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bered from long ago。〃
〃So now I have e back to my room。 I have a knife。 When I have finished writing this I will leave what I have written on the table； and I will go out into the field； and cut my wrists。 I know we are taught that self…slaughter is a sin； and that the Lord does not wish us to harm ourselves； but if He does not wish me to end my life； why is this knife within reach of my hand； and why is my heart so much at peace？〃
His body was found about a hundred yards from the place where Sandru's frost…covered body had been discovered。 ing so soon upon the death of the old priest； the death of Jan Valek undid the Brotherhood pletely。 Orders came from Bucharest； and the Brotherhood was disbanded。 There was no need to guard the Fortress any longer； the Archbishop said。 The brothers would be more useful to the Church if they worked with the sick and the dying； to offer the Lord's fort where it was most needed。
Within a week； the Order of St。 Teodor had left the Fortress Goga。
There were those among the villagers who felt that the Fortress had invited its abandonment； and began its own process of self…slaughter。 Superstition； no doubt； but it was certainly strange that after five centuries of life； during which span it had remained strong； a quick process of disintegration should begin as soon as the munity of caretakers departed。
True； the winter immediately following was particularly severe。 But there had been heavier snows on the roofs and they had not bowed beneath the weight； there had been stronger winds through the casements and they'd not broken open and smashed； there had been more persistent floodings of the lower floors； and the doors had not been carried off on their rotted hinges。
By the time the spring came round…which was late April that year…the Fortress had effectively bee uninhabitable。 It was as though its soul had gone out of it； and now all it wanted was to allow the seasons to take their steady toll。 They were guileless collaborators。 The summer was as violently hot as the winter had been bitter； and it bred all manner of destroyers in the fabric of the building。 Worm and fly and wasp contributed to the baking heat of the sun with their burrowings and layings and nestings。 Beams that had taken ten men to lift them became dusty； hollow things； as delicate as the bones of immense birds。 Unable to support their own weight； they collapsed upon themselves； bringing down entire floors as they fell。 By the time September arrived； the Fortress was open to the elements。 The ward where the brothers had optimistically laid out rows of beds now had a ceiling of cloud。 When the first rains of autumn came the mattresses were soaked； fungus and mildew sprouted where the sick would have lain。 The place stank of rot from end to end。
And finally； somewhere in the middle of the second winter in its empty state； the floorboards cracked and opened up； and the lowest level of the Fortress； the level where Father Sandru had brought Zeffer to show him the tiled chamber； became available to sky and storm。 If anyone had ventured into the Fortress that winter they would have witnessed the most delicate of spectacles。 Through the eight vaults above the once…tiled room…which were now all cracked like eggs…snow came spiraling down。 It fell into a room denuded。 The workmen Zeffer had hired to do the work of removing the tiles had first been obliged to empty the room of all the monks had left in there。 Some of the furniture had subsequently been stolen； some broken up for firewood； and the rest…perhaps a quarter of the bounty…simply left to decay where it had been piled up。 The snow； spiraling down； settled in little patches on the floor； patches which would not melt for the next four months； but only get wider and deeper as the winter's storms got worse； the snow heavier。
Just before the thaw； in the middle of the following April； the weight of snow and ice finally brought the vaults down； in one calamitous descent。 There was nobody there to witness it； nor anyone within earshot to hear it。 The room which had contained the Hunt was buried in the debris of all the vaults； plaster and wood and stone filling the chamber to the middle of the walls。 Nobody who visited the Fortress in subsequent years…and there were a few explorers who came there every summer； usually imagining they'd stumbled on something darkly marvelous…a Fortress； perhaps； belonging to Vlad the Impaler； whose legendary territories lay only a few hundred miles off to the west； in Transylvania…none of these visitors dug through the overgrown ruins with any great enthusiasm； certainly none ever asked themselves what function the half…buried room might have once served。 Nor； should it be said； would they have been able to guess； even the cleverest of them。 The mystery of the ruined chamber had been removed to another continent； where it was presently unfolding its dubious raptures for the delectation of a new and vulnerable audience。 Men and women who…like the tiles…had in many cases lately left their homelands； and in their haste to be famous left behind them such talismans as hearth and altar might have offered by way of protection against the guileful Hunt。
PART TWO
THE HEART…THROB
ONE
There's a premiere in Los Angeles tonight； at Grauman's Chinese Theatre。 The Chinese has been housing such events since 1923； but of course the crowds were much larger back then； tens of thousands of people； sometimes even hundreds of thousands； would block Hollywood Boulevard in their hunger to see the star of the moment。 Tonight's event is nowhere near that scale。 Though the studio publicists' will massage the numbers for tomorrow's Variety and Hollywood Reporter； claiming that a crowd of four thousand people waited in the chilly evening air for the appearance of the star of tonight's movie； Todd Pickett； the true numbers are in fact less than half that。
Still； a third of the Boulevard is barricaded off； and there are a few cop cars in evidence； just to give the whole event more drama。
As the limos approach the red carpet； and the ushers； who are dressed in the black leather costumes of the villains in the movie； step forward to open the doors a few 'screamers'； paid and planted in the crowd by the studio publicity people to get a little excitement going； start to do their job； yelling even before the face of the limo's passenger has been seen。 There's a large contingent of A…list names on tonight's guest…list； and plenty of faces that elicit screams as they appear。 Cruise isn't here； but Nicole Kidman is； so is Schwarzenegger； who has a small role in the picture as the retiring Gallows； a vengeful； mythological character whom our hero； played by Todd Pickett； must either choose to embody when his time es round； or…should he refuse…be pursued by the ghosts of several generations of former incarnations of the character； to persuade him otherwise。 Sigourney Weaver plays the woman who has broken the curse of Gallows once before； to whom Pickett's character must go when the phantom pursuers are almost upon him。 Her arrival at Grauman's is greeted by a genuine roar of approval from the fans； who are devoted to her。 She waves； s