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rying？ You have not even set them free yet。 Will you do it by night？〃
〃I can do it。 I can yet do it。 But can I not stay here with her； and when she finds she is all alone； that all the others have perished； that all the promises of Godric and Florian were tyranny； is there no way that she can render her soul to God？〃
Mastema； without ever a change in his soft cold eyes； slowly turned his back。
〃No！ Don't do it； don't turn away！〃 I shouted。 I caught hold of his powerful silk…clad arm。 I felt his unsurmountable strength beneath the fabric； the strange； unnatural fabric。 He gazed down at me。 〃Why can't you tell me！〃
〃For the love of God； Vittorio！〃 he roared suddenly； his voice filling the entire crypt。 〃Don't you realize？ We don't know！〃
He shook me loose； the better to glare down at me； his brows furrowed； his hand closing on the hilt of his sword。
〃We don't e from a species that has ever known forgiveness！〃 he shouted。 〃We are not flesh and blood； and in our realm things are Light or they are the Darkness； and that is all we know！〃
In a fury； he turned and marched towards her。 I rushed after him； pulling at him； but unable to deter him a fraction from his purpose。
He plunged his hand down； past her groping hands； and clutched her tiny neck。 Her eyes stared up at him in that terrible； terrible blindness。
〃She has a human soul in her；〃 he said in a whisper。 And then he drew back as if he did not want to touch her； couldn't bear to touch her； and he backed away from her； shoving me away； forcing me back as he did。
I broke into weeping。 The sun shifted； and the shadows began to thicken in the crypt。 I turned finally。 The patch of light above was now pale。 It was a rich radiant gold； but it was pale。
My angels stood there； all gathered； watching me and waiting。
〃I'm staying with her here；〃 I said。 〃She'll wake soon。 And I'll put it to her； that she pray for God's grace。〃
I knew it only as I said it。 I understood it only as I made it plain。
〃I'll stay with her。 If she renounces all her sins for the love of God； then she can remain with me； and death will e； and we will not lift a hand to hasten it； and God will accept us both。〃
〃You think you have the strength to do that？〃 Mastema asked。 〃And you think it of her？〃
〃I owe her this；〃 I said。 〃I am bound。 I never lied to you； not to any of you。 I never lied to myself。 She slew my brother and sister。 I saw her。 No doubt she killed many of them； my own。 But she saved me。 She saved me twice。 And to kill is simple； but to save is not！〃
〃Ah；〃 said Mastema as though I'd struck him。 〃That's true。〃
〃So I'll stay。 I expect nothing from you now。 I know I cannot get out of here。 Perhaps even she cannot。〃
〃Of course she can；〃 said Mastema。
〃Don't leave him；〃 said Setheus。 〃Take him against his will。〃
〃None of us can do that； and you know it；〃 said Mastema。
〃Only out of the crypt；〃 pleaded Ramiel； 〃as if from a canyon into which he's fallen。〃
〃But it is not such a thing； and I cannot。〃
〃Then let us stay with him；〃 said Ramiel。
〃Yes； let us stay；〃 said my two guardians； more or less at the same time and in similar muted expressions。 〃Let her see us。〃
〃How do we know that she can？〃 asked Mastema。 〃How do we know that she will？ How many times does it happen that a human being can see us？〃
For the first time I saw anger in him。 He looked at me。
〃God has played such a game with you； Vittorio！〃 he said。 〃Given you such enemies and such allies！〃
〃Yes； I know this； and I will beg Him with all my strength and the weight of all my suffering for her soul。〃 I didn't mean to close my eyes。 I know that I did not。
But the entire scene was altered utterly。 The pile of heads lay as before； and some at random； shriveling； drying up； the acrid smoke still rising from them； and the light above had darkened； yet it was still golden； golden beyond the broken stair； and the jagged broken spears； golden with the last burnt dregs of the late afternoon。 And my angels had gone。
12
DELIVER ME NOT INTO TEMPTATION
FOR all my youth； my body could take no more。 Yet how could I remain in this crypt； waiting for her to awake； I without attempting some form of exit？
I gave no thought to the dismissal by my angels。 I deserved it； but I was convinced of the rectitude of the chance I meant to give her； that she throw herself on the mercy of God； and that we leave this crypt and； if necessary； find the priest who could absolve her human soul of all her sins。 For if she could not make a perfect confession for the love of God alone； well； then； the absolution would surely save her。
I poked around the crypt； stepping among the drying…up corpses。 What light there was gleamed on dried founts of blood that ran down the sides of the stone biers。
At last I found what I had hoped to find； a great ladder that could be lifted and thrown up to the ceiling above。 Only； how could I wield such a thing？
I dragged it towards the center of the crypt； kicking out of my path the heads which were now damaged beyond reprieve； and I laid down the ladder； and stepped at midpoint； between two of the rungs； and tried from there to lift it。
Impossible。 I simply did not possess the leverage。 It weighed too much； slight as it was； because it was so long。 Three or four strong men might have hoisted it sufficiently to make its topmost rungs catch on the broken spears； but I alone could not do it。
Alas； there was another possibility。 A chain； or a rope； that could be tossed to the spears above。 In the gleam； I made a search for such but found none。 No chains anywhere here？ No coil of rope？
Had even the young larvae been able to leap the gap between the floor and the broken stairway？
At last I moved along the walls； searching for any bump or hook or excrescence which might indicate a storeroom or； God forbid； another crypt of these fiends。 But I could find nothing。
Finally； I staggered towards the center of the room again。 I gathered all the heads； even the loathsome bald head of Godric； which was now black like leather with its yellowed slits of eyes； and I piled these heads where the light could not fail to continue its work on them。
Then； stumbling over the ladder； I fell on my knees at the foot of Ursula's bier。
I sank down。 I would sleep this little while。 No； not sleep； rest。
Not willing it； indeed； fearing it and regretting it； I felt my limbs go limp and I lay on the stone floor； and my eyes closed in a blessed restorative sleep。 How curious it was。
I had thought her scream would awaken me； that like a frightened child she would have risen up in the darkness on the bier； finding herself alone with so many dead ones。
I had thought the sight of the heads in the pile would have terrified her。 But no such had happened。
Twilight filled the space above； violet…colored； like the flowers of the meadow； and she stood over me。 She had put the rosary around her neck； which is not mon； and she wore it as a beautiful ornament with the gold crucifix turning and twisting in the light； a glinting speck of gold that matched the specks of light in her eyes。 She was smiling。
〃My brave one； my hero； e； let's escape this place of death。 You've done it； you have avenged them。〃
〃Did you move your lips？〃
〃Need I do that with you？〃
I felt a thrill pass through me as she lifted me to my feet。 She stood looking up into my face； her hands firmly on my shoulders。
〃Blessed Vittorio；〃 she said。 Then clasping me about the waist； she rose upwards and we passed the broken spears； without so much as touching their splintered tips； and found ourselves in the chapel in the dusk； the windows darkened and the shadows playing gracefully but mercifully around the distant altar。
〃Oh； my darling； my darling；〃 I said。 〃Do you know what the angels did？ Do you know what they said？〃
〃e； let's free the prisoners as you wish；〃 she told me。
I felt so refreshed； so full of vigor。 It was as if I'd suffered no exhausting labor at all； as if war hadn't worn down my limbs and broken me； as though battle and struggle hadn't been my portion for days。
I rushed with her through the castle。 We threw open the doors； one pair after another； on the miserable occupants of the coop。 It was she who scurried on her light； feline feet through the pathways beneath the orange trees and the bird aviaries； overturning the kettles of soup； crying out to the poor and the lame and the hopeless that they were free； that no one imprisoned them now。
In a twinkling we stood on a high balcony。 I saw far below their miserable procession in the half…light； the long winding line of them progressing down the mountain under the purple sky and the rising evening star。 The weak helped the strong； the old carried the young。
〃Where will they go； back to that evil town？ Back to the monsters who gave them up in sacrifice？〃 I was in a fury suddenly。 〃Punished； that's what they must be。〃
〃In time； Vittorio； there is time。 Your poor sad victims are free now。 This is our time； yours and mine； e。〃
Her skirts went out in a great dark circle as down we flew； down and down； down past the windows； and down past the walls； until my feet were allowed to touch the soft ground。
〃O