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！
g on its way。 It lit Patashoqua just as brightly； then flew out of the Dominion through a fog that had just appeared beyond the city； marking the first passing place between the Dominion of green…gold skies and that of blue。
Two similar fogs had formed in Clerkenwell； one to the southeast of Gamut Street and the other to the northwest； both marking doorways in the newly reconciled Dominion。 It was the latter that became blinding now； as the fire sped through it from the Fourth。 The sight was not unwitnessed。 Several revenants were in the vicinity； and though they had no clue as to what this signified； they sensed some calamity and retreated before the radiance； returning to the house to raise the alarm。 But they were too sluggish。 Before they were halfway back to Gamut Street the fog divided； and the Unbeheld's fire appeared in the benighted streets of Clerkenwell。
Monday saw it first； as he forsook the little fort of the candlelight and returned to the step。 The remnants of
Sartori's hordes were raising a cacophony in the darkness outside； but even as he crossed the threshold to ward them off； the darkness became light。
From her place on the top stair Jude saw Celestine lay her lips against her son's and then； with astonishing strength； lift his dead weight up and pitch him out of the circle。 Either the impact or the ing fire stirred him； and he began to rise； turning back towards his mother as he did so。 He was too late to reclaim his place。 The fire had e。
The window burst like a glittering cloud and the blaze filled the room。 Jude was flung off her feet； but clutched the banister long enough to see Sartori cover his face against the holocaust； as the woman in the circle opened her arms to accept it。 Celestine was instantly consumed； but the fire seemed unappeased and would have spread to burn the house to its foundations had its momentum not been so great。 It sped on through the room； demolishing the wall as it went。 On； on； towards the second fog that Clerkenwell boasted tonight。
〃What the fuck was that？〃 Monday said in the hallway below。
〃God；〃 Jude replied。 〃ing and going。〃
In the First； Hapexamendios raised His misbegotten head。 Even though He didn't need the assembly of sight that gleamed in His skull to see what was happening in His Dominion…He had eyes everywhere…some memory of the body that had once been His sole residence made Him turn now； as best He could； and look behind Him。
〃What is this？〃 He said。
Gentle couldn't see the fire yet； but he could feel whispers of its approach。
〃What is this？〃 Hapexamendios said again。
Without waiting for a reply； He began feverishly to unknit his semblance； something Gentle had both feared and hoped He'd do。 Feared； because the body from which the fire had been issued would doubtless be its destination； and if it was too quickly undone； the fire would have no target。 And hoped； because only in that undoing would he have a chance to locate Pie。 The barrier around his Father's form softened as the God was distracted by the intricacies of this dismantling； and though Gentle had yet to get a second glimpse of Pie he turned his thought to entering the body； but for all His perplexity Hapexamendios was not about to be breached so readily。 As Gentle approached； a will too powerful to be denied seized hold of him。
〃What is this？〃 the God demanded a third time。
Hoping he might yet gain a few precious seconds' reprieve； Gentle answered with the truth。
〃The Imajica's a circle；〃 he said。
〃A circle？〃
〃This is Your fire； Father。 This is Your fire； ing around again。〃
Hapexamendios didn't respond with words。 He understood instantly the significance of what He'd been told and let His hold on Gentle slip again； in order to turn all His will to the business of unknitting Himself。
The ungainly body began to unravel； and in its midst Gentle once again glimpsed Pie。 This time； the mystif saw him。 Its frail limbs thrashed to clear a way through the turmoil between them； but before Gentle could finally wrest himself from his Father's custody the ground beneath Pie 'oh' pah grew unsolid。 The mystif reached up to take hold of some support in the body above； but it was decaying too fast。 The ground gaped like a grave； and； with one last despairing look in Gentle's direction； the mystif sank from sight。
Gentle raised his head in a howl； but the sound he made was drowned out by that of his Father； who…as if in imitation of His child…had also thrown back His head。 But His was a din of fury rather than sorrow； as He wrenched and thrashed in His attempts to speed His unmasking。
Behind Him； now； the fire。 As it came Gentle thought he saw his mother's face in the blaze； shaped from ashes； her eyes and mouth wide as she returned to meet the God who'd raped； rejected； and finally murdered her。 A glimpse； no more； and then the fire was upon its maker； its judgment absolute。
Gentle's spirit was gone from the conflagration at a thought； but His Father…the world His flesh； the flesh His world…could not escape it。 His fetal head broke； and the fire consumed the shards as they flew； its blaze cremating His heart and innards and spreading through His mismatched limbs； burning them away to every last fingertip and toe。
The consequence for His city was both instantly felt and calamitous。 Every street from one end of the Dominion to the other shook as the message of collapse went from the place where its First Cause had fallen。 Gentle had nothing to fear from this dissolution； but the sight of it appalled him nevertheless。 This was his Father； and it gave him neither pleasure nor satisfaction to see the body whose child he was now reel and bleed。 The imperious towers began to topple； their ornament dropping in rococo rains； their arches forsaking the illusion of stone and falling as flesh。 The streets heaved and turned to meat； the houses threw down their bony roofs。 Despite the collapse around him； Gentle remained close to the place where his Father had been consumed； in the hope that he might yet find Pie loh' pah in the maelstrom。 But it seemed Hapexamendios' last voluntary act had been to deny the lovers their reunion。 He'd opened the ground and buried the mystif in the pit of His decay； sealing it with His will to prevent Gentle from ever finding Pie again。
There was nothing left for the Reconciler to do but leave the city to its decease； which in due course he did； not taking the route across the Dominions but going back the way the fire had e。 As he flew； the sheer enormity of what was under way became apparent。 If every living body that had passed a span on Earth had been left to putrefy here in the First； the sum of their flesh would not begin to approach that of this city。 Nor would this carrion rot into the ground and its deposition feed a new generation of life。 It was ？？ the ground； it was the life。 With its passing； there would only be putrescence here： decay laid on decay laid on decay。 A Dominion of filth； polluted until the end of time。
Ahead； now； the fog that divided the city's outskirts from the Fifth。 Gentle passed through it； returning gratefully to the modest streets of Clerkenwell。 They were drab； of course； after the brilliance of the metropolis he'd left。 But he knew the air had the sweetness of summer leaves upon it； even if he couldn't smell that sweetness； and the wele sound of an engine from Holborn or Gray's Inn Road could be heard； as some fleet fellow； knowing the worst was past； got about his business。 It was unlikely to be legal work at such an hour。 But Gentle wished the driver well； even in his crime。 The Dominion had been saved for thieves as well as saints。
He didn't linger at the passing place but went as fast as his weary thoughts would drive him； back to number 28 and the wounded body that was still clinging to continuance at the bottom of the stairs。
At the top； Jude hadn't waited for the smoke to clear before venturing into the Meditation Room。 Despite a warning shout from Clem she'd gone up into the murk to find Sartori； hoping that he'd survived。 His creatures hadn't。 Their corpses were twitching close to the threshold； not struck by the blast； she thought； but laid low by their summoner's decline。 She found that summoner easily enough。 He was lying close to where Celestine had pitched him； his body arrested in the act of turning towards the circle。
It had been his undoing。 The fire that had carried his mother to oblivion had seared every part of him。 The ashes of his clothes had been fused with his blistered back； his hair singed from his scalp； his face cooked beyond tenderness。 But like his brother； lying in ribbons below； he refused to give up life。 His fingers clutched the boards； his lips still worked； baring teeth as bright as a death's…head smile。 There was even power in his sinews。 When his blood…filled eyes saw Jude he managed to push himself up； until his body rolled over onto its charred spine； and he used his agonies to fuel the hand that clutched at her； dragging her down beside him。
〃My mother。。。〃
〃She's gone。〃
There was bafflement on his face。 〃Why？〃 he said； shudders convulsing him as he spoke。 〃She seemed。。。 to want it。 Why？〃
〃So that she'd be there when the fire took Hapexame