anner.vittoriothevampire-第36部分

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rying？　You　have　not　even　set　them　free　yet。　Will　you　do　it　by　night？〃
　〃I　can　do　it。　I　can　yet　do　it。　But　can　I　not　stay　here　with　her；　and　when　she　finds　she　is　all　alone；　that　all　the　others　have　perished；　that　all　the　promises　of　Godric　and　Florian　were　tyranny；　is　there　no　way　that　she　can　render　her　soul　to　God？〃
　Mastema；　without　ever　a　change　in　his　soft　cold　eyes；　slowly　turned　his　back。
　〃No！　Don't　do　it；　don't　turn　away！〃　I　shouted。　I　caught　hold　of　his　powerful　silk…clad　arm。　I　felt　his　unsurmountable　strength　beneath　the　fabric；　the　strange；　unnatural　fabric。　He　gazed　down　at　me。　〃Why　can't　you　tell　me！〃
　〃For　the　love　of　God；　Vittorio！〃　he　roared　suddenly；　his　voice　filling　the　entire　crypt。　〃Don't　you　realize？　We　don't　know！〃
　He　shook　me　loose；　the　better　to　glare　down　at　me；　his　brows　furrowed；　his　hand　closing　on　the　hilt　of　his　sword。
　〃We　don't　e　from　a　species　that　has　ever　known　forgiveness！〃　he　shouted。　〃We　are　not　flesh　and　blood；　and　in　our　realm　things　are　Light　or　they　are　the　Darkness；　and　that　is　all　we　know！〃
　In　a　fury；　he　turned　and　marched　towards　her。　I　rushed　after　him；　pulling　at　him；　but　unable　to　deter　him　a　fraction　from　his　purpose。
　He　plunged　his　hand　down；　past　her　groping　hands；　and　clutched　her　tiny　neck。　Her　eyes　stared　up　at　him　in　that　terrible；　terrible　blindness。
　〃She　has　a　human　soul　in　her；〃　he　said　in　a　whisper。　And　then　he　drew　back　as　if　he　did　not　want　to　touch　her；　couldn't　bear　to　touch　her；　and　he　backed　away　from　her；　shoving　me　away；　forcing　me　back　as　he　did。
　I　broke　into　weeping。　The　sun　shifted；　and　the　shadows　began　to　thicken　in　the　crypt。　I　turned　finally。　The　patch　of　light　above　was　now　pale。　It　was　a　rich　radiant　gold；　but　it　was　pale。
　My　angels　stood　there；　all　gathered；　watching　me　and　waiting。
　〃I'm　staying　with　her　here；〃　I　said。　〃She'll　wake　soon。　And　I'll　put　it　to　her；　that　she　pray　for　God's　grace。〃
　I　knew　it　only　as　I　said　it。　I　understood　it　only　as　I　made　it　plain。
　〃I'll　stay　with　her。　If　she　renounces　all　her　sins　for　the　love　of　God；　then　she　can　remain　with　me；　and　death　will　e；　and　we　will　not　lift　a　hand　to　hasten　it；　and　God　will　accept　us　both。〃
　〃You　think　you　have　the　strength　to　do　that？〃　Mastema　asked。　〃And　you　think　it　of　her？〃
　〃I　owe　her　this；〃　I　said。　〃I　am　bound。　I　never　lied　to　you；　not　to　any　of　you。　I　never　lied　to　myself。　She　slew　my　brother　and　sister。　I　saw　her。　No　doubt　she　killed　many　of　them；　my　own。　But　she　saved　me。　She　saved　me　twice。　And　to　kill　is　simple；　but　to　save　is　not！〃
　〃Ah；〃　said　Mastema　as　though　I'd　struck　him。　〃That's　true。〃
　〃So　I'll　stay。　I　expect　nothing　from　you　now。　I　know　I　cannot　get　out　of　here。　Perhaps　even　she　cannot。〃
　〃Of　course　she　can；〃　said　Mastema。
　〃Don't　leave　him；〃　said　Setheus。　〃Take　him　against　his　will。〃
　〃None　of　us　can　do　that；　and　you　know　it；〃　said　Mastema。
　〃Only　out　of　the　crypt；〃　pleaded　Ramiel；　〃as　if　from　a　canyon　into　which　he's　fallen。〃
　〃But　it　is　not　such　a　thing；　and　I　cannot。〃
　〃Then　let　us　stay　with　him；〃　said　Ramiel。
　〃Yes；　let　us　stay；〃　said　my　two　guardians；　more　or　less　at　the　same　time　and　in　similar　muted　expressions。　〃Let　her　see　us。〃
　〃How　do　we　know　that　she　can？〃　asked　Mastema。　〃How　do　we　know　that　she　will？　How　many　times　does　it　happen　that　a　human　being　can　see　us？〃
　For　the　first　time　I　saw　anger　in　him。　He　looked　at　me。
　〃God　has　played　such　a　game　with　you；　Vittorio！〃　he　said。　〃Given　you　such　enemies　and　such　allies！〃
　〃Yes；　I　know　this；　and　I　will　beg　Him　with　all　my　strength　and　the　weight　of　all　my　suffering　for　her　soul。〃　I　didn't　mean　to　close　my　eyes。　I　know　that　I　did　not。
　But　the　entire　scene　was　altered　utterly。　The　pile　of　heads　lay　as　before；　and　some　at　random；　shriveling；　drying　up；　the　acrid　smoke　still　rising　from　them；　and　the　light　above　had　darkened；　yet　it　was　still　golden；　golden　beyond　the　broken　stair；　and　the　jagged　broken　spears；　golden　with　the　last　burnt　dregs　of　the　late　afternoon。　And　my　angels　had　gone。
　
　
　12
　DELIVER　ME　NOT　INTO　TEMPTATION
　
　FOR　all　my　youth；　my　body　could　take　no　more。　Yet　how　could　I　remain　in　this　crypt；　waiting　for　her　to　awake；　I　without　attempting　some　form　of　exit？
　I　gave　no　thought　to　the　dismissal　by　my　angels。　I　deserved　it；　but　I　was　convinced　of　the　rectitude　of　the　chance　I　meant　to　give　her；　that　she　throw　herself　on　the　mercy　of　God；　and　that　we　leave　this　crypt　and；　if　necessary；　find　the　priest　who　could　absolve　her　human　soul　of　all　her　sins。　For　if　she　could　not　make　a　perfect　confession　for　the　love　of　God　alone；　well；　then；　the　absolution　would　surely　save　her。
　I　poked　around　the　crypt；　stepping　among　the　drying…up　corpses。　What　light　there　was　gleamed　on　dried　founts　of　blood　that　ran　down　the　sides　of　the　stone　biers。
　At　last　I　found　what　I　had　hoped　to　find；　a　great　ladder　that　could　be　lifted　and　thrown　up　to　the　ceiling　above。　Only；　how　could　I　wield　such　a　thing？
　I　dragged　it　towards　the　center　of　the　crypt；　kicking　out　of　my　path　the　heads　which　were　now　damaged　beyond　reprieve；　and　I　laid　down　the　ladder；　and　stepped　at　midpoint；　between　two　of　the　rungs；　and　tried　from　there　to　lift　it。
　Impossible。　I　simply　did　not　possess　the　leverage。　It　weighed　too　much；　slight　as　it　was；　because　it　was　so　long。　Three　or　four　strong　men　might　have　hoisted　it　sufficiently　to　make　its　topmost　rungs　catch　on　the　broken　spears；　but　I　alone　could　not　do　it。
　Alas；　there　was　another　possibility。　A　chain；　or　a　rope；　that　could　be　tossed　to　the　spears　above。　In　the　gleam；　I　made　a　search　for　such　but　found　none。　No　chains　anywhere　here？　No　coil　of　rope？
　Had　even　the　young　larvae　been　able　to　leap　the　gap　between　the　floor　and　the　broken　stairway？
　At　last　I　moved　along　the　walls；　searching　for　any　bump　or　hook　or　excrescence　which　might　indicate　a　storeroom　or；　God　forbid；　another　crypt　of　these　fiends。　But　I　could　find　nothing。
　Finally；　I　staggered　towards　the　center　of　the　room　again。　I　gathered　all　the　heads；　even　the　loathsome　bald　head　of　Godric；　which　was　now　black　like　leather　with　its　yellowed　slits　of　eyes；　and　I　piled　these　heads　where　the　light　could　not　fail　to　continue　its　work　on　them。
　Then；　stumbling　over　the　ladder；　I　fell　on　my　knees　at　the　foot　of　Ursula's　bier。
　I　sank　down。　I　would　sleep　this　little　while。　No；　not　sleep；　rest。
　Not　willing　it；　indeed；　fearing　it　and　regretting　it；　I　felt　my　limbs　go　limp　and　I　lay　on　the　stone　floor；　and　my　eyes　closed　in　a　blessed　restorative　sleep。　How　curious　it　was。
　I　had　thought　her　scream　would　awaken　me；　that　like　a　frightened　child　she　would　have　risen　up　in　the　darkness　on　the　bier；　finding　herself　alone　with　so　many　dead　ones。
　I　had　thought　the　sight　of　the　heads　in　the　pile　would　have　terrified　her。　But　no　such　had　happened。
　Twilight　filled　the　space　above；　violet…colored；　like　the　flowers　of　the　meadow；　and　she　stood　over　me。　She　had　put　the　rosary　around　her　neck；　which　is　not　mon；　and　she　wore　it　as　a　beautiful　ornament　with　the　gold　crucifix　turning　and　twisting　in　the　light；　a　glinting　speck　of　gold　that　matched　the　specks　of　light　in　her　eyes。　She　was　smiling。
　〃My　brave　one；　my　hero；　e；　let's　escape　this　place　of　death。　You've　done　it；　you　have　avenged　them。〃
　〃Did　you　move　your　lips？〃
　〃Need　I　do　that　with　you？〃
　I　felt　a　thrill　pass　through　me　as　she　lifted　me　to　my　feet。　She　stood　looking　up　into　my　face；　her　hands　firmly　on　my　shoulders。
　〃Blessed　Vittorio；〃　she　said。　Then　clasping　me　about　the　waist；　she　rose　upwards　and　we　passed　the　broken　spears；　without　so　much　as　touching　their　splintered　tips；　and　found　ourselves　in　the　chapel　in　the　dusk；　the　windows　darkened　and　the　shadows　playing　gracefully　but　mercifully　around　the　distant　altar。
　〃Oh；　my　darling；　my　darling；〃　I　said。　〃Do　you　know　what　the　angels　did？　Do　you　know　what　they　said？〃
　〃e；　let's　free　the　prisoners　as　you　wish；〃　she　told　me。
　I　felt　so　refreshed；　so　full　of　vigor。　It　was　as　if　I'd　suffered　no　exhausting　labor　at　all；　as　if　war　hadn't　worn　down　my　limbs　and　broken　me；　as　though　battle　and　struggle　hadn't　been　my　portion　for　days。
　I　rushed　with　her　through　the　castle。　We　threw　open　the　doors；　one　pair　after　another；　on　the　miserable　occupants　of　the　coop。　It　was　she　who　scurried　on　her　light；　feline　feet　through　the　pathways　beneath　the　orange　trees　and　the　bird　aviaries；　overturning　the　kettles　of　soup；　crying　out　to　the　poor　and　the　lame　and　the　hopeless　that　they　were　free；　that　no　one　imprisoned　them　now。
　In　a　twinkling　we　stood　on　a　high　balcony。　I　saw　far　below　their　miserable　procession　in　the　half…light；　the　long　winding　line　of　them　progressing　down　the　mountain　under　the　purple　sky　and　the　rising　evening　star。　The　weak　helped　the　strong；　the　old　carried　the　young。
　〃Where　will　they　go；　back　to　that　evil　town？　Back　to　the　monsters　who　gave　them　up　in　sacrifice？〃　I　was　in　a　fury　suddenly。　〃Punished；　that's　what　they　must　be。〃
　〃In　time；　Vittorio；　there　is　time。　Your　poor　sad　victims　are　free　now。　This　is　our　time；　yours　and　mine；　e。〃
　Her　skirts　went　out　in　a　great　dark　circle　as　down　we　flew；　down　and　down；　down　past　the　windows；　and　down　past　the　walls；　until　my　feet　were　allowed　to　touch　the　soft　ground。
　〃O