anner.bloodandgold-第69节
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No sooner did I reach my bedchamber than Amadeo came into my arms。
I covered his head with kisses and then his warm mouth； taking the breath from him； and then with the smallest bite； giving him the Blood。
〃Would you be what I am； Amadeo？〃 I asked。 〃Would you be changeless forever？ Would you live a secret for eternity？〃
〃Yes； Master；〃 he said with a feverish abandon。 He laid both his warm hands on the sides of my face。 〃Give it to me； Master。 Do you think I've not brooded upon it？ I know that you fathom our minds。 Master； I want it。 Master； how is it done？ Master； I'm yours。〃
〃Find the heaviest cloak to protect you against the winter；〃 I said； 〃And then e up to me on the roof。〃
It seemed scarcely a moment before he joined me。 I looked out towards the sea。 The wind was strong。 I wondered if it hurt him and I did fathom his mind； and I measured his passion。
And looking into his brown eyes I knew that he had left the mortal world behind him more effortlessly perhaps than any other mortal I might have plucked from my garden； for those memories still festered within him； though he was disposed pletely to believe in me。
I wrapped him in my arms and； covering his face； I carried him with me down into a wretched district of Venice； in which thieves and
beggars slept where they could。 The canals reeked of refuse and dead fish。
There I found a mortal victim within minutes； and to Amadeo's amazement caught the miserable fellow with preternatural speed as he sought to stab me； and brought him up to my lips。
I let Amadeo see the cunning teeth with which I pierced the throat of the wretch； and then my eyes closed and I became Marius； the blood drinker； Marius； the slayer of the Evil Doer； and the blood flowed into me； and it did not matter to me that Amadeo was witness； that Amadeo was there。
When it was finished； I dropped the body silently into the filthy water of the canal。
I turned； feeling the blood in my face and in my chest and then slowly moving into my hands。 My vision was dim； and I knew that I was smiling…not a vicious smile； you understand； but something secretive and beyond anything the child had ever beheld。
When at last I looked at him； I saw only amazement。
〃Have you no tears for the man； Amadeo？〃 I asked。 〃Have you no questions as to the disposition of his soul？ Without Sacred Rites； he died。 He died only for me。〃
〃No； Master；〃 he answered； and then a smile played on his lips as though it were a flame which had sprung from mine。 〃It's marvelous what I saw； Master。 What do I care for his body or his soul？〃
I was too angry to respond。 There had been no lesson in it！ He was too young； the night too dark； the man too wretched； and all that I had foreseen had e to nought。
Once again； I wrapped him in my cloak； covering his face so that he could see nothing as I traveled through the air silently； moving over the rooftops and then breaking deftly and silently through an upper window that had been shuttered against the night air。
Through the rear chambers of the house； I moved from this breach till we stood together in the shadowy and sumptuous bedroom of Bianca； and through the salons before us； I saw her turn from her guests。 I saw her ing to us。
〃Why are we here； Master？〃 asked Anmdeo。 He looked towards the front rooms fearfully。
〃You would see it again to understand it；〃 I said angrily。 〃You would see it among those whom we claim to love。〃
〃But how； Master？〃 Amadeo demanded。 〃What are you saying？ What do you mean to do？〃
'T hunt the Evil Doer； child；〃 I said to him。 〃And you shall see that there is evil here as rich as there was in that poorling whom I
mitted to the dark water； unconfessed and unmourned。〃
Bianca stood before us； asking us as gently as she could； How had we e to be in her private rooms？ Her pale eyes looked at me searchingly。
Quickly I accused her。
〃Tell him； rny beloved beauty；〃 I said； my voice muted so that the pany should take no notice； 〃tell him what awful deeds lie behind your gentle posure。 Tell him what poison guests have drunk beneath your roof。〃
How calm she was as she answered me。
〃You anger me； Marius。 You e improperly。 You accuse me without authority。 Leave me and e again in the gentle manner in which you have e so many times before。〃
Amadeo was trembling。 〃Please； Master； let us leave here。 We have nothing but love for Bianca。〃
〃Oh； but I would have more of her； rather than love of her；〃 I said to hjm。 〃I would have her blood。〃
〃No； Master；〃 Amadeo whispered。 〃Master； I beg you。〃 〃Yes； for it's evil blood；〃 I said； 〃and it's all the more savoiy to rne。 I would drink the stuff of murderers。 Tell him； Bianca； of wine laced with potions； and lives forfeit for those who have made you the
instrument of their most wicked plans。〃
〃Leave me now；〃 she said again without the slightest fear of me。 Her eyes blazed。 〃Marius de Romanus； you cannot judge me。 Not you with your magician's powers； not you with your boys。 I will say nothing except that you must leave my house。〃
I moved to take her in my arms。 I did not know when I would stop but only that I would reveal the horror of it to him； that he must see it； he must see the suffering； he must see the pain。
〃Master；〃 he whispered； struggling to e between us； 〃I will give up my petitions to you forever； if only you do not harm her。 Do you understand？ Master； I will beg nothing further。 Let her go。〃
I held her； looking down at her； smelling the sweetest perfume of her youth； her hair； her blood。
〃Take her and I die with her； Master；〃 said Amadeo。
It was enough。 It was more than enough。
I moved away from her。 I felt a strange confusion。 The music in the rooms became a noise。 I think I sat upon her bed。 The blood thirst in me was terrible。 I might have slain them all； I thought； looking toward the crowd beyond； and then I believe I said：
〃We are murderers together； you and I； Bianca。〃
I saw that Amadeo was weeping。 He stood with his back to the pany。 His face was glistening with tears。
And she； she the fragrant beauty with her braided blond hair came to sit beside me； so boldly； and to take my hand； my very hand。
〃We are murderers together； my lord；〃 she said； 〃yes； I can speak for myself as you demanded。 But understand that I am given the missions by those who would as easily send me to Hell in the same way。 It is they who mix the potions for the fatal wine。 It is they who mark those who would receive it。 And I know not the reasons。 I know only that if I do not obey； I shall die。〃
〃Then tell me who they are； my exquisite darling；〃 I said。 〃I am hungry for them。 So hungry you can't dream。〃
〃They are my kinsmen； sir；〃 she said。 〃Such has been my heritage。 Such has been my family。 Such have been my guardians here。〃
She had begun to weep but she clung to me； as though rny strength were the only truth for her suddenly and indeed I realized it was。
My threats of moments ago had only bound her to me all the more firmly； and Amadeo drew close； urging me to kill all those who kept her under their power； all those who made her wretched； whatever the ties of blood。
I held her as she bowed her head。 From her mind； so often confusing to me； I read the names as though they were written in plain script。
I knew the men； all Florentines who had e often to call on her。 Tonight they held a feast in a neighboring house。 They were moneylenders； some might have called them bankers； but those they murdered were those from whom they had borrowed and did not wish to repay。
〃You shall be rid of them； my beauty；〃 I said to her。 I touched her lightly with my lips。
She turned to me； and gave me countless and violent small kisses。
〃And what shall I owe for this？ 〃 she asked； even as she kissed me； even as her hands reached to stroke my hair。
〃Only that you say nothing of what you saw in me tonight。〃
She gazed at me with her tranquil oval eyes； and her mind closed up； as though she would never reveal to me her thoughts again。
〃You have my pledge； my lord；〃 she whispered。 〃And so my soul grows ever more heavy。〃
〃No； I shall take the weight from it；〃 I said； as we made to go。
How sad seemed her sudden tears。 I kissed her； tasting them；wishing they were blood and forever forswearing the blood within her。
〃Don't weep for those who have used you；〃 I whispered。 〃Go back to the gaiety and the music。 Leave the dark missions to me。〃
We found the Florentines drunk at their banquet； paying us no heed as we entered without introduction or explanation and took our places at the overladen table。 A noisy band of musicians played。 The floor was slippery witj spilt wine。
Amadeo was eager for it； filled with excitement； attentive to my slow and methodical seduction of each one of them； as I drank the blood lustily； and let the bodies tip forward upon the groaning board。 The musicians fled。
Within an hour I had skin them all； these kinsmen of Bianca； and only for the very last of them； he who had talked the longest with me； quite unawares of what was happening all about him…only for him did Amadeo
