annr.pandora-第39部分

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　Far　off；　I　could　see　the　naked　bending　Venus　at　her　bath　on　the　edge　of　a　pool。　Water　flowed　into　the　pool　I　glimpsed　fountains　all　around　me。
　The　small　mon　white　lilies　had　gone　wild；　and　there　stood　old　olive　trees　with　marvelously　twisted　trunks；　so　wondrous　to　climb　in　childhood。
　A　pastoral　sweetness　hung　over　all；　yet　nature　had　been　kept　at　bay。　The　stucco　of　the　walls　was　freshly　painted；　and　so　were　the　wooden　shutters；　opened　wide。
　The　two　boys　were　crying。　〃Madam；　he'll　be　so　angry。　'
　〃Well；　not　with　you；〃　I　said；　as　I　entered　the　house。　I　had　e　across　the　grass　and　left　scarcely　any　footprint　on　the　marble　floor。
　〃Boys；　do　stop　sobbing！　You　don't　even　have　to　plead　with　him　to　believe　you。　Isn't　that　true？　He'll　read　the　truth　in　your　thoughts？〃
　This　startled　each　in　his　own　way。　They　looked　at　me　warily。
　I　stopped　just　past　the　threshold。　Something　emanated　from　the　house；　not　loud　enough　to　be　called　a　sound；　but　very　like　the　rhythmic　precursor　of　a　sound。　I　had　heard　this　very　soundless　rhythm　before。　When　was　it？　In　the　Temple？　When　first　I　entered　the　room　where　Marius　had　hidden　behind　the　screen？
　I　walked　on　marble　floors　from　room　to　room。　Breezes　everywhere　played　with　the　hanging　lamps。　There　were　many　lamps。　And　the　candles。　How　many　candles。　And　lamps　on　stands。　Why；　when　this　place　was　lighted　up；　it　must　have　been　bright　as　day！
　And　gradually　I　realized　the　entire　lower　floor　was　a　library；　except　for　the　inevitable　sumptuous　Roman　bath；　and　an　enormous　wardrobe　of　clothes。
　Every　other　room　was　filled　with　books。　Nothing　but　books。　Of　course　there　were　couches　for　lying　and　reading；　and　desks　for　writing；　but　every　wall　had　its　prodigious　stack　of　scrolls　or　shelves　of　bound　books。
　Also　there　were　strange　doors。　They　appeared　to　open　onto　concealed　stairwells。　But　they　had　no　locks　and　seemed　to　be　made　of　polished　granite。　I　found　at　least　two　of　these！　And　one　chamber　of　the　first　floor　was　totally　enclosed　in　stone　and　locked　in　the　same　way；　by　impenetrable　doors。
　As　the　slaves　trembled　and　sobbed　I　went　outside　and　up　the　stairs　to　the　second　floor。　Empty。　Every　room　simply　empty；　except　the　room　that　obviously　belonged　to　the　boys！　There　were　their　beds；　and　their　little　Persian　altars　and　gods；　and　rich　rugs　and　tasseled　pillows　and　the　usual　Oriental　swirl　of　design。
　I　came　down。
　The　boys　sat　at　the　main　door；　as　if　positioned　like　marble　statues；　each　with　his　knees　up；　head　down；　weeping　softly；　perhaps　getting　a　bit　worn　out。　〃Where　are　the　bedrooms　of　this　house'？　Where　Marius's　bedroom'？　Where　is　the　kitchen'？　Where　is　the　household　shrine？〃
　One　of　them　let　out　a　soft　choking　cry。　〃There　are　no　bedrooms。〃
　〃Of　course　not；〃　I　said。
　〃Our　food　is　brought　to　us；〃　wailed　the　other。　Cooked　and　most　delicious。　But　I　fear　that；　unwittingly；　we　have　enjoyed　our　last　meal。〃
　〃Oh；　do　take　it　easy。　How　can　he　blame　you　for　what　I've　done？　You're　merely　children　and　he's　a　gentle　being；　is　he　not？　Here；　put　these　pages　on　his　desk；　and　weight　them　down　so　that　they　don't　Ay　away。〃
　〃Yes；　he　is　most　gentle；〃　said　the　boy。　〃But　most　set　in　his　ways。〃
　I　dosed　my　eyes。　I　sensed　the　sound　again；　the　emanating　encroaching　sound。　Did　it　want　to　be　heard？　I　couldn't　tell。　It　seemed　impersonal；　like　the　beat　of　a　sleeping　heart　or　the　flow　of　the　water　in　the　fountains。
　I　walked　over　to　a　large　beautiful　couch；　draped　in　fine　silk　with　Persian　designs。　It　was　very　wide　and　seemed　to　bear；　despite　much　straightening；　the　imprint　of　a　man's　form。　There　was　the　pillow　there；　all　fluffed　and　fresh；　yet　still　I　could　see　the　indentation　of　the　head；　where　the　man　had　lain。
　〃Does　he　lie　here？〃
　The　boys　leapt　to　their　feet；　curls　flying。
　〃Yes；　Madam；　that　is　his　couch；〃　said　the　speaker　of　the　two。　〃Please；　please；　don't　touch　it。　He　lies　there　for　hours　and　reads。　Madam；　please！　He　is　most　particular　that　we　do　not　lie　on　it　playfully　in　his　absence；　though　he　gives　us　free　rein　in　every　other　regard。〃
　〃He'll　know　if　you　even　touch　it！〃　said　the　other　boy；　speaking　up　for　the　first　time。
　〃I'm　going　to　sleep　on　it；〃　I　said。　I　lay　down　and　dosed　my　eyes。　I　rolled　over　and　brought　up　my　knees。　〃I　am　tired。　I　want　only　sleep。　I　feel　safe　for　the　first　time　in　so　long。〃
　〃You　do？〃　asked　one　of　the　boys。
　〃Oh；　e　here　and　lie　by　me。　Bring　pillows　for　your　heads；　so　that　he　will　see　me　before　he　sees　you。　He　knows　me　well　The　pages　I　have　brought；　where　are　they；　yes；　on　the　desk；　well；　they　will　make　it　dear　why　I　have　e　in。　It's　all　changed　now。　Something　is　wanted　from　me。　I　have　no　choice。　There　is　no　road　home。　Marius　will　understand。　I've　e　as　dose　to　him　as　possible　for　my　protection。〃
　I　lay　back　right　in　the　hollow　of　the　pillow　where　he　lay。　I　took　a　long　deep　breath。　〃The　breeze　is　like　music　here；〃　I　whispered；　〃do　you　hear　it'？〃
　I　slept　the　deep　exhausted　sleep　which　I　had　held　off　now　for　so　many　hours　of　boch　night　and　day。
　Hours　must　have　passed。
　I　woke　with　a　start。　The　sky　was　purple。　The　slaves　were　curled　up　next　to　the　couch；　just　beneath　me；　like　terrified　little　animals。　I　heard　the　noise　again；　the　sound；　distinct；　a　pulse。　I　thought　oddly　of　something　I　used　to　like　to　do　as　a　child。　It　was　this：　I　would　put　my　ear　to　my　Father's　chest。　And　when　I　heard　his　heart；　then　I　would　kiss　it。　It　had　always　made　him　happy。
　I　rose；　realizing　that　I　was　not　fully　awake　but　certain　this　was　no　dream。　I　was　in　the　beautiful　villa　of　Marius　in　Antioch。　The　marble　rooms　opened　one　upon　another。
　I　went　to　the　last　room；　the　room　enclosed　in　stone。　The　doors　were　impossibly　heavy。　But　suddenly；　silently；　they　opened　as　if　pushed　from　within。
　I　entered　a　massive　chamber。　Another　pair　of　doors　ahead　of　me。　They　too　were　made　of　stone。　They　had　to　lead　to　a　stairwell；　for　the　house　ended　just　beyond。
　These　doors　too　suddenly　opened；　as　if　released　by　a　spring。　Light　from　below。
　A　stairway　went　down　from　the　threshold　of　the　door。　It　was　white　marble；　and　newly　made；　with　no　wear　of　feet　on　it。　So　smooth；　each　slab；　so　clean。
　A　soft　series　of　flames　burned　below；　sending　their　antic　shadows　up　the　stairwell。
　The　sound　now　seemed　louder。　I　closed　my　eyes。　Oh；　that　all　the　world　were　these　polished　chambers　and　all　that　exists　could　be　explained　within。
　Suddenly；　I　heard　a　loud　cry。
　〃Lady　Pandora！〃
　I　spun　around。
　〃Pandora；　he　is　over　the　wall！〃
　The　boys　came　screaming　through　the　house；　echoing　Flavius's　cry；　〃Lady　Pandora！〃
　A　great　darkness　gathered　itself　right　before　my　eyes　and　then　descended　on　me；　throwing　the　helpless；　beseeching　boys　to　the　side。　I　was　almost　pitched　down　the　stairwell。
　Then　I　realized　I　was　in　the　grasp　of　the　burnt　thing。　I　looked　down　to　see　the　black　wrinkled　arm；　like　old　leather；　that　held　me。　Strong　spices　filled　my　nostrils。　Fresh　clothing　covered　the　hideously　thin　leg　I　saw；　the　dried…up　foot。
　〃Boys；　get　the　lamps；　set　it　on　fire！〃　I　shouted。　I　fought　desperately；　driving　us　both　back　from　the　stairwell；　but　I　couldn't　get　loose　from　the　creature。　〃Boys；　the　lamps　downstairs！〃
　The　boys　dung　to　one　another。
　〃I　have　you！〃　this　creature　said　tenderly　in　my　ear。
　〃No；　you　don't。〃　I　said；　and　gave　him　one　fine　blow　with　my　right　elbow。　It　drove　him　off　balance。　He　nearly　toppled。　But　he　didn't　let　me　go。　The　whiteness　of　his　tunic　glowed　in　the　shadows　as　he　once　more　enclosed　my　arms；　and　rendered　me　almost　helpless。
　〃Boys；　downstairs；　lamps　full　of　oil！〃　I　said。　〃Flavius！〃
　The　creature　hugged　me　as　if　he　were　a　giant　snake。　I　could　scarce　breathe。　
　〃We　can't　go　downstairs！〃　one　of　the　boys　cried。　〃We're　not　allowed；〃　said　the　other。
　The　creature　laughed　in　my　ear；　a　rich　deep　laugh。　Not　everyone　is　so　bound　to　rebellion　as　you　are；beautiful　woman；　outwitting　your　brother　at　the　foot　of　the　Temple　steps。〃
　It　was　shocking　to　hear　this　dear　articulate　voice　ing　from　a　body　which　seemed　burnt　beyond　all　hope　of　life。　I　watched　the　blackened　fingers　moving　over　my　own。　I　felt　the　touch　of　something　cold　on　my　neck。　Then　I　felt　the　punctures。　His　fangs。
　〃No！〃　I　cried。　I　thrashed　back　and　forth　in　his　grip；　then　threw　all　of　my　weight　against　h