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〃What is it？〃 Jude said； following the direction of Clara's gaze。 Somebody was approaching them through the darkness； in the walk a nonchalance she could name in a syllable： 〃Dowd。〃
〃You know him？〃 Clara said。
〃A little；〃 Dowd said； his voice as casual as his gait。 〃But really； there's so much she doesn't know。〃
Clara's hands dropped from Jude's； breaking the charm of three。
〃Don't e any closer；〃 Clara said。
Surprisingly； Dowd stopped dead in his tracks； a few yards from the women。 There was sufficient light from the eye for Jude to pick out his face。 Something； or things； seemed to be crawling around his mouth； as though he'd just eaten a handful of ants and a few had escaped from between his lips。
〃I would so love to kill you both；〃 he said； and with the words further mites escaped and ran over his cheeks and chin。 〃But your time will e； Judith。 Very soon。 For now； it's just Clara。 。 。。 It is Clara； isn't it？〃
〃Go to hell； Dowd；〃 Jude said。
〃Step away from the old woman；〃 Dowd replied。
Jude's response was to take hold of Clara's arm。 〃You're not going to hurt anybody； you little shit；〃 she said。
There was a fury rising in her the like of which she'd not
felt in months。 The eye was heavy in her hand； she was
ready to brain the bastard with it if he took a step towards
them。
〃Did you not understand me； whore？〃 he said； moving ；
towards her as he did so。 〃I told you： Step away！〃
In her rage she went to meet his approach； raising her weighted hand as she did so； but in the instant that she let go of Clara he sidestepped her； and she lost sight of him。 Realizing that she'd done exactly as he'd planned； she reeled around； intending to take hold of Clara again。 But he was there before her。 She heard a shout of horror and saw Clara staggering away from her attacker。 The mites were at her face already； blinding her。 Jude ran to catch hold of her before she fell； but this time Dowd moved to…wards her； not away； and with a single blow struck the ； stone from Jude's hand。 She didn't turn to reclaim it but went to Clara's aid。 The woman's moans were terrible； so were the tremors in her body。
〃What have you done to her？〃 she yelled at Dowd。 〃Undone； lovely； undone。 Let her be。 You can't help her now。〃
Clara's body was light； but when her legs buckled she carried Jude down with her。 Her moans had bee howls now； as she reached up to her face as if to scratch out her eyes； for there the mites were at some agonizing work。 In …desperation Jude tried to feel for the creatures in the darkness； but either they were too fast for her fingers or they'd gone where fingers couldn't follow。 All she could do was beg for a reprieve。
〃Make them stop；〃 she said to Dowd。 〃Whatever you want； I'll do； butplease make them stop。〃
〃They're voracious little sods； aren't they？〃 he said。 He was crouching in front of the eye； the blue light illuminating his face； which wore a mask of chilling serenity。 As she watched he picked mites from around his mouth and let them drop to the ground。
〃I'm afraid they've got no ears； so I can't call them back；〃 he said。 〃They only know how to unmake。 And they'll unmake anything but their maker。 In this case； that's me。 So I'd leave her alone； if I were you。 They're indiscriminate。〃
She turned her attention back to the woman in her arms。 Clara had given up scratching at her eyes； and the tremors in her body were rapidly diminishing。
〃Speak to me；〃 Jude said。 She reached for Clara's face； a little ashamed of how tentative Dowd's warning had made her。
There was no answer from the body； unless there were words in Clara's dying moans。 Jude listened； hoping to find some vestigial sense there； but there was none。 She felt a single spasm pass down Clara's spine； as though something in her head had snapped； and then the whole system stopped dead。 From the moment when Dowd had first appeared； perhaps ninety seconds had passed。 In that time every hope that had gathered here had been undone。 She wondered if Celestine had heard this tragedy unfold； another's suffering adding to her own sum。
〃Dead； then； lovey；〃 Dowd said。
Jude let Clara's body slip from her arms into the grass。
〃We should be going；〃 he went on； his tone so bland they might have been forsaking a picnic instead of a corpse。 〃Don't worry about Clara。 I'll fetch what's left of her later。〃
She heard the sound of his feet behind her and stood up； rather than be touched by him。 Overhead； another jet was roaring in the clouds。 She looked towards the eye； but it too had been unmade。
〃Destroyer；〃 she said。
28
Gentle had forgotten his short exchange with Aping about their shared enthusiasm for painting； but Aping had not。 The morning after the wedding in Athanasius' cell； the sergeant came to fetch Gentle and escorted him to a room at the other end of the building； which he had turned into a studio。 It had plenty of windows； so the light was as good as this region was ever likely to supply； and he had gathered over the months of his posting here an enviable selection of materials。 The products of this workplace were； however； those of the most uninspired dilettante。 Designed without positional skill and painted without sense of color； their only real point of interest lay in their obsessiveness。 There were； Aping proudly told Gentle； one hundred and fifty…three pictures； and their subject was unchanging： his child； Huzzah； the merest mention of whom had caused the loving portraitist such unease。 Now； in the privacy of his place of inspiration； he explained why。 His daughter was young； he said； and her mother dead； he'd been obliged to bring her with him when orders from Iahmandhas moved him to the Cradle。
〃I could have left her in L'Himby；〃 he told Gentle。 〃But who knows what kind of harm she'd have e to if I'd done that？ She's a child。〃
〃So she's here on the island？〃
〃Yes； she is。 But she won't step out of her room in the daytime。 She's afraid of catching the madness； she says。 I love her very much。 And as you can see〃…he indicated the paintings…〃she's very beautiful。〃
Gentle was obliged to take the man's word for it。 〃Where is she now？〃 he asked。
〃Where she always is；〃 Aping said。 〃In her room。 She has very strange dreams。〃
〃I know how she feels；〃 Gentle said。
〃Do you？〃 Aping replied； with a fervor in his voice that suggested that art was not； after alt； the subject Gentle had been brought here to debate。 〃You dream too； then？〃
〃Everybody does。〃
〃That's what my wife used to tell me。〃 He lowered his voice。 〃She had prophetic dreams。 She knew when she was going to die； to the very hour。 But I donjt dream at all。 So I can't share what Huzzah feels。〃
〃Are you suggesting that maybe I could？〃
〃This is a very delicate matter；〃 Aping said。 〃Yzordder…rexian law prohibits all proprieties。〃
〃I didn't know that。〃
〃Especially women； of course；〃 Aping went on。 〃That's the real reason I keep her out of sight。 It's true； she fears the madness； but I'm afraid for what's inside her even more。〃
〃Why？〃
〃I'm afraid if she keeps pany with anyone but me she'll say something out of turn； and N'ashap will realize she has visions like her mother。〃
〃And that would be…〃
〃Disastrous！ My career would be in tatters。 I should never have brought her。〃 He looked up at Gentle。 〃I'm only telling you this because we're both artists； and artists have to trust each other； like brothers； isn't that right？〃
〃That's right；〃 said Gentle。 Aping's large hands were trembling； he saw。 The man looked to be on the verge of collapse。 〃Do you want me to speak to your daughter？〃 he asked。
〃More than that。 。 。〃
〃Tell me。〃
〃I want you to take her with you； when you and the mys…tif leave。 Take her to Yzordderrex。〃
〃What makes you think we're going there…or anywhere； e to that？〃
〃I have my spies； and so does N'ashap。 Your plans are better known than you'd like。 Take her with you； Mr。 Za…charias。 Her mother's parents are still alive。 They'll look after her。〃
〃It's a big responsibility to take a child all that way。〃
Aping pursed his lips。 〃I would of course be able to ease your departure from the island； if you were to take her。〃
〃Suppose she won't go？〃 Gentle said。
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