anner.bloodandgold-第16部分

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r　great　sacrifice；　we　saw　that　you　a　been　made　into　a　gleaming　god　of　shimmering　hair　and　eyes　that　frightened　us。
　　　〃And　without　a　word　of　protest；　you　raised　your　arms　so　that　the　Great　Feast　of　Sanhaim　could　begin。　You　drank　the　blood　of　the　victims　given　you。　We　saw　you　do　it！　The　magic　was　restored　in　you。　We　felt　we　would　prosper；　and　it　was　time　to　burn　the　old　god　as　our　legends　told　us　we　must　do。
　　　〃It　was　then　that　you　fled。〃　He　sat　back　in　his　chair　as　though　this　long　speech　had　taken　the　strength　out　of　him。　〃You　didn't　return；〃　he　said　disgustedly。　〃You　knew　our　secrets。　But　you　didn't　return。〃　A　silence　fell。
　　　They　didn't　know　of　the　Mother　and　the　Father。　They　knew　nothing
　　　　of　the　old　Egyptian　lore。　I　was　too　relieved　for　a　long　moment　to　say　anything。　I　felt　more　calm　and　controlled　than　ever。　Indeed；　it　seemed　rather　absurd　that　we　were　having　this　argument；　for　as　Avicus　had　said；　we　were　immortal。
　　　But　we　were　human　still；　each　in　his　own　way。　Finally　I　realized　that　Mael　was　looking　at　me；　and　his　eyes　were　as　charged　with　rage　as　before。　He　looked　pale；　hungry；　wild　as　I've　said。　But　both　of　these　creatures　were　waiting　upon　me　to　speak　or　do　something；　and　it　did　seem　the　burden　lay　with　me。　At　last；　I　made　a　decision　which　seemed　to　me　to　be　its　own　form　of　reckoning；　and　its　own　form　of　triumph。
　　　〃No；　I　didn't　e　back；〃　I　said　to　Mael　squarely。　〃I　didn't　want　to　be　the　God　of　the　Grove。　I　cared　nothing　for　the　Faithful　of　the　Forest。　I　made　my　choice　to　wander　through　time。　I　have　no　belief　in　your　gods　or　your　sacrifices。　What　did　you　expect　of　me？〃　〃You　took　the　magic　of　our　god　with　you。〃
　　　〃I　had　no　choice；〃　I　said。　〃If　I　had　left　the　old　burnt　god　without　taking　his　magic；　you　would　have　destroyed　me；　and　I　didn't　want　to　die。　Why　should　I　have　died？　Yes；　I　took　the　magic　that　he　gave　me　and　yes；　I　presided　over　your　sacrifices　and　then　I　fled　as　anyone　of　my　nature　would　do。〃
　　　He　looked　at　me　for　a　long　time；　as　if　trying　to　decide　whether　or　not　I　wanted　to　quarrel　further。
　　　〃And　what　do　I　see　now　in　you？〃　I　demanded。　〃Haven't　you　fled　your　Faithful　of　the　Forest？　Why　do　I　e　upon　you　in　Rome？　〃　He　waited　a　long　moment。
　　　〃Our　god；〃　he　said；　〃our　old　burnt　god。　He　spoke　of　Egypt。　He　spoke　of　our　bringing　him　one　who　could　go　down　into　Egypt。　Did　you　go　to　Egypt？　Did　you　seek　there　the　Good　Mother？〃
　　　I　cloaked　my　mind　as　best　I　could。　I　made　my　face　severe；　and　I　tried　to　figure　how　much　I　should　confess　and　why。
　　　〃Yes　I　went　to　Egypt；〃　I　said。　〃I　went　to　find　the　cause　of　the　fire　that　had　burnt　the　gods　all　through　the　North　lands。〃
　　　〃And　what　did　you　find？〃　he　demanded。
　
　　　I　glanced　from　him　to　Avicus　and　I　saw　that　he　too　waited　upon　my　answer。
　　　〃I　found　nothing；〃　I　responded。　〃Nothing　but　burnt　ones　who　pondered　the　same　mystery。　The　old　legend　of　the　Good　Mother。　Nothing　further。　It　is　finished。　There　is　no　more　to　tell。〃
　　　Did　they　believe　me？　I　couldn't　tell。　Both　seemed　to　harbor　their　own　secrets；　their　own　choices　made　long　ago。
　　　Avicus　looked　ever　so　slightly　alarmed　for　his　panion。
　　　Mael　looked　up　slowly　and　said　with　anger；
　　　〃Oh；　that　I　had　never　laid　eyes　upon　you。　You　wicked　Roman；　you　rich　Roman　with　all　your　splendor　and　fine　words。〃　He　looked　about　the　house；　at　its　wall　paintings；　at　its　couches　and　tables；　at　the　marble　floors。
　　　〃Why　do　you　say　this？〃　I　asked。
　　　I　tried　not　to　despise　him　but　to　see　him；　and　understand　him；　but　my　hatred　was　too　great。
　　　〃When　I　took　you　prisoner；〃　he　said；　〃when　I　sought　to　teach　you　our　poetry　and　our　songs；　do　you　remember　how　you　tried　to　bribe　me？　You　spoke　of　your　beautiful　villa　on　the　Bay　of　Naples。　You　said　that　you　would　take　me　there　if　only　I　would　help　you　escape。　Do　you　remember　these　awful　things？〃
　　　〃Yes；　I　remember；〃　I　said　coldly。　〃I　was　your　prisoner！　You　had　taken　me　deep　into　the　forest　against　my　will。　What　did　you　expect　of　me？　And　had　you　let　me　escape；　I　would　have　taken　you　to　my　house　on　the　Bay　of　Naples。　I　would　have　paid　my　own　ransom。　My　family　would　have　paid　it。　Oh；　it's　too　foolish　to　speak　of　these　things。〃
　　　I　shook　my　head。　I　grew　too　agitated。　My　old　loneliness　beckoned　to　me。　I　wanted　silence　in　these　rooms　again。　What　need　had　I　of　these　two？
　　　But　the　one　called　Avicus　appealed　to　me　silently　with　his　expresssion。
　　　　And　I　wondered　who　he　might　be。
　　　　〃Please；　keep　your　temper；〃　said　Avicus。　〃I'm　the　cause　of　his　suffering。〃
　　　〃No；〃　said　Mael　quickly。　Fie　glanced　at　his　panion。　〃That　can't　be。〃
　　　〃Oh；　but　it　is；〃　declared　Avicus；　〃and　always　has　been；　ever　since　I　have　you　the　Dark　Blood。　Gain　the　strength　either　to　remain　with　me　or　to　leave　me。　Things　cannot　remain　as　they　are。〃
　　　
　　　He　reached　out　and　put　his　hand　on　his　panion's　arm。　〃You've　found　this　strange　being；　Marius；〃　he　said；　〃and　you've　told　Marius　of　the　last　years　of　your　strong　belief。　You've　relived　that　awful　misery。　But　don't　be　so　foolish　as　to　hate　him　for　what　happened。　He　was　right　to　seek　his　freedom。　As　for　us；　the　old　faith　died。　The　
　　　Terrible　Fire　destroyed　it；　and　nothing　more　could　be　done。〃　Mael　looked　as　dejected　as　any　creature　I've　ever　seen。　Meantime　my　heart　was　fast　catching　up　with　my　mind。　I　was　thinking：
　　　　　Here　are　two　immortals　but　we　cannot　solace　one　another；　we　cannot　have　friendship。　We　can　only　part　after　bitter　words。　And　then　I'll　be　alone　again。　I'll　be　proud　Marius　who　left　Pandora。　I　shall　have　my　beautiful　house　and　all　my　fine　possessions　to　myself。
　　　I　realized　Avicus　was　staring　at　me；　trying　to　probe　my　mind；　but　failing　though　his　Mind　Gift　was　quite　terrifically　strong。　〃Why　do　you　live　as　vagabonds？　〃　I　asked。
　　　〃We　don't　know　how　to　live　as　anything　else；〃　said　Avicus。　〃We've　never　tried。　We　shy　away　from　mortals；　except　when　we　hunt。　We　fear　discovery。　We　fear　fire。〃　I　nodded。
　　　〃What　do　you　seek　other　than　blood？〃
　　　A　miserable　expression　passed　over　his　face。　He　was　in　pain。　He　tried　to　hide　it。　Or　perhaps　he　tried　to　make　the　pain　go　away。
　　　〃I'm　not　sure　that　we　seek　anything；〃　he　said。　〃We　don't　know　how。〃
　　　〃Do　you　want　to　stay　with　me；〃　I　asked；　〃and　learn？　〃　I　felt　the　boldness；　the　presumptuousness　of　this　question；　but　the　words　had　already　been　said。
　　　〃I　can　show　you　the　Temples　of　Rome；　I　can　show　you　the　big　palaces；　the　houses　that　make　this　villa　appear　quite　humble　indeed。　I　can　show　you　how　to　play　the　shadows　so　that　mortals　never　see　you；　how　to　climb　walls　swiftly　and　silently；　how　to　walk　the　roofs　at　night　all　over　the　city；　never　touching　the　ground。〃　Avicus　was　amazed。　He　looked　to　Mael。　Mael　sat　slumped；　saying　nothing。　Then　he　pulled　himself　up。　In　a　weak　voice　he　continued　his　condemnation。　〃I　would　have　been　stronger　if　you　hadn't　told　me　all　those　marvelous
　　　　things；〃　he　said；　〃and　now　you　ask　if　we　want　to　enjoy　the　same　pleasures；　the　pleasures　of　a　Roman。〃
　　　〃It's　what　I　have　to　offer；〃　I　said。　〃Do　what　you　wish。〃
　　　Mael　shook　his　head。　He　began　to　speak　again；　for　the　benefit　of　whom　I　don't　know。
　　　〃When　it　was　plain　that　you　wouldn't　return；〃　he　said；　〃they　chose　me。　I　was　to　bee　the　god。　But　for　this　to　happen　we　had　to　find　a　God　of　the　Grove　who　had　not　been　burnt　to　death　by　the　Terrible　Fire。　After　all；　we　had　destroyed　our　own　gentle　god　foolishly！　A　
　　　creature　who　had　had　the　magic　to　make　you。〃
　　　I　gestured　as　if　to　say；　It　was　indeed　a　shame。
　　　〃We　sent　word　far　and　wide；〃　he　said。　〃At　last　an　answer　came　from　Britain。　A　god　survived　there；　a　god　who　was　most　ancient　and　most　strong。〃
　　　I　looked　to　Avicus；　but　there　was　no　change　in　his　expression。
　　　〃However　we　were　warned　not　to　go　to　him。　We　were　told　that　it　was　perhaps　not　something　we　should　do。　We　were　confused　by　these　messages；　and　at　last　we　set　out　for　we　felt　that　we　must　try。〃
　　　〃And　how　did　you　feel；〃　I　asked　cruelly；　〃now　that　you　had　been　chosen；　and　you　knew　that　you　would　be　shut　up　in　the　oak；　never　to　see　the　sun　again；　and　only　to　drink　blood　during　the　great　feasts　and　during　the　full　moon？〃
　　　He　looked　straight　ahead　as　if　he　couldn't　give　me　a　decent　answer　to　this；　and　then　he　replied。
　　　〃You　had　corrupted　me　as　I　told　you。〃
　　　〃Ah；〃　I　said；　〃so　you　were　afraid。　The　Faithful　of　the　Forest　couldn't　fort　you。　And　I　was　to　blame。〃
　　　〃Not　afraid；〃　he　said　furiously；　clenching　his　teeth。　〃Corrupted　as　I　said。〃　He　flashed　his　small　deep…set　eyes　on　me。　〃Do　you　know　what　it　means　to　believe　absolutely　nothing；　to　have　no　god；　no　truth！〃
　　　〃Yes；　of　course　I　know；〃　I　answered。　〃I　believe　nothing。　I　consider　it　wise。　I　believed　nothing　when　I　was　mortal。　I　believe　nothing　now。〃
　　　I　think　I　saw　Avicus　flinch。
　　　I　might　have　said　more　brutal　things；　but　I　saw　that　Mael　meant　to　go　on。
　　　Staring　forward　in　the　same　manner　he　told　his　tale：　〃We　made　our　journey；〃　he　said。　〃We　crossed　the　narrow　sea　to　Britain　and　went　North　to　a　land　of　green　woods　and　there　we　came　upon　a　band　of　priests　who　sang　our　hymns　and　knew　our　poetry　and　our　law。　They　were　Druids　as　we　were　Druids；　they　were　the　Faithful　of　the　Forest　as　were　we。　We　fell　into　each　other's　arms。〃
　　　Avicus　was　watching　Mael　keenly。　My　eyes　were　m