bl.necroscope2-第63部分
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For after all； what were we up against？ Greeks with all of the wind knocked out of them； an ill…disciplined army； mainly mercenary； still suffering from years of mismanagement。 Slav and Pechenegi units which would fight only so long as their chances were good and the payment better； Frankish units whose members were torn； obviously； two ways； the Varangian Guard； a pany posed of Danes and Englishmen who knew their Emperor Alexius III for a usurper with merit neither as a fighting man nor as a man of state。 What work there was for us was slaughter。 Those who were not willing to die at once fled。 There was no other choice。 In a few hours the Doge and Frankish and Venetian Lords occupied the Great Palace itself。
From there they issued their orders： the war… and lootcrazed Crusaders were told that Constantinople was theirs and they had three days in which to plete the city's sack。 They were the victors； there was no crime they could mit。 They could do with the capital； its people and possessions whatever they wished。 Can you imagine what such orders conveyed？
For nine hundred years Constantinople had been the centre of Christian civilisation； and now for three days it became the sinkhole of hell！ The Venetians； who appreciated great works； carried off Grecian masterpieces and other works of art and beauty by the ton； and treasures in precious metals near enough to sink their ships。 As for the French； the Flemings and various mercenary Crusaders； including me and mine： they desired only to destroy。 And destroy we did！
However precious； if something could not be carried or hauled away it was reduced to wreckage on the spot。 We fuelled our madness from rich wine…cellars； paused only to drink； rape or murder； then returned to the sack。 Nothing； no one was spared。 No virgin came out of it intact； and few came out alive。 If a woman was too old to be stabbed with flesh she was stabbed with steel； and no female was too young。 Convents were sacked and nuns used as whores…Christian nuns； mind！
Men who had not fled but stayed to protect their homes and families were slit up their bellies and left clutching their steaming guts to die in the streets。 The city's gardens and squares were full of its dead inhabitants； mainly women and children。 And I； Faethor Ferenczy…known to the Franks as the Black One； or Black Grigor； the Hungarian Devil…I was ever in the thick of it。 The thickest of it。 For three days I glutted myself as if there were no end to my lust。
I did not know it but the end…my end； the end of glory； of power； of notoriety…was already looming。 For I had forgotten the prime rule of the Wamphyri： do not be seen to be too different。 Be strong； but not overpowering。 Be lustful； but not a legendary satyr。 mand respect； but not devotion。 And above all do nothing to cause your peers； or those who have the power to consider themselves your superiors； to bee afraid of you。
But I had been burned by Greek fire and it had merely infuriated me。 And rapacious？ For every man I had killed I had taken a woman； as many as thirty in a day and a night！ My Szgany looked to me as a sort of god…or devil。 And finally。。。 finally； of course； the Crusaders proper had e to fear me。 More than all matters of 〃conscience〃； more than all the murder and rape and blasphemies they had mitted； my deeds had given them bad dreams。
Aye； and they were sore in need of a scapegoat。
I believe that even without Innocent's pious protestations and hand…flutterings and cries of horror； still I would have been persecuted。 Anyway； this was the way of it。 The Pope had been enraged by the sack of Zara； at first delighted by Constantinople； then aghast when he heard of the atrocities。 He now washed his hands of the Crusade in its entirety。 Far from helping true Christian soldiers in their fight against Islam； it seemed its only aim had been to conquer Christian territories。 And as for the blasphemies and generally atrocious behaviour of the Crusaders in Constantinople's holy places 。
I say again： they needed a scapegoat； and no need to look too far for one。 A certain 〃bloodthirsty mercenary recruited in Zara〃 would fit the bill nicely。 In secret muniqués Innocent had ordered that those directly responsible for 〃gross acts of excessive and unnatural cruelty〃 must gain 〃neither glory nor rich rewards nor lands〃 for their barbarism。 Their names should no more be spoken by good men and true but 〃struck forever out of the records〃。 All such great sinners were to be offered 〃neither respect nor high regard〃； for by their acts they had shown that they were 〃worthy only of contempt〃。 Hah！ It was more than exmunication…it was a death warrant！
Exmunication。。。 I had taken the Cross in Zara as a matter of expediency。 It meant nothing。 A cross is a symbol； nothing more。 Soon； however； I would e to hate that symbol。
We had a large house on the outskirts of the sacked city； my Szgany and I。 It had been a palace or some such； was now filled with wine and loot and prostitutes。 The other mercenary groups had turned over their plunder to their Crusader masters for the prearranged split； but I had not。 For we had not yet been paid！ Perhaps I was in error there。 Certainly our loot was an extra incentive for Crusader treachery。
They came at night； which was their mistake。 I am…or was…Wamphyri； night was my element。 Some vampire premonition had warned me that all was not well。 I was awake and on the prowl when the attack came。 I roused up my men and they set to。 But it was no good； we were heavily outnumbered and； taken by surprise； my men were still half…asleep。 When the place began to burn I saw that I couldn't win。 Even if I beat off all of these Crusaders； they formed only a fraction of the total body。 They had probably diced with ten other equal parties for the privilege of killing and robbing me。 Also； if they had guessed what I was…and the fire suggested that they had…quite obviously my situation was untenable。
I took gold and a great many gemstones and fled into the darkness。 On my way I carried off one of my attackers with me。 He was a Frenchman； only a lad； and I made a quick end of it； for I had not time to tarry。 Before he died； though； he told me what it was all about。 From that day to this I have loathed the cross and all who wear it； or live in its shadow or under its influence。
Of my Szgany； not a man of them survived to follow me out of that place； but I later learned that two captives had been taken for questioning。 As it was I stood off and watched the blaze from afar。 And since the inferno was ringed about by Crusaders； I could only suppose that they assumed I had died in the flames。 So be it…I would not disillusion them。
And now I was alone and a long way from home。 Well； hadn't I desired to see the world？
Now； I have said I was a long way from home。 In miles on the ground this statement is seen to be far from accurate。 But where indeed was my home？ I could hardly return to Hungary； not for some little time。 Wallachia was no place for me； and my old castle in the Khorvaty； looking down on Russia； was in ruins。 What； then； was I to do？ Where to go？ Ah； but the world is a wide place！
To detail my adventures from that time forward would take too long。 I shall merely outline my deeds and travels； and you must forgive or fill in for yourself any great gaps or leaps in time。
North was out of the question； likewise west； I headed east。 It was 1204。 Need I remind you of a singular emergence in Mongolia just two years later？ Of course not； his name was Temujin…later Genghis Khan！ With a party of Uighurs I joined him and helped subdue and unite the last of the rowdy Mongol tribes； until all Mongolia was finally united。 I proved myself a capable warlord and he showed me some respect。 With some small effort I was able to change my features until I looked the part； that is to say I willed my vampire flesh into a new mould。 The Khan knew that I was not a Mongol； of course； but at least I was acceptable。 And later he would have many mercenaries in his mand； so that my participation was in no way a rare thing。
I was with him against the Chin； when we penetrated the Great Wall； and after his death I was there to see the total obliteration of the Ch
