anner.vittoriothevampire-第13部分

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y　I　couldn't　quite　see　from　this　helpless　vantage　point。　I　was　alone　in　the　room。　She　was　nowhere。
　All　of　a　sudden；　I　willed　my　limbs　to　action；　but　before　I　could　so　much　as　move；　she　appeared　again；　above　in　the　window；　visible　from　the　waist　to　the　top　of　her　bowed　head；　peering　down　at　me；　and　with　her　hands　she　tore　loose　the　low　embroidered　border　of　her　gown　and　bared　her　naked　white　breasts　before　me　…　tiny；　rounded；　very　close　together　and　with　piquant　nipples　visible　only　in　their　darkness。　With　her　right　hand　she　scratched　her　left　breast；　just　above　the　little　nipple；　made　it　bleed。
　〃Witch！〃　I　rose　up　to　grab　hold　of　her；　to　kill　her；　and　instead　felt　her　hand　grasp　my　head；　and　there　came　the　pressure　of　her　left　breast　into　my　very　mouth；　irresistibly　frail　yet　firm。　Once　again；　all　that　was　real　melted　and　was　swept　away　like　so　much　idle　smoke　rising　from　a　fire；　and　we　were　together　in　the　meadow　which　belonged　only　to　us；　only　to　our　diligent　and　indissoluble　embraces。　I　sucked　the　milk　from　her；　as　if　she　was　maiden　and　mother；　virgin　and　queen；　all　the　while　I　broke　with　my　thrusts　whatever　flower　remained　inside　of　her　to　be　torn　open。
　I　was　let　go。　I　fell。　Helpless；　unable　even　to　raise　a　hand　to　keep　her　from　flying；　I　fell　down；　weak　and　stupid　onto　the　bed；　my　face　wet　and　my　limbs　trembling。
　I　couldn't　sit　up。　I　could　do　nothing。　I　saw　in　flashes　our　field　of　tender　white　irises　and　red　irises；　the　loveliest　flowers　of　Tuscany；　the　wild　irises　of　our　land；　blowing　in　the　greenest　grass；　and　I　saw　her　running　away　from　me。　Yet　all　this　was　transparent；　half…tinted；　and　could　not　mask　the　tiny　cell　of　a　room　as　it　had　done　before；　only　linger；　like　a　veil　drawn　across　my　face；　to　torment　me　with　its　tickling　weightless　silkiness。
　〃Spells！〃　I　whispered。　〃My　God；　if　you　have　ever　mitted　me　to　guardian　angels；　will　you　spur　them　on　now　to　cover　me　with　their　wings！〃　I　sighed。　〃I　need　them。〃
　Finally；　shakily　and　with　dim　vision；　I　sat　up。　I　rubbed　at　my　neck。　Chills　ran　up　and　down　my　spine；　and　the　backs　of　my　arms。　My　body　was　still　full　of　desire。
　I　squeezed　my　eyes　shut；　refusing　to　think　of　her　yet　wanting　anything；　any　source　of　stimulation；　that　would　soothe　this　awful　need。
　I　lay　back　again；　and　was　very　still　until　this　carnal　madness　had　left　me。
　I　was　a　man　again　then；　for　not　having　been；　at　random；　a　man。
　I　got　up；　ready　for　tears；　and　I　took　my　candle　down　to　the　main　room　of　the　Inn；　trying　not　to　make　a　sound　on　the　crooked　winding　stone　stairs；　and　I　got　a　light　from　a　candle　there　on　a　hook　on　the　wall；　at　the　mouth　of　the　passage；　and　I　went　back　up；　clinging　to　this　forting　little　light；　shielding　the　shuddering　flame　with　my　cupped　hand　and　praying　still；　and　then　I　set　down　the　candle。
　I　climbed　up　and　tried　to　see　what　I　could　from　the　window。
　Nothing；　nothing　but　an　impossible　drop　beneath　me；　a　sloping　wall　up　which　a　flesh…and…blood　maiden　could　never　have　climbed；　and　higher；　the　mute；　passive　sky；　in　which　the　few　stars　had　been　covered　by　fleecy　clouds　as　if　not　to　acknowledge　my　prayers　or　my　predicament。　It　seemed　absolutely　certain　I　was　going　to　die。
　I　was　going　to　fall　victim　to　these　demons。　She　was　right。　How　could　I　possibly　exact　the　revenge　they　deserved？　How　in　Hell　could　I　do　it！　Yet　I　believed　in　my　purpose　utterly。　I　believed　in　my　revenge　as　pletely　as　I　believed　in　her；　this　witch　whom　I　had　touched　with　my　very　own　fingers；　who　had　dared　to　kindle　a　wanton　conflict　in　my　soul；　who　had　e　with　her　rades　of　the　night　to　slaughter　my　family
　I　couldn't　overmaster　the　images　of　the　night　before；　of　her　standing　bewildered　in　the　chapel　door。　I　couldn't　get　the　taste　of　her　off　my　lips。　All　I　had　to　do　was　think　of　her　breasts；　and　my　body　would　weaken　as　if　she　were　feeding　my　desire　from　her　nipple。
　Make　this　subside；　I　prayed。　You　cannot　run。　You　cannot　go　off　to　Florence；　you　cannot　live　forever　with　nothing　but　the　memory　of　the　slaughter　you　saw；　that　is　impossible；　unthinkable。　You　cannot。
　I　wept　when　I　realized　that　I　wouldn't　be　alive　now　if　it　had　not　been　for　her。
　It　was　she；　the　ashen…haired　one　I　was　cursing　with　every　breath；　who　had　stopped　her　hooded　panion　from　killing　me。　It　would　have　been　a　plete　victory！
　A　calm　came　over　me。　Well；　if　I　was　going　to　die；　there　was　no　choice；　really。　I　would　get　them　first。　I　would　somehow　do　it。
　As　soon　as　the　sun　was　up；　so　was　I；　and　walking　around　the　town；　my　saddlebags　over　my　shoulder　casually；　as　if　they　didn't　contain　a　fortune；　I　sized　up　quite　a　portion　of　Santa　Maddalana；　with　its　treeless；　narrow…stoned　streets；　built　centuries　before；　perhaps　some　of　its　buildings　with　their　wild　patternless　mortared　stones　going　back　even　to　Roman　times。
　It　was　a　marvelously　peaceful　and　prosperous　town。
　The　forges　were　already　at　work；　and　so　were　the　cabinetmakers　and　also　the　saddlemakers；　there　were　several　shoemakers　dealing　in　some　fine　slippers　as　well　as　the　workaday　boots；　and　quite　a　cluster　of　jewelers　and　men　who　worked　in　a　great　variety　of　precious　metals；　as　well　as　the　usual　swordmakers；　men　who　made　keys　and　the　like　and　those　who　dealt　in　hides　and　furs。
　I　passed　more　fancy　shops　than　I　could　count。　One　could　buy　fancy　fabrics　here；　right　from　Florence；　I　supposed；　and　lace　from　north　and　south　it　seemed；　and　Oriental　spices。　The　butchers　were　having　a　time　of　it　with　the　abundance　of　fresh　meat。　And　there　were　many　wine　shops；　and　I　passed　at　least　a　couple　of　busy　notaries；　letter　writers　and　the　like；　and　several　doctors　or；　rather；　apothecaries。
　Carts　were　rolling　through　the　front　gates；　and　there　was　even　a　little　crush　in　the　streets　now　and　then　before　the　sun　was　even　high　enough　to　e　fiercely　down　over　the　close…tiled　roofs　and　hit　the　bare　stones　on　which　I　plodded　uphill。
　The　churches　rang　their　bells　for　Mass；　and　I　saw　plenty　of　schoolchildren　rushing　past　me；　all　rather　clean　and　neatly　dressed；　and　then　two　little　crews　being　paraded　by　monks　into　the　churches；　both　of　which　were　quite　antique　and　had　no　ornament　on　the　front　at　all；　save　for　statues　deep　in　niches　…　saints　who　scarcely　had　any　features　left　to　them　at　all　…　the　heavily　patched　stones　of　the　facades　obviously　having　weathered　the　frequent　earthquakes　of　this　region。
　There　were　two　rather　ordinary　bookshops　that　had　almost　nothing　much；　except　the　prayer　books　one　would　expect　to　find；　and　these　at　very　high　prices。　Two　merchants　sold　really　fine　wares　from　the　East。　And　there　was　a　cluster　of　carpet　sellers；　too；　who　dealt　in　an　impressive　variety　of　country…made　goods　and　intricate　carpets　from　Byzantium。
　Lots　of　money　was　changing　hands。　There　were　well…dressed　people　showing　off　their　fine　clothes。　It　seemed　a　self…sufficient　place；　though　there　were　travelers　ing　uphill　with　the　clop　of　horses'　hooves　echoing　on　the　barren　walls。　And　I　think　I　spied　one　neglected　and　very　much　fortified　convent。
　I　passed　at　least　two　more　inns；　and　as　I　crisscrossed　through　the　barely　passable　alleyways　here　and　there；　I　ascertained　that　there　were　actually　three　basic　streets　to　the　town；　all　running　parallel　up　and　down　the　hill。
　At　the　far　deep　end　were　the　gates　by　which　I　had　entered；　and　the　huge　farmers'　markets　opened　now　in　the　piazza。
　At　the　high　end　was　the　ruined　fortress　or　castle　where　once　the　Lord　had　lived　…　a　great　cumbersome　mass　of　old　stones；　of　which　only　a　part　was　visible　from　the　street；　and　in　the　lower　floors　of　this　plex　there　were　the　town's　governing　offices。　There　were　several　small　grottoes　or　piazzas；　and　old　fountains　almost　crumbled　away　but　still　giving　forth　their　gurgling　water。　Old　women　were　busy；　shuffling　along　with　their　market　baskets　and　their　shawls　in　spite　of　the　warmth；　and　I　saw　beautiful　young　girls　about　giving　me　the　eye；　all　of　them　very　young。　I　didn't　want　any　part　of　them。
　As　soon　as　Mass　was　over　and　school　had　begun；　I　went　to　the　Dominican　church　…　the　largest　and　most　impressive　of　the　three　I　could　readily　see　…　and　asked　at　the　rectory　for　a　priest。　I　had　to　go　to　Confession。
　There　came　out　a　young　priest；　very　handsome　with　well…formed　limbs　and　a　healthy　look　to　his　plexion　and　a　trul