anner.vittoriothevampire-第46章

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a　wide　shallow　room　filled　with　brilliant　canvases　all　blazing　above　candles　enough　to　light　a　Bishop's　Mass。
　My　breath　left　me。　I　clutched　her　tightly；　my　hand　on　the　back　of　her　head　as　I　pointed。
　〃There　they　are；　both　of　them；　the　Annunciations！〃　I　whispered。　〃Do　you　see　the　angels；　the　angels　who　kneel；　there；　and　there；　the　angels　who　kneel　before　the　Virgins！''
　〃I　see　them；〃　she　said　reverently。　〃Ah；　they　are　more　lovely　even　than　I　supposed。〃　She　shook　my　arm。　〃Don't　cry；　Vittorio；　unless　it's　for　beauty's　sake；　only　for　that。〃
　〃Is　that　a　mand；　Ursula？〃　I　asked。　My　eyes　were　so　clouded　I　could　scarce　see　the　poised　flat　kneeling　figures　of　Ramiel　and　Setheus。
　But　as　I　tried　to　clear　my　vision；　as　I　tried　to　gather　my　wits　and　swallow　the　ache　in　my　throat；　the　miracle　I　feared　more　than　anything　in　this　world；　yet　craved；　yet　hungered　for　…　that　miracle　menced。　Out　of　the　very　fabric　of　the　canvas；　they　appeared　simultaneously；　my　silk…clad　blond…haired　angels；　my　haloed　angels；　to　unravel　from　the　tight　weave　itself。　They　turned；　gazing　at　me　first　and　then　moving　so　that　they　were　no　longer　flat　profiles　but　full　robust　figures；　and　then　they　stepped　out　and　onto　the　stones　of　the　shop。
　I　knew　by　Ursula's　gasp　that　she　had　seen　the　same　vivid　series　of　miraculous　gestures。　Her　hand　went　to　her　lips。
　Their　faces　bore　no　wrath；　no　sadness。　They　merely　looked　at　me；　and　in　their　sweet　soft　looks　was　all　the　condemnation　I　have　ever　understood。
　〃Punish　me；〃　I　whispered。　〃Punish　me　by　taking　away　my　eyes　that　I　can　never　see　your　beauty　again。〃
　Very　slowly；　Ramiel　shook　his　head　to　answer　no。　And　Setheus　followed　with　the　same　negation。　They　stood　side　by　side　in　their　bare　feet；　as　always；　their　abundant　garments　too　light　for　movement　on　the　heavy　air；　as　they　merely　continued　to　gaze。
　〃What　then？〃　I　said。　〃What　do　I　deserve　from　you？　How　is　it　that　I　can　see　you　and　see　your　glory　even　still？〃　I　was　a　wreck　of　childish　tears　again；　no　matter　how　Ursula　stared　at　me；　no　matter　how　she　tried　with　her　silent　reproach　to　make　the　man　of　me。　I　couldn't　stop　myself。　〃What　then？　How　can　I　see　you　still？〃
　〃You'll　always　see　us；〃　Ramiel　said　softly；　tonelessly。
　〃Every　time　you　ever　look　at　one　of　his　paintings；　you　will　see　us；〃　said　Setheus；　〃or　you　will　see　our　like。〃
　There　was　no　judgment　in　it。　There　was　merely　the　same　lovely　serenity　and　kindness　that　they　had　always　bestowed　on　me。
　But　it　was　not　finished。　I　saw　behind　them；　taking　dark　shape；　my　own　guardians；　that　solemn　ivory　pair；　draped　in　their　robes　of　shadowy　blue。
　How　hard　were　their　eyes；　how　knowing；　how　disdainful　yet　without　the　edge　which　men　lend　to　such　passions。　How　glacial　and　remote。
　My　lips　parted。　A　cry　was　there。　A　terrible　cry。　But　I　dared　not　rouse　the　night　around　me；　the　infinite　night　that　moved　out　over　the　thousands　of　slanted　red…tile　rooftops；　out　over　the　hills　and　the　country；　out　under　the　numberless　stars。
　Suddenly　the　entire　building　began　to　move。　It　trembled；　and　the　canvases；　brilliant　and　shimmering　in　their　bath　of　burning　light；　were　glittering　as　if　shaken　by　a　tremor　of　the　very　earth　itself。
　Mastema　appeared　suddenly　before　me；　and　the　room　was　swept　backward；　broadened；　deepened；　and　all　those　lesser　angels　were　swept　back　from　him　as　if　by　a　soundless　wind　that　cannot　be　defied。
　The　flood　of　light　ignited　his　immense　gold　wings　as　they　spread　out；　crowding　the　very　corners　of　the　vastness　and　pushing　it　even　to　greater　breadth；　and　the　red　of　his　helmet　glared　as　if　it　were　molten；　and　out　of　his　sheath；　he　drew　his　sword。
　I　backed　up。　I　forced　Ursula　behind　me。　I　pushed　her　back　against　the　damp　cold　wall　and　imprisoned　her　there；　behind　me；　as　safe　as　I　could　make　her　on　the　face　of　the　earth；　with　my　arms　stretched　back　to　hold　her　so　that　she　could　not；　must　not；　be　taken　away。
　〃Ah；〃　said　Mastema；　nodding；　smiling。　The　sword　was　uplifted。　〃So　even　now　you　would　go　into　Hell　rather　than　see　her　die！〃
　〃I　would！〃　I　cried。　〃I　have　no　choice。〃
　〃Oh；　yes；　you　have　a　choice。〃
　〃No；　not　her；　don't　kill　her。　Kill　me；　and　send　me　there；　yes；　but　give　her　one　more　chance。。。〃
　Ursula　cried　against　my　shoulders；　her　hands　clinging　to　my　hair；　catching　hold　of　it；　as　if　by　means　of　it　she'd　be　safe。
　〃Send　me　now；〃　I　said。　〃Go　ahead；　strike　off　my　head　and　send　me　to　my　judgment　before　the　Lord　that　I　may　beg　for　her！　Please；　Mastema；　do　it；　but　do　not　strike　her。　She　does　not　know　how　to　ask　to　be　forgiven。　Not　yet！〃
　Holding　the　sword　aloft；　he　reached　out　and　grabbed　my　collar　and　jerked　me　towards　him。　I　felt　her　fly　against　me。　He　held　me　beneath　his　face；　and　glowered　down　at　me　with　his　beaming　eyes。　〃And　when　will　she　learn；　and　when　will　you？〃
　What　could　I　say？　What　could　I　do？
　〃I　will　teach　you；　Vittorio；〃　said　Mastema　in　a　low；　seething　whisper。　〃I　will　teach　you　so　that　you　know　how　to　beg　forgiveness　every　night　of　your　life。　I　will　teach　you。〃
　I　felt　myself　lifted；　I　felt　my　garments　blown　by　the　wind；　I　felt　her　tiny　hands　clinging　to　me；　and　the　weight　of　her　head　on　my　back。
　Through　the　streets　we　were　being　dragged；　and　suddenly　there　appeared　before　us　a　great　crowd　of　idle　mortals　issuing　from　a　wine　shop；　drunken　and　laughing；　a　great　jumble　of　swollen；　natural　faces　and　dark　breeze…tossed　clothes。
　〃Do　you　see　them；　Vittorio？　Do　you　see　those　upon　whom　you　feed？〃　Mastema　demanded。
　〃I　see　them；　Mastema！〃　I　said。　I　groped　for　her　hand；　trying　to　find　her；　hold　her；　shield　her。　〃I　do　see　them；　I　do。〃
　〃In　each　and　every　one　of　them；　Vittorio；　there　is　what　I　see　in　you；　and　in　her　…　a　human　soul。　Do　you　know　what　that　is；　Vittorio？　Can　you　imagine？〃　I　didn't　dare　to　answer。
　The　crowd　spread　out　over　the　moonlighted　piazza；　and　drew　closer　to　us；　even　as　it　loosened。
　〃A　spark　of　the　power　that　made　all　of　us　is　within　each　of　them；〃　cried　Mastema；　〃a　spark　of　the　invisible；　of　the　subtle；　of　the　sacred；　of　the　mystery　…　a　spark　of　that　which　created　all　things。〃
　〃Ah；　God！〃　I　cried　out。　〃Look　at　them；　Ursula；　look！〃
　For　each　and　every　one　of　them；　man；　woman；　it　did　not　matter　old　or　young；　had　taken　on　a　powerful　hazy　golden　glow。　A　light　emanated　from　and　surrounded　and　embraced　each　figure；　a　subtle　body　of　light　shaped　to　the　very　form　of　the　human　being　who　walked　in　it；　unheeding　of　it；　and　the　entire　square　was　full　of　such　golden　light。
　I　looked　down　at　my　own　hands；　and　they　too　were　surrounded　by　this　subtle；　etheric　body；　this　lovely　gleaming　and　numinous　presence；　this　precious　and　unquenchable　fire。
　I　pivoted；　my　garments　snagging　around　me；　and　I　saw　this　flame　envelop　Ursula。　I　saw　her　living　and　breathing　within　it；　and；　turning　back　to　the　crowd；　I　saw　again　that　each　and　every　one　of　them　lived　and　breathed　in　it；　and　I　knew　suddenly；　understood　perfectly　…　I　would　always　see　it。　I　would　never　see　living　human　beings；　be　they　monstrous　or　righteous；　without　this　expanding；　blinding；　fire　of　the　soul。
　〃Yes；〃　Mastema　whispered　in　my　ear。　〃Yes。　Forever；　and　every　time　you　feed；　every　time　you　raise　one　of　their　tender　throats　to　your　cursed　fangs；　every　time　you　drink　from　them　the　lurid　blood　you　would　have；　like　the　worst　of　God's　beasts；　you　will　see　that　light　flicker　and　struggle；　and　when　the　heart　stops　at　the　will　of　your　hunger；　you　will　see　that　light　go　out！〃
　I　broke　away　from　him。　He　let　me　go。
　With　her　hand　only；　I　ran。　I　ran　and　ran　towards　the　Arno；　towards　the　bridge；　towards　the　taverns　that　might　still　be　open；　but　long　before　I　saw　the　blazing　flames　of　the　souls　there；　I　saw　the　glow　of　the　souls　from　hundreds　of　windows；　I　saw　the　glow　of　souls　from　beneath　the　bottoms　of　bolted　doors。
　I　saw　it；　and　I　knew　that　he　spoke　the　truth。　I　would　always　see　it。　I　would　see　the　spark　of　the　Creator　in　every　human　life　I　ever　encountered；　and　in　every　human　life　I　took。　Reaching　the　river；　I　leant　over　the　stone　railing。　I　cried　out　and　cried　out　and　let　my　cries　echo　over　the　water　and　up　the　walls　on　either　side。　I　was　mad　with　grief；　and　then　through　the　darkness　there　came　a　toddling　child　towards　me；　a　beggar；　already　versed　in　words　to　speak　for　bread　or　coins　or　any　bit　o