anner.bloodandgold(v2)-第93节

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　　　It　was　later　in　the　night…after　we　had　fed…that　I　would　return　her　to　safety　and　go　off　alone；　testing　the　limits　of　my　powers。
　　　All　the　while　a　strange　thing　was　happening　to　me。　As　I　drank　from　the　Mother　my　vigor　increased。　But　I　also　learned　what　all　injured　blood　drinkers　learn…that　in　healing　I　was　being　stronger　than　I　had　been　before　my　injury。
　　　Of　course　I　gave　Bianca　my　own　blood；　but　as　I　grew　ever　stronger　the　gap　between　us　became　very　great　and　I　saw　it　widening。
　　　There　were　times；　of　course；　when　I　put　the　question　in　my　prayers　as　to　whether　Akasha　would　receive　Bianca。　But　it　seemed　that　the　answer　was　no；　and　so　in　fear　I　didn't　dare　to　test　it。
　　　I　remembered　only　too　well　the　death　of　Eudoxia；　and　I　also　remembered　the　moment　when　Enkil　had　lifted　his　arm　against　Mael。　I　could　not　subject　Bianca　to　possible　injury。
　　　Within　a　short　time；　I　was　easily　able　to　take　Bianca　with　me　through　the　night　to　the　nearby　cities　of　Prague　and　Geneva；　and　there　we　indulged　ourselves　with　some　vision　of　the　civilization　we　had　once　known　in　Venice。
　　　As　for　that　beautiful　capital；　I　would　not　return　to　it；　no　matter　how　much　Bianca　implored　me。　Of　course　she　possessed　nothing　of　the　Cloud　Gift　herself；　and　was　dependent　upon　me　in　a　manner　which　neither　Amadeo　nor　Pandora　had　ever　been。
　　　〃It　is　too　painful　to　me；〃　I　declared。　〃I　will　not　go　there。　You've　lived　here　so　long　as　my　beautiful　nun。　What　is　it　you　want？〃
　　　〃I　want　Italy；〃　she　said　in　a　soft　crestfallen　voice。　And　I　knew　only　too　well　what　she　meant；　but　I　didn't　answer　her。
　　　〃If　I　cannot　have　Italy；　Marius；〃　she　said　at　last；　〃I　must　have　somewhere。〃
　　　She　was　in　the　front　corner　of　the　shrine　when　she　spoke　these　all　too　significant　words；　and　they　were　in　a　hushed　voice；　as　if　she　sensed　a　danger。
　　　We　were　always　reverent　in　the　shrine。　But　we　did　not　whisper　behind　the　Divine　Parents。　We　considered　it　ill…mannered　if　not　downright　disrespectful。
　　　It's　a　strange　thing　when　I　think　of　it。　But　we　could　not　presume　that　Akasha　and　Enkil　did　not　hear　us。　And　therefore　we　often　spoke　in　the　front　corner；　especially　the　one　to　the　left；　which　Bianca　favored；　often　sitting　there　with　her　warmest　cloak　about　her。
　　　When　she　said　these　words　to　me；　she　looked　up　at　the　Queen　as　though　acknowledging　the　interpretation。
　　　〃Let　it　be　her　wish；〃　she　said；　〃that　we　not　pollute　her　shrine　with　our　idleness。〃
　　　I　nodded。　What　else　could　I　do？　Yet　so　many　years　had　passed　in　this　fashion　that　I　had　grown　accustomed　to　this　place　over　any　other。　And　Bianca's　quiet　loyalty　to　me　was　something　I　took　for　granted。
　　　I　sat　down　beside　her　now。
　　　I　took　her　hand　in　mine；　and　noticed　perhaps　for　the　first　time　in　some　while　that　my　skin　was　now　darkly　bronzed　rather　than　black；　and　most　of　the　wrinkles　had　faded。
　　　〃Let　me　make　a　confession　to　you；〃　I　said。　〃We　cannot　live　in　some　simple　house　as　we　did　in　Venice。〃
　　　She　listened　to　me　with　quiet　eyes。
　　　I　went　on。
　　　〃I　fear　those　creatures；　Santino　and　his　demon　spawn。　Decades　have　passed　since　the　fire；　but　they　still　threaten　from　their　hiding　places。〃
　　　〃How　do　you　know　this？〃　she　said。　It　seemed　she　had　a　great　deal　more　to　say　to　me。　But　I　asked　for　her　patience。
　　　I　went　to　my　belongings　and　took　from　them　the　letter　from　Raymond　Gallant。
　　　〃Read　this；〃　I　said。　〃It　will　tell　you；　among　other　things；　that　they　have　spread　their　abominable　ways　as　far　as　the　city　of　Paris。〃
　　　For　a　long　time　I　remained　silent　as　she　read；　and　then　her　immediate　sobs　startled　me。　How　many　times　had　I　seen　Bianca　cry？　Why　was　I　so　unprepared　for　it？　She　whispered　Amadeo's　name。　She　couldn't　quite　bring　herself　to　speak　of　it。
　　　〃What　does　this　mean？〃　she　said。　〃How　do　they　live？　Explain　these　words。　What　did　they　do　to　him？〃
　　　I　sat　beside　her；　begging　her　to　be　calm；　and　then　I　told　her　how　they　lived；　these　Satan　worshiping　fiends；　as　monks　or　hermits；　tasting　the　earth　and　death；　and　how　they　imagined　that　the　Christian　God　had　made　some　place　for　them　in　his　Kingdom。
　　　〃They　starved　our　Amadeo；〃　I　said；　〃they　tortured　him。　This　is　plain　here。　And　when　he　had　given　up　all　hope；　believing　me　to　be　dead；　and　believing　their　piety　to　be　just；　he　became　one　of　them。〃
　　　She　looked　at　me　solemnly；　the　tears　standing　in　her　eyes。
　　　〃Oh；　how　often　I've　seen　you　cry；〃　I　said。　〃But　not　of　late；　and　not　so　bitterly　as　you　cry　for　him。　Be　assured　I　have　not　forgotten　him　either。〃
　　　She　shook　her　head　as　if　her　thoughts　were　not　in　accord　with　mine　but　she　was　not　able　to　reveal　them。
　　　〃We　must　be　clever；　my　precious　one；〃　I　said。　〃Whatever　abode　we　choose　for　ourselves；　we　must　be　safe　from　them；　always。〃
　　　Almost　dismissively　she　spoke　now。
　　　〃We　can　find　a　safe　place；〃　she　said。　〃You　know　we　can。　We　must。　We　cannot　remain　as　we　are　forever。　It　is　not　our　nature。　If　I　have　learnt　nothing　from　your　stories　I　have　learnt　that　much；　that　you　have　wandered　the　Earth　in　search　of　beauty　as　well　as　in　your　search　for　blood。〃
　　　I　did　not　like　her　seriousness。
　　　〃We　are　only　two；〃　she　went　on；　〃and　should　these　devils　e　again　with　their　fiery　brands；　it　will　be　a　simple　thing　for　you　to　remove　me　to　some　lofty　height　where　they　can't　harm　me。〃
　　　
　　　
　　　〃If　I　am　there；　my　love；　if　I　am　there；〃　I　said；　〃and　what　if　I　am　not？　All　these　years；　since　we　have　left　our　lovely　Venice　behind；　you　have　lived　within　these　walls　where　they　can't　harm　you。　Now；　should　we　go　to　some　other　place；　and　lodge　there；　I　shall　have　to　be　on　guard　always。　Is　that　natural？〃
　　　This　felt　dreadful　to　me；　this　talk。　I　had　never　known　anything　so　difficult　with　her。　I　didn't　like　the　inscrutable　expression　on　her　face；　nor　the　way　her　hand　trembled。
　　　〃Perhaps　it　is　too　soon；〃　she　said。　〃But　I　must　tell　you　a　most　important　thing；　and　I　cannot　keep　it　from　you。〃
　　　I　hesitated　before　I　answered。
　　　〃What　is　it；　Bianca？〃　I　asked。　I　was　fast　being　miserable。　Utterly　miserable。
　　　〃I　think　you　have　made　a　grievous　error；〃　she　said。
　　　I　was　quietly　stunned。　She　said　nothing　more。　I　waited。　Still　there　came　this　silence　mingled　with　her　sitting　back　against　the　wall；　her　eyes　fixed　upwards　on　the　Divine　Parents。
　　　〃Will　you　tell　me　what　this　error　is？〃　I　asked。　〃By　all　means；　you　must　tell　me！　I　love　you。　I　must　hear　this。〃
　　　She　said　nothing。　She　looked　at　the　King　and　Queen。　She　did　not　appear　to　be　praying。
　　　I　picked　up　the　parchment　pages　of　the　letter。　I　moved　through　them　and　then　looked　at　her　again。
　　　Her　tears　had　dried；　and　her　mouth　was　soft；　but　her　eyes　were　filled　with　some　strange　look　that　I　could　not　explain　to　myself。
　　　〃Is　it　the　Talamasca　that　causes　you　fear？〃　I　asked。　〃I　shall　explain　all　this　to　you。　But　see　here　that　I　wrote　to　them　from　a　distant　monastery。　I　left　few　footprints　there；　my　beauty。　I　traveled　the　winds　while　you　were　sleeping　here。〃
　　　There　followed　nothing　but　her　silence。　It　seemed　not　dark　or　cold　but　merely　reserved　and　thoughtful。　But　when　she　moved　her　eyes　to　me；　the　change　in　her　face　was　slow　and　ominous。
　　　With　quiet　words　I　hastened　to　explain　to　her　my　strange　meeting　with　Raymond　Gallant　on　my　last　night　of　true　happiness　in　Venice。　I　explained　in　the　simplest　manner　how　he　had　sought　knowledge　of　us；　and　how　I　had　learnt　from　him　that　Pandora　had　been　seen　in　northern　Europe。
　　　I　talked　of　all　the　things　contained　in　the　letter。　I　talked　of　Amadeo　once　more。　I　spoke　of　my　hatred　of　Santino；　that　he　had　robbed　me　of　all　I　loved　save　her；　and　how　on　that　account　she　was；　of　all　things；　most　precious　to　me。
　　　At　last　I　was　willing　to　say　no　more。　I　was　growing　angry。　I　felt　wronged　and　I　couldn't　understand　her。　Her　silence　hurt　me　more　and　more；　and　I　knew　that　she　could　see　this　in　my　face。
　　　Finally；　I　saw　some　change　in　her。　She　sharpened　her　gaze　and　then　she　spoke：
　　　〃Don't　you　see　the　grievous　error　you've　made？〃　she　asked。　〃Don't　you　hear　it　in　the　lessons　you've　made　known　to　me？　Centuries　ago；　the　young　Satan　worshipers　came　to　you　for　what　you　could　give　when　you　lived　with　Pandora。　You　denied　them　your　precious　knowledge。　You　should　have　revealed　to　them　the　mystery　of　the　Mother　and　the　Father！〃
　　　〃Good　Lord；　how　could　you　believe　such　a　thing？〃
　　　〃And　when　Santino　asked　you　in　Rome；　you　should　have　brought　him　to　this　very　shrine！　You　should　have　shown　to　him　the　mysteries　you　revealed　to　me。　Had　you　done　it；　Marius；　he　would　never　have　been　your　enemy。〃
　　　I　was　enraged　as　I　stared　at　her。　Was　this　my　brilliant　Bianca？
　　　〃Don't　you　see！〃　she　went　on。　〃Over　and　over；　these　unstoppable　fools　have　made　a　cult　of　nothing！　You　could　have　shown　them　something！〃　She　gestured　towards　me　dismissively　as　though　I　disgusted　her。　〃How　many　decades　have　we　been　here？　How　strong　am　I？　Oh；　you　needn't　answer。　I　know　my　own　endurance。　I　know　my　own　temper。
　　　〃But　don't　you　see；　all　my　understanding　of　our　powers　is　reinforced　by　their　beauty　and　their　majesty！　I　know　whence　we　e！　I　have　seen　you　drink　from　the　Queen。　I　have　seen　you　wake　from　your　swoon。　I　have　seen　your　skin　healing。
　　　〃But　what　did　Amadeo　ever　see？　What　did　Santino　ever　see？　And　you　marvel　at　the　e