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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。
〃Oh； Lord God； it's the meadow； look； the meadow；〃 I said。 〃I can see it as clearly under the rising moon as ever I saw it in my dreams。〃
A sudden softness filled me pletely。 I twined her in my arms； my fingers digging deep into her rippling hair。 All the world seemed to sway about me； and yet I was anchored in dance with her； and the soft airy movement of the trees sang to us as we were bound together。
〃Nothing can ever part us； Vittorio；〃 she said。 She tore loose。 She ran ahead of me。
〃No； wait； Ursula； wait！〃 I cried。 I ran after her； but the grass and the irises were tall and thick。 It wasn't so like the dream； but then again it was； because these things were alive and full of the verdant smell of the wild； and the sylvan woods were gently heaving their limbs on the scented wind。
I fell down exhausted and let the flowers climb up on either side of me。 I let the red irises peer down upon my upturned face。
She knelt above me。 〃He will forgive me； Vittorio；〃 she said。 〃He will forgive all in his infinite mercy。〃
〃Oh； yes； my love； my blessed； beautiful love； my savior； He will。〃
The tiny crucifix dangled down against my neck。
〃But you must do this for me； you who let me live below； you who spared me and fell asleep in my trust at the feet of my grave； you must do this。。。〃
〃What； blessed one？〃 I asked。 〃Tell me and I'll do it。〃
〃Pray first for strength； and then into your human body； into your wholesome and baptized body； you must take all the demon blood out of me which you can； you must draw it from me； and thereby free my soul from its spell； it will be vomited forth out of you like the potions we gave you； which cannot hurt you。 Will you do it for me？ Will you take the poison out of me？〃
I thought of the sickness； of the vomit that had streamed from my mouth in the monastery。 I thought of it all； the terrible gibbering and madness。
〃Do this for me；〃 she said。
She lay against me and I felt her heart trapped in her chest； and I felt my own； and it seemed I had never known such dreamy languor。 I could feel my fingers curl。 For an instant it seemed they rested on hard rocks in this meadow； as if the backs of my hands had found harsh pebbles； but once again I felt the broken stems； the bed of purple and red and white irises。 She raised her head。
〃In the Name of God；〃 I said； 〃for your salvation； I will take whatever poison I must from you； I will draw off the blood as if from a cankerous wound； as if it were the corruption of a leper。 Give it to me； give me the blood。〃
Her face was motionless above mine； so small； so dainty； so white。
〃Be brave； my love； be brave； for I must make room for it first。〃
She nestled in against my neck； and into my flesh there came her teeth。 〃Be brave； only a little more to make room。〃
〃A little more？〃 I whispered。 〃A little more。 Ah； Ursula； look up； look up at Heaven and Hell in the sky； for the stars are balls of fire suspended there by the angels。〃
But the language was stretched and meaningless and became an echo in my ears。 A darkness shrouded me； and when I lifted my hand it seemed a golden net covered it and I could see far； far away； my fingers shrouded in the net。
The meadow was suddenly flooded with sunlight。 I wanted to break away； to sit up； to tell her； Look； the sun has e； and you're not hurt； my precious girl。 But on and on there came these waves of divine and luscious pleasure passing through me； pulled from me； pulled up from my loins； this coaxing and magnificent pleasure。
When her teeth slipped from my flesh； it was as if she had tightened the grip of her soul on my organs； on all parts of me that were man and babe once； and human now。
〃Oh； my love； my darling； don't stop。〃 The sun made a bewildering dance in the branches of the chestnut trees。
She opened her mouth； and from her came the stream of blood； the deep dark kiss of blood。 〃Take it from me； Vittorio。〃
〃All your sins into me； my divine child；〃 I said。 〃Oh； God help me。 God have mercy on me。 Mastema …〃
But the word was broken。 My mouth was filled with the blood； and it was no rank potion mixed of parts； but that searing thrilling sweetness that she had first given me in her most secretive and perplexing kisses。 Only this time it came in an overwhelming gush。
Her arms were tucked beneath me。 They lifted me。 The blood seemed to know no veins within but to fill my limbs themselves； to fill my shoulders and my chest； to drown and invigorate my very heart。 I stared up at the twinkling playing sun； I felt her blinding and soft hair across my eyes but peered through its golden strands。 My breath came in gasps。
The blood flowed down into my legs and filled them to my very toes。 My body surged with strength。 My organ pumped against her； and once more I felt her subtle feline weight； her sinuous limbs hugging me； holding me； binding me； her arms crossed beneath me； her lips sealed to mine。
My eyes struggled； grew wide。 The sunlight filled them； and then contracted。 It contracted； and my sighs seemed to grow immense； and the beating of my heart to echo； as though we were not in a wild meadow； and the sounds that came from my empowered body； my transformed body； my body so full of her blood； echoed off stone walls！
The meadow was gone or never was。 The twilight was a rectangle high above。 I lay in the crypt。
I rose up； throwing her off； back away from me as she screamed in pain。 I sprang to my feet and stared at my white hands outstretched before me。
A horrid hunger reared up in me； a fierce strength； a howl！
I stared up at the dark…purple light above and screamed。
〃You've done it to me！ You've made me one of you！〃
She sobbed。 I turned on her。 She backed up； bent over； her hand over her mouth； crying and fleeing from me。 I ran after her。 Like a rat she ran； round and round the crypt； screaming。
〃Vittorio； no； Vittorio； no； Vittorio； no； don't hurt me。 Vittorio； I did this for us； Vittorio； we are free。 Ah； God help me！〃
And then upwards she flew； just missing my outstretched arms。 She had fled to the chapel above。
〃Witchlet； monster； larva； you tricked me with your illusions； with your visions； you made me one of you； you did it to me！〃 My roars echoed one upon the other as I scrambled about in the dark till I found my sword； and then dancing back to gain my momentum； I too made the leap and cleared the spears and found myself high up on the floor of the church； and she hovering with glittering tears before the altar。
She backed up into the bank of red flowers that barely showed in the starlight that passed through the darkened windows。
〃No； Vittorio； don't kill me； don't do it。 Don't；〃 she sobbed and wailed。 〃I am a child； like you； please； don't。〃
I tore at her； and she scrambled to the end of the sanctuary。 In a rage； I swung at the statue of Lucifer with my sword。 It tottered and then crashed down； breaking on the marble floor of the cursed sanctuary。
She hovered at the far end。 She dropped down on her knees and threw out her hands。 She shook her head； her hair flying wildly from side to side。
〃Don't kill me； don't kill me； don't kill me。 You send me to Hell if you do； don't do it。〃
〃Wretch！〃 I moaned。 〃Wretch！〃 My tears fell as freely as hers。 〃I thirst； you wretch。 I thirst； and I can smell them； the slaves in the coop。 I can smell them； their blood； damn you！〃
I too had gone down on my knees。 I lay down on the marble； and kicked aside the broken fragments of the hideous statue。 With my sword I snagged the lace of the altar cloth and brought it down with all its many red flowers tumbling on me； so that I could roll over into them and crush my face into their softness。
A silence fell； a terrible silence full of my own wailing。 I could feel my strength； feel it even in the timbre of my voice； and the arm that held the sword without exhaustion or restraint； and feel it in the painless calm with which I lay on what should have been cold and was not cold； or only goodly cold。 Oh； she had made me mighty。
A scent overcame me。 I looked up。 She stood just above me； tender； loving thing that she was； with her eyes so full of the starlight now； so glinting and quiet and unjudging。 In her arms she held a young human； a feeble…minded one； who did not know his danger。
How pink and succulent he was； how like the roasted pig ready for my lips； how full of naturally cooking and bubbling mortal blood and ready for me。 She set him down before me。
He was naked； thin buttocks on his heels； his trembling chest very pink and his hair black and long and soft around his guileless face。 He appeared to be dreaming or searching the darkness； perhaps for angels？
〃Drink； my darling； drink from him；〃 she said； 〃and then you'll have the strength to take us both to the Good Father for Confession。〃
I smiled。 The desire for the feeble…minded boy before me was almost more than I could endure。 But it was a whole new book now； was it not； what I might endure； and I took my time； rising up on my elbow as I looked at her。
〃To the Good Father？ You think