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y mind was ing back； and ing back for what？ Lestat to be destroyed！ Lestat imprisoned； as I had once been centuries ago under Rome in Santino's catabs。 Oh； God； this is worse than the sun's fire； this is worse than seeing that bastard brother strike the little plum…cheeked face of Sybelle and knock her away from her piano； this is murderous rage I feel。
But the smaller damage was done。 〃e； we have to get out of here；〃 said Santino。 〃There's something wrong； something I sense that I can't explain。 It's as if someone is right near us yet not near us； it's as if someone as powerful as myself has heard my footfall over miles and miles。〃
Marius looked kindly； curious； unalarmed。 〃New York is ours tonight；〃 he said simply。 And then with faint fear he looked into the mouth of the furnace one last time。 〃Unless something of spirit； so tenacious of life； clung still to his lace and to the velvet he wore。〃
I closed my eyes。 Oh； God； let me close my mind。 Let me shut it up tight。
His voice went on； piercing the little shell of my consciousness where I had so softened it。
〃But I have never believed such things；〃 he said。 〃We're like the Eucharist itself； in some measure； don't you think？ Being Body and Blood of a mysterious god only so long as we hold to the chosen form。 What's strands of reddish hair and scorched and tattered lace？ He's gone。〃
〃I don't understand you；〃 Santino confessed gently。 〃But if you think I never loved him； you are very very wrong。〃
〃Let's go then；〃 Marius said。 〃Our work's done。 Every trace of every one is now obliterated。 But promise me in your old Roman Catholic soul； you won't go seeking the Veil。 A million pairs of eyes have looked on it； Santino； and nothing's changed。 The world is the world； and children die in every quadrant under Heaven； hungry and alone。〃
I could risk no more。
I veered away； searching the night like a high beam； casting about for the mortals who might see them leave the building in which they'd done their all…important work； but their retreat was too secret； too swift for that。
I felt them go。 I felt the sudden absence of their breath； their pulse； and knew the winds had taken them away。
At last when another hour had ticked； I let my eye roam the same old rooms where they had wandered。
All was quiet with those poor muddled technicians and guards whom white…faced specters from another realm had gently spellbound as they went about their gruesome task。
By morning； the theft and all the missing work would be discovered； and Dora's miracle would suffer yet another dreary insult； receding ever more swiftly out of current time。
I was sore； I wept a dry； hoarse weeping； unable even to muster tears。
I think that once in the glimmering ice I saw my hand； a grotesque claw； more like a thing flayed than burnt； and shiny black as I had remembered it or seen it。
Then a mystery began to prey upon me。 How could I have killed the evil brother of my poor love？ How could it have been anything but an illusion； that swift horrible justice； when I had been rising and falling beneath the weight of the morning sun？
And if that had not happened； if I had not sucked dry that awful vengeful brother； then they too were a dream； my Sybelle and my little Bedouin。 Oh； please； was that the final horror？
The night struck its worst hour。 Dim clocks chimed in painted plastered rooms。 Wheels churned the crunching snow。 Again； I raised my hand。 There came the inevitable crack and snap。 Tumbling all around me was the broken ice like so much shattered glass！
I looked above on pure and sparkling stars。 How lovely this； these guardian glassy spires with all their fast and golden squares of light cut in ranks run straight across and sharply down to score the airy blackness of the winter night； and here now es the tyrant wind； whistling through crystalline canyons down across this small neglected bed where one forgotten demon lies； gazing with the larcenous vision of a great soul at the city's emboldened lights on clouds above。 Oh； little stars； how much I've hated you； and envied you that in the ghastly void you can with such determination plot your dogged course。
But I hated nothing now。 My pain was as a purgative for all unworthy things。 I watched the sky cloud over； glisten； bee a diamond for a still and gorgeous moment； and then again the white soft limitless haze took up the golden glow of city lamps and sent in answer the softest lightest fall of snow。
It touched my face。 It touched my outstretched hand。 It touched me all over as it melted in its tiny magical flakes。
〃And now the sun will e；〃 I whispered； as if some guardian angel held me close； 〃and even here beneath this twisted little awning of tin； it will find me through this broken canopy and take my soul to further depths of pain。〃
A voice cried out in protest。 A voice begged that it not be so。 My own； I thought； of course； why not this self…deception？ I am mad to think that I can bear the burning that I've suffered and that I could willingly endure it once again。
But it wasn't my voice。 It was Benjamin； Benjamin at his prayers。 Flinging out my disembodied eyes； I saw him。 He knelt in the room as she lay sleeping like a ripe and succulent peach amid her soft tangled bedcovers。 〃Oh； angel； Dybbuk； help us。 Dybbuk； you came once。 So e again。 You vex me that you don't e！〃
How many hours is it till sunrise'； little man？ I whispered this to his little seashell ear； as if I didn't know。
〃Dybbuk；〃 he cried out。 〃It's you； you speak to me。 Sybelle； wake up； Sybelle。〃
Ah； but think before you wake her。 It's a horrid errand。 Tm not the resplendent being you saw who sucked your enemy dry of blood and doted on her beauty and your joy。 It's a monster you e to collect if you mean to pay your debt to me； an insult to your innocent eyes。 But be assured； little man； that I'll be yours forever if you do me this kindness； if you e to me； if you succor me； if you help me； because my will is leaving me； and Tm alone； and I would he restored now and cannot help myself； and my years mean nothing now； and Tm afraid。
He scrambled to his feet。 He stood staring at the distant window； the window through which I had seen him in a dream glimpse me with his mortal eyes； but through which he could not possibly see me now； as I lay on a roof far far below the fine apartment which he shared with my angel。 He squared his little shoulders； and now with black eyebrows in their perfect serious frown he was the very image off the Byzantine wall； a cherub smaller than myself。
〃Name it； Dybbuk； I e for you！〃 he declared； and made his mighty little right hand into a fist。 〃Where are you； Dybbuk； what do you fear that we cannot conquer together！ Sybelle； wake up； Sybelle！ Our Divine Dybbuk has e back and he needs us！〃
21
THEY WERE ING for me。 It was the building beside their own； a derelict heap。 Benjamin knew it。 In a few faint telepathic whispers I'd begged him to bring a hammer and a pick to break up the ice such as remained and to have big soft blankets with which to wrap me。
I knew I we