annr.pandora-第3部分

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　All　the　preternatural　world　shimmered　weeks　earlier；　however；　with　the　knowledge　that　a　mortal　had　jumped　into　the　body　of　another　mortal；　we　know　these　things；　as　if　the　stars　tell　us。　One　preter　natural　mind　picks　up　the　ripples　of　this　sharp　cut　in　the　fabric　of　the　ordinary；　then　another　mind　receives　the　image；　and　on　and　on　it　goes。
　David　Talbot；　the　name　we　all　knew　from　the　venerable　order　of　psychic　detectives；　the　Talamasca；　had　managed　to　move　his　entire　soul　and　etheric　body　…　into　that　of　another　man。　That　body　itself　was　in　the　possession　of　a　body　thief　whom　you　forced　from　it。　And　once　anchored　in　the　young　…　body；　you；　with　all　your　scruples　and　values；　all　your　knowledge　of　seventy…four　years；　remained　an　chored　in　the　young　cells。
　And　so　it　was　David　the　Reborn；　David　with　the　high…gloss　India　beauty；　and　raw　well…nourished　strength　of　British　lineage；　that　Lestat　had　made　into　a　vampire；　bringing　over　both　body　and　soul；　pounding　miracle　with　the　Dark　Trick；　achieving　once　more　a　sin　that　should　stun　his　contemporaries　and　his　elders。　And　this；　this　was　done　to　you　by　your　best　friend！
　Wele　to　the　darkness；　David。　Wele　to　the　domain　of　Shakespeare's　〃inconstant　moon。〃
　Bravely　you　came　up　the　bridge　towards　me。
　〃Forgive　me；　Pandora；〃　you　said　so　quietly。　Flawless　British　upper…class　accent；　and　the　usual　beguiling　British　rhythm　that　is　so　seductive　it　seems　to　say　that　〃we　will　all　save　the　world。〃
　You　kept　a　polite　distance　between　us；　as　if　I　were　a　virgin　girl　of　the　last　century；　and　you　didn't　want　to　alarm　me　and　my　tender　sensibilities。　I　smiled。
　I　indulged　myself　then。　I　took　your　full　measure；　this　fledgling　that　Lestat　…　against　Marius's　injunction　…　had　dared　to　make。　I　saw　the　ponents　of　you　as　a　man：　an　immense　human　soul；　fearless；　yet　half　in　love　with　despair；　and　a　body　which　Lestat　had　almost　injured　himself　to　render　powerful。　He　had　given　you　more　blood　than　he　could　easily　give　in　your　transformation。　He　had　tried　to　give　you　his　courage；　his　cleverness；　his　cunning；　he　had　tried　to　transport　an　armory　for　you　through　the　blood。
　He　had　done　well。　Your　strength　was　plex　and　obvious。　Our　Queen　Mother　Akasha's　blood　was　mixed　with　that　of　Lestat。　Marius；　my　ancient　lover；　had　given　him　blood　as　well。　Lestat；　ah；　now　what　do　they　say；　they　say　that　he　may　even　have　drunk　the　blood　of　the　Christ。
　It　was　this　first　issue　I　took　up　with　you；　my　curiosity　overwhelming　me；　for　to　scan　the　world　for　knowledge　is　often　to　rake　in　such　tragedy　that　I　abhor　it。
　〃Tell　me　the　truth　of　it；〃　I　said。　〃This　story　Memnoch　the　Devil。　Lestat　claimed　he　went　to　Heaven　and　to　Hell。　He　brought　back　a　veil　from　St。　Veronica。　The　face　of　Christ　was　on　it！　It　converted　thousands　to　Christianity；　it　cured　alienation　and　succored　bitterness。　It　drove　other　Children　of　Darkness　to　：throw　up　their　arms　to　the　deadly　morning　light；　as　if　the　sun　were　in　fact　the　fire　of　God。〃
　〃Yes；　it's　all　happened；　as　I　described　it；〃　you　said；　lowering　your　head　with　a　polite　but　unexaggerated　modesty。　〃And　you　know　a　few。。。　of　us　perished　in　this　fervor；　whilst　newspapers　and　scientists　collected　our　ashes　for　examination。〃
　I　marveled　at　your　calm　attitude。　A　Twentieth…Century　sensibility。　A　mind　dominated　by　an　incalculable　wealth　of　information；　and　quick　of　tongue　with　an　intellect　devoted　to　swiftness；　synthesis；　probabilities；　and　all　this　against　the　backdrop　of　horrid　experiences；　wars；　massacres；　the　worst　perhaps　the　world　has　ever　seen。
　〃It　all　happened；〃　you　said。　〃And　I　did　meet　with　Mekare　and　Maharet；　the　ancient　ones；　and　you　needn't　fear　for　me　that　I　don't　know　how　fragile　is　the　root。　It　was　kind　of　you　to　think　so　protectively　of　me。〃
　I　was　quietly　charmed。
　〃What　did　you　think　of　this　Holy　Veil　yourself？〃　I　asked。
　〃Our　Lady　of　Fatima；〃　you　said　softly。　〃The　Shroud　of　Turin；　a　cripple　rising　from　the　Miraculous　Waters　of　Lourdes！　What　a　consolation　it　must　be　to　accept　such　a　thing　so　easily。〃
　〃And　you　did　not？〃
　You　shook　your　head。　〃And　neither　did　Lestat；　really。　It　was　the　mortal　girl；　Dora；　snatching　the　Veil　from　him；　who　took　it　out　into　the　world。　But　it　was　a　most　singular　and　meticulously　made　thing；　I'll　tell　you　that；　more　worthy　of　the　word　'relic'　perhaps　than　any　other　I've　ever　seen。〃
　You　sounded　dejected　suddenly。
　〃Some　immense　intent　went　into　its　making；〃　you　said。
　〃And　the　vampire　Armand；　the　delicate　boylike　Armand；　he　believed　it？〃　I　asked。　〃Armand　looked　at　it　and　saw　the　face　of　Christ；〃　I　said；　seeking　your　confirmation。
　〃Enough　to　die　for　it；〃　you　said　solemnly。　〃Enough　to　open　his　arms　to　the　morning　sun。〃
　You　looked　away；　and　you　closed　your　eyes。　This　was　a　simple　unadorned　plea　to　me　not　to　make　you　speak　of　Armand　and　how　he　had　gone　into　the　morning　fire。
　I　gave　a　sigh　…　surprised　and　gently　fascinated　to　find　you　so　articulate；　skeptical；　yet　so　sharply　and　frankly　connected　to　the　others。
　You　said　in　a　shaken　voice；　〃Armand。〃　And　still　looking　away　from　me。　〃What　a　Requiem。　And　does　he　know　now　if　Memnoch　was　real；　if　God　Incarnate　who　tempted　Lestat　was　in　fact　the　Son　of　the　God　Almighty？　Does　anyone'？〃
　I　was　taken　with　your　earnestness；　your　passion。　You　were　not　jaded　or　cynical。　There　was　an　immediacy　to　your　feelings　for　these　happenings；　these　creatures；　these　questions　you　posed；
　〃They　locked　up　the　Veil；　you　know；〃　you　said。　〃It's　in　the　Vatican。　There　were　two　weeks　of　frenzy　on　Fifth　Avenue　in　St。　Patrick's　Cathedral　in　which　people　came　to　look　into　the　eyes　of　The　Lord；　and　then　they　had　it；　gone；　taken　to　their　vaults。　I　doubt　there　is　a　nation　on　the　Earth　with　the　power　to　gain　even　a　glimpse　of　it　now。〃
　〃And　Lestat；〃　I　said。　〃Where　is　he　now？〃
　〃Paralyzed；　silent；〃　you　said。　〃Lestat　lies　on　the　floor　of　a　chapel　in　New　Orleans。　He　doesn't　move。　He　says　nothing。　His　Mother　has　e　to　him。　You　knew　her；　Gabrielle；　he　made　a　vampire　of　her。〃
　〃Yes；　I　remember　her。〃
　〃Even　she　draws　no　response　from　him。　Whatever　he　saw；　in　his　journey　to　Heaven　and　Hell；　he　doesn't　know　the　truth　of　it　one　way　or　the　other　…　he　tried　to　tell　this　to　Dora！　And　eventually；　after　I'd　written　down　the　whole　story　for　him；　he　passed　within　a　few　nights　into　this　state。
　〃His　eyes　are　fixed　and　his　body　pliant。　They　made　a　curious　Pietá；　he　and　Gabrielle；　in　this　abandoned　convent　and　its　chapel。　His　mind　is　dosed；　or　worse　…　it's　empty。〃
　I　found　I　liked　very　much　your　manner　of　speaking。　In　fact；　I　was　taken　off　guard。
　〃I　left　Lestat　because　he　was　beyond　my　help　and　my　reach；〃　you　said。　〃And　I　must　know　if　there　are　old　ones　who　want　to　put　an　end　to　me；　I　must　make　my　pilgrimages　and　my　progresses　to　know　the　dangers　of　this　world　to　which　I've　been　admitted。〃
　〃You're　so　forthright。　You　have　no　cunning。〃
　〃On　the　contrary；　I　conceal　my　keenest　assets　from　you。〃　You　gave　me　a　slow；　polite　smile。　〃Your　beauty　rather　confuses　me。　Are　you　used　to　this？〃
　〃Quite；〃　I　said。　〃And　weary　of　it。　e　beyond　it。　Let　me　just　warn；　there　are　old　ones；　ones　no　one　knows　or　can　explain。　It's　rumored　you've　been　with　Maharet　and　Mekare；　who　are　now　the　E1dest　and　the　Fount　from　which　we　all　spring。　Obviously　they've　drawn　back　from　us；　from　all　the　world；　into　some　secret　place；　and　have　no　taste　for　authority。〃
　〃You're　so　very　correct；〃　you　said；　〃and　my　audience　with　them　was　beautiful　but　brief。　They　don't　want　to　rule　over　anyone；　nor　will　Maharet；　as　long　as　the　history　of　the　world　and　her　own　physical　descendants　are　in　it　…　her　own　thousands　of　human　descendants　from　a　time　so　ancient　there　is　no　date　for　it　…　Maharet　will　never　destroy　herself　and　her　sister；　thereby　destroying　all　of　us。〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said；　〃in　that　she　believes；　the　Great　Family；　the　generations　she　has　traced　for　thousands　of　years。　I　saw　her　when　we　all　gathered。　She　doesn't　see　us　as　evil　…　you；　or　me；　or　Lestat　…　she　thinks　that　we're　natural；　rather　like　volcanoes　or　fires　that　rage　through　forests；　or　bolts　of　lightning　that　strike　a　man　dead。〃
　〃Precisely；〃　you　said。　〃There　is　no　Queen　of　the　Damned　now。　I　fear　only　one　other　immortal；　and　that's　your　lover；　Marius。　Because　it　was　Marius　who　laid　down　the　strict　rule　befor