anner.vittoriothevampire-第27部分

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　I　wanted　to　protest；　but　I　saw　suddenly　a　giant　soft　wing；　each　feather　tinged　with　gold；　e　down　over　me；　enfolding　me。　I　was　tickled　all　over　by　the　softness　of　the　feathers。　Ramiel　said：
　〃What　must　we　do　to　make　you　shut　up？　Filippo　needs　us　now；　will　you　give　us　some　peace　and　quiet　for　Filippo；　whom　God　sent　us　to　guard？　Don't　answer　me。　Obey　me。〃　The　wing　crushed　out　all　vision；　all　woe。
　Shadowy　pale　darkness。　Even　and　plete。　The　candles　were　behind　me；　set　up　high。
　I　woke。　I　rose　up　on　my　elbows。　My　head　was　clear。　A　lovely　even　illumination　gave　just　the　smallest　tremble　as　it　filled　the　cell。　From　the　high　window　came　the　moon。　The　shaft　of　the　moon　struck　the　fresco　on　the　wall；　the　fresco　obviously　painted　by　Fra　Giovanni。
　My　eyes　could　see　it　with　amazing　clarity。　Was　this　my　demonic　blood？
　A　strange　thought　came　to　me。　It　rung　in　my　consciousness　with　the　clarity　of　a　golden　bell。　I　myself　possessed　no　guardian　angels！　My　angels　had　left　me；　they　had　departed；　because　my　soul　was　damned。
　I　had　no　angels。　I　had　seen　Filippo's　because　of　the　power　the　demons　had　given　me；　and　because　of　something　else。　Filippo's　angels　argued　so　much　with　each　other！　That's　how　I　had　seen　them。　Some　words　came　to　me。
　They　came　back　to　me　from　Aquinas；　or　was　it　Augustine？　I'd　read　so　much　of　both　to　learn　my　Latin；　and　their　endless　excursuses　had　so　delighted　me。　The　demons　are　full　of　passion。　But　angels　are　not。
　But　those　two　angels　had　such　spirit。　That's　why　they'd　cut　through　the　veil。
　I　pushed　back　the　covers　and　set　my　bare　feet　on　the　stone　floor。　It　was　cool；　and　pleasing；　because　the　room；　having　received　the　sun　all　day；　was　still　warm。
　No　drafts　swept　the　polished　and　immaculate　floor。
　I　stood　before　the　wall　painting。　I　wasn't　dizzy　or　sick；　or　like　to　fall。　I　was　myself　again。
　What　an　innocent　and　untroubled　soul　Fra　Giovanni　must　have　been。　All　his　figures　were　devoid　of　malice。　I　could　see　the　figure　of　Christ　seated　before　a　mountain；　round　gold　halo　decorated　with　the　red　arms　and　top　of　a　cross。　Beside　him　stood　ministering　angels。　One　held　bread　for　him；　and　the　other；　whose　figure　was　cut　off　by　the　door　that　was　cut　into　the　wall；　this　other　angel；　whose　wingtips　were　barely　visible；　carried　wine　and　meat。
　Above；　on　the　mountain；　I　saw　Christ　also。　It　was　a　painting　of　different　incidents；　in　sequence；　and　above；　Christ　was　standing　in　His　same　smooth　and　multiwrinkled　pink　robes；　but　here　He　was　agitated；　as　agitated　as　Fra　Giovanni　could　make　Him；　and　Christ　had　lifted　His　left　hand；　as　if　in　wrath。　The　figure　who　fled　from　Him　was　the　Devil！　It　was　a　horrid　creature　with　the　webbed　wings　I　thought　I'd　glimpsed　earlier；　and　it　had　hideous　webbed　feet。　It　had　dewclaws　on　its　webbed　feet。　Sour…faced　and　in　a　dirty　gray　robe；　it　fled　from　Christ；　who　stood　firm　in　the　Desert；　refusing　to　be　tempted；　and；　only　after　this　confrontation；　then　had　the　ministering　angels　e；　and　had　Christ　taken　His　place　with　His　hands　clasped。
　I　sucked　in　my　breath　in　terror　as　I　beheld　this　image　of　the　demon。　But　a　great　rush　of　fort　passed　through　me；　causing　my　hair　to　tingle　at　its　roots；　causing　my　feet　to　tingle　against　the　polished　floor。　I　had　routed　the　demons；　I　had　refused　their　gift　of　immortality。　I　had　refused　it。　Even　faced　with　the　cross！
　I　retched。　The　pain　caught　me　as　if　I'd　been　kicked　in　the　stomach。　I　turned。　The　basin　was　there；　clean　and　polished；　sitting　on　the　floor。　I　dropped　to　my　knees　and　heaved　up　more　of　their　syrupy　filth。　Was　there　no　water？
　I　looked　around。　There　stood　the　pitcher　and　the　cup。　The　cup　was　full　and　I　spilt　some　of　it　as　I　put　it　to　my　lips；　but　it　tasted　thin　and　rancid　and　awful。　I　threw　down　the　cup。
　〃You've　poisoned　me　for　natural　things；　you　monsters。　You　will　not　win！〃
　My　hands　trembling；　I　picked　up　the　cup；　filled　it　once　more　and　tried　again　to　drink。　But　it　tasted　unnatural。　To　what　can　I　pare　it？　It　was　not　foul　like　urine；　it　was　like　water　that　is　full　of　minerals　and　metal　and　will　leave　a　chalk　on　you　and　choke　you。　It　was　bad！
　I　put　it　aside。　Very　well　then。　Time　to　study。　Time　to　take　up　the　candles；　which　I　now　did。
　I　went　out　of　the　cell。　The　hall　was　empty　and　glowing　in　the　pale　light　that　came　from　tiny　windows　over　the　low…ceilinged　cells。
　I　turned　to　my　right　and　approached　the　doors　of　the　library。　They　were　unlocked。
　I　entered　with　my　candelabra。　Once　again；　the　tranquillity　of　Michelozzo's　design　brought　a　warmth　to　me；　a　faith　in　all　things；　a　trust。　Two　rows　of　arches　and　Ionic　columns　moved　down　the　center　of　the　room　to　make　a　broad　aisle　to　the　far　distant　door；　and　on　either　side　were　the　study　tables；　and　all　along　the　far　walls　were　racks　and　racks　of　codices　and　scrolls。
　Across　the　herringbone　stones　of　the　floor　I　walked　barefoot；　lifting　the　candle　higher　so　that　the　light　would　fill　up　the　vaulted　ceiling；　so　happy　to　be　here　alone。
　Windows　on　either　side　let　in　shafts　of　pale　illumination　through　the　overwhelming　clutter　of　shelves；　but　how　divine　and　restful　were　the　high　ceilings。　How　boldly　he　had　done　it；　made　a　basilica　of　a　library。
　How　could　I　have　known；　child　that　I　was　then；　that　this　style　would　be　imitated　all　over　my　beloved　Italy？　Oh；　there　were　so　many　wondrous　things　then　for　the　living　and　for　all　time。
　And　I？　What　am　I？　Do　I　live？　Or　am　I　walking　always　in　death；　forever　in　love　with　time？
　I　stood　still　with　my　candles。　How　my　eyes　loved　the　moonlighted　splendor。　How　I　craved　to　stand　here　forever；　dreaming；　near　to　things　of　the　mind；　and　things　of　the　soul；　and　far　away　in　memory　from　the　wretched　enchained　town　on　its　cursed　mountain　and　the　castle　nearby；　which　at　this　very　moment　probably　gave　forth　its　ghastly；　ugly　light。
　Could　I　discern　the　order　of　this　wealth　of　books？
　The　very　cataloger　of　this　library；　the　very　monk　who　had　done　the　work　here；　the　very　scholar；　was　now　the　Pope　of　all　Christendom；　Nicholas　V。
　I　moved　along　the　shelves　to　my　right；　holding　high　my　candles。　Would　it　be　alphabetical？　I　thought　of　Aquinas；　for　I　knew　him　more　freely；　but　it　was　St。　Augustine　whom　I　found。　And　I　had　always　loved　Augustine；　loved　his　colorful　style　and　his　eccentricities；　and　the　dramatic　manner　in　which　he　wrote。
　〃Oh；　you　wrote　more　about　demons；　you　are　better！〃　I　said。
　The　City　of　God！　I　saw　it；　copy　after　copy。　There　were　a　score　of　codices　of　this　very　masterpiece；　not　to　mention　all　of　the　other　work　of　this　great　saint；　his　Confessions；　which　had　gripped　me　as　much　as　a　Roman　drama；　and　so　much　more。　Some　of　these　books　were　ancient；　made　of　big　sloppy　parchment；　others　were　extravagantly　bound；　some　almost　simple　and　very　new。
　In　charity　and　consideration；　I　must　take　the　most　sturdy　of　these；　even　though　there　might　be　errors；　and　God　only　knew　how　hard　monks　worked　to　avoid　errors。　I　knew　which　volume　I　wanted。　I　knew　the　volume　on　demons；　because　I　had　thought　it　so　very　fascinating　and　funny　and　so　much　poppycock。　Oh；　what　a　fool　I'd　been。
　I　took　down　the　hefty　fat　volume；　number　nine　of　the　text；　slipping　it　into　the　crook　of　my　arm；　moved　to　the　first　desk　and　then　carefully　placed　the　candelabra　in　front　of　me；　where　it　would　light　me　but　throw　no　shadows　under　my　fingers；　and　I　opened　the　book。
　〃It's　all　here！〃　I　whispered。　〃Tell　me；　St。　Augustine；　what　were　they　so　that　I　may　convince　Ramiel　and　Setheus　that　they　must　help　me；　or　give　me　the　means　to　convince　these　modern　Florentines；　who　care　about　nothing　right　now　but　making　war　with　paid　soldiers　on　the　Serene　Republic　of　Venice　up　north。　Help　me；　Saint。　I'm　telling　you。〃
　Ah；　Chapter　Ten；　of　Volume　Nine；　I　knew　this。。。
　Augustine　was　quoting　Plotinus；　or　explaining　him：
　。。。　that　the　very　fact　of　man's　corporal　mortality　is　due　to　the　passion　of　God；　who　would　not　have　us　kept　for　ever　in　the　misery　of　this　life。　The　wickedness　of　demons　was　not　judged　worthy　of　this　passion；　and　in　the　misery　of　their　condition；　with　a　soul　subject　to　passions；　they　have　not　been　granted　the　mortal　body；　which　man　had　received；　but　an　eternal　body。
　〃Ah；　yes！〃　I　said。　〃And　this　is　what　Florian　offered　me；　bragging　that　they　did　not　age　or　decay　and　were　not　subject　to　disease；　that　I　could　have　lived　there　with　them　forever。　Evil；　evil。　Well；　this　is　proof；　and　I　have　it　here；　and　I　can　show　it　to　the　monks！〃
　I　read　on；　skimming　to　find　the　kernels　that　would　make　my　case　grow。　Down　to　Chapter　Eleven：　Apuleius　says　also　that　the　souls　of　men　are　demons。　On　leaving　human　bodies　they　bee　lares　if　they　have　shown　themselves　good；　if　evil；　lemures　or　larvae。
　〃Yes；　lemures。　I　know　this　word。　Lemures　or　larvae；　and　Ursula；　she　said　to　me　that　she　had　been　young；　young　as　me；　they　were　all　human　and　now　they　are　lemures。〃　According　to　Apuleius；　larvae　are　malignant　demons　created　out　of　men。
　I　was　overe　with　excitement。　I　needed　parchment　and　pens。　I　had　to　note　the　place。　I　had　to　mark　down　what　I　had　discovered　and　go　on。　For　the　next　point　was　obviously　to　convince　Ramiel　and　Setheus　that　they　had　gotten　into　the　biggest　…。　My　thoughts　were　brought　to　an　abrupt　halt。
　Behind　me；　a　personage　had　e　into　the　library。　I　heard　a　heavy　footfall；　but　there　was　a　muffled　quality　to　it；　and　a　great　darkening　occurred　behind　me；　as　though　all　the　slim；　sly　beams　of　the　moon　that　fell　through　the　passage　beyond　had　been　cut　off。　I　turned　slowly　and　looked　over　my　shoulder。
　〃And　why　do　you　choose　the　left？〃　asked　this　personage。
　He　rose　up　before　me；　immense　and　winged；　peering　down　at　me；　his　face　luminous　in　the　flicker　of　the　candles；　his　eyebrows　gently　raised　but　straight　so　that　there　was　no　arch　to　them　to　make　them　anything　but　severe。　He　had　the　riotous　golden　hair　of　Fra　Filippo's　brush；　curling　beneath　a　huge　red　battle　helmet；　and　behind　him　his　wings　were　heavily　sheathed　in　gold。
　He　wore　a　suit　of　armor；　with　the　breastplates　decorated　and　the　shoulders　covered　with　immense　buckles；　and　around　his　waist　was　a　blue　sash　of　silk。　His　sword　was　sheathed；　and　on　one　lax　arm　he　wore　his　shield；　with　its　red　cross。　I　had　never　seen　his　like。
　〃I　need　you！〃　I　declared。　I　stood　up；　knocking　the　bench　back。　I　reached　out　so　that　it　would　not　clatter　to　the