ggk.asongforarbonne-第7节

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l　turning；　it　would　begin　bearing　down　upon　them　in　a　moment。
　　〃We　are　not　to　kill；〃　Maffour　whispered　anxiously　from　beside　Blaise。
　　〃I　know　that；〃　Blaise　hissed　back。　〃Do　what　I　told　you。　Offer　them　a　tithe。　Hirnan；　let's　go。〃
　　With　the　last　words　he　swung　his　feet　across　the　low　railing　and　slipped　silently　over　the　side　of　the　skiff。　On　the　other　side；　balancing　his　motion　exactly；　Hirnan　did　the　same。　The　water　was　shockingly　cold。　It　was　night；　and　early　yet　in　the　spring。
　　〃Truly；　your　graces；　as　my　brother　says；　we　had　no　intention　to　transgress。〃　Maffour's　apologetic　voice　carried　across　the　darkness。　〃We　will　gladly　offer　a　tithe　of　our　catch　for　the　holy　servants　of　blessed　Rian。〃
　　There　was　a　silence　from　the　other　boat；　very　much　as　if　someone　were　weighing　a　sudden　temptation。　That；　Blaise　had　not　expected。　To　his　right　he　spotted　Hirnan's　dark　head　bobbing　towards　him。　He　motioned；　and　the　two　of　them　began　swimming　quietly　towards　the　other　boat。
　　〃Are　you　fools？〃　The　second　voice　from　the　sailboat　was　a　woman's；　and　cold　as　the　ocean　waters。　〃Do　you　think　you　can　make　redress　for　trespass　in　the　waters　of　the　goddess　by　offering　a　load　of　fish？〃
　　Blaise　grimaced。　The　priestesses　of　the　goddess　were　always　harsher　than　the　priests；　even　a　short　time　in　Arbonne　had　taught　him　that　much。　He　heard　the　sound　of　flint　being　struck；　and　a　moment　later；　cursing　silently；　saw　a　lamp　lit　in　the　sailboat。　A　glow　of　orange　light　fell　upon　the　water　but　offered　only　slight　illumination。　Praying　that　the　six　corans　in　the　skiff　would　have　the　sense　to　keep　their　heads　down　and　faces　hidden；　he　gestured　for　Hirnan　to　move　closer。　Then；　treading　silently　in　the　sea；　he　put　his　mouth　to　the　other　man's　ear　and　told　him　what　they　had　to　try　to　do。
　　
　　Holding　the　lamp　high　while　Maritte　guided　their　craft；　Roche　the　priest　peered　ahead　into　the　night。　Even　with　the　flame；　even　by　the　light　of　the　waxing　pale　moon；　it　was　difficult　to　see　clearly。　Certainly　the　skiff　they　were　approaching　was　one　such　as　the　fisherfolk　of　the　shore　used；　and　he　could　make　out　the　lines　of　the　trawling　nets　over　the　side；　but　there　was　still　something　odd　about　this　encounter。　For　one　thing；　there　seemed　to　be　too　many　men　in　the　skiff。　He　counted　at　least　five。　Where　were　they　going　to　put　their　catch　with　so　many　men　on　board？　Roche　had　grown　up　by　the　sea；　he　knew　more　than　a　little　about　trawling　for　lampfish。　He　also　loved…more　than　a　little…the　taste　of　the　succulent；　hard…to…find　delicacy；　which　is　why　he'd　been　shamefully　tempted　by　the　offered　tithe。　Maritte；　mountain…born；　had　no　such　weaknesses　to　tempt　her。　Sometimes　he　wondered　if　Maritte　had　any　weaknesses　at　all。　He　would　not　be　particularly　unhappy　when　their　shared　tour　of　duties　ended　next　week；　though　he　couldn't　claim　to　regret　the　three　obligatory　nights　in　bed　together。　He　wondered　if　she　had　conceived　by　him；　what　a　child　born　of　the　two　of　them　would　be　like。　It　really　did　seem　to　be　a　fishing　boat。　Manned　by　too　many　men；　most　likely　because　they　were　afraid；　venturing　so　near　the　island。　It　happened　more　often　than　it　should；　Roche　knew。　The　deep　waters　around　Rian's　Island　were　a　known　ground　for　lampfish。　A　pity；　he　sometimes　thought…aware　that　this　was　perilously　near　to　heresy…that　all　fish　and　fauna　on　or　about　the　island　were　sacred　to　the　goddess　in　her　incarnation　as　Huntress；　and　so　not　to　be　pursued　in　any　way　by　mortal　man　or　woman。
　　One　really　couldn't　entirely　blame　the　fisherfolk　of　Arbonne　for　occasionally　yielding　to　the　lure　of　that　rare　and　delicate　taste　and　once　in　a　while　venturing　perhaps　a　little　nearer　the　island　than　they　ought。　He　wondered　if　he　dared　turn　to　Maritte　and　offer　that　thought；　in　the　spirit　of　passionate　Rian。　He　forebore　to　do　so。　He　could　guess　what　she　would　say；　mountain…born；　hard　as　mountain　rock。　Though　not　so　much　so　in　the　dark；　mind　you；　surprisingly　softened　by　passion　and　its　aftermath。　The　three　nights　had　been　worth　it；　he　decided；　whatever　she'd　have　said　now　to　his　suggestion。
　　What　Maritte　did　in　fact　say　in　that　moment；　her　voice　suddenly　harsh；　was：　〃Roche；　these　are　not　fisherfolk。　Those　are　only　ropes；　not　nets！　We　must…〃
　　That　was　all；　lamentably；　that　Roche　heard。　Even　as　he　leaned　quickly　forward　to　peer　more　closely　at　the　skiff；　Roche　of　the　Island　felt　himself　pulled　bodily　out　of　their　small　boat；　the　lantern　flying　from　his　hand　to　douse　itself　hissing　in　the　sea。
　　He　tried　to　cry　out；　but　he　hit　the　water　with　a　smack　that　knocked　the　wind　from　his　lungs。　Then；　as　he　desperately　sucked　for　air；　he　went　under　an　advancing　wave；　swallowed　a　mouthful　of　salt　sea　water　and　began　retching　and　coughing。　There　was　a　hand　holding　him　from　behind　in　a　grip　like　a　blacksmith's。　Roche　coughed　and　gasped　and　coughed；　and　finally　cleared　his　lungs　of　water。
　　He　drew　one　normal　breath　and　then；　as　if　that　had　been　a　patiently　awaited　signal；　received　a　blow　from　the　haft　of　a　knife　on　the　side　of　his　head　that　rendered　him　oblivious　to　the　icy　chill　of　the　water　or　the　beauty　of　moonlight　on　the　sea。　He　did　have　an　instant　to　realize；　just　before　all　went　black；　that　he　hadn't　heard　a　sound　from　Maritte。
　　
　　Blaise　was　briefly　afraid；　as　he　manoeuvred　the　unconscious　priest　back　into　the　sailboat　with　Hirnan's　help；　that　the　other　man；　anxious　not　to　err；　might　have　killed　the　woman　with　his　blow。　After　he　had　clambered　with　some　difficulty　into　the　boat　he　reassured　himself。　She　would　have　a　lump　like　a　corfe　egg　on　her　temple　for　a　few　days；　but　Hirnan　had　done　well。　He　spared　a　moment　to　grip　the　other　man　briefly　on　the　shoulder　in　approbation；　such　things　mattered　to　the　men　one　led。　He　had　some　experience　of　that；　too…on　both　sides　of　the　equation。
　　The　sailboat　was　neat　and　trim　and　well　equipped；　which　meant　plenty　of　rope。　There　were　also　blankets　against　the　night　chill　and　an　amount　of　food　that　might　have　been　surprising　had　the　priest　not　been　so　plump。　He　stripped　the　unconscious　man　of　his　sodden　shirt；　then　swaddled　him　in　one　of　the　blankets。　They　bound　and　gagged　both　the　man　and　the　woman；　though　not　so　tightly　as　to　cripple　them；　and　then　steered　the　boat　towards　their　own　skiff。
　　〃Maffour；〃　he　said；　keeping　his　voice　low；　〃take　charge　there。　Follow　us　in。　We're　going　up　to　find　a　landing　place。　Luth；　if　you　prefer；　you　can　kill　yourself　now　before　I　get　to　you。　It　might　be　more　pleasant。〃　With　some　satisfaction　he　heard　Luth　moan　in　distress。　The　man　believed　him。　Beside　Blaise　in　the　sailboat　Hirnan　grunted　with　a　sour；　chilled　amusement。　With　a　degree　of　surprise　Blaise　recognized　within　himself　the　once…familiar　sensation　of　sharing　petence　and　respect　with　another　man　on　a　task　of　some　danger。
　　Danger；　yes；　rather　more　evidently　now；　given　what　they　had　just　done　to　two　of　Rian's　anointed。　But　tonight's　was　still　a　quest　of　sheerest　stupidity…as　to　that　Blaise's　opinion　was　not　about　to　change　simply　because　they　had　dealt　neatly　with　their　first　obstacle。　Shivering　and　wet；　rubbing　his　arms　in　an　effort　to　generate　necessary　warmth；　he　realized；　though；　almost　against　his　will；　that　he　had　enjoyed　the　moments　just　past。
　　And；　as　so　often　seemed　to　happen；　the　surmounting　of　a　crisis　seemed　to　incline　chance　or　fate　or　Corannos　the　god…one　or　all　of　them…to　show　favour　in　the　next　stage　of　a　difficult　enterprise。　Hirnan　grunted　again　a　few　minutes　later；　this　time　with　a　note　of　satisfaction；　and　a　second　afterwards　Blaise　saw　why。　Gliding　westward；　as　close　to　shore　as　he　dared；　Hirnan　had　brought　them　abreast　of　a　small　inlet　among　the　rocks。　Blaise　saw　trees　above；　their　tops　silvered　by　the　high　moon；　and　a　gently　sloping　plateau　beneath　them　giving　way　to　a　short　cliff　down　to　the　sea。　An　almost　perfect　place　for　a　landing；　given　that　the　beaches　were　barred　to　them。　The　inlet　would　offer　shelter　and　concealment　for　the　two　boats　and　the　climb　to　the　plateau　was　unlikely　to　be　difficult　for　men　used　to　the　steepness　of　the　goat　runs　above　the　olive　trees　near　Baude。
　　Hirnan　guided　the　two　craft　carefully　into　the　cove。　In　the　boat　he　quickly　lowered　sail　and　set　about　dropping　anchor。　In　the　skiff；　Maffour；　without　a　word　spoken；　looped　one　of　the　ropes　about　his　shoulders　and；　leaping　to　the　nearest　of　the　rocks；　adroitly　scrambled　up　the　short　face　of　the　cliff　to　the　plateau。　He　tied　the　rope　to　one　of　the　pines　above　and　dropped　it　over　for　the　rest　of　them。　Two　good　men　here；　Blaise　thought；　realizing　that　he　really　hadn't　given　much　thought　at　all；　in　the　time　he'd　been　here；　to　taking　the　measure　of　the　corans　of　Mallin　de　Baude。　He　acknowledged　inwardly　that　Mallin　had　been　right　in　at　least　one　thing：　the　truest　test　of　a　man's　mettle　was　a　task　where　the　danger　was　real。
　　Hirnan　finished　with　the　anchor　and　turned　to　Blaise　with　an　arched　eyebrow　of　inquiry。　Blaise　glanced　down　at　the　two　tied…up　clerics　in　the　boat。　Both　were　unconscious　and　would　likely　be　so　for　awhile。　〃We'll　leave　them　here；〃　he　said。　〃They'll　be　all　right。〃
　　The　men　in　the　skiff　were　already　proceeding　up　Maffour's　rope　towards　the　plateau。　They　watched　the　last　one　climb；　then　Hirnan　stepped　carefully　from　the　boat　to　one　slip