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The other angels stood stock…still； clustered together； the magnificent Ramiel and Setheus in their rich robes； and the two simpler； plainer； more somber souls … all of them looking at me in utter suspense。 I saw Setheus look at the pile of smoldering heads； and then again at me。
〃Go on； poor Vittorio；〃 he whispered。 〃Hurry on。〃
〃Could you do it？〃 I asked。
〃I cannot。〃
〃No； I know that you are not permitted；〃 I said； my chest aching from the exertion and now the talk I forced from myself。 〃I mean could you do it？ Could you bring yourself to do it！〃
〃I am not a creature of flesh and blood； Vittorio；〃 Setheus answered helplessly。 〃But I could do what God told me to do。〃
I went on past them。 I looked back at them in their glorious radiance； the cluster of them； and the masterly one； Mastema； his armor gleaming in the falling light； and his sword so brilliant against his flank。 He said nothing。 I turned。 I ripped off the first veil。 It was Ursula。 〃No。〃 I stood back。
I let the veil drop。 I was far enough away from her that she didn't appear to wake； she didn't move。 Her lovely arms lay folded still in the same pose of graceful death which all of them had borne； only with her it was sweet； as if in her most innocent girlhood a gentle bane had taken her； not mussing so much as a single hair of long rippling unbraided locks。 They made a nest of gold for her head and her shoulders； her swan neck。
I could hear my heaving breaths。 I let the edge of my sword drag； singing on the stones。 I licked at my parched lips。 I didn't dare to look at them； though I knew they were collected only a few yards from me； staring at me。 And in the thick stillness； I heard the crisping and sizzling of the burning heads of the damned。
I thrust my hand inside my pocket； and I drew out the rosary of amber beads。 My hand shook shamefully as I held it； and then I lifted it； letting the crucifix dangle； and I hurled it at her； so that it struck her； just above her small hands； right on the white swell of her half…bared breasts。 It lay there； the crucifix nestled in the curve of her pale skin； and she didn't so much as stir。
The light clung to her eyelashes as if it were dust。
Without excuse or explanation； I turned to the next one； ripping off the veil and assaulting him or her； I knew not which； with a loud raucous cry。 I grabbed up the severed head by its thick brown locks and threw it crashing past the angels into the mass of slop that lay at their feet。
Then to the next。 Godric。 Oh； God； this will be sweet。
I saw his bald head before I ever touched the veil； and now； tearing the veil loose； hearing it rip on account of my carelessness； I waited for him to open his eyes； waited for him to rise up halfway from the slab and glare at me。
〃Know me； monster？ Know me？〃 I roared。 The sword sliced through his neck。 The white head hit the floor； and with my sword I speared it through its dripping stump of a neck。 〃Know me； monster？〃 I cried again to the fluttering eyes； the gaping； drooling red mouth。 〃Know me？〃
I walked with him to the pile of the other heads and laid him like a trophy on top of it。 〃Know me？〃 I wailed again。 And then in a fury I went back to my work。
Two more； then three； then five； then seven and then nine； and then some six more； and the Court was finished； and all its dancers and Lords and Ladies were dead。
And then； reeling to the other side； I made swift work of those poor peasant servants； who had no veils to cover their simple bodies； and whose feeble half…starved white limbs could scarce rise in defense。 〃The huntsmen； where are they？〃
〃At the far end。 It is almost dark in here。 Take great care。〃
〃I see them；〃 I said。 I drew myself up and caught my breath。 They lay in a row of six； heads to the wall like all the others； but they were perilously close together。 It would be a hard approach。
I laughed suddenly at the simplicity of it。 I laughed。 I snatched off the first veil and chopped at the feet。 The corpse rose and then my blade could easily see the place to strike； while the blood had already begun to gush。
The second； I cut to stumps at once and then sliced across the middle； and only descended on the head before his hand had caught my blade。 I ripped back my sword and chopped the hand off him。 〃Die； bastard； you who stole me with your fellow； I remember you。〃
And at last I came to the final one and had his bearded head hanging from my hand。
Slowly I walked back with this one； kicking others before me； others I had not had the strength to hurl very far； and I kicked them like so much refuse until the light fell on all of them。
It was bright now。 The afternoon sun was ing in the west side of the church。 And the opening above gave forth a terrific and fatal heat。
Slowly I wiped my face with the back of my left hand。 I laid down my sword； and I felt for the napkins the monks had put in my pockets； and I took these and cleaned my face and cleaned my hands。
Then I picked up my sword； and I went to the foot of her bier again。 She lay as before。 The light was nowhere near her。 It could not have touched any of them where they lay。
She was safe on her bed of stone； her hands as still as before； fingers beautifully folded； the right hand over the left； and on her mound of white breast there rested the Crucified Christ in gold。 Her hair was stirring in a faint draft that seemed to e from the narrow opening above。 But this was a mere halo of tendrils about her otherwise lifeless face。
Her hair； in its loose ripples； without its ribbons or pearls； had fallen a little over the edges of the bier； so narrow was it； and so had the folds of her long gold…embroidered dress。 It was not the same that she'd worn when I'd seen her。 Only the deep rich blood red was the same； but all the rest was splendid and ornate and new； as if she were a regal princess； always prepared for the kiss of her prince。
〃Could Hell receive this？〃 I whispered。 I drew as close as I dared。 I could not bear the thought of her arm rising in that mechanical fashion； the sudden clutch of her fingers on the empty air or her eyes opening。 I couldn't bear it。
The points of her slippers were small beneath her hem。 How daintily she must have lain down to her rest at sunrise。 Who had pulled closed the trapdoor； whose chains had fallen？ Who had set the trap of the spears； whose engines I had never inspected or passed with my thoughts？
For the first time in the dimness； I saw a tiny golden circlet on her head； lying just around the crown and fixed by the tiniest pins into the waves so that its single pearl rested on her forehead。 Such a small thing。
Was her soul so small？ Would Hell take it； like the fire would take any tender part of her anatomy； like the sun would burn to horror her immaculate face？
In some mother's womb she had once slept and dreamt； and into some father's arms been placed。
What had been her tragedy to bring her to this foul and reeking grave； where the heads of her slain panions lay burning slowly in the sun's ever patient； ever indifferent light？
I turned on them。 I held my sword down at my side。 〃One； let one only live。 One！〃 I declared。
Ramiel covered his face and turned his back on me。 Setheus continued to stare but shook his head。 My guardians only gazed at me with their level coldness； as they always had。 Mastema stared at me； soundlessly； concealing whatever thought he possessed behind his serene mask of a face。
〃No； Vittorio；〃 he said。 〃Do you think a bevy of God's angels has helped you past these barriers to leave one such as these to live？〃
〃Mastema； she loved me。 And I love her。 Mastema； she gave me my life。 Mastema； I ask in the name of love。 I beg in the name of love。 All else here has been justice。 But what can I say to God if I slay this one； who has loved and whom I love？〃
Nothing in his countenance changed。 He only regarded me with his eternal calm。 I heard a terrible sound。 It was the weeping of Ramiel and Setheus。 My guardians turned to look at them； as though surprised； but only mildly so； and then their dreamy soft eyes fixed again； unchanging； on me。
〃Merciless angels；〃 I said。 〃Oh； but such is not fair； and I know it。 I lie。 I lie。 Forgive me。〃
〃We forgive you；〃 said Mastema。 〃But you must do what you have promised me you would do。〃
〃Mastema； can she be saved？ If she herself renounces。。。 can she。。。 is her soul still human？〃 No answer came from him。 No answer。
〃Mastema； please； tell me。 Don't you see？ If she can be saved； I can stay here with her； I can wring it out of her； I know I can because her heart is good。 It's young and good。 Mastema； tell me。 Can such a creature as she is be saved？〃
No answer。 Ramiel had lain his head against Setheus's shoulder。
〃Oh； please； Setheus；〃 I said。 〃Tell me。 Can she be saved？ Must she die by my hand？ What if I stay here with her； and wring it out of her； her confession； her final disavowal of all that she has ever done？ Is there no priest who can give her absolution？ Oh； God。。。〃
〃Vittorio；〃 came the whisper from Ramiel。 〃Are your ears stopped with wax？ Can you hear those prisoners starving； crying？ You have not even set them free yet。 Will you do it by night？〃
〃I can do it。 I can yet do