anner.bloodandgold-第88章
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〃Raymond Gallant；〃 he responded softly。 〃Should you ever want to reach me…。〃
〃Never；〃 I said sharply under my breath。
He nodded； but then refusing to go with that admonition he stood his ground and said： 〃Write to the castle； the name of which is engraved on the other side of the coin。〃
I watched him leave the ballroom。 He wasn't a figure to attract attention； and indeed one could picture him working with quiet
dedication in some library where everything was splattered with ink。
But he did have a marvelously appealing face。
I sat brooding at the table； only talking now and then to others when I had to； wondering on it； that this mortal had e so close to me。
Was I too careless now？ Too absolutely in love with Amadeo and Bianca to be paying attention to the simplest things that should have sounded an alarm？ Had the splendid paintings of Botticelli separated me too much from my immortality？
I didn't know； but in truth what Raymond Gallant had done could be explained fairly well。
I was in a room full of mortals and he was but one of them； and perhaps he had a way of disciplining his mind so that his thoughts did not go out before him。 And there was no menace to him in gesture or face。
Yes； it was all simple； and when I was home in my bedchamber I felt much more at ease about it； even enough to write several pages about it in my diary as Amadeo slept like a Fallen Angel on my red taffeta bed。
Should I fear this young man who knew where I dwelt？ I thought not。 I sensed no danger whatsoever。 I believed the things that he said。
Quite suddenly； a couple of hours before dawn a tragic thought crossed my mind。
I must see Raymond Gallant once more！ I must speak to him！ What a fool I had been。
I went out into the night； leaving the sleeping Amadeo behind。
And throughout Venice I searched for this English scholar sweeping this and that palazzo with the power of my mind。
At last I came upon him in modest lodgings very far from the huge palaces of the Grand Canal。 I came down the stairway from the roof； and tapped on his door。
〃Open to me； Raymond Gallant；〃 I said； 〃It's Marius； and I don't mean you any harm。〃
No answer。 But I knew that I had given him a terrible start。
〃Raymond Gallant； I can break the door but I have no right to do such a thing。 I beg you to answer。 Open your door to me。〃
Finally he did unfasten the door； and I came inside； finding it to be a little chamber with remarkably damp walls in which he had a mean writing table； and a packing case and a heap of clothes。 There stood against the wall a small painting which I had done many months ago and which I had； admittedly； cast aside。
The place was overcrowded with candles； however； which meant that he had a rather good look at me。
He drew back from me like a frightened boy。
〃Rayrnond Gallant； you must tell me something；〃 I said at once； both to satisfy myself and to put him at his ease。
〃I will do my best to do this； Marius；〃 he answered； his voice tremulous。 〃What can you possibly want to know of me？〃
〃Oh； surely it's not so hard to imagine；〃 I responded。 I looked about… There was no place to sit。 So be it。 〃You told me you have always known of our kind。〃
〃Yes；〃 he answered。 He was shaking violently。 〃I was 。。。 I was preparing to leave Venice；〃 he volunteered quickly。 〃As you advised。〃
〃I see that； and I thank you。 But this is my question；〃 I spoke very slowly to him as I went on。
〃In all of your study； did you ever hear tell of a woman blood drinker； a woman vampire as you call it…a woman with long rippling brown hair 。 。 。 rather tall and beautifully formed； a woman made in the full bloom of life rather than in the budding flower of youth 。 。 。 a woman with quick eyes； a woman who walks the night streets alone；〃
All this quite impressed him and for a moment he looked away from me； registering the words； and then he looked back。
〃Pandora；〃 he said。
I winced。 I couldn't prevent it。 I couldn't play the dignified man with him。 I felt it like a blow to the chest。
I was so overe that I walked a few paces away from him； and turned my back on him so that he could not see the expression on my face。
He knew her very name！
Finally I turned around。 〃What do you know of her？〃 I said。 I searched his mind as he spoke for the truth of every word。
〃In ancient Antioch； carved in stone；〃 he said； 〃the words； 'Pandora and Marius； drinkers of the blood； once dwelt together in happiness in this house。' 〃
I could not answer him。 But this was only the past； the bitter sad past in which I'd deserted her。 And she； full of hurt； must have inscribed the words in the stone。
That he and his scholars had found such a remnant left me humbled
and respecting of what they were。
〃But now；〃 I declared； 〃do you know of her now？ When did you learn of her？ YOU must tell me all。〃
〃In the North of Europe now；〃 he said； 〃there are those who say they have seen her。〃 His voice was growing stronger； but he was still quite afraid。 〃And once a young vampire； a young blood drinker； came to us； one qf those who cannot bear the transformation。 。 。 ；〃
〃Yes； go on；〃 I said。 〃I know。 You say nothing that is offensive to me。 Continue； please。〃
〃The young one came； hoping we held some magic by which he might reverse the Blood and give him back his mortal life and his immortal soul。。。。〃
〃Yes； and he spoke of her？ That's what you mean to say？〃
〃Precisely。 He knew all about her。 He told us her name。 He counted her a goddess among vampires。 It was not she who made him。 Rather ing upon him； she had pity on him； and often listened to his ravings。 But he described her as you did。 And he told us of the ruins in Antioch where we would find the words she'd written in the stone。
〃It was she who spoke to him of Marius。 And so the name came to be known to us。 Marius； the tall one with the blue eyes； Marius whose mother came from Gaul and whose father was a Roman。〃
He stopped； plainly afraid of me。
〃Oh； go on； please； I beg you；〃 I said。
〃This young vampire is gone now； destroyed by his own will without our pliance。 He went out into the morning sun。〃
〃Where did he e upon her？〃 I asked。 〃Where did she listen to his ravings？ When did this take place？〃
〃Within my lifetime；〃 he said。 〃Though I myself did not see this blood drinker。 Please； do not press me too hard。 I am trying to tell you all I know。 The young vampire said that she was ever on the move； through the northern countries as I told you； but in the disguise of a rich woman； and with an Asian panion； a blood drinker of very great beauty and abrupt cruelty who seemed to oppress her nightly and force her into what she did not want to do。〃
〃I can't bear it！〃 I declared。 〃Go on； tell me…what northern countries？
I can't read from your mind any faster than I can hear your words。 Tell me all that the young one said。〃
〃I don't know the countries in which she traveled；〃 he answered。
My passion was unnerving him。
〃This young one； he loved her。 He imagined that she would repel the Asian。 But she would not。 It drove him mad； this failure。 And so； feeding upon the populace of a small German town； the young one soon blundered into our arms。〃
He paused； to gather his courage and to make his voice steady as he went on。
〃Within our Motherhouse he talked incessantly of her； but it was all the same theme…her sweetness； her kindness and the cruelty of the Asian from whom she would not break away。〃
〃Tell me the names under which they traveled；〃 I said。 〃There must have been names； names they used as mortals； for how else could they have lived as rich mortals？ Give me the names。〃
〃I don't know them；〃 he said。 He gathered all his reserve now。 〃Give me time and perhaps I can obtain them。 But I do not in truth think the Order will give me such information to give to you。〃
Again I turned away from him。 I put my right hand up to shield my eyes。 What gestures does a mortal man make at such a moment？ I made of my right hand a fist； and held my right arm firmly with my left hand。
She
