anner.vittoriothevampire-第15章
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The garden was lovely； a little old grotto； from which you could see the town sneaking up on the right all the way to the castle； and then you could see over the walls far out over the mountains。 There was an antique statue of St。 Dominic there； a fountain and a bench； and some old words carved into the stone about a miracle。
I sat down on the bench。 I looked up at the healthy blue sky and the virgin white clouds； and I tried to catch my breath inside of myself。 Could I be mad？ I wondered。 That was ridiculous。
The Pastor startled me。 He came plunging out of the low arched doorway of the rectory； an elderly man with almost no hair at all； and a small bulging nose and ferocious large eyes。 The younger priest was running to keep up with him。
〃Get out of here；〃 the Pastor said to me in a whisper。 〃Get out of our town。 Get clear away from it； and don't tell your stories to anybody in it； you hear me？〃
〃What？〃 I asked。 〃What sort of solace is this！〃 He was steaming。 〃I'm warning you。〃
〃Warning me of what？〃 I demanded。 I didn't bother to get up from the bench。 He glowered over me。 〃You're under the Seal of Confession。 What are you going to do if I don't leave？〃 I asked。
〃I don't have to do anything； that's just it！〃 he said。 〃Go away and take your misery with you。〃 He stopped； clearly at a loss； embarrassed perhaps； as if he'd said something he regretted。 He ground his teeth and looked off and then back at me。
〃For your own sake； leave；〃 he said in a whisper。 He looked at the other priest。 〃You go；〃 he said； 〃and let me talk to him。〃
The young priest was in a total fright。 He left immediately。 I looked up at the Pastor。
〃Leave；〃 he said to me in his low； mean voice； his lower lip drawing back to reveal his lower teeth。 〃Get out of our town。 Get out of Santa Maddalana。〃
I looked at him with cold contempt。 〃You know about them； don't you？〃 I said in a low voice。
〃You're mad。 Mad！〃 he said。 〃If you speak of demons to people here you'll end up burnt at the stake yourself for a sorcerer。 You think it can't happen？〃 It was hatred in his eyes； shameless hatred。
〃Oh； poor damned priest；〃 I said； 〃you're in league with the Devil。〃
〃Get out！〃 he growled。
I got up and looked down into his swelling eyes； his pouting； overworked mouth。
〃Don't you dare break the Seal of my Confession； Father；〃 I said。 〃If you do； I'll kill you。〃 He stood stock…still； staring at me。
I smiled very coldly and went to pass on through the rectory and away。
He ran after me； whispering like a steaming kettle。 〃You misunderstand everything。 You're crazy； you're imagining things。 I'm trying to save you from persecution and villainization。〃
I turned around at the door to the church and glared him into utter silence。
〃You've tipped your hand；〃 I said。 〃You're too merciless。 Remember what I said。 Break the Seal and I'll kill you。〃
He was as frightened now as the young priest had been。
I stood looking at the altar for a long while； ignoring him； forgetting him utterly； my mind pretending to have thoughts in it； to be construing and planning when all I could do was endure。 Then I made the Sign of the Cross and I left the church。 I was in utter despair。
For a while I walked around。 Once again； it was only the most pleasant town I had ever seen； with everyone happily at work； with best…swept cobbled streets； and pretty flower boxes under all the windows； and prettily dressed people going about their affairs。
It was the cleanest place I'd ever seen in my life； and the most contented。 And the people； they were all eager to sell me their wares； but they didn't press it terribly much。 But it was an awfully dull town in a way。 There were no people my age； none at all that I saw。 In fact； there weren't all that many children。
What should I do？ Where should I go？ What was I looking for？
I didn't quite know how to answer my own questions； but I was certainly on my guard for the slightest evidence that this town somehow harbored the demons； that Ursula had not found me here； but that I had found her。
The mere thought of her overcame me with a cool； inviting shock of desire。 I saw her breasts； felt the taste of her； saw in a blurred flash the flowered meadow。 No！
Think。 Make some plan。 As for this town； no matter what the priest knew； these people were too wholesome for harboring demons。
5
THE PRICE OF PEACE AND THE PRICE OF VENGEANCE
AS the heat of the day started to really rise； I went into the arbor of the Inn for the heavy noon meal and sat down by myself under the wisteria； which was blooming magnificently over the latticework。 This place was on the same side of the town as the Dominican church； and it too had a lovely view of the town to the left and a view out over the mountains。
I closed my eyes； and putting my elbows on the table； I clasped my hands and I prayed。 〃God； tell me what to do。 Show me what is to be done。〃 And then I was quiet in my heart； waiting； thinking。 What were my choices？
Take this tale to Florence？ Who would believe it？ Go to Cosimo himself and tell him this story？ Much as I admired and trusted the Medici； I had to realize something。 Nobody of my family was living but me。 I alone could lay claim to our fortunes in the Medici bank。 I didn't think Cosimo would deny my signature or my face。 He'd give over to me what was mine； whether I had kinsmen or not； but a story of demons？ I'd wind up locked up somewhere in Florence！
And talk of the stake； of being burnt for a sorcerer； that was entirely possible。 Not likely。 But possible。 It could happen very suddenly and spontaneously in a town like this； a mob gathering； denunciations by a local priest； people shouting and running to see what was up。 This did now and then happen to people。
About this time； my meal was set out for me； a good meal with plenty of fresh fruit and well…cooked mutton and gravy； and as I started to dip my bread and eat； up came two men who asked to sit down with me and buy a cup of wine for me。
I realized one of them was a Franciscan； a very kindly…looking priest； poorer it seemed than the Dominicans； which was logical I suppose； and the other an elderly man with little twinkling eyes and long stiff white eyebrows； sticking up as if with glue； as if he were costumed as a cheerful elf to delight children。
〃We saw you go in to the Dominicans；〃 said the Franciscan quietly and politely and smiling at me。 〃You didn't look so happy when you came out。〃 He winked。 〃Why don't you try us？〃 Then he laughed。 It was no more than a good…natured joke and I knew it； about the rivalry of the two orders。 〃You're a fine…looking young man； you e from Florence？〃 he asked。
〃Yes； Father； traveling；〃 I said； 〃though where exactly； I don't know。 I'm stopped here for a while； I think。〃 I was talking with my mouth full； but I was too hungry to stop。 〃Sit down； please。〃 I started to rise； but they sat down。
I bought another pitcher of red wine for the table。
〃Well； you couldn't have found a finer place；〃 said the little old man； who seemed to have his wits about him； 〃that is why I am so happy that God sent my own son； back here； to serve in our church； so that he could live out his days by his family。〃
〃Ah； so you are father and son；〃 I said。
〃Yes； and I never thought I'd live so long；〃 said the father； 〃to see such prosperity e to this town as has e。 It's miraculous。〃
〃It is； it is the blessing of God；〃 said the priest innocently and sincerely。 〃It's a true wonder。〃
〃Oh； really； instruct me in this； how so？〃 I asked。 I pushed the plate of fruit to them。 But they said they had eaten。
〃Well； in my time；〃 said the father； 〃you know we had more than our share of woes； or that's how it seemed to me。 But now？ It's utter bliss； this place。 Nothing bad ever happens。〃
〃It's true；〃 said the priest。 〃You know； I remember the lepers we had in the old days； who lived outside the walls。 They are all gone now。 And then there were always a few really bad youths； young men causing trouble； you know； the really bad sort。 You had them in every town。 But now？ You couldn't find one bad man in all of Santa Maddalana or in any of the villages around。 It's as if people have returned to God with their whole
