anner.vittoriothevampire-第8部分

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his　hooded　fiend　in　his　gold…trimmed　boots；　calling　back　to　her。
　〃e　on；　now；　have　you　lost　your　wits？　Look　at　the　sky。　e；　Ursula。〃　She　didn't　move。　She　stared　at　me　as　before。
　I　sobbed　and　cursed　and；　grabbing　my　sword；　ran　at　her　again；　and　this　time　saw　my　blade　descend　to　cut　off　her　right　arm；　right　below　the　elbow。　The　white　limb；　small　and　seemingly　fragile　like　all　of　her　parts；　fell　to　the　paved　floor　with　her　heavy　sword。　Blood　spurted　from　her。
　She　did　no　more　than　look　at　it。　And　then　at　me　with　the　same　poignant；　disconsolate　and　near　heartbroken　face。
　I　lifted　my　sword　again。　〃Strega！〃　I　cried；　clenching　my　teeth；　trying　to　see　through　my　tears。　〃Strega！〃
　But　in　another　feat　of　evil；　she　had　moved　back；　far　away　from　me；　as　if　pulled　by　an　invisible　force；　and　in　her　left　hand　she　now　held　her　right；　which　still　clutched　her　sword　as　if　it　were　not　severed。　She　replaced　the　limb　I　had　cut　off。　I　watched　her。　I　watched　her　put　the　limb　in　place　and　turn　it　and　adjust　it　until　it　was　as　it　should　be；　and　then　before　my　astonished　eyes；　I　saw　the　wound　I　had　made　utterly　seal　up　in　her　white　skin。
　Then　the　loose　bell　sleeve　of　her　rich　velvet　gown　fell　down　again　around　her　wrist。
　In　a　twinkling　she　was　outside　the　chapel；　only　a　silhouette　now　against　the　distant　fires　burning　in　the　tower　windows。　I　heard　her　whisper：　〃Vittorio。〃　Then　she　vanished。　I　knew　it　was　vain　to　go　after　her！　Yet　still　I　ran　out　and　swung　my　sword　around　in　a　great　circle；　crying　out　in　rage　and　bitterness　and　mad　menace　at　all　the　world；　my　eyes　now　blinded　with　tears；　and　my　throat　full　to　choking。
　Everything　was　still。　Everyone　was　dead。　Dead。　I　knew　it。　The　courtyard　was　strewn　with　bodies。
　I　ran　back　into　the　chapel。　I　grabbed　up　the　head　of　Bartola　and　the　head　of　Matteo　into　my　arms。　I　sat　down　and　held　them　in　my　lap；　and　I　sobbed。
　They　seemed　still　alive；　these　severed　heads；　their　eyes　flashing；　and　their　lips　even　moving　with　hopeless　attempts　to　speak。　Oh；　God！　It　was　beyond　all　human　endurance。　I　sobbed。　I　cursed。
　I　laid　them　side　by　side；　these　two　heads　in　my　lap；　and　I　stroked　their　hair　and　stroked　their　cheeks　and　whispered　forting　words　to　them；　that　God　was　close；　God　was　with　us；　God　would　take　care　of　us　forever；　that　we　were　in　Heaven。　Oh；　please；　I　beg　you；　God；　I　prayed　in　my　soul；　don't　let　them　have　the　feeling　and　the　consciousness　which　they　still　seem　to　possess。　Oh；　no；　not　such。　I　can't　bear　it。　I　cannot。　No。　Please。
　At　dawn；　finally；　when　the　sun　poured　arrogantly　through　the　door　of　the　chapel；　when　the　fires　had　died　away；　when　the　birds　sang　as　if　nothing　had　happened；　the　innocent　little　heads　of　Bartola　and　Matteo　were　lifeless　and　still；　and　very　obviously　dead；　and　their　immortal　souls　were　gone　from　them；　if　they　had　not　flown　at　the　moment　when　the　sword　had　severed　these　heads　from　the　bodies。
　I　found　my　mother　murdered　in　the　courtyard。　My　father；　covered　with　wounds　on　his　hands　and　arms；　as　if　he　had　grabbed　at　the　very　swords　that　struck　him；　lay　dead　on　the　stairs　of　the　tower。
　The　work　all　around　had　been　swift。　Throats　cut；　and　only　here　and　there　the　evidence；　as　with　my　father；　of　a　great　struggle。
　Nothing　was　stolen。　My　aunts；　two　dead　in　the　far　corner　of　the　chapel；　and　two　others　in　the　yard；　wore　still　all　their　rings　and　necklets　and　circlets　about　their　hair。　Not　a　jeweled　button　had　been　ripped　away。
　It　was　the　same　throughout　the　entire　pound。
　The　horses　were　gone；　the　cattle　had　roamed　into　the　woods；　the　fowl　flown。　I　opened　the　little　house　full　of　my　hunting　falcons；　took　off　their　hoods　and　let　them　all　go　into　the　trees。　There　was　no　one　to　help　me　bury　the　dead。
　By　noon；　I　had　dragged　my　family；　one　by　one；　to　the　crypt　and　tumbled　them　unceremoniously　down　the　steps；　and　then　laid　them　all　out；　side　by　side　in　the　room；　as　best　I　could。
　It　had　been　a　backbreaking　task。　I　was　near　to　fainting　as　I　posed　the　limbs　of　each　person；　and　last　of　all　my　father。
　I　knew　that　I　could　not　do　it　for　everyone　else　here　in　our　pound。　It　was　simply　impossible。　Besides；　whatever　had　e　might　well　e　again；　as　I　had　been　left　alive；　and　there　was　a　hooded　demon　man　who　had　witnessed　it；　a　vicious　hooded　assassin　who　had　slaughtered　two　children　pitilessly。
　And　whatever　was　the　nature　of　this　angel　of　death；　this　exquisite　Ursula；　with　her　barely　tinted　white　cheeks　and　her　long　neck　and　sloping　shoulders；　I　didn't　know。　She　herself　might　e　back　to　avenge　the　insult　I　had　done　her。　I　had　to　leave　the　mountain。
　That　these　creatures　were　not　anywhere　around　now　I　felt　instinctively；　both　in　my　heart　and　from　the　wholesomeness　of　the　warm　and　loving　sun；　but　also　because　I　had　witnessed　their　flight；　heard　their　whistles　to　one　another　and　heard　the　ominous　words　of　the　demon　man　to　the　woman；　Ursula；　that　she　must　hurry。　No；　these　were　things　of　the　night。
　So　I　had　time　to　climb　the　highest　tower　and　look　at　the　country　round。
　I　did。　I　confirmed　that　there　was　no　one　who　could　have　seen　the　smoke　of　our　few　burning　wooden　floors　and　torched　furniture。　The　nearest　castle　was　a　ruin；　as　I　have　said。　The　lower　hamlets　were　long　abandoned。
　The　nearest　village　of　any　size　was　a　full　day's　walk；　and　I　had　to　be　off　if　I　meant　to　get　to　any　kind　of　hiding　place　by　nightfall。
　A　thousand　thoughts　tormented　me。　I　knew　too　many　things。　I　was　a　boy；　I　could　not　even　pass　for　a　man！　I　had　wealth　in　the　Florentine　banks　but　it　was　a　week's　ride　from　where　I　was！　These　were　demons。　Yet　they　had　e　into　a　church。　Fra　Diamonte　had　been　struck　dead。　Only　one　thought　finally　was　possible　for　me。　Vendetta。　I　was　going　to　get　them。　I　was　going　to　find　them　and　get　them。　And　if　they　couldn't　e　out　by　the　light　of　day；　then　it　would　be　by　that　means　that　I　would　get　them！　I　would　do　it。　For　Bartola；　for　Matteo；　for　my　father　and　mother；　for　the　humblest　child　who　had　been　taken　from　my　mountain。
　And　they　had　taken　the　children。　Yes；　that　they　had　done。　I　confirmed　it　before　I　left；　for　it　was　slow　to　dawn　on　me　with　all　my　concerns；　but　they　had。　There　was　not　a　corpse　of　a　child　on　the　place；　only　those　boys　of　my　age　had　been　killed；　but　anything　younger　had　been　stolen　away。
　For　what！　For　what　horrors！　I　was　beside　myself。
　I　might　have　stood　in　the　tower　window；　with　clenched　fist；　consumed　with　anger　and　the　vow　for　vendetta；　if　a　wele　sight　hadn't　distracted　me。　Down　in　the　closest　valley；　I　saw　three　of　my　horses　wandering　about；　aimlessly；　as　though　wanting　to　be　called　home。
　At　least　I　should　have　one　of　my　finest　to　ride；　but　I　had　to　get　moving。　With　a　horse　I　might　just　reach　a　town　by　nightfall。　I　didn't　know　the　land　to　the　north。　It　was　mountain　country；　but　I　had　heard　of　a　fair…sized　town　not　too　far　away。　I　had　to　get　there；　for　refuge；　to　think　and　to　consult　with　a　priest　who　had　a　brain　in　his　head　and　knew　demons。
　My　last　task　was　ignominious　and　revolting　to　me；　but　I　did　it。　I　gathered　up　all　the　wealth　I　could　carry。　This　meant　that　I　retired　first　to　my　own　room；　as　if　this　were　an　ordinary　day；　dressed　myself　in　my　best　dark　hunter's　green　silk　and　velvet；　put　on　my　high　boots　and　took　up　my　gloves；　and　then　taking　the　leather　bags　which　I　could　affix　to　my　horse's　saddle；　I　went　down　into　the　crypt　and　took　from　my　parents　and　my　aunts　and　uncles　their　very　most　treasured　rings；　necklaces　and　brooches；　the　buckles　of　gold　and　silver　which　had　e　from　the　Holy　Land。　God　help　me。
　Then　I　filled　my　purse　with　all　the　gold　ducats　and　florins　I　could　find　in　my　father's　coffers；　as　if　I　were　a　thief；　a　very　thief　of　the　dead　it　seemed　to　me；　and　hefting　these　heavy　leather　bags；　I　went　to　get　my　mount；　saddle　him　and　bridle　him　and　start　off；　a　man　of　rank；　with　his　weaponry；　and　his　mink…edged　cape；　and　a　Florentine　cap　of　green　velvet；　off　into　the　forest。
　
　
　4
　IN　WHICH　I　E　UPON　FURTHER　MYSTERIES；　SUFFER　SEDUCTION　AND　CONDEMN　MY　SOUL　TO　BITTER　VALOR
　
　NOW；　I　was　too　full　of　rancor　to　be　thinking　straight；　as　I've　already　described；　and　surely　you　will　understand　this。　But　it　wasn't　smart　of　me　to　go　riding　through　the　woods　of　Tuscany　dressed　so　richly；　and　by　myself；　because　any　woods　in　Italy　was　bound　to　have　its　bandits。
　On　the　other　hand；　playing　the　poor　scholar　wouldn't　have　been　the　best　choice　either；　it　seemed　to　me。
　I　can't　claim　to　have　made　a　real　decision。　The　desire　for　vengeance　upon　the　demons　that　had　destroyed　us　was　the　only　central　passion　I　could　abide。
　So　there　I　was；　riding　steadily　by　mid…afternoon；　trying　to　keep　to　the　valley　roads　as　I　lost　sight　of　our　towers；　trying　not　to　cry　anymore　like　a　child；　but　being　drawn　off　into　the　mountainous　land　over　and　over　again。
　My　head　was　swimming。　And　the　landscape　gave　me　little　time　to　think。　Nothing　could　have　been　more　forlorn。
　I　came　within　sight　of　two　huge　ruined　castles　very　soon　after　my　departure；　copings　and　ramparts　lost　in　the　greedy　forest；　which　made　me　mindful　that　these　had　been　the　holdings　of　old　Lords　who　had　been　fool　enough　to　resist　the　power　of　Milan　or　Florence。　It　was　enough　to　make　me　doubt　my　sanity；　enough　to　make　me　think　that　we　had　not　been　annihilated　by　demons　but　that　mon　enemies　had　made　the　assault。
　It　was　utterly　grim　to　see　their　broken　battlements　looming　against　the　otherwise　cheerful　and　brilliant　sky；　and　to　e　upon　the　overgrown　fragments　of　villages　with　their　tumbledown　hovels　and　forgotten　crossroads　shrines　in　which　stone　Virgins　or　saints　had　sunk　into　spiderwebs　and　shadows。
　When　I　did　spy　a　high　distant　well…fortified　town；　I　knew　well　it　was　Milanese　and　had　no　intention　of　going　up　there。　I　was　lost！
　As　for　the　bandits；　I　only　ran　into　one　little　ragged　band；　which　I　took　on　immediately　with　a　deluge　of　chatter。
　If　anything；　the　little　pack　of　idiots　gave　me　some　distraction。　My　blood　ran　as　fast　as　my　tongue：
　〃I'm　riding　in　advance　of　a　hundred　men；〃　I　declared。　〃We　search　for　a　band　of　outlaws　claiming　to　be　fighting　for　Sforza　when　they're　nothing　but　rapists　and　thieves；　you　seen　any　of　them？　I　have　a　florin　for　each　of　you　if　you　can　tell　me　anything。　We　mean　to　cut　them　down　on　sight。　I'm　tired。　I'm　sick　of　this。〃　I　tossed　them　some　coins。　They　wer