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！
〃Father； don't drink anymore；〃 I said in his ear。 〃Get up and be the hunter again。 Be what you are； Father。〃
〃Andrei； no one will ever believe me。〃
〃And who are they to say that to you if you are yourself again； man？ 〃I asked。
We looked into each other's eyes。 I kept my lips sealed that he should never； never see the sharp teeth in my mouth that the vampiric blood had given me； the tiny evil vampire's teeth as a man as keen as himself； the natural hunter； might very definitely see。
But he was looking for no such disqualification here。 He wanted only love； and love we gave one another。
〃I have to go； I have no choice；〃 I said。 〃I stole this time to e to you。 Father； tell my Mother that it was I who came to the house earlier； and that it was I who gave her the rings and gave your brother the purse。〃
I drew back。 I sat down on the bench beside him； for he had placed his feet on the floor。 I pulled off my right glove and I looked at the seven or eight rings I wore； all of them made of gold or silver and rich with jewels； and then I slipped them off one by one； over his loud groan of protest； and I deposited the handful of them into his hand。 How soft and hot was his hand； how flushed and alive。
〃You take them because I have a world of them。 And I will write to you and send you more； more so that you will never need to do anything but what you want to do…ride and hunt； and tell the tales of old times by the fire。 Buy a fine harp with this； buy books if you will for the little ones； buy what you will。〃
〃I don't want this； I want you； my son。〃
〃Yes； and I want you； my Father； but this little power is all we may have。〃
I took his head in both my hands； displaying my strength； perhaps unwisely； but making him stay still while I gave him my kisses； and then with one long warm embrace； I rose to go。
I was out of the room so fast； he couldn't have seen anything but the door swinging shut。
The snow was ing down。 I saw my Master several yards away； and I went to meet him and together we started up the hill。 I didn't want for my Father to e out。 I wanted to get away as fast as I could。
I was about to ask that we take to vampire speed and get clear of Kiev when I saw that a figure was hurrying towards us。 It was a small woman； her long heavy furs trailing in the wet snow。 She had something bright in her arms。
I stood fixed； my Master waiting on me。 It was my Mother who had e to see me。 It was my Alother who was making her way to the tavern； and in her arms； facing me； was an ikon of the scowling Christ； the one I looked at so long through the chink in the wall of the house。
I drew in my breath。 She lifted the ikon by either side and she presented it to me。
〃Andrei；〃 she whispered。
〃Mother；〃 I said。 〃Keep it for the little ones； please。〃 I embraced her and kissed her。 How much older； how miserably older she seemed。 But childbearing had done that to her； pulling the strength out of her； if only for babies to be buried in small plots in the ground。 I thought of how many babies she had lost during my youth； and how many were still counted before I was born。 She had called them her angels； her little babies； not big enough to live。
〃Keep it；〃 I said to her。 〃Keep it for the family here。〃
〃All right； Andrei；〃 she said。 She looked at me with pale； suffering eyes。 I could see that she was dying。 I understood suddenly that it wasn't mere age that worked on her； nor the hardship of children。 She was diseased from within； and would soon truly die。 I felt such a terror； looking at her； such a terror for the whole mortal world。 It was just a tiresome； mon and inevitable disease。
〃Goodbye； darling angel；〃 I said。
〃And goodbye to you； my darling angel；〃 she answered。 〃My heart and soul are happy that you are a proud Prince。 But show me； do you make the Sign of the Cross in the right way？〃
How desperate she sounded。 She meant these words。 She meant simply； Had I gotten all this apparent wealth by converting to the church of the West？ That is what she meant。
〃Mother； you put a simple test to me。〃 I made the Sign of the Cross for her； in our way； the Eastern Way； from right shoulder to left； and I smiled。
She nodded。 Then she took something carefully from inside her heavy wool shift coat and she gave it to me； only releasing it when I had made a cradle for it with my hand。 It was a dark ruby…red painted Easter egg。
Such a perfect and exquisitely decorated egg。 It was banded with long lengthwise ribbons of yellow； and in a center created by them was painted a perfect rose or eight…pointed star。
I looked down at it and then I nodded to her。
I took out a handkerchief of fine Flemish linen and wrapped the egg in this； padding it over and over； and I slipped the little burden faithfully into the folds of my tunic beneath my jacket and cloak。
I bent over and kissed her again on her soft dry cheek。 〃Mother；〃 I said； 〃the Joy of All Sorrows； that is what you are to me！〃
〃My sweet Andrei；〃 she answered。 〃Go with God if you must go。〃
She looked at the ikon。 She wanted me to see it。 She turned the ikon around so that I could look at the gleaming golden Face of God； as waxen and fine as the day I'd painted it for her。 Only I hadn't painted it for her。 No； it was the very ikon which I had taken that day on our march into the wild lands。
Oh； what a marvel； that my Father had brought it back with him； all the way from the scene of such loss。 And yet why not？ Why not would such a man as he have done such a thing？
The snow fell onto the painted ikon。 It fell on the stern Face of Our Savior； which had e ablaze under my racing brush as if by magic； a face which with its stern and smooth lips and slightly furrowed brow meant love。 Christ； my Lord； could look even more stern peering out from the mosaics of San Marco。 Christ； my Lord； could look as stern in many an old painting。 But Christ； my Lord； in any manner and in any style； was full of unstinting love。
The snow came in flurries and seemed to melt when it touched His Face。
I feared for it； this fragile panel of wood； and this glistering lacquered image； meant to shine for all time。 But she thought of this too； and she quickly shielded the ikon from the wetness of the melting snow with her cloak。
I never saw it again。
But is there anyone who needs now to ask me what an ikon means to me？ Is there anyone who needs now to know why； when I saw the Face of Christ before me on the Veil of Veronica； when Dora held it high； this Veil； brought back from Jerusalem and the hour of Christ's passion； by Lestat himself； through Hell and into the world； that I fell down on my knees； and cried； 〃It is the Lord〃？
11
THE JOURNEY from Kiev seemed a journey forwards in time； towards the place where I truly belonged。 All of Venice； upon my return； seemed to share the shimmer of the gold…plated chamber in which I made my grave。 In a daze； I spent my nights roaming； with or without Marius； drinking up the fresh air of the Adriatic and perusing the splendid houses and government palaces