anner.bloodandgold-第12章
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〃This is what I believe happened。 I brought the inventions of the modern world to her as offerings。 At first it was the machines that played music； and then came those which would show moving pictures。
At last； I brought the most powerful of all； the television that would play constantly。 I set it in her shrine as though it were a sacrifice。〃
〃And she fed upon this thing；〃 said Thorne； 〃as gods are wont to do when they e down to their altars。〃
〃Yes； she fed upon it。 She fed upon its terrible electric violence。 Lurid colors flashed over her face； and images accosted her。 It might have wakened her with the sheer clamor。 And I wonder sometimes if the endless public talk of the great world could not have in itself inspired an imitation of a mind in her。〃
〃An imitation of a mind？〃
〃She awoke with a simple ugly sense of purpose。 She would rule this world。〃
Marius shook his head。 His attitude was one of profound sadness。
〃She would outwit its finest human minds；〃 he said sorrowfully。 〃She would destroy the vast majority of this world's male children。 In a female paradise； she could create and enforce peace。 It was nonsense… a concept drenched in violence and blood。
And those of us who tried to reason with her had to take great care with our words not to insult her。 Where could she have gotten these notions； except from the bits and pieces of electric dreams that she watched on the giant screen I'd provided for her？ Fictions of all kinds； and what the world calls News； all this had inundated her。 I had loosed the flood。〃
Marius's gaze flashed on Thorne as he continued： 〃Of course she saw the vivid video songs of The Vampire Lestat。〃 Marius smiled again； but it was a sad smile； and it brightened his face as sad songs brighten a face。 〃And Lestat presented in his video films the very image of her on her throne as he had seen her centuries ago。 Breaking faith with me； he told the secrets I had confided to him。〃
〃Why didn't you destroy him for this！〃 said Thorne； before he could stop himself。 〃I would have done so。〃
Marius only shook his head。
〃I think I've chosen to destroy myself instead；〃 he said。 〃I've chosen
to let my heart break inside me。〃
〃Why； explain this thing to me。〃
〃I can't； I can't explain it to myself；〃 said Marius。 〃Perhaps I understand
Lestat only too well。 He couldn't endure the vow of silence he'd given me。 Not in this world you see around you with all its wonders。 He felt driven to reveal our history。〃 The heat danced in Marius's face。 His fingers gripped the arms of his chair with only a little restlessness。 〃He tore loose from all bonds that connected us；〃 he said； 〃friend and friend； teacher and student； old and young； watcher and searching one。〃
〃Outrage；〃 said Thorne； 〃what else could you feel but fury？〃
〃Yes； in my heart I did。 But you see； I lied to them； the other blood drinkers； our brothers； our sisters。 Because once the Queen had risen； they needed me。。。。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Thorne； 〃I saw it。〃
〃They needed the wise one to reason with her； and deflect her from her course。 There was no time for quarreling。 Lestat's songs had brought her forth a monster。 I told the others there was no wound。 I took Lestat in my arms。 And as for my Queen； ah； my Queen； how I denied that I had ever loved her。 And all this for the pany of a small band of immortals。 And I tell the truth to you。〃
〃Does it feel good to you to say it？〃
〃Oh； yes； it feels good；〃 Marius answered。
〃How was she destroyed？ 〃
〃Thousands of years ago a curse had been put on her by one whom she had treated with cruelty and that one came to settle the score。 A single blow decapitated our beautiful Queen； and then from her body the Sacred Core of the blood drinkers was promptly taken into the avenger； either from brain or heart； I know not which； for during those fatal moments I was as blind as all the others。
〃I know only the one who slew the Queen now carries the Sacred Core within her and where she's gone or how I can't tell you。〃
〃I saw the red…haired twins；〃 said Thorne。 〃They stood beside her body。 'The Queen of the Damned；' said my Maharet。 I heard those words。 I saw Maharet with her arm around her sister。〃
Marius said nothing。
Again Thorne felt himself bee agitated。 He felt the beginnings of pain inside。 In memory； he saw his Maker ing towards him in the snow。 What fear did he have then； a mortal warrior facing a lone witch whom he could destroy with sword or ax？ How frail and beautiful
she had seemed； a tall being in a dress of dark…purple wool； her arms out as if weling him。
But I have e here for you。 It is for you that I linger。
He wouldn't fall under her spell。 They wouldn't find his body in the snow； the eyes torn out of his face； as they had found so many others。
He wanted the memory to go away。 He spoke。
〃She is my Maker； the red…haired one；〃 he said； 〃Maharet； the sister of the one who took within herself the Sacred Core。〃
He paused。 He could scarcely breathe he felt such pain。
Marius stared at him intently。
〃She had e North to find a lover among our people；〃 Thorne said。 He paused； his conviction wavering。 But then he continued。 〃She hunted our clan and the others who lived in our valley。 She stole the eyes from those whom she slew。〃
〃The eyes and the blood；〃 said Marius to him softly。 〃And when she made you a blood drinker； you learnt why she needed the eyes。〃
〃Yes； but not the true story…not the tale of the one who had taken her mortal eyes。 And of her twin； I knew not an inkling。 I loved her pletely。 I asked few questions。 I could not share her pany with others。 It made me mad。〃
〃It was the Evil Queen who took her eyes；〃 said Marius； 〃when she was still human； and from her twin sister； the tongue。 That was a cruel injustice； that。 And one who also possessed the Blood could not endure it； and so he made them both blood drinkers before the Evil Queen divided them and sent each twin to a different side of the world。〃
Thorne gasped as he though of it。 He tried to feel love inside himself
He saw his Maker again in the brightly lighted cave with her thread and her spindle。 He saw her long red hair。
〃And so it was finished；〃 said Thorne； 〃the catastrophe I beheld as I
slept in the ice。 The Evil Queen is gone； punished forever； and the twins took the Sacred Core； yes； but when I search the world for the
visions or the voices of our kind I can't find the twins。 I hear nothing of
them； though I want to know where they are。〃
〃They have retreated；〃 said Marius。 〃They know they must hide； They know that someone may try to take the Sacred Core from them。
They know that someone； bitter and finished with this world； may seek to destroy us all。〃
〃Ah； yes；〃 said Thorne。 He felt a chill e over his limbs。 He wished suddenly that he had more blood in his veins。 That he could go out and hunt…but then he didn't want to leave this warm place and these flowing words； not just now。 It was too soon。
He felt guilty that he had not told the whole truth of his suffering and his purpose to Marius。 He didn't know if he could； and it seemed a terrible thing now to be under this roof； yet he remained there。
〃I know your truth；〃 said Marius gently。 〃You've e forth with one vow and that is to find Maharet and do harm to her。〃
Thorne winced as though he'd been struck hard in the chest。 He made no answer。
〃Such a thing；〃 said Marius； 〃is impossible。 You knew it when you left her centuries ago for your sleep in the ice。 She is powerful beyond our imagining。 And I can tell you； without doubt； that her sister never leaves her。〃
Thorne could find no words。 At last he spoke in a tense whisper。
〃Why do I hate her for the form of life she gave me； when I never hated my mortal mother and father？〃
Marius nodded and gave a bitter smile。
〃It's a wise question；〃 Marius said。 〃Abandon your hope of harming her。 Stop dreaming of those chains in which she once bound Lestat unless you truly wish for her to bind you in them。〃
It was Thorne's turn to nod。
〃But what were those chains？〃 he asked； his
