cb.imajica1-第97部分

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　〃He's　sent　an　angel；〃　she　said　to　the　creature　at　her　side。　〃Concupiscentia　。　。　。　He's　sent　an　angel　to　summon　me。〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃Yes。　For　certain。　This　is　a　sign。　I'm　going　to　be　forgiven。〃
　A　sound　at　the　door　drew　the　woman's　attention。　A　man　in　uniform；　his　face　lit　only　by　the　cigarette　he　drew　upon；　stood　watching。
　〃Get　out；〃　the　woman　said。
　〃I　came　only　to　see　that　you　were　fortable；　Ma'am　Quaisoir。〃
　〃I　said　get　out；　Seidux。〃
　〃If　you　should　require　anything…〃
　Quaisoir　got　up　suddenly　and　pitched　herself　through　the　veils　in　Seidux's　direction。　The　suddenness　of　this　assault　took　Jude　by　surprise；　as　it　did　its　target。　Though　Quaisoir　was　a　head　shorter　than　her　captor；　she　had　no　fear　of　him。　She　slapped　the　cigarette　from　his　lips。
　〃I　don't　want　you　watching　me；〃　she　said。　〃Get　out。　Hear　me？　Or　shall　I　scream　rape？〃
　She　began　to　tear　at　her　already　ragged　clothes；　exposing　her　breasts。　Seidux　retreated　in　confusion；　averting　his　eyes。
　〃As　you　wish！〃　he　said；　heading　out　of　the　chamber。　〃As　you　wish！〃
　Quaisoir　slammed　the　door　on　him　and　turned　her　attention　back　to　the　haunted　room。
　〃Where　are　you；　spirit？〃　she　said；　moving　back　through　the　veils。　〃Gone？　No；　not　gone。〃　She　turned　to　Concupiscentia。　〃Do　you　feel　its　presence？〃　The　creature　seemed　too　frightened　to　speak。　〃I　feel　nothing；〃　Quaisoir　said；　now　standing　still　amid　the　shifting　veils。　〃Damn　Seidux！　The　spirit's　been　driven　out！〃
　Without　the　means　to　contradict　this；　all　Jude　could　do　was　wait　beside　the　bed　and　hope　that　the　effect　of　Seidux's　interruption…which　had　seemingly　blinded　them　to　her　presence…would　wear　off　now　that　he'd　been　exiled　from　the　chamber。　She　remembered　as　she　waited　how　Clara　had　talked　about　men's　power　to　destroy。　Had　she　just　witnessed　an　example　of　that；　Seidux's　mere　presence　enough　to　poison　the　contact　between　a　dreaming　spirit　and　a　waking　one？　If　so；　he'd　done　it　all　unknowing：　innocent　of　his　power；　but　no　more　forgivable　for　that。　How　many　times　in　any　day　did　he　and　the　rest　of　his　kind…hadn't　Clara　said　they　were　another　species？…spoil　and　mutilate　in　their　unwitting　way；　Jude　wondered；　preventing　the　union　of　subtler　natures？
　Quaisoir　sank　back　down　on　the　bed；　giving　Jude　time　to　ponder　the　mystery　her　face　represented。　She　hadn't　doubted　from　the　moment　she'd　entered　this　chamber　that　she　was　traveling　here　much　as　she'd　first　traveled　to　the　tower；　using　the　freedom　of　a　dream　state　to　move　invisibly　through　the　real　world。　That　she　no　longer　needed　the　blue　eye　to　facilitate　such　movement　was　a　puzzle　for　another　time。　What　concerned　her　now　was　to　find　out　how　this　woman　came　to　have　her　face。　Was　this　Dominion　somehow　a　mirror　of　the　world　she'd　left？　And　if　not…if　she　was　the　only　woman　in　the　Fifth　to　have　a　perfect　twin…what　did　that　echo　signify？
　The　wind　was　beginning　to　abate；　and　Quaisoir　dispatched　her　servant　to　the　window　to　remove　the　shutters。　There　was　still　a　red　dust　hanging　in　the　atmosphere；　but；　moving　to　the　sill　beside　the　creature；　Jude　was　presented　with　a　vista　that；　had　she　possessed　breath　in　this　state；　would　have　taken　it　away。　They　were　perched　high　above　the　city；　in　one　of　the　towers　she'd　briefly　glimpsed　as　she'd　gone　around　the　Peccable　house　with　Hoi…Polloi；　bolting　and　shuttering。　It　was　not　simply　Yzordderrex　that　lay　before　her；　but　signs　of　the　city's　undoing。　Fires　were　raging　in　a　dozen　places　beyond　the　palace　walls；　and　within　those　walls　the　Autarch's　troops　were　mustering　in　the　courtyards。　Turning　her　dream　gaze　back　towards　Quaisoir；　Jude　saw　for　the　first　time　the　sumptuousness　of　the　chamber　in　which　she'd　found　the　woman。　The　walls　were　tapestries；　and　there　was　no　stick　of　furniture　that　did　not　pete　in　its　gilding；　If　this　was　a　prison；　then　it　was　fit　for　royalty。
　Quaisoir　now　came　to　the　window　and　looked　out　at　the　panorama　of　fires。
　〃I　have　to　find　Him；〃　she　said。　〃He　sent　an　angel　to　bring　me　to　Him；　and　Seidux　drove　the　angel　out。　So　I'll　have　to　go　to　Him　myself。　Tonight。　。　。〃
　Jude　listened；　but　distractedly；　her　mind　more　occupied　by　the　opulence　of　the　chamber　and　what　it　revealed　about　her　twin。　It　seemed　she　shared　a　face　with　a　woman　of　some　significance；　a　possessor　of　power；　now　dispossessed；　and　planning　to　break　the　bonds　set　upon　her。　Romance　seemed　to　be　her　reason。　There　was　a　man　in　the　city　below　with　whom　she　desperately　wanted　to　be　reunited；　a　lover　who　sent　angels　to　whisper　sweet　nothings　in　her　ear。　What　kind　of　man？　she　wondered。　A　Maestro；　perhaps；　a　wielder　of　magic？
　Having　studied　the　city　for　a　time；　Quaisoir　left　the　window　and　went　through　to　her　dressing　room。
　〃I　mustn't　go　to　Him　like　this；〃　she　said；　starting　to　undress。　〃That　would　be　shameful。〃
　The　woman　caught　sight　of　herself　in　one　of　the　mirrors　and　sat　down　in　front　of　it；　peering　at　her　reflection　with　distaste。　Her　tears　had　made　mud　of　the　kohl　around　her　eyes；　and　her　cheeks　and　neck　were　blotchy。　She　took　a　piece　of　linen　from　the　dressing　table；　sprinkled　some　fragrant　oil　upon　it；　and　began　to　roughly　clean　her　face。
　〃I'll　go　to　Him　naked；〃　she　said；　smiling　in　anticipation　of　that　pleasure。　〃He'll　prefer　rne　that　way。〃
　This　mystery　lover　intrigued　Jude　more　and　more。　Hearing　her　own　voice　musky　with　talk　of　nakedness；　she　was　tantalized。　Would　it　not　be　a　fine　thing　to　see　the　consummation？　The　idea　of　watching　herself　couple　with　some　Yzordderrexian　Maestro　had　not　been　among　the　wonderments　she'd　anticipated　discovering　in　this　city；　but　the　notion　carried　an　erotic　frisson　she　could　not　deny　herself。　She　studied　the　reflection　of　her　reflection。　Though　there　were　a　few　cosmetic　differences；　the　essentials　were　hers；　to　the　last　nick　and　mole。　This　was　no　approximation　of　her　face；　but　the　thing　exactly；　which　fact　strangely　excited　her。　She　had　to　find　a　way　to　speak　with　this　woman　tonight。　Even　if　their　twinning　was　simply　a　freak　of　nature；　they　would　surely　be　able　to　illuminate　each　other's　lives　with　an　exchange　of　histories。　All　she　needed　was　a　clue　from　her　doppelganger　as　to　where　in　the　city　she　intended　to　go　looking　for　her　Maestro　lover。
　With　her　face　cleansed；　Quaisoir　got　up　from　in　front　of　the　mirror　and　went　back　into　the　bedroom。　Concupis…centia　was　sitting　by　the　window。　Quaisoir　waited　until　she　was　within　inches　of　her　servant　before　she　spoke；　and　even　then　her　words　were　barely　audible。
　〃We'll　need　a　knife；〃　she　said。
　The　creature　shook　her　head。　〃They　tookat　em　all；〃　she　said。　〃You　seem　how　ey　lookat　and　iookat。〃
　〃Then　we　must　make　one；〃　Quaisoir　replied。　〃Seidux　will　try　to　oppose　our　leaving。〃
　〃You　wishat　to　kill　em？〃
　〃Yes；　I　do。〃
　This　talk　chilled　Jude。　Though　Seidux　had　retreated　before　Quaisoir　when　she'd　threatened　to　cry　rape；　Jude　doubted　that　he'd　be　so　passive　if　challenged　physically。　Indeed；　what　more　perfect　excuse　would　he　need　to　regain　his　dominance　than　her　ing　at　him　with　a　knife？　If　she'd　had　the　means；　she　would　have　been　Clara's　mouthpiece　now　and　echoed　her　sentiments　on　man　the　desola…tor；　in　the　hope　of　keeping　Quaisoir　from　harm。　It　would　be　an　unbearable　irony　to　lose　this　woman　now；　having　found　her　way　（surely　not　by　accident；　though　at　present　it　seemed　so）　across　half　the　Imajica　into　her　very　chamber。
　〃I　cet　shapas　te　knife；〃　Concupiscentia　was　saying。
　〃Then　do　it；〃　Quaisoir　replied；　leaning　still　closer　to　her　fellow　conspirator。
　Jude　missed　the　next　exchange；　because　somebody　called　her　name。　Startled；　she　looked　around　the　room；　but　before　she'd　half　scanned　it　she　recognized　the　voice。　It　was　Hoi…Polloi；　and　she　was　rousing　the　sleeper　after　the　storm。
　〃Papa's　here！〃　Jude　heard　her　say。　〃Wake　up；　Papa's　here！〃
　There　was　no　time　to　bid　farewell　to　the　scene。　It　was　there　in　front　of　her　one　moment；　and　replaced　the　next　with　the　face　of　Peccable's　daughter；　leaning　to　shake　her　awake。
　〃Papa…〃　she　said　again。
　〃Yes；　all　right；〃　Jude　said　brusquely；　hoping　the　girl　would　leave　without　further　exchanges　ing　between　her　and　the　sights　sleep　had　brought。　She　knew　she　had　scant　moments　to　drag　the　dream　into　wakefuiness　with　her；　or　it　would　subside　and　the　details　bee　hazy　the　deeper　it　sank。
　She　was　in　luck。　Hoi…Polloi　hurried　back　down　to　her　father's　side；　leaving　Jude　to　recite　aloud　all　she'd　seen　and　heard。　Quaisoir　and　her　servant　Concupiscentia；　Seidux　and　the　plot　against　him。　And　the　lover；　of　course。　She　shouldn't　forget　the　lover；　who　was　presumably　somewhere　in　the　city　even　now；　pining　for　his　mistress　who　was　locked　up　in　her　gilded　prison。　With　these　facts　fixed　in　her　head；　she　ventured　first　to　the　bathroom；　then　down　to　meet　Peccable。
　Well　dressed　and　better　fed；　Peccable　had　a　face　upon　which　his　present　ire　sat　badly。　He　looked　slightly　absurd　in　his　fury；　his　features　too　round　and　his　mouth　too　small　for　the　rhetoric　they　were　producing。　Introductions　were　made；　but　there　was　no　time　for　pleasantries。　Peccable's　fury　needed　venting；　and　he　seemed　not　to　care　much　who　his　audience　was；　as　long　as　they　sympathized。　He　had　reason　for　fury。　His　warehouse　near　the　harbor　had　been　burned　to　the　ground；　and　he　himself　had　only　narrowly　escaped　death　at　the　hands　of　a　mob　that　had　already　ta