annr.pandora-第44章
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！
〃Oh； what have I done！〃 he said staring at her。 〃Oh； Pandora； Pandora！ What have I done！ I've made another blood drinker when I swore that there would never； never be another made； not so long as I survived！〃
〃e upstairs；〃 I said calmly。 I glanced at the King and Queen。 No sign of response or recognition。 〃It isn't proper； Marius； that we argue here in the Shrine。 e upstairs。〃
He nodded。
He let me lead him slowly out of the room。 His head was bowed。
〃Your long barbarian hair is most being；〃 I said。 〃And I have eyes now to see you as never before。 Our blood is intertwined as it might be in a child born to us。〃
He wiped at his nose； and didn't look at me。
We walked into the large library。
〃Marius； is there nothing in me that fills your eye； nothing you find beautiful？〃
〃Oh； yes； my dear； there is everything！〃 he said。 〃But for the love of Heaven； bring your wits with you into this！ Don't you see！ Your life's been stolen not for a sacred truth but for a degraded mystery！ Reading minds doesn't make me any wiser than the next man！ I kill to live！ As she once did； thousands and thousands of years ago。 Oh； and she knew she had to do this。 She knew the time had e。〃
〃What time？ What did she know？〃
I stared at him。 I was gradually realizing that I could no longer read his thoughts； and surely he couldn't read mine。 But the hovering boys； they were just open books in their fear； thinking themselves the servants of kindhearted but very loud…voiced demons。
Marius sighed。 〃She did it because I had almost gained the courage to do what I had to do！ To place them both and myself in the sun and finish forever what the Egyptian Elder had sought to do … rid the world of the King and Queen and all the fanged men and women who glut themselves on death！ Oh； she is too clever。〃
〃You really planned to do that？〃 I asked。 〃To immolate them and yourself？〃
He made a small sarcastic sound。 〃Yes； of course； I planned it。 Next week； next month； next year； next decade； after another hundred years； maybe in two hundred； maybe after I'd read all the books in the world and seen all the places； maybe in five hundred years； maybe。。。 maybe soon in my loneliness。〃
I was at first too stunned to speak。
He smiled at me wisely and sadly。 〃Oh； but I cry like a child；〃 he said softly。
〃Where es the confidence；〃 I asked； 〃to put an end so swiftly to such bold and plex evidence of divine magic！〃
〃Magic！〃 he cursed。
〃I'd rather if you did not do this；〃 I said。 〃I don't mean the crying； I mean burning up the Mother and Father and。。。〃
〃I'm sure you would！〃 he answered。 〃And do you think I could bear to do it against your will； subject you to the fire？ You innocent desperate idiot of a woman！ Restore her altars！ Oh！ Restore her worship！ Oh！ You are out of your mind！〃
〃Idiot！ You dare sling your insults at me！ You think you've brought a slave into your household？ You haven't even brought a wife。〃
Yes。 Our minds were locked now to each other； and later I would find out that it was because of our heavy exchange of blood。 But all I knew then was that we had to content ourselves with words like mortal men and women。
〃I did not mean to use petty insults！〃 he said。 He was stung。
〃Well； then sharpen your great male reason and your lofty elegant patrician mode of expression！〃 I said。
We glowered at one another。
〃Yes。〃 he said。 〃Reason；〃 he said。 He held up his finger。 〃You are the most clever woman I've ever known。 And you listen to reason。 I will explain and you will see。 That is what must be done。〃
〃Yes； and you are hotheaded and sentimental and give way to tears again and again … and you pound upon the Queen herself like a child throwing a tantrum！〃
His face went red with immediate anger。 It sealed his lips against his words。
He turned and went away。
〃Do you cast me out？〃 I said。 〃Do you want me gone！〃 I shouted。 〃This is your house。 Tell me now if you want me gone。 I'll go now！〃
He stopped。 〃No；〃 he said。
He turned around and looked at me； shaken； and caught off guard。 In a raw voice； he said； 〃Don't go； Pandora！〃 He blinked as if to dear his vision。 〃Don't go。 Please； don't。〃 And then he let fall a final whisper。 〃We have each other。〃
〃And where do you go now； to get away from me？〃
〃Only to change her dress；〃 he said with a sad bitter smile。 〃To clean and recostume 'such bold evidence of plex and divine magic。' 〃
He disappeared。
I turned to the violet outdoors。 To the clouds stirred in a cauldron by the moon； to defy the darkness。 To the big old trees that said； Mount our limbs； we will embrace you！ To the scattered flowers everywhere that said； We are your bed。 Lie down with us。
And so the two…hundred…year brawl began。
And it never really ended。
10
With my eyes still closed； I heard voices of the city； voices from nearby houses； I heard men talking as they passed on the road outside。 I heard music ing from somewhere； and the laughter of women and children。 When I concentrated I could understand what they said。 I chose not to do this； and their voices melded with the breeze。
Suddenly； the state seemed unbearable。 There seemed nothing to do but rush back to the chapel and kneel there and worship！ These senses I had been given seemed fit for nothing else。 If this was my destiny； then what was to bee of me？
Through it all； I heard a soul weeping in agony； it was an echo of my own； a soul broken from a course of great hope； who could scarce believe that such fine beginnings should end in terror！
It was Flavius。
I leapt into the old gnarled olive tree。 It was as simple as taking a step。 I stood among the branches； and then leapt to the next； and then to the top of the wall； encrusted with vine。 I walked along the wall towards the gate。
There he stood； his forehead pressed to the bars； both hands clutching at the iron。 He bled from several slash marks on his cheek。 He gnashed his teeth。
〃Flavius！〃 I said。
He looked up with a start。 〃Lady Pandora！〃
Surely by the light of the moon； he saw the miracle wrought in me； whatever its cause。 For I saw the mortality in him； the deep wrinkles of his skin； the painful flutter of his gaze； a thin layer of soil clinging to him all over in the natural moisture of his mortal skin。
〃You must go home；〃 I said； climbing to sit on the wall； with legs on the outside。 I bent down so he could hear me。 He didn't back away but his eyes were huge with fascination。 〃Go see to the girls； and sleep； and get those marks attended to。 The demon's dead； you needn't worry anymore about him。 e back here tomorrow night at sundown。〃
He shook his head。 He tried to speak but he couldn't。 He tried to gesture but he couldn't。 His heart thundered in his chest。 He glanced back down the road to the small far…flung lights of Antioch。 He looked at me。 I heard his heart galloping。 I felt his shock； and his fear； and it was fear for me； not him。 Fear that some awful fate had befallen me。 He reached for the gate and clung to the bars； right arm hooked around and left hand clasping it as if he wouldn't be moved。
I saw myself as he saw me in his mind … in a boy's sashed tunic； my hair wildly free； sitting atop the wall； as if my body were young and pliant。 All lines of age had gone from me。 He saw a face on me no one could have ever painted。
But the point was this。 The man had reached his limit。 He could go no further。 And I knew most fully how I loved him。
〃All right；〃 I said。 I stood up and leaned over with both my hands。 〃e on； I'll lift you over the wall if I can。〃
He raised his arms； doubtful； eyes still drinking up every detail of my transformation。
He weighed nothing。 I lifted him up and deposited him on his feet within the gate。 I dropped down on the grass beside him and put my arm around him。 How hot was his alarm。 How strong his courage。
〃Still your heart；〃 I said。 I led him towards the house； as he looked down at me； his chest heaving as though he were out of breath； but it was mere shock。 〃I'll take care of you。〃
〃I had the thing；〃 he said； 〃I had it by its arm。〃 How opaque his voice sounded； how filled with living fluid and effort。 〃I sank my dagger into it over and over； but it just slashed at my face a
