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〃I had all other copies destroyed as soon as I read it。 I believe only the interrogating officers； their mander； and myself have been party to this information。〃
〃I want every one of the survivors from the garrison silenced。 Court…martial them all and throw away the key。 The officers and the mander must be instructed that they will be held accountable for any leakage of this information； from any source。 Such leakage to be punishable by death。〃 〃Yes； sir。〃
〃As for the mystif and the stranger； we must assume they're making way to the Second Dominion。 First Beatrix； now the Cradle。 Their destination must be Yzordderrex。 How many days since this uprising？〃
〃Eleven； sir。〃
〃Then they'll be in Yzordderrex in a matter of days； even if they're traveling on foot。 Track them。 I'd like to know as much about them as I can。〃
He looked out the window at the wastes of the Kwem。
〃They probably took the Lenten Way。 Probably passed within a few miles of here。〃 There was a subtle agitation in his voice。 〃That's twice now our paths have e close to crossing。 And now the witnesses； describing him so well。 What does it mean； Rosengarten？ What does it mean？〃
When the mander had no answers； as now； he kept his silence： an admirable trait。
〃I don't know either；〃 the Autarch said。 〃Perhaps I should go out and take the air。 I feel old today。〃
The hole from which the Pivot had been uprooted was still visible； though the driving winds of the region had almost healed the scar。 Standing on the lips of the hole was a fine place to meditate on absence； the Autarch had discovered。 He tried to do so now； his face swathed in silk to keep the stinging gust from his mouth and nostrils； his long fur coat closely buttoned； and his gloved hands driven into his pockets。 But the calm he'd always derived from such meditations escaped him now。 Absence was a fine discipline for the spirit when the world's bounty was a step away； and boundless。 Not so now。 Now it reminded him of an emptiness that he both feared and feared to be filled； like the haunted place at the shoulder of a twin who'd lost its other in the womb。 However high he built his fortress walls； however tightly he sealed his soul； there was one who would always have access； and that thought brought palpitations。 This other knew him as well as he knew himself： his frailties； his desires； his highest ambition。 Their business together…most of it bloody…had remained unrevealed and unrevenged for two centuries； but he had never persuaded himself that it would remain so forever。 It would be finished at last； and soon。
Though the cold could not reach his flesh through his coat； the Autarch shuddered at the prospect。 He had lived for so long like a man who walks perpetually in the noonday sun； his shadow falling neither in front of him nor behind。 Prophets could not predict him； nor accusers catch his crimes。 He was inviolate。 But that would change now。 When he and his shadow met…as they inevitably would… the weight of a thousand prophecies and accusations would fall upon them both。
He pulled the silk from his face and let the eroding wind assault him。 There was no purpose in staying here any longer。 By the time the wind had remade his features he would have lost Yzordderrex； and even though that seemed like a small forfeit now； in the space of hours it might be the only prize he'd be able to preserve from destruction。
If the divine engineers who had raised the Jokalaylau had one night set their most ambitious peak between a desert and an ocean； and returned the next night and for a century of nights thereafter to carve its steeps and sheers from foothills to clouded heights with lowly habitations and magnificent plazas； with streets； bastions； and pavilions…and if； having carved； they had set in the core of that mountain a fire that smoldered but never burned…then their handiwork； when filled to overflowing with every manner of life； might have deserved parison with Yzordderrex。 But given that no such masterwork had ever been devised； the city stood without parallel throughout the Imajica。
The travelers' first sight of it came as they crossed the causeway that skipped like a well…aimed stone across the delta of the River Noy； rushing in twelve white torrents to meet the sea。 It was early morning when they arrived； the fog off the river conspiring with the uneasy light of dawn to keep the city from sight until they were so close to it that when the fog was snatched the sky was barely visible； the desert and the sea no more than marginal； and all the world was suddenly Yzordderrex。
As they'd walked the Lenten Way； passing from the Third Dominion into the Second； Huzzah had recited all she'd read about the city from her father's books。 One of the writers had described Yzordderrex as a god； she reported； a notion Gentle had thought ludicrous until he set eyes upon it。 Then he understood what the urban theologian had been about； deifying this termite hill。 Yzordderrex was worthy of worship； and millions were daily performing the ultimate act of veneration； living on or within the body of their Lord。 Their dwellings clung like a million panicked climbers to the cliffs above the harbor and teetered on the plateaus that rose； tier on tier； towards the summit； many so crammed with houses that those closest to the edge had to be buttressed from below； the buttresses in turn encrusted with nests of life； winged； perhaps； or else suicidal。 Everywhere； the mountain teemed； its streets of steps； le…thafly precipitous； leading the eye from one brimming shelf to another： from leafless boulevards lined with fine mansions to gates that let onto shadowy arcades； then up to the city's six summits； on the highest of which stood the palace of the Autarch of the Imajica。 There was an abundance of a different order here； for the palace had more domes and towers than Rome； their obsessive elaboration visible even at this distance。 Rising above them all was the Pivot Tower； as plain as its fellows were baroque。 And high above that again； hanging in the white sky above the city； the et that brought the Dominion's long days and languid dusks： Yzordderrex's star； called Giess； the Witherer。
They stood for only a minute or so to admire the sight。 The daily traffic of workers who； having found no place of residence on the back or in the bowels of the city； muted in and out daily； had begun； and by the time the newers reached the other end of the causeway they were lost in a dusty throng of vehicles； bicycles； rickshaws； and pedestrians all making their way into Yzordderrex。 Three among tens of thousands： a scrawny young girl wearing a wide smile； a white man； perhaps once handsome but sickly now； his pale face half lost behind a ragged brown beard； and a Eurhetemec mystif； its eyes； like so many of its breed； barely concealing a private grief。 The crowd bore them forward； and they went unresisting where countless multitudes had gone before： into the belly of the city…god Yzordderrex。
30
When Dowd brought Judith back to Godolphin's house after the murder of Clara Leash； it was not as a free agent but as a prisoner。 She was confined to the bedroom she'd first occupied； and there she waited for Oscar's return。 When he came in to see her it was after a half…hour conversation with Dowd （she heard the murmur of their exchange； but not its substance）； and he told her as soon as he appeared that he had no wish to debate what had happened。 She'd acted against his best interests； which were finally…did she not realize this yet？…against her own too； and he would need time to think about the consequences for them both。
〃I trusted you；〃 he said； 〃more than I've ever trusted any woman in my life。 You betrayed me； exactly the way Dowd predicted you would。 I feel foolish； and I feel hurt。〃
〃Let me explain；〃 she said。
He raised his hands to hush her。 〃I don't want to hear；〃 he said。 〃Maybe in a few days we'll talk； but not now。〃
Her sense of loss at his retreat was almost overwhelmed by the anger she felt at his dismissal of her。 Did he believe her feelings for him were so trivial she'd not concerned herself with the consequences of her actions on them both？ Or worse： had Dowd convinced him that she'd been planning to betray him from the outset； and she'd calculated everything…the seduction； the confessions of devotion…in order to weaken him？ This latter scenario was the likelier of the two； but it didn't clear Oscar of guilt。 He had still failed to give her a chance to justify herself。
She didn't see him for three days。 Her food was served in her room by Dowd； and there she waited； hearing Oscar e and go； and on occasion hints of conversation on the stairs； enough to gather the impression that the Tabula Rasa's purge was reaching a critical point。 More than once she contemplated the possibility that what she'd been up to with Clara Leash made her a potential victim； and that day by day Dowd was eroding Oscar's reluctance to dispatch her。 Paranoia； perhaps； but if he had any scrap of feeling for her why didn't he e and see her？ Didn't he pine； the way she did？ Didn't he want her in his bed； for the animal fort of it if nothing else？ Several times she asked Dowd to tell Oscar she needed to speak