ggk.asongforarbonne-第112节

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y　e　up　across　the　lake　and　listened　to　water　dripping　mournfully　from　the　trees　all　around。
　　She　had　kept　her　promise。　All　these　years　she　had　kept　the　promise　sworn　to　her　cousin　Aelis；　whom　she　had　loved。　She　could　see　herself　so　clearly　even　now：　the　thin；　shivering　girl　riding　in　a　wild　storm；　white　face　and　black　hair　lost　in　the　darkness　except　when　the　lightning　flashed。　And　she　had　been　crying；　crying　in　the　cruel　lashing　of　the　rain。　She　was　crying　again　now；　all　these　long　years　after；　weeping　for　innocence　lost；　for　the　dead　of　that　night　and　the　awful　burden　she　had　been　given　then　and　had　carried　all　these　years。
　　After　a　long　time　Ariane　wiped　her　eyes　and　squared　her　shoulders　and　turned　away　from　that　western　shore　and　its　weight　of　memory。　She　was　the　duchess　of　Carenzu；　queen　of　the　Court　of　Love　in　Arbonne；　a　woman　of　power　in　the　world；　and　there　was　a　great　deal　to　be　done。　Starting　with　the　ending　of　a　silence。　Aelis；　she　thought；　whispered　it　to　herself　actually；　only　the　name；　nothing　more　than　that；　realizing　as　she　did　so　that　it　was　a　kind　of　letting　go。　That　almost　brought　her　tears　again；　but　she　held　them　back　this　time。
　　She　went　along　the　curving　path　to　the　temple　and　waited　there　for　the　slow；　beautifully　chanted　service　to　e　to　an　end。　Then；　after　it　was　done；　in　the　privacy　of　a　small　room　beside　the　dome；　with　a　necessary　economy　of　words　but　as　much　gentleness　as　she　could　mand　amid　the　fevered　emotions　of　that　day；　she　told　the　first　person　who　needed　to　know。
　　Afterwards；　going　back　to　the　strand　alone；　she　had　herself　rowed　across　the　water　into　the　wind；　wrapping　herself　in　her　crimson　cloak　against　the　chill　at　the　end　of　day；　and　once　ashore　she　went　looking　for　the　second　person　who　had　to　be　told　before　the　whole　world　knew。
　　He　had　left　the　valley　by　then；　they　told　her；　and　so；　with　time　only　for　a　brief　embrace　of　her　husband　and　a　whispered　word；　she　took　horse　to　go　after　him。　On　the　way；　as　she　realized　where　it　was　he　had　gone；　where　she　was　following；　she　began　to　cry　again；　unable　to　help　herself；　the　tears　cold　on　her　cheeks　as　the　sun　sank　lower　in　the　west；　red　as　a　fire。
　　
　　Blaise　had　gone　with　Bertran　and　Thierry　to　where　Urté　de　Miraval　lay　dying　on　the　ground；　a　folded　cloak　under　his　head　and　another　one；　heavy　and　lined　with　fur；　covering　his　body。　Urté　was　very　pale；　and　Blaise　saw　at　a　glance　that　the　cloths　they　had　used　to　try　to　stanch　his　bleeding　were　soaked　through。　He　had　seen　this　before；　it　would　not　be　long。
　　Urté　was　still　conscious；　though；　and　there　was　a　hard　glint　of　triumph　in　his　eyes。　Thierry　hesitated　beside　him　and　then　stepped　carefully　back　and　away　so　that　Bertran　de　Talair　could　stand　alone　next　to　Urté。　The　silence　that　followed　was　taut　as　a　drawn　bowstring。
　　Another　hesitation…nothing　was　being　done　easily　here；　Blaise　knew…and　then　Bertran　knelt　beside　the　older　man。
　　〃We　have　won；〃　he　said　calmly。　〃Your　decision　to　join　us　after　all　was　what　turned　the　battle。〃
　　Urté　de　Miraval　laughed　then；　a　terrible　sound；　and　the　movement　started　another　flowing　of　blood。　In　obvious　pain　he　shook　his　head。　〃After　all？　You　don't　understand；　do　you？　There　was　no　decision　to　make。　We　staged　that　scene　in　Barbentain　when　I　walked　out。〃
　　Blaise　felt　his　mouth　fall　open。　He　closed　it　with　a　snap。　He　heard　Thierry　de　Carenzu　make　a　small　sound。
　　〃We？〃　said　Bertran。
　　〃The　countess　and　I。　I　advised　her　the　night　before　to　name　you　leader　of　the　army。　We　agreed　that　I　would　storm　from　the　room　and　contact　Ademar　the　next　day。〃
　　〃Oh；　sweet　Rian；　I　don't　believe　it。〃　It　was　Thierry；　the　words　like　a　prayer。
　　〃Why　not？〃　said　the　dying　man；　prosaically。　〃We　were　going　to　be　outnumbered；　we　had　to　devise　some　trap　for　them。　It　seems　that　it　took　two　of　the　older　generation　to　do　it。　The　younger　ones　didn't　have　any　ideas　at　all；　did　you？〃　He　did　not　smile。
　　There　was　another　silence。
　　〃None　at　all；〃　said　Bertran　at　length。　〃I　am　astonished　the　countess　didn't　tell　me。〃
　　〃I　asked　her　not　to；〃　Urté　said。　〃I　told　her　you　might　alter　your　strategy；　knowing　what　was　ing。　Make　a　move　that　might　have　alerted　them　that　something　was　amiss。　That　was　the　reason　I　gave　her。〃
　　〃It　wasn't　really　the　reason；　was　it？〃
　　Urté　de　Miraval　did　smile　then。　〃Of　course　it　wasn't；〃　he　said。
　　Bertran　slowly　shook　his　head。　〃As　it　happens；　I　had　no　strategies　today。　The　battle　started　too　soon。〃
　　〃I　know。　That　is　why　we　were　late。〃
　　Silence　again。　The　westering　sun　sent　a　reddened　light　along　the　valley。　Urté　made　a　sudden；　wry　face　that　Blaise　knew　was　that　of　a　strong　man　wrestling　with　great　pain。
　　〃What　shall　I　say　to　you？〃　asked　Bertran　de　Talair。
　　A　gasp　that　might　have　been　laughter　again。　〃Spare　me；〃　Urté　whispered。　But　a　moment　later　Blaise　saw　him　turn　his　head　a　little　so　he　was　looking　directly　at　Bertran。　Urté　opened　his　mouth　and　then　closed　it；　as　if　wrestling　with　something　inwardly；　but　then；　very　clearly；　he　said；　〃I　did　not　kill　her。　Or　the　child。〃
　　Bertran　became　absolutely　still；　his　face　white　as　the　dying　man's。
　　〃I　took　the　child　from　her；〃　Urté　said；　his　eyes　holding　Bertran's；　〃after　she　told　me　。。。　what　she　told　me。　I　took　it　downstairs　to　the　kitchen　where　there　was　a　fire。　It　was　very　cold；　there　was　a　storm　that　night。　You　weren't　here；　you　will　not　remember。　I　had　the　priestess　thrown　out　of　the　castle。　I　left　the　child　with　the　women　in　the　kitchen。　I　didn't　want　Aelis　to　have　him　。。。　after　what　she'd　said；　and　I　wasn't　going　to　rear　him　as　my　own。　I　might　have　decided　to　kill　him；　I　might　have　sent　him　away　where　he'd　never　be　known　or　found。　I　was　not　thinking　clearly　and　I　knew　it；　I　needed　time。　That　child；　if　he　had　been　mine；　was　heir　to　Miraval　and　Barbentain　both；　he　would　have　ruled　Arbonne。〃
　　〃But　instead？〃　Bertran's　voice　was　so　low　it　could　barely　be　heard。　Blaise　saw　that　he　had　laced　his　fingers　tightly　together。
　　〃But　instead　Aelis　was　dead　when　I　went　back　to　her　room。　I　was　going　up　to　tell　her　she　would　never　see　her　child；　that　no　one　would　ever　know　who　he　was；　even　if　I　chose　to　let　him　love。　I　wanted　to　。。。　hurt　her　so　much　for　what　she　had　done。　She　cheated　me；　though。　She　was　already　dead　when　I　returned。　When　I　went　back　down　again；　after；　I　had　them　give　me　the　child。　I　took　him　alone　into　the　great　hall　and　sat　by　the　fire；　holding　him。　I　could　see　he　was　not　strong。　It　wasn't　very　long　before　he　died。　They　rarely　live；　born　so　soon。　He　was　two　months　early。〃
　　〃I　know。　That's　why　I　wasn't　here。〃　Silence　again。　Blaise　could　hear　the　wind　whistling　down　the　valley　and　the　cries　of　wounded　and　dying　men。　Overhead；　very　high；　a　flock　of　birds　cut　across　the　sun；　heading　south；　late　in　the　year。　He　could　see　that　some　of　the　priests　and　priestesses　had　crossed　from　the　isle　to　tend　to　the　injured；　fires　were　being　lit　on　the　battlefield。　He　shivered　again；　in　his　heavy　cloak。
　　〃You　might　have　told　me　this；〃　Bertran　said；　finally。
　　〃Why？〃　Urté〃　said。　〃To　ease　your　mind？　Why　would　I　have　wanted　to　do　that？　I　was　happy　to　have　you　wondering　if　he　was　alive…that　meant　you　could　never　kill　me；　didn't　it？〃
　　That　thin　smile　again。　But　after　a　moment　his　expression　altered　and　he　added；　〃You　wouldn't　have　believed　me　in　any　case。　You　know　that。〃
　　Slowly　Bertran　shook　his　head。　〃No。　I　wouldn't　have。　I　was　almost　certain　you　had　killed　them　both。〃
　　〃I　know。　Almost　certain；　not　quite。　I　enjoyed　your　thinking　that。　I　hope　it　was　in　you　like　poison　all　these　years。〃
　　〃It　was。　Like　poison。　All　these　years。〃
　　〃She　was　my　wife；〃　said　Urté　de　Miraval。　〃What　did　you　think　I　would　do　when　I　found　out？〃
　　Bertran　was　very　still；　his　head　lowered。　When　he　spoke；　it　was　in　a　voice　scraped　raw。　〃I　loved　her。　I　have　never　stopped　loving　her。　You　never　did；　my　lord。　For　you　this　has　been　about　nothing　but　pride　all　these　years。〃
　　With　a　tremendous　effort　Urté　managed　to　lift　himself　on　one　elbow。　〃That　would　have　been　enough；〃　he　said。　〃More　than　enough。　But　you　are　wrong　again。　You　have　always　been　wrong　about　that；　you　and　everyone　else。〃　He　paused　to　draw　a　difficult；　gasping　breath；　blood　was　seeping　from　his　wound。　〃It　was　Aelis　who　didn't　love　me；　not　the　other　way　around。　I　could　never　write　songs；　you　see。　I　am　glad　we　have　won。　Rian　shelter　this　land　of　Arbonne　forever　in　her　arms。〃
　　Slowly　then；　with　a　soldier's　grace　and　considerable　courage　in　the　face　of　mortal　pain；　he　lowered　himself　to　the　cold　ground；　and　his　eyes　closed　as　he　died。
　　Bertran　remained　on　his　knees　beside　the　body　for　a　long　time。　No　one　else　moved　or　spoke。　When　Bertran　finally　rose；　he　turned　to　Thierry　de　Carenzu。
　　〃May　I　leave　what　remains　with　you？〃　he　asked；　with　toneless　formality。
　　〃Of　course；〃　said　the　other　man。
　　They　watched　as　the　duke　of　Talair　walked　back　to　where　his　horse　was　being　held　by　a　coran。　Bertran　mounted　up　without　assistance　and　rode　slowly　from　the　valley；　west；　towards　the　avenue　of　trees　that　led　to　the　arch。
　　Valery　made　an　awkward　movement；　as　if　minded　to　follow　but　then　checked　himself。　Blaise；　looking　over　at　him；　saw　a　huge；　vivid　grief　stamped　on　the　coran's