annr.pandora-第54章

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　〃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　important　secret　out　of　Egypt　before　the　Birth　of　Christ。　Many　have　e　here；　glimpsed　you　and　the　woman；　and　gone　away　in　fear。〃
　〃Very　wise；〃　said　Marius。
　〃What　did　you　find　in　Egypt'？〃　asked　the　woman。　〃Christian　monks　live　now　in　those　old　rooms　that　once　belonged　to　a　race　of　blood　drinkers。　The　monks　don't　know　about　us；　but　we　know　all　about　them　and　you。　There　was　writing　there；　there　were　secrets；　there　was　something　that　by　Divine　Will　belongs　now　in　our　hands。〃
　〃No；　there　was　nothing；〃　said　Marius。
　The　woman　spoke　up　again；　〃When　the　Hebrews　left　Egypt；　when　Moses　parted　the　Red　Sea；　did　the　Hebrews　leave　something　behind？　Why　did　Moses　raise　the　snake　in　the　desert？　Do　you　know　how　many　we　are？　Nearly　a　hundred。　We　travel　to　the　far　North；　to　the　South；　and　even　to　the　East　to　lands　you　would　not　believe。〃
　I　could　see　Marius　was　distraught。
　〃Very　well；〃　I　said；　〃we　understand　what　you　want　and　why　you　have　been　led　to　believe　that　we　can　satisfy　you。　I　ask　you；　please；　to　go　out　in　the　Garden　and　let　us　speak。　Respect　our　house。　Don't　harm　our　slaves。〃
　〃We　wouldn't　dream　of　it。〃
　〃And　we'll　be　back　shortly。〃
　I　snatched　Marius's　hand　and　pulled　him　down　the　stairs。
　〃Where　are　you　going？〃　he　whispered。　〃Block　all　images　from　your　mind！　They　must　glimpse　nothing。〃
　〃They　won't　glimpse；〃　I　said；　〃and　from　where　I　will　stand　as　I　talk　to　you；　they　won't　hear　either。〃
　He　seemed　to　catch　my　meaning。　I　led　him　into　the　sanctuary　of　the　unchanged　Mother　and　Father；　closing　the　stone　doors　behind　me。
　I　drew　Marius　behind　the　seated　King　and　Queen。
　〃They　can　probably　hear　the　hearts　of　the　Pair；〃　I　whispered　in　the　softest　manner　audible。　〃But　maybe　they　won't　hear　us　over　that　sound。　Now；　we　have　to　kill　them；　destroy　them　pletely。〃
　Marius　was　amazed。
　〃Look；　you　know　we　have　to　do　this！〃　I　said。　〃You　have　to　kill　them　and　anybody　like　them　who　ever　es　near　us。　Why　are　you　so　shocked'？　Get　ready。　The　simplest　way　is　cut　them　to　pieces　first；　and　then　burn　them。〃
　〃Oh；　Pandora；〃　he　sighed。
　〃Marius；　why　do　you　cringe？〃
　〃I　don't　cringe；　Pandora；〃　he　said。　〃I　see　myself　irrevocably　changed　by　such　an　act。　To　kill　when　I　thirst；　to　keep　to　myself　and　keep　these　here　who　must　be　kept　by　somebody；　that　I　have　done　for　so　long。　But　to　bee　an　executioner？　To　bee　like　the　Emperors　burning　Christians！　To　mence　a　war　against　this　race；　this　order；　this　cult；　whatever　it　is；　to　take　such　a　stand。〃
　〃No　choice；　e　on。　There　are　many　decorative　swords　in　the　room　where　we　sleep。　We　should　take　the　big　curved　swords。　And　the　torch。　We　should　go　to　them　and　tell　them　how　sorry　we　are　for　what　we　must　impart　to　them；　then　do　it！〃
　He　didn't　answer。
　〃Marius；　are　you　going　to　let　them　go　so　that　others　will　e　after　us？　The　only　security　lies　in　destroying　every　blood　drinker　who　ever　discovers　us　and　the　King　and　Queen。〃
　He　walked　away　from　me　and　stood　before　the　Mother。　He　looked　into　her　eyes。　I　knew　that　he　was　silently　talking　to　her。　And　I　knew　that　she　was　not　answering。
　〃There　is　one　other　possibility；〃　I　said；　〃and　it's　quite　real。〃　I　beckoned　for　him　to　e　back；　behind　them；　where　I　felt　safest　to　plot。
　〃What　is　it？〃　he　asked。
　〃Give　the　King　and　the　Queen　over　to　them。　And　you　and　I　are　free。　They　will　care　for　the　King　and　Queen　with　religious　fervor！　Maybe　the　King　and　Queen　will　even　allow　them　to　drink　…〃
　〃That's　unspeakable！〃　he　said。
　〃Exactly　my　feelings。　We　shall　never　know　if　we　are　safe。　And　they　shall　run　rampant　through　the　world　like　supernatural　rodents。　So　do　you　have　a　third　plan？〃
　〃No；　but　I'm　ready。　We　use　the　fire　and　the　swords　together。　Can　you　tell　the　lies　that　will　charm　them　as　we　approach；　armed　and　carrying　torches？〃
　〃Oh；　yes；　of　course；〃　I　said。
　We　went　into　the　chamber　and　took　up　the　big　curved　swords　that　were　keenly　sharp　and　came　from　the　desert　world　of　the　Arabs。　We　lighted　another　torch　from　that　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs　and　we　went　up　together。
　〃e　to　me；　Children；〃　I　said　as　I　entered　the　room；　loudly；　〃e；　for　what　I　have　to　reveal　requires　the　light　of　this　torch；　and　you　will　soon　know　the　sacred　purpose　of　this　sword。　How　devout　you　are。〃
　We　stood　before　them。
　〃How　young　you　are！〃　I　said。
　Suddenly；　the　panic　swept　them　together。　They　made　it　so　simple　for　us　by　clustering　in　this　manner　that　we　had　the　task　done　in　moments；　lighting　their　garments；　hacking　their　limbs；　ignoring　their　piteous　cries。
　Never　had　I　used　my　full　strength　and　speed；　never　my　full　will；　as　I　did　against　them。　It　was　exhilarating　to　slash　them；　to　force　the　torch　upon　them；　to　slash　them　until　they　fell；　until　they　lost　all　life。　Also；　I　did　not　want　them　to　suffer。
　Because　they　were　so　young；　so　very　young　as　blood　drinkers；　it　took　quite　some　time　to　burn　the　bones；　to　see　that　all　was　ashes。
　But　it　was　finally　done；　and　we　stood　together　…　　Marius　and　I　…　in　the　garden；　our　garments　smeared　with　soot；　staring　down　at　blowing　grass；　making　certain　with　our　eyes　that　the　ashes　were　blown　in　all　directions。
　Marius　turned　suddenly　and　walked　fast　away　from　me；　and　down　the　stairs　and　into　the　Mother's　Sanctuary。
　I　rushed　after　him　in　panic。　He　stood　holding　the　torch　and　the　bloody　sword　…　oh；　how　they　had　bled　…　and　he　looked　into　Akasha's　eyes。
　〃Oh；　loveless　Mother！〃　he　whispered。　His　face　was　soiled　with　blood　and　grime。　He　looked　at　the　flaming　torch　and　looked　up　at　the　Queen。
　Akasha　and　Enkil　showed　no　sign　of　any　knowledge　of　the　massacre　above。　They　showed　neither　approval；　nor　gratitude；　nor　any　form　of　consciousness；　They　showed　no　awareness　of　the　torch　in　his　hand；　or　his　thoughts；　whatever　they　might　be。
　It　was　a　finish　for　Marius；　a　finish　to　the　Marius　I　had　known　and　loved　at　that　time；
　He　chose　not　to　leave　Antioch。　I　was　for　getting　away　and　taking　them　away；　for　wild　adventures；　and　seeing　the　wonders　of　the　world。
　But　he　said　no。　He　had　but　one　obligation。　And　that　was　to　lay　in　wait　for　others　until　he　had　killed　every　one　of　them。
　For　weeks　he　wouldn't　speak　or　move；　unless　I　shook　him　and　then　he　pleaded　with　me　to　leave　him　alone。　He　rose　from　the　grave　only　to　sit　with　the　sword　and　the　torch　waiting。
　It　became　unbearable　to　me。　Months　passed。　I　said；　〃You　are　going　mad。　We　should　take　them　away！〃
　Then　one　night；　very　angry　and　alone；　I　cried　out　foolishly；　〃I　would　I　were　free　of　them　and　you！〃　And　leaving　the　house；　I　did　not　return　for　three　nights。
　I　slept　in　dark　safe　places　I　made　for　myself　with　ease。　Every　time　I　thought　of　him；　I　thought　of　his　sitting　motionless　there；　so　very　like　them；　and　I　was　afraid。
　If　only　he　did　know　true　despair；　if　only　he　had　confronted　what　we　now　call　〃the　absurd。〃　If　only　he　had　faced　the　nothingness！　Then　this　massacre　would　not　have　demoralized　him。
　Finally　one　morning　just　before　sunrise；　when　I　was　safely　hidden；　a　strange　silence　fell　over　Antioch。　A　rhythm　I　had　heard　there　all　my　days　was　gone。　I　was　trying　to　think；　What　could　this　mean？　But　there　was　time　to　find　out。
　I　had　made　a　fatal　miscalculation。　The　villa　was　empty。　He　had　arranged　for　the　transport　by　day。　I　had　no　due　as　to　where　he　had　gone！　Everything　belonging　to　him　had　been　taken；　and　all　that　I　possessed　scrupulously　left　behind。
　I　had　failed　him　when　he　most　needed　me。　I　walked　in　circles　around　the　empty　Shrine。　I　screamed　and　let　the　cry　echo　off　the　walls。
　He　never　returned　to　Antioch。　No　letter　ever　came。
　After　six　months　or　more；　I　gave　up　and　left。
　Of　course　you　know　the　dedicated；　religious　Christian　vampires　never　died　out；　not　until　Lestat　came　dressed　in　red　velvet　and　fur　to　dazzle　them　and　make　a　mockery　of　their　belief。　That　was　in　the　Age　of　Reason；　That　is　when　Marius　received　Lestat。　Who　knows　what　other　vampire　cults　exist'？
　As　for　me；　I　had　lost　Marius　again　by　then。
　I　had　seen　him　for　only　a　single　precious　night　one　hundred　years　earlier；　and　of　course　thousands　of　years　after　the　collapse　of　what　we　call　〃the　ancient　world。〃
　I　saw　him！