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his new familiar； intending to kill Lucius Cobbitt； the boy he'd made his unwitting agent in the sabotage。 Having searched for him in Gamut Street and found him gone； he'd braved the storm…there were forests uprooted and lifted in the air； and a man struck by lightning burning on Highgate Hill…only to discover that Roxborough's house was empty。 He'd never found Cobbitt。 Driven from the safety of Gamut Street by his sometime Maestro； the youth had probably fallen prey to the storm； as so many others had that night。
Now the room stood silent； and so did he。 The lords who'd built this house； and their children； who'd raised the tower above； were dead。 It was a wele hush； in it； there'd be time for dalliance。 He wandered over to the mantelpiece and headed down the stairs； descending into a library he'd never known existed until this moment。 He might have been tempted to linger； perusing the laden shelves； but the pricking power he'd… felt at the front door was stronger than ever and drew him on； more intrigued with every yard。
He heard the woman's voice before he set eyes on her； emanating from a place where the restless dust was so thick it was like walking in a delta fog。 Barely visible through it； a scene of sheer vandalism： books； scrolls； and manuscripts reduced to shreds or buried in the wreckage of the shelves they'd been laid upon。 And beyond the rubble； a hole in the brick； and from the hole； a call。
〃Is that Sartori？〃
〃Yes；〃 he said。
〃e closer。 Let me see you。〃
He presented himself at the bottom of the heap of rubble。
〃I thought she'd failed to find you；〃 Celestine said。 〃Or else you'd refused to e。〃
〃How could I refuse a summons like this？〃 he said softly。
〃Do you think this is some kind of liaison？〃 she replied。 〃Some secret tryst？〃
Her voice was raw with the dust； and bitter。 He liked the sound of it。 Women who had anger in them were always so much more interesting than their contented sisters。
〃e in； Maestro；〃 she said to him。 〃Let me put you to rights。〃
He clambered up over the stones and peered into the darkness。 The cell was a wretched hole； as sordid as anything beneath his palace； but the woman who'd occupied it was no anchorite。 Her flesh hadn't been chastened by incarceration； but looked lush； for all the marks upon it。 The tendrils that clung to her body extolled her fluency； moving over her thighs and breasts and belly like unctuous snakes。 Some clung to her head and paid court at her honey lips； others lay between her legs in bliss。 He felt her tender gaze on him and luxuriated in it。
〃Handsome；〃 she said。
He took her pliment as an invitation to approach； but as he did so she made a murmur of distress； and he stopped in his tracks。
〃What's this shadow in you？〃 she said。
〃Nothing to be afraid of；〃 he told her。
Some of the filaments parted； and longer tendrils； these not courtiers but part of her substance； uncurled from behind her； clinging to the rough wall and hauling her up。
〃I've heard that before；〃 she said。 〃When a man tells you there's nothing to be afraid of； he's lying。 Even you； Sartori。〃
〃I won't e any closer if it bothers you；〃 he said。
It wasn't respect for the woman's unease that moved him to pliance； but the sight of the ribbons that had lifted her。 Quaisoir had sprouted such appendages； he recalled； after her intimacies with the women of the Bastion of the Banu。 They were evidence of some facility in the other sex he had no real prehension of： a remnant of crafts all but banished from the Reconciled Dominions by Hapexamendios。 Perhaps they'd seen a new； poisonous flowering in the Fifth in the time since he'd left。 Until he knew the scope of their authority； he'd be circumspect；
〃I'd like to ask a question； if I may？〃 he said。
〃Yes？〃
〃How do you know who I am？〃
〃First； tell me where you've been all these years。〃
Oh； the temptation he felt to tell her the truth； then； and parade his achievements in the hope of impressing her。 But he'd e here in the guise of his other； and； as with Judith； he'd have to choose the moment of his unmasking carefully。
〃I've been wandering；〃 he said。 It wasn't so untrue。
〃Where？〃
〃In the Second Dominion； and occasionally the Third。〃
〃Were you ever in Yzordderrex？〃
〃Sometimes。〃
〃And in the desert outside the city？〃
〃There too。 Why do you ask？〃
〃I was there once。 Before you were born。〃
〃I'm older than I look；〃 he told her。 〃I know it doesn't show…〃
〃I know how long you've lived； Sartori；〃 she replied。 〃To the very day。〃
Her certainty nourished the disfort bred by the sight of the tendrils。 Could she read his thoughts； this woman？ If so…if she knew what he was and all he'd done…why wasn't she in awe of him？
There was no profit in pretending that he didn't care that she seemed to know so much。 Plainly but politely； he asked her how'； preparing as he spoke a profusion of excuses if she was simply one of the Maestrb's casual conquests and accused him of forgetting her。 But the accusation； when it came； was of another kind entirely。
〃You've done great harm in your life； haven't you？〃 she said to him。
〃No more than most；〃 he protested mildly。 〃I've been tempted to a few excesses； certainly。 But then hasn't everybody？〃
〃A few excesses？〃 she said。 〃I think you've done more than that。 There's evil in you； Sartori。 I smell it in your sweat； the way I smelled coitus in the woman。〃
Her mention of Judith…who else could this venereal woman be？ … reminded him of the prophecy he'd made to her two nights before。 They would find darkness in each other； he'd said； and that was a perfectly human condition。 The argument had proved potent then。 Why not now？
〃It's just the humanity in me you can sense；〃 he said to Celestine。
She was clearly unpersuaded。 〃Oh； no；〃 she replied。 〃I'm the humanity in you。〃
He was about to laugh this absurdity off； but her stare hushed him。
〃What part of me are you？〃 he murmured。
〃Don't you know yet？〃 she said。 〃Child； I'm your mother。〃
Gentle led the way as they stepped into the cool of the tower's foyer。 There was no sound from anywhere in the building； above or below；
〃Where's Celestine？〃 he asked Jude。 She led him to the door into the Tabula Rasa's meeting room； where he told them all； 〃This is something for me to do； brother to brother。〃
〃I'm not afraid；〃 Monday piped up。
〃No； but I am；〃 Gentle said with a smile。 〃And I wouldn't want you to see me piss my pants。 Stay up here。 I'll be out double quick。〃
〃Make sure you are；〃 Clem said。 〃Or we're ing down to get you。〃
With that promise as fort； Gentle slipped through the door into what remained of Roxborough's house。 Though he'd felt nothing in the way of memories as he'd entered the tower； he felt them now。 They weren't as material as those that visited him in Gamut Street； where the very boards seemed to have recorded the souls that had trodden them。 These were vague recollections of the times he'd drunk and debated around the great oak table。 He didn't allow nostalgia to delay him； however； but passed through the room like a man vexed by admirers； arms raised against their blandishments； and headed down into the cellar。 He'd had this labyrinth and its content