anner.vittoriothevampire-第3部分

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ld　make　out　clearly　from　our　towers　a　dozen　or　so　small　towns　descending　to　the　valleys；　with　their　little　quilts　of　tilled　fields；　orchards　of　olive　trees　and　vineyards。　They　were　all　under　our　governance　and　loyal　to　us。　If　there　had　been　any　war　they　would　have　e　running　to　our　gates　as　their　ancestors　had　done；　and　rightly　so。
　There　were　market　days；　village　festivals；　saints'　days；　and　a　little　alchemy　now　and　then；　and　occasionally　even　a　local　miracle。　It　was　a　good　land；　ours。
　Visiting　clerics　always　stayed　a　long　time。　It　wasn't　unmon　to　have　two　or　three　priests　in　various　towers　of　the　castle　or　in　the　lower；　newer；　more　modern　stone　buildings。　I　had　been　taken　to　Florence　to　be　educated　when　I　was　very　small；　living　in　deluxe　and　invigorating　style　in　the　palazzo　of　my　mother's　uncle；　who　died　before　I　was　thirteen；　and　it　was　then　…　when　the　house　was　closed　…　that　I　was　brought　home；　with　two　elderly　aunts；　and　after　that　only　visited　Florence　on　occasion。
　My　father　was　still　at　heart　an　old…fashioned　man；　instinctively　an　indomitable　Lord；　though　he　was　content　to　keep　his　distance　from　the　power　struggles　of　the　capital；　to　have　huge　accounts　in　the　Medici　banks　and　to　live　an　old…style　courtly　life　in　his　own　domain；　visiting　Cosimo　de'　Medici　himself　when　he　did　journey　into　Florence　on　business。
　But　when　it　came　to　his　son；　my　father　wanted　that　I　should　be　reared　as　a　prince；　a　padrone；　a　knight；　and　I　had　to　learn　all　the　skills　and　values　of　a　knight；　and　at　thirteen；　I　could　ride　in　full　battle　dress；　my　helmeted　head　bowed；　at　full　speed　with　my　spear　thrust　towards　the　straw…filled　target。　I　had　no　difficulty　with　it。　It　was　as　much　fun　as　hunting；　or　swimming　in　mountain　streams；　or　having　horse　races　with　the　village　boys。　I　took　to　it　without　rebellion。
　I　was；　however；　a　divided　being。　The　mental　part　of　me　had　been　nourished　in　Florence　by　excellent　teachers　of　Latin；　Greek；　philosophy　and　theology；　and　I　had　been　deep　into　the　boys'　pageants　and　plays　of　the　city；　often　taking　the　leading　parts　in　the　dramas　presented　by　my　own　Confraternity　in　my　uncle's　house；　and　I　knew　how　to　solemnly　portray　the　Biblical　Isaac　about　to　be　sacrificed　by　the　obedient　Abraham；　as　well　as　the　charming　Angel　Gabriel　discovered　by　a　suspicious　St。　Joseph　with　his　Virgin　Mary。
　I　pined　for　all　that　now　and　then；　the　books；　the　lectures　in　the　Cathedrals　to　which　I'd　listened　with　precocious　interest；　and　the　lovely　nights　in　my　uncle's　Florentine　house　when　I'd　fallen　asleep　to　the　sounds　of　spectacular　opera　extravaganzas；　my　mind　brim　full　of　the　dazzle　of　miraculous　figures　swooping　down　on　wires；　lutes　and　drums　playing　wildly；　dancers　frolicking　almost　like　acrobats　and　voices　soaring　beautifully　in　unison。
　It　had　been　an　easy　childhood。　And　in　the　boys'　Confraternity　to　which　I　belonged；　I'd　met　the　poorer　children　of　Florence；　the　sons　of　the　merchants；　orphans　and　boys　from　the　monasteries　and　schools；　because　that　is　the　way　it　was　in　my　time　for　a　landed　Lord。　You　had　to　mix　with　the　people。
　I　think　I　crept　out　of　the　house　a　lot　as　a　small　child；　easily　as　much　as　I　slipped　out　of　the　castle　later。　I　remember　too　much　of　the　festivals　and　saints'　days　and　processions　of　Florence　for　a　disciplined　child　to　have　seen。　I　was　too　often　slipping　in　and　out　of　the　crowd；　looking　at　the　spectacularly　decorated　floats　in　honor　of　the　saints；　and　marveling　at　the　solemnity　of　those　in　silent　ranks　who　carried　candles　and　walked　very　slowly　as　if　they　were　in　a　trance　of　devotion。
　Yes；　I　must　have　been　a　scamp。　I　know　I　was。　I　went　out　by　the　kitchen。　I　bribed　the　servants。　I　had　too　many　friends　who　were　out…and…out　routies　or　beasties。　I　got　into　mayhem　and　then　ran　home。　We　played　ball　games　and　had　battles　in　the　piazzas；　and　the　priests　ran　us　off　with　switches　and　threats。　I　was　good　and　bad；　but　not　ever　really　wicked。
　When　I　died　to　this　world；　at　the　age　of　sixteen；　I　never　looked　on　a　daylighted　street　again；　not　in　Florence　or　anywhere。　Well；　I　saw　the　best　of　it；　that　I　can　say。　I　can　envisage　with　no　difficulty　the　spectacle　of　the　Feast　of　St。　John；　when　every　single　solitary　shop　in　Florence　had　to　put　out　front　all　of　its　costly　wares；　and　monks　and　friars　sang　the　sweetest　hymns　on　their　way　to　the　Cathedral　to　give　thanks　to　God　for　the　blessed　prosperity　of　the　city。
　I　could　go　on。　There　is　no　end　to　the　praise　one　can　heap　upon　the　Florence　of　those　times；　for　she　was　a　city　of　men　who　worked　at　trades　and　business　yet　made　the　greatest　art；　of　sharp　politicians　and　true　raving　saints；　of　deep…souled　poets　and　the　most　audacious　scoundrels。　I　think　Florence　knew　many　things　by　that　time　that　would　only　much　later　be　learnt　in　France　and　England；　and　which　are　not　known　in　some　countries　to　this　day。　Two　things　were　true。　Cosimo　was　the　most　powerful　man　in　all　the　world。　And　the　people；　and　only　the　people；　ruled　Florence　then　and　forever。
　But　back　to　the　castle。　I　kept　up　my　reading　and　studies　at　home；　switching　from　knight　to　scholar　in　a　twinkling。　If　there　was　any　shadow　on　my　life；　it　was　that　at　sixteen　I　was　old　enough　to　go　to　a　real　university；　and　I　knew　it；　and　I　sort　of　wanted　to　do　it；　but　then　again；　I　was　raising　new　hawks；　training　them　myself　and　hunting　with　them；　and　the　country　round　was　irresistible。
　By　this　age　of　sixteen；　I　was　considered　bookish　by　the　clan　of　elder　kinsmen　who　gathered　at　the　table　every　night；　my　parents'　uncles　mostly；　and　all　very　much　of　a　former　time　when　〃bankers　had　not　run　the　world；〃　who　had　marvelous　tales　to　tell　of　the　Crusades；　to　which　they　had　gone　when　they　were　young；　and　of　what　they　had　seen　at　the　fierce　battle　of　Acre；　or　fighting　on　the　island　of　Cyprus　or　Rhodes；　and　what　life　had　been　like　at　sea；　and　in　many　exotic　ports　where　they　had　been　the　terror　of　the　taverns　and　the　women。
　My　mother　was　spirited　and　beautiful；　with　brown　hair　and　very　green　eyes；　and　she　adored　country　life；　but　she'd　never　known　Florence　except　from　the　inside　of　a　convent。　She　thought　there　was　something　seriously　wrong　with　me　that　I　wanted　to　read　Dante's　poetry　and　write　so　much　of　my　own。
　She　lived　for　nothing　but　receiving　guests　in　gracious　style；　seeing　to　it　that　the　floors　were　strewn　with　lavender　and　sweet…smelling　herbs；　and　that　the　wine　was　properly　spiced；　and　she　led　the　dance　herself　with　a　great…uncle　who　was　very　good　at　it；　because　my　father　would　have　nothing　to　do　with　dancing。
　All　this　to　me；　after　Florence；　was　rather　tame　and　slow。　Bring　on　the　war　stories。
　She　must　have　been　very　young　when　she　was　married　off　to　my　father；　because　she　was　with　child　on　the　night　she　died。　And　the　child　died　with　her。　I'll　e　to　that　quickly。　Well；　as　quickly　as　I　can。　I'm　not　so　good　at　being　quick。
　My　brother；　Matteo；　was　four　years　younger　than　me；　and　an　excellent　student；　though　he　had　not　been　sent　off　anywhere　as　yet　（would　that　he　had）；　and　my　sister；　Bartola；　was　born　less　than　a　year　after　me；　so　close　in　fact　that　I　think　my　father　was　rather　ashamed　of　it。
　I　thought　them　both　…　Matteo　and　Bartola　…　the　most　lovely　and　interesting　people　in　the　world。　We　had　country　fun　and　country　freedom；　running　in　the　woods；　picking　blackberries；　sitting　at　the　feet　of　gypsy　storytellers　before　they　got　caught　and　sent　away。　We　loved　one　another。　Matteo　worshipped　me　too　much　because　I　could　outtalk　our　father。　He　didn't　see　our　father's　quiet　strength；　or　well…fashioned　old　manners。　I　was　Matteo's　real　teacher　in　all　things；　I　suppose。　As　for　Bartola；　she　was　far　too　wild　for　my　mother；　who　was　in　an　eternal　state　of　shock　over　the　state　of　Bartola's　long　hair；　the　hair　being　all　full　of　twigs　and　petals　and　leaves　and　dirt　from　the　woods　where　we'd　been　running。
　Bartola　was　forced　into　plenty　of　embroidering；　however；　she　knew　her　songs；　her　poetry　and　prayers。　She　was　too　exquisite　and　too　rich　to　be　rushed　into　anything　she　didn't　want。　My　father　adored　her；　and　more　than　once　in　very　few　words　assured　himself　that　I　kept　constant　watch　over　her　in　all　our　woodland　wanderings。　I　did。　I　would　have　killed　anyone　who　touched　her！　
　Ah。　This　is　too　much　for　me！　I　didn't　know　how　hard　this　was　g