anner.bloodandgold-第41部分

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　were　like　the　North　men。　She　described　you　as　you　walked　about　in　your　red　robes…。〃
　　　〃Don't　say　any　more；　please；〃　I　said。　〃You　don't　have　to　flatter　me。　It　won't　matter。　I　can't　take　you　with　me。〃
　　　〃Why？〃　she　asked。　〃Because　I　know　about　the　Mother　and　the　Father？〃
　　　I　was　shocked。
　　　I　should　read　her　thoughts；　all　her　thoughts；　ransack　her　soul　for　everything　she　knew；　I　thought；　but　I　didn't　want　to　do　it。　I　didn't　want　that　feeling　of　intimacy　with　her。　Her　beauty　was　too　much；　there　was　no　denying　it。
　　　Unlike　my　paragon；　Pandora；　this　lovely　creature　had　the　promise　of　a　virgin…that　one　could　make　cf　her　what　one　wanted　while　losing　nothing…and　I　believed　that　promise　to　contain　a　lie。
　　　
　　　I　answered　her　in　a　warm　whisper　trying　not　to　hurt　her。
　　　〃That's　precisely　the　reason　I　can't　take　you；　that；　and　because　I　must　be　alone。〃
　　　She　bowed　her　head。　〃What　am　I　to　do？〃　she　asked。　〃Tell　me。　Men　will　e　here；　mortal　men；〃　she　said；　〃wanting　the　taxes　on　this　house　or　some　other　triviality　and　I　shall　be　discovered　and　called　a　witch　or　a　heretic　and　dragged　into　the　streets。　Or　during　the　day　they　will　e　and　find　me　sleeping　like　the　dead　beneath　the　floor；　and　lift　me；　
　　　hoping　to　revive　me；　into　the　certain　death　of　the　sun's　light。〃
　　　〃Stop；　I　know　it　all；〃　I　said。　〃Don't　you　see；　I'm　trying　to　reason！　Leave　me　alone　for　now。〃
　　　〃If　I　leave　you　alone；〃　she　said；　〃I'll　start　weeping　or　screaming　in　my　grief；　and　you　won't　be　able　to　bear　it。　You'll　desert　me。〃
　　　〃No；　I　won't；〃　I　said。　〃Be　quiet。〃
　　　I　paced　the　floor；　my　heart　aching　for　her；　and　my　soul　hurting　for　myself　that　this　had　fallen　to　me。　It　seemed　a　terrible　justice　for　my　slaughter　of　Eudoxia。　Indeed　this　child　seemed　some　phantom　risen　from　Eudoxia's　ashes　to　haunt　me　as　I　tried　to　plan　my　escape　from　what　I'd　done。
　　　Finally；　I　quietly　sent　out　my　call　to　Avicus　and　Mael。　Using　my　strongest　Mind　Gift；　I　urged　them；　no；　manded　them；　to　e　to　me　at　Eudoxia's　house　and　to　let　nothing　keep　them　from　it。　I　told　them　I　needed　them　and　I　would　wait　until　they　arrived。
　　　Then　I　sat　down　beside　my　young　captive　and　I　did　what　I　had　been　wanting　to　do　all　along：　I　moved　her　heavy　black　hair　back　behind　her　shoulders　and　I　kissed　her　soft　cheeks。　These　were　rapacious　kisses　and　I　knew　it。　But　the　texture　of　her　baby　soft　skin　and　of　her　thick　wavy　hair　drove　me　to　quiet　madness；　and　I　wouldn't　stop。
　　　This　intimacy　startled　her　but　she　did　nothing　to　drive　me　away。
　　　〃Did　Eudoxia　suffer？〃　she　asked　me。
　　　〃Very　little；　if　at　all；〃　I　said。　I　drew　back　from　kissing　her。　〃But　tell　me　why　she　didn't　simply　try　to　destroy　me；〃　I　said。　〃Why　did　she　invite　me　here？　Why　did　she　talk　with　me？　Why　did　she　give　me　some　hope　that　we　could　e　to　an　understanding　of　the　mind？〃
　　　She　pondered　this　before　she　answered。
　　　〃You　held　a　fascination　for　her；〃　said　Zenobia；　〃which　others　had　not。　It　wasn't　only　your　beauty　though　that　was　a　large　part　of　it。　Always　for　her　a　large　part　of　it。　She　said　to　me　that　she　had　heard　tell　of　you　from　a　woman　blood　drinker　in　Crete　long　ago。〃
　　　
　　　
　　　I　dared　not　interrupt　her！　I　stared　with　wide　eyes。
　　　〃Many　years　ago；〃　she　said；　〃this　Roman　blood　drinker　had　e　to　the　isle　of　Crete；　wandering；　looking　for　you；　and　speaking　of　you…　Marius；　the　Roman；　Patrician　by　birth；　scholar　by　choice。　The　woman　blood　drinker　loved　you。　She　didn't　challenge　the　claim　of　Eudoxia　to　all　of　the　island。　She　searched　only　for　you；　and　when　she　found　that　you　weren't　there；　she　moved　on。〃
　　　I　couldn't　speak！　I　was　so　miserable　and　so　excited　that　I　couldn't　answer　her。　It　was　Pandora！　And　this　was　the　first　that　I　had　heard　of　her　in　three　hundred　years。
　　　〃Don't　weep　over　this；〃　she　said　gently。　〃It　happened　in　ages　past。　Surely　time　can　take　away　such　love。　What　a　curse　if　it　can't。〃
　　　〃It　can't。〃　I　said。　My　voice　was　thick。　The　tears　were　in　my　eyes。　〃What　more　did　she　say？　Tell　me；　please；　the　tiniest　things　you　might　remember。〃　My　heart　was　knocking　in　my　chest。　Indeed　it　seemed　as　if　I'd　forgotten　that　I　had　a　heart　and　must　now　find　out。
　　　〃What　more。　There　is　no　more。　Only　that　the　woman　was　powerful　and　no　easy　enemy。　You　know　Eudoxia　always　spoke　of　such　things。　The　woman　could　not　be　destroyed；　nor　would　she　tell　the　origin　of　her　great　strength。　To　Eudoxia　it　was　a　mystery…until　you　came　to　Constantinople；　and　she　saw　you；　Marius；　the　Roman；　in　your　brilliant　red　robes；　moving　through　the　square　at　evening；　pale　as　marble；　yet　with　all　the　conviction　of　a　mortal　man。〃
　　　She　paused。　She　put　her　hand　up　to　touch　the　side　of　my　face。
　　　〃Don't　cry。　Those　were　her　words：　'with　all　the　conviction　of　a　mortal　man。'　〃
　　　〃How　then　did　you　learn　of　the　Mother　and　the　Father？〃　I　asked；　〃and　what　do　such　words　mean　to　you？〃
　　　〃She　spoke　of　them　in　amazement；〃　she　said。　〃She　said　you　were　rash　if　not　mad。　But　you　see；　she　would　go　one　way　and　then　the　other；　that　was　always　in　her　nature。　She　cursed　you　that　the　Mother　and　the　Father　were　in　this　very　city；　and　yet　she　wanted　to　bring　you　here　to　her　house。　On　account　of　this；　I　had　to　be　hidden。　Yet　she　kept　the　boys　for　whom　she　cared　so　little。　And　I　was　put　away。〃
　　　〃And　the　Mother　and　the　Father？〃　I　asked。　〃Do　you　know　what　they　are？〃
　　　She　shook　her　head。　〃Only　that　you　have　them；　or　had　them　when　she　spoke　of　it。　Are　they　the　First　of　us？〃
　　　I　didn't　answer　her。　But　I　believed　her；　that　this　was　all　she　knew；　extreme　as　it　was。
　　　
　　　
　　　And　now　I　did　penetrate　her　mind；　calling　on　my　power　to　know　her　past　and　present；　to　know　her　most　secret　and　casual　thoughts。
　　　She　looked　at　me　with　clear　unquestioning　eyes；　as　if　she　felt　what　I　was　doing　to　her；　or　trying　to　do；　and　it　seemed　that　she　would　not　hold　anything　back。
　　　But　what　did　I　learn？　Only　that　she　had　told　me　the　truth。　/　know　no　more　of　your　beautiful　blood　drinker。　She　was　patient　with　me；　and　then　there　came　a　wave　of　true　grief。　/　loved　Eudoxia。　You　destroyed　her。　And　now　you　cannot　leave　me　alone。
　　　I　stood　up　and　went　again　to　walking　about　the　room。　Its　sumptuous
　　　　Byzantine　furnishings　stifled　me。　The　thick　patterned　hangings　seemed　to　fill　the　air　with　dust。　And　nowhere　could　I　glimpse　the　night　sky　from　this　chamber；　for　we　were　too　far　from　the　inner　garden　court。
　　　But　what　did　I　want　just　now？　Only　to　be　free　of　this　creature；　no；　free　of　the　whole　knowledge　of　her；　of　the　whole　awareness　of　her；　free　of　ever　having　seen　her；　and　that　was　quite　impossible；　was　it　not？
　　　Suddenly　a　sound　interrupted　me　and　I　realized　that　at　last　Avicus　and　Mael　had　e。
　　　They　found　their　way　through　the　many　rooms　to　the　bedchamber；　and　as　both　of　them　entered；　they　were　astonished　to　see　the　gorgeous　young　woman　seated　on　the　side　of　the　immense　heavily　draped　bed。
　　　I　stood　silent　while　the　two　of　them　absorbed　the　shock。　Immediately　
　　　　　Avicus　was　drawn　to　Zenobia；　as　drawn　to　her　as　he　had　been　to　Eudoxia；　and　this　creature　had　yet　to　speak　a　single　word。
　　　In　Mael　I　saw　suspicion　and　a　bit　of　concern。　He　looked　to　me　searchingly。　He　was　not　spellbound　by　the　young　woman's　beauty。　His　feelings　were　under　his　mand。
　　　Avicus　drew　near　to　Zenobia；　and　as　I　watched　him；　as　I　watched　his　eyes　fire　with　a　passion　for　her；　I　saw　my　way　out。　I　saw　it　plainly；　and　when　I　did；　I　felt　a　terrible　regret。　I　felt　my　solemn　vow　to　be　alone　weigh　heavily　upon　me；　as　if　I　had　taken　it　in　the　name　of　a　god；　and　perhaps　I　had。　I　had　taken　it　in　the　name　of　Those　Who　Must　Be　Kept。　But　there　must　be　no　more　thoughts　of　them　now；　not　in　Zenobia's　presence。
　　　As　for　the　child　woman　herself；　she　was　far　more　drawn　to　Avicus；　perhaps　because　of　his　immediate　and　obvious　devotion；　than　she　was　to　the　distant　and　somewhat　suspicious　Mael。
　　　〃Thank　you　for　ing；〃　I　said。　〃I　know　it　was　not　your　choice　to　set　foot　in　this　house。〃
　　　
　　　〃What's　happened？〃　Mael　asked。　〃Who　is　this　creature？〃
　　　〃The　panion　of　Eudoxia；　sent　away　for　her　own　protection　until　the　battle　with　us　could　be　finished；　and　now　that　it　is　finished；　here　is　the　child。〃
　　　〃Child？〃　asked　Zenobia　gently。　〃I　am　no　child。〃
　　　Avicus　and　Mael　both　smiled　indulgently　at　her；　though　her　look　was　grave　and　disapproving。
　　　〃I　was　as　old　as　Eudoxia；〃　she　said；　〃when　the　Blood　was　given　to　her。　'Never　make　a　blood　drinker　of　a　greater　age；'　said　Eudoxia。　'For　a　greater　mortal　age　can　only　lead　to　misery　later　on　from　habits　learned　in　mortal　life。'　All　of　Eudoxia's　slaves　received　the　Blood　at　my　age；　and　were　therefore　no　longer　children；　but　blood　drinkers　prepared　for　eternal　life　within　the　Blood。〃
　　　I　said　nothing　to　this；　but　I　never　forgot　it。　Mark　me。　I　never　forgot　it。　Indeed；　there　came　a　time　a　thousand　years　after；　when　these　words　meant　a　great　deal　to　me；　and　they　came　to　haunt　my　nights　and　to　torture　me。　But　we　will　e　soon　enough　to　that；　for　I　mean　to　pass　over　that　thousand　years　very　quickly。　But　let　me　return　to　my　tale。
　　　This　little　speech　from　Zenobia　was　spoken　tenderly　as　all　her　words　had　been　spoken；　and　when　she　finished　it　I　could　see　that　　Avicus　was　charmed。　This　did　not　mean　that　he　would　love　her　pletely　or　forever；　mind　you；　I　knew　that。　But　I　could　see　that　there　was　no　barrier　between　the　child　and　himself。
　　　He　drew　closer　still　and　seemed　at　a　loss　to　express　his　respect　for　her　beauty；　and　then；　surprising　me　pletely；　he　spoke　to　her：
　　　〃My　name　is　Avicus；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　a　long…time　friend　of　Marius。〃　Then　he　looked　at　me；　and　then　back　to　Zenobia。　He　asked：　〃Are　you　alone？〃
　　　〃Quite　alone；〃　said　Zenobia；　though　she　did　glance　at　me　first　to　see　if　I　meant　to　silence　her；　〃and　if　you　…　all　of　you　or　perhaps　one　of　you　…　do　not　take　me　with　you　out　of　here；　or　remain　with　me　in　this　house；　I'm　lost。〃
　　　I　nodded　to　both　my　long…time　panions。
　　　Mael　gave　me　a　withering　look　and　shook　his　head　in　negation。　He　glanced　at　Avicus。　But　Avicus　was　still　looking　at　our　child。
　　　〃You　won't　be　left　here　unprotected；〃　said　Avicus；　〃that's　unthinkable。
　　　But　you　must　leave　us　alone　now；　so　that　we　may　talk。　No；　you　remain　where　you　are。　There　are　many　rooms　in　this　house。　Marius；　where　can　we　gather？　〃
　　　
　　　〃Th