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！
pon another ever higher and higher。
I stared at the shining bare table。 I was dizzy。 I was going to be sick； lose consciousness。
〃Make you a member of the Court； that is what she asks；〃 said the Elder； pushing me hard against the rail； not letting me free； not letting me turn away His voice was unhurried and low and without the slightest opinion on the matter。 〃She wants us to bring you into our Court as a reward for the fact that you slew one of us； that is her logic。〃
His glance to me was thoughtful； cool。 His hand on my collar was neither cruel nor rough； merely simple。
I was a tempest of half…uttered words and curses； when suddenly I realized I was falling。
In the Elderly one's grasp； I had fallen over the rail； and in a second descended to the thick layers of carpet below； where I was yanked to my feet； as the dancers made way for us on either side。
We stood before the Lord in the high…backed chair； and I saw that the wood figures of his regal throne were； of course； animalian； feline and diabolical。
All was black wood； polished so that one could smell the oil； and it mingled sweetly with the perfume of all the lamps； and there came a soft crackling from the torches。
The musicians had stopped。 I couldn't even see them。 And then when I did； saw the little band quite high up in their own little balcony or loft； I perceived that they too had the porcelain…white skin and the lethal cats' eyes； as they gazed down at me； all of them slender males； modestly clothed； and seemingly apprehensive。
I stared at the Lord。 He had not moved or spoken。 He was a fine； imperial figure of a man； his thick bulky blondish hair bed back from his face and falling； as I had seen before； in carefully bed locks on his shoulders。
His clothes too were of the old fashion； a great loose tunic of velvet； not a soldier's tunic； but almost a robe unto itself； trimmed in darkly dyed fur to match its lurid color； and beneath it he wore big beautiful full sleeves ballooning out loosely over his elbows and then tapering around his long narrow forearms and wrists。 A huge chain of medallions hung about his neck； each heavily worked circle of gold set with a cabochon stone； a ruby； red as his clothing。
He held one slender naked hand curled on the table； simply。 The other I could not see。 He gazed at me with blue eyes。 There was something puritanical and scholarly about his bare hand； and the refinement and cleanliness of it。
Across the thick overlapping carpets； Ursula came with a quick step； holding her skirts in two dainty hands。 〃Florian；〃 she said； making a deep bow to the Lord behind the table。 〃Florian； I am begging you for this one； on account of character and strength； that you bring him into the Court for my sake； for my heart。 It's as simple as that。〃 Her voice was tremulous but reasoning。
〃Into the Court？ Into this Court？〃 I demanded。 I felt the heat rise in my face。 I looked from right to left。 I stared at their white cheeks； their dark mouths； which were all too often the color of fresh wounds。 I stared at the blanched and colorless expressions with which they regarded me。 Were their eyes full of demonic fire； or was it only that every other bit of humanity had been taken from their countenances？
I saw my own hands as I looked down； my own clenching fists； very ruddy and human； and quite suddenly； as if I were meant to smell it； I caught my own scent； the scent of my sweat and the dust from the road clinging to me and mingling with whatever in me was simply human。
〃Yes； you are quite the morsel to us；〃 said the Lord himself； speaking from the table。 〃You are indeed； and the hall is filled with your scent。 And it is too early for us to feast。 We feast when the bell rings twelve times； that is our infallible custom。〃
It was a beautiful voice； a voice of ringing clarity and charm； tinged with the accent of the French； which can in itself be so beguiling。 It was with a French restraint and regality that he expressed himself。
He smiled at me； and his smile was gentle； as was Ursula's smile； but not pitying； and not at all cruel or sarcastic。
I had no eyes now for the other faces to the left and the right of him。 I knew only that there were many； and some were men and some women； and the women wore the stately French headdresses of olden times； and somewhere in the corner of my eye； I thought I saw a man got up like a jester。
〃Ursula； such a thing as this；〃 the Lord said； 〃requires long consideration。〃
〃Does it！〃 I cried out。 〃You mean to make me one of your Court？ That takes no consideration。〃
〃Oh； e now； my boy；〃 the Lord said in his soft； calming voice。 〃We are not subject to death or decay or disease here。 You squirm on the end of a hook； you're a doomed catch from the sea； and you do not even know that you are no longer in the life…sustaining water。〃
〃My Lord； I do not wish to be part of your Court；〃 I said。 〃Spare yourself your kindnesses and your advice。〃 I looked about。 〃Don't talk to me of your Feast。〃
These creatures had adopted an abominable stillness； a frozen regard which was in itself utterly unnatural and menacing。 A wave of revulsion came over me。 Or was it panic； panic which I would not allow to form inside of me； no matter how pletely and hopelessly I was surrounded by them； and how alone I stood。
The figures at the table might have been made of china； so fixed they were。 Indeed it seemed that the very act of posing to perfection was inherently part of their attentiveness。
〃Oh； if I had but a crucifix；〃 I said in a soft voice； not even thinking about what I was saying。
〃That would mean nothing to us；〃 said the Lord matter…of…factly。
〃Oh； how well I know； your lady here came into my very chapel to take my brother and sister prisoner！ No； crosses mean nothing to you。 But it would mean something to me just now。 Tell me； do I have angels about me that protect me？ Are you always visible？ Or do you； now and then； melt with the night and vanish？ And when that is so； can you see the angels that defend me？〃 The Lord smiled。
The Elderly one； who had let go of my collar； for which I was very thankful； laughed softly under his breath。 But there came no easy mirth from anyone else。
I glanced at Ursula。 How loving and desperate she looked； how bold and steadfast as she glanced from me to this Lord； whom she had called Florian。 But she was no more human than any of them； she was the deathly semblance of a young woman； past all description in gifts and graces but long out of life； as they were。 Some grail was this Ruby Grail。
〃Hear his words； Sir； in spite of what he actually says；〃 she begged。 〃It's been so very long since there was a new voice within these walls； one that would remain with us； be one of us。〃
〃Yes； and he almost believes in his angels； and you think him wondrously clever；〃 said the Lord understandingly。 〃Young Vittorio； let me assure you； there are no guardian angels that I can see about you。 And we are always visible； as you know； for you have seen us at our best and at our worst。 No； not really truly at our best； not at our finest。〃
〃Oh；〃 I said； 〃and for that I can't wait； my Lord； for I am so in love with you all； and your style of slaughtering； and there is of course the matter of what your corruption has done to the town below and how you've stolen the souls of the very priests themselves。〃
〃Hush； you work yourself into a mortal fever；〃 he said。 〃Your scent fills my nostrils as if the pot is boiling over。 I might devour you； child； cut you up and give your pulsing parts up and down the table to be suckled while the blood is still very hot； and your eyes blink …〃
On those words I thought I would go mad。 I thought of my dead sister and brother。 I thought of the hideous and hopeless tender expressions of their severed heads。 I couldn't bear this。 I shut my eyes tight。 I sought for any image to banish these horrors。 I raised from memory the spectacle of Fra Filippo Lippi's Angel Gabriel on his knees before the Virgin； yes； angels； angels； fold your wings about me； now； oh； God； send me your angels！
〃I curse your damned Court； you sweet…tongued devil！〃 I cried out。 〃How did you get your foot into this land！ How did it happen？〃 I opened my eyes； but I saw only Fra Filippo's angels in a great tumbling； falling spectacle of remembered works； radiant beings filled with the warm carnal breath of earth mingled with Heaven。 〃Did he go to Hell？〃 I cried out louder。 〃The one who's head I cut off？ Is he burning？〃
If silence can swell and fall back upon itself； then so did the silence of this great hall or solar； and I heard nothing but my own anxious breath。 But still the Lord remained unperturbed。 〃Ursula；〃 he said。 〃This can be considered。〃
〃No！〃 I cried out。 〃Never！ Join you？ Bee one of you？〃
The Elder's hand held me powerless with clamped fingers on my neck。 I would only make myself foolish if I struggled。 Were he to tighten his grip； I would be dead。 And maybe that was best。 Only I had more to say：
〃I will never； I won't。 What？ How dare you think my soul so cheap you can have it for the asking！〃
〃Your soul？〃 asked the Lord。 〃What is your soul that it does not want to travel centuries under the inscrutable stars； rather than a few sho