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but quite unaware of his guardian demon overhead. They were nearing the Great Square. The Black Man was tempted to put an end to this rather purposeless pilgrimage, but was held back by his love of dramatic denouements. The fun would be over soon enough. Bobbing violet rings warned of the approach of two priests bound on some nocturnal mission. Jarles hesitated, then shrank back into a narrow passageway between two buildings. The Black Man sank gently to the edge of the roof above, alert for emergencies. But the two priests hurried unconcernedly on. As they neared the passageway, the Black Man felt a start of pleasure. He had recognized the smaller, dumpier priest as the little fellow whom he had so thoroughly scared, in front of the haunted house, with the Black Veil, and later, inside the place, with a nastily animated couch. His feeling toward Brother Chulian was one almost of affection. It would be too bad to miss this opportunity. Naurya said the little priest had been inordinately frightened by Puss, her familiar. It would only take a moment to switch off his repulsor field, set Dickon riding on the end of his force pencil Dickon would like that and dangle him in front of Chulian s face. Almost before he had decided to, it was done. A tiny anthropoid shape was slanting down through the darkness toward the bobbing halos. The Black Man s mind was all mischief. Then ominous windy rushing in the darkness overhead and the emptiness of dismay at the pit of his stomach before he had time to reason why. Wrench of his neck, as he slewed around to look behind and above, from where he rested on the edge of the roof. Then one frozen instant. One frozen instant to damn himself as an adolescent prankster who would walk into any trap so long as it was baited with an opportunity for a practical joke, to think, with poignant intensity, of what a swift blotting out was in store for the Witchcraft, if it were all manned by as reckless and negligent fools as himself. One frozen instant to comprehend the thing swooping toward him. Its rigid, manlike form but twice as long as a man. Legs stiffly extended, like a diver s. Arms threateningly outstretched, fingers spread like talons. Huge sculpturesque face, framed by great golden curls, handsome with the superhuman, unearthly beauty of some heroic painting, visible in a faint glow from the stern, staring eyes, which could flash forth death if they willed. An angel. Then one whirling instant. One whirling instant to repower his repulsor field, launching himself simultaneously down into the street the angel was too close to permit a try over the roofs. One whirling instant to swerve frantically from side to side of the street, like a low-lurking hawk pounced upon in turn by an eagle; to see the two priests ahead stop, but not time enough to see them turn around; to see slim Dickon, hurled from the force pencil, drop lightly near the mouth of a drain; Page 48 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html to dart suddenly and swiftly upward toward the rooftops but not suddenly or swiftly enough; to sense the angel banking upward with him and just above him; to feel its impact stunning even though almost parallel to his own upward course; to feel, through his repulsor field, the cruel clutch of its mechanical arms, that were its grapples. One whirling instant to think a command, with all the intensity he could summon, The drain, Dickon, the drain! Make for the Sanctuary! Keep in contact unconscious minds! to sense in a dark corner of his mind the beginning of a ghostly answer, to see loom suddenly ahead a roof edge which the angel did not wholly avoid. Then one crashing, lasting, final instant of unconsciousness and darkness. Chapter 10 DOWN a gray corridor in the crypts beneath the Sanctuary, two deacons escorted Jarles. This was a region shrouded in mystery, a region from which lower-ranking priests were normally barred. All elevator shafts save one stopped two levels above. It was said that a great research of some sort, involving human beings, was conducted here. It was said that a new batch of commoners was sent down here every day, and that each batch contained a high percentage of mentally defective and psychotic individuals. It was also said that most of them came up madder than when they descended. That more than research might be involved was hinted by the rumor that recalcitrant and criminal priests were sometimes sent here, too. Jarles tried to keep his mind from dwelling on the cruelly tantalizing mischance of his recapture by the Hierarchy at the very moment when he had become reconciled to the Witchcraft and was eagerly setting out to seek to join forces with it. Had the Hierarchy known all along that he was hidden at Mother Jujy s, and waited all that tune before it struck? Or had Mother Jujy betrayed him? Or someone in the New Witchcraft, perhaps the Black Man? He must not even think of such a possibility! He had decided once and for all that the new witches were on the side of good, that they represented the forces with which he had resolved to ally himself. He must not, dare not, suspect them. One of the deacons pacing beside him spoke. Both men he knew to be underlings of Cousin Deth. I wonder how this one will be when he comes out? the deacon asked speculatively. His companion was not much interested. Who knows? I ve seen them all ways and every one a bit different. Only one thing I m sure of Brother Dhomas will be glad to see this one. Brother Dhomas is always happy when we [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
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