cspector.worldwithoutend-第33部分

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n　my　discretion。　By　the　way；　whatever　happened　to　young　Oakforest？　Glasgian；　you　remember？　He　was　seen　ing　up　here；　then　he　never　came　out。　Where　is　he？〃
　
　〃I　have　no　idea　what　you're　talking　about；〃　I　said。　〃Maybe　your　spies　got　it　wrong。〃
　〃I　doubt　it。　They're　quite　good　at　this　sort　of　thing。〃
　〃Well；　he's　not　here。〃
　〃Then　you　won't　mind　if　I　take　a　look…〃
　〃Yes；　I　would；〃　I　said　quickly。　〃You're　treading　a　fine　line　here；　Ehran。　Even　if　he　were　here；　which　he's　not；　it　wouldn't　be　any　of　your　business。　Let's　leave　it　at　that。　Shall　we？〃
　He　gave　another　faint　smile。　〃Very　well；　Aina；〃　he　said。　〃But　this　is　a　dangerous　game　you're　playing。〃
　I　walked　to　the　door　and　opened　it。　〃I　know；　but　when　has　it　ever　not　been？〃
　As　soon　as　the　door　shut；　Caimbeui　opened　the　door　to　his　room　and　peered　out。
　〃I　thought　he'd　never　leave；〃　he　said
　〃I　can't　believe　you　left　me　here　to　deal　with　him；〃　I　said。　〃And　he　knows　about　Glasgian。〃
　〃Yes；　I　heard　that。〃
　〃Well；　we've　got　to　get　him　out　of　here；〃　I　said。　〃I　just　don't　know　if　he's　up　to　anything　but　the　conventional　means。〃
　〃We　may　have　no　other　choice。〃
　
　I　nodded；　then　turned　and　walked　over　to　my　bedroom　door　and　opened　it。　The　room　was　still　dark；　the　shades　pulled。　A　wedge　of　light　from　the　living　room　spilled　across　the　bed；　which　was　empty。　I　hit　the　switch　on　the　wall；　flooding　the　room　with　elec…trio　light。
　
　The　room　was　empty。　Glasgian　Oakforest　was　gone。
　
　
　〃He's　gone；〃　I　said。
　〃What？〃
　〃He's　gone。〃
　
　Caimbeui　elbowed　past　me　into　the　room。
　
　〃Maybe　the　bathroom？〃　he　asked。
　I　pointed　to　the　open　bathroom　door。　〃Unless　he's　thinner　than　I　remember。　Or　he's　hiding　in　the　shower　stall。〃
　Caimbeui　went　and　checked　in　the　stall。　〃No；　not　here。〃
　I　sagged　against　the　dresser　facing　the　bed。　'This　is　very　bad；〃　I　said。　〃What　if　he　goes　to　Aithne？　We're　lost　then。〃
　〃I　don't　think　he'll　do　that；〃　Caimbeui　said。　He　touched　the　bed　where　Glasgian　had　lain。　〃It's　cold。　He's　probably　been　gone　for　a　while。　I　suspect　he　didn't　leave　by　the　usual　methods；　because　otherwise　Ehran　wouldn't　have　asked　about　him。〃
　
　〃Maybe　Ehran　took　him；〃　I　said。
　
　Caimbeui　shook　his　head。　〃Not　his　style。　Now；　I'd　expect　it　from　Alachia；　except　she'd　be　here　now　crowing　about　it。　And　I　don't　think　her　network　is　sophisticated　as　Ehran's。　What　surprises　me　is　that　we　haven't　heard　from　Aithne　yet。〃
　
　〃Dumb　luck；〃　I　said。　〃What　are　we　going　to　do？〃
　
　〃Nothing；〃　he　replied。　〃For　right　now。　Whoever　has　him　will　show　their　hand　eventually；　and　if　he　got　out　of　here　himself；　then　I　doubt　we'll　hear　anything。　He'll　be　too　damn　scared。　After　all；　he's　had　a　look　at　what　happens　to　people　who　get　on　the　wrong　side　of　your　faithful　panion。〃
　
　〃Don't　call　him　that；〃　I　snapped。　〃I　haven't　seen　him　in　millennia。　I　took　care　of　him　long　ago。　You　know　that。　I'm　tired　of　paying　for　that　mistake。　It　won't　just　be　me　facing　him　this　time。　I'll　have　the　support　of　the　others。〃
　
　Caimbeui　shrugged。　〃Perhaps；〃　he　said。　〃There's　no　telling　what　they'll　do。〃
　
　I　ran　a　hand　across　my　scalp。　〃They've　got　to　see　what's　happening。　After　you　tell　them　about　Maui；　they'll　understand。　But　what　has　me　worried　is　how　anyone　got　past　those　wards。〃
　
　Caimbeui　didn't　say　anything。
　
　The　rest　of　the　day　dragged　on　interminably。　After　the　way　the　morning　went；　I　kept　expecting　more　unwele　visitors。　But　they　never　arrived。
　
　The　maids　came　and　tidied　the　rooms；　and　I　wondered　which　one　of　them　was　Ehran's　spy。　Or　maybe　all　of　them　were。
　
　I　jumped　at　every　noise；　and　Caimbeul's　annoying　habits　became　more　and　more　glaring。　Pencil…tapping。　Humming。　Leg…jiggling。　He　twitched　and　fidgeted　and　moved　around　like　a　six…year…old　needing　to　pee。
　
　I　wondered　why　I'd　ever　had　anything　to　do　with　him。
　
　The　day　of　the　Council　meeting　dawned　clear　and　cold。　The　drizzle　and　gray　skies　that　had　continued　for　the　last　two　days　broke。　It　irked　me　that　the　session　had　been　set　up　for　late　afternoon。　I　had　to　waste　yet　another　day　with　the　tension；　boredom；　and　Caimbeul's　habits。
　
　At　four　we　began　to　get　ready；　and　by　five　we　were　in　the　rented　limo　heading　for　the　meeting。　It　was　already　beginning　to　grow　dark　as　we　finally　reached　the　estate　where　the　meeting　was　to　take　place。
　
　It　was　located　west　of　the　city。　As　the　car　swung　into　the　wide　gates　flanking　the　drive；　I　saw　that　there　were　hundreds　of　rose　bushes　lining　the　drive。　They　were　denuded　of　foliage。　Their　thorny　canes　stark　and　skeletal　against　the　fading　October　sky。
　
　Several　other　limos　were　parked　in　front　of　the　large　house　as　we　pulled　up。　There　were　also　a　couple　of　high…octane　performance　cars　modified　with　body　armor。
　
　〃Looks　like　the　joint's　jumpin'；〃　said　Harlequin。　〃Nice　cars。　I　wonder　who　they　belong　to。〃
　〃Jinkies；　Caimbeui；　maybe　you　and　the　boys　can　go　drag　racing　after　the　sock　hop；〃　I　said。
　〃You　don't　have　to　get　snippy　about　it；〃　he　said。
　〃You're　a　gadabout；〃　I　said。　〃Utterly　irresponsible。　Can't　you　keep　your　mind　on　the　matter　at　hand？〃
　〃Why　should　I？〃　he　asked。　〃When　you're　perfectly　capable　of　doing　all　the　worrying　for　both　of　us。〃
　〃Jerk。〃
　〃Shrew。〃
　〃Shmuck。〃
　〃Harpy。〃
　
　I　laughed。　I　couldn't　help　it。
　〃Well；　shall　we　go　and　meet　the　crowd？〃　Caimbeui　asked。　〃I　understand　they've　finished　with　the　pagans　and　are　moving　on　to　the　Christians。〃
　〃I　think　they'll　find　us　stringy　and　unpalatable。〃
　〃One　can　only　hope。〃
　
　We　were　met　at　the　door　by　a　retinue　of　Surehand's　Paladins。　They　were　attired　in　their　Crusaderish　armor　and　toting　SMGs；　pistols；　and　other　sidearms　and　pieces　of　gear　I　knew　nothing　of。　Such　blind　reliance　on　technology　could　get　these　boys　in　a　lot　of　trouble；　I　thought。
　
　We　were　escorted　into　the　massive　foyer　and　down　a　wide　hallway　leading　to　the　back　of　the　house。　More　like　a　palace。　Fifteen…foot　ceilings；　twelve…foot…wide　hallways；　heavy；　cream…colored　damask　wallpaper；　marble　tile　underfoot。　The　Pala…dins'　boots　made　loud　echoes　against　the　floor。　Doorways　leading　off　the　halls　showed　enormous　rooms　decorated　in　luxurious　fabrics；　woods；　and　stone。
　
　I　wondered　whose　property　this　was。　It　dwarfed　Lugh　Surehand's　place　in　size　and　richness。　I　couldn't　imagine　Aithne　here。　Nor　Ehran。　It　hardly　seemed　their　style。　Our　invitation　to　the　Council　had　mentioned　only　the　time　and　location：　six　p。m。　at　Ozymandias。　Caimbeui　seemed　to　know　where　to　go。
　
　At　last　we　came　to　a　set　of　doors　at　the　end　of　the　hallway。　The　lead　Paladin　opened　the　doors　and　announced　us。
　
　〃Aina　Sluage　and　Caimbeui　har　lea　Quinn；〃　he　said。
　
　I　took　a　deep　breath　and　stepped　into　the　room。　Caimbeui　was　close　behind。
　
　Had　I　been　Harlequin；　I　would　have　delighted　at　the　expressions　passing　over　those　faces；　but　I　was　too　nervous。　I　knew　they　wouldn't　guess　how　I　felt。　None　of　them　knew　me　well　enough　to　see　that。
　
　〃Courage；〃　I　heard　Caimbeui　whisper　in　my　ear。
　
　Fires　burned　in　the　hearths　at　either　end　of　the　hall。　Oriental　rugs　were　scattered　over　the　inlaid　wood　floor。　Oversized　chairs　and　couches　were　arranged　in　fortable　groupings。　That　is；　fortable　if　you're　expecting　a　hundred　or　so　of　your　closest　personal　friends。
　
　At　one　end　of　the　hall　were　a　handful　of　the　Council　members。　Lofwyr　had　changed　from　his　black　suit　into　a　lurid　peacock…blue　satin　that　would　have　done　a　pimp　proud。　He　smiled　and　bowed　slightly　at　me。　I　knew　he'd　probably　remain　neutral；　no　matter　what　happened。　Sometimes　you　just　couldn't　depend　on　dragons。
　
　Ehran　was　ensconced　on　one　of　the　couches。　He　wore　his　usual　black；　a　habit　that　I　found　a　trifle　annoying。　As　though　wearing　black　made　you　somehow　more　imposing；　or　cool；　or　serious。　Though　it　did　contrast　nicely　with　his　white　hair　and　cold　blue　eyes。　We　made　eye　contact；　but　I　couldn't　tell　what　he　was　thinking。　It　was　as　though　our　meeting　the　other　day　had　never　taken　place。
　
　Sean　Laverty　was　perched　on　the　arm　of　one　of　the　chairs。　Unlike　the　other　men；　he　was　clean…shaven。　His　eyes　were　clear　leaf…green；　his　hair　auburn。　I　knew　he　was　against　the　technological　leanings　of　the　Tir。　Of　the　group；　his　garb　wa