ggk.asongforarbonne-第41节

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ert　had　decided　to　make　an　example　of　the　case。　Every　year；　sometimes　more　often；　such　a　course　was　needful；　he　had　said　to　his　sons。
　　The　cow's　milk　had　been　unchanged　even　after　the　witch　had　died　with　her　white　hair　blazing。　Blaise　had　made　a　point　of　going　back　to　the　village；　after；　and　asking　about　that。　Something　had　sickened　in　him　then；　and　did　so　again　whenever　the　memory　came　back。　He　recalled；　a　memory　thick　and　oppressive；　his　father's　heavy　hand　on　his　shoulder　at　the　burning；　as　Galbert　made　sure　his　recalcitrant　younger　child　would　not　shame　him　by　turning　away。　There　had　been　no　darkness；　no　secret；　dangerous　power　in　the　terrified　woman　screaming　until　she　choked　among　black　smoke　and　the　tongues　of　flame　and　the　smell　of　burning　flesh。　Somehow　Blaise　had　known　it　even　then。
　　But　there　was　magic　in　the　High　Priestess　of　Rian。　He　had　felt　it　on　that　island。　She　had　known　about　Rosala。　That；　in　itself；　was　an　almost　impossible　thing　to　deal　with；　or　forget。　And　as　for　the　poison　tonight：　Bertran　was　here　laughing；　had　been　gleefully　wagering　with　Ariane　de　Carenzu。　Valery　could　not　be　dead。　Even　with　syvaren　on　the　arrow。
　　Something　clenched　and　hurtful　in　Blaise；　that　had　been　present　since　he'd　seen　the　white…and…black　shaft　fly；　began　to　loosen　its　grip　inside　him。　Rudel　Correze；　he　thought　abruptly；　was　going　to　be　a　profoundly　disconcerted　man　one　day　not　far　from　now。　A　part　of　him　wanted　to　smile　at　that；　but　instead　Blaise　found　himself　sinking　back　down　into　his　chair　and　reaching　for　his　wine。　He　cradled　the　silver　goblet　in　both　hands　without　drinking。　He　was　going　to　have　to　be　careful　now；　he　thought；　looking　at　the　two　women　and　the　man。　Extremely　careful。
　　〃How　much　power　do　you　have？〃　he　asked；　keeping　his　voice　even；　looking　at　the　blind　woman。　She　was　still　standing　behind　the　divan。
　　And　unexpectedly…she　was　always　unsettling　him；　it　seemed…the　priestess　laughed。　〃What？　Would　you　have　a　dissertation　now　on　the　Natural；　Celestial　and　Ceremonial　powers；　with　a　subsidiary　digression　on　the　three　Principal　Harmonies？　You　think　I　am　a　lecturer　at　the　university；　perhaps？　You　haven't　even　offered　me　a　fee；　Northerner！〃
　　Blaise　flushed　at　the　mockery。　But　even　as　the　High　Priestess　ended；　laughing　still；　Ariane　de　Carenzu's　cool　voice　interceded；　precise　and　sharp　as　a　stiletto　between　the　ribs。　〃However　captivating　the　issue　raised　might　be；　I　am　afraid　the　furthering　of　your　education　will　have　to　be　delayed　a　short　while。　You　might　recall　that　I　have　a　question　proposed　first。　You　declined　to　answer　until　you　knew　who　was　behind　the　door。　That　was　fair　enough。　Now　you　know。　I　would　be　grateful　for　a　reply。〃
　　What　happened　after　you　left　the　river？　she　had　asked。　The　offered　question　and　the　heart　of　danger　in　this　room　tonight。　Bertran　de　Talair　stopped　his　restless　pacing。　He　had　picked　up　a　crystal　from　one　of　the　tables　and　held　it　now　in　one　hand；　turning　it　this　way　and　that；　accepting　and　diffusing　candlelight；　but　his　blue　eyes　were　steady　on　Blaise's　as　he　waited。
　　Blaise　turned…as　he　seemed　always　to　be　turning…back　to　the　High　Priestess　in　her　rough　grey　robe。　Quietly；　he　said；　〃If　you　know　my　mind；　as　you　seemed　to　when　last　we　met；　you　can　answer　all　such　questions　for　them；　can't　you。〃　He　said　it　flatly；　it　was　not　a　question。
　　Her　expression；　oddly；　grew　gentler；　as　if　he'd　sounded　an　unexpected　chord。　She　shook　her　head。　〃I　also　told　you　that　night　that　our　powers　are　less　than　our　desires　would　have　them　be；　and　they　grow　weaker　when　we　are　farther　from　the　hearthstones　of　Rian。　On　the　goddess's　Island　I　could　read　some　things　in　your　heart　and　in　your　history；　largely　to　do　with　love　and　hate；　you　will　remember。　I　said　I　could　tell　your　future。　That　was　a　lie。　Nor　can　I　read　your　mind　right　now。　If　you　have　things　to　tell　us　you　will　have　to　tell　them　yourself。〃
　　〃Not　all　things；〃　Blaise　said　calmly。　〃You　could　tell　them　who　I　am；　for　example。〃
　　There　was　a　short　silence；　then：
　　〃We　all　know　who　you　are；　Blaise　de　Garsenc。〃　Bertran　laid　down　the　crystal　as　he　spoke。　His　voice　actually　held　a　faint　irritation。　〃Did　you　honestly　think　you　were　travelling　in　such　secrecy？　That　you　entered　my　service　without　my　knowing　whom　it　was　I　was　hiring？〃　The　candlelight　on　the　clever；　cynical　face　exposed　his　old　white　scar。
　　Blaise　swallowed。　Events　were　moving　very　fast。　Abruptly；　he　recalled　something。　〃But　you　asked　me。　You　wanted　to　know　who　I　was　when　first　we　met。　If　you　knew；　why　ask？〃
　　Bertran　shrugged。　〃I　learn　more　sometimes　from　questions　I　know　the　answers　to。　Really；　Blaise；　whatever　you…or　I；　for　that　matter…may　think　of　your　father；　he　is　one　of　the　powers　of　our　world　today；　and　his　younger　son　has　been；　for　a　number　of　years；　a　coran　of　some　reputation　of　his　own。　It　was　no　secret…among　certain　circles；　at　any　rate…that　Galbert　de　Garsenc's　son　left　Gorhaut　immediately　after　the　Treaty　of　Iersen　Bridge　was　signed。　And　when　a　distinctively　tall；　reddish…bearded　Gorhaut　coran　of　considerable　skills　was　reported　to　be　in　Castle　Baude　some　time　after　。。。　it　wasn't　difficult　to　make　an　obvious　guess。　At　which　point　I　went　to　investigate　matters　for　myself。　Incidentally；　I've　never　seen　another　man　match　arrows　with　my　cousin　at　that　distance　before。〃
　　Feeling　bludgeoned　by　the　increasing　pace　of　revelations；　Blaise　shook　his　head。　〃I　didn't　match　him。　And　as　it　happens；　the　man　who　shot　Valery　tonight　may　well　be　better　than　either　of　us。〃　He　wasn't　sure　he'd　actually　meant　to　say　that。
　　〃Ah；　well　now；〃　murmured　Ariane　de　Carenzu；　the　words　like　a　slow　caress　in　the　stillness　of　the　room。　〃This　brings　us　somewhere；　finally。〃　Blaise　looked　at　her。　Her　lips　were　parted　slightly；　her　eyes　bright　with　anticipation。
　　〃I　had　intended　to　tell　the　duke　in　the　morning；〃　he　said　carefully。　〃I　undertook　to　wait　until　then。〃
　　〃Was　such　an　undertaking　yours　to　give？〃　The　caressing　note　was　gone　as　swiftly　as　it　had　e。　She　had　spoken　this　way　in　the　tavern；　to　Talair　and　Miraval。　Blaise　hadn't　liked　it　then；　and　he　didn't　now。　He　let　his　eyes　grow　wide；　holding　and　challenging　her。　It　was　curious；　and　something　he　would　have　to　think　about　afterwards；　but　with　his　identity　out　in　the　open　he　felt　rather　more　equal　to　these　people　now。　He　had　a　suspicion　that　when　he　considered　the　matter　he　wouldn't　be　happy　about　it；　since　any　feeling　would　be　derived；　ultimately；　from　being　his　father's　son；　but　it　was　there；　it　was　undeniably　there。
　　〃You　will　remember；〃　he　said　quietly　to　the　duchess　of　Carenzu；　〃that　I　was　under　the　impression　that　En　Bertran　would　be　mourning　the　death　of　his　cousin　this　evening。〃
　　〃How　solicitous　of　you。〃　It　was　Bertran。　〃And　was　that　the　reason　for　your　undertaking？〃
　　〃In　part；〃　Blaise　said；　turning　back　to　him。　〃There　were　others。〃
　　〃Which　were？〃
　　Blaise　hesitated。　There　was　danger　here。　〃The　desire　to　avoid　an　extremely　delicate　political　problem　for　us　all；　and　another　reason　which　is　private　to　me。〃
　　〃I　am　not　certain　we　can　value　that　privacy；　tonight；　and　I　rather　think　the　people　in　this　room　can　shape　their　own　judgments　and　responses　to　any　political　problems；　however　delicate；　that　might　emerge　from　what　you　say。　I　think　you　had　best　tell　me　who　this　person　is。〃　The　duke's　posture　and　voice　were　as　lazy　as　ever；　but　Blaise　had　been　with　him　long　enough　now　not　to　be　fooled　by　that。
　　〃Don't　be　obtuse；　Bertran。　We　know　exactly　who　this　person　is。〃　A　fifth　voice　in　the　room；　from　one　of　the　two　chairs　before　the　fire；　assured；　quite　unpromising。　Blaise　wheeled　swiftly　around　but　saw　no　one　at　all；　until　the　speaker　rose；　with　caution；　and　he　finally　understood。　The　others；　he　noted　grimly；　had　not　been　surprised。
　　He　had　looked　over　at　those　chairs　when　he　first　entered　the　room；　of　course；　they　were　wide；　richly　upholstered　and　straight…backed；　facing　the　fireplace；　but　not　so　large　as　to　conceal　a　man。
　　But　this　was　Arbonne；　and　a　woman　was　another　matter。　Particularly　a　small；　fine…boned；　white…haired　woman　whom　he　knew　to　be…for　he　had　seen　her　before；　bestowing　honours　at　tournaments…Signe　be　Barbentain；　countess　of　Arbonne。
　　She　was　looking　at　the　duke。　〃If　you　have　been　listening　at　all　carefully；　Bertran；　then　this　should　be　one　of　those　questions　you　already　know　the　answer　to。　If　so；　you　should　not　shame　a　coran　who　tells　you　he　has　given　an　undertaking　not　to　speak。　We　do　not　behave　that　way　here；　whatever　may　happen　elsewhere　in　this　decaying　world。〃
　　She　was　clad　in　blue　and　a　pale　cream　colour　with　pearl　buttons；　close　set；　running　up　the　front　of　her　gown。　Her　hair　was　held　back　with　a　golden　diadem。　She　wore　no　other　ornaments　save　for　two　rings　on　her　fingers。　She　had　been　celebrated；　Blaise　knew；　as　the　most　beautiful　woman　in　the　world　in　her　time。　He　could　see　it；　even　now。　Her　eyes　were　astonishing；　so　dark　they　were　almost　black。
　　He　bowed；　a　straight　leg　forward；　one　hand　brushing　the　carpet。　His　coran's　training　would　have　had　him　do　so；　even　if　his　instincts　had　not。
　　She　said；　〃Mine　cannot　be　the　only　source　of　information　that　reported　last　year　that　the　younger　son　of　Galbert　de　Garsenc　spent　a　season　in　Mignano　and　Faenna　a