bl.necroscope2-第20部分

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　She　looked　down　at　Yulian　in　her　arms；　he　was　alert；　staring　at　the　vicar　as　he　mumbled　over　his　book。　It　was　a　funny　expression　on　the　baby's　face：　not　quite　vacant；　not　exactly　a　drool。　Somehow　intense。　They　had　all　kinds　of　looks；　babies。
　〃。。。　that　thou　wilt　mercifully　look　upon　this　child；　wash　him；　sanctify　him　with　the　Holy　Ghost；　that　he；　being…〃
　The　Holy　Ghost。　Ghosts　had　stirred　under　those　stirless　trees　on　the　cruciform　hills；　but　in　no　way　holy　ones。　Unholy　ones！
　Thunder　rumbled　distantly　and　the　high　stained　glass　windows　brightened　momentarily　from　a　far　flash　of　lightning　before　falling　into　deeper　gloom。　A　light　burned　over　the　font；　however；　sufficient　for　the　vicar's　eyes　behind　their　thick　lenses。　He　shivered　visibly　as　he　read　his　lines；　for　suddenly　the　temperature　had　seemed　to　fall　dramatically。
　The　old　man　paused　for　a　moment；　looked　up　and　blinked。　His　eyes　went　from　the　faces　of　the　three　adults　to　the　baby；　paused　there　for　a　moment；　blinked　rapidly。　He　looked　at　the　light　over　the　font；　then　at　the　high　windows。　For　all　his　shivering；　sweat　gleamed　on　his　brow　and　upper　lip。　〃I。。。　I。。。〃　he　said。
　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　George　was　concerned。　He　took　the　vicar's　arm。
　〃A　cold；〃　the　old　man　tried　to　smile；　only　succeeding　in　looking　sick。　His　lips　seemed　to　stick　to　his　teeth；　which　were　false　and　rather　loose；　and　he　was　immediately　apologetic。　〃I'm　sorry；　but　this　is　not　really　surprising。　A　draughty　place；　you　know？　But　don't　worry；　I　won't　let　you　down。　We'll　get　this　finished。　It　just　came　on　so　quickly；　that's　all。〃　The　sick　smile　twitched　from　his　face。
　〃After　this；〃　said　Anne；　〃you　should　spend　what's　left　of　the　weekend　in　bed！〃
　〃I　believe　I　will；　my　dear。〃　Fumblingly；　the　vicar　went　back　to　his　text。
　Georgina　said　nothing。　She　felt　the　strangeness。　Some…thing　was　unreal；　out　of　focus。　Did　churches　frown？　This　one　was　frowning。　It　had　been　hostile　from　the　moment　they'd　arrived。　That's　what　was　wrong　with　the　vicar：　he　could　feel　it　too；　but　he　didn't　know　what　it　was。
　But　how　do　I　know　what　it　is？　Georgina　wondered。　Have　I　felt　it　before？
　〃。。。They　brought　young　children　to　Christ；　that　he　should　touch　them；　and　his　disciples　rebuked　those　that　brought　them。。。〃
　Georgina　felt　the　church　groaning　around　her；　trying　to　expel　her。　No；　trying　to　expel。。。　Yulian？　She　looked　at　the　baby　and　he　looked　back：　his　face　broke　into　that　unsmile　which　small　babies　smile。　But　his　eyes　were　fixed；　steady；　unblinking。　Even　as　she　stared　at　him；　she　saw　those　darling　eyes　swivel　in　their　sockets　to　gaze　full　upon　the　old　vicar。　Nothing　wrong　with　that…it　was　just　that　it　had　looked　so　deliberate。
　Yulian　is　ordinary！　Georgina　denied　what　she　was　thinking。　She'd　had　this　feeling　before　and　denied　it；　and　now　she　must　do　it　again。　He　is　ordinary！　It　was　her；　not　the　baby。　She　was　blaming　him　for　Ilya。　It　was　the　only　explanation。
　She　glanced　at　George　and　Anne；　and　they　smiled　back　reassuringly。　Didn't　they　feel　the　cold；　the　strangeness？　They　obviously　thought　she　was　concerned　about　the　vicar；　the　service。　Other　than　that；　they　felt　nothing。　Oh；　maybe　they　felt　how　draughty　the　place　was；　but　that　was　all。
　Georgina　felt　more　than　the　cold。　And　so　did　the　vicar。　He　was　skipping　lines　now；　hurrying　through　the　service　almost　mechanically；　about　as　human　as　some　gaunt　robot　penguin。　He　avoided　looking　at　them；　especially　Yulian。　Maybe　he　could　feel　the　infant's　eyes　on　him；　unwaveringly。
　〃Dearly　beloved；〃　the　old　man　was　chanting　at　Anne　and　George　now；　the　godparents；　〃ye　have　brought　this　child　here　to　be　baptised。。。〃
　I　have　to　stop　it。　Georgina's　thoughts　were　growing　wilder。　She　started　to　panic。　Have　to；　before　it…but　before　what？…happens！
　〃。。。to　release　him　of　his　sins；　to　sanctify　him　with。。。
　Outside；　much　closer　now；　thunder　rumbled；　acpanied　by　lightning　that　lit　up　the　west…facing　windows　and　sent　kaleidoscopic　beams　of　bright　colours　lancing　through　the　interior。　The　group　about　the　font　was　first　gold；　then　green；　finally　crimson。　Yulian　was　blood　in　Georgina's　arms；　his　eyes　were　blood　where　they　stared　at　the　vicar。
　At　the　back　of　the　church；　under　the　pulpit；　almost　unnoticed　all　of　this　time；　a　funereal　man　had　been　sweeping　up；　his　broom　scraping　on　the　stone　flags。　Now；　for　no　apparent　reason；　he　threw　the　broom　down；　tore　off　his　apron　and　rolled　it　up；　almost　ran　from　the　church。　He　could　be　heard　grumbling　to　himself；　angry　about　something。　Another　flash　of　lightning　turned　him　blue；　green；　finally　white　as　an　undeveloped　photograph　as　he　reached　the　door　and　plunged　out　of　sight。
　〃Eccentric！〃　The　vicar；　seeming　a　little　more　in　control　of　himself；　frowned　after　him；　blinked　at　his　abrupt　disappearance。　〃He　cleans　the　church　because　he　has　a　〃feel〃　for　it！　So　he　tells　me。〃
　〃Er；　can　we　get　on？〃　George　had　apparently　had　enough　of　interruptions。
　〃Of　course；　of　course；〃　the　old　man　peered　again　at　his　book；　skipped　several　more　lines。　〃Er。。。　promise　that　you　are　his　sureties；　that　he　will　renounce　the　devil　and　all　his　works；　and　constantly　believe。。。〃
　Yulian　had　also　had　enough。　He　began　to　kick；　gathered　air　for　a　howling　session。　His　face　puffed　up　and　started　to　turn　a　little　blue；　which　would　normally　mean　that　frustration　and　anger　were　ing　to　the　boil　just　beneath　the　surface。　Georgina　couldn't　keep　back　a　great　sigh　of　relief　at　that。　What　was　Yulian　but　a　helpless　baby　after　all？
　〃。。。　the　carnal　desires　of　the　flesh。。。　was　crucified；　dead；　and　buried；　that　he　went　down　into　hell；　and　also　did　rise　again　the　third　day；　that　he。。。〃
　Just　a　baby；　thought　Georgina；　with　Ilya's　blood；　and　mine；　and。。。　and？
　〃。。。　the　quick　and　the　dead？〃
　The　church　was　thunder　dark；　the　storm　almost　directly　overhead。
　〃。。。　resurrection　of　the　flesh；　and　everlasting　life　after　death？〃
　Georgina　gave　a　start　as　Anne　and　George　answered　in　unison：　〃All　this　we　steadfastly　believe。〃
　〃Wilt　he　then　be　baptised　in　this　faith？〃
　George　and　Anne　again：　〃That　is　his　desire。〃
　But　Yulian　denied　it！　He　gave　a　howl　to　raise　the　rafters；　jerked　and　kicked　with　an　astonishing　strength　where　his　mother　cradled　him。　The　old　clergyman　sensed　trouble　brewing…not　the　real　trouble　but　trouble　anyway…and　decided　not　to　prolong　things。　He　took　the　baby　from　Georgina's　arms。　Yulian's　white　christening…gown　was　a　haze　of　almost　neon　light；　himself　a　pink　pulsation　in　its　folds。
　Above　the　baby's　howling；　the　old　vicar　said　to　George　and　Anne：　〃Name　this　child。〃
　〃Yulian；〃　they　answered　simply。
　〃Yulian；〃　he　nodded；　〃I　baptise　thee　in　the　name　of…〃　He　paused；　stared　at　the　baby。　His　right　hand…practised；　accustomed；　of　its　own　accord…had　dipped　into　the　font；　lifted　water；　poised　dripping。
　Yulian　continued　to　howl。　Anne　and　George　and　Georgina　heard　his　crying；　only　that。　No　longer　touching　her　child；　Georgina　felt　suddenly　free；　unburdened；　separate　from　what　was　ing。　It　was　not　her　doing；　she　was　merely　an　observer；　this　priest　must　bear　the　brunt　of　his　own　ritual。　She；　too；　heard　only　Yulian's　crying…but　she　felt　the　approach　of　something　enormous。
　To　the　vicar　the　infant's　howling　had　taken　on　a　new　note。　It　was　no　longer　the　cry　of　a　child　but　a　beast。　His　jaw　dropped　and　he　looked　up；　blinking　rapidly　as　he　peered　from　face　to　face：　George　and　Anne　smiling；　if　a　little　unfortably；　and　Georgina；　looking　small　and　wan。　And　then　he　looked　again　at　Yulian。　The　baby　was　issuing　grunts；　animal　grunts　of　rage！　Its　crying　was　only　a　cover；　like　perfume　masking　the　stink　of　ordure。　Underneath　was　the　bass　croaking　of　utter　Horror！
　Automatically；　his　hand　trembling　like　a　leaf　in　a　gale；　the　old　man　splashed　a　little　water　on　the　infant's　fevered　brow；　traced　a　cross　there　with　his　finger。　The　water　might　well　have　been　acid！
　NO！　the　thunderous　croaking　formed　a　denial。　PUT　NO　CROSS　ON　ME；　YOU　TREACHEROUS　CHRISTIAN　DOG！
　〃What…！〃　the　vicar　suspected　he'd　gone　insane。　His　eyes　bulged　behind　the　thick　lenses　of　his　spectacles。
　The　others　heard　nothing　except　the　baby's　crying…which　now　ceased　on　the　instant。　Old　man　and　infant　Stared　at　each　other　in　a　deafening　silence。　〃What？〃　the　Vicar　asked　again；　his　voice　a　whisper。
　Before　his　eyes　the　skin　of　the　baby's　brow　puffed　up　in　twin　mounds；　like　huge　boils　accelerated　to　instantaneous　eruption。　The　fine　skin　split　and　blunt　goat　horns　came　through；　curving　as　they　emerged。　Yulian's　jaws　elongated　into　a　dog's　muzzle；　which　cracked　open　to　reveal　a　red　cave　of　white　knives　and　a　viper's　flickering　tongue。　The　breath　of　the　thing　was　a　stench；　an　open　tomb；　its　eyes；　pits　of　sulphur；　burned　on　the　vicar's　face　like　fire。
　〃Jesus！〃　said　the　old　man。　〃Oh；　my　God…what　are　you？〃　And　he　dropped　the　child。　Or　would　have…but　George　had　seen　the　glazing　of　his　eyes；　the　slackening　of　his　body；　the　blood's　rapid　draining　from　his　face。　As　the　old　man　crumpled；　George　stepped　forward；　took　Yulian　from　him。
　Anne；　also　quick　off　the　mark；　had　caught　the　old　man　and　managed　to　lower　him　a　little　less　than　gently　to　the　floor。　But　Georgina　was　also　reeling。　Like　the　other　two；　she　had　seen；　smelled；　heard　nothing…but　she　was　Yulian's　mother。　She　had　felt　something　ing；　and　she　knew　that　it　had　been