The Eisenhorn TrilogyXenos(科幻战争)-第59章

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sweeping　the　scene；　letting　the　blade…tip　slide　along　the　invisible　angles　of　space。　Twice；　on　my　circuit　of　the　lawns；　it　twitched　as　if
tugged　by　sprite　hands；　but　I　could　discern　nothing　from　the　locations。
But　mere　was　something　there。　My　first　hint　of　a　malign　focus。　My　first　hint　that　not　only　was　foul　play　involved；　but　that　Lady
Froigre　might　be　right。
Though　they　had　left　only　the　slightest　traces　behind　them；　infernal　powers　had　been　at　work　here。
ALIZEBETH　CAME　INTO　my　room　at　eight　the　next　morning。　She　woke　me　by　sitting　down　on　the　side　of　my　bed　and　handed　me　a　cup
of　hot；　black　caffeine　as　I　roused。
She　was　already　dressed　and　ready　for　work。　The　day　was　bright。　I　could　hear　the　household　coming　to　life：　pans　clattering　the　kitchen
block　and　the　butler　calling　to　his　pages　in　the　nearby　gallery。
'Bad　storm　in　the　night；'　she　said。　'Brought　trees　down。'
'Really？'　I　grumbled；　sitting　up　and　sipping　the　sweet；　dark　caffeine。
I　looked　at　her。　It　wasn't　like　Bequin　to　be　so　perky　this　early。
'Out　with　it；'　I　said。
She　handed　me　a　data…slate。　'Aemos　has　been　busy。　Must've　worked　all　night。'
'Through　the　storm。'
'There　was　no　storm　up　his　way。　It　was　local。'　I　didn't　really　hear　that　reply。　I　was　caught　up　in　a　close　reading　of　the　slate。
Failing　to　cross…match　just　about　every　detail　I　had　sent　him；　Aemos　had　clearly　become　bored。　The　list　of　guests　I　had　sent　him　had
led　to　nothing；　despite　his　best　efforts　to　make　connections。　The　caterers　and　performers　had　revealed　nothing　either。　No　links　to　the
underworld　or　cult　activity；　no　misdeeds　or　priors；　except　for　the　usual　clutch　of　innocent　and　minor　violations　one　might　expect。　One
of　the　travelling　actors　had　been　charged　with　affray　twenty　years　before；　and　another　had　done　time　for　grievous　wounding；　that　sort
of　thing。
The　only　item　that　had　flagged　any　sort　of　connection　was　the　description　of　Aen　Froigre's　death。　Aemos　had　only　turned　to　that　rather
vague　clue　once　he'd　exhausted　all　others。
In　the　past　twenty　months；　eleven　people　in　the　Drunner　Region　of　Gudrun；　which　is　to　say　the　coastal　area　encompassing　Menizerre；
Dorsay　and　Insume　all　the　way　to　Madua　chapeltown；　had　died　of　a　similar；　mystery　ailment。　Only　a　tight；　deliberate　search　like　the
one　Aemos　had　conducted　would　have　shown　up　such　a　connection；　given　the　scale　of　area　involved　and　the　size　of　population。　Listed
together；　the　deaths　stood　out　like　a　sore　thumb。
Here；　Aemos　had　come　into　his　own。　Another　clerk　might　have　sent　those　findings　to　me　and　waited　for　direction；　but　Aemos；　hungry
to　ansself；　had　pressed　on；　trying　to　make　a　pattern　out　of　them。　No　simple　task。　There　was　nothing　to　demographically
or　geographically　link　the　victims。　A　housewife　here；　a　millkeeper　there；　a　landowner　in　one　small　village；　a　community
doctor　in　another；　seventy　kilometres　away。
The　only　thing　they　had　in　common　was　the　sudden；　violent　and　inexplicable　nature　of　their　demises：　seizures；　abrupt；　fatal。
I　set　down　my　cup　and　scrolled　on；　aware　that　Alizebeth　was　grinning　at　me。
'Get　to　the　last　bit；'　she　advised。　'Aemos　strikes　again。'
Right　at　the　last；　Aemos　revealed　another　connection。
A　day　or　two　before　each　death；　the　victim's　locality　had　been　paid　a　visit　by　Sunsable's　Touring　Fair。
LADY　FROIGRE　WAS　most　perturbed　to　see　us　about　to　leave。　'There　are　questions　here　still…'　she　began。
'And　I'm　going　to　seek　the　answers；'　I　said。　'Trust　me。　I　believe　my　savant　has　hit　upon　something。'
She　nodded；　unhappy。　Rinton　stepped　forward　and　put　his　arm　around　his　mother's　shoulders。
'Trust　me；'　I　repeated　and　walked　out　across　the　drive　to　my　waiting　flyer。
I　could　hear　the　sound　of　chain　blades；　and　turned　from　the　car　to　walk　around　the　side　of　the　hall。　One　of　the　trees　brought　down　in
the　night's　freak　storm　had　crashed　part　of　the　stable　block　and　the　housemen　were　working　to　saw　up　the　huge　trunk　and　clear　it。
'Is　that　where　you　detected　Penshel　seed？'　I　asked　Alizebeth　when　she　came　to　find　out　what　was　keeping　me。
'Yes；'　she　said。
'Fetch　my　blade。'
I　called　the　housemen　away　from　their　work；　and　walked　into　the　collapsed　ruin　of　the　stable；　crunching　over　heaps　of　coarse　sawdust。
The　ivy…clad　tree　still　sprawled　through　the　burst　roof。
Alizebeth　brought　me　Barbarisater　and　I　drew　it　quickly。　By　then　Lady　Froigre　and　Rinton　Froigre　had　emerged　to　see　what　I　was
doing。
Barbarisater　hummed　in　my　hand；　louder　and　more　throatily　than　it　had　done　the　previous　night。　As　soon　as　I　entered　that　part　of　the
stable　block；　the　particular　stall　the　tree　had　smashed；　it　jumped。　The　taste　of　Chaos　was　here。
'What　was　this　used　for？'　I　asked。　'During　the　fete；　what　was　this　area　used　for？'

'Storage；'　said　Lady　Froigre。　'The　people　from　the　fair　ent　and　belongings　out　of　sight。　Food　too；　I　think。　One
man　had　trays　of　fresh　figs　he　wanted　to　keep　out　of　the　light。'
'And　the　hololithographer；'　said　Rinton。　'He　used　one　of　those　stalls　as　a　dark　room。'
SO　HOW　DO　you　find　a　travelling　fair　in　an　area　the　size　of　the　Drunner　Region？　If　you　have　a　copy　of　their　most　recent　invoice；　it's
easy。　The　fair…master；　eager　to　be　paid　for　his　services　at　Froigre　Hall；　had　left　as　a　payment　address　an　inn　eighty　kilometres　away　in
Seabrud。　From　the　invoice；　I　saw　that　Aen　had　been　asked　to　mail　the　payment　within　five　days。　The　fair　moved　around　a　great　deal；
and　the　travelling　folk　didn't　believe　much　in　the　concept　of　credit　accounts。
From　Seabrud；　we　got　a　fix　on　the　location　of　Sunsable's　Fair。
They　had　pitched　on　a　meadow　outside　the　village　of　Brudmarten；　a　little；　rustic　community　of　ket…herds　and　weavers　that　was　flanked
by　a　lush；　deciduous　woodland　hillside　to　the　east　and　marshy；　cattle…trampled　fields　below　at　the　river　spill　to　the　west。
It　was　late　afternoon　on　a　hot；　close　day；　the　air　edged　with　the　heavy；　fulminous　threat　of　storms。　The　sky　was　dark　overhead；　but　the
corn　was　bright　and　golden　down　in　the　meadows；　and　pollen　balls　blew　in　the　breeze　like　thistle…fibres。　Grain…crakes　whooped　in　the
corn　stands；　and　small　warblers　of　the　most　intense　blue　darted　across　the　hedges。
Gabon　lowered　the　limo　to　rest　in　a　lane　behind　the　village　kirk；　a　pale；　Low　Gothic　temple　in　need　of　up…keep。　A　noble　statue　of　the
Emperor　Immaculate　stood　in　the　overgrown　graveyard；　a　roost　for　wood　doves。　I　buckled　on　my　sword　and　covered　it　with　a　long
leather　cloak。　Gabon　locked　the　car。
'Stay　with　me；'　I　told　Alizebeth；　and　then　turned　to　Gabon。　'Shadow　us。'
'Yes；　sir。'
We　walked　down　the　lane　towards　the　fair。
Even　from　a　distance；　we　could　hear　the　noise　and　feel　the　energy。　The　arrival　of　the　fair　had　brought　the　folk　of　Brudmarten　and　the
neighbouring　hamlets　out　in　force。　Pipe　organs　were　trilling　and　wheezing　in　the　lank　air；　and　there　was　the　pop　and　whizz　of
firecrackers。　I　could　hear　laughter；　the　clatter　of　rides；　the　ringing　of　score　bells；　children　screaming；　rowdy　men　carousing；　pistons
hissing。　The　smell　of　warm　ale　wafted　from　the　tavern　tent。
The　gate　in　the　meadow's　hedge　had　been　turned　into　an　entranceway　arched　with　a　gaudy；　handpainted　sign　that　declared　Sunsable's
Miraculous　Fair　of　Fairs　open。　A　white…eyed　twist　at　the　gateway　took　our　coins　for　admission。
Inside；　on　the　meadow；　all　manner　of　bright；　vulgar　sights　greeted　us。　The　carousel；　lit　up　with　gas…lamps。　The　ring…toss。　The　neat；
pink　box…tent　of　the　clairvoyant。　The　churning　hoop　of　the　whirligig；　spilling　out　the　squeals　of　children。　The　colourful　shouts　of　the
freak　show　barker。　The　burnt…sugar　smell　of　floss　makers。　The　clang　of　test…your…strength　machines。
For　a　penny；　you　could　ride　the　shoulders　of　a　Battle　Titan　…　actually　an　agricultural　servitor　armoured　with　painted　sections　of　rusty
silage　hopper。　For　another　penny；　you　could　shoot　greenskins　in　the　las…gallery；　or　touch　the　Real　and　Completely　Genuine　shin　bone
of　Macharius；　or　dunk　for　ploins。　For　tuppence；　you　could　gaze　into　the　Eye　of　Terror　and　have　your　heroism　judged　by　a　hooded　man
with　a　stutter　who　claimed　to　be　an　ex…Space　Marine。　The　Eye　of　Terror　in　this　case　was　a　pit　dug　in　the　ground　and　filled　with
chemical　lamps　and　coloured　glass　filters。
Nearby；　a　small　donation　allowed　you　to　watch　an　oiled　man　struggle　free　from　chains；　or　a　burning　sack；　or　a　tin　bathtub　full　of
broken　glass；　or　a　set　of　stocks。
'Just　a　penny；　sir；　just　a　penny！'　howled　a　man　on　stilts　with　a　harle…quined　face　as　he　capered　past　me。　'For　the　young　lady！'
I　decided　not　to　ask　what　my　penny　might　buy。
'I　want　to　go　look　at　the　freak　show；'　Alizebeth　told　me。
'Save　your　money…　it's　all　around　us；'　I　growled。
We　pushed　on。　Coloured　balloons　drifted　away　over　the　field　into　the　encroaching　darkness　of　the　thunderhead。　Corn　crickets　rasped
furiously　in　the　trampled　stalks　all　about　us。　Drunken；　painted　faces　swam　at　us；　some　lacking　teeth；　some　with　glittering　augmetic
eyes。
'Over　there；'　I　whispered　to　Alizebeth。
Past　the　brazier　stand　of　a　woman　selling　paper　cones　of　sugared　nuts；　and　a　large　handcart　stacked　with　wire　cages　full　of　songbirds；
was　a　small　booth　tent　of　heavy　red　material　erected　at　the　side　of　a　brightly　painted　trailer。　A　wooden　panel　raised　on　buntingwrapped
posts　announced　''Hololiths！　Most　Lifelike！　Most　Agreeable！''　below　which　a　smaller　notice　said　A　most　delightful　gift；　or　a
souvenir　of　the　day；　captured　by　the　magic　art　of　a　master　hololithographer。'　A　frail　old　man　with　tufted　white　hair　and　small
spectacles　was　seated　outside　the　booth　on　a　folding　canvas　chair；　eating　a　meat　pie　that　was　so　hot　he　had　to　keep　blowing　on　it。
'Why　don't　you　go　and　engage　his　interest？'　I　suggested。
Alizebeth　left　my　side；　pushed　through　the　noisy　crowd　and　stopped　by　his　booth。　A　sheet　of　flakboard　had　been　erected　beside　the
booth's　entrance；　and　on　it　were　numerous　hololithic　pictures　mounted　for　display：　some　miniatures；　some　landscapes；　some　family
groups。　Alizebeth　studied　them　with　feigned　interest。　The　old　man　immediately　leapt　up　off　his　chair；　stowed　the　half…eaten　pie　behind
the　board　and　brushed　the　crumbs　off　his　robes。　I　moved　round　to　the　side；　staying　in　the　crowd；　watching。　I　paused　to　examine　the
caged　birds；　though　in　fact　I　was　looking　through　their　cages　at　the　booth　tent。
The　old　man　a