anner.bloodandgold(v2)-第67节
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。〃
I sighed。
He tore open the front of his jerkin and then took it off。
〃Why do I accept your hospitality？〃 he asked。 〃I don't know the answer。 Perhaps I feel that having helped yourself to so many mortal delights； you owe some help to another blood drinker who is lost in time as always； wandering from country to country； marveling sometimes and at others merely getting dust in his eyes。〃
〃Tell yourself anything you like；〃 I said。 〃You are wele to the clothes and to shelter。 But tell me at once。 What's happened to Avicus and Zenobia？ Do they travel with you？ Do you know where they are？〃
〃I have no idea where they are；〃 he said； 〃and surely you sensed it before you asked… It has been so long since I saw either of them that I cannot reckon the years or the centuries。 It was Avicus who put her up to it； and off they went together。 They left me in Constantinople； and I can't say that it came to me as a dreadful surprise。 There had been terrible coldness between us before the parting。 Avicus loved her。 She loved him more than me。 That was all that was required。〃
〃I'm sad to hear it。〃
〃Why？〃 he asked。 〃You left the three of us。 And you left her with us； that was the worst of it。 We were two for so long； and then you forced Zenobia into our pany。〃
〃For the love of Hell； stop blaming me for everything；〃 I said under my breath。 〃Will you never cease with your accusations？ Am I the author of every evil that ever befell you； Mael？ What must I do to be absolved so that there might be silence？ It was you； Mael； you；〃 I whispered； 〃who took me from my mortal life by force and brought me； shackled and helpless； into your accursed Druid grove！〃
The anger spilled from me as I struggled to keep my voice down。
He seemed quite amazed by it。
〃And so you do despise me； Marius；〃 he said； smiling。 〃I had thought you far too clever for such a simple feeling… Yes； I took you prisoner； and you took the secrets； and I've been cursed one way or the other； ever since。〃
I had to step back from this。 I did not want it。 I stood calmly until the anger left me。 Let the truth be damned。
For some reason this brought out the kindness in him。 As he removed his rags； and kicked them away； he spoke of Avicus and Zenobia。
〃The two of them were always slipping into the Emperor's palace where they would hunt the shadows；〃 he said。 〃Zenobia seldom dressed as a boy as you taught her。 She was too fond of sumptuous clothes； you should have seen the gowns she wore。 And her hair； I think I loved it more than she did。〃
〃I don't know if that's possible；〃 I said softly。 I saw the vision of her in his mind； and confused it with the vision of her in my own。
〃Avicus continued to be the student；〃 he said with slight contempt。 〃He mastered Greek。 He read everything he could find。 You were always his inspiration。 He imitated you。 He bought books without knowing what they were。 On and on； he read。〃
〃Maybe he did know；〃 I suggested。 ''Who can say？〃 〃I can say；〃 Mael answered。 〃I've known you both； and he was an idiot gathering poetry and history for nothing。 He wasn't even looking for something。 He embraced words and phrases on account of how they felt。〃
〃And where and how did you spend your hours； Mael？〃 I asked； my voice far more cold than I had hoped。
〃I hunted the dark hills beyond the city；〃 he responded。 〃I hunted the soldiery。 I hunted for the brutal Evil Doer； as you know。 I was the vagabond； and they were dressed as though they were part of the Imperial Court。〃
〃Did they ever make another？〃 I asked。 〃No！〃 he said； scoffing。 〃Who would do such a thing？〃 I didn't answer。
〃And you； did you ever make another？ 〃 I asked。 〃No；〃 he responded。 He frowned… 〃How would I find someone strong enough？〃 he asked。 He seemed puzzled。 〃How would I know that a human had the endurance for the Blood？〃 〃And so you move through the world alone。〃 〃I'll find another blood drinker to be a panion；〃 he said。 〃Didn't I find that cursed Santino in Rome？ Maybe I'll lure one from among the Satan worshipers。 They can't all like a miserable life in the catabs； wearing black robes and singing Latin hymns。〃
I nodded。 I could see now that he was ready for the bath。 I didn't want to keep him any longer。
When I spoke it was in a genial manner。
〃The house is enormous as you see；〃 I said。 〃There is a locked room on the first floor to the far right side。 It has no windows。 You may sleep there by day if you like。〃
He gave a low contemptuous laugh。 〃The clothes are quite enough； my friend； and perhaps just a few hours during which I might rest。〃
〃I don't mind。 Stay here； out of sight of the others。 See the bath there。 Use it。 I'll e for you when all the boys are asleep。〃
When next I saw him it was all too soon。
He came out of the bedroom and into the large salon in which I stood relinquishing my hold on Riccardo and Amadeo with the strong admonition that they could go to Bianca's for the evening and nowhere else。
Amadeo saw him。 Again； for several fatal moments； Amadeo saw him。 And I knew that something deep inside Amadeo recognized Mael for the creature that he was。 But like so many things in the mind of Amadeo； it wasn't conscious； and the boys left me with quick kisses； off to sing their songs to Bianca； and be flattered by everyone there。
I was impatient with Mael that he had e out of the bedchamber； but I didn't say it。
〃So you would make a blood drinker of that one；〃 he said； pointing to the door through which the boys had left us。 He smiled。
I was in a silent fury。 I glared at him； as always in such situations； quite unable to speak。
He stood there smiling at me in sinister fashion and then he said； 〃Marius of the many names and the many houses and the many lifetimes。 So you have chosen a lovely child。〃
I shook it off。 How had he read from my mind my desire for Amadeo？
〃You've grown careless；〃 he said softly。 〃Listen to me； Marius。 I don't speak to insult you。 YOU walk with a heavy step among mortals；。 And that boy is very young。〃
〃Don't speak another word to me；〃 I answered； pulling hard on my anger to rein it in。
〃Forgive me；〃 he said； 〃I only spoke my mind。〃
〃I know you did； but I don't want to hear any more。〃
I looked him over。 He was rather handsome in his new attire； though a few little details were absurdly crooked and not tucked properly； but I was not the one to make them right。 He struck me as not only barbaric； but ical。 But I knew that anyone else would think him an impressive man。
I hated him； but not pletely。 And as I stood there with him； I almost gave way to tears。 Quite suddenly； to stem this emotion； I spoke。
〃 What have you learnt in all this time？〃 I asked。
〃That's an arrogant question！〃 he said in a low voice。 〃What have you learnt？〃
I told him my theories； about how the West had risen again； once more drawing upon the old classics which Rome had taken from Greece。 I spoke of how the art of the old Empire was re…created now throughout Italy and I spoke of the fine cities of the North of Europe； prosperous as those of the South。 And then I explained how it seemed to me that the Eastern Empire had fallen to Islam and was no more。 The Greek world had been irrevocably lost。
〃We have the West again； don't you see？〃 I asked。
He looked at me as though I were perfectly mad。
〃Well？ 〃I responded。
There came a slight change in his face。
〃Witness in the Blood；〃 he said； repeating the words I'd spoken earlier； 〃watcher of the years。〃
He put his arms forward as though to embrace me。 His eyes were clear and I could sense no malice at all。
〃You've given me courage；〃 he said。
〃For what； may I ask？〃 I responded。
〃To continue my wandering；〃 he said。 He let his arms slowly drop。
I nodded。 What more was there for us to say？
〃You have all you need？〃 I asked。 〃I have plenty of Venetian or Florentine coin。 You know that wealth is nothing to me。 I'm happy to share what I have。〃
〃It's nothing to me either；〃 he said。 〃I shall get what I need from my next victim； and his blood and wealth will carry me to one after that。〃
〃So be it；〃 I said； which meant that I wanted him to leave me； But even as he realized it； as he turned to go； I reached out and took him by the arm。 〃Forgive me that I was cold to you；〃 I said。 〃We've been panions in time。〃
It was a strong embrace。
And I walked with him down to the front entrance where the torches shone too brightly on us for my taste； and saw him virtually disappear into the dark。
In a matter of seconds； I could hear no more of him。 I gave silent thanks。
I reflected。 How I hated Mael。 How I feared him。 Yet I had loved him once； loved him when we'd been mortals even； and I'd been his prisoner and he had been the Druid priest teaching me the hymns of the Faithful of the Forest； for what purpose； I didn't know。
And I had loved him on that long voyage to Constantinople； surely； and in that city when I'd given over Zenobia to him and Avicus； wishing them all well。
But I did not want him near me now！ I wanted my house； my children； Amadeo； Bianca。 I wanted my Venice。 I wanted
