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and then we will not slip but hang on a scaffold of our making； as meaningless as nothing； but too detailed to be so easily dismissed。〃
〃Well done；〃 he said with an eloquent sigh。 〃Maybe some night in the far distant future； you'll take a more hopeful approach； but as you seem as animated and fall of happiness as you can be； why should I plain？〃
〃We must e from somewhere；〃 I said； pushing the other point。
He was too crestfallen to answer。
Finally； he rallied； climbing up off the pillows and ing towards me。 〃Let's go out。 Let's find Bianca； and dress her up as a man for a while。 Bring your finest。 She needs to be freed of those rooms for a spell。〃
〃Sir； this may e as a rude shock to you； but Bianca； like many women； already has that habit。 In the guise of a boy； she slips out all the time to make the rounds of the city。〃
〃Yes； but not in our pany；〃 he said。 〃We shall show her the worst places！〃 He made a dramatic ical face。 〃e on。〃
I was excited。
As soon as we told the little plan to her； she was excited too。
We came bursting in with an armful of fine clothes； and she immediately slipped away with us to get dressed。
〃What have you brought me？ Oh； I'm to be Amadeo tonight； splendid；〃 she said。 She shut the doors on her pany； who as usual carried on without her； several men singing around the Virginal and others arguing heatedly over their dice。
She stripped off her clothes and stepped out of them； naked as Venus from the sea。 We both dressed her in blue leggings and tunic and doublet。 I pulled her belt tight； and Marius caught her hair up in a soft velvet hat。
〃You're the prettiest boy in the Veneto；〃 he said stepping back。 〃Something tells me I'll have to protect you with our life。〃
〃Are you really going to take me to the worst haunts？ I want to see dangerous places！〃 She threw up her arms。 〃Give me my stiletto。 You don't expect me to go unarmed。〃
〃I have all the proper weapons for you；〃 Marius said。 He had brought a sword with a beautiful diamond…studded diagonal belt which he clasped at her hip。 〃Try to draw this。 It's no dancing rapier。 It's a war sword。 e on。〃
She took the handle with both hands and brought it forth in a wide sure sweep。 〃I wish I had an enemy；〃 she cried out； 〃who was ready to die。〃
I looked at Marius。 He looked at me。 No； she couldn't be one of us。
〃That would be too selfish；〃 he whispered in my ear。
I couldn't help but wonder； if I had not been dying after my fight with the Englishman； if the sweating sickness had not taken me over； would he have ever made me a vampire？
The three of us hurried down the stone steps to the quay。 There was our canopied gondola waiting。 Marius gave the address。
〃Are you sure you want to go there； Master？〃 asked the gondolier； shocked because he knew the district where the worst of the foreign seamen congregated and drank and fought。
〃Most sure of it；〃 he said。
As we moved off in the black waters； I put my arm around tender Bianca。 Leaning back on the cushions； I felt invulnerable； immortal； certain that nothing would ever defeat me or Marius； and in our care Bianca would always be safe。
How very wrong I was。
Nine months perhaps we had together after our trip to Kiev。 Nine or maybe ten； I cannot mark the climax by any exterior event。 Let me say only； before I proceed to bloody disaster； that Bianca was always with us in those last months。 When we were not spying upon the carousers； we were in our house； where Marius painted her portraits； devising her as this or that goddess； as the Biblical Judith with the head of the Florentine for her Holofernes； or as the Virgin Mary staring rapt at a tiny Christ child； as perfectly rendered by Marius as any image he ever made。
Those pictures…perhaps some of them endure to this very day。
One night； when all slept except for the three of us； Bianca； about to give up on a couch as Marius painted； sighed and said； 〃I like your pany too much。 I don't ever want to go home。〃
Would that she had loved us less。 Would that she had not been there on the fatal evening in 1499； just before the turn of the century； when the High Renaissance was in its glory； ever to be celebrated by artists and historians； would that she had been safe when our world went up in flames。
14
IF YOU'VE READ The Vampire Lestat you know what happened； for I showed it all to Lestat in visions two hundred years ago。 Lestat set down in writing the images I made known to him； the pain I shared with him。 And though I now propose to relive these horrors； to flesh out the tale in my own words； there are points where I cannot improve on his words； and may from time to time freely call them up。
It began suddenly。 I awoke to find that Marius had lifted back the gilded cover of the sarcophagus。 A torch blazed behind him on the wall。
〃Hurry； Amadeo； they're here。 They mean to burn our house。〃
〃Who； Master？ And why？〃
He snatched me from the shining coffin box； and I rushed after him up the decaying stairs to the first floor of the ruined dwelling。
He wore his red cape and hood； and he moved so fast it took all my power to keep up with him。
〃Is it Those Who Must Be Kept？〃 I asked。 He slung his arm around me； and off we went to the rooftop of our own palazzo。
〃No； child； it's a pack of foolish blood drinkers； bent on destroying all the work I've done。 Bianca is there； at their mercy； and the boys too。〃
We entered by the roof doors and went down the marble steps。 Smoke rose from the lower floors。
〃Master； the boys； they're screaming！〃 I shouted。
Bianca came running to the foot of the stairs far below。
〃Marius！ Marius； they are demons。 Use your magic！〃 she cried out； her hair streaming from the couch； her garments undone。 〃Marius！〃 Her wail echoed up the three floors of the palazzo。
〃Dear God； the rooms are everywhere on fire！〃 I cried out。 〃We must have water to put this out。 Master； the paintings！〃
Marius dropped down over the railing and appeared； suddenly below； at her side。 As I ran to join him； I saw a crowd of black…robed figures close in on him； and to my horror； try to set his clothes afire with the torches they brandished； as they gave forth horrid shrieks and hissed curses from beneath their hoods。
From everywhere these demons came。 The cries of the mortal apprentices were terrible。
Marius knocked his assailants away； turning his arm in a great arc； the torches rolling on the marble floor。 He closed his cloak about Bianca。
〃They mean to kill us！〃 she screamed。 〃They mean to burn us； Marius； they've slaughtered the boys； and others they've taken prisoner！〃
Suddenly more of the black figures came running before the first attackers could climb to their feet。 I saw what they were。 All had the same white faces and hands as we had； all possessed the magic blood。
They were creatures such as we！
Again； Marius was attacked； only to fling off all of them。 The tapestries of the great hall were ignited。 Dark odoriferous smoke belched forth from the adjacent rooms。 Smo