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their prisoner up from the well。 He gushed like a holed bucket as he came。 〃Thank you； a thousand times； thank you。〃
In view now； he was in double jeopardy； Jude saw； his feet hanging over empty air and the tendrils around his throat tight enough to throttle him； had he not relieved their pressure by thrusting his fingers between noose and neck。 Tears poured down his cheeks； in theatrical excess。
〃Ladies；〃 he said。 〃How do I begin to make amends？〃 Quaisoir's response was another question。 〃Why was I misled by you？〃 she said。 〃You're just a man。 What do you know about divinities？〃
Dowd looked afraid to reply； not certain which would be more likely to prove fatal； denial or affirmation。 〃Tell her the truth；〃 Jude advised him。 〃I served the Unbeheld once；〃 he said。 〃He found me in the desert and sent me to the Fifth Dominion。〃 〃Why？〃
〃He had business there。〃 〃What business？〃
Dowd began to squirm afresh。 His tears had dried up。 The drama had gone from his voice。
〃He wanted a woman；〃 he said； 〃to bear him a son in the Fifth。〃
〃And you found one？〃
〃Yes； I did。 Her name was Celestine。〃
〃And what happened to her？〃
〃I don't know。 I did what I was asked to do； and…〃
〃What happened to her？〃 Quaisoir said again； more forcefully。
〃She died；〃 Dowd replied； trailing that possibility to see if it was challenged。 When it wasn't he took it up with fresh gusto。 〃Yes； that's what happened。 She perished。 In childbirth； so I believe。 Hapexamendios impregnated her； you see； and her poor body couldn't bear the responsibility。〃
Dowd's style was by now too familiar to deceive Jude。 She knew the music he put into his voice when he lied； and heard it clearly now。 He was well aware that Celestine was alive。 There had been no such music in his early revelations； however…his talk of procuring for Hapexamendios…which seemed to indicate that this was indeed a service he'd done the God。
〃What about the child？〃 Quaisoir asked him。 〃Was it a son or a daughter？〃
〃I don't know；〃 he said。 〃Truly； I don't。〃
Another lie； and one his captor sensed。 She loosened the noose； and he dropped a few inches； letting out a sob of terror and clutching at the filaments in his panic。
〃Don't drop me！ Please God； don't drop me！〃
〃What about the child？〃
〃What do 1 know？〃 he said； tears beginning again； only this time the real thing。 〃I'm nothing。 I'm a messenger。 A spear…carrier。〃
〃A pimp；〃 she said。
〃Yes； that too。 I confess it。 I'm a pimp！ But it's nothing； it's nothing。 Tell her； Judith！ I'm just an actor chappie。 A fucking worthless actor chappie！〃
〃Worthless； eh？〃
〃Worthless！〃
〃Then good night；〃 Quaisoir said； and let him go。
The noose slipped through his fingers with such suddenness he had no time to take a faster hold； and he dropped like a dead man from a cut rope； not even beginning to shriek for several seconds； as though sheer disbelief had silenced him until the iris of smoky sky above him had closed almost to a dot。 When his din finally rose it was high…pitched； but brief。
As it stopped； Jude laid her palms against the pavement and； without looking up at Quaisoir； murmured her thanks； in part for her preservation but at least as much for Dowd's dispatch。
〃Who was he？〃 Quaisoir asked。
〃I only know a little part of this；〃 Jude replied。
〃Little by little；〃 Quaisoir said。 〃That's how we'll understand it all。 Little。。。 by 。。。 little。〃
Her voice was exhausted； and when Jude looked up she saw the miracle was leaving Quaisoir's cells。 She had sunk to the ground； her unfurled flesh withdrawing into her body； the beatific blue fading from her skin。 Jude picked herself up and hobbled from the edge of the hole。
Hearing her footsteps； Quaisoir said； 〃Where are you going？〃
〃Just away from the well；〃 Jude said； laying her brow and her palms against the wele chill of the wall。 〃Do you know who I am？〃 she asked Quaisoir； after a little time。
〃Yes；〃 came the soft reply。 〃You're the me I lost。 You're the other Judith。〃
〃That's right。〃 She turned to see that Quaisoir was smiling； despite her pain。
〃That's good；〃 Quaisoir said。 〃If we survive this； maybe you'll begin again for both of us。 Maybe you'll see the visions I turned my back on。〃
〃What visions？〃
Quaisoir sighed。 〃I was loved by a great Maestro once；〃 she said。 〃He showed me angels。 They used to e to our table in sunbeams。 I swear。 Angels in sunbeams。 And I thought we'd live forever； and I'd learn all the secrets of the sea。 But I let hurt lead me out of the sun。 I let him persuade me the spirits didn't matter。 Only our will mattered； and if we willed pain； then that was wisdom。 I lost myself in such a little time； Judith。 Such a little time。〃 She shuddered。 〃I was blinded by my crimes before anyone ever took a knife to me。〃
Jude looked pityingly on her sister's maimed face。 〃We've got to find somebody to clean your wounds；〃 she said。
〃I doubt there's a doctor left alive in Yzordderrex；〃 Quaisoir replied。 〃They're always the first to go in any revolution； aren't they？ Doctors； tax collectors； poets。。。。〃
〃If we can't find anybody else； I'll do it；〃 Jude said； leaving the security of the wall and venturing back down the incline to where Quaisoir sat。
〃I thought I saw Jesus Christ yesterday；〃 she said。 〃He was standing on a roof with his arms open wide。 I thought he'd e for me； so that I could make my confession； That's why I came here： to find Jesu。 I heard his messenger。〃
〃That was me。〃
〃You were 。。。 in my thoughts？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃So I found you instead of Christos。 That seems like a greater miracle。〃 She reached out towards Jude； who took her hand。 〃Isn't it； sister？〃
'Tm not sure yet；〃 Jude said。 〃I was myself this morning。 Now what am I？ A copy； a forgery。〃
The word brought Klein's Bastard Boy to mind： Gentle the faker； making profit from other people's genius。 Is that why he'd obsessed upon her？ Had he seen in her some subtle clue to her true nature and followed her out of devotion to the sham she was？
〃I was happy；〃 she said； thinking back to the good times she'd shared with him。 〃Maybe I didn't always realize I was happy； but I was。 I was myself。〃
〃You still are。〃
〃No；〃 she said； as close to despair as she could ever remember being。 〃I'm a piece of somebody else。〃
〃We're all pieces；〃 Quaisoir said。 〃Whether we were born or made。〃 Her fingers tightened around Jude's hand。 〃We're all hoping to be whole again。 Will you take me back up to the palace？〃 she said。 〃We'll be safer there than here。〃
〃Of course；〃 Jude replied； helping her up。
〃Do you know which direction to go？〃
She said she did。 Despite the smoke and the darkness； the walls of the palace loomed above them； massive but remote。
〃We've got quite a climb ahead of us；〃 Jude said。 〃It may take us till morning。〃
〃The night is long in Yzordderrex；〃 Quaisoir replied。
〃It won't last forever；〃 Jude said。
〃It will for me。〃
〃I'm sorry。 That was thoughtless。 I didn't mean…〃
〃Don't be sorry；〃 Quaisoir said。 〃I like the dark。 I can remember the sun better。 Sun； and angels at the table。 Will you take my arm； sister？ I don't want to lose you again。〃
2
IN ANY OTHER PLACE BUT THIS； Gentle might have bee