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art； Quaisoir was in bliss； despite her wounds。 She clutched at Dowd's jacket and thanked him over and over for doing her this kindness。 He hushed her softly； saying there was no need for her to make a catalogue of her crimes。
〃You have them in your heart； and I see them there；〃 he said。 〃I forgive them。 Tell me instead about your husband。 Where is he？ Why hasn't he also e asking for forgiveness？〃
〃He didn't believe you were here；〃 Quaisoir said。 〃I told him I'd seen you down at the harbor； but he has no faith。〃
〃None？〃
〃Only in himself；〃 she said bitterly。 Dowd began to rock backward and forward as he plied her with further questions； his focus so devoted to his victim he didn't notice Jude's approach。 She envied Dowd his embrace； wishing it were her arms Quaisoir was lying in instead of his。
〃Who is your husband？〃 Dowd was asking。
〃You know who he is；〃 Quaisoir replied。 〃He's the Autarch。 He rules the Imajica。〃
〃But he wasn't always Autarch； was he？〃
〃No。〃
〃So what was he before？〃 Dowd wanted to know。 〃An ordinary man？〃
〃No；〃 she said。 〃I don't think he was ever an ordinary man。 I don't remember exactly。〃
He stopped rocking her。 〃I think you do；〃 he said； his tone subtly shifting。 〃Tell me；〃 he said。 〃Tell me： What was he before he ruled Yzordderrex？ And what were you？〃
〃I was nothing；〃 she said simply。
〃Then how were you raised so high？〃
〃He loved me。 From the very beginning； he loved me。〃
〃You did no unholy service to be elevated？〃 Dowd said。
She hesitated； and he pressed her harder。
〃What did you do？〃 he demanded。 〃What？ What？〃 There was a distant echo of Oscar in that expletive： the servant speaking with his master's voice。
Intimidated by this fury； Quaisoir replied。 〃I visited the Bastion of the Banu many times；〃 she confessed。 〃Even the Annex。 I went there too。〃
〃And what's there？〃
〃Madwomen。 Some who killed their spouses； or their children。〃
〃Why did you seek such pitiful creatures out？〃
〃There are 。。。 powers 。。。 hidden among them。〃
At this； Jude attended more closely than ever。
〃What kind of powers？〃 Dowd said； voicing the question she was silently asking。
〃I did nothing unholy；〃 Quaisoir protested。 〃I just wanted to be cleansed。 The Pivot was in my dreams。 Every night； its shadow on me； breaking my back。 I only wanted to be cleansed of it。〃
〃And were you？〃 Dowd asked her。 Again she didn't answer at first； until he pressed her； almost harshly。 〃Were you？〃
〃I wasn't cleansed； I was changed；〃 she said。 〃The women polluted me。 I have a taint in my flesh and I wish it were out of me。〃 She began to tear at her clothes； till her fingers found her belly and breasts。 〃I want it driven out！〃 she said。 〃It gave me new dreams； worse than before。〃
〃Calm yourself；〃 Dowd said。
〃But I want it out！ I want it out！〃 A kind of fit had suddenly taken her； and she flailed so violently in his arms she fell from them。 〃I can feel it in me now；〃 she said； her nails raking her breasts。
Jude looked at Dowd； willing him to intervene； but he simply stood up； staring at the woman's distress； plainly taking pleasure in it。 Quaisoir's self…assault was not theatrics。 She was drawing blood from her skin； still yelling that she wanted the taint out of her。 In her agony； a subtle change was ing over her flesh； as though she was sweating out the taint she'd spoken of。 Her pores were oozing a sheen of iridescence； and the cells of her skin were subtly changing color。 Jude knew the blue she saw spreading from her sister's neck； down over her body and up towards her contorted face。 It was the blue of the stone eye； the blue of the Goddess。
〃What is this？〃 Dowd demanded of his confessee。
〃Out of me！ Out of me！〃
〃Is this the taint？〃 He went down on his haunches beside her。 〃Is it？〃
〃Drive it out of me！〃 Quaisoir sobbed； and began assaulting her poor body afresh。
Jude could endure it no longer。 Allowing her sister to die blissfully in the arms of a surrogate divinity was one thing。 This self…mutilation was quite another。 She broke her vow of silence。
〃Stop her；〃 she said。
Dowd looked up from his study； drawing his thumb across his throat to hush her。 But it was too late。 Despite her own motion； Quaisoir had heard her sister speak。 Her thrashings slowed； and her blind head turned in Jude's direction。
〃Who's there？〃 she demanded。
There was naked fury on Dowd's face； but he hushed her softly。 She would not be placated； however。
〃Who's with you； Lord？〃 she asked him。
With his reply he made an error that unknitted the whole fiction。 He lied to her。
〃There's nobody；〃 he said。
〃I heard a woman's voice。 Who's there？〃
〃I told you；〃 Dowd insisted。 〃Nobody。〃 He put his hand upon her face。 〃Now calm yourself。 We're alone。〃
〃No； we're not。〃
〃Do you doubt me； child？〃 Dowd replied； his voice； after the harshness of his last interrogations； modulating with this question； so that he sounded almost wounded by her lack of faith。 Quaisoir's reply was to silently take his hand from her face； seizing it tightly in her blue； blood…speckled fingers。
〃That's better；〃 he said。
Quaisoir ran her fingers over his palm。 Then she said； 〃No scars。〃
〃There'll always be scars；〃 Dowd said； lavishing his best pontifical manner upon her。 But he'd missed the point of her remark。
〃There are no scars on your hand；〃 she said。
He retrieved it from her grasp。 〃Believe in me；〃 he said。
〃No；〃 she replied。 〃You're not the Man of Sorrows。〃 The joy had gone from her voice。 It was thick； almost threatening。 〃You can't save me；〃 she said； suddenly flailing wildly to drive the pretender from her。 〃Where's my Savior？ I want my Savior！〃
〃He isn't here；〃 Jude told her。 〃He never was。〃
Quaisoir turned in Jude's direction。 〃Who are you？〃 she said。 〃I know your voice from somewhere。〃
〃Keep your mouth shut；〃 Dowd said； stabbing his finger in Jude's direction。 〃Or so help me you'll taste the mites…〃
〃Don't be afraid of him；〃 Quaisoir said。
〃She knows better than that；〃 Dowd replied。 〃She's seen what I can do。〃
Eager for some excuse to speak； so that Quaisoir could hear more of the voice she knew but couldn't yet name； Jude spoke up in support of Dowd's conceit。
〃What he says is right；〃 she told Quaisoir。 〃He can hurt us both； badly。 He's not the Man of Sorrows； sister。〃
Whether it was the repetition of words Quaisoir had herself used several times…Man of Sorrows…or the fact that Jude had called her sister； or both； the woman's sightless face slackened； the bafflement going out of it。 She lifted herself from the ground。
〃What's your name？〃 she murmured。 〃Tell me your name。〃
〃She's nothing；〃 Dowd said； echoing Quaisoir's own description of herself minutes earlier。 〃She's a dead woman。〃 He made a move in Jude's direction。 〃You understand so little；〃 he said。 〃And I've forgiven you a lot for that。 But I can't indulge you any longer。 You've spoiled a fine game。 I don't want you spoiling any more。〃
He put his left hand； its forefinger extended； to his lips。
〃I don't have many mites left；〃 he said； 〃so one will have to do。 A slow unraveling。 But even a shadow like you can be undone。〃
〃I'm a shadow now； am I？〃 Jude said to him。 〃I thoug