anner.bloodandgold-第36节

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ad　sought　to　find　them　they　had　done　a　better　job　of　it。
　　　〃Let's　be　seated；〃　said　Eudoxia；　〃and　let　me　tell　you　who　I　am。〃　We　took　the　chairs；　which　brought　us　closer　together；　and　she
　　　began　to　tell　her　story　in　a　quiet　tone。
　　　
　　　
　　　10
　　　
　　　MY　MORTAL　LIFE　isn't　very　important；〃　she　said；　〃but　I'll　pass　over　it　quickly。　I　was　from　a　fine　Greek　family；　one　of　the　first　wave　of　settlers　to　e　from　Athens　to　Alexandria
　　　　　to　make　it　the　great　city　that　Alexander　wanted　when　he　founded　it　three　hundred　years　before　the　birth　of　the　Christ。
　　　〃I　was　brought　up　like　any　girl　in　such　a　Greek　household；　extremely　protected；　and　never　leaving　the　house。　I　did　however　learn　to　read　and　write；　because　my　father　wanted　me　to　be　able　to　write　letters　to　him　after　I　was　married　and　he　thought　that　I　might　read　poetry　to　my　children　later　on。
　　　〃I　loved　him　for　it；　though　no　one　else　did；　and　I　took　to　my　education　with　a　passion；　neglecting　all　else。
　　　〃An　early　marriage　was　prepared　for　me。　I　wasn't　fifteen　when　I　was　told　of　it；　and　frankly　I　was　rather　happy　about　it　because　I　had　seen　the　man；　and　I'd　found　him　intriguing　and　somewhat　strange。　I　wondered　if　marriage　to　him　wouldn't　bring　a　new　existence　for　me；　something　more　interesting　than　what　I'd　had　at　home。　My　real　mother　was　dead　and　I　didn't　care　for　my　stepmother。　I　wanted　to　be　out　of　her　house。〃
　　　She　paused　for　a　moment　and　I　was　of　course　calculating。　She　was　older　than　me　by　many　years；　she　was　making　that　plain　to　me；　twice　over；　and　that　is　why　she　appeared　so　utterly　perfect。　Time　had　done　its　work　on　the　lines　of　her　face；　as　it　was　doing　its　work　on　my　own。
　　　She　watched　me　and　hesitated　for　a　moment；　but　then　she　went　on：
　　　'　A　month　before　the　nuptials；　I　was　abducted　right　out　of　my　bed　at　night；　and　taken　over　the　walls　of　the　house　to　a　dark　and　filthy　place　where　I　was　flung　down　in　the　corner；　to　cower　on　the　stone　floor　while　several　men　carried　on　a　crude　argument；　as　to　who　would　be　paid　how　much　for　having　stolen　me。
　　　〃I　expected　to　be　murdered。　I　also　knew　that　my　stepmother　was　behind　my　ruin。
　　　〃But　there　came　into　the　place　a　tall　thin　man　with　a　head　of　shaggy　black　hair；　and　a　face　and　hands　as　white　as　the　moon；　who　murdered　all　of　these　men；　throwing　them　about　as　if　they　were　weightless；　and　holding　the　last　up　to　his　mouth　for　a　long　time；　as　though　he　were　drinking　blood　from　the　corpse；　or　eating　part　of　it。
　　　〃I　thought　I　was　on　the　verge　of　madness。
　　　〃As　he　dropped　the　body；　the　white…faced　being　realized　that　I　was　staring　at　him。　I　had　nothing　but　a　torn　and　dirty　night　dress　to　cover　me。　But　I　rose　to　my　feet　to　face　him　bravely。
　　　〃　'A　woman；'　he　said。　I　shall　never　forget。　'A　woman'　as　if　that　were　remarkable。〃
　　　〃Sometimes；　it　is；〃　I　said。
　　　She　smiled　at　me　rather　tolerantly。　She　went　on　with　the　story。
　　　〃After　this　remark；　he　gave　a　strange　little　laugh　and　then　he　came
　　　for　me。
　　　〃Once　again；　I　expected　to　be　murdered。　But　he　made　me　a　blood　drinker。　There　was　no　ceremony　to　it；　no　words；　nothing。　He　simply　did　it；　right　then　and　there。
　　　〃Then　ripping　off　the　tunic　and　sandals　from　one　of　the　men；　he　dressed　me　crudely　as　a　boy　and　we　hunted　the　streets　together　for　the　rest　of　the　night。　He　handled　me　roughly　as　we　went　along；　turning　me　this　way　and　that；　pushing　me；　instructing　me　as　much　with　shoves　as
　　　with　crude　words。
　　　〃Before　dawn；　he　took　me　back　to　his　curious　dwelling。　It　wasn't　in　the　elite　Greek　quarter　where　I　had　been　brought　up。　But　I　didn't　know　that　at　the　time。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I'd　never　been　out　of　my　father's　house。　My　first　experience　of　the　city　streets　had　been　frankly
　　　enthralling。
　　　〃Now　here　I　was　being　carried　up　the　high　wall　of　a　three…story　dwelling　and　then　brought　down　into　its　barren　courtyard。
　　　〃The　place　was　an　immense　and　disorderly　treasure　house。　In　every　room　there　were　riches　unimaginable。
　　　〃　'See；　all　this！'　the　blood　drinker　said　to　me　proudly。
　　　〃There　was　chaos　everywhere。　There　were　silk　draperies　in　heaps　and　beautiful　cushions；　and　these　he　brought　together　to　make　a　kind　of　nest　for　us。　He　put　heavy　necklaces　on　me　and　said；　'These　will　lure　your　victims。　Then　you　can　quickly　take　hold　of　them。'
　　　〃I　was　intoxicated　and　afraid。
　　　〃Then　he　took　out　his　dagger　and；　grabbing　me　by　the　hair；　he　cut　it　off；　almost　all　of　it；　and　that　sent　me　into　wailing　like　nothing　that　had　gone　before。　I　had　killed。　I　had　drunk　blood。　I　had　run　through　the　streets　half　mad。　That　did　not　make　me　bellow；　but　the　cutting　of　my　hair　was　too　much。
　　　〃He　didn't　seem　at　all　disturbed　by　my　crying；　but　quite　suddenly　he　snatched　me　up；　and　threw　me　down　into　a　large　casket　on　a　hard　bed　of　jewels　and　gold　chains　and　he　shut　the　lid　on　me。　Little　did　I　know　the　sun　was　rising。　Again；　I　thought　I　would　die。
　　　〃But　next　I　opened　my　eyes；　he　was　there；　smiling；　and　in　a　gruff　voice；　with　no　real　wit　or　talent　for　a　turn　of　phrase　he　explained　that　we　must　sleep　all　day　away　from　the　sun。　It　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　al