ggk.asongforarbonne-第116节

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　　〃Was？〃　Bertran's　voice　was　so　low；　the　one　word　was　almost　inaudible。　His　hands　were　clasped　together　before　him。　They　had　been　through　the　length　of　the　tale。　Blaise　could　see　that　they　were　trembling。
　　〃I　spoke　to　her　before　ing　to　you。　I　thought　that　was　proper。　I　told　her　who　she　was　and　how　she　had　e　to　Rian's　Isle；　and　I　explained　some　other　things　as　well。　I　said　。。。　that　because　of　who　she　was　she　might　be　more　dearly　needed　now　away　from　the　isle；　in　the　world　of　men　and　women；　but　that　it　was　her　own　choice　to　make　and　。。。　that　I　would　ensure　that　that　was　so。〃
　　〃And？〃　Bertran　looked　older　now；　Blaise　realized。　He　wanted　to　put　an　arm　around　the　other　man；　but　held　back。
　　〃She　said　that　if　what　I　had　told　her　was　true；　it　was　obvious　that　she　was　indeed　more　important　to　Arbonne　among　the　castles　than　among　the　sanctuaries。　Those　were　her　own　words。　She　is　very　strong；　Bertran。　She　is　。。。　really　quite　wonderful。〃　Her　voice　broke　a　little　on　the　last　words。
　　〃I　have　seen　her　then；〃　the　duke　said；　his　tone　holding　wonder　like　a　chalice。　〃I　must　have　seen　her　so　many　times　and　I　never　saw　the　resemblance。〃
　　〃Why　should　you　have？　There　was　nothing　you　were　looking　to　find。〃
　　Bertran　shook　his　head。　〃It　must　have　been　so　hard　for　her；　learning　of　this　so　suddenly。　It　must　have　been　terrible。〃
　　〃It　may　bee　so。　Not　yet；　I　think；〃　said　Ariane。　〃I　suspect；　with　everything；　she　is　only　half　understanding　what　all　of　it　will　mean。　She　does　know　。。。　〃　Ariane　hesitated；　and　turned；　inexplicably；　to　Blaise；　〃she　does　know；　because　I　told　her；　that　she　may　possibly　be　expected　to　wed　one　day　soon。〃
　　And　now　he　understood　why　she　had　wanted　him　to　stay。　He　looked　up　in　the　waning　of　that　clear　light　and　met　Ariane's　dark…eyed　gaze。　He　was　remembering　many　different　things　suddenly；　but　one　conversation　most　of　all；　from　a　summer　night　in　Tavernel。
　　It　was；　in　the　end；　Bertran　who　looked　from　one　to　the　other　of　them　and　rose　first　from　that　cabin　doorway　at　the　edge　of　the　forest。　〃I　think；〃　said　the　duke；　〃that　I　am　going　to　ride　back　now。〃
　　〃Shall　I　e？〃　asked　Blaise。
　　Bertran　shook　his　head。　He　smiled　crookedly；　a　ghost　of　his　most　habitual　expression。　〃I　know　the　way；〃　he　said。　〃That　much　hasn't　changed。〃
　　Everything　else　seemed　to　have；　though；　as　Blaise　stood　and　watched　the　duke　ride　off。　Ariane　turned　in　the　saddle　to　watch　him　as　well。　Only　when　Bertran　had　passed　from　sight；　an　unprepossessing　figure　in　the　torn　and　bloodstained　garb　of　a　fighting　man；　did　she　turn　back　to　Blaise。　She　still　made　no　movement　to　dismount。
　　He　said　bluntly；　〃There　was　a　woman　who　shared　her　bed　with　me　on　Midsummer　Eve　in　Tavernel。　She　told　me　she　would　live　her　life　to　change　the　rules　of　the　marriage　game　among　men　and　women　in　our　day。〃　He　wasn't　certain　why；　but　he　almost　meant　the　words　as　a　blow。
　　She　took　them　that　way；　he　saw；　and　realizing　that；　all　anger　and　resentment　passed　from　him　as　if　swept　by　the　wind。　Ariane　said；　very　quietly；　〃I　can　control　nothing　here；　nor　do　I　want　to　try。　I　can　see；　even　now；　something　that　might　happen。　So　can　you；　Blaise。　You　must　know　how　difficult　this　is　for　me。　Surely　you　must。　Even　with　everything　else　that　has　happened。〃
　　He　did　know；　actually。　He　seemed　to　be　a　wiser　man　than　he　had　been　a　year　ago。　He　knew　what　truth　of　the　heart　she　was　holding　out　to　him　as　an　offering；　and　he　felt；　not　for　the　first　time；　a　humbling　awareness　of　her　honesty。　This　was　the　woman；　he　thought　suddenly；　who　had　freed　him　from　Lucianna　and　the　bitterness　he　had　carried　from　Portezza。
　　〃Ariane；〃　he　said　roughly；　〃you　are　the　reason　Arbonne　must　never　be　allowed　to　die。〃
　　〃There　are　a　world　of　reasons；〃　she　said；　but　something　flashed　briefly　in　the　darkness　of　her　eyes。
　　〃And　you　are　the　symbol　and　the　heart　of　them。　You　are　the　queen　of　the　Court　of　Love。〃
　　〃I　thought　you　regarded　that　as　folly。〃
　　〃I　thought　many　things　here　to　be　folly　that　have　turned　out　to　be　more　true　than　anything　I　knew　before。〃　He　stopped；　and　then；　because　it　absolutely　needed　to　be　said；　added　steadily；　〃Ariane；　your　husband　is　the　reason　we　were　able　to　win　this　battle；　whatever　we　might　say　about　Urté　and　Bertran　and　Fulk　de　Savaric。　And　Thierry　is　also　the　reason　we　were　able　to　prevent　a　slaughter　of　surrendering　men。〃
　　〃I　think　I　know　this；〃　she　said　gravely。
　　〃I　cannot　tell　you　how　much　respect　I　have　for　him。〃
　　〃And　I；〃　she　murmured。　〃I　told　you　as　much　in　Tavernel。　What　are　you　saying；　Blaise？〃
　　He　forced　himself　to　meet　her　level　gaze。　Her　eyes　were　so　dark；　deep　enough　for　a　man　to　lose　his　way　in　them。　〃That　I　am　still　enough　of　a　man　of　Gorhaut；　and　I　think　I　always　will　be；　to　have　a　world　of　trouble　speaking　words　of　love　to　the　wife　of　such　a　man。〃
　　He　saw　her　lower　her　head　for　a　moment。　〃I　know　this　too；〃　she　said；　looking　up　at　him　again。　〃I　also　know；　to　my　sorrow；　that　we　are　what　we　are；　and　so　are　the　times　into　which　we　have　been　born；　and　those　words　I　spoke　at　Midsummer　to　you　about　freedom　of　choice　are；　truly；　the　only　real　folly　either　of　us　has　ever　offered　to　the　other。　You　are　about　to　be　king　of　Gorhaut；　Blaise；　in　the　midst　of　a　world　turned　upside…down。　The　heiress　of　Arbonne　will　be　waiting　at　Talair；　even　now。〃
　　〃And　you　think　I　must　take　her？　To　begin　the　righting　of　the　world？〃
　　For　the　first　time　Ariane　showed　a　flash　of　her　old　authority。　〃I　told　you　that　I　have　no　control　over　anything　here。　It　is　too　soon；　in　any　case。　I　do　think…since　you　ask…that　any　man　who　shares　his　life　with　that　one　will　be　blessed　beyond　deserving　all　his　days。　Even　you；　Blaise。〃
　　He　had　seen　her；　of　course；　twice。　Rinette。　Had　exchanged　hard；　haughty　words　by　the　lake　in　spring　after　he'd　killed　six　corans　of　Miraval。　We　have　been　waiting　for　you；　she'd　said　to　him；　self…possessed　beyond　her　years；　and　he　had　feared　those　words。　Perhaps；　he　thought　now；　perhaps　they　had　meant　something　other　than　what　either　of　them　had　understood　or　guessed　that　spring　day。　Perhaps　the　goddess　truly　did　work　in　ways　men　and　women　could　not　prehend。　He　thought　suddenly　of　the　red　arrow　that　had　killed　Ademar。　He　still　had　no　idea…and　was　trying　not　to　dwell　upon　the　thought…how　that　arrow　had　e　straight　down　from　a　clear　sky。
　　He　said；　looking　up　at　Ariane；　〃I　will　see　you？　You　will　not　leave　my　life？〃
　　She　smiled　then。　Said　formally；　〃The　king　of　Gorhaut　will　always　be　wele　in　Carenzu。〃
　　She　was　guiding　them　back　together　to　solid　ground。　Her　gifts　had　always　been　generous；　and　this　not　the　least　of　them。　He　tried　to　match　her　tone。　〃And　Carenzu's　lord　and　lady；　wherever　I　am。〃
　　There　was　a　short　silence。　She　bit　her　lip。　〃There　were　other　words　that　were　part　of　that　Midsummer　Night。　A　song　sung　in　the　tavern　where　we　met。　I　wonder　if　you　remember　the　ending　of　it？〃
　　He　shook　his　head。　Lisseut　of　Vezét　had　sung　that　song；　he　remembered；　but　the　words　were　lost　to　him。　Ariane　smiled　then；　with　tenderness　and　sadness；　and　a　returning　hint　of　the　wise；　worldly　awareness　that　had　always　seemed　to　be　hers。　〃Let　me　ride　back　alone；　Blaise。　If　you　don't　mind。　I　don't　think　I'll　be　by　myself　very　much　in　the　next　little　while。〃
　　He　nodded　his　head。　What　else　could　he　have　done？　Bring　her　down　into　his　arms　in　the　fading　light？　Not　in　this　world；　he　thought。　She　touched　a　finger　to　her　lips；　still　with　that　same　smile；　and　turned　away。　She　was　as　beautiful　as　any　woman　he　had　ever　known。　She　would　have　offered　so　much　fort；　he　knew。　fort　and　passion　and　wisdom。　Offered；　and　taken　whatever　he　had　to　give　in　return；　had　he　but　asked。　His　heart　full；　Blaise　watched　her　ride　slowly　away　from　him　at　sunset　through　the　tall　grass。　He　was　thinking　of　her　at　thirteen；　with　a　new…born　child　in　her　arms。
　　That　child　had　grown　into　the　woman　it　seemed　the　world　and　his　own　growing　understanding　of　it　might　have　him　wed。　Nothing　would　or　could　be　done　swiftly；　and　indeed　it　might　never　be　done　at　all；　there　were　so　many　layers　of　plexity　to　this　world　he　had　entered　now。　She　was　waiting　in　Talair；　Ariane　had　said。　He　let　his　mind　move　forward　towards　such　a　meeting。　Only　his　thoughts；　though：　Blaise　remained　where　he　was　for　a　long　time；　sitting　quietly　in　the　doorway　as　the　sun　slid　down　in　the　west　and　the　colours　of　sunset　gradually　suffused　the　fields　and　the　bare　vineyards　and　the　trees；　and　fell　gently；　like　a　late　benediction；　on　that　small　cabin　by　the　forest。
　　Blaise　looked　back　once　through　the　open　doorway　before　he　finally　left；　and　he　saw　how　that　muted　crimson　light　slanted　through　the　western　window　to　fall　upon　the　small；　neat　bed　against　the　wall。　He　stood　there　for　a　moment；　motionless；　and　then　he　gently　closed　the　door；　that　the　wind　and　rain　might　not　enter　in　after　these　years。
　　It　was　dusk；　the　first　faint　stars　shining　in　the　east；　when　he　rode　back　towards　Talair。　And　because　it　was　so　nearly　dark　and　he　wasn't　really　thinking　about　his　path…his　thoughts　ahead　of　him　and　far　behind…he　rode　straight　past　the　woman　standing　quietly　beside　her　horse　in　shadow　under　the　elms　on　the　far　side　of　the　arch。
　　
　　Lisseut　had　meant　to　call　out　to　him；　but　in　the　moment　he　actually　appeared　and　w