tp.lightfantastic-第30部分

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k　stones　that　spelled　out　what　Cohen　was　sure　was　a　word。　He　showed　it　to　Lackjaw。
　'The　Necrotelenicon；'　said　the　dwarf。　'Wizards　use　it。　It's　how　to　contact　the　dead；　I　think。'
　'That's　wizards　for　you；'　said　Cohen。　He　felt　a　page　between　finger　and　thumb；　it　was　thin；　and　quite　soft。　The　rather　unpleasant　organic…looking　writing　didn't　worry　him　at　all。　Yes；　a　book　like　this　could　be　a　real　friend　to　a　man　…
　'Yes？　You　want　something？'　he　said　to　one　of　the　star　men；　who　had　gripped　his　arm。
　'All　books　of　magic　must　be　burned；'　said　the　man；　but　a　little　uncertainly；　because　something　about　Cohen's　teeth　was　giving　him　a　nasty　feeling　of　sanity。
　'Why？'　said　Cohen。
　'It　has　been　revealed　to　us。'　Now　Cohen's　smile　was　as　wide　as　all　outdoors；　and　rather　more　dangerous。
　'I　think　we　ought　to　be　getting　along；'　said　Lackjaw　nervously。　A　party　of　star　people　had　turned　into　the　street　behind　them。
　'I　think　I　would　like　to　kill　someone；'　said　Cohen；　still　smiling。
　'The　star　directs　that　the　Disc　must　be　cleansed；'　said　the　man；　backing　away。
　'Stars　can't　talk；'　said　Cohen；　drawing　his　sword。
　'If　you　kill　me　a　thousand　will　take　my　place；'　said　the　man；　who　was　now　backed　against　the　wall。
　'Yes；'　said　Cohen；　in　a　reasonable　tone　of　voice；　'but　that　isn't　the　point；　is　it？　The　point　is；　you'll　be　dead。'
　The　man's　adam's　apple　began　to　bob　like　a　yoyo。　He　squinted　down　at　Cohen's　sword。
　'There　is　that；　yes；'　he　conceded。　'Tell　you　what　…　how　bout　if　we　put　the　fire　out？'　'Good　idea；'　said　Cohen。
　Lackjaw　tugged　at　his　belt。　The　other　star　people　were　running　towards　them。　There　were　a　lot　of　them；　many　of　them　were　armed；　and　it　began　to　look　as　though　things　would　bee　a　little　more　serious。
　Cohen　waved　his　sword　at　them　defiantly；　and　turned　and　ran。　Even　Lackjaw　had　difficulty　in　keeping　up。
　'Funny；'　he　gasped；　as　they　plunged　down　another　alley；　'I　thought　…　for　a　minute　…　you'd　want　to　stand　…　and　fight　them。'
　'Blow　that　…　for　a　…　lark。'
　As　they　came　out　into　the　light　at　the　other　end　of　the　alley　Cohen　flung　himself　against　the　wall；　drew　his　sword；　stood　with　his　head　on　one　side　as　he　judged　the　approaching　footsteps；　and　then　brought　the　blade　around　in　a　dead　flat　sweep　at　stomach　height。　There　was　an　unpleasant　noise　and　several　screams；　but　by　then　Cohen　was　well　away　up　the　street；　moving　in　the　unusual　shambling　run　that　spared　his　bunions。
　With　Lackjaw　pounding　along　grimly　beside　him　he　turned　off　into　an　inn　painted　with　red　stars；　jumped　onto　a　table　with　only　a　faint　whimper　of　pain；　ran　along　it　…　while；　with　almost　perfect　choreography；　Lackjaw　ran　straight　underneath　without　ducking　…　jumped　down　at　the　other　end；　kicked　his　way　through　the　kitchens；　and　came　out　into　another　alley。
　They　scurried　around　a　few　more　turnings　and　piled　into　a　doorway。　Cohen　clung　to　the　wall　and　wheezed　until　the　little　blue　and　purple　lights　went　away。
　'Well；'　he　panted；　'what　did　you　get？'
　'Um；　the　cruet；'　said　Lackjaw。
　'Just　that？'
　'Well；　I　had　to　go　under　the　table；　didn't　I？　You　didn't　do　so　well　yourself。'
　Cohen　looked　disdainfully　at　the　small　melon　he　had　managed　to　skewer　in　his　flight。
　'This　must　be　pretty　tough　here；'　he　said；　biting　through　159　the　rind。
　'Want　some　salt　on　it？'　said　the　dwarf。
　Cohen　said　nothing。　He　just　stood　holding　the　melon；　with　his　mouth　open。
　Lackjaw　looked　around。　The　cul　de　sac　they　were　in　was　empty；　except　for　an　old　box　someone　had　left　against　a　wall。
　Cohen　was　staring　at　it。　He　handed　the　melon　to　the　dwarf　without　looking　at　him　and　walked　out　into　the　sunlight。　Lackjaw　watched　him　creep　stealthily　around　the　box；　or　as　stealthily　as　is　possible　with　joints　that　creaked　like　a　ship　under　full　sail；　and　prod　it　once　or　twice　with　his　sword；　but　very　gingerly；　as　if　he　half…expected　it　to　explode。
　'It's　just　a　box；'　the　dwarf　called　out。　'What's　so　special　about　a　box？'
　Cohen　said　nothing。　He　squatted　down　painfully　and　peered　closely　at　the　lock　on　the　lid。
　'What's　in　it？'　said　Lackjaw。
　'You　wouldn't　want　to　know；'　said　Cohen。　'Help　me　up；　will　you？'
　'Yes；　but　this　box　…'
　'This　box；'　said　Cohen；　'this　box　is…'he　waved　his　arms　vaguely。
　'Oblong？'
　'Eldritch；'　said　Cohen　mysteriously。
　'Eldritch？'
　'Yup。'
　'Oh；'　said　the　dwarf。　They　stood　looking　at　the　box　for　a　moment。
　'Cohen？'
　'Yes？'
　'What　does　eldritch　mean？'
　'Well；　eldritch　is…'　Cohen　paused　and　looked　down　irritably。　'Give　it　a　kick　and　you'll　see。'
　Lockjaw's　steel…capped　dwarfboot　whammed　into　the　side　of　the　box。　Cohen　flinched。　Nothing　else　happened。
　'I　see；'　said　the　dwarf。　'Eldritch　means　wooden？'
　'No；'　said　Cohen。　'It　…　it　oughtn't　to　have　done　that。'
　'I　see；'　said　Lackjaw；　who　didn't；　and　was　beginning　to　wish　Cohen　hadn't　gone　out　into　all　this　hot　sunlight。　'It　ought　to　have　run　away；　you　think？'
　'Yes。　Or　bitten　your　leg　off。'
　'Ah；'　said　the　dwarf。　He　took　Cohen　gently　by　the　arm。　'It's　nice　and　shady　over　here；'　he　said。　'Why　don't　you　just　have　a　little　…'
　Cohen　shook　him　off。
　'It's　watching　that　wall；'　he　said。　'Look；　that's　why　it's　not　taking　any　notice　of　us。　It's　staring　at　the　wall。'
　'Yes；　that's　right；'　said　Lackjaw　soothingly。　'Of　course　it's　watching　that　wall　with　its　little　eyes　…'
　'Don't　be　an　idiot；　it　hasn't　got　any　eyes；'　snapped　Cohen。
　'Sorry；　sorry；'　said　Lackjaw　hurriedly。　'It's　watching　the　wall　without　eyes；　sorry。'
　'I　think　it's　worried　about　something；'　said　Cohen。
　'Well；　it　would　be；　wouldn't　it；'　said　Lackjaw。　'I　expect　it　just　wants　us　to　go　off　somewhere　and　leave　it　alone。'
　'I　think　it's　very　puzzled；'　Cohen　added。
　'Yes；　it　certainly　looks　puzzled；'　said　the　dwarf。　Cohen　glared　at　him。
　'How　can　you　tell？'　he　snapped。
　It　struck　Lackjaw　that　the　roles　were　unfairly　reversing。　He　looked　from　Cohen　to　the　box；　his　mouth　opening　and　shutting。
　'How　can　you　tell？'　he　said。　But　Cohen　wasn't　listening　anyway。　He　sat　down　in　front　of　the　box；　assuming　that　the　bit　with　the　keyhole　was　the　front；　and　watched　it　intently。　Lackjaw　backed　away。　Funny；　said　his　mind；　but　the　damn　thing　is　looking　at　me。
　'All　right；'　said　Cohen；　'I　know　you　and　me　don't　see　eye　to　eye；　but　we're　all　trying　to　find　someone　we　care　for；　okay？'
　'I'm…'　said　Lackjaw；　and　realised　that　Cohen　was　talking　to　the　box。
　'So　tell　me　where　they've　gone。'
　As　Lackjaw　looked　on　in　horror　the　Luggage　extended　161　its　little　legs；　braced　itself；　and　ran　full　tilt　at　the　nearest　wall。　Clay　bricks　and　dusty　mortar　exploded　around　it。
　Cohen　peered　through　the　hole。　There　was　a　small　grubby　storeroom　on　the　other　side。　The　Luggage　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　floor；　radiating　extreme　bafflement。
　

　'Shop！'　said　Twoflower。
　'Anyone　here？'　said　Bethan。
　'Urrgh；'　said　Rincewind。
　'I　think　we　ought　to　sit　him　down　somewhere　and　get　him　a　glass　of　water；'　said　Twoflower。　'If　there's　one　here。'
　'There's　everything　else；'　said　Bethan。
　The　room　was　full　of　shelves；　and　the　shelves　were　full　of　everything。　Things　that　couldn't　be　acmodated　on　them　hung　in　bunches　from　the　dark　and　shadowy　ceiling；　boxes　and　sacks　of　everything　spilled　onto　the　floor。
　There　was　no　sound　from　outside。　Bethan　looked　around　and　found　out　why。
　'I've　never　seen　so　much　stuff；'　said　Twoflower。
　'There's　one　thing　it's　out　of　stock　of；'　said　Bethan；　firmly。。
　'How　can　you　tell？'
　'You　just　have　to　look。　It's　fresh　out　of　exits。'
　Twoflower　turned　around。　Where　the　door　and　window　had　been　there　were　shelves　stacked　with　boxes；　they　looked　as；　though　they　had　been　there　for　a　long　time。
　Twoflower　sat　Rincewind　down　on　a　rickety　chair　by　the　counter　and　poked　doubtfully　at　the　shelves。　There　were　boxes　of　nails；　and　hairbrushes。　There　were　bars　of　soap；　faded　with　age。　There　was　a　stack　of　jars　containing　deliquescent　bath　salts；　to　which　someone　had　fixed　a　rather　sad　and　jaunty　little　notice　announcing；　in　the　face　of　all　the　evidence；　that　one　would　make　an　Ideal　Gift。　There　was　also　quite　a　lot　of　dust。
　Bethan　peered　at　the　shelves　on　the　other　wall；　and　laughed。
　'Would　you　look　at　this！'　she　said。
　Twoflower　looked。　She　was　holding　a　…　well；　it　was　a　little　mountain　chalet；　but　with　seashells　stuck　all　over　it；　and　then　the　perpetrator　had　written　'A　Special　Souvenir'　in　pokerwork　on　the　roof　（which；　of　course；　opened　so　that　cigarettes　could　be　kept　in　it；　and　played　a　tinny　little　tune）。
　'Have　you　ever　seen　anything　like　it？'　she　said。
　Twoflower　shook　his　head。　His　mouth　dropped　open。
　'Are　you　all　right？'　said　Bethan。
　'I　think　it's　the　most　beautiful　thing　I've　ever　seen；'　he　said。
　There　was　a　whirring　noise　overhead。　They　looked　up。
　A　big　black　globe　had　lowered　itself　from　the　darkness　of　the　ceiling。　Little　red　lights　flashed　on　and　off　on　it；　and　as　they　stared　it　spun　around　and　looked　at　them　with　a　big　glass　eye。　It　was　menacing；　that　eye。　It　seemed　to　suggest　very　emphatically　that　it　was　watching　something　distasteful。
　'Hallo？'　said　Twoflower。
　A　head　appeared　over　the　edge　of　the　counter。　It　looked　angry。
　'I　hope　you　were　intending　to　pay　for　that；'　it　said　nastily。　Its　expression　suggested　that　it　expected　Rincewind　to　sa