ggk.asongforarbonne-第17节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


s　questioningly。　〃You　carry　seguignac　in　a　flask　to　chase　sheep　on　a　hill？〃
　　Bertran　de　Talair's　clever；　oddly　youthful　face　relaxed　in　a　smile。　〃I　see　that　you　know　good　brandy；〃　he　murmured　with　deceptive　tranquillity。　〃The　next　questions　are　how；　and　why？　You　are　trying　extremely　hard　to　seem　like　just　another　young　mercenary；　a　petent　sword　and　bow　for　hire　like　half　the　men　of　Gotzland。　I　watched　you　during　the　hunt；　though。　You　didn't　bring　down　anything　till　the　very　end；　despite　half　a　dozen　clear　opportunities　for　a　man　who　can　hit　a　target　every　time　at　eighty　paces。　You　were　too　conscious　of　not　showing　up　either　Mallin　de　Baude　or　myself。　Do　you　know　what　that　says　to　me；　Northerner？〃
　　〃I　can't　imagine；〃　Blaise　said。
　　〃Yes；　you　can。　It　says　that　you've　experience　of　a　court。　Are　you　going　to　tell　me　who　you　are；　Northerner？〃
　　Schooling　his　face　carefully；　Blaise　handed　back　the　handsome　flask　and　settled　himself　more　fortably　on　the　grass；　stalling　for　time。　Beside　them　the　lamb　was　cropping　contentedly；　seeming　to　have　forgotten　its　bleating　terror　of　moments　before。　Despite　insistent　alarm　bells　of　caution　in　his　head；　Blaise　was　intrigued　and　even　a　little　amused　by　the　directness　of　the　duke's　approach。
　　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　he　said　frankly；　〃but　I've　been　to　more　than　one　court　in　the　past；　in　Gotzland　and　Portezza　both。　I　am　curious　as　to　why　it　matters　to　you　who　I　am。〃
　　〃Easy　enough；〃　said　de　Talair。　〃I　want　to　hire　you；　and　I　prefer　to　know　the　backgrounds　of　the　men　who　work　for　me。〃
　　This　was　too　fast　in　too　many　ways　for　Blaise　to　run　with。　〃I've　been　hired　already；〃　he　said。　〃Remember？　Mallin　de　Baude；　youngish　fellow；　a　baron　in　Arbonne。　Pretty　wife。〃
　　Bertran　laughed　aloud。　The　lamb　tilted　its　head　and　looked　at　them　a　moment；　then　resumed　his　own　affairs。　〃Really；〃　said　the　duke；　〃you　belie　your　country's　reputation　with　jests　like　that：　everyone　knows　the　Gorhautians　have　no　sense　of　humour。〃
　　Blaise　allowed　himself　a　thin　smile。　〃We　say　the　same　thing　back　home　about　the　Gotzlanders。　And　Valensans　smell　of　fish　and　beer；　Portezzans　always　lie；　and　the　men　of　Arimonda　mostly　sleep　with　each　other。〃
　　〃And　what　do　you　say　back　home；〃　Bertran　de　Talair　asked　quietly；　〃about　Arbonne？〃
　　Blaise　shook　his　head。　〃I　haven't　spent　much　time　back　home　in　a　long　while；〃　he　said；　dodging　the　question。
　　〃About　four　months；〃　de　Talair　said。　〃That　much　I　checked。　Not　so　long。　What　do　they　say？〃　His　hands　were　loosely　clasped　about　the　flask。　Late…afternoon　sunlight　glinted　in　his　short　brown　hair。　He　wasn't　smiling　any　longer。
　　Neither　was　Blaise。　He　met　the　clear　blue　gaze　as　directly　as　he　could。　After　a　long　moment　he　said；　in　the　silence　of　that　high　meadow；　〃They　say　that　a　woman　rules　you。　That　women　have　always　ruled　you。　And　that　Tavernel　at　the　mouth　of　the　Arbonne　River　has　the　finest　natural　harbour　for　shipping　and　trade　in　the　world。〃
　　〃And　Ademar　of　Gorhaut；　alas；　has　no　sheltered　harbour　on　the　sea　at　all；　hemmed　in　by　Valensa　on　the　north　and　womanish　Arbonne　to　the　south。　What　a　sad　king。　Why　are　you　here；　Blaise　of　Gorhaut？〃
　　〃Seeking　my　fortune。　There's　less　of　a　mystery　than　you　might　want　to　make　out。〃
　　〃Not　much　of　a　fortune　to　be　found　chasing　sheep　for　a　minor　baron　in　these　hills。〃
　　Blaise　smiled。　〃It　was　a　start；〃　he　said。　〃The　first　contract　I　was　offered。　A　chance　to　learn　your　language　better；　to　see　what　else　might　emerge。　There　are　reasons　why　it　was　a　good　idea　for　me　to　leave　the　Portezzan　cities　for　a　time。〃　
　　〃Your　own　reasons？　Or　those　of　Ademar　of　Gorhaut？　Would　there　by　any　chance　be　a　spy　behind　that　beard；　my　green…eyed　young　man　from　the　north？〃
　　It　had　always　been　possible　that　this　might　be　said。　Blaise　was　surprised　at　how　calm　he　felt；　now　that　the　accusation　was　out　in　the　open。　He　gestured；　and　de　Talair　handed　him　the　brandy　flask　again。　Blaise　took　another　short　pull　and　wiped　his　mouth　with　the　back　of　his　hand；　the　seguignac　was　really　extraordinarily　good。
　　〃Indeed。　Very　important　information　to　be　gathered　up　here；〃　he　said；　finding　himself　for　some　inexplicable　reason　in　a　good　humour。　〃I'm　sure　Ademar　will　pay　handsomely　for　a　precise　numbering　of　the　sheep　in　these　hills。〃
　　Bertran　de　Talair　smiled　again　and　shifted　position；　resting　on　one　elbow　now；　his　booted　feet　stretched　out　in　front　of　him。　〃This　could　be　just　a　start；　as　you　say。　An　entry　to　our　councils。〃
　　〃And　so　I　cleverly　lured　you　into　offering　me　a　position　by　failing　to　shoot　well　on　a　hunt？　You　do　me　too　much　credit；　my　lord。〃
　　〃Perhaps；〃　said　de　Talair。　〃What　does　Mallin　pay　you？〃　Blaise　named　the　figure。　The　duke　shrugged　indifferently。　〃I'll　double　that。　When　can　you　start？〃　
　　〃I'm　paid　through　to　a　fortnight　from　now。〃
　　〃Good。　I'll　expect　you　at　Talair　three　days　after　that。〃　
　　Blaise　held　up　a　hand。　〃One　thing　clear　from　the　start。　The　same　thing　I　told　En　Mallin　de　Baude。　I'm　a　mercenary；　not　a　liegeman。　No　oaths。〃
　　Bertran's　lazy；　mocking　smiled　returned。　〃But　of　course。　I　wouldn't　dream　of　asking　you　to　swear　to　anything。　I　wonder；　though；　what　will　you　do　if　Ademar　es　south？　Kill　me　in　my　sleep？　Could　you　be　an　assassin　as　well　as　a　spy？〃　
　　Which；　as　it　happened；　was　nearer　to　the　bone　than　was　at　all　fortable。　Blaise　thought　suddenly　of　the　High　Priestess　of　Rian　on　her　island　in　the　sea。　He　looked　down　at　his　hands；　remembering　Rudel；　a　moonless　night　in　Portezzan　Faenna；　the　garden　of　a　palace　in　that　dangerous　city；　fireflies；　the　scent　of　oranges；　a　dagger　in　his　hand。
　　He　shook　his　head　slowly；　bringing　his　mind　back　to　Arbonne；　to　this　high　plateau　and　the　disturbingly　perceptive　man　looking　steadily　at　him　now　with　those　vivid　blue　eyes。　〃I'm　no　more　a　sworn　man　of　Ademar's　than　I　will　be　of　yours；〃　Blaise　said　carefully　to　Bertran　de　Talair。　He　hesitated。　〃Do　you　really　think　he　might　e　south？〃
　　〃Might？〃　In　Rian's　holy　name；　why　else　did　he　make　that　peace　with　Valensa　I'm　trying　so　hard　to　undermine　with　my　songs？　You　said　it　yourself：　woman…ruled　Arbonne。　Our　count　dead；　an　ageing　woman　in　Barbentain；　no　obvious　heir　in　sight；　wine　fields　and　grainlands　and　a　glorious　port。　Men　who　do　nothing　but　write　songs　all　day　and　yearn　like　callow　boys　for　a　woman's　cool　hand　on　their　brow　at　night　。。。　of　course　Ademar's　going　to　e　down　on　us。〃
　　Blaise　felt　his　mood　changing；　the　pleasant　fatigue　of　a　day's　hard　labour　chased　away　by　the　words　as　clouds　were　blown　by　the　mountain　winds。　〃Why　are　you　hiring　me；　then？〃　he　asked。　〃Why　take　that　chance？〃
　　〃I　like　taking　chances；〃　Bertran　de　Talair　said；　almost　regretfully。　〃It　is　a　vice；　I'm　afraid。〃　The　High　Priestess；　Blaise　remembered；　had　said　something　much　the　same。
　　Bertran　shifted　position　again；　sitting　up　now；　and　took　a　last　pull　of　the　seguignac　before　capping　the　flask。　〃Maybe　you'll　end　up　liking　us　more　than　you　think。　Maybe　we'll　find　you　a　wife　down　here。　Maybe　we'll　even　teach　you　to　sing。　Truth　is；　I　had　a　man　killed　this　spring；　and　good　men　are　hard　to　e　by；　as　I　suspect　you　know。　Leading　a　successful　raid　on　Rian's　Island　so　soon　after　you　got　here　was　no　mean　achievement。〃
　　〃How　do　you　know　about　that？〃
　　Bertran　grinned　again；　but　without　mockery　this　time；　Blaise　had　the　odd　sensation　of　being　able　to　guess　what　that　smile　might　do　to　a　woman　the　duke　wanted　to　charm。　〃Anyone　can　kill　a　corfe　on　a　hunt；〃　de　Talair　went　on；　as　if　Blaise　hadn't　spoken　at　all。　〃I　need　someone　who　knows　when　not　to　kill　one。　Even　if　he　won't　tell　me　how　he　learned　that　or　who　he　is。〃　He　hesitated　for　the　first　time；　looking　away　from　Blaise；　west　towards　the　mountains　and　Arimonda　beyond。　〃Besides　which；　for　some　reason　you've　made　me　think　of　my　son　the　last　few　days。　Don't　ask　me　why。　He　died　as　an　infant。〃
　　Abruptly　he　stood。　Blaise　did　the　same；　seriously　confused　now。　〃I　didn't　think　you　had　ever　married；〃　he　said。
　　〃I　didn't；〃　Bertran　said　carelessly。　〃Why；　do　you　think　it　is　time？〃　The　sardonic；　distancing　smile　was　back。　〃A　wife　to　warm　my　old　bones　at　night；　children　to　gladden　the　heart　in　my　declining　years？　What　an　intriguing　thought。　Shall　we　discuss　it　on　the　way　down？〃
　　He　had　begun　walking　towards　his　horse　as　he　spoke；　and　so　Blaise；　perforce；　did　the　same。　It　had　grown　colder　now　on　this　windy　height；　the　sun　hidden　behind　a　grey　mass　of　swiftly　driven　clouds。　As　an　afterthought　Blaise　looked　back　and　saw　that　the　lamb　was　following。　They　mounted　up　and　began　to　ride。　From　the　crest　of　the　ridge　they　could　see　Mallin　and　the　rest　of　their　party　gathered　east　of　them　and　below。　Bertran　waved　briefly　and　they　started　down。　Far　in　the　distance；　beyond　meadow　and　wood　and　the　other　men；　the　castle　could　be　seen；　with　the　lavender　fields　in　shadow　beyond。
　　On　the　way　down；　in　the　interval　before　they　reached　the　others；　the　matter　Bertran　de　Talair　chose　to　raise　had　nothing　at　all　to　do　with　marital　bliss；　belated　or　otherwise；　or　with　the　soothing　accoutrements　of　a　quiescent　old　age。
　　
　　And　now；　remarkably　or　predictably；　depending　on　how　one　chose　to　consider　things；　there　came　the　unabashed　glow　of　a　candle　from　the　curve　of　the　stairway　below　the　window　niche　where　Bl