anner.vittoriothevampire-第6部分

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　〃Tell　him　that　he　is　most　wele　to　e　into　my　house　as　my　guest；〃　said　my　father；　〃that　we　extend　to　him　in　the　name　of　Christ　Our　Lord　our　full　hospitality。〃
　His　very　voice　seemed　to　have　a　calming　effect　on　the　whole　table；　except　perhaps　for　my　mother；　who　seemed　not　to　know　what　to　do。
　The　Captain　looked　almost　slyly　at　my　father；　as　if　to　convey　the　secret　message　that　this　would　never　do；　but　he　went　off　to　deliver　the　invitation。
　My　father　did　not　sit　down。　He　stood　staring　off；　and　then　he　cocked　his　head；　as　though　listening。　He　turned　and　snapped　his　fingers；　drawing　to　attention　the　two　guards　slumbering　at　the　ends　of　the　hall。
　〃Go　through　the　house；　see　to　everything；〃　he　said　in　a　soft　voice。　〃I　think　I　hear　birds　which　have　entered　the　house。　It's　the　warm　air；　and　there　are　many　open　windows。〃
　These　two　went　off；　and　immediately　two　other　soldiers　appeared　to　take　their　place。　That　in　itself　was　not　usual；　for　it　meant　that　there　were　many　men　on　duty。
　The　Captain　came　back　alone；　and　once　more　bowed。
　〃My　Lord；　he　will　not　e　into　the　light；　he　says；　but　that　you　must　e　out　to　him；　and　he　has　little　time　to　wait　on　you。〃
　This　was　the　first　time　I　had　ever　seen　my　father　really　angry。　Even　when　he　whipped　me　or　a　peasant　boy；　he　was　rather　lazy　about　it。　Now　the　fine　lineaments　of　his　face；　so　given　to　reassurance　by　their　very　proportions；　became　absolutely　wrathful。　〃How　dare　he？〃　he　whispered。
　Yet　he　strode　around　the　table；　came　in　front　of　it　and　marched　off　with　the　Captain　of　the　Guard　hastening　behind　him。
　I　was　out　of　my　chair　at　once　and　after　him。　I　heard　my　mother　cry　out　softly；　〃Vittorio；　e　back。〃
　But　I　stole　down　the　stairs　after　my　father；　and　into　the　courtyard；　and　only　when　he　himself　turned　around　and　pressed　my　chest　hard　with　his　hand　did　I　halt。
　〃Stay　there；　my　son；〃　he　said　with　his　old　kindly　warmth。　〃I　shall　see　to　it。〃
　I　had　a　good　vantage　point；　right　at　the　door　of　the　tower；　and　there　across　the　courtyard；　at　the　gates　in　the　full　light　of　the　torches；　I　saw　this　strange　Signore　who　would　not　e　into　the　light　of　the　hall；　for　he　did　not　seem　to　mind　this　outdoor　illumination。　The　huge　gates　of　the　arched　entrance　were　locked　and　bolted　for　the　night。　Only　the　small　man…sized　gate　was　opened；　and　it　was　there　that　he　stood；　with　the　blazing　crackling　fire　on　either　side　of　him；　glorying　in　it；　it　seemed　to　me；　in　his　splendid　raiment　of　dark；　wine…red　velvet。
　From　head　to　toe　he　was　dressed　in　this　rich　color；　hardly　the　current　style；　but　every　detail　of　him；　from　his　bejeweled　doublet　and　blown…up　sleeves　of　satin　and　velvet　stripes；　was　this　same　hue；　as　though　carefully　dyed　in　the　best　fullers　in　Florence。
　Even　the　gems　sewn　into　his　collar　and　hanging　about　his　neck　on　a　heavy　golden　chain　were　wine　red　…　most　likely　rubies　or　even　sapphires。
　His　hair　was　thick　and　black；　hanging　sleekly　onto　his　shoulders；　but　I　couldn't　see　his　face；　no；　not　at　all；　for　the　velvet　hat　he　wore　overshadowed　it；　and　I　caught　but　a　glimpse　of　very　white　skin；　the　line　of　his　jaw　and　a　bit　of　his　neck；　for　nothing　else　was　visible。　He　wore　a　broadsword　of　immense　size；　with　an　antique　scabbard；　and　casually　over　one　shoulder　was　a　cloak　of　the　same　wine…dark　velvet　trimmed　in　what　seemed　to　my　distant　eyes　to　be　ornate　gilt　symbols。
　I　strained；　trying　to　make　them　out；　this　border　of　signs；　and　I　thought　I　could　see　a　star　and　crescent　moon　worked　into　his　fancy　adornments；　but　I　was　really　too　far　away。　The　man's　height　was　impressive。
　My　father　stopped　quite　far　short　of　him；　yet　when　he　spoke　his　voice　was　soft　and　I　couldn't　hear　it；　and　out　of　the　mysterious　man；　who　still　revealed　nothing　now　of　his　face　but　his　smiling　mouth　and　white　teeth；　there　came　a　silky　utterance　that　seemed　both　surly　and　charming。
　〃Get　away　from　my　house　in　the　name　of　God　and　Our　Holy　Redeemer！〃　my　father　cried　out　suddenly。　And　with　a　quick　gesture；　he　stepped　forward　and　powerfully　thrust　this　splendid　figure　right　out　of　the　gate。　I　was　amazed。
　But　from　the　hollow　mouth　of　darkness　beyond　the　opening　there　came　only　a　low　satin　laughter；　a　mocking　laughter；　and　this　it　seemed　was　echoed　by　others；　and　I　heard　a　powerful　thundering　of　hooves；　as　though　several　horsemen　had　menced　at　once　to　ride　off。
　My　father　himself　slammed　the　gate。　And　turned　and　made　the　Sign　of　the　Cross；　and　pressed　his　hands　together　in　prayer。
　〃Dear　Lord　God；　how　dare　they！〃　he　said；　looking　up。
　It　was　only　now；　as　he　stormed　back　towards　me　and　towards　the　tower　itself；　that　I　realized　the　Captain　of　the　Guard　was　paralyzed　with　seeming　terror。
　My　father's　eye　caught　mine　as　soon　as　he　came　into　the　light　from　the　stairs；　and　I　gestured　to　the　Captain。　My　father　spun　round。
　〃Batten　down　my　house；〃　my　father　called　out。　〃Search　it　from　top　to　bottom　and　batten　it　down　and　call　out　the　soldiery　and　fill　the　night　with　torches；　do　you　hear？　I　will　have　men　in　every　tower　and　on　the　walls。　Do　it　at　once。　It　will　give　peace　and　calm　to　my　people！〃　We　had　not　yet　reached　the　supper　room　when　an　old　priest　living　with　us　then；　a　learned　Dominican　named　Fra　Diamonte；　came　down　with　his　white　hair　all　mussed；　and　his　cassock　half　unbuttoned；　and　his　prayer　book　in　his　hand。
　〃What　is　it；　my　Lord？〃　he　asked。　〃What　in　the　name　of　God　has　happened？〃
　〃Father；　trust　in　God　and　e　and　pray　with　me　in　the　chapel；〃　said　my　father　to　him。　He　then　pointed　to　another　guard　who　was　fast　approaching。　〃Light　up　the　chapel；　all　its　candles；　for　I　want　to　pray。　Do　it　now；　and　have　the　boys　e　down　and　play　for　me　some　sacred　music。〃
　He　then　took　my　hand　and　that　of　the　priest。　〃It's　nothing；　really；　you　must　both　of　you　know　that。　It's　all　superstitious　foolishness；　but　any　excuse　which　makes　a　worldly　man　like　me　turn　to　his　God　is　a　good　one。　e　on；　Vittorio；　you　and　Fra　Diamonte　and　I　will　pray；　but　for　your　mother　put　on　a　good　face。〃
　I　was　much　calmer；　but　the　prospect　of　being　up　all　night　in　the　lighted　chapel　was　both　wele　and　alarming。
　I　went　off　to　get　my　prayer　books；　my　Mass　books　and　books　of　other　devotions；　fine　vellum　books　from　Florence；　with　gilt　print　and　beautifully　edged　illustrations。
　I　was　just　ing　out　of　my　room　when　I　saw　my　father　there　with　my　mother；　saying　to　her；　〃And　do　not　leave　the　children　alone　for　a　moment；　and　you；　you　in　this　state；　I　will　not　tolerate　this　distress。〃　She　touched　her　belly。
　I　realized　she　was　with　child　again。　And　I　realized；　too；　that　my　father　was　really　alarmed　about　something。　What　could　it　mean；　〃Do　not　leave　the　children　alone　for　a　moment〃？　What　could　this　mean？
　The　chapel　was　fortable　enough。　My　father　had　long　ago　provided　some　decent　wooden　and　velvet…padded　prie…dieux；　though　on　feast　days　everyone　stood。　Pews　didn't　exist　in　those　times。
　But　he　also　spent　some　of　the　night　showing　me　the　vault　beneath　the　church；　which　opened　by　means　of　a　ring　handle　on　a　trapdoor；　faced　in　stone；　the　ring　itself　fitted　down　flat　beneath　what　appeared　to　be　only　one　of　many　marble　inlaid　ornaments　in　the　floor　tiles。
　I　knew　of　these　crypts　but　had　been　whipped　for　sneaking　into　them　when　I　was　a　child；　and　my　father　had　told　me　back　then　how　disappointed　in　me　he'd　been　that　I　couldn't　keep　a　family　secret。
　That　admonition　had　hurt　far　more　than　the　whipping。　And　I'd　never　asked　to　go　with　him　into　the　crypts；　which　I　knew　he　had　done　over　the　years　now　and　then。　I　thought　treasure　was　down　there；　and　secrets　of　the　pagans。
　Well；　I　saw　now　there　was　a　cavernous　room；　carved　high　and　deep　out　of　the　earth；　and　faced　with　stone；　and　that　it　was　full　of　varied　treasure。　There　were　old　chests　and　even　old　books　in　heaps。　And　two　bolted　doorways。
　〃Those　lead　to　old　burial　places　that　you　don't　need　to　go　to；〃　he　said；　〃but　you　need　to　know　of　this　place　now。　And　remember　it。〃
　When　we　came　back　up　into　the　chapel；　he　put　the　trapdoor　right；　laid　down　the　ring；　relaid　the　marble　tile；　and　the　whole　was　quite　invisible。
　Fra　Diamonte　pretended　not　to　have　seen。　My　mother　was　asleep　and　so　were　the　children。　We　all　fell　asleep　before　dawn　in　the　chapel。
　My　father　walked　out　in　the　courtyard　at　sunup；　when　the　cocks　were　crowing　all　over　the　villages　inside　the　walls；　and　he　stretched　and　looked　up　at　the　sky　and　then　shrugged　his　shoulders。
　Two　of　my　uncles　ran　at　him；　demanding　to　know　what　Signore　from　where　dared　to　propose　a　siege　against　us　and　when　we　were　supposed　to　have　this　battle。
　〃No；　no；　no；　you've　got　it　all　wrong；〃　my　father　said。　〃We're　not　going　to　war。　You　go　back　to　bed。〃
　But　he　had　no　sooner　spoken　these　words　than　a　ripping　scream　brought　us　all　around；　and　through　the　opening　courtyard　gates　there　came　one　of　the　village　girls；　one　of　our　near　and　dear　girls；　shrieking　the　terrible　words：　〃He's　gone；　the　baby's　gone；　they've　taken　him。〃
　The　rest　of　the　day　was　a　relentless　search　for　this　missing　child。　But　no　one　could　find　him。　And　it　was　soon　discovered　that　one　other　child　had　also　vanished　without　a　trace。　He　had　been　a　half…wit；　rather　beloved　because　he　caused　no　harm；　but　so　addle…brained　he　couldn't　even　much　walk。　And　everyone　was　ashamed　to　say　that　they　did　not　even　know　how　long　that　half…wit　had　been　missing。　By　dusk；　I　thought　I　would　go　mad　if　I　didn't　get　to　see　my　father　alone；　if　I　couldn't　push　my　way　into　the　locked　chambers　where　he　sat　with　his　uncles　and　the　priests　arguing　and　fighting。　Finally；　I　hammered　so　loudly　on　the　door　and　kicked　so　much　that　he　let　me　in。
　The　meeting　was　about　to　break　up　and　he　drew　me　down　by　himself；　and　he　said　with　wild　eyes：
　〃Do　you　see　what　they've　done？　They　took　the　very　tribute　they　demanded　of　me。　They　took　it！　I　refused　it　and　they　took　it。〃
　〃But　what　tribute？　You　mean　the　children？〃
　He　was　wild…eyed。　He　rubbed　his　unshaven　face；　and　he　crashed　his　fist　down　on　his　desk；　and　then　he　pushed　over　all　his　writing　things。
　〃Who　do　they　think　they　are　that　they　e　to　me　by　night　and　demand　that　I　tender　to　them　those　infants　unwanted　by　anyone？〃
　〃Father；　what　is　this？　You　must　tell　me。〃
　〃Vittorio；　you　will　tomorrow　be　off　to　Florence；　at　the　first　light；　and　with　the　letters　I　mean　to　write　tonight。　I　need　mor