ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第60节

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　the　wound；　the　sooner　the　better。　I　need　the　place　and　time　of　his　birth；　to　see　if　it　is　proper　to　do　surgery　now。　Do　you　know　these　things？〃
　　〃I　do；〃　Idar　heard　himself　saying。　His　father　was　staring　at　the　woman。
　　〃Good。　Give　them　to　my　assistant；　please。　I　will　offer　your　brother　the　best　care　I　can　here；　and　I　will　be　pleased　to　look　after　him　when　he　returns　with　us　to　Ragosa。　With　luck　and　diligence　he　ought　to　be　able　to　move　about　with　sticks　before　spring。〃　Her　eyes　were　extremely　blue；　and　quite　level　as　her　gaze　rested　on　Idar's　father。　〃I　am　also　confident　that　having　his　brother　as　a　panion　will　speed　his　recovery。〃
　　Idar　watched　his　father's　face。　The　old　warrior's　expression　moved　from　relief　to　fury　to　a　gradual　awareness　that　he　had　no　resources　here。　Nothing　to　do　in　the　presence　of　these　people　but　accede。　It　was　not　a　role　he　had　ever　played　happily　in　his　life。
　　He　managed　another　thin；　wolf's　smile。　Turned　from　the　Kindath　doctor　back　to　the　two　men。　〃Do　help　an　old　man's　faltering　grasp　of　things；〃　he　said。　〃Was　this　elaborate　scheme　truly　worth　a　single　season's　delay？　You　must　know　that　King　Bermudo　will　send　again　to　Fibaz　in　the　spring；　demanding　parias；　almost　certainly　a　doubled　sum。〃
　　〃Of　course　he　will；〃　said　ibn　Khairan。　〃But　this　happens　to　be　an　important　season　and　this　gold　can　be　put　to　better　use　than　arming　Jalona　for　the　ing　year。〃　The　pearl　in　his　right　ear　gleamed。　He　said；　〃When　next　he　es　Fibaz　might　refuse　him　tribute。〃
　　〃Ah！〃　said　Idar's　father　then。　He　pulled　a　bloody　hand　slowly　through　his　beard；　smearing　it　even　further。　〃I　am　illuminated！　The　spirit　of　Ashar　allows　me　sight　at　last。〃　He　bowed　mockingly　to　both　men。　〃I　am　humbled　to　be　even　a　small　part　of　so　great　an　undertaking。　Of　course　it　is　an　important　season。　Of　course　you　need　the　gold。　You　are　going　after　Cartada　in　the　spring。〃
　　〃Good　for　you！〃　said　Ammar　ibn　Khairan；　encouragement　in　his　voice　and　the　blue　eyes。　He　smiled。　〃Wouldn't　you　like　to　e　with　us？〃
　　
　　A　short　time　later；　back　in　the　sunlight　of　the　valley；　Jehane　bet　Ishak　prepared　to　saw　off　the　right　leg　of　Abir　ibn　Tarif；　assisted　by　Velaz　and　the　strong　hands　of　Martin　and　Ludus；　and　with　the　aid　of　a　massive　dose；　administered　by　saturated　sponge；　of　her　father's　strongest　soporific。
　　She　had　performed　amputations　before；　but　never　on　open　ground　like　this。　She　didn't　tell　them　that；　of　course。　Ser　Rezzoni　again：　〃Let　them　always　believe　you　do　nothing　but　this　procedure；　day　after　day。〃
　　The　wounded　man's　brother　hovered　impotently　nearby；　begging　to　be　of　assistance。　She　was　struggling　to　find　polite　words　to　send　him　away　when　Alvar　de　Pellino　materialized　beside　the　man　with　an　open　flask。
　　〃Will　I　offend　you　if　I　offer　wine？〃　he　asked　the　white…faced　bandit。　The　look　of　grateful　need　was　answer　enough。　Alvar　led　the　man　to　the　far　side　of　their　temporary　camp。　The　father；　ibn　Hassan；　was　conversing　there　with　Rodrigo　and　Ammar。　He　betrayed　his　distraction　by　glancing　in　their　direction　with　regularity。　Jehane　noted　that；　then　put　all　such　matters　from　her　mind。
　　Amputations　in　the　field　did　not　have　a　high　success　rate。　On　the　other　hand；　most　military　doctors　had　no　real　idea　what　they　were　doing。　Rodrigo　had　known　that　very　well。　It　was　why　she　was　here。　It　was　also　why　she　was　nervous。　She　could　have　asked　the　moon　sisters　and　the　god　for　an　easier　first　procedure　with　this　pany。　For　almost　anything　else；　in　truth。
　　She　let　none　of　this　show　in　her　face。　She　checked　her　implements　again。　They　were　clean；　laid　out　by　Velaz　on　a　white　cloth　on　the　green　grass。　She　had　consulted　her　almanac　and　cast　the　moons：　those　of　the　patient's　birth　hour　were　in　acceptable　harmony　with　today's。　She　would　only　have　delayed　if　faced　with　the　worst　possible　reading。
　　There　was　wine　to　pour　into　the　wound　and　the　cauterizing　iron　waited　in　the　fire；　red…hot　already。　The　patient　was　dazed　with　the　drugs　Velaz　had　given　him。　Not　surprisingly：　the　sponge　had　been　steeped　in　crushed　poppies；　mandragora　and　hemlock。　She　took　his　arm　and　pinched　it；　as　hard　as　she　could。　He　didn't　move。　She　looked　into　his　eyes　and　was　satisfied。　Two　strong　men；　used　to　battlefield　surgery；　were　holding　him　down。　Velaz…from　whom　she　had　no　secrets…offered　her　a　reassuring　glance；　and　her　heavy　saw。
　　No　reason；　really；　to　delay。
　　〃Hold　him；〃　she　said；　and　began　to　grind　through　flesh　and　bone。
　　
Eleven
　　〃Where's　Papa　now？〃
　　Fernan　Belmonte；　who　had　asked　the　question；　was　lying　in　clean　straw　in　the　loft　above　the　barn。　Most　of　him　was　buried　for　warmth；　only　the　face　and　brown；　tousled　hair　showing。
　　Ibero　the　cleric；　who　had　reluctantly　acceded　to　the　twins'　morning　lessons　taking　place　up　here　today…it　was　warmer　in　the　barn　above　the　cows；　he'd　had　to　concede…opened　his　mouth　quickly　to　object；　but　then　shut　it　and　looked　with　apprehension　towards　where　the　other　boy　lay。
　　Diego　was　pletely　invisible　under　the　straw。　They　could　see　it　shift　with　the　rise　and　fall　of　his　breathing；　but　that　was　all。
　　〃Why　does　it　matter？〃　His　voice；　when　it　came；　seemed　disembodied。　A　message　from　the　spirit…world；　Ibero　thought；　then　surreptitiously　made　the　sign　of　the　sun　disk；　chiding　himself　for　such　nonsense。
　　〃Doesn't　really；〃　Fernan　replied。　〃I'm　just　curious。〃　They　were　taking　a　brief　rest　before　switching　courses　of　study。
　　〃Idle　child。　You　know　what　Ibero　says　about　curiosity；〃　Diego　said　darkly　from　his　cave　of　straw。
　　His　brother　looked　around　for　something　to　throw。　Ibero；　used　to　this；　quelled　him　with　a　glance。
　　〃Well；　is　he　allowed　to　be　rude？〃　Fernan　asked　in　an　aggrieved　tone。　〃He's　using　you　as　authority　for　impolite　behavior　to　his　older　brother。　Will　you　let　him？　Doesn't　that　make　you　a　party　to　his　action？〃
　　〃What's　impolite　about　it？〃　Diego　queried；　muffled　and　unseen。　〃Do　I　have　to　answer　every　question　that　es　into　his　empty　head；　Ibero？〃
　　The　little　cleric　sighed。　It　was　being　increasingly　difficult　to　deal　with　his　two　charges。　Not　only　were　they　impatient　and　frequently　reckless；　they　were　also　ferociously　intelligent。
　　〃I　think；〃　he　said；　prudently　dodging　both　queries；　〃that　this　particular　exchange　suggests　that　our　rest　is　over。　Shall　we　turn　to　the　matter　of　weights　and　measures？〃
　　Fernan　made　a　ghastly；　contorted　face；　pretended　he　was　strangling；　and　then　pulled　straw　over　his　head　in　unsubtle　protest。　Ibero　reached　for　and　found　a　buried　foot。　He　twisted；　hard。　Fernan　yelped　and　surfaced。
　　〃Weights　and　measures；〃　the　cleric　repeated。　〃If　you　won't　apply　yourself　properly　up　here　we'll　just　have　to　go　down　and　inform　your　mother　what　happens　when　I'm　tolerant　of　your　requests。〃
　　Fernan　sat　up　quickly。　Some　threats　still　worked。　Some　of　the　time。
　　〃He's　somewhere　east　of　Ragosa；〃　Diego　said。　〃There's　a　fight　of　some　kind。〃
　　Ibero　and　Fernan　looked　quickly　at　each　other。　The　matter　of　weights　and　measures　was；　for　the　moment；　abandoned。
　　〃What　does　somewhere　mean？〃　Fernan　demanded。　His　tone　was　sharp　now。　〃e　on；　Diego；　do　better　than　that。〃
　　〃Near　some　city　to　the　east。　There's　a　valley。〃
　　Fernan　looked　to　Ibero　for　help。　The　straw　on　the　other　side　of　the　cleric　shifted　and　disgorged　a　blinking　thirteen…year…old。　Diego　began　brushing　straw　from　his　hair　and　neck。
　　Ibero　was　a　teacher。　He　couldn't　help　himself。　〃Well；　he's　given　us　some　clues。　What's　the　city　east　of　Ragosa？　You　both　ought　to　know。〃
　　The　brothers　looked　at　each　other。
　　〃Ronizza？〃　Fernan　hazarded。
　　〃That's　south；〃　Ibero　said；　shaking　his　head。　〃And　on　what　river　is　it？〃
　　〃The　Larrios。　e　on；　Ibero；　this　is　important！〃　Fernan　had　the　capacity　to　seem　older　than　his　years　when　military　matters　were　being　discussed。
　　But　Ibero　was　equal　to　this　challenge。　〃Of　course　it's　serious。　What　sort　of　mander　relies　on　his　cleric　to　help　him　with　geography？　Your　father　knows　the　name　and　size　and　the　terrain　surrounding　every　city　in　the　peninsula。〃
　　〃It's　Fibaz；〃　Diego　said　suddenly。　〃Beneath　the　pass　to　Ferrieres。　I　don't　know　the　valley；　though。　It's　north　and　west　of　the　city。〃　He　paused　and　looked　away　again。　They　waited。
　　〃Papa　killed　someone；〃　Diego　said。　〃I　think　the　fighting　is　stopping。〃
　　Ibero　swallowed。　It　was　difficult　with　this　child。　It　was　almost　impossibly　difficult。　He　looked　closely　at　Diego。　The　boy　seemed　calm；　a　little　distracted；　but　it　was　impossible　to　see　from　his　face　that　he　was　registering　events　unimaginably　far　away。　And　Ibero　had　no　doubt…not　after　so　many　trials…that　Diego　was　reporting　them　truly。
　　Fernan　had　none　of　that　calm　just　now。　Grey　eyes　gleaming；　he　stood　up。　〃I'll　bet　you　anything　this　has　to　do　with　Jalona；〃　he　said。　〃They　were　sending　a　parias　party；　remember？〃
　　〃Your　father　wouldn't　attack　other　Jaddites　for　the　infidels；〃　Ibero　said　quickly。
　　〃Of　course　he　would！　He's　a　mercenary；　he's　being　paid　by　Ragosa。　The　only　promise　he　made　was　not　to　e　with　an　army　into　Valledo；　remember？〃　Fernan　looked　confidently　from　Ibero　to　Diego。　His　whole　being　was　afire　now；　charged　with　energy。
　　And　it　was　Ibero's　task…as　tutor；　guardian；　spiritual　counsellor…to　somehow　control　and　channel　t