bl.necroscope2-第58部分

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h　us　all　the　way；　with　exorcisms　ringing　until　I　thought　I　would　be　sick。　I　was　dressed　in　the　plain　black　habit　of　a　monk；　with　the　hood　thrown　up。　None　had　seen　my　face　except　Mircea　and　a　handful　of　officials　at　the　palace；　all　of　whom　I　had　beguiled；　or　hypnotised　as　you　now　have　it；　to　a　degree。
　There　in　the　hills　a　rude　mausoleum　was　hastily　constructed　of　local　stone；　it　bore　no　name　or　title；　no　special　marks；　standing　low　to　the　ground　and　ominous　in　a　gloomy　glade；　as　you　have　seen　it；　it　would　in　itself　suffice　to　keep　away　the　merely　curious。　Years　later　someone　cut　Thibor's　emblem　into　the　stone…as　an　additional　warning；　perhaps。　Or　it　could　be　that　some　Szgany　or　Szekely　follower　found　him　and　marked　the　place；　but　feared　to　bring　him　up　or　lacked　the　wit。
　I　have　gone　ahead　of　myself。
　We　took　him　there；　to　the　foothills　of　the　Carpatii；　and　there　he　was　lowered　into　his　hole　four　or　five　feet　deep　in　the　dark　earth。　Wrapped　in　massy　chains　of　silver　and　iron；　he　was；　and　the　stake　still　in　him　and　nailing　him　secure　in　his　box。　He　lay　pale　as　death；　his　eyes　closed；　for　all　the　world　a　corpse。　But　I　knew　that　he　was　not。
　Night　was　falling。　I　told　the　soldiers　and　priests　that　I　would　climb　down　and　behead　Thibor；　and　set　a　fire　of　branches　in　his　grave　to　burn　him；　and　when　the　fire　was　dead　fill　in　the　hole。　It　was　dangerous；　witchcrafty　work；　I　said；　which　could　only　be　done　by　the　light　of　the　moon。　They　should　now　retreat；　if　they　valued　their　souls。　They　went；　stood　off；　and　waited　for　me　on　the　plain。
　The　moon；　thin…horned；　rose　up。　I　looked　down　on　Thibor　and　spoke　to　him　in　the　manner　of　the　Wamphyri。　〃Ah；　my　son；　and　so　it　is　e　to　this。　Sad；　sad　day　for　a　fond　father；　who　bestowed　upon　an　ingrate　son　mighty　powers　to　be　wasted。　A　son　who　would　not　honour　his　father's　ordinances；　and　is　therefore　fallen　in　the　world。　Wake　up；　Thibor；　and　let　that　also　which　is　in　you　waken；　for　I　know　that　you　are　not　dead。〃
　His　eyes　opened　a　crack　as　my　words　sank　in；　then　gaped　wide　in　sudden　understanding。　I　threw　back　my　cowl　so　that　he　might　see　me；　and　smiled　in　a　manner　he　must　surely　remember。　He　marked　me　and　gave　a　great　start。　Then　he　marked　his　whereabouts…and　screamed！　Ah；　how　he　screamed！
　I　threw　earth　down　upon　him。
　〃Mercy！〃　he　cried　out　loud。
　〃Mercy？　But　are　you　not　Thibor　the　Wallach；　given　the　name　Ferenczy　and　manded　to　tend　in　his　absence　the　lands　of　Faethor　of　the　Wamphyri？　And　if　you　are；　what　do　you　here；　so　far　from　your　place　of　duty？〃
　〃Mercy！　Mercy！　Leave　me　my　head；　Faethor。〃
　〃I　intend　to！〃　I　tossed　in　more　dirt。
　He　saw　my　meaning；　my　intention；　and　went　mad；　shaking　and　vibrating　and　generally　threatening　to　tear　himself　loose　from　his　stake。　I　put　down　a　long；　stout　pole　into　the　grave　and　tapped　home　the　stake　more　firmly；　driving　it　through　the　bottom　of　the　coffin　itself。　As　for　the　coffin's　lid；　I　merely　let　it　stand　there　on　its　side　in　the　bottom　of　the　hole。　What？　Cover　him　up　and　lose　sight　of　that　frantic；　fear…filled　face？　〃But　I　am　Wamphyri！〃　he　screamed。
　〃You　could　have　been；〃　I　told　him。　〃Ah；　you　could　have　been！　Now　you　are　nothing。〃
　〃Old　bastard！　How　I　hate　you！〃　he　raved；　blood　in　his　eyes；　his　nostrils；　the　writhing　gape　of　his　mouth。
　〃Mutual；　my　son。〃
　〃You　are　afraid。　You　fear　me。　That　is　the　reason！〃
　〃Reason？　You　desire　to　know　the　reason？　How　fares　my　castle　in　the　Khorvaty？　What　of　my　mountains；　my　dark　forests；　my　lands？　I　will　tell　you：　the　Khans　have　held　them　for　more　than　a　century。　And　where　were　you；　Thibor？〃
　〃It's　true！〃　he　screamed；　through　the　earth　I　threw　in　his　face。　〃You　do　fear　me！〃
　〃If　that　were　true；　then　I　should　most　certainly　behead　you；〃　I　smiled。　〃No；　I　merely　hate　you　above　all　others。　Do　you　remember　how　you　burned　me？　I　cursed　you　for　a　hundred　years；　Thibor。　Now　it　is　your　turn　to　curse　mefor　the　rest　of　time。　Or　until　you　stiffen　into　a　stone　in　the　dark　earth。〃
　And　without　further　ado　I　filled　in　his　grave。
　When　he　could　no　longer　scream　with　his　mouth　he　screamed　with　his　mind。　I　relished　each　and　every　yelp。　Then　I　built　a　small　fire　to　fool　the　soldiers　and　the　priests；　and　warmed　myself　before　it　for　an　hour；　for　the　night　was　chill。　And　eventually　I　went　down　to　the　plain。
　〃Farewell；　my　son；〃　I　told　Thibor。　And　then　I　shut　him　out　of　my　mind；　as　I　had　shut　him　out　of　the　world；　forever。
　
　〃And　so　you　took　your　revenge　on　Thibor；〃　said　Harry　when　Faethor　paused。　〃You　buried　him　alive…or　undead…forever。　Well；　that　might　have　suited　your　cruel　purpose；　Faethor　Ferenczy；　but　you　certainly　weren't　doing　the　world　at　large　any　favours　by　letting　him　keep　his　head。　He　corrupted　Dragosani　and　planted　his　vampire　seed　in　him；　and　between　times　infected　the　unborn　Yulian　Bodescu；　who　is　now　a　vampire　in　his　own　right。　Did　you　know　these　things？
　Harry；　said　Faethor；　in　my　life　I　was　a　master　of　telepathy；　and　in　death。。。？　Oh；　the　dead　won't　talk　to　me；　and　I　can't　blame　them…but　there　is　nothing　to　keep　me　from　listening　in　on　their　conversations。　In　a　way；　it　could　even　be　argued　that　I'm　a　Necroscope；　like　you。　Oh；　I've　read　the　thoughts　of　many。　And　there　have　been　certain　thoughts　which　interested　me　greatly…especially　those　of　that　dog　Thibor。　Yes；　since　my　death；　I　have　renewed　my　interest　in　his　affairs。　I　know　about　Boris　Dragosani　and　Yulian　Bodescu。
　〃Dragosani　is　dead；〃　Harry　told　him；　albeit　unnecessarily；　〃but　I've　spoken　to　him　and　he　tells　me　Thibor　will　try　to　e　back；　through　Bodescu。　Now；　how　can　this　be？　I　mean；　Thibor　is　dead…no　longer　merely　undead　but　utterly　dead；　dissolved；　finished。〃
　Something　of　him　remains　even　now。
　〃Vampire　matter；　you　mean？　Mindless　protoplasm　hiding　in　the　earth；　shunning　the　light；　devoid　of　conscious　will？　How　may　Thibor　use　that　when　he　no　longer　mands　it？〃
　An　interesting　question；　Faethor　answered。　Thibor's　root。…his　creeper　of　flesh；　a　stray　pseudopod　detached　and　left　behind…would　seem　to　be　the　exact　opposite　of　you　and　me。　We　are　incorporeal：　living　minds　without　material　bodies。　And　it　is。。。　what？　A　living　body　without　a　mind？
　〃I've　no　time　for　riddles　and　word　games；　Faethor；〃　Harry　reminded　him。
　I　was　not　playing　games　but　answering　your　question；　said　Faethor。　In　part；　anyway。　You　are　an　intelligent　man。　Can　〃（you　work　it　out　for　yourself？
　That　got　Harry　thinking。　About　opposite　poles。　Was　that　what　Faethor　meant：　that　Thibor　would　make　a　new　home　for　himself　in　a　posite　being？　A　thing　formed　of　Yulian's　physical　shape　and　Thibor's　vampire　spirit？　While　he　worried　at　the　problem；　Faethor　was　not　excluded　from　Harry's　thoughts。
　Bravo！　said　the　vampire。
　〃Your　confidence　is　misplaced；〃　Harry　told　him。　〃I　still　don't　have　the　answer。　Or　if　I　do　then　I　don't　understand　it。　I　can't　see　how　Thibor's　mentality　can　govern　Yulian's　body。　Not　while　it's　controlled　by　Yulian's　own　mind；　anyway。〃
　Bravo！　said　Faethor　again；　but　Harry　remained　in　the　dark。
　〃Explain；〃　said　the　Necroscope；　admitting　defeat。
　If　Thibor　can　lure　Yulian　Bodescu　to　the　cruciform　hills；　said　Faethor；　and　there　cause　his　surviving　creeper…the　protoflesh　he　shed；　perhaps　for　this　very　purpose…to　join　with　Bodescu。
　〃He　can　form　a　hybrid？〃
　Why　not？　Bodescu　already　has　something　of　Thibor　in　him。　He　already　is　influenced　by　him。　The　only　obstacle；　as　you　point　out；　will　be　the　youth's　mind。　Answer：
　Thibor's　vampire　tissue；　once　it　is　in　him；　will　simply　eat　Yulian's　mind　away；　to　make　room　for　Thibor's！
　〃Eat　it　away？〃　Harry　felt　a　dizzy　nausea。　Literally！
　〃But。。。　a　body　without　a　mind　must　quickly　die。〃　A　human　body；　yes；　if　it　is　not　kept　alive　artificially。　But　Bodescu's　body　is　no　longer　human。　Surely　that　is　the　essence　of　your　problem？　He　is　a　vampire。　And　in　any　case；　Thibor's　transition　would　take　the　merest　moment　of　time。　Yulian　Bodescu　would　go　up　into　the　cruciform　hills；　and　he　would　appear　to　e　down　again　from　them。　But　in　fact　…〃It　would　be　Thibor！〃
　Bravo！　said　Faethor　a　third　time；　however　caustically。
　〃Thank　you；〃　said　Harry；　ignoring　the　other's　sarcasm；　〃for　now　I　know　that　I'm　on　the　right　track；　and　that　the　course　of　action　chosen　by　certain　friends　of　mine　is　the　right　one。　Which　leaves　only　one　last　question　unanswered。〃
　Oh？　Black　humour　had　returned　to　Faethor's　voice；　a　certain　sly　note　of　innuendo。　Let　me　see　if　I　can　guess　it。　You　desire　to　know　if　I；　Faethor　Ferenczy…like　Thibor　the　Wallach…have　left　anything　of　myself　behind　to　fester　in　the　dark　earth。　Am　I　right？
　〃You　know　you　are；〃　said　Harry。　〃For　all　I　know　it's　a　precaution　all　the　Wamphyri　take…against　the　chance　that　death　will　find　them　out。〃
　Harry；　you　have　been　straightforward　with　me；　and　I　like　you　for　it。　Now　I　too　shall　be　forthright。　No；　this　thing　is　of　Thibor's　invention。　However；　I　would　add　that　I　wish　I　had　thought　of　it　first！　As　for　my　〃vampire　remains'：　yes；　I　believe　there　is　such　a　revenant。　if　not　several。　Except　〃revenant〃　is　perhaps　the　wrong　word；　for　we　both　know　there　will　be　no　return。
　〃And　it…they；　whatever…is　in　your　castle　in　the　Khorvaty；　which　Thibor　razed？〃
　A　simple　enough　deduction。
　〃But　have　you　no　desire　to　use　such　remains；　like　Thibor；　to　raise　yourself　up　again？〃
　You　are　na？ve；