ggk.asongforarbonne-第3章

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　　〃Indeed　I　have；〃　Ariane　said　ambiguously。　Aelis　raised　her　eyebrows；　but　had　neither　time　or　inclination　to　pursue　the　matter。
　　Riquier　cantered　his　horse　past　them　again　and　swung　off　the　path；　angling　through　the　roadside　grass　and　then　between　the　flanking　trees　towards　the　arch。　The　two　woman　followed；　with　corans　on　either　side　and　behind。
　　They　never　reached　it。
　　There　was　a　crackling　sound；　a　surge　and　rustle　of　leaves。　Six　men　plummeted　from　branches　overhead　and　all　six　of　Urté's　corans　were　pulled　from　their　horses　to　tumble　on　the　ground。　Other　men　sprang　instantly　from　hiding　in　the　tall　grass　and　raced　over　to　help　in　the　attack。　Ariane　screamed。　Aelis　reared　her　horse　and　a　masked　assailant　rushing　towards　her　scrambled　hastily　back。　She　saw　two　other　men　emerge　from　the　trees　to　stand　in　front　of　them　all；　not　joining　in　the　fight。　They　too　were　masked；　they　were　all　masked。　Riquier　was　down；　she　saw；　two　men　standing　over　him。　She　wheeled　her　horse；　creating　room　for　herself；　and　grappled　at　her　saddle　for　the　small　crossbow　she　always　carried。
　　She　was　her　father's　daughter；　and　had　been　taught　by　him；　and　in　his　prime　Guibor　de　Barbentain　was　said　to　have　been　the　best　archer　in　his　own　country。　Aelis　steadied　her　horse　with　her　knees；　aimed　quickly　but　with　care　and　fired。　One　of　the　two　men　in　the　road　before　her　cried　out　and　staggered　back；　clutching　at　the　arrow　in　his　shoulder。
　　Aelis　wheeled　swiftly。　There　were　four　men　around　her　now　trying　to　seize　the　horse's　reins。　She　reared　her　stallion　again　and　it　kicked　out；　scattering　them。　She　fumbled　in　the　quiver　for　a　second　arrow。
　　〃Hold！〃　the　other　man　between　the　trees　cried　then。　〃Hold；　Lady　Aelis。　If　you　harm　another　of　my　men　we　will　begin　killing　your　corans。　Besides；　there　is　the　girl。　Put　down　your　bow。〃
　　Her　mouth　dry　and　her　heart　pounding；　Aelis　looked　over　and　saw　that　Ariane's　frightened；　snorting　horse　was　firmly　in　the　grasp　of　two　of　their　attackers。　All　six　of　Urté's　corans　were　down　and　disarmed；　but　none　seemed　to　have　been　critically　injured　yet。
　　〃It　is　you　we　want；〃　the　leader　in　front　of　them　said；　as　if　answering　her　thought。　〃If　you　e　gently　the　others　will　not　be　further　hurt。　You　have　my　word。〃
　　〃Gently？〃　Aelis　snapped；　with　all　the　hauteur　she　could　manage。　〃Is　this　a　setting　for　gentleness？　And　how　highly　should　I　value　the　word　of　a　man　who　has　done　this？〃
　　They　were　halfway　to　the　arch；　among　the　elms。　To　her　right；　across　the　lake；　Talair　was　clearly　visible。　Behind　her；　if　she　turned；　she　could　probably　still　see　Miraval。　They　had　been　attacked　within　sight　of　both　castles。
　　〃You　don't　really　have　a　great　deal　of　choice；　do　you？〃　the　man　before　her　said；　taking　a　few　steps　forward。　He　was　of　middling　height；　clad　in　brown；　with　a　midwinter　carnival　mask；　unsettlingly　incongruous　in　such　a　place　as　this；　covering　most　of　his　face。
　　〃Do　you　know　what　my　husband　will　do　to　you？〃　Aelis　said　grimly。　〃And　my　father　in　Barbentain？　Have　you　any　idea？〃
　　〃I　do；　actually；〃　the　masked　man　said。　Besides　him；　the　one　she　had　wounded　was　still　clutching　his　shoulder；　there　was　blood　on　his　hand。　〃And　it　has　rather　a　lot　to　do　with　money；　my　lady。　Rather　a　lot　of　money；　actually。〃
　　〃You　are　a　very　great　fool！〃　Aelis　snapped。　They　had　surrounded　her　horse　now；　but　no　one；　as　yet；　had　reached　for　the　reins。　There　seemed　to　be　about　fifteen　of　them…an　extraordinary　number　for　an　outlaw　band；　so　near　the　two　castles。　〃Do　you　expect　to　live　to　spend　anything　they　give　you？　Don't　you　know　how　you　will　be　pursued？〃
　　〃These　are　indeed　worrisome　matters；〃　the　man　in　front　of　her　said；　not　sounding　greatly　worried。　〃I　don't　expect　you　to　have　given　them　much　thought。　I　have。〃　His　voice　sharpened。　〃I　do　expect　you　to　co…operate；　though；　or　people　will　start　being　hurt；　and　I'm　afraid　that　might　include　the　girl。　I　don't　have　unlimited　time；　Lady　Aelis；　or　patience。　Drop　the　bow！〃
　　There　was　a　crack　of　mand　in　the　last　sentence　that　actually　made　Aelis　jump。　She　looked　over　at　Ariane；　the　girl　was　big…eyed；　trembling　with　fear。　Riquier　lay　face　down　on　the　grass。　He　seemed　to　be　unconscious；　but　there　was　no　blade　wound　she　could　see。
　　〃The　others　will　not　be　hurt？〃　she　said。
　　〃I　said　that。　I　don't　like　repeating　myself。〃　The　voice　was　muffled　by　the　festive　mask；　but　the　arrogance　came　through　clearly。
　　Aelis　dropped　her　bow。　Without　another　word　the　leader　turned　and　nodded　his　head。　From　behind　the　arch；　having　been　hidden　by　its　massive　shape；　another　man　stepped　out　leading　two　horses。　The　leader　swung　himself　up　on　a　big　grey；　and　beside　him　the　wounded　man　awkwardly　mounted　a　black　mare。　No　one　else　moved。　The　others　were　clearly　going　to　stay　and　deal　with　the　corans。
　　〃What　will　you　do　with　the　girl？〃　Aelis　called　out。
　　The　outlaw　turned　back。　〃I　am　done　with　questions；〃　he　said　bluntly。　〃Will　you　e；　or　will　you　need　to　be　trussed　and　carried　like　an　heifer？〃
　　With　deliberate　slowness；　Aelis　moved　her　horse　forward。　When　she　was　beside　Ariane　she　stopped　and　said；　very　clearly；　〃Be　gallant；　bright　one；　they　will　not；　they　dare　not　do　you　any　harm。　With　Rian's　grace　I　shall　see　you　very　soon。〃
　　She　moved　on；　still　slowly；　sitting　her　horse　with　head　high　and　shoulders　straight　as　befitted　her　father's　daughter。　The　leader　paid　her　no　attention；　he　had　already　wheeled　his　mount　and　had　begun　to　ride；　not　even　glancing　back。　The　wounded　man　fell　in　behind　Aelis。　The　three　of　them　went　forward　in　a　soft　jingling　of　harness；　passing　under　the　Arch　of　the　Ancients；　through　the　cold　shadow　of　it；　and　then　out　into　sunlight　again　on　the　other　side。
　　
　　They　rode　through　the　young　grasses；　travelling　almost　due　north。　Behind　them　the　shoreline　of　Lake　Dierne　fell　away；　curving　to　the　east。　On　their　left　Urté's　vineyards　stretched　into　the　distance。　Ahead　of　them　was　the　forest。　Aelis　kept　her　silence　and　neither　of　the　masked　men　spoke。　As　they　approached　the　outlying　pines　and　balsams　of　the　wood　Aelis　saw　a　charcoal…burner's　cottage　lying　just　off　the　lightly　worn　path。　The　door　was　open。　There　was　no　one　in　sight；　nor　were　there　any　sounds　in　the　morning　light　save　their　horses　and　the　calling　of　birds。
　　The　leader　stopped。　He　had　not　even　looked　at　her　since　they　had　begun　to　ride；　nor　did　he　now。　〃Valery；〃　he　said；　scanning　the　edges　of　the　forest　to　either　side；　〃keep　watch　for　the　next　while；　but　find　Garnoth　first…he　won't　be　far　away…and　have　him　clean　and　bind　your　shoulder。　There's　water　in　the　stream。〃
　　〃There　is　usually　water　in　a　stream；〃　the　wounded　man　said　in　a　deep　voice；　his　tone　unexpectedly　tart。　The　leader　laughed；　the　sound　carried　in　the　stillness。
　　〃You　have　no　one　to　blame　for　that　wound　but　yourself；〃　he　said；　〃don't　take　your　grievances　out　on　me。〃　He　swung　down　from　his　horse；　and　then　he　looked　at　Aelis　for　the　first　time。　He　motioned　for　her　to　dismount。　Slowly　she　did。　With　an　elaborately　graceful　gesture…almost　a　parody　given　where　they　were…he　indicated　the　entrance　to　the　cottage。
　　Aelis　looked　around。　They　were　quite　alone；　a　long　way　from　where　anyone　might　chance　to　pass。　The　man　Valery；　masked　in　fur　like　a　grey　wolf；　was　already　turning　away　to　find　Garnoth；　whoever　that　was…probably　the　charcoal…burner。　Her　arrow　was　still　in　his　shoulder。
　　She　walked　forward　and　entered　the　hut。　The　outlaw　leader　followed　and　closed　the　door　behind　him。　It　shut　with　a　loud　click　of　the　latch。　There　were　windows　on　either　side；　open　so　that　the　breeze　could　enter。　Aelis　walked　to　the　centre　of　the　small；　sparsely　furnished　room；　noting　that　it　had　been　recently　swept　clean。　She　turned　around。
　　Bertran　de　Talair；　the　younger　son；　the　troubadour；　removed　the　falcon　mask　he　wore。
　　〃By　all　the　holy　names　of　Rian；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　never　known　a　woman　like　you　in　my　life。　Aelis；　you　were　magnificent。〃
　　With　some　difficulty　she　kept　her　expression　stern；　despite　what　seeing　his　face　again；　the　flash　of　his　quick；　remembered　smile；　was　suddenly　doing　to　her。　She　forced　herself　to　gaze　coolly　into　the　unnerving　clarity　of　his　blue　eyes。　She　was　not　a　kitchen　girl；　not　a　tavern　wench　in　Tavernel；　to　swoon　i