anner.bloodandgold-第37节

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iven；　but　he　was　going　off　now；　and　he　wanted　to　be　rid　of　me　and　if　they　would　take　me；　that　was　all　he　wanted　to　know。
　　　〃I　was　terrified。　I　didn't　entirely　like　this　gloomy　place；　grand　though　it　was。　And　we　had　spent　several　years　together。　And　now　he　was　leaving？
　　　〃I　wanted　to　ask　him；　What　had　I　done？　I　suppose　I　realized　in　that　moment　that　I　loved　him。　I　would　do　anything　if　he　would　only　change　his　mind。
　　　〃The　others　fell　upon　me。　They　took　hold　of　me　by　both　arms　and　dragged　me　with　unnecessary　force　into　another　gigantic　room。
　　　〃The　Mother　and　the　Father　were　there；　resplendent　and　shining；　seated　on　a　huge　throne　of　black　diorite；　above　some　six　or　seven　　marble　steps。
　　　〃This　was　the　main　room　of　a　temple；　and　all　its　columns　and　walls　were　decorated　beautifully　with　the　Egyptian　writing；　and　the　ceiling　was　covered　with　plates　of　gold。
　　　〃Naturally　I　thought；　as　we　all　do；　that　the　Mother　and　the　Father　were　statues；　and　as　I　was　dragged　closer　to　them；　I　was　mad　with　resentment　that　such　a　thing　was　taking　place。
　　　〃I　was　also　curiously　ashamed；　ashamed　that　I　wore　old　sandals　and　a　dirty　boyish　tunic；　and　that　my　hair　was　tumbled　down　all　around　me…for　on　this　one　night　my　Maker　had　failed　to　hack　it　off…and　I　was　in　no　way　prepared　for　what　ritual　was　to　take　place。
　　　〃Akasha　and　Enkil　were　of　the　purest　white；　and　they　sat　as　they　have　always　done；　since　I　have　e　to　know　them…as　they　sit　in　your　underground　chapel　now。〃
　　　Mael　broke　the　narrative　with　an　angry　question：
　　　〃How　do　you　know　how　the　Mother　and　Father　appear　in　our　underground　chapel？〃
　　　I　was　deeply　disturbed　that　he　had　done　this。
　　　But　Eudoxia　remained　utterly　posed。
　　　〃You　have　no　power　to　see　through　the　minds　of　other　blood　drinkers？〃　she　asked。　Her　eyes　were　hard；　perhaps　even　a　little　cruel。
　　　Mael　was　confused。
　　　And　I　was　keenly　aware　that　he　had　given　away　a　secret　to　Eudoxia；　the　secret　being　that　he　didn't　have　such　a　power；　or　that　he　didn't　know　that　he　did；　and　I　wasn't　quite　sure　what　I　should　do。
　　　
　　　
　　　Understand　he　knew　that　he　could　find　other　blood　drinkers　by　hearing　their　thoughts；　but　he　didn't　know　how　to　use　this　power　to　even　greater　advantage；　seeing　what　they　saw。
　　　Indeed；　all　three　of　us　were　uncertain　of　our　powers。　And　I　realized　how　foolish　this　was。
　　　At　this　moment；　when　Eudoxia　received　no　answer　to　her　question；　I　tried　vainly　to　think　of　some　way　to　distract　her。
　　　〃Please；〃　I　said　to　Eudoxia；　〃will　you　continue？　Tell　us　your　story。〃　I　didn't　dare　to　apologize　for　Mael's　rudeness　because　that　might　have　made　him　furious。
　　　〃Very　well；〃　said　Eudoxia　looking　straight　at　me　as　though　she　were　dismissing　my　panions　as　impossible。
　　　〃As　I　was　telling　you；〃　she　said；　〃My　Maker　pushed　me　forward　and　told　me　to　kneel　before　the　Father　and　the　Mother。　And　being　　exceedingly　frightened；　I　did　as　I　was　told。
　　　〃I　looked　up　at　their　faces；　as　blood　drinkers　have　done　since　time　immemorial　and　I　saw　no　vitality；　no　subtlety　of　expression；　only　the　relaxation　of　dumb　animals；　no　more。
　　　〃But　then　there　came　a　change　in　the　Mother。　Her　right　hand　was　raised　ever　so　slightly　from　her　lap　and　it　turned　and　thereby　made　the　simplest　beckoning　gesture　to　me。
　　　〃I　was　astonished　by　this　gesture。　So　these　creatures　lived　and　breathed？　Or　was　it　trickery；　some　form　of　magic？　I　didn't　know。
　　　〃My　Maker；　ever　so　crude　even　at　this　sacred　moment；　said；　'Ah；　go　to　her；　drink　her　blood。　She　is　the　Mother　of　us　all。'　And　with　his　bare　foot；　he　kicked　me。　'She　is　the　First　One；'　he　said。　'Drink。'
　　　〃The　other　blood　drinkers　began　to　quarrel　with　him　fiercely；　speaking　the　old　Egyptian　tongue　again；　telling　him　that　the　gesture　wasn't　clear；　that　the　Mother　might　destroy　me；　and　who　was　he　to　give　such　a　mand；　and　how　dare　he　e　to　this　temple　with　a　pitiful　female　blood　drinker　who　was　as　soiled　and　untutored　as　he　was。
　　　〃But　he　overrode　them。　'Drink　her　blood　and　your　strength　will　be　beyond　measure；'　he　said。　Then　he　lifted　me　to　my　feet　and　all　but　threw　me　forward　so　that　I　landed　with　my　hands　on　the　marble　steps　before　the　throne。
　　　〃The　other　blood　drinkers　were　shocked　by　his　behavior。　I　heard　a　low　laugh　from　my　Maker。　But　my　eyes　were　on　the　King　and　the　Queen。
　　　〃I　saw　that　the　Queen　had　moved　her　hand　again；　opening　her　fingers；　and　though　her　eyes　never　changed；　the　beckoning　gesture　was　certain。
　　　〃　'From　her　neck；'　said　my　Maker。　'Don't　be　afraid。　She　never　destroys　those　whom　she　beckons。　Do　as　I　say。'　And　I　did。
　　　　〃I　drank　as　much　from　her　as　I　was　able　to　drink。　And　mark　my　words；　Marius；　this　was　over　three　hundred　years　before　the　Elder　ever　put　the　Mother　and　Father　in　the　Great　Fire。　And　I　was　to　drink　from　her　more　than　once。　Heed　my　words；　more　than　once；　long　before　you　ever　came　to　Alexandria；　long　before　you　took　our　King　and　Queen。〃
　　　She　raised　her　dark　black　eyebrows　slightly　as　she　looked　at　me；　as　though　she　wanted　me　to　understand　her　point　most　keenly。　She　was　very　very　strong。
　　　〃But　Eudoxia；　when　I　did　e　to　Alexandria；〃　I　answered　her。　〃When　I　came　in　search　of　the　Mother　and　Father；　and　to　discover　who　had　put　them　in　the　sun；　you　weren't　there　in　the　temple。　You　weren't　in　Alexandria。　At　least　you　didn't　make　yourself　known　to　me。〃
　　　〃No；〃　she　said；　〃I　was　in　the　city　of　Ephesus　where　I　had　gone　with　another　blood　drinker　whom　the　Fire　destroyed。　Or　I　should　say；　I　was　making　my　way　home　to　Alexandria；　to　find　the　reason　for　the　Fire；　and　to　drink　of　the　healing　fount；　when　you　took　the　Mother　and　Father　away。〃
　　　She　gave　me　a　delicate　but　cold　smile。
　　　〃Can　you　imagine　my　anguish　when　I　discovered　that　the　Elder　was　dead　and　the　temple　was　empty？　When　the　few　survivors　of　the　temple　told　me　that　a　Roman　named　Marius　had　e　and　stolen　our　King　and　Queen？〃
　　　I　said　nothing；　but　her　resentment　was　plain。　Her　face　displayed　its　human　emotions。　A　shimmer　of　blood　tears　rose　in　her　round　dark　eyes；
　　　〃Time　has　healed　me；　Marius；〃　she　said；　〃because　I　contain　a　great　deal　of　the　Queen's　blood；　and　was　from　the　moment　of　my　making　very　strong。　Indeed；　the　Great　Fire　only　turned　me　a　dark　brown　color；　with　small　pain。　But　if　you　hadn't　taken　Akasha　away　from　Alexandria；　she　would　have　let　me　drink　her　blood　again；　and　I　would　have　been　healed　quickly。　It　would　not　have　taken　so　long。〃
　　　〃And　would　you　drink　the　Queen's　blood　now；　Eudoxia？　〃　I　asked。　〃Is　that　what　you　mean　to　do？　For　surely　you　know　why　I　did　what　I　did。　Surely　you　know　it　was　the　Elder　who　put　the　Mother　and　the　Father　in　the　sun。〃
　　　
　　　
　　　She　didn't　answer。　I　couldn't　tell　whether　this　information　surprised　her　or　not。　She　was　perfectly　concealed。　Then　she　said：
　　　〃Do　I　need　the　blood　now；　Marius？　Look　at　me。　What　do　you　see？〃
　　　I　hesitated　to　answer。　Then　I　did：
　　　〃No；　you　don't　need　it；　Eudoxia；〃　I　said。　〃Unless　such　blood　is　always　a　blessing。〃
　　　She　looked　at　me　for　a　long　moment　and　then　she　nodded　her　head　slowly；　almost　drowsily　and　her　dark　eyebrows　came　together　in　a　small　frown。
　　　〃Always　a　blessing？〃　she　asked；　repeating　my　words。　〃I　don't　know　if　it　is　always　a　blessing。〃
　　　〃Will　you　tell　me　more　of　your　story？　What　happened　after　you　first　drank　from　Akasha？　After　your　Maker　went　his　way？〃　I　put　these　questions　gently。　〃Did　you　reside　in　the　temple　once　your　Maker　had　left？〃
　　　This　seemed　to　give　her　the　moment　of　recollection　that　she　required。
　　　〃No；　I　didn't　remain　there；〃　she　said。　〃Though　the　priests　coaxed　me；　telling　me　wild　stories　of　old　worship；　and　that　the　Mother　was　imperishable；　save　from　the　sunlight；　and　should　she　ever　burn；　so　would　we　all。　There　was　one　among　them　who　made　quite　a　point　of　this　warning；　as　though　the　prospect　tantalized　him…。〃
　　　〃The　Elder；〃　I　said；　〃who　eventually　sought　to　prove　it。〃
　　　〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃But　to　me　he　was　no　Elder；　and　I　did　not　heed　his　words。
　　　〃I　went　out；　free　of　my　Maker；　and；　left　with　his　house　and　his　treasure；　I　decided　upon　another　way　of　life。　Of　course　the　temple　priestsoften　came　to　me　and　harried　me　that　I　was　profane　and　reckless；　but　as　they　did　no　more　than　that；　I　paid　them　no　heed。
　　　〃I　could　easily　pass　for　human　then；　especially　if　I　covered　my　skin　with　certain　oils。〃　She　sighed。　〃And　I　was　used　to　passing　for　a　young　man。　It　was　a　simple　matter　for　me　to　make　a　fine　household；　to　acquire　good　clothes；　that　is；　to　pass　from　poor　to　rich　in　a　matter　of　nights。
　　　〃I　gave　out　word　in　the　schools　and　in　the　marketplace　that　I　could　write　letters　for　people；　and　that　I　could　copy　books；　and　all　this　by　night　when　the　other　copyists　had　quit　and　gone　home。　And　arranging　a　big　study　in　my　house；　with　plenty　of　light；　I　set　to　doing　this　for　human　beings；　and　this　was　how　I　came　to　know　them；　and　came　to　know　what　the　teachers　were　teaching　by　day。
　　　
　　　〃What　an　agony　it　was　that　I　couldn't　hear　the　great　philosophers　who　held　forth　in　the　daylight　hours；　but　I　did　very　well　with　this　nocturnal　occupation；　and　I　had　what　I　wanted；　the　warm　voices　of　humans　speaking　to　me。　I　befriended　mortals。　And　on　many　an　evening　my　house　was　filled　with　banqueting　guests。
　　　〃I　learned　of　the　world　from　s