ggk.asongforarbonne-第58章

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　　〃Another　mistake；〃　said　Bertran；　in　a　blunt　tone　of　finality。　〃I　see　no　reason　to　delay　this。　As　a　duke　of　Arbonne　sworn　to　uphold　the　countess's　peace；　I　have　an　obvious　duty　here。〃　He　turned　to　Serlo。　〃Take　three　corans　and　string　this　man　from　a　tree。　You　will　strip　and　brand　him　first。　The　whole　world　knows　the　punishment　decreed　for　those　who　violate　a　truce。〃
　　The　Portezzan　was　a　brave　man；　for　all　his　posturing。　〃I　am　a　man　of　rank　and　cousin　to　Borsiard　d'Andoria；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　entitled　to　the　treatment　appropriate　to　my　status。〃
　　Bertran　de　Talair　shook　his　head。　Blaise　registered　Valery's　look　of　growing　concern。　He　felt　the　same　anxiety　himself。　The　duke　ignored　them。　He　said；　〃Your　status　is　that　of　an　attempted　murderer；　violator　of　a　truce　all　six　countries　have　sworn　to　keep。　No　one　will　speak　for　you　today。〃　He　turned　back　to　Serlo。　〃Hang　him。〃
　　Serlo　had　already　summoned　three　other　men。　They　pulled　the　Portezzan　roughly　from　his　horse。　One　man　had　a　rope　looped　through　his　saddle。　There　was　an　oak　tree　at　the　edge　of　a　field　east　of　the　road；　they　took　him　there。
　　〃You　cannot　do　this！〃　the　Portezzan　shouted；　craning　his　neck　to　look　back　at　Bertran；　the　first　edge　of　fear　entering　his　voice。　He　had　truly　never　thought　he　might　be　in　danger；　Blaise　realized。　The　immunity　of　his　rank　and　kinship　had　led　him　to　believe　he　could　kill　freely　and　be　ransomed；　that　money　and　status　could　be　an　answer　to　anything。
　　〃Are　you　sure　of　this？〃　Valery　said　quietly　to　his　cousin。　〃We　may　need　the　Andoria　later。〃
　　There　was　something　nearly　cruel　in　the　blue　eyes　as　Bertran　de　Talair　watched　his　corans　over　by　the　tree。　They　were　stripping　the　Portezzan；　the　man　had　begun　to　shout　now。　Bertran's　voice　was　bleak　as　he　answered　Valery　without　turning；　〃We　need　no　one　so　much　that　we　lose　our　honour　in　pursuing　them。　Wherever　the　fairs　are；　the　ruler　of　that　country　is　bound　to　uphold　the　truce　that　allows　us　all　to　trade。　You　know　it。　Everyone　knows　it。　What　just　happened　was　an　insult　to　the　countess　and　to　Arbonne　so　arrogant　I　will　not　countenance　it。　Let　Borsiard　d'Andoria　do　what　he　will；　those　three　men　have　to　die。　When　we　reach　Lussan　and　Barbentain；　my　advice　to　the　countess　will　be　to　ban　the　Andoria　from　entry　to　the　fair。　I　expect　she　will　do　so。〃
　　He　walked　over　and　remounted　his　horse；　Blaise；　after　a　moment；　did　the　same。
　　From　up　ahead；　beyond　the　front　of　their　column；　a　new　motion　could　now　be　heard。　Beside　the　road；　Bertran's　corans　had　rigged　a　hanging　rope　around　a　branch　of　the　tree。　The　condemned　man　had　been　stripped　to　his　undergarments。　Now　Serlo　resolutely　pulled　a　knife　from　his　belt；　and　while　the　others　held　the　thrashing　Portezzan；　he　set　about　carving　into　his　forehead　the　brand　of　an　oathbreaker。　Blaise　had　seen　this　before。　He　resisted　an　impulse　to　turn　away。　They　heard　the　man　scream　suddenly；　high　and　desperate。　Five　riders　had　now　peeled　away　from　the　party　in　front　of　them　and　were　galloping　furiously　back　through　the　grass　at　the　side　of　the　road。
　　〃Take　as　many　men　as　you　need；〃　said　Bertran　calmly　to　Valery。　〃Surround　the　tree。　If　those　people　attempt　to　stop　the　hanging　you　are　to　kill　them。　Blaise；　wait　here　with　me。〃
　　Without　a　word　Valery　moved　to　obey。　The　remaining　corans　of　Talair　had　already　begun　moving　swiftly　into　position；　anticipating　this。　Swords　out；　arrows　to　bows；　they　formed　a　wide　ring　around　the　hanging　tree。　At　the　rear　of　the　column　beside　Bertran；　with　two　dead　men　on　the　ground　beside　them；　Blaise　watched　the　third　Portezzan　bundled　onto　the　back　of　a　horse；　his　hands　tied　before　him；　the　knotted　rope　around　his　neck。　There　was　blood　dripping　down　his　face　from　Serlo's　branding。　The　five　men　racing　back　were　shouting　now；　gesticulating　wildly。　Serlo　looked　back　to　Bertran；　for　the　confirmation。　The　duke　nodded　once。　Serlo　stabbed　the　horse　in　the　haunch　with　his　blade。　The　animal　bolted　forward。　The　Portezzan　seemed　to　actually　spring　backwards　off　the　horse　into　the　air。　Then　he　dangled；　swinging；　an　oddly　disconnected　figure。　They　had　heard　the　cracking　sound。　He　was　already　dead。
　　The　five　shouting　Portezzans　reined　up　hard　at　the　very　edge　of　Valery's　ring　of　men。　They　were　hopelessly　outnumbered；　of　course。　The　leader　screamed　something　at　Valery；　lashing　his　handsome　horse　in　impotent　rage。　Bertran　turned　to　Blaise；　as　if　bored　by　what　was　now　happening。
　　〃We　have　another　small　thing　to　sort　out　between　us；〃　he　said；　for　all　the　world　as　if　they　were　alone　in　the　pleasant　autumn　countryside。　〃I　have　only　just　realized　it　myself。　You　may　not　be　ready　to　assert　any　sort　of　claim　in　Gorhaut；　but　if　we　are　riding　to　Lussan　now　with　you　clearly　acknowledged　as　who　you　are…and　with　what　has　just　now　happened　that　decision　has　been　made　for　us…then　I　cannot　treat　you　as　simply　another　of　my　corans。　You　may　not　like　this…for　reasons　I　can　appreciate…but　it　would　ill　behoove　us　both　for　me　to　be　seen　giving　you　mands　now。　Will　you　accept　a　discharge　from　my　service？　Will　you　accept　the　hospitality　and　panionship　of　Talair　as　my　friend　and　guest？〃
　　It　was；　of　course；　the　only　action　proper　under　the　circumstances。　And　yes；　Blaise　was　bothered　by　the　change；　it　marked　a　transition；　yet　another；　in　a　year　when　his　life　seemed　to　be　careening　with　unsettling　speed　towards　some　destination　as　yet　hidden　in　the　distance。
　　He　managed　a　smile；　〃I　was　wondering　when　my　wages　would　begin　to　grate　upon　you。　I　confess　I　had　not　thought　you　were　so　careful　with　your　money；　my　lord；　it　does　go　against　the　image　all　the　world　has　of　you。〃
　　Bertran；　genuinely　startled；　laughed　aloud。　There　was；　just　then；　a　silence　in　the　gesticulating　knot　of　men　by　the　tree。　Then　sudden　laughter　carried。　The　five　Portezzans　turned　to　look　at　them。　Their　leader；　a　short；　dark　man　on　that　splendid　horse；　stared　across　the　distance　for　a　long　moment；　ignoring　the　corans　around　him。　Then　he　turned　his　horse　without　another　word　and　rode　back　north。　The　other　Portezzans　followed。
　　〃That；〃　said　Bertran；　〃was　slightly　unfortunate。〃　
　　〃Who　was　that　man？〃
　　The　duke　turned　to　him　with　surprise。　〃You　were　telling　the　truth；　weren't　you？　You　have　really　never　met　him。　That　was　Borsiard　d'Andoria；　Blaise。　You　must　at　least　have　heard　the　name。　He　was　recently　married；　in　fact；　to…〃
　　〃To　Lucianna　Delonghi。　I　know；〃　Blaise　interrupted。　And　then　added；　〃That's　why　he　wants　to　kill　me。〃
　　Even　amid　the　churning　of　all　the　emotions　of　this　morning　there　was；　deep　within　Blaise；　a　curious　flicker　of　pride。　Even　now；　after　everything；　Lucianna　would　have　been　speaking　of　him；　that　had　to　be　it；　of　course。　Borsiard　d'Andoria　was　seeking　to　kill　his　new　wife's　former　lover　from　Gorhaut。
　　Bertran　de　Talair　was　very　quick。　〃Ah；〃　he　said　softly。　〃Engarro　di　Faenna？　It　was　true　then；　the　rumour？〃
　　〃That　I　killed　him　for　the　Delonghi？　Yes。〃　Blaise　surprised　himself　with　how　easy　it　was　to　say　this　now　to　the　duke。　He　hesitated　over　the　next　thing；　but　then　went　on：　〃With　Rudel　Correze。〃
　　He　saw　Bertran　absorbing　this。　〃And　so　she　wants　you　dead　now？〃　He　looked　dubious。
　　Blaise　shook　his　head。　〃I　doubt　it。　She　wouldn't　care　enough　to　bother　covering　that　trail。　Borsiard　does；　though。　He　probably　had　a　part　in　the　assassination　of　Engarro；　though　I　didn't　know　it　then。　He's　uneasy　about　me。　Afraid　of　what　I　might　say　or　do。　Rudel　they'll　trust；　he's　a　Delonghi　cousin。　I'm　an　unknown　quantity。〃　He　stopped。
　　〃And　that　would　be　his　〃mortal　grievance〃　against　you？〃
　　Blaise　looked　at　the　duke。　Bertran's　blue　eyes　were　searching；　skeptical；　and　there　was　a　glint　in　them　now　of　something　else。
　　〃That　would　be　a　part　of　it；〃　Blaise　said　carefully。
　　Bertran　nodded　his　head　slowly。　〃I　thought　so；〃　he　said　after　a　moment。　〃The　jewel　of　the　Delonghi；　the　exquisite　Lucianna。　He's　a　jealous　man　then；　our　friend　Borsiard。　That　is　worth　knowing。〃　He　nodded　again。　〃It　begins　to　make　sense。　One　day　you　must　tell　me　more　about　her。　Are　all　the　stories　true？　I've　spoken　to　her　of　course；　but　in　a　crowded　room；　nothing　more；　and　that　was　years　ago　when　she　was　very　young。　Should　I　be　grateful　for　that　limited　exposure？　Is　she　as　deadly　a