anner.bloodandgold(v2)-第20节

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　　　I　lay　on　the　cold　hard　floor　of　the　shrine；　several　yards　away　from　the　foot　of　the　dais。　I　was　on　my　back。
　　　For　a　moment　I　was　uncertain　of　what　had　happened。　Was　I　injured？　Was　there　to　be　some　terrible　justice　in　store？　But　within　seconds；　I　realized　I　was　as　sound　of　limb　as　ever；　and　that　the　blood　had　greatly　invigorated　me　just　as　I'd　supposed。
　　　I　rose　to　my　knees；　and　made　certain　with　quick　eyes　that　the　Royal　Pair　remained　as　before。　Why　had　I　been　thrown　away　from　Akasha　with　such　violence？　Nothing　was　changed。
　　　Then　for　a　long　time　I　gave　my　silent　thanks　for　what　had　taken　Place。　Only　when　I　was　certain　that　nothing　further　was　to　happen；　I　rose　to　my　feet；　and　declaring　that　I　would　be　back　soon　to　begin　my　decorations　of　the　shrine；　I　left。
　　　I　was　enormously　excited　as　I　returned　to　my　house。　My　increased　agility；　and　keenness　of　mind　were　more　than　wele。　I　determined　to　test　myself；　and　taking　my　dagger；　I　plunged　it　all　the　way　through　my　left　hand；　and　then　withdrew　it；　watching　the　wound　as　it　immediately　healed。
　　　At　once　I　spread　out　a　scroll　of　the　finest　parchment　and　I　began　to　write　in　my　personal　code　which　no　other　could　read；　of　what　had　taken　place。　I　didn't　know　why；　after　taking　the　Sacred　Blood；　I　had　found　myself　on　the　floor　of　the　chapel。
　　　〃The　Queen　has　allowed　me　to　drink　again　from　her；　and　if　this　is　to　happen　often；　if　I　can　take　nourishment　from　our　mysterious　majesty；　I　can　attain　enormous　strength。　Even　the　blood　drinker　Avicus　will　be　no　match　for　me；　though　this　might　have　been　the　case　before　this　night。〃
　　　Indeed；　as　it　turned　out　I　was　precisely　right　about　the　implications　of　this　incident；　and　during　all　the　centuries　to　e；　I　approached　Akasha　again　and　again。
　　　I　did　this　not　only　when　severely　injured…a　tale　I　mean　to　tell　you…but　I　did　it　at　times　when　the　fancy　caught　hold　of　me　as　if　she　had　put　it　in　my　mind。　But　never；　never；　as　I　have　confessed　with　bitterness；　did　she　ever　press　her　teeth　to　my　throat　and　take　from　me　my　own　blood。
　　　No；　that　distinction　was　left　for　the　blood　drinker　Lestat；　as　I　have　said。
　　　In　the　following　months；　this　new　blood　served　me　well。　I　found　that　the　Mind　Gift　was　stronger　in　me。　I　could　well　detect　the　presence　of　Mael　and　Avicus　when　they　were　quite　far　away；　and　though　such　spying　opens　a　mental　passage　as　it　were　by　which　they　could　see　me　as　their　observer；　I　was　able；　after　seeing　them；　to　quickly　close　myself　off。
　　　I　was　also　able　to　tell　quite　easily　when　they　were　searching　for　my　presence；　and　of　course　I　heard；　positively　heard；　their　footsteps　when　they　were　in　the　precincts　of　my　house。
　　　I　also　opened　my　house　to　humans！
　　　The　decision　came　to　me　one　evening　as　I　lay　on　the　grass　in　my　own　garden　dreaming。　I　would　have　regular　banquets。　I　would　invite　the　notorious　and　the　slandered。　I　would　have　music　and　dim　lamps。
　　　I　considered　the　matter　from　every　perspective！　I　knew　that　I　could　arrange　it。　I　knew　that　I　could　fool　mortals　as　to　my　nature；　and　how　their　pany　would　soothe　my　lonely　heart！　I　did　not　go　to　my　daily　rest　in　my　house；　but　in　a　hiding　place　far　from　it；　so　what　danger　could　there　be　in　this　new　decision？　None　whatsoever！
　　　It　could　easily　be　done。
　　　Naturally；　I　would　never　feed　upon　these　guests。　They　would　enjoy　plete　safety　and　hospitality　under　my　roof；　always。　I　would　hunt　in　far　precincts　and　under　cover　of　darkness。　But　my　house；　my　house　would　be　full　of　warmth　and　music　and　life。
　　　Well；　I　went　about　it；　and　it　proved　far　simpler　than　I　had　ever　dreamt。
　　　Having　my　sweet　and　good…natured　old　slaves　lay　out　tables　rich　with　food　and　drink；　I　brought　in　the　disreputable　philosophers　to　talk　away　the　night　to　me；　and　I　listened　to　them　in　their　rambling；　as　I　did　to　the　old　and　neglected　soldiers　who　had　tales　of　war　to　tell　which　their　own　children　did　not　want　to　hear。
　　　Oh；　this　was　a　miracle；　the　admission　of　mortals　to　my　very　rooms；　mortals　who　thought　me　to　be　alive　as　I　nodded　and　coaxed　them　in　their　wine…fed　stories。　I　was　warmed　by　it；　and　I　wished　that　Pandora　were　here　with　me　to　enjoy　it　for　it　was　precisely　the　sort　of　thing　which　she　would　have　wanted　us　to　do。
　　　Soon　my　house　was　never　empty；　and　I　made　the　amazing　discovery　that　should　I　bee　bored　in　the　midst　of　this　heated　and　drunken　pany　it　was　a　simple　matter　for　me　to　get　up　and　go　into　my　library　and　begin　writing；　for　all　the　drunken　guests　simply　went　on　with　each　other；　hardly　noticing　what　I　did　and　only　rousing　themselves　to　greet　me　when　I　returned。
　　　Understand；　I　did　not　bee　a　friend　to　any　of　these　dishonorable　or　disgraced　creatures。　I　was　only　a　warm…hearted　host　and　spectator　who　listened　without　criticism　and　never…until　dawn…turned　anyone　away。
　　　But　it　was　a　far　cry　from　my　former　solitude；　and　without　the　strengthening　blood　of　Akasha；　and　perhaps　without　my　quarrel　with　Avicus　and　Mael；　I　would　never　have　taken　this　step。
　　　And　so　my　house　became　crowded　and　noisy；　and　wine　sellers　sought　me　out　to　offer　their　new　vintages；　and　young　men　came　to　me；　begging　me　to　listen　to　their　songs。
　　　Even　a　few　fashionable　philosophers　appeared　at　my　door　from　time　to　time；　and　once　in　a　while　a　great　teacher；　and　these　I　enjoyed　immensely；　making　very　certain　that　the　lamps　were　very　dim　and　that　the　rooms　were　most　shadowy；　so　frightened　was　I　that　the　sharp…minded　might　discover　that　I　was　not　what　I　pretended　to　be。
　　　　　As　for　my　trips　to　the　shrine　and　Those　Who　Must　Be　Kept；　I　knew　and　traveled　in　total　secrecy　for　my　mind　was　more　securely　cloaked。　
　　　　　And　on　certain　nights…when　the　banquet　in　my　house　could　well　do　without　me…and　I　held　myself　to　be　entirely　safe　from　all　intrusion；　I　went　to　the　shrine　and　did　the　work　which　I　supposed　would　fort　my　poor　Akasha　and　Enkil。
　　　During　these　years；　rather　than　undertake　mosaics　which　had　proved　very　difficult　for　me　in　Antioch；　though　I　had　succeeded；　I　made　murals　on　the　walls　of　the　mon　kind　seen　in　so　many　Roman　houses；　of　frolicking　gods　and　goddesses　in　gardens　of　eternal　springtime　and　bounteous　flowers　and　fruit。
　　　I　was　hard　at　work　one　evening；　singing　to　myself；　happy　among　all　the　pots　of　paint　when　I　suddenly　realized　that　the　garden　I　was　faithfully　rendering　was　in　fact　the　garden　I　had　seen　when　I　drank　Akasha's　blood。
　　　I　stopped；　sat　still　on　the　floor　of　the　shrine；　as　if　I　were　a　child；　with　crossed　legs；　and　looked　up　at　the　venerable　Parents。　Was　it　meant　to　be？
　　　I　had　no　idea。　The　garden　looked　vaguely　familiar。　Had　I　seen　such　a　garden　long　before　I　had　drunk　Akasha's　blood？　I　couldn't　remember。　And　I；　Marius；　prided　myself　upon　my　memory。　I　went　on　with　my　work。　I　covered　over　a　wall　and　started　all　over　again　to　render　it　more　nearly　perfect。　I　made　better　trees　and　shrubbery。　I　painted　the　sunlight　and　the　effects　of　it　upon　green　leaves。
　　　When　inspiration　left　me；　I　would　use　my　blood　drinker　delicacy　to　creep　into　some　fashionable　villa　outside　the　walls　of　the　enormous　and　ever　expanding　city；　and　by　the　faintest　light　peruse　the　inevitably　lush　murals　for　new　figures；　new　dances；　new　attitudes　and　smiles。
　　　Of　course　I　could　do　this　easily　without　waking　anyone　in　the　house；　and　sometimes　I　need　have　no　worry　of　waking　anyone；　for　no　one　was　there。
　　　Rome　was　immense；　busy　as　ever；　but　with　all　the　wars；　with　all　the　shifting　politics　and　scheming　plotters　and　passing　Emperors；　people　were　being　banished　and　recalled　regularly；　and　great　houses　were　often　empty　for　me　to　quietly　wander　and　enjoy。
　　　Meanwhile；　in　my　house；　my　banquets　had　bee　so　famous　that　my　rooms　were　always　full。　And　no　matter　what　my　goal　for　any　night；　I　menced　it　among　the　warm　pany　of　drunkards　who'd　begun　their　feasting　and　quarreling　before　I　ever　arrived。
　　　〃Ah；　Marius；　wele！〃　they　would　cry　out　as　I　came　into　the　room。
　　　How　I　smiled　at　them　all；　my　treasured　pany。
　　　
　　　
　　　Never　did　anyone　suspect　me　of　anything；　and　I　did　grow　to　love　some　of　these　delightful　creatures；　but　always　I　remembered　that　I　was　a　predator　of　men；　and　could　not　therefore　be　loved　by　them；　and　so　I　kept　my　heart　covered　as　it　were。
　　　And　so　with　this　mortal　fort；　the　years　passed；　whilst　I　kept　myself　busy　with　the　energy　of　a　madman；　either　writing　in　my　journals　and　subsequently　burning　them；　or　painting　on　the　walls　of　the　shrine。
　　　Meantime；　the　wretched　serpent　worshiping　blood　drinkers　came　again；　attempting　to　establish　their　absurd　temple　within　one　of　the　neglected　catabs　where　mortal　Christians　no　longer　gathered；　and　once　again；　Avicus　and　Mael　drove　them　away。
　　　I　observed　all　this；　immensely　relieved　that　I　had　not　been　called　upon　to　do　anything；　and　painfully　remembering　when　I　had　slaughtered　such　a　band　in　Antioch　and　subsequently　fallen　into　the　piteous　madness　that　had　cost　me　the　love　of　Pandora　apparently　for　all　time。
　　　But　no；　not　for　all　time；　surely　she　would　e　to　me；　I　thought。　I　wrote　about　it　in　my　journals。
　　　I　put　down　my　pen；　I　closed　my　eyes。　I　longed　for　her。　I　prayed　that　she　would　e　to　me。　I　envisioned　her　with　her　rippling　brown　hair　and　melancholy　oval　face。　I　tried　to　remember　with　exactitude　the　shape　and　the　fine　co