anner.vittoriothevampire-第33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！
〃No； you mustn't； you must tell Cosimo。 It was not an act of war； what happened to my family； not by human beings。。。〃
〃Hush； child。〃
Chaste hands sponged the water over my shoulders。 I sat slumped against the warm metal back of the tub。
〃。。。 di Raniari； always loyal；〃 said one of them to me。 〃And your brother was to e to study with us； your sweet brother； Matteo。。。〃
I let out a terrible cry。 A soft hand sealed my lips。
〃Sforza himself will punish them。 He'll clean out that country。〃
I cried and cried。 No one could understand me。 They wouldn't listen to me。
The monks lifted me to my feet。 I was dressed in a long fortable soft linen robe。 It came to me that I was being dressed for execution； but the hour of such danger had passed。 〃I am not mad！〃 I said clearly。
〃No； not at all； only grief…stricken。〃
〃You understand me！〃
〃You are tired。〃
〃The bed is soft for you； brought specially for you； hush； don't rave anymore。〃
〃Demons did it；〃 I whispered。 〃They weren't soldiers。〃
〃I know； son； I know。 War is terrible。 War is the Devil's work。〃
〃No； but it wasn't war。 Will you listen to me？〃
〃Hush； this is Ramiel at your ear； didn't I tell you to sleep？ Will you listen to us？ We have heard your thoughts as well as your words！〃
I lay down on the bed flat on my chest。 The monks brushed and dried my hair。 My hair was so long now。 Unkempt； country Lord hair。 But this was an immense fort to be bathed and gentlemanly clean。
〃Those are candles？〃 I asked。 〃The sun has gone down？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the monk beside me。 〃You have slept。〃
〃May I have more candles？〃
〃Yes； I'll bring them to you。〃
I lay in the darkness。 I blinked and tried to shape the words of the Ave。
Many lights appeared in the door； some six or seven in a cluster； each a sweet small perfectly shaped flame。 Then they fluttered as the monk's feet came softly towards me。 I saw him clearly as he knelt to place the candelabra beside my bed。
He was thin and tall； a sapling in hollow willowy robes。 His hands were so clean。 〃You are in a special cell。 Cosimo has sent men to bury your dead。〃
〃Thanks be to God；〃 I said。 〃Yes。〃 So now I could speak！
〃They are still talking down there； and it's late；〃 said the monk。 〃Cosimo is troubled。 He'll stay the night here。 The whole city is filled with Venetian agitators stirring up the populace against Cosimo。〃
〃Now hush；〃 said another monk who appeared suddenly。 He bent down and lifted my head to place another thick pillow beneath it。
What bliss this was。 I thought of the damned ones imprisoned in the coop。 〃Oh； horrors！ It's night； and they're waiting for the horrible munion。〃
〃Who； child？ What munion？〃
Once again； I glimpsed figures moving； drifting； as it were； in the shadows。 But they were too soon gone。
I had to vomit。 I needed the basin。 They held my hair for me。 Did they see the blood in the candlelight？ The pure streak of blood？ It smelled so rotten。
〃How can one survive such poison？〃 one monk whispered to the other in Latin。 〃Do we dare purge him？〃
〃You'll frighten him。 Be quiet。 He has no fever。〃
〃Well； you're damned wrong if you think you took my wits；〃 I declared suddenly。 I shouted it to Florian and to Godric and to all of them。
The monks looked at me in urgent astonishment。
I laughed。 〃I only was talking to those who tried to hurt me；〃 I said； again letting each word have a clear distinct shape。
The thin monk with the remarkably scrubbed hands knelt by me。 He smoothed my forehead。 〃And the beautiful sister； the sister who was to be married； is she too。。。 ？〃
〃Bartola！ She was to be married？ I didn't know。 Well； he can have her head for a maidenhead。〃 I wept。 〃The worms are at work in the dark。 And the demons dance on the hill； and the town does nothing。〃
〃What town？〃
〃You're raving again；〃 said a monk who stood beyond the candles。 How distinct he looked； though he was beyond the light； a round…shouldered individual with a hooked nose and thick somber heavy eyelids。 〃Don't rave anymore； poor child。〃
I wanted to protest； but I saw suddenly a giant soft wing； each feather tinged with gold； e down over me； enfolding me。 I was tickled all over by the softness of the feathers。 Ramiel said：
〃What must we do to make you shut up？ Filippo needs us now； will you give us some peace and quiet for Filippo； whom God sent us to guard？ Don't answer me。 Obey me。〃 The wing crushed out all vision； all woe。
Shadowy pale darkness。 Even and plete。 The candles were behind me； set up high。
I woke。 I rose up on my elbows。 My head was clear。 A lovely even illumination gave just the smallest tremble as it filled the cell。 From the high window came the moon。 The shaft of the moon struck the fresco on the wall； the fresco obviously painted by Fra Giovanni。
My eyes could see it with amazing clarity。 Was this my demonic blood？
A strange thought came to me。 It rung in my consciousness with the clarity of a golden bell。 I myself possessed no guardian angels！ My angels had left me； they had departed； because my soul was damned。
I had no angels。 I had seen Filippo's because of the power the demons had given me； and because of something else。 Filippo's angels argued so much with each other！ That's how I had seen them。 Some words came to me。
They came back to me from Aquinas； or was it Augustine？ I'd read so much of both to learn my Latin； and their endless excursuses had so delighted me。 The demons are full of passion。 But angels are not。
But those two angels had such spirit。 That's why they'd cut through the veil。
I pushed back the covers and set my bare feet on the stone floor。 It was cool； and pleasing； because the room； having received the sun all day； was still warm。
No drafts swept the polished and immaculate floor。
I stood before the wall painting。 I wasn't dizzy or sick； or like to fall。 I was myself again。
What an innocent and untroubled soul Fra Giovanni must have been。 All his figures were devoid of malice。 I could see the figure of Christ seated before a mountain； round gold halo decorated with the red arms and top of a cross。 Beside him stood ministering angels。 One held bread for him； and the other； whose figure was cut off by the door that was cut into the wall； this other angel； whose wingtips were barely visible； carried wine and meat。
Above； on the mountain； I saw Christ also。 It was a painting of different incidents； in sequence； and above； Christ was standing in His same smooth and multiwrinkled pink robes； but here He was agitated； as agitated as Fra Giovanni could make Him； and Christ had lifted His left hand； as if in wrath。 The figure who fled from Him was the Devil！ It was a horrid creature with the webbed wings I thought I'd glimpsed earlier； and it had hideous webbed feet。 It had dewclaws on its webbed feet。 Sour…faced and in a dirty gray robe； it fled from Christ； who stood firm in the Desert； refusing to be tempted； and； only after this confrontation； then had the ministering angels e； and had Christ taken His place with His hands clasped。
I sucked in my breath in terror as I beheld this image of the demon。 But a great rush of fort passed through me； causing my hair to tingle at its roots； causing my feet to tingle against the polished floor。 I had routed the demons； I had refused their gift of immortality。 I had refused it。 Even faced with the cross！
I retched。 The pain caught me as if I'd been kicked in the stomach。 I turned。 The basin was there； clean and polished； sitting on the floor。 I dropped to my knees and heaved up more of their syrupy filth。 Was there no water？
I looked around。 There stood the pitcher and the cup。 The cup was full and I spilt some of it as I put it to my lips； but it tasted thin and rancid and awful。 I threw down the cup。
〃You've poisoned me for natural things； you monsters。 You will not win！〃
My hands trembling； I picked up the cup； filled it once more and tried again to drink。 But it tasted unnatural。 To what can I pare it？ It was not foul like urine； it was like water that is full of minerals and metal and will leave a chalk on you and choke you。 It was bad！
I put it aside。 Very well then。 Time to study。 Time to take up the candles； which I now did。
I
