bl.necroscope2-第42部分

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ht　of　all　Earth's　living　billions　streaming　into　unimagined；　ever…expanding　futures。　No；　not　that　one。　Harry　selected　another　door。　This　time　the　myriad　blue　life…threads　streamed　away　from　him　and　contracted；　narrowing　down　to　a　far…distant；　dazzling；　single　blue　point。　It　was　the　door　to　time　past；　to　the　very　beginning　of　human　life　on　Earth。　And　that　wasn't　what　he　wanted　either。　Actually；　he　had　known　that　neither　of　these　doors　was　the　right　one；　he　was　simply　exercising　his　talents；　his　powers；　that　was　all。
　For　the　fact　was　that　if　he　didn't　have　a　mission。。。　but　he　did　have　one。　It　was　almost　identical　with　the　mission　which　had　cost　him　his　corporeal　life；　and　it　was　still　unfinished。　Harry　put　all　other　thoughts　and　considerations　aside；　used　his　unerring　intuition　to　point　himself　in　the　right　direction；　calling　out　to　that　one　he　knew　he　would　find　there。
　〃Thibor？〃　His　call　raced　out　into　the　black　void。　〃Only　answer　me　and　I'll　find　you；　and　we　can…talk。〃
　A　moment　passed。　A　second　or　a　million　years；　it　was　all　the　same　in　the　M？bius　continuum。　And　it　made　no　difference　at　all　to　the　dead。　Then：
　Ahhhh！　came　back　the　answer。　Is　it　you；　Haarrry？
　The　mental　voice　of　the　old　Thing　in　the　ground　was　his　beacon：　he　homed　in　on　it；　came　up　against　a　Mobius　door；　and　passed　through　it。
　It　was　midnight　on　the　cruciform　hills；　and　for　two　hundred　miles　in　every　direction；　most　of　Romania　lay　asleep。　No　requirement　for　Harry　and　his　infant　simulacrum　to　materialise　here；　for　there　was　no　one　to　see　them。　But　knowing　that　he　could　be　seen　there；　if　there　were　eyes　to　see；　gave　Harry　a　feeling　of　corporeality。　Even　as　a　will…o'…the…wisp　he　would　feel　that　he　was　somebody；　not　merely　a　telepathic　voice；　a　ghost。　He　hovered　in　the　glade　of　stirless　trees；　above　the　tumbled　slabs　and　close　to　the　tottering　entrance　of　what　had　been　Thibor　Ferenczy's　tomb；　and　formed　about　his　focus　the　merest　nimbus　of　light。　Then　he　turned　his　mind　outwards；　to　the　night　and　the　darkness。
　If　he　had　had　a　body；　Harry　might　have　shivered　a　little。　He　would　have　felt　a　chill；　but　a　purely　physical　chill　and　not　one　of　the　spirit。　For　the　undead　evil　which　had　been　buried　here　five　hundred　years　ago　was　gone　now；　was　no　longer　undead　but　truly　dead。　Which　fact　begged　the　question：　had　all　of　it　been　removed？　Was　it　dead。。。　entirely？　For　Harry　Keogh　had　learned；　and　was　learning　still；　of　the　vampire's　monstrous　tenacity　as　it　clung　to　life。
　〃Thibor；〃　said　Harry；　〃I'm　here。　Against　the　advice　of　all　the　teeming　dead；　I've　e　again　to　talk　to　you。〃
　Ahhhh！　Haaarrry…you　are　a　fort；　my　friend。　Indeed；　you　are　my　only　fort。　The　dead　whisper　in　their　graves；　talking　of　this　and　that；　but　me　they　shun。　I　alone　am　truly。。。　alone！　Without　you　there　is　only　oblivion。
　Truly　alone？　Harry　doubted　it。　His　sensitive　ESP　warned　him　that　something　else　was　here…something　that　held　back；　biding　its　time…something　dangerous　still。　But　he　hid　his　suspicions　from　Thibor。
　〃I　made　you　a　promise；〃　he　said。　〃You　tell　me　the　things　I　want　to　know；　and　I　in　turn　will　not　forget　you。　Even　if　it's　only　for　a　moment　or　two　I'll　find　time　now　and　then　to　e　and　talk　to　you。〃…Because　you　are　good；　Haaarrry。　Because　you　are　kind。　While　my　own　sort；　the　dead；　they　are　unkind。　They　continue　to　hold　this　grudge！
　Harry　knew　the　old　Thing　in　the　ground's　wiles：　how　he　would　avoid　at　all　cost　the　issue　of　the　moment；　Harry's　principal　purpose　in　being　here。　For　vampires　are　Satan's　own　kith　and　kin；　they　speak　with　his　tongue；　which　speaks　only　lies　and　deceptions。　Thus　Thibor　would　attempt　from　the　outset　to　turn　the　conversation；　this　time　to　his　〃unfair〃　treatment　by　the　Great　Majority。　Harry　would　have　none　of　it。
　〃You　have　no　plaint；〃　he　told　him。　〃They　know　you；　Thibor。　How　many　lives　have　you　cut　short　in　order　to　prolong　or　sustain　your　own？　They　are　unforgiving；　the　dead；　for　they've　lost　that　which　was　most　precious　to　them。　In　your　time　you　were　the　great　stealer　of　life；　not　only　did　you　bring　death　with　you；　but　even　on　occasion　undeath。　You　can't　be　surprised　that　they　shun　you。〃
　Thibor　sighed。　A　soldier　kills；　he　answered。　But　when　he　in　turn　dies；　do　they　turn　away　from　him？　Of　course　not！　He　is　weled　into　the　fold。　The　executioner　kills；　also　the　maniac　in　his　rage；　and　the　cuckold　when　he　discovers　another　in　his　bed。　And　are　they　shunned？　Perhaps　in　life；　some　of　them；　but　not　after　life　is　done。　For　then　they　move　on　into　a　new　state。　In　my　life　I　did　what　I　had　to　do；　and　I　paid　for　it　in　death。　Must　I　go　on　paying？
　〃Do　you　want　me　to　plead　your　case　for　you？〃　Harry　wasn't　even　half…serious。
　But　Thibor　was　quick…witted：　I　had　not　considered　that。　But　now　that　you　mention　it　…〃Ridiculous！〃　Harry　cried。　〃You're　playing　with　words　…playing　with　me…and　that's　not　why　I'm　here。　There　are　a　million　others　who　genuinely　desire　to　talk　to　me；　and　I　waste　my　time　with　you。　Ah；　well；　I've　learned　my　lesson。　I'll　trouble　you　no　more。〃
　Harry；　wait！　Panic　was　in　Thibor　Ferenczy's　voice；　which　came　to　Harry　quite　literally　from　beyond　the　grave。　Don't　go；　Harry！　Who　will　talk　to　me　if。。。　there　is　no　other　necroscope！
　〃That's　a　fact　you'd　do　well　to　keep　in　mind。〃　Ahhh！　Don't　threaten　me；　Harry。　What　am　I…what　was　I…after　all；　but　an　old　creature　entombed　before　his　time？　ff1　have　seemed　to　be　difficult；　forgive　me。　e　now；　tell　me　what　it　is　that　you　want　from　me？
　Harry　allowed　himself　to　be　mollified。　〃Very　well。　It's　this：　I　found　your　story　very　interesting。〃
　My　story？
　〃Your　tale　of　how　you　came　to　be　what　you　were。　As　I　recall　it；　you　had　reached　that　stage　where　Faethor　had　trapped　you　in　his　dungeon；　and　transferred　or　deposited　in　you　…〃

　…His　egg！　Thibor　cut　him　off。　The　pearly　seed　of　the　Wamphyri！　Your　memory　serves　you　well；　Harry　Keogh。　And　so　does　mine。　Too　well。。。　His　voice　was　suddenly　sour。
　〃You　don't　wish　to　continue　with　that　story？〃
　I　wish　I　had　never　started　it！　But　if　that　is　what　it　takes　to　keep　you　here。。。　Harry　said　nothing；　simply　waited；　and　after　a　moment　or　two：
　I　see　that　is　what　it　takes；　the　ex…vampire　groaned。　Very　well。
　And　after　a　further　sullen　silence；　Thibor　continued　the　telling　of　his　story　。　。
　
　Picture　it；　then；　that　strange　old　castle　up　in　the　mountains：　its　walls　wreathed　in　mist；　its　central　span　arching　over　the　gorge；　its　towers　reaching　like　fangs　for　the　rising　moon。　And　picture　its　master：　a　creature　who　was　once　a　man；　but　no　longer。　A　Thing　which　called　itself　Faethor　Ferenczy。
　I　have　told　how　he。。。　how　he　kissed　me。　Ah；　but　no　one　was　ever　kissed　by　his　father　like　that　before！　He　lodged　his　egg　in　me；　oh　yes！　And　if　I　had　thought　that　the　bruises　and　gouges　of　battle　were　painful　。
　To　receive　the　seed　of　a　vampire　is　to　know　an　almost　fatal　agony。　Almost　fatal；　but　never　quite。　No；　for　the　vampire　chooses　his　egg…bearer　with　great　care　and　cunning。　He　must　be　strong；　that　poor　unfortunate；　he　must　he　keen…witted；　preferably　cold　and　callous。　And　I　admit　it；　I　was　all　of　those　things。　Having　lived　a　life　like　mine；　how　could　I　be　otherwise？
　And　so　I　experienced　the　horror　of　that　egg　in　me；　which　fashioned　tiny　pseudopods　and　barbs　of　its　own　to　drag　itself　down　my　throat　and　into　my　body。　Swift？　The　thing　was　quicksilver！　Indeed；　it　was　more　than　quicksilver！　A　vampire　seed　can　pass　through　human　flesh　like　water　through　sand。　Faethor　had　not　needed　to　terrify　me　with　his　kiss；　he　had　simply　desired　to　terrify　me！　And　he　had　succeeded。
　His　egg　passed　through　my　flesh；　from　the　back　of　my　throat　to　the　column　of　my　spine；　which　it　explored　as　a　curious　mouse　explores　a　cavity　in　the　wall…but　on　feet　that　burned　like　acid！　And　with　each　touch　on　my　naked　nerve　endings　came　fresh　waves　of　agony！
　Ah！　How　I　writhed　and　jerked　and　tossed　in　my　chains　then。　But　not　for　long。　Finally　the　thing　found　a　resting　place。　Newborn；　it　was　easily　tired。　I　think　it　settled　in　my　bowels；　which　instantly　knotted；　causing　me　such　pain　that　I　cried　out　for　the　mercy　of　death！　But　then　the　barbs　were　withdrawn；　the　thing　slept。
　The　agony　went　out　of　me　in　a　moment；　so　swiftly　indeed　that　the　sensation　was　a　sort　of　agony　in　itself。　Then；　in　the　sheer　luxury　of　painlessness；　I　too　slept　。
　When　I　awoke　I　found　myself　free　of　all　manacles　and　chains；　lying　crumpled　on　the　floor。　There　was　no　more　pain。　Despite　my　thinking　that　my　cell　should　be　in　darkness；　I　found　that　I　could　see　as　clearly　as　in　brightest　daylight。　At　first　I　failed　to　understand；　I　sought　in　vain　for　the　hole　which　let　in　the　light；　tried　to　climb　the　uneven　walls　in　search　of　some　hidden　window　or　other　outlet。　To　no　avail。
　Before　that；　however；　before　this　futile　attempt　of　mine　to　escape；　I　was　confronted　by　the　others　who　shared　my　dismal　cell。　Or　by　what　they　had　bee。
　First　there　was　old　Arvos；　who　lay　in　a　heap　just　as　Faethor　had　left　him…or　so　I　thought。　I　went　to　him；　observed　his　grey　flesh；　his　withered　chest　beneath　the　rags　of　his　torn；　coarse　shirt。　And　I　laid　my　hand　upon　him　there；　perhaps　in　an　attempt　to　detect　the　warmth　of　life　or　even　a　faltering　heartbeat。　For　I　had　thought　I　saw　a　certain　fluttering　in　his　bony　chest。
　No　sooner　was　my　hand　upon　him　than　the　gyp