cb.imajica1-第60部分

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ld　but　blue；　two；　that　it　burned　without　fuel；　the　flames　hovering　six　inches　above　the　bottom　of　the　bowl。　But　oh；　it　was　warm。　The　cobs　of　ice　in　Gentle's　beard　melted　and　dropped　off；　the　snowflakes　became　beads　on　Pie's　smooth　brow　and　cheek。　The　warmth　brought　a　whoop　of　pure　pleasure　to　Gentle's　lips；　and　he　opened　his　aching　arms　to　Pie　'oh'　pah。
　〃We're　not　going　to　die！〃　he　said。　〃Didn't　I　tell　you？　We're　not　going　to　die！〃
　The　mystif　hugged　him　in　return；　its　lips　first　pressed　to　Gentle's　neck；　then　to　his　face。
　〃All　right；　I　was　wrong；〃　it　said。　〃There！　I　admit　it！〃
　〃So　we　go　on　and　find　the　women；　yes？〃
　〃Yes！〃　it　said。
　A　sound　was　waiting　for　them　when　the　echoes　of　their　enthusiasm　died。　A　tinkling；　as　of　ice　bells。
　〃They're　calling　us；〃　Gentle　said。
　The　doeki　had　found　a　little　paradise　by　the　fire　and　was　not　about　to　move；　for　all　Pie's　attempts　to　tug　it　to　its　feet。
　〃Leave　it　awhile；〃　Gentle　said；　before　the　mystif　began　a　fresh　round　of　profanities。　〃It's　given　good　service。　Let　it　rest。　We　can　e　back　and　fetch　it　later。〃
　The　passage　they　now　followed　not　only　curved　but　di…　vided　many　times；　the　routes　all　lit　by　fire　bowls。　They　chose　between　them　by　listening　for　the　sound　of　the　bells；　which　didn't　seem　to　be　getting　any　closer。　Each　choice；　of　course；　made　the　likelihood　of　finding　their　way　back　to　the　doeki　more　uncertain。
　〃This　place　is　a　maze；〃　Pie　said；　with　a　touch　of　the　old　unease　creeping　back　into　its　voice。　〃I　think　we　should　stop　and　assess　exactly　what　we're　doing。〃
　〃Finding　the　Goddesses。〃
　〃And　losing　our　transport　while　we　do　it。　We're　neither　of　us　in　any　state　to　go　much　farther　on　foot。〃
　〃I　don't　feel　so　bad。　Except　for　my　hands。〃　He　raised　them　in　front　of　his　face；　palm　up。　They　were　puffy　and　bruised；　the　lacerations　livid。　〃I　suppose　I　look　like　that　all　over。　Did　you　hear　the　bells？　They're　just　around　the　corner；　I　swear！〃
　〃They've　been　just　around　the　corner　for　the　last　three　quarters　of　an　hour。　They're　not　getting　any　closer；　Gentle。　It's　some　kind　of　trick。　We　should　go　back　for　the　animal　before　it's　slaughtered。〃
　〃I　don't　think　they'd　shed　blood　in　here；〃　Gentle　replied。　The　bells　came　again。　〃Listen　to　that。　They　are　closer。〃　He　went　to　the　next　corner；　sliding　on　the　ice。　〃Pie。　e　look。〃
　Pie　joined　him　at　the　corner。　Ahead　of　them　the　passageway　narrowed　to　a　doorway。
　〃What　did　I　tell　you？〃　Gentle　said；　and　headed　on　to　the　door　and　through　it。
　The　sanctum　on　the　other　side　wasn't　vast…the　size　of　a　modest　church；　no　more…but　it　had　been　hewn　with　such　cunning　it　gave　the　impression　of　magnificence。　It　had　sustained　great　damage；　however。　Despite　its　myriad　pillars；　chased　by　the　finest　craft；　and　its　vaults　of　ice…sleek　stone；　its　walls　were　pitted；　its　floor　gouged。　Nor　did　it　take　great　wit　to　see　that　the　objects　that　had　been　buried　in　the　glacier　had　once　been　part　of　its　furniture。　The　altar　lay　in　hammered　ruins　at　its　center；　and　among　the　wreckage　were　fragments　of　blue　stone；　matching　that　of　the　statue　the　girl　had　carried。　Now；　more　certainly　than　ever；　they　were　standing　in　a　place　that　carried　the　marks　of　Hapexa…mendios'　passing。
　〃In　His　footsteps；〃　Gentle　murmured。
　〃Oh；　yes；〃　Pie　murmured。　〃He　was　here。〃
　〃And　so　were　the　women；〃　Gentle　said。　〃But　I　don't　think　they　ate　men's　balls。　I　think　their　ceremonies　were　more　loving　than　that。〃　He　went　down　on　his　haunches；　running　his　fingers　over　the　carved　fragments。　〃I　wonder　what　they　did？　I'd　like　to　have　seen　the　rites。〃
　〃They'd　have　ripped　you　limb　from　limb。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Because　their　devotions　weren't　for　men's　eyes。〃
　〃You　could　have　got　in；　though；　couldn't　you？〃　Gentle　said。　〃You　would　have　been　a　perfect　spy。　You　could　have　seen　it。〃
　〃It's　not　the　seeing；〃　Pie　said　softly；　〃it's　the　feeling。〃
　Gentle　stood　up；　gazing　at　the　mystif　with　new　prehension。　〃I　think　I　envy　you；　Pie；〃　he　said。　〃You　know　what　it　feels　like　to　be　both；　don't　you？　I　never　thought　of　that　before。　Will　you　tell　me　how　it　feels；　one　of　these　days？〃
　〃You'd　be　better　off　finding　out　for　yourself；〃　Pie　said。
　〃And　how　do　I　do　that？〃
　〃This　isn't　the　time…〃
　〃Tell　me。〃
　〃Well；　mystifs　have　their　rites；　just　like　men　and　women。　Don't　worry；　I　won't　make　you　spy　on　me。　You'll　be　invited；　if　that's　what　you　want。〃
　The　remotest　twinge　of　fear　touched　Gentle　as　he　listened　to　this。　He'd　bee　almost　blase　about　the　many　wonders　they'd　witnessed　as　they　traveled；　but　the　creature　that　had　been　at　his　side　these　many　days　remained；　he　realized；　undiscovered。　He　had　never　seen　it　naked　since　that　first　encounter　in　New　York；　nor　kissed　it　the　way　a　lover　might　kiss；　nor　allowed　himself　to　feel　sexual　towards　it。　Perhaps　it　was　because　he'd　been　thinking　of　the　women　here；　and　their　secret　rites；　but　now；　like　it　or　not；　he　was　looking　at　Pie　'oh'　pah　and　was　aroused。
　Pain　diverted　him　from　these　thoughts；　and　he　looked　down　at　his　hands　to　see　that　in　his　unease　he'd　made　fists　of　them　and　reopened　the　cuts　in　his　palms。　Blood　dropped　onto　the　ice　underfoot；　shockingly　red。　With　the　sight　of　it　came　a　memory　he'd　consigned　to　the　back　of　his　head。
　〃What's　wrong？〃　Pie　said。
　But　Gentle　didn't　have　the　breath　to　reply。　He　could　hear　the　frozen　river　cracking　beneath　him；　and　the　howl　of　the　Unbeheld's　agents　wheeling　overhead。　He　could　feel　his　hand　slamming；　slamming；　slamming　against　the　glacier　and　the　thorns　of　ice　flying　up　into　his　face。
　The　mystif　had　e　to　his　side。　〃Gentle；〃　it　said；　anxious　now。　〃Speak　to　me；　will　you？　What's　wrong？〃
　It　put　its　arms　around　Gentle's　shoulders；　and　at　its　touch　Gentle　drew　breath。
　〃The　women　。　。　。〃　he　said。
　〃What　about　them？〃
　〃It　was　me　who　freed　them。'1
　〃How？〃
　〃Pneuma。　How　else？〃
　〃You　undid　the　Unbeheld's　handiwork？〃　the　mystif　said；　its　voice　barely　audible。　〃For　our　sake　I　hope　the　women　were　the　only　witnesses。〃
　〃There　were　agents；　just　as　you　said　there'd　be。　They　almost　killed　me。　But　I　hurt　them　back。〃
　〃This　is　bad　news。〃
　〃Why？　If　I'm　going　to　bleed；　let　Him　bleed　a　little　too。〃
　〃Hapexamendios　doesn't　bleed。〃
　〃Everything　bleeds；　Pie。　Even　God。　Maybe　especially　God。　Or　else　why　did　He　hide　Himself　away？〃
　As　he　spoke　the　tinkling　bells　sounded　again；　closer　than　ever；　and　glancing　over　Gentle's　shoulder　Pie　said；　〃She　must　have　been　waiting　for　that　little　heresy。〃
　Gentle　turned　to　see　the　beckoning　woman　standing　halfway　in　shadow　at　the　end　of　the　sanctum。　The　ice　that　still　clung　to　her　body　hadn't　melted；　suggesting　that；　like　the　walls；　the　flesh　it　was　encrusted　upon　was　still　below　zero。　There　were　cobs　of　ice　in　her　hair；　and　when　she　moved　her　head　a　little；　as　she　did　now；　they　struck　each　other　and　tinkled　like　tiny　bells。
　〃I　brought　you　out　of　the　ice；〃　Gentle　said；　stepping　past　Pie　to　approach　her。
　The　woman　said　nothing。
　〃Do　you　understand　me？〃　Gentle　went　on；　〃Will　you　lead　us　out　of　here？　We　want　to　find　a　way　through　the　mountain。〃
　The　woman　took　a　step　backwards；　retreating　into　the　shadows。
　〃Don't　be　afraid　of　me；〃　Gentle　said。　〃Pie！　Help　me　out　here。〃
　〃How？〃
　〃Maybe　she　doesn't　understand　English。〃
　〃She　understands　you　well　enough。〃
　〃Just　talk　to　her；　will　you？〃　Gentle　said。
　Ever　obedient；　Pie　began　to　speak　in　a　tongue　Gentle　hadn't　heard　before；　its　musicality　reassuring　even　if　the　words　were　unintelligible。　But　neither　music　nor　sense　seemed　to　impress　the　woman。　She　continued　to　retreat　into　the　darkness；　Gentle　pursuing　cautiously；　fearful　of　startling　her　but　more　fearful　still　of　losing　her　entirely。　His　additions　to　Pie's　persuasions　had　dwindled　to　the　basest　bargaining。
　〃One　favor　deserves　another；〃　he　said。
　Pie　was　right；　she　did　indeed　understand。　Even　though　she　stood　in　shadow；　he　could　see　that　a　little　smile　was　playing　on　her　sealed　lips。　Damn　her；　he　thought；　why　wouldn't　she　answer　him？　The　bells　still　rang　in　her　hair；　however；　and　he　kept　following　them　even　when　the　shadows　became　so　heavy　she　was　virtually　lost　among　them。　He　glanced　back　towards　the　mystif；　who　had　by　now　given　up　any　attempt　to　municate　with　the　woman　and　instead　addressed　Gentle。
　〃Don't　go　any　further；〃　it　said。
　Though　he　was　no　more　than　fifty　yards　from　where　the　mystif　stood；　its　voice　sounded　unnaturally　remote；　as　though　another　law　besides　that　of　distance　and　light　held　sway　in　the　space　between　them。
　〃I'm　still　here。　Can　you　see　me？〃　he　called　back；　and；　gratified　to　hear　the　mystif　reply　that　it　could；　he　returned　his　gaze　to　the　shadows。
　The　woman　had　disappeared　however。　Cursing；　he　plunged　on　towards　the　place　where　she'd　last　stood；　his　sense　that　this　was　equivocal　terrain　intensifying。　The　darkness　had　a　nervous　quality；　like　a　bad　liar　attempting　to　shoo　him　off　with　shrugs。　He　wouldn't　go。　The　more　it　trembled；　the　more　eager　he　became　to　see　what　it　was　hiding。　Sightless　though　he　was；　he　wasn't　blind　to　the　risk　he　was　taking。　Minutes　before　he'd　told　Pie　that　everything　was　vulnerable。　But　nobody；　not　even　the　Unbeheld；　could　make　darkness　bleed。　If　it　closed　on　him　he　could　claw　at　it　forever　and　not　make　a　mark　on　its　hideless　back。
　He　heard　Pie　calling　behind　him　now：　〃Where　the　hell　a