anner.vittoriothevampire-第8部分

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　I　went　off　to　get　my　prayer　books；　my　Mass　books　and　books　of　other　devotions；　fine　vellum　books　from　Florence；　with　gilt　print　and　beautifully　edged　illustrations。
　I　was　just　ing　out　of　my　room　when　I　saw　my　father　there　with　my　mother；　saying　to　her；　〃And　do　not　leave　the　children　alone　for　a　moment；　and　you；　you　in　this　state；　I　will　not　tolerate　this　distress。〃　She　touched　her　belly。
　I　realized　she　was　with　child　again。　And　I　realized；　too；　that　my　father　was　really　alarmed　about　something。　What　could　it　mean；　〃Do　not　leave　the　children　alone　for　a　moment〃？　What　could　this　mean？
　The　chapel　was　fortable　enough。　My　father　had　long　ago　provided　some　decent　wooden　and　velvet…padded　prie…dieux；　though　on　feast　days　everyone　stood。　Pews　didn't　exist　in　those　times。
　But　he　also　spent　some　of　the　night　showing　me　the　vault　beneath　the　church；　which　opened　by　means　of　a　ring　handle　on　a　trapdoor；　faced　in　stone；　the　ring　itself　fitted　down　flat　beneath　what　appeared　to　be　only　one　of　many　marble　inlaid　ornaments　in　the　floor　tiles。
　I　knew　of　these　crypts　but　had　been　whipped　for　sneaking　into　them　when　I　was　a　child；　and　my　father　had　told　me　back　then　how　disappointed　in　me　he'd　been　that　I　couldn't　keep　a　family　secret。
　That　admonition　had　hurt　far　more　than　the　whipping。　And　I'd　never　asked　to　go　with　him　into　the　crypts；　which　I　knew　he　had　done　over　the　years　now　and　then。　I　thought　treasure　was　down　there；　and　secrets　of　the　pagans。
　Well；　I　saw　now　there　was　a　cavernous　room；　carved　high　and　deep　out　of　the　earth；　and　faced　with　stone；　and　that　it　was　full　of　varied　treasure。　There　were　old　chests　and　even　old　books　in　heaps。　And　two　bolted　doorways。
　〃Those　lead　to　old　burial　places　that　you　don't　need　to　go　to；〃　he　said；　〃but　you　need　to　know　of　this　place　now。　And　remember　it。〃
　When　we　came　back　up　into　the　chapel；　he　put　the　trapdoor　right；　laid　down　the　ring；　relaid　the　marble　tile；　and　the　whole　was　quite　invisible。
　Fra　Diamonte　pretended　not　to　have　seen。　My　mother　was　asleep　and　so　were　the　children。　We　all　fell　asleep　before　dawn　in　the　chapel。
　My　father　walked　out　in　the　courtyard　at　sunup；　when　the　cocks　were　crowing　all　over　the　villages　inside　the　walls；　and　he　stretched　and　looked　up　at　the　sky　and　then　shrugged　his　shoulders。
　Two　of　my　uncles　ran　at　him；　demanding　to　know　what　Signore　from　where　dared　to　propose　a　siege　against　us　and　when　we　were　supposed　to　have　this　battle。
　〃No；　no；　no；　you've　got　it　all　wrong；〃　my　father　said。　〃We're　not　going　to　war。　You　go　back　to　bed。〃
　But　he　had　no　sooner　spoken　these　words　than　a　ripping　scream　brought　us　all　around；　and　through　the　opening　courtyard　gates　there　came　one　of　the　village　girls；　one　of　our　near　and　dear　girls；　shrieking　the　terrible　words：　〃He's　gone；　the　baby's　gone；　they've　taken　him。〃
　The　rest　of　the　day　was　a　relentless　search　for　this　missing　child。　But　no　one　could　find　him。　And　it　was　soon　discovered　that　one　other　child　had　also　vanished　without　a　trace。　He　had　been　a　half…wit；　rather　beloved　because　he　caused　no　harm；　but　so　addle…brained　he　couldn't　even　much　walk。　And　everyone　was　ashamed　to　say　that　they　did　not　even　know　how　long　that　half…wit　had　been　missing。　By　dusk；　I　thought　I　would　go　mad　if　I　didn't　get　to　see　my　father　alone；　if　I　couldn't　push　my　way　into　the　locked　chambers　where　he　sat　with　his　uncles　and　the　priests　arguing　and　fighting。　Finally；　I　hammered　so　loudly　on　the　door　and　kicked　so　much　that　he　let　me　in。
　The　meeting　was　about　to　break　up　and　he　drew　me　down　by　himself；　and　he　said　with　wild　eyes：
　〃Do　you　see　what　they've　done？　They　took　the　very　tribute　they　demanded　of　me。　They　took　it！　I　refused　it　and　they　took　it。〃
　〃But　what　tribute？　You　mean　the　children？〃
　He　was　wild…eyed。　He　rubbed　his　unshaven　face；　and　he　crashed　his　fist　down　on　his　desk；　and　then　he　pushed　over　all　his　writing　things。
　〃Who　do　they　think　they　are　that　they　e　to　me　by　night　and　demand　that　I　tender　to　them　those　infants　unwanted　by　anyone？〃
　〃Father；　what　is　this？　You　must　tell　me。〃
　〃Vittorio；　you　will　tomorrow　be　off　to　Florence；　at　the　first　light；　and　with　the　letters　I　mean　to　write　tonight。　I　need　more　than　country　priests　to　fight　this。　Now　get　ready　for　the　journey。〃
　He　looked　up　quite　suddenly。　He　appeared　to　listen；　and　then　to　look　about。　I　could　see　the　light　was　gone　from　the　windows。　We　ourselves　were　just　dim　figures；　and　he　had　thrown　the　candelabra　down。　I　picked　it　up。
　I　watched　him　sidelong　as　I　took　one　of　the　candles　and　lighted　it　by　the　torch　at　the　door　and　brought　it　back；　and　then　lighted　the　other　candles。　He　listened；　still　and　alert；　and　then　without　making　a　sound　he　rose　to　his　feet；　his　fists　on　the　desk；　seemingly　uncaring　of　the　light　that　the　candles　threw　on　his　shocked　and　wary　face。
　〃What　do　you　hear；　my　Lord？〃　I　said；　using　the　formal　address　for　him　without　so　much　as　realizing　it。
　〃Evil；〃　he　whispered。　〃Malignant　things　such　as　God　only　suffers　to　live　because　of　our　sins。　Arm　yourself　well。　Bring　your　mother；　your　brother　and　your　sister　to　the　chapel；　and　hurry。　The　soldiers　have　their　orders。〃
　〃Shall　I　have　some　supper　brought　there　as　well；　just　bread　and　beer；　perhaps？〃　I　asked。
　He　nodded　as　though　that　were　scarcely　a　concern。
　Within　less　than　an　hour　we　were　all　gathered　inside　the　chapel；　the　entire　family；　which　included　then　five　uncles　and　four　aunts；　and　with　us　were　two　nurses　and　Fra　Diamonte。
　The　little　altar　was　decked　out　as　if　for　Mass；　with　the　finest　embroidered　altar　cloth　and　the　thickest　golden　candlesticks　with　blazing　candles。　The　Image　of　Our　Crucified　Christ　shone　in　the　light；　an　ancient　colorless　and　thin　wooden　carving　that　had　hung　on　the　wall　there　since　the　time　of　St。　Francis；　when　the　great　saint　was　supposed　to　have　stopped　at　our　castle　two　centuries　ago。
　It　was　a　naked　Christ；　mon　in　those　times；　and　a　figure　of　tortured　sacrifice；　nothing　as　robust　and　sensual　as　those　crucifixes　made　these　days；　and　it　stood　out　powerfully　in　contrast　to　the　parade　of　freshly　painted　saints　on　the　walls　in　their　brilliant　scarlet　and　gold　finery。
　We　sat　on　plain　brown　benches　brought　in　for　us；　nobody　speaking　a　word；　for　Fra　Diamonte　had　that　morning　said　Mass　and　bestowed　into　the　Tabernacle　the　Body　and　Blood　of　Our　Lord　in　the　form　of　the　Sacred　Host；　and　the　chapel　was　now；　as　it　were；　put　to　its　full　purpose　as　the　House　of　God。
　We　did　eat　the　bread；　and　drink　a　little　bit　of　the　beer　near　the　front　doors；　but　we　kept　quiet。
　Only　my　father　repeatedly　went　out；　walking　boldly　into　the　torch…lighted　courtyard　and　calling　up　to　his　soldiers　in　the　towers　and　on　the　walls；　and　even　sometimes　being　gone　to　climb　up　and　see　for　himself　that　all　was　well　under　his　protection。
　My　uncles　were　all　armed。　My　aunts　said　their　rosaries　fervently。　Fra　Diamonte　was　confused；　and　my　mother　seemed　pale　to　death　and　sick；　perhaps　from　the　baby　in　her　womb；　and　she　clung　to　my　sister　and　brother；　who　were　by　this　time　pretty　frankly　frightened。
　It　seemed　we　would　pass　the　night　without　incident。
　It　couldn't　have　been　two　hours　before　dawn　when　I　was　awakened　from　a　shallow　slumber　by　a　horrid　scream。
　At　once　my　father　was　on　his　feet；　and　so　were　my　uncles；　drawing　out　their　swords　as　best　they　could　with　their　knotted　old　fingers。
　Screams　rose　all　around　in　the　night；　and　there　came　the　alarms　from　the　soldiers　and　the　loud　riotous　clanging　of　old　bells　from　every　tower。
　My　father　grabbed　me　by　the　arm。　〃Vittorio；　e；〃　he　said；　and　at　once；　pulling　up　the　handle　of　the　trapdoor；　he　threw　it　back　and　thrust　into　my　hand　a　great　candle　from　the　altar。
　〃Take　your　mother；　your　aunts；　your　sister　and　your　brother　down；　now；　and　do　not　e　out；　no　matter　what　you　hear！　Do　not　e　out。　Lock　the　trapdoor　above　you　and　stay　there！　Do　as　I　tell　you！〃
　At　once　I　obeyed；　snatching　up　Matteo　and　Bartola　and　forcing　them　down　the　stone　steps　in　front　of　me。
　My　uncles　had　rushed　through　the　doors　into　the　courtyard；　shouting　their　ancient　war　cries；　and　my　aunts　stumbled　and　fainted　and　clutched　to　the　altar　and　would　not　be　moved；　and　my　mother　clung　to　my　father。
　My　father　was　in　a　very　par