ggk.asongforarbonne-第48节

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lodies　he　made　her　practise　endlessly　this　was　something　a　pletely　untrained　person　could　sing；　hardly　worthy　of　the　long　apprenticeship　demanded　of　the　joglars　of　Arbonne。
　　Which　made　it　even　odder　how　near　to　tears　she　suddenly　seemed　to　be；　listening。　Elisse　couldn't　remember　the　last　time　she'd　cried；　except　in　anger　or　frustration。　It　was　because　of　Midsummer；　she　decided；　and　the　extraordinary　events　of　tonight；　not　least　of　which　had　been　the　long…imagined；　though　never　really　hoped　for　invitation　to　this　room。
　　She　reached　for　the　pillow　he　had　lain　upon　beside　her　in　the　dark　and　held　it　to　herself　for　fort；　as　the　sweet　refrain　returned　and　brought　the　song　to　an　end。　The　woman　it　celebrated　was　dead；　she　reminded　herself；　dead　more　than　twenty　years　ago；　before　Elisse　had　even　been　born。　She　was　dead；　and　would　have　been　over　forty　years　old　by　now　had　she　lived；　Elisse　calculated。　This　wasn't　real　petition；　she　decided；　she　could　allow　these　dawnsong　memories　without　troubling　herself。　The　dead　were　gone；　she　was　the　woman　with　him　now；　the　one　lying　in　his　bed　as　Midsummer　Night　came　to　its　end。　The　advantages；　surely；　were　all　hers。　Elisse　smiled；　waiting　for　the　moment　when　he　would　turn　to　see　her　waiting；　her　body　offered　to　his　sight；　and　for　whatever　else　he　wanted　of　her。
　　At　the　window；　Bertran　de　Talair　watched　darkness　surrender　to　grey　in　the　streets　below　and　then　saw　the　first　pale　hues　of　morning　streak　the　sky　in　the　east。　He　wondered；　idly；　hopelessly；　just　how　many　dawns　he　had　seen　in　this　way；　with　the　wrong　woman　waiting　for　him　to　e　back　to　her　in　a　bed　he　had　abandoned。　He　wasn't　going　back　to　the　bed。　He　pushed　the　very　thought　away；　closing　his　eyes；　letting　his　mind　circle　back；　faithfully；　to　the　ending　of　his　song。
　　Even　the　birds　above　the　lake　
　　Are　singing　of　my　love；　
　　And　even　the　flowers　along　the　shore　
　　Are　growing　for　her　sake。
　　Dawn　was　breaking；　the　day　was　ing。　There　would　be　much　to　do；　a　world　of　plex　things　that　demanded　to　be　done。　He　opened　his　eyes；　feeling　her　slipping　away　again　as　he　did；　slipping　away　in　mist；　in　memory；　with　the　child　in　her　arms。
　　
　　PART　III…Autumn
　　CHAPTER　9
　　On　the　bright；　mild　morning　in　autumn　when　her　life　changes　forever；　Rosala　de　Garsenc　is　returning　carefully　from　her　favourite　walk　along　the　sloping；　tree…lined　path　from　the　water　mill　back　to　the　castle　when　she　sees　her　father…in…law　waiting　for　her　astride　his　horse　in　the　open　space　in　front　of　the　drawbridge。
　　Her　breath　quickening　with　the　first　stirrings　of　apprehension；　she　places　her　hands　protectively　in　front　of　her　rounded　belly　but　resolutely　does　not　alter　her　pace。　Her　husband　is　away　at　the　court；　and　Galbert　will　know　that。
　　〃Good　morrow；　my　lord；〃　she　says　as　she　es　slowly　up　to　the　courtyard。　The　drawbridge　of　the　castle　is　down；　inside　the　forecourt　a　handful　of　corans　are　noisily　practising　with　quarterstaves；　beyond　them　serfs　are　unloading　sacks　of　harvested　grain　watched　carefully　by　the　reeve。　It　is　a　bustling　tithe　day　at　Garsenc　Castle。　No　one　is　close　enough　though　to　overhear　anything　the　two　of　them　might　say　to　each　other。
　　Galbert　de　Garsenc；　massive　and　imposing　in　his　riding　clothes；　makes　no　immediate　reply　to　her　greeting；　looking　stonily　down　upon　her　from　his　horse。　He　ought　to　have　dismounted；　of　course；　simple　courtesy　to　his　son's　wife　demands　that；　his　failure　to　do　so　is　a　first　signal；　an　attempt　to　intimidate。　Rosala　knows　by　now　that　almost　everything　this　man　does　is　meant　as　a　means　of　control。
　　〃Will　you　e　in？〃　she　says；　as　if　there　is　nothing　untoward　in　his　manner　at　all。　〃You　must　know　that　Ranald　is　away；　but　I　will　gladly　do　what　I　may　to　make　you　fortable。〃　She　smiles；　but　only　briefly；　she　will　not　abase　herself　before　this　man；　she　has　sworn　it　to　herself。
　　He　jerks　his　reins　to　make　the　horse　dance　a　little；　quite　close　to　her。　She　stands　motionless；　she　certainly　isn't　afraid　of　horses；　and　she　is　quite　sure；　for　the　obvious　reason；　that　her　father…in…law　will　not　risk　doing　her　any　physical　harm　just　now。
　　Galbert　clears　his　throat。　〃Get　in；〃　he　says；　the　celebrated　voice　icy　cold。　〃Get　into　the　castle　immediately　before　you　shame　us　further。　I　heard　tell　that　you　were　walking　abroad　but　refused　to　credit　it。　I　came　to　see　for　myself；　certain　that　the　rumours　must　be　idle　and　false。　Instead　I　find　you　brazening　about　obscenely；　parading　in　your　condition　before　the　serfs；　exactly　as　I　was　told。　Are　you　utterly　corrupt　that　you　do　such　things？〃
　　She　had　actually　thought　it　might　be　this。　It　is　almost　a　relief　to　have　been　right；　to　know　from　what　direction　the　latest　attack　is　ing。
　　〃You　wrong　me　and　cheapen　yourself；〃　she　says　as　calmly　as　she　can　manage。　〃I　am　doing　what　the　Savaric　women　have　done　for　generations。　You　know　it；　my　lord；　do　not　feign　otherwise。　The　women　of　my　family　have　never　kept　to　their　rooms　while　carrying；　they　have　always　taken　daily　walks　on　the　family　estates。〃
　　He　jerks　the　reins　again；　the　horse　dances　uneasily。　〃You　are　a　Garsenc　now；　not　a　Savaric。〃
　　〃False。　I　will　always　be　a　Savaric。　my　lord。　Do　not　deceive　yourself。　What　I　was　born　to　may　not　be　taken　from　me。〃　She　hesitates。　〃It　may　only　be　added　to。〃　That　last　is　meant　as　conciliation；　with　Ranald　away　she　really　does　not　want　a　confrontation　with　his　father。　〃My　husband　and　lord　knows　I　am　not　lingering　abed；　I　told　him　of　my　family　tradition　when　we　first　learned　I　was　carrying。　He　raised　no　objection。〃
　　〃Of　course　he　didn't。　Ranald　is　beneath　contempt。　A　fool　beyond　words。　He　shames　our　ancestors。〃
　　Rosala　smiles　sweetly。　〃He　did　ask　me　to　tell　him　if　ever　you　spoke　disparagingly　of　him　to　me。　Would　these　words　fit　such　a　description？〃
　　Be　careful；　she　tells　herself　then。　This　is　a　man　who　will　not　be　crossed。　But　it　is　hard　to　yield　spinelessly　to　him；　so　very　hard；　remembering　her　own　father　and　her　home；　to　cringe　before　the　High　Elder；　flush　with　his　new　ascendancy。
　　She　sees　Galbert　check　a　too…swift　reply。　Ranald　has　a　temper；　and　Blaise　too；　to　a　lesser　degree。　The　father　is　as　ice　pared　to　both　of　them…his　anger　and　his　hate　kept　channelled；　ruthlessly　controlled。
　　〃You　are　deliberately　insolent；〃　he　says。　〃Shall　I　whip　you　for　it？〃　His　voice　is　incongruously　mild　speaking　the　words；　as　if　he　were　merely　offering　to　walk　her　about　the　grounds　or　summon　a　servant　to　her　aid。
　　〃Indeed；〃　Rosala　says　hardily。　〃A　worthy　thought。　You　e　here　out　of　alleged　concern　for　the　child　I　carry；　and　then　offer　me　a　beating。　A　prudent　course；　my　lord。〃
　　His　turn　to　smile。　His　smile　frightens　her　more　than　anything　else。　She　tries　not　to　let　that　show。
　　〃I　can　wait；〃　says　Galbert　de　Garsenc　softly。　〃You　are　not　a　child。　Discipline　can　be　delayed　and　you　will　still　know　the　cause。　I　am　a　patient　man。　Get　into　the　castle　now；　though；　or　I　will　be　forced　to　handle　you　in　front　of　the　corans　and　the　servants。　You　carry　the　first　of　the　new　generation　of　the　Garsenc　line　and　you　will　not　be　permitted　to　jeopardize　that　with　this　folly。〃
　　Rosala　does　not　move。　He　is　not　going　to　hurt　her。　She　knows　that。　A　kind　of　reckless　giddiness　rises　in　her；　a　surge　of　hatred　she　cannot　quite　master。　〃Forgive　me　my　ignorance；　and　that　of　my　family；〃　she　says。　〃You　are　clearly　to　be　deferred　to　in　these　matters；　my　lord。　You　know　so　much　about　helping　women　survive　childbirth。〃　A　dangerous　cut；　one　she　might　truly　be　made　to　pay　for　later。　Galbert's　first　wife　died；　hours　after　giving　birth　to　Blaise；　and　two　subsequent　wives　did　not　survive　their　first　confinements　in　this　castle；　with　the　children　stillborn。
　　She　has　meant　to　wound；　wisely　or　no；　but　nothing　in　his　face　shows　that　she　has　done　so。　〃As　I　said；〃　he　murmurs；　still　smiling；　〃a　whipping　may　be　given　at　any　time。〃
　　〃Of　course；〃　she　replies。　〃I　live　entirely　at　the　mercy　of　your　kindness；　my　lord。　Though　indeed；　if　you　wound　and　scar　me　too　greatly　it　might　spoil　the　king's　pleasure　when　he　chooses　to　send　for　me；　might　it　not？〃
　　She　hadn't　planned　to　say　anything　like　that；　it　has　slipped　out。　She　isn't　sorry　though；　now　that　the　words　are　spoken。　The　thought；　and　the　fear　behind　it；　are　never　far　from　her。
　　She　sees　the　High　Elder　react　for　the　first　time。　She　wasn't　even　thought　to　have　been　aware　of　this　aspect　of　things；　she　realizes。　It　is　almost　amusing：　women　are　imagined　to　troop　like　so　many　sheep　through　the　court；　eyes　down；　dull　minds　shuttered；　oblivious　to　whatever　nuances　might　be　passing　about　them。　She　could　laugh；　were　her　fears　not　so　tangible。
　　Galbert　de　Garsenc's　smile　deepens　now；　the　smooth…shaven；　fleshy　face　creasing　into　something　truly　unpleasant。　〃You　are　hungry　for　that　moment；　I　see。　You　are　already　in　lust。　You　would　prefer　to　kill　the　child　that　you　might　e　panting　and　hot　to　Ademar's　bed　the　sooner；　would　you　not？　You　have　all　the　vile　corruption　of　women　in　you；　especially　those　of　your　lineage。　I　knew　it　when　first　I　ever　saw　you。〃
　　Rosala　stiffens。　She　feels　dizzy　suddenly。　The　walk　uphill；　the　bright　sunlight　overhead；　and　now　this　foul；　streaming　torrent　of　abuse。　She　actually　wishes　Ranald　were　home；　his　presence　might　have　served　to