按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Teenie opened her mouth to tell them all good night when the guard captain in flashing silver caught her attention and pointed way over to the wall where Madison cowered。
（Bleep） that guard captain； choked Madison。 Teenie had obviously forgotten all about him； for now she frowned and looked toward him as though she had noted some unwanted bug。 The staff looked toward him as well and glared： evidently his crime of provoking their darling Queen Teenie had circulated through the whole； vast palace。
The guard captain and Teenie engaged in a whispered conversation。 Then； with two guards flanking her； she followed the captain over to where Madison sat。
〃They reminded me；〃 said Teenie； in English； 〃that I have several dress fittings in the morning and gardening in the afternoon。 They couldn't find time to fit in a trial； so we'll have it now。 Guilty or not guilty？〃
〃Of what？〃 wailed Madison。
〃In the confines of a palace； unless he is dealing with a person of higher rank；〃 said Teenie； 〃the nobleman has the power of life and death over offenders to his property or person。〃
〃I didn't offend you！〃 cried Madison in English。 〃I was just trying to get your help！ You NEED me！〃
She turned to the guard captain and； in Voltarian； she said； 〃He pleads guilty as charged。 Enter it in the palace records。〃
〃TEENIE！〃 cried Madison； 〃You MUST listen。。。。〃
〃I don't have to listen to you；〃 she said in English。
〃You're guilty as hell and you know it。 You never even lifted a finger to stop that （bleep） Gris。 You got yourself into this mess because you didn't play ball with me。〃 She shifted to Voltarian； 〃I therefore pronounce the prisoner guilty and the sentence is to be carried out without fail。〃
The guard captain nodded。
Madison said； 〃You haven't said what the sentence is！〃
She was speaking in English again。 〃Well； Maddie； I get all heated up conducting these classes； they sometimes bring me to the brink of （bleep） and I ache。 I've always wanted to break that fixation you have on your mother。 So you're sentenced to ing up to my bedroom and （bleeping） me until I'm all limp and satisfied。〃
〃OH； NO！〃 screamed Madison； and cringed back so hard his chains rattled。 Then he thought in quick streaks of blue light and inspiration hit him。 〃Look；〃 he said； 〃right down under that floor there are 250 boys！ I can still hear the music pound！ Any one of them would… … 〃
〃Maddie；〃 she said sharply in English； 〃you got your wires crossed。 The moment I start （bleeping） one of those pages； the rest would be so jealous of him they'd slaughter him！ Besides； I'm making them into perfectly good catamites and it would ruin them。〃
〃You've got men on this staff！〃 cried Maddie in English。
〃They're moners and they'd be executed if they were found in bed with royalty；〃 said Teenie； continuing in English。 〃I'm too fond of them to put them at risk。 Queen Hora used to use noble guard officers： she had a whole regiment of them。 But they are not here。 So can the chatter； Maddie。 You're for it； me bucko boy。〃
Madison was shuddering to the depths of his soul。 〃No；〃 he pleaded。 〃The answer is no！〃
Teenie smiled and it made him flinch。 He knew this wasn't all of it。
〃All right；〃 she said； glancing at her Mickey Mouse watch； 〃just sit there and think it over。 This guard captain has orders that if you don't e up to my room tonight； then； straight up sharp at 6：00 A。 M。 you are to be taken to the dungeons and executed with an electric axe。 So if you change your mind； your guard here will have orders to bring you up to my room； no matter the hour。〃
She gave him a little mocking wave and turned away。
The staff insisted that she sit on a little silver seat with handles as she might be too tired after her long evening to walk up the stairs； and they bore her off； up the golden steps and out of sight。
Chapter 11
For a very long time Madison sat； and he sat in the deepest gloom。 The metal chair was cold； the chains were colder and the guard's electric axe； with its racing sparks； chilled him even more。
It was dark now in the hall。 The rock music from below was only the faintest thumping； more like the mutter of some hungry beast than music。
Half…seen in the dimness； the painted angels on the walls seemed to look at him。 He had little doubt that he would be joining the real angels soon and spend the rest of eternity sitting on some cloud holding a useless harp。 Madison knew he could never learn to play it。
At length he was able to struggle up out of his shock； enough to think about his terrible conflict： If he did go upstairs he would die； if he didn't go upstairs he would die。
He had been very well brought up： He had to be true to his mother at any cost； even his life。 Since he had been a baby it had been dinned into him that boys who did not sleep with their mothers were unnatural and it had been proven to him without doubt； even in his schools； where the word of the psychiatrist Freud was five times holier than God's。 Unless one had a firm Oedipus plex； expressing libidinous desires for one's mother； one could never hope to be a genius at his trade。 To abandon it would be a negation of his own wits。 Without this bright spark； according to all Freudian teachings； he would fall into crass mediocrity； descended to a mere hack or drudge。 There was no such thing； according to psychologists； as a genius who was not neurotic。 Without that genius…which Madison never doubted…he would die professionally。 Like all PR men； belief in himself was the first thing one had to establish and only then could others believe in him。
But his mother had reinforced it by continually reminding him of how indulgent she was。 After his father departed she had not burdened him with another whom he could only hate； and how very few mothers would bother to give a son this much attention。 His mother was a dear thing； still quite pretty at forty…nine。 When he thought of all the sacrifices she had made for him； foregoing all other men； the least he could do was reciprocate and forego all other women。 But it went deeper than that： pletely aside from any Freudian orders from his child psychologist； made more real with mild electric shocks； he truly loved her。 She had warned him repeatedly of the dangers of other women； as had his current psychiatrist； and colliding in life with such heartless creatures as Teenie； he agreed with them utterly。 It would not only wreck him mentally to have sex with Teenie； it would break his mother's heart。 She would probably mit suicide； a thing she often had to be prevented from doing； and he knew； if that happened； he would promptly do the same。
No； to go up those stairs and get in bed with Teenie would be the end of all he knew。 Impossible！ That was out。 Better to die at dawn。 Far better。
His thoughts turned to Heller。 Victory had been almost within his grasp when everything had e so unaccountably unstuck。 The headlines he had been getting for Heller had been magnificent！ He fondly recalled the stories about Toots Switch； Maizie Spread and Dolores Pubiano de Copula。 Absolute masterpieces； guaranteed to stamp the name of Wister indelibly forever upon the public consciousness。 Wister would have bee known； as those trials progressed； as the greatest outlaw lover in history