按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
k tissue； so very popular in those times。
He'd had the hair of a young Lorenzo de' Medici； right from the painted wall。
〃Master； I love you； but now I must be alone；〃 I said。 〃You don't need me now； do you； Sir？ How can you？ You never really did。〃 Instantly I regretted it。 The words； not the tone； were impudent。 And our minds being so divided by intimate blood； I was afraid he'd misunderstand。
〃Cherub； I want you；〃 he said forgivingly。 〃But I can wait。 Seems not long ago I spoke these same words when we were together； and so I say them again。〃
I couldn't bring myself to tell him it was my season for mortal pany； how I longed just to be talking away the night with little Benji； who was such a sage； or listening to my beloved Sybelle play her sonata over and over again。 It seemed beside the point to explain any further。 And the sadness came over me again； heavily and undeniably； of having e to this forlorn and empty convent where Lestat lay； unable or unwilling to move or speak； none of us knew。
〃Nothing will e of my pany just now； Master；〃 I said。 〃But you will grant me some key to finding you； surely； so that when this time passes。。。〃 I let my words die。
〃I fear for you！〃 he whispered suddenly； with great warmth。
〃Any more than ever before； Sir？〃 I asked。
He thought for a moment。 Then he said； 〃Yes。 You love two mortal children。 They are your moon and stars。 e stay with me if only for a little while。 Tell me what you think of our Lestat and what's happened。 Tell me perhaps； if I promise to remain very quiet and not to press you； tell me your opinion of all you've so recently seen。〃
〃You touch on it delicately； Sir； I admire you。 You mean why did I believe Lestat when he said he had been to Heaven and Hell； you mean what did I see when I looked at the relic he brought back with him； Veronica's Veil。〃
〃If you want to tell me。 But more truly； I wish you would e and rest。〃
I put my hand on top of his； marveling that in spite of all I'd endured； my skin was almost as white as his。
〃You will be patient with my children till I e； won't you？〃 I asked。 〃They imagine themselves so intrepidly wicked； ing here to be with me； whistling nonchalantly in the crucible of the Undead； so to speak。〃
〃Undead；〃 he said； smiling reprovingly。 〃Such language； and in my presence。 You know I hate it。〃
He planted a kiss quickly on my cheek。 It startled me； and then I realized that he was gone。
〃Old tricks！〃 I said aloud； wondering if he were still near enough to hear me； or whether he had shut up his ears to me as fiercely as I shut mine to the outside world。
I looked off； wanting the quiet； dreaming of bowers suddenly； not in words but in images； the way my old mind would do it； wanting to lie down in garden beds among growing flowers； wanting to press my face to earth and sing softly to myself。
The spring outside； the warmth； the hovering mist that would be rain。 All this I wanted。 I wanted the swampy forests beyond； but I wanted Sybelle and Benji； too； and to be gone； and to have some will to carry on。
Ah； Armand； you always lack this very thing； the will。 Don't let the old story repeat itself now。 Arm yourself with all that's happened。
Another was nearby。
It seemed so awful to me suddenly； that some immortal whom I didn't know should intrude here on my random private thoughts； perhaps to make a selfish approximation of what I felt。
It was only David Talbot。
He came from the chapel wing； through the bridge rooms of the convent that connect it to the main building where I stood at the top of the staircase to the second floor。
I saw him e into the hallway。 Behind him was the glass of the door that led to the gallery； and beyond that the soft mingled gold and white light of the courtyard below。
〃It's quiet now；〃 he said。 〃And the attic's empty and you know that you can go there； of course。〃
〃Go away；〃 I said。 I felt no anger； only the honest wish to have my thoughts unread and my emotions left alone。
With remarkable self…possession he ignored me； then said：
〃Yes； I am afraid of you； a little； but then terribly curious too。〃
〃Oh； I see； so that excuses it； that you followed me here？〃
〃I didn't follow you； Armand；〃 he said。 〃I live here。〃
〃Ah； I'm sorry then；〃 I admitted。 〃I hadn't known。 I suppose I'm glad of it。 You guard him。 He's never alone。〃 I meant Lestat of course。
〃Everyone's afraid of you；〃 he said calmly。 He had taken up a position only a few feet away； casually folding his arms。 〃You know； it's quite a study； the lore and habits of the vampires。〃
〃Not to me；〃 I said。
〃Yes； I realize that；〃 he said。 〃I was only musing； and I hope you'll forgive me。 It was about the child in the attic； the child they said was murdered。 It's a tall story； about a very small little person。 Maybe if your luck is better than that of everyone else； you'll see the ghost of the child whose clothes were shut up in the wall。〃
〃Do you mind if I look at you？〃 I said。 〃I mean if you're going to dip your beak into my mind with such abandon？ We met some time ago before all this happened…Lestat； the Heavenly Journey； this place。 I never really took stock of you。 I was indifferent； or too polite； I don't know which。〃
I was surprised to hear such heat in my voice。 I was volatile； and it wasn't David Talbot's fault。
〃I'm thinking of the conventional knowledge about you；〃 I said。 〃That you weren't born in this body； that you were an elderly man when Lestat knew you； that this body you inhabit now belonged to a clever soul who could hop from living being to living being； and there set up shop with his own trespassing soul。〃
He gave me a rather disarming smile。
〃So Lestat said；〃 he answered。 〃So Lestat wrote。 It's true； of course。 You know it is。 You've known since you saw me before。〃
〃Three nights we spent together；〃 I said。 〃And I never really questioned you。 I mean I never really even looked directly into your eyes。〃
〃We were thinking of Lestat then。〃
〃Aren't we now？〃
〃I don't know；〃 he said。
〃David Talbot；〃 I said； measuring him coldly with my eyes； 〃David Talbot； Superior General of the Order of Psychic Detectives known as the Talamasca； had been catapulted into the body in which he now walks。〃 I didn't know whether I paraphrased or made it up as I went along。 〃He'd been entrenched or chained inside it； made a prisoner by so many ropey veins； and then tricked into a vampire as a fiery unstanchable blood invaded his lucky anatomy； sealing his soul up in it as it transformed him into an immortal…a man of dark bronzed skin and dry； lustrous and thick black hair。〃
〃I think you have it right；〃 he said with indulgent politeness。
〃A handsome gent；〃 I went on； 〃the color of caramel； moving with such catlike ease and gilded glances that he makes me think of all things once delectable； and now a potpourri of scent： cinnamon； clove； mild peppers and other spices golden； brown or red； whose fragrances can spike my brain and plunge me into erotic yearnings that live now； more than ever； to pl