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！
〃They broke the world in half； those Turks；〃 said the red…haired man； still staring at the dead one； who surely stared stupidly at him from the smashed plate。 I couldn't see the dead man's face； but it excited me tremendously that he was dead。
〃e now； gentlemen；〃 said my Master； 〃and you； Sir； e here； you who gave my child so many rings。〃
〃Is he your son； Sir？〃 cried the blond humpback； who was finally on his feet。 He pushed his friends away from him。 He turned and went to the summons。 〃I'll father him better than you ever did。〃
My Master appeared suddenly and without a sound on our side of the table。 His garments settled at once； as if he had only taken a step。 The red…haired man did not even seem to see it。
〃Skanderbeg； the great Skanderbeg； I raise a toast to him；〃 said the red…haired man； to himself apparently。 〃He's been dead too long； and give me but five Skanderbegs and I'd raise a new Crusade to take back our city from the Turks。〃
〃Indeed； who wouldn't with five Skanderbegs；〃 said the elderly man further down the table； the one nibbling and tearing at the joint。 He wiped his mouth with his naked wrist。 〃But there is no general like unto Skanderbeg； and there never was； save the man himself。 What's the matter with Ludovico？ You fool！〃 He stood up。
My Master had put his arm around the blond one； who pushed at him； quite dismayed that my Master was immovable。 Now as the two dancers offered my Master pushes and shoves to free their panion； my Master again planted his fatal kiss。 He lifted the chin of the blond one and went right for the big artery in the neck。 He swung the man around and appeared to draw up the blood from him in one great draught。 In a flash； he closed the man's eyes with two white fingers and let the body slip to the floor。
〃It is your time to die； good Sirs；〃 he said to the dancers who now backed away from him。
One of them pulled his sword。
〃Don't be so stupid！〃 shouted his panion。 〃You're drunk。 You'll never…。 〃
〃No； you won't； 〃 said my Master with a little sigh。 His lips were more pink than I had ever seen them； and the blood he'd drunk paraded in his cheeks。 Even his eyes had a greater gloss； and a greater gleam。
He closed his very hand over the man's sword and with the press of his thumb snapped the metal； so that the man held only a fragment in his hand。
〃How dare you！〃 cried the man。
〃How did you is more to the point！〃 sang out the red…haired man at the table。 〃Cracked in half； is it？ What kind of steel is that？〃
The joint nibbler laughed very loud and threw back his head。 He tore more meat from the bone。
My Master reached out and plucked from time and space the wielder of the broken sword； and now to bare the vein； broke the man's neck with a loud snap。
It seemed the other three had heard it…the one who ate the joint； the wary dancer and the man with the red hair。
It was the last of the dancers whom my Master embraced next。 He caught the man's face in his hands as if it were love； and drank again； gasping the man's throat so that I saw the blood just for an instant； a veritable deluge of it； which my Master then covered with his mouth and his bent head。
I could see the blood pump into my Master's hand。 I couldn't wait for him to raise his head； and this he did very soon； sooner even than he had left his last victim； and he looked at me dreamily and his countenance was all afire。 He looked as human as any man in the room； even crazed with his special drink； as they were with their mon wine。
His vagrant blond curls were plastered to his forehead by the sweat that rose in him； and I saw it was a fine sheen of blood。
The music abruptly stopped。
It was not the mayhem but the sight of my Master which had stopped it； as he let this last victim slip； a loose sack of bones； to the floor。
〃Requiem； 〃 I said again。 〃Their ghosts will thank you； kind Gentlemen。 〃
〃Either that； 〃 said Marius to the musicians as he drew close； 〃or fly the room。 〃
〃I say fly the room；〃 whispered the lute player。 At once they all turned and made for the doors。 They pulled and pulled upon the latch in their haste； cursing and shouting。
My Master backed up and gathered the jeweled rings from around the chair where I'd been seated before。
〃My boys； you go without payment；〃 he said。
In their helpless whining fear； they turned and beheld the rings being tossed to them； and stupidly and eagerly and fall of shame； they each caught a single treasure as my Master aimed it。
Then the doors flew open and cracked against the walls。
Out they went； all but scraping the doorframe； and the doors then shut。
〃That's clever！〃 remarked the man with the joint which he laid aside at last； as all the meat was gone。 〃How you'd do it； Marius De Romanus？ I hear tell you're a powerful magician。 Don't know why the Great Council doesn't call you up on charges of witchcraft。 Must be all the money you have； no？〃
I stared at my Master。 Never had I seen him so lovely as now when he was flushed with this new blood。 I wanted to touch him。 I wanted to go into his arms。 His eyes were drunken and soft as he looked at me。
But he broke off his seductive stare and went back to the table； and around it properly； and stood beside the man who had feasted on the joint。
The gray…haired man looked up at him and then glanced at his red…haired panion。 〃Don't be a fool； Martino；〃 he said to the redhead。 〃It's probably perfectly legal to be a witch in the Veneto as long as a man pays his tax。 Put your money in Martino's bank； Marius De Romanus。〃
〃Ah； but I do；〃 said Marius De Romanus； my Master； 〃and it earns me quite a good return。〃
He sat down again between the dead man and the red…haired man； who seemed quite delighted and exhilarated to have him return。
〃Martino；〃 said my Master。 〃Let's talk some more of the fall of Empires。 Your Father； why was he with the Genoese？〃
The red…haired man； now quite aflame with the whole discussion； declared with pride that his Father had been the representative of the family bank in Constantinople； and that he had died afterwards due to the wounds he'd suffered on that last and awful day。
〃He saw it；〃 said the red…haired man； 〃he saw the women and children slaughtered。 He saw the priests torn from the altars of Santa Sofia。 He knows the secret。〃
〃The secret！〃 scoffed the elderly man。 He moved down the table and； with a big swipe of his left arm； shoved the dead man off over the bench so that he fell back on the floor。
〃Good God； you heartless bastard；〃 said the red…haired man。 〃Did you hear his skull crack？ Don't treat my guest in that manner； not if you want to live。〃
I came closer to the table。
〃Yes； do e on； pretty one；〃 said the redhead。 〃Sit down。〃 He turned on me his blazing golden eyes。 〃Sit here； opposite me。 Good God； look at Francisco there。 I swear I heard his skull crack。〃
〃He's dead；〃 said Marius softly。 〃It's all right for the moment； don't worry on it。〃 His face was all the more bright from the blood he'd drunk。 Indeed the color was eve