ggk.asongforarbonne-第117章

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！


　　〃Or　of　any　remembrance　at　all　in　the　world　after　the　death　that　Rian　is　even　now　making　ready　for　him；〃　added　the　countess　of　Arbonne；　and　of　all　those　there　it　was　her　voice　that　was　grimmest　of　all；　as　if　she　were　truly　speaking　for　some　power　beyond　the　world。
　　For　the　first　time　the　king　of　Gorhaut；　turning　from　one　of　them　to　the　other；　looked　shaken。　And　so　smoothly；　predictably；　his　adviser　moved　to　fill　the　silence　that　followed。
　　〃These；〃　Galbert　said　in　the　deep；　manding　voice；　〃are　the　last　strident　posturings　of　the　doomed。　Shall　we　quail　before　this　mumbling？　Rather；　you　should　all　be　on　your　knees　even　now；　begging　the　mercy　of　a　gentle　death。〃
　　〃You　would　like　that；　wouldn't　you？〃　said　Ariane　de　Carenzu；　moving　her　horse　forward　a　little。　She　was　smiling；　but　not　with　her　eyes。　〃You　would　like　the　women　of　Arbonne　kneeling　before　you；　I　see。　I　do　see　it　now；　actually。　No　wonder　your　son's　wife　fled　from　you。　What　does　Corannos　say　about　such　desires；　Galbert　de　Garsenc？〃
　　〃They　are　abominations；〃　said　Blaise　quietly。　〃For　which　atonement　must　be　made。〃　He　himself　was　pale　now。
　　〃This；〃　said　the　king　of　Gorhaut；　regaining　his　posure；　〃has　grown　tedious。　I　am　here　only　because　the　protocols　of　war　pel　this　meeting　of　heralds。　Hear　me　then：　we　have　e　south　because　the　countess　of　Arbonne　has　given　shelter　and　succour　to　a　woman　of　Gorhaut　and　has　refused　to　return　her　to　us。　All　else；　as　the　High　Elder　says；　is　posturing。　I　have　patience　for　no　more　of　it。　Prepare　yourselves　to　die　on　the　morrow。〃
　　〃What　if　I　do　return？〃　said　Rosala　suddenly。　〃If　I　e　back　north；　will　you　take　your　army　home？〃
　　Galbert　de　Garsenc　laughed　thickly。　He　opened　his　mouth　to　reply　but　was　forestalled　by　the　king's　lifted　hand。　〃This　es；〃　said　Ademar　softly；　〃very　much　too　late。　There　is　a　lesson　now　to　be　taught　to　those　who　have　denied　our　most　proper　demands。　I　am　pleased　to　see　you　eager　to　return；　but　it　makes　no　matter　at　this　point。　There　is　no　power　here；　or　anywhere　in　the　world；　Rosala；　that　can　stop　me　now　from　bringing　you　back　to　Cortil。〃
　　〃With　the　child；〃　said　Galbert　quickly。
　　He　was　ignored。
　　〃To　Cortil；　my　lord？〃　Rosala　asked；　lifting　her　voice。　〃Are　you　so　open　about　this　now？　Do　you　not　mean：　back　to　Garsenc　and　my　lord　husband？〃
　　In　the　stillness　that　followed　this；　Lisseut　realized　that　the　king　of　Gorhaut　had　just　made；　in　some　fashion　she　did　not　entirely　understand；　a　mistake。
　　
　　A　long　way　south；　on　the　Island　of　Rian　in　the　sea；　where　the　wind　was　not　blowing　on　this　day　and　the　waters　lay　calm　and　blue　under　the　pale　winter　sun；　Beatritz　de　Barbentain；　High　Priestess　of　Rian；　rose　suddenly　from　before　a　fire　into　which　she　had　been　gazing　sightlessly　for　most　of　the　day。
　　〃Something　has　just　happened；〃　she　said　aloud；　though　there　was　no　one　in　her　room　with　her　save　the　white　owl　on　her　shoulder。　〃Something　that　might　matter。　Oh；　sweet　Rian　remember　us；　have　mercy　upon　your　children。〃
　　She　was　silent　then；　waiting；　reaching　out　in　her　darkness　for　the　elusive；　un…coercible　vision　of　the　goddess　that　might　let　her　know　at　least　a　part　of　what　was　now　happening　so　far　away　in　the　place　of　the　wind。
　　
　　And　in　that　precise　moment；　by　the　lake；　among　that　gathering　of　enemies；　a　voice　was　heard　for　the　first　time。
　　〃I　am　afraid；〃　said　Ranald；　duke　of　Garsenc；　moving　his　horse　into　the　open　space　between　the　two　panies；　〃that　this　is　rather　too　openly　said　for　my　taste　and　for　the　honour　of　my　family。〃　He　was　staring　at　the　king　of　Gorhaut。　He　had　not　used　a　title。
　　No　one　responded。　No　one　else　moved。　It　seemed　to　Lisseut；　afterwards；　that　the　duke's　words　had　virtually　frozen　them　all　with　astonishment。　Ranald　de　Garsenc；　the　only　moving　figure　in　a　still　world；　turned　to　his　wife。　He　looked　remarkably　at　ease　now；　as　if　this　action　or　decision；　this　movement；　had　somehow　granted　him　release　from　something。　He　said；　〃Forgive　me；　my　lady；　but　I　must　ask　this；　and　I　will　accept　the　truth　of　what　you　say：　has　the　king　of　Gorhaut　been　your　lover？〃
　　Lisseut　realized　she　was　holding　her　breath。　Out　of　the　side　of　her　vision　she　saw　that　Blaise　had　gone　bone…white。　Sitting　her　horse　easily；　Rosala　de　Garsenc　seemed　almost　as　posed　as　her　husband　though。　She　said；　as　clearly　as　before；　〃He　has　not；　my　lord；　though　he　has　sought　to　be　that　for　some　time　now。　He　was　only　delaying　while　I　was　with　child。　Your　father；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　has　been　urging　the　thought　upon　him　for　purposes　of　his　own。　I　will　swear　to　you　though；　upon　the　life　of　my　child；　that　I　have　not　lain　with　Ademar；　and　that　I　will　die　before　I　willingly　do　so。〃
　　〃This　is　why　you　left？〃　A　different　note　in　Ranald's　voice；　almost　too　exposed；　it　made　Lisseut　wish；　suddenly；　that　she　was　not　here。　None　of　us　has　a　right　to　be　listening　to　this；　she　thought。
　　But　Rosala　said；　her　handsome；　strong　head　held　high；　〃It　is　indeed　why　I　left；　my　lord。　I　feared　you　could　not；　or　would　not；　guard　us　against　your　father　and　your　king；　for　the　one　had　claimed　the　child　I　was　carrying；　as　you　know；　and　the　other　wanted　me。〃
　　Ranald　was　nodding　slowly；　as　if　the　words　were　striking　echoes　within　himself。
　　〃Ranald；　in　the　god's　name；　do　not　shame　me；〃　Galbert　de　Garsenc　began；　the　beautiful　voice　being　harsh；　〃by　allowing　this　depraved；　contemptible　woman　to　give　voice　to　such…〃
　　〃You　be　silent；〃　said　the　duke　of　Garsenc　bluntly。　〃I　will　consider　how　to　deal　with　you　after。〃　The　tone　was　so　curt　it　was　shocking。
　　〃After　what？〃　asked　Ademar　of　Gorhaut。　His　own　head　was　lifted；　his　carriage　in　the　saddle　magnificent。　There　was　a　glitter　to　his　gaze。　He　knows；　Lisseut　thought。　He　knows　the　answer　to　that。
　　〃After　I　have　publicly　dealt　with　you　for　the　dishonour　you　have　willed　upon　my　house。　No　king　of　Gorhaut　has　ever　been　free　to　wreak　what　havoc　he　will　among　the　high　lords　of　our　land。　I　am　not　about　to　let　you　be　the　first。　The　wife　of　the　duke　of　Garsenc　is　not　a　trinket　to　be　played　for；　however　blind　the　duke　might　be。〃　He　paused　for　a　moment；　then：　〃This　is　a　formal　challenge；　Ademar。　Will　you　fight　me　yourself；　or　name　a　champion　to　shelter　behind？〃
　　〃Are　you　mad？〃　Galbert　de　Garsenc　cried　out。
　　〃That；〃　said　Ranald　gravely；　〃is　the　second　time　that　question　has　been　asked　of　one　of　your　sons。　In　fact；　I　think　it　is　true　of　neither　of　us。〃　He　turned　to　Rosala。　〃Other　accusations　may　fairly　be　made　against　me。　I　will　hope　to　have　a　chance　to　address　them　after。〃
　　She　met　his　glance　but　said　nothing；　stern　and　proud；　Lisseut　thought；　as　some　yellow…haired　goddess　of　the　north。　But　that；　she　realized　immediately　after；　was　idle　fantasy：　they　didn't　allow　goddesses　in　the　north。
　　Ranald　turned　back　to　Ademar。　They　all　turned　back　to　Ademar。　The　king　of　Gorhaut；　past　the　first　surprise　of　this；　was　smiling；　only　with　his　lips　though；　his　eyes　were　hard　as　stone。
　　〃We　are　in　a　foreign　county　and　at　war；〃　he　said。　〃You　are　a　mander　of　my　army。　You　are　now　proposing　that　we　fight　each　other　because　your　wife；　whose　flight　from　your　home　is　the　cause　of　our　being　here；　alleges　that　I　expressed　a　desire　for　her。　Is　this　what　I　understand　from　you；　my　lord　of　Garsenc？〃
　　It　sounded　absurd；　mad　indeed；　when　put　that　way；　but　Ranald　de　Garsenc　did　not　quail。　He；　too；　was　smiling　now；　a　smaller　man　than　the　king　but　as　easy　in　the　saddle。　〃You　might　not　remember　it；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　was　in　that　room　in　Cortil　with　my　father　last　autumn　when　you　came　in　and　demanded　that　Rosala　be　brought　back。　Back　to　you；　you　said。〃　They　saw　the　king's　expression　change。　His　eyes　flicked　away　from　Ranald's；　and　then　returned。
　　The　duke　went　on。　〃I　should　have　made　this　challenge　then；　Ademar。　You　have　been　using　Rosala's　flight　from　me　as　your　excuse　for　war…my　father's　idea；　of　course。　You　aren't　nearly　clever　enough。　She　didn't　fly　from　me；　Ademar；　I　think　I　dare　say　that。　She　left　her　husband　and　put　our　child　at　terrible　risk　because　of　you　and　my　father。　I　think　I　am　seeing　things　clearly　for　the　first　time　in　a　great　many　years。　If　you　have　any　honour　or　courage　left　in　you；　draw　your　sword。〃
　　〃I　will　have　you　arrested　and　then　gelded　before　burning；〃　Galber