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rat had e to sit sedately； as if spellbound； in his lap。 There were others gathered at his feet。
Seeming loath to move lest they startle； he carefully dipped his right hand into a bowl of dried bread crumbs。 I caught the scent only now； mingled with that of the rats。 He offered a handful of crumbs to the rat on his shoulder； who ate from it gratefully and with strange delicacy； and then he dropped some of the bread in his lap； where three rats came to feast at once。
〃Do you think I love such things？〃 he said。 He looked intently at me； his eyes widening with the emphasis on his words。 His black hair was a dense tangled veil on his shoulders； his forehead very smooth and shining white in the candlelight。
〃Do you think I love to live here in the bowels of the world；〃 he asked sadly； 〃under the great city of Rome； where the earth seeps waste from the foul throng above； and have these； the vermin； as my familiars？ Do you think I was never flesh and blood； or that； having undergone this change for the sake of Almighty God and His Divine Plan； I don't long for the life you lived with your greedy Master？ Have I not eyes to see the brilliant colors which your Master spread over his canvases？ Do I not like the sounds of ungodly music？〃 He gave a soft agonizing sigh。
〃What has God made or ever suffered to be made that is distasteful in itself？〃 he continued。 〃Sin is not repulsive in itself； how absurd to think so。 No one es to love pain。 We can only hope to endure it。〃
〃Why all this？〃 I asked。 I was sick unto vomiting； but I held it back。 I breathed as deeply as I could to let all the smells of this horror chamber flood my lungs and cease to torment me。
I sat back； crossing my legs so that I could study him。 I wiped the ashes out of my eye。 〃Why？ Your themes are entirely familiar； but what is this realm of vampires in black monkly robes？〃
〃We are the Defenders of Truth；〃 he said sincerely。
〃Oh； who is not the defender of truth； for the love of Heaven；〃 I said bitterly。 〃Look； the blood of your brother in Christ is stuck all over my hands！ And you sit； the freakish blood…stuffed replicant of a human being staring on all this as if it were so much chitchat among the candles！〃
〃Ah； but you have a fiery tongue for one with such a sweet face；〃 he said in cool wonder。 〃So pliant you seem with your soft brown eyes and dark autumnal red hair； but you are clever。〃
〃Clever？ You burnt my Master！ You destroyed him。 You burnt up his children！ I am your prisoner here； am I not？ What for？ And you talk of the Lord Jesus Christ to me？ You？ You？ Answer me； what is this morass of filth and fancy； molded out of clay and blessed candles！〃
He laughed。 His eyes crinkled at the edges； and his face was cheerful and sweet。 His hair； for all its filth and tangles； kept its preternatural luster。 How fine he would have been if freed from the dictates of this nightmare。
〃Amadeo；〃 he said。 〃We are the Children of Darkness；〃 he explained patiently。 〃We vampires are made to be the scourge of man； as is pestilence。 We are part of the trials and tribulations of this world； we drink blood； and we kill for the glory of God who would test his human creatures。〃
〃Don't speak horrors。〃 I put my hands over my ears。 I cringed。
〃Oh； but you know it's true；〃 he insisted without raising his voice。 〃You know it as you see me in my robes and you look about my chamber。 I am restrained for The Living Lord as were the monks of old before they learned to paint their walls with erotic paintings。〃
〃You talk madness； and I don't know why you do it。〃 I would not remember the Monastery of the Caves！
〃I do it because I have found my purpose here and the purpose of God； and there is nothing Higher。 Would you be damned and alone； and selfish and without purpose？ Would you turn your back on a design so magnificent that not one tiny child is forgotten！ Did you think you could live forever without the splendor of that great scheme； struggling to deny the handiwork of God in every beautiful thing which you coveted and made your own？〃
I fell silent。 Don't think on the old Russian saints。 Wisely； he did not press。 On the contrary； very softly； without the devilish lilt； he began to sing the Latin hymn 。。。
Dies irae； dies ilia Solvet saeclum infavilla Teste David cum Sibylla Quantus tremor estfuturus。。。
That day of wrath； that day will turn the earth to ashes。 As both David and Sybelle have foretold How great a tremor there will be 。 。 。
〃And on that Day； that Final Day； we shall have duties for Him； we His Dark Angels shall take the Evil souls down into the inferno as is His Divine Will。〃
I looked up at him again。 〃And then the final plea of this hymn； that He have mercy on us； was His Passion not for us？〃
I sang it softly in Latin：
Recordare； Jesu pie；
Quod sum causa tuae viae。。。
Remember； merciful Jesus；
That I was the cause of your way 。。。
I pressed on； scarcely having the spirit for it； to fully acknowledge the horror。 〃What monk was there in the Monastery of my childhood who didn't hope one day to be with God？ What do you say to me now； that we； the Children of Darkness； serve Him with no hope of ever being with Him？〃
He looked broken suddenly。
〃Pray there is some secret that we don't know；〃 he whispered。 He looked off as if he were in fact praying。 〃How can He not love Satan when Satan has done so well？ How can He not love us？ I don't understand； but I am what I am； which is this； and you are the same。〃 He looked at me； eyebrows rising gently again to underscore his wonder。 〃And we must serve Him。 Otherwise we are lost。〃
He slipped from the stool and came down towards me； settling on the floor opposite me； cross…legged； and putting his long arm out to place his hand on my shoulder。
〃Splendid being；〃 I said； 〃and to think God made you as he made the boys you destroyed tonight； the perfect bodies you rendered to the fire。〃
He was in deep distress。 〃Amadeo； take another name and e with us； be with us。 We need you。 And what will you do alone？〃
〃Tell me why you killed my Master。〃
He let go of me and let his hand fall in the lap made by his black robe stretched across his knees。
〃It's forbidden to us to use our talents to dazzle mortals。 It is forbidden us to trick them with our skills。 It is forbidden us to seek the solace of their pany。 It is forbidden us to walk in the places of light。〃
Nothing in this surprised me。
〃We are monks as pure at heart as those of Cluny；〃 he said。 〃We make our Monasteries strict and holy； and we hunt and we kill to perfect the Garden of Our Lord as a Vale of Tears。〃 He paused； and then making his voice all the more soft and wondering； he continued。 〃We are as the bees that sting； and the rats that steal the grain； we are as the Black Death e to take young or old； beautiful or ugly； that men and women shall tremble at the power of God。〃
He looked at me； imploring me for understanding。
〃Cathedrals rise from dust；〃 he said； 〃to show man wonder。 And in the stones men carve the Danse Macabre to show that life is brief。