anner.bloodandgold-第33部分

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was　our　nature。　And　we　had　to　drink　plenty　of　blood。　Blood　was　the　only　thing　that　mattered　to　us。
　　　〃Maybe　to　you；　I　thought；　but　I　didn't　dare　argue　with　him。
　
　　　〃And　my　hair　of　course　had　all　grown　back　as　it　would　every　day　forever；　and　he　once　again　hacked　it　off。　Within　a　few　nights；　to　my　relief　he　did　acquire　an　expensive　scissors　to　make　this　operation　easier；　but　he；　no　matter　what　we　had　to　do；　would　never　tolerate　my　long　locks。
　　　〃I　was　with　him　several　years。
　　　〃He　was　never　civil　or　kind；　but　never　terribly　cruel　either。　I　was　never　out　of　his　sight。　When　I　asked　if　we　might　acquire　better　clothes　for　me；　he　agreed；　though　he　obviously　didn't　care　too　much　about　it。　As　for　himself；　he　wore　a　long　tunic　and　a　cloak；　changing　only　when　these　became　worn；　stealing　the　fresh　clothing　from　one　of　his　victims。
　　　〃He　often　patted　me　on　the　head。　He　had　no　words　for　love；　and　he　had　no　imagination。　When　I　brought　back　books　from　the　market　to　read　poetry；　he　laughed　at　me；　if　you　can　call　the　toneless　noise　he　made　a　laugh。　I　read　the　poetry　to　him　nevertheless；　and　much　of　the　time　after　the　initial　laugh　he　simply　stared　at　me。
　　　〃Once　or　twice　I　asked　him　how　he'd　been　made　a　blood　drinker；　and　he　said　it　was　by　a　wicked　drinker　of　the　blood　who　had　e　out　of　Upper　Egypt。　'They're　all　liars；　those　old　ones；'　he　said。　'I　call　them　the　Temple　Blood　Drinkers。'　And　that　constituted　the　entire　history　he　bequeathed　to　me。
　　　'If　I　went　against　him　in　any　particular；　he　hit　me。　It　wasn't　a　terribly　hard　blow；　but　it　was　enough　to　stop　me　from　ever　opposing　him　on　any　count。
　　　〃When　I　tried　to　put　the　household　in　some　sort　of　order；　he　stared　at　me　dully；　never　offering　to　help　but　never　striking　me　either。　I　rolled　out　some　of　the　Babylonian　rugs。　I　put　some　of　the　marble　
　　　statues　along　the　wall　so　that　they　looked　respectable。　I　cleaned　up　the
　　　courtyard。
　　　〃Now　during　this　time；　I　heard　other　blood　drinkers　in　Alexandria。　I　even　glimpsed　them；　but　never　did　they　e　very　close。
　　　〃When　I　told　him　about　them；　he　only　shrugged　and　said　that　they　were　no　worry　of　mine。　Tm　too　strong　for　them；'　he　told　me；　'and　besides　they　don't　want　any　trouble。　They　know　that　I　know　too　much　about　them。'　He　didn't　explain　further；　but　he　told　me　I　was　very　blessed　in　that　he'd　given　me　old　blood。
　　　〃I　don't　know　what　kept　me　so　happy　during　that　time。　Perhaps　it　was　hunting　different　parts　of　Alexandria；　or　just　reading　new　books；　or　swimming　in　the　sea。　He　and　I　did　go　out　together　and　swim　in　the　sea。
　　　〃I　don't　know　if　you　can　imagine　this…what　the　sea　meant　to　me；　that　I　might　bathe　in　it；　that　I　might　walk　along　the　shore。　A　closeted　Greek　housewife　would　never　have　that　privilege。　And　I　was　a　blood　drinker。　I　was　a　boy。　I　hunted　the　ships　in　the　harbor。　I　walked　with　brave　and　evil　men。
　　　〃One　night　my　Maker　failed　to　cut　off　my　hair；　as　was　the　evening　custom；　and　he　took　me　to　a　strange　place。　It　was　in　the　Egyptian　　quarter　of　the　city；　and　once　we　opened　the　door；　we　had　to　follow　a　long　descending　tunnel；　before　we　came　into　a　great　room　covered　with　the　old　picture　writing　of　Egypt。　There　were　huge　square　pillars　
　　　supporting　the　ceiling。　It　was　rather　an　awe…inspiring　place。
　　　〃I　think　it　brought　to　memory　a　more　refined　time　to　me；　when　I　had　known　things　of　mystery　and　beauty；　though　I　cannot　now　really　say。
　　　〃There　were　several　blood　drinkers　there。　They　were　pale　and　appeared　extremely　beautiful；　but　nothing　as　white　as　my　Maker　and　they　were　clearly　afraid　of　him。　I　was　quite　astonished　to　see　all　this。　But　then　I　remembered　his　phrase；　'Temple　Blood　Drinkers；'　and　I　thought；　So　we　are　with　them。
　　　〃He　pushed　me　forward　as　a　little　miracle　which　they　had　not　beheld。　There　was　a　quarrel　then　in　their　language；　which　I　could　just　barely　understand。
　　　
　　　〃It　seemed　they　told　him　that　the　Mother　would　make　the　decision；　and　then　and　only　then　could　he　be　forgiven　for　his　ways。　As　for　him；　my　Maker；　he　said　that　he　didn't　care　whether　or　not　he　was　forgiven；　but　he　was　going　off　now；　and　he　wanted　to　be　rid　of　me　and　if　they　would　take　me；　that　was　all　he　wanted　to　know。
　　　〃I　was　terrified。　I　didn't　entirely　like　this　gloomy　place；　grand　though　it　was。　And　we　had　spent　several　years　together。　And　now　he　was　leaving？
　　　〃I　wanted　to　ask　him；　What　had　I　done？　I　suppose　I　realized　in　that　moment　that　I　loved　him。　I　would　do　anything　if　he　would　only　change　his　mind。
　　　〃The　others　fell　upon　me。　They　took　hold　of　me　by　both　arms　and　dragged　me　with　unnecessary　force　into　another　gigantic　room。
　　　〃The　Mother　and　the　Father　were　there；　resplendent　and　shining；　seated　on　a　huge　throne　of　black　diorite；　above　some　six　or　seven　　marble　steps。
　　　〃This　was　the　main　room　of　a　temple；　and　all　its　columns　and　walls　were　decorated　beautifully　with　the　Egyptian　writing；　and　the　ceiling　was　covered　with　plates　of　gold。
　　　〃Naturally　I　thought；　as　we　all　do；　that　the　Mother　and　the　Father　were　statues；　and　as　I　was　dragged　closer　to　them；　I　was　mad　with　resentment　that　such　a　thing　was　taking　place。
　　　〃I　was　also　curiously　ashamed；　ashamed　that　I　wore　old　sandals　and　a　dirty　boyish　tunic；　and　that　my　hair　was　tumbled　down　all　around　me…for　on　this　one　night　my　Maker　had　failed　to　hack　it　off…and　I　was　in　no　way　prepared　for　what　ritual　was　to　take　place。
　　　〃Akasha　and　Enkil　were　of　the　purest　white；　and　they　sat　as　they　have　always　done；　since　I　have　e　to　know　them…as　they　sit　in　your　underground　chapel　now。〃
　　　Mael　broke　the　narrative　with　an　angry　question：
　　　〃How　do　you　know　how　the　Mother　and　Father　appear　in　our　underground　chapel？〃
　　　I　was　deeply　disturbed　that　he　had　done　this。
　　　But　Eudoxia　remained　utterly　posed。
　　　〃You　have　no　power　to　see　through　the　minds　of　other　blood　drinkers？〃　she　asked。　Her　eyes　were　hard；　perhaps　even　a　little　cruel。
　　　Mael　was　confused。
　　　And　I　was　keenly　aware　that　he　had　given　away　a　secret　to　Eudoxia；　the　secret　being　that　he　didn't　have　such　a　power；　or　that　he　didn't　know　that　he　did；　and　I　wasn't　quite　sure　what　I　should　do。
　　　
　　　
　　　Understand　he　knew　that　he　could　find　other　blood　drinkers　by　hearing　their　thoughts；　but　he　didn't　know　how　to　use　this　power　to　even　greater　advantage；　seeing　what　they　saw。
　　　Indeed；　all　three　of　us　were　uncertain　of　our　powers。　And　I　realized　how　foolish　this　was。
　　　At　this　moment；　when　Eudoxia　received　no　answer　to　her　question；　I　tried　vainly　to　think　of　some　way　to　distract　her。
　　　〃Please；〃　I　said　to　Eudoxia；　〃will　you　continue？　Tell　us　your　story。〃　I　didn't　dare　to　apologize　for　Mael's　rudeness　because　that　might　have　made　him　furious。
　　　〃Very　well；〃　said　Eudoxia　looking　straight　at　me　as　though　she　were　dismissing　my　panions　as　impossible。
　　　〃As　I　was　telling　you；〃　she　said；　〃My　Maker　pushed　me　forward　and　told　me　to　kneel　before　the　Father　and　the　Mother。　And　being　　exceedingly　frightened；　I　did　as　I　was　told。
　　　〃I　looked　up　at　their　faces；　as　blood　drinkers　have　done　since　time　immemorial　and　I　saw　no　vitality；　no　subtlety　of　expression；　only　the　relaxation　of　dumb　animals；　no　more。
　　　〃But　then　there　came　a　change　in　the　Mother。　Her　right　hand　was　raised　ever　so　slightly　from　her　lap　and　it　turned　and　thereby　made　the　simplest　beckoning　gesture　to　me。
　　　〃I　was　astonished　by　this　gesture。　So　these　creatures　lived　and　breathed？　Or　was　it　trickery；　some　form　of　magic？　I　didn't　know。
　　　〃My　Maker；　ever　so　crude　even　at　this　sacred　moment；　said；　'Ah；　go　to　her；　drink　her　blood。　She　is　the　Mother　of　us　all。'　And　with　his　bare　foot；　he　kicked　me。　'She　is　the　First　One；'　he　said。　'Drink。'
　　　〃The　other　blood　drinkers　began　to　quarrel　with　him　fiercely；　speaking　the　old　Egyptian　tongue　again；　telling　him　that　the　gesture　wasn't　clear；　that　the　Mother　might　destroy　me；　and　who　was　he　to　give　such　a　mand；　and　how　dare　he　e　to　this　temple　with　a　pitiful　female　blood　drinker　who　was　as　soiled　and　untutored　as　he　was。
　　　〃But　he　overrode　them。　'Drink　her　blood　and　your　strength　will　be　beyond　measure；'　he　said。　Then　he　lifted　me　to　my　feet　and　all　but　threw　me　forward　so　that　I　landed　with　my　hands　on　the　marble　steps　before　the　throne。
　　　〃The　other　blood　drinkers　were　shocked　by　his　behavior。　I　heard　a　low　laugh　from　my　Maker。　But　my　eyes　were　on　the　King　and　the　Queen。
　　　〃I　saw　that　the　Queen　had　moved　her　hand　again；　opening　her　fingers；　and　though　her　eyes　never　changed；　the　beckoning　gesture　was　certain。
　　　〃　'From　her　neck；'　said　my　Maker。　'Don't　be　afraid。　She　never　destroys　those　whom　she　beckons。　Do　as　I　say。'　And　I　did。
　　　　〃I　drank　as　much　from　her　as　I　was　able　to　drink。　And　mark　my　words；　Marius；　this　was　over　three　hundred　years　before　the　Elder　ever　put　the　Mother　and　Father　in　the　Great　Fire。　And　I　was　to　drink　from　her　more　than　once。　Heed　my　words；　more　than　once；　long　before　you　ever　came　to　Alexandria；　long　before　you　took　our　King　and　Queen。〃
　　　She　raised　her　dark　black　eyebrows　slightly　as　she　looked　at　me；　as　though　she　wanted　me　to　understand　her　point　most　keenly。　She　was　very　very　strong。
　　　〃But　Eudoxia；　when　I　did　e　to　Alexandria；〃　I　answered　her。　〃When　I　came　in　search　of　the　Mother　and　Father；　and　to　discover　who　had　put　them　in　the　sun；　you　weren't　there　in　the　temple。　You　weren't　in　Alexandria。　At　least　you　didn't　make　yourself　known　to　me。〃
　　　〃No；〃　she　said；　〃I　was　in　the　city　of　Ephesus　where　I　had　gone　with　another　blood　drinker　whom　the　Fire　destroyed。　Or　I　should　say；　I　was　making　my　way　home　to　Alexandria；　to　find　the　reason　for　the　Fire；　and　to　drink　of　the　healing　fount；　when　you　took　the　Mother　and　Father　away。〃
　　　She　gave　me　a　delicate　but　cold　smile。
　　　〃Can　you　imagine　my　anguish　when　I　discovered　that　the　Elder　was　dead　and　the　temple　was　empty？　When　the　few　survivors　of　the　temple　told　me　that　a　Roman　named　Marius　had　e　and　stolen　our　King　and　Queen？〃
　　　I　said　nothing；　but　her　resentment　was　plain。　Her　face　displayed　its　human　emotions。　A　shimmer　of　blood　tears　rose　in　her　round　dark　eyes；
　　　〃Time　has　healed　me；　Marius；〃　she　said；　〃because　I　contain　a　great　deal　of　the　Queen's　blood；　and　was　from　the　moment　of　my　making　very　strong。　Indeed；　the　Great　Fire　only　turned　me　a