anner.vittoriothevampire-第24节
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Acolytes came from either side； tallish young demons with faces of the usual chiseled ivory； and the simple surplices of those who attend the Mass。 They took their positions ranked down the long marble munion Rail。
Once again； there rose the magnificent chorus of voices around me； falsettos mingling with true sopranos and the throbbing basses of the males； as redolent of the woodlands as the wooden horns； and beneath it all the heavy driving brass declaration。
What did they mean to do？ What was this hymn which now the tenors sang； and what was the answer that came from all the voices so close to me； the words in Latin unstrung and only incoherently enveloping me：
〃Lord； I am e into the Valley of Death； Lord； I am e to the end of my Sorrow； Lord； in thy deliverance I give life to those who would be idle in Hell were it not for thy divine plan。〃
My soul rebelled。 I loathed it； and yet I could not look away from the spectacle below。 My eyes swept the church。 I saw for the first time the gaunt； demonic fanged demons on their pedestals rising between the narrow windows； and everywhere the glint of racks upon racks of tiny candles。
The music broke again for the solemn declaration of the tenors：
〃Let the fount be brought forward； that those who are our sacrifices should be washed clean。〃 And it was done。
Ranks of young demons in their guise as Altar Boys came forward； carrying with them in their preternaturally strong hands a magnificent baptismal fount of deep…pink Carrara marble。 This they set some ten feet before the munion Rail。
〃Oh； abominations； to make it so beautiful；〃 I whispered。 〃Quiet now； my young one；〃 said the regal guard beside me。 〃Watch； for what you see here you will never see between Heaven and Earth again； and as you will go unconfessed to God； you will burn in darkness forever。〃 He sounded as if he believed it。
〃You have no power to damn my soul；〃 I whispered； trying in vain to clear my eyes； not to so love the weakness that still caused me to depend upon their clamping hands。
〃Ursula； farewell；〃 I whispered； making of my lips a kiss。
But in this miraculous and private little moment； seemingly unnoticed by the whole congregation； I saw her head shake in a small secretive negation。
No one saw because all eyes were now on another spectacle； far more tragic than any of the controlled and modulated ritual we had beheld。
Up the aisle； driven by acolyte demons in tunics of red and lace sleeves trimmed in red and gold； there came a poor wretched sampling of the lost ones of the coop； shuffling old women； drunken men and little boys； mere children； clinging to the very demons who escorted them to their deaths； like piteous victims of some horrid old trial where the offspring of the condemned are led to execution with their parents。 Horror。
〃I curse you all。 I damn you。 God； bring down your justice on this；〃 I whispered。 〃God； bring down your tears。 Weep for us； Christ； that this is happening。〃 My eyes turned up in my head。 It seemed I dreamed； and once again came the bright green limitless meadow to my eyes； and once again； as Ursula ran from me； as her spirited young form rushed across the high breaking field of grass and lilies； there rose another figure； another familiar figure。
〃Yes； I see you！〃 I cried out to this vision in my half…rescued dream。
But no sooner had I recognized it； locked to it； than it vanished； it was gone； and with it was gone all prehension of it； all memory of its exquisite face and form and its meaning； its pure and powerful meaning。 Words fled from me。
From below I saw the Lord Florian look up； angered； silent。 The hands beside me dug into my flesh。
〃Silence；〃 said the guards next to me； their mands overlapping one another。
The lovely music rose higher and higher； as though the climbing soprano voices and the throbbing； winding horns would hush me now and pay tribute only to the unholy baptism。
The baptism had begun。 The first victim； an ancient woman of bent and bony back； had been stripped of her poor garments and washed with handfuls of water in the fount； and now was led to the munion Rail； oh； so frail； so unprotected by her kith and kin and her guardian angels！
Oh； and now to see the children stripped； to see their tiny little legs and buttocks bare； to see their bony shoulders； those tiny parts where it seemed the winglets of baby angels once sprouted from their backs； to see them washed and then delivered to stand trembling along the stretch of marble balustrade。 It happened very fast。
〃Cursed animals； for that is what you are； not airy demons； no！〃 I muttered； struggling in the grasp of the two loathsome minions。 〃Yes； cowardly minions； both of you； to be a party to this evil。〃
The music drowned out my prayers。 〃Dear God； send my angels to me；〃 I said to my heart； my secret heart； 〃send my wrathful angels； send them with your fiery sword。 God； this cannot be borne。〃
The munion Rail now had its full plement of victims； naked and trembling all； and blazing with carnal human color against the luminous marble and the colorless priests。
The candles flickered on the giant Lucifer； with its great webbed wings； who presided over all。
The Lord Florian now stepped down to take the first municant in his hands； and lowered his lips to drink。
The drums beat fierce and sweet； and the voices twined and reached to Heaven。 But there was no Heaven here beneath these branching white columns； these groined arches。 There was nothing but death。
All the Court had begun to make two streams along the sides of the chapel marching silently up to e behind the munion Rail； where each might take a victim from those who stood helpless and ready； and now Lord and Lady chose which they wanted； and some shared； and one victim was passed from one to another； and so on it went； this mockery； this lurid； predatory munion。 Only Ursula did not move。
The municants were dying。 Some were already dead。 None struck the floor。 Their pliant dried…up limbs were captured silently and deftly by the attendant demons； and bodies were whisked away。
More victims were still being bathed。 Others were taken to the Rail。 On it went。
The Lord Florian drank again and again； one child after another put before him； his slender fingers capturing the small neck and holding it as he bent his lips。 I wonder what Latin words he dared to speak。
Slowly the members of the Court slipped out of the Sanctuary； moving down the side aisles again to pivot and take their old stance。 They had had their fill。
All through the room the color of blood infused once pallid faces； and it seemed to my misted vision； to my head so full of the loveliness of song； that they all were human now； human for this little while。
〃Yes；〃 said Florian； his voice arching out soft and sure to my ears over the length of the nave。 〃Human now for this one instant； with the blood of the living； incarnated again； we are； young prince。 You have understood it。〃
〃Ah； but Lord；〃 I said； in my exhausted whisper； 〃I do not forgive it。〃
An interval of silence fell。 Then the tenors declared：
〃It is time； and the midnight hour is not finished。〃
The sure and tight hands in which I was held focused me now to the side。 I was spirited out of the choir loft and down the winding screw stairs of white marble。
As I came to myself； still supported； staring up the center aisle； I saw that only the baptistry fount remained。 All victims were gone。
But a great cross had been brought into the hall。 It had been positioned upside down； to one side of the altar； and forward； at the munion Rail。
The Lord Florian held up for me to see five huge iron nails in his hand； and beckoned for me to e。
The cross was anchored into place； as though it had often been brought to this spot。 It was made of rich hardwood； thick； heavy and polished smooth； though it bore the marks of other nails； and no doubt the stains of other blood。
The very bottom of it fitted right at the Railing itself against the marble banister； so that he who was to be crucified would be three feet above the floor and visible to all the worshippers。
〃The worshippers； you filthy lot！〃 I laughed。 Thank God and all his angels that the eyes of my father and mother were filled with celestial light and could see nothing of this crude degradation。
The Elder revealed to me in his outstretched hands two golden goblets。
I knew the meaning。 With these； to catch my blood as it gushed from the wounds made by the nails。 He bowed his head。
I was forced up the aisle。 The statue of Lucifer grew immense behind the glittering pontifical figure of Florian。 My feet did not touch the marble。 All around me the members of the Court turned to attend my progress； but never so much that their eyes were not upon their Lord。
Before the baptismal fount my face was washed。
I tossed my head； twisting my neck； throwing the water impudently on those who tried to bathe me。 The acolytes were in fear of me。 They approached and reached hesitantly for my buckles。
〃Strip him；〃 said the Lord； and once again he held up the nails for me to see。
〃I see well enough； my cowardly Lord；〃 I said。 〃It is nothing to crucify a boy such as me。 Save your soul； Lord； d
