anner.vittoriothevampire-第38部分

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　I　gasped　in　shock　to　see　the　webbed　spirits　emblazoned　so　immensely　in　the　fractured　and　welded　fragments　of　glittering　glass。　How　thick　was　this　glass；　how　heavily　faceted；　and　how　ominous　the　expressions　of　those　webbed…winged　monsters　who　leered　at　us　as　if　they　would　e　alive　in　the　blazing　light　of　day　and　stop　our　progress。
　There　was　nothing　to　be　done　but　to　rip　my　eyes　off　them；　to　look　down　and　away　and　along　the　great　sprawling　marble　floor。　I　saw　the　hook；　I　saw　it　as　it　had　been　in　the　floor　of　my　father's　chapel；　lying　flat　in　a　circle　cut　in　the　stone；　a　hook　of　gold；　polished　and　smoothed　so　it　did　not　rise　above　the　floor　and　would　not　catch　a　toe　or　a　heel。　It　had　no　cover。
　It　merely　marked　decisively　the　position　of　the　one　long　main　entrance　to　the　crypt。　One　narrow　marble　rectangle　cut　into　the　center　of　the　church　floor。
　I　strode　forward；　heels　echoing　throughout　the　whole　empty　church；　and　went　to　pull　the　hook。
　What　stopped　me？　I　saw　the　altar。　At　that　very　instant　the　sun　had　struck　the　figure　of　Lucifer；　the　giant　red　angel　above　his　masses　and　masses　of　red　flowers；　which　were　fresh　as　they　had　been　the　night　when　I　had　been　brought　to　this　place。
　I　saw　him　and　saw　his　fierce　burning　yellow　eyes；　fine　gems　set　into　the　red　marble；　and　saw　the　white　ivory　fangs　that　hung　from　his　snarling　upper　lip。　I　saw　all　the　fanged　demons　who　lined　the　walls　to　the　right　and　the　left　of　him；　and　all　their　jeweled　eyes　seemed　greedy　and　glorying　in　the　light。
　〃The　crypt；〃　said　Mastema。
　I　pulled　with　all　my　might。　I　couldn't　budge　the　marble　slab。　No　human　could　have　done　it。　It　would　have　taken　teams　of　horses　to　do　it。　I　locked　both　hands　more　tightly　around　the　hook；　yanking　it　harder；　and　still　I　couldn't　budge　it。　It　was　like　trying　to　move　the　walls　themselves。
　〃Do　it　for　him！〃　Ramiel　pleaded。　〃Let　us　do　it。〃
　〃It's　nothing；　Mastema；　it's　only　like　opening　the　gates。〃
　Mastema　reached　out　and　pushed　me　gently　aside；　so　that　I　was　caught　on　my　own　feet　for　a　moment　and　then　righted　myself。　The　long　narrow　trapdoor　of　marble　was　raised　slowly。
　I　was　astonished　at　its　weight。　It　was　more　than　two　feet　in　thickness。　Only　its　facing　was　marble；　the　rest　being　a　heavier　darker；　denser　stone。　No；　no　human　could　have　lifted　it。
　And　now；　from　the　mouth　below；　there　came　a　spear　as　if　from　a　hidden　spring。
　I　leapt　back；　though　I　had　never　been　near　enough　to　be　in　danger。
　Mastema　let　the　trapdoor　fall　on　its　back。　The　hinges　were　broken　at　once　by　its　own　weight。　The　light　filled　the　space　below。　More　spears　awaited　me；　glinting　in　the　sun；　pointed　at　an　angle；　as　if　affixed　in　parallel　to　the　angle　of　the　stairs。　Mastema　moved　to　the　top　of　the　stairs。　〃Try　to　move　them；　Vittorio；〃　he　said。
　〃He　can't。　And　if　he　trips　and　falls；　he　falls　down　into　a　pit　of　them；〃　said　Ramiel。　〃Mastema；　move　them。〃
　〃Let　me　move　them；〃　said　Setheus。
　I　drew　my　sword。　I　hacked　at　the　first　of　the　spears　and　knocked　off　its　metal　point；　but　the　jagged　wooden　shaft　remained。
　I　stepped　down　into　the　crypt；　at　once　feeling　a　coldness　rise　and　touch　my　legs。　I　hacked　again　at　the　wood；　and　broke　off　more　of　it。　Then　I　stepped　beside　it；　only　to　find　with　my　left　hand　that　I　felt　a　pair　of　spears　awaiting　me　in　the　uneven　light。　Again　I　lifted　my　sword；　the　weight　of　it　making　my　arm　ache。
　But　I　broke　these　two　with　swift　blows　until　their　metal　heads　had　gone　clattering　from　their　wooden　stems　as　well。
　I　stepped　down；　holding　tight　with　my　right　hand　so　as　not　to　slip　on　the　steps；　and　suddenly；　with　a　loud　cry；　I　swung　out　and　off　the　edge　of　nothing；　for　the　stairway　broke　there　and　was　no　more。
　With　my　right　hand　I　grabbed　at　the　shaft　of　the　broken　spear；　which　I　already　held　in　my　left。　My　sword　went　clattering　down　below　me。
　〃Enough；　Mastema；〃　said　Setheus。　〃No　human　can　do　it。〃
　I　was　hanging；　both　hands　locked　around　this　splintery　wood；　staring　up　at　them　as　they　rimmed　the　mouth　of　the　crypt。　If　I　fell；　I　would　no　doubt　die；　for　the　fall　was　that　far。　If　I　did　not　die；　I　would　never　get　out　to　live。
　I　waited；　and　I　said　nothing；　though　my　arms　ached　excruciatingly。
　Suddenly；　they　descended；　as　soundlessly　as　they　did　all　things；　in　a　rush　of　silk　and　wings；　slipping　into　the　crypt　at　once；　all　of　them；　and　surrounding　me；　embracing　me　and　carrying　me　down　in　a　soft　plummet　to　the　floor　of　the　chamber。
　I　was　at　once　let　go。　And　I　scrambled　around　in　the　dimness　until　I　found　my　sword。　I　had　it　now。
　I　stood　up；　panting；　holding　it　firmly；　and　then　I　looked　up　at　the　sharp　distinct　rectangle　of　brightness　above。　I　shut　my　eyes；　and　bowed　my　head；　and　opened　my　eyes　slowly　so　as　to　bee　accustomed　to　this　deep　damp　dusk。
　Here　the　castle　had　no　doubt　let　the　mountain　rise　up　under　it；　for　the　chamber；　though　vast；　seemed　made　of　only　the　earth。　At　least　this　is　what　I　saw　before　me；　in　the　rude　wall；　and　then　turning　around　I　saw　my　quarry；　as　Mastema　had　called　them。
　The　vampires；　the　larvae　…　they　lay　sleeping；　coffinless；　cryptless；　open　in　long　rows；　each　exquisitely　dressed　body　covered　in　a　thin　shroud　of　spun　gold。　They　ringed　three　walls　of　the　crypt。　At　the　far　end　hung　the　broken　stairs　over　nothingness。
　I　blinked　and　narrowed　my　eyes；　and　the　light　seemed　to　filter　more　fully　upon　them。　I　drew　near　to　the　first　figure　until　I　could　see　the　dark…burgundy　slippers；　and　the　deep…russet　hose　and　all　of　this　beneath　the　webbing　as　if　each　night　fine　silkworms　wove　this　shroud　for　the　being；　so　thick　and　perfect　and　fine　was　it。　Alas；　it　was　no　such　magic；　it　was　only　the　finest　of　what　God's　creatures　can　make。　And　it　had　been　spun　of　the　looms　of　men　and　women；　and　it　had　a　fine…stitched　hem。　I　ripped　off　the　veil。
　I　drew　near　the　creature's　folded　arms；　and　then　saw　to　my　sudden　horror　that　his　sleeping　face　was　quickened。　His　eyes　opened；　and　one　arm　moved　violently　towards　me。
　I　was　yanked　back　out　of　the　clutch　of　his　fingers　only　just　in　time。　I　turned　to　see　Ramiel　holding　me；　and　then　he　closed　his　eyes　and　bowed　his　forehead　into　my　shoulder。　〃Now　you　know　their　tricks。　Watch　it。　You　see。　It　folds　its　arm　back　now。　It　thinks　it's　safe。　It　closes　its　eyes。〃
　〃What　do　I　do！　Ah；　I'll　kill　it！〃　I　said。
　Snatching　up　the　veil　in　my　left　hand；　I　raised　my　sword　in　my　right。　I　advanced　on　the　sleeping　monster；　and　this　time；　when　the　hand　rose；　I　snared　it　with　the　veil；　swirling　the　fabric　around　it；　while；　with　my　sword；　I　came　down　like　the　executioner　on　the　block。
　At　once　the　head　rolled　off　onto　the　floor。　A　wretched　sound　came；　more　from　the　neck　perhaps　than　from　the　throat。　The　arm　flopped。　By　light　of　day；　it　could　not　struggle　as　it　might　have　in　the　dark　of　night　in　my　early　battle；　when　I　had　decapitated　my　first　assailant。　Ah；　I　had　won。
　I　snatched　up　the　head；　watching　the　blood　spill　out　of　the　mouth。　The　eyes；　if　they　had　ever　opened；　were　now　shut。　I　hurled　the　head　into　the　middle　of　the　floor　beneath　the　light。　At　once　the　light　began　to　burn　the　flesh。
　〃Look　at　it；　the　head's　burning！〃　I　said。　But　I　myself　didn't　stop。
　I　went　to　the　next；　snatching　the　transparent　silken　shroud　from　a　woman　with　great　long　braids；　taken　to　this　eerie　death　in　the　prime　of　her　life；　and　snaring　her　rising　arm；　severed　her　head　with　the　same　fury　and　caught　it　up　by　one　braid　and　hurled　it　to　land　by　its　mate。
　The　other　head　was　shriveling　and　turning　black　in　the　light　that　poured　down　from　the　high　opening　above。　〃Lucifer；　you　see　that？〃　I　called　out。　The　echo　came　back　to　taunt　me；　〃See　that？　See　that？　See　that？〃
　I　rushed　to　the　next。　〃Florian！〃　I　cried　out；　as　I　grabbed　the　veil。　Terrible　error。
　When　he　heard　his　name；　his　eyes　snapped　open　even　before　I　had　drawn　abreast　of　him；　and　like　a　puppet　yanked　on　a　chain　he　would　have　risen　if　I　had　not　struck　him　hard　with　my　sword　and　gashed　open　his　chest。　Expressionless；　he　fell　back。　I　brought　the　sword　down　on　his　tender　gentlemanly　neck。　His　blond　hair　was　caked　with　blood；　and　his　eyes　went　half…mast　and　empty　and　died　before　my　sight。
　I　snatched　him　up　by　his　long　hair；　this　bodiless　one；　this　leader　of　them　all；　this　silver…tongued　fiend；　and　I　hurled　his　head　i