annr.pandora-第3部分

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unning；　he　had　tried　to　transport　an　armory　for　you　through　the　blood。
　He　had　done　well。　Your　strength　was　plex　and　obvious。　Our　Queen　Mother　Akasha's　blood　was　mixed　with　that　of　Lestat。　Marius；　my　ancient　lover；　had　given　him　blood　as　well。　Lestat；　ah；　now　what　do　they　say；　they　say　that　he　may　even　have　drunk　the　blood　of　the　Christ。
　It　was　this　first　issue　I　took　up　with　you；　my　curiosity　overwhelming　me；　for　to　scan　the　world　for　knowledge　is　often　to　rake　in　such　tragedy　that　I　abhor　it。
　〃Tell　me　the　truth　of　it；〃　I　said。　〃This　story　Memnoch　the　Devil。　Lestat　claimed　he　went　to　Heaven　and　to　Hell。　He　brought　back　a　veil　from　St。　Veronica。　The　face　of　Christ　was　on　it！　It　converted　thousands　to　Christianity；　it　cured　alienation　and　succored　bitterness。　It　drove　other　Children　of　Darkness　to　：throw　up　their　arms　to　the　deadly　morning　light；　as　if　the　sun　were　in　fact　the　fire　of　God。〃
　〃Yes；　it's　all　happened；　as　I　described　it；〃　you　said；　lowering　your　head　with　a　polite　but　unexaggerated　modesty。　〃And　you　know　a　few。。。　of　us　perished　in　this　fervor；　whilst　newspapers　and　scientists　collected　our　ashes　for　examination。〃
　I　marveled　at　your　calm　attitude。　A　Twentieth…Century　sensibility。　A　mind　dominated　by　an　incalculable　wealth　of　information；　and　quick　of　tongue　with　an　intellect　devoted　to　swiftness；　synthesis；　probabilities；　and　all　this　against　the　backdrop　of　horrid　experiences；　wars；　massacres；　the　worst　perhaps　the　world　has　ever　seen。
　〃It　all　happened；〃　you　said。　〃And　I　did　meet　with　Mekare　and　Maharet；　the　ancient　ones；　and　you　needn't　fear　for　me　that　I　don't　know　how　fragile　is　the　root。　It　was　kind　of　you　to　think　so　protectively　of　me。〃
　I　was　quietly　charmed。
　〃What　did　you　think　of　this　Holy　Veil　yourself？〃　I　asked。
　〃Our　Lady　of　Fatima；〃　you　said　softly。　〃The　Shroud　of　Turin；　a　cripple　rising　from　the　Miraculous　Waters　of　Lourdes！　What　a　consolation　it　must　be　to　accept　such　a　thing　so　easily。〃
　〃And　you　did　not？〃
　You　shook　your　head。　〃And　neither　did　Lestat；　really。　It　was　the　mortal　girl；　Dora；　snatching　the　Veil　from　him；　who　took　it　out　into　the　world。　But　it　was　a　most　singular　and　meticulously　made　thing；　I'll　tell　you　that；　more　worthy　of　the　word　'relic'　perhaps　than　any　other　I've　ever　seen。〃
　You　sounded　dejected　suddenly。
　〃Some　immense　intent　went　into　its　making；〃　you　said。
　〃And　the　vampire　Armand；　the　delicate　boylike　Armand；　he　believed　it？〃　I　asked。　〃Armand　looked　at　it　and　saw　the　face　of　Christ；〃　I　said；　seeking　your　confirmation。
　〃Enough　to　die　for　it；〃　you　said　solemnly。　〃Enough　to　open　his　arms　to　the　morning　sun。〃
　You　looked　away；　and　you　closed　your　eyes。　This　was　a　simple　unadorned　plea　to　me　not　to　make　you　speak　of　Armand　and　how　he　had　gone　into　the　morning　fire。
　I　gave　a　sigh　…　surprised　and　gently　fascinated　to　find　you　so　articulate；　skeptical；　yet　so　sharply　and　frankly　connected　to　the　others。
　You　said　in　a　shaken　voice；　〃Armand。〃　And　still　looking　away　from　me。　〃What　a　Requiem。　And　does　he　know　now　if　Memnoch　was　real；　if　God　Incarnate　who　tempted　Lestat　was　in　fact　the　Son　of　the　God　Almighty？　Does　anyone'？〃
　I　was　taken　with　your　earnestness；　your　passion。　You　were　not　jaded　or　cynical。　There　was　an　immediacy　to　your　feelings　for　these　happenings；　these　creatures；　these　questions　you　posed；
　〃They　locked　up　the　Veil；　you　know；〃　you　said。　〃It's　in　the　Vatican。　There　were　two　weeks　of　frenzy　on　Fifth　Avenue　in　St。　Patrick's　Cathedral　in　which　people　came　to　look　into　the　eyes　of　The　Lord；　and　then　they　had　it；　gone；　taken　to　their　vaults。　I　doubt　there　is　a　nation　on　the　Earth　with　the　power　to　gain　even　a　glimpse　of　it　now。〃
　〃And　Lestat；〃　I　said。　〃Where　is　he　now？〃
　〃Paralyzed；　silent；〃　you　said。　〃Lestat　lies　on　the　floor　of　a　chapel　in　New　Orleans。　He　doesn't　move。　He　says　nothing。　His　Mother　has　e　to　him。　You　knew　her；　Gabrielle；　he　made　a　vampire　of　her。〃
　〃Yes；　I　remember　her。〃
　〃Even　she　draws　no　response　from　him。　Whatever　he　saw；　in　his　journey　to　Heaven　and　Hell；　he　doesn't　know　the　truth　of　it　one　way　or　the　other　…　he　tried　to　tell　this　to　Dora！　And　eventually；　after　I'd　written　down　the　whole　story　for　him；　he　passed　within　a　few　nights　into　this　state。
　〃His　eyes　are　fixed　and　his　body　pliant。　They　made　a　curious　Pietá；　he　and　Gabrielle；　in　this　abandoned　convent　and　its　chapel。　His　mind　is　dosed；　or　worse　…　it's　empty。〃
　I　found　I　liked　very　much　your　manner　of　speaking。　In　fact；　I　was　taken　off　guard。
　〃I　left　Lestat　because　he　was　beyond　my　help　and　my　reach；〃　you　said。　〃And　I　must　know　if　there　are　old　ones　who　want　to　put　an　end　to　me；　I　must　make　my　pilgrimages　and　my　progresses　to　know　the　dangers　of　this　world　to　which　I've　been　admitted。〃
　〃You're　so　forthright。　You　have　no　cunning。〃
　〃On　the　contrary；　I　conceal　my　keenest　assets　from　you。〃　You　gave　me　a　slow；　polite　smile。　〃Your　beauty　rather　confuses　me。　Are　you　used　to　this？〃
　〃Quite；〃　I　said。　〃And　weary　of　it。　e　beyond　it。　Let　me　just　warn；　there　are　old　ones；　ones　no　one　knows　or　can　explain。　It's　rumored　you've　been　with　Maharet　and　Mekare；　who　are　now　the　E1dest　and　the　Fount　from　which　we　all　spring。　Obviously　they've　drawn　back　from　us；　from　all　the　world；　into　some　secret　place；　and　have　no　taste　for　authority。〃
　〃You're　so　very　correct；〃　you　said；　〃and　my　audience　with　them　was　beautiful　but　brief。　They　don't　want　to　rule　over　anyone；　nor　will　Maharet；　as　long　as　the　history　of　the　world　and　her　own　physical　descendants　are　in　it　…　her　own　thousands　of　human　descendants　from　a　time　so　ancient　there　is　no　date　for　it　…　Maharet　will　never　destroy　herself　and　her　sister；　thereby　destroying　all　of　us。〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said；　〃in　that　she　believes；　the　Great　Family；　the　generations　she　has　traced　for　thousands　of　years。　I　saw　her　when　we　all　gathered。　She　doesn't　see　us　as　evil　…　you；　or　me；　or　Lestat　…　she　thinks　that　we're　natural；　rather　like　volcanoes　or　fires　that　rage　through　forests；　or　bolts　of　lightning　that　strike　a　man　dead。〃
　〃Precisely；〃　you　said。　〃There　is　no　Queen　of　the　Damned　now。　I　fear　only　one　other　immortal；　and　that's　your　lover；　Marius。　Because　it　was　Marius　who　laid　down　the　strict　rule　before　he　left　the　others　that　no　more　blood　drinkers　could　be　made。　I'm　baseborn　in　the　mind　of　Marius。　That　is；　were　he　an　Englishman；　those　would　be　his　words。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃I　can't　believe　he　would　harm　you。　Hasn't　he　e　to　Lestat'？　Did　he　not　e　to　see　the　Veil　with　his　own　eyes？〃
　You　said　No　to　both　questions。
　〃Heed　this　advice：　whenever　you　sense　his　presence；　talk　to　him。　Talk　to　him　as　you　have　to　me。　Begin　a　conversation　which　he　won't　have　the　confidence　to　bring　to　a　dose。〃
　You　smiled　again。　〃That's　such　a　clever　way　of　putting　it；〃　you　said。
　〃But　I　don't　think　you　have　to　fear　him。　If　he　wanted　you　gone　off　the　Earth；　you'd　be　gone。　What　we　have　to　fear　is　the　same　things　humans　fear　…　that　there　are　others　of　our　same　species；　of　varying　power　and　belief；　and　we　are　never　entirely　sure　where　they　are　or　what　they　do。　That's　my　advice　to　you。〃
　〃You　are　so　kind　to　take　your　time　with　me；〃　you　said。
　I　could　have　wept。　〃On　the　contrary。　You　don't　know　the　silence　and　solitude　in　which　I　wander；　and　pray　you　never　know　it；　and　here　you've　given　me　heat　without　death；　you've　given　me　nourishment　without　blood。　I'm　glad　you've　e。〃
　I　saw　you　look　up　at　the　sky；　the　habit　of　the　young　ones。
　〃I　know；　we　have　to　part　now。〃
　You　turned　to　me　suddenly。　〃Meet　me　tomorrow　night；〃　you　said　imploringly。　〃Let　this　exchange　continue！　I'll　e　to　you　in　the　cafe　where　you　sit　every　night　musing。　I'll　find　you。　Let　us　talk　to　each　other。〃
　〃So　you've　seen　me　there。〃
　〃Oh；　often；〃　you　said。　〃Yes。〃　You　looked　away　again。　I　saw　it　was　to　conceal　feeling。　Then　your　dark　eyes　turned　back　to　me。
　〃Pandora；　we　have　the　world；　don't　we'？〃　you　whispered。
　〃I　don't　know；　David。　But　I'll　meet　you　tomorrow　night。　Why　haven't　you　e　to　me　there？　Where　it　was　warm　and　lighted？〃
　〃It　seemed　a　far　more　outrageous　intrusion；　to　move　in　on　you　in　the　sanctified　privacy　of　a　crowded　cafe。　People　go　to　such　places　to　be　alone；　don't　they？　This　seemed　somehow　more　proper。　And　I　did　not　mean　to　be　the　voyeur。　Like　many　fledglings；　I　have　to　feed　every　night。　It　was　an　accident　that　we　saw　each　other　at　that　moment。〃
　〃That　is　charming；　David；〃　I　said。　〃It　is　a　long　time　since　anyone　has　charmed　me。　I'll　meet　you　there。。。　tomorrow　night。〃
　And　then　a　wickedness　possessed　me。　I　came　towards　you　and　embraced　you；　knowing　that　the　hardness　and　coldness　of　my　ancient　body　would　strike　the　deepest　chord　of　terror　in　you；　newborn　as　you　were；　passing　so　easily　for　mortal。
　But　you　didn't　draw　back。　And　when　I　kissed　your　cheek；　you　kissed　mine。
　I　wonder　now；　as　I　sit　here　in　the　cafe；　writing。。。　trying　to　give　you　more　with　these　words　perhaps　than　you　ask　for。。。　what　I　would　have　done　had　you　not　kissed　me；　had　you　shrunk　back　with　the　fear　that　is　so　mon　in　the　young。
　David；　you　are　indeed　a　puzzle。
　You　see　that　I　have　begun　to　chronicle　not　my　life　here；　but　what　has　passed　these　two　nights　between　you　and　me。
　Allow　this；　David。　Allow　that　I　speak　of　you　and　me；　and　then　perhaps　I　can　retrieve　my　lost　life。