《耶利歌》扭曲灵魂！

III

卡斯卡利安从此失眠了。他被噩梦缠身，总是梦到镰刀手-梅司特破门而入，象闯进皇宫一样闯进了他的家，

然后象杀掉皇宫侍卫一样杀掉他的副官，最后象来到国王床前一样来到他的床前，将他千刀万剐。
Cascarellian did not sleep well any longer．He had nightmares in which The Scythe-Meister broke

down his doors，as it had broken down the doors of the Emperor's Palace，killing his lieutenants

，as it had slaughtered the palace guards，and finally come to the foot of his bed - as the

killer had come to the Emperor's bed，pulling him from limb to limb．

他最后认定，保护自己最好的办法是利用露辛迪克。他派自己的三个儿子去绑架露辛迪克，嘱咐他们一定要尽

量小心不要惹怒她。在他的内心深处（尽管他不会对任何人承认，即便对牧师忏悔时也不会承认），他是有点

怕露辛迪克的。因此，他用比以往对待任何女性都恭敬的态度来对待她。
He decided the best way to protect himself from this unknowable force was through Lucidique．He

sent three of his sons out to take the Senator's daughter captive，ordering them to do as little

as possible to arouse her wrath．In his heart （though he would never have admitted this to

anyone，not even his priest） he was a little afraid of Lucidique．She needed to be treated with

more respect that he was used to proffering woman．

很可惜的是，他的儿孙们没有能继承下他的聪明才智。尽管他们被一再告诫绑架的时候要对露辛迪克有礼貌，

他们却把父亲的话当成了耳边风。露辛迪克被他们肆意辱骂奚落了一番，要不是老卡斯卡利安当天提前回家，

还不知道他们会对她做什么更过分的事呢。老卡斯卡利安及时制止了他的儿子们，勒令他们不许再辱骂这个人

质。露辛迪克立刻质问老卡斯卡利安为什么要绑架她。她告诉老卡斯卡利安说，她见过太多的死亡，对于他和

他的儿子们，甚至对于生命本身，她已经厌倦了，要是他们想杀她的话尽管可以动手。
Unfortunately，his offspring weren't as smart as he was．Though they'd been told to respect

their captive，they took the first opportunity to test the limits of their father's patience．

Lucidique was taunted，abused，humiliated．No doubt worse would have come her way had Old Man

Cascarellian not returned from his day of business early，interrupting his son's taunting of the

woman．Lucidique instantly demanded to know why she was being held．If Cascarellian intended to

kill her，why the hell didn't he get on with it？ She was sick and tired，she told him．Of him，

of his sons，of life itself．She'd seen too much blood．

“大屠杀那天晚上你在皇宫里，是吗？”
"You were at the Palace，weren't you？ The Night of the Great Insurrection？"

“是的，我在那儿。”
"Yes．I was there."

“那你和那个怪物镰刀手-梅司特之间是什么关系？”
"You have something to do with this creature: this Scythe-Meister？"

“这是我的私事，卡斯卡利安先生。”
"My business，Cascarellian."

“我完全可以把你交给我的儿子们，他们会在半个小时内让你开口的！”
"I could give you to my sons for half an hour．They'd have it out of you！"

“你的儿子们吓唬不了我，你也一样。”
"Your sons don't intimidate me．And neither do you."

“我并不想为难你。现在你在我的保护之下，仅此而已。你知道要是现在出去站在大街上会怎么样吗？整个普

利摩顿正在变得四分五裂！”
"I don't wish to make you uncomfortable．You're here under my protection; that's all．Do you

know what it's like out there on our streets？ Pandemonium！ The city is coming apart at the

seams！"

“你觉得把我关在这儿就能让你摆脱厄运？”露辛迪克问道。
"Do you think holding me here is going to protect you from what's coming your way？" Lucidique

said．

老卡斯卡利安的脸上闪过一丝恐惧。“我的厄运？”他看着露辛迪克，“难道你能预测未来吗？”
A look of superstitious fear crossed Cascarellian's face．"What's coming my way？" he said．"You

know something about the future？"

“不。”露辛迪克幽幽地回答道，“我可不是什么预言家。我不知道你将来会怎么样也并不关心。我想要是世

界末日来临了，你也不会好受到哪里去，不过……”她耸了耸肩，“……这又关我什么事呢？反正我也不会在

地狱里看到你受苦受难的样子。”
"No." Lucidique said wearily．"I'm not a prophet．I don't know what's going to happen to you and

frankly I don't care．If the world ends tomorrow，I don't think you'll be judged very kindly，

but -" she shrugged．"- why should I care？ I won't be there to see you suffer in Hell."

老卡斯卡利安的脸色渐渐阴沉下来。尽管露辛迪克对自己话里的含义也一知半解，但她对这种结果非常满意并

乐在其中。眼前的这个人是她的杀父仇人，看到他恐惧的样子真让人高兴！
Cascarellian had grown pale and clammy while Lucidique spoke．She only half-knew what she was

doing to him，but she took a certain pleasure in it．This was the man who'd orphaned her; why

not enjoy his superstitious fear？

“你是不是觉得我很蠢？”他开口问道。
"You think I'm a stupid man？" he said．

“你是说你现在这样瑟瑟发抖的样子？是的，我觉得你这个样子很可笑。”
"To be afraid the way you're afraid now？ Yes．I think that's pitiful."

“我并不需要你的侮辱。”老卡斯卡利安异常诚恳地说，“我的敌人够多了。”
"I don't want your contempt." Cascarellian said，with a strange sincerity．"I have enough

enemies."

“那就别再让我与你为敌了吧，”露辛迪克说，“放我走，让我看看外面的天空！”
"Then don't make one of me." Lucidique said．"Let me go．Let me see the sky！"

“要是你想的话，我会放你出去的”
"I'll take you out，if that's what you want."

“真的？”
"You will？"

“当然，我们可以一起去你想去的任何地方。”
"Yes．We'll go wherever you like."

“那好吧，我想去沙漠。远离这座城市。”
"I want to go out into the desert．Away from the city."

“是吗？为什么？”
"Really？ Why？"

“我告诉你了，我想看看外面的天空……”
"I told you．I want to see the sky…"