anner.vittoriothevampire-第30部分

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　the　greatest　haywagons　imaginable　or　some　newfangled　engine　of　war。
　The　ground　was　soiled。　High　above　on　all　sides　were　windows；　rows　upon　rows　of　the　double…arched　windows；　and　all　were　covered　over　with　bars。
　〃I　need　you　now；　Mastema；〃　I　said。　I　made　the　Sign　of　the　Cross　again。　I　took　out　the　rosary　and　kissed　the　crucifix；　looking　down　for　a　moment　at　the　tiny　twisted　body　of　Our　Tortured　Christ。
　The　huge　doors　before　me　broke　open。　There　was　a　loud　creaking　sound；　then　the　crumpling　of　metal　bolts；　and　the　gates　groaned　back　on　their　hinges；　revealing　a　distant　and　sun…filled　inner　court　of　far　greater　size。
　The　walls　through　which　we　walked　were　some　thirty　to　forty　feet　in　depth。　There　were　doors　on　either　side　of　us；　heavily　arched　in　worked　stone　and　showing　the　first　signs　of　care　that　I　had　glimpsed　since　we　entered。
　〃These　creatures　do　not　go　and　e　as　others　do；〃　I　said。　I　hurried　my　pace　so　as　to　reach　the　full　sun　of　the　courtyard。　The　mountain　air　was　too　cool　and　too　damp　in　the　foul　thickness　of　the　passage。
　Here；　as　I　stood　up；　I　saw　windows　such　as　I　remembered；　hung　with　rich　banners　and　strung　with　lanterns　that　would　be　lighted　by　night。　Here　I　saw　tapestries　carelessly　thrown　over　window　ledges　as　if　rain　were　nothing。　And　very　high　up　I　saw　the　jagged　battlements　and　finer　white　marble　copings。
　But　even　this　was　not　the　great　courtyard　that　lay　beyond。　These　walls　too　were　rustic。　The　stones　were　soiled　and　untrodden　in　many　a　year。　Water　was　pooled　here　and　there。　Rank　weeds　sprang　from　crevices；　but；　ah；　there　were　sweet　wildflowers；　and　I　looked　at　them　tenderly　and　reached　out　to　touch　them；　and　marveled　at　them；　existing　here。
　More　gates　awaited　us；　these　two　…　huge；　wooden；　banded　in　iron　and　severely　pointed　at　the　top　in　their　deep　marble　archway　…　gave　way　and　sprang　back　to　let　us　pass　through　yet　another　wall。　Oh；　such　a　garden　greeted　us！
　As　we　made　our　way　through　another　forty　feet　of　darkness；　I　saw　the　great　groves　of　orange　trees　ahead　of　us；　and　heard　the　cry　of　the　birds。　I　wondered　if　they　were　not　caught　down　here；　prisoners；　or　could　they　soar　all　the　way　up　to　the　top　and　escape？
　Yes；　they　could。　It　was　a　great　enough　space。　And　here　was　the　fine　white　marble　facing　I　remembered；　all　the　way　to　the　summit；　so　high　above。
　As　I　made　my　way　into　the　garden；　as　I　walked　on　the　first　marble　path　that　traversed　the　beds　of　violets　and　roses；　I　saw　the　birds　ing　and　going；　circling　broadly　in　this　wide　place；　so　that　they　could　clear　the　towers　that　rose　so　distantly　and　majestically　against　the　sky。
　Everywhere　the　scent　of　flowers　overcame　me。　Lilies　and　irises　were　mingled　in　patches；　and　the　oranges　were　ripe　and　almost　red　as　they　hung　from　the　trees。　The　lemons　were　hard　still　and　touched　with　green。　Shrubbery　and　vines　hugged　the　walls。
　The　angels　gathered　around　me。　I　realized　that　all　along　it　was　I　who　had　led　the　way；　I　who　had　initiated　any　movement；　and　it　was　I　who　held　us　all　still　now；　within　the　garden；　and　that　they　waited　as　I　bowed　my　head。
　〃I　am　listening　for　the　prisoners；〃　I　said。　〃But　I　can't　hear　them。〃
　I　looked　up　at　more　of　the　luxuriously　decorated　balconies　and　windows；　the　twin　arches；　and　here　and　there　a　long　loggia；　but　made　of　their　style　of　filigree；　not　ours。
　I　saw　flags　fluttering；　and　all　were　in　that　dark　blood…red　color；　stained　with　death。　I　looked　down　for　the　first　time　at　my　own　brilliant　crimson　clothes。　〃Like　fresh　blood？〃　I　whispered。
　〃Tend　to　what　you　must　do　first；〃　Mastema　said。　〃Twilight　can　cover　you　when　you　go　to　the　prisoners；　but　you　must　take　your　quarry　now。〃
　〃Where　are　they？　Will　you　tell　me？〃
　〃In　deliberate　sacrilege；　and　in　old…fashioned　rigor；　they　lie　beneath　the　stones　of　the　church。〃
　There　was　a　loud；　searing　noise。　He　had　pulled　out　his　sword。　He　pointed　with　it；　his　head　turned；　his　red　helmet　on　fire　with　the　glint　of　the　sun　reflected　off　the　marble…faced　walls。
　〃The　door　there；　and　the　stairs　beyond　it。　The　church　lies　on　the　third　floor；　up　to　our　left。〃
　I　made　for　the　door　without　further　delay。　I　rushed　up　the　steps；　taking　turn　after　turn；　my　boots　clattering　on　the　stone；　not　even　looking　to　see　if　they　followed　me；　not　wondering　how　they　did　it；　knowing　only　that　they　were　with　me；　feeling　their　presence　as　if　I　could　feel　their　breath　on　me　when　no　breath　came。
　At　last　we　entered　the　corridor；　broad　and　open　on　our　right　to　the　courtyard　below。　There　was　an　endless　strip　of　rich　carpet　before　us；　full　of　Persian　flowers　deeply　embedded　within　a　field　of　midnight　blue。　Unfaded；　untrammeled。　On　and　on　it　went　until　it　turned；　ahead　of　us。　And　at　the　end　of　the　corridor　was　the　perfectly　framed　sky　and　the　jagged　speck　of　green　mountain　beyond。
　〃Why　have　you　stopped？〃　Mastema　asked。
　They　had　materialized　around　me；　in　their　settling　garments　and　their　never…still　wings。
　〃This　is　the　door　to　the　church　here；　you　know　it。〃
　〃Only　looking　at　the　sky；　Mastema；〃　I　said。　〃Only　looking　at　the　blue　sky。〃
　〃And　thinking　of　what？〃　asked　one　of　my　guardians　in　his　toneless；　clear　whisper。　He　clung　to　me　suddenly；　and　I　saw　his　parchment…colored　fingers；　weightless；　settled　on　my　shoulder。　〃Thinking　of　a　meadow　that　never　existed　and　a　young　woman　who　is　dead？〃
　〃Are　you　merciless？〃　I　asked　him。　I　pressed　close　to　him；　so　my　forehead　touched　him；　and　I　marveled　to　feel　it　against　me　and　see　his　opalescent　eyes　so　distinct。
　〃No；　not　merciless。　Only　one　who　reminds；　and　reminds；　and　reminds。〃
　I　turned　to　the　doors　of　the　chapel。　I　pulled　on　both　giant　hooks　until　I　heard　the　clasp　give；　and　then　I　opened　wide　one　side　and　then　the　other；　though　why　I　made　such　a　vast　and　broad　escape　for　myself　I　do　not　know。　Maybe　it　was　a　passage　for　my　mighty　band　of　helpers。
　The　great　empty　nave　lay　before　me；　which　last　night　no　doubt　had　been　crowded　with　the　gaudy　blood…drenched　Court；　and　above　my　head　was　their　choir　loft　from　which　the　most　ethereal　dirge　had　e。　Sun　violently　pierced　the　demonic　windows。
　I　gasped　in　shock　to　see　the　webbed　spirits　emblazoned　so　immensely　in　the　fractured　and　welded　fragments　of　glittering　glass。　How　thick　was　this　glass；　how　heavily　faceted；　and　how　ominous　the　expressions　of　those　webbed…winged　monsters　who　leered　at　us　as　if　they　would　e　alive　in　the　blazing　light　of　day　and　stop　our　progress。
　There　was　nothing　to　be　done　but　to　rip　my　eyes　off　them；　to　look　down　and　away　and　along　the　great　sprawling　marble　floor。　I　saw　the　hook；　I　saw　it　as　it　had　been　in　the　floor　of　my　father's　chapel；　lying　flat　in　a　circle　cut　in　the　stone；　a　hook　of　gold；　polished　and　smoothed　so　it　did　not　rise　above　the　floor　and　would　not　catch　a　toe　or　a　heel。　It　had　no　cover。
　It　merely　marked　decisively　the　position　of　the　one　long　main　entrance　to　the　crypt。　One　narrow　marble　rectangle　cut　into　the　center　of　the　church　floor。
　I　strode　forward；　heels　echoing　throughout　the　whole　empty　church；　and　went　to　pull　the　hook。
　What　stopped　me？　I　saw　the　altar。　At　that　very　instant　the　sun　had　struck　the　figure　of　Lucifer；　the　giant　red　angel　above　his　masses　and　masses　of　red　flowers；　which　were　fresh　as　they　had　been　the　night　when　I　had　been　brought　to　this　place。
　I　saw　him　and　saw　his　fierce　burning　yellow　eyes；　fine　gems　set　into　the　red　marble；　and　saw　the　white　ivory　fangs　that　hung　from　his　snarling　upper　lip。　I　saw　all　the　fanged　demons　who　lined　the　walls　to　the　right　and　the　left　of　him；　and　all　their　jeweled　eyes　seemed　greedy　and　glorying　in　the　light。
　〃The　crypt；〃　said　Mastema。
　I　pulled　with　all　my　might。　I　couldn't　budge　the　marble　slab。　No　human　could　have　done　it。　It　would　have　taken　teams　of　horses　to　do　it。　I　locked　both　hands　more　tightly　around　the　hook；　yanking　it　harder；　and　still　I　couldn't　budge　it。　It　was　like　trying　to　move　the　walls　themselves。
　〃Do　it　for　him！〃　Ramiel　pleaded。　〃Let　us　do　it。〃
　〃It's　nothing；　Mastema；　it's　only　like　opening　the　gates。〃
　Mastema　reached　out　and　pushed　me　gently　aside；　so　that　I　was　caught　on　my　own　feet　for　a　moment　and　then　righted　myself。　The　long　narrow　trapdoor　of　marble　was　raised　slowly。
　I　was　astonished　at　its　weight。　It　was　more　than　two　feet　in　thickness。　Only　its　facing　was　marble；　the　rest　being　a　heavier　darker；　denser　stone。　No；　no　human　could　have　lifted　it。
　And　now；　from　the　mouth　below；　there　came　a　spear　as　if　from　a　hidden　spring。
　I　leapt　back；　though　I　had　never　been　near　enough　to　be　in　danger。
　Mastema　let　the　trapdoor　fall　on　its　back。　The　hinges　were　broken　at　once　by　its　own　weight。　The　light　filled　the　space　below。　More　spears　awaited　me；　glinting　in　the　sun；　pointed　at　an　angle；　as　if　affixed　in　parallel　to　the　angle　of　the　stairs。　Mastema　moved　to　the　top　of　the　stairs。　〃Try　to　move　them；　Vittorio；〃　he　said。
　〃He　can't。　And　if　he　trips　and　falls；　he　falls　down　into　a　pit　of　them；〃　said　Ramiel。　〃Mastema；　move　them。〃
　〃Let　me　move　them；〃　said　Setheus。
　I　drew　my　sword。　I　hacked　at　the　first　of　the　spears　and　knocked　off　its　metal　point；　but　the　jagged　wooden　shaft　remained。
　I　stepped　down　into　the　crypt；　at　once　feeling　a　coldness　rise　and　touch　my　legs。　I　hacked　again　at　the　wood；　and　broke　off　more　of　it。　Then　I　stepped　beside　it；　only　to　find　with　my　left　hand　that　I　felt　a　pair　of　spears　awaiting　me　in　the　uneven　light。　Again　I　lifted　my　sword；　the　weight　of　it　making　my　arm　ache。
　But　I　broke　these　two　with　swift　blows　until　their　metal　heads　had　gone　clattering　from　their　wooden　stems　as　well。
　I　stepped　down；　holding　tight　with　my　right　hand　so　as　not　to　slip　on　the　steps；　and　suddenly；　with　a　loud　cry；　I　swung　out　and　off　the　edge　of　nothing；　for　the　stairway　broke　there　and　was　no　more。
　With　my　right　hand　I　grabbed　at　the　shaft　of　the　broken　spear；　which　I　already　held　in　my　left。　My　sword　went　clattering　down　below　me。
　〃Enough；　Mastema；〃　said　Setheus。　〃No　human　can　do　it。〃
　I　was　hanging；　both　hands　locked　around　this　splintery　wood；　staring　up　at　them　as　they　rimmed　the　mouth　of　the　crypt。　If　I　fell；　I　would　no　doubt　die；　for　the　fall　was　that　far。　If　I　did　not　die；　I　would　never　get　out　to　live。
　I　waited；　and　I　said　nothing；　though　my　arms　ached　excruciatingly。
　Suddenly；　they　descended；　as　so