anner.bloodandgold-第96章
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〃No； die；〃 I said。 〃With me it's what I told you； that I have lived for over a thousand years。 But with Amadeo？ It could be death very easily。 Pray that they do not design cruelties but only horrors； that whatever they do； they do it quickly or not at all。〃
She was filled with fear； and her eyes were watching rne as if there were an actual expression on the leather face mask that I wore。
〃e now； you must learn to open this coffin；〃 I said to her。 〃And before that； I must give you more of my blood。 I've taken so many
victims； I have more now to give and you must have it or you won't be strong as Amadeo； not at all。〃
〃But 。 。 。 I've changed rny clothes；〃 she said。 〃I don't want to get them bloody。〃
I laughed。 I laughed and laughed。 The whole golden chamber echoed with my laughter。
She stared at me blankly。
〃Bianca；〃 I said gently。 〃I promise you； I won't spill a drop。〃
26
wHEN I AWOKE； lay quiet for an hour； weak and keenly in pain。 So bad was the pain； in fact； that sleep seem preferable
to wakefulness； and I dreamt of tilings long ago； times when Pandora and I had been together and when it had not seemed possible that we would ever part。
What finally jarred me from my uneasy slumber was the sound of Bianca screaming。
Over and over in terror she screamed。
I rose； somewhat stronger than the night before； and then once I was certain that I had my gloves and mask in place； I crouched beside her coffin and called out to her。
At first she couldn't hear me； so loud were her frantic screams。 But at last； she grew quiet in her desperation。
〃You have the strength to open the coffin；〃 I said。 〃I revealed this to you last night。 Put your hands against the lid and move it。〃
〃Let me out of it； Marius；〃 she pleaded； sobbing。
〃No； you must do it for yourself。〃
Softer sobs came from her； but she followed my instructions。 There came a grinding noise from the marble and the lid moved to one side； and then she rose； pushing the lid out of her way； and she freed herself from the box altogether。
〃e here to me；〃 I said。
She obeyed me； shivering with sobs； and with my gloved hands I stroked her mussed hair。
〃You knew you had the strength；〃 I said… 〃I showed you that even with your mind you could move it。〃
〃Please light the candle；〃 she begged。 〃I need the light。〃
I did as she asked rne to do。 〃 You must try to quiet your soul；〃 I said。 I took a long deep breath。 〃You're strong now； and after we hunt tonight you'll be even stronger。 And as I grow ever more strong； I will give you more of my blood。〃
〃Forgive me for my fear；〃 she whispered。
I had little strength myself to fort her； but I knew that she needed what little strength I had。 It was hitting me again like so many violent blows that my world was dashed； that my house was ruined； that Amadep was stolen from me。
And then in a half swoon I saw Pandora of long ago； smiling at me； not recriminating me or tormenting me； but only speaking with me； as though we were in the garden together； at the stone table； and talking as we used to do of so many things。
But that was gone。 All was gone。 Amadeo was gone。 My paintings were gone。
And there came again the desperation； the bitterness； the humiliation。 I had not thought that such things could be done to me。 I had not thought that I could be so miserable。 I had believed myself so
powerful； so very clever； so very beyond this abject grief。
〃e now； Bianca；〃 I said。 〃We must go out； we must seek the blood。 e。〃 I consoled her as I consoled myself。 〃Here； where is your mirror？ Where is your b？ Let me b your pretty hair for you。 Look at yourself in the mirror。 Did Botticelli ever paint a woman more beautiful？〃
She wiped at her red tears。
〃Are you happy again？〃 I asked。 〃Reach into the depths of your soul。 Tell yourself that you are immortal。 Tell yourself that death has no power over you。 A glorious thing has befallen you here in the
darkness； Bianca。 You have bee forever young； forever beautiful。〃
I wanted so to kiss her； but I couldn't do this； and so I labored to make my words so many kisses。
She nodded； and as she looked at me a lovely smile broke over her face； and for one moment she fell into a dreaminess which brought back all my memories of Botticelli's genius； and even of the manhimself so safely away from all these horrors； living out his life in Florence beyond what I might ever do。
I took the b from her bundle。 I ran it through her hair。 I watched her stare at the mask that was my face。
〃What is it？〃 I asked of her gently。
〃I want to see how badly…〃
〃No you don't；〃 I said。
She began to cry again。 〃But how will you ever be healed？ How many nights will it take？〃
All her happiness of last night was shattered。
〃e；〃 I said。 〃We go to hunt。 Now put on your cape； and follow me up the steps。 We do as we've done before。 And don't for a moment doubt your strength； and do always as I tell you。〃
She would not do as I asked her。 She hovered near the coffin； her elbow on the lid； her face stricken。
At last I settled near to her； and I began to speak words I never thought I would hear myself utter
〃You must be the strong one； Bianca；〃 I said； 〃you must lead us。 I haven't the strength for two just now and that is what you are demanding of me。 I am ruined inside。 I am ruined。 No； wait； don't interrupt what I mean to say。 And don't shed tears。 Listen to me。 You must give to me your small reserve of strength for I require it。 I have powers quite beyond your imagining。 But those powers I cannot reach just now。 And until I can reach them； you must lead us forward。 Lead us with your thirst and lead us with your wonder； for surely in this state you do see things as never before and you are filled with that wonder。〃
She nodded her head。 Her eyes grew colder and more beautifully calm。
〃Don't you see？〃 I asked。 〃If you can only e with me through these few nights； you do indeed have immortality？〃
She closed her eyes and moaned。 〃Oh； I love the very sound of your voice；〃 she said； 〃but I am afraid。 In the coffin in the dark when I awoke； it all seemed a poisoned dream； and I fear what they may do to us if they discover what we are； if we fall into their hands； and if。。。 if。。。〃
''Yes； if？〃
〃If you cannot protect me。〃
〃Ah； yes； if I cannot protect you。〃
I fell into a silence； sitting there。
Again； it did not seem possible that this had happened to me。 My soul was burnt。 My spirit was burnt。 My will was scarred and my happiness ruined。
I remembered the very first ball； the ball which Bianca had given at our house； and I remembered the dancing and the tables with their
golden platters of fruit and spiced meats； the smell of the wine； and the sound of the music； and the many rooms so filled with contented souls； and the paintings looming over all； and it did not seem possible that anyone could bring me down from that when I was so firmly placed in the realm of unsuspecting mortals。
Oh； Santino； I thought； how I do hate you。 How I do despise you。
I pictured him again as he had e to me in Rome。 I pictured him in his black robes smelling of the earth； his black hair rather vainly clean and long； and his face so very expressive with its large dark eyes； and I hated him。
Would I ever； I thought； have the chance to destroy him？ Oh； surely there would e a time when he was not surrounded by so many numbers； when I might have him firmly in my hands and with the Fire Gift make him pay for what he'd done to me。
And Amadeo； where was my Amadeo； and where were my boys who had been so brutally yet carefully taken？ I saw again rny poor Vincenzo murdered on the floor。
〃Marius； my Marius；〃 Bianca said suddenly。 〃Please； don't sit in such quiet with me。〃 She reached out； her hand pale and fluttering； not daring to touch me。 〃I am sorry for being so weak。 Believe me； I am。 What is it that makes you so silent？〃
〃Nothing； my darling； only the thoughts of my enemy； the one who brought those brandishing the fire； those who destroyed me。〃
〃But
