray　over　the　blackboards　beyond。　I　can　barely　make　out　the　wild　animals　devouring　the　women's　remains；　the　child　floating　off　into　the　air。
　〃You　ing？〃　Charlie　asks；　lingering　behind　Gil　by　the　exit。
　I　hurry　after　them。
　
　Chapter　11
　
　〃You　couldn't　find　Paul？〃　Charlie　asks　once　I've　caught　up。
　〃He　didn't　want　my　help。〃
　But　when　I　mention　what　I　overheard　outside；　Charlie　looks　at　me　as　if　I　shouldn't　have　let　him　go。　Someone　stops　beside　us　to　greet　Gil；　and　Charlie　turns　to　me。
　〃Did　Paul　go　after　Curry？〃　he　asks。
　I　shake　my　head。　〃Bill　Stein。〃
　〃Are　you　guys　ing　to　the　reception？〃　Gil　calls　out；　sensing　a　quick　getaway。　〃We　could　use　the　turnout。〃
　〃Sure；〃　I　say；　and　Gil　seems　pacified。　His　mind　is　elsewhere；　we're　returning　to　his　element。
　〃We'll　have　to　avoid　Jack　Parlow　and　Kelly…they　only　want　to　talk　about　the　ball；〃　he　says；　returning　to　our　sides。　〃But　it　shouldn't　be　bad。〃
　He　leads　us　down　the　steps　into　the　pale　blue　courtyard；　where　all　the　tracks　Curry　and　Paul　made　in　the　snow　have　blown　over。　The　tents　are　brimming　with　students；　and　almost　immediately　I　remember　how　futile　it　is　trying　to　avoid　anyone　with　Gil　around。　We　march　through　the　snow　to　a　canopy　almost　beneath　the　chapel；　but　he　exerts　an　inescapable　social　gravity。
　First　to　e　is　the　blond　girl　from　the　door。
　〃Tara；　how　are　you？〃　Gil　says　graciously　when　she　arrives　beneath　the　canvas　roof。　〃A　lot　more　excitement　than　you　were　expecting；　huh？〃
　Charlie　has　no　interest　in　her　pany。　To　avoid　a　scene；　he　concerns　himself　at　the　table；　where　the　silver　dispensers　are　warming　fresh　hot　chocolate。
　〃Tara；〃　Gil　says；　〃you　know　Tom；　don't　you？〃
　She　finds　a　polite　way　of　saying　she　doesn't。
　〃Ah；　well；〃　Gil　says　lightly。　〃Different　classes。〃
　It　takes　me　a　second　to　realize　he's　referring　to　sophomores　and　seniors。
　〃Tom；　this　is　Tara　Pierson；　a　member　of　the　2001　section；〃　he　continues；　seeing　that　Charlie　is　avoiding　us。　〃Tara；　this　is　my　good　friend　Tom　Sullivan。〃
　The　introduction　serves　only　to　embarrass。　No　sooner　has　Gil　finished　speaking　than　Tara　finds　a　moment　when　we　can　talk　out　of　his　sight　and　points　at　Charlie。
　〃I'm　so　sorry　about　what　I　said　to　your　friend　back　there；〃　she　begins。　〃I　had　no　idea　who　you　guys　were。　。　。　。〃
　And　on；　and　on。　Her　point　seems　to　be　that　we　deserve　better　treatment　than　the　other　nobodies　she's　never　met　because　Gil　and　I　brush　our　teeth　over　the　same　sink。　The　longer　she　talks；　the　more　I　wonder　how　she　wasn't　laughed　out　of　Ivy。　There　is　a　legend…true　or　not；　I　don't　know…that　sophomores　like　Tara；　who　have　nothing　to　remend　them　but　their　looks；　sometimes　find　their　way　into　the　membership　thanks　to　a　special　process　called　〃third…floor　bicker。〃　They're　invited　up　to　the　secretive　third　floor　of　the　club　and　told　that　they　won't　be　admitted　without　some　special　show　of　willingness。　I　can　only　guess　at　the　exact　nature　of　the　deed；　and　Gil；　of　course；　denies　that　anything　like　this　process　even　exists。　But　I　suppose　that's　the　magic　of　a　myth　like　third…floor　bicker：　the　more　unspoken　it's　left；　the　more　unspeakable　it　bees。
　Tara　must　guess　what　I'm　thinking；　or　maybe　she　just　notices　I'm　not　paying　attention　anymore；　because　she　finally　es　up　with　some　excuse　and　minces　off　into　the　snow。　Good　riddance；　I　think；　watching　her　slink　over　to　another　tent；　hair　flopping　in　the　wind。
　I　spot　Katie。　She's　standing　by　the　outer　edge　of　the　tent　on　the　opposite　side；　tired　of