anner.vittoriothevampire-第36部分
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〃Don't read those words to me; they don't help me!〃 I said。 〃Can she be saved? Can she save her soul? Does she possess it still? Is she as powerful as you are? Can you Fall? Can the Devil e back to God?〃
He put down the book with a swift; airy movement that I could scarcely follow。 〃Are you ready for this battle?〃 he asked。
〃They'll lie helpless in the light of day;〃 said Setheus to me。 〃Including her。 She too will lie helpless。 You must open the stones that cover them; and you know what you must do。〃
Mastema shook his head。 He turned and gestured for them to get out of his way。
〃No; please; I beg you!〃 said Ramiel。 〃Do it for him。 Do it; please。 Filippo is beyond our help for days。〃
〃You know no such thing;〃 said Mastema。
〃Can my angels go to him?〃 I asked。 〃Have I none that can be sent?〃
I had no sooner spoken these words than I realized that two more entities had taken form directly beside me; one on either side; and when I looked from left to right I saw them; only they were pale and remote from me; and they hadn't the flame of Filippo's guardians; only a quiet and quasi…visible and undeniable presence and will。
I looked at one for a long time and then the other; and could draw no descriptive words from my mind from them。 Their faces seemed blank and patient and quiet。 They were winged beings; tall; yes; I can say that much; but what more could I say; because I couldn't endow them with color or splendor or individuality; and they had no garments or motion to them or anything that I could love。
〃What is it? Why won't they speak to me? Why do they look at me that way?〃
〃They know you;〃 said Ramiel。
〃You're full of vengeance; and desire;〃 said Setheus。 〃They know it; they have been at your side。 They have measured your pain and your anger。〃
〃Good God; these demons killed my family!〃 I declared。 〃Do you know the future of my soul; any of you?〃
〃Of course not;〃 said Mastema。 〃Why would we be here if we did? Why would any of us be here if it were ordained?〃
〃Don't they know that I faced death rather than take the demon blood? Would not a vendetta have required of me that I drink it and then destroy my enemies when I had powers such as theirs?〃 My angels drew closer to me。
〃Oh; where were you when I was about to die!〃 I declared。
〃Don't taunt them。 You have never really believed in them。〃 It was Ramiel's voice。 〃You loved us when you saw our images; and when the demon blood was full inside you; you saw what you could love。 That is the danger now。 Can you kill what you love?〃
〃I will destroy all of them;〃 I said。 〃One way or another; I swear it on my soul。〃 I looked at my pale unyielding yet unjudging guardians; and then to the others who burnt so brightly against the shadows of the vast library; against the dark colors of the shelves and the crowded books。
〃I will destroy them all;〃 I vowed。 I closed my eyes。 I imagined her; lying helpless by day; and I saw myself bend and kiss her cold white forehead。 My sobs were muffled and my body shook。 I nodded again and again that I would do it; yes; I would do it; I would do it。
〃At dawn;〃 said Mastema; 〃the monks will have fresh clothes laid out for you; a suit of red velvet; and your weapons freshly polished; and your boots cleaned。 All will be finished by then。 Don't try to eat。 It's too soon; and the demon blood is still churning in you。 Prepare yourself; and we will take you north to do what has to be done in the light of day。〃
11
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness did not prehend it。
… THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST。 JOHN 1。5
MONASTERIES wake early; if they ever sleep at all。
My eyes opened quite suddenly; and only then; as I saw the morning light cover the fresco; as if the veil of darkness had been drawn from it; only then did I know how deeply I had slept。
Monks moved in my cell。 They had brought in the red velvet tunic; the clothes as Mastema described; and were just laying them out。 I had fine red wool hose to wear with them; and a shirt of gold silk; and to go over that; another of white silk; and then a thick new belt for the tunic。 My weapons were polished; as I had been told they would be … my heavy jeweled sword gleaming as though my father himself had been toying with it all of a peaceful evening long by the fire。 My daggers were ready。
I climbed out of the bed and dropped down to my knees in prayer。 I made the Sign of the Cross。 〃God; give me the strength to send in your hands those who feed on death。〃 It was a whisper in Latin。
One of the monks touched me on the shoulder and smiled。 Had the Great Silence not yet ended? I had no idea。 He pointed to a table where there was food laid out for me … bread and milk。 The milk had foam on the top of it。
I nodded and smiled at him; and then he and his panion made me a little bow and went out。 I turned around and around。
〃All of you are here; I know it;〃 I said; but I gave no more time to it。 If they didn't e; then I had recovered my wits; but no such thing was true; any more than it was true that my father was alive。
On the table; not far from the food; and held in place beneath the weight of the candelabra; was a series of documents; freshly written and signed in ornate script。 I read them hastily。
They were receipts for all my money and jewels; those things which had been with me in my saddlebags when I came in。 All these documents bore the seal of the Medici。
There was a purse of money there; to be tied to my belt。 All my rings were there; cleaned and polished; so that the cabochon rubies were brilliant and the emeralds had a flawless depth。 The gold gleamed as it had not in months perhaps; for my own negligence。 I brushed out my hair; annoyed at its thickness and length; but having no time to ask for a barber to cut it shorter than my shoulders。 At least it was long enough; and had been for a while; to stay back over my shoulders and off my forehead。 It was luxurious to have it so clean。
I dressed quickly。 My boots were a little snug because they had been dried by a fire after the rain。 But they felt good over the thin hose。 I made right all my fastenings and positioned my sword。
The red velvet tunic was plaited along the edges with gold and silver thread; and the front of it was richly decorated with the silver fleurs…de…lys; which is the most ancient symbol of Florence。 Once my belt was tightly fastened; the tunic didn't e to halfway down my thigh。 That was for handsome legs。
The whole raiment was more than fancy for battle; but what battle was this? It was a massacre。 I put on the short flaring cloak they had given me; fastening its gold buckles; though it would be warm for the city。 It was lined in soft thin dark…brown squirrel fur。
I ignored the hat。 I tied on the purse。 I put on my rings one by one until my hands were weapons on account of their weight。 I put on the soft fur…lined gloves。 I found a dark…amber…beaded rosary that I had not noticed before。 It had a gold crucifix; which I kissed; and this I put in my pocket under my tunic。
I realized that I was staring at the floor; and that I was surrounded by pairs of bare feet。 Slowly I lifted my gaze。
My angels stood before me; my very own guardians; in long flowing robes of dark blue; which appeared to be made of something lighter yet more opaque than silk。 Their faces were ivory white and shimmering faintly; and their eyes were large and like opals。 They had dark hair; or hair that seemed to shift as if it were made of shadows。
They stood facing me; their heads together; so that their heads touched。 It was as though they were muning silently with one another。
They overwhelmed me。 It seemed a terrifying intimacy that I should see them so vividly and so close to me; and know them as the two who had been with me always; or so I was to believe。 They were slightly larger than human beings; as were the other angels I had seen; and they were not tempered by the sweet faces I had seen on the others; but had altogether smoother and broader countenances and larger though exquisitely shaped mouths。
〃And you don't believe in us now?〃 one of them asked in a whisper。 〃Will you tell me your names?〃 I asked。
Both shook their heads in a simp