Read Online The Day After Judgement by James Blish - Free Book Online
Authors: James Blish
Tags: Science-Fiction
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‘How situate?’ he demanded.
W HERE SHE STOOD FROM ETERNITY; IN THE V ALLEY OF D EATH.
Ware suspected at once that the apparently allegorical form of his utterance concealed a literal meaning, but it would do
no good to ask for exact topographical particulars; demons paid little attention to Earthly political geography unless they
were fomenting strife about boundaries or enclaves, which was not one of V ASSAGO’S roles. Could the reference be literary? That would be in accordance with the demon’s nature. Nothing prevents devils from
quoting scripture to their own advantage? so why not Tennyson?
‘Be this valley under the ambassadorship of R IMMON ?’
N AY.
‘Then what officers inhabit the region wherein it lies? Divulge their names, great prince, to my express command!’
T HEY ARE THE INFERIORS OF A STAROTH WHO ARE CALLED S ARGATANAS AND N EBIROS.
‘But which hath his asylum where Dis now stands?’
T HERE RULETH N EBIROS.
These were the demons of post-Columbian magic; they announced forth to the subjects all things which their lord hath commanded,
according to the
Grimorium Verum,
in America, and the asylum of N EBIROS was further specified to be in the West. Of course: Death Valley. And N EBIROS. as it was said in the
Grand Grimoire
was the field marshal of Infernus, and a great necromancer, ‘who goeth to and fro everywhere and inspects the hordes of perdition.’
The raising of the fortress of Dis in the domain of this great general most strongly suggested that the war was not over yet.
Ware knew better, however, than to ask the demon whether God was in fact dead; forwere He not, the mere sounding of the Holy Name would so offend this minor prince as to terminate the apparition at once,
if not render further ones impossible. Well, the question was probably unnecessary anyhow; he already had most of the information
that he needed.
‘Thou art discharged.’
The shining face vanished with a flash of opalescence, exactly as though a soap bubble had broken, leaving Ware staring down
at nothing but a puddle of mud, now already filming and cracking – except in the centre where the face had been; that had
evaporated completely. Straightening his aching back, he considered carefully the implications of what he had learned.
The military organization of the Descending Hierachy was peculiar, and as usual the authorities differed somewhat on its details.
This was hardly surprising, for any attempt to relate the offices of the evil spirits to Earthly analogues was bound to be
only an approximation, if not sometimes actively misleading. Ware was presently in the domain of H UTGIN, ambassador in Italy, and had never before Black Easter had any need to invoke A STAROTH or any of his inferior Intelligences. He was characterized by the
Grimorium Verum
as the Grand Duke of Hell, whereas Weirus referred to him as Grand Treasurer; while the
Grand Grimoire
did not mention him at all, assigning N EBIROS instead to an almost equivalent place. Nevertheless it seemed clear enough in general that while the domain of A STAROTH might technically be in America, his principality was not confined thereto, but might make itself known anywhere in the world.
H UTGIN in comparison was a considerably lesser figure.
And the war was not yet over, and Ware might indeed find some way to make himself useful; Baines had been right about that,
too. But in what way remained unclear.
Very probably, he would have to go to Dis to find out. It was a terrifying thought, but Ware could see no way around it. That
was where the centre of power was now, where the war would henceforth be directed; and there, if Baines actually succeeded
in reaching the SAC in Denver, Ware conceivably might succeed in arranging some sort of a
detente.
Certainly hewould be of no use squatting here in ruined Italy, with all the superior spirits half a world away.
But how to get there? He did not have Baines’s power to commandeer an
W HERE SHE STOOD FROM ETERNITY; IN THE V ALLEY OF D EATH.
Ware suspected at once that the apparently allegorical form of his utterance concealed a literal meaning, but it would do
no good to ask for exact topographical particulars; demons paid little attention to Earthly political geography unless they
were fomenting strife about boundaries or enclaves, which was not one of V ASSAGO’S roles. Could the reference be literary? That would be in accordance with the demon’s nature. Nothing prevents devils from
quoting scripture to their own advantage? so why not Tennyson?
‘Be this valley under the ambassadorship of R IMMON ?’
N AY.
‘Then what officers inhabit the region wherein it lies? Divulge their names, great prince, to my express command!’
T HEY ARE THE INFERIORS OF A STAROTH WHO ARE CALLED S ARGATANAS AND N EBIROS.
‘But which hath his asylum where Dis now stands?’
T HERE RULETH N EBIROS.
These were the demons of post-Columbian magic; they announced forth to the subjects all things which their lord hath commanded,
according to the
Grimorium Verum,
in America, and the asylum of N EBIROS was further specified to be in the West. Of course: Death Valley. And N EBIROS. as it was said in the
Grand Grimoire
was the field marshal of Infernus, and a great necromancer, ‘who goeth to and fro everywhere and inspects the hordes of perdition.’
The raising of the fortress of Dis in the domain of this great general most strongly suggested that the war was not over yet.
Ware knew better, however, than to ask the demon whether God was in fact dead; forwere He not, the mere sounding of the Holy Name would so offend this minor prince as to terminate the apparition at once,
if not render further ones impossible. Well, the question was probably unnecessary anyhow; he already had most of the information
that he needed.
‘Thou art discharged.’
The shining face vanished with a flash of opalescence, exactly as though a soap bubble had broken, leaving Ware staring down
at nothing but a puddle of mud, now already filming and cracking – except in the centre where the face had been; that had
evaporated completely. Straightening his aching back, he considered carefully the implications of what he had learned.
The military organization of the Descending Hierachy was peculiar, and as usual the authorities differed somewhat on its details.
This was hardly surprising, for any attempt to relate the offices of the evil spirits to Earthly analogues was bound to be
only an approximation, if not sometimes actively misleading. Ware was presently in the domain of H UTGIN, ambassador in Italy, and had never before Black Easter had any need to invoke A STAROTH or any of his inferior Intelligences. He was characterized by the
Grimorium Verum
as the Grand Duke of Hell, whereas Weirus referred to him as Grand Treasurer; while the
Grand Grimoire
did not mention him at all, assigning N EBIROS instead to an almost equivalent place. Nevertheless it seemed clear enough in general that while the domain of A STAROTH might technically be in America, his principality was not confined thereto, but might make itself known anywhere in the world.
H UTGIN in comparison was a considerably lesser figure.
And the war was not yet over, and Ware might indeed find some way to make himself useful; Baines had been right about that,
too. But in what way remained unclear.
Very probably, he would have to go to Dis to find out. It was a terrifying thought, but Ware could see no way around it. That
was where the centre of power was now, where the war would henceforth be directed; and there, if Baines actually succeeded
in reaching the SAC in Denver, Ware conceivably might succeed in arranging some sort of a
detente.
Certainly hewould be of no use squatting here in ruined Italy, with all the superior spirits half a world away.
But how to get there? He did not have Baines’s power to commandeer an
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