anner.vittoriothevampire-第39章

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　I　snatched　him　up　by　his　long　hair；　this　bodiless　one；　this　leader　of　them　all；　this　silver…tongued　fiend；　and　I　hurled　his　head　into　the　smoking；　stinking　pile。
　On　and　on　I　went；　down　the　line　to　the　left；　why　to　the　left　I　do　not　know；　except　it　was　my　path；　and　each　time　I　pulled　back　the　veil；　I　leapt　forward　with　ferocious　speed；　snaring　the　arm　if　it　should　rise；　but　sometimes　gaining　such　momentum　on　it　that　it　had　no　time　to　rise；　and　chopping　off　the　head　so　fast　that　I　became　sloppy　and　my　blows　ugly；　and　I　smashed　the　jawbones　of　my　foes；　and　even　their　shoulder　bones；　but　I　killed　them。　I　killed　them。
　I　ripped　off　their　heads　and　fed　them　to　the　mountain；　which　had　gained　such　smoke　now　that　it　seemed　a　simmering　fire　of　autumn　leaves。　Ashes　rose　from　it；　tiny　thin　ashes；　but　in　the　main；　the　heads　languished；　greasy　and　blackening；　and　the　mass　thickened　and　the　ashes　were　only　a　few。
　Did　they　suffer？　Did　they　know？　Where　had　their　souls　fled　on　invisible　feet　in　this　harsh　and　terrible　moment　when　their　Court　was　dissolved；　when　I　roared　in　my　work　and　stomped　my　feet　and　threw　back　my　head　and　cried　and　cried　until　I　couldn't　see　through　my　tears。
　I　had　done　with　some　twenty　of　them；　twenty；　and　my　sword　was　so　thick　with　blood　and　gore　that　I　had　to　wipe　it　clean。　On　their　bodies；　making　my　way　back　to　go　down　the　other　side　of　the　crypt；　I　wiped　it；　on　one　doublet　after　another；　marveling　at　how　their　white　hands　had　shriveled　and　dried　up　on　their　chests；　at　how　the　black　blood　flowed　so　sluggishly　by　day　from　their　torn　necks。
　〃Dead；　you　are　all　dead；　and　yet　where　did　you　go；　where　did　the　living　soul　in　you　go！〃
　The　light　was　dimming。　I　stood　breathing　heavily。　I　looked　up　at　Mastema。
　〃The　sun　is　high　overhead；〃　he　said　gently。　He　was　untouched；　though　he　stood　so　near　to　them；　the　charred　and　reeking　heads。
　It　seemed　the　smoke　issued　more　truly　from　their　eyes　than　anywhere　else；　as　if　the　jelly　melted　into　smoke　more　surely。
　〃The　church　is　dim　now；　but　it　is　only　midday。　Be　quick。　You　have　twenty　more　this　side；　and　you　know　it。　Work。〃
　The　other　angels　stood　stock…still；　clustered　together；　the　magnificent　Ramiel　and　Setheus　in　their　rich　robes；　and　the　two　simpler；　plainer；　more　somber　souls　…　all　of　them　looking　at　me　in　utter　suspense。　I　saw　Setheus　look　at　the　pile　of　smoldering　heads；　and　then　again　at　me。
　〃Go　on；　poor　Vittorio；〃　he　whispered。　〃Hurry　on。〃
　〃Could　you　do　it？〃　I　asked。
　〃I　cannot。〃
　〃No；　I　know　that　you　are　not　permitted；〃　I　said；　my　chest　aching　from　the　exertion　and　now　the　talk　I　forced　from　myself。　〃I　mean　could　you　do　it？　Could　you　bring　yourself　to　do　it！〃
　〃I　am　not　a　creature　of　flesh　and　blood；　Vittorio；〃　Setheus　answered　helplessly。　〃But　I　could　do　what　God　told　me　to　do。〃
　I　went　on　past　them。　I　looked　back　at　them　in　their　glorious　radiance；　the　cluster　of　them；　and　the　masterly　one；　Mastema；　his　armor　gleaming　in　the　falling　light；　and　his　sword　so　brilliant　against　his　flank。　He　said　nothing。　I　turned。　I　ripped　off　the　first　veil。　It　was　Ursula。　〃No。〃　I　stood　back。
　I　let　the　veil　drop。　I　was　far　enough　away　from　her　that　she　didn't　appear　to　wake；　she　didn't　move。　Her　lovely　arms　lay　folded　still　in　the　same　pose　of　graceful　death　which　all　of　them　had　borne；　only　with　her　it　was　sweet；　as　if　in　her　most　innocent　girlhood　a　gentle　bane　had　taken　her；　not　mussing　so　much　as　a　single　hair　of　long　rippling　unbraided　locks。　They　made　a　nest　of　gold　for　her　head　and　her　shoulders；　her　swan　neck。
　I　could　hear　my　heaving　breaths。　I　let　the　edge　of　my　sword　drag；　singing　on　the　stones。　I　licked　at　my　parched　lips。　I　didn't　dare　to　look　at　them；　though　I　knew　they　were　collected　only　a　few　yards　from　me；　staring　at　me。　And　in　the　thick　stillness；　I　heard　the　crisping　and　sizzling　of　the　burning　heads　of　the　damned。
　I　thrust　my　hand　inside　my　pocket；　and　I　drew　out　the　rosary　of　amber　beads。　My　hand　shook　shamefully　as　I　held　it；　and　then　I　lifted　it；　letting　the　crucifix　dangle；　and　I　hurled　it　at　her；　so　that　it　struck　her；　just　above　her　small　hands；　right　on　the　white　swell　of　her　half…bared　breasts。　It　lay　there；　the　crucifix　nestled　in　the　curve　of　her　pale　skin；　and　she　didn't　so　much　as　stir。
　The　light　clung　to　her　eyelashes　as　if　it　were　dust。
　Without　excuse　or　explanation；　I　turned　to　the　next　one；　ripping　off　the　veil　and　assaulting　him　or　her；　I　knew　not　which；　with　a　loud　raucous　cry。　I　grabbed　up　the　severed　head　by　its　thick　brown　locks　and　threw　it　crashing　past　the　angels　into　the　mass　of　slop　that　lay　at　their　feet。
　Then　to　the　next。　Godric。　Oh；　God；　this　will　be　sweet。
　I　saw　his　bald　head　before　I　ever　touched　the　veil；　and　now；　tearing　the　veil　loose；　hearing　it　rip　on　account　of　my　carelessness；　I　waited　for　him　to　open　his　eyes；　waited　for　him　to　rise　up　halfway　from　the　slab　and　glare　at　me。
　〃Know　me；　monster？　Know　me？〃　I　roared。　The　sword　sliced　through　his　neck。　The　white　head　hit　the　floor；　and　with　my　sword　I　speared　it　through　its　dripping　stump　of　a　neck。　〃Know　me；　monster？〃　I　cried　again　to　the　fluttering　eyes；　the　gaping；　drooling　red　mouth。　〃Know　me？〃
　I　walked　with　him　to　the　pile　of　the　other　heads　and　laid　him　like　a　trophy　on　top　of　it。　〃Know　me？〃　I　wailed　again。　And　then　in　a　fury　I　went　back　to　my　work。
　Two　more；　then　three；　then　five；　then　seven　and　then　nine；　and　then　some　six　more；　and　the　Court　was　finished；　and　all　its　dancers　and　Lords　and　Ladies　were　dead。
　And　then；　reeling　to　the　other　side；　I　made　swift　work　of　those　poor　peasant　servants；　who　had　no　veils　to　cover　their　simple　bodies；　and　whose　feeble　half…starved　white　limbs　could　scarce　rise　in　defense。　〃The　huntsmen；　where　are　they？〃
　〃At　the　far　end。　It　is　almost　dark　in　here。　Take　great　care。〃
　〃I　see　them；〃　I　said。　I　drew　myself　up　and　caught　my　breath。　They　lay　in　a　row　of　six；　heads　to　the　wall　like　all　the　others；　but　they　were　perilously　close　together。　It　would　be　a　hard　approach。
　I　laughed　suddenly　at　the　simplicity　of　it。　I　laughed。　I　snatched　off　the　first　veil　and　chopped　at　the　feet。　The　corpse　rose　and　then　my　blade　could　easily　see　the　place　to　strike；　while　the　blood　had　already　begun　to　gush。
　The　second；　I　cut　to　stumps　at　once　and　then　sliced　across　the　middle；　and　only　descended　on　the　head　before　his　hand　had　caught　my　blade。　I　ripped　back　my　sword　and　chopped　the　hand　off　him。　〃Die；　bastard；　you　who　stole　me　with　your　fellow；　I　remember　you。〃
　And　at　last　I　came　to　the　final　one　and　had　his　bearded　head　hanging　from　my　hand。
　Slowly　I　walked　back　with　this　one；　kicking　others　before　me；　others　I　had　not　had　the　strength　to　hurl　very　far；　and　I　kicked　them　like　so　much　refuse　until　the　light　fell　on　all　of　them。
　It　was　bright　now。　The　afternoon　sun　was　ing　in　the　west　side　of　the　church。　And　the　opening　above　gave　forth　a　terrific　and　fatal　heat。
　Slowly　I　wiped　my　face　with　the　back　of　my　left　hand。　I　laid　down　my　sword；　and　I　felt　for　the　napkins　the　monks　had　put　in　my　pockets；　and　I　took　these　and　cleaned　my　face　and　cleaned　my　hands。
　Then　I　picked　up　my　sword；　and　I　went　to　the　foot　of　her　bier　again。　She　lay　as　before。　The　light　was　nowhere　near　her。　It　could　not　have　touched　any　of　them　where　they　lay。
　She　was　safe　on　her　bed　of　stone；　her　hands　as　still　as　before；　fingers　beautifully　folded；　the　right　hand　over　the　left；　and　on　her　mound　of　white　breast　there　rested　the　Crucified　Christ　in　gold。　Her　hair　was　stirring　in　a　faint　draft　that　seemed　to　e　from　the　narrow　opening　above。　But　this　was　a　mere　halo　of　tendrils　about　her　otherwise　lifeless　face。
　Her　hair；　in　its　loose　ripples；　without　its　ribbons　or　pearls；　had　fallen　a　little　over　the　edges　of　the　bier；　so　narrow　was　it；　and　so　had　the　folds　of　her　long　gold…embroidered　dress。　It　was　not　the　same　that　she'd　worn　when　I'd　seen　her。　Only　the　deep　rich　blood　red　was　the　same；　but　all　the　rest　was　splendid　and　ornate　and　new；　as　if　she　were　a　regal　princess；　always　prepared　for　the　kiss　of　her　prince。
　〃Could　Hell　receive　this？〃　I　whispered。　I　drew　as　close　as　I　dared。　I　could　not　bear　the　thought　of　her　arm　rising　in　that　mechanical　fashion；　the　sudden　clutch　of　her　fingers　on　the　empty　air　or　her　eyes