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The ashes came down in a torrent on me。 I choked and cried； and turned over。 I couldn't get them out of my eyes and my mouth。
〃The ashes of your brothers； Amadeo；〃 said the Norse vampire。 He gave way to a wild peal of laughter。
Helpless； lying on my face； my hands up to the sides of my face； I shook myself all over； feeling the hot weight of the ashes。 At last I turned over and over； and then sprang up to my knees； and to my feet。 I backed into the wall。 A great iron rack of candles went over； the little flames arcing in my blurred vision； the tapers themselves thudding in the mud。 I heard the clatter of bones。 I flung my arms up in front of my face。
〃What's happened to our pretty posure？〃 asked the Norse vampire。 〃We are a weeping cherub； aren't we？ That is what your Master called you； cherub； no？ Here！〃 He pulled at my arm； and with the other hand tried to smear the ashes on me。
〃You damnable fiend！〃 I cried。 I went mad with fury and indignation。 I grabbed his head with both my hands； and using all my strength turned it around on his neck； snapping all the bones； and then I kicked him hard with my right foot。 He sank down on his knees； moaning； living still with his broken neck； but not in one piece would he live； I vowed； and kicking at him with the full weight of my right foot； I tore his head from him； the skin ripping and snapping； and the blood pouring out of the gaping trunk； I yanked the head free。
〃Ah； look at you now； Sir！〃 I said； staring down into his frantic eyes。 The pupils still danced。 〃Oh； die； will you； for your own sake。〃 I buried my left fingers tight in his hair； and turning this way and that； I found a candle with my right hand； ripped it from the iron nail that held it and jammed it into his eye sockets one after the other； until he saw no more。
〃Ah； then it can be done this way as well；〃 I said looking up and blinking in the dazzle of the candles。
Slowly； I made out his figure。 His thick curly black hair was free and tangled； and he sat at an angle； black robes flowing down around his stool； facing slightly away from me； but regarding me so that I could trace the lineaments of his face easily in the light。 A noble and beautiful face； with the curling lips as strong as the huge eyes。
〃I never liked him；〃 he said softly； raising his eyebrows； 〃though I must say； you do impress me； and I did not expect to see him gone so soon。〃
I shuddered。 A horrible coldness seized me； a soulless ugly anger； routing sorrow； routing madness； routing hope。
I hated the head I held and wanted to drop it； but the thing still lived。 The bleeding sockets quivered； and the tongue darted from side to side out of the mouth。 〃Oh； this is a revolting thing！〃 I cried。
〃He always said such unusual things；〃 said the black…haired one。 〃He was a pagan； you see。 That you never were。 I mean he believed in the gods of the north forest； and in Thor ever circling the world with his hammer。。。〃
〃Are you going to talk forever？〃 I asked。 〃I must burn this thing even after this； mustn't I？〃 I asked。
He threw me the most charming innocent smile。
〃You are a fool to be in this place；〃 I whispered。 My hands shook uncontrollably。
Not waiting for a response； I turned and snatched up another candle； having so thoroughly snuffed the other； and set fire to the dead being's hair。 The stench sickened me。 I made a sound like a boy crying。
I dropped the flaming head into the robed and headless body。 I threw the candle down into the flames； so that the wax might feed it。 Gathering up the other candles I had knocked down； I fed them to the fire and stepped back as a great heat rose from the dead one。
The head appeared to roll about in the flames； more than was likely； so I grabbed up the iron candelabra I had knocked over； and using this like a rake； I plunged it into the burning mass to flatten and crush what lay beneath the fire。
At the very last his outstretched hands curled； fingers digging into the palms。 Ah； to have life in this state； I thought wearily； and with the rake I knocked the arms against the torso。 The fire reeked of rags and human blood； blood he'd drunk no doubt； but there was no other human scent to it； and with despair I saw that I had made a fire of him right in the middle of the ashes of my friends。
Well； it seemed appropriate。 〃You are revenged in one of them；〃 I said with a defeated sigh。 I threw down the crude candleholder rake。 I left him there。 The room was large。 I walked dejectedly； my feet bare from the fire having burned off my felt slippers； to another broad place among iron candelabra； where the moist good earth was black and seemingly clean； and there I lay down again； as I had before； not caring that the black…haired one had a very good view of me there； as I was more in front of him than even before。
〃Do you know that Northern worship？〃 he asked； as if nothing dreadful had happened。 〃Oh； that Thor is forever circling with his hammer； and the circle grows smaller and smaller； and beyond lies chaos； and we are here； doomed within the dwindling circle of warmth。 Have you ever heard it？ He was a pagan； made by renegade magicians who used him to murder their enemies。 I am glad to be rid of him； but why do you cry？〃
I didn't answer。 This was beyond all hope； this horrid domed chamber of skulls； the myriad candles illuminating only remnants of death； and this being； this beautiful powerfully built black…haired being ruling amid all this horror and feeling nothing on the death of one who had served him。 who was now a pile of smoldering stinking bones。
I imagined I was home。 I was safe within my Master's bedchamber。 We sat together。 He read from a Latin text。 It did not matter what the words were。 All around us were the accouterments of civilization； sweet and pretty things； and the fabrics of the room had all been worked by human hands。
〃Vain things；〃 said the black…haired one。 〃Vain and foolish； but you'll e to see it。 You are stronger than I reckoned。 But then he was centuries old； your Maker； nobody even tells of a time when there wasn't Marius； the lone wolf； who abides no one in his territory； Marius； the destroyer of the young。〃
〃I never knew him to destroy any but those who were evil；〃 I said in a whisper。
〃We are evil； aren't we？ All of us are evil。 So he destroyed us without punction。 He thought he was safe from us。 He turned his back on us！ He considered us not worthy of his attentions； and look； how he has lavished all his strength on a boy。 But I must say you are a most beautiful boy。〃
There was a noise； an evil rustling； not unfamiliar。 I smelled rats。
〃Oh； yes； my children； the rats；〃 he said。 〃They e to me。 Do you want to see？ Turn over and look up at me； if you will？ Think no more on St。 Francis； with his birds and squirrels and the wolf at his side。 Think on Santino； with his rats。〃
I did look。 I drew in my breath。 I sat up in the dirt and stared at him。 A great gray rat sat on his shoulder； its tiny whiskered snout just kissing his ear； its tail curling behind his head。 Another rat had e to sit sedately； as if spellbound