cb.coldheart canyon-第61部分

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　 It　had　foundered　on　some　rocks　along　the　shore；　and　there　it　had　been　left；　high　and　dry；　many　years　ago。　For　some　reason　no　looter　had　ever　attempted　to　despoil　this　sublime　vessel；　perhaps　because　they　feared　some　royal　revenge。　The　only　damage　done　to　the　vessel　was　the　breaking　of　its　hull　by　the　rocks；　and　the　inevitable　deterioration　of　its　exterior　paintwork　by　wind　and　rain。　Inside；　it　remained　a　place　of　inparable　luxury；　its　beautiful　carved　bed　heaped　with　white　furs；　the　wine　still　sweet　in　its　flagons；　the　tinder　in　its　fireplace　still　awaiting　a　flame。　She　had　often　fantasized　about　taking　a　lover　to　the　ship；　making　love　to　him　on　the　furs。　If　they　were　lucky；　the　wind　would　get　up　when　they　were　cradled　in　the　fort　of　one　another's　arms。　The　wind　would　whistle　in　the　ropes　and　the　scarlet　sails　would　billow；　and　they　would　imagine；　as　they　made　love；　that　they　were　on　a　voyage　to　the　edge　of　the　world。
　 It　would　be　naive　to　speak　lovingly　of　the　Devil's　Country　without　allowing　that　it　had　its　share　of　horrors。
　 There　were　species　in　the　forests；　and　the　ravines　and　the　black　silent　pools　between　the　rocks；　that　had　been　invented　by　some　benighted　mind。　There　were　terrible　arenas；　where　monsters　were　goaded　to　perform　acts　of　horrible　violation　upon　women；　and　sometimes　upon　men　and　even　children。　But　having　viewed　several　of　these　spectacles　herself；　she　could　not　deny　that　they　were　perversely　arousing。　Some　had　the　rigor　of　ceremonies；　others　seemed　to　be　simple　arenas　of　cruelty；　where　anything　might　be　viewed　if　it　was　paid　for。
　 The　point　was　that　she'd　seen　so　little；　and　that　there　was　so　much　for　her　to　see；　a　private　wonderland　where　she　and　Todd　could　go　adventuring　whenever　they　tired　of　the　Canyon。　They　could　explore　it　to　its　very　limits；　and　when　they　were　weary　and　needed　to　sleep；　they　could　simply　step　through　the　door　and　lock　it；　and　retire　to　bed　like　any　loving　pair；　and　sleep　peacefully　in　one　another's　arms。
　 But　first　she　had　to　find　him；　and　to　find　him　she　needed　a　chauffeur。　Only　one　man　fitted　that　bill：　Jerry　Brahms。　They　had　known　one　another　for　so　many　years。　That　was　why　she'd　sent　out　the　dream…summons　to　him。　He　was　loyal；　he　would　e　without　fail。　It　was　only　a　matter　of　time　before　he　turned　up　at　the　house；　ready　to　do　her　bidding。　He　was　probably　on　his　way　up；　even　now。
　
　 It　didn't　take　her　long　to　dress。　She　had　wardrobes　full　of　gowns　designed　by　some　of　the　greatest　names　in　Hollywood　history；　but　they　were　all　too　showy　for　this　modest　adventure。　So　she　chose　conservatively：　an　immaculately…tailored　black　dress。　She　kept　her　hair　simple　and　her　makeup　discreet。
　 She　was　all　dressed　and　ready　to　go；　but　there　was　still　no　sign　of　Jerry。　Thinking　that　perhaps　he'd　mistakenly　assume　she　would　wait　for　him　in　the　big　house；　she　decided　to　wander　down　through　the　twilight　to　look　for　him。　If　he　hadn't　arrived　then　she'd　wait　for　him　at　the　front　gate；　so　that　there'd　be　no　chance　of　their　missing　one　another。
　 It　was　a　walk　she'd　taken　countless　times；　of　course；　though　the　pathway　rose　and　dipped；　she　could　have　done　it　in　safety　blind…folded。
　 The　night　wasn't　as　clear　as　it　had　been　when　she　and　Todd　had　e　out　walking；　there　were　rainclouds　banked　in　from　the　north；　and　the　air　was　sultry。　It　was　going　to　be　one　of　those　nights　when　you　longed　for　a　heaven…and…earth…shaking　thunderstorm；　the　kind　she　remembered　from　her　childhood。　But　such　events　were　rare　in　Los　Angeles。　All　the　great　storms　she'd　seen　here　had　been　cooked　up　by　lighting　men　and　rain…machines；　pure　artifice。
　 She　knew　she　was　being　watched　as　she　walked。　There　wasn't　a　movement　she　made　in　the　open　air　that　the　ghosts　or　their　half…breed　children　did　not　observe。　They　had　even　made　spy…holes　in　the　walls　of　her　little　house；　she　knew。　They　watched　her　at　her　toilette；　they　watched　her　as　she　read　and　day…dreamed；　they　watched　her　as　she　slept。
　 She'd　several　times　attempted　to　stop　them　and　punish　their　voyeurism；　but　every　time　Zeffer　plugged　up　the　holes　more　appeared；　and　finally　she'd　given　up　the　game　as　fruitless。　If　they　wanted　to　watch　her　while　she　slept；　then　let　them　go　ahead。　Indeed　until　Todd　had　e　into　her　life　the　idea　of　having　somebody　to　watch　over　her…even　if　their　motives　were　as　hard　to　calculate　as　those　of　her　voyeurs…was　close　to　forting。
　 Needless　to　say　there　was　also　a　measure　of　danger　in　the　proximity　of　these　revenants。　Katya　didn't　doubt　that　there　was　amongst　their　number　some　who　would　gladly　have　seen　her　dead；　blaming　her　for　the　fact　that　their　afterlife　in　was　a　pitiful　thing。　Of　course　she　didn't　blame　herself。　If　her　guests　hadn't　been　so　hungry　to　taste　the　pleasures　of　the　Devil's　Country　then　they　wouldn't　be　so　obsessively　drawn　to　it。　But　as　long　as　they　kept　a　respectful　distance　（why　would　they　not；　when　she　controlled　the　very　thing　they　wanted　for　themselves？）　then　she　would　not　persecute　them。
　 They　had　their　journey；　she　had　hers。
　 She　had　reached　the　unkempt　lawn；　and　paused　there　to　take　in　the　spectacle　of　the　house。　The　wind…chimes　rang　on　four　or　five　balconies；　lending　their　beauty　to　the　grand　facade。　As　she　listened　to　their　music　she　heard　sounds　from　the　thicket　on　the　other　side　of　the　lawn。
　 She　glanced　back。　There　was　still　sufficient　light　in　the　evening　sky　to　see　the　motion　in　the　blossom…laden　branches。　There　were　several　creatures　following　her；　she　guessed。
　 She　watched　the　bushes　for　half　a　minute；　until　the　motion　died　down。　It　wasn't　unusual　for　creatures　to　follow　her　when　she　went　out　walking；　but　there　was　something　different　about　this。　Or　was　it　that　she　was　different？　That　tonight　she　was　alive　as　she'd　not　been　alive　in　many　years；　her　heart　quickened　by　love；　and　that　they　sensed　a　new　vulnerability　in　her？
　 She　didn't　like　that。　The　last　thing　she　wanted　was　for　them　to　imagine　they　could　intimidate　her；　or　somehow　wrest　a　little　power　from　her。　Love　might　have　made　her　step　a　little　lighter；　but　she　was　still　the　Queen　of　Coldheart　Canyon；　and　if　they　pushed　her　she　would　respond　with　her　old　severity。
　 As　she　watched　the　thicket；　the　last　of　the　light　went　from　the　sky；　and　the　darkness　revealed　several　bright　points　of　light　in　the　bushes；　where　the　revenants　were　standing；　watching　her。　Even　after　all　these　years　she　could　still　be　disfited　by　a　sight　like　this；　by　the　fact　that　the　dead　were　around　her　in　such　numbers。
　 Enough；　she　thought　to　herself；　and　turning　on　her　heel　hurried　towards　the　stairs　that　led　back　up　to　the　house。
　 As　she　did　so　she　heard　the　swish　of　grass　against　swiftly　running　limbs。　They　were　ing　across　the　lawn　in　pursuit　of　her。
　 She　picked　up　her　pace；　until　she　reached　the　relative　safety　of　the　stairs。
　 Behind　her；　a　soft　voice；　sounding　as　though　it　came　from　a　palate　full　of　pulp　and　disease；　said：　〃Let　us　in。〃
　 There　was　a　moment's　silence。　Then　another　said。　〃We　just　want　to　e　back　into　the　house。〃
　 〃We　won't　do　any　harm。〃　said　a　third。
　 〃Please；　let　us　in。。。〃
　 She'd　been　wrong　about　the　numbers　of　revenants　assembled　here；　she　slowly　realized。　She　thought　there'd　been　perhaps　ten；　but　there　were　two　or　three　times　that　number　out　there　in　the　darkness。　Whatever　the　decayed　and　corrupted　condition　of　their　palates；　they　all　attempted　to　say　the　same　thing：
　 〃Let　us　in。　Let　us　in。　Let　us　in。〃
　 She　would　have　ignored　them；　once　upon　a　time：　turned　her　back　on　their　pleas　and　climbed　the　stairs。　But　she　was　changing。　Katya　the　heart…breaker…the　woman　who'd　never　given　a　damn　for　what　anybody　wanted　but　herself…was　rapidly　being　a　thing　of　the　past。　If　she　was　going　to　e　back　with　Todd　and　live　here；　they　couldn't　live　the　idyllic　life　she　had　in　mind　while　these　hungry　souls　waited　outside。　Even　with　the　five　iron　icons　hammered　into　the　threshold　of　each　of　the　doors；　and　in　the　sills　of　even　the　smallest　windows；　their　presence　preventing　the　dead　from　ever　setting　foot　in　the　house；　the　occupants　were　in　a　state　of　siege。　It　was　no　place　to　have　a　honeymoon。
　 She　raised　her　hand　to　silence　their　murmuring。
　 〃Listen　to　me；〃　she　said。
　 The　chorus　began　to　subside。
　 〃I'm　going　to　be　leaving　the　house　for　a　few　hours；〃　Katya　said；　her　voice　a　little　tentative　at　the　beginning；　but　gaining　strength　as　she　proceeded。　〃But　when　I　e　back　I　intend　to　make　some　changes。　I　don't　want　you　living　in　misery。　That　has　to　stop。〃
　 She　started　to　turn　away；　intending　to　leave　the　statement　there。　But　some　of　her　congregation　didn't　want　to　let　her　go　without　hearing　something　more　specific　in　her　reply。
　 〃What　changes　are　you　going　to　make？〃　someone　demanded。
　 〃Is　that　you；　Roman？〃　Katya　said；　scanning　the　crowd。
　 The　speaker　didn't　have　time　to　identify　himself。　There　were　more　questions。　Somebody　wanted　to　know　why　she　was　leaving；　somebody　else　demanded　to　know　how　long　they　would　have　to　wait。
　 〃Listen　to　me；　listen　to　me；〃　she　said；　quieting　the　rising　hubbub。　〃I　understand　that　you　all　want　to　e　into　the　house。　But　I　don't　think　you　understand　the　consequences。〃
　 〃We'll　take　them；　whatever　they　are；〃　somebody　said。　There　was　a　general　murmur　of　agreement　to　this。
　 〃If　that's　what　you　want；〃　Katya　replied；　〃I　will　consider　it。　When　I　get　back…〃
　 〃What　if　you　don't　e　back？〃
　 〃Trust　me。　I　will。〃
　 〃Trust　you？　Oh　please。〃　The　mocking　voice　emerged　from　a　bitter；　painted　face　amongst　the　crowd。　〃You　tricked　us　all。　Why　the　hell　should　we　trust　you　now？〃
　 〃Theda；〃　Katya　said。　〃I　don't　have　the　time　to　explain　right　now。〃
　 〃Well　you　hold　on；　honey；　because　we　want　some　answers。　We've　had　years　of　waiting　to　go　back　into　that　room…〃
　 〃Then　you　can　afford　to　wait　a　few　hours　more；〃　Katya　replied；　and　without　waiting　for　Theda　Bara　to　e　back　with　a　retort　she　turned　and　headed　on　up　the　steps　to　the　top　of　the　flight。
　 There　was　a　moment…just　a　quarter　of　a　beat；　there　at　the　top　of　the　stairs…when　she　thought　she'd　misjudged　her　audience；　and　they'd　e　up　the　stairs　after　her；　their　patience　finally　exhausted。　But　they'd　stayed　below。　Even　Theda。　Perhaps　somebody　had　caught　hold　of　her　arm；　to　keep　her　from　doing　something　stupid。
　 Katya　opened　the　back　door；　stepping　over　the　threshold。　Occasionally；　in　the　last　several　decades；　one　of　the　assembly　outside　had　taken　it　into　their　heads　to　test　the　power　of　the　icons　Zeffer　had　brought　back　from　Romania；　and　had　personally　hammered　deep　into　the　wood。　The　five　icons　were　called；　Zeffer　had　told　her；　the　Iron　Word。　It　was　powerful　magic　designed　to　drive　off　anything　that　did　not　belong　beside　cot　or　hearth。　Katya　had　never　actually　witnessed　what　happened　when　one　of　the　phantoms　had　tested　the　threshold。　She'd　only　heard　the　screams；　and　seen　the　looks　of　terror　on　the　faces　of　those　who'd　goaded　the　victim。　Of　the　trespasser　himself；　nothing　remained；　except　a　rise　in　the　humidity　of　the　air　around　the　threshold；　as　though　the　revenant　had　been　exploded　into　vapor。　Even　these　traces　lingered　for　only　a　moment。　As　soon　as　the　air　cooled　the　witnesses　retreated　from　the　door；　looks　of　terror　still　fixed　on　their　faces。
　 She　had　no　idea　how　the　Iron　Word　worked。　She　only　knew　that　Zeffer　had　paid　a　member　of　Sandru's　scattered　brotherh