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They were silent for the first mile or so of the trek； but then they began to talk； begining…inevitably…with an explanation from Gentle as to why Quaisoir； hearing his voice； had taken him for her husband。 He prefaced his account with the caveat that he wouldn't mire it in apology or justification but would tell it simply； like some grim fable。 Then he went on to do precisely that。 But the telling； for all its clarity； contained one significant distortion。 When he described his encounter with the Autarch he drew in Jude's mind the portrait of a man to whom he bore only a rudimentary resemblance； a man so steeped in evil that his flesh had been corrupted by his crimes。 She didn't question this description； but pictured an individual whose inhumanity seeped from every pore； a monster whose very presence would have induced nausea。
Once he'd unraveled the story of his doubling； she began to supply details of her own。 Some were culled from dreams； some from clues she'd had from Quaisoir； yet others from Oscar Godolphin。 His entrance into the account brought with it a fresh cycle of revelations。 She started to tell Gentle about her romance with Oscar； which in turn led on to the subject of Dowd； living and dying； thence to Clara Leash and the Tabula Rasa。
〃They're going to make it very dangerous for you back in London；〃 she told him； having related what little she knew about the purges they'd undertaken in the name of Roxborough's edicts。 〃They won't have the slightest punction about murdering you； once they know who you are。〃
〃Let them try；〃 Gentle said flatly。 〃Whatever they want to throw at me； I'm ready。 I've got work to do； and they're not going to stop me。〃
〃Where will you start？〃
〃In CJerkenwell。 I had a house in Gamut Street。 Pie says it's still standing。 My life's there； ready for the remembering。 We both need the past back； Jude。〃
〃Where do I get mine from？〃 she wondered aloud。
〃From me and from Godolphin。〃
〃Thanks for the offer； but I'd like a less partial source。 I've lost Clara； and now Quaisoir。 I'll have to start looking。〃 She thought of Celestine as she spoke； lying in darkness beneath the Tabula Rasa's tower。
〃Have you got somebody in mind？〃 Gentle asked。
〃Maybe；〃 she said； as reluctant as ever to share that secret。
He caught the whiff of evasion。 〃I'm going to need help； Jude；〃 he said。 〃I hope； whatever's been between us in the past…good and bad…we can find some way to work together that'll benefit us both。〃
A wele sentiment； but not one she was willing to open her heart for。 She simply said； 〃Let's hope so；〃 and left it at that。
He didn't press the issue； but turned the conversation to lighter matters。 〃What was the dream you had？〃 he asked her。 She looked confounded for a moment。 〃You said you had a dream about me； remember？〃
〃Oh； yes；〃 she replied。 〃It was nothing； really。 Past history。〃
When they reached Peccable's house it was still intact； though several others in the street had been reduced to blackened rubble by missiles or arsonists。 The door stood open； and the interior had been prehensively looted； down to the tulips and the vase on the dining room table。 There was no sign of bloodshed； however； except those scabby stains Dowd had left when he'd first arrived； so she presumed that Hoi…Polloi and her father had escaped unharmed。 The signs of frantic thieving did not extend to the cellar。 Here； though the shelves had been cleared of the icons； talismans； and idols； the removal had been made calmly and systematically。 There was not a rosary remaining； or any sign that the thieves had broken a single charm。 The only relic of the cellar's life as a trove was set in the floor the ring of stones that echoed that of the Retreat。
〃This is where we arrived；〃 Jude said。
Gentle stared down at the design in the floor。 〃What is it？〃 he said。 〃What does it mean？〃
〃I don't know。 Does it matter？ As long as it gets us back to the Fifth…〃
〃We've got to be careful from now on；〃 Gentle replied。 〃Everything's connected。 It's all one system。 Until we understand our place in the pecking order； we're vulnerable。〃
One system； she'd speculated on that possibility in the room beneath the tower： the Imajica as a single； infinitely elaborate pattern of transformation。 But just as there were times for such musings； so there were also times for action； and she had no patience with Gentle's anxieties now。
〃If you know another way out of here；〃 she said； 〃let's take it。 But this is the only way I know。 Godolphin used it for years and it never harmed him； till Dowd screwed it up。〃
Gentle had gone down on his haunches and was laying his fingers on the stones that bound the mosaic。
〃Circles are so powerful；〃 he said。
〃Are we going to use it or not？〃 。
He shrugged。 〃I don't have a better way；〃 he said； still reluctant。 〃Do we just step inside？〃
〃That's all。〃
He rose。 She laid her hand on his shoulder； and he reached up to clasp it。
〃We have to hold tight；〃 she said。 〃I only got a glimpse of the In Ovo； but I wouldn't want to get lost there。〃
〃We won't get lost；〃 he said； and stepped into the circle。
She was with him a heartbeat later； and already the Express was getting up steam。 The solid cellar walls and empty shelves began to blur。 The forms of their translated selves began to move in their flesh。
The sensation of passage awoke in Gentle memories of the outward journey； when Pie 'oh' pah had stood beside him where Jude was now。 Remembering； he felt a stab of inconsolable loss。 There were so many people he'd encountered in these Dominions whom he'd never set eyes on again。 Some； like Efreet Splendid and his mother； Nikaetomaas； and Huzzah； because they were dead。 Others； like Athanasius； because the crimes Sartori had mitted were his crimes now； and whatever good he hoped to do in the future would never be enough to expunge them。 The hurt of these losses was of course negligible beside the greater grief he'd sustained at the Erasure； but he'd not dared dwell too much upon that； for fear it incapacitated him。 Now； however； he thought of it； and the tears started to flow； washing the last glimpse of Peccable's cellar away before the mosaic had removed the travelers from it。
Paradoxically； had he been leaving alone the despair might not have cut so deep。 But as Pie had been fond of saying； there was only ever room for three players in any drama； and the woman in the flux beside him； her glyph burning through his tears； would from this moment on remind him that he had departed Yzordderrex with one of those three left behind。
7
One hundred and fifty…seven days after beginning his journey across the Reconciled Dominions； Gentle once again set foot on the soil of England。 Though it wasn't yet the middle of June； spring had arrived prematurely； and the season on its heels was at its height。 Flowers not due to blossom for another month were already blowsy and heavy…headed with seeds； bird and insect life abounded； as species that normally appeared months apart flourished simultaneously。 This summer's dawns were announced not with choruses but with full…throated choirs； by midday the skies from 'coast to coast were cloudy with feeding mil