《耶利歌》扭曲灵魂！

With the Emperor and his family dead at the hand of The Scythe-Meister，and the head of the

Don of Primordium，Duarf

Cascarellian，slaughtered by Lucidique （along with most of his sons and bodyguards） an uneasy

peace had settled on the city．The minor brawls and battles that had erupted after the Great

Insurrection quietened down．It was as though nobody wanted to drawattention to themselves; not with so many murderous forces abroad inthe city's streets．

暴乱发生后接管这座城市的军事集团由三位将领共同领导，他们分别是：博哥特、乌班诺和蒙特法罗。他们三

个都是典型的军人，生性残酷和痴迷权力，正因为这样才得以晋升到今天的位置。然而，在职业性的丧心病狂

和暴躁性情背后，三位将军的内心深处还潜藏着另外两种特质，尽管他们本人或许羞于承认：其一，一种近乎

病态的多愁善感（集中体现在博哥特将军和乌班诺将军对待各自母亲以及蒙特法罗将军对待自己六、七岁幼女

的态度上）；其二，极端的迷信。
The Military junta that had taken charge of the running of the city during this crisis was

headed by a triumvirate of Generals: Bogoto，Urbano and Montefalco．They were no better nor

worse than any of their type: men who'd risen to the top of their belligerent trade by showing

the greatest propensity for cruelty and control．But beneath the institutionalized sadism and

their manic capacity for violence，two qualities well hidden in the hearts of the three Generals

，there also lay qualities that they would have been ashamed to confess they possessed．One，a

sickly sentimentality （focused upon their mothers in the cases of Generals Bogoto and Urbano，

and upon girls of six or seven in the case of Montefalco）．Second，a startling capacity for

superstition．

对于城中近期接连发生的诡异事件，虽然嘴上谁也不说，三位将军却都意识到了各自心中的恐惧，大家心照不

宣地保持着沉默的姿态。从来没有哪座城邦象普利摩顿现在这般被各种鬼怪事件包围，刹那间谣言四起，人人

谈鬼说怪。谣言渐渐散布到军队里，士兵们时常围坐在篝火旁讨论各种无法解释的超自然现象，这些话不久就

传进了将军们的耳朵。到处流传着关于镰刀手-梅司特豢养的怪物、孩童的恶灵、女妖及被她们色诱的牺牲品

等等古怪的传说，人们窃窃私语，绘声绘色。
It went undiscussed，but they each knew the other was touched by a profound fear of the uncanny

．And there was no city presently more inundated in unholy matters than Primordium．Rumour was

rife here; and its subject was seldom rational．The stories that were passed around the

soldiers' campfires （and sooner or later reached the Generals' ears） were of unnatural

horrors: things that defied reason．Tales of monsters that had been bred from the loins of the

Scythe-Meister; of the vengeful ghosts of children; of succubi，their sexual attributes

discussed in clammy，but arousing detail．

一天夜里，三位将军在喝得迷迷糊糊之后终于克服了心中的恐惧，开口讨论起了这个话题。
One night，after some very heavy drinking，the three men vented their fears．

“我相信，”乌班诺将军说道，“这座该死的城市是真的被鬼魂缠住了。”
"It is my belief，" Urbano said，"that this damned city is haunted."

另外两位立即严肃地点头表示赞同。
The other two nodded grimly．

“那你觉得我们该怎么办呢？”博哥特将军问道。
"What do you suggest we do about it？" Bogoto asked．

蒙特法罗将军抢着回答说：
“首先……要是让我说的话，我会下令烧死这里四分之一的非法移民。正是他们与绝大多数发生的诡异事件有

关联。”
It was Montefalco who replied．"Well，for a start…if I had my druthers I'd burn the illegal

immigrant quarter to the ground．It's they who engage in most of these unholy goings-on."

“可他们是重要的劳力……”博哥特将军反驳道，“杀了他们之后，谁接替他们来干那些倒屎盆子、埋葬麻风

病人的脏活累活呢？”
"But the work-force…" Bogoto said．"Who'd empty our shit cans？ Who'd bury the lepers？"

蒙特法罗勉强同意了这个观点，可他又说：
“但至少我们可以针对一些可能与邪恶势力有勾结的目标，有的放矢地采取行动呀。”
Montefalco had to concede the point．"At least we could target any element we suspect of

intercourse with demonic forces."

“没错没错，”乌班诺将军表示赞同，“可以实行全城戒严。”
"Good．Good." said Urbano．"Vigilance."

“还有新的惩罚制度，” 蒙特法罗补充道，“我们必须立即采用更迅速和严厉的方法——当众处决。”
"And punishment，" Montefalco went on．"Swift，draconian measures -"ublic executions."

“好！”
"Yes！"

“用火刑？”
"Burnings？"

“哦，不，那样太富戏剧性了。枪决，干净利落。还不用忍受焚烧的臭味。”
"No，too theatrical．Shootings are clean and fast．And they don't smell."

“你觉得气味很重要吗？”博哥特问。
"That bothers you？" said Bogoto．

蒙特法罗将军打了个寒战，回答道：“我讨厌焚烧尸体的气味。”
Montefalco shuddered．"I loathe the smell of burning bodies." He said．