anner.vittoriothevampire-第16部分

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　She　glanced　up　at　me；　and　away；　and　then　back　again。　〃Oh；　you're　a　stranger　here；　Signore；　forgive　me；　you　are　so　young。　I　only　saw　a　boy　when　I　looked　at　you。　I　mean　God　will　be　merciful。　He's　very　old。〃
　〃Hmmm；　I　see；〃　I　said。
　She　looked　at　me　with　cold　cunning　eyes；　as　if　they　were　made　of　metal。
　I　bowed　and　went　out。　The　old　man　had　started　to　take　off　his　shirt　again；　and　the　other　sister；　who　had　been　silent　all　the　time；　slapped　him。
　I　winced　at　it；　and　kept　walking。　I　meant　to　see　as　much　as　I　could　right　now。
　Passing　through　rather　peaceful　little　tailors'　shops　I　came　at　last　to　the　district　of　the　porcelain　dealers；　where　two　men　were　having　an　argument　about　a　fancy　birthing　tray。
　Now；　birthing　trays；　once　used　in　practicality　to　receive　the　infant　as　it　came　from　the　womb；　had　bee　by　my　time　fancy　gifts　given　after　the　child　was　born。　They　were　large　platters　painted　with　lovely　domestic　designs；　and　this　shop　had　an　impressive　display　of　them。　I　heard　the　argument　before　I　was　seen。
　One　man　said　to　buy　the　damned　tray；　while　the　other　said　the　infant　wouldn't　even　live　and　the　gift　was　premature；　and　a　third　man　said　the　woman　would　wele　the　beautiful　gorgeously　painted　birthing　tray　anyway。
　They　stopped　when　I　entered　the　shop　proper　to　look　at　all　the　imported　wares；　but　then　when　I　turned　my　back；　one　of　the　men　uttered　under　his　breath；　〃If　she　has　a　brain　in　her　head；　she'll　do　it。〃　I　was　struck　by　the　words；　so　struck　that　I　turned　at　once　to　snatch　a　handsome　plate　from　the　shelf　and　pretend　to　be　much　impressed　with　it。　〃So　lovely；〃　I　said；　as　if　I　hadn't　heard　them。
　The　merchant　got　up　and　started　to　extoll　the　contents　on　display。　The　others　melted　into　the　gathering　evening　outside。　I　stared　at　the　man。
　〃Is　the　child　sick？〃　I　asked　in　the　smallest　most　childish　voice　that　I　myself　could　muster。
　〃Oh；　no；　well；　I　don't　think　so；　but　you　know　how　it　is；〃　said　the　man。　〃The　child's　smallish。〃
　〃Weak；〃　I　volunteered。
　In　a　very　clumsy　way；　he　said；　〃Yes；　weak。〃　His　smile　was　artificial；　but　he　thought　himself　quite　successful。
　Then　both　of　us　turned　to　fussing　over　the　wares。　I　bought　a　tiny　porcelain　cup；　very　beautifully　painted；　which　he　claimed　to　have　bought　from　a　Venetian。
　I　knew　damned　good　and　well　I　should　leave　without　a　word；　but　I　couldn't　stop　myself　from　asking　him　as　I　paid；　〃Do　you　think　the　poor　smallish　weak　child　will　live？〃
　He　laughed　a　rather　deep　coarse　laugh　as　he　took　my　money。　〃No；〃　he　said；　and　then　he　glanced　at　me　as　though　he'd　been　in　his　thoughts。　〃Don't　worry　about　it；　Signore；〃　he　said　with　a　little　smile。　〃Have　you　e　to　live　here？〃
　〃No；　Sir；　only　passing　through；　going　north；〃　I　said。
　〃North？〃　he　asked；　a　little　startled　but　sarcastic。　He　shut　up　the　cashbox　and　turned　the　key。　Then　shaking　his　head　as　he　put　the　box　into　the　cabinet　and　closed　the　doors；　he　said；　〃North；　eh？　Well；　good　luck　to　you；　my　boy。〃　He　gave　a　sour　chuckle。　〃That's　an　ancient　road。　You　better　ride　as　fast　as　you　can　from　sunup。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Sir；〃　I　said。　Night　was　ing　on。
　I　hurried　into　an　alleyway　and　stood　there；　against　the　wall；　catching　my　breath　as　though　someone　were　chasing　me。　I　let　the　little　cup　fall　and　it　shattered　loudly；　the　noise　echoing　up　the　towering　buildings。　I　was　half　out　of　my　wits。
　But　instantly　and　fully　aware　of　my　situation；　and　convinced　of　the　horrors　I　had　discovered；　I　made　an　inflexible　decision。
　I　wasn't　safe　in　the　Inn；　so　what　did　this　matter？　I　was　going　to　do　it　my　way　and　see　for　myself。　This　is　what　I　did。
　Without　going　back　to　the　Inn；　without　ever　officially　leaving　my　room　in　the　Inn；　I　turned　uphill　when　the　shadows　were　thick　enough　to　cover　me；　and　I　climbed　the　narrowing　street　towards　the　old　ruined　castle。
　Now　all　day　I　had　been　looking　at　this　imposing　collection　of　rock　and　decay；　and　could　see　that　it　was　indeed　utterly　ruined　and　empty　of　all　save　the　birds　of　the　air；　except；　as　I　have　said；　for　the　lower　floors；　which　supposedly　held　offices。
　But　the　castle　had　two　standing　towers　remaining　to　it；　one　that　faced　over　the　town；　and　another；　much　fallen　away；　beyond　and　remote　on　the　edge　of　a　cliff；　as　I　had　seen　from　the　lower　farmland。
　Well；　I　made　for　the　tower　that　overlooked　the　town。
　The　government　offices　were　shut　up　of　course　already；　and　the　curfew　soldiers　would　soon　be　out；　and　there　was　noise　from　only　a　couple　of　taverns　that　obviously　stayed　open　no　matter　what　the　law　was。
　The　piazza　before　the　castle　was　empty；　and　because　the　three　streets　of　the　town　took　many　a　curve　in　their　way　downhill；　I　could　see　almost　nothing　now　but　a　few　dim　torches。
　The　sky；　however；　was　wondrously　bright；　clear　of　all　but　the　most　rounded　and　discreetly　shaped　clouds；　very　visible　against　the　deeper　blue　of　the　night；　and　the　stars　seemed　exquisitely　numerous。
　I　found　old　winding　stairs；　too　narrow　almost　for　a　human　being；　that　curved　around　the　useful　part　of　the　old　citadel　and　led　up　to　the　first　platform　of　stone；　before　an　entrance　to　the　tower。
　Of　course　this　architecture　was　no　stranger　to　me　whatsoever。　The　stones　were　of　a　rougher　texture　than　those　of　my　old　home；　and　somewhat　darker；　but　the　tower　was　broad　and　square　and　timelessly　solid。
　I　knew　that　the　place　was　ancient　enough　that　I　would　find　stone　stairways　leading　quite　high；　and　I　did；　and　soon　came　to　the　end　of　my　trek　in　a　high　room　which　gave　me　a　view　of　the　entire　town　stretched　out　before　me。
　There　were　higher　chambers；　but　they　had　been　accessible　in　centuries　past　by　wooden　ladders　that　could　be　pulled　up；　to　defeat　an　enemy　and　isolate　him　below；　and　I　couldn't　get　to　them。　I　could　hear　the　birds　up　there；　disturbed　by　my　presence。　And　I　could　hear　the　breeze　moving　faintly。　However；　this　was　fine；　this　height。
　I　had　a　view　all　around　from　the　four　narrow　windows　of　this　place；　looking　in　all　directions。
　And　most　especially；　and　important　to　me；　I　could　see　the　town　itself；　directly　below　me；　shaped　like　a　great　eye　…　an　oval　with　tapered　ends　…　with　random　torches　burning　here　and　there；　and　an　occasional　dimly　lighted　window；　and　I　could　see　a　lantern　moving　slowly　as　someone　walked　in　a　leisurely　pace　down　one　of　the　thoroughfares。
　No　sooner　had　I　seen　this　moving　lantern　than　it　went　out。　It　seemed　the　streets　were　utterly　deserted。
　Then　the　windows　too　went　dark；　and　very　shortly　there　were　not　four　torches　that　I　could　see　anywhere。
　This　darkness　had　a　calming　effect　on　me。　The　open　country　sank　into　a　deep　dark　tinge　of　blue　beneath　the　pearly　heavens；　and　I　could　see　the　forests　encroaching　on　the　tilled　land；　creeping　higher　here　and　there；　as　the　hills　folded　over　one　another　or　sank　steeply　into　valleys　of　pure　blackness。　I　could　hear　the　total　emptiness　of　the　tower。
　Nothing　stirred　now；　not　even　the　birds。　I　was　quite　alone。　I　could　have　heard　the　slightest　footfall　on　the　stairs　down　below。　No　one　knew　I　was　here。　All　slept。　I　was　safe　here。　And　I　could　keep　a　vigil。
　I　was　too　full　of　misery　to　be　frightened；　and　frankly　I　was　prepared　to　take　my　stand　against　Ursula　in　this　spot；　preferred　it；　in　fact；　to　the　confines　of　the　Inn；　and　I　feared　nothing　as　I　said　my　prayers　and　laid　my　hand　on　my　sword　as　usual。
　What　did　I　expect　to　see　in　this　sleeping　town？　Anything　that　happened　in　it。
　Now；　what　did　I　think　that　was　to　be？　I　couldn't　have　told　anyone。　But　as　I　circled　the　room；　as　I　glanced　again　and　again　down　at　the　few　scattered　lights　below　and　the　hulk　of　the　descending　ramparts　beneath　the　glowing　summer　sky；　the　place　seemed　loathsome；　full　of　deceit；　full　of　witchcraft；　full　of　payment　to　the　Devil。
　〃You　think　I　don't　know　where　your　unwanted　babies　are　taken？〃　I　muttered　in　a　rage。　〃You　think　that　people　who　are　down　with　the　plague　are　weled　right　through　the　open　gates　of　your　neighboring　cities？〃
　I　was　startled　by　the　echoes　of　my　own　murmurings　off　the　cold　walls。
　〃But　what　do　you　do　with　them；　Ursula？　What　would　you　have　done　with　my　brother　and　sister？〃
　My　ruminations　were　madness　perhaps；　or　might　have　seemed　so　to　some。　But　I　learnt　this。　Revenge　takes　one's　mind　from　the　pain。　Revenge　is　a　lure；　a　mighty　molten　lure；　even　if　it　is　hopeless。
　One　blow　from　this　sword　and　I　can　strike　off　her　head；　I　thought；　and　heave　it　out　that　window；　and　then　what　will　she　be　but　a　demon　stripped　of　all　worldly　power？　Now　and　then　I　half…drew　my　sword；　then　put　it　back。　I　took　out　my　longest　dagger　and　slapped　the　palm　of　my　left　hand　with　its　blade。　I　never　stopped　walking。
　Suddenly；　as　I　made　one　of　my　boring　circumlocutions；　I　happened　to　spy　far　away；　on　a　distant　mountain；　in　which　direction　I　really　didn't　know　…　but　not　the　direction　by　which　I　had　e　…　a　great　quantity　of　light　playing　behind　the　mesh　of　the　sylvan　darkness。
　At　first　I　thought　this　might　be　a　fire；　there　was　so　much　light；　but　as　I　narrowed　my　eyes　and　focused　my　mind；　I　saw　that　this　was　out　of　the　question。
　There　was　no　riotous　glare　on　the　few　visible　clouds　above；　and　the　illumination；　for　all　the　breadth　of　it；　was　contained　as　if　it　emanated　from　a　vast　congregation　gathered　together　with　a　fantastical　quantity　of　candles。　How　steady　yet