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l you see if you can help？ But be careful。 She may look sick； but she's strong。〃
〃Where is she？〃
〃Jude'lltake you。 I'm going after Sartori。〃
〃He's gone up the tower；〃 Monday said。
〃He didn't even look at us；〃 Jude said。 She sounded almost offended。 〃He just stumbled out and up the stairs。 What the hell did you dp to him？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃I never saw an expression like that on his face before。 Or yours； e to that。〃
〃Like what？〃
〃Tragic；〃 said Clem。
〃Maybe we're going to win a quicker victory than I thought；〃 Gentle said； starting past them to the stairs。
〃Wait；〃 Jude said。 〃We can't tend to Celestine here。 We need to take her somewhere safer。〃
〃Agreed。〃
〃The studio； maybe？〃
〃No；〃 Gentle said。 〃There's a house I know in Clerken…well where we'll be safe。 He drove me out of it once。 But it's mine； and we're going back to it。 AH of us。〃
15
The sun that met Gentle in the foyer put him in mind of Taylor； whose wisdom； spoken through a sleeping boy； had begun this day。 That dawn already seemed an age ago； the hours since then had been so filled with journeys and revelations。 It would be this way until the Reconciliation； he knew。 The London he'd wandered in his first years； brimming with possibilities…a city Pie had once said hid more angels than God's skirts…was once again a place of presences； and he rejoiced in the fact。 It gave heat to his heels as he mounted the stairs； two and three at a time。 Strange as it was； he was actually eager to see Sartori's face again： to speak with his other and know his mind。
Jude had prepared him for what he'd find on the top floor： bland corridors leading to the Tabula Rasa's table； and the body sprawled there。 The scent of Godolphin's undoing was there to meet him as he stepped into the passageway： a sickening reminder； though he scarcely needed one； that revelation had a grimmer face and that those last halcyon days； when he'd been the most lauded metaphysician in Europe； had ended in atrocity。 It would not happen again； he swore to himself。 Last time the ceremonies had been brought to grief by the brother waiting for him at the end of this corridor； and if he had to mit fratricide to remove the danger of a recurrence； then so be it。 Sartori was the spirit of his own imperfections made flesh。 To kill him would be a cleansing； and wele； perhaps； to them both。
As he advanced along the corridor the sickly smell of Godolphin's putrefaction grew stronger。 He held his breath against it and came to the door in utter silence。 It nevertheless swung open as he approached； his own voice inviting him in。
〃There's no harm in here； brother； not from me。 And I don't need you on your belly to prove your good intentions。〃
Gentle stepped inside。 All the drapes were drawn against the sun； but even the sturdiest fabric usually let some trace of light through its weave。 Not so here。 The room was sealed by something more than curtains and brick； and Sartori was sitting in this darkness； his form visible only because the door was ajar。
〃Will you sit？〃 he said。 〃I know this isn't a very wholesome slab〃…the body of Oscar Godolphin had gone； the mess of his blood and rot remaining in pools and smears… 〃but I like the formality。 We should negotiate like civilized beings； yes？〃
Gentle acceded to this； walking to the other end of the table and sitting down； content to demonstrate good faith unless or until Sartori showed signs of treachery。 Then he'd be swift and calamitous。
〃Where did the body go？〃 he asked。
〃It's here。 I'll bury it after we've talked。 This is no place for a man to rot。 Or maybe it's the perfect place； I don't know。 We can vote on it later。〃
〃Suddenly you're a democrat。〃
〃You said you were changing。 So am I。〃
〃Any particular reason？〃
〃We'll get to that later。 First…〃
He glanced towards the door； and it swung closed； plunging them both into utter darkness。
〃You don't mind； do you？〃 Sartori said。 〃This isn't a conversation we should have looking at ourselves。 The mirror's bad enough。〃
〃You didn't mind in Yzordderrex。〃
〃I was incarnate there。 Here I feel。。。 immaterial。 I was really impressed by what you did in Yzordderrex； by the way。 One word from you； and it just crumbled away。〃
〃Your handiwork； not mine。〃
〃Oh； don't be obtuse。 You know what history'll say。 It won't give a fuck about the politics。 It'll say the Reconciler arrived； and the walls came tumbling down。 And you're not going to argue with that。 It feeds the legend； it makes you look messianic。 That's what you really want； isn't it？ The question is： if you're the Reconciler； what am I？ 〃
〃We don't have to be enemies。〃
〃Didn't I say the very same thing in Yzordderrex？ And didn't you try and murder me？〃
〃1 had good reason。〃
〃Name one。〃
〃You destroyed the first Reconciliation。〃
〃It wasn't the first。 There've been three other attempts to my certain knowledge。〃
〃It was my first。 My Great Work。 And you destroyed it。〃
〃Who did you hear that from？〃
〃From Lucius Cobbitt；〃 Gentle replied。
There was a silence then； and in it Gentle thought he heard the darkness move； a sound like silk on silk。 But his head was never quite silent these days； and before he could clear a path through the whispers Sartori had recovered his equilibrium。
〃So Lucius is alive；〃 he said。
〃Just in memory。 In Gamut Street。〃
〃That fuckhead Little Ease let you have quite an education； didn't he？ I'll have his guts。〃 He sighed。 〃I miss Rosengarten； you know。 He was so very loyal。 And Racidio and Mattalaus。 I had some good people in Yzordderrex。 People I could trust； people who loved me。 It's the face； I think； it inspires devotion。 You must have noticed that。 Is it the divine in you； or is it just the way we smile？ I resist the notion that one's a symptom of the other。 Hunchbacks can be saints and beauties perfect monsters。 Haven't you found that？〃
〃Certainly。〃
〃You see how much we agree？ We sit here in the dark； and we talk like friends。 I truly think if we never again stepped out into the light we could learn to love each other； after a time。〃
〃That can't happen。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Because I've work to do； and I won't let you delay me。〃
〃You did terrible harm last time； Maestro。 Remember that。 Put it in your mind's eye。 Remember how it looked； seeing the In Ovo spilling out。。。。〃
By the sound of Sartori's voice； Gentle guessed that the man had risen to his feet。 But again it was difficult to be certain； when the darkness was so profound。 He stood up himself； his chair tipping over behind him。
〃The In Ovo's a filthy place；〃 Sartori was saying。 〃And believe me； I don't want it dirtying up this Dominion。 But I'm afraid that may be inevitable。〃
Now Gentle was certain there was some duplicity here。 Sartori's voice no longer had a single source but was being subtly disseminated throughout the room； as though he was seeping into the darkness。
〃If you leave this room； brother…if you leave me alone…there'll be such horror unleashed on the Fifth。〃
〃I won't make any errors this time。〃
〃Who's talking about error？〃 Sartori said。 〃I'm talking about what I'll do for righteousness' sake； if you desert me。〃
〃So e with me。〃
〃What for？ To be your disciple？ Listen to what you're saying！ I've got as much right to be called Messiah as you。 Why should I be a piddling acolyte？ Do me the courtesy of understanding that； at least。〃
〃So do I have to kill you？〃
〃You can try。〃
〃I'm ready to do it； brother； if you force me。〃
〃So am I。 So am I。〃
There was no purpose in further debate； Gentle thought。 If he was going to kill the man； as it seemed he must； he wanted to do it swiftly and cleanly。 But he needed light for the deed。 He moved towards the door； intending to open it； but as he did so something touched his face。 He put his hand up to snatch it away； but it had already gone； flitting towards the ceiling。 What defense was this？ He'd sensed no living thing when he'd entered the room； other than Sartori。 The darkness had been inert。 Either it had now taken on some illusory life as an extension of Sartori's will； or else his other had used the darkness as a cover for some summoning。 But what？ There'd been no evocations spoken； no hint of a feit。 If he'd managed to call up some defender； it was flimsy and witless。 He heard it flapping against the ceiling like a blinded bird。
〃I thought we were alone；〃 he said。 〃Our last conversation needs witnesses； or how would the world know I gave you a chance to save it？〃 〃Biographers； now？〃 〃Not exactly。。。。〃
〃What then？〃 Gentle said； his outstretched hand reaching the wall and sliding along it towards the door。 〃Why don't you show me？〃 he said； his palm closing around the handle。 〃Or are you too ashamed？〃
With this； he pulled not one but both doors open。 The phenomenon that followed was more startling than dire。 The meager light in the passageway outside was drawn into the room in a rush； as though it were milk； sucked from day's teat to feed what waited inside。 It flew past him； dividing as it went； going to a dozen places around the room； high and low。 Then the handles were snatched from Gentle's grip； and the doors slammed。
He turned back to face the room and as he did so heard the tab