anner.bloodandgold-第67节

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he　mouth　far　better　shaped　than　I'd　recalled。　Maybe　time　had　softened　the　set　of　his　lips。　I'm　not　certain　that　such　things　can　happen。　But　he　did　seem　an　interesting…looking　immortal　male。
　　　〃You　told　me　you　had　heard　that　I　was　here；〃　I　said；　prompting　him。　〃Who　told　you？〃
　　　〃Oh；　it　was　a　fool　of　a　blood　drinker；〃　he　said　with　a　shudder。　〃A　maniacal　Satan　worshiper。　His　name　was　Santino。　Will　they　never　die　out？　It　was　in　Rome。　He　urged　me　to　join　him；　can　you　imagine？〃
　　　〃Why　didn't　you　destroy　him？〃　I　asked　dejectedly。　How　grim　was　all　this；　how　distant　from　the　boys　at　their　supper；　from　the　teachers　speaking　of　the　day's　lessons；　from　the　light　and　music　to　which　I　longed　to　return。　〃In　the　old　times　when　you　encountered　them；　you　always　destroyed　them。　What　stopped　you　now？　〃
　　　He　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃What　do　I　care　what　happens　in　Rome？　I　didn't　stay　one　night　in　Rome。〃
　　　I　shook　my　head。　〃How　did　this　creature　discover　I　was　in　Venice？　I've　never　heard　a　whisper　of　our　kind　here。〃
　　　〃I'm　here；〃　he　answered　sharply；　〃and　you　didn't　hear　me；　did　you？　You're　not　infallible；　Marius。　You　have　about　you　many　worldly　distractions。　Perhaps　you　don't　listen　as　you　should。〃
　　　〃Yes；　you're　right；　but　I　wonder。　How　did　he　know？〃
　　　〃Mortals　e　to　your　house。　Mortals　speak　of　you。　Possibly　those　mortals　go　on　to　Rome。　Don't　all　roads　lead　to　Rome？〃　He　was　　mocking　me　naturally。　But　he　was　being　rather　gentle；　almost　friendly。　〃He　wants　your　secret；　Marius；　that　Roman　blood　drinker。　How　he　begged　me　to　explain　the　mystery　of　Those　Who　Must　Be　Kept。〃
　　　〃And　you　didn't　reveal　it；　did　you；　Mael？〃　I　demanded。　I　began　to　hate　him　again；　hotly；　as　I　had　in　nights　past。
　　　〃No；　I　didn't　reveal　it；〃　he　said　calmly；　〃but　I　did　laugh　at　him；　and　I　didn't　deny　it。　Perhaps　I　should　have；　but　the　older　I　get　the　harder　it　is　to　lie　on　any　account。〃
　　　〃That　I　understand　rather　well；〃　I　said。
　　　〃Do　you？　With　all　these　beautiful　mortal　children　around　you？　You　must　lie　with　every　breath　you　take；　Marius。　And　as　for　your　paintings；　how　dare　you　display　your　works　amongst　mortals　who　have　but　brief　lifetimes　with　which　to　challenge　you？　It　seems；　a　terrible　lie；　that；　if　you　ask　me。〃
　　　
　　　
　　　I　sighed。
　　　He　tore　open　the　front　of　his　jerkin　and　then　took　it　off。
　　　〃Why　do　I　accept　your　hospitality？〃　he　asked。　〃I　don't　know　the　answer。　Perhaps　I　feel　that　having　helped　yourself　to　so　many　mortal　delights；　you　owe　some　help　to　another　blood　drinker　who　is　lost　in　time　as　always；　wandering　from　country　to　country；　marveling　
　　　sometimes　and　at　others　merely　getting　dust　in　his　eyes。〃
　　　〃Tell　yourself　anything　you　like；〃　I　said。　〃You　are　wele　to　the　clothes　and　to　shelter。　But　tell　me　at　once。　What's　happened　to　Avicus　and　Zenobia？　Do　they　travel　with　you？　Do　you　know　where　they　are？〃
　　　〃I　have　no　idea　where　they　are；〃　he　said；　〃and　surely　you　sensed　it　before　you　asked…　It　has　been　so　long　since　I　saw　either　of　them　that　I　cannot　reckon　the　years　or　the　centuries。　It　was　Avicus　who　put　her　up　to　it；　and　off　they　went　together。　They　left　me　in　Constantinople；　and　I　can't　say　that　it　came　to　me　as　a　dreadful　surprise。　There　had　been　terrible　coldness　between　us　before　the　parting。　Avicus　loved　her。　She　loved　him　more　than　me。　That　was　all　that　was　required。〃
　　　〃I'm　sad　to　hear　it。〃
　　　〃Why？〃　he　asked。　〃You　left　the　three　of　us。　And　you　left　her　with　us；　that　was　the　worst　of　it。　We　were　two　for　so　long；　and　then　you　forced　Zenobia　into　our　pany。〃
　　　〃For　the　love　of　Hell；　stop　blaming　me　for　everything；〃　I　said　under　my　breath。　〃Will　you　never　cease　with　your　accusations？　Am　I　the　author　of　every　evil　that　ever　befell　you；　Mael？　What　must　I　do　to　be　absolved　so　that　there　might　be　silence？　It　was　you；　Mael；　you；〃　Iwhispered；　〃who　took　me　from　my　mortal　life　by　force　and　brought　me；　shackled　and　helpless；　into　your　accursed　Druid　grove！〃
　　　The　anger　spilled　from　me　as　I　struggled　to　keep　rny　voice　down。
　　　He　seemed　quite　amazed　by　it。
　　　〃And　sp　you　do　despise　me；　Marius；〃　he　said；　smiling。　〃I　had　thought　you　far　too　clever　for　such　a　simple　feeling…　Yes；　I　took　you　prisoner；　and　you　took　the　secrets；　and　I've　been　cursed　one　way　or　the　other；　ever　since。〃
　　　I　had　to　step　back　from　this。　I　did　not　want　it。　I　stood　calmly　until　the　anger　left　me。　Let　the　truth　be　damned。
　　　For　some　reason　this　brought　out　the　kindness　in　him。　As　he　removed　his　rags；　arid　kicked　them　away；　he　spoke　of　Avicus　and　Zenobia。
　　　〃The　two　of　them　were　always　slipping　into　the　Emperor's　palace　where　they　would　hunt　the　shadows；〃　he　said。　〃Zenobia　seldom　dressed　as　a　boy　as　you　taught　her。　She　was　too　fond　of　sumptuous　clothes；　You　should　have　seen　the　gowns　she　wore。　And　her　hair；　I　think　I　loved　it　more　than　she　did。〃
　　　〃I　don't　know　if　that's　possible；〃　I　said　softly。　I　saw　the　vision　of　her　in　his　mind；　and　confused　it　with　the　vision　of　her　in　my　own。
　　　〃Avicus　continued　to　be　the　student；〃　he　said　with　slight　contempt。　〃He　mastered　Greek。　He　read　everything　he　could　find。　You　were　always　his　inspiration。　He　imitated　you。　He　bought　books　without　knowing　what　they　were。　On　and　on；　he　read。〃
　　　〃Maybe　he　did　know；〃　I　suggested。　''Who　can　say？〃　〃I　can　say；〃　Mael　answered。　f'I've　known　you　both；　and　he　was　an　idiot　gathering　poetry　and　history　for　nothing。　He　wasn't　even　looking　for　something。　He　embraced　words　and　phrases　on　account　of　how　they　felt。〃
　　　〃And　where　and　how　did　you　spend　your　hours；　Mael？〃　I　asked；　my　voice　far　more　cold　than　I　had　hoped。
　　　〃I　hunted　the　dark　hills　beyond　the　city；〃　he　responded。　〃I　hunted　the　soldiery。　I　hunted　for　the　brutal　Evil　Doer；　as　you　know。　I　was　the　vagabond；　and　they　were　dressed　as　though　they　were　part　of　the　Imperial　Court。〃
　　　〃Did　they　ever　make　another？〃　I　asked。　〃No！〃　he　said；　scoffing。　〃Who　would　do　such　a　thing？〃　I　didn't　answer。
　　　〃And　you；　did　you　ever　make　another？　〃　I　asked。　〃No；〃　he　responded。　He　frowned…　〃How　would　I　find　someone　strong　enough？〃　he　asked。　He　seemed　puzzled。　〃How　would　I　know　that　a　human　had　the　endurance　for　the　Blood？〃　〃And　so　you　move　through　the　world　alone。〃　〃I'll　find　another　blood　drinker　to　be　a　panion；〃　he　said。　〃Didn't　I　find　that　cursed　Santino　in　Rome？　Maybe　I'll　lure　one　from　among　the　Satan　worshipers。　They　can't　all　like　a　miserable　life　in　the　
　　　catabs；　wearing　black　robes　and　singing　Latin　hymns。〃
　　　I　nodded。　I　could　see　now　that　he　was　ready　for　the　bath。　I　didn't　want　to　keep　him　any　longer。
　　　When　I　spoke　it　was　in　a　genial　manner。
　　　〃The　house　is　enormous　as　you　see；〃　I　said。　〃There　is　a　locked　room　on　the　first　floor　to　the　far　right　side。　It　has　no　windows。　You　may　sleep　there　by　day　if　you　like。〃
　　　
　　　He　gave　a　low　contemptuous　laugh。　〃The　clothes　are　quite　enough；　my　friend；　and　perhaps　just　a　few　hours　during　which　I　might　rest。〃
　　　〃I　don't　mind。　Stay　here；　out　of　sight　of　the　others。　See　the　bath　there。　Use　it。　I'll　e　for　you　when　all　the　boys　are　asleep。〃
　　　When　next　I　saw　him　it　was　all　too　soon。
　　　He　came　out　of　the　bedroom　and　into　the　large　salon　in　which　I　stood　relinquishing　my　hold　on　Riccardo　and　Amadeo　with　the　strong　admonition　that　they　could　go　to　Bianca's　for　the　evening　and　nowhere　else。
　　　Amadeo　saw　him。　Again；　for　several　fatal　moments；　Amadeo　saw　him。　And　I　knew　that　something　deep　inside　Amadeo　recognized　Mael　for　the　creature　that　he　was。　But　like　so　many　things　in　the　mind　of　Amadeo；　it　wasn't　conscious；　and　the　boys　left　me　with　quick　kisses；　off　to　sing　their　songs　to　Bianca；　and　be　flattered　by　everyone　there。
　　　I　was　impatient　with　Mael　that　he　had　e　out　of　the　bedchamber；　but　I　didn't　say　it。
　　　〃So　you　would　make　a　blood　drinker　of　that　one；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　die　door　through　which　the　boys　had　left　us。　He　smiled。
　　　I　was　in　a　silent　fury。　I　glared　at　him；　as　always　in　such　situations；　quite　unable　to　speak。
　　　He　stood　there　smiling　at　me　in　sinister　fashion　arid　then　he　said；
　　　〃Marius　of　the　many　names　and　the　many　houses　and　the　many　lifetimes。　So　you　have　choseri　a　lovely　chilfL〃
　　　I　shook　it　off。　How　had　he　read　from　my　mind　my　desire　for　Amadeo？
　　　〃You've　grown　careless；〃　he　said　softly。　〃Listen　to　me；　Marius。　I　don't　speak　to　insult　you。　YOU　walk　with　a　heavy　step　among　mortals；。　And　that　boy　is　very　young。〃
　　　〃Don't　speak　another　word　to　me；〃　I　answered；　pulling　hard　on　my　anger　to　rein　it　in。
　　　〃Forgive　me；〃　he　said；。　〃I　only　spoke　my　mind。〃
　　　〃I　know　you　did；　but　I　don't　want　to　hear　any　more。〃
　　　I　looked　him　over。　He　was　rather　handsome　in　his　new　attire；　though　a　few　little　details　were　absurdly　crooked　and　not　tucked　　properly；　but　I　was　not　the　one　to　make　them　right。　He　struck　me　as　not　only　barbaric；　but　ical。　But　I　knew　that　anyone　else　would　think　him　an　impressive　man。
　　　I　hated　him；　but　not　pletely。　And　as　I　stood　there　with　him；　I　almost　gave　way　to　tears。　Quite　suddenly；　to　stem　this　emotion；　I　spoke。
　　　
　　　〃　What　have　you　learnt　in　all　this　time？〃　I　asked。
　　　〃That's　an　arrogant　question！〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice。　〃What　have　you　learnt？〃
　　　I　told　him　my　theories；　about　how　the　West　had　risen　again；　once　more　drawing　upon　the　old　classics　which　Rome　had　taken　from