cb.coldheart canyon-第49章

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　 Todd　glanced　up　at　the　Duke　again。　The　trace　of　amusement　Todd　had　thought　he'd　seen　there　had　gone。　There　was　only　suspicion　now。　It　crossed　Todd's　mind　that　perhaps　it　had　been　an　error　for　Katya　to　speak　in　the　man's　tongue；　that　perhaps　she'd　only　deepened　his　belief　that　these　lovers　were　more　than　over…heated　trespassers。
　 He　felt　a　prick　in　the　middle　of　his　chest。　The　cold　point　of　the　sword　was　pressed　into　his　skin。　A　small　pool　of　blood　was　already　ing　from　the　spot；　spreading　through　the　weave　of　his　shirt。
　 Katya　had　stopped　talking　for　a　moment…Todd　thought　perhaps　she　realized　she　was　doing　more　harm　than　good…but　now　she　began　again；　making　whatever　pleas　she　could。
　 The　man　on　the　braided　horse　raised　his　hand。
　 〃Liniste；〃　he　said。
　 He'd　obviously　told　her　to　shut　the　hell　up；　because　that　was　exactly　what　she　did。
　 There　was　a　sound　on　the　wind；　and　it　instantly　had　all　of　the　nobleman's　attention。　Somewhere　not　so　far　away　a　baby　was　crying：　a　mournful　wail　of　a　sound；　that…though　it　was　surely　human…reminded　Todd　of　the　noise　the　coyotes　would　make　some　nights　in　the　Canyon。
　 After　a　few　moments　of　listening；　the　Duke　let　out　a　stream　of　orders：　〃Lasati…i！　Pe　cai！　Ala…i　copilul！〃
　 The　two　men　who'd　been　threatening　Katya　and　Todd　sheathed　their　swords　and　returned　to　their　mounts。　The　baby's　cry　seemed　to　falter　for　a　moment；　and　Todd　feared　it　would　fade　pletely　and　the　swordsmen　would　return　to　their　threats；　but　then　the　infant　seemed　to　find　a　new　seam　of　grief　to　mine；　and　the　wail　rose　up　again；　more　plaintive　then　ever。
　 The　men　were　exchanging　more　urgent　words；　and　pointing　in　the　direction　from　which　the　sound　was　ing。
　 〃Este　acolol　Grabiti…va！〃
　 〃In　padure！　Copilul　este　？n　padure！〃
　 Katya　and　Todd　were　summarily　forgotten。　The　horsemen　were　by　now　all　re…mounted；　and　the　Duke　was　already　galloping　away；　leaving　his　weary　pany　to　follow　in　his　dust。
　 Todd　felt　a　curious　sense　of　betrayal；　the　kind　felt　when　a　story　takes　an　unanticipated　turn。　That　he　should　have　e　into　this　half…eclipsed　world　and　been　made　to　bleed　at　the　point　of　a　sword　seemed　absolutely　apt。　That　the　man　who'd　threatened　him　had　ridden　away　to　pursue　a　crying　baby　did　not。
　 〃What　the　hell　is　going　on？〃　he　said　as　he　bent　to　help　Katya　up　off　the　ground。
　 〃They　heard　Qwaftzefoni；　the　Devil's　child；〃　she　said。
　 〃Who？〃
　 She　looked　back　in　the　direction　of　the　riders。　They　were　already　halfway　to　the　line　of　densely　packed　trees　from　which　the　pitiful　summons　had　seemed　to　e；　receding　into　the　quarter…light　as　though　being　steadily　erased。
　 〃It's　a　long　story；〃　she　said。　〃I　heard　it　first　when　I　was　a　child。。。and　it　used　to　frighten　me。。。〃
　 〃Yes？〃　he　said。
　 〃Oh　yes。〃
　 〃Well；〃　Todd　said；　a　little　impatiently；　〃are　you　going　to　tell　me？〃
　 〃I　don't　know　if　it'll　frighten　you。〃
　 He　wiped　the　blood　from　the　middle　of　his　chest　with　the　heel　of　his　hand。　There　was　a　deep　nick　in　his　chest；　which　instantly　welled　with　blood　again。
　 〃Tell　me　anyway；〃　he　said。
　
　
　TWO
　 Though　it　had　been　Zeffer　who'd　offered　the　explanation　of　what　lay　down　in　the　guts　of　the　house；　Tammy　opened　the　conversation　with　a　question　that　had　been　niggling　at　her　since　she'd　first　e　into　this　place。　She　returned　to　the　kitchen　table；　where　she'd　been　eating　her　cherry　pie；　sat　down　and　said：　〃What　are　you　afraid　of？〃
　 〃I　told　you　twice；　three　times：　I　shouldn't　be　in　here。　She'll　be　angry。〃
　 〃That　doesn't　answer　the　question。　Katya's　just　a　woman；　for　God's　sake。　Let　her　be　angry！〃
　 〃You　don't　know　what　she　can　be　like。〃
　 〃Why　don't　you　try　telling　me？　Then　maybe　I'll　understand。〃
　 〃Tell　you；〃　he　said　flatly；　as　though　the　request　was　impossible。　〃How　can　I　tell　you　what　this　place　has　seen？　What　I　was？　What　she　was？〃
　 〃Try。〃
　 〃I　don't　know　how；〃　he　said；　his　voice　getting　weaker；　syllable　on　syllable；　until　she　seemed　sure　it　would　crack　and　break。　He　sat　down　at　the　table　opposite　her；　but　he　said　nothing。
　 〃All　right；〃　Tammy　said。　〃Let　me　give　you　a　hand。〃　She　thought　for　a　moment。　Then　she　said：　〃Start　with　the　house。　Tell　me　why　it　was　built。　Why　you're　in　it。　Why　she's　in　it。〃
　 〃Back　then　we　did　everything　together。〃
　 〃Who　is　she？〃
　 〃I'll　tell　you　who　she　was：　she　was　Katya　Lupi；　a　great　star。　One　of　the　greatest；　some　would　once　have　said。　And　in　its　day　this　house　was　one　of　the　most　famous　houses　in　Los　Angeles。　One　of　the　great　dream　palaces。〃
　 〃And　the　rest　of　the　Canyon　is　hers　too？〃
　 〃Oh　yes；　it's　all　hers。　Coldheart　Canyon。　That's　what　they　called　it。　She　had　a　reputation；　you　see；　for　being　a　chilly　bitch。〃　He　smiled；　though　there　was　more　rue　in　the　expression　than　humor。　〃It　was　deserved。〃
　 〃And　the　things　out　there？〃
　 〃Which　things？〃
　 〃Which　things？〃　Tammy　said；　a　little　impatiently。　〃The　freaks。　The　things　that　attacked　me。〃
　 〃Those？　Those　are　the　children　of　the　dead。〃
　 〃You　say　these　things　so　casually。　The　children　of　the　dead。　Believe　it　or　not；　the　dead　don't　have　kids　in　Sacramento。　They　just　rot　away　quietly。〃
　 〃Well　it's　different　here。〃
　 〃Willem；　I　don't　care　how　different　it　is：　the　dead　can't　have　children。〃
　 〃You　saw　them。　Believe　your　eyes。〃
　 Tammy　shook　her　head。　Not　in　disbelief；　rather　in　frustration。　How　could　it　be　that　the　rules　of　the　world　worked　one　way　in　one　place；　and　so　very　differently　in　another？
　 〃The　truth　is：　I　don't　know；〃　Zeffer　said；　answering　her　unspoken　question。　〃Over　the　years　the　ghosts　have　mated　with　the　animals；　and　the　results　are　those　things。　Maybe　the　dead　are　closer　to　the　condition　of　animals。　I　don't　know。　I　only　know　it's　real。　I've　seen　them。　You've　seen　them。　They're　hybrids。　Sometimes　there's　a　kind　of　beauty　in　them。　But　mostly。。。ugly　as　sin。〃
　 〃All　right。　So　I　buy　the　hybrids。　But　why　here？　Is　it　her！〃
　 〃In　a　roundabout　way；　I　suppose。。。〃　He　mused　for　a　moment；　and　then…apparently　with　great　effort；　as　though　since　they'd　e　into　the　house　a　lifetime　of　suffering　had　caught　up　with　him…he　got　to　his　feet。　He　went　to　the　sink；　and　turned　on　the　faucet；　running　the　water　hard。　Then；　cupping　his　hand；　he　took　some　up　to　his　lips　and　drank　noisily。　This　done；　he　turned　off　the　faucet　and　looked　over　his　shoulder　at　her。
　 〃I　know　in　my　heart　you　deserve　to　know　everything；　after　all　you've　been　through。　You've　earned　the　truth。〃　He　turned　fully　to　her。　〃But　before　I　tell　you；　let　me　say　I'm　not　sure　I　understand　any　of　this　much　more　than　you　do。〃
　 〃Well　I　understand　nothing；〃　Tammy　said。
　 He　nodded。　〃Well；　then。　How　do　I　start　this？　Ah。　Yes。　Romania。〃　He　put　his　hand　up　to　his　face；　and　wiped　some　water　off　his　lower　lip。　〃Katya　was　born　Katya　Lupescu　in　Romania。　A　tiny　village　called　Ravbac。　And　in　the　summer　of　1921；　just　after　we'd　built　this　house；　I　went　back　with　her　to　her　homeland；　because　her　mother　was　sick　and　was　not　expected　to　live　more　than　another　year。〃
　 〃She'd　been　brought　up　in　utter　poverty。　Abuse　and　poverty。　But　now　she　was　a　great　star；　ing　home；　and　it　was　extraordinary　really；　to　see　how　she　had　transformed　herself。　From　these　beginnings　to　the　woman　she'd　bee。
　 〃Anyway；　there　was　a　fortress　close　to　the　village　where　Katya　was　born；　and　it　was　run　by　the　Order　of　St。　Teodor；　who　made　it　their　business　to　protect　the　place。　When　we　arrived；　Katya　and　myself　had　both　been　given　a　tour；　but　she　wasn't　very　interested　in　the　old　fortress　and　priests　with　halitosis。　Neither　was　I；　frankly；　but　I　wanted　to　leave　her　with　her　family　to　talk　over　old　times；　so　I　went　back　to　the　Goga　Fortress　a　second　day。　The　monk　who　took　me　round　made　it　dear　that　the　Order　had　fallen　on　hard　times；　and　the　brothers　needed　to　sell　off　what　they　could。　Tapestries；　chairs；　tables：　it　was　all　up　for　sale。〃
　 〃Frankly；　I　didn't　care　for　much　of　it；　and　I　was　about　to　leave。〃
　 〃Then　he　said：　let　me　show　you　something　special；　really　special。　And　I　thought：　what　the　hell？　Ten　more　minutes。　And　he　took　me　down　several　flights　of　stairs　into　a　room　the　likes　of　which　I'd　never　seen　before。〃
　 〃What　was　in　there？〃
　 〃It　was　decorated　with　tiles…thousands　of　tiles…and　they　were　all　painted；　so　when　you　walked　into　the　room　it　was　almost　as　though…no；　it　was　as　though　you　were　walking　into　another　world。〃　He　paused；　contemplating　the　memory　of　this；　awed　by　it　still；　after　all　these　years。
　 〃What　kind　of　a　world？〃　Tammy　asked　him。
　 〃A　world　that　was　both　very　real　and　pletely　invented。　It　had　space　for　sky　and　sea　and　birds　and　rabbits。　But　it　also　had　a　little　pinch　of　Hell　in　the　mix；　just　to　make　things　more　interesting　for　the　men　who　lived　in　that　world。〃
　 〃What　men？〃
　 〃Well；　one　man　in　particular。　His　name　was　Duke　Goga。　And　he　was　there　in　the　walls；　on　a　hunt　that　would　last　until　the　end　of　time。〃
　
　 〃The　man　on　the　horse；〃　Katya　said；　〃was　the　Duke。〃
　 〃I　got　that；〃　Todd　said。
　 〃He　lived　a　long　time　ago。　I'm　not　sure　of　exactly　when。　When　you're　a　little　child　you　don't　listen　to　those　kind　of　details。　It's　the　story　you　remember。　And　the　story　was　this：〃
　 〃One　day　in　autumn　the　Duke　went　out　hunting；　which　he　did　all　the　time…it　was　his　favorite　thing　to　do…and　he　saw　what　he　thought　was　a　goat；　trapped　in　a　briar…thicket。　So　he　got　off　his　horse；　telling　his　men　that　he　wanted　to　kill　this　animal　himself。　He　hated　goats；　having　been　attacked　by　one　and　badly　hurt　as　a　baby　He　still　had　scars　on　his　face　from　that　attack；　and　they　ached　in　the　cold　weather；　all　of　which　served　to　keep　his　hatred　of　goats　alive。　Perhaps　it　was　a　petty　thing；　this　hatred；　but　sometimes　little　things　can　be　the　unmaking　of　us。　There's　no　doubt　that　Goga　would　not　have　pursued　his　goat　as　far　as　he　did　had　he　not　been　injured　as　a　child。　And　then…to　make　matters　worse…as　he　approached　the　animal　history　virtually　repeated　itself。　The　animal　reared　up；　striking　the　Duke　with　its　blackhoof　and　cracking　his　nose。　The　goat　then　ran　off。〃
　 〃Goga　was　furious；　beside　himself　with　fury！　To　have　been　mistreated　by　a　goat　twice！　He　got　straight　back　on　his　horse；　blood　pouring　from　his　broken　nose；　and　went　after　the　animal；　riding　hard　through　the　forest　to　catch　up　with　it。　His　entourage　went　with　him；　because　they　were　bound　to　follow　the　Duke　wherever　he　went。　But　they　were　beginning　to　suspect　that　there　was　something　strange　about　where　they　were　headed　and　that　it　would　be　better　for　them　all　if　they　just　turned　round　and　rode　back　to　the　Fortress。〃
　 〃But　Goga　wouldn't　do　that？〃
　 〃Of　course　not。　He　was　determined　to　chase　down　the　animal　that　had　struck　him。　He　wanted　revenge　on　the　thing。　He　wanted　to　stick　his　sword　through　it；　and　cut　out　its　heart　and　eat　it　raw。　That　was　the　kind　of　rage　he　was　in。
　 〃So　he　kept　riding。　And　his　men；　out　of　loyalty；　kept　following；　further　and　further　from　the　Fortress　and　the　paths　they　knew；　into　the　depths　of　the　forest。　Steadily　even　the　Duke　began　to　realize　that　what　his　men　were　whispering　was　right：　there　were　creatures　here；　lurking　about；　the　likes　of　which　God　had　not　made。　He　could　see　things　between　the　trees　that　didn't　belong　in　any　of　the　bestiaries　he　had　in　the　Fortress。　Strange；　ungodly　creatures。〃
　 As　Katya　told　her　story；　Todd　glanced　at　the　dark　mass　of