anner.vittoriothevampire-第24章
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were some very large porches； and these too had their idle gloating and merciless occupants。 Damn them all； I thought。
What stunned me and fascinated me was the great jumble of human beings and dwellings which I saw crowding the courtyard before me。
First of all； it was far more fiercely illuminated than the ghastly Court； where I had just stood trial； if it could be called such； and it was an entire world unto itself … a rectangular court planted with dozens of olive trees and other flowering trees； orange trees； lemon trees； and all of these strung with lanterns。
It was an entire little world full of what seemed to be drunken and confused persons。 Bodies； some half…naked； others fully and even richly clothed； shuffled； stumbled or lay about with no purpose。 Everyone was filthy； disheveled； degraded。
There were hovels all over； like old…fashioned peasant huts of mere straw； and open wooden shacks； and little stone enclaves； and trellised gardens and countless circuitous pathways。
It was a drunken labyrinth of a garden gone wild under the naked night。
The fruit trees grew thick in clusters and then broke open to reveal grassy places where people merely lay staring at the stars； as if they were dozing； though their eyes were open。
Myriad flowering vines covered wire enclosures that seemed to have no purpose but to create some alcove of privacy； and there were giant cages full of fat birds； aye； birds； and cooking fires scattered about … and big kettles simmering on beds of coals； from which a deeply spiced fragrance arose。 Kettles！ Yes； full of broth。
I saw that a foursome of demons roamed about … there may have been more … scrawny…limbed and bleached as their Lords； and forced to the same blood…red dress； only they were in shapeless garments no better than rags … peasant garb。
Two tended a pot of the simmering broth or soup or whatever it was； whilst another swept with a big old broom； and yet another carried on his hip indifferently a small mewling human toddler； whose head rolled painfully on his weak neck。
It was more grotesque and disturbing than the hideous Court below； with its stately cadaverous mock aristocrats。
〃It's stinging my eyes；〃 I said。 〃I can feel the smoke rising from the kettles。〃 It was a pungent delicious mingling of fragrances。 I could identify many of the rich cooking spices； and the smell of mutton and beef； but there were other more exotic flavors intermingled with it。
Everywhere human beings were in this hopeless daze。 Children； old women； the famed cripples who never appeared in the town below； hunchbacks； and little twisted bodies which had never grown to full size； and big hulking men as well； bearded and swart； and boys my age or older … all of them shuffling about or lying about； but dazed； and crazy； and looking up at us； and blinking and pausing as though our presence should mean something though they could not make out what。
I swayed on the landing； and Ursula held my arm。 I felt ravenous as the heavy fumes filled my nostrils。 Hunger； hunger such as I'd never known。 No； it was a pure thirst for the soup； as though there were no food that was not liquid。
Suddenly the two gaunt and aloof men who had not left us … they who had blindfolded me and dragged me here … turned and went down the steps； letting their heels make a sharp marching sound on the stones。
A few eager cries came up from the great mottled and scattered assemblage。 Heads turned。 Sluggish bodies tried to rouse themselves from the vaporous torpor。
The two Lords； with their long trailing sleeves and stiff backs； marched together as if they were kinsmen as they approached the first of the visible cauldrons。
I watched as drunken mortals gathered themselves up and stumbled towards the red…clad Lords。 As for the red…clad Lords； they seemed to glory in mystifying all。
〃What are they doing？ What will they do？〃 I was sick。 I was going to fall。 Yet how sweet this soup smelled； and how much I wanted it。 〃Ursula；〃 I said。 But I didn't know what words to make to follow this prayer of her name。
〃I'm holding you； my love； this is the coop。 Look； do you see？〃 Through a haze； I saw the Lords pass beneath the jagged thorny branches of the blooming orange trees； where fruit hung still； as though none of these swollen； lethargic souls needed such a fresh and bright thing as an orange。
The Lords took up a stance on either side of this first kettle； and each； extending a right hand； slashed his right wrist with a knife which he held in his left hand； and let the blood flow copiously into the brew。
A weak happy cry rose from those humans gathering meekly around them。
〃Oh； damnable； it's the blood； of course；〃 I whispered。 I would have fallen if Ursula had not taken hold of me。 〃The brew is spiced with blood。〃
One of the Lords turned away； as though the smoke and the fumes disgusted him； yet he allowed himself to bleed into the mix。 Then turning swiftly； almost crossly； he reached out to snatch by the arm one of the thin； weak…looking white demons in peasant garb。
He caught the poor fellow and dragged him to the kettle。 The thin paltry demon begged and whined to be allowed to be free； but his wrists were both slashed； and now； though he turned his bony face away； he was bled furiously into the soup。
〃Ah； you are better than Dante with your circles of Hell； aren't you？〃 I said。 But it hurt me that I had taken such a tone with her。 She supported me utterly。
〃They are peasants； yes； they dream of being Lords； and if they obey； they might。〃 I recalled now that the demon soldiers who had brought me back to the castle had been rude huntsmen。 How well it was all thought out； but this； my narrow…shouldered love； with her soft yielding arms and her shining tear…stained face； was a pure Lady； was she not？ 〃Vittorio； I want so badly for you not to die。〃
〃Do you； dearest？〃 I said。 I had my arms around her。 I could no longer stand without this support。 My vision was fading。
Yet with my head against her shoulder； my eyes directed to the crowd below； I could see the human beings surrounding the kettles and dipping their cups into the brew； dipping their cups right where the blood had fallen； and then blowing on the hot liquid to cool it before they drank。
A soft； horrid laughter echoed up the walls。 I think it came from those spectators above on the balconies。
There was a sudden swirl of red color； as if a giant unfurling flag had fallen。
But it was a Lady dropping down from the remote heights above； to land amid the worshipful hordes of the coop。
They bowed and saluted her； and backed away from her； and gave forth loud gasps of awe as she too approached the kettle and； with a loud rebellious laugh； cut her wrist and fed her blood into it。
〃Yes； my darlings； my little chicks；〃 she declared。 She looked up at us。
〃e down； Ursula； have pity on our hungry little world； be generous tonight。 So it is not your night to give； give in honor of our new acquisition。〃
Ursula seemed shamed by all of this； and held me gently with her long fingers。 I looked into her eyes。 〃I'm drunk； drunk merely from the fragrance。〃
〃My blood is only for you now；〃 she whispered。
〃Give it to me then； I hunger for it； I'm weak to dying；〃 I said。 〃Oh； God； you've brought me to this。 No； no； I did it myself。〃
〃Sshhh； my lover； my sweet；〃 she said。
Her arm coiled about my waist； and there came just under my ear her tender lips sucking on the flesh； as if she meant to make a pucker there on my neck； warm it with her tongue； and then the prick of her teeth。
I felt ravaged； and with both hands in a fantasy I reached out for her figure as we ran together through the meadow which belonged only to us and to which these others could never be admitted。
〃Oh； innocent love；〃 she said even as she drank from me； 〃oh； innocent innocent love。〃
Then a sudden icy hot fire entered the wound in my neck； and I felt it as if it were a delicate parasite of long tendrils that once inside my body could find the most remote reaches of me。
The meadow spread out around us； vast and cool； and utterly given over to the blowing lilies。 Was she with me？ Beside me？ It seemed in one radiant instant I stood alone and h
