anner.bloodandgold(v2)-第72节

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　　　Oh；　thank　the　gods　that　I　kept　it。　I　kept　it　close　in　my　heart！
　　　Well　before　morning　it　was　finished。　His　skin　was　wondrously　pale；　and　his　dark　eyes　fiercely　bright。　I　ran　my　fingers　through　his　auburn　hair。　Once　again；　he　smiled　at　me　so　knowingly；　with　such　a　quiet　air　of　triumph。
　　　〃It's　plete　now；　Master；〃　he　said；　as　if　he　were　speaking　to　a　child。
　　　And　together　we　walked　back　to　the　bedchamber　where　he　put　on　his　handsome　velvets；　and　we　went　out　to　hunt。
　　　I　taught　him　how　to　find　his　victims；　to　use　the　Mind　Gift　to　make　certain　that　they　were　Evil　Doers；　and　I　also　remained　with　him　through　the　few　hours　of　his　mortal　Death。
　　　His　powers　were　very　simply　enormous。　It　would　not　be　long　before　he　could　use　the　Cloud　Gift；　and　I　could　not　find　a　test　to　outdo　his　strength。　He　could　not　only　read　the　minds　of　mortals；　he　could　make　spells　as　well。
　　　His　mind；　quite　naturally；　was　closed　to　me；　though　this　was　still　something　I　did　not　pletely　accept。　Of　course　it　had　happened　with　Pandora；　yet　I　hoped　that　it　would　not　happen　with　Amadeo　and　only　reluctantly　explained　it　to　him。
　　　Now　I　must　read　his　facial　expressions；　his　gestures；　the　depth　of　his　secretive　and　faintly　cruel　brown　eyes。
　　　Never　had　he　been　more　beautiful；　of　course。
　　　And　having　done　all　this；　I　took　him　with　me　to　my　very　grave；　as　one　says；　to　the　gilded　room　of　the　two　stone　sarcophagi　which　awaited　us；　and　I　showed　him　how　he　must　sleep　by　day。
　　　It　didn't　frighten　him。　Indeed；　nothing　frightened　him。
　　　〃　What　of　your　dreams　now；　Amadeo？〃　I　asked　him　as　I　held　him　in　my　arms。　〃What　of　your　priests　and　the　distant　glass　city？〃
　　　〃Master；　I've　reached　paradise；〃　he　answered。　〃What　has　Venice　in　all　her　beauty　been　to　me　but　a　prelude　for　the　Blood？〃
　　　As　I　had　done　a　thousand　times；　I　gave　him　the　Blood　Kiss　and　he　received　it　and　then　drew　back　smiling。
　　　〃How　different　it　is　now；〃　he　said。
　　　〃Sweet　or　bitter？〃　I　asked。
　　　〃Oh；　sweet；　very　sweet；　for　you've　fulfilled　my　heart's　desires。　You　don't　pull　me　heartlessly　after　you　by　a　bloody　thread。〃
　　　I　crushed　him　in　my　warm　embrace；
　　　〃Amadeo；　my　love；〃　I　whispered；　and　it　seemed　the　long　centuries　I　had　endured　had　been　but　preparation　for　this。　Old　images　came　to　me；　bits　and　pieces　of　dreams。　Nothing　was　substantial　but　Amadeo。　And　Amadeo　was　here。
　　　And　so　we　went　to　our　separate　sleep；　and　as　I　closed　my　eyes　I　feared　only　one　thing　in　the　whole　world…that　this　bliss　should　not　last。
　　　
　　　22
　　　
　　　THE　NEXT　FEW　MONTHS　passed　in　freedom　and　pleasure　such　as　I　could　have　never　imagined。　Amadeo　was　truly　my　panion　and　also　my　pupil；　and　I　forced　him　with　gentle　discipline　to　learn　all　that　I　thought　he　should　know。　This　included　his　lessons　in　law　and　government；　in　history　and　philosophy；　and　also　his　lessons　with　me　in　being　a　blood　drinker；　to　which　he　gave　himself　with　a　cheerful　willingness　that　surpassed　my　dreams。
　　　I　had　thought　that；　being　young；　he　might　want　to　feed　on　the　innocent；　but　when　I　instructed　him　as　to　how　guilt　would　soon　destroy　his　soul　if　he　did　this；　I　found　that　he　listened；　and　he　took　my　instructions　in　how　to　feed　upon　evil　without　allowing　it　to　darken　his　own　soul。
　　　He　was　also　my　eager　pupil　in　the　lessons　on　how　to　be　in　mortal　pany；　and　he　soon　felt　strong　enough　to　have　some　conversation　with　the　mortal　boys。　Indeed；　he　was　soon　expert　in　deceiving　them；　just　as　I　was；　and　though　they　sensed　that　something　had　changed　with　Amadeo　they　did　not　know　what；　and　they　could　not　know；　and　they　dared　not　risk　the　peace　of　our　wondrous　house　with　even　their　slightest　doubts。
　　　Even　Riccardo；　the　eldest　of　my　apprentices；　suspected　nothing　really；　except　that　his　Master　was　somehow　a　powerful　magician　and　the　magic　had　saved　Amadeo's　life。
　　　But　now　we　had　to　deal　with　our　beloved　Bianca；　whom　we　had　riot　seen　since　the　night　of　the　terrible　illness；　and　I　knew　that　this　would　be　Amadeo's　most　arduous　trial。
　　　What　was　she　to　make　of　Amadeo's　swift　recovery　from　his　terrible　battle　with　Lord　Harlech；　and　what　did　she　think　when　she　laid　eyes　upon　Amadeo　with　his　luminous　skin　and　shimmering　hair？　What　was　he　to　think　when　he　looked　into　her　eyes？
　　　It　was　no　secret　to　me　that　he　adored　her；　indeed；　that　he　had　loved　her　as　I　had　loved　her。　And　so　we　must　go　to　her。　Indeed；　we　had　put　it　off　for　too　long。
　　　Abruptly　one　evening；　we　went　to　visit　her；　having　fed　well　on　dais　night　so　that　we　might　feel　and　appear　quite　warm。
　　　As　soon　as　we　came　into　her　room；　I　saw　immediately　the　strain　in　Amadeo；　that　he　could　not　tell　her　of　what　had　happened　to　him；　and　only　in　that　moment　did　I　realize　how　difficult　this　secrecy　was　for　him；　and　how　in　spite　of　all　his　strength；　he　was　still　quite　young　and　even　weak。
　　　Indeed；　Amadeo's　frame　of　mind　was　far　greater　cause　for　alarm　than　that　of　Bianca；　who　seemed　only　happy　to　see　Amadeo　restored。
　　　They　were　like　a　brother　and　sister　together；　and　I　thought　of　course　of　the　vow　I　had　extracted　from　him　when　I　made　him；　and　I　wished　I　could　take　him　aside　and　remind　him　of　it　now。　But　we　were　in　her　drawing　room　and　there　were　many　other　visitors；　with　all　the　usual　music　and　talk　going　on。
　　　〃e　into　my　bedroom；〃　she　said　to　both　of　us。　Her　lovely　oval　face　was　beaming。　〃I　am　so　very　glad　to　see　you。　Why　didn't　you　e　before　now？　Of　course　everyone　in　Venice　knew　that　Amadeo　was　recovered；　and　that　Lord　Harlech　had　gone　back　to　England；　but　you　should　have　written　to　me　if　you　couldn't　e。〃
　　　I　showered　her　with　my　apologies。　It　was　my　thoughtlessness。　And　indeed　I　should　have　written　a　letter。　What　had　blinded　me　on　such　a　score　was　my　love　for　Amadeo。　I　had　cared　for　nothing　else。
　　　〃Oh；　I　forgive　you；　Marius；〃　she　declared。　〃I　would　forgive　you　anything；　and　look　at　Amadeo。　It's　as　if　he　were　never　sick　at　all。〃
　　　Gratefully　I　accepted　her　embrace；　but　I　could　see　how　Amadeo　suffered　when　she　kissed　him；　when　she　clasped　his　hand。　He　could　not　endure　the　gulf　which　separated　them；　but　he　must　endure　it；　and　so　I　did　not　move　to　leave。
　　　〃How　goes　it　with　you；　my　beautiful　nurse；〃　I　said　to　her；　〃you　who　kept　Amadeo　by　a　thread　until　I　could　e　to　him。　You　and　your　kinsmen？　Are　you　a　happy　lot？　〃
　　　She　gave　a　soft　gentle　laugh。　〃Oh；　yes；　my　kinsmen；　some　of　them　have　met　with　the　most　unfortunate　end。　Indeed；　it　is　my　understanding　that　the　Grand　Council　of　Venice　believes　they　were　murdered　by　those　from　whom　they　exacted　heavy　payments。　My　kinsmen　should　have　never　e　to　Venice　with　their　evil　designs。　But　I　am　blameless　as　everyone　knows。　Members　of　the　Grand　Council　of　Venice　have　told　me　as　much。　And　you　would　not　think　it　but　I　am　now　richer　on　account　of　all　this。〃
　　　Of　course　I　saw　it　in　a　moment。　Those　who　had　owed　money　to　her　miserable　kinsmen　had；　after　their　murders；　given　her　costly　gifts。　She　was　richer　than　she　had　ever　been。
　　　〃I　am　a　happier　woman；〃　she　said　softly；　looking　at　me。　〃Indeed；　I　am　someone　altogether　different；　for　I　know　a　freedom　now　that　was　inconceivable　before。〃
　　　Hungrily　her　eyes　moved　over　me　and　over　Amadeo。　I　felt　a　desire　emanating　from　her。　I　felt　it　as　she　looked　at　both　of　us；　that　she　wanted　a　new　familiarity；　and　then　she　came　to　me；　and　putting　her　arms　around　me；　she　kissed　me。
　　　Quickly；　I　held　her　back　and　away　from　me；　but　this　only　impelled　her　to　embrace　Amadeo；　and　she　kissed　him　on　his　cheeks　and　on　his　mouth。
　　　She　gestured　towards　the　bed。
　　　〃All　of　Venice　wonders　about　my　magician　and　his　apprentice；〃　she　said　warmly。　〃And　they　e　to　me；　only　to　me。〃
　　　With　my　eyes；　I　let　her　know　my　love　for　her；　that　I　would　trespass　now　if　she　didn't　strictly　forbid　it；　and　moving　past　her；　I　seated　myself　on　her　bed。
　　　Never　had　I　taken　such　a　liberty　with　her；　but　I　knew　her　thoughts。　We　dazzled　her。　She　idolized　us。
　　　And　how　lovely　she　was　in　her　luminous　silk　and　jewels。
　　　She　came　and　took　her　place　beside　me；　nestled　close；　and　unafraid　of　whatever　she　saw　when　she　looked　into　my　eyes。
　　　Amadeo　was　astonished　and　soon　sat　beside　her　on　her　right。　Though　he'd　fed　well；　I　could　sense　his　blood　hunger；　and　that　he　fought　bravely　to　keep　it　down。
　　　〃Let　me　kiss　you；　my　exquisite　one；〃　I　said。　And　I　did　so；　counting　upon　the　dim　light　and　my　sweet　words　to　bedazzle　her；　and　then　of　course　she　saw　what　she　wanted　to　see…not　some　dreadful　thing　quite　beyond　her　prehension；　but　a　mysterious　man　who　had　rendered　her　an　invaluable　service　and　left　her　wealthy　and　free。
　　　〃You　will　be　safe　always；　Bianca；〃　I　said　to　her。　〃As　long　as　I　am　here。〃　Twice　and　once　more　I　kissed　her。　〃Help　me　open　my　house　again；　Bianca；　with　even　more　splendid　food　and　entertainments。　Help　me　prepare　a　greater　feast　perhaps　than　Venice　has　ever　seen。　We'll　have　wondrous　theatricals　and　dancing。　Help　me　fill　my　many　rooms。〃
　　　〃Yes；　Marius；　I　shall　do　it；〃　she　answered　drowsily；　her　head　leaning　against　me。　〃I　shall　be　so　happy。〃
　　　〃I　shall　give　you　all　the　money　you　require　for　it。　And　Vincenzo　will　carry　out　your　instructions。　Only　tell　me　when　you　would　have　this　take　place。〃
　　　I　looked　into　her　eyes　as　I　spoke　and　then　I　kissed　her；　and　though　I　did　not　dare　to