anner.bloodandgold-第35部分

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　　　I　looked　directly　at　Eudoxia；　a　bit　dazzled　by　the　countless　jewels　of　her　robe；　and　the　vision　of　her　sparkling　fingernails；　far　brighter　than　any　I'd　ever　beheld　except　those　of　Akasha；　and　I　gathered　my　strength　again　and　tried　to　penetrate　her　mind。
　　　She　smiled　sweetly　at　me；　and　then　she　said；　〃Marius；　I　am　far　too　old　in　the　Blood　for　what　you　mean　to　do；　but　I　will　tell　you　anything　you　want　to　know。〃
　　　〃May　I　call　you　by　the　name　you've　given　us？〃　I　asked。
　　　〃That　was　my　intent；〃　she　replied；　〃in　giving　you　the　name。　But　let　me　tell　you；　I　expect　honesty　from　you；　otherwise；　I　will　not　tolerate　you　in　my　realm。〃
　　　I　suddenly　felt　a　wave　of　anger　emanating　from　Mael。　I　threw　a　warning　glance　to　him；　and　once　again　I　saw　that　totally　entranced　expression　on　the　face　of　Avicus。
　　　I　realized　suddenly　that　Avicus　had　probably　never　beheld　such　a　blood　drinker　as　this。　The　young　women　blood　drinkers　among　the　worshipers　of　Satan　were　deliberately　dirty　and　disheveled；　and　here；　reclining　on　her　magnificent　couch　lay　a　woman　who　looked　like　the　Empress　who　reigned　over　Byzantium。
　　　Indeed；　perhaps　this　was　how　this　creature　perceived　herself。
　　　She　smiled　as　though　all　these　thoughts　were　transparent　to　her；　and　then　with　a　little　movement　of　her　hand　she　told　the　two　blood　drinker　boys；　Asphar　and　Rashid；　to　withdraw。
　　　Then　her　eyes　passed　very　calmly　and　slowly　over　my　two　panions　as　though　she　were　drawing　from　them　every　single　coherent　thought　which　had　ever　passed　through　their　minds。
　　　I　continued　my　study　of　her；　of　the　pearls　in　her　hair；　and　the　ropes　of　pearls　about　her　neck；　and　the　jewels　that　adorned　her　naked　toes　as　well　as　her　hands。
　　　At　last；　she　looked　to　me；　and　a　smile　spread　itself　once　more　on　her　features；　brightening　her　entire　countenance。
　　　〃If　I　grant　you　permission　to　stay…and　I　am　not　at　all　sure　that　I　mean　to　do　it…you　must　show　me　loyalty　when　others　e　to　break　the　peace　that　we　share。　You　must　never　side　with　them　against　me。　You　must　keep　Constantinople　only　for　us。〃
　　　〃And　just　what　will　you　do　if　we　don't　show　you　loyalty？〃　asked　Mael　with　his　old　anger。
　　　She　remained　staring　at　me　for　a　long　moment；　as　though　to　insult　him；　and　then　as　though　rousing　herself　from　a　spell；　she　looked　at　Mael。
　　　〃What　can　I　do；〃　she　asked　Mael；　〃to　silence　you　before　you　say　something　foolish　again？〃　Then　her　eyes　returned　to　me。　〃Let　me　make　this　known　to　you　all。　I　know　that　you　possess　the　Mother　and　the　Father。　I　know　that　you　brought　them　here　for　safekeeping　and　that　they　are　in　a　chapel　deep　beneath　your　house。〃
　　　I　was　brutally　stunned。
　　　I　felt　a　wave　of　grief。　Once　again；　I　had　failed　to　keep　the　secret。　Even　in　Antioch　long　ago；　I　had　failed　to　keep　the　secret。　Would　I　not　always　fail　to　keep　the　secret？　Was　this　not　my　fate？　What　was　to　be　done？
　　　〃Don't　be　so　quick　to　draw　back　from　me；　Marius；〃　said　Eudoxia。　〃I　drank　from　the　Mother　in　Egypt　centuries　before　you　took　her　away。〃
　　　This　statement　stunned　me　all　the　more。　Yet　it　held　some　strange　promise。　It　cast　a　small　light　into　my　soul。
　　　I　was　wondrously　excited　suddenly。
　　　Here　was　one　who　understood　everything　about　the　ancient　mysteries；　just　as　Pandora　had　understood。　This　one；　delicate　of　face　and　speech；　was　a　world　apart　from　either　Avicus　or　Mael；　and　how　gentle　and　reasonable　she　seemed。
　　　〃I'll　tell　you　my　story　if　you　want　it；　Marius；〃　she　said。　〃I　have　always　been　a　worldly　blood　drinker；　never　one　given　to　the　old　　religion　of　the　Blood　Gods　of　Egypt。　I　was　three　hundred　years　old　in　the　Blood　before　you　were　born。　But　I'll　tell　you　all　you　want　to　know。　It　is　plain　that　you　move　through　the　world　by　means　of　questions。〃
　　　〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃I　do　move　through　the　world　by　means　of　questions；　and　too　often　I've　asked　those　questions　in　utter　silence；　or　long　　centuries　ago　of　people　who　gave　me　answers　that　were　fragments　which　I　had　to　piece　together　as　though　they　were　bits　of　old　papyri。　I　hunger　for　knowledge。　I　hunger　for　what　you　mean　to　say　to　me。〃
　　　She　nodded　and　this　seemed　to　give　her　extraordinary　pleasure。
　　　〃Some　of　us　don't　require　intimate　understanding；〃　she　said。　〃Do　you　require　it；　Marius？　I　can　read　much　in　your　thoughts；　but　this　is　a　puzzle。　Must　you　be　understood？〃
　　　

　　　I　was　baffled。
　　　〃Must　I　be　understood；〃　I　said；　thinking　it　over；　as　secretly　as　I　might。　Did　either　Avicus　or　Mael　understand　me？　No；　they　did　not。　But　once　long　long　ago　the　Mother　had　understood　me。　Or　had　she？　Just　possibly　when　I'd　fallen　so　in　love　with　her；　I　had　understood　her。
　　　〃I　don't　have　an　answer　for　you；〃　I　said　softly。　〃I　think　I　have　e　to　enjoy　loneliness。　I　think　when　I　was　mortal　I　loved　it。　I　was　the　wanderer。　But　why　do　you　put　this　question　to　me？〃
　　　〃Because　I　don't　require　understanding；〃　she　said；　and　for　the　first　time　there　came　a　cold　tone　into　her　voice。　〃But　if　you　wish　it；　I'll　tell　you　about　my　life。〃
　　　〃I　want　so　much　to　hear　your　story；〃　I　answered。　I　was　infatuated。　Again；　I　thought　of　my　beautiful　Pandora。　Here　was　an　inparable　woman　who　seemed　to　have　the　same　gifts。　I　wanted　so　to　listen　to　her；　and　it　was　more　than　essential　for　our　safety　that　I　listen　to　her。　But　how　could　we　deal　with　the　uneasiness　of　Mael；　and　the　obvious　
　　　obsession　of　Avicus？
　　　She　took　the　thought　from　me　immediately；　looking　at　Avicus　　gently　and　then　turning　her　attention　for　a　long　sober　moment　on　the　infuriated　Mael。
　　　〃You　were　a　priest　in　Gaul；〃　she　said　calmly　to　him；　〃yet　you　have　the　attitude　of　a　dedicated　warrior。　You　would　destroy　me。　Why　is　this　so？〃
　　　〃I　don't　respect　your　authority　here；〃　Mael　answered；　trying　to　match　her　quiet　tone。　〃Who　are　you　to　me？　You　say　you　never　respected　the　old　religion。　Well；　I　respected　it。　And　Avicus　respected　it。　Of　this　we're　proud。〃
　　　〃We　all　want　the　same　thing；〃　she　answered。　She　smiled；　revealing　her　fang　teeth。　〃We　want　a　hunting　ground　which　is　not　overcrowded。　We　want　the　Satanic　blood　drinkers　to　be　kept　out　for　they　multiply　insanely　and　seek　to　foment　trouble　in　the　mortal　world。　My　authority　rests　on　my　past　triumphs。　It's　no　more　than　habit。　If　we　can　make　a　peace　。。。〃　She　broke　off　and　in　the　manner　of　a　man　she　shrugged　her　shoulders　and　opened　her　hands。
　　　Suddenly　Avicus　broke　in。
　　　〃Marius　speaks　for　us；〃　he　said。　〃Marius；　make　the　peace　with　Eudoxia；　please。〃
　　　〃We　give　you　our　loyalty；〃　I　said；　〃in　so　far　as　we　do　want　the　same　things；　as　you've　described。　But　I　want　very　much　to　speak　with　you。　I　want　to　know　how　many　blood　drinkers　are　here　now。　As　for　your　history；　let　me　say　again　that　I　do　want　to　hear　it。　One　thing　we　can　give　to　each　other　is　our　history。　Yes。　I　want　to　know　yours。〃
　　　She　rose　from　the　couch　very　gracefully；　revealing　herself　to　be　a　little　taller　than　I　had　supposed。　She　had　rather　broad　shoulders　for　a　woman；　and　she　walked　very　straight；　her　bare　feet　not　making　the　slightest　sound。
　　　〃e　into　my　library；〃　she　said；　leading　us　into　a　chamber　off　the　main　room。　〃It's　better　for　talking；　I　believe。〃　Her　hair　was　long　down　her　back；　a　heavy　mass　of　black　curls；　and　she　moved　gracefully　despite　the　weight　of　her　beaded　and　decorated　robes。
　　　The　library　was　immense；　with　shelves　for　scrolls　and　codexes；　that　is；　bound　volumes　such　as　we　have　today。　There　were　chairs　here　and　there；　and　some　gathered　in　the　center；　and　two　couches　for　reclining　and　tables　on　which　to　write。　The　golden　lamps　looked　Persian　to　me　in　their　heavy　worked　designs；　but　I　couldn't　be　certain　of　it。
　　　The　carpets　strewn　about　were　definitely　Persian；　that　much　I　knew。
　　　Of　course　the　moment　I　saw　the　books；　I　was　overe　with　pleasure。　This　always　happens　with　me。　I　remembered　the　library　in　old　Egypt　in　which　I　had　found　the　Elder　who　had　put　the　Mother　and　Father　into　the　sun。　I　feel　foolishly　safe　with　books　which　can　be　a　mistake。
　　　I　thought　of　all　that　I　had　lost　in　the　first　siege　of　Rome。　I　couldn't　help　but　wonder　what　Greek　and　Roman　authors　were　here　preserved。　For　the　Christians；　though　they　were　kinder　to　the　ancients　than　people
　　　　now　believe；　did　not　always　save　the　old　works。
　　　〃Your　eyes　are　hungry；〃　she　said；　〃though　your　mind　is　shut。　I　know　you　want　to　read　here。　You're　wele。　Send　your　scribes　to　copy　what　you　will。　But　I　go　ahead　of　myself；　don't　I？　We　must　talk。　We　must　see　if　we　can　achieve　an　agreement。　I　don't　know　that　we　can。〃
　　　She　turned　her　eyes　to　Avicus。
　　　〃And　you；　you　who　are　old；　you　who　were　given　the　Blood　in　Egypt；　you　are　only　just　learning　to　love　the　realm　of　letters。　How　strange　that　it　would　take　you　so　long。〃
　　　I　could　feel　his　immense　excitement　and　tender　confusion。
　　　〃I'm　learning；〃　he　said。　〃Marius　is　teaching　me。〃　And　then　the　flame　rose　in　his　cheeks。
　　　As　for　Mael；　I　couldn't　help　but　note　his　quiet　fury；　and　it　struck　me　that　he　had　for　so　long　been　the　author　of　his　own　unhappiness；　but　now　something　was　truly　happening　which　might　be　a　legitimate　cause
　　　of　his　pain。
　　　Of　course　it　greatly　distressed　me　that　neither　of　them　could　keep　their　minds　secret。　Long　ago　in　Rome　when　I　had　sought　to　find　them　they　had　done　a　better　job　of　it。
　　　〃Let's　be　seated；〃　sa