anner.bloodandgold-第89部分
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my right hand a fist； and held my right arm firmly with my left hand。
She lived。 Was I not content with that？ She lived！ The centuries had not destroyed her。 Was that not enough？
I turned around。 I saw him standing there； so very bravely； though his hands trembled at his sides。
〃Why are you not terrified of me？〃 I whispered； 〃terrified that I may e to your Motherhouse and find this information for myself？〃
〃Perhaps no such action is necessary；〃 he responded quickly。 〃Perhaps I can obtain it for you； if you must have it； for it breaks no vows we've taken。 It was not Pandora herself who sought shelter with us。〃
〃Ah； yes； you make a lawyer's point on this score；〃 I answered。 〃 What more can you tell me？ What more did Pandora tell this young one of me？〃
〃No more；〃 he answered。
〃Of Marius； this young one spoke； having heard the name from Pandora…。〃 I repeated。
〃Yes； and then here we discovered you in Venice。 I have told you all！〃
I drew back once more。 He was exhausted with me and so frightened of me that his mentality was almost to the point where it might break。
〃I have told you all；〃 he said again gravely。
〃I know you have；〃 I said。 〃I see that you are capable of secrecy but quite incapable of a lie。〃
He said nothing。
I took the gold coin from my pocket； the one which he had given me。 I read the word：
Talamasca
I turned it over。
There imprinted on it was the picture of a high and well…fortified castle； and beneath it the name： Lorwich； East Anglia。
I looked up。
〃Raymond Gallant；〃 I said。 〃I thank you。〃
He nodded。
〃Marius；〃 he said suddenly； as though screwing up his courage； 〃can you not send out some message to her over the miles？〃
I shook my head。
〃I made her a blood drinker； and her mind has been closed to me from the beginning。 So it is with the beautiful child you saw dancing this very night。 Maker and offspring cannot read each other's thoughts。〃
He mulled this over as though we were speaking of human things； just that calmly； and then he said：
〃But surely yoij can send the message with your powerful mind to others who may see her and tell her that you search for her； and where you are。〃
A strange moment passed between us。
How could I confess to him that I could not beg her to e to me？ How could I confess to myself that I had to e upon her and take her in my arms and force her to look at me； that some old anger
separated me from her？ I could not confess these things to myself。
I looked at him。 He stood watching me； growing ever more calm； but certainly enrapt。
〃Leave Venice； please；〃 I said； 〃as I have asked you to do。〃 I untied my purse and I put a good many gold florins on his desk； just as I had done twice with Botticelli。 〃Take this from me；〃 I said； 〃for all your trouble。 Leave here； and write to me when you can。〃
Again he nodded； his pale eyes very clear and determined； his young face rather willfully calm。
〃It will be an ordinary letter；〃 I said； 〃e to Venice by ordinary means； but it will contain the most marvelous information； for I may find in it intelligence of a creature whom I have not embraced in over a thousand years。〃
This shocked him； though why I did not understand。 Surely he knew the age of the stones in Antioch。 But I saw the shock penetrate him and course through his limbs。
〃What have I done？〃 I said aloud； though I wasn't speaking to him。 〃I shall leave Venice soon； on account of you and on account of many things。 Because I do not change and therefore cannot play the mortal for very long。 I will leave soon on account of the young woman you saw dancing tonight with my young apprentice； for I have vowed that she shall not be transformed。 But oh； I have played niy role most splendidly here。 Write it in your histories。 Describe my house as you saw it； full of paintings and lamps； full of music and laughter； full of gaiety and warmth。〃
His expression changed。 He grew sad； agitated； without moving so much as a muscle and the tears came up in his eyes。 How wise he seemed for his years。 How strangely passionate。
〃What is it； Raymond Gallant？〃 I asked。 〃How can you weep for me？ Explain it to me。〃
〃Marius；〃 he said。 〃I was taught in the Talamasca that you would be beautiful and you would speak with the tongue of an angel and a demon。〃
〃Where is the demon； Raymond Gallant？〃
〃Ah； you have me。 I have not heard the demon。 I have struggled to believe in it。 But I have not heard it。 You are right。〃
〃Did you see the demon in my paintings； Raymond Gallant？〃
〃No； I did not； Marius。〃
〃Tell me what you saw。〃
〃Fearful skill and marvelous color；〃 he answered； not even
hesitating a moment； as though he had thought it through。 〃Wondrous
figures and great invention； which gave everyone utter delight。〃
〃Ah； but am I better than the Florentine Botticelli？〃 I asked him。
His face darkened。 There came a small frown to him。
〃Let me answer for you；〃 I said； 〃I am not。〃
He nodded。
〃Think on it；〃 I said。 〃I am an immortal； and Botticelli is a mere man。 Yet what are the wonders which Botticelli has done？〃
It was too painful for me to be here any longer。
I reached out with both hands and gently took hold of his head before he could stop me。 His hands rose and they gripped mine but they could do nothing of course to soften my own grip。
I came close to him； arid I spoke in a whisper。
〃Let me give you a gift； Raymond。 Now pay attention to me。 I will not kill you。 I will not harm you。 I want only to show you the teeth and the Blood； and if you will allow…and mark； I ask for your permission…I shall give you a drop of the Blood on your tongue；〃
I opened my mouth so that the fang teeth were visible to him and I felt his body stiffen。 He uttered a desperate prayer in Latin。
Then I cut my tongue with my teeth as I had done a hundred times with Amadeo。
〃Do you want this blood？〃 I asked。
He closed his eyes。
〃I will not make this decision for you； scholar。 Will you take this lesson？〃
〃Yes！〃 he whispered when in fact his mind said No。
I clamped his mouth in an ardent kiss。 The blood passed into him； and violently； he convulsed。
As I let him go； he could scarcely stand。 But he was no coward； this man。 And he bowed his head for only an instant and then he looked at me with clouded eyes。
He was enchanted for these small moments； and patiently； I let them pass。
〃My thanks to you； Raymond；〃 I said。 I prepared to take my leave through the window。 〃Write to rne with all you know of Pandora； and if you cannot I will understand。〃
〃Don't ever see an enemy in us； Marius；〃 he said quickly。
〃Don't fear it；〃 I said。 〃I never really forget anything that happens。 I will always remember that you spoke to me of her。〃
And then I was gone。
I came back to my bedroom study； where Amadeo still slept as though wine had drugged him when it had only been mortal blood。
For a little while I wrote in my diary。 I tried to describe sensibly the conversation which had just taken place。 I tried to describe the
Talarnasca from all that Raymond Gallant had revealed to me。
But at last I gave in to writing the name Pandora over and over； foolishly； Pandora； and then I put my head down on my folded arms and dreamt of her； and whispered to her in my dreams。
Pandora in the northern countries； what countries； what could this mean？
Oh； if I were to find her Asian panion； how I would deal with him； how quickly and brutally would I free her from such oppression。 Pandora！ How could you let such a thing happen？ And no sooner had I asked such a question than I realized I was quarreling with her as I had done so often of old。
When it came time to leave the house that night to find our resting place。 I discovered Bianca asleep in my studio on a long silken couch。
''Oh； but you're too lovely；〃 I said to her； kissing her hair tenderly and squeezing her beautifully curved arm。
〃I adore you；〃 she whispered； then went on with her dreaming… my fine and wonderful girl。
On we went to the
