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〃They starved our Amadeo；〃 I said； 〃they tortured him。 This is plain here。 And when he had given up all hope； believing me to be dead； and believing their piety to be just； he became one of them。〃
She looked at me solemnly； the tears standing in her eyes。
〃Oh； how often I've seen you cry；〃 I said。 〃But not of late； and not so bitterly as you cry for him。 Be assured I have not forgotten him either。〃
She shook her head as if her thoughts were not in accord with mine but she was not able to reveal them。
〃We must be clever； my precious one；〃 I said。 〃Whatever abode we choose for ourselves； we must be safe from them； always。〃
Almost dismissively she spoke now。
〃We can find a safe place；〃 she said。 〃You know we can。 We must。 We cannot remain as we are forever。 It is not our nature。 If I have learnt nothing from your stories I have learnt that much； that you have wandered the Earth in search of beauty as well as in your search for blood。〃
I did not like her seriousness。
〃We are only two；〃 she went on； 〃and should these devils e again with their fiery brands； it will be a simple thing for you to remove me to some lofty height where they can't harm me。〃
〃If I am there； my love； if I am there；〃 I said； 〃and what if I am not？ All these years； since we have left our lovely Venice behind； you have lived within these walls where they can't harm you。 Now； should we go to some other place； and lodge there； I shall have to be on guard always。 Is that natural？〃
This felt dreadful to me； this talk。 I had never known anything so difficult with her。 I didn't like the inscrutable expression on her face； nor the way her hand trembled。
〃Perhaps it is too soon；〃 she said。 〃But I must tell you a most important thing； and I cannot keep it from you。〃
I hesitated before I answered。
〃What is it； Bianca？〃 I asked。 I was fast being miserable。 Utterly miserable。
〃I think you have made a grievous error；〃 she said。
I was quietly stunned。 She said nothing more。 I waited。 Still there came this silence mingled with her sitting back against the wall； her eyes fixed upwards on the Divine Parents。
〃Will you tell me what this error is？〃 I asked。 〃By all means； you must tell me！ I love you。 I must hear this。〃
She said nothing。 She looked at the King and Queen。 She did not appear to be praying。
I picked up the parchment pages of the letter。 I moved through them and then looked at her again。
Her tears had dried； and her mouth was soft； but her eyes were filled with some strange look that I could not explain to myself。
〃Is it the Talamasca that causes you fear？〃 I asked。 〃I shall explain all this to you。 But see here that I wrote to them from a distant monastery。 I left few footprints there； my beauty。 I traveled the winds while you were sleeping here。〃
There followed nothing but her silence。 It seemed not dark or cold but merely reserved and thoughtful。 But when she moved her eyes to me； the change in her face was slow and ominous。
With quiet words I hastened to explain to her my strange meeting with Raymond Gallant on my last night of true happiness in Venice。 I explained in the simplest manner how he had sought knowledge of us； and how I had learnt from him that Pandora had been seen in northern Europe。
I talked of all the things contained in the letter。 I talked of Amadeo once more。 I spoke of my hatred of Santino； that he had robbed me of all I loved save her； and how on that account she was； of all things； most precious to me。
At last I was willing to say no more。 I was growing angry。 I felt wronged and I couldn't understand her。 Her silence hurt me more and more； and I knew that she could see this in my face。
Finally； I saw some change in her。 She sharpened her gaze and then she spoke：
〃Don't you see the grievous error you've made？〃 she asked。 〃Don't you hear it in the lessons you've made known to me？ Centuries ago； the young Satan worshipers came to you for what you could give when you lived with Pandora。 You denied them your precious knowledge。 You should have revealed to them the mystery of the Mother and the Father！〃
〃Good Lord； how could you believe such a thing？〃
〃And when Santino asked you in Rome； you should have brought him to this very shrine！ You should have shown to him the mysteries you revealed to me。 Had you done it； Marius； he would never have been your enemy。〃
I was enraged as I stared at her。 Was this my brilliant Bianca？
〃Don't you see！〃 she went on。 〃Over and over； these unstoppable fools have made a cult of nothing！ You could have shown them something！〃 She gestured towards me dismissively as though I disgusted her。 〃How many decades have we been here？ How strong am I？ Oh； you needn't answer。 I know my own endurance。 I know my own temper。
〃But don't you see； all my understanding of our powers is reinforced by their beauty and their majesty！ I know whence we e！ I have seen you drink from the Queen。 I have seen you wake from your swoon。 I have seen your skin healing。
〃But what did Amadeo ever see？ What did Santino ever see？ And you marvel at the extent of their heresy。〃
〃Don't call it heresy！〃 I declared suddenly； the words bursting from my lips。 〃Don't speak as if this were a worship！ I have told you that yes； there are secret things； and things which no one can explain！ But we are not worshipers！〃
〃It is a truth you revealed to me；〃 she said； 〃in their paradox； in their presence！〃 Her voice rose； ill…tempered and utterly alien to her。 〃You might have smashed Santino's ill…founded crusade with a mere glimpse of the Divine Parents。〃
I glared at her。 A madness took hold of me。
I rose to my feet。 I looked about the shrine furiously。
〃Gather up all you possess；〃 I said suddenly。 〃I'm casting you out of here！〃
She sat still as she had been before； gazing up at me in cold defiance。
〃You heard what I said。 Gather your precious clothes； your looking glass； your pearls； your jewels； your books； whatever you want。 I'm taking you out of here。〃
For a long moment she looked at me； glowering； I should say； as if she didn't believe me。
Then all at once she moved； obeying me in a series of quick gestures。
And within the space of a few moments； she stood before me； her cloak about her； her bundle clasped to her chest； looking as she had some countless years before when first I had brought her here。
I don't know whether she looked back at the face of the Mother and the Father。 I did not。 I did not for one moment believe that either would prevent this dreadful expulsion。
Within moments； I was on the wind； and I didn't know where I would take her。
I traveled higher and faster than I had dared to do before； and found it well within my power。 Indeed； my own speed amazed me。 The land before me had been burnt in recent wars and I knew it to be spotted here and there with ruined castles。
It was to one of these that I took her； making certain that the town all around had been pillaged and deserted； and then I set her down in a stone room within the broken fortress； and went in search of a place where she might sleep by day in the ruined graveyard。
It did not take me long to be confident that she could survive here。 In the burnt…out chapel there were crypts beneath the floor。 There were hiding places everywhere。
I went back to her。 She was standing as I had left her； her face as solemn as before； her brilliant oval eyes fixed on me。
〃I want no more of you；〃 I said。 I was shuddering。 〃I want no more of you that you could say such a thing； that you could blame me that Santino took from me my child！ I can have no more of you。 You have no grasp of the burden I have carried throughout time or how many times I have lamented it！ What do you think your precious Santino would do had he the Mother and the Father in his possession？ How many demons could he bring to drink from them？ And who knows what the Mother and Father might permit in their silence？ Who knows what they have ever wanted？〃
〃You are an evil and negligent brother to me；〃 she said coldly； glancing about herself。 〃Why not leave me to the wolves in the fo