按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
She covered her mouth and gave a muffled scream。
〃What have they done to you？〃 she asked。 〃Oh； my beautiful Marius。
Tell me how to remedy this and I will。〃
I saw myself in her gaze； a hooded being of burnt black sticks for neck and wrists with gloves for hands and a floating leather mask for a face。
〃And how do you think that can be done； my beautiful Bianca？〃 I asked。 〃What magic potion can bring me back from what I am now？〃
Her mind was in confusion。 I caught a tangle of images and memories； of misery and hope。
She looked about herself at the glittering golden walls。 She stared at the shining marble sarcophagi。 Then her eyes returned to me。 She was aghast but unafraid。
〃Marius；〃 she said； 〃I can be your acolyte as surely as Amadeo was。 Only tell me how。〃
At the mention of Amadeo's name my eyes filled with tears。 Oh； to think this burnt body had within it the blood of tears。
She dropped to her knees so that she might look directly into my eyes。 Her cloak fell open and I saw the rich pearls around her throat and her pale breasts。 She had worn one very fine gown for this enterprise； not caring how its hem would catch the dirt or the damp。
〃Oh； my lovely jewel；〃 I said to her； 〃how I have loved you both in innocence and guilt。 You don't know how much I have lusted after you； both as monster and man。 You don't know how I've turned my hunger from you when it was something I could scarce control。〃
〃Oh； but I do know；〃 she said。 〃Do you not remember the night you came to me； accusing me for the crimes I'd mitted？ Do you not remember how you confessed your thirst for my blood？ Surely I have not bee since then the pure and simple damsel of a children's tale。〃
〃Perhaps you have； my pretty one；〃 I said。 〃Perhaps you have。 Oh； it's gone； isn't it？ My whole world。 It's gone。 I think of the feasts； the masquerades； the dancing； it's gone； all my paintings burnt。〃
She began to cry。
〃No； don't cry。 Let me cry for it。 It was all my doing。 Because I didn't slay one who despised me。 And they have taken Amadeo prisoner。 Me； they burnt because I was too strong for their designs； but Amadeo they took！〃
〃Stop it； Marius； you rave；〃 she said fearfully。 She put out her hand and touched my gloved fingers。
〃Oh； but I must rave just for a moment。 They took him and I could hear him begging them for explanations； and all the boys； they took the boys too。 Why did they do this？〃
I stared at her through the mask； unable to imagine what she saw or read from this strange artificial countenance in her heated mind。 The scent of her blood was almost overpowering and her sweetness seemed part of another world。
〃Why did they let you live； Bianca； for surely I had not e in time？〃
〃Your pupils； those were the ones they wanted；〃 she answered； 〃they captured them in nets。 I saw the nets。 I screamed and screamed and screamed out of the front doorway。 They did not care about me except to draw you on； and what could I do when I saw you but cry out for your help against them？ Did I do wrong？ Is it wrong that I'm alive？〃
〃No； don't think such。 No。〃 I reached out as carefully as I could and squeezed her hand with my gloved fingers。 〃You must tell me if this grip is too strong。〃
〃Never too strong； Marius；〃 she said。 〃Oh； trust in me as you ask that I trust in you。〃
I shook my head。 The pain was so terrible I couldn't speak for a moment。 My mind and body both were pain。 I could not endure what had befallen me。 I could not endure the hopeless climb which stood before me and my future self。
〃We remain here together； you and I；〃 she said； 〃when surely there is much to be done to heal you。 Let me serve your magic。 I have already told you that I will。〃
〃But what do you truly know of it； Bianca？ Have you truly understood？ 〃
〃Is it not blood； my lord？〃 she asked。 〃Do you think I cannot remember when you took Amadeo； dying； into your own arms？ Nothing could have saved him such as that transformation which I saw forever after in him。 You know that I saw it。 I knew。 You know that I did。〃
I closed my eyes。 I took my breaths slowly。 The pain was terrible。 Her words were lulling me and making me believe that I was not miserable； but where would this path lead？
I tried to read her mind but in my exhaustion I could not。
I wanted so to touch her face； and then believing in the softness of the glove； I did it； stroking her cheek。 The tears welled in her eyes。
〃Where is Amadeo gone？〃 she said desperately。
〃South by sea；〃 I confessed； 〃and to Rome； that is my belief on it； but don't question me now as to why。 Let me say only that it was an enemy of mine who made this siege upon my house and those I love； and in Rome is where he dwells； and those he sent to harm me and Amadeo e from Rome。
〃I should have destroyed him。 I should have foreseen this。 But in vanity I displayed my powers to him； and brushed him aside。 And so he sent his followers in great numbers so that I couldn't overe them。 Oh； how foolish I was not to divine what he would do。 But what is the use of saying it now？ I'm weak； Bianca。 I have no means to reclaim Amadeo。 I must somehow regain my own strength。〃
〃Yes； Marius；〃 she said。 〃I understand you。〃
〃I pray with all my heart that Amadeo uses the powers I gave him；〃 I confessed； 〃for they were great and he's very strong。〃
〃Yes； Marius；〃 she said。 〃I understand what you say。〃
〃It's to Marius that I look now；〃 I said again guiltily and sadly。 〃It's to Marius that I look； for I must。〃
A silence fell between us。 There was no sound except the crackling of the torch in its sconce high on the wall。
Again I tried to read her mind； but I could not。 It was not only my weakness。 It was a resolute quality in her just now。 For though she loved me； there were thoughts conflicting in her； and a wall had been thrown up to keep me from knowing what they were。
〃Bianca；〃 I said in a low voice； 〃you saw the transformation in Amadeo； but did you really understand？〃
〃I did； my lord；〃 she said。
〃You can guess the source of his strength forever after that night？〃
〃I know it； my lord；〃 she answered。
〃I don't believe you；〃 I said gently。 〃You dream when you say you know。〃
〃Oh； but I do know； Marius； As I have only just reminded you； I recall only too well how you came into my very bedchamber thirsting for my blood。〃
She reached out to touch the sides of my face in consolation。 I put up my gloved hand to stop her。
〃I knew then；〃 she said； 〃that you fed upon the dead somehow。 That you took their souls； or perhaps only their blood。 I knew then it was one or the other； and the musicians who fled that banquet at which you'd slain my kinsmen…they spoke of your giving my unfortunate cousins a kiss of death。〃
I gave a low soft laugh。
〃How very careless I was； and believed myself to be so masterly。 What a strange thing。 And no wonder is it that I have fallen so far。〃
I took again a deep breath； feeling the pain all through me； and the thirst unbearably。 Had I ever been that powerful creature who so dazzled many that he could slaughter a gathering of mortals and no one would dare accuse save in whispers？ Had I ever。。。？ But there was too much to remember； and for how long would I remember before even the smallest part of my power was restored？
But she was staring at me with brilliant inquisitive eyes。
Then came from my lips the truth which I could no longer hide。
〃It was the blood of the living； beautiful girl； always the blood of the living；〃 I said desperately。 〃It is the blood of the living and only the blood of the living and must be the blood of the living； do you understand？ It's how I exist and always have existed since I was taken out of mortal life by malicious and disciplined hands。〃
She made a small frown as she stared at me； but she did not look away。 Then she nodded as if to tell me that I might go on。
〃e close to me； Bianca；〃 I whispered。 〃Believe me when I tell you that I existed when Venice was nothing。 When Florence had not risen； I was alive。 And I cannot linger long here suffering。 I must find blood to restore