bl.necroscope2-第15章

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　〃Landlaufen！〃　he'd　declared；　getting　down　their　skis　from　the　roof　rack。
　Georgina　had　groaned。　〃Cross…country？　All　the　way　to　those　hills？〃
　〃They're　white！〃　he　declared。　〃Glittery　with　dust　over　the　hard；　firm　crust。　Perfect！　Maybe　half　a　mile　there；　a　slow　climb　to　the　top　and　a　controlled；　enjoyable　slalom　through　the　trees；　then　back　here　just　as　the　twilight's　ing　down　on　us。〃
　〃But　it's　after　three　now！〃　she'd　protested。Then　we'd　better　get　a　move　on。　e　on；　it'll　be　good　for　us。。。〃
　〃Good　for　us！〃　Georgina　sadly　repeated　now；　his　picture　still　clear　in　her　mind　a　year　later；　tall　and　darkly　handsome　as　he　lifted　the　skis　from　the　beetle's　roof　and　tossed　them　down　in　the　snow。
　〃What's　that？〃　Anne　Drew；　her　younger　cousin；　glanced　back　at　her　over　her　shoulder。　〃Did　you　say　something？〃
　〃No；〃　Georgina　smiled　wanly；　shaking　her　head。　She　was　glad　for　the　intrusion　of　another　into　her　memories；　but　at　the　same　time　sorry。　Ilya's　face；　fading；　hung　in　the　air；　superimposed　over　her　cousin's。　〃Daydreaming；　that's　all。〃
　Anne　frowned；　turned　back　to　her　driving。　Daydreaming；　she　thought。　Yes；　and　Georgina　had　done　a　lot　of　that　over　the　last　twelve　months。　There'd　seemed　to　be　something　in　her；　something　other　than　little　Yulian；　that　is；　which　hadn't　e　out　of　her　when　he　had。　Grief；　yes；　of　course；　but　more　than　that。　It　was　as　if　she'd　teetered　for　twelve　months　on　the　very　edge　of　a　nervous　break…down；　and　that　only　Ilya's　continuation　in　Yulian　had　kept　her　from　toppling。　As　for　daydreams：　sometimes　she'd　seemed　so　very　far　away；　so　detached　from　the　real　world；　that　it　had　been　difficult　to　call　her　back。　But　now；　with　the　baby。。。　now　she　had　something　to　cling　to；　an　anchor；　something　to　live　for。
　Good　for　us；　Georgina　said　again；　but　this　time　to　herself；　bitterly。
　It　hadn't　been　〃good〃　for　them；　that　last　fatal　frolic　in　the　snow　on　the　cruciform　hills。　Anything　but。　It　had　been　terrible；　tragic。　A　nightmare　she'd　lived　through　a　thou…sand　times　in　the　year　gone　by；　with　ten　thousand　more　to　e；　she　was　sure。　Lulled　by　the　car's　warmth　and　the　purr　of　its　motor；　she　slipped　back　into　her　memories。。。
　They'd　found　an　old　firebreak　in　the　side　of　the　hill　and　set　out　to　climb　it　to　the　top；　pausing　now　and　then　with　their　breath　pluming；　shielding　their　eyes　against　the　white　blaze。　But　by　the　time　they'd　pantingly　reached　the　crest　the　sun　had　been　low　and　the　light　starting　to　fade。
　〃From　now　on　it's　all　downhill；〃　Ilya　had　pointed　out。　〃A　brisk　slalom　through　the　saplings　grown　up　in　the　firebreak；　then　a　slow　glide　back　to　the　car。　Ready？　Then　here　we　go！〃
　And　the　rest　of　it　had　been。。。　disaster！
　The　saplings　he'd　mentioned　were　in　fact　half…grown　trees。　The　snow；　drifted　into　the　firebreak；　was　far　deeper　than　he　might　have　guessed；　so　that　only　the　tops　of　the　pines…looking　like　saplings…stood　proud　of　the　powdery　white　surface。　Half…way　down　he'd　skied　too　close　to　one　such；　a　branch；　just　under　the　surface；　showing　as　the　merest　tuft　of　green；　had　tangled　his　right…hand　ski。　He'd　upended；　bounced　and　skittered　and　jarred　another　twenty…five　yards　in　a　whirling　bundle　of　white　anorak；　sticks　and　skis；　flailing　arms　and　legs　before　grabbing　another　〃sapling〃　and　bringing　his　careening　descent　to　a　halt。
　Georgina；　well　to　his　rear　and　skiing　a　little　more　timidly；　saw　it　all。　Her　heart　seemed　to　fly　into　her　mouth　and　she　cried　out；　then　formed　a　snow…plough　of　her　skis　and　drew　up　alongside　her　husband　where　he　sprawled。　She'd　stepped　out　of　her　clamps　at　once；　dug　her　skis　in　so　that　she　couldn't　lose　them；　gone　down　on　her　knees　beside　him。　Ilya　held　his　sides　as　he　laughed　and　laughed；　the　tears　of　laughter　rolling　down　his　cheeks　and　freezing　there。
　〃Clown！〃　She'd　thumped　his　chest　then。　〃Oh；　you　clown！　You　very　nearly　frightened　the　life　out　of　me！〃
　He　had　laughed　all　the　louder；　grabbing　her　wrists；　holding　her　still。　Then　he'd　looked　at　his　skis　and　stopped　laughing。　The　right　ski　was　broken；　hanging　by　a　splinter　where　it　had　cracked　across　its　width　some　six　inches　infront　of　the　clamp。　〃Ah！〃　he　had　exclaimed　then；　frown…ling。　And　he'd　sat　up　in　the　snow　and　looked　all　about；　Georgina　had　known；　then；　that　it　was　serious。　She　could　see　it　in　his　eyes；　the　way　they　narrowed。〃You　go　back　to　the　car；〃　he'd　told　her。　〃But　carefully；　mind　you…don't　be　like　me　and　go　banging　your　skis　up！　Start　the　car　and　get　the　heater　going。　It's　not　much　morethan　a　mile；　so　by　the　time　I　get　back　you'll　have　that　oldbeetle　good　and　warm　for　me。　No　point　both　of　us　freezing。〃
　〃No！〃　She'd　refused　point…blank。　〃We　go　back　together。　I…'
　〃Georgina。〃　He'd　spoken　quietly；　which　meant　that　he　was　getting　angry。　〃Look；　if　we　go　back　together；　it　means　we'll　both　get　back　wet；　tired；　and　very；　very　cold。　Now　that's　OK　for　me；　and　I　deserve　it；　but　you　don't。　My　way　you'll　soon　be　warm；　and　I'll　be　warm　a　lot　sooner！　Also；　night　is　ing　on。　You　get　back　to　the　car　now；　in　the　twilight；　and　you'll　be　able　to　put　on　the　lights　as　a　marker。　You　can　beep　the　horn　now　and　then　to　let　me　know　you're　safe　and　warm；　and　to　give　me　an　incentive。　You　see？〃
　She　had　seen；　but　his　arguments　hadn't　swayed　her。　〃Ifwe　stick　together；　at　least　we'll　be　together！　What　if　I　did　fall　down　and　get　stuck；　eh？　You'd　get　back　to　the　car　and　I　wouldn't　be　there。　What　then？　Ilya；　I'd　be　frightened　on　my　own。　For　myself　and　for　you！〃
　For　a　second　his　eyes　had　narrowed　more　yet。　But　then　he'd　nodded。　〃You're　right；　of　course。〃　And　again　he'd　looked　all　about。　Then；　taking　off　his　skis：　〃Very　well；　this　is　what　we'll　do。　Look　down　there。〃
　The　firebreak　had　continued　for　maybe　another　half　kilometre；　running　steeply　downhill。　To　both　sides　full…grown　trees；　some　of　them　hoary　with　age；　stood　thick　and　dark；　with　the　snow　drifted　in　banks　under　them　where　they　bordered　the　firebreak。　They　stood　so　close　that　overhead　their　branches　often　interlocked。　They　hadn't　been　cut　for　five　hundred　years；　those　trees。　Beneath　them　the　snow　was　mostly　patchy；　kept　from　the　earth　by　the　thick　fir　canopy；　which　it　covered　like　a　mantle。
　The　car's　over　there；〃　said　Ilya；　pointing　east；　〃around　the　curve　of　the　hill　and　behind　the　trees。　We'll　cut　through　the　trees　downhill　to　the　track；　then　follow　our　own　ski…tracks　back　to　the　car。　Cutting　off　the　corner　will　save　us　maybe　half　a　kilometre；　and　it　will　be　a　lot　easier　than　walking　in　deep　snow。　Easier　for　me；　anyway。　Once　we're　back　on　the　track　you　can　go　on　skis；　a　gentle　glide；　and　when　the　car's　in　sight；　then　you　can　go　on　ahead　and　get　her　going。　But　we'll　have　to　get　a　move　on。　It　will　be　gloomy　now　under　those　trees；　and　in　another　half…hour　the　sun　will　be　down。　We　won't　want　to　be　in　the　wood　too　long　after　that。〃
　Then　he'd　hoisted　Georgina's　skis　to　his　shoulder　and　they'd　left　the　firebreak　for　the　shelter　and　the　silence　of　the　trees。
　At　first　they'd　made　good　headway；　so　good　in　fact　that　she　had　almost　stopped　worrying。　But　there　was　that　about　the　hillside　which　oppressed…a　quiet　too　intense；　a　sense　of　ages　passing　or　passed　like　a　few　ticks　of　some　vast　clock；　and　of　something　waiting；　watching…so　that　she　only　desired　to　get　down　off　the　hill　and　back　out　into　the　open。　She　supposed　that　Ilya　felt　it；　too；　this　strange　genius　loci；　for　he　had　said　very　little　and　even　his　breathing　was　quiet　as　they　made　their　way　diagonally　down　through　the　trees；　moving　from　bole　to　black　bole；　avoiding　the　more　precipitous　places　as　much　as　possible。
　Then　they　had　reached　a　place　where　leaning　stumps　of　stone；　the　bedrock　itself；　stuck　up　through　the　soil　and　leaf…mould；　following　which　they　had　to　negotiate　an　almost　sheer　face　of　crumbling　rock　down　to　a　levelled　area。　And　as　he　helped　her　down；　so　they　had　noticed　the　handiwork　of　man　there　under　the　dark　trees。
　They　stood　upon　lichen…clad　stone　flags　in　front　of。。。a　mausoleum？　That's　what　the　tumbled　ruins　had　looked　like；　anyway。　But　here？　Georgina　had　nervously　clutched　Ilya's　arm。　This　could　hardly　be　considered　a　holy　place　or　hallowed　ground；　not　by　any　stretch　of　the　imagination。　It　seemed　that　unseen　presences　moved　here；　lending　their　motion　to　the　musty　air　without　disturbing　the　festoons　of　cobwebs　and　dangling　fingers　of　dead　twigs　that　hung　down　from　higher　areas　of　gloom。　It　was　a　cold　place…but　lacking　the　normal；　invigorating　cold　of　winter…where　the　sun　had　only　rarely　broken　through　in。。。　how　many　centuries？
　Hewn　from　the　raw　stone　of　the　hillside　itself；　the　tomb　had　long　since　caved　in；　most　of　its　roof　of　massive　slabs　lay　in　a　tangle　of　broken　masonry；　where　the　flags　of　the　floor　were　cracked　and　arched　upwards　from　the　achingly　slow　groping　of　great　roots。　A　broken　stone　joist；　leaning　now　against　the　thickly　matted　ruin　of　a　side　wall；　had　once　formed　the　lintel　above　the　tomb's　wide　entrance；　it　bore　a　vague　motif　or　coat　of　arms；　hard　to　make　out　in　the　gloom。
　Ilya；　who　had　always　had　a　fascination　for　antiquities　of　all　sorts；　had　gone　to　kneel　beside　the　great　sloping　slab　and　gouge　dirt　from　its　carved　legend。　〃Well；　now！〃　his　voice　had　sounded　hushed。　〃And　what　are　we　to　make　of　this；　eh？〃
　Georgina　had　shuddered。　〃I　don't　want　to　make　any…thing　of　it！　This　is　an　entirely　horrid　place。　e　away；　let's　go　on。〃
　〃But　look…there　are　heraldic　markings　here。　At　least　I　suppose　that's　what　they　are。　This　one；　at　the　bottom　is。。。　a　dragon？　Yes；　with　one　forepaw　raised；　see？　And　above　it…I　can't　quite　make　it　out。〃
　〃Because　the　sun　is　setting！〃　she'd　cried。　〃It's　getting　gloomier　by　the　moment。〃　But　she　had　gone　to　peer　over　his　shoulder　anyway。　The　dragon　had　been　quite　clearly　worked；　a　proud…looking　creature　chipped　from　the　stone。
　〃And　that's　a　bat！〃　Georgina　had　said　at　once。　〃A　bat　in　flight；　over　the　dragon's　back。〃
　Ilya　had　hurriedly　cleaned　away　more　dirt　and　lichen　from　the　old　chiselled　grooves；　and　a　third　carved　symbol　had　e　to　light。　But　the　great　lintel；　which　had　seemed　firmly　enough　bedded；　had　suddenly　shifted；　started　to　topple　as　the　rotting　wall　gave　way。
　Pushing　Georgina　back；　Ilya　had　thrown　himself　off　balance。　Trying　to　scramble　backwards　himself；　he'd　somehow　got　his　leg　sticking　straight　out　in　front　of　him；　directly　under　the　toppling　lintel。　Still　sprawling　there　as　the　slab　fell；　his　cry　of　agony　and　the　nerve…grating　crunch　as　his　leg　broke　and　jagged　bone　sheared　through　his　flesh　came　simultaneous　with　Georgina's　scream。
　Then；　perhaps　mercifully；　he　had　lost　consciousness。　She　had　leaped　to　free　him　from　the　lintel；　only　to　discover　that　while　it　had　broken　his　leg；　it　had　not　trapped　him。　The　lower　part　of　his　leg　flopped　uselessly　and　fell　at　an　odd　angle　when　she　touched　it；　but　miraculously　it　was　not　pinned。　Then　Georgina　had　seen　and　felt　the　break；　the　splintered　bone　projecting　through　red　flesh　and　cloth；　and　the　repetitive　spurt　of　blood　against　her　hands　and　jacket。
　And　that；　until　the　moment　of　her　awakening；　had　been　the　last　that　Georgina　saw；　felt　or　heard。　Or　rather；　she　had　seen　one　other　thing；　and　then　forgotten　it　at　once　as　she　slumped　to　the　ground。　The　thing　she　saw　had　remained　forgotten；　or　more　properly　suppressed：　it　was　the　third　symbol；　carved　above　the　dragon　and　the　bat；　which　had　seemed　to　leer　at　her　even　a