anner.bloodandgold(v2)-第88章
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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。
〃Raymond 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 of 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 lived。 Was I not content with that？ She lived！ The centuries had not destroyed her。 Was that not enough？
I turned around。 I saw him standing there； so very bravely； though his hands trembled at his sides。
〃Why are you not terrified of me？〃 I whispered； 〃terrified that I may e to your Motherhouse and find this information for myself？〃
〃Perhaps no such action is necessary；〃 he responded quickly。 〃Perhaps I can obtain it for you； if you must have it； for it breaks no vows we've taken。 It was not Pandora herself who sought shelter with us。〃
〃Ah； yes； you make a lawyer's point on this score；〃 I answered。 〃 What more can you tell me？ What more did Pandora tell this young one of me？〃
〃No more；〃 he answered。
〃Of Marius； this young one spoke； having heard the name from Pandora…。〃 I repeated。
〃Yes； and then here we discovered you in Venice。 I have told you all！〃
I drew back once more。 He was exhausted with me and so frightened of me that his mentality was almost to the point where it might break。
〃I have told you all；〃 he said again gravely。
〃I know you have；〃 I said。 〃I see that you are capable of secrecy but quite incapable of a lie。〃
He said nothing。
I took the gold coin from my pocket； the one which he had given me。 I read the word：
Talamasca
I turned it over。
There imprinted on it was the picture of a high and well…fortified castle； and beneath it the name： Lorwich； East Anglia。
I looked up。
〃Raymond Gallant；〃 I said。 〃I thank you。〃
He nodded。
〃Marius；〃 he said suddenly； as though screwing up his courage； 〃can you not send out some message to her over the miles？〃
I shook my head。
〃I made her a blood drinker； and her mind has been closed to me from the beginning。 So it is with the beautiful child you saw dancing this very night。 Maker and offspring cannot read each other's thoughts。〃
He mulled this over as though we were speaking of human things； just that calmly； and then he said：
〃But surely you can send the message with your powerful mind to others who may see her and tell her that you search for her； and where you are。〃
A strange moment passed between us。
How could I confess to him that I could not beg her to e to me？ How could I confess to myself that I had to e upon her and take her in my arms and force her to look at me； that some old anger separated me from he
