anner.vittoriothevampire-第19部分

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ies　who　were　so　Frenchified　in　their　old　headdresses　and　wimples　of　rose　red　that　they　had　not　a　single　hair　visible。　There　seemed　both　a　Prankish　absurdity　and　delicacy　to　them；　and　of　course　they　were　all　demons。　The　bald　Elder；　Godric；　only　chuckled。　〃Demons；〃　I　said；　〃such　a　collection。〃
　〃The　coop；　my　Lord；〃　said　Godric；　the　bald　one。　〃With　the　others；　and　then　I　may　make　my　suggestions　to　you　in　private；　and　with　Ursula　we　shall　talk。　She　grieves　unduly。〃
　〃I　do！〃　she　cried。　〃Please；　Florian；　if　only　because　I　have　never　asked　anything　of　this　sort；　and　you　know　it。〃
　〃Yes；　Ursula；〃　said　the　Lord；　in　the　softest　voice　which　had　issued　from　his　lips　yet。　〃I　know　that；　my　loveliest　flower。　But　this　boy　is　recalcitrant；　and　his　family；　when　from　time　to　time　they　had　the　advantage　over　those　of　us　who　wandered　from　here　to　hunt；　destroyed　those　unfortunate　members　of　our　tribe。　It　happened　more　than　once。〃
　〃Marvelous！〃　I　cried　out。　〃How　brave；　how　wondrous；　what　a　gift　you　give　me。〃　The　Lord　was　astonished　and　annoyed。
　But　Ursula　hurried　forward；　in　a　flurry　of　dark　shadowy　velvet　skirts；　and　leaned　over　the　polished　table　to　be　close　to　him。　I　could　see　only　her　hair　in　its　long　thick　braids；　twined　exquisitely　with　red　velvet　ribbons；　and　the　shape　of　her　gorgeous　arms；　so　perfectly　narrow　and　plump　at　the　same　time；　enchanted　me　against　my　own　will。
　〃To　the　coop；　please；　my　Lord；〃　she　begged；　〃and　let　me　have　him　at　least　for　so　many　nights　as　I　need　to　reconcile　my　heart　to　this。　Let　him　be　admitted　tonight　for　the　Midnight　Mass；　and　let　him　wonder。〃
　I　made　no　answer　to　this。　I　merely　memorized　it。
　Two　of　the　pany；　clean…shaven　men　in　court　dress；　suddenly　appeared　at　my　side；　to　assist　Godric；　it　seemed；　in　having　me　taken　off。
　Before　I　knew　what　was　to　befall　me；　a　soft　binding　of　cloth　was　put　over　my　eyes。　I　was　sightless。　〃No；　let　me　see！〃　I　cried　out。
　〃The　coop　then；　it　is；　very　well；〃　came　the　Lord's　voice；　and　I　felt　myself　being　taken　away　from　the　room；　fast；　as　if　the　feet　of　those　who　escorted　me　scarcely　needed　to　touch　the　floor。
　The　music　rose　again；　in　an　eerie　throb；　but　I　was　mercifully　being　escorted　away　from　it。　Only　Ursula's　voice　acpanied　me　as　I　was　carried　up　staircases；　my　feet　now　and　then　bruised　coarsely　on　the　steps；　and　the　fingers　that　held　me　carelessly　hurting　me。
　〃Be　quiet；　please；　Vittorio；　don't　struggle；　be　my　brave　one　now　in　silence。〃
　〃And　why；　my　love？〃　I　asked。　〃Why　set　your　heart　on　me？　Can　you　kiss　me　without　your　stinging　teeth？〃
　〃Yes；　and　yes；　and　yes；〃　she　said　in　my　ear。
　I　was　being　dragged　along　a　passage。　I　could　hear　a　loud　mingled　chorus　of　voices；　mon　ordinary　speech；　and　the　wind　of　the　outdoors　and　a　wholly　different　kind　of　music。　〃What　is　this？　Where　do　we　go？〃　I　asked。
　Behind　me；　I　heard　doors　shut；　and　then　the　blindfold　was　ripped　from　my　eyes。
　〃This　is　the　coop；　Vittorio；〃　she　said；　pressing　her　arm　against　mine　and　trying　to　whisper　in　my　ear。　〃This　is　where　victims　are　kept　until　needed。〃
　We　stood　on　a　high　barren　stone　landing；　the　stairs　leading　down　and　at　a　curve　into　the　huge　courtyard；　which　contained　so　much　activity　and　of　such　bizarre　sorts　that　I　could　not　possibly　prehend　all　of　it　immediately。
　We　were　high　within　the　walls　of　the　castle；　that　I　knew。　And　the　courtyard　itself　was　enclosed　on　all　four　sides；　and　I　could　see　as　I　looked　up　that　the　walls　were　faced　in　white　marble　and　there　were　everywhere　the　narrow　pointed　twin…arched　windows　of　the　French　style。　And　above；　the　heavens　had　a　bright　pulsing　glow；　fed　no　doubt　by　countless　fluttering　torches　on　the　roofs　and　abutments　of　the　castle。
　This　was　all　nothing　much　to　my　eyes；　except　that　it　meant　escape　was　impossible；　for　the　nearest　windows　were　far　too　high；　and　the　marble　too　smooth　to　be　scaled　in　any　physical　way。
　There　were　many　tiny　balconies　overhanging　above；　and　they　too　were　impossibly　high。　I　saw　the　pale　red…clothed　demons　on　those　balconies　looking　down　at　me；　as　though　my　introduction　were　a　spectacle。　There　were　some　very　large　porches；　and　these　too　had　their　idle　gloating　and　merciless　occupants。　Damn　them　all；　I　thought。
　What　stunned　me　and　fascinated　me　was　the　great　jumble　of　human　beings　and　dwellings　which　I　saw　crowding　the　courtyard　before　me。
　First　of　all；　it　was　far　more　fiercely　illuminated　than　the　ghastly　Court；　where　I　had　just　stood　trial；　if　it　could　be　called　such；　and　it　was　an　entire　world　unto　itself　…　a　rectangular　court　planted　with　dozens　of　olive　trees　and　other　flowering　trees；　orange　trees；　lemon　trees；　and　all　of　these　strung　with　lanterns。
　It　was　an　entire　little　world　full　of　what　seemed　to　be　drunken　and　confused　persons。　Bodies；　some　half…naked；　others　fully　and　even　richly　clothed；　shuffled；　stumbled　or　lay　about　with　no　purpose。　Everyone　was　filthy；　disheveled；　degraded。
　There　were　hovels　all　over；　like　old…fashioned　peasant　huts　of　mere　straw；　and　open　wooden　shacks；　and　little　stone　enclaves；　and　trellised　gardens　and　countless　circuitous　pathways。
　It　was　a　drunken　labyrinth　of　a　garden　gone　wild　under　the　naked　night。
　The　fruit　trees　grew　thick　in　clusters　and　then　broke　open　to　reveal　grassy　places　where　people　merely　lay　staring　at　the　stars；　as　if　they　were　dozing；　though　their　eyes　were　open。
　Myriad　flowering　vines　covered　wire　enclosures　that　seemed　to　have　no　purpose　but　to　create　some　alcove　of　privacy；　and　there　were　giant　cages　full　of　fat　birds；　aye；　birds；　and　cooking　fires　scattered　about　…　and　big　kettles　simmering　on　beds　of　coals；　from　which　a　deeply　spiced　fragrance　arose。　Kettles！　Yes；　full　of　broth。
　I　saw　that　a　foursome　of　demons　roamed　about　…　there　may　have　been　more　…　scrawny…limbed　and　bleached　as　their　Lords；　and　forced　to　the　same　blood…red　dress；　only　they　were　in　shapeless　garments　no　better　than　rags　…　peasant　garb。
　Two　tended　a　pot　of　the　simmering　broth　or　soup　or　whatever　it　was；　whilst　another　swept　with　a　big　old　broom；　and　yet　another　carried　on　his　hip　indifferently　a　small　mewling　human　toddler；　whose　head　rolled　painfully　on　his　weak　neck。
　It　was　more　grotesque　and　disturbing　than　the　hideous　Court　below；　with　its　stately　cadaverous　mock　aristocrats。
　〃It's　stinging　my　eyes；〃　I　said。　〃I　can　feel　the　smoke　rising　from　the　kettles。〃　It　was　a　pungent　delicious　mingling　of　fragrances。　I　could　identify　many　of　the　rich　cooking　spices；　and　the　smell　of　mutton　and　beef；　but　there　were　other　more　exotic　flavors　intermingled　with　it。
　Everywhere　human　beings　were　in　this　hopeless　daze。　Children；　old　women；　the　famed　cripples　who　never　appeared　in　the　town　below；　hunchbacks；　and　little　twisted　bodies　which　had　never　grown　to　full　size；　and　big　hulking　men　as　well；　bearded　and　swart；　and　boys　my　age　or　older　…　all　of　them　shuffling　about　or　lying　about；　but　dazed；　and　crazy；　and　looking　up　at　us；　and　blinking　and　pausing　as　though　our　presence　should　mean　something　though　they　could　not　make　out　what。
　I　swayed　on　the　landing；　and　Ursula　held　my　arm。　I　felt　ravenous　as　the　heavy　fumes　filled　my　nostrils。　Hunger；　hunger　such　as　I'd　never　known。　No；　it　was　a　pure　thirst　for　the　soup；　as　though　there　were　no　food　that　was　not　liquid。
　Suddenly　the　two　gaunt　and　aloof　men　who　had　not　left　us　…　they　who　had　blindfolded　me　and　dragged　me　here　…　turned　and　went　down　the　steps；　letting　their　heels　make　a　sharp　marching　sound　on　the　stones。
　A　few　eager　cries　came　up　from　the　great　mottled　and　scattered　assemblage。　Heads　turned。　Sluggish　bodies　tried　to　rouse　themselves　from　the　vaporous　torpor。
　The　two　Lords；　with　their　long　trailing　sleeves　and　stiff　backs；　marched　together　as　if　they　were　kinsmen　as　they　approached　the　first　of　the　visible　cauldrons。
　I　watched　as　drunken　mortals　gathered　themselves　up　and　stumbled　towards　the　red…clad　Lords。　As　for　the　red…clad　Lords；　they　seemed　to　glory　in　mystifying　all。
　〃What　are　they　doing？　What　will　they　do？〃　I　was　sick。　I　was　going　to　fall。　Yet　how　sweet　this　soup　smelled；　and　how　much　I　wanted　it。　〃Ursula；〃　I　said。　But　I　didn't　know　what　words　to　make　to　follow　this　prayer　of　her　name。
　〃I'm　holding　you；　my　love；　this　is　the　coop。　Look；　do　you　see？〃　Through　a　haze；　I　saw　the　Lords　pass　beneath　the　jagged　thorny　branches　of　the　blooming　orange　trees；　where　fruit　hung　still；　as　though　none　of　these　swollen；　lethargic　souls　needed　such　a　fresh　and　bright　thing　as　an　orange。
　The　Lords　took　up　a　stance　on　either　side　of　this　first　kettle；　and　each；　extending　a　right　hand；　slashed　his　right　wrist　with　a　knife　which　he　held　in　his　left　hand；　and　let　the　blood　flow　copiously　into　the　brew。
　A　weak　happy　cry　rose　from　those　humans　gathering　meekly　around　them。
　〃Oh；　damnable；　it's　the　blood；　of　course；〃　I　whispered。　I　would　have　fallen　if　Ursula　had　not　taken　hold　of　me。　〃The　brew　is　spiced　with　blood。〃
　One　of　the　Lords　turned　away；　as　though　the　smoke　and　the　fumes　disgusted　him；　yet　he　allowed　himself　to　bleed　into　the　mix。　Then　turning　swiftly；　almost　crossly；　he　reached　out　to　snatch　by　the　arm　one　of　the　thin；　weak…looking　white　demons　in　peasant　garb。
　He　caught　the　poor　fellow　and　dragged　him　to　the　kettle。　The　thin　paltry　demon　begged　and　whined　to　be　allowed　to　be　free；　but　his　wrists　were　both　slashed；　and　now；　though　he　turned　his　bony　face　away；　he　was　bled　furiously　into　the　soup。
　〃Ah；　you　are　better　than　Dante　with　your　circles　of　Hell；　aren't　you？〃　I　said。　But　it　hurt　me　that　I　had　taken　such　a　tone　with　her。　She　supported　me　utterly。
　〃They　are　peasants；　yes；　they　dream　of　being　Lords；　and　if　they　obey；　they　might。〃　I　recalled　now　that　the　demon　soldiers　who　had　brought　me　back　to　the　castle　had　been　rude　huntsmen。　How　well　it　was　all　thought　out；　but　this；　my　narrow…shouldered　love；　with　her　soft　yielding　arms　and　her　shining　tear…stained　face；　was　a　pure　Lady；　was　she　not？　〃Vittorio；　I　want　so　badly　for　you　not　to　die。〃
　〃Do　you；　dearest？〃　I　said。　I　had　my　arms　around　her。　I　could　no　longer　stand　without　this　support。　My　vision　was　fading。
　Yet　with　my　head　against　her　shoulder；　my　eyes　directed　to　the　crowd　below；　I　could　see　the　human　beings　surrounding　the　kettles　and　dipping　their　cups　into　the　brew；　dipping　their　cups　right　where　the　blood　had　fal