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ind Quaisoir lighting candles at the altar。
〃I was calling for you；〃 he said。
〃Yes； I heard；〃 she replied。 Her voice； which had once made every word an incantation； was drab； as was she。
〃Why didn't you answer？〃
〃I was praying；〃 she said。 She blew out the taper she'd lit the candles with and turned from him to face the altar。 It was； like her chamber； a study in excess。 A carved and painted Christ hung on a gilded cross； surrounded by cherubim and seraphim；
〃Who were you praying for？〃 he asked her。
〃For myself；〃 she said simply。
He took hold of her shoulder； spinning her around。 〃What about the men who were torn apart by the mob？ No prayers for them？〃
〃They've got people to pray for them。 People who loved them。 I've got nobody。〃
〃My heart bleeds；〃 he said。
〃No； it doesn't；〃 she replied。 〃But the Man of Sorrows bleeds for me。〃
〃I doubt that； lady；〃 he said； more amused by her piety than irritated。
〃I saw Him today；〃 she said。
This was a new conceit。 He pandered to it。 〃Where was this？〃 he asked her； all sincerity。
〃At the harbor。 He appeared on a roof； right above me。 They tried to shoot Him down； and He was struck。 I saw Him struck。 But when they looked for the body it had gone。〃
〃You know you should go down to the Bastion with the rest of the madwomen；〃 he told her。 〃You can wait for the Second ing there。 I'll have all this transported down there if you'd like。〃
〃He'll e for me here；〃 she said。 〃He's not afraid。 You're the one who's afraid。〃
The Autarch looked at his palm。 〃Am I sweating？ No。 Am I on my knees begging Him to be kind？ No。 Accuse me of most crimes； and I'm probably guilty。 But not fear。 You know me better than that。〃
〃He's here； in Yzordderrex。〃
〃Then let Him e。 I won't be leaving。 He'll find me if He wants me so badly。 He won't find me praying； you understand。 Pissing maybe； if He could bear the sight。〃 The Autarch took Quaisoir's hand and tugged it down between his legs。 〃He might find He's the one who's humbled。〃 He laughed。 〃You used to pray to this fellow； lady。 Remember？ Say you remember。〃
〃I confess it。〃
〃It's not a crime。 It's the way we were made。 What are we to do but suffer it？〃 He suddenly drew close。 〃Don't think you can desert me for Him。 We belong to each other。 Whatever harm you do me； you do yourself。 Think about that。 If our dreams burn； we cook in them together。〃
His message was getting through。 She didn't struggle in his embrace； but shook with terror。
〃I don't want to take your forts from you。 Have your Man of Sorrows if He helps you sleep。 But remember how our flesh is joined。 Whatever little sways you learned down in the Bastion； it doesn't change what you are。〃
〃Prayers aren't enough；〃 she said； half to herself。
〃Prayers are useless。〃
〃Then I have to find Him。 Go to Him。 Show Him my adoration。〃
〃You're going nowhere。〃
〃I have to。 It's the only way。 He's in the city； waiting for me。〃
She pressed him away from her。
〃I'll go to Him in rags；〃 she said； starting to tear at her robes。 〃Or naked！ Better naked！〃
The Autarch didn't attempt to catch hold of her again but withdrew from her； as though her lunacy were contagious； letting her tear at her clothes and draw blood with the violence of her revulsion。 As she did so she started to pray aloud； her prayer full of promises to e to Him； on her knees； and beg His forgiveness。 As she turned； delivering this exhortation to the altar； the Autarch lost patience with her hysteria and took her by the hair…twin fistfuls of it…drawing her back against him。
〃You're not listening！〃 he said； both passion and disgust overwhelmed by a rage even the kreauchee couldn't quell。 〃There's only one Lord in Yzordderrex！〃
He threw her aside and mounted the steps of the altar in three strides； clearing the candles from it with one backward sweep of his arm。 Then he clambered up onto the altar itself to drag down the crucifix。 Quaisoir was on her feet to stop him； but neither her appeals nor her fists slowed him。 The gilded seraphim came first； wrenched from their carved clouds and pitched behind him to the ground。 Then he put his hands behind the Savior's head and pulled。 The crown He wore was meticulously carved； and the thorns punctured his fingers and palms； but the sting only gave fire to his sinews； and a snarl of splintered wood announced his victory。 The crucifix came away from the wall； and all he had to do was step aside to let gravity take it。 For an instant he thought Quaisoir intended to fling herself beneath its weight； but a heartbeat before it toppled she stumbled back from the steps； and it fell amid the litter of dismembered seraphim； cracking as it struck the stone floor。
The motion had of course brought witnesses。 From his place on the altar the Autarch saw Rosengarten racing down the aisle； his weapon drawn。
〃It's all right； Rosengarten！〃 he panted。 〃The worst is over。〃
〃You're bleeding； sir。〃
The Autarch sucked at his hand。 〃Will you have my wife escorted to her chambers？〃 he said； spitting out the gold…flecked blood。 〃She's to be allowed no sharp instruments； nor any object with which she could do herself any harm。 I'm afraid she's very sick。 We'll have to watch over her night and day from now on。〃
Quaisoir was kneeling among the pieces of the crucifix； sobbing there。
〃Please； lady；〃 the Autarch said； jumping down from the altar to coax her up。 〃Why waste your tears on a dead man？ Worship nothing； lady； except in adoration 。 。 。〃 He stopped； puzzled by the words； then he took them up again。 〃In adoration of your True Self。〃
She raised her head； heeling away the tears with her hands to stare at him。
〃I'll have some kreauchee found for you；〃 he said。 〃To calm you a little。〃
〃I don't want kreauchee；〃 she murmured； her voice washed of all color。 〃I want forgiveness。〃
〃Then I forgive you；〃 he replied； with flawless sincerity。
〃Not from you；〃 she said。
He studied her grief for a time。 〃We were going to love and live forever；〃 he said softly。 〃When did you bee so old？〃
She made no reply； so he left her there； kneeling in the debris。 Rosengarten's underling； Seidux； had already arrived to take charge of her。
〃Be considerate；〃 he told Seidux as they crossed at the door。 〃She was once a great lady。〃
He didn't wait to watch her removal but went with Rosengarten to meet Generals Mattalaus and Racidio。 He felt better for his exertion。 Though like any great Maestro he was untouched by age； his system still became sluggish and needed an occasional stirring up。 What better way to do it than by demolishing idols？
As they passed by a window which gave onto the city the spring went from his step； however； seeing the signs of destruction visible below。 For all his defiant talk of building another Yzordderrex； it would be painful to watch this one torn apart； Kesparate by Kesparate。 Half a dozen columns of smoke were already rising from conflagrations across the city。 Ships were burning in the harbor； and there were bordellos aflame around Lickerish Street。 As Rosengarten had predicted； all the apocalyptics in the city would fulfill their prophecies today。 Those who'd said corruption came by sea were burning boats； those who railed against sex had lit their torches for the brothels。 He glanced back towards Quaisoir's chapel as his consort's sobs were raised afresh。
〃It's best we don't stop her weeping；〃 he said。 〃She has good reason。〃
The full extent of the harm Dowd had done himself in his late boarding of the Yzordderrexian Express did not bee apparent until their arrival in the icon…filled cellar beneath the merchant's house。 Though he'd escaped being turned inside out； his trespass had wounded him considerably。 He looked as though he'd been dragged face down over a freshly graveled road； the skin on his face and hands shredded and the sinew beneath oozing the meager filth he had in his veins。 The last time Jude had seen him bleed； the wound had been self…inflicted and he'd seemed to suffer scarcely at all； but not so now。 Though he held on to her wrist with an implacable grip and threatened her with a death that would make Clara's seem merciful if she attempted to escape him； he was a vulnerable captor； wincing as he hauled her up the stairs into the house above。
This was not the way she had imagined herself entering Yzordderrex。 But then the scene she met at the top of the stairs was not as she'd imagined either。 Or rather； it was all too imaginable。 The house…which was deserted…was large and bright； its design and decoration almost depress…ingly recognizable。 She reminded herself that this was the house of Oscar's business partner Peccable； and the influence of Fifth Dominion aesthetics was likely to be strong in a dwelling that had a doorway to Earth in its cellar。 But the vision of domestic bliss this interior conjured was depress…ingly bland。 The only touch of exoticism was the parrot sulking on its perch by the window； otherwise this nest was irredeemably suburban； from the row of family photographs beside the clock on the mantelpiece to the drooping tulips in the vase on the well…polished dining room table。
She was sure there were more remarkable sights in the street outside； but Dowd was in no mood； or indeed