anner.bloodandgold-第117章
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you through the countries of Europe。〃
〃Oh； my love；〃 she whispered。 〃My great love。 If only I could be again the strong one whom you remember。〃
〃But you will be；〃 I insisted。 〃You are。 I shall take care of you； yes； just as you wish。 And you and Bianca and I…we shall all love one another。 Tomorrow night； we'll talk。 We'll make plans。 We'll speak of all the great cathedrals we must see； the windows of colored glass； we'll speak of the painters whose fine work we have yet to study。 We'll speak of the New World； of its forests and its rivers。 Pandora； we will speak of everything。〃
I went on and on。
〃And you will e to love Bianca；〃 I said。 〃You will e to treasure her。 I know Bianca's heart and soul as ever I knew yours； I swear to you。 We will exist together in peace； believe me。 You have no idea of the happiness that awaits you。〃
〃Happiness？〃 she asked。 She looked at me as though she hardly understood the words I had spoken。 Then she said：
〃Marius； I leave this city tonight。 Nothing can stop it。〃
〃No； no； you can't say this to me！〃 I declared。 I grabbed her by the arms again。
〃Don't hurt me； Marius。 I leave this city tonight。 I told you。 Marius； you've waited for one hundred years to see one thing； and one thing only…that I live。 Now leave me to the existence I've chosen。〃
〃I won't。 I won't have it。〃
〃Yes； you will；〃 she whispered。 〃Marius； don't you see what I'm trying to tell you。 I haven't the courage to leave Arjun。 I haven't the courage to see the Mother and the Father。 Marius； I don't have the courage to love you anymore。 The very sound of your angry voice frightens me。 I don't have the courage to meet your Bianca。 The very thought that you might love her more than me frightens me。 I am frightened of it all； don't you see？ And even now； I am desperate for Arjun that he may take me away from all of this。 With Arjun there is for me a great simplicity！ Marius； please let me go with your forgiveness。〃
〃I don't believe you；〃 I said。 〃I told you I will give up Bianca for you。 Good God； Pandora； what more can I do？ You can't be
leaving me。〃
I turned my back on her。 The expression on her face was too strange。 I couldn't endure it。
And as I sat there in the darkness； I heard the door of the carriage open。 I heard her quick step on the stones； and she was gone from me。
My Pandora； utterly gone from me。
I don't know how long I waited。 It was not a full hour。
I was too distressed； too perfectly miserable。 I didn't want to see her panion； and when I thought of banging on the doors of her house； I found it too utterly humiliating。
And in truth； in pure truth； she had convinced me。 She wouldn't remain with me。
I was about to tell my driver to take us home when a sound came to me。 It was of her howling and crying； and of objects within the house being broken。
It was all I needed to push me into action。 I left the carriage and ran to her door。 I shot an evil glance at her mortal servants； which
rendered them virtually powerless； and threw open the doors for myself。
I rushed up the marble steps。 I found her going madly along the walls； pounding the mirrors with her fists。 I found her shedding blood tears and shivering。 There was broken glass all around her。
I took her wrists。 I took them tenderly。
〃Stay with me；〃 I said。 〃Stay with me！〃
Quite suddenly behind me； I heard the presence of Arjun。 I heard his unhurried step and then he entered the room。
She had collapsed against my chest。 She was shaking。
〃Don't worry；〃 said Arjun in the same patient tone he had used with me in the Duke's palace。 〃We can talk of all these things in a courteous way。 I am not a wild creature； given to acts of destruction。〃
He seemed the perfect gentleman with his lace handkerchief and high…heeled shoes。 He looked about at the broken pieces of mirror which lay on the fine carpet； and he shook his head。
〃Then leave me alone with her；〃 I said。
〃Is this what you wish； Pandora？〃 he asked。
She nodded。 〃For a little while； my darling；〃 she said to him。
As soon as he had left the room； and shut the tall double doors behind him； I stroked her hair； and I kissed her again。
〃I can't leave him；〃 she confessed。
〃And why not？ 〃 I asked。
〃Because I made him；〃 she answered。 〃He is my son； my spouse； and my guardian。〃
I was shocked。
I had never supposed such a thing！
In all these years I had thought him some dominating creature who kept her in his power。
〃I made him so that he would take care of me；〃 she said。 〃I took him from India where I was worshiped as a very goddess by those few who had set eyes upon me。 I taught him European ways。 I placed him in charge of me so that in my weakness and despair； he would control me。 And it is his hunger for life which drives us both。 Without it I might have languished in some deep tomb for centuries。〃
〃Very well；〃 I said； 〃he is your child。 This I understand； but Pandora；
you are mine！ What of this！ You are mine； and I have you in my possession again！ Oh； forgive me； forgive that I speak so harshly； that I use words such as possession。 What do I mean to say？ I mean to say I can't lose you！〃
〃I know what you mean；〃 she said； 〃but you see； I can't turn him away from me。 He has done far too well in what I have asked of him； and he loves me。 And he cannot live under your roof； Marius。 I know you only too well。 Where Marius lives； Marius rules。 You will never suffer a male such as Arjun to dwell with you on my account or for any other reason。〃
I was so deeply wounded that for one moment I couldn't answer her。 I shook my head as though to deny what she had said； but in truth I didn't know whether or not she was wrong。 I had always； always thought only of destroying Arjun。
〃You can't deny it；〃 she said softly。 〃Arjun is too strong； too willful； and has been too long his own master。〃
〃There must be some way；〃 I pleaded。
〃There will e a night； surely；〃 she said； 〃when it is time for Arjun to part from me。 The same may happen with you and your Bianca。 But this is not the time。 And so I beg you； let go of me； Marius； say farewell to me； and promise me that you will eternally persevere and I shall give you the same promise。〃
〃This is your vengeance； isn't it？〃 I asked quietly。 〃You were my child and within two hundred years I left you。 And so you tell me now that you won't do the same to him…。〃
〃No； my beautiful Marius； it isn't vengeance； it is only the truth。 Now； leave me。〃 She smiled bitterly。 〃Oh； what a gift to me this night has been； that I have seen you alive； that I know the Roman blood drinker Santino was wrong。 This night will carry me through
centuries。〃
〃It will carry you away from me；〃 I said； nodding。
But then her lips caught me by surprise。 It was she who kissed me ardently； and then I felt her tiny sharp teeth pierce my throat。
I stood rigid； eyes closed； letting her drink； feeling the inevitable pull on my heart； my head suddenly full of visions of the dark forest through which she and her panion so often rode and I couldn't know whether these were her visions or mine。
On and on she drank； as though she was starving； and deliberately I created for her the luscious garden of my most cherished dreams； and in it I envisioned the two of us together。 My body was nothing but desire for her。 Through every sinew I felt the pull of her drinking and I gave no resistance。 I was her victim。 I held to no caution。
It seemed I was not standing any longer。 I must have fallen。 I didn't care。 Then I felt her hands on my arms； and I knew I was on my feet。
She drew back； and with blurred eyes I saw her gazing at me。 All of her hair had spilled down on her shoulders。
〃Such strong blood；〃 she whispered。 〃My Child of the Millennia。〃
It was the first time I had heard such a name for those of us who have lived so long and I was faintly charmed by it。
I was groggy； so strong had she been； but what did it matter？ I would have given her anything。 I steadied myself。 I tried to clear my vision。
She was far away across the room。
