anner.vittoriothevampire-第29节

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　〃Do　you　see？〃　was　all　I　could　say。　I　had　to　get　to　that　library；　I　had　to　find　texts　in　it　that　defined　the　demons。　Yes；　I　had　not　given　up！　Oh；　no；　I　was　no　babbling　idiot。　I　had　God's　very　own　angels　at　my　assistance。　I'd　take　Ramiel　and　Setheus　in　there　and　show　them　the　texts。
　We　know；　Vittorio；　wipe　the　pictures　from　your　mind；　for　we　see　them。　〃Where　are　you？〃　I　cried　out。　〃Quiet；〃　said　the　monks。
　〃But　will　you　help　me　go　back　there　and　kill　them？〃
　〃You're　babbling；〃　said　the　monks。
　Cosimo　was　the　guardian　patron　of　that　library。　When　old　Niccolo　de'　Niccoli　died；　a　marvelous　collector　of　books　with　whom　I　had　many　times　spoken　at　Vaspasiano's　bookshop；　all　of　his　religious　books；　and　maybe　more；　had　been　donated　by　Cosimo　to　this　monastery。
　I　would　find　them　in　there；　in　that　library；　and　find　proof　in　St。　Augustine　or　Aquinas　of　the　devils　with　which　I'd　fought。
　No。　I　was　not　mad。　I　had　not　given　up。　I　was　no　gibbering　idiot。　If　only　the　sun　ing　in　the　high　little　windows　of　this　airy　place　would　stop　baking　my　eyeballs　and　burning　my　hands。
　〃Quiet；　quiet；〃　said　the　big　monk；　smiling　still。　〃You　are　making　noises　like　an　infant。　Hhhhh。　Burgle；　gurgle。　Hear？　Now；　look；　the　library's　busy。　It's　open　to　the　public　today。　Everybody　is　busy　today。〃
　He　turned　only　a　few　steps　past　the　library　to　take　me　into　a　cell。　〃Down　there。。。〃　he　went　on；　as　if　cajoling　an　unruly　baby。　〃Only　a　few　steps　away　is　the　Prior's　cell；　and　guess　who　is　there　this　very　minute？　It's　the　Archbishop。〃
　〃Antonino；〃　I　whispered。
　〃Yes；　yes；　you　said　it　right。　Once　our　own　Antonino。　Well；　he's　here；　and　guess　why？〃
　I　was　too　groggy　to　respond。　The　other　monks　surrounded　me。　They　wiped　me　with　cool　cloths。　They　smoothed　back　my　hair。
　This　was　a　clean　large　cell。　Oh；　if　the　sun　would　only　stop。　What　had　those　demons　done　to　me；　made　me　into　a　half…demon？　Dare　I　ask　for　a　mirror？
　Set　down　on　a　thick　soft　bed；　in　this　warm；　clean　place；　I　lost　all　control　of　my　limbs。　I　was　sick　again。
　The　monks　attended　me　with　a　silver　basin。　The　sunlight　pierced　brilliantly　upon　a　fresco；　but　I　couldn't　bear　to　look　at　the　gleaming　figures；　not　in　this　hurtful　illumination。　It　seemed　the　cell　was　filled　with　other　figures。　Were　they　angels？　I　saw　transparent　beings；　drifting；　stirring；　but　I　could　catch　hold　of　no　clear　outline。　Only　the　fresco　burned　into　the　wall　in　its　colors　seemed　solid；　valid；　true。
　〃Have　they　done　this　to　my　eyes　forever？〃　I　asked。　I　thought　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　an　angelic　form　in　the　doorway　of　the　cell；　but　it　was　not　the　figure　of　either　Setheus　or　Ramiel。　Did　it　have　webbed　wings？　Demon　wings？　I　started　in　terror。　But　it　was　gone。　Rustling；　whispering。　We　know。
　〃Where　are　my　angels？〃　I　asked。　I　cried。　I　told　out　the　names　of　my　father　and　his　father；　and　of　all　the　di　Raniari　whom　I　could　remember。
　〃Shhhhh；〃　said　the　young　monk。　〃Cosimo　has　been　told　that　you　are　here。　But　this　is　a　terrible　day。　We　remember　your　father。　Now　let　us　remove　these　filthy　clothes。〃　My　head　swam。　The　room　was　gone。
　Sodden　sleep；　a　glimpse　of　her；　my　savior　Ursula。　She　ran　through　the　blowing　meadow。　Who　was　this　pursuing　her；　driving　her　out　of　the　nodding；　weaving　flowers？　Purple　irises　surrounded　her；　were　crushed　under　her　feet。　She　turned。　Don't；　Ursula！　Don't　turn。　Don't　you　see　the　flaming　sword？
　I　woke　in　a　warm　bath。　Was　it　the　cursed　baptismal　fount？　No。　I　saw　the　fresco；　the　holy　figures；　dimly；　and　more　immediately　the　real　live　monks　who　surrounded　me　on　their　knees　on　the　stone；　their　big　sleeves　rolled　back　as　they　washed　me　in　the　warm；　sweet…scented　water。
　〃Ah；　that　Francesco　Sforza。。。〃　they　spoke　in　Latin　to　one　another。　〃To　charge　into　Milan　and　take　possession　of　the　Dukedom！　As　if　Cosimo　did　not　have　enough　trouble；　without　Sforza　having　done　such　a　thing。〃
　〃He　did　it？　He　has　taken　Milan？〃　I　asked。
　〃What　did　you　say？　Yes；　son；　he　has。　He　broke　the　peace。　And　your　family；　all　your　poor　family　murdered　by　the　freebooters；　don't　think　they'll　go　unpunished；　rampaging　through　that　country；　those　damned　Venetians。。。〃
　〃No；　you　mustn't；　you　must　tell　Cosimo。　It　was　not　an　act　of　war；　what　happened　to　my　family；　not　by　human　beings。。。〃
　〃Hush；　child。〃
　Chaste　hands　sponged　the　water　over　my　shoulders。　I　sat　slumped　against　the　warm　metal　back　of　the　tub。
　〃。。。　di　Raniari；　always　loyal；〃　said　one　of　them　to　me。　〃And　your　brother　was　to　e　to　study　with　us；　your　sweet　brother；　Matteo。。。〃
　I　let　out　a　terrible　cry。　A　soft　hand　sealed　my　lips。
　〃Sforza　himself　will　punish　them。　He'll　clean　out　that　country。〃
　I　cried　and　cried。　No　one　could　understand　me。　They　wouldn't　listen　to　me。
　The　monks　lifted　me　to　my　feet。　I　was　dressed　in　a　long　fortable　soft　linen　robe。　It　came　to　me　that　I　was　being　dressed　for　execution；　but　the　hour　of　such　danger　had　passed。　〃I　am　not　mad！〃　I　said　clearly。
　〃No；　not　at　all；　only　grief…stricken。〃
　〃You　understand　me！〃
　〃You　are　tired。〃
　〃The　bed　is　soft　for　you；　brought　specially　for　you；　hush；　don't　rave　anymore。〃
　〃Demons　did　it；〃　I　whispered。　〃They　weren't　soldiers。〃
　〃I　know；　son；　I　know。　War　is　terrible。　War　is　the　Devil's　work。〃
　〃No；　but　it　wasn't　war。　Will　you　listen　to　me？〃
　〃Hush；　this　is　Ramiel　at　your　ear；　didn't　I　tell　you　to　sleep？　Will　you　listen　to　us？　We　have　heard　your　thoughts　as　well　as　your　words！〃
　I　lay　down　on　the　bed　flat　on　my　chest。　The　monks　brushed　and　dried　my　hair。　My　hair　was　so　long　now。　Unkempt；　country　Lord　hair。　But　this　was　an　immense　fort　to　be　bathed　and　gentlemanly　clean。
　〃Those　are　candles？〃　I　asked。　〃The　sun　has　gone　down？〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　the　monk　beside　me。　〃You　have　slept。〃
　〃May　I　have　more　candles？〃
　〃Yes；　I'll　bring　them　to　you。〃
　I　lay　in　the　darkness。　I　blinked　and　tried　to　shape　the　words　of　the　Ave。
　Many　lights　appeared　in　the　door；　some　six　or　seven　in　a　cluster；　each　a　sweet　small　perfectly　shaped　flame。　Then　they　fluttered　as　the　monk's　feet　came　softly　towards　me。　I　saw　him　clearly　as　he　knelt　to　place　the　candelabra　beside　my　bed。
　He　was　thin　and　tall；　a　sapling　in　hollow　willowy　robes。　His　hands　were　so　clean。　〃You　are　in　a　special　cell。　Cosimo　has　sent　men　to　bury　your　dead。〃
　〃Thanks　be　to　God；〃　I　said。　〃Yes。〃　So　now　I　could　speak！
　〃They　are　still　talking　down　there；　and　it's　late；〃　said　the　monk。　〃Cosimo　is　troubled。　He'll　stay　the　night　here。　The　whole　city　is　filled　with　Venetian　agitators　stirring　up　the　populace　against　Cosimo。〃
　〃Now　hush；〃　said　another　monk　who　appeared　suddenly。　He　bent　down　and　lifted　my　head　to　place　another　thick　pillow　beneath　it。
　What　bliss　this　was。　I　thought　of　the　damned　ones　imprisoned　in　the　coop。　〃Oh；　horrors！　It's　night；　and　they're　waiting　for　the　horrible　munion。〃
　〃Who；　child？　What　munion？〃
　Once　again；　I　glimpsed　figures　moving；　drifting；　as　it　were；　in　the　shadows。　But　they　were　too　soon　gone。
　I　had　to　vomit。　I　needed　the　basin。　They　held　my　hair　for　me。　Did　they　see　the　blood　in　the　candlelight？　The　pure　streak　of　blood？　It　smelled　so　rotten。
　〃How　can　one　survive　such　poison？〃　one　monk　whispered　to　the　other　in　Latin。　〃Do　we　dare　purge　him？〃
　〃You'll　frighten　him。　Be　quiet。　He　has　no　fever。〃
　〃Well；　you're　damned　wrong　if　you　think　you　took　my　wits；〃　I　declared　suddenly。　I　shouted　it　to　Florian　and　to　Godric　and　to　all　of　them。
　The　monks　looked　at　me　in　urgent　astonishment。
　I　laughed。　〃I　only　was　talking　to　those　who　tried　to　hurt　me；〃　I　said；　again　letting　each　word　have　a　clear　distinct　shape。
　The　thin　monk　with　the　remarkably　scrubbed　hands　knelt　by　me。　He　smoothed　my　forehead。　〃And　the　beautiful　sister；　the　sister　who　was　to　be　married；　is　she　too。。。　？〃
　〃Bartola！　She　was　to　be　married？　I　didn't　know。　Well；　he　can　have　her　head　for　a　maidenhead。〃　I　wept。　〃The　worms　are　at　work　in　the　dark。　And　the　demons　dance　on　the　hill；　and　the　town　does　nothing。〃
　〃What　town？〃
　〃You're　raving　again；〃　said　a　monk　who　stood　beyond　the　candles。　How　distinct　he　looked；　though　he　was　beyond　the　light；　a　round…shouldered　individual　with　a　hooked　nose　and　thick　somber　heavy　eyelids。　〃Don't　rave　anymore；　poor　child。〃
　I　wanted　to　protest；　but　I　saw　suddenly　a　giant　soft　wing；　each　feather　tinged　with　gold；　e　down　over　me；　enfolding　me。　I　was　tickled　all　over　by　the　softness　of　the　feathers。　Ramiel　said：
　〃What　must　we　do　to　make　you　shut　up？　Filippo　needs　us　now；　will　you　give　us　some　peace　and　quiet　for　Filippo；　whom　God　sent　us　to　guard？　Don't　answer　me。　Obey　me。〃　The　wing　crushed　out　all　vision；　all　woe。
　Shadowy　pale　darkness。　Even　and　plete。　The　candles　were　behind　me；　set　up　high。
　I　woke。　I　rose　up　on　my　elbows。　My　head　was　clear。　A　lovely　even　illumination　gave　just　the　smallest　tremble　as　it　filled　the　cell。　From　the　high　window　came　the　moon。　The　shaft　of　the　moon　struck　the　fresco　on　the　wall；　the　fresco　obviously　painted　by　Fra　Giovanni。
　My　eyes　could　see　it　with　amazing　clarity。　Was　this　my　demonic　blood？
　A　strange　thought　came　to　me。　It　rung　in　my　consciousness　with　the　clarity　of　a　golden　bell。　I　myself　possessed　no　guardian　angels！　My　angels　had　left　me；　they　had　departed；　because　my　soul　was　damned。
　I　had　no　angels。　I　had　seen　Filippo's　because　of　the　power　the　demon