annr.pandora-第3章
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All the preternatural world shimmered weeks earlier； however； with the knowledge that a mortal had jumped into the body of another mortal； we know these things； as if the stars tell us。 One preter natural mind picks up the ripples of this sharp cut in the fabric of the ordinary； then another mind receives the image； and on and on it goes。
David Talbot； the name we all knew from the venerable order of psychic detectives； the Talamasca； had managed to move his entire soul and etheric body … into that of another man。 That body itself was in the possession of a body thief whom you forced from it。 And once anchored in the young … body； you； with all your scruples and values； all your knowledge of seventy…four years； remained an chored in the young cells。
And so it was David the Reborn； David with the high…gloss India beauty； and raw well…nourished strength of British lineage； that Lestat had made into a vampire； bringing over both body and soul； pounding miracle with the Dark Trick； achieving once more a sin that should stun his contemporaries and his elders。 And this； this was done to you by your best friend！
Wele to the darkness； David。 Wele to the domain of Shakespeare's 〃inconstant moon。〃
Bravely you came up the bridge towards me。
〃Forgive me； Pandora；〃 you said so quietly。 Flawless British upper…class accent； and the usual beguiling British rhythm that is so seductive it seems to say that 〃we will all save the world。〃
You kept a polite distance between us； as if I were a virgin girl of the last century； and you didn't want to alarm me and my tender sensibilities。 I smiled。
I indulged myself then。 I took your full measure； this fledgling that Lestat … against Marius's injunction … had dared to make。 I saw the ponents of you as a man： an immense human soul； fearless； yet half in love with despair； and a body which Lestat had almost injured himself to render powerful。 He had given you more blood than he could easily give in your transformation。 He had tried to give you his courage； his cleverness； his cunning； he had tried to transport an armory for you through the blood。
He had done well。 Your strength was plex and obvious。 Our Queen Mother Akasha's blood was mixed with that of Lestat。 Marius； my ancient lover； had given him blood as well。 Lestat； ah； now what do they say； they say that he may even have drunk the blood of the Christ。
It was this first issue I took up with you； my curiosity overwhelming me； for to scan the world for knowledge is often to rake in such tragedy that I abhor it。
〃Tell me the truth of it；〃 I said。 〃This story Memnoch the Devil。 Lestat claimed he went to Heaven and to Hell。 He brought back a veil from St。 Veronica。 The face of Christ was on it！ It converted thousands to Christianity； it cured alienation and succored bitterness。 It drove other Children of Darkness to ：throw up their arms to the deadly morning light； as if the sun were in fact the fire of God。〃
〃Yes； it's all happened； as I described it；〃 you said； lowering your head with a polite but unexaggerated modesty。 〃And you know a few。。。 of us perished in this fervor； whilst newspapers and scientists collected our ashes for examination。〃
I marveled at your calm attitude。 A Twentieth…Century sensibility。 A mind dominated by an incalculable wealth of information； and quick of tongue with an intellect devoted to swiftness； synthesis； probabilities； and all this against the backdrop of horrid experiences； wars； massacres； the worst perhaps the world has ever seen。
〃It all happened；〃 you said。 〃And I did meet with Mekare and Maharet； the ancient ones； and you needn't fear for me that I don't know how fragile is the root。 It was kind of you to think so protectively of me。〃
I was quietly charmed。
〃What did you think of this Holy Veil yourself？〃 I asked。
〃Our Lady of Fatima；〃 you said softly。 〃The Shroud of Turin； a cripple rising from the Miraculous Waters of Lourdes！ What a consolation it must be to accept such a thing so easily。〃
〃And you did not？〃
You shook your head。 〃And neither did Lestat； really。 It was the mortal girl； Dora； snatching the Veil from him； who took it out into the world。 But it was a most singular and meticulously made thing； I'll tell you that； more worthy of the word 'relic' perhaps than any other I've ever seen。〃
You sounded dejected suddenly。
〃Some immense intent went into its making；〃 you said。
〃And the vampire Armand； the delicate boylike Armand； he believed it？〃 I asked。 〃Armand looked at it and saw the face of Christ；〃 I said； seeking your confirmation。
〃Enough to die for it；〃 you said solemnly。 〃Enough to open his arms to the morning sun。〃
You looked away； and you closed your eyes。 This was a simple unadorned plea to me not to make you speak of Armand and how he had gone into the morning fire。
I gave a sigh … surprised and gently fascinated to find you so articulate； skeptical； yet so sharply and frankly connected to the others。
You said in a shaken voice； 〃Armand。〃 And still looking away from me。 〃What a Requiem。 And does he know now if Memnoch was real； if God Incarnate who tempted Lestat was in fact the Son of the God Almighty？ Does anyone'？〃
I was taken with your earnestness； your passion。 You were not jaded or cynical。 There was an immediacy to your feelings for these happenings； these creatures； these questions you posed；
〃They locked up the Veil； you know；〃 you said。 〃It's in the Vatican。 There were two weeks of frenzy on Fifth Avenue in St。 Patrick's Cathedral in which people came to look into the eyes of The Lord； and then they had it； gone； taken to their vaults。 I doubt there is a nation on the Earth with the power to gain even a glimpse of it now。〃
〃And Lestat；〃 I said。 〃Where is he now？〃
〃Paralyzed； silent；〃 you said。 〃Lestat lies on the floor of a chapel in New Orleans。 He doesn't move。 He says nothing。 His Mother has e to him。 You knew her； Gabrielle； he made a vampire of her。〃
〃Yes； I remember her。〃
〃Even she draws no response from him。 Whatever he saw； in his journey to Heaven and Hell； he doesn't know the truth of it one way or the other … he tried to tell this to Dora！ And eventually； after I'd written down the whole story for him； he passed within a few nights into this state。
〃His eyes are fixed and his body pliant。 They made a curious Pietá； he and Gabrielle； in this abandoned convent and its chapel。 His mind is dosed； or worse … it's empty。〃
I found I liked very much your manner of speaking。 In fact； I was taken off guard。
〃I left Lestat because he was beyond my help and my reach；〃 you said。 〃And I must know if there are old ones who want to put an end to me； I must make my pilgrimages and my progresses to know the dangers of this world to which I've been admitted。〃
〃You're so forthright。 You have no cunning。〃
〃On the contrary； I conceal my keenest assets from you。〃 You gave me a slow； polite smile。 〃Your beauty rather confuses me。 Are you used to this？〃
〃Quite；〃 I said。 〃And weary of it。 e beyond it。 Let me just warn； there are old ones； ones no one knows or can explain。 It's rumored you've been with Maharet and Mekare； who are now the E1dest and the Fount from which we all spring。 Obviously they've drawn back from us； from all the world； into some secret place； and have no taste for authority。〃
〃You're so very correct；〃 you said； 〃and my audience with them was beautiful but brief。 They don't want to rule over anyone； nor will Maharet； as long as the history of the world and her own physical descendants are in it … her own thousands of human descendants from a time so ancient there is no date for it … Maharet will never destroy herself and her sister； thereby destroying all of us。〃
〃Yes；〃 I said； 〃in that she believes； the Great Family； the generations she has traced for thousands of years。 I saw her when we all gathered。 She doesn't see us as evil … you； or me； or Lestat … she thinks that we're natural； rather like volcanoes or fires that rage through forests； or bolts of lightning that strike a man dead。〃
〃Precisely；〃 you said。 〃There is no Queen of the Damned now。 I fear only one other immortal； and that's your lover； Marius。 Because it was Marius who laid down the strict rule befor
