annr.pandora-第53章

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　and　three　remaining　Julias　…　his　aunt；　his　Mother　and　his　grandmother；　all　of　them　Syrian　Priestesses　…　left　Antioch。
　In　Niedia；　which　was　very　near　to　us；　Elagabalus　murdered　his　Mother's　lover。　So　who　was　left？　He　also　picked　up　an　enormous　sacred　black　stone　and　brought　it　back　to　Rome；　saying　that　this　stone　was　sacred　to　the　Syrian　sun　god；　whom　all　must　now　worship。
　He　was　gone；　across　the　sea；　but　it　took　sometimes　no　more　than　eleven　days　for　a　letter　to　reach　Antioch　from　Rome；　and　soon　there　were　rampant　rumors。　Who　will　ever　know　the　truth　about　him？
　Elagabalus。　He　built　a　Temple　for　the　stone　on　the　Palatine　Hill。　He　made　Romans　stand　around　in　Phoenician　gowns　while　he　slaughtered　cattle　and　sheep　in　sacrifice。
　He　begged　the　physicians　to　try　to　transform　him　into　a　woman　by　creating　a　proper　opening　between　his　legs。　Romans　were　horrified　by　this。　At　night　he　dressed　as　a　woman；　plete　with　a　wig；　and　went　prowling　taverns。
　All　over　the　Empire　the　soldiers　started　to　riot。
　Even　the　three　Julias；　grandmother　Julia　Maesa；　his　aunt　Julia　Domna；　and　his　own　Mother；　Julia　Soemis；　started　to　get　sick　of　him。　After　four　years；　four　years；　mind　you；　of　this　maniac's　rule；　the　soldiers　killed　him　and　threw　his　body　in　the　Tiber。
　It　did　not　seem　to　Marius　that　there　was　anything　left　of　the　world　we　had　once　called　Rome。　And　he　was　thoroughly　sick　of　all　the　Christians　in　Antioch；　their　fights　over　doctrine。　He　found　all　mystery　religions　dangerous　now。　He　served　up　this　lunatic　Emperor　as　a　perfect　example　of　the　fanaticism　gaining　ground　in　the　times。
　And　he　was　right。　He　was　right。
　It　was　all　I　could　do　to　keep　him　from　despair。　In　truth　he　had　not　yet　confronted　that　terrible　darkness　I　had　once　spoken　of；　he　was　far　too　agitated；　far　too　irritated　and　quarrelsome。　But　I　was　very　frightened　for　him；　and　hurt　for　him；　and　didn't　want　him　to　see　more　darkly；　as　I　did；　to　be　more　aloof；　expecting　nothing　and　almost　smiling　at　the　collapse　of　our　Empire。
　Then　the　very　worst　thing　happened；　something　we　had　both　feared　in　one　form　or　another。　But　it　came　upon　us　in　the　worst　possible　form。
　One　night　there　appeared　at　our　eternally　open　doors　five　blood　drinkers。
　Neither　of　us　had　caught　the　sound　of　their　approach。　Lounging　about　with　our　books；　we　looked　up　to　see　these　five；　three　women　and　a　man　and　a　boy；　and　to　realize　that　all　wore　black　garments。　They　were　dressed　like　Christian　hermits　and　ascetics　who　deny　the　flesh　and　starve　themselves。　Antioch　had　a　whole　passel　of　these　men　in　the　desert　roundabouts。
　But　these　were　blood　drinkers。
　Dark　of　hair　and　eye；　and　dark　of　skin；　they　stood　before　us；　their　arms　folded。
　Dark　of　skin；　I　thought　quickly。　They　are　young。　They　were　made　after　the　great　burning。　So　what　if　there　are　five？
　They　had　in　general　rather　attractive　faces；　wellshaped　features　and　groomed　eyebrows；　and　deep　dark　eyes；　and　all　over　them　I　saw　the　marks　of　their　living　bodies　…　tiny　wrinkles　next　to　their　eyes；　wrinkled　around　their　knuckles。
　They　seemed　as　shocked　to　see　us　as　we　were　to　see　them。　They　stared　at　the　brightly　lighted　library；　they　stared　at　our　finery；　which　was　in　such　contrast　to　their　ascetic　robes。
　〃Well；〃　said　Marius；　〃who　are　you。〃
　Cloaking　my　thoughts；　I　tried　to　probe　theirs。　Their　minds　were　locked。　They　were　dedicated　to　something。　It　had　the　very　scent　of　fanaticism。　I　felt　a　horrid　foreboding。
　They　started　timidly　to　enter　the　open　door。
　〃No；　stop；　please；〃　said　Marius　in　Greek　〃This　is　my　house。　Tell　me　who　you　are；　and　then　I　perhaps　shall　invite　you　over　my　threshold。〃
　〃You're　Christians；　aren't　you？〃　I　said。　〃You　have　the　zeal。〃
　〃We　are！〃　said　one　in　Greek。　It　was　the　man。　〃We　are　the　scourge　of　humanity　in　the　name　of　God　and　his　son；　Christ。　We　are　the　Children　of　Darkness。〃
　〃Who　made　you？〃　asked　Marius。
　〃We　were　made　in　a　sacred　cave　and　in　our　Temple；〃　said　another；　a　woman；　speaking　in　Greek　also。　〃We　know　the　truth　of　the　Serpent；　and　his　fangs　are　our　fangs。〃
　I　limbed　to　my　feet　and　moved　towards　Marius。
　〃We　thought　you　would　be　in　Rome；〃　said　the　young　man。　He　had　short　black　hair；　and　very　round　innocent　eyes。　〃Because　the　Christian　Bishop　of　Rome　is　now　supreme　among　Christians　and　the　theology　of　Antioch　is　no　longer　of　great　matter。〃
　〃Why　would　we　be　in　Rome'？〃　asked　Marius。　〃What　is　the　Roman　Bishop　to　us？〃
　The　woman　took　the　fore。　Her　hair　was　severely　parted　in　the　middle　but　her　face　was　very　regal　and　regular。　She　had　in　particular　beautifully　defined　lips。
　〃Why　do　you　hide　from　us？　We　have　heard　of　you　for　years！　We　know　that　you　know　things　…　about　us　and　where　the　Dark　Gift　came　from；　that　you　know　how　God　put　it　into　the　world；　and　that　you　saved　our　kind　from　extinction。〃
　Marius　was　plainly　horrified；　but　gave　little　sign　of　it。
　〃I　have　nothing　to　tell　you；〃　he　said；　perhaps　too　hastily。　〃Except　I　do　not　believe　in　your　God　or　your　Christ　and　I　do　not　believe　God　put　the　Dark　Gift；　as　you　call　it；　into　the　world。　You　have　made　a　terrible　mistake。〃
　They　were　highly　skeptical　and　utterly　dedicated。
　〃You　have　almost　reached　salvation；〃　said　another；　the　boy　at　the　far　end　of　the　line；　whose　hair　was　unshorn　and　hung　to　his　shoulders。　He　had　a　manly　voice；　but　his　limbs　were　small。　〃You　have　almost　reached　the　point　where　you　are　so　strong　and　white　and　pure　that　you　need　not　drink！〃
　〃Would　that　that　were　true；　it's　not；〃　said　Marius。
　〃Why　don't　you　wele　us？〃　asked　the　boy。　〃Why　don't　you　guide　us　and　teach　us　that　we　may　better　spread　the　Dark　Blood；　and　punish　mortals　for　their　sins！　We　are　pure　of　heart。　We　were　chosen。　Each　of　us　went　into　the　cave　bravely　and　there　the　dying　devil；　a　crushed　creature　of　blood　and　bone；　cast　out　of　Heaven　in　a　blaze　of　fire；　passed　on　to　us　his　teachings。〃
　〃Which　were　what？〃　asked　Marius。
　〃Make　them　suffer；〃　the　woman　said。　〃Bring　death。　Eschew　all　things　of　the　world；　as　do　the　Stoics　and　the　hermits　of　Egypt；　but　bring　death。　Punish　them。〃
　The　woman　had　bee　hostile。　〃This　man　won't　help　us；〃　she　said　under　her　breath。　〃This　man　is　profane。　This　man　is　a　heretic。〃
　〃But　you　must　receive　us；〃　said　the　young　man　who　had　spoken　first。　〃We　have　searched　so　long　and　so　far；　and　we　e　to　you　in　humility。　If　you　wish　to　live　in　a　palace；　then　perhaps　that　is　your　right；　you　have　earned　it；　but　we　have　not。　We　live　in　darkness；　we　enjoy　no　pleasure　but　the　blood；　we　feast　on　the　weak　and　the　diseased　and　the　innocent　alike。　We　do　the　will　of　Christ　as　the　Serpent　did　the　will　of　God　in　Eden　when　he　tempted　Eve。〃
　〃e　to　our　Temple；〃　said　one　of　the　others；　〃and　see　the　tree　of　life　with　the　sacred　Serpent　wound　around　it。　We　have　his　fangs。　We　have　his　power。　God　made　him；　just　as　God　made　Judas　Iscariot；　or　Cain；　or　the　evil　Emperors　of　Rome。〃
　〃Ah；〃　I　said；　〃I　see。　Before　you　happened　on　the　god　in　the　cave；　you　were　worshipers　of　the　snake。　You're　Ophites；　Sethians；　Nassenians。〃
　〃That　was　our　first　calling；〃　said　the　boy。　〃But　now　we　are　of　the　Children　of　Darkness；　mitted　to　sacrifice　and　killing；　dedicated　to　inflicting　suffering。〃
　〃Oh；　Marcion　and　Valentinus；〃　Marius　whispered。　〃You　don't　know　the　names；　do　you？　They're　the　poetic　Gnostics　who　invented　the　morass　of　your　philosophy　a　hundred　years　ago。　Duality　…　that；　in　a　Christian　world；　evil　could　be　as　powerful　as　good。〃
　〃Yes；　we　know　this。〃　Several　spoke　at　once。　〃We　don't　know　those　profane　names。　But　we　know　the　Serpent　and　what　God　wants　of　us。〃
　〃Moses　lifted　the　Serpent　in　the　desert；　up　over　his　head；〃　said　the　boy。　〃Even　the　Queen　of　Egypt　knew　the　Serpent　and　wore　him　in　her　crown。〃
　〃The　story　of　the　great　Leviathan　has　been　eradicated　in　Rome；〃　said　the　woman。　〃They　took　it　out　of　the　sacred　books。　But　we　know　it！〃
　〃So　you　learned　all　this　from　Armenian　Christians；〃　said　Marius。　〃Or　was　it　Syrians。〃
　A　man；　short　of　stature；　with　gray　eyes；　had　not　spoken　all　this　while；　but　he　stepped　forward　now　and　addressed　Marius　with　considerable　authority。
　〃You　hold　ancient　truths；〃　he　said；　〃and　you　use　them　profanely。　All　know　of　you。　The　blond　Children　of　Darkness　in　the　Northern　woods　know　of　you；　and　that　you　stole　some　impo