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〃It is a truth you revealed to me；〃 she said； 〃in their paradox； in their presence！〃 Her voice rose； ill…tempered and utterly alien to her。 〃You might have smashed Santino's ill…founded crusade with a mere glimpse of the Divine Parents。〃
I glared at her。 A madness took hold of me。
I rose to my feet。 I looked about the shrine furiously。
〃Gather up all you possess；〃 I said suddenly。 〃I'm casting you out of here！〃
She sat still as she had been before； gazing up at me in cold defiance。
〃You heard what I said。 Gather your precious clothes； your looking glass； your pearls； your jewels； your books； whatever you want。 I'm taking you out of here。〃
For a long moment she looked at me； glowering； I should say； as if she didn't believe me。
Then all at once she moved； obeying me in a series of quick gestures。
And within the space of a few moments； she stood before me； her cloak about her； her bundle clasped to her chest； looking as she had some countless years before when first I had brought her here。
I don't know whether she looked back at the face of the Mother and the Father。 I did not。 I did not for one moment believe that either would prevent this dreadful expulsion。
Within moments； I was on the wind； and I didn't know where I would take her。
I traveled higher and faster than I had dared to do before； and found it well within my power。 Indeed； my own speed amazed me。 The land before me had been burnt in recent wars and I knew it to be spotted here and there with ruined castles。
It was to one of these that I took her； making certain that the town all around had been pillaged and deserted； and then I set her down in a stone room within the broken fortress； and went in search of a place where she might sleep by day in the ruined graveyard。
It did not take me long to be confident that she could survive here。 In the burnt…out chapel there were crypts beneath the floor。 There were hiding places everywhere。
I went back to her。 She was standing as I had left her； her face as solemn as before； her brilliant oval eyes fixed on me。
〃I want no more of you；〃 I said。 I was shuddering。 〃I want no more of you that you could say such a thing； that you could blame me that Santino took from me my child！ I can have no more of you。 You have no grasp of the burden I have carried throughout time or how many times I have lamented it！ What do you think your precious Santino would do had he the Mother and the Father in his possession？ How many demons could he bring to drink from them？ And who knows what the Mother and Father might permit in their silence？ Who knows what they have ever wanted？〃
〃You are an evil and negligent brother to me；〃 she said coldly； glancing about herself。 〃Why not leave me to the wolves in the forest？ But go。 I want no more of you either。 Tell your scholars in the Talamasca
where you have deposited me and perhaps they will offer me their kind shelter。 But be gone。 Whatever； be gone！ I don't want you here！〃
Though up to that second I had been hanging upon her every word； I abandoned her。
Hours passed。 I traveled the skies； not knowing where I went；
marveling at the blurred landscape beneath me。
My power was far greater than it had ever been！ Would I to try it； I could easily reach England。
I saw the mountains and then the sea； and then suddenly my soul ached so pletely that I could do nothing but will myself to go back to her。
Bianca； what have I done？
Bianca； pray that you have waited for me！
Out of the deep dark heavens I somehow returned to her。 I found her in the stone room； sitting in the corner； collected and still； just as if she had been in the shrine； and as I knelt before her； she reached up and threw her arms about me。
I sobbed as I embraced her。
〃My beautiful Bianca； my beautiful one； I am so sorry； so sorry； my love；〃 I said。
〃Marius； I love you with my whole heart eternally。〃 She cried as freely and pletely as I did。 〃My precious Marius；〃 she said。 〃I have never loved anyone as I love you。 Forgive me。〃
We could do nothing but weep for the longest time and then I took her home to the shrine； and forted her； bing her hair as I so loved to do and trimming it with her slender ropes of pearls until she was my perfect lovely one。
〃What did I mean to say？〃 she implored。 〃I don't know。 Of course you could not have trusted any of them。 And had you shown them the Queen and the King some horrid anarchy might well have e from it！〃
〃Yes； you have said the perfect word；〃 I answered； 〃some awful anarchy。〃 I glanced quickly at the still impassive faces。 I went on。 〃You must understand； oh； please； if you love me at all； understand what power exists within them。〃 I stopped suddenly。 〃Oh； don't you see； as much as I lament their silence； perhaps it is for them a form of peace which they have chosen for the good of everyone。〃
This was the very essence of it and I think we both knew it。
I feared what might happen if Akasha were ever to stand up from her throne； if she were ever to speak or move。 I feared it with all my reason。
Yet still； that night and every night I believed that if and when Akasha were ever waked； a divine sweetness would pour forth from her。
Once Bianca had fallen asleep； I knelt before the Queen in the abject manner which was so mon to me now； and which I would never have revealed to Pandora。
〃Mother； I hunger for you；〃 I whispered。 I opened my hands。 〃Let me touch you with love；〃 I said。 〃Tell me if I have been in error。 Should I have brought the Satan worshipers to your shrine？ Should I have revealed you in all your loveliness to Santino？〃
I closed my eyes。 I opened them。
〃Unchangeable Ones；〃 I said in a soft voice； 〃speak to me。〃
I approached her and laid my lips on her throat。 I pierced the crisp white skin with my teeth； and the thick blood came into me slowly。
The garden surrounded me。 Oh； yes； this I love above all。 And it was the garden of the monastery in spring； how wondrous； and my priest was there。 I was walking with him in the clean swept cloister。 This was the supreme dream； for its colors were rich and I could see all the mountains around us。 I am immortal； I said。
The garden dissolved。 I could see colors washed from a wall。
Then I stood in a midnight forest。 In the light of the moon； I beheld a black carriage ing down the road； drawn by many dark horses。 It passed me； its huge wheels stirring up the dust。 There came behind it a team of guards all clothed in black livery。
Pandora。
When I woke； I was lying against Akasha's breast； my forehead against her throat； my left hand clasping her right shoulder。 It was so sweet that I didn't want to move； and all the light of the shrine had bee one golden shimmer in my eyes； rather the way that light would bee in those long Venetian banquet rooms。
At last I kissed her tenderly and withdrew and then lay down and placed my arms around Bianca。
My thoughts were troubled and strange。 I knew it was time to find some habitat other than the shrine itself； and I knew as well that strangers were ing into our mountains。
The