cpike.thelastvampire-第18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！


　The　woods　were　like　a　maze；　and　Radha　was　not　talking。　Yet　she　did　not　seem　afraid。　Occasionally　she　would　glance　my　way　and　smile　with　such　calm　assurance　that　it　was　I　who　knew　fear。
　Yaksha　was　ecstatic。　He　did　not　believe　any　mortal　could　beat　him　at　any　form　of　bat。　By　such　a　pronouncement　he　appeared　to　discount　the　stories　concerning　Krishna's　divine　origin。　Yet　when　I　asked　him　about　that；　he　did　not　answer　me。　He　had　a　light　in　his　eyes；　though。　He　said　that　he　had　been　born　for　this　moment。　Personally；　I　was　fearful　of　a　trick。　Krishna　had　a　reputation　for　being　mischievous。　Yaksha　brushed　aside　my　concerns。　He　would　destroy　Krishna；　he　said；　then　he　would　make　Radha　a　vampire。　She　would　be　his　consort。　I　did　not　feel　jealous。　I　did　not　think　it　would　happen。
　Eventually　we　found　our　way　back　to　the　place　where　we　had　entered　the　forest。　We　remembered　the　spot　because　there　was　a　huge　pit　in　the　ground。　Apparently　Krishna　intended　to　use　this　pit　when　he　challenged　Yaksha。　His　people　were　gathered　about　it　when　we　came　out　of　the　woods。　Yet　they　made　no　attempt　to　attack　us；　although　our　numbers　were　roughly　equal。　I　saw　Arjuna；　standing　near　his　brothers；　his　mighty　bow　in　his　hands。　When　he　looked　my　way　and　saw　me　holding　on　to　Radha；　he　frowned　and　took　an　arrow　into　his　hands　and　rubbed　it　to　his　chest。　But　he　did　nothing　more。　He　was　waiting　for　his　master。　We　were　all　waiting。　In　that　moment；　even　though　I　was　not　yet　seventy　years　old；　I　felt　as　if　I　had　waited　since　the　dawn　of　creation　to　see　this　person。　I　who　held　captive　his　great　jewel。
　Krishna　came　out　of　the　forest。
　He　was　not　a　blue　person　as　he　was　later　to　be　depicted　in　paintings。　Artists　were　to　show　him　that　way　only　because　blue　was　symbolic　of　the　sky；　which　to　them　seemed　to　stretch　to　infinity；　and　which　was　what　Krishna　was　supposed　to　be　in　essence；　the　eternal　infinite　Brahman；　above　and　beyond　which　there　was　nothing　greater。　He　was　a　man　such　as　all　men　I　had　seen；　with　two　arms　and　two　legs；　one　head　above　his　shoulders；　his　skin　the　color　of　tea　with　milk　in　it；　not　as　dark　as　most　in　India　but　not　as　light　as　my　own。　Yet　there　was　no　one　like　him。　Even　a　glance　showed　me　that　he　was　special　in　a　way　I　knew　I　would　never　fully　prehend。　He　walked　out　of　the　trees　and　all　eyes　followed　him。
　He　was　tall；　almost　as　tall　as　Yaksha；　which　was　unusual　for　those　days　when　people　seldom　grew　to　over　six　feet。　His　black　hair　was　long…one　of　his　many　names　was　Keshava；　master　of　the　senses；　or　long…haired。　In　his　right　hand　he　held　a　lotus　flower；　in　his　left　his　fabled　flute。　He　was　powerfully　built；　his　legs　long；　his　every　movement　bewitching。　He　seemed　not　to　look　at　anyone　directly；　but　only　to　give　sidelong　glances。　Yet　these　were　enough　to　send　a　thrill　through　the　crowd；　on　both　sides。　He　was　impossible　not　to　stare　at；　though　I　tried　hard　to　turn　away。　For　I　felt　as　if　he　were　placing　a　spell　over　me　that　I　would　never　recover　from。　Yet　I　did　manage　to　turn　aside　for　an　instant。　It　was　when　I　felt　the　touch　of　a　hand　on　my　brow。　It　was　Radha；　my　supposed　enemy；　forting　me　with　her　touch。
　〃Krishna　means　love；〃　she　said。　〃But　Radha　means　longing。　Longing；　is　older　than　love。　I　am　older　than　he。　Did　you　know　that；　Sita？〃
　I　looked　at　her。　〃How　did　you　know　my　name？〃
　〃He　told　me。〃
　〃When？〃
　〃Once。〃
　〃What　else　did　he　tell　you　about　me？〃
　Her　face　darkened。　〃You　do　not　want　to　know。〃
　Krishna　walked　to　the　edge　of　the　pit　and　gestured　for　his　people　to　withdraw　to　the　edge　of　the　trees。
　Only　Arjuna　remained　with　him。　He　nodded　to　Yaksha；　who　likewise　motioned　for　our　people　to　back　up。　But　Yaksha　wanted　me　near　the　pit　with　my　hands　not　far　from　Radha's　neck。　The　arrangement　did　not　seem　to　bother　Krishna。　He　met　Yaksha　not　far　from　where　I　stood。　Krishna　did　not　look　directly　at　Radha　or　me。　Yet　he　was　close　enough　so　that　I　could　hear　him　speak。　His　voice　was　mesmerizing。　It　was　not　so　much　the　sound　of　his　words；　but　the　place　from　which　they　sprang。　Their　authority　and　power。　And；　yes；　love；　I　could　hear　love　even　as　he　spoke　to　his　enemy。　There　was　such　peace　in　his　tone。　With　all　that　was　happening；　he　was　not　disturbed。　I　had　the　feeling　that　for　him　it　was　merely　a　play。　That　we　were　all　just　actors　in　a　drama　he　was　directing。　But　I　was　not　enjoying　the　part　I　had　been　selected　for。　I　did　not　see　how　Yaksha　could　beat　Krishna。　I　felt　sure　that　this　day　would　be　our　last。
　Yet　it　was　not　day；　but　night；　although　the　dawn　was　not　far　off。
　〃I　have　heard　that　Yaksha　is　the　master　of　serpents；〃　Krishna　said。　〃That　the　sound　of　his　flute　intoxicates　them。　As　you　may　have　heard；　I　also　play　the　flute。　It　is　in　my　mind　to　challenge　you　to　a　bat　of　instruments。　We　will　fill　this　pit　with　cobras；　and　you　will　sit　at　one　end；　and　I　will　sit　at　the　other；　and　we　will　each　play　for　the　control　of　the　serpents。　We　will　play　for　the　life　of　Radha。　You　may　play　what　you　wish；　and　if　the　serpents　strike　me　dead；　so　be　it。　You　may　keep　Radha　for　your　own　pleasure。　But　if　the　serpents　should　bite　you　so　many　times　that　you　die；　or　decide　to　surrender；　then　you　must　swear　to　me　now　that　you　will　take　a　vow　that　I　will　ask　you　to　take。　Is　this　a　reasonable　challenge？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Yaksha　said。　His　confidence　leaped　even　higher；　and　I　knew　how　strong　Yaksha　was　with　snakes。　For　I　had　watched　many　times　while　he　had；　hypnotized　snakes　with　the　sound　of　his　flute。　It　never　surprised　me　because　sometimes　yakshinis　were　depicted　as　serpents；　and　I　thought　Yaksha　was　a　snake　at　heart。　In　reality　vampires　have　more　in　mon　with　snakes　than　bats。　A　snake　prefers　to　eat　its　victim　alive。
　I　knew　Yaksha　could　be　bitten　many　times　by　a　cobra　and　not　die。
　Krishna　left　it　to　our　people　to　gather　the　cobras；　which　took　time　because　there　were　none　in　the　forests　of　Vrindavana　itself。　But　vampires　can　work　fast　if　they　must；　and　travel　far；　and　by　the　following　evening　the　pit　was　filled　with　deadly　snakes。　Now　the　feeling　in　our　group　favored　Yaksha。　Few　believed　a　mortal　could　survive　for　any　length　of　time　in　the　pit。　It　was　then　I　saw　that　even　though　Krishna　had　impressed　the　vampires；　they　still　thought　of　him　as　a　man；　an　extraordinary　man；　true；　but　not　as　a　divine　being。　They　were　anxious　for　the　contest　to　begin。
　I　stayed　with　Radha　throughout　the　day。　I　talked　to　her　about　Rama　and　Lalita。　She　told　me　that　they　had　both　passed　out　of　this　world；　but　that　Rama's　life　had　been　noble　and　my　daughter's　had　been　happy。　I　did　not　ask　how　she　knew　these　things；　I　simply　believed　her。　I　cried　at　her　words。　Radha　tried　to　fort　me。　All　that　are　born　die；　she　said。　All　who　die　are　reborn。　It　is　inevitable；　Krishna　had　told　her。　She　told　me　many　things　Krishna　had　said。
　Finally；　close　to　dark；　Yaksha　and　Krishna　climbed　into　the　pit。　Each　carried　a　flute；　nothing　more。　The　people　on　both　sides　watched；　but　from　a　distance　as　Krishna　had　wanted。　Only　Radha　and　I　stood　close　to　the　pit。　There　had　to　be　a　hundred　snakes　in　that　huge　hole。　They　bit　each　other　and　more　than　a　few　were　already　being　eaten。
　Yaksha　and　Krishna　sat　at　opposite　ends　of　the　pit；　each　with　his　back　to　the　wall　of　earth。　They　began　to　play　immediately。　They　had　to；　the　snakes　moved　for　each　of　them　right　away。　But　with　the　sound　of　the　music；　both　melodies；　the　snakes　backed　off　and　appeared　uncertain。
　Now；　Yaksha　could　play　wonderfully；　although　his　songs　were　always　laced　with　sorrow　and　pain。　His　music　was　hypnotic；　he　could　draw　victims　to　feed　on　simply　with　his　flute。　But　I　realized　instantly　that　his　playing；　for　all　its　power；　was　a　mere　shadow　next　to　Krishna's　music。　For　Krishna　played　the　song　of　life　itself。　Each　note　on　his　flute　was　like　a　different　center　in　the　human　body。　His　breath　through　the　notes　on　the　flute　was　like　the　universal　breath　through　the　bodies　of　all　people。　He　would　play　the　third　note　on　his　flute　and　the　third　center　in　my　body；　at　the　navel；　would　vibrate　with　different　emotions。　The　navel　is　the　seat　of　jealousy　and　attachment；　and　of　joy　and　generosity。　I　felt　these　as　he　played。　When　Krishna　would　blow　through　this　hole　with　a　heavy　breath；　I　would　feel　as　if　everything　that　I　had　ever　called　mine　had　been　stripped　from　me。　But　when　he　would　change　his　breath；　let　the　notes　go　long　and　light；　then　I　would　smile　and　want　to　give　something　to　those　around　me。　Such　was　his　mastery。
　His　playing　had　the　snakes　pletely　bewildered。　None　would　attack　him。　Yet　Yaksha　was　able　to　keep　the　snakes　at　bay　with　his　music　as　well；　although　he　was　not　able　to　send　them　after　his　foe。　So　the　contest　went　on　for　a　long　time　without　either　side　hurting　the　other。　Yet　it　was　clear　to　me　Krishna　was　in　mand；　as　he　was　in　control　of　my　emotions。　He　moved　to　the　fifth　note　on　the　flute；　which　stirred　the　fifth　center　in　my　body；　at　the　throat。　In　that　spot　there　are　two　emotions：　sorrow　and　gratitude。　Both　emotions　bring　tears；　one　bitter；　the　other　sweet。　When　Krishna　lowered　his　breath；　I　felt　like　weeping。　When　he　sang　higher　I　also　felt　choked；　but　with　thanks。　Yet　I　did　not　know　what　I　was　thankful　for。　Not　the　oute　of　the　contest；　surely。　I　knew　then　that　Yaksha　would　certainly　lose；　and　that　the　result　could　be　nothing　other　than　our　extinction。
　Even　as　the　recognition　of　our　impending　doom　crossed　my　mind；　Krishna　began　to　play　the　fourth　note。　This　affected　my　heart；　it　affected　the　hearts　of　all　gathered。　In　the　heart　are　three　emotions…I　felt　them　then：　love；　fear；　and　hatred。　I　could　see　that　an　individual　could　only　have　one　of　the　three　at　a　time。　When　you　were　in　love　you　knew　no　fear　or　hatred。　When　you　were　fearful；　there　was　no　possibility　of　love　or　hate。　And　when　there　was　hate；　there　was　only　hate。
　Krishna　played　the　fourth　note　softly　initially；　so　that　a　feeling　of　warmth　swept　both　sides。　This　he　did　for　a　long　time；　and　it　seemed　as　if　vampires　and　mortals　alike　stared　across　the　clearing　at　one　another　and　wondered　why　they　were　enemies。　Such　was　the　power　of　that　one　note；　perfectly　pitched。
　Yet　Krishna　now　pushed　his　play　toward　its　climax。　He　lowered　his　breath；　and　the　love　in　the　gathering　turned　to　hate。　A　restlessness　went　through　the　crowd；　and　individuals　on　both　sides　shifted　this　way　and　that　as