anner.bloodandgold-第93章
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the mask I tied to my face。
The cloak was of generous proportions and with a hood； which I cherished。 I was soon covered from head to toe。
But what must I do now？ What should I tell this angel of a young woman who stood in the chilled and dark corridor outside？
〃Who has e with you？〃 I asked her。
〃Only the boatman；〃 she said。 〃Did you not say e alone？〃
〃Perhaps I said it；〃 I answered。 〃My mind is clouded by pain。〃
I heard her crying。
I struggled to think。 I realized a harsh and terrible truth。
I could not hunt on my own because I wasn't strong enough to venture forth from this place with any of my old gifts of speed or ascent and descent。
I could not rely upon her strength to help me in the hunt because she was entirely too weak for it； and to use her boatman was foolish if not downright impossible。 The man would witness what I did； and he knew that I resided in this house！
Oh； how mad it all was。 How weak I was。 How very possible it was that Santino's monsters might return。 How important it was for me to leave Venice and seek the shrine of Those Who Must Be Kept。 But how could this be done？
〃Marius； please let me in；〃 she said softly。 〃I'm not afraid to see you。 Please； Marius。 Let me e in。〃
〃Very well；〃 I said。 〃Trust in me that I won't harm you。 e down the stairs。 Make your way carefully。 Trust in me that whatever I tell you is the truth。〃
With agonizing effort； I pushed the door open sufficiently so that she might e inside。 A faint light filled the stairway and the chamber below。 It was enough for my eyes。 But not for hers。
With her delicate pale hand she groped her way after me； and she could not see how I crawled with my hands resting heavily again and again against the wall。
At last we had e to the bottom of the steps； and there she struggled to see； but she could not。
〃Marius； speak to me；〃 she said。
〃I'm here； Bianca；〃 I said。
I knelt down； then seated myself on my heels； and gazing up at the torches that hung on the walk； I tried to light one of them with the Fire Gift。
I directed the power with all my strength。
I heard a faint crackling and then the torch kindled and the light exploded； hurting my eyes。 The fire made me shiver； but we could not endure without it。 The darkness had been worse。
She raised her tender hands to shelter her eyes from the brightness。 Then she looked at me。
What did she see？
She covered her mouth and gave a muffled scream。
〃What have they done to you？〃 she asked。 〃Oh； my beautiful Marius。
Tell me how to remedy this and I will。〃
I saw myself in her gaze； a hooded being of burnt black sticks for neck and wrists with gloves for hands and a floating leather mask for a face。
〃And how do you think that can be done； my beautiful Bianca？〃 I asked。 〃What magic potion can bring me back from what I am now？〃
Her mind was in confusion。 I caught a tangle of images and memories； of misery and hope。
She looked about herself at the glittering golden walls。 She stared at the shining marble sarcophagi。 Then her eyes returned to me。 She was aghast but unafraid。
〃Marius；〃 she said； 〃I can be your acolyte as surely as Amadeo was。 Only tell me how。〃
At the mention of Amadeo's name my eyes filled with tears。 Oh； to think this burnt body had within it the blood of tears。
She dropped to her knees so that she might look directly into my eyes。 Her cloak fell open and I saw the rich pearls around her throat and her pale breasts。 She had worn one very fine gown for this
enterprise； not caring how its hem would catch the dirt or the damp。
〃Oh； my lovely jewel；〃 I said to her； 〃how I have loved you both in innocence and guilt。 You don't know how much I have lusted after you； both as monster and man。 You don't know how I've turned my hunger from you when it was something I could scarce control。〃
〃Oh； but I do know；〃 she said。 〃Do you not remember the night you came to me； accusing me for the crimes I'd mitted？ Do you not remember how you confessed your thirst for my blood？ Surely I have not bee since then the pure and simple damsel of a children's tale。〃
〃Perhaps you have； my pretty one；〃 I said。 〃Perhaps you have。 Oh； it's gone； isn't it？ My whole world。 It's gone。 I think of the feasts； the masquerades； the dancing； it's gone； all my paintings burnt。〃
She began to cry。
〃No； don't cry。 Let me cry for it。 It was all my doing。 Because I didn't slay one who despised me。 And they have taken Amadeo prisoner。 Me； they burnt because I was too strong for their designs； but Amadeo they took！〃
〃Stop it； Marius； you rave；〃 she said fearfully。 She put out her hand and touched my gloved fingers。
〃Oh； but I must rave just for a moment。 They took him and I could hear him begging them for explanations； and all the boys； they took the boys too。 Why did they do this？〃
I stared at her through the mask； unable to imagine what she saw or read from this strange artificial countenance in her heated mind。 The scent of her blood was almost overpowering and her sweetness seemed part of another world。
〃Why did they let you live； Bianca； for surely I had not e in time？〃
〃Your pupils； those were the ones they wanted；〃 she answered； 〃they captured them iri nets。 I saw the nets。 I screamed and screamed and screamed out of the front doorway。 They did not care about me except to draw you on； and what could I do when I saw you but cry out for your help against them？ Did I do wrong？ Is it wrong that I'm alive？〃
〃No； don't think such。 No。〃 I reached out as carefully as I could and squeezed her hand with my gloved fingers。 〃You must tell me if this grip is too strong。〃
〃Never too strong； Marius；〃 she said。 〃Oh； trust in me as you ask that I trust in you。〃
I shook my head。 The pain was so terrible I couldn't speak for a moment。 My mind and body both were pain。 I could not endure what had befallen me。 I could not endure the hopeless climb which stood before me and my future self。
〃We remain here together； you and I；〃 she said； 〃when surely there is much to be done to heal you。 Let me serve your magic。 I have already told you that I will。〃
〃But what do you truly know of it； Bianca？ Have you truly understood？ 〃
〃Is it not blood； my lord？〃 she asked。 〃Do you think I cannot remember when you took Amadeo； dying； into your own arms？ Nothing could have saved him such as that transformation which I saw forever after in him。 You know that I saw it。 I knew。 You know that I did。〃
I closed my eyes。 I took my breaths slowly。 The pain was terrible。 Her words were lulling me and making me believe that I was not miserable； but where would this path lead？
I tried to read her mind but in my exhaustion I could not。
I wanted so to touch her face； and then believing in the softness of the glove； I did it； stroking her cheek。 The tears welled in her eyes。
〃Where is Amadeo gone？〃 she said desperately。
〃South by sea；〃 I confessed； 〃and to Rome； that is my belief on it； but don't question me now as to why。 Let me say only that it was an enemy of mine who made this siege upon my house and those I love； and in Rome is where he dwells； and those he sent to harm me and Amadeo e from Rome。
〃I should have destroyed him。 I should have foreseen this。 But in vanity I displayed my powers to him； and brushed him aside。 And so he sent his followers in great numbers so that I couldn't overe them。 Oh； how foolish I was not to divine what he would do。 But what is the use of saying it now？ I'm weak；； Bianca。 I have no means to reclaim Amadeo。 I must somehow regain my own strength。〃
〃Yes； Marius；〃 she said。 〃I understand you。〃
〃I pray with all my heart that Amadeo uses the powers I gave him；〃 I confessed； 〃for they were great and he's veiy strong。〃
〃Yes； Marius；〃 she said。 〃I understand what you say。〃
〃It's to Marius that I look now；〃 I said again guiltily and sadly。 〃It's to Marius that I look； for I must。〃
A silence fell between us。 There was no sound except the crackling of the torch in its sconce high on the wall。
Again I tried to read her mind； but I could not。 It was not only m
