cp.creaturesofforever-第22部分

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！


　　Dante　had　been　trying　to　warn　me　of　something　unseen。
　　Then　I　see　him。　And　it　is　a　miracle。
　　He　is　struggling　up　the　path　to　the　pond；　limping　badly；　gasping　for　breath。　In　a　moment　I　am　by　his　side；　helping　him　to　sit　down　on　a　large　rock　not　far　from　the　water。　He　is　in　worse　shape　than　when　I　saw　him　last　and　is　already　babbling　about　how　sorry　he　is　that　he　is　late；　and　why　he　is　late。　I　can't　get　a　word　in；　but　I　am　so　happy　to　see　him　that　I　weep。　Really；　it　is　one　of　the　most　wonderful　moments　of　my　life。　God　has　heard　all　of　my　prayers。
　　〃The　passageway　was　blocked；〃　he　says　rapidly；　with　hardly　any　air　in　his　lungs。　〃There　was　a　large　stone。　I　had　never　seen　this　stone　before。　Never！　My　lady；　I　didn't　know　what　to　do。　I　tried　walking　back　in　your　direction；　but　I　couldn't　find　you；　and　I　kept　slipping　in　the　water。　My　brace　kept　falling　off；　and　once　it　almost　floated　away。　I　would　have　been　crippled！　Then　I　took　another　path　that　I　know　but　no　one　else　knows　and　I　went　back　into　the　castle　and　by　all　the　saints　in　heaven　I　knew　I　was　going　to　be　put　back　in　the　prison。　But　everyone　ignored　me！　The　knights　were　running　all　over　the　place　and　the　servants　were　crying　and　it　sounded　as　if　something　horrible　had　befallen　Lord　Landulf。〃　He　pauses　to　breathe　and　his　eyes　shine　with　hope。　〃What　befell　him；　my　lady？〃　he　asks。
　　I　have　to　smile。　Yet　there　is　no　joy　in　it　and　I　wonder　why。　My　happiness　is　tempered　with　regrets　I　can　hardly　explain　to　myself。
　　〃He　died；〃　I　say。　〃I　killed　him。〃
　　Dante　bursts　out　with　laughter。　But　then　he　catches　himself　and　quickly　does　the　sign　of　the　cross。　But　his　relief　is　not　to　be　contained　and　a　moment　later　he　is　howling　in　pleasure　again。　He　jumps　up　from　his　rock　and　hugs　me　and　shakes　like　a　child。　Yet　the　news　is　too　good　for　him。　He　is　having　trouble　believing　it。
　　〃Is　he　is　really　dead？〃　he　keeps　asking。　〃Are　you　sure　it　was　him？　Did　you　see　his　body？　Are　you　sure　it　was　his　body？〃
　　I　strive　to　calm　him。　〃It　was　him；　I　swear　it。　I　put　the　Spear　of　Longinus　through　his　evil　heart。　He　died　like　any　other　man。〃
　　Dante　is　smiling。　〃Did　you　burn　his　body？　Did　the　smoke　stink？〃　
　　I　shake　my　head。　〃No。　I　didn't　burn　him。　There　wasn't　time。〃
　　His　smile　falters　slightly。　〃But　what　did　you　do　with　his　body；　my　lady？〃
　　I　shrug。　〃Nothing。　I　left　it。　Don't　worry；　he　will　not　return　to　haunt　us。　I　am　sure　of　it。〃
　　Dante　seems　reassured。　〃Then　we　can　go　to　Messina　now　and　tell　everyone　that　the　world　is　safe？〃
　　I　force　a　laugh。　〃Yes。　We　can　tell　everyone　that　there　is　nothing　left　to　worry　about。〃　But　my　laughter　soon　dies　because　that　is　not　the　way　I　feel。　I　add　softly；　〃We　will　tell　the　whole　world。〃
　　Dante　is　uncertain。　〃Is　something　wrong；　my　lady？〃
　　I　turn　away。　〃No。　I　am　just　worried　about　you。　You　need　to　eat；　to　rest　and　regain　your　strength。〃
　　He　stands　and　steps　to　my　back。　〃Something　weighs　on　your　heart。　Share　it　with　me；　my　lady。　Perhaps　I　can　lighten　your　burden。〃
　　My　eyes　are　suddenly　damp。　I　am　ashamed　to　look　at　his　face。
　　But　I　feel　I　can　tell　him。　He　will　understand。　〃When　I　found　Lord　Landulf；〃　I　say；　〃he　was　in　the　stone　circle　as　you　said　he　would　be。　But　I　did　not　do　what　you　suggested。　I　did　not　wait　for　him　to　leave　the　circle　to　attack　him。　I　was　too　impatient。　He　was　simply　sitting　there…I　thought　I　could　just　kill　him　and　then　it　would　be　all　over　with。〃
　　Dante　speaks　sympathetically。　〃But　you　could　not　penetrate　the　circle。〃
　　My　hands　clasp　each　other　uneasily。　I　cannot　stop　moving　them。　〃Yes。　There　was　an　invisible　shield　around　it。　Landulf　had　created　it；　I　believe；　by　employing　a　sacrifice　that　required　him　to　cut　out　the　heart　of　his　own　wife。〃
　　Dante　gasps。　〃Lady　Cia！〃
　　〃Yes。　She　was　dead　when　I　arrived。　But　there　was　a　young　woman　chained　nearby　who　was　very　much　alive。　Landulf　told　me　if　I　wanted　to　get　to　him；　I　would　have　to　rip　out　the　girl's　heart。　At　first　I　refused；　but　then　this　pounding　started　in　my　head；　and　it　wouldn't　stop；　and　I　didn't　know　what　to　do。　In　a　moment　of　pain　and　anger　I　reached　for　her　。。。〃　I　have　trouble　finishing。　〃I　reached　for　her　and　I…I　killed　her；　Dante。　I　killed　her　with　my　own　hands；　and　she　had　never　done　anything　to　me。〃
　　Dante　is　silent　for　a　long　time。　Finally　I　feel　his　good　hand　touch　my　shoulder。　〃You　did　what　you　had　to　do；　my　lady。〃
　　I　clasp　his　hand　but　shake　my　head。　〃I　don't　know。　Sometimes　I　think　I　just　did　what　I　have　always　done　in　the　past…kill。　That　has　always　been　my　ultimate　solution　to　every　problem。〃　I　gesture　weakly。　〃But　this　girl…she　was　praying　for　me　to　save　her。〃
　　〃But　you　saved　the　rest　of　us。〃
　　I　am　emotional。　〃Did　I？　Did　I　do　what　I　was　supposed　to　do？　If　I　did　then　can　you　explain　to　me　why　the　stain　of　this　girl's　blood　refuses　to　wash　off　my　hand？〃
　　Dante　grabs　my　left　hand　and　stares　at　it　anxiously。　〃Perhaps　we　only　need　to　wash　it　in　clean　water。　e；　my　lady；　a　quick　wash　in　the　pond　and　everything　will　be　all　right。〃
　　I　take　back　my　hand。　〃No；　Dante。　I　have　tried　washing　it　a　dozen　times。　The　stain　will　not　e　off。〃
　　He　is　confused。　〃But　why？〃
　　I　lower　my　head。　〃I　think　it　is　because　I　listened　to　Landulf；　in　the　end。〃　
　　〃No！〃
　　〃Yes。　I　performed　the　ritual　murder　of　an　innocent。　That's　all　that　was　needed　to　be　initiated　by　him。〃　I　pause　and　stare　at　my　left　hand。　There　is　only　the　stars　for　light；　but　I　see　the　stain　well。　It　is　almost　as　if　I　see　my　whole　life　expressed　in　the　red　of　the　mark。　〃I　have　bee　one　of　them；〃　I　whisper。
　　Dante　is　adamant。　〃No！　You　are　the　opposite　of　them！　You　are　an　angel！　You　bring　light　where　there　is　darkness！　Hope　where　there　is　despair！　A　dozen　times　you　have　e　to　my　rescue！　A　dozen　times　I　would　have　died　without　your　courage！〃　
　　I　turn　and　force　a　smile。　〃Oh；　Dante。　I　had　to　keep　saving　you　because　I　kept　putting　you　in　danger。〃　I　raise　my　hand　as　he　tries　to　protest。　〃Please　don't　look　upon　me　as　an　angel。　When　you　get　to　heaven；　you'll　see　real　angels　and　they'll　look　nothing　like　me。〃　
　　He　pauses　and　seems　to　think　hard　for　a　moment；　but　his　eyes　never　leave　my　face。　〃You　have　too　much　love　in　you　to　be　hated　by　God；〃　he　says　finally；　〃When　we　get　to　heaven；　you'll　see　that。〃　
　　I　have　to　laugh　and　hug　him　again。　〃My　friend！　What　would　I　do　without　you？　No；　wait；　don't　answer　that　question。　There　is　something　I　want　to　do　for　you。　Something　I　have　been　planning　to　do　for　the　last　few　days。　But　before　I　do　it　I　want　you　to　know　that　it　is　entirely　safe。　That　no　harm　will　e　to　your　body　or　soul　by　the　change　I　am　going　to　bring。〃　
　　He　is　curious。　〃What　is　this　wonderful　thing　you　are　going　to　do？〃
　　I　hold　his　shoulders　and　stare　into　his　eyes；　trying　to　bring　calm　and　understanding　into　his　excited　mind。
　　〃You　saw　how　Landulf　was　anxious　to　get　my　blood？　There　was　a　reason　for　that。　Long　ago　a　mysterious　man　gave　me　some　of　his　blood；　and　that　blood　changed　me　in　a　way　that　made　me　both　strong　and　resistant　to　disease。　It　is　impossible　for　me　to　get　sick。　And　just　a　few　drops　of　my　blood　is　able　to　heal　others。〃　I　pause。　〃Do　you　understand　what　I　am　saying；　Dante？〃
　　He　shakes　his　head。　〃I　am　not　sure；　my　lady。〃
　　〃I　want　to　cut　myself　and　sprinkle　a　few　drops　of　my　blood　over　your　sores。　I　know　they　hurt　you　terribly；　but　when　a　little　of　my　blood　touches　them　they　will　close　and　heal。　It　will　be　almost　be　like　you　never　had　leprosy。　No　one　will　be　able　to　tell　by　looking　at　you。〃
　　He　frowns。　〃But　it　is　God's　will　that　I　am　sick。　My　disease　is　a　punishment　for　my　sins。　We　cannot　change　the　will　of　God。〃
　　〃Your　disease　is　not　a　punishment。　It　is　not　from　God。　It　is　something　you　caught　from　another　person　who　had　the　same　disease。〃
　　He　blinks。　〃From　the　other　lepers　in　Persida？〃
　　〃Exactly。　They　gave　you　the　leprosy。〃
　　He　protests。　〃But　I　never　did　anything　to　them。　I　only　tried　to　help　them。〃
　　〃But　you　were　around　them。　You　touched　them。　That　is　how　you　got　sick。〃
　　His　confusion　deepens。　〃But　Landulf　wanted　to　use　your　blood；　my　lady。　I　should　not　use　it。　I　should　not　do　anything　he　wanted　to　do。〃
　　〃There　is　a　difference；　Dante。　Landulf　wanted　to　use　my　blood　to　hurt　people。　I　want　to　use　it　to　heal　you。〃
　　His　superstitions　are　deep。　His　disquiet　remains。
　　〃But　blood　should　not　be　shared；〃　he　says。　〃That　is　what　heathens　do。　When　the　Holy　Father　accused　my　duke；　he　said　that　he　had　been　sharing　blood　with　children。　I　thought　at　the　time　that　it　was　lies　but　it　came　to　pass　that　it　was　true。　And　it　was　a　great　evil　that　Landulf　did　that。　With　blood　he　invoked　the　demons　from　hell。　The　pope　saw　clearly。〃
　　〃The　pope　did　not　see　clearly。　Good　God；　Dante；　the　pope　had　you　castrated。〃
　　His　face　twitches　and　his　lower　lip　trembles。　I　have　wounded　him　with　my　words　and　feel　ashamed。　He　drops　his　head　in　humiliation。
　　〃I　wanted　only　to　do　God's　will；〃　he　moans。　〃That　is　all　I　want　to　do　right　now。　But　I　do　not　know　how　your　blood　can　make　my　disease　disappear。〃
　　I　feel　I　have　no　recourse。　We　can　argue　all　night；　and　get　nowhere；　and　I　believe　it　is　possible　that　he　could　die　this　very　night。　From　the　burning　and　the　other　abuse；　his　sores　are　even　more　inflamed。　Half　his　body　is　infected　tissue；　and　I　feel　without　even　touching　him　the　fever　that　cooks　his　blood。　The　effort　it　took　him　to　reach　me　has　drained　what　reserves　he　had　left。　His　breathing　is　a　perpetual　wheeze。　If　I　do　not　give　him　my　blood　soon；　I　will　not　be　able　to　return　to　the　future　with　a　clear　conscience。
　　〃Dante；〃　I　say；　meeting　his　gaze　again。　〃Look　at　me。〃
　　He　blinks　rapidly。　〃My　lady？〃
　　〃Look　only　at　me；　my　friend。　Listen　only　to　me。　You　do　not　need　to　be　afraid　of　my　blood。　It　is　a　gift　from　God。　Just　a　few　drops　of　it　will　make　you　feel　better；　and　God　wants　you　to　feel　better　after　all　that　you　have　struggled　do　in　his　name。〃
　　He　is　suddenly　dreamy。　〃Yes；　my　lady。〃
　　〃Now　close　your　eyes　and　imagine　how　nice　it　will　to　have　your　sores　healed。　How　good　it　will　be　not　to　have　people　run　away　when　they　see　you　because　they　see　you　only　as　a　leper。　Dante；　my　dear；　I　promise　you　the　leprosy　will　be　gone　in　a　few　minutes。〃
　　〃It　will　be　gone；〃　he　whispers　to　himsel