按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
al revelations but persuaded that the nature of conscious； curious bipeds was a constant under any heaven。 They'd seen a great deal in the last few days； to be sure； but nothing he might not have imagined had he not stayed at home and got seriously drunk。
Yes； there had been glorious sights。 But there had also been hours of disfort； boredom； and banality。 On their way to Mai…ke； for instance； they'd been exhorted to stay in some nameless hamlet to witness the munity's festival： the annual donkey drowning。 The origins of this ritual were； they were told； shrouded in fabulous mystery。 They declined； Gentle remarking that this surely marked the nadir of their journey； and traveled on in the back of a wagon whose driver informed them that the vehicle had served his family for six generations as a dung carrier。 He then proceeded to explain at great length the life cycle of his family's ancient foe； the pensanu； or shite rooster； a beast that with one turd could render an entire wagonload of dung inedible。 They didn't press the man as to who in the region dined thusly； but they peered closely at their plates for many days following。
As he sat rolling the hard pellets of sheep dung under his heel； Gentle turned his thoughts to the one high point in their journey across the Third。 That was the town of Ef…fatoi； which Gentle had rechristened Attaboy。 It wasn't that large…the size of Amsterdam； perhaps； and with that city's charm…but it was a gambler's paradise； drawing souls addicted to chance from across the Dominion。 Here every game in the Imajica could be played。 If your credit wasn't good in the casinos or the cock pits； you could always find a desperate man somewhere who'd bet on the color of your next piss if it was the only game on offer。 Working together with what was surely telepathic efficiency； Gentle and the mystif had made a small fortune in the city…in eight currencies； no less…enough to keep them in clothes； food； and train tickets until they reached Yzord…derrex。 It wasn't profit that had almost seduced Gentle into setting up house there； however。 It was a local delicacy： a cake of strudel pastry and the honey…softened seeds of a marriage between peach and pomegranate； which he ate before they gambled to give him vim； then while they gambled to calm las nerves； and then again in celebration when they'd won。 It was only when Pie assured him that the confection would be available elsewhere （and if it wasn't they now had sufficient funds to hire their own pastry chef to make it） that Gentle was persuaded to depart。 L'Himby called。
〃We have to move on；〃 the mystif had said。 〃Scopique will be waiting。〃
〃You make it sound like he's expecting us。〃
〃I'm always expected；〃 Pie said。
〃How long since you were in L'Himby？〃
〃At least。 。 。 two hundred and thirty years。〃
〃Then he'll be dead。〃
〃Not Scopique；〃 Pie said。 〃It's important you see him； Gentle。 Especially now； with so many changes in the air。〃
〃If that's what you want to do； then we'll do it；〃 Gentle had replied； 〃How far is L'Himby？〃
〃A day's journey； if we take the train。〃
That had been the first mention Gentle had heard of the iron road that joined the city of lahmandhas and L'Himby： the city of furnaces and the city of temples。
〃You'll like L'Himby；〃 Pie had said。 〃It's a place of meditation。〃
Rested and funded； they'd left Attaboy the following morning； traveling along the River Fefer for a day； then； via Happi and Omootajive； into the province called the Ched Lo Ched； the Flowering Place （now bloomless）； and finally to Mai…ke； caught in the twin pincers of poverty and puritanism。
On the platform outside； Gentle heard Pie say； 〃Good。〃
He raised himself from the fort of the wall and stepped out into the sunshine again。 〃The train？〃 he said。
〃No。 The calculations。 I've finished them。〃 The mystif stared down at the marks on the platform at its feet。 〃This is only an approximation； of course； but I think it's sound within a day or two。 Three at the most。〃
〃So what day is it？〃
〃Take a guess。〃
〃March。 。 。 the tenth。〃
〃Way off；〃 said Pie。 〃By these calculations； and remember this is only an approximation； it's the seventeenth of May。〃
〃Impossible。〃
〃It's true。〃
〃Spring's almost over。〃
〃Are you wishing you were back there？〃 Pie asked。
Gentle chewed on this for a while； then said； 〃Not particularly。 I just wish the fucking trains ran on time。〃
He wandered to the edge of the platform and stared down the line。
〃There's no sign；〃 Pie said。 〃We'd be quicker going by doeki。〃
〃You keep doing that…〃
〃Doing what？〃
〃Saying what's on the tip of my tongue。 Are you reading my mind？〃
〃No；〃 said the mystif； rubbing out its calculation with its sole。
〃So how did we win all that in Attaboy？〃
〃You don't need teaching；〃 Pie replied。
〃Don't tell me it es naturally；〃 Gentle said。 〃I've got through my entire life without winning a thing； and suddenly； when you're with me； I can do no wrong。 That's no coincidence。 Tell me the truth。〃
〃That is the truth。 You don't need teaching。 Reminding； maybe。 。 。。〃 Pie gave a little smile。
〃And that's another thing；〃 Gentle said； snatching at one of the zarzi as he spoke。
Much to his surprise； he actually caught it。 He opened his palm。 He'd cracked its casing； and the blue mush of its innards was oozing out； but it was still alive。 Disgusted； he flicked his wrist； depositing the body on the platform at his feet。 He didn't scrutinize the remains； but pulled up a fistful of the sickly grass that sprouted between the slabs of the platform and set about scrubbing his palm with it。
〃What were we talking about？〃 he said。 Pie didn't reply。 〃Oh； yes 。 。 。 things I'd forgotten。〃 He looked down at his clean hand。 〃Pneuma；〃 he said。 〃Why would I ever forget having a power like the pneuma？〃
〃Either because it wasn't important to you any longer…〃
〃Which is doubtful。〃
〃…or you forgot because you wanted to forget。〃
There was an oddness in the way the mystif pronounced its reply which grated on Gentle's ear； but he pursued the argument anyway。
〃Why would I want to forget？〃 he said。
Pie looked back along the line。 The distance was obscured by dust； but there were glimpses through it of a clear sky。
〃Well？〃 said Gentle。
〃Maybe because remembering hurts too much；〃 it said； without looking around。
The words were even uglier to Gentle's ear than the reply that had preceded it。 He caught the sense； but only with difficulty。
〃Stop this；〃 he said。
〃Stop what？〃
〃Talking in that damn…fool way。 It turns my gut。〃
〃I'm not doing anything；〃 the mystif said； its voice still distorted； but now more subtly。 〃Trust me。 I'm doing nothing。〃
〃So tell me about the pneuma；〃 Gentle said。 〃I want to know how 1 came by a power like that。〃
Pie started to reply； but this time the words were so badly disfigured； and the sound itself so ugly； it was like a fist in Gentle's stomach； stirring the stew there。
〃Jesus！〃 he said； rubbing his belly in a vain attempt to soothe the churning。 〃Whatever you're playing at…〃
〃It's not me；〃 Pie protested。 〃It's you。 You don't want to hear what I'm saying。〃
〃Yes； I do；〃 Gentle said； wiping beads of chilly sweat from around his mouth。 〃I want answers。 I want straight answers！〃
Grimly； Pie started to speak again； but immediately the waves of nausea climbed Gentle's gut with fresh zeal。 The pain in his belly was sufficient to bend him double； but he was damned if the mystif was going to keep anything from him。 It was a matter of principle now。 He studied Pie's lips through narrowed eyes； but after a few words the mystif stopped speaking。
〃Tell me！〃 Gentle said； determined to have Pie obey him even if he could make no sense of the words。 〃What have I done that I want to forget so badly？ Tell me！〃
Its face all reluctance； the mystif once again opened its mouth。 The words； when they came； were so hopelessly corrupted Gentle could barely grasp a fraction of their sense。 Something about power。 Something about death。
Point proved； he waved the source of this excremental din away and turned his eyes in search of a sight to calm his belly。 But the scene around him was a convention of little horrors： a graveolent making its wretched nest beneath the rails； the perspective of the track； snatching his eye into the dust； the dead zarzi at his feet； its egg sac split； spattering its unborn onto the stone。 This last image； vile as it was； brought food to mind。 The harbor meal in Yzordderrex： fish within fish within fish； the littlest filled with eggs。 The thought defeated him。 He tottered to the edge of the platform and vomited onto the rails； his gut convulsing。 He didn't have that much in his belly； but the heaves went on and on until his abdomen ached and tears of pain ran from his eyes。 At last he stepped back from the platform edge； shuddering。 The smell of his stomach was still in his nostrils； but the spasms were steadily diminishing。 From the corner of his eye he saw Pie approach。
〃Don't e near me！〃 he said。 〃I don't want you touching me！〃
He turned his back on the vomit and its cause and retired to the shade of the waiting room； sitting down on the hard wood bench； putting his head against the wall； and closi