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ed。
Both shook their heads in a simple negation at once。 〃Do you love me？〃 I asked。
〃Where is it written that we should？〃 answered the one who had not yet spoken。 His voice was as toneless and soft as a whisper； but more distinct。 It might have been the same voice as the other angel。
〃Do you love us？〃 asked the other。
〃Why do you guard me？〃 I asked。
〃Because we are sent to do it； and will be with you until you die。〃
〃Lovelessly？〃 I asked。 They shook their heads again in negation。
Gradually the light brightened in the room。 I turned sharply to look up at the window。 I thought it was the sun。 The sun couldn't hurt me； I thought。
But it wasn't。 It was Mastema； who had risen up behind me as if he were a cloud of gold； and on either side of him were my arguers； my advancers of the cause； my champions； Ramiel and Setheus。
The room shimmered and seemed to vibrate without a sound。 My angels appeared to glisten； and to grow brilliantly white and deep blue in their robes。 All looked to the helmeted figure of Mastema。
An immense and musical rustling filled the air； a singing sound； as if a great flock of tiny golden…throated birds had awakened and rushed upwards from the branches of their sun…filled trees。
I must have closed my eyes。 I lost my balance； and the air became cooler； and it seemed my vision was clouded with dust。 I shook my head。 I looked around me。 We stood within the castle itself。
The place was damp and very dark。 Light crept in around the seams of the immense drawbridge； which was of course pulled up and locked into place。 On either side were rustic stone walls； hung here and there with great rusted hooks and chains that had not been used in many a year。
I turned and entered a dim courtyard； my breath suddenly taken from me by the height of the walls that surrounded me； climbing to the distinct cube of the bright blue sky。
Surely this was only one courtyard； the one at the entrance； for before us there loomed another immense pair of gates； quite large enough to admit the greatest haywagons imaginable or some newfangled engine of war。
The ground was soiled。 High above on all sides were windows； rows upon rows of the double…arched windows； and all were covered over with bars。
〃I need you now； Mastema；〃 I said。 I made the Sign of the Cross again。 I took out the rosary and kissed the crucifix； looking down for a moment at the tiny twisted body of Our Tortured Christ。
The huge doors before me broke open。 There was a loud creaking sound； then the crumpling of metal bolts； and the gates groaned back on their hinges； revealing a distant and sun…filled inner court of far greater size。
The walls through which we walked were some thirty to forty feet in depth。 There were doors on either side of us； heavily arched in worked stone and showing the first signs of care that I had glimpsed since we entered。
〃These creatures do not go and e as others do；〃 I said。 I hurried my pace so as to reach the full sun of the courtyard。 The mountain air was too cool and too damp in the foul thickness of the passage。
Here； as I stood up； I saw windows such as I remembered； hung with rich banners and strung with lanterns that would be lighted by night。 Here I saw tapestries carelessly thrown over window ledges as if rain were nothing。 And very high up I saw the jagged battlements and finer white marble copings。
But even this was not the great courtyard that lay beyond。 These walls too were rustic。 The stones were soiled and untrodden in many a year。 Water was pooled here and there。 Rank weeds sprang from crevices； but； ah； there were sweet wildflowers； and I looked at them tenderly and reached out to touch them； and marveled at them； existing here。
More gates awaited us； these two … huge； wooden； banded in iron and severely pointed at the top in their deep marble archway … gave way and sprang back to let us pass through yet another wall。 Oh； such a garden greeted us！
As we made our way through another forty feet of darkness； I saw the great groves of orange trees ahead of us； and heard the cry of the birds。 I wondered if they were not caught down here； prisoners； or could they soar all the way up to the top and escape？
Yes； they could。 It was a great enough space。 And here was the fine white marble facing I remembered； all the way to the summit； so high above。
As I made my way into the garden； as I walked on the first marble path that traversed the beds of violets and roses； I saw the birds ing and going； circling broadly in this wide place； so that they could clear the towers that rose so distantly and majestically against the sky。
Everywhere the scent of flowers overcame me。 Lilies and irises were mingled in patches； and the oranges were ripe and almost red as they hung from the trees。 The lemons were hard still and touched with green。 Shrubbery and vines hugged the walls。
The angels gathered around me。 I realized that all along it was I who had led the way； I who had initiated any movement； and it was I who held us all still now； within the garden； and that they waited as I bowed my head。
〃I am listening for the prisoners；〃 I said。 〃But I can't hear them。〃
I looked up at more of the luxuriously decorated balconies and windows； the twin arches； and here and there a long loggia； but made of their style of filigree； not ours。
I saw flags fluttering； and all were in that dark blood…red color； stained with death。 I looked down for the first time at my own brilliant crimson clothes。 〃Like fresh blood？〃 I whispered。
〃Tend to what you must do first；〃 Mastema said。 〃Twilight can cover you when you go to the prisoners； but you must take your quarry now。〃
〃Where are they？ Will you tell me？〃
〃In deliberate sacrilege； and in old…fashioned rigor； they lie beneath the stones of the church。〃
There was a loud； searing noise。 He had pulled out his sword。 He pointed with it； his head turned； his red helmet on fire with the glint of the sun reflected off the marble…faced walls。
〃The door there； and the stairs beyond it。 The church lies on the third floor； up to our left。〃
I made for the door without further delay。 I rushed up the steps； taking turn after turn； my boots clattering on the stone； not even looking to see if they followed me； not wondering how they did it； knowing only that they were with me； feeling their presence as if I could feel their breath on me when no breath came。
At last we entered the corridor； broad and open on our right to the courtyard below。 There was an endless strip of rich carpet before us； full of Persian flowers deeply embedded within a field of midnight blue。 Unfaded； untrammeled。 On and on it went until it turned； ahead of us。 And at the end of the corridor was the perfectly framed sky and the jagged speck of green mountain beyond。
〃Why have you stopped？〃 Mastema asked。
They had materialized around me； in their settling garments and their never…still wings。
〃This is the door to the church here； you know it。〃
〃Only looking at the sky； Mastema；〃 I said。 〃Only looking at the blue sky。〃
〃And thinking of what？〃 asked one of my guardians in his toneless； clear whisper。 He clung to me suddenly； and I saw his parchment…colored fingers； weightless； settled on my shoulder。 〃Thinking of a meadow that never existed and a young woman who is dead？〃
〃Are you merciless？〃 I asked him。 I pressed close to him； so my forehead touched him； and I marveled to feel it against me and see his opalescent eyes so distinct。
〃No； not merciless。 Only one who reminds； and reminds； and reminds。〃
I turned to the doors of the chapel。 I pulled on both giant hooks until I heard the clasp give； and then I opened wide one side and then the other； though why I made such a vast and broad escape for myself I do not know。 Maybe it was a passage for my mighty band of helpers。
The great empty nave lay before me； which last night no doubt had been crowded with the gaudy blood…drenched Court； and above my head was their choir loft from which the most ethereal dirge had e。 Sun violently pierced the demonic windows。
I gasped in shock to see the webbed spirits emblazoned so immensely in the fractured and welded fragments of glittering glass。 How thick was this glass； how heavily faceted； and how ominous the expressions of those webbed…winged monsters who leered at us as if they would e alive in the blazing light of day and stop our progress。
There was nothing to be done but to rip my eyes off them； to look down and away and along the great sprawling marble floor。 I saw the hook； I saw it as it had been in the floor of my father's chapel； lying flat in a circle cut in the stone； a hook of gold； polished and smoothed so it did not rise above the floor and would not catch a toe or a heel。 It had no cover。
It merely marked decisively the position of the one long main entrance to the crypt。 One narrow marble rectangle cut into the center of the church floor。
I strode forward； heels echoing throughout the whole empty church； and went to pull the hook。
What stopped me？ I saw the altar。 At that very instant the sun had struck the figure of Lucifer； the giant red angel above his masses and masses of red flowers； which were fresh as they had been the night