anner.vittoriothevampire-第12节

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ed　by　fleecy　clouds　as　if　not　to　acknowledge　my　prayers　or　my　predicament。　It　seemed　absolutely　certain　I　was　going　to　die。
　I　was　going　to　fall　victim　to　these　demons。　She　was　right。　How　could　I　possibly　exact　the　revenge　they　deserved？　How　in　Hell　could　I　do　it！　Yet　I　believed　in　my　purpose　utterly。　I　believed　in　my　revenge　as　pletely　as　I　believed　in　her；　this　witch　whom　I　had　touched　with　my　very　own　fingers；　who　had　dared　to　kindle　a　wanton　conflict　in　my　soul；　who　had　e　with　her　rades　of　the　night　to　slaughter　my　family
　I　couldn't　overmaster　the　images　of　the　night　before；　of　her　standing　bewildered　in　the　chapel　door。　I　couldn't　get　the　taste　of　her　off　my　lips。　All　I　had　to　do　was　think　of　her　breasts；　and　my　body　would　weaken　as　if　she　were　feeding　my　desire　from　her　nipple。
　Make　this　subside；　I　prayed。　You　cannot　run。　You　cannot　go　off　to　Florence；　you　cannot　live　forever　with　nothing　but　the　memory　of　the　slaughter　you　saw；　that　is　impossible；　unthinkable。　You　cannot。
　I　wept　when　I　realized　that　I　wouldn't　be　alive　now　if　it　had　not　been　for　her。
　It　was　she；　the　ashen…haired　one　I　was　cursing　with　every　breath；　who　had　stopped　her　hooded　panion　from　killing　me。　It　would　have　been　a　plete　victory！
　A　calm　came　over　me。　Well；　if　I　was　going　to　die；　there　was　no　choice；　really。　I　would　get　them　first。　I　would　somehow　do　it。
　As　soon　as　the　sun　was　up；　so　was　I；　and　walking　around　the　town；　my　saddlebags　over　my　shoulder　casually；　as　if　they　didn't　contain　a　fortune；　I　sized　up　quite　a　portion　of　Santa　Maddalana；　with　its　treeless；　narrow…stoned　streets；　built　centuries　before；　perhaps　some　of　its　buildings　with　their　wild　patternless　mortared　stones　going　back　even　to　Roman　times。
　It　was　a　marvelously　peaceful　and　prosperous　town。
　The　forges　were　already　at　work；　and　so　were　the　cabinetmakers　and　also　the　saddlemakers；　there　were　several　shoemakers　dealing　in　some　fine　slippers　as　well　as　the　workaday　boots；　and　quite　a　cluster　of　jewelers　and　men　who　worked　in　a　great　variety　of　precious　metals；　as　well　as　the　usual　swordmakers；　men　who　made　keys　and　the　like　and　those　who　dealt　in　hides　and　furs。
　I　passed　more　fancy　shops　than　I　could　count。　One　could　buy　fancy　fabrics　here；　right　from　Florence；　I　supposed；　and　lace　from　north　and　south　it　seemed；　and　Oriental　spices。　The　butchers　were　having　a　time　of　it　with　the　abundance　of　fresh　meat。　And　there　were　many　wine　shops；　and　I　passed　at　least　a　couple　of　busy　notaries；　letter　writers　and　the　like；　and　several　doctors　or；　rather；　apothecaries。
　Carts　were　rolling　through　the　front　gates；　and　there　was　even　a　little　crush　in　the　streets　now　and　then　before　the　sun　was　even　high　enough　to　e　fiercely　down　over　the　close…tiled　roofs　and　hit　the　bare　stones　on　which　I　plodded　uphill。
　The　churches　rang　their　bells　for　Mass；　and　I　saw　plenty　of　schoolchildren　rushing　past　me；　all　rather　clean　and　neatly　dressed；　and　then　two　little　crews　being　paraded　by　monks　into　the　churches；　both　of　which　were　quite　antique　and　had　no　ornament　on　the　front　at　all；　save　for　statues　deep　in　niches　…　saints　who　scarcely　had　any　features　left　to　them　at　all　…　the　heavily　patched　stones　of　the　facades　obviously　having　weathered　the　frequent　earthquakes　of　this　region。
　There　were　two　rather　ordinary　bookshops　that　had　almost　nothing　much；　except　the　prayer　books　one　would　expect　to　find；　and　these　at　very　high　prices。　Two　merchants　sold　really　fine　wares　from　the　East。　And　there　was　a　cluster　of　carpet　sellers；　too；　who　dealt　in　an　impressive　variety　of　country…made　goods　and　intricate　carpets　from　Byzantium。
　Lots　of　money　was　changing　hands。　There　were　well…dressed　people　showing　off　their　fine　clothes。　It　seemed　a　self…sufficient　place；　though　there　were　travelers　ing　uphill　with　the　clop　of　horses'　hooves　echoing　on　the　barren　walls。　And　I　think　I　spied　one　neglected　and　very　much　fortified　convent。
　I　passed　at　least　two　more　inns；　and　as　I　crisscrossed　through　the　barely　passable　alleyways　here　and　there；　I　ascertained　that　there　were　actually　three　basic　streets　to　the　town；　all　running　parallel　up　and　down　the　hill。
　At　the　far　deep　end　were　the　gates　by　which　I　had　entered；　and　the　huge　farmers'　markets　opened　now　in　the　piazza。
　At　the　high　end　was　the　ruined　fortress　or　castle　where　once　the　Lord　had　lived　…　a　great　cumbersome　mass　of　old　stones；　of　which　only　a　part　was　visible　from　the　street；　and　in　the　lower　floors　of　this　plex　there　were　the　town's　governing　offices。　There　were　several　small　grottoes　or　piazzas；　and　old　fountains　almost　crumbled　away　but　still　giving　forth　their　gurgling　water。　Old　women　were　busy；　shuffling　along　with　their　market　baskets　and　their　shawls　in　spite　of　the　warmth；　and　I　saw　beautiful　young　girls　about　giving　me　the　eye；　all　of　them　very　young。　I　didn't　want　any　part　of　them。
　As　soon　as　Mass　was　over　and　school　had　begun；　I　went　to　the　Dominican　church　…　the　largest　and　most　impressive　of　the　three　I　could　readily　see　…　and　asked　at　the　rectory　for　a　priest。　I　had　to　go　to　Confession。
　There　came　out　a　young　priest；　very　handsome　with　well…formed　limbs　and　a　healthy　look　to　his　plexion　and　a　truly　devout　manner　to　him；　his　black　and　white　robes　very　clean…looking。　He　looked　at　my　attire；　and　my　sword；　indeed　he　took　me　in　very　respectfully　but　quite　prehensively；　and　obviously　presuming　me　to　be　a　person　of　importance；　invited　me　into　a　small　room　for　the　Confession。
　He　was　gracious　more　than　servile。　He　had　no　more　than　a　crown　of　golden　hair　clipped　very　short　around　the　top　of　his　bald　head；　and　large　almost　shy　eyes。
　He　sat　down；　and　I　knelt　close　to　him　on　the　bare　floor；　and　then　out　of　me　came　the　whole　lurid　tale。
　With　bowed　head；　I　went　on　and　on　with　it；　rushing　from　one　thing　to　another；　from　the　first　hideous　happenings　that　had　so　stirred　my　curiosity　and　alarm；　to　my　father's　fragmented　and　mysterious　words　and　at　last　to　the　raid　itself　and　the　dreadful　assassination　of　everyone　in　our　pound。　By　the　time　I　came　to　the　death　of　my　brother　and　sister；　I　was　gesticulating　madly；　and　all　but　shaping　my　brother's　head　with　my　hands　in　the　empty　air；　and　gasping　and　unable　to　catch　my　breath。
　Only　when　I　was　utterly　finished　with　every　last　word　did　I　look　up　and　realize　that　the　young　priest　was　staring　down　at　me　in　perfect　distress　and　horror。
　I　didn't　know　what　to　make　of　his　expression。　You　could　have　seen　the　very　same　face　on　a　man　startled　by　an　insect　or　an　approaching　battalion　of　bloody　murderers。　What　had　I　expected；　for　the　love　of　God？
　〃Look；　Father；〃　I　said。　〃All　you　have　to　do　is　send　someone　up　that　mountain　and　see　for　yourself！〃　I　shrugged；　and　implored　him　with　my　open　hands。　〃That's　all！　Send　someone　to　look。　Nothing's　stolen；　Father；　nothing's　taken；　but　what　I　took！　Go　look！　I'll　wager　nothing　has　been　disturbed　except　by　ravens　and　buzzards　if　such　are　like　to　go　up　there。〃
　He　said　nothing。　The　blood　was　palpitating　in　his　young　face；　and　his　mouth　was　open　and　his　eyes　had　a　dazed；　miserable　look。
　Oh；　this　was　too　marvelous。　A　silky　boy　of　a　priest；　probably　fresh　out　of　the　seminary　used　to　hearing　nuns　tell　of　evil　thoughts；　and　men　once　a　year　muttering　resentfully　about　vices　of　the　flesh　because　their　wives　had　dragged　them　to　their　duty　I　became　incensed。
　〃You　are　under　the　Seal　of　the　Confessional；〃　I　said；　trying　to　be　patient　with　him；　and　not　to　play　the　Lord　too　much；　because　I　could　do　that　with　priests　if　I　wasn't　careful；　they　made　me　so　mad　when　they　were　stupid。　〃But　I　will　give　you　permission；　under　the　Seal；　to　send　a　messenger　up　that　mountain　to　see　with　your　own　eyes。。。〃
　〃But　son；　don't　you　see；〃　he　said；　speaking　with　surprising　resolve　and　firmness　in　his　low　voice。　〃The　Medici　themselves　may　have　sent　this　band　of　assassins。〃
　〃No；　no；　no；　Father；〃　I　pleaded；　shaking　my　head。　〃I　saw　her　hand　fall。　I　cut　off　the　creature's　hand；　I　tell　you。　I　saw　her　put　it　back。　They　were　demons。　Listen　to　me。　These　are　witches；　these　are　from　Hell；　these　beings；　and　there's　too　many　of　them　for　me　to　fight　alone。　I　need　help。　There's　no　time　for　disbelief。　There's　no　time　for　rational　reservations。　I　need　the　Dominicans！〃　He　shook　his　head。　He　didn't　even　hesitate。
　〃You　are　losing　your　mind；　son；〃　he　said。　〃Something　dreadful　has　happened　to　you；　there's　no　doubt　of　that；　and　you　believe　all　this；　but　it　didn't　happen。　You　are　imagining　things。　Look；　there　are　old　women　around　who　claim　they　make　charms。。。〃
　〃I　know　all　that；〃　I　said。　〃I　know　an　ordinary　alchemist　or　witch　when　I　see　one。　This　was　no　side…street　magic；　Father；　no　country　bunch　of　curses。　I'm　telling　you；　these　demons　slaughtered　everyone　in　the　castle；　in　the　villages。　Don't　you　see？〃
　I　went　into　the　lurid　particulars　again。　I　told　how　she　had　e　into　the　window　of　my　room；　but　then　when　I　was　halfway　through　it；　I　realized　how　utterly　worse　I　was　making　it　by　going　on　about　Ursula。
　Why；　this　man　thought　I'd　woken　in　a　hot　dream；　imagining　a　damned　succubus。　This　was　futile；　this　entire　enterprise。
　My　heart　was　hurting　me　in　my　chest。　I　was　sweating　all　over。　This　was　a　waste　of　time。　〃Give　me　absolution；　then；〃　I　said。
　〃I　want　to　ask　something　of　you；〃　he