annr.pandora-第43部分

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　〃Fill　me；　take　me；〃　I　said。　I　reached　down　between　his　legs。
　〃It　doesn't　matter　now。〃
　But　it　was　hard；　this　organ　I　sought；　the　organ　forever　lost　to　the　god　Osiris。　I　guided　it；　hard　and　cold　as　it　was；　into　my　body。　Then　I　drank　and　drank；　and　when　I　felt　his　teeth　again　on　my　neck；　when　he　began　to　draw　from　me　the　new　mixture　that　filled　my　veins；　it　was　sweet　suckling；　and　I　knew　him　and　loved　him　and　knew　all　his　secrets　in　one　flash　which　meant　nothing。
　He　was　right。　The　lower　organs　meant　nothing。　He　fed　on　me。　I　fed　on　him。　This　was　our　marriage。　All　around　us；　the　grass　was　waving　softly　in　the　breeze；　a　majestic　conjugal　bed；　and　the　smell　of　the　green　flooded　me。
　The　pain　was　gone。　I　flung　out　my　arm　and　felt　the　softness　of　flowers。
　He　tore　off'　my　fouled　dress　and　lifted　me。　He　carried　me　into　the　pool　where　the　marble　Venus　stood　forever　with　back　bent；　and　one　foot　raised　above　the　cool　water。
　〃Pandora！〃　he　whispered。
　The　boys　stood　at　his　side；　offering　him　pitchers。
　He　dipped　a　pitcher　and　poured　the　water　over　me。　I　felt　beneath　my　feet　the　tile　at　the　bottom　of　the　pool　as　the　water　ran　down　my　skin。　I　had　never　known　such　sensation！　Another　pitcherful　washed　over　me；　deliciously。　I　feared　for　one　instant　the　pain　would　return；　but　no；　it　was　gone。
　〃I　love　you　with　all　my　heart；〃　I　said。　'M　my　love　belongs　to　them　and　to　you；　Marius。　Marius；　I　can　see　in　the　darkness；　I　can　see　in　the　deep　dark　beneath　the　trees。〃
　Marius　held　me。　The　boys　slowly　bathed　us　both；　dipping　their　pitchers　and　pouring　the　silvery　water　over　us。
　〃Oh；　to　have　you　with　me；〃　Marius　said；　〃to　have　you　here；　not　to　be　alone；　but　to　be　with　you；　my　beauty；　you　of　all　souls！　You。〃　He　stood　back；　and　I　gloried　in　him；　drenched　as　I　was；　reached　to　touch　his　long　wild　foreign　hair。　He　sparkled　all　over　with　droplets。
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃It　was　exactly　what　she　wanted。'*
　His　face　stiffened。　He　scowled。　He　stared　at　me。　Something　had　changed　altogether；　and　for　the　worse。　I　could　feel　it。
　〃What？〃　he　asked。
　〃It　is　what　she　wanted。　She　made　it　plain　to　me　in　the　visions。　She　wanted　me　to　be　with　you；　so　you　wouldn't　be　alone。〃
　He　stood　back。　Was　this　anger'？
　〃Marius；　what　is　the　matter　with　you？　Can't　you　see　what　she's　done？〃
　He　stepped　back　again；　away　from　me。
　〃You　didn't　realize　that's　what　was　happening？〃　I　asked。
　The　boys　thrust　forth　towels。　Marius　took　one　and　wiped　his　face　and　his　hair。
　I　did　the　same。
　He　was　furious。　He　shook　with　anger。
　This　was　a　moment　of　mingled　and　inexplicable　beauty　and　horror'　…　his　white　body　there；　the　shimmering　pool；　the　lights　falling　gracefully　from　the　open　doors　of　the　house；　and　above；　the　stars；　her　stars。　And　Marius　angry　and　bristling；　his　eyes　full　of　outrage。
　I　looked　at　him。
　〃I　am　her　Priestess　now；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　to　restore　her　worship。　That's　what　she　wants。　But　she　brought　me　also　for　you；　because　you　were　alone；〃　I　said。　〃Marius；　I　saw　all　this。　I　saw　our　own　wedding　in　Rome；　as　if　it　were　the　old　days　and　our　families　were　with　us。　I　saw　her　worshipers。〃
　He　was　plainly　horrified。
　I　didn't　want　to　see　this。　Surely　I　was　misunderstanding　him。
　I　stepped　up　on　the　grass。　I　let　the　boys　dry　my　body。　I　looked　up　at　the　stars。　The　house　with　all　its　warm　lamps　seemed　crude　and　fragile；　a　bumbled　attempt　to　make　an　order　of　things；　which　could　not　pare　to　the　making　of　one　plete　flower。
　〃Oh；　how　spectacular　is　the　simple　night；〃　I　said。　〃It　seems　an　insult　to　the　night　to　speak　of　purpose　and　intent；　when　this　mon　moment　is　so　brimming　full　of　blessed　design　and　tranquillity。　All　things　follow　their　course。〃
　I　stood　back　and　spun　around；　letting　the　water　fly　from　me。　I　was　so　strong。　No　dizziness　overcame　when　I　stopped。　I　had　a　sense　of　infinite　power。
　One　of　the　boys　held　out　a　tunic　for　me。　It　was　a　man's；　but　as　I've　said　so　often　here；　Roman　clothes　are　very　simple。　It　was　just　a　short　tunic。　I　put　it　on　and　let　him　tie　the　sash　around　my　waist。　I　smiled　at　him。　He　trembled　and　stepped　back　from　me。
　〃Dry　my　hair；〃　I　told　him。　Ah；　such　sensations。
　Slowly　I　looked　up。　Marius　too　was　dried　and　dressed。　He　was　still　looking　at　me　with　violent　protest；　and　downright　indignation。
　〃Someone　has　to　go　in；〃　I　said；　〃to　change　her　golden　gown。　That　blasphemer；　he　left　her　bloody。〃
　〃I　will　do　that！〃　Marius　said　in　plain　anger。
　〃Oh；　so　it　es　to　this；〃　I　said。　I　looked　around　me；　seduced　by　beauty　to　forget　his　altogether；　to　e　back　to　him　at　some　later　hour　after　I　had　roamed　beneath　the　olive　trees　and　consorted　with　the　constellations。
　But　his　anger　hurt　me。　The　hurt　was　strange；　and　deep；　without　the　various　stages　mortal　flesh　and　mind　mand　of　pain。
　〃Oh；　isn't　it　splendid。〃　I　said。　〃I　learn　that　the　goddess　reigns；　that　she　is　real；　that　she　has　made　all　things！　That　the　world　is　not　just　a　giant　graveyard！　But　I　learn　this　as　I　find　myself　in　an　arranged　marriage！　And　behold　the　groom！　How　he　nurses　his　own　temper。〃
　He　sighed　and　bowed　his　head。　Was　I　to　see　him　cry　again；　this　flawless　familiar　and　beloved　god　among　crushed　flowers？
　He　looked　up。　〃Pandora；〃　he　said。　〃She's　not　a　goddess。　She　didn't　make　the　world。〃
　〃How　dare　you　say　this！〃
　〃I　have　to　say　it！　I　would　have　died　for　the　truth　when　I　was　alive　and　will　die　for　it　now。　But　she　will　not　let　this　happen。　She　needs　me　and　she　needs　you　to　make　me　happy！〃
　〃So　very　well！〃　I　threw　my　hands。　〃I　am　happy　to　do　it。　And　we　will　restore　her　worship。〃
　〃We　will　not！〃　he　said。　〃How　can　you　even　think　of　such　a　thing。〃
　〃Marius；　I　want　to　sing　it　from　the　tops　of　mountains；　I　want　to　tell　the　world　that　this　miracle　exists。　I　want　to　run　through　the　streets　singing。　We　are　to　restore　her　to　her　throne　in　a　great　Temple　in　the　very　middle　of　Antioch！〃
　〃You're　talking　madness！〃　he　shouted。
　The　boys　had　run　away。
　〃Marius；　have　you　stopped　up　your　ears　to　her　mands？　We　are　to　hunt　down　and　kill　her　renegade　gods　and　see　that　new　gods　are　born　from　her；　gods　who　look　into　souls；　gods　who　seek　justice；　not　lies；　gods　who　are　not　fantastical；　lustful　idiots　or　the　drunken　whimsical　creatures　of　the　Northern　sky　who　hurl　thunderbolts。　Her　worship　is　founded　in　the　good；　in　the　pure！〃
　〃No；　no；　no；〃　he　said。　He　stepped　back　as　if　that　would　make　it　all　the　more　emphatic。　〃You're　talking　rot！〃　he　said。　〃Stupidity；　rank　superstition！〃
　〃I　don't　believe　you　said　those　words！〃　I　cried。　〃You　are　a　monster！〃　I　said。　〃She　deserves　her　throne！　So　does　the　King；　who　sits　beside　her。　They　deserve　their　worshipers　bringing　flowers　to　them。　Did　you　think　you　had　the　power　to　read　minds　for　no　good　reason！〃　I　came　forward。　〃Do　you　remember　when　I　first　mocked　you　in　the　Temple？　When　I　said　you　ought　to　station　yourself　at　the　courts　and　look　into　the　minds　of　the　accused？　I　had　hit　the　mark　in　my　ridicule！〃
　〃No。〃　he　roared。　〃This　is　absolutely　not　true；〃　he　said。
　He　turned　his　back　on　me；　rushing　into　the　house。
　I　followed　him。
　He　rushed　down　the　stairway　and　into　her　sanctum；　stopping　short　before　her。　She　and　her　King　sat　as　before。　Not　an　eyelash　moved。　Only　the　flowers　clung　to　life　in　the　perfumed　air。
　I　looked　down　at　my　hands；　so　white！　Could　I　die　now？　Would　I　live　centuries　like　the　burnt　one？
　I　studied　their　seemingly　divine　faces。　They　did　not　smile。　They　did　not　dream。　They　looked；　and　nothing　more。
　I　fell　down　on　my　knees。
　〃Akasha；〃　I　whispered。　〃May　I　call　you　this　name？　Tell　me　what　you　want。〃
　There　was　no　change　in　her。　None　whatsoever。
　〃Well；　speak；　Mother！〃　declared　Marius；　his　voice　thick　with　sadness。　〃Speak！　Is　it　what　you've　always　wanted？〃
　Suddenly　he　dashed　forward；　mounted　the　two　steps　of　her　dais　and　pounded　on　her　breasts　with　his　fists。
　I　was　horrified。
　She　didn't　move；　she　didn't　blink。　His　fist　struck　a　hardness　he　could　not　budge。　Only　her　hair；　struck　by　his　arm；　gave　a　little　sway。
　I　ran　to　him　and　tried　to　pull　him　away。
　〃Stop　it；　Marius；　she'll　destroy　you！〃
　I　was　amazed　at　my　strength。　Surely　it　equalled　his。　But　he　allowed　me　to　pull　him　back；　his　face　flooded　with　tears。
　〃Oh；　what　have　I　done！〃　he　said　staring　at　her。　〃Oh；　Pandora；　Pandora！　What　have