annr.pandora-第34部分

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　〃Look　at　you！〃　I　whispered。　〃You're　not　alive！〃
　〃No；　take　your　last　look；　for　you　are　leaving　here！〃
　〃What？〃　I　said。　〃Last　look？〃　I　repeated　his　words。　〃What　are　you　talking　about！　I've　only　arrived；　laid　my　plans；　rid　myself　of　my　brother！　I　am　not　leaving　here。　Do　you　mean　to　say　you　are　leaving　me'？〃
　There　was　a　terrible　anguish　in　his　face；　a　courageous　appeal　that　I　had　never　seen　in　any　man；　not　even　in　my　Father；　who　had　worked　swiftly　in　those　last　fatal　moments　at　home；　as　if　he　were　merely　intent　on　sending　me　on　an　important　appointment。
　Marius's　eyes　were　filmed　with　blood。　He　was　crying；　and　his　eyes　were　sore　with　the　tears！　No！　These　were　tears　like　the　tears　of　the　magnificent　Queen　in　the　dream；　who；　bound　to　her　throne；　wept　and　stained　her　cheeks　and　her　throat　and　her　linen。
　He　wanted　to　deny　it。　He　shook　his　head；　but　he　knew　I　was　quite　convinced。
　〃Pandora；　when　I　saw　it　was　you；〃　he　said；　〃when　you　came　into　the　Temple　and　I　saw　it　was　you　who　had　had　these　blood　dreams；　I　was　beside　myself。　I　must　get　you　far　from　this；　far　from　all　danger。〃
　I　separated　myself　from　his　spell；　from　the　aura　of　his　beauty。　I　beheld　him　with　a　cold　eye；　and　I　listened　as　he　went　on；　noting　all　about　him；　from　the　glitter　of　his　eyes　to　the　way　that　he　gestured。
　〃You　have　to　leave　Antioch　at　once；〃　he　said。　〃I　will　stay　here　the　night　with　you。　Then　in　the　day；　you　pick　up　your　faithful　Flavius　and　your　two　girls；　they　are　honest；　and　you　take　them　with　you。　You　put　miles　between　you　and　this　place　by　day；　and　this　thing　can't　follow　you！　Don't　tell　me　now　where　you　mean　to　go。　You　can　discuss　all　this　at　the　docks　in　the　morning。　You　have　plenty　of　money。〃
　〃You　are　the　one　who　is　dreaming　now；　Marius；　I　am　not　going。　Who　is　it　precisely　that　you　want　me　to　flee？　The　weeping　Queen　on　her　throne？　Or　the　prowling；　burnt　one？　The　former　reaches　me　over　miles　and　miles　of　sea　with　her　summons。　She　warns　me　against　my　evil　brother。　The　other　I　can　easily　dispatch。　I　have　no　fear　of　him。　I　know　what　he　is　from　the　dreams；　and　I　know　how　the　sun　has　hurt　him；　and　I　will　myself　pin　him　to　the　wall　in　the　sun。〃
　He　was　silent；　biting　his　lip。
　〃I　will　do　that　for　her；　for　the　Queen　in　the　dreams；　to　avenge　her。〃
　〃Pandora；　I　am　begging　you。〃
　〃In　vain；〃　I　said。　〃Do　you　think　I　have　e　so　far　only　to　run　again？　And　the　woman's　voice　…〃
　〃How　do　you　know　it　was　this　Queen　of　whom　you　dreamt？　There　could　be　other　blood　drinkers　in　this　city。　Men；　women。　They　all　want　the　same　thing。〃
　〃And　you　fear　them？〃
　〃Loathe　them！　And　I　must　keep　clear　of　them；　not　give　them　what　they　want！　Never　give　them　what　they　want。〃
　〃Ah；　I　see　it　all；〃　I　said。
　〃You　do　not！〃　he　said；　scowling　down　at　me。　So　fierce；　so　perfect。
　〃You　are　one　of　them；　Marius。　You　are　whole。　You　are　unburnt。　They　want　your　blood　to　heal　themselves。〃
　〃How　could　you　think　of　such　a　thing？〃
　〃In　my　dreams；　they　called　the　Queen　'the　Fount。'　〃
　I　flew　at　him　and　imprisoned　him　in　my　arms！　He
　was　powerfully　strong；　solid　as　a　tree！　I　never　felt
　such　hardness　of　muscle　in　a　man。　I　lay　my　head　on　his　shoulder；　and　his　cheek　against　the　top　of　my　head　was　cold！
　But　he　enfolded　me　gently　with　both　arms；　stroking　my　hair；　pulling　it　down　out　of　all　the　pins　and　letting　it　flow　down　my　back。　I　felt　a　rich　tingling　all　over　the　surface　of　my　skin。
　Hard；　so　hard；　yet　with　no　pulse　of　life。　No　warmth　of　human　blood　in　his　gentle；　sweet　gestures。
　〃My　darling；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　know　the　source　of　your　dreams；　but　I　know　this。　You　will　be　protected　from　me　and　from　them。　You　will　never　bee　part　of　this　old　tale　that　goes　on　verse　by　verse　no　matter　how　the　world　changes！　I　won't　allow　it。〃
　〃Explain　these　things　to　me。　I　will　not　cooperate　with　you　until　you　explain　everything。　Do　you　know　the　anguish　of　the　Queen　of　the　dream？　Her　tears　are　like　yours。　Look　Blood。　You　stain　your　tunic！　Is　she　here；　this　Queen；　has　she　summoned　me'？〃
　〃And　what　if　she　has　and　she　wants　to　punish　you　for　this　former　life　you　dreamt　in　which　the　evil　gods　kept　her　fettered。　What　if　that　is　so！〃
　〃No；〃　I　said。　〃That　is　not　her　intention。　Besides；　I　wouldn't　do　what　the　dark　gods　of　the　dream　said。　I　wouldn't　drink　from　'the　Fount。'　I　ran　and　that's　why　I　died　in　the　desert。〃
　〃Ah！〃　He　threw　up　his　hands！　And　walked　away。　He　stared　out　into　the　dark　peristyle。　Only　the　stars　lighted　the　trees　there。　I　saw　a　faint　glow　ing　from　the　far　dining　room　on　the　other　side　of　the　house。
　I　looked　at　him；　at　his　great　height　and　the　straightness　of　his　back；　and　the　way　his　feet　were　so　firmly　fixed　on　the　mosaic　floor。　The　lamps　made　his　blond　hair　glorious。
　I　heard　him；　though　he　whispered　with　his　back　to　me。
　〃How　could　this　stupid　thing　have　happened！〃
　〃What　stupid　thing！〃　I　demanded。　I　came　to　his　side。　〃You　mean　that　I　am　here；　in　Antioch。　I'll　tell　you　how。　My　Father　arranged　my　escape；　that's　how。。。〃
　〃No；　no；　I　don't　mean　that。　I　want　you　to　be　safe；　alive；　out　of　all　danger；　protected；　so　that　you　flower　as　you　are　meant　to　do。　Your　petals　aren't　even　bruised　at　the　edges；　look　at　you；　and　your　boldness　heats　your　beauty！　Your　brother　had　no　chance　against　your　learning　or　your　rhetoric。　And　yet　you　charmed　the　soldiers　and　made　slaves　of　them　with　your　superiority；　never　once　rousing　their　resentment。　You　have　years　of　life　in　you！　But　I　must　think　of　some　way　to　make　you　safe。　Look。　This　is　the　heart　of　it。　You　have　to　leave　Antioch　during　the　day。〃
　〃　'Friend　of　the　Temple；'　that's　what　the　Priest　and　Priestess　called　you。　They　said　you　could　read　the　old　script。　They　said　you　bought　up　all　the　Egyptian　books　when　they　came　into　the　port。　Why？　If　you　seek　her；　the　Queen；　then　seek　her　through　me；　because　it　is　she　who　said　that　she　had　summoned　me。〃
　〃She　didn't　speak　in　the　dreams！　You　don't　know　who　spoke　the　words！　What　if　the　dreams　do　have　their　root　in　your　migrant　soul？　What　if　you　have　lived　before？　And　now　you　e　to　the　Temple　and　there　is　one　of　these　loathed　ancient　gods　on　the　prowl　and　you　are　in　danger。　You　must　get　away；　from　here；　from　me；　from　this　wounded　hunter；　whom　I　will　find。〃
　〃You're　not　telling　me　all　you　know！　What　happened　to　you；　Marius！　What　happened！　Who　did　this　to　you；　this　miracle　of　your　radiance。　This　is　no　cloak；　the　light　es　from　within！〃
　〃Damn　it；　Pandora；　do　you　think　I　wanted　my　life　foreshortened　and　my　destiny　extended　forever！〃　He　was　suffering。　He　looked　at　me；　unwilling　to　speak；　and　I　felt　such　pain　ing　from　him；　such　loneliness；　that　for　a　moment　it　was　unbearable。
　I　felt　a　wave　of　my　own　anguish　of　the　long　night　before；　when　the　utter　vacuity　of　all　religions　and　creeds　had　struck　me　hard　and　the　sheer　effort　of　a　good　life　seemed　a　fool's　trap；　and　nothing　more。
　He　suddenly　dosed　his　arms　around　me；　surprising　me；　holding　me　firmly　and　rubbing　his　cheek　gently　against　my　hair；　and　kissing　my　head。　Silken；　polished；　gentle　beyond　words。　〃Pandora；　Pandora；　Pandora；〃　he　said。　〃The　beautiful　little　girl　grown　into　the　marvelous　woman。〃
　I　held　this　hard　effigy　of　the　most　spectacular　and　singular　man　I　had　ever　known　or　seen：　I　held　it　and　this　time　heard　the　beating　of　his　heart；　the　distinct　rhythm　of　it。　I　laid　my　ear　on　his　chest。
　〃Oh；　Marius；　if　only　I　could　lay　my　head　to　rest　next　to　yours。　If　I　could　only　yield　to　your　protection。　But　you　are　driving　me　away！　You　don't　promise　guardianship；　you　ordain　flight　for　me；　wandering　and　more　nightmares；　and　mystery；　and　despair。　No。　I　can't。〃
　I　turned　away　from　his　caresses。　I　could　feel　his　kisses　on　my　hair。
　〃Don't　tell　me　that　I'll　never　see　you　again。　Don't　think　I　can　bear　that　along　with　everything　else　that's　happened。　I　have　no　one　here；　and　then　who　es　but　one　who　left　such　a　stamp　on　my　girlish　heart　that　the　details　are　as　deep　as　the　finest　coin。　And　you　Say　you　will　never　see　me　again；　that　I　must　go。〃
　I　turned　around。
　It　was　lust　shining　in　his　eyes。　Yet　he　checked　it。　In　a　soft　voice；　he　confessed　with　a　little　smile：
　〃Oh；　how　I　admired　your　work　with　the　Legate。　I　thought　the　two　of　you　would　plan　out　the　whole　conquest　of　the　Germanic　tribes　on　your　own。〃　He　sighed。　〃You　must　fin