cb.coldheart canyon-第4章

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aded　back　up　to　the　relative　fort　of　the　floor　above　at　the　least　invitation。
　 At　the　bottom　of　the　stairs　he　stopped；　and　rubbed　his　hands　together　vigorously。
　 〃I　think　before　we　proceed　any　further　we　should　take　a　glass　of　something　to　warm　us；〃　he　said。　〃What　do　you　say？〃
　 〃I　wouldn't　say　no；〃　Zeffer　said。
　 The　Father　went　to　a　small　cubby…hole　in　the　wall　a　few　yards　from　the　bottom　of　the　stairs；　from　which　he　brought　a　bottle　of　spirits　and　two　glasses。　Zeffer　didn't　remark　on　the　liquor's　proximity；　nor　could　he　blame　the　brothers　for　needing　a　glass　of　brandy　to　fortify　them　when　they　came　down　here。　Though　the　lower　level　was　supplied　with　electricity　（there　were　19　lengths　of　electric　lamps　looped　along　the　walls　of　the　corridor）　the　light　did　nothing　to　warm　the　air　nor　fort　the　spirit。
　 Father　Sandru　handed　Zeffer　a　glass；　and　took　the　cork　out　of　the　bottle。　The　pop　echoed　off　the　naked　stone　of　walls　and　floor。　He　poured　Zeffer　a　healthy　measure　of　the　liquor；　and　then　an　even　healthier　measure　for　himself；　which　he　had　downed　before　Zeffer　had　got　his　own　glass　to　his　lips。
　 〃When　I　first　came　here；〃　the　Father　said；　refilling　his　glass；　〃we　used　to　brew　our　own　brandy；　from　plums　we　grew　on　our　own　trees。〃
　 〃But　not　now？〃
　 〃No；〃　the　Father　said；　plainly　saddened　at　the　fact　that　they　were　no　longer　producers　of　liquor。　〃The　earth　is　not　good　any　longer；　so　the　plums　never　ripen　properly。　They　remain　small　and　sour。　The　brandy　made　from　such　fruit　is　bitter；　and　nobody　wants　to　drink　it。　Even　I　will　not　drink　it；　so　you　can　judge　for　yourself　how　bad　it　must　be！〃　He　laughed　at　his　self…deprecation；　and　used　the　laughter　as　a　cue　to　fill　his　glass　up　again。　〃Drink；〃　he　said　to　Zeffer；　tapping　his　glass　against　Zeffer's　glass　as　though　this　was　the　first　he'd　had。
　 Zeffer　drank。　The　brandy　was　stronger　than　the　stuff　he'd　had　at　the　hotel　in　Brascov。　It　went　down　smoothly；　warming　his　belly　when　it　arrived。
　 〃Good；　yes？〃　the　Father　said；　having　downed　his　second　glass。
　 〃Very。〃
　 〃You　should　have　another　before　we　go　on。〃　And　he　filled　Zeffer's　glass　without　waiting　for　a　reply。　〃We're　a　long　way　below　ground　here；　and　it　gets　hellishly　cold。。。〃　Glasses　were　filled；　and　emptied。　The　Father's　mood　was　noticeably　better　now；　and　his　tone　chattier。　He　put　the　glasses　and　the　bottle　back　in　the　hole　in　the　wall；　and　then　led　the　way　down　the　narrow　corridor；　talking　as　he　went。　〃When　the　Order　first　came　to　the　Fortress；　there　were　plans　to　found　a　hospital　here。　You　see；　there　are　no　hospitals　within　a　hundred　and　twenty　miles　of　here。　It　would　be　very　practical。　But　this　is　not　a　place　for　the　sick。　And　certainly　not　the　dying。〃
　 〃So；　no　hospital？〃
　 〃Well；　we　made　preparations。　You　saw　yesterday　one　of　the　wards…〃　Zeffer　remembered。　He'd　glanced　through　an　open　door　and　there'd　been　two　rows　of　iron　beds；　with　bare　mattresses。　〃I　thought　it　was　a　dormitory　for　the　brothers。〃　〃No。　We　each　have　our　own　cells。　There　are　only　eleven　of　us；　so　we　can　each　have　a　place　in　which　to　meditate　and　pray。。。〃　He　offered　Zeffer　a　glance；　acpanied　by　a　small　smile。　〃And　drink。〃
　 〃I　can't　imagine　it's　a　very　satisfying　life；〃　Zeffer　said。
　 〃Satisfying？〃　The　idea　was　obviously　a　little　confounding　to　Sandru。　〃Meaning　what？〃
　 〃Oh；　just　that　you　don't　get　to　work　in　the　munity。　You　can't　help　people。〃
　 They　had　e　to　the　end　of　the　passageway；　and　Sandru　sorted　through　his　collection　of　keys　in　order　to　open　the　third　and　final　door。
　 〃Who　can　truly　be　helped？〃　he　said；　his　face　turned　down　to　the　labor　of　sorting。　〃I　suppose　perhaps　children　can　be　forted；　sometimes；　if　it's　dark　and　they're　afraid。　You　can　tell　them　you're　with　them；　and　that　will　sometimes　stop　them　crying。　But　for　the　rest　of　us？　Are　there　really　any　words　that　help？　I　don't　know　of　any。〃　He　had　found　the　right　key；　and　now　slipped　it　noisily　into　the　antiquated　lock。　As　he　did　so；　he　glanced　up　at　Zeffer。　〃I　think　there's　more　fort　to　be　had　from　seeing　beautiful　women　on　the　cinema　screen　than　in　any　prayer　I　know。　Well；　perhaps　not　fort。　Distraction。〃　He　turned　the　key　in　the　lock。　〃And　if　that　sounds　like　heresy；　well　so　be　it。〃
　
　 Sandru　pushed　the　door　open。　The　room　was　in　darkness；　but　despite　that　fact　there　was　a　warmth　in　the　air；　at　least　in　contrast　to　the　chilly　air　of　the　passageway。　Perhaps　the　difference　was　no　more　than　two　or　three　degrees；　but　it　felt　significant。
　 〃Will　you　wait　here　a　moment？〃　Sandru　said。　〃I'll　just　bring　a　light。〃　Zeffer　stayed　where　he　was；　staring　into　the　darkness；　enjoying　the　slight　rise　in　temperature。　There　was　enough　illumination　spilling　from　the　passageway　behind　him　to　light　the　threshold。　There；　carved　into　stone　beneath　his　feet；　was　a　curious　inscription：
　 Quamquam　in　fundis　inferiorum　sumus；　oculos　angelorum　tenebimus。
　 He　didn't　linger　to　puzzle　over　this　for　more　than　a　few　seconds；　but　instead　let　his　eyes　drift　up　and　into　the　room　itself。　The　chamber　before　him　was　large；　it　seemed；　and　unlike　the　rest　of　the　rooms　and　corridors；　which　were　simply　constructed；　far　more　elaborate。　Could　he　make　out　pillars；　supporting　several　small　vaults？　He　thought　so。　There　were　chairs　and　tables　within　a　few　yards　of　where　he　stood；　and　what　appeared　to　be　lamps　or　the　like　heaped　on　top　of　them。
　 The　confusion　inside　was　explained　a　moment　later；　when　the　Father　returned　with　one　of　the　bare　bulbs；　attached　to　a　length　of　electric　cord。
　 〃We　use　this　as　a　storeroom；〃　he　said。　〃Many　of　the　items　we　found　in　the　Fortress　when　we　arrived　we　put　down　here；　just　to　get　them　out　of　the　way。〃　He　lifted　the　light　to　give　Zeffer　a　better　view。
　 Zeffer's　estimation　of　the　size　of　the　place；　and　of　the　plexity　of　its　construction；　had　been　conservative；　it　now　turned　out。　The　chamber　was　fully　thirty…five　feet　long；　and　almost　as　broad；　the　ceiling　（which　was　indeed　divided　into　eight　elaborately…vaulted　sections；　divided　by　pillars）　higher　than　the　passageway　by　six　feet　or　more。　The　floor　was　littered　with　furniture　and　crates；　the　place　plainly　filled　by　hands　that　had　little　or　no　respect　for　the　objects　they　were　moving；　wishing　only　to　put　them　quickly　out　of　sight。　It　occurred　to　Zeffer　that　if　indeed　there　were　treasures　here　the　chances　of　finding　them…or　indeed　of　their　being　in　reasonable　condition　when　discovered…were　remote。　Still；　the　Father　had　brought　him　this　far　at　no　little　inconvenience　to　himself；　it　would　be　discourteous　to　now　show　no　interest　in　what　the　chamber　contained。
　 〃Did　you　have　a　part　in　moving　all　of　this？〃　he　asked　Sandru；　more　out　of　a　need　to　fill　the　silence　between　them　than　because　he　was　genuinely　curious。
　 〃Yes；　I　did；〃　the　Father　replied。　〃Thirty…two　years　ago。　I　was　a　much　younger　man。　But　it　was　still　a　back…breaking　labor。　They　built　things　big　here。　I　remember　thinking　that　maybe　the　stories　were　right。。。〃
　 〃Stories　about…〃
　 〃Oh。。。nonsenses。　About　this　furniture　having　been　built　for　the　retinue　of　the　Devil's　wife。〃
　 〃The　Devil's　wife。〃
　 〃Lilith；　or　Lilitu。　Sometimes　called　Queen　of　Zemargad。　Don't　ask　me　why。〃
　 〃This　is　the　same　woman　Katya　spoke　about？〃
　 Sandru　nodded。　〃That's　why　the　locals　don't　have　much　hope　for　the　sick　if　they　stay　here。　They　think　Lilith's　curse　is　on　the　place。　As　I　say：　nonsenses。〃
　 Whether　it　was　nonsense　or　not；　the　story　lent　some　flavor　to　this　banal　adventure。　〃May　I　look　more　closely？〃　Zeffer　asked。
　 〃That's　what　we're　here　for；〃　Father　Sandru　replied。　〃I　hope　there's　something　that　catches　your　eye；　for　your　sake。　All　these　stairs　and　doors。　I'd　forgotten　how　far　down　it　was。。。〃
　 〃I'm　sorry　to　have　made　this　so　burdensome；〃　Zeffer　said；　quite　sincerely。　〃If　I'd　known　you　were　going　to　go　to　so　much　trouble　I　wouldn't　have…〃
　 〃No；　no；〃　Sandru　said。　〃It's　not　a　trouble　to　me。　I　only　thought　there　might　be　an　item　here　that　pleased　you。　But　now　I'm　down　here　I　doubt　it。　To　be　truthful　I　believe　we　should　have　taken　all　this　trash　up　the　mountain　and　thrown　it　in　the　deepest　gorge　we　could　find。〃
　 〃Why　didn't　you　do　just　that？〃
　 〃It　wasn't　my　choice。　I　was　just　a　young　priest　at　the　time。　I　did　as　I　was　told。　I　moved　tables　and　chairs　and　tapestries；　and　I　kept　my　counsel。　Our　leader　then　was　Father　Nicholas；　who　was　very　clear　on　the　best　thing　to　be　done…the　safest　thing　for　our　souls…and　would　not　be　moved　on　the　subject。　So　we　did　as　we　were　told。　Father　Nicholas；　by　the　way；　had　the　foulest　temper　of　any　man　I　ever　knew。　We　all　lived　in　fear　of　him。〃
　 Zeffer　moved　into　the　room；　talking　as　he　went：　〃May　I　say　something　that　I　hope　won't　offend　you？〃
　 〃I'm　not　easily　offended；　don't　worry。〃
　 〃Well。。。it's　just　that　the　more　I　hear　about　your　Order；　the　less　like　priests　you　seem　to　be。　Father　Nicholas's　temper　and　the　brothers　all　familiar　with　Theda　Bara。　And　then　the　brandy。〃
　 〃Ah；　the　sins　of　the　flesh；〃　Father　Sandru　said。　〃We　do　seem　to　have　more　than　our　share；　don't　we？〃
　 〃I　have　offended　you。〃
　 〃No。　You've　simply　seen　the　truth。　And　how　can　a　man　of　God　be　justly　offended　by　that？　What　you've　observed　is　no　coincidence。　We　are　all。。。how　shall　I　put　this？。。。men　who　have　more　than　our　share　of　flaws。　Some　of　us　were　never　trusted　with　a　flock。　Others；　like　Father　Nicholas；　were。　But　the　arrangement　was　never　deemed　satisfactory。〃
　 〃His　temper？〃
　 〃I　believe　he　threw　a　Bible　at　one　of　the　parishioners　who　was　sleeping　through　the　good　Father's　sermon。〃　Zeffer　chuckled；　but　his　laughter　was　silenced　a　moment　later。　〃It　killed　the　man。〃
　 〃Killed…？〃
　 〃An　accident；　but　still。。。〃
　 〃…with　a　Bible。　Surely　not。〃
　 〃Well；　that's　how　the　rumor　went。　Father　Nicholas　has　been　dead　twenty　years；　so　there's　no　way　to　prove　it　or　disprove　it。　Let's　hope　it　isn't　true；　and　if　it　is；　hope　he's　at　peace　with　it　now。　The　fact　is；　I'm　glad　I　was　never　trusted　with　a　parish。　With　a　flock　to　tend。　I　couldn't　have　done　much　for　them。〃
　 〃Why　not？〃　Zeffer　asked；　a　little　impatient　with　Sandru's　melancholy　now。　〃Do　you　have　difficulty　finding　God　in　a　place　like　this？〃
　 〃To　be　honest　Mr。　Zeffer；　with　every　week　that　passes…I　almost　want　to　say　with　every　hour…I　find　it　harder　to　see　a　sign　of　God　anywhere。　It　would　not　be　unreasonable；　I　think；　to　ask　Him　to　show　himself　in　beauty。　In　the　face　of　your　lady…panion；　perhaps。。。？〃
　 Katya's　face　as　proof　of　God's　presence？　It　was　an　unlikely　piece　of　metaphysics；　Zeffer　thought。
　 〃I　apologize；〃　Sandru　said。　〃You　didn't　e　here　to　hear　me　talk　about　my　lack　of　faith。〃
　 〃I　don't　mind。〃
　 〃Well　I　do。　The　brandy　makes　me　maudlin。〃
　 〃Shall　I　take　a　look　then？〃　Zeffer　suggested；　〃At　whatever's　in　here？〃
　 〃Yes；　why　don't　we？〃　Sandru　replied。　〃I　wish　I　could　give　you　some　kind　of　guidance；　but。。。〃　He　shrugged；　his　favorite　gesture。　〃Why　don't　you　start　looking；　and　I'll　go　back　and　get　us　something　more　to　drink？〃
　 〃Nothing　more　for　me；〃　Zeffer　replied。
　 〃Well；　then　for　me；〃　Sandru　said。　〃I'll　only　be　a　moment。　If　you　need　me；　just　call。　I'll　hear　you。〃
　
　 Zeffer　took　a　moment；　when　the　man　was　gone；　to　close　his　eyes　and　let　his　thoughts　grow　a　little　more　orderly。　Though　Sandru　spoke　slowly　enough；　there　was　something　mildly　chaotic　about　his　thought　processes。