anner.vittoriothevampire-第30章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
The two angels stood right before me； together； one head inclined towards the other as they regarded me； and it seemed that the mortals； for all their blindness； could not block the path of the angels' vision or e between me and them。 If only I had the courage。 I so wanted to touch them。
The wings of the one who'd spoken first were rising； and it seemed a soft shimmer of gold dust fell from the awakening feathers； the quivering； sparkling feathers； but nothing rivaled the angel's meditative and wondering face。
〃Let them take you to San Marco；〃 said this angel； the one named Setheus； 〃let them take you。 These men mean well； and you will be put in a cell and cared for by the monks。 You cannot be in a finer place； for this is a house under Cosimo's patronage； and you know that Fra Giovanni has decorated the very cell in which you'll stay。〃
〃Setheus； he knows these things；〃 said the other angel。
〃Yes； but I am reassuring him；〃 said the first angel with the simplest shrug； looking wonderingly at his panion。 Nothing characterized their faces so much as subdued wonder。
〃But you；〃 I said； 〃Setheus； may I call you by name； you'll let them take me away from you？ You can't。 Please don't leave me。 I beg you。 Don't leave me。〃
〃We have to leave you；〃 said the other angel。 〃We are not your guardians。 Why can't you see your own angels？〃
〃Wait； I know your name。 I can hear it。〃
〃No；〃 said this more disapproving angel； waving his finger at me as if correcting a child。
But I would not be stopped。 〃I know your name。 I heard it when you were arguing； and I hear it now when I look at your face。 Ramiel； that's your name。 And both of you are Fra Filippo's guardians。〃
〃This is a disaster；〃 whispered Ramiel； with the most touching look of distress。 〃How did this occur？〃
Setheus merely shook his head； and smiled again generously。 〃It has to be for the good； it must be。 We have to go with him。 Of course we do。〃
〃Now？ Leave now？〃 demanded Ramiel； and again； for all the urgency； there was no anger。 It was as though the thoughts were purified of all lower emotions； and of course it was so； it was perfectly so。
Setheus leaned close to the old man； who couldn't of course either see him or hear him； and he said in the old man's ear： 〃Take the boy to San Marco； have him put in a goodly cell； for which he has plenty of money； and have him nursed to health。〃 Then he looked at me。 〃We'll go with you。〃
〃We can't do that；〃 said Ramiel。 〃We can't leave our charge； how can we do such a thing without permission？〃
〃It's meant to be。 This is permission。 I know that it is；〃 said Setheus。 〃Don't you see what's happened？ He's seen us and he's heard us and he's caught your name； and he would have caught mine if I hadn't revealed it。 Poor Vittorio； we are with you。〃
I nodded； almost ready to weep at the sound of myself addressed。 The whole street had gone drab and hushed and indistinct around their large； quiet and flushed figures； the finespun light of their garments stirring about them as if the celestial fabric were subject to the invisible currents of the air which men cannot feel。
〃Those are not our real names！〃 said Ramiel scoldingly to me； but gently； as one would scold an infant。
Setheus smiled。 〃They are good enough names by which to call us； Vittorio；〃 he said。
〃Yes； take him to San Marco；〃 said the man beside me。 〃Let's go。 Let the monks handle all this。〃
The men rushed me towards the mouth of the street。
〃You'll be very well cared for at San Marco；〃 said Ramiel； as though he were bidding me farewell； but the two angels were moving beside us； and only falling a little behind。
〃Don't you leave me； either of you； you can't！〃 I said to the angels。
They seemed perplexed； their lovely folded gossamer robes unstained by rain； the hems clean and shining as if they had not touched the street； and their bare feet looking so exquisitely tender as they followed at our pace。
〃All right；〃 said Setheus。 〃Don't worry so； Vittorio。 We're ing。〃
〃We can't simply leave our charge like this for another man； we can't do it；〃 Ramiel continued to protest。 〃It's God's will； how can it be otherwise？〃
〃And Mastema？ We don't have to ask Mastema？〃 asked Ramiel。
〃Why should we ask Mastema？ Why bring care to Mastema？ Mastema must know。〃
And there they were； arguing again； behind us； as I was hurried through the street。
The steel sky gleamed； then grew pale and gave way above to blue as we came to an open piazza。 The sun shocked me； and made me sicken； yet how I wanted it； how I longed for it； and yet it rebuked me and seemed to scourge me as if it were a whip。
We were only a little ways from San Marco。 My legs would soon give out。 I kept looking over my shoulder。
The two lustrous； gilded figures came on； silently； with Setheus gesturing for me to go along。 〃We're here； we're with you；〃 said Setheus。
〃I don't know about this； I don't know！〃 said Ramiel。 〃Filippo has never been in such trouble； he has never been subjected to such temptation； such indignity …〃
〃Which is why we have been drawn off now； so that we do not interfere with what must take place with Filippo。 We know we were on the very verge of getting into trouble on account of Filippo and what Filippo has done now。 Oh； Filippo； I see this； I see the grand design。〃
〃What are they talking about？〃 I demanded of the men。 〃They're saying something about Fra Filippo。〃
〃And who would that be； who is talking； may I ask？〃 said the old man； shaking his head as he escorted me along； the young madman in his charge with the clanking sword。
〃My boy； be quiet now；〃 said the other man； who took the larger burden of supporting me。 〃We can understand you only too well now； and you are making less sense than ever； talking to people that no one can see and hear。〃
〃Fra Filippo； the painter； what's happening with him？〃 I demanded。 〃There's some trouble。〃
〃Oh； it is unbearable；〃 said the angel Ramiel behind me。 〃It is unthinkable that this should happen。 And if you ask me； which no one has and no one will； I believe that if Florence were not at war with Venice； Cosimo de' Medici would protect his painter from this。〃
〃But protect him from what？〃 I demanded。 I looked into the eyes of the old man。
〃Son； obey me；〃 said the old man。 〃Walk straight； and stop banging me with that sword。 You are a great Signore； I can see this； and the name of the Raniari rings loud in my ears from the distant mountains of Tuscany； and the gold on your right hand alone weighs more than the dowry of both of my daughters put together； not to mention the gems； but don't shout in my face。〃
〃I'm sorry。 I didn't mean to。 It's only； the angels won't say precisely。〃
The other man who led me so kindly； who helped me honestly with the saddlebags in which was my fortune； and did not even seek to steal anything from me； began to speak：
〃If you're asking about Fra Filippo； he's deep into trouble again。 He's being put to the torture。 He's on the rack。〃
〃No； that can't happen； not to Filippo Lippi！〃 I stopped dead and shouted。 〃Who would do such a thing to the great painter？〃
I turned； and the two angels suddenly covered their faces； as tenderly as ever Ursula had covered hers； and they started weeping。 Only their tears were marvelously crystalline and clear。 They merely looked at me。 Oh； Ursula； I thought with excruciating pain suddenly； how beautiful are these creatures； and in what grave do you sleep beneath the Court of the Ruby Grail that you cannot see them； cannot see their silent secret progress through the city streets？
〃It's true；〃 said Ramiel。 〃It's all too terribly true。 What have we been； what sort of guardians； that Filippo has gotten himself into this trouble； that he is so contentious and deceiving； and why have we been so helpless？〃
〃We are only angels；〃 said Setheus。 〃Ramiel； we do not have to accuse Filippo。 We are not accusers； we are guardians； and for the sake of the boy who loves him； don't say such things。〃
〃They can't torture Fra Filippo Lippi；〃 I cried out。 〃Who did he deceive？〃
〃He did it to himself；〃 said the old man。 〃He's into fraud this time。 He sold off a mission； and everybody knows that one of his apprentices painted too much
