ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第10节

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word。
　　They　did　not　believe　him。　Only　when　a　friend　of　ibn　Musa；　another　merchant；　less　successful…which　appeared　to　have　saved　his　life…sent　a　servant　running　with　the　same　tidings　did　the　reality　bee　inescapable。　Every　man　who　had　gone　to　the　castle　that　morning　was　dead。　Headless　bodies　were　floating　in　the　moat　and　down　the　river；　carrion　for　the　circling　birds。　Only　thus；　the　very　efficient　king　of　Cartada　appeared　to　have　decided；　could　the　threat　of　a　rising　in　Fezana　be　utterly　dispelled。　In　one　afternoon　virtually　all　of　the　most　powerful　figures　left　in　the　city　had　been　eliminated。
　　Jehane's　patient；　the　luxury…loving　silk　merchant　who　was；　however　improbably；　to　have　been　among　the　corpses　in　the　moat；　lay　on　his　bed　with　a　hand　over　his　eyes；　trembling　and　spent　in　the　aftermath　of　passing　a　kidney　stone。　Struggling；　not　very　successfully；　to　deal　with　her　own　churning　emotions；　Jehane　looked　at　him　closely。　Her　refuge；　as　ever；　was　in　her　profession。　Quietly；　grateful　for　the　control　she　seemed　to　have　over　her　voice；　she　instructed　Velaz　to　mix　a　further　soporific。　Ibn　Musa　surprised　her；　though。
　　'〃No　more；　Jehane；　please。〃　He　lowered　the　hand　and　opened　his　eyes。　His　voice　was　weak　but　quite　clear。　〃I　need　to　be　able　to　think　carefully。　They　may　be　ing　for　me。　You　had　best　leave　this　house。〃
　　Jehane　hadn't　thought　of　that。　He　was　right；　of　course。　There　was　no　particular　reason　why　Almalik's　murderous　desert　mercenaries　would　allow　an　accident　of　ill…health　to　deprive　them　of　Husari's　head。　And　as　for　the　doctor…the　Kindath　doctor…who　had　so　inconveniently　kept　him　from　the　palace　。。。　
　　She　shrugged。　Whichever　way　the　wind　blows；　it　will　rain　upon　the　Kindath。　Her　gaze　met　Husari's。　There　was　something　terrible　in　his　face；　still　growing；　a　horror　taking　shape　and　a　name。　Jehane　wondered　how　she　must　look　herself；　weary　and　bedraggled　after　most　of　a　day　in　this　warm；　close　room；　and　now　dealing　with　what　they　had　learned。　With　slaughter。
　　〃It　doesn't　matter　whether　I　stay　or　go；〃　she　said；　surprised　again　at　how　calmly　she　said　this。　〃Ibn　Khairan　knows　who　I　am；　remember？　He　brought　me　here。〃
　　Oddly；　a　part　of　her　still　wanted　to　deny　that　it　was　Ammar　ibn　Khairan　who　had　arranged　and　achieved　this　wholesale　massacre　of　innocent　men。　She　couldn't　have　said　why　that　had　any　importance　to　her：　he　was　a　killer；　the　whole　of　Al…Rassan　knew　he　was。　Did　it　matter　that　a　killer　was　sophisticated　and　amusing？　That　he　had　known　who　her　father　was；　and　had　spoken　well　of　him？
　　Behind　her；　Velaz　offered　the　small；　discreet　cough　that　meant　he　had　something　urgent　to　say。　Usually　in　disagreement　with　a　view　she　had　expressed。　Without　looking　back　at　him；　Jehane　said；　〃I　know。　You　think　we　should　leave。〃
　　In　his　subdued　tones；　her　grey…haired　servant…her　father's　before　her…murmured；　〃I　believe　the　most　honorable　ibn　Musa　offers　wise　counsel；　doctor。　The　Muwardis　may　learn　who　you　are　from　ibn　Khairan；　but　there　is　no　great　reason　for　them　to　pursue　you。　If　they　e　for　the　lord　ibn　Musa；　though；　and　find　us　here；　you　are　a　provocation　to　them。　My　lord　ibn　Musa　will　tell　you　the　same　thing；　I　am　sure　of　it。　They　are　desert　tribesmen；　my　lady。　They　are　not　。。。　civilized。〃
　　And　now　Jehane　did　wheel　around；　aware　that　she　was　channelling　fear　and　anger　onto　her　truest　friend　in　the　world；　aware　that　this　was　not　the　first　time。　〃So　you　would　have　me　abandon　a　patient？〃　she　snapped。　〃Is　that　what　I　should　do？　How　very　civilized　of　us。〃
　　〃I　am　recovering；　Jehane。〃
　　She　turned　back　to　Husari。　He　had　pushed　himself　up　to　a　sitting　position。　〃You　did　all　a　physician　could　be　asked　to　do。　You　saved　my　life；　though　not　in　the　way　we　expected。〃　Amazingly；　he　managed　a　wry　smile。　It　did　not　reach　his　eyes。
　　His　voice　was　firmer　now；　sharper　than　she　could　ever　remember。　She　wondered　if　some　disordered　state　had　descended　upon　the　merchant　in　the　wake　of　overwhelming　horror：　if　this　altered　manner　was　his　way　of　reacting。　Her　father　would　have　been　able　to　tell　her。
　　Her　father；　she　thought；　would　not　tell　her　anything　again。
　　There　was　a　good　chance　the　Muwardis　would　be　ing　for　Husari；　that　they　might　indeed　take　her　if　they　found　her　here。　The　tribesmen　from　the　Majriti　were　not　civilized；　at　all。　Ammar　ibn　Khairan　knew　exactly　who　she　was。　Almalik　of　Cartada　had　ordered　this　butchery。　Almalik　of　Cartada　had　also　done　what　he　had　done　to　her　father。　Four　years　ago。
　　There　are　moments　in　some　lives　when　it　can　truly　be　said　that　everything　pivots　and　changes；　when　the　branching　paths　show　clearly；　when　one　does　make　a　choice。
　　Jehane　bet　Ishak　turned　back　to　her　patient。　〃I'm　not　leaving　you　here　to　wait　for　them　alone。〃
　　Husari　actually　smiled　again。　〃What　will　you　do；　my　dear？　Offer　sleeping　draughts　to　the　veiled　ones　when　they　e？〃
　　〃I　have　worse　than　that　to　give　them；〃　Jehane　said　darkly；　but　his　words　forced　her　to　pause。　〃What　do　you　want？〃　she　asked　him。　〃I　am　running　too　fast；　I'm　sorry。　It　is　possible　they　are　sated。　No　one　may　e。〃
　　He　shook　his　head　decisively。　Again；　she　registered　the　change　in　manner。　She　had　known　ibn　Musa　for　a　long　time。　She　had　never　seen　him　like　this。
　　He　said；　〃I　suppose　that　is　possible。　I　don't　greatly　care。　I　don't　intend　to　wait　to　find　out。　If　I　am　going　to　do　what　I　must　do；　I　will　have　to　leave　Fezana；　in　any　case。〃
　　Jehane　blinked。　〃And　what　is　it　you　must　do？〃
　　〃Destroy　Cartada；〃　said　the　plump；　lazy；　self…indulgent　silk　merchant；　Husari　ibn　Musa。
　　Jehane　stared　at　him。　This　was　a　man　who　liked　his　dinner　meat　turned　well；　so　he　need　not　see　blood　when　he　ate。　His　voice　was　exactly　as　calm　and　matter…of…fact　as　it　was　when　she　had　heard　him　talking　with　a　factor　about　insuring　a　shipment　of　silk　for　transport　overseas。
　　Jehane　heard　Velaz　offer　his　apologetic　cough　again。　She　turned。　〃If　that　is　so；〃　Velaz　said；　as　softly　as　before；　his　forehead　creased　with　worry　now；　〃we　cannot　be　of　aid。　Surely　it　will　be　better　if　we　are　gone　from　here　。。。　so　the　lord　ibn　Musa　can　begin　to　make　his　arrangements。〃
　　〃I　agree；〃　Husari　said。　〃I　will　call　for　an　escort　and…
　　〃I　do　not　agree；〃　Jehane　said　bluntly。　〃For　one　thing；　you　are　at　risk　of　fever　after　the　stones　pass　and　I　have　to　watch　for　that。　For　another；　you　will　not　be　able　to　leave　the　city　until　dark；　and　certainly　not　by　any　of　the　gates；　in　any　case。〃
　　Husari　laced　his　pudgy　fingers　together。　His　eyes　held　hers　now；　the　gaze　steady。　〃What　are　you　proposing？〃
　　It　seemed　obvious　to　Jehane。　〃That　you　hide　in　the　Kindath　Quarter　with　us　until　nightfall。　I'll　go　first；　to　arrange　for　them　to　let　you　in。　I'll　be　back　at　sundown　for　you。　You　ought　to　be　in　some　disguise；　I　think。　I'll　leave　that　to　you。　After　dark　we　can　leave　Fezana　by　a　way　that　I　know。〃
　　Velaz；　pushed　beyond　discretion；　made　a　strangled　sound　behind　her。
　　〃We？〃　said　ibn　Musa　carefully。
　　〃If　I　am　going　to　do　what　I　must　do；〃　said　Jehane　deliberately；　〃I；　too；　will　have　to　leave　Fezana。〃
　　〃Ah；〃　said　the　man　in　the　bed。　He　gazed　at　her　for　a　disquieting　moment；　no　longer　a　patient；　in　some　unexpected　way。　No　longer　the　man　she　had　known　for　so　long。　〃This　is　for　your　father？〃
　　Jehane　nodded。　There　was　no　point　dissembling。　He　had　always　been　clever。
　　〃Past　time；〃　she　said。
　　
　　There　was　a　great　deal　to　be　done。　Jehane　realized；　walking　quickly　through　the　tumult　of　the　streets　with　Velaz；　that　it　was　only　the　mention　of　her　father　that　had　induced　Husari　to　accept　her　plan。　That　wasn't　a　surprising　thing；　if　one　looked　at　the　matter　in　a　certain　light。　If　there　was　anything　the　Asharites　understood；　after　centuries　of　killing　each　other　in　their　homelands　far　to　the　east；　and　here　in　Al…Rassan；　it　was　the　enduring　power　of　a　blood　feud；　however　long　vengeance　might　be　deferred。
　　No　matter　how　absurd　it　might　appear…a　Kindath　woman　declaring　her　intention　of　taking　revenge　against　the　most　powerful　monarch　to　emerge　since　the　Khalifate　fell…she　had　spoken　a　language　even　a　placid；　innocuous　Asharite　merchant　could　understand。
　　And；　in　any　case；　the　merchant　was　not　so　placid　any　more。
　　Velaz；　seizing　the　ancient　prerogative　of　longtime　servants；　was　blistering　her　ears　with　objections　and　admonitions。　His　voice　was；　as　always；　appreciably　less　deferential　than　it　was　when　others　were　with　them。　She　could　remember　him　doing　this　to　her　father　as　well；　on　nights　when　Ishak　would　be　preparing　to　rush　outside　to　a　patient's　summons　without　properly　clothing　himself　against　rain　or　wind；　or　without　finishing　his　meal；　or　when　he　drove　himself　too　hard；　reading　late　into　the　night　by　candlelight。
　　She　was　doing　a　little　bit　more　than　staying　up　too　late；　and　the　frightened　concern　in　Velaz's　voice　was　going　to　erode　her　confidence　if　she　let　him　go　on。　Besides　which；　she　had　a　more　difficult　confrontation　waiting　at　home。
　　〃This　has　nothing　to　do　with　us；〃　Velaz　was　saying　urgently；　in　step　with　her　and　not　behind；　which　was　pletely　uncharacteristic；　the　surest　sign　of　his　agitation。　〃Except　if　they　find　a　way　to　blame　the　Kindath　for　it；　which　I　wouldn't　be　surprised　if…
　　〃Velaz。　Enough。　Please。　We　are　more　than　Kindath。　We　are