anner.bloodandgold(v2)-第122部分
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all needed； and for that reason； I spare you。〃
I looked at my beloved Pandora。
〃There is a council forming now；〃 I said。 〃It's in a great house in the coastal forest； a place of glass walls。 We'll go there together。〃
You know of what happened then。 We gathered at our great table in the redwood trees…as if we were a new and passionate Faithful of the Forest…and when the Queen came to us with her plan to bring harm to the great world； we all sought to reason with her。
It was her dream to be the Queen of Heaven to humankind； to slay male children by the billions； and make the world a 〃garden〃 of tender…spirited women。 It was a horrific and impossible conception。
No one sought more diligently than your red…haired Maker Maharet to turn her from her goals； condemning her that she would dare to change the course of human history。
I myself； thinking bitterly of the beautiful gardens I'd seen when I had drunk her blood； risked her deadly power over and over by pleading with her to give the world time to follow its own destiny。
Oh； it was a chilling thing to see this living statue now speaking to me so coldly yet with such strong will and contemptuous temper。 How grand and evil were her schemes； to slay male children； to gather women in a superstitious worship。
What gave us courage to fight her？ I don't know except that we knew that we had to do it。 And all along； as she threatened us repeatedly with death； I thought： I could have prevented this； I could have stopped it from ever happening had I put an end to her and to all of us。
As it is； she will destroy us and go on； and who will prevent her？
At one point she knocked me backwards with her arm； so quick was her rage at my words。 And it was Santino who came to my assistance。 I hated him for this but there was no time for hating him or anyone。
At last she laid her condemnation down on all of us。 As we would not side with her； we would be destroyed； one after another。 She would begin with Lestat； for she took his insult to her to be the greatest。 And he had resisted her。 Bravely he had sided with us； pleading with her for reason。
At this dreadful moment； the elders rose； the ones of the First Brood who had been made blood drinkers within her very lifetime； and those Children of the Millennia such as Pandora and myself and Mael and others。
But before the murderous little struggle could begin； there came another into our midst； approaching loudly up the iron steps of the forest pound where we met； until in the doorway we beheld the twin of Maharet： her mute sister； the sister from whom Akasha had torn the tongue： Mekare。
It was she who； snatching the long black hair of the Queen； bashed her head against the glass wall； breaking it； and severing the head from the body。 It was she and her sister who dropped down on their knees； to retrieve from the decapitated Queen； the Sacred Core of all the vampires。
Whether that Sacred Core…that fatal root…was imbibed from heart or brain； I know not。 I know only that the mute Mekare became its new tabernacle。
And after a few moments of sputtering darkness in which we all of us wondered whether or not death should take us now； we regained our strength and looked up to see the twins standing before us。
Maharet put her arm around Mekare's waist； and Mekare； e from brutal isolation I know not where； merely stared into space as though she knew some quiet peace but no more than that。 And from Maharet's lips there came the words：
〃Behold。 The Queen of the Damned。〃
It was finished。
The reign of my beloved Akasha…with all its hopes and dreams… had e abruptly to an end。
And I carried through the world the burden of Those Who Must Be Kept no longer。
THE LISTENER
The End of the Story of Marius
36
MARIUS STOOD at the glass window looking out at the snow。 Thorne sat by the dying fire； merely looking at Marius。
〃So you have woven for me a long； fine tale；〃 said Thorne； 〃and I have found myself marvelously caught up in it。〃
〃Have you？〃 said Marius quietly。 〃And perhaps I now find myself woven within my hatred of Santino。〃
〃But Pandora was with you；〃 said Thorne。 〃You were reunited with her again。 Why is she not with you now？ What's happened？〃
〃I was united with Pandora and Amadeo；〃 said Marius。 〃It all came about in those nights。 And I have seen them often since。 But I am an injured creature。 And it was I who left their pany。 I could go now to Lestat； and those who are with him。 But I don't。
〃My soul still aches over the losses I've suffered。 I don't know which causes me the greater pain…the loss of my goddess； or my hatred of Santino。 She is gone beyond my reach forever。 But Santino still lives。〃
〃Why don't you do away with him？〃 asked Thorne。 〃I'll help you find him。〃
〃I can find him；〃 said Marius。 〃But without her permission I can't do it。〃
〃Maharet？〃 Thorne asked。 〃But why？〃
〃Because she's the eldest of us now； she and her mute twin； and we must have a leader。 Mekare cannot speak and might not have wits to speak even if she could。 And so it's Maharet。 And even if she refuses to allow or judge； I must put the question to her。〃
〃I understand；〃 said Thorne。 〃In my time； we gathered to settle such questions； and a man might seek payment from one who had injured him。〃
Marius nodded。
〃I think I must seek Santino's death；〃 he whispered。 〃I am at peace with all others； but to him I would do violence。〃
〃And very well you should；〃 said Thorne； 〃from all that you've told me。〃
〃I've called to Maharet；〃 said Marius。 〃I've let her know that you are here and that you're seeking her。 I've let her know that I must ask her about Santino。 I'm hungry for her wise words。 Perhaps I want to see her weary mortal eyes gazing on me with passion。
〃I remember her brilliant resistance of the Queen。 I remember her strength and maybe now I need it。 。。。 Perhaps by now she's found the eyes of a blood drinker for herself； and need not suffer anymore with the eyes of her human victims。〃
Thorne sat thinking for a long moment。 Then he rose from the couch。 He drew close to the glass beside Marius。
〃Can you hear her answer to you？〃 he asked。 He couldn't disguise his emotion。 〃I want to go to her。 I must go to her。〃
〃Haven't I taught you anything？〃 Marius asked。 He turned to Thorne。 〃Haven't I taught you to remember these tender plex creatures with love？ Perhaps not。 I thought that was the lesson of my stories。〃
〃Oh； yes； you've taught me this；〃 said Thorne； 〃and love her I do； in so far as she is tender and plex as you so delicately put it； but I'm a warrior； you see； and I was never fit for eternity。 And the hatred you harbor for Santino is the same as the passion I harbor for her。 And passion can be for evil or good。 I can't help myself。〃
Marius shook his head。
〃If she brings us to herself；〃 he said； 〃I will only lose you。 As I've told you before； you can't possibly harm her。〃
〃Perhaps； perhaps not；〃 said Thorne。 〃But whatever the truth； I must see her。 And she knows why I've e； and she will have her will in the matter。〃
〃e now；〃 Marius said； 〃it's time for us to go to our rest。 I hear strange voices in the morning air。 And I feel the need of sleep desperately。〃
WHEN THORNE AWOKE he found himself in a smooth wooden coffin。
Without fear； he easily lifted the lid； and then opened it to one side and sat up so that he might see the room around him。
It was a cave of sorts； and beyond he heard the loud chorus of a tropical forest。
All the fragrances of the green jungle assaulted his nostrils。 He found it delicious and strange； and he knew it could only mean one thing： that Maharet had brought him to her hiding place。
He climbed from the coffin as gracefully as he could and he stepped out into a huge room full of scattered stone benches。 On the three sides the jungle grew thick and lively against a fine wire mesh and through the mesh above a thin rain came down refreshing him。
Looking to his right and left； he saw entrances to other such open places。 And following the sounds and
