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anner.vittoriothevampire-第9部分

小说: anner.vittoriothevampire 字数: 每页4000字

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o my father。
 My father was in a very paroxysm。 I reached out for my eldest aunt; but she was in a dead faint before the altar; and my father thundered back to me; forced me into the crypt and shut the door。
 I had no choice but to latch the trapdoor as he had shown me how to do; and to turn with the flickering candle in my hand and face the terrified Bartola and Matteo。 〃Go down all the way;〃 I cried; 〃all the way。〃
 They nearly fell; trying to move backward down the steep narrow steps that were by no means easy to descend; their faces turned towards me。
 〃What is it; Vittorio; why do they want to hurt us?〃 Bartola asked。
 〃I want to fight them;〃 Matteo said; 〃Vittorio; give me your dagger。 You have a sword。 It's not fair。〃
 〃Shhh; be quiet; do as our father said。 Do you think it pleases me that I can't be out there with the men? Quiet!〃
 I choked back my tears。 My mother was up there! My aunts!
 The air was cold and damp; but it felt good。 I broke out in a sweat; and my arm ached from holding the big golden candlestick。 Finally we sank down in a huddle; the three of us at the far end of the chamber; and it felt soothing to me to touch the cold stone。
 But in the interval of our collective silence I could hear through the heavy floor howls from above; terrible cries of fear and panic; and rushing feet; and even the high chilling whinnies of the horses。 It sounded as if horses had e crashing into the chapel itself over our heads; which was not at all impossible。
 I rose to my feet and rushed to the two other doors of the crypt; those which led to the burial chambers or whatever they were; I didn't care! I moved the latch on one; and could see nothing but a low passage; not even tall enough for me; and barely wide enough for my shoulders。
 I turned back; holding the only light; and saw the children rigid with fear; gazing up at the ceiling as the murderous cries continued。
 〃I smell fire;〃 Bartola whispered suddenly; her face wet at once with tears。 〃Do you smell it; Vittorio? I hear it。〃 I did hear it and I did smell it。
 〃Both of you make the Sign of the Cross; pray now;〃 I said; 〃and trust in me。 We will get out of here。〃
 But the clamor of the battle went on; the cries did not die out; and then suddenly; so suddenly it was as wondrous and frightful as the noise itself; there fell a silence。
 A silence fell over all; and it was too plete to spell victory。 Bartola and Matteo clung to me; on either side。
 Above; there was a clatter。 The chapel doors were being thrown back; and then quite suddenly the trapdoor was yanked up and open; and in the glimmer of firelight beyond I saw a dark slender long…haired figure。 In the gust my candle went out。
 Except for the infernal flicker above and beyond; we were mitted unmercifully to total darkness。
 Once again distinctly; I saw the outline of this figure; a tall; stately female with great long locks and a waist small enough for both my hands as she appeared to fly down the stairs soundlessly towards me。
 How in the name of Heaven could this be; this woman?
 Before I could think to pull my sword on a female assailant or make sense of anything at all; I felt her tender breasts brushed against my chest; and the cool of her skin as she seemed to be throwing her arms about me。
 There was a moment of inexplicable and strangely sensuous confusion when the perfume of her tresses and her gown rose in my nostrils; and I fancied I saw the glistening whites of her eyes as she looked at me。 I heard Bartola scream; and then Matteo also。 I was knocked to the floor。 The fire blazed bright above。
 The figure had them both; both struggling screaming children in one seemingly fragile arm; and stopping; apparently to look at me; a raised sword in her other hand; she raced up the stairway into the firelight。
 I pulled my sword with both hands; rushed after her; up and out into the chapel; and saw that she had somehow by the most evil power all but reached the door; an impossible feat; her charges wailing and crying out for me; 〃Vittorio; Vittorio!〃
 All the upper windows of the chapels were full of fire; and so was the rose window above the crucifix。
 I could not believe what I beheld; this young woman; who was stealing from me my sister and brother。
 〃Stop in the name of God!〃 I shouted at her。 〃Coward; thief in the night。〃
 I ran after her; but to my utter astonishment she did stop; still; and turned to look at me again; and this time I saw her full in all her refined beauty。 Her face was a perfect oval with great benign gray eyes; her skin like the finest Chinese white enamel。 She had red lips; too perfect even for a painter to make by choice; and her long ashen blond hair was gray like her eyes in the light of the fire; sweeping down her back in a pampered swaying mass。 Her gown; though stained dark with what must have been blood; was the same wine…red color I had seen in the apparel of the evil visitor of the night before。
 With the most curious and then poignant face; she merely stared at me。 Her right hand held her sword upraised; but she didn't move; and then she released from the powerful grip of her left arm my struggling brother and sister。 Both tumbled sobbing to the floor。
 〃Demon。 Strega!〃 I roared。 I leapt over them and advanced on her; swinging the sword。
 But she dodged so swiftly that I didn't even see it。 I couldn't believe that she was so far from me; standing now with the sword down; staring at me still and at the sobbing children。
 Suddenly her head turned。 There was a whistling cry; and then another and another。 Through the door of the chapel; seeming to leap from the fires of Hell itself; there came another red…clad figure; hooded in velvet and wearing gold…trimmed boots; and as I swung my sword at him; he threw me aside and; in one instant; cut off the head of Bartola and then severed the head of the screaming Matteo。
 I went mad。 I howled。 He turned on me。 But from the female there came a sudden firm negation。
 〃Leave him alone;〃 she cried in a voice that was both sweet and clear; and then off he went; this murderer; this hooded fiend in his gold…trimmed boots; calling back to her。
 〃e on; now; have you lost your wits? Look at the sky。 e; Ursula。〃 She didn't move。 She stared at me as before。
 I sobbed and cursed and; grabbing my sword; ran at her again; and this time saw my blade descend to cut off her right arm; right below the elbow。 The white limb; small and seemingly fragile like all of her parts; fell to the paved floor with her heavy sword。 Blood spurted from her。
 She did no more than look at it。 And then at me with the same poignant; disconsolate and near heartbroken face。
 I lifted my sword again。 〃Strega!〃 I cried; clenching my teeth; trying to see through my tears。 〃Strega!〃
 But in another feat of evil; she had moved back; far away from me; as if pulled by an invisible force; and in her left hand she now held her right; which still clutched her sword as if it were not severed。 She replaced the limb I had cut off。 I watched her。 I watched her put the limb in place and turn it and adjust it until it was as it should be; and then before my astonished eyes; I saw the wound I had made utterly seal up in her white skin。
 Then the loose bell sleeve of her rich velvet gown fell down again around her wrist。
 In a twinkling she was outside the chapel; only a silhouette now against the distant fires burning in the tower windows。 I heard her whisper: 〃Vittorio。〃 Then she vanished。 I knew it was vain to go after her! Yet still I ran out and swung my sword around in a great circle; crying out in rage and bitterness and mad menace at all the world; my eyes now blinded with tears; and my throat full to choking。
 Everything was still。 Everyone was dead。 Dead。 I knew it。 The courtyard was strewn with bodies。
 I ran back into the chapel。 I grabbed up the head of Bartola and the head of Matteo into my arms。 I sat down and held them in my lap; and I sobbed。
 They seemed still alive; these severed heads; their eyes flashing; and their lips even moving with hopeless attempts to speak。 Oh; God! It was beyond all human endurance。 I sobbed。 I cursed。
 I laid them side by side; these two heads in my lap; and I stroked

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