epeters.amorbidtasteforbones-第23节
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〃Tell me nothing； for I might be asked；〃 said Cadfael。 〃A blind eye and a deaf ear can be useful sometimes。 I'll be glad to spend a while with you presently； but now I'm bound to her。 We have business together。〃
Sioned was not in the hall； but in the small chamber curtained off at its end； Rhisiart's private room。 And Rhisiart was private there with his daughter； stretched out straight and still on draped furs； on a trestle table； with a white linen sheet covering him。 The girl sat beside him； waiting； very formally attired； very grave； her hair austerely braided about her head。 She looked older； and taller； now that she was the lady…lord of this holding。 But she rose to meet Brother Cadfael with the bright； sad； eager smile of a child sure now of counsel and guidance。
〃I looked for you earlier。 No matter； I'm glad you're here。 I have his clothes for you。 I did not fold them； if I had； the damp would have spread evenly through； and now； though they may have dried off； I think you'll still feel a difference。〃 She brought them； chausses； tunic and shirt； and he took them from her one by one and felt at the cloth testingly。 〃I see；〃 she said； 〃that you already know where to feel。〃
Rhisiart's hose； though partly covered by the tunic he had worn； were still damp at the back of the thighs and legs； but in front dry； though the damp had spread round through the threads to narrow the dry part to a few inches。 His tunic was moist all down the back to the hem； the full width of his shoulders still shaped in a dark patch like spread wings； but all the breast of it； round the dark…rimmed slit the arrow had made； was quite dry。 The shirt； though less definitely； showed the same pattern。 The fronts of the sleeves were dry； the backs damp。 Where the exit wound pierced his back； shirt and tunic were soaked in blood now drying and encrusted。
〃You remember；〃 said Cadfael； 〃just how he lay when we found him？〃
〃I shall remember it my life long；〃 said Sioned。 〃From the hips up flat on his back； but his right hip turned into the grass； and his legs twisted； the left over the right； like。。。。〃 She hesitated； frowning； feeling for her own half…glimpsed meaning； and found it。 〃Like a man who has been lying on his face； and heaves himself over in his sleep on to his back； and sleeps again at once。〃
〃Or；〃 said Cadfael； 〃like a man who has been taken by the left shoulder； as he lay on his face； and heaved over on to his back。 After he was well asleep！〃
She gazed at him steadily； with eyes hollow and dark like wounds。 〃Tell me all your thoughts。 I need to know。 I must know。〃
〃First； then；〃 said Brother Cadfael； 〃I call attention to the place where this thing happened。 A close…set； thicketed place； with plenty of bushes for cover； but not more than fifty paces clear view in any direction。 Is mat an archer's ground？ I think not。 Even if he wished the body to be left in woodlands where it might lie undiscovered for hours； he could have found a hundred places more favourable to him。 An expert bowman does not need to get close to his quarry； he needs room to draw on a target he can hold in view long enough for a steady aim。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Sioned。 〃Even if it could be believed of him that he would kill； that rules out Engelard。〃
〃Not only Engelard； any good bowman； and if someone so inpetent as to need so close a shot tried it； I doubt if he could succeed。 I do not like this arrow； it has no place here； and yet here it is。 It has one clear purpose； to cast the guilt on Engelard。 But I cannot get it out of my head that it has some other purpose； too。〃
〃To kill！〃 said Sioned； burning darkly。
〃Even that I question； mad though it may seem。 See the angle at which it enters and leaves。 And then see how the blood is all at the back； and not where the shaft entered。 And remember all we have said and noted about his clothes； how they were wet behind； though he lay on his back。 And how you yourself said it was the attitude of a man who had heaved himself over from lying on his face。 And one more thing I found out yesterday； as I kneeled beside him。 Under him the thick grass was wet。 But all down by his right side； shoulder to hip and body…wide； it was bone…dry。 There was a brisk shower yesterday morning； half an hour of rain。 When that rain began； your father was lying on his face； already dead。 How else could that patch of grass have remained dry； but sheltered by his body？〃
〃And then；〃 said Sioned low but clearly； 〃as you say； he was taken by his left shoulder and heaved over on to his back。 When he was well asleep。 Deep asleep！〃
〃So it looks to me！〃
〃But the arrow entered his breast；〃 she said。 〃How； then； could he fall on his face？〃
〃That we have to find out。 Also why he bled behind； and not in front。 But lie on his face he did； and that from before the rain began until after it ceased； or the grass beneath him could not have been dry。 From half an hour before noon； when the first drops fell； until some minutes past noon； when the sun came out again。 Sioned； may I； with all reverence look closely again now at his body？〃
〃I know no greater reverence anyone can pay to a murdered man；〃 she said fiercely； 〃than to seek out by all possible means and avenge him on his murder。 Yes； handle him if your must。 I'll help you。 No one else！ At least；〃 she said with a pale and bitter smile； 〃you and I are not afraid to touch him； in case he bleeds in accusation against us。〃
Cadfael was sharply arrested in the act of drawing down the sheet that covered Rhisiart's body； as though what she had said had put a new and promising idea into his head。 〃True！ There are not many who do not believe in that trial。 Would you say everyone here holds by it？〃
〃Don't your people believe it？ Don't you？〃 She was astonished。 Her eyes rounded like a child's。
〃My cloister…brothers。。。。 Yes； I dare say all or most believe in it。 I？ Child； I've seen too many slaughtered men handled over and over after a battle by those who finish them off； and never known one of them gush fresh blood； once the life was out of him。 But what I believe or don't believe is not to the point。 What the murderer believes well may be。 No； you have endured enough。 Leave him now to me。〃
Nevertheless； she did not turn her eyes away； as Cadfael drew off the covering sheet。 She must have anticipated the need to examine the body further； for as yet she had left him naked； unshrouded。 Washed clean of blood； Rhisiart lay posed and at rest； a thick； powerful trunk brown to the waist； whiter below。 The wound under his ribs； an erect slit； now showed ugly and torn； with frayed； bluish lips； though they had done their best to smooth the lacerated flesh together。
〃I must turn him；〃 said Cadfael。 〃I need to see the other wound。〃
She did not hesitate； but with the tenderness of a mother rather than a daughter she slipped an arm under her father's shoulders； and with her free hand flattened under him from the other side； raised the stiffened corpse until he lay on his right side； his face cradled in the hollow of her arm。 Cadfael steadied the stretched…out legs； and leaned to peer closely at the wound high on the left side of the back。
〃You would have trouble pulling out the shaft。 You had to withdraw it frontally。〃
〃Yes。〃 She shook for a moment； for that had been the worst of the ordeal。 〃The tip barely broke the skin behind； we had no chance to cut it off。 Shame to mangle him so； but what could we do？ And yet all that blood！〃
The steel point had indeed done little more than puncture the skin； leaving a small； blackened spot； dried blood with a bluish bruise round it。 But there was a further mark there； thin and clear and faint。 From the black spot the brown line of another upright slit extended； a little longer above the arrow…mark than below； its length in all about as great as the width of Cadfael's thumb…joint； and a faint stain of bruising extending it slightly at either end； beyond where the skin was broken。 All that blood…though in fact it was not so very much； though it took Rhisiart's life away with it…had drained out of this thin slit； and not from the wound in his breast； though that now glared； and this lay closed and secret。
〃I have done；〃 said Cadfael gently； and helped her to lay her father at peace again。 When they had smoothed even the thick mane of his hair； they covered him again reverently。 Then Cadfael told her exactly what he had seen。 She watched him with great eyes； and thought for some moments in silence。 Then she said： 〃I did see this mark you speak of。 I could not account for it。 If you can； tell me。〃
〃It was there his life…blood came out；〃 said Cadfael。 〃And not by the puncture the arrow certainly made； but by a prior wound。 A wound made； as I judge； by a long dagger； and a very thin and sharp one； no mon working knife。 Once it was withdrawn； the wound was nearly closed。 Yet the blade passed clean through him。 For it was possible； afterwards； to trace and turn that same thrust backwards upon itself； and very accurately； too。 What we took for the exit wound is no exit wound at all； but an entry wound。 The arrow was driven in from the front after he was dead； to hide the fact that he was stabbed in the back。 That was why the ambush took place in thick
