Moonheart by Charles de Lint

Author:Charles de Lint
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 0101-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

and bear my own victory,

though not a sword...

Nice. Yeah. If you knew what the hell it meant.

"Been doing this long?" he asked, when Traupman returned.

"The poetry? Yes. But mostly for myself and what friends I have left. This is my first published effort, self-published at that, as the editor who bought The Last Mistress wouldn't touch it. He wants the new novel that's been overdue since September. I realize I've been lax about it, but at my age one learns to take things as they come. It seemed more important to see these poems in print. They, unlike a novel, seem a more fitting epitaph."

Tucker nodded and pointed to the line he'd just read. "What's this mean?"

"Manjushri was one of the Bodhisattvas," Traupman explained. "A Buddha-to-be, as it were. He was reputed to have conquered Yama, the god of death, and bore a sword in his hand as a memory of his victory. In the context of the poem, I am using him as an analogy to myself. Presumptuous, but it seemed fitting at the time."

"You mean you've conquered death by living to the age you are now?"

Traupman smiled. "That's one way of looking at it. But no. I'm referring to the fact that so many of my friends and colleagues have passed on. So I have met death, but not conquered him. For I'll die too, when my time comes. Hence I bear no sword."

"I never would have got that out of it," Tucker said.

"It takes work. But enough of my versifications. How can I help you?"

Tucker thought about that for a moment. "It's almost as complex as what you've just explained to me. Are you familiar with the PRB— the Paranormal Research Branch?"

"Vaguely. I was approached by a Superintendent Madison a year or so ago and asked if I would be willing to help out from time to time if my particular expertise was called for. Since then I've heard nothing."

"Well," Tucker said tiredly, "your expertise is damn well needed now. Let me lay out the problem for you and, if you believe even half of it, maybe you can give me an opinion on it. Okay?"

"Is this privileged information? If so, I'm not sure that—"

"You're cleared, if that was what you were worrying about. You were cleared before you were even approached."

"Do I have to swear some sort of oath now?" Traupman asked. He seemed amused by the idea. Tucker smiled with him, but thought of how he'd opened up to Gagnon with nothing but a handshake to keep the ADM quiet. Madison would have his balls if he heard about that.

"That won't be necessary," he said. "But if you could keep it to yourself, it'd be appreciated. You know you're being considered to head up the project now?"

Traupman's eyebrows lifted quizzically.

"Anyway, this is what we've got, Dick."

Traupman was a good listener. He heard the story through, backtracking once or twice to have some point cleared up, saving his own commentary for the end. Tucker liked that.

"Are we nuts, or what?" Tucker asked him when he was through.

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