ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第131章

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　　〃I　started。　Go　ahead。〃　He　handed　her　the　envelope。
　　Jehane　took　it；　unfolded　the　paper　and　began　reading。　Alvar　walked　to　a　sideboard　and　poured　himself　a　glass　of　wine。　He　glanced　at　Marisa　who　shook　her　head；　and　at　Ammar　who　nodded。　He　poured　for　the　other　man；　his　dearest　friend　in　the　world；　and　carried　it　over；　unmixed。
　　Jehane　was　reading　aloud。　〃　。。。　turbulent　this　summer。　Fernan　and　the　king　have　taken　the　last　three　cities　of　Al…Rassan。　I　don't　know　the　details；　I　never　ask；　but　in　two　of　them　the　slaughter　was　bad；　it　seems。　I　know　this　can　bring　you　no　joy；　not　even　Alvar；　and　I　know　it　will　be　a　great　grief　for　Ammar。　Does　he　believe　I　bear　him　no　ill…will；　even　now？　Will　he　accept　that　I　have　an　understanding　of　his　sorrow；　and　that　Rodrigo　would　have　understood　it　as　well？
　　I　do　not　think　Fernan　does；　though　Diego　might。　I'm　not　sure。　I　don't　see　them　very　much　any　more；　of　course。　Diego　and　his　wife　have　had　a　boy　by　Jad's　grace；　my　first　grandson；　and　the　mother　is　well。　He　is　named　Rodrigo；　but　you　would　know　that。　Diego　has　been　honored　by　the　king　with　a　new　title；　created　for　him：　he　is　the　first　chancellor　of　united　Esperana。　The　people　are　saying　that　Fernan　will　win　our　wars　and　Diego　will　guide　us　in　peace。　I　am　proud　of　them　both；　of　course；　though　could　wish；　as　a　mother；　for　more　kindness　in　Fernan。　I　suppose　we　all　know　where　he　lost　his　gentleness；　but　I　may　be　the　only　one　who　remembers　when　he　had　it。
　　I　sound　old；　don't　I？　I　have　a　grandchild。　I　am　old。　Most　of　the　time　I　don't　think　I've　changed　so　much；　but　I　probably　have。　You　wouldn't　recognize　the　king；　by　the　way…he's　grown　enormously　fat；　like　his　father。
　　They　moved　Rodrigo's　bones　this　spring；　before　the　summer　campaign　began。　I　didn't　want　him　to　leave　the　ranch；　but　both　boys　and　the　king　thought　he　ought　to　be　honored　in　Esteren　and　I　didn't　have　the　heart　to　fight　them　all。　I　used　to　be　better　at　fighting。　I　did　insist　on　one　thing；　and　Diego　and　King　Ramiro；　to　my　surprise；　agreed。　The　words　above　him　are　from　the　ones　Ammar　sent　me　so　long　ago。
　　I　thought　I　would　be　the　only　one　who　felt　that　was　proper　but　I　wasn't。　I　went　there　for　the　ceremony。　Esteren　is　greatly　changed；　of　course…Alvar；　you　wouldn't　know　it　at　all。　Rodrigo　lies　now　in　a　bay　to　one　side　of　the　god　disk　in　the　royal　chapel。　There's　a　statue；　in　marble；　done　by　one　of　Ramiro's　new　sculptors。　It　isn't　really　Rodrigo；　of　course…the　man　never　knew　him。　They　gave　him　his　father's　eagle　helm　and　the　whip　and　a　sword。　He　looks　terribly　stern。　They　carved　Ammar's　words　at　the　base　of　the　statue。　In　Esperanan；　I'm　afraid；　but　the　king　did　the　translation　himself；　so　I　suppose　that　counts　for　something；　doesn't　it？
　　He　did　it　like　this：
Know；　all　who　see　these　lines；
That　this　man；　by　his　appetite　for　honor；
By　his　steadfastness；
By　his　love　for　his　country；
By　his　courage；
Was　one　of　the　miracles　of　the　god。
　　Jehane　stopped　reading；　struggling　visibly。　At　times　Alvar　thought　she　would　do　better　if　she　let　herself　cry。　Marisa　had　said　the　same　thing；　more　than　once。　Jehane　had　wept　when　her　father　died；　and　when　her　third　child…her　daughter…was　stillborn；　but　Alvar　couldn't　remember　any　other　times；　not　since　a　twilit　hill　by　Silvenes。
　　Even　now　she　controlled　herself；　laid　the　letter　aside　and　said；　in　a　thin　voice；　〃Perhaps　I　ought　to　finish　this　after　the　celebration？〃
　　As　if　to　reinforce　that；　a　girl's　impatient　voice　was　heard　calling　from　the　courtyard：　〃Will　you　e　on！　We're　all　waiting！〃
　　〃Let's　go；〃　Alvar　said；　allowing　himself　to　take　charge。　〃Dina's　likely　to　assault　me　if　I　make　her　wait　any　longer。〃
　　They　went　out　to　the　courtyard。　His　friends　were　there…quite　a　few　of　them。　Eliane　bet　Danel；　Jehane's　mother；　had　e　to　honor　him　and　he　saluted　her　first　of　all。　His　daughters　skittered　about　like　a　pair　of　long…legged　colts　putting　everyone　in　their　proper　places　before　they　bolted　for　the　kitchen；　giggling。
　　〃You　are　all；〃　said　Marisa；　as　soon　as　they　were　out　of　earshot；　〃on　your　oaths　not　to　mention　that　the　cakes　are　burnt。〃
　　There　was　laughter。　Alvar　looked　for　ibn　Khairan。　He　had　taken　a　chair　in　one　corner　of　the　garden　where　he　could　stretch　out　his　leg。
　　Dina　and　Razel　came　back；　more　decorously；　bearing　their　enterprise　on　silver　trays。　No　one　said　a　word　about　the　cakes。　Alvar；　who　thought　his　daughters　embodied　all　the　graces　of　both　moons；　thought　they　were　delicious　and　said　so。　Marisa　made　sure　his　wine　glass　was　always　full。
　　He　was　toasted　several　times；　made　a　few　wry　jests　in　the　speech　they　demanded：　about　being　ready　to　settle　by　the　fire　now　but　not　being　able　to　afford　to　do　so　until　his　burdens　had　been　properly　married　off。　The　girls　made　faces　at　him。
　　Ammar；　from　his　corner；　declared　that　he　and　Eliane　were　in　no　way　ready　to　surrender　their　places　by　the　fire。　Alvar　would　have　to　wait　his　turn。
　　The　afternoon　passed。　When　his　friends　rose　to　go；　Alvar　was　touched　and　a　little　surprised　by　the　warmth　with　which　they　embraced　him。　It　still　came　as　a　source　of　wonder　to　him　that　he　was　a　man　with　nearly　grown　daughters　and　a　loving　wife　and　that　so　many　people　seemed　to　regard　him　with　affection。　In　his　own　mind；　much　of　the　time；　he　was　still　the　same　person；　barely　e　to　manhood；　who　had　ridden　from　Carcasia；　stirrups　ically　high；　with　Rodrigo　Belmonte　one　morning　long　ago。
　　He　seemed　to　have　had　a　great　deal　to　drink；　much　more　than　usual。　Marisa's　doing。　She'd　evidently　decided　it　would　be　good　for　him　today。　He　remembered　kissing　Eliane　goodbye；　holding　her　gently　as　she　reached　up　and　patted　his　cheek。　That；　too；　had　been　a　source　of　wonder；　years　ago；　when　he　had　realized　that　she　approved　of　him。　He　looked　around。　The　girls　were　gone；　and　Jehane　and　Ammar's　twins。　Somewhere　upstairs；　causing　mischief　almost　certainly。　They　would　probably　hear　a　scream　in　due　course。
　　It　was　quiet　in　the　courtyard　now；　and　a　little　cold。　Marisa　had　brought　out　a　shawl　for　herself　and　one　for　Jehane　who　had　taken　her　mother　home　and　returned。　Jehane　was　lighting　candles。　Alvar　made　as　if　to　rise　and　help；　but　she　motioned　him　back　to　his　chair。
　　He　sat　back　dutifully；　but　then；　as　a　strong　impulse　overtook　him；　stood　up　and　made　his　way；　carrying　his　glass　and　the　flask；　to　the　seat　beside　Ammar。　Ibn　Khairan　was　nursing　the　last　of　his　wine；　Alvar　filled　his　glass。
　　〃Fare　gently　in　the　god；　old　friend；〃　Ammar　said　to　him；　smiling　gravely。　〃My　love　and　good　wishes；　today　and　all　days。〃
　　Alvar　nodded　his　head。　〃Will　you　do　something　for　me？〃　he　asked。　〃I　know　this　is　a　celebration。　It　has　been。　But　the　girls　are　upstairs　with　your　boys；　we　needn't　worry　about　disappointing　them。〃
　　〃A　good　thing；〃　Ammar　said；　with　a　straight　face。
　　Alvar　snorted。　Everyone　teased　him　on　the　subject　of　his　daughters。　〃But　truthfully；　the　day　will　be　wrong　for　me　if　we　pretend　nothing　has　happened；　or　changed。　I　can't　pretend。　Ammar；　you've　improvised　for　kings　and　khalifs；　will　you　honor　my　birth　day　by　doing　so　for　me？　Or　is　it　too　much　to　ask？〃
　　Ammar's　expression　had　changed。　He　set　down　his　wine。　〃The　honor　will　be　mine；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃Have　you　a　theme？〃
　　〃You　know　the　theme。〃
　　The　two　women　had　e　nearer；　and　now　they　sat　down　next　to　each　other；　wrapped　in　their　shawls；　on　a　stone　bench。
　　There　was　a　silence。　They　watched　ibn　Khairan；　and　waited。　From　upstairs　the　sound　of　their　childrens'　laughter　carried　down　to　the　garden　through　an　open　window。
　　Ammar　said：
Ask　Fezana　what　has　bee　of　Fibaz；
And　where　is　Ardefio；　or　where　Lonza？
Where　is　Ragosa；　the　seat　of　great　learning；
How　many　wise　men　remain　there？
Where　is　Cartada；　city　of　towers；
In　the　red　valley　of　its　power？
Or　Seria　where　the　silk　was　spun？
Where　are　Tudesca；　Elvira；　Aljais；
And　where；　in　this　twilight；　is　Silvenes？
The　streams；　the　perfect　gardens；
The　many　arched　courtyards　of　the　Al'Fontina？
The　wells　and　the　fountains　weep　far　sorrow；　
As　a　lover　does　when　dawn　es　
To　take　him　away　from　his　desire。　
They　mourn　for　the　passing　of　lions；　
For　the　ending　of　Al…Rassan　the　Beloved；　
Which　is　gone。
　　The　measured；　beautiful　voice　fell　silent。　Alvar　looked　up