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d； you foolish； mad； self…important dreamer！〃
Avicus stood before me； imploring me with his upraised hands； his face so sad。
I wouldn't be stopped。 I stepped aside and faced the furious Mael。
〃Imagine the one who would put them both in die sun again；〃 I declared； 〃bringing fire on us like the fire which Avicus suffered before！ Would you end your life's journey in such agony and by another's hands？〃
〃Please； Marius；〃 said Avicus。 〃Let me take him away with me。 We will go now。 I promise you； no more trouble from us。〃
I turned my back on them。 I could hear Alael leaving； but Avicus lingered。 And suddenly I felt his arm enclose me and his lips on my cheek。
〃Go；〃 I said softly； 〃before your impetuous friend tries to stab me in base jealousy。〃
the garden； arid so the house seemed mad with all its lamps and the master filling walls with his illusions； and the guests laughing at him and raising their cups to him； and the music strumming on unto the dawn。
At first I thought it would be a distraction to have Avicus spying upon me； but I grew used to hearing him slip over the wall and e into the garden。 I grew used to the nearness of someone who shared these moments as only he could。
I continued to paint my goddesses…Venus； Ariadne； Hera…and gradually I grew resigned that the figment of Pandora would dominate everything I did in that particular； but I worked on the gods as well。 Apollo； above all； fascinated me。 But then I had time to paint other figures of myth； such as Theseus； Aeneas； and Hercules； and sometimes I turned to reading Ovid or Homer or Lucretius directly for inspiration。 Other times； I made up my own themes。
But always the painted gardens were my fort for I felt I was living in them in my heart。
Over and over again I covered all the rooms of my house； and as it was built as a villa； not an enclosed house with an atrium； Avicus could wander the garden all around it； seeing all that I did； and I couldn't help but wonder if my work was changed by what he saw。
What moved me more than anything perhaps was that he lingered so faithfully。 And that he was silent with so much respect。 Seldom did a week pass that he did not e and stay almost the entire night。 Often he was there for four or five nights in a row。 And sometimes even longer than that。
Of course we never spoke to each other。 There was an elegance in our silence。 And though my slaves once took notice of him and annoyed me with their alarm； I soon put a stop to that。
On the nights when I went out to Those Who Must Be Kept Avicus didn't follow me。 And I must confess that I did feel a sort of freedom when I painted alone in the shrine。 But melancholy was also ing down upon rne； harder than ever in the past。
Finding a spot behind the dais and the Precious Pair； I often sat dejected in the corner； and then slept the day and even the next night without going out。 My mind was empty。 Consolation was unimaginable。 Thoughts of the Empire and what might happen to it were unspeakable。
And then； I would remember Avicus； and I would rise； shaking off my languor and go back into the city and begin painting the walls of my rooms again。
How many years passed in this way； I can't calculate。
It is far more important to note that a band of Satanic blood drinkers again took up their abode in an abandoned catab and began to feast upon the innocent which was their custom； being desperately careless so as to scare humans and to cause tales of terror to spread。
I had hoped that Mael and Avicus would destroy this band； as they were all very weak； and blundering； and it wouldn't have been hard at all。
But Avicus came to me with the truth of the matter which I should have seen long before。
〃Always these Satan worshipers are young；〃 he said to me； 〃and never is there one who is more than thirty or forty years from his mortal life。 Always from the East they e； speaking of how the Devil is their Ruler and how through serving him； they serve Christ。〃
〃I know the old story；〃 I said。 I was going about my painting； as if Avicus was not standing there； not out of rudeness； but out of
weariness with the Satan worshipers； who had cost me Pandora so long ago。
〃But you see； Marius； someone very old must surely be sending these deadly little emissaries to us； and it is this old one whom we must destroy。〃
''And how will you do that？〃 I asked。
〃We mean to lure him to Rome；〃 said Avicus； 〃and we've e to ask you to join us。 e down into the catabs with us tonight and tell these young ones that you are a friend。〃
〃Ah； no； you are rnad to suggest this！〃 I said。 〃Don't you realize they know about the Mother and the Father？ Don't you remember all I've told you？〃
〃We mean to destroy them to a one；〃 said Mael who stood behind me。 〃But to make a fine finish we must lure the old one here before the destruction。〃
〃e； Marius；〃 said Avicus； 〃we need you and your eloquence。 Convince them that you are sympathetic。 That they must bring their leader here； and then and only then will you allow them to remain。 Mael and I cannot so impress them as you can。 This is no vain flattery； be assured。〃
For a long time I stood with my paintbrush in hand； staring； thinking；
Should I do this； and then finally； I confessed that I could not。 〃Don't ask it of me；〃 I said to Avicus。 〃Lure the being yourselves。
And when he es here； let me know of it； and then I promise I will e。〃
The following night； Avicus returned to me。
〃They are such children； these Satanic creatures；〃 he said； 〃they spoke of their leader so willingly； admitting that he resides in a desert place in the North of Egypt。 He was burnt in the Terrible Fire； no doubt of it； and has taught them all about the Great Mother。 It will be sad to destroy them； but they rampage about the city； seeking the sweetest mortals for their victims； and it cannot be borne。〃
〃I know；〃 I said quietly。 I felt ashamed that I had always allowed Mael and Avicus to drive these creatures from Rome on their own。 〃But have you managed to lure the leader out of his hiding place？ How could such a thing be done？〃
〃We have given them abundant riches；〃 said Avicus； 〃so that they may bring their leader here。 We have promised him our strong blood in return for his ing； and that he sorely needs to make more priests and priestesses of his Satanic cause。〃
〃Ah； your strong blood； of course；〃 I said。 〃Why did I not think of it？ I think of it in regard to the Mother and Father； but I did not think of it in relation to us。〃
〃I cannot claim to have thought of it myself；〃 said Avicus。 〃It was one of the Satanic children who suggested it for the leader is so weak that he can never rise from his bed； and survives only to receive victims and to make followers。 Of course Mael and I immediately promised。 For what are we to these children with our hundreds of years？ 〃
I heard nothing further of the matter for the next several months； except I knew through the Mind Gift that Avicus had slain several of die Satan worshipers for their public crimes which he considered to be so dangerous； and on one mild summer night； when I stood in my garden looking down over the city； I heard Mael rather distantly arguing with Avicus as to whether they should slay all the rest。
At last the band was slain； and the catab was empty； and drenched in blood； and Mael and Avicus appeared at my house and begged me to e to it for those returning from Egypt were expected within the hour and we must strike fast。
I left my warm happy room； carrying my finest weapons； and went with them as I had promised。
The catab was so small and tight； I could scarce stand up in it。 And I knew it at once to be the burial place of mortal Christians and a place where they had sometimes gathered in the very first years of the sect。
We traveled through it some eighty or ninety feet before we came into an underground place； and there found the old Egyptian blood drinker on his bier； glaring at us； his youthful attendants horrified to find their abode empty and full of ashes of their dead。
The old creature had suffered much。 Bald； and thin； bla