ggk.asongforarbonne-第57章

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　　The　immediate　question　had　been　about　Rudel；　though；　and　Bertran　had　raised　another　issue　as　well。
　　Blaise　addressed　the　question；　making　his　tone　as　precise　as　he　could。　〃You'll　have　to　make　a　point　of　acknowledging　Rudel　himself；　and　his　father　if　he's　here。　He　might　be。　Once　acknowledged；　and　under　the　truce　of　the　fair　Rudel　will　do　nothing　at　all。　In　fact；　it　will　probably　amuse　him　to　be　seen　in　your　pany。〃
　　〃It　will　amuse　me　as　well；〃　Bertran　murmured；　〃to　no　end。　I　think　I　will　enjoy　meeting　this　man。〃
　　Most　of　the　world　knew　now　about　the　failed　assassination　and　the　money　spent。　A　few　people　were　aware　of　who　it　was　who　had　fired　that　poisoned　arrow　and　hit　the　wrong　man。　Rudel；　so　far　as　Blaise　could　judge；　would　have　been　seriously　embarrassed…especially　after　heading　straight　to　Gotzland　to　claim　the　promised　fee。　Bertran's　sources　at　the　court　of　King　Jorg…who　were　remarkably　well　informed…had　sent　word　later　about　how　Rudel　had　been　forced　to　repay　the　sum。　He　had　already　spent　part　of　it；　it　was　reported；　and　so　his　father　had　been　pelled　to　intervene　and　square　the　account。　Blaise　could　quite　easily　imagine　how　his　old　friend　had　felt　about　that。
　　In　his　own　way；　he　was　looking　forward　to　seeing　Rudel　again。　In　the　plex　sparring　match　of　their　relationship　he　had　won　a　victory　in　that　garden　in　Tavernel；　and　both　of　them　would　know　it。　He　didn't　win　so　cleanly　very　often；　it　would　be　something　to　savour。
　　Or　it　might　have　been；　except　that　Lucianna　was　here；　and　Blaise　knew　from　experience　that　Rudel　would　use　whatever　weapons　he　needed　to　to　even　a　score　if　he　felt　himself　on　the　losing　side　of　the　slate。　Blaise　shook　his　head。　He　would　have　to　try　to　deal　with　that　if　and　when　it　happened。　There　was　something　else　still　to　be　addressed　here；　and　Bertran　and　Valery　were　both　watching　him　in　silence　as　they　rode。　There　was　a　growing　motion　up　at　the　front　of　their　column　and　they　seemed　to　be　slowing　down。　He　could　see　the　overtaken　banners　clearly　now：　Correze；　Delonghi；　Andoria；　one　or　two　others　he　didn't　recognize。
　　He　turned　to　Bertran。　The　duke　was　bareheaded　as　usual；　in　the　nondescript　riding　clothes　he　favoured　on　the　road。　It　had　saved　his　life　once；　Valery　had　told　Blaise；　when　another　would…be　assassin　had　been　unable　to　tell　which　man　in　their　party　was　de　Talair　himself。
　　〃There's　no　decision　to　make；　really。　Not　now。〃　Blaise　kept　his　voice　calm。　Three　men　could　now　be　seen　riding　back　towards　them；　dust　rising　about　their　horses'　hooves。　〃If　we're　to　ride　with　the　Portezzans　there　are　a　number　of　them　who　know　me。　There's　no　point　in　my　trying　to　remain　unrecognized。〃
　　〃I　thought　as　much；〃　Bertran　said。　〃Very　well。　From　this　time　on　may　I　assume　it　is　Blaise　de　Garsenc　who　honours　me　by　joining　my　corans　for　a　time；　despite　his　father's　evident　desire　to　have　me　killed？〃
　　It　was　a　watershed　of　sorts；　a　moment　when　many　things　could　change。　〃As　you　like；〃　said　Blaise　quietly。
　　The　three　riders　had　e　nearer。　He　didn't　recognize　them。　They　were　extravagantly　garbed；　even　on　the　dusty　road。　Portezzans　were　like　that。
　　〃And　on　the　other　matter？〃　Bertran　asked；　the　faintest　hint　of　tension　in　his　voice　now。　〃The　one　we　have　been　delaying　upon？〃
　　Blaise　knew　what　the　duke　meant；　of　course　he　knew：　What　would　you　have　me　do；　declare　myself　the　true　king　of　Gorhaut？　His　own　words。
　　He　shook　his　head。　Something　in　his　chest　grew　tight　and　heavy　whenever　he　thought　about　that。　It　was　a　step　across　a　chasm　so　wide　he　had　never　thought　to　see　such　a　thing；　even　in　his　mind's　eye。　〃No；〃　he　said。　〃Leave　that。　It　is　autumn　now；　and　the　truce　of　the　fair。　Gorhaut　will　do　nothing　here；　if　any　of　them　even　e；　and　then　Ademar　will　have　to　wait　until　spring　opens　the　mountains　again。　Let　us　wait　and　see　what　happens。〃
　　Valery　said　in　his　measured　voice；　〃We　might　be　doing　things　ourselves　in　winter；　instead　of　waiting　to　see　what　others　do。〃
　　Blaise　turned　to　him。　〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　said　sharply；　〃if　my　reluctance　to　be　used　as　a　figurehead　will　spoil　your　winter。〃
　　Bertran；　on　his　other　side；　laughed　aloud。　〃Fair　enough；〃　he　said；　〃though　you　are　hardly　a　figurehead；　if　you　are　honest　with　yourself。　If　Ademar　is　seen　as　having　betrayed　his　country　with　the　Treaty　of　Iersen　Bridge；　is　there　a　man　in　Gorhaut　with　a　better　claim　to　succeed　him　than　you？　Your　brother；　perhaps？〃
　　〃Perhaps；〃　Blaise　said。　〃He　won't　do　anything；　though。　My　father　rules　him。〃　He　hesitated。　〃Leave　it；　Bertran。　Leave　it　for　now。〃
　　There　was　a　silence。　In　it；　the　three　riders　came　up；　trailed　by　young　Serlo。　They　were　clad　in　a　magnificent　black　and　crimson　livery　Blaise　knew。　He　realized　abruptly　whose　these　men　must　be。　His　heart　began　beating　quickly　again。　It　seemed　that　whatever　he　did；　wherever　he　went；　events　drew　him　back　into　his　past。　The　first　of　the　riders　pulled　up　his　horse　and　bowed　unctuously　low　in　his　saddle。
　　〃Very　well；　we　will　leave　it　for　now；〃　Bertran　said　quietly　to　Blaise。　And　then　launched　himself；　almost　before　he'd　finished　speaking；　in　a　hard；　fluid；　uncoiled　movement　from　his　horse。
　　He　slammed　into　Blaise　with　his　shoulder；　knocking　the　wind　from　him；　driving　him　from　his　own　mount。　The　two　of　them　landed　hard　in　the　dust　of　the　road　as　the　knife　thrown　by　the　second　man　in　black　and　red　whipped　over　the　bowed　head　of　the　first　and　through　the　empty　space　where　Blaise　had　been　a　moment　before。　Portezzans　were　legendary　for　their　skill　with　knives。
　　But　the　corans　of　Bertran　de　Talair　were　the　best　trained　in　Arbonne。　Valery　killed　the　knife…thrower　with　a　short；　precise　sword　thrust；　and　Serlo；　with　an　oath；　dispatched　the　third　man　from　behind　without　ceremony。　Only　the　leader　was　left　then；　as　Bertran　and　Blaise　disentangled　themselves　and　stood　up。　Bertran　winced　and　flexed　a　knee。
　　Serlo　and　Valery　had　their　blades　levelled　at　the　Portezzan　from　before　and　behind。　It　had　all　happened　so　quickly；　so　silently；　that　no　one　up　ahead　had　even　realized　anything　had　taken　place。　There　were　two　dead　men　on　the　ground；　though。　The　Portezzan　looked　down　at　them　and　then　at　Bertran。　He　had　a　lean；　tanned　face　and　a　carefully　curled　moustache。　There　were　several　rings　on　his　fingers；　over　his　riding　gloves。
　　〃I　am　perfectly　content　to　surrender　myself　to　your　mercy；〃　he　said　calmly；　in　flawless；　aristocratic　Arbonnais。　〃I　will　be　ransomed　by　my　cousin　at　a　fair　price；　I　can　assure　you　of　that。〃
　　〃Your　cousin　has　just　violated　a　truce　formally　guaranteed　by　the　countess　of　Arbonne；〃　Bertran　said　icily。　〃He　will　answer　to　her　for　that　even　more　than　you。〃
　　〃I　am　certain　he　will　answer　adequately；〃　the　man　said　blandly。
　　Bertran's　face　grew　pale；　Blaise　recognized　the　signs　of　real　rage　building。　He　was　still　too　much　in　shock　to　frame　his　own　response。
　　〃I　am　rather　less　certain　than　you；〃　the　duke　said　softly　to　the　Portezzan。　〃But　in　the　interim；　you　will　now　make　reply　to　me：　why　would　you　seek　to　kill　one　of　my　panions？　〃
　　For　the　first　time　the　man's　expression　grew　hesitant。　He　looked　sidelong　at　Blaise　as　if　to　verify　something。　His　face　cleared；　and　as　it　did；　even　before　he　spoke；　Blaise　understood　what　had　just　happened。　Something　in　him；　in　his　heart　actually；　seemed　to　make　a　sound　like　a　bowstring　plucked　or　the　string　of　a　lute。
　　〃My　lord　and　cousin　Borsiard　d'Andoria　has　a　mortal　grievance　against　this　man；〃　the　Portezzan　said。　〃It　has　nothing　to　do　with　you；　En　Bertran。　He　has　nothing　but　respect　and　affection　for　you；　my　lord；　and　for　the　countess　of　Arbonne。〃　The　words　were　honeyed；　mellifluous。
　　〃An　assault　against　a　man　in　my　pany　has　a　great　deal　to　do　with　me；　I'm　afraid。　And　words　of　respect　are　meaningless　when　an　assault　takes　place　during　the　truce　of　a　fair。　Your　lord　and　cousin　has　made　a　mistake。〃
　　〃And　I　have　never　met　Borsiard　d'Andoria　in　my　life；〃　Blaise　added。　〃I　would　be　interested　to　know　what　his　mortal　grievance　is。〃　He　knew；　though；　or　thought　he　could　guess。
　　〃It　is　not　a　matter　for　proclaiming　in　public；〃　the　Portezzan　said　haughtily。　〃Nor　do　the　Andoria　explain　themselves。〃
　　〃Another　mistake；〃　said　Bertran；　in　a　blunt　tone　of　finality。　〃I　see　no　reason　to　del