ggk.asongforarbonne-第66章

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　　It　would　not　do；　he　had　said　to　the　other　two　corans　at　the　city　gates；　to　have　Ranald　de　Garsenc；　or　worse；　the　High　Elder　himself；　asking　why　the　loose…tongued　old　man　had　been　permitted　to　continue　prattling　idly；　spreading　a　vicious　story　that　could　only　do　harm　to　the　family　the　three　corans　had　sworn　oaths　to　serve。
　　
　　A　crowded　table　had　heard　Othon　tell　his　story；　though；　and　rumour　and　gossip　were　the　most　vigorously　traded　items　of　any　fair。　It　was　all　over　Lussan　by　the　end　of　the　next　day　that　a　noblewoman　from　Gorhaut　had　e　south　to　bear　a　child。　A　few　people　had　even　heard　a　second　tale；　that　the　countess　herself；　and　the　duke　of　Talair；　had　been　seen　together；　first　in　Rian's　temple　and　then　the　god's　stone　chapel　in　Barbentain　just　after　dawn　that　morning。　Some　clever　person　mentioned　the　birth　rites　of　Guardianship　to　someone　else。　That；　too；　was　all　over　the　fair　by　nightfall。
　　Othon's　death　passed　virtually　without　ment。　Knifings　after　dark　among　the　travelling　folk　were　too　ordinary　to　be　worth　much　discussion。　The　animals　were　sold　to　another　trainer　before　the　fair　was　over。　One　of　the　monkeys；　surprisingly；　refused　to　eat；　and　died。
　　
　　CHAPTER　11
　　〃A　challenge！〃　shouted　the　trovaritz　from　Aulensburg。　The　tavern　was　thronged；　he　wasn't　loud　enough；　only　those　near　him　heard；　and　most　of　them　laughed。　The　man；　Lisseut　saw　from　the　next　table　over；　was　going　to　be　persistent　though。　He　climbed　unsteadily　onto　his　chair　seat　and　then　up　on　the　table　around　which　he　and　half　a　dozen　other　Gotzland　musicians　were　sitting。　He　was　roaring　drunk；　she　saw。　Most　of　the　people　in　The　Senhal　were　by　then。　She'd　had　two　or　three　glasses　of　wine　herself；　to　celebrate　the　beginning　of　the　fair。　Jourdain　and　Remy；　after　successful　summer　tours；　one　in　Arimonda；　the　other　among　the　cities　of　Portezza；　were　taking　turns　buying　for　the　table　while　trading　petitive　tales　of　increasingly　improbable　triumphs。
　　The　Gotzlanders　began　rhythmically　banging　their　heavy　flagons　on　the　wooden　table。　The　noise　was　so　insistent　it　shaped　a　lull　in　the　din　of　sound。　Into　that　space　in　the　noise　the　trovaritz　on　the　table　shouted　again：　〃A　challenge！〃
　　〃Damn　that　man；〃　said　Remy；　in　the　middle　of　a　story　about　a　night　in　Portezzan　Vialla　when　his　music　had　been　sung　at　the　mune's　summer　feast　while　he　had　sat　at　the　high　table　with　the　most　powerful　men　of　the　city。　Aurelian　had　been　doing　the　singing；　of　course；　Lisseut　was　still　vexed　at　times　that　her　lanky；　dark…haired　friend　would　continue　to　suspend　his　own　steady　rise　among　the　ranks　of　the　poets　to　revert　to　a　joglar's　role　and　spend　a　season　lending　the　lustre　of　his　voice　to　enhance　Remy's　name。　Friendship；　Aurelian　had　said　mildly　when　she'd　challenged　him；　and：　I　like　to　sing。　I　like　singing　Remy's　songs。　Why　should　I　deny　myself　those　pleasures？　It　was　extremely　hard　to　pick　a　fight　with　Aurelian。
　　〃A　challenge　to　the　troubadours　of　Arbonne！〃　the　Gotzlander　roared。　With　the　ebb　in　the　tavern　noise　he　was　clearly　heard　this　time。　Even　Remy　turned　around；　his　expressive　face　going　still；　to　stare　at　the　man　balanced　precariously　on　the　next　table　top。
　　〃Speak　your　challenge；〃　said　Alain　of　Rousset　from　their　own　table。　〃Before　you　fall　and　break　your　neck。〃　He　was　much　more　assertive　these　days；　Lisseut　noted；　with　some　pleasure。　She'd　had　something　to　do　with　that：　the　success　of　their　partnership；　the　recognition　now　beginning　to　e　for　both　of　them。
　　〃Won't　fall；〃　said　the　trovaritz；　very　nearly　doing　exactly　that。　Two　of　his　fellows　had　hands　up；　steadying　him。　A　very　crowded　room　had　bee　remarkably　quiet。　The　man　reached　downward　urgently。　Another　of　the　Gotzland　musicians　obligingly　handed　him　up　a　flagon。　The　trovaritz　took　a　long　pull；　wiped　his　moustache　with　the　back　of　his　hand　and　declaimed；　〃Want　you　to　show　why　we　should　keep　following　Arbonne。　In　our　music。　We　do　all　your　things　in　Aulensburg；　there're　singers　in　Arimonda　'n　Portezza。　Do　everything　you　do　now。　Do　it　as　well！　S'time　to　e　out　from　your　shadow。〃　He　drank　again；　swayed；　added　in　the　stillness；　〃Specially　'cause　you　may　not　be　here　a　year　from　now！〃
　　Two　of　the　others　at　his　table　had　the　grace　to　wince　at　that　and　haul　the　trovaritz　down；　but　the　thing　had　been　said。　Lisseut　reached　for　anger　but　found　only　the　sadness　and　the　fear　that　seemed　to　have　been　with　her　since　Midsummer。　It　didn't　take　brilliance　to　see　enough　of　the　future　to　be　afraid。
　　There　were　four　troubadours　at　their　table；　though　she　knew　Aurelian　would　not　volunteer　his　own　music。　He　could　sing　for　them；　though。　Remy　and　Jourdain　exchanged　a　glance；　and　Alain　cleared　his　throat　nervously。　Lisseut　was　about　to　speak　her　suggestion　when　someone　took　the　matter　away　from　all　of　them。
　　〃I　will　make　answer　to　that　challenge；　if　I　may。〃　She　knew　the　voice；　they　all　knew　the　voice；　but　they　hadn't　seen　the　man　e　in。　No　one　had　even　reported　that　he　was　in　Lussan。　Looking　quickly　around；　Lisseut　saw　Ramir　of　Talair；　carrying　his　lute；　ing　slowly　forward　from　a　corner　at　the　very　back　of　the　tavern；　picking　his　way　carefully　between　tables　of　people　to　the　center　of　the　room。
　　Bertran's　joglar　had　to　be　sixty　years　old　now　at　least。　He　seldom　toured　for　the　duke　any　longer。　Long　past　were　the　days　when　Ramir　carried　his　lute　and　harp　and　Bertran　de　Talair's　music　to　every　castle　and　town　of　Arbonne；　and　into　most　of　the　major　cities　and　fastnesses　of　the　other　five　countries。　He　lingered　in　Talair　mostly　now；　with　a　suite　of　rooms　of　his　own　and　an　honoured　place　by　the　fire　in　the　hall。　He　hadn't　even　e　to　Tavernel　for　Midsummer　the　past　two　years。　There　had　been　some　overly　febrile　speculation　among　the　younger　performers　both　seasons　that　it　might　soon　be　time　for　En　Bertran　to　select　a　new　joglar。　There　was　no　higher　status　imaginable　for　a　singer；　dreams　or　night…long　sleeplessness　could　be　shaped　of　such　a　fantasy。
　　Lisseut　looked　at　the　old　performer　with　a　mingling　of　affection　and　sadness。　She　had　not　seem　him　for　a　long　time。　He　did　look　older　now；　frail。　His　round；　kind　face；　scarred　by　a　childhood　pox；　seemed　to　have　been　part　of　her　world　forever。　A　great　deal　would　change　when　Ramir　was　gone；　she　realized；　watching　as　he　came　shuffling　forward。　He　didn't　walk　very　well；　she　saw。
　　〃Well；　really…〃　Remy　began；　under　his　breath。　〃Shut　up。〃　Aurelian　spoke　with　uncharacteristic　sharpness。　The　lanky　troubadour's　face　had　an　odd　expression　as　he　looked　at　Ramir。
　　Alain　rose　from　his　seat　and　hurried　to　bring　Ramir　the　performer's　stool　and　footrest。　With　a　gentle　smile　the　old　joglar　thanked　him。　Troubadours　didn't　tend　to　assist　joglars；　but　Ramir　was　different。　Declining　Alain's　offered　hand；　the　old　man　cautiously　lowered　himself　onto　the　low　stool。　He　stretched　out　his　left　leg　with　an　audible　sigh　of　relief。　One　of　the　Gotzlanders　laughed。　Ramir　had　some　trouble　with　the　thong　on　his　lute　case　and　Lisseut　saw　an　Arimondan　at　the　table　on　the　other　side　of　them　cover　his　mouth　to　politely　hide　a　smile。
　　Ramir　finally　slipped　his　instrument　out　of　the　case　and　began　tuning　it。　The　lute　looked　to　be　as　old　as　he　was；　but　the　sound；　even　in　the　tuning；　was　achingly　pure。　Lisseut　would　have　given　almost　anything　for　such　an　instrument。　She　looked　around　The　Senhal。　The　silence　was　a　nervous　one　now；　broken　by　whispers　and　murmuring。　It　was　so　crowded　in　the　tavern　it　was　hard　to　move。　On　the　upper　levels　people　had　pushed　to　the　railings　to　look　down。　Over　on　the　eastern　wall；　on　that　higher　level；　Lisseut　saw　a　gleam　of　long；　dark　hair　by　candlelight。　She　was　a　little　surprised；　but　not　greatly　so。　Ariane　de　Carenzu；　her　hair　down；　as　ever；　in　defiance　of　tradition；　sat　beside　a　slender；　handsome　man；　her　husband。　Lisseut　knew　Duke　Thierry　now。　Before　ing　to　Lussan　she　and　Alain　had　spent　a　fortnight　in　Carenzu；　at　the　particular　request　of　the　queen　of　the　Court　of　Love。　They　each　had　a　purse　full　of　silver　to　show　for　it；　and　Lisseut　had　been　given　a　crimson　vest　of　fine　wool　trimmed　with　expensive　squirrel　fur　against　the　ing　cold。　She　had　told　Remy　earlier　in　the　evening　that　if　he　damaged　her　new　vest　in　any　way　he　would　replace　it　or　die。　He　had　ordered　a