ggk.asongforarbonne-第103节

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；　and　that　something　terrible　had　been　done　to　men　they　all　knew。
　　She　would　have　expected　to　burst　into　desperate　tears；　to　faint；　to　feel　her　mind　slamming　shut　like　a　door。　Perhaps　it　was　the　shock；　or　an　inward　refusal　to　believe；　but　she　had　done　none　of　these　things；　nor　had　any　of　the　other　women　there。　Ariane；　to　whom　her　husband　had　formally　told　the　news　about　Remy　and　Aurelian；　had　risen　stiffly　from　where　she　sat　and　walked　away；　to　stand　with　her　back　to　the　room；　staring　into　the　fire。　After　an　interval　of　time；　though；　she　had　turned　and　e　back。　She　had　been　very　pale；　but　her　flawless　features　were　carefully　posed。　She　had　sat　beside　the　countess　and　reached　for　one　of　Signe's　hands；　holding　it　between　both　of　her　own。
　　Of　all　the　people　in　that　room；　Alain　of　Rousset　had　been　the　only　one　who　wept　openly；　and　Lisseut　had　gone　over　to　him。　The　little　troubadour　had　been　wearing　his　sword。　He　was　still　awkward　with　it；　but　he　was　here　to　join　the　soldiers　in　Talair；　had　rowed　across　the　water　to　fight　with　them。
　　It　seemed　that　Remy　and　Aurelian　had　been　thinking　in　the　same　way；　spying　on　the　army　of　Gorhaut　as　it　moved　south。　Lisseut　would　have　thought　the　two　of　them　might　even　have　been　good　at　that；　but　she　didn't　know　much　about　warfare。
　　Neither　had　they。
　　She　had　found　herself　meeting　the　clear　blue　gaze　of　the　woman　named　Rosala。　There　was　pain　there；　and　something　else　as　hurtful；　if　harder　to　understand；　but　Lisseut　had　taken　resolution　and　a　certain　fort　from　that　exchange　of　glances；　and　tried；　as　best　she　could；　to　give　back　the　same　two　things。
　　〃There　should　be　a　song　for　them；〃　the　countess　had　said；　rising　from　her　chair　and　turning　to　where　Lisseut　was　standing　beside　Alain。　The　little　troubadour　had　lifted　his　head；　wiping　his　eyes。　〃I　will　not　ask　for　it　now；　though；〃　Signe　de　Barbentain　went　on。　〃This　is　not　a　time　for　music。〃
　　It　was　then　that　they　had　heard　footsteps　in　the　corridor　again；　and　Bertran　had　e　into　the　room　with　a　number　of　other　men。　One　of　whom　was　Blaise。　There　was　something　bleak　and　forbidding　about　him；　as　if　a　part　of　the　winter　had　passed　into　him　on　the　ramparts。　He　had　looked　at　Rosala　first…his　brother's　wife…and　nodded　his　head　in　greeting。　But　then　he　had　turned　to　Lisseut　and；　after　a　moment；　had　made　a　small；　helpless　gesture　with　his　hands。　She　did　feel　like　crying　then。　She　could　remember　him　wounding　Remy　with　his　sword。　She　had　e　forward　to　challenge　him　for　that。　Midsummer；　it　had　been。　Midsummer　Carnival　in　Tavernel。　Hard　to　believe　that　there　once　had　been　a　time　of　celebration　in　Arbonne。
　　〃They　have　blown　the　horns　and　are　ing　to　parley；〃　Bertran　had　said　to　the　countess。　〃Ademar　is　riding　with　his　herald。〃
　　〃Then　I　should　be　with　ours；〃　Signe　had　said　calmly。　〃If　you　think　it　right。〃
　　〃We　are　your　servants；　your　grace。　But　yes；　I　think　it　right。　I　think　you　should　e；　and　Ariane。　This　is　a　war　being　waged　against　our　women；　as　much　as　anything；　and　I　think　the　army；　both　armies；　should　see　you　here。〃
　　〃And　I；〃　said　Rosala　de　Garsenc　then；　rising。　〃I　am　their　excuse　for　war。〃　Bertran　had　looked　quickly　over　at　her；　an　odd　expression　in　his　face。　He　had　looked　as　if　he　wanted　to　demur；　but　did　not。
　　When　Lisseut　expressed　the　same　intention　to　be　present　no　one　gainsaid　her。　She　hadn't　expected　them　to。　She　didn't　even　see　herself　as　being　presumptuous。　Not　with　this。　It　seemed　to　her　that　there　might　even　be　a　shared　feeling　now　that　one　of　the　musicians　should　be　there。
　　She　had　actually　forgotten；　for　the　moment；　that　Bertran　de　Talair　was　a　troubadour　too。
　　
　　The　king　of　Gorhaut；　it　soon　appeared；　had　not。　The　two　groups　met　within　sight　of　the　armies　but　at　a　careful　distance　removed。　There　were　archers　of　skill　in　both　ranks。　The　place　chosen　by　the　heralds　was　to　the　west；　along　the　northern　shore　of　Lake　Dierne；　beside　a　rocky　strand　of　beach。　They　could　see　the　great　stone　arch　not　far　away；　and　in　the　distance；　to　the　south…west；　the　towers　of　Miraval　ended　up　like　an　illusion　over　the　forest　between。
　　Amid　that　pany；　beside　the　whitecapped　lake；　the　voice　of　Signe　de　Barbentain　rang　out；　colder　than　the　waters　or　the　wind。　〃I　thought　Gorhaut　had　fallen　somewhat　since　your　father's　death；〃　she　said；　looking　straight　at　the　broad…shouldered　figure　of　Ademar。　I　had　not　realized　until　very　lately　how　great　that　fall　was。　The　man　on　that　platform　was　honoured　in　all　the　countries　of　the　world。　Are　you　not　ashamed　before　Corannos　to　have　done　this　foul　thing？〃
　　〃The　god's　name　is　profanity　in　your　mouth；〃　said　Galbert　de　Garsenc　quickly；　before　Ademar　could　reply。　The　king　gave　him　a　sharp　glance。
　　〃Cannot　your　king　at　least　speak　some　answers　for　himself？〃　Signe　asked　with　deceptive　mildness。　Lisseut　saw　Ademar　flush。　She　saw　him　look　at　Rosala　de　Garsenc　before　replying。
　　〃He　was　captured　as　a　spy。〃　The　voice　was　unexpectedly　light；　but　controlled。　〃He　would　have　been　dealt　with　and　executed　as　such；　and　the　yellow…haired　one　as　well；　but　he　made　a　mistake。〃　Ademar　turned　to　Bertran　de　Talair。　〃He　elected；　unwisely；　to　sing　some　verses　of　a　song　you　wrote；　my　lord。　The　wrong　verses；　the　wrong　song。　And　the　other　man　chose　to　laugh。　You　might　say　you　are　responsible　for　what　happened　to　them。〃
　　For　the　first　time　he　smiled。　Lisseut　shivered；　seeing　that。　She　saw　Rosala　de　Garsenc　turn　away。　But　then；　despite　her　own　fear；　or　perhaps　because　of　it；　and　because　it　was　not　clear　what　had　happened；　she　dared　speak；　even　in　that　pany；　for　the　sake　of　the　two　dead　men　she　had　loved。　She　said；　to　the　king　of　Gorhaut：
　　〃He　sang　for　you？　You　didn't　remotely　deserve　such　an　honour。　Were　these　the　lines　by　any　chance？　
　　What　manner　of　man；　with　his　father　new…fallen；　
　　Would　destroy　with　a　pen…stroke　a　long　dream　of　glory？〃　
　　She　felt　an　anger　such　as　she　had　never　known　in　her　life。　Almost　snarling　the　words　she　added；　〃Or　did　he　ask　the　other；　obvious　question　in　the　same　song：　Where　went　the　manhood　of　Gorhaut　。。。　？　Where　indeed。　They　are　asking　that　question　all　through　the　world；　about　a　nation　that　burns　helpless　women。〃　She　spoke　the　words　with　all　the　passion　of　her　heart。
　　And　she　was　met；　brutally；　by　laughter。　〃I　would　have　thought　the　question　of　lost　manhood　would　apply　to　the　one　on　the　platform；　actually。〃　King　Ademar's　amusement　faded；　the　small　pale　eyes　held　hers。　〃But　since　you　have　chosen　to　raise　the　issue；　I　will　make　a　point　of　remembering　your　unremarkable　face；　and　personally　dealing　with　that　question　when　we　are　finished　doing　what　we　have　e　to　do　tomorrow。〃
　　〃Your　father；〃　said　Bertran　de　Talair　quietly；　speaking　for　the　first　time；　〃never　blustered。　I　remember　that　about　him。〃
　　〃Ah；〃　said　Ademar；　turning　quickly　to　him。　〃It　es　back　to　fathers；　does　it？〃　He　looked　pointedly　towards　the　distant　towers　of　Miraval。　〃I　was　told　it　had　as　much　to　do　with　a　bastard　son　and　a　lusting　woman；　legs　wide　for　any　man　but　her　own　husband。　What　a　shame　the　cuckolded　duke　of　Miraval　is　not　here　to　offer　you　his　wise　counsel。　And　what　a　great　shame　as　well；〃　he　added；　turning　from　Bertran；　whose　face　had　gone　white；　〃that　you　have　had　to　find　such　frail　vessels　from　the　north　to　fill　out　your　sorry　ranks。〃
　　Lisseut　had　wondered　when　they　would　get　to　Blaise。　In　the　moments　that　followed；　she　was　made　to　realize　that　she　had　not　moved　past　longing　into　acceptance　after　all。　The　image　of　that　stone　sinking　silently　down　through　dark　water　left　her　then；　and　never　returned。
　　Blaise；　despite　Ademar's　hard　gaze；　utterly　ignored　him；　as　if　the　king　of　Gorhaut　were　some　minor　functionary；　unworthy　of　attention。　His　own　eyes　were　locked　on　his　father's　face；　and　Lisseut　saw　the　forbidding　figure　of　Galbert　de　Garsenc　in　his　blue　cleric's　robe　looking　at　his　younger　son　with　an　expression　that　actually　terrified　her。　She　had　thought；　naively；　that　her　travels　had　led　her　to　understand　something　of　the　world。　She　realized　now；　seeing　that　exchange　of　glances；　that　she　knew　nothing。　She　also　understood　in　that　moment　that；　in　a　real　sense；　all　of　this　came　down　to　the　two　of　them。
　　〃In　the　Books　of　Othair；〃　said　Blaise　softly；　〃which　are　the　holiest　writings　of　Corannos；　it　is　told　that　the　land　of　Gorhaut　carries　the　god's　burden　of　bringing　justice　into　the　world。　It　teaches　that　Corannos　has　bestowed　upon　us　the　holy　task　of　guarding　the　helpless　and　the　persecuted　in　all　lands　we　pass　through；　in　return　for　his　great　favour　and　the　promise　of　his　eternal　shelter　when　we　die。〃　He　was　silent；　and　in　the　silence　was　an　indictment。
　　〃You　dare　speak　to　me　of　the　teachings　of　the　god？〃　Galbert　said；　his　rich　voice　rising；　genuinely　incredulous。　Behind　him　Lisseut　saw　a　man　who；　from　his　appearance；　had　to　be　the　other　son。　He　was　sitting　astride　a　handsome　horse　among　the　small　number　of　men　who　had　e　with　the　High　Elder　and　the　king。　His　expression　was　strained；　oddly　suspended　between　bitter　amusement　and　pain。　Impulsively；　she　glanced　over　at　Rosala。　She　was　gazing　steadily　at　her　husband；　her　face　unreadable。　There　were；　Lisseut　thought；　layers　and　layers　of　grief　here。
　　Blaise　seemed　to　ignore　his　father's　interjection。　He　went　on；　as　if　no