ggk.asongforarbonne-第57节

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　　No　such　luck；　it　seemed。　Rian　and　Corannos　both　appeared　to　have　a　hand　in　the　events　unfolding　here；　and　when　the　god　and　the　goddess　worked　together；　the　old　saying　went；　men　and　women　could　only　kneel　and　bow　their　heads。　Signe；　bowing　her　head；　smiled　down　upon　the　child；　swaddled　in　aristocratic　blue；　and　carried　him　to　his　mother。　Rosala　de　Garsenc　was　almost　bone…white　in　the　candlelight；　and　her　blue　eyes　were　enormous　in　her　drawn　face；　but　the　expression　in　those　eyes　was　as　resolute　and　unafraid　now　as　it　had　been　all　night。　Signe　admired　her　greatly。　She　had　heard　the　story　in　the　dark　of　night；　told　in　bursts　through　the　birthing　pains：　the　reason　for　this　flight；　the　plea　for　sanctuary。
　　It　was　not　a　request　she　was　capable　of　refusing；　even　Roban；　to　his　credit；　had　brought　the　woman　across　to　Barbentain。　He　would　probably　deny　it　in　the　morning；　but　Signe　was　almost　certain　her　chancellor；　too；　had　been　moved　by　Rosala's　story。　It　was　more　than　pragmatism　that　had　caused　him　to　bring　the　woman　to　the　castle。　She　was；　she　realized；　proud　of　him。
　　She　was　also　aware　that　this　sympathy；　this　yielding　to　the　human　impulse；　might　well　destroy　them　all。　Rosala；　quite　evidently；　knew　this　too。　Through　the　long　night　of　labour；　talking　almost　incoherently　through　her　pain；　the　woman　had　nonetheless　revealed　a　formidable　intelligence。　Her　courage；　too；　was　obvious。　One　would　need　courage　and　something　more　to　stand　up　to　Galbert　de　Garsenc　in　the　way　this　woman　had。
　　〃Your　child　is　here；　my　lady；〃　Signe　said　softly　by　the　bed；　the　formal　words。　〃Will　it　please　his　mother　to　give　him　his　name？〃
　　〃Cadar；〃　said　Rosala；　lifting　her　voice　to　let　the　first　speaking　ring　clearly　in　the　world　he　had　entered。　〃His　name　is　Cadar　de　Savaric。〃　She　lifted　her　arms　and　Signe　gave　her　the　child。
　　There　was　more　defiance　here；　the　countess　knew；　to　the　point　of　provocation。　She　was　glad　Roban　had　not　heard　this；　the　chancellor　had　had　enough　stress　for　one　day。　She　felt　old　and　tired　herself；　weighted　with　the　night　and　the　years　of　her　living。　The　time　of　music　and　laughter　here　in　Barbentain　seemed　infinitely　long　ago；　a　dream；　a　troubadour's　fantasy；　not　really　part　of　her　own　history。
　　〃He　has　a　father；〃　she　felt　obliged　to　say。　〃You　are　choosing　to　cut　him　off　from　that？　What　if　his　father　wants　to　accept　him；　despite　everything；　to　offer　his　protection？　Will　this　name　not　be　a　bar　to　that？〃
　　The　woman　was　very　tired；　it　was　unfair　to　be　taxing　her　in　this　way；　but　it　was　necessary；　before　the　name　went　forth　from　this　room。　Rosala　looked　up　with　those　clear　blue　northern　eyes　and　said；　〃If　his　father　chooses　to　e　for　him　and　shelter　him　I　will　think　on　this　again。〃　There　was　an　intonation　there；　a　stress　on　one　word　that　stirred　within　Signe　a　new　disquiet；　like　a　note　of　music　almost　but　not　quite　audible；　sensed　if　not　really　heard。
　　Rosala　said；　〃He　will　need　a　man　and　a　woman　to　stand　for　him　before　the　god…and　the　goddess；　too；　if　you　have　such　a　ritual　in　Arbonne。〃
　　〃We　do。　The　Guardians　of　Rian　and　Corannos。　We　honour　both　here；　I　think　you　know　that。〃
　　〃I　do　know　that。　Will　you　honour　my　child　and　myself　by　standing　up　for　Cadar？　Is　this　too　much　to　ask？〃
　　It　was；　in　many　ways。　It　redoubled　all　the　dangers　this　child　represented　for　Arbonne　to　have　the　countess　herself　so　identified　with　him。　Roban　would　have　turned　pink　with　the　vigour　of　his　reaction。
　　〃I　will；〃　said　Signe　de　Barbentain；　genuinely　moved；　looking　down　at　the　child。　She　had　never　seen　her　own　grandson；　born　and　lost　on　a　winter's　night　so　many　years　ago。　Lost　or　dead；　no　one　alive　knew　but　Urté　dc　Miraval；　and　he　was　not　going　to　tell。　He　was　not　ever　going　to　tell。　Time　and　memory　and　loss　seemed　tangled　and　twisted　tonight；　with　avenues　to　sorrow　everywhere。　She　was　looking　down　on　this　fair…haired　woman　and　thinking　of　Aelis。　〃The　honour　will　be　mine；〃　she　said。　Rosala　shifted　the　coverlet　away　and　placed　the　infant　against　her　breast。　Blindly；　with　the　most　primal　response　of　all；　he　began　to　suck。　Signe　was　aware　that　she　was　dangerously　close　to　tears。　It　was　the　sleepless　night；　she　told　herself　sternly；　but　knew　this　was　not　so。
　　〃And　for　the　second　Guardian？〃　she　said。　〃Is　there　anyone　you　know　here　you　would　want　to　ask？〃
　　There　is　a　next　stage　to　the　story　of　every　man；　every　woman；　every　child；　a　point　at　which　the　new　thing　that　happens　shapes　what　follows　irrevocably。　Such　a　moment　it　was　when　Rosala　looked　up　from　her　pillow；　her　pale　hair　matted　and　damp　about　her　head；　her　son　at　the　breast；　and　said　to　the　countess　of　Arbonne：　〃There　is　one；　though　it　may　be　another　presumption。　My　father　said　that　whatever　else　was　true　of　him；　he　was　a　brave　and　an　honest　man　and；　forgive　me；　I　know　he　is　an　enemy　of　Galbert　de　Garsenc。　That　may　not　be　the　purest　reason　for　naming　a　Guardian　in　the　eyes　of　Corannos　and　Rian；　but　that　is　why　my　child　needs　guarding　now。　Is　the　duke　of　Talair　in　Lussan？　Will　he　do　this　for　us；　do　you　think？〃
　　Signe　did　weep　then；　and；　moments　later；　frightening　herself　a　little；　she　began　to　laugh；　helplessly；　through　her　tears。　〃He　is　here。　And　if　I　ask　him　I　think　he　will；〃　she　said。　There　were　already　so　many　layers　of　interwoven　memory　here；　so　many　echoes；　and　now　one　more；　as　Bertran；　too；　came　into　it。
　　She　looked　out　the　window；　the　first　hint　of　gray　was　in　the　eastern　sky。　Something　occurred　to　her　then；　far　too　late；　one　more　thread　in　this　dark；　time…spun　weaving：　〃You　do　know　that　your　husband's　brother　is　with　the　duke　of　Talair？〃
　　And　saw　then；　having　been　carefully　observant　all　her　life；　two　things。　First　that　the　woman　had　not　in　fact　known　this；　and　secondly；　that　it　mattered　to　her；　very　much。　Signe's　earlier　disquiet；　like　a　dissonance　of　almost…heard　music；　came　back　to　her。　She　had　a　question　suddenly；　she　had　several　questions；　but　it　was　not　time　for　them；　and　it　might　never　be　time。　She　suddenly　missed　Beatritz　very　much；　wished　her　daughter　had　elected　to　e　north　for　the　fair　this　year　instead　of　remaining　on　Rian's　Island。
　　Rosala　de　Garsenc　said；　speaking　carefully；　〃I　would　not　want　to　see　him　yet。　I　would　not　want　him　to　know　I　am　here。　Is　this　possible？〃
　　〃I　do　not　think　he　would　betray　you；　or　try　to　send　you　back。　We　know　a　little　of　Blaise　here　now。〃
　　Rosala　shook　her　head。　〃It　isn't　that。　I　am　。。。　too　much　entangled　in　that　family。　Would　the　duke　tell　him　I　was　here？〃
　　Signe　shook　her　head；　masking　a　growing　unease。　〃Bertran　deals　with　women　in　his　own　ways；　and　he　cannot　be　said　to　be　the　most　predictable　of　men；　but　he　will　not　betray　a　confidence。〃
　　Rosala　looked　down　at　the　child　on　her　breast；　trying　to　deal　with　what　she　had　just　learned。　Cadar　had　an　unexpectedly　full　head　of　hair；　lying　in　whorls　and　ringlets　upon　his　forehead。　In　the　candlelight　it　was　a　distinctive　shade　of　brown；　nearly　red。　Very　like　his　father's；　she　thought。　This　latest　information　should　really　not　have　surprised　her　so　much；　they　had　heard　over　the　summer　that　Blaise　had　left　Portezza　again。　She　closed　her　eyes　for　a　moment。　It　was　difficult　to　have　so　many　things　to　deal　with　just　now。　She　was　extremely　tired。
　　She　looked　up　at　the　countess。　〃I　am　a　very　great　burden　for　you。　I　know　this　is　true。　I　could　see　no　other　choices；　though；　for　the　child。　Thank　you　for　allowing　me　here。　Thank　you　for　accepting　Guardianship。　Will　you　do　one　more　thing？　Will　you　ask　the　duke　of　Talair　to　stand　up　with　you　for　my　son　this　morning　before　Corannos　and　Rian　and　against　all　those　who　would　do　him　harm　in　the　world？〃
　　
　　In　the　end；　Roban　the　chancellor　went　himself　with　two　of　the　corans　of　his　own　household　to　find　En　Bertran　de　Talair。　The　duke　was　not　in　his　own　bed。　but　the　chancellor　persevered　and　found　him　soon　enough；　though　not；　unfortunately；　alone。　A　mildly　embarrassing　incident　ensued；　but　not　one　of　sufficient　importance　to　affect　Roban's　mission。
　　They　rode　back　across　the　lowered　bridge　to　the　castle　on　its　island　just　as　the　sun　was　rising　beyond　the　river；　sending　light；　finally；　like　a　blessing　into　the　room　where　Rosala　lay。　Bertran　de　Talair　entered　that　room　with　the　morning　brightness；　wearing　his　habitual　amusement　like　a　cloak；　sardonic　laughter　barely　hidden　in　his　eyes。　He　looked　at　the　countess　first；　and　then　to　where　the　woman　lay；　and　lastly　he　looked　down；　without　speaking　upon　the　cradle　at　the　foot　of　the　bed　and　saw　the　sleeping　child。
　　After　a　long　time　during　which　his　expression　could　slowly　be　seen　to　change；　he　looked　back　at　the　mother　lying　in　the　bed。　The　priestess　of　Rian　had　washed　her　and　dressed　her　in　a　blue　silk　robe；　and　had　helped　her　with　her　hair。　It　lay；　long　and　golden　in　the　mild　sunlight；　bed　out　upon　the　pillow　and　over　the　coverlet。　Her　eyes　were　as　blue　as　his　own。
　　〃My　congratulations；〃　he　said　formally。　〃You　have　a　handsome　son。　I　wish　him　good　fortune　all　his　life。〃
　　She　was　registering　everything　she　could：　the　light；　clear　voice；　the　scar；　the　mutilated　ear；　the　way　his　expressive　face　had　altered　when　he　allowed　the　irony　to　recede。
　　〃Galbert　de　Garsenc；　High　Elder　of　Corannos　in　Gorhaut；　would　take　this　child　from　me；〃　she　said；　without　prea