cb.imajica1-第63部分

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e　bushes　around　the　step。　He　returned　at　six…forty　with　Dowd；　who　had　barely　stepped　through　the　door　before　he　pronounced　that　there　would　be　no　opera　visit　tonight：　Godolphin　contradicted　him　immediately；　much　to　his　chagrin；　telling　Jude　to　go　and　get　ready；　they'd　be　leaving　in　twenty　minutes。
　As　she　dutifully　headed　upstairs；　she　heard　Dowd　say；　〃You　know　McGann　wants　to　see　you？〃
　〃We　can　do　both；〃　Oscar　replied。　〃Did　you　put　out　the　black　suit？　No？　What　have　you　been　doing　all　day？　No；　don't　tell　me。　Not　on　an　empty　stomach。〃
　Oscar　looked　handsome　in　black；　and　she　told　him　so　when；　twenty…five　minutes　later；　he　came　downstairs。　In　response　to　the　pliment；　he　smiled　and　made　a　small　bow。
　〃And　you　were　never　lovelier；〃　he　replied。　〃You　know；　I　don't　have　a　photograph　of　you？　I'd　like　one；　for　my　wallet。　We'll　have　Dowd　organize　it。〃
　By　now；　Dowd　was　conspicuous　by　his　absence。　Most　evenings　he　would　play　chauffeur；　but　tonight　he　apparently　had　other　business。
　〃We're　going　to　have　to　miss　the　first　act；〃　Oscar　said　as　they　drove。　〃I've　got　a　little　errand　to　run　in　Highgate；　if　you'll　bear　with　me。〃　〃I　don't　mind；〃　she　said。
　He　patted　her　hand。　〃It　won't　take　long；〃　he　said。　Perhaps　because　he　didn't　often　take　the　wheel　himself　he　concentrated　hard　as　he　drove；　and　though　the　news　item　she'd　seen　was　still　very　much　in　her　mind　she　was　loath　to　distract　him　with　talk。　They　made　good　time；　threading　their　way　through　the　back　streets　to　avoid　thoroughfares　clogged　by　rain…slowed　traffic；　and　arriving　in　a　veritable　cloudburst。
　〃Here　we　are；〃　he　said；　though　the　windshield　was　so　awash　she　could　barely　see　ten　yards　ahead。　〃You　stay　in　the　warm。　I　won't　be　long。〃
　He　left　her　in　the　car　and　sprinted　across　a　courtyard　towards　an　anonymous　building。　Nobody　came　to　the　front　door。　It　opened　automatically　and　closed　after　him。　Only　when　he'd　disappeared；　and　the　thunderous　drumming　of　the　rain　on　the　roof　had　diminished　somewhat；　did　she　lean　forward　to　peer　out　through　the　watery　windshield　at　the　building　itself。　Despite　the　rain；　she　recognized　instantly　the　tower　from　the　dream　of　blue　eye。　Without　conscious　instruction　her　hand　went　to　the　door　and　opened　it；　as　her　breath　quickened　with　denials。
　〃Oh；　no。　Oh；　no。　。　。。〃
　She　got　out　of　the　car　and　turned　her　face　up　to　the　cold　rain　and　to　an　even　colder　memory。　She'd　let　this　place…　and　indeed　the　journey　that　had　brought　her　here；　her　mind　moving　through　the　streets　touching　this　woman's　grief　and　that　woman's　rage…slip　into　the　dubious　territory　that　lay　between　recollections　of　the　real　and　those　of　the　dreamed。　In　essence；　she'd　allowed　herself　to　believe　it　had　never　happened。　But　here　was　the　very　place；　to　the　window；　to　the　brick。　And　if　the　exterior　was　so　exactly　as　she'd　seen　it；　why　should　she　doubt　that　the　interior　would　be　any　different？
　There'd　been　a　labyrinthine　cellar；　she　remembered；　lined　with　shelves　piled　high　with　books　and　manuscripts。　There'd　been　a　wall　（lovers　coupling　against　it）　and；　behind　it；　hidden　from　every　sight　but　hers；　a　cell　in　which　a　bound　woman　had　lain　in　darkness　for　a　suffering　age。　She　heard　the　prisoner's　scream　now；　in　her　mind's　ear：　that　howl　of　madness　that　had　driven　her　up　out　of　the　ground　and　back　through　the　dark　streets　to　the　safety　of　her　own　house　and　head。　Was　the　woman　still　screaming；　she　wondered；　or　had　she　sunk　back　into　the　atose　state　from　which　she'd　been　so　unkindly　woken？　The　thought　of　her　pain　brought　tears　to　Jude's　eyes；　mingling　with　the　rain。
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃
　Oscar　had　reappeared　from　the　tower　and　was　hurrying　across　the　gravel　towards　her；　his　jacket　raised　and　tented　over　his　head。
　〃My　dear；　you'll　freeze　to　death。　Get　in　the　car。　Please；　please。　Get　in　the　car。〃
　She　did　as　he　suggested；　the　rain　running　down　her　neck。
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　she　said。　〃I　。　。　。　I　wondered　where　you'd　gone；　that　was　all。　Then　。　。　。　I　don't　know　。　。　。　the　place　seemed　familiar。〃
　〃It's　a　place　of　no　importance；〃　he　said。　〃You're　shivering。　Would　you　prefer　we　didn't　go　to　the　opera？〃
　〃Would　you　mind？〃
　〃Not　in　the　least。　Pleasure　shouldn't　be　a　trial。　You're　wet　and　cold；　and　we　can't　have　you　getting　a　chill。　One　sickly　individual's　enough。〃
　She　didn't　question　this　last　remark；　there　was　too　much；　else　on　her　mind。　She　wanted　to　sob；　though　whether　out　of　joy　or　sorrow　she　wasn't　sure。　The　dream　she'd　e　to　dismiss　as　fancy　was　founded　in　solid　fact；　and　this　solid　fact　beside　her…Godolphin…was　in　turn　touched　by　something　momentous。　She'd　been　persuaded　by　his　practiced　understatement：　the　way　he　talked　of　traveling　to　the　Dominions　as　he　would　of　boarding　a　train；　and　his　expeditions　in　Yzordderrex　as　a　form　of　tourism　as　yet　unavailable　to　the　great　unwashed。　But　his　reductionism　was　a　screen…whether　he　was　aware　of　the　fact　or　not…a　ploy　to　conceal　the　greater　significance　of　his　business。　His　ignorance；　or　arrogance；　might　well　kill　him；　she　began　to　suspect：　which　thought　was　the　sorrow　in　her。　And　the　joy？　That　she　might　save　him；　and　he　learn　to　love　her　out　of　gratitude。
　Back　at　the　house　they　both　changed　out　of　their　formal　attire。　When　she　emerged　from　her　room　on　the　top　floor　she　found　him　on　the　stairs；　waiting　for　her。
　〃I　wonder。　。　。　perhaps　we　should　talk？〃
　They　went　downstairs　into　the　tasteful　clutter　of　the　lounge。　The　rain　beat　against　the　window。　He　drew　the　curtains　and　poured　them　brandies　to　fortify　them　against　the　cold。　Then　he　sat　down　opposite　her。
　〃We　have　a　problem；　you　and　I。〃
　〃We　do？〃
　〃There's　so　much　we　have　to　say　to　each　other。　At　least　。　。　。　here　am　I　presuming　it's　reciprocal；　but　for　myself；　certainly　。。　。　certainly　I've　got　a　good　deal　I　want　to　say；　and　I'm　damned　if　I　know　where　to　begin。　I'm　aware　that　I　owe　you　explanations；　about　what　you　saw　at　the　estate；　about
　Dowd　and　the　voiders；　about　what　I　did　to　Charlie。　The　list　goes　on。　And　I've　tried；　really　I　have；　to　find　some　way　to
　make　it　all　clear　to　you。　But　the　truth　is；　I'm　not　sure　of　the　truth　myself。　Memory　plays　such　tricks〃…she　made　a　mur…mur　of　agreement…〃especially　when　you're　dealing　with
　places　and　people　who　seem　to　belong　half　in　your　dreams。
　Or　in　your　nightmares。〃　He　drained　his　glass　and　reached　for　the　bottle　he'd　set　on　the　table　beside　him。
　〃I　don't　like　Dowd；〃　she　said　suddenly。　〃And　I　don't
　trust　him。〃
　He　looked　up　from　refilling　his　glass。　〃That's　percep…tive；〃　he　said。　〃You　want　some　more　brandy？〃　She　prof…fered　her　glass；　and　he　poured　her　an　ample　measure。　〃I　agree　with　you；〃　he　said。　〃He's　a　dangerous　creature；　for　a　number　of　reasons。〃
　〃Can't　you　get　rid　of　him？〃
　〃He　knows　too　much；　I'm　afraid。　He'd　be　more　danger…ous　out　of　my　employ　than　in　it。〃
　〃Has　he　got　something　to　do　with　these　murders？　Just　today；　I　saw　the　news…〃
　He　waved　her　inquiry　away。　〃You　don't　need　to　know　about　any　of　that；　my　dear；〃　he　said。　〃But　if　you're　at　risk…〃
　〃I'm　not。　I'm　not。　At　least　be　reassured　about　that。〃　〃So　you　know　all　about　it？〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said　heavily。　〃I　know　a　little　something。　And　so　does　Dowd。　In　fact；　he　knows　more　about　this　whole　situation　than　you　and　I　put　together。〃
　She　wondered　about　this。　Did　Dowd　know　about　the　prisoner　behind　the　wall；　for　instance；　or　was　that　a　secret　she　had　entirely　to　herself？　If　so；　perhaps　she'd　be　wise　to　keep　it　that　way。　When　so　many　players　in　this　game　had　information　she　lacked；　sharing　anything…even　with　Oscar…might　weaken　her　position；　perhaps　threaten　her　life。　Some　part　of　her　nature　not　susceptible　to　the　blandishments　of　luxury　or　the　need　for　love　was　lodged　behind　that　wall　with　the　woman　she'd　woken。　She　would　leave　it　there；　safe　in　the　darkness。　The　rest…anything　else　she　knew…she'd　share。
　〃You're　not　the　only　one　who　crosses　over；〃　she　said。　〃A　friend　of　mine　went。〃
　〃Really？〃　he　said。　〃Who？〃
　〃His　name's　Gentle。　Actually；　his　real　name's　Za…charias。　John　Furie　Zacharias。　Charlie　knew　him　a　little。〃
　〃Charlie。　。　。　。〃　Oscar　shook　his　head。　〃Poor　Charlie。〃　Then　he　said；　〃Tell　me　about　Gentle。〃
　〃It's　plicated；〃　she　said。　〃When　I　left　Charlie　he　got　very　vengeful。　He　hired　somebody　to　kill　me。　。　。。〃
　She　went　on　to　tell　Oscar　about　the　murder　attempt　in　New　York　and　Gentle's　later　intervention；　then　about　the　events　of　New　Year's　Eve。　As　she　related　this　she　had　the　distinct　impression　that　at　least　some　of　what　she　was　telling　him　he　already　knew；　a　suspicion　confirmed　when　she'd　finished　her　description　of　Gentle's　removal　from　this　Dominion。
　〃The　mystif　took　him？〃　he　said。　〃My　God；　that's　a　risk！〃
　〃What's　a　mystif？〃　she　asked。
　〃A　very　rare　creature　indeed。　One　would　be　born　into　the　Eurhetemec　tribe　once　in　a　generation。　They're　reputedly　extraordinary　lovers。　As　I　understand　it；　they　have　no　sexual　identity；　except　as　a　function　of　their　partner's　desire。〃
　〃That　sounds　like　Gentle's　idea　of　paradise。〃
　〃As　long　as　you　know　what　you　want；〃　Oscar　said。　〃If　you　don't　I　daresay　it　could　get　very　confusing。〃
　She　laughed。　〃He　knows　what　he　wants；　believe　me。〃
　〃You　speak　from　experience？〃
　〃Bitter　experience。〃
　〃He　may　have　bitten　off　more　than　he　can　chew；　so　to　speak；　keeping　the　pany　of　a　mystif。　My　friend　in　Yzo