anner.bloodandgold-第30章

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　　　I　was　utterly　defeated。　He　had　revealed　one　of　the　most　precious　secrets。　Would　he　know　the　other？　I　sat　in　sullen　silence。
　　　He　rose　from　the　chair　and　began　to　walk　about　the　room；　incensed　by　his　memories；
　　　〃How　long　did　they　remain　in　the　fire？　Or　was　it　only　one　day's
　　　passage　in　the　desert　sand？〃　He　turned　to　me。　〃They　were　white　as　marble　when　I　saw　them。　'This　is　the　Divine　Mother；'　they　said　to　me。　My　lips　touched　her　foot。　The　priest　pressed　his　heel　to　the　back　of　rny　neck。　When　the　Terrible　Fire　came　I　had　been　so　long　in　the　oak　I　remembered　nothing。　I　had　deliberately　slain　my　memory。　I　had　slain　all　sense　of　time。　I　lived　for　the　monthly　blood　sacrifice　and　the　yearly　Sanhaim。　I　starved　and　dreamed　as　I'd　been　manded　to　do。　My　life　was　in　rising　at　Sanhaim　to　judge　the　wicked；　to　look　into　the　hearts　of
　　　those　who　were　accused　and　pronounce　on　their　guilt　or　innocence。
　　　〃But　now　I　remember。　I　remember　the　sight　of　them…the　Mother　and　the　Father…for　I　saw　both　of　them　before　they　pressed　my　lips　to　her　feet。　How　cold　she　was。　How　awful　it　was。　And　I　was　unwilling。　I　was　so　filled　with　anger　and　fear。　And　it　was　a　brave　man's　fear。〃
　　　　　
　　　I　winced　at　his　last　words。　I　knew　what　he　meant。　What　must　a　brave　general　feel　when　he　knows　the　battle　has　gone　against　him　and　nothing　remains　but　death？　　Mael　looked　up　at　Avicus　with　a　face　full　of　sorrow　and　sympathy。
　　　But　Avicus　was　not　finished。　On　he　went　with　his　walking；　seeing　nothing　before　him　but　memory；　his　thick　black　hair　falling　forward　as　he　dipped　his　head　under　the　weight　of　memories　he　bore。
　　　His　black　eyes　were　lustrous　in　the　light　of　the　many　lamps。　But　his　expression　was　his　finest　feature。
　　　〃Was　it　the　sun；　or　was　it　a　Terrible　Fire？〃　he　asked。　〃Did　someone　try　to　burn　them？　Did　someone　believe　such　a　thing　could　be　done？　（Oh；　it's　so　simple。　I　should　have　remembered。　But　memory　is　desperate　to　leave　us。　Memory　knows　that　we　cannot　endure　its　pany。　
　　　　　Memory　would　reduce　us　to　fools。　Ah；　listen　to　old　mortals　when　they　have　nothing　but　memories　of　childhood。　How　they　go　on　mistaking　those　around　them　for　persons　long　dead；　and　no　one　listens。　How　often　I　have　eavesdropped　on　them　in　their　misery。　How　often　I　have　wondered　at　their　long　uninterrupted　conversations　with　ghosts　in　empty　rooms。〃
　　　Still　I　said　nothing。
　　　But　he　looked　at　me　at　last；　and　asked　rne：
　　　〃You　saw　them；　the　King　and　Queen。　You　know　where　they　are？〃
　　　I　waited　a　long　moment　before　answering。　I　spoke　simply　when　I　answered。
　　　〃I　saw　them；　yes。　And　you　must　trust　rne　that　they　are　safe。　And　that　you　don't　want　to　know　where　they　are。〃　I　studied　both　of　them。　〃If　you　were　to　know；　then　perhaps　some　night　other　blood　drinkers　could　take　you　prisoner　and　wring　the　truth　from　you；　and　they　might　strive　to　claim　the　King　and　Queen。〃
　　　Mael　studied　me　for　a　long　while　before　he　responded。　〃We　fight　others　who　attempt　to　take　Rome　from　us。　You　know　we've　done　this。　We　force　them　to　leave。〃
　　　〃I　know　you　do；〃　I　said。　〃But　the　Christian　vampires　continue　to　e；　and　they　e　in　numbers；　and　those　numbers　grow　larger　all　the　time。　They　are　devoted　to　their　Devil；　their　Serpent；　their　Satan。　They　will　e　again。　There　will　be　more　and　more；〃〃They　mean　nothing　to　us；〃　said　Mael　disgustedly。　〃Why　would　they　want　this　Holy　Pair？〃
　　　For　a　moment　I　said　nothing。　Then　the　truth　broke　from　me　hatefully；　
　　　as　though　I　couldn't　protect　them　from　it；　nor　protect　myself。
　　　
　　　
　　　〃All　right；〃　I　said。　〃Since　you　know　so　much；　both　of　you；　let　me　explain　the　following：　many　blood　drinkers　want　the　Mother　and　the　Father。　There　are　those　who　e　from　the　Far　East　who　know　of　them。　They　want　the　Primal　Blood。　They　believe　in　its　strength。　It's　stronger　than　any　other　blood。　But　the　Mother　and　Father　can　move　to　defend　themselves。　Yet　still　thieves　will　always　be　in　search　of　them；　ready　to　destroy　whoever　keeps　them　in　hiding。　And　such　thieves　have　in　the　past　e　to　me。〃
　　　Neither　of　them　spoke。　I　went　on。
　　　〃You　do　not　want；　either　of　you；〃　I　said；　〃to　know　anything　further　of　the　Mother　and　the　Father。　You　do　not　want　rogues　to　e　upon　you　arid　try　to　overpower　you　for　your　knowledge。　You　do　not　want　secrets　which　can　be　ripped　from　your　heart。〃
　　　I　glared　at　Mael　as　I　said　these　last　words。　Then　I　spoke　again。
　　　〃To　know　of　the　Mother　and　the　Father　is　a　curse。〃
　　　A　silence　fell；　but　I　could　see　that　Mael　would　not　allow　for　it　to　be　very　long。　A　light　came　into　his　face；　and　he　said　to　me　in　a　trembling　voice：
　　　〃Have　you　drunk　this　Primal　Blood？〃　Slowly　he　became　incensed。　〃You　have　drunk　this　blood；　haven't　you？〃
　　　〃Quiet；　Mael；〃　said　Avicus。　But　it　was　no　use。
　　　〃You　have　drunk　it；〃　said　Mael　in　fury。　〃And　you　know　where　the　Mother　and　Father　are　concealed。〃
　　　He　rose　from　the　chair　and　rushed　at　me；　and　suddenly　clamped　his　hands　on　my　shoulders。
　　　Now；　I　am　by　nature　not　given　to　physical　bat；　but　in　a　rage　I　pushed　him　off　me　with　such　force　that　he　was　thrown　across　the　floor　and　back　against　the　wall。
　　　〃How　dare　you？　〃　I　asked　fiercely。　I　struggled　to　keep　my　voice　low　so　as　not　to　alarm　the　mortals　in　the　banquet　room。　〃I　ought　to　kill　you。　What　peace　of　mind　it　would　give　me　to　know　you　were　dead。　I　could　cut　you　into　pieces　that　no　sorcerer　could　reassemble。　Damn
　　　you。〃
　　　I　was　trembling　with　this　uncharacteristic　and　humiliating　rage。
　　　He　gazed　at　me；　his　mind　unchanged；　his　will　only　slightly　chastened　and　then　he　said　with　extraordinary　fervor：
　　　〃You　have　the　Mother　and　the　Father。　You　have　drunk　the　Mother's　blood。　I　see　it　in　you。　You　cannot　hide　it　from　me。　How　will　you　ever　hide　it　from　anyone　else？　〃
　　　
　　　I　rose　from　my　chair。
　　　〃Then　you　must　die；〃　I　said；　〃isn't　that　so？　For　you　know；　and　you　must　never　tell　anyone　else。〃　I　made　to　advance　on　him。
　　　But　Avicus　who　had　been　staring　at　all　this　in　shock　and　horror　rose　quickly　and　came　between　us。　As　for　Mael；　he　had　drawn　his　dagger。　And　he　seemed　quite　ready　for　the　brawl。
　　　〃No；　Marius；　please；〃　said　Avicus；　〃we　must　make　peace　with　each　other；　we　cannot　keep　up　this　struggle。　Don't　fight　with　Mael。　What　could　be　the　oute；　but　two　wounded　creatures　hating　each　other　even　more　than　now？〃
　　　Mael　was　on　his　feet。　He　held　his　dagger　ready。　He　looked　clumsy。　I　don't　think　he　knew　weapons。　As　for　his　supernatural　powers；　I　didn't　think　either　of　them　understood　fully　what　they　might　do。　All　this；　of　course；　was　defensive　calculation。　I　didn't　want　this　battle　any　more　than　Avicus　wanted　it；　yet　I　looked　to　Avicus　now　and　said　coldly：
　　　〃I　can　kill　him。　Stay　out　of　the　way。〃
　　　〃But　that　is　the　point；〃　said　Avicus；　〃I　cannot　do　this；　and　so　you　will　be　fighting　the　two　of　us；　and　such　a　fight　you　can't　win。〃
　　　I　stared　at　him　for　a　long　moment　during　which　words　failed　me　pletely。　I　looked　to　Mael　with　his　uplifted　dagger。　And　then　in　a　moment　of　utter　despair　I　went　to　my　desk　and　sat　down　and　rested　my　head　on　my　elbows。
　　　I　thought　of　the　night　in　the　far　city　of　Antioch　when　Pandora　and　I　had　slaughtered　that　bunch　of　Christian　vampires　who　had　e　so　foolishly　into　our　house　talking　about　Moses　in　the　desert　lifting　the　Serpent；　and　secrets　from　Egypt；　and　all　such　seemingly　marvelous　things。　I　thought　of　all　that　blood　and　the　burning　afterwards。And　I　thought　also　how　these　two　creatures；　though　we　didn't　speak　　or　see　each　other；　had　been　my　only　panions　all　these　years　in　　Rome。　I　thought　of　everything　perhaps　that　mattered。　My　mind　sought　to　organize　itself　round　Mael　and　Avicus；　and　I　looked　up　from　to　the　other；　and　then　out　to　the　garden　again。
　　　　〃I'm　ready　to　fight　you；〃　said　Mael　with　his　characteristic　impatience。
　　　　　And　what　will　you　achieve？　You　think　you　can　cut　out　the　secret　of　the　Mother　and　the　Father　from　my　heart？〃
　　　　　Avicus　came　to　my　desk。　He　sat　down　in　the　nearest　chair　before　me　and　looked　to　me　as　if　he　were　my　client　or　friend。
　　　Marius；　they　are　close　to　Rome。　I　know　it。　I　have　known　it　for　a　long　time。　Many　a　night　you　have　gone　out　into　the　hills　to　visit　some　strange　and　lonely　place；　and　with　the　Mind　Gift　I　have　followed　you；　wondering　what　could　ta