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！
ome contrivance or other which made it echo and boom。
〃Huskpaw here；〃 he mumbled。 〃On duty； Huskpaw。 Huskpaw is on duty。 Doors unlocked。 Oh； turn to tum； boredom； weariness； and ennui； clutches and concatenations of all tedium。〃 Then he must have heard a sound because he stiffened； sat himself down before the glass and took a pose of watchfulness。 We heard the voice of Manacle。 〃Doctor Manacle； here； Proctor Huskpaw。 Desirous of egress 。 。 。〃
〃What business have you among the monsters？〃 rapped Huskpaw； so rapidly I knew it was rote； even as he reached for whatever thing it was controlled the doors。
He received a giggle in response； the voice of Shear。 〃Doctor Manacle goes forth to select monsters for consecration； Proctor Huskpaw。 It is time。 The ceremonies will not wait。
〃Lecturer Shear；〃 Manacle's voice； cold as a battlefield after Great Game。 〃I can make my own explanations； if you please！ Huskpaw； give your handle a twist there； my good fellow。 Your Dean goes forth among monsters to select a few for consecration。 Write me down as upon the business of the college。〃
〃Certainly； Dean Manacle。 At once； sir。 Written as upon the business of the college。 Surely。 Proctor Huskpaw at your convenience； sir。 。 。 。〃 opening the doors through which Manacle and Shear emerged； Shear still in a high good humor； obviously unsuppressed。 Mavin twitched at me； and we followed them； hearing Huskpaw's voice behind us as we went； 〃Oh； certainly； Dean； certainly； Doctor； Dean Manacle； Dean Mumblehead； Dean monster…lover。 Blast and confusion upon him and his lick…ass Shear； old stuff…sox。 May he rot。〃 We followed the two on a circuitous route before they stopped at last beside one of the monster pits； whether the one we had been in or some other； I could not tell。 They leaned at ease upon a railing； looked at the farther wall without letting their eyes move downward； and discussed the grotesques which seethed below。
〃Nothing here worth consecration； eh； Shear？ Not for us； at any rate。 Perhaps for Quench？ Now； I have the idea that Quench would select some of these for consecration； don't you？〃 Titter； giggle； elbow into the ribs of the shorter magician。 〃But nothing for us。 Pity。 That's what es of being discriminating。 Bother and overwork； all to maintain one's standards They wandered off along the corridors； Mavin and I still close behind them in our Tallmen guises。 They might have seen us if they had turned； but they did not。 They were oblivious to our presence as though they were the only living creatures in all that vast place。 They came to a second pit； or perhaps the same one from another side。 Mavin shifted uneasily at my side。 The two magicians leaned upon the railing once more and stared at the ceiling fifty manheights above them。
〃Now； there are some likely ones here； aren't there； Shear？ That three…legged one； yonder； with the tentacles？ Most interesting。 I must remember to bring that to the attention of my son； Tutor Flogshoulder； to be included in his research。 Ah； yes； that one would make interesting watching。 One could get a decent footnote out of that。 Somehow； however； I do not feel it would be 。。。 quite 。。。 right for consecration； do you； Shear？〃
Shear； tittering； responding with a shaken head； a flurry of expostulation。 〃Not at all； my dear Dean。 At least； not for one of your taste and standards。 No。 Certainly not。 For Quench； perhaps。 Or for Hurlbar。 Not for you。 Certainly not。 They were off again。 Again we followed。 Three times more the scene was repeated。 I watched them carefully。 They never looked into the pits they talked over。 They never saw anything except the featureless walls of the place。 It was some kind of Game； perhaps a ritual。 I could sense Mavin's impatience； but the play was nearing its close。 They had e to a different kind of pit； shallower； cleaner； in a place where the dismal hooting of the ventilators was somewhat muted； the drip from the ceilings somehow stopped。 This time the two looked down； and this time they were silent as they looked。 Mavin and I faded into an alcove。
〃Oh； here are some who will do！〃 Manacle； greedy as a child seeing sweets。 〃Not well； but better than the others we have examined。〃
〃Yes。〃 Shear in agreement。 〃Not perfect； but then； who can expect perfection in these difficult times？ Still； better than any of the others we have seen 。。。 Manacle whistled sharply； and a Tallman materialized at his side out of some corner or cross corridor。 There were murmured instructions。 The Tallman entered the cage； dropped below my sight。 The creak of the rising cage riveted our attention as it squealed its way upward。 In it the Tallman stood； surrounded by four little girls。 〃No； no； no；〃 Manacle cried； full of shrill anger。 〃Not that one； idiot。 That one； over there in the corner。 Take this one back and get me that one。〃 The cage dropped again to return with some exchange made which I could not detect。 The little girls were clad in white kilts； not entirely clean； above which their slender chests were as breastless as any baby's。 Shear and Manacle gazed at them with greedy satisfaction。 〃Oh； these will do very well； won't they； Shear？ Bring them along； Tallman。 We will consecrate these monsters at the doors。〃 With that they were off； nodding and bubbling in mutual satisfaction and congratulation。
〃Monsters？〃 I whispered to Mavin。
〃Females；〃 she said harshly。 〃Have you seen any female here； anywhere？ The magicians； their servants； the Tallmen； all are male。 These children are the first females I have seen。〃
〃But why 'monsters'？ They look perfectly normal to me。〃
〃I think not；〃 she said。 〃e； this is our chance to get through the doors。〃
She carried out her plan so swiftly I had barely time to make the shifts with her。 First she showed herself to the two children who were last in line behind the shambling Tallman； cutting them away from the others and sending them wandering down a side corridor。 Then； we became those children； 〃conserving bulk〃 as she hastily directed； following the Tallman as he strode along mindlessly； his shadowed face betraying nothing of interior thought or confusion or misapprehension。 I felt heavy； squeezed into the smaller form； but we managed it well。
At the doors； Huskpaw was instructed to assemble a group of magicians。 There was a good deal of ing and going； lengthy chanting and waving of papers。 The ceremony seemed to be called 〃conferring honorary degrees。〃 The two real children did not respond except to move where they were pushed； Mavin and I did likewise。 The eyes of the real girls showed only a kind of vacancy； like that of the Tallmen； only more so。 I knew then that they were not normal children but were something else； perhaps monsters； perhaps something I could not name。 Eventually the magicians dropped a robe over each of us； black as their own； and the ceremony appeared to be over。 We were ushered through the doors and into a wide reception chamber where the group was joined by others to be served with wine and sweet cakes by a pair of costumed pawns as silent and vacant as the little girls。 The girls； we among them； stood in a loose huddle at one side of the room； largely ignored except for occasional lascivious glances from Manacle。 I was to be grateful for this seeming invisibility。 I had expected to see only strangers in this place； and the entrance of someone I knew brought a sudden terror。 He came through an arched door； dressed much as I had seen him last at Bannerwell； half helmed as a Demon； clad in silver。 Huld。 Thalan to Mandor。 My tormentor in Bannerwell； him I had conquered and imprisoned in turn。 Now； here。 In this place。 I could not stop an involuntary shudder。 He had no reason to suspect I might be here； but I shuddered nonetheless。 If he had any cause to suspect； his questing Mind would Read me among this multitude and find me in moments。 Only the clutter of thoughts in the room hid me now。 Within me Didir stirred； whispered； 〃I will shield you； Peter。 Go deep； deep； as you have done before。〃 I could not take her advice。 I had to warn Mavin。
The two little girls were holding hands； clinging together as two kittens might in a strange place。 I copied the action； caught Mavin's hand in mine to spell letters into her palm。 She stiffened； began to swing her eyes toward him even as I moved before her to screen her from his gaze。 Then she saw the Demon helm； and that was enough。 Her face went blank； and I knew she was focusing upon some nonsense rhyme； some jibble tune to keep her thoughts busy on the surface； invisible beneath。 Didir spoke from within once more； 〃Go deep； Peter。 I will shield you。 Watch； listen； but do not be。〃
I had done it before； in Bannerwell； had bee a witless nothing which wandered about with no more surface thought than a kitchen cat。 So I did it now。 I became the child whose body I mimicked； became a girl without a mind； a passive body； sank deep into that soft vacancy and listened。 Words flowed through my head like water； meaningless as ripples。 It did not matter what they meant。 When the proper time came； I would remember； or Didir would tell me。
〃Huld； my dear fellow。〃 Thus Manacle engaging in rough shoulder pats which caused Huld to tighten his lips and smile angrily。 Ma