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！
ivine feast； and I spent the long hours talking in respectful whispers with Bianca。
We took to conserving the oil for the lamps； and the fine candles which I had stored behind the Divine Parents； for we had no inkling of how long it would be before I could open the door and take us to
hunting in the distant Alpine towns or cities。
At last there came a night when it occurred to me most strongly to venture out； and I was clever enough to know that this thought had not e to me at random。 It had been suggested to me by a series of images。 I could open the door now。 I could go out。 And I could take Bianca with me。
As for my appearance to the mortal world； my skin was coal black； and heavily scarred in places as though from the stroking of a hot poker。 But the face I saw in Bianca's mirror was fully formed； with the serene expression that has always been so familiar to me。 And my body was strong once more； and my hands of which I am so vain were a scholar's hands with long deft fingers。
For another year； I could not dare to send to Raymond Gallant a letter。
Carrying Bianca with me to far…flung towns； I searched hastily and clumsily for the Evil Doer。 As such creatures often run in packs； we would enjoy a gluttonous feast； and then I would take such clothes and gold as needed from the dead； and off we would go to the shrine well before daylight。
I think when I look back on it that ten years at least went by in this fashion。 But time is so strange with us； how can I be certain？
What I remember was that a powerful bond existed between me and Bianca that seemed absolutely unshakable。 As the years passed； she was as much my panion in silence as she had ever been in conversation。
We moved as one； without argument or consultation。
She was a proud and merciless hunter； dedicated to the majesty of Those Who Must Be Kept； and always drank from more than one human victim whenever possible。 Indeed； there seemed no limit to the blood she could imbibe。 She wanted strength； both from me and the Evil Doer whom she took with righteous coldness。
Riding the winds in my arms； she turned her eyes to the stars fearlessly。 And often she spoke to me softly and easily of her mortal life in Florence； telling me the stories of her youth； and of how she had loved her brothers who had so admired Lorenzo the Magnificent。 Yes； she had seen my beloved Botticelli many a time and told me in detail of paintings which I had not seen。 She sang songs to me now and then which she posed herself。 She spoke in sadness of the death of her brothers and how she had fallen into the power of her evil kinsmen。
I loved listening to her as much as I loved talking to her。 Indeed； it was so fluid between us that I still wonder at it。
And though on many a morn； she bed out her lovely hair and replaited it with her ropes of tiny pearls； she never plained of our lot； and wore the cast…off tunics and cloaks of the men we slew as I did。
Now and then； slipping discreetly behind the King and Queen； she took from her precious bundle a gorgeous gown of silk and clothed herself with care in it； this to sleep in my arms； after I had covered her with warm pliments and kisses。
Never had I known such peace with Pandora。 Never had I known such warm simplicity。
Yet it was Pandora who filled my mind…Pandora traveling the cities of the North； Pandora with her Asian panion。
At last there came an evening when； after a furious hunt； in exhaustion
and satiation； Bianca asked to be returned early to the shrine； and I found myself in possession of a priceless three hours before dawn。
I also found myself in possession of a new measure of strength which I had perhaps unwittingly concealed from her。
To a distant Alpine monastery I went； one which had suffered much due to the recent rise of what scholars call the Protestant Reformation。 Here I knew I would find frightened monks who would take my gold and assist me in sending a letter to England。
Entering the empty chapel first； I gathered up every good beeswax candle in the place； these to replenish those of the shrine； and I put all of the candles into a sack which I had brought with me。
I then went to the scriptorium where I found an old monk who was writing very fast by his single candle。
He looked up as soon as he found me standing in his presence。
〃Yes；〃 I said at once； speaking his German dialect。 〃I am a strange man e to you in a strange way； but believe me when I say that I am not evil。〃
He was gray…haired； tonsured； and wore brown robes； and he was a bit cold in the empty scriptorium。 He was utterly fearless as he gazed at me。
But I told myself that I had never looked more human。 My skin was as black as that of a Moor and I wore the rather drab gray garments which I had taken from some doomed miscreant。
Now as he continued to stare； quite obviously not in any mood to sound a general alarm； I did my old trick of placing before him a purse of gold coins for the good of the monastery which needed it badly。
〃I must write a letter；〃 I said； 〃and see that it reaches a place in England。〃
〃A Catholic place？〃 he asked as he looked at me； his gray eyebrows thick and arched as he raised them。
〃I should think so；〃 I said with a shrug。 Of course I couldn't describe to him the secular nature of the Talamasca。
〃Then think again；〃 he said。 〃For England is no longer Catholic。〃
〃What on earth do you mean？〃 I asked。 〃Surely the Reformation has not reached such a place as England。〃
He laughed。 〃No； not the Reformation precisely；〃 he said。 〃Rather the vanity of a King who would divorce his Spanish Catholic wife； and who has denied the power of the Pope to rule against him。〃
I was so dejected that I sat down on a nearby bench though I'd been given no invitation to do it。
〃What are you？〃 asked the old monk。 He laid down his quill pen。 He stared at me in the most thoughtful manner。
〃It's no matter；〃 I said wearily。 〃Do you think there's no chance that a letter from here could reach a castle called Lorwich in East Anglia？ 〃
〃I don't know；〃 said the monk。 〃It might well happen。 For there are some who oppose King Henry VIII and others who do not。 But in general he has destroyed the monasteries of England。 And so any letter you write from me cannot go to one of them； only directly to the castle。 And how is that to happen？ We have to think on it。 I can always attempt it。〃
〃Yes； please； let us attempt it。〃
〃But first； tell me what you are；〃 he asked again。 〃I won't write the letter for you unless you do so。 Also I want to know why you stole all the good candles in the chapel and left the bad ones。〃
〃You know I did this？〃 I asked。 I was being extremely agitated。 I thought I had been silent as a mouse。
〃I'm not an ordinary man；〃 he said。 〃I hear things and see things that people don't。 I know you're not human。 What are you？〃
〃I can't tell you；〃 I said。 〃Tell me what you think I am。 Tell me if you can find any true evil in my heart。 Tell me what you see in me。〃
He gazed at me for a long time。 His eyes were deeply gray； and as I looked at his el