The first time he had seen Deleph, the inmate had been sitting on his thin bed, looking through the rusted bars of the window. Deleph was gaunt, and his hair hung to his shoulders, greasy and unkempt. As the door had closed behind the departing warden, the visitor had asked,
“Why do they keep your arms bound?”
Deleph had licked his lips. “Sometimes I try to claw my eyes out.” His voice was rough, unused to conversation.
“So they tell me,” the doctor said. There was a rustling sound as he withdrew a scroll from his robes. “They also tell me that you claim to see the future, is that correct?”
Deleph turned away, his eyes narrowing. “I don’t claim. I just do. It comes for me, in images and whispers. Whether I want it to or not. I barely sleep. But they don’t listen.” He grimaced, “No one ever listens.”
“That’s why I’m here,” the doctor said, pulling a quill from his sleeve, “to listen. Tell me what you see.”
“The others all said things like that, too,” Deleph spat.
“My dear Deleph,” Severin said with a pointed smile. “I think you’ll find that I’m quite unlike the others you’ve known.” He pressed the barbed tip of his quill into his scarred palm, drawing forth a thick bead of dark blood. Severin smoothed open the scroll. “Now. We shall begin.”
他第一次遇见德尔菲的时候,这个病人正坐在他的床上,看着窗子生锈的护栏.他(德尔菲)看上去很憔悴,他的蓬乱油腻的头发披在肩膀上.在守卫关上门离开后,这位访客开始问道:
"为什么他们要把你的手绑起来"
德尔菲舔了舔他的嘴唇."有时我会尝试把我的眼睛挖出来."他不太习惯于交谈,声音起伏不断.
"所以他们告诉我,"这位医生抽出长袍中的卷轴,摩擦出沙沙的声音."他们还告诉我说你自称可以看到未来,是吗?"
德尔菲转过身,双眼渐渐变得无神."我不是自称,而是真的可以看到未来.无论我愿不愿意,这些画面和低语都会出现在我身边.我已经无法入睡.但他们仍然不相信我."他露出痛苦的表情"甚至都不愿意听我说."
"这就是我过来的原因,"医生从衣袖中拿出一只羽毛笔,"我会听你说的,所以现在,告诉我你看见了什么."
"其他人也是这么说的."德尔菲不屑一顾.
"我亲爱的德尔菲,"塞弗林意味深长的笑了."我相信你马上就会明白,我和你之前看到的人们完全不同."他狠狠地将羽毛笔尖刺进他伤痕累累的手心,从伤口处涌出暗红色的血滴.塞弗林摊开卷轴."现在,让我们开始吧"
“Why do they keep your arms bound?”
Deleph had licked his lips. “Sometimes I try to claw my eyes out.” His voice was rough, unused to conversation.
“So they tell me,” the doctor said. There was a rustling sound as he withdrew a scroll from his robes. “They also tell me that you claim to see the future, is that correct?”
Deleph turned away, his eyes narrowing. “I don’t claim. I just do. It comes for me, in images and whispers. Whether I want it to or not. I barely sleep. But they don’t listen.” He grimaced, “No one ever listens.”
“That’s why I’m here,” the doctor said, pulling a quill from his sleeve, “to listen. Tell me what you see.”
“The others all said things like that, too,” Deleph spat.
“My dear Deleph,” Severin said with a pointed smile. “I think you’ll find that I’m quite unlike the others you’ve known.” He pressed the barbed tip of his quill into his scarred palm, drawing forth a thick bead of dark blood. Severin smoothed open the scroll. “Now. We shall begin.”
他第一次遇见德尔菲的时候,这个病人正坐在他的床上,看着窗子生锈的护栏.他(德尔菲)看上去很憔悴,他的蓬乱油腻的头发披在肩膀上.在守卫关上门离开后,这位访客开始问道:
"为什么他们要把你的手绑起来"
德尔菲舔了舔他的嘴唇."有时我会尝试把我的眼睛挖出来."他不太习惯于交谈,声音起伏不断.
"所以他们告诉我,"这位医生抽出长袍中的卷轴,摩擦出沙沙的声音."他们还告诉我说你自称可以看到未来,是吗?"
德尔菲转过身,双眼渐渐变得无神."我不是自称,而是真的可以看到未来.无论我愿不愿意,这些画面和低语都会出现在我身边.我已经无法入睡.但他们仍然不相信我."他露出痛苦的表情"甚至都不愿意听我说."
"这就是我过来的原因,"医生从衣袖中拿出一只羽毛笔,"我会听你说的,所以现在,告诉我你看见了什么."
"其他人也是这么说的."德尔菲不屑一顾.
"我亲爱的德尔菲,"塞弗林意味深长的笑了."我相信你马上就会明白,我和你之前看到的人们完全不同."他狠狠地将羽毛笔尖刺进他伤痕累累的手心,从伤口处涌出暗红色的血滴.塞弗林摊开卷轴."现在,让我们开始吧"