anner.vittoriothevampire-第33部分

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d　down　the　ladder；　and　stepped　at　midpoint；　between　two　of　the　rungs；　and　tried　from　there　to　lift　it。
　Impossible。　I　simply　did　not　possess　the　leverage。　It　weighed　too　much；　slight　as　it　was；　because　it　was　so　long。　Three　or　four　strong　men　might　have　hoisted　it　sufficiently　to　make　its　topmost　rungs　catch　on　the　broken　spears；　but　I　alone　could　not　do　it。
　Alas；　there　was　another　possibility。　A　chain；　or　a　rope；　that　could　be　tossed　to　the　spears　above。　In　the　gleam；　I　made　a　search　for　such　but　found　none。　No　chains　anywhere　here？　No　coil　of　rope？
　Had　even　the　young　larvae　been　able　to　leap　the　gap　between　the　floor　and　the　broken　stairway？
　At　last　I　moved　along　the　walls；　searching　for　any　bump　or　hook　or　excrescence　which　might　indicate　a　storeroom　or；　God　forbid；　another　crypt　of　these　fiends。　But　I　could　find　nothing。
　Finally；　I　staggered　towards　the　center　of　the　room　again。　I　gathered　all　the　heads；　even　the　loathsome　bald　head　of　Godric；　which　was　now　black　like　leather　with　its　yellowed　slits　of　eyes；　and　I　piled　these　heads　where　the　light　could　not　fail　to　continue　its　work　on　them。
　Then；　stumbling　over　the　ladder；　I　fell　on　my　knees　at　the　foot　of　Ursula's　bier。
　I　sank　down。　I　would　sleep　this　little　while。　No；　not　sleep；　rest。
　Not　willing　it；　indeed；　fearing　it　and　regretting　it；　I　felt　my　limbs　go　limp　and　I　lay　on　the　stone　floor；　and　my　eyes　closed　in　a　blessed　restorative　sleep。　How　curious　it　was。
　I　had　thought　her　scream　would　awaken　me；　that　like　a　frightened　child　she　would　have　risen　up　in　the　darkness　on　the　bier；　finding　herself　alone　with　so　many　dead　ones。
　I　had　thought　the　sight　of　the　heads　in　the　pile　would　have　terrified　her。　But　no　such　had　happened。
　Twilight　filled　the　space　above；　violet…colored；　like　the　flowers　of　the　meadow；　and　she　stood　over　me。　She　had　put　the　rosary　around　her　neck；　which　is　not　mon；　and　she　wore　it　as　a　beautiful　ornament　with　the　gold　crucifix　turning　and　twisting　in　the　light；　a　glinting　speck　of　gold　that　matched　the　specks　of　light　in　her　eyes。　She　was　smiling。
　〃My　brave　one；　my　hero；　e；　let's　escape　this　place　of　death。　You've　done　it；　you　have　avenged　them。〃
　〃Did　you　move　your　lips？〃
　〃Need　I　do　that　with　you？〃
　I　felt　a　thrill　pass　through　me　as　she　lifted　me　to　my　feet。　She　stood　looking　up　into　my　face；　her　hands　firmly　on　my　shoulders。
　〃Blessed　Vittorio；〃　she　said。　Then　clasping　me　about　the　waist；　she　rose　upwards　and　we　passed　the　broken　spears；　without　so　much　as　touching　their　splintered　tips；　and　found　ourselves　in　the　chapel　in　the　dusk；　the　windows　darkened　and　the　shadows　playing　gracefully　but　mercifully　around　the　distant　altar。
　〃Oh；　my　darling；　my　darling；〃　I　said。　〃Do　you　know　what　the　angels　did？　Do　you　know　what　they　said？〃
　〃e；　let's　free　the　prisoners　as　you　wish；〃　she　told　me。
　I　felt　so　refreshed；　so　full　of　vigor。　It　was　as　if　I'd　suffered　no　exhausting　labor　at　all；　as　if　war　hadn't　worn　down　my　limbs　and　broken　me；　as　though　battle　and　struggle　hadn't　been　my　portion　for　days。
　I　rushed　with　her　through　the　castle。　We　threw　open　the　doors；　one　pair　after　another；　on　the　miserable　occupants　of　the　coop。　It　was　she　who　scurried　on　her　light；　feline　feet　through　the　pathways　beneath　the　orange　trees　and　the　bird　aviaries；　overturning　the　kettles　of　soup；　crying　out　to　the　poor　and　the　lame　and　the　hopeless　that　they　were　free；　that　no　one　imprisoned　them　now。
　In　a　twinkling　we　stood　on　a　high　balcony。　I　saw　far　below　their　miserable　procession　in　the　half…light；　the　long　winding　line　of　them　progressing　down　the　mountain　under　the　purple　sky　and　the　rising　evening　star。　The　weak　helped　the　strong；　the　old　carried　the　young。
　〃Where　will　they　go；　back　to　that　evil　town？　Back　to　the　monsters　who　gave　them　up　in　sacrifice？〃　I　was　in　a　fury　suddenly。　〃Punished；　that's　what　they　must　be。〃
　〃In　time；　Vittorio；　there　is　time。　Your　poor　sad　victims　are　free　now。　This　is　our　time；　yours　and　mine；　e。〃
　Her　skirts　went　out　in　a　great　dark　circle　as　down　we　flew；　down　and　down；　down　past　the　windows；　and　down　past　the　walls；　until　my　feet　were　allowed　to　touch　the　soft　ground。
　〃Oh；　Lord　God；　it's　the　meadow；　look；　the　meadow；〃　I　said。　〃I　can　see　it　as　clearly　under　the　rising　moon　as　ever　I　saw　it　in　my　dreams。〃
　A　sudden　softness　filled　me　pletely。　I　twined　her　in　my　arms；　my　fingers　digging　deep　into　her　rippling　hair。　All　the　world　seemed　to　sway　about　me；　and　yet　I　was　anchored　in　dance　with　her；　and　the　soft　airy　movement　of　the　trees　sang　to　us　as　we　were　bound　together。
　〃Nothing　can　ever　part　us；　Vittorio；〃　she　said。　She　tore　loose。　She　ran　ahead　of　me。
　〃No；　wait；　Ursula；　wait！〃　I　cried。　I　ran　after　her；　but　the　grass　and　the　irises　were　tall　and　thick。　It　wasn't　so　like　the　dream；　but　then　again　it　was；　because　these　things　were　alive　and　full　of　the　verdant　smell　of　the　wild；　and　the　sylvan　woods　were　gently　heaving　their　limbs　on　the　scented　wind。
　I　fell　down　exhausted　and　let　the　flowers　climb　up　on　either　side　of　me。　I　let　the　red　irises　peer　down　upon　my　upturned　face。
　She　knelt　above　me。　〃He　will　forgive　me；　Vittorio；〃　she　said。　〃He　will　forgive　all　in　his　infinite　mercy。〃
　〃Oh；　yes；　my　love；　my　blessed；　beautiful　love；　my　savior；　He　will。〃
　The　tiny　crucifix　dangled　down　against　my　neck。
　〃But　you　must　do　this　for　me；　you　who　let　me　live　below；　you　who　spared　me　and　fell　asleep　in　my　trust　at　the　feet　of　my　grave；　you　must　do　this。。。〃
　〃What；　blessed　one？〃　I　asked。　〃Tell　me　and　I'll　do　it。〃
　〃Pray　first　for　strength；　and　then　into　your　human　body；　into　your　wholesome　and　baptized　body；　you　must　take　all　the　demon　blood　out　of　me　which　you　can；　you　must　draw　it　from　me；　and　thereby　free　my　soul　from　its　spell；　it　will　be　vomited　forth　out　of　you　like　the　potions　we　gave　you；　which　cannot　hurt　you。　Will　you　do　it　for　me？　Will　you　take　the　poison　out　of　me？〃
　I　thought　of　the　sickness；　of　the　vomit　that　had　streamed　from　my　mouth　in　the　monastery。　I　thought　of　it　all；　the　terrible　gibbering　and　madness。
　〃Do　this　for　me；〃　she　said。
　She　lay　against　me　and　I　felt　her　heart　trapped　in　her　chest；　and　I　felt　my　own；　and　it　seemed　I　had　never　known　such　dreamy　languor。　I　could　feel　my　fingers　curl。　For　an　instant　it　seemed　they　rested　on　hard　rocks　in　this　meadow；　as　if　the　backs　of　my　hands　had　found　harsh　pebbles；　but　once　again　I　felt　the　broken　stems；　the　bed　of　purple　and　red　and　white　irises。　She　raised　her　head。
　〃In　the　Name　of　God；〃　I　said；　〃for　your　salvation；　I　will　take　whatever　poison　I　must　from　you；　I　will　draw　off　the　blood　as　if　from　a　cankerous　wound；　as　if　it　were　the　corruption　of　a　leper。　Give　it　to　me；　give　me　the　blood。〃
　Her　face　was　motionless　above　mine；　so　small；　so　dainty；　so　white。
　〃Be　brave；　my　love；　be　brave；　for　I　must　make　room　for　it　first。〃
　She　nestled　in　against　my　neck；　and　into　my　flesh　there　came　her　teeth。　〃Be　brave；　only　a　little　more　to　make　room。〃
　〃A　little　more？〃　I　whispered。　〃A　little　more。　Ah；　Ursula；　look　up；　look　up　at　Heaven　and　Hell　in　the　sky；　for　the　stars　are　balls　of　fire　suspended　there　by　the　angels。〃
　But　the　language　was　stretched　and　meaningless　and　became　an　echo　in　my　ears。　A　darkness　shrouded　me；　and　when　I　lifted　my　hand　it　seemed　a　golden　net　covered　it　and　I　could　see　far；　far　away；　my　fingers　shrouded　in　the　net。
　The　meadow　was　suddenly　flooded　with　sunlight。　I　wanted　to　break　away；　to　sit　up；　to　tell　her；　Look；　the　sun　has　e；　and　you're　not　hurt；　my　precious　girl。　But　on　and　on　there　came　these　waves　of　divine　and　luscious　pleasure　passing　through　me；　pulled　from　me；　pulled　up　from　my　loins；　this　coaxing　and　magnificent　pleasure。
　When　her　teeth　slipped　from　my　flesh；　it　was　as　if　she　had　tightened　the　grip　of　her　soul　on　my　organs；　on　all　parts　of　me　that　were　man　and　babe　once；　and　human　now。
　〃Oh；　my　love；　my　darling；　don't　stop。〃　The　sun　made　a　bewildering　dance　in　the　branches　of　the　chestnut　trees。
　She　opened　her　mouth；　and　from　her　came　the　stream　of　blood；　the　deep　dark　kiss　of　blood。　〃Take　it　from　me；　Vittorio。〃
　〃All　your　sins　into　me；　my　divine　child；〃　I　said。　〃Oh；　God　help　me。　God　have　mercy　on　me。　Mastema　…〃
　But　the　word　was　broken。　My　mouth　was　filled　with　the　blood；　and　it　was　no　rank　potion　mixed　of　parts；　but　that　searing　thrilling　sweetness　that　she　had　first　given　me　in　her　most　secretive　and　perplexing　kisses。　Only　this　time　it　came　in　an　overwhelming　gush。
　Her　arms　were　tucked　beneath　me。　They　lifted　me。　The　blood　seemed　to　know　no　veins　within　but　to　fill　my　limbs　themselves；　to　fill　my　shoulders　and　my　chest；　to　drown　and　invigorate　my　very　heart。　I　stared　up　at　the　twinkling　playing　sun；　I　felt　her　blinding　and　soft　hair　across　my　eyes　but　peered　through　its　golden　strands。　My　breath　came　in　gasps。
　The　blood　flowed　down　into　my　legs　and　filled　them　to　my　very　toes。　My　body　surged　with　strength。　My　organ　pumped　against　her；　and　once　more　I　felt　her　subtle　feline　weight；　her　sinuous　limbs　hugging　me；　holding　me；　binding　me；　her　arms　crossed　beneath　me；　her　lips　sealed　to　mine。
　My　eyes　struggled；　grew　wide。　The　sunlight　filled　them；　and　then　contracted。　It　contracted；　and　my　sighs　seemed　to　grow　immense；　and　the　beating　of　my　heart　to　echo；　as　though　we　were　not　in　a　wild　meadow；　and　the　sounds　that　came　from　my　empowered　body；　my　transformed　body；　my　body　so　full　of　her　blood；　echoed　off　stone　walls！
　The　meadow　was　gone　or　never　was。　The　twilight　was　a　rectangle　high　above。　I　lay　in　the　crypt。
　I　rose　up；　throwing　her　off；　back　away　from　me　as　she　screamed　in　pain。　I　sprang　to　my　feet　and　stared　at　my　white　hands　outstretched　before　me。
　A　horrid　hunger　reared　up　in　me；　a　fierce　strength；　a　howl！
　I　stared　up　at　the　dark…purple　light　above　and　screamed。
　〃You've　done　it　to　me！　You've　made　me　one　of　you！〃
　She　sobbed。　I　turned　on　her。　She　backed　up；　bent　over；　her　hand　over　her　mouth；　crying　and　fleeing　from　me。　I　ran　after　her。　Like　a　rat　she　ran；　round　and　round　the　crypt；　screaming。
　〃Vittorio；　no；　Vittorio；　no；　Vittorio；　no；　don't　hurt　me。　Vittorio；　I　did　this　for　us；　Vittorio；　we　are　free。　Ah；　God　help　me！〃
　And　then　upwards　she　flew；　just　missing　my　outstretched　arms。　She　had　fled　to　the　chapel　above。
　〃Witchlet；　mons