anner.bloodandgold-第33部分

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　　　It　was　a　matter　of　gold　and　the　Spell　Gift；　and　I　had　no　difficulty。　And　soon　we　were　onshore　and　ready　to　explore　this　mythic　place　where　God　had　directed　Constantine　to　create　the　greatest　city　in　the　world。
　　　I　cannot　say　I　was　disappointed　that　night。
　　　Our　first　extraordinary　surprise　was　that　the　merchants　of　Constantinople　were　required　to　put　up　torches　outside　their　shops　so　that　the　streets　were　beautifully　illuminated。　And　we　at　once　realized　that　there　was　a　wilderness　of　great　churches　for　us　to　explore。
　　　The　city　held　some　million　inhabitants；　and　I　sensed　at　once　an　immense　vigor　that　had　gone　out　of　Rome。
　　　I　went　immediately…leading　my　two　agreeable　panions　with　me…to　the　great　open　square　called　the　Augusteum；　and　where　I　could　gaze　on　the　facade　of　Hagia　Sophia…the　Church　of　the　Holy　Wisdom…and　upon　other　immense　and　regal　buildings　including　the　splendid　public　baths　of　Zeuxippus；　which　had　been　decorated　with　beautifully　executed　pagan　statues　taken　from　various　cities　of　the　world。
　　　I　wanted　to　go　in　all　directions　at　the　same　time。　For　here　lay　the　great　Hippodrome　in　which　by　day　thousands　witnessed　chariot　races　which　were　the　passion　of　the　populace；　and　there　the　indescribably　huge　and　plex　royal　palace　into　which　we　could　easily　have　crept　without　being　seen。
　　　A　great　street　led　westward　from　this　square；　and　constituted　the　main　thoroughfare　of　the　city；　in　that　there　were　other　squares　which　opened　off　it；　and　also　other　streets；　which　fed；　of　course；　innumerable　lanes。
　　　Mael　and　Avicus　continued　to　follow　me　politely　as　I　led　them　hither　and　thither；　and　into　the　interior　of　Hagia　Sophia　to　stand　between　its　magnificent　walls　and　beneath　its　immense　dome。
　　　I　was　overe　by　the　beauty　of　the　church　with　its　myriad　arches　and　the　high　ornate　and　detailed　mosaics　of　Justinian　and　Theodora　which　were　unbelievably　splendid　and　glittering　in　the　light　of　countless　lamps。
　　　In　the　nights　to　e；　there　would　be　no　end　of　splendid　adventures。
　　　　My　rades　might　tire　of　this；　but　I　would　not。　I　would　penetrate　
　　　　　the　Imperial　Court　very　soon；　using　my　swiftness　and　cleverness　to　go　about　the　palace。　And　for　better　or　for　worse　I　was　in　a　city　that　was　thriving　where　I　would　know　the　fort　of　the　proximity　of　many　many　human　souls。
　　　In　the　weeks　that　followed　we　purchased　for　ourselves　a　splendid　house；　quite　well　fortified；　its　garden　entirely　enclosed；　and　made　for　ourselves　a　secret　and　safe　crypt　beneath　the　mosaic　floor。
　　　As　for　the　Divine　Parents；　I　was　adamant　that　they　must　be　hidden　some　distance　from　the　city。　I　had　already　heard　plenty　about　the　riots　in　Constantinople　and　I　wanted　the　chapel　to　be　safe。
　　　However　I　could　find　no　old　vaults　or　tombs　in　the　countryside　like　the　old　Etruscan　tomb　I　had　used　outside　of　Rome。　And　finally　I　had　no　choice　but　to　have　a　sanctuary　built　beneath　our　house　by　a　gang　of　slaves。
　　　This　unnerved　me。　In　Antioch　and　in　Rome；　I　had　created　the　chapels。　Now　I　must　rely　upon　others。　At　last　I　pursued　an　intricate　plan。
　　　I　designed　a　series　of　overlapping　passages　leading　deep　down　to　a　large　chamber　which　would　require　anyone　going　there　to　turn　first　right；　then　left；　then　right；　then　left　again　with　exceedingly　debilitating　affect。　Then　I　set　pairs　of　heavy　bronze　doors　at　certain　intervals；　each　pair　having　a　heavy　bolt。
　　　The　thick　stone　blocking　the　entrance　to　this　winding　and　doubling　passage　was　not　only　disguised　as　part　of　the　mosaic　flooring　of　the　house；　but　was；　as　I　so　often　say　when　describing　such　things；　far　too　heavy　for　even　a　team　of　mortals　to　lift。　Even　the　iron　grips　were　so　numerous　and　intricately　designed　as　to　seem　part　of　the　
　　　ornamentation　of　the　overall　floor。
　　　Mael　and　Avicus　thought　all　this　quite　extreme；　but　said　nothing。
　　　They　approved；　however；　when　I　had　the　walls　of　the　chapel　covered　with　gold　mosaic　of　the　very　kind　I　saw　in　all　the　splendid　churches；　and　the　floor　laid　with　the　finest　marble　tile。　A　broad　and　gorgeous　throne　of　hammered　gold　was　prepared　for　the　Royal　Couple。　
　　　And　lamps　were　hung　from　the　ceiling　on　chains。
　　　How　was　all　this　work　done；　you　might　ask；　without　promising　the　secret　of　the　underground　chamber？　Did　I　murder　all　those　who　had　participated　in　the　creation　of　this　chapel？
　　　No。　It　was　by　use　of　the　Spell　Gift　to　confuse　those　brought　to　their　labor；　and　by　the　use　at　times　of　simple　blindfolds　of　which　the　slaves　and　even　the　artists　could　not　plain。　Gilded　words　as　to　〃lovers　and　brides〃　smoothed　over　any　mortal　objections。　And　money　did　the　rest。
　　　At　last　came　the　night　when　I　must　take　the　Royal　Parents　to　their　chapel。　Avicus　and　Mael　politely　confessed　that　they　thought　I　would　want　to　do　this　alone。
　　　I　had　no　objections。　Like　a　powerful　Christian　Angel　of　Death；　I　carried　first　one　sarcophagus　and　then　the　other　down　to　the　fine　chapel　and　set　them　side　by　side。
　　　I　took　the　linen　wrappings　from　Akasha　first；　holding　her　in　my　arms　as　I　knelt　on　the　floor。　Her　eyes　were　closed。　Then　quite　　suddenly；　she　opened　them；　looking　past　me；　her　expression　meaningless　and　simple　as　before。
　　　I　think　I　felt　a　curious　deadening　disappointment。　But　I　whispered　prayers　to　her　to　conceal　it；　as　I　cleaned　away　the　linen　and　lifted　her；　and　carried　her；　my　silent　bride；　and　seated　her　on　the　throne。　There　she　rested；　her　clothes　rumpled　and　inplete；　blind　as　ever；　as　I　took　the　wrappings　from　Enkil。
　　　There　came　the　same　strange　moment　when　his　eyes　opened　as　well。
　　　I　dared　say　nothing　aloud　to　him。　I　lifted　him；　found　him　more　pliant；
　　　　　and　even　almost　light；　and　placed　him　on　the　throne　beside　his　queen。
　　　Several　nights　passed　before　I　could　plete　their　raiment；　but　it　must　look　perfect　to　the　memories　I　still　had　of　fine　Egyptian　garments；
　　　　　and　then　I　sought　to　locate　for　them　new　and　interesting　jewels。　Constantinople　was　full　of　such　luxuries；　and　the　craftsmen　who　dealt　in　them。　All　of　this　I　did　alone　and　with　no　difficulty；　praying　all　the　while　in　the　most　respectful　tone。
　　　Finally　the　chapel　was　even　more　beautiful　than　the　first　one　which　I　had　made　in　Antioch；　and　far　more　lovely　than　that　which　had　existed　outside　of　Rome。　I　put　in　place　the　usual　braziers　in　which　I　would　burn　incense；　and　I　filled　the　many　hanging　lamps　with　sweet…smelling　oil。
　　　Only　when　all　this　was　done　did　I　go　back　to　the　matter　of　the　new　city；　and　how　things　were　to　be　in　it；　and　whether　or　not　Akasha　and　Enkil　were　truly　safe。
　　　
　　　I　was　very　uneasy。　I　didn't　even　know　the　city　yet；　I　realized。　I　was　preoccupied。　I　wanted　to　continue　visiting　the　churches　and　feasting　off　the　beauty　of　the　city；　but　I　did　not　know　whether　or　not　we　were　the　only　vampires　here。
　　　It　seemed　extremely　doubtful　to　me。　After　all；　there　were　other　blood　drinkers　in　existence。　Why　wouldn't　they　e　to　the　most　beautiful　city　in　the　world？
　　　As　for　the　Greek　quality　of　Constantinople；　I　didn't　like　it。　I　am　rather　ashamed　to　say　it；　but　it　was　true。
　　　I　didn't　like　that　the　populace　spoke　Greek　instead　of　Latin；　though　I　myself　could　speak　Greek　very　well；　of　course。　And　I　didn't　like　all　the　Christian　monasteries　in　which　there　seemed　a　deep　mysticism　that　was　more　Oriental　than　Western。
　　　The　art　I　found　everywhere　was　impressive；　yes；　but　it　was　losing　all　ties　to　the　classical　art　of　Greece　and　Rome。
　　　New　statues　presented　men　as　stocky　and　crude　with　very　round　heads。　Eyes　were　bulbous；　faces　without　expression。　And　the　Ikons　or　Holy　Pictures　which　had　bee　so　mon　were　highly　stylized；　with　scowling　faces。
　　　Even　the　splendid　mosaics　of　Justinian　and　Theodora…the　figures　in　their　long　robes　floating　against　the　walls　of　the　church…were　rigid　and　dreamlike　rather　than　classical；　or　beautiful　according　to　standards　that　I　had　not　learnt。
　　　This　was　a　magnificent　place　but　it　was　not　my　place。
　　　For　me；　there　was　something　inherently　repulsive　in　the　gigantic　royal　palace　with　its　eunuchs　and　its　slaves。　When　I　crept　into　it　and　roamed　about；　visiting　its　throne　rooms；　audience　halls；　gorgeous　chapels；　immense　dining　room；　and　many　bedchambers；　I　saw　the　licentiousness　of　Persia；　and　though　I　couldn't　blame　anyone　for　it；　I　felt　ill　at　ease。
　　　And　the　population；　though　it　was　huge　and　vital；　could　brawl　in　the　streets　over　the　oute　of　the　chariot　races　in　the　Hippodrome；　or　riot　in　the　very　churches；　killing　one　another；　over　matters　of　religion
　　　　　as　well。　In　fact；　the　endless　religious　quarrels　bordered　on　sheer　madness。　And　doctrinal　differences　kept　the　entire　Empire　in　upheaval　most　of　the　time。
　　　As　for　the　problems　of　the　Empire's　borders　they　were　as　continuous
　　　　as　they　had　been　in　the　time　of　the　Caesars。　The　Persians　perpetually
　　　　　threatened　the　East　and　there　was　simply　no　end　to　the　barbarians　who　poured　down　into　the　Empire　from　the　West。
　　　　
　　　Having　long　identified　my　own　soul　with　the　salvation　of　the　Empire；　I　felt　no　consolation　in　this　city。　I　felt　suspicion　and　profound　distaste。
　　　I　did　however　often　roam　into　Santa　Sophia　to　marvel　at　the　enormous　
　　　dome　which　seemed　to　float　above　with　no　means　of　support。　Something　ineffable　had　been　captured