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thin shroud of spun gold。 They ringed three walls of the crypt。 At the far end hung the broken stairs over nothingness。
I blinked and narrowed my eyes； and the light seemed to filter more fully upon them。 I drew near to the first figure until I could see the dark…burgundy slippers； and the deep…russet hose and all of this beneath the webbing as if each night fine silkworms wove this shroud for the being； so thick and perfect and fine was it。 Alas； it was no such magic； it was only the finest of what God's creatures can make。 And it had been spun of the looms of men and women； and it had a fine…stitched hem。 I ripped off the veil。
I drew near the creature's folded arms； and then saw to my sudden horror that his sleeping face was quickened。 His eyes opened； and one arm moved violently towards me。
I was yanked back out of the clutch of his fingers only just in time。 I turned to see Ramiel holding me； and then he closed his eyes and bowed his forehead into my shoulder。 〃Now you know their tricks。 Watch it。 You see。 It folds its arm back now。 It thinks it's safe。 It closes its eyes。〃
〃What do I do！ Ah； I'll kill it！〃 I said。
Snatching up the veil in my left hand； I raised my sword in my right。 I advanced on the sleeping monster； and this time； when the hand rose； I snared it with the veil； swirling the fabric around it； while； with my sword； I came down like the executioner on the block。
At once the head rolled off onto the floor。 A wretched sound came； more from the neck perhaps than from the throat。 The arm flopped。 By light of day； it could not struggle as it might have in the dark of night in my early battle； when I had decapitated my first assailant。 Ah； I had won。
I snatched up the head； watching the blood spill out of the mouth。 The eyes； if they had ever opened； were now shut。 I hurled the head into the middle of the floor beneath the light。 At once the light began to burn the flesh。
〃Look at it； the head's burning！〃 I said。 But I myself didn't stop。
I went to the next； snatching the transparent silken shroud from a woman with great long braids； taken to this eerie death in the prime of her life； and snaring her rising arm； severed her head with the same fury and caught it up by one braid and hurled it to land by its mate。
The other head was shriveling and turning black in the light that poured down from the high opening above。 〃Lucifer； you see that？〃 I called out。 The echo came back to taunt me； 〃See that？ See that？ See that？〃
I rushed to the next。 〃Florian！〃 I cried out； as I grabbed the veil。 Terrible error。
When he heard his name； his eyes snapped open even before I had drawn abreast of him； and like a puppet yanked on a chain he would have risen if I had not struck him hard with my sword and gashed open his chest。 Expressionless； he fell back。 I brought the sword down on his tender gentlemanly neck。 His blond hair was caked with blood； and his eyes went half…mast and empty and died before my sight。
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