按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
eces of wood were inside。 〃I'll hunt with you tomorrow night and you can treat me as though I am a child as you love to do。〃
Marius kept his friendly grip on Thorne's arm。 He led him out of the room and closed the door。
〃When he wanders by himself；〃 said Marius； 〃he gets into trouble。 He gets lost； or thirsty beyond the point where he can hunt on his own。 I have to search for him。 He was that way as a man before he was ever made a blood drinker。 The blood didn't change him except for a little while。 And now he's enslaved to these tiny worlds he creates。 All he requires is space for them； and the packages of buildings and trees and such which he purchases through the puter。〃
Ah； you have those strange engines of the mind；〃 said Thorne。 Yes； under this roof there are very fine puters。 I have all I need；〃 said Marius。 〃But you're tired。 Your clothes are old。 You need refreshment。 We'll talk of all this later。〃
He led Thorne up a short echoing wooden staircase and into a large bedchamber。 All the wood of the walls and the doors was painted here in colors of green and yellow； and the bed itself was fitted into a great carved cabinet with only one side open。 It struck him as a safe and curious place without a surface untouched by human hands。 Even the wooden floor was polished。
Through a broad door they entered an immense bath which was paneled in roughened wood with a floor of stone； and many candles for its illumination。 The color of the wood was beautiful in the subtle light and Thorne felt himself being dizzy。
But it was the bath itself which amazed him。 There before another glass wall stood a huge wooden tub of steaming hot water。 Made like a great cask； the tub was easily big enough for several to bathe together。 On a small stool beside the tub there stood a stack of what appeared to be towels。 On other stools there stood bowls of dried flowers and herbs which Thorne could smell with his acute blood drinker senses。 There were also bottles of oil and jars of what might have been ointments。
That Thorne might wash himself in this seemed to him a miracle。
〃Take off the soiled clothes；〃 said Marius。 〃Let me discard them。 What else do you have that you would save other than your necklace？〃
〃Nothing；〃 said Thorne。 〃How can I ever repay you for this？〃
〃But you already have；〃 said Marius。 He himself removed his leather coat； and then pulled off his wool tunic。 His naked chest was without hair。 He was pale as all old blood drinkers are pale。 And his body was strong and naturally beautiful。 He'd been taken in the prime of his life； that was plain。 But his true age； either in mortal life long ago； or in blood drinker time now？ Thorne could not guess it。
Marius took off his leather boots and his long wool pants； and not waiting for Thorne…only making a gesture that Thorne should follow…he stepped into the huge tub of hot water。
Thorne ripped at his fur…lined jacket。 He tore it in his haste。 His fingers trembled as he stripped away the pants that were almost ragged。 In a moment he was as naked as the other； and in awkward haste he gathered the ruin of his clothes in a small bundle。 He looked about。
〃Don't worry about such things；〃 said Marius。 The steam was rising all around him。 〃e into the tub with me。 Be warm for now。〃 Thorne followed； first stepping into the tub and then sinking down in the hot water on his knees。 He finally seated himself so that the water came to his neck。 The shock of the heat was overwhelming and utterly blessed。 He uttered a little prayer of thanks； something old and small which he had learnt as a child to say when something purely good happens。
Marius put his hand into the bowl of dried flowers and herbs； and gathering up quite a bit of this mixture he let it loose into the hot water。
It was a deep good perfume of the outdoors in summer。
Thorne closed his eyes。 That he had risen； that he had e this far； that he had found this pure and luxurious bath seemed almost impossible to him。 He would wake soon； a victim of the Mind Gift； back in his hopeless cave； prisoner of his own exile； only dreaming of others。
Slowly he bowed his head and lifted a double handful of the cleansing hot water to his face。 He lifted more and more of the water； and then finally as if it required courage； he dipped his head into the tub pletely。
When he rose again he was warm as if he'd never been cold； and the sight of the lights beyond the glass amazed him。 Even through the steam； he could see the snow falling beyond； and he was deliciously conscious that he was so near and yet so far from it。
Suddenly he wished that he had not risen for such a dark purpose。 Why could he not serve only what was good？ Why could he not live for what was pleasurable？ But that had never been his way。
No matter； it was important to keep that secret to himself for now。 Why trouble his friend with dark thoughts？ Why trouble himself with guilty confessions？
He looked at his panion。
Marius sat back against the side of the wooden tub with his arms out resting upon the edge。 His hair was wet and clinging to his neck and shoulders。 He didn't stare at Thorne； but he was obviously conscious of him。
Thorne dipped his head again； he moved forward and lay down in the water； rising suddenly and turning over； letting the water run off him。 He gave a little laugh of delight。 He ran his fingers through the hair on his own chest。 He dipped his head back until；the water lapped at his face。 He rolled over again and again to wash his full head of hair before he rose and sat back contented。
He took the same posture as Marius and the two looked at each other。
〃And you live this way；〃 said Thorne； 〃in the very midst of mortals； and you are safe from them？ 〃
〃They don't believe in us now；〃 said Marius。 〃No matter what they see they don't believe。 And wealth buys anything。〃 His blue eyes seemed earnest and his face was calm as if he had no evil secrets inside； as though he had no hatred for anyone。 But he did。
〃Mortals clean this house；〃 said Marius。 〃Mortals take the money I give them for all that's needed here。 Do you understand enough of the modern world to grasp how such a place is heated and cooled and kept safe from intruders？〃
〃I understand；〃 said Thorne。 〃But we're never safe as we dream； are we？ 〃
A bitter smile came over Marius's face。 〃I have never been harmed by mortals；〃 he said。
〃You speak of the Evil Queen and all those she's slain； don't you？〃
〃Yes； I speak of that and other horrors；〃 Marius answered。
Slowly without words Marius used the Mind Gift to let Thorne know that he himself hunted only the Evil Doer。
〃That is my peace with the world；〃 he said。 〃That is how I manage to go on。 I use the Mind Gift to hunt those mortals who kill。 In the big cities I can always find them。〃
〃And mine is the Little Drink；〃 said Thorne。 〃Be assured。 I need no greedy feast。 I take from many so that no one dies。 For centuries I've lived this way among the Snow People。 When I was first made I hadn't the skill。 I would drink too fast and too recklessly。 But then I learned。 No one soul belongs to me。 And I could go like the bee goes from flower to flower。 It was my habit to enter into taverns where many are close together； and to take from one after another。〃
Marius nodded。 〃That's a good style；〃 he said with a little smile。 〃For a child of Thor； you're merciful。〃 His smile broadened。 〃That's merciful indeed。〃
〃Do you despise my god？〃 asked Thorne politely。
〃I don't think that I do；〃 said Marius。 〃I told you that I lost the gods of Rome； but in truth I never had them。 I was too cold of temperament to have gods。 And not having had any true gods of my own； I speak of all gods as if they were poetry。 The poetry of Thor was a poetry of war； was it not； a poetry of battles without cease； and of noise in Heaven？〃
This delighted Thorne。 He couldn't conceal his pleasure。 The Mind Gift never brought this kind of keen munication with another； and the words that Marius spoke were not only impressing him； they were confusing him slightly； which was wonderful。
〃Yes； that was Thor's poetry；〃 he said； 〃but nothing was as clear and certain as the sound of the thunder in the mountains when he wielded his hammer。 And alone at night when I went out of my father's house into the rain and wind； when I climbed the wet mountain fearlessly to hear that thunder； I knew the god was there； and I was far from poetry。〃 He stopped。 He saw his homeland in his mind。 He saw his youth。 〃There were other gods I heard；〃 he said quietly。 He didn't look at Marius。 〃It was Odin leading the Wild Hunt through the skies that made the loudest noise； and I saw and heard those spirits pass。 I never forgot them。〃
〃Can you see them now？〃 asked Marius。 It was not a challenge。 He spoke only with curiosity。 Indeed it had a bit of respect in it。 〃I hope you can；〃 he hastened to add as if there might be some doubt as to the interpretation。
〃I don't know；〃 said Thorne。 〃It was so long ago。 I never thought that I might recover those things。〃
But they were keen in his mind now。 Though he sat in this warm bath； his blood