anner.vittoriothevampire-第9部分

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　We　mean　to　cut　them　down　on　sight。　I'm　tired。　I'm　sick　of　this。〃　I　tossed　them　some　coins。　They　were　off　immediately。
　But　not　before　they　let　slip　in　talk　of　the　country　round　that　the　nearest　Florentine　town　was　Santa　Maddalana；　which　was　two　hours　up　ahead；　and　that　it　would　close　its　gates　at　night；　and　nobody　could　talk　his　way　into　it。
　I　pretended　to　know　all　about　that　and　to　be　on　the　way　to　a　famous　monastery　that　I　knew　lay　farther　north；　which　I　couldn't　possibly　have　reached；　and　then　threw　more　money　over　my　shoulder　as　I　raced　off；　hollering　out　that　they　ought　to　ride　on　to　meet　the　band　ing　behind　who　would　pay　them　for　their　service。
　I　know　they　were　debating　all　the　time　whether　to　kill　me　and　take　everything　I　had　or　not。　It　was　a　matter　of　stares　and　bluffs　and　fast　talking　and　standing　one's　ground；　and　they　were　just　utter　ruffians；　and　somehow　I　got　out　of　it。
　I　rode　off　as　quickly　as　I　could；　left　the　main　road　and　cut　towards　the　slopes　from　which　I　could　see　in　the　far　distance　the　vague　outline　of　Santa　Maddalana。　A　big　town。　I　could　see　four　massive　towers　all　gathered　near　the　obvious　front　gates；　and　several　distinct　church　steeples。
　I　had　hoped　for　something　before　this　Santa　Maddalana；　something　small；　less　fortified。　But　I　couldn't　remember　names　or　was　too　lost　now　to　go　looking　further。
　The　afternoon　sunshine　was　brilliant　but　now　at　a　slant。　I　had　to　make　for　Santa　Maddalana。
　When　I　reached　the　mountain　proper　on　which　this　town　was　built；　I　went　up　sharply　on　the　small　paths　used　by　the　shepherds。
　The　light　was　fading　fast。　The　forest　was　too　thick　to　be　safe　so　near　a　walled　town。　I　cursed　them　that　they　didn't　keep　the　mountain　cleared；　but　then　I　had　the　safety　of　cover。
　There　were　moments　amid　the　deepening　darkness　when　it　seemed　virtually　impossible　to　reach　the　summit；　the　stars　now　lighted　a　glowing　sapphirine　sky；　but　that　only　made　the　venerable　town　in　all　its　majesty　seem　ever　more　unattainable。
　Finally　the　heedless　night　did　plunge　down　amongst　the　thick　trunks　of　the　trees；　and　I　was　picking　my　way；　counting　on　the　instincts　of　my　horse　more　than　my　own　failing　vision。　The　pale　half…moon　seemed　in　love　with　the　clouds。　The　sky　itself　was　nothing　but　bits　and　pieces　thanks　to　the　canopy　of　foliage　above　me。
　I　found　myself　praying　to　my　father；　as　if　he　were　safely　with　my　guardian　angels　about　me；　and　I　think　I　believed　in　him　and　his　presence　more　surely　than　I　had　ever　believed　in　angels；　saying；　〃Please；　Father；　help　me　get　there。　Help　me　get　to　safety；　lest　those　demons　render　my　vengeance　impossible。〃
　I　gripped　my　sword　hard。　I　reminded　myself　of　the　daggers　I　wore　in　my　boots；　in　my　sleeve；　in　my　jacket　and　in　my　belt。　I　strained　to　see　by　the　light　of　the　sky；　and　had　to　trust　my　horse　to　pick　his　way　through　the　thick　tree　trunks。
　At　moments　I　stopped　very　still。　I　heard　no　unusual　sound。　Who　else　would　be　fool　enough　to　be　out　in　the　night　of　this　forest？　At　some　point　very　near　the　end　of　the　journey；　I　found　the　main　road；　the　forest　thinned　and　then　gave　way　to　smooth　fields　and　meadows；　and　I　took　the　twists　and　turns　at　a　gallop。
　At　last　the　town　rose　right　up　in　front　of　us；　as　it　happens　when　you　reach　the　gates　by　a　final　turn；　you　seem　to　have　been　thrown　up　on　the　ground　at　the　foot　of　a　magic　fortress　…　and　I　took　a　deep　breath　of　thanks；　no　matter　that　the　giant　gates　were　firmly　shut　as　if　a　hostile　army　were　camped　beneath　it。　This　had　to　be　my　haven。
　Of　course　the　Watch；　a　sleepy　soldier　hollering　down　from　above；　wanted　to　know　who　I　was。
　Once　again　the　effort　of　making　up　something　good　distracted　me　from　wayward；　near　uncontrollable；　images　of　the　fiend　Ursula　and　her　severed　arm；　and　the　decapitated　bodies　of　my　brother　and　sister　fallen　on　the　chapel　floor　in　mid…gesture。
　I　cried　out；　in　a　humble　tone　but　with　pretentious　vocabulary；　that　I　was　a　scholar　in　the　employ　of　Cosimo　de'　Medici　e　on　a　search　for　books　in　Santa　Maddalana；　in　particular　old　prayer　books　pertaining　to　the　saints　and　appearances　of　the　Blessed　Virgin　Mary　in　this　district。　What　nonsense。
　I　had　e；　I　declared；　to　visit　the　churches　and　schools　and　whatever　old　teachers　the　town　might　shelter；　and　to　take　back　what　I　could　purchase　with　good　gold　Florentine　coin　to　my　master　in　Florence。
　〃Yes；　but　your　name；　your　name！〃　the　soldier　insisted　as　he　opened　the　small　lower　gate　only　a　crack；　his　lantern　held　high　to　inspect　me。　I　knew　I　made　a　good　picture　on　my　horse。
　〃De'　Bardi；〃　I　declared。　〃Antonio　De'　Bardi；　kinsman　of　Cosimo；〃　I　said　with　fierce　nerve；　naming　the　family　of　Cosimo's　wife　because　it　was　the　only　name　that　came　into　my　head。　〃Look；　kindly　man；　take　this　payment　for　me；　have　a　good　supper　with　your　wife　as　my　guests；　here；　I　know　it's　late；　I'm　so　tired！〃
　The　gate　was　opened。　I　had　to　dismount　to　lead　my　horse　with　lowered　head　through　it　and　into　the　echoing　stone　piazza　right　inside。
　〃What　in　the　name　of　God；〃　asked　the　Watchman；　〃were　you　doing　in　these　woods　after　dark　alone？　Do　you　know　the　dangers？　And　so　young？　What　is　the　Bardi　these　days　that　they　let　their　secretaries　go　riding　all　over　unescorted？〃　He　pocketed　the　money。　〃Look　at　you；　a　mere　child！　Somebody　could　murder　you　for　your　buttons。　What's　the　matter　with　you？〃
　This　was　an　immense　piazza；　and　I　could　see　more　than　one　street　leading　off。　Good　luck。　But　what　if　the　demons　were　here　too？　I　had　no　clue　as　to　where　such　things　might　roost　or　hide！　But　I　went　on　talking。
　〃It's　all　my　fault。　I　got　lost。　Tell　on　me　and　you'll　get　me　in　trouble；〃　I　said。　〃Show　me　to　the　Albergo。　I'm　so　tired。　Here；　take　this；　no；　you　must。〃　I　gave　him　more　money　〃I　got　lost。　I　didn't　listen。　I'm　about　to　faint。　I　need　wine　and　supper　and　a　bed。　Here；　good　man；　no；　no；　no；　take　more；　I　insist。　The　Bardi　would　not　have　it　otherwise。〃
　He　ran　out　of　pockets　for　the　money；　but　managed　somehow　to　stuff　it　in　his　shirt　and　then　led　me　by　torchlight　to　the　Inn；　banging　on　the　door；　and　a　sweet…faced　old　woman　came　down；　grateful　for　the　coins　I　thrust　into　her　hand　at　once；　to　show　me　to　a　room。
　〃High　up　and　looking　out　over　the　valley；〃　I　said；　〃if　you　please；　and　some　supper；　it　can　be　stone　cold；　I　don't　care。〃
　〃You're　not　going　to　find　any　books　in　this　town；〃　said　the　Watchman；　standing　about　as　I　beat　it　up　the　stairs　after　the　woman。　〃All　the　young　people　go　off；　it's　a　peaceable　place；　just　happy　little　shopkeepers。　Young　men　today　run　off　to　universities。　But　this　is　a　beautiful　place　to　live；　simply　beautiful。〃
　〃How　many　churches　do　you　have？〃　I　asked　the　old　woman　when　we'd　reached　the　room。　I　told　her　that　I　must　keep　the　lighted　candle　for　the　night。
　〃Two　Dominican；　one　Carmelite；〃　said　the　Watchman；　slouching　in　the　little　door；　〃and　the　beautiful　old　Franciscan　church；　which　is　where　I　go。　Nothing　bad　ever　happens　here。〃
　The　old　woman　shook　her　head　and　told　him　to　be　quiet。　She　set　the　candle　down　and　gestured　that　it　could　stay。
　The　Watchman　went　on　chattering　as　I　sat　on　the　bed；　staring　at　nothing；　until　she'd　brought　a　plate　of　cold　mutton　and　bread；　and　a　pitcher　of　wine。　〃Our　schools　are　strict；〃　the　man　went　on。　Again　the　old　woman　told　him　to　hush　up。
　〃Nobody　dares　to　make　trouble　in　this　place；〃　he　said；　and　then　both　of　them　were　gone。
　I　fell　on　my　plate　like　an　animal。　All　I　wanted　was　strength。　In　my　grief　I　couldn't　even　think　of　pleasure。　I　looked　out　on　a　tiny　bit　of　high　star…sprinkled　sky　for　a　little　while；　praying　desperately　to　every　saint　and　angel　whose　name　I　knew　for　help；　and　then　I　locked　up　the　window　tight。　I　bolted　the　door。
　And　making　sure　that　the　candle　was　well　sheltered　in　the　corner；　and　plenty　big　enough　to　last　until　dawn；　I　fell　into　the　lumpy　little　bed；　too　exhausted　to　remove　boots　or　sword　or　daggers　or　anything　else。　I　thought　I'd　fall　into　a　deep　sleep；　but　I　lay　rigid；　full　of　hatred；　and　hurt；　and　swollen　broken　soul；　staring　into　the　dark；　my　mouth　full　of　death　as　if　I'd　eaten　it。
　I　could　hear　distantly　the　sounds　of　my　horse　being　tended　to　downstairs；　and　some　lonely　steps　on　the　deserted　stone　street。　I　was　safe；　at　least　that　much　was　so。
　Finally　sleep　came。　It　came　totally　and　pletely　and　sweetly；　the　net　of　nerves　which　had　held　me　suspended　and　maddened　simply　dissolved；　and　I　sank　down　into　a　dreamless　darkness。
　I　was　conscious　of　that　sweet　point　where　nothing　for　the　moment　matters　except　to　sleep；　to　replenish　and　to　fear　yet　no　dreams；　and　then　nothing。
　A　noise　brought　me　around。　I　was　immediately　awake。　The　candle　had　gone　out。　I　had　my　hand　on　my　sword　before　my　eyes　opened。　I　lay　on　the　narrow　bed；　back　to　the　wall；　facing　the　room　and　in　a　seemingly　sourceless　light。　I　could　just　make　out　the　bolted　door；　but　I　couldn't　see　the　window　above　me　unless　I　turned　my　head　to　look　up；　and　I　knew；　positively　knew；　that　this　window；　heavily　barred；　had　been　broken　open。　The　little　light　which　fell　on　the　wall　came　from　the　sky　outside。　It　was　a　fragile；　weak　light；　slipping　down　against　the　wall　of　the　town　and　giving　my　little　chamber　the　attitude　of　a　prison　cell。
　I　felt　the　cool　fresh　air　e　down　around　my　neck　and　felt　it　on　my　cheek。　I　clutched　the　sword　tight；　listening；　waiting。　There　were　small　creaking　sounds。　The　bed　had　moved　ever　so　slightly；　as　if　from　a　pressure。
　I　couldn't　focus　my　eyes。　Darkness　suddenly　obscured　everything；　and　out　of　this　darkness　there　rose　a　shape　before　me；　a　figure　bending　over　me；　a　woman　looking　right　into　my　face　as　her　hair　fell　down　on　me。　It　was　Ursula。
　Her　face　was　not　an　inch　from　mine。　Her　hand；　very　cool　and　smooth；　closed　over　my　own；　on　the　hilt　of　my　sword；　with　a　deadly　force；　and　she　let　her　eyelashes　stroke　my　cheek　and　then　kissed　my　forehead。
　I　was　enveloped　in　sweetness；　no　matter　how　hot　my　rebellion。　A　sordid　flood　of　sensation　penetrated　to　my　very　entrails。　〃Strega！〃　I　cursed　her。
　〃I　didn't　kill　them；　Vittorio。〃　Her　voice　was　imploring　but　with　dignity　and　a　curious　sonorous　strength；　though　it　was　only　a　small　voice；　very　young　in　tone　and　feminine　in　timbre。
　〃You　were　taking　them；〃　I　said　to　her。　I　tried　in　a　violent　spasm　to　free　myself。　But　her　hand　held　me　powerfully　fast；　and