ggk.asongforarbonne-第46节

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likely　in　the　extreme　that　the　duke　was　in　the　palace　tonight。　Blaise　shook　his　head。　He　went　across　the　courtyard；　through　the　inner　doors；　up　the　stairs　and　then　down　the　corridor　to　the　small　room　his　status　as　a　mercenary　captain　had　earned　him。　Not　a　minor　benefit；　most　of　the　corans　slept　together　in　dormitories　or　the　great　hall　of　Talair；　with　seniority　merely　placing　one　nearer　the　fire　in　winter　or　the　windows　in　the　summer　heat。
　　He　opened　his　door；　almost　stumbling　with　fatigue。　He　was　aware　of　the　scent　of　perfume　an　instant　before　he　saw　the　woman　sitting　on　his　bed。
　　〃You　may　remember；〃　said　Ariane　de　Carenzu；　〃that　we　had　a　number　of　matters　to　consider；　you　and　I。　We　seem　to　have　only　dealt　with　the　most　public　ones。〃
　　〃How　did　you　get　past　the　guard？〃　Blaise　said。　His　pulse　had　quickened　again。　He　didn't　feel　tired　any　more。　It　was　odd　how　swiftly　that　could　happen。
　　〃I　didn't。　There　are　other　ways　into　this　palace。　And　into　mine；　if　it　es　to　that。〃
　　〃Does　Bertran　know　you　are　here？〃
　　〃I　rather　hope　not。　I　doubt　it。　He　was　going　out　himself；　I　think。　It　is　Midsummer；　Blaise；　and　we　are　in　Tavernel。〃　He　knew　what　that　meant；　the　singer　had　told　him　just　before　this　woman's　soldiers　had　e　to　lead　him　away。
　　Her　hair　was　down；　of　course；　it　always　was；　and　her　delicate　scent　imbued　the　small　chamber　with　subtle；　unsettling　nuances。　But　Blaise　de　Garsenc　had　his　own　rules　and　his　own　code；　and　he　had　broken　those　rules　and　that　code　last　summer　in　Portezza；　enmeshed　in　a　world　of　woman's　perfume。　He　said；　〃I　know　where　we　are；　actually。　Where　is　the　duke　of　Carenzu？〃　He　meant　it　to　be　wounding；　he　wasn't　sure　why。
　　She　was　unruffled；　at　least　to　his　eye；　by　candlelight。　〃My　husband？　In　Ravenc　Castle　with　En　Gaufroy；　I　suspect。　They　have　their　own　particular　traditions　at　Midsummer　and　I'm　afraid　women　aren't　a　part　of　them。〃
　　Blaise　had　heard　about　Gaufroy　de　Ravenc。　His　young　bride　was　said　to　be　still　a　virgin　after　almost　three　years　of　marriage。　He　hadn't　heard　the　same　sort　of　stories　about　Thierry　de　Carenzu；　but　then　he　hadn't　asked；　or　been　much　interested。
　　〃I　see；〃　he　said　heavily。
　　〃No　you　don't；〃　said　Ariane　de　Carenzu　sharply；　irony　and　amusement　gone　from　her　voice。　〃I　don't　think　you　see　at　all。　You　will　have　just　now　concluded　that　I　am　wandering　in　the　night　because　my　husband's　preference　in　bed　partners　is　for　boys。　You　will　be　deciding　that　I　am　to　be　understood　in　the　light　of　that　fact。　Hear　me　then：　I　am　here　of　my　own　choice；　and　no　taste　or　orientation　of　the　man　my　father　married　me　to　would　affect　that　decision；　short　of　physical　restraint。〃
　　〃So　pleasure　is　all？　What　of　loyalty？〃
　　She　shook　her　head　impatiently。　〃When　the　day　es　that　a　man　and　woman　of　our　society　may　wed　because　they　choose　each　other　freely；　then　talk　to　me　of　loyalty。　But　so　long　as　women　are　coinage　in　a　game　of　castles　and　nations；　even　in　Arbonne；　then　I　will　admit　no　such　duty　and　will　dedicate　my　life　to　changing　the　way　of　things。　And　this　has　nothing；　nothing　at　all　to　do　with　Thierry's　habits　or　preferences。〃　She　stood　up；　moving　between　him　and　the　candle；　her　vivid　face　suddenly　in　shadow。　〃On　the　other　hand；　I　know　nothing　of　your　own　habits　or　tastes。　Would　you　prefer　me　to　leave？　I　can　be　gone　quietly　the　same　way　I　came　in。〃
　　〃Why　should　it　matter　if　you　are　quiet　or　not？〃　he　said；　stubbornly　holding　to　his　anger。　〃We're　in　Arbonne　aren't　we？　In　Tavernel　at　Midsummer。〃
　　He　couldn't　read　her　eyes；　with　the　one　flickering　candle　behind　her；　but　he　saw　again　the　impatient　motions　of　her　head。　〃e；　Blaise；　you　are　cleverer　than　that。　Discretion　is　at　the　heart　of　all　of　this。　I　am　not　here　to　bring　shame　to　anyone；　least　of　all　myself。　There　is　no　public　duty　I　owe　my　lord　or　my　people　in　which　I　have　been　found　wanting。　I　dare　say　that；　and　I　know　it　to　be　true。　Thierry　has　my　respect　and　I　am　quite　certain　I　have　his。　The　duties　I　owe　myself　are　different。　What　happens　alone　at　night　between　two　people　who　are　adults　about　it　need　not　impact　upon　the　world　in　any　way　that　matters。〃
　　〃Then　why　bother？　Why　bother　to　be　together？　Has　your　Court　of　Love　ruled　on　that？〃　He　meant　to　sound　sardonic；　but　it　didn't　e　out　that　way。
　　〃Of　course　it　has；〃　she　said。　〃We　e　together　to　glory　in　the　gift　of　life　the　goddess　gave　us　。。。　or　the　god；　if　you　prefer。　Sometimes　the　best　things　in　our　lives　e　to　us　of　a　night　and　are　gone　in　the　morning。　Have　you　never　found　that？〃
　　He　had　found　something　very　near　to　that；　but　the　morning's　ultimate　legacy　had　been　lasting　pain。　He　almost　said　as　much。　There　was　a　silence。　In　the　shadows；　her　silhouetted　form　might　almost　have　been　Lucianna's。　He　could　imagine　the　same　feel　to　her　black　hair　and　remember　the　light　touch　that　traced　a　path　along　。。。　
　　But　no。　Remembering　the　past　was　where　his　anger　lay。　This　woman　had　done　him　no　wrong　that　he　knew　of；　and　was；　by　her　own　lights；　honouring　him　with　her　presence　here。　He　swallowed。
　　She　said；　〃It　is　all　right。　You　are　tired。　I　did　not　mean　to　offend　you。　I　will　leave。〃
　　Blaise　could　not　afterwards　have　said　what　sequence　of　movements　brought　them　together。　As　he　gathered　her　in　his　arms　he　was　aware　that　he　was　trembling；　he　had　not　touched　a　woman　since　Rosala；　and　that　night；　too；　carried　its　heavy　burden　of　anger　and　self…reproach；　both　during　and　afterwards。　Even　as　he　lowered　his　mouth　to　Ariane's；　breathing　deeply　of　the　scent　that　clung　to　her；　Blaise　was　bracing　himself　to　resist　the　alluring　ways　of　yet　another　sophisticated　woman　of　the　south。　Lucianna　had　surely　taught　him　that　much；　if　he　had　learned　nothing　from　a　spring　and　summer　in　Portezza　he　would　be　a　man　living　an　utterly　wasted　life。　Blaise　was　prepared；　defended。
　　He　was　not。　For　where　Lucianna　Delonghi　had　used　love　and　lovemaking　as　instruments；　weapons　in　subtle；　intricately　devised　campaigns；　a　pursuit　of　pleasure　and　power　through　binding　men's　spirits　helplessly　to　her；　Blaise　was　given　a　gift　that　night　in　Tavernel　of　a　strong　soul's　love…making；　without　eluding；　fierce　as　wind；　with　grace　yet　at　the　heart　of　it　and　needs　of　her　own；　offered　honestly　and　without　holding　back。
　　And　in　the　turning；　interwoven　movements　of　that　night　upon　his　bed　in　the　city　palace　of　Bertran　de　Talair；　Blaise　found；　for　a　short　while　in　the　darkness　after　the　one　candle　burned　out；　an　easing　of　his　own　twin　pains；　the　old　one　and　the　new；　and　an　access　to　sharing　hitherto　denied　him。　He　offered　her　what　he　had　to　give；　and　even；　towards　the　end；　with　irony　pushed　back　far　away；　some　of　the　things　he'd　learned　in　Portezza；　the　skills　and　patterns　of　what　men　and　women　could　do　lying　with　each　other　when　trust　and　desire　came　together。　Accepting　what　he　offered；　laughing　once；　breathlessly　as　if　in　genuine　surprise；　Ariane　de　Carenzu　bestowed　upon　him　in　turn　something　rich　and　rare；　as　a　tree　that　flowers　at　night　without　a　leaf；　and　Blaise　was；　for　all　the　bitterness　that　lay　within　him；　yet　wise　enough　and　deep　enough　to　accept　it　as　such　and　let　her　sense　his　gratitude。
　　In　the　end　he　slept；　holding　her　in　his　arms；　breathing　the　scent　of　her；　slaked　of　hunger　and　need；　returned　to　his　weariness　as　to　a　garden；　through　the　thickets　and　brambles　of　his　history。
　　He　woke　some　time　later；　disturbed　by　a　sound　outside　in　the　street。　She　was　still　with　him；　head　on　his　chest；　her　dark　hair　spread　like　a　curtain　to　cover　them　both。　He　moved　one　hand　and　stroked　it；　marvelling。
　　〃Well；〃　said　Ariane。　〃Well；　well；　well　。。。　〃
　　He　laughed　quietly。　She　had　meant　him　to　laugh。　He　shook　his　head。　〃This　has　been　the　longest　night　I　can　remember。〃　It　was　hard　to　believe　how　much　had　happened；　in　so　many　different　ways；　since　they　had　arrived　in　Tavernel　in　the　afternoon　and　walked　through　the　thronged　streets　to　The　Liensenne。
　　〃Is　it　over？〃　Ariane　de　Carenzu　asked　in　a　whisper。　Her　hand　began　moving　slowly；　fingernails　barely　brushing　his　skin。　〃If　the　songs　tell　true　we　have　until　the　lark　sings　at　dawn。〃
　　He　felt　desire　returning；　inexorable　as　the　first　beginning　of　a　wave　far　out　at　sea。　〃Wait；〃　he　said　awkwardly。　〃I　have　a　question。〃
　　〃Oh　dear。〃
　　〃No；　nothing　terrible　or　very　difficult。　Just　something　about　Arbonne；　about　people　we　know。　Something　I　should　have　asked　about　a　long　time　ago。〃
　　Her　hand　was　still；　resting　on　his　thigh。　〃Yes？〃
　　〃What　is　it　between　Talair　and　Miraval？　The　hatred　there？〃
　　It　was　true；　what　he'd　said；　what　he'd　e　to　realize　earlier　tonight：　there　was　something　unnatural　about　the　refusal　to　learn　that　had　carried　him　through　his　months　here　in　Arbonne。
　　Ariane　was　silent　for　a　moment；　then　she　sighed。　〃That　is　a　terrible　question；　actually；　and　a　difficult　one。　You'll　have　me　chasing　my　own　memories。〃
　　〃Forgive　me；　I…〃
　　〃No；　it　is　all　right。　I　have　been　thinking　about　them　all　in　any　case。　The　memories　are　never　far　away。　They　have　shaped　so　much　of　what　we　are。〃　She　hesitated。　〃Have　you　at　least　heard　of　Aelis　de　Barbentain；　who　became　Aelis　de　Miraval？〃
　　He　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　sorry。　No。〃
　　〃The　youngest　child　of　Signe　and　Guibor。　Heir　to　Arbonne　because　her　sister　Beatritz　went　to　the　goddess　and　the　two　b