anner.bloodandgold(v2)-第83节

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I　was　too　strong　for　their　designs；　but　Amadeo　they　took！〃
　　　〃Stop　it；　Marius；　you　rave；〃　she　said　fearfully。　She　put　out　her　hand　and　touched　my　gloved　fingers。
　　　〃Oh；　but　I　must　rave　just　for　a　moment。　They　took　him　and　I　could　hear　him　begging　them　for　explanations；　and　all　the　boys；　they　took　the　boys　too。　Why　did　they　do　this？〃
　　　I　stared　at　her　through　the　mask；　unable　to　imagine　what　she　saw　or　read　from　this　strange　artificial　countenance　in　her　heated　mind。　The　scent　of　her　blood　was　almost　overpowering　and　her　sweetness　seemed　part　of　another　world。
　　　〃Why　did　they　let　you　live；　Bianca；　for　surely　I　had　not　e　in　time？〃
　　　〃Your　pupils；　those　were　the　ones　they　wanted；〃　she　answered；　〃they　captured　them　in　nets。　I　saw　the　nets。　I　screamed　and　screamed　and　screamed　out　of　the　front　doorway。　They　did　not　care　about　me　except　to　draw　you　on；　and　what　could　I　do　when　I　saw　you　but　cry　out　for　your　help　against　them？　Did　I　do　wrong？　Is　it　wrong　that　I'm　alive？〃
　　　〃No；　don't　think　such。　No。〃　I　reached　out　as　carefully　as　I　could　and　squeezed　her　hand　with　my　gloved　fingers。　〃You　must　tell　me　if　this　grip　is　too　strong。〃
　　　〃Never　too　strong；　Marius；〃　she　said。　〃Oh；　trust　in　me　as　you　ask　that　I　trust　in　you。〃
　　　I　shook　my　head。　The　pain　was　so　terrible　I　couldn't　speak　for　a　moment。　My　mind　and　body　both　were　pain。　I　could　not　endure　what　had　befallen　me。　I　could　not　endure　the　hopeless　climb　which　stood　before　me　and　my　future　self。
　　　〃We　remain　here　together；　you　and　I；〃　she　said；　〃when　surely　there　is　much　to　be　done　to　heal　you。　Let　me　serve　your　magic。　I　have　already　told　you　that　I　will。〃
　　　〃But　what　do　you　truly　know　of　it；　Bianca？　Have　you　truly　understood？　〃
　　　〃Is　it　not　blood；　my　lord？〃　she　asked。　〃Do　you　think　I　cannot　remember　when　you　took　Amadeo；　dying；　into　your　own　arms？　Nothing　could　have　saved　him　such　as　that　transformation　which　I　saw　forever　after　in　him。　You　know　that　I　saw　it。　I　knew。　You　know　that　I　did。〃
　　　
　　　
　　　I　closed　my　eyes。　I　took　my　breaths　slowly。　The　pain　was　terrible。　Her　words　were　lulling　me　and　making　me　believe　that　I　was　not　miserable；　but　where　would　this　path　lead？
　　　I　tried　to　read　her　mind　but　in　my　exhaustion　I　could　not。
　　　I　wanted　so　to　touch　her　face；　and　then　believing　in　the　softness　of　the　glove；　I　did　it；　stroking　her　cheek。　The　tears　welled　in　her　eyes。
　　　〃Where　is　Amadeo　gone？〃　she　said　desperately。
　　　〃South　by　sea；〃　I　confessed；　〃and　to　Rome；　that　is　my　belief　on　it；　but　don't　question　me　now　as　to　why。　Let　me　say　only　that　it　was　an　enemy　of　mine　who　made　this　siege　upon　my　house　and　those　I　love；　and　in　Rome　is　where　he　dwells；　and　those　he　sent　to　harm　me　and　Amadeo　e　from　Rome。
　　　〃I　should　have　destroyed　him。　I　should　have　foreseen　this。　But　in　vanity　I　displayed　my　powers　to　him；　and　brushed　him　aside。　And　so　he　sent　his　followers　in　great　numbers　so　that　I　couldn't　overe　them。　Oh；　how　foolish　I　was　not　to　divine　what　he　would　do。　But　what　is　the　use　of　saying　it　now？　I'm　weak；　Bianca。　I　have　no　means　to　reclaim　Amadeo。　I　must　somehow　regain　my　own　strength。〃
　　　〃Yes；　Marius；〃　she　said。　〃I　understand　you。〃
　　　〃I　pray　with　all　my　heart　that　Amadeo　uses　the　powers　I　gave　him；〃　I　confessed；　〃for　they　were　great　and　he's　very　strong。〃
　　　〃Yes；　Marius；〃　she　said。　〃I　understand　what　you　say。〃
　　　〃It's　to　Marius　that　I　look　now；〃　I　said　again　guiltily　and　sadly。　〃It's　to　Marius　that　I　look；　for　I　must。〃
　　　A　silence　fell　between　us。　There　was　no　sound　except　the　crackling　of　the　torch　in　its　sconce　high　on　the　wall。
　　　Again　I　tried　to　read　her　mind；　but　I　could　not。　It　was　not　only　my　weakness。　It　was　a　resolute　quality　in　her　just　now。　For　though　she　loved　me；　there　were　thoughts　conflicting　in　her；　and　a　wall　had　been　thrown　up　to　keep　me　from　knowing　what　they　were。
　　　〃Bianca；〃　I　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃you　saw　the　transformation　in　Amadeo；　but　did　you　really　understand？〃
　　　〃I　did；　my　lord；〃　she　said。
　　　〃You　can　guess　the　source　of　his　strength　forever　after　that　night？〃
　　　〃I　know　it；　my　lord；〃　she　answered。
　　　〃I　don't　believe　you；〃　I　said　gently。　〃You　dream　when　you　say　you　know。〃
　　　〃Oh；　but　I　do　know；　Marius；　As　I　have　only　just　reminded　you；　I　recall　only　too　well　how　you　came　into　my　very　bedchamber　thirsting　for　my　blood。〃
　　　
　　　
　　　She　reached　out　to　touch　the　sides　of　my　face　in　consolation。　　I　put　up　my　gloved　hand　to　stop　her。
　　　〃I　knew　then；〃　she　said；　〃that　you　fed　upon　the　dead　somehow。　That　you　took　their　souls；　or　perhaps　only　their　blood。　I　knew　then　it　was　one　or　the　other；　and　the　musicians　who　fled　that　banquet　at　which　you'd　slain　my　kinsmen…they　spoke　of　your　giving　my　unfortunate　cousins　a　kiss　of　death。〃
　　　I　gave　a　low　soft　laugh。
　　　〃How　very　careless　I　was；　and　believed　myself　to　be　so　masterly。　What　a　strange　thing。　And　no　wonder　is　it　that　I　have　fallen　so　far。〃
　　　I　took　again　a　deep　breath；　feeling　the　pain　all　through　me；　and　the　thirst　unbearably。　Had　I　ever　been　that　powerful　creature　who　so　dazzled　many　that　he　could　slaughter　a　gathering　of　mortals　and　no　one　would　dare　accuse　save　in　whispers？　Had　I　ever。。。？　But　there　was　too　much　to　remember；　and　for　how　long　would　I　remember　before　even　the　smallest　part　of　my　power　was　restored？
　　　But　she　was　staring　at　me　with　brilliant　inquisitive　eyes。
　　　Then　came　from　my　lips　the　truth　which　I　could　no　longer　hide。
　　　〃It　was　the　blood　of　the　living；　beautiful　girl；　always　the　blood　of　the　living；〃　I　said　desperately。　〃It　is　the　blood　of　the　living　and　only　the　blood　of　the　living　and　must　be　the　blood　of　the　living；　do　you　understand？　It's　how　I　exist　and　always　have　existed　since　I　was　taken　out　of　mortal　life　by　malicious　and　disciplined　hands。〃
　　　She　made　a　small　frown　as　she　stared　at　me；　but　she　did　not　look　away。　Then　she　nodded　as　if　to　tell　me　that　I　might　go　on。
　　　〃e　close　to　me；　Bianca；〃　I　whispered。　〃Believe　me　when　I　tell　you　that　I　existed　when　Venice　was　nothing。　When　Florence　had　not　risen；　I　was　alive。　And　I　cannot　linger　long　here　suffering。　I　must　find　blood　to　restore　me。　I　must　have　it。　I　must　have　it　as　soon　as　I　can。〃
　　　Again　she　nodded。　She　stared　at　me　as　firmly　as　before。　She　was　shivering；　and　she　brought　up　out　of　her　clothes　a　linen　handkerchief　and　wiped　at　her　tears。
　　　What　could　these　words　mean　to　her？　They　must　have　sounded　like　old　poetry。　HOW　could　I　expect　her　to　grasp　what　I　had　said？
　　　Her　eyes　never　wavered。
　　　〃The　Evil　Doer；〃　she　confessed　suddenly。　〃My　lord；　Amadeo　told　me；〃　she　whispered。　〃I　cannot　play　the　game　any　longer　that　I　don't　know。　You　feed　upon　the　Evil　Doer。　Don't　be　angry。　Amadeo　confided　his　secret　a　long　time　ago。〃
　　　I　was　angry。　Instantly　and　pletely；　I　was　angry；　but　what　did　it　matter？　Hadn't　this　dreadful　catastrophe　swept　everything　in　its　path？
　　　So　Amadeo　had　confided　the　secret　to　our　beauteous　Bianca　after　all　his　tears　and　promises　to　me！　So　I　had　been　the　fool　for　confiding　in　a　mere　child。　So　I　had　been　the　fool　to　let　Santino　live！　What　did　it　matter　now？
　　　She　had　grown　still　and　was　staring　at　me　yet；　her　eyes　full　of　the　fire　of　the　torch；　her　lower　lip　trembling；　and　a　sigh　ing　out　of　her　as　though　she　was　about　to　cry　again。
　　　〃I　can　bring　the　Evil　Doer　here　to　this　chamber；〃　she　said；　her　face　quickening。　〃I　can　bring　the　Evil　Doer　down　these　very　steps。〃
　　　〃And　suppose　such　a　being　should　overpower　you　before　you　have　reached　this　place；〃　I　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃how　then　should　I　establish　any　justice　or　revenge？　No；　you　cannot　take　such　a　risk。〃
　　　〃But　I　will　do　it。　Rely　upon　me。〃　Her　eyes　grew　brighter　and　it　seemed　she　looked　about；　as　though　absorbing　the　beauty　of　the　walls。　〃How　long　have　I　kept　your　secret？　I　don't　know；　only　that　nothing　could　pry　it　from　me。　And　no　matter　what　others　suspected　never　did　I　betray　you　with　one　word。〃
　　　〃My　precious；　my　darling；〃　I　whispered。　〃You　will　not　take　such　risks　for　me。　Let　me　think　now；　let　me　use　whatever　powers　of　mind　still　remain　to　me。　Let　us　sit　here　in　quiet。〃
　　　She　seemed　perturbed　and　then　her　face　hardened。
　　　〃Give　me　the　Blood；　my　lord；〃　she　said　suddenly；　her　voice　low　and　quick。　〃Give　it　to　me。　Make　me　what　you　made　Amadeo。　Make　me　a　blood　drinker；　and　then　I　will　have　the　strength　to　bring　the　Evil　Doer　to　you。　You　know　it　is　the　way。〃
　　　I　was　pletely　caught　off　guard。
　　　I　cannot　say　that　in　my　burnt　soul　I　had　not　thought　of　this　very　action…I　had　thought　of　it　immediately　when　I　had　heard　her　weeping…but　to　hear　it　e　from　her　own　lips；　and　with　such　spirit；　that　was　more　than　I　had　ever　expected；　and　I　knew　as　I　had　known　from　the　beginning　that　it　was　the　perfect　plan。
　　　But　I　must　think　on　this！　Not　only　for　her　sake；　but　for　my　own。　Once　the　magic　had　worked　in　her…assuming　that　I　had　the　strength　to　give　it…how　then　would　we；　two　weak　blood　drinkers；　hunt　the　city　of　Venice　for　the　blood　we　needed　and　then　make　the　long　journey　North？
　　　As　a　mortal　she　might　have　brought　me　to　the　Alpine　pass　of　Those　Who　Must　Be　Kept　by　means　of　a　wagon　and　armed　guards；　whom　I　might　have　left　in　the　small　hours　to　visit　the　chapel　alone。
　　　As　a　blood　drinker；　she　would　have　to　sleep　by　day　with　me；　and　therefo