annr.pandora-第26节
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too concealing。
〃All right；〃 I said。 〃It's about those awful dreams； isn't it？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the Priest。 〃And more than that。〃
6
We were taken into another chamber； and this one had only one dim light。
I couldn't see well in the flickering of the flame and I realized I could not make out the faces of the other Priest and Priestess。 An Oriental screen； a screen of worked ebony； partitioned off the end of this room； and I felt certain someone was behind it。
But I felt nothing but gentleness emanating from all of these gathered here。 I looked around。 I was so miserable over my brother； and so impatient that I couldn't find polite words。
〃Please； you must forgive me；〃 I said。 〃A dire matter requires me to hurry。〃 I was being afraid for Flavius's safety。 〃Do send guards to flank my slave outside； now。〃
〃Done； Lady；〃 said the Priest； the one I knew。 〃I beg you to stay and recount your story again。〃
〃Who is there！〃 I pointed。 〃Behind that screen。 Why is this person concealed？〃 This was very rude and irreverent； but I was in a full state of alarm。
〃That is one of our most devoted supporters；〃 said the Priest who had escorted me to the shrine of Isis earlier。 〃This one often es by night to pray at the shrine and has given much money to the Temple。 He only wants to hear what we have to say。〃
〃Well； I'm not so sure of that。 Tell him to e out！〃 I said。 〃Besides； what is it we're supposed to say？〃
I was infuriated suddenly that they might have betrayed my corifidences。 I hadn't told them my true Roman name； only of my tragedy； but the Temple was sacred。
They became all flustered in their gentleness。
The figure； draped in the toga； much taller than my brother； in fact； remarkably tall； stepped out from behind the screen。 The toga was dark； but nevertheless the classical garment。 His face was hidden by the toga。 I could only see his lips。
He whispered：
〃Don't be afraid。 You told the Priest and Priestesses this afternoon of blood dreams。〃
〃This was in confidence！〃 I said indignantly。 I was pletely suspicious； for I had told a good deal more than blood dreams to these people。
I tried better to see the figure。 There was something distinctly familiar about the figure … the voice； even in a whisper。。。 something else。
〃Lady Pandora；〃 said the Priestess who had so consoled me earlier。 〃You talked to me of an old legendary worship； worship which we oppose and condemn。 A worship of our Beloved Mother which once involved human sacrifice。 I told you that we abhor such things。 And we do。〃
〃However；〃 said the Priest； 〃there is someone afoot in the city of Antioch who does drink blood from humans； draining them until they are dead。 Then he flings the bodies before dawn on our steps。 The very steps of our Temple。〃 He sighed。 〃Lady Pandora； I am entrusting you with a powerful confidence。〃
All thought of my evil brother left me。 The hound of the dreams bore down upon me with its evil breath。 I tried to gather my wits。 I thought again of the voice I'd heard in my head： It is E who summoned you。 The feminine laughter。
〃No； it was a woman's laughter；〃 I murmured。
〃Lady Pandora？〃
〃You tell me there is someone afoot in Antioch who drinks blood。〃
〃By night。 He cannot walk in the day；〃 said the Priest。
I saw the dream； the rising sun； knowing I the blood drinker would die in the rays of the sun。
〃You're telling me that these blood drinkers I saw in my dream exist？〃 I asked。 〃That one of them is here。〃
〃Someone wants us to believe this；〃 said the Priest； 〃that the old legends have truth； but we don't know who it is。 And we are leery of the Roman authorities。 You know what happened in Rome。 You came speaking of dreams in which the sun killed you； in which you were a blood drinker。 Lady； I'm not betraying your confidences here。 This one …〃
He gestured to the tall man。 〃This is the one who reads the ancient writing。 He's read the legends。 Your dreams echo the legends。〃
〃I am sick；〃 I said。 〃I need a chair。 I have enemies to worry about。〃
〃I'll protect you from your enemies；〃 said the mysterious tall man in the toga。
〃How can you？ You don't even know who they are。 〃
There came a silent voice from the tall man in the toga：
Your brother Lucius betrayed the entire family。 He did it out of jealousy of your brother Antony。 He sold out everybody to the Delatores for a guaranteed one…third of the family's wealth and left before the killing began。 He had the cooperation of Sejanus of the Praetorian Guard。 He wants to kill you。
I was shocked but also not about to let this person overwhelm me。
You speak just like the woman； I said silently。 You speak right to my thoughts。 You speak like the woman who said to me in my head； 〃It is I who summoned you。〃
I could feel his shock at this。 But I too slumped as if dealt a mortal blow。 So this creature knew all about my brothers； and Lucius had betrayed us。 And this creature knew。
What are you？ I fired off to the mind speaker； the tall one。 Are you a magicians
No answer。
The Priest and Priestess； unable to hear this silent exchange； pursued their course。
〃This blood drinker； Lady Pandora； he leaves human victims on the steps of the Temple before dawn。 He writes an old name in Egyptian on his victims with their blood。 Should the government discover this； our Temple might be held accountable。 This is not our worship。
〃Will you recount again for us … for our friend here … your dreams？ We must protect the worship of Isis。 We did not believe in these old legends。。。 until this creature appeared and began his killing； then es out of the sea a beautiful Roman woman who speaks of similar beings who are in her dreams。〃
〃What name does he write on his victims？〃 I asked。 〃This blood drinker。 Is it Isis？〃
〃It's meaningless； it's forbidden； it's old Egyptian。 It is one of the names by which Isis was once called； but never by us。〃
〃What is it？〃
None of them； including the silent one； answered me。
In the silence； I thought of Lucius and I almost wept。 Then hatred came over me； deep hatred； as it had in the Forum when I spoke with him； saw his cowardly rage。 Betrayed the entire family。 To be weak is a dangerous thing。 Antony and my Father had been such strong men。
〃Lady Pandora；〃 said the Priest。 〃Tell us what you might know of this creature in Antioch。 Have you dreamed of him？〃
I thought of the dreams。 I tried to respond in depth to what these people in this Temple were telling me。
The tall distant Roman spoke：
〃Lady Pandora knows nothing about this blood drinker。 She is telling you the truth。 She knows only the dreams and there have been no names spoken in her dreams。 In her dreams she sees an earlier time of Egypt。〃
〃Well； thank you； Gracious Lord！〃 I said furiously。 〃And just how have you arrived at that conclusion？〃
〃By reading your thoughts！〃 the Roman said； quite unruffled。 〃The same as I have regarding those who would put you in danger here。 I'll protect you from your brother。〃
〃Indeed。 You had better leave that to me。 It is I who will settle that score with him。 Now； let us leave the question of my personal misfortune。 And you explain to me； most clever one； why I am having these dreams！ Fork up some useful magic from your mind reading。 You know； a man with your gifts should post yourself at the courthouse； and determine cases for the judges if you can read minds。 Why don't you go to Rome and bee the advisor to the Emperor Tiberius？〃
I could feel； positively feel； the little tumult in the heart of the distant concealed Roman。 Again； there came that sense of something familiar about this creature。 Of course I was no stranger to necromancers； astrologists or oracles。 But this man had mentioned specific names … Antony； Lucius。 He was an astounder。
〃Tell me； oh； mysterious one；〃 I said。 〃How dose do my dreams e to what you've read in the old writing？ And this blood drinker； the one that's roaming Antioch； is he a mortal man？〃
Silence。
I strained to see the Roman more dearly but couldn't。 He had in fact receded somewhat into the darkness。 My nerves were on the breaking point。 I wanted to kill Lucius； in fact； I had no choice。
The Roman said softly； 〃She knows nothing of this blood drinker in Antioch。 Tell her what you know of him … for it may be he； this blood drinker； who is sending her the dreams。〃
I was confused。 The woman's voice had been so clear in my head earlier； Et is I who summoned you。
This was causing confusion in the Roman； I could feel it like a little turbulence in the air。
〃We've seen him；〃 said the Priest。 〃Indeed； we watch； in order to collect these poor drained corpses before anyone finds them and blames the deed on us。 He is burned； burned all over his body； blackened。 He cannot be a man。 He is an old god； burnt black as if in an inferno。〃
〃Amon Ra；〃 I said。 〃But why didn't he die？ In the dreams； I die。〃
〃Oh； it is a horror to behold；〃 said the Priestess suddenly； as if she could contain herself no longer。 〃This thing cannot be human。 Its bones show through its blackened skin。 But it is weak and its victims are weak。 It barely staggers； yet it can drain the blood from the poor maimed souls upon whom it feeds。 It crawls away in the morning as if
