cb.imajica1-第40部分

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rasitical　city　had　been　created；　peopled　by　inhabitants　of　the　Four　Dominions　who　had　fled　persecution　and　had　looked　to　Patashoqua　as　a　place　where　h'berty　of　thought　and　action　were　still　possible。　How　much　longer　this　would　remain　the　case　was　a　debate　that　dominated　every　social　gathering　in　the　city。　The　Autarch　had　moved　against　other　towns；　cities；　and　states　which　he　and　his　councils　judged　hotbeds　of　revolutionary　thought。　Some　of　those　cities　had　been　razed；　others　had　e　under　Yzordderrexian　edict　and　all　sign　of　independent　thought　crushed。　The　university　city　of　Hezoir；　for　instance；　had　been　reduced　to　rubble；　the　brains　of　its　students　literally　scooped　out　of　their　skulls　and　heaped　up　in　the　streets。　In　the　Azzimulto　the　inhabitants　of　an　entire　province　had　been　decimated；　so　rumor　went；　by　a　disease　introduced　into　that　region　by　the　Autarch's　representatives。　There　were　tales　of　atrocity　from　so　many　sources　that　people　became　almost　blase　about　the　newest　horror；　until；　of　course；　somebody　asked　how　long　it　would　be　until　the　Autarch　turned　his　unforgiving　eyes　on　the　hive　of　hives。　Then　their　faces　drained　of　color；　and　people　talked　in　whispers　of　how　they　planned　to　escape　or　defend　themselves　if　that　day　ever　came；　and　they　looked　around　at　their　exquisite　city；　built　to　stand　until　Doomsday；　and　wondered　just　how　near　that　day　was。
　Though　Pie　'oh'　pah　had　briefly　described　the　forces　that　haunted　the　In　Ovo；　Gentle　had　only　the　vaguest　impression　of　the　dark　protean　state　between　the　Dominions；　occupied　as　he　was　by　a　spectacle　much　closer　to　his　heart；　that　of　the　change　that　overtook　both　travelers　as　their　bodies　were　translated　into　the　mon　currency　of　passage。
　Dizzied　by　lack　of　oxygen；　he　wasn't　certain　whether　these　were　real　phenomena　or　not。　Could　bodies　open　like　flowers；　and　the　seeds　of　an　essential　self　fly　from　them　the　way　his　mind　told　him　they　did？　And　could　those　same　bodies　be　remade　at　the　other　end　of　the　journey；　arriving　whole　despite　the　trauma　they'd　undergone？　So　it　seemed。　The　world　Pie　had　called　the　Fifth　folded　up　before　the　travelers'　eyes；　and　they　went　like　transported　dreams　into　another　place　entirely。　As　soon　as　he　saw　the　light；　Gentle　fell　to　his　knees　on　the　hard　rock；　drinking　the　air　of　this　Dominion　with　gratitude。
　〃Not　bad　at　all；〃　he　heard　Pie　say。　〃We　did　it；　Gentle。　I　didn't　think　we　were　going　to　make　it　for　a　moment；　but　we　did　it！〃
　Gentle　raised　his　head；　as　Pie　pulled　him　to　his　feet　by　the　strap　that　joined　them。
　〃Up！　Up！〃　the　mystif　said。　〃It's　not　good　to　start　a　journey　on　your　knees。〃
　It　was　a　bright　day　here；　Gentle　saw；　the　sky　above　his　head　cloudless；　and　brilliant　as　the　green…gold　sheen　of　a　peacock's　tail。　There　was　neither　sun　nor　moon　in　it；　but　the　very　air　seemed　lucid；　and　by　it　Gentle　had　his　first　true　sight　of　Pie　since　they'd　met　in　the　fire。　Perhaps　out　of　remembrance　for　those　it　had　lost；　the　mystif　was　still　wearing　the　clothes　it　had　worn　that　night；　scorched　and　bloodied　though　they　were。　But　it　had　washed　the　dirt　from　its　face；　and　its　skin　gleamed　in　the　clear　light。
　〃Good　to　see　you；〃　Gentle　said。
　〃You　too。〃
　Pie　started　to　untie　the　belt　that　bound　them；　while　Gentle　turned　his　gaze　on　the　Dominion。　They　were　standing　close　to　the　summit　of　a　hill；　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　the　perimeters　of　a　sprawling　shantytown；　from　which　a　din　of　activity　rose。　It　spread　beyond　the　foot　of　the　hill　and　halfway　across　a　flat　and　treeless　plain　of　ocher　earth；　crossed　by　a　thronged　highway　that　led　his　eye　to　the　domes　and　spires　of　a　glittering　city。
　〃Patashoqua？〃　he　said。
　〃Where　else？〃
　〃You　were　accurate；　then。〃
　〃More　than　I　dared　hope。　The　hill　we're　standing　on　is　supposed　to　be　the　place　where　Hapexamendios　first　rested　when　He　came　through　from　the　Fifth。　It's　called　the　Mount　of　Upper　Bayak。　Don't　ask　me　why。〃
　〃Is　the　city　under　siege？〃　Gentle　said。
　〃I　don't　think　so。　The　gates　look　open　to　me。〃
　Gentle　scanned　the　distant　walls；　and　indeed　the　gates　were　open　wide。　〃So　who　are　all　these　people？　Refugees？〃
　〃We'll　ask　in　a　while；〃　Pie　said。
　The　knot　had　e　undone。　Gentle　rubbed　his　wrist；　which　was　indented　by　the　belt；　staring　down　the　hill　as　he　did　so。　Moving　between　the　makeshift　dwellings　below　he　glimpsed　forms　of　being　that　didn't　much　resemble　humanity。　And；　mingling　freely　with　them；　many　who　did。　It　wouldn't　be　difficult　to　pass　as　a　local；　at　least。
　〃You're　going　to　have　to　teach　me；　Pie；〃　he　said。　〃I　need　to　know　who's　who　and　what's　what。　Do　they　speak　English　here？〃
　〃It　used　to　be　quite　a　popular　language；〃　Pie　replied。　〃I　can't　believe　it's　fallen　out　of　fashion。　But　before　we　go　any　farther；　I　think　you　should　know　what　you're　traveling　with。　The　way　people　respond　to　me　may　confound　you　otherwise。〃
　〃Tell　me　as　we　go；〃　Gentle　said；　eager　to　see　the　strangers　below　up　close。
　〃As　you　wish。〃　They　began　to　descend。　〃I'm　a　mystif；　my　name's　Pie　'oh'　pah。　That　much　you　know。　My　gender　you　don't。〃
　〃I've　made　a　guess；〃　Gentle　said。
　〃Oh？〃　said　Pie；　smiling。　〃And　what's　your　guess？〃
　〃You're　an　androgyne。　Am　I　right？〃
　〃That's　part　of　it；　certainly。〃
　〃But　you've　got　a　talent　for　illusion。　I　saw　that　in　New　York。〃
　〃I　don't　like　the　word　illusion。　It　makes　me　a　guiser；　and　I'm　not　that〃
　〃What　then？〃
　〃In　New　York　you　wanted　Judith；　and　that's　what　you　saw。　It　was　your　invention；　not　mine。〃
　〃But　you　played　along。〃
　〃Because　I　wanted　to　be　with　you。〃
　〃And　are　you　playing　along　now？〃
　〃I'm　not　deceiving　you；　if　that's　what　you　mean。　What　you　see　is　what　I　am；　to　you。〃
　〃But　to　other　people？〃
　〃I　may　be　something　different。　A　man　sometimes。　A　woman　others。〃
　〃Could　you　be　white？〃
　〃I　might　manage　it　for　a　moment　or　two。　But　if　I'd　tried　to　e　to　your　bed　in　daylight；　you'd　have　known　I　wasn't　Judith。　Or　if　you'd　been　in　love　with　an　eight…year…old；　or　a　dog。　I　couldn't　have　acmodated　that；　except。。；〃…the　creature　glanced　around　at　him…〃。　。　。　under　very　particular　circumstances。〃
　Gentle　wrestled　with　this　notion；　questions　biological；　philosophical；　and　libidinous　filling　his　head。　He　stopped　walking　for　a　moment　and　turned　to　Pie。
　〃Let　me　tell　you　what　I　see；〃　he　said。　〃Just　so　you　know。〃
　〃Good。〃
　〃If　I　passed　you　on　the　street　I　believe　I'd　think　you　were　a　woman〃…he　cocked　his　head…〃though　maybe　not。　I　suppose　it'd　depend　on　the　light；　and　how　fast　you　were　walking。〃　He　laughed。　〃Oh；　shit；〃　he　said。　〃The　more　I　look　at　you　the　more　I　see；　and　the　more　I　see…〃
　〃The　less　you　know。〃
　〃That's　right。　You're　not　a　man。　That's　plain　enough。　But　then。　。　。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃Am　I　seeing　you　the　way　you　really　are？　I　mean；　is　this　the　final　version？〃
　〃Of　course　not。　There's　stranger　sights　inside　us　both。　You　know　that。〃
　〃Not　until　now。〃
　〃We　can't　go　too　naked　in　the　world。　We'd　bum　out　each　other's　eyes。〃
　〃But　this　is　you。〃
　〃For　the　time　being。〃
　〃For　what　it's　worth；　I　like　it；〃　Gentle　said。　〃I　don't　know　what　I'd　call　you　if　I　saw　you　in　the　street；　but　I'd　turn　my　head。　How's　that？〃
　〃What　more　could　I　ask　for？〃
　〃Will　I　meet　others　like　you？〃
　〃A　few；　maybe；〃　Pie　said。　〃But　mystifs　aren't　mon。　When　one　is　born；　it's　an　occasion　for　great　celebration　among　my　people。〃
　〃Who　are　your　people？〃
　〃The　Eurhetemec。〃
　〃Will　they　be　here？〃　Gentle　said；　nodding　towards　the　throng　below。
　〃I　doubt　it。　But　in　Yzordderrex；　certainly。　They　have　a　Kesparate　there。〃
　〃What's　a　Kesparate？〃
　〃A　district。　My　people　have　a　city　within　the　city。　Or　at　least　they　had　one。　It's　two　hundred　and　twenty…one　years　since　I　was　there。〃
　〃My　God。　How　old　are　you？〃
　〃Half　that　again。　I　know　that　sounds　like　an　extraordinary　span；　but　time　works　slowly　on　flesh　touched　by　feits。〃
　〃Feits？〃
　〃Magical　workings。　Feits；　wantons；　sways。　They　work　their　miracles　even　on　a　whore　like　me。〃
　〃Whoa！〃　said　Gentle。
　〃Oh；　yes。　That's　something　else　you　should　know　about　me。　I　was　told…a　long　time　ago…that　I　should　spend　my　life　as　a　whore　or　an　assassin；　and　that's　what　I've　done。〃
　〃Until　now；　maybe。　But　that's　over。〃
　〃What　will　I　be　from　now　on？〃
　〃My　friend；〃　Gentle　said；　without　hesitation。
　The　mystif　smiled。　〃Thank　you　for　that。〃
　The　round　of　questions　ended　there；　and　side　by　side　they　wandered　on　down　the　slope。
　〃Don't　make　your　interest　too　apparent；〃　Pie　advised　as　they　approached　the　edge　of　this　makeshift　conurbation。　〃Pretend　you　see　this　sort　of　sight　daily。〃
　〃That's　going　to　be　difficult；〃　Gentle　predicted。
　So　it　was。　Walking　through　the　narrow　spaces　between　the　shanties　was　like　passing　through　a　country　in　which　the　very　air　had　evolutionary　ambition；　and　to　breathe　was　to　change。　A　hundred　kinds　of　eye　gazed　out　at　them　from　doorways　and　windows；　while　a　hundred　forms　of　limb　got　about　the　business　of　the　day…cooking；　nursing；　Grafting；　conniving；　making　fires　and　deals　and　love…and　all　glimpsed　so　briefly　that　after　a　few　paces　Gentle　was　obliged　to　look　away；　to　study　the　muddy　gutter　they　were　walking　in；　lest　his　mind　be　overwhelmed　by　the　sheer　profusion　of　sights。　Smells；　too：　aromatic；　sickly；　sour　and　sweet；　and　sounds　that　made　his　skull　shake　and　his　gut　quiver。
　There　had　be