ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第13节

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utiful　once；　his　eyes　clear　and　blue　as　the　river　in　sunlight；　bright　doorways　to　a　grave　depth　of　thought。　The　grace　of　his　mind　and　the　skill　of　his　hands　had　been　bestowed　without　stinting　or　hesitation　upon　all　who　asked　or　had　need。　He　had　been　proud　without　vanity；　wise　without　trivial　wit；　courageous　without　bravado。　He　was　a　shell；　a　husk；　a　blind；　mute　absence　of　all　these　things　in　a　room　without　light。
　　In　a　way；　Jehane　thought…looking　at　her　father；　preparing　to　say　goodbye…pursuing　this　vengeance；　however　belated；　against　Almalik　of　Cartada　was　the　most　obvious　thing　she　had　ever　done。　She　began。　〃Market　day　today。　Nothing　too　difficult。　I　was　about　to　see　a　quarry　laborer　with　what　looked　to　be　gout…if　you　can　believe　it…when　I　was　called　away。　I　wouldn't　have　gone；　of　course；　but　it　turned　out　to　be　Husari　ibn　Musa…he　was　passing　another　stone；　the　third　one　this　year。〃
　　There　was　no　movement　in　the　deep　armchair。　The　handsome；　white…bearded　profile　seemed　a　carving　of　a　man；　not　the　man　himself。
　　〃While　I　was　treating　him；〃　Jehane　said；　〃we　learned　something　terrible。　If　you　listen　you　may　be　able　to　hear　shouting　in　the　streets　beyond　the　Quarter。〃　She　did　this　often；　trying　to　make　him　use　his　hearing；　trying　to　draw　him　from　this　room。
　　No　movement；　no　sign　he　even　knew　she　was　here。　Almost　angrily；　Jehane　said；　〃It　seems　that　Almalik　of　Cartada　sent　his　oldest　son　and　the　lord　Ammar　ibn　Khairan　to　consecrate　the　new　wing　of　the　castle　today。　And　they　have　just　murdered　all　those　invited。　That's　why　we　can　hear　noise　in　the　streets。　One　hundred　and　forty　men；　Father。　Almalik　had　their　heads　cut　off　and　threw　the　bodies　in　the　moat。〃
　　And　there；　quite　unexpectedly；　it　was。　It　could　have　been　a　trick　of　the　light；　slanting　in　through　shadows；　but　she　thought　she　saw　him　turn　his　head；　just　a　little；　towards　her。　I　don't　think　I've　ever　spoken　Almalik's　name　to　him；　Jehane　realized　suddenly。
　　Quickly；　she　went　on；　〃Husari　was　meant　to　be　one　of　them；　Father。　That's　why　he　wanted　me　to　e　so　quickly　this　morning。　He'd　hoped　to　be　able　to　attend　at　the　castle。　Now　he's　the　only　one　who　wasn't　killed。　And　it's　possible　the　Muwardis…there　are　five　hundred　new　troops　in　the　city　today…may　e　after　him。　So　I've　arranged　to　have　him　moved　here。　Velaz　is　bringing　him　now；　in　disguise。　I　asked　Mother's　permission；〃　she　added。
　　No　mistaking　it　this　time。　Ishak　had　turned　his　head　perceptibly　towards　her　as　if　drawn　against　his　will　to　hear　what　was　being　said。　Jehane　became　aware　that　she　was　near　to　crying。　She　swallowed；　fighting　that。　〃Husari　seems　。。。　different；　Father。　I　hardly　know　him。　He's　calm；　almost　cold。　He's　angry；　Father。　He　plans　to　leave　the　city　tonight。　Do　you　know　why？〃　She　risked　the　question；　and　waited　until　she　saw　the　small　inquiring　motion　of　his　head　before　answering：　〃He　said　he　intends　to　destroy　Cartada。〃
　　She　swiped　at　a　treacherous　tear。　Four　years　of　monologues　in　this　room；　and　now；　on　the　eve　of　her　going　away；　he　had　finally　acknowledged　her　presence。
　　Jehane　said；　〃I've　decided　to　leave　with　him；　Father。〃
　　She　watched。　No　movement；　no　sign。　But　then；　slowly；　his　head　turned　back　away　from　her　until　she　was　looking；　again；　at　the　profile　she　had　watched　for　all　these　years。　She　swallowed　again。　In　its　own　way；　this；　too；　was　a　response。　〃I　don't　think　I'll　stay　with　him；　I　don't　even　know　where　he's　going　or　what　he　plans。　But　somehow；　after　this　afternoon；　I　just　can't　pretend　nothing　has　happened。　If　Husari　can　decide　to　fight　Almalik；　so　can　I。〃
　　There。　She　had　said　it。　It　was　spoken。　And　having　said　this　much；　Jehane　found　that　she　could　say　nothing　more。　She　was　crying；　after　all；　wiping　away　tears。
　　She　closed　her　eyes；　overwhelmed。　Until　this　very　moment　it　might　have　been　possible　to　pretend　she　was　about　to　do　nothing　more　than　what　her　father　had　done　many　times：　leave　Fezana　to　pursue　contracts　and　experience　in　the　wider　world。　If　a　doctor　wanted　to　build　a　reputation　that　was　the　way　to　do　it。　Declaring　a　course　of　vengeance　against　a　king　was　a　path　to　something　entirely　different。　She　was　also　a　woman。　Her　profession　might　ensure　her　some　measure　of　safety　and　respect；　but　Jehane　had　lived　and　studied　abroad。　She　knew　the　difference　between　Ishak　going　into　the　world　and　his　daughter　doing　so。　She　was　acutely　conscious　that　she　might　never　be　in　this　room　again。　
　　〃Ache　ve'rach　wi'oo！〃
　　Jehane's　eyes　snapped　open。　What　she　saw　stupefied　her。　Ishak　had　turned　sideways　in　his　chair　to　face　her。　His　face　was　contorted　with　the　effort　of　speech；　the　hollow　sockets　of　his　eyes　trained　on　where　he　knew　her　to　be　sitting。　Her　hands　flew　to　her　mouth。
　　〃What？　Papa；　I　don't　。。。　〃
　　〃Ache　ve'rach！〃　The　mangled　sounds　were　anguished；　imperative。
　　Jehane　hurtled　from　her　chair　and　dropped　to　her　knees　on　the　carpet　at　her　father's　feet。　She　seized　one　of　his　hands　and　felt；　for　the　first　time　in　four　years；　his　firm　strong　grasp　as　he　squeezed　her　fingers　tightly。
　　〃I'm　sorry。　I'm　sorry！　Again；　please。　I　don't　understand！〃　She　felt　frantic；　heartbroken。　He　was　trying　to　speak　clearly；　his　whole　body　twisting　with　effort　and　frustration。
　　〃Ve'rach！　Ve'rach！〃　His　grip　was　fierce；　willing　her　prehension；　as　if　sheer　intensity　could　make　the　tragically　distorted　words　intelligible。
　　〃He　is　telling　you　to　take　your　servant　Velaz　with　you；　Jehane。　Under　the　circumstances；　a　wise　suggestion。〃
　　Jehane　wheeled　as　if　stabbed；　springing　to　her　feet　as　she　turned　to　the　window。　Then　she　froze。　She　could　feel　the　blood　leave　her　face。
　　Sitting　sideways　on　the　broad　window　ledge；　regarding　them　calmly；　knees　bent　and　both　hands　wrapped　around　them；　was　Ammar　ibn　Khairan。　And　of　course　if　he　was　here　they　were　already　lost；　because　with　him　he　would　have　brought…〃I　am　alone；　Jehane。　I　don't　like　the　Muwardis。〃　
　　She　fought　for　control。　〃No？　You　just　let　them　do　your　killing　for　you？　What　does　liking　have　to　do　with　it？　How　did　you　get　here？　Where　is…〃　She　stopped　herself　just　in　time。
　　It　didn't　seem　to　matter。　〃Husari　ibn　Musa　should　be　approaching　the　Kindath　Gates　just　about　now。　He's　dressed　as　a　wadji；　if　you　can　imagine　it。　An　eccentric　disguise；　I'd　say。　It's　a　good　thing　Velaz　is　there　to　vouch　for　him　or　they'd　never　let　him　in。〃　He　smiled；　but　there　was　something　odd　about　his　eyes。　He　said；　〃You　have　no　reason　to　believe　me；　but　I　had　nothing　to　do　with　what　happened　this　afternoon。　Neither　did　the　prince。〃
　　〃Hah！〃　Jehane　said。　The　most　sophisticated　rejoinder　she　could　manage　for　the　moment。
　　He　smiled　again。　This　time　it　was　an　expression　she　remembered　from　the　morning。　〃I　am　duly　refuted；　I　suppose。　Shall　I　fall　out　of　the　window　now？〃
　　And　just　then；　for　Jehane　the　most　utterly　unexpected　event　of　an　appalling　day　took　place。　She　heard　a　gasping；　strangled　noise　behind　her　and　turned；　terrified。
　　To　realize；　after　a　moment；　that　what　she　was　hearing　was　her　father's　laughter。
　　Ammar　ibn　Khairan　swung　neatly　down　from　the　window　and　landed　softly　on　the　carpeted　floor。　He　walked　past　Jehane　and　stood　before　her　father's　heavy　chair。
　　〃Ishak；〃　he　said　gently。
　　〃Ammar；〃　her　father　said；　almost　clearly。
　　The　murderer　of　the　last　khalif　of　Al…Rassan　knelt　before　him。　〃I　had　hoped　you　might　remember　my　voice；〃　he　said。　〃Will　you　accept　apologies；　Ishak？　I　ought　to　have　been　here　long　ago；　and　certainly　not　in　this　fashion；　shocking　your　daughter　and　without　leave　of　your　wife。〃
　　Ishak　reached　out　a　hand　by　way　of　reply；　and　ibn　Khairan　took　it。　He　had　removed　his　gloves　and　rings。　Jehane　was　too　stunned　to　even　begin　to　formulate　her　thoughts。
　　〃Muwaaris？　Wha　happ！〃
　　Ibn　Khairan's　voice　was　grave。　〃Almalik　is　a　subtle　man；　as　I　think　you　know。　He　wanted　Fezana　quelled；　obviously。　He　also　seems　to　have　had　a　message　for　the　prince。〃　He　paused。　〃And　another　for　me。〃
　　Jehane　found　her　voice。　〃You　really　didn't　know　about　this？〃
　　〃I　wouldn't　bother　lying　to　you；〃　Ammar　ibn　Khairan　said；　precisely；　without　even　looking　at　her。
　　Flushing；　Jehane　realized　that　it　was；　of　course；　quite　true。　Why　would　he　care　what　she　thought？　But　in　that　case；　there　was　another　obvious　question；　and　she　wasn't　especially　inclined　to　accept　rebukes　from　men　who　climbed　in　through　the　windows　of　their　home：　〃What　are　you　doing　here　then？〃
　　This　time　he　did　turn。　〃Two　reasons。　You　ought　to　be　able　to　guess　at　one　of　them。〃　Out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye　Jehane　saw　her　father　slowly　nodding　his　head。
　　〃Forgive　me；　I'm　not　disposed　to　play　at　guessing　games　just　now。〃　She　tried　to　make　it　sting。
　　Ibn　Khairan's　expression　was　unruffled。　〃It　isn't　a　game；　Jehane。　I'm　here　to　ensure　that　Husari　ibn　Musa　is　not　killed　by　the　Muwardis　this　evening；　and　that　the　physician；　more　brave　than　intelligent　perhaps；　who　is　assisting　him　to　escape；　is　likewise　enabled　to　live　beyond　tonight。〃
　　Jehane　felt　suddenly　cold。　〃They　are　ing　for　him；　then？〃
　　〃Of　course　they　are　ing　for　him。　The　list　of　invited　guests　was　known；　and　some　of　the　Muwardis　can　read。　They　were　instructed　to　execute　every　man　on　that　list。　Do　you　think　they'd　forgo　the　pleasure　of　killing　even　one；　or　risk　Al