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〃This is it。〃
Little Ease set up a round of thin mewling as Gentle approached； which it turned into words。 〃I didn't do a thing！ You ask her； ask her please； ask her did I do a thing？ No； I didn't。 Just keeping out of harm's way； I was。〃
〃Sartori's not very happy with you；〃 Gentle said。
〃Well； I didn't have a hope；〃 it protested。 〃Not against the likes of you。 Not against a Reconciler。〃
〃So you know that much。〃
〃I do now。 'We have to be whole；' 〃 it quoted； catching Gentle's tone perfectly。 〃 'We have to be reconciled with everything we ever were…' 〃
〃You were listening。〃
〃I can't help it；〃 the creature said。 〃I was born inquisitive。 I didn't understand it； though；〃 it hastened to add。 〃I'm not spying； I swear。〃
〃Liar；〃 Jude said。 Then to Gentle； 〃How do we kill it？〃
〃We don't have to；〃 he said。 〃Are you afraid； Little Ease？〃
〃What do you think？〃
〃Would you swear allegiance to me if you were allowed to live？〃
〃Where do I sign？ Show me the place！〃
〃You'd let this live？〃 Jude said。
〃Yes。〃
〃What for？〃 she demanded； grinding her heel upon it。 〃Look at it。〃
〃Don't；〃 Little Ease begged。
〃Swear；〃 said Gentle； going down on his haunches beside it。
〃I swear！ I swear！〃
Gentle looked up at Jude。 〃Lift your foot；〃 he said。
〃You trust it？〃
〃I don't want death here；〃 he said。 ''Even this。 Let it go； Jude。〃 She didn't move。 〃I said； let it go。〃
Reluctance in every sinew； she raised her foot half an inch and Little Ease scrabbled free； instantly taking hold of Gentle's hand。
〃I'm yours； Liberatore；〃 it said； touching its clammy brow to Gentle's palm； 〃My head's in your hands。 By Hyo； by Heretea； by Hapexamendios； I mit my heart to you。〃
〃Accepted；〃 Gentle said； and stood up。
〃What should I do now； Liberatore？〃
〃There's a room at the top of the stairs。 Wait for me there〃
〃For ever and ever。〃
〃A few minutes will do。〃
It backed off to the door； bowing woozily； then took to its heels。
〃How can you trust a thing like that？〃 Jude said。
〃I don't。 Not yet。〃
〃But you're willing to try。〃
〃You're damned if you can't forgive； Jude。〃
〃Youcould forgive Sartori； could you？〃 she said。
〃He's me； he's my brother； and he's my child；〃 Gentle replied。 〃How could I not？〃
With the house made safe； the rest of the pany moved in。 Monday； ever the scavenger； went off to scour the neighboring houses and streets in search of whatever he could find to offer some modicum of fort。 He returned three times with bounty； the third time taking Clem off with him。 They returned half an hour later with two mattresses and armfuls of bed linen； all too clean to have been found abandoned；
〃I missed my vocation；〃 Clem said； with Tay's mischief in his features。 〃Burglary's much more fun than banking。〃
At this juncture Monday requested permission to borrow Jude's car and drive back to the South Bank； there to collect the belongings he'd left behind in his haste to follow Gentle。 She told him yes； but urged him to return as fast as possible。 Though it was still bright on the street outside； they would need as many strong artns and wills as they could muster to defend the house when night fell。 Clem had settled Celestine in what had been the dining room； laying the larger of the two mattresses on the floor and sitting with her until she slept。 When he emerged Tay's feisty presence was mellowed； and the man who came to join Jude on the step was serene。
〃Is she asleep？〃 Jude asked him。
〃I don't know if it's sleep or a a。 Where's Gentle？〃
〃Upstairs； plotting；〃
〃You've argued。〃
〃That's nothing new。 Everything else changes； but that remains the same。〃
He opened one of the bottles of beer sitting on the step and drank with gusto。
〃You know； I catch myself every now and then wondering if this is all some hallucination。 You've probably got a better grasp of it than I have…you've seen the Dominions； you know it's all real…but when I went off with Monday to get the mattresses； there were people just a few streets away； walking around in the sun as though it was just another day； and I thought； There's a woman back there who's been buried alive for two hundred years； and her son whose Father's a God I never heard of…〃
〃So he told you that。〃
〃Oh； yes。 And thinking about it； I wanted to just go home； lock the door； and pretend it wasn't happening。〃
〃What stopped you？〃
〃Monday； mostly。 He just takes everything in stride。 And knowing Tay's inside me。 Though that feels so natural it's like he was always there。〃
〃Maybe he was；〃 she said。 〃Is there any more beer？〃
〃Yep。〃
He handed over a bottle； and she struck it on the step the way he had。 The top flew； the beer foamed。
〃So what made you want to run？〃 she said； when she'd slaked her thirst。
〃I don't know；〃 Clem replied。 〃Fear of what's ing； I suppose。 But that's stupid； isn't it？ We're here at the beginning of something sublime； just the way Tay promised。 Light ing into the world； from a place we never even dreamed existed。 It's the Birth of the Unconquered Son； isn't it？〃
〃Oh； the sons are going to be fine；〃 Jude said。 〃They usually are。〃
〃But you're not so sure about the daughters？〃
〃No； I'm not；〃 she said。 〃Hapexamendios killed the Goddesses throughout the Imajica； Clem； or at least tried to。 Now I find He's Gentle's Father。 That doesn't make me feel too fortable about doing His work。〃
〃I can understand that。〃
〃Part of me thinks 。 。 。〃 She let her voice trail into the silence； the thought unfinished。
〃What？〃 he asked。 〃Tell me。〃
〃Part of me thinks we're fools to trust either of them； Hapexamendios or His Reconciler。 If He was such a loving L God； why did He do so much harm？ And don't tell me He moves in mysterious ways； because that's so much horse shit and we both know it。〃
〃Have you talked to Gentle about this？〃
〃I've tried； but he's got one thing on his mind…〃
〃Two；〃 Clem said。 〃The Reconciliation's one。 Pie 'oh' pah's the other。〃
〃Oh； yes； the glorious Pie 'oh' pah。〃
〃Did you know he married it？〃
〃Yes； he told me。〃
〃It must have been quite a creature。〃
〃I'm a little biased； I'm afraid；〃 she said dryly。 〃It tried to kill me。〃
〃Gentle said that wasn't Pie's nature。〃
〃No？〃
〃He told me he ordered it to live its life as an assassin or a whore。 It's all his fault； he said。 He blames himself for everything。〃
〃Does he blame himself or does he。just take responsibility？〃 she said。 〃There's a difference。〃
〃I don't know；〃 Clem said； unwilling to be drawn on such niceties。 〃He's certainly lost without Pie。〃
She kept her counsel here； wanting to say that she too ： was lost； that she too pined； but not trusting even Clem with this admission。
〃He told me Pie's spirit is still alive； like Tay's；〃 Clem was saying。 〃And when this is all over…〃
〃He says a lot of things；〃 Jude cut in； weary of hearing Gentle's wisdoms repeated。 ； 〃And you don't believe him？〃
〃What do I know？〃 she said； flinty now。 〃I don't belong ？ in this Gospel。 I'm not his lover； and I won't be his disciple。〃
A sound behind them； and they turned to find Gentle standing in the hallway； the brightness bouncing up from the step like footlights。 There was sweat on his