cspector.worldwithoutend-第24部分

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　I　closed　my　eyes。　Mortals。　Humans。　There　were　times　when　I　thought　Alachia's　attitude　toward　them　was　dead　on。
　
　〃And　you　think　your　reward　should　be　that　I　make　you　into　what　I　am？〃
　He　smiled。　〃Yes；　that's　it　exactly。〃
　〃Very　well；〃　I　said。　〃Since　you've　asked　so　nicely。〃
　
　I　forced　myself　to　choke　down　the　rest　of　dinner。　The　lovely　salmon；　the　delicate　potato　souffle；　the　oysters；　the　escargot；　even　the　marvelous　Baked　Alaska　were　all　like　ashes　in　my　mouth。
　
　John　Mortimer　was　having　no　such　problem　with　his　meal。　He　attacked　the　food　like　a　hungry　dog。　When　he　didn't　recognize　a　dish；　he　would　look　toward　me　inquiringly　and　I　would　oblige　with　the　information。　Except　with　the　escargot。　I　told　him　it　was　a　rare　kind　of　seafood；　like　oysters。　Luckily；　he　knew　what　oysters　were。　The　one　culinary　achievement　of　his　previous　life。
　
　That's　how　he　referred　to　it：　His　Previous　Life。　As　though　he'd　already　moved　out　of　it　and　into　a　greater　place。　He　rambled　on　about　the　places　he　would　go；　the　things　he　would　do；　never　once　telling　me　how　he　might　acquire　the　means　to　achieve　all　these　tremendous　feats。　It　had　taken　me　centuries　to　establish　my　own　fortune。　And　still　more　time　to　attend　to　it。　Money　is　like　any　other　profession。　You　had　to　look　in　on　it；　make　sure　no　one　else　had　de…tided　they　liked　it　better　than　you　did　and　run　off　with　it。　I　found　such　things　boring　and　loathsome　in　the　extreme。　But　I　still　had　to　do　it。　I　just　don't　like　to　talk　about　it。
　
　〃。。。　and　then　I　thought　you　and　I　could。。。〃
　
　This　jerked　me　back　to　my　panion　and　his　ramblings。
　
　〃You　and　I　could　what？〃　I　asked。
　〃Well；　I　mean；　I　thought　that。。。　I　just　assumed　that　because　you　were　going　to　make　me　like　you　that　we　would　be　together。　I　mean　until；　you　know；　whenever。〃
　〃Whenever　what？〃
　〃Whenever　we　got；　you　know；　tired　of　each　other。　Or　until　I　was　ready　to　be　out　on　my　own。〃
　〃I　see；　so　not　only　am　I　to。。。　convert　you　to　your　immortality；　but　then　I'm　to　be　your　nursemaid　as　well？〃
　He　blushed。　〃Not　nursemaid；　exactly；　but；　well　you　know。〃　He　gave　me　quite　a　look　then；　and；　had　160
　
　I　not　been　furious；　I　would　have　found　it　a　bit　interesting。　But　that　was　neither　here　nor　there。
　
　〃So；　I'm　to　bee　your　um；　paramour；　shall　we　say；　and　make　you　immortal。　And　what　exactly　is　it　that　I'm　supposed　to　achieve　from　this　equation？〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃What　I　mean　is；　what's　in　it　for　me？　Why　should　I　make　you；　of　all　people；　like　me？　Is　it　your　charming　personality？　Or　perhaps　it's　your　wit？　Maybe　your　sexual　prowess？　e　now；　why　should　I　bother　with　you？〃
　
　He　was　red　again；　but　not　from　embarrassment。　I　think　I　might　have　offended　him。　What　a　pity。
　〃You'll　do　it　because　I'll　expose　you　if　you　don't。〃
　〃Expose　me　to　whom？　The　Agency　in　Charge　of　Finding　and　Keeping　Immortals？　Or　maybe　you'll　go　to　the　police。　'I　beg　your　pardon；　but　there's　a　woman　I　know　who's　immortal。'　They'll　laugh　you　out　of　the　office。　Your　whole　story　is　preposterous。　There　won't　be　a　dry　seat　in　the　house。〃
　〃All　I　have　to　do　is　make　one　phone　call　to　the　right　sort　of　newspaper。　They　love　this　sort　of　thing。　Only　when　they　start　digging；　they'll　find　out　it's　true。〃
　〃They'll　wet　themselves　laughing。〃　〃Do　you　really　want　to　risk　it？〃　The　little　maggot。　I　hadn't　thought　he　had　the　brass　for　it。
　〃I　thought　not；〃　he　said。　And　smirked。　He　really　shouldn't　have　smirked。
　
　I　paid　for　dinner　and　we　began　walking　through　the　Quarter。　I　didn't　want　to　lead　him　straight　toward　the　hotel；　though　I　suspected　he　already　knew　where　I　was　staying。　What　to　do　with　him？　I　wondered。　The　crowd　was　thicker　now　that　it　was　getting　on　toward　nine　o'clock。　Mostly　there　were　badly　dressed　tourists　in　too　tight　T…shirts　with　cute　sayings　on　them。　Some　carried　plastic　cups　with　drinks　in　them。　The　smell　of　beer　and　sticky…sweet　Hurricanes　was　overpowering。
　
　I　led　us　toward　Chartres　Street；　then　on　toward　the　riverwalk。　The　smell　of　the　Mississippi　was　heavy　and　thick　like　new…cut　earth。　It　blended　with　the　sweet　aroma　of　the　olive　trees。　For　some　reason　it　gave　me　a　stab　of　hope；　this　strange　bination　of　odors。　It　reminded　me　of　another　time　and　place。　But　such　pleasant　memories　would　get　in　my　way　now。　I　needed　to　attend　to　the　matter　at　hand。
　
　We　walked　past　the　homeless　people　who　were　sleeping　in　the　park　and　stepped　over　the　ones　who　had　simply　lain　down　where　they　were。　Every　few　paces　or　so；　we　were　approached　by　someone　asking　for　money。　Most　of　the　panhandlers　had　a　ready　patter；　some　hard…luck　story　about　why　they　needed　just　another　dollar。　I　gave　to　them　willingly。　Life　presented　us　with　enough　indignities　in　just　the　living　of　it；　so　why　make　it　worse　if　you　could　help？
　
　〃Why　are　you　giving　them　money？〃　hissed　John。　He　glanced　around　as　though　he　expected　someone　to　jump　up　at　him　and　demand　money。
　〃Because　I　have　it。　They　need　it。　And　I　don't　mind　giving　to　them；〃　I　said。　〃Why　do　you　care　anyway？　It　isn't　your　money。〃
　
　〃You're　just　encouraging　them；〃　he　said。　〃If　no　one　gave　them　any　money　they'd　have　to　get　a　job。〃
　〃Let　me　see　if　I　understand　you；〃　I　said。　〃You　think　these　people　prefer　to　live　meaner　than　any　animal。　That　they　are　so　unwilling　to　work　that　they　would　rather　sleep　on　the　ground　in　the　cold；　go　without　food；　beg　coin　from　strangers　in　the　most　humiliating　way　possible；　and　live　in　filthy　rags？　That　is；　of　course；　assuming　that　they　are　mentally　stable　enough　to　hold　work　or　even　have　such　rudimentary　skills　as　reading；　writing；　or　arithmetic。　How　silly　of　me　to　be　so　pletely　fooled　by　their　clever　charade。
　〃Of　course；　I'm　in　the　pany　of　someone　who　wouldn't　sully　his　hands　with　something　as　vulgar　as　say；　extortion。〃
　〃You　know；　you　can　be　a　real　bitch；〃　he　said。
　I　touched　my　hand　to　my　heart。　〃I'm　mortally　wounded；〃　I　said。
　We　walked　down　by　the　river　for　a　while；　until　the　sidewalk　petered　out　and　there　was　a　sudden　lack　of　street　lights。　John　looked　nervous；　but　I　knew　there　was　nothing　to　worry　about；　yet。
　〃So　you　want　to　bee　immortal；〃　I　said。　〃What　if　I　told　you　I　can't　do　it？　That　this　is　something　you're　born　with　or　not。　That　I　can　no　more　make　you　immortal　than　any　stranger　off　the　street　could。〃
　
　He　frowned。　〃You're　just　trying　to　confuse　me；〃　he　said。　〃You　told　me　at　the　restaurant。。。〃
　〃I　told　you　that　so　you　wouldn't　make　a　scene。　Even　if　I　wanted　to；　I　couldn't　change　you　from　what　you　are。　I　don't　have　that　power。　Why　would　I　lie　to　you？〃
　〃Is　this　a　test？〃　he　asked。　I　groaned。　〃No；　it　is　not。　It's　the　truth。〃　〃You　just　don't　like　me。　That's　why　you're　doing　this。　Well；　it　won't　work。　And　it　doesn't　matter　anyway。　I　figured　out　what　you　are；　and　that's　worth　something。　Don't　think　you'll　fool　me　the　way　you've　fooled　everyone　else。〃
　〃Oh；　no；〃　I　said。　〃I　wouldn't　dream　of　that。〃　I　think　you're　a　special　kind　of　fool；　I　thought。　〃You　know；　being　immortal　doesn't　just　happen　overnight。　It　takes　a　while　for　the　process　to　work。〃
　〃But　you　can　start　it　soon；　can't　you？〃　〃Oh；　yes；〃　I　said。　〃But　first；　I　must　make　some　preparations。〃　I　tossed　him　the　key　to　my　hotel　room。　〃I'm　in　room　1650　at　the　Fairmont。　I'll　be　back　before　midnight。〃　〃I'll　be　waiting；〃　he　said。
　
　I　didn't　say　anything；　just　turned　and　went　back　toward　the　Quarter。
　
　I　knocked　on　the　door　of　my　room　at　11：45。　The　vid　inside　was　loud　enough　for　me　to　hear　it　through　the　door。　Then　the　door　swung　open。　I　had　half…hoped　Mortimer　might　realize　how　foolish　this　whole　thing　was；　but　no；　there　he　was；　sans　jacket；　and　barefoot。　〃Glad　to　see　you've　made　yourself　fortable；〃
　
　I　said。
　
　〃Yeah；　well；　given　the　circumstances；　I　didn't　think　you'd　mind。〃
　〃Push　that　bed　up　against　the　wall；〃　I　said。　As　he　did　so；　I　also　pushed　every　other　piece　of　furniture　in　the　room　against　the　walls；　making　a　nice…sized　space　in　the　center　of　the　room。
　〃We're　going　to　do　it　here？〃　he　asked。
　〃Why　not？〃　I　asked。　〃This　place　has　always　had　a　great　deal　of　magical　energy。　Besides；　this　is　just　the　start　of　the　process；　and　I　know　how　anxious　you　are　to　embark　on　your　new　life。〃
　〃Yeah；　well；　I　guess　I　thought　I'd　have　more　time。〃
　〃Time　for　what？〃
　〃