ggk.asongforarbonne-第98节

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es。　Not　in　winter；　with　food　a　problem　for　them。〃
　　〃That　is　mostly　true；　but　not　entirely　so；　your　grace。　Food　is　not　their　problem　I　am　afraid；〃　said　Urté　de　Miraval　heavily。　He　was　leaning　against　the　mantel　of　the　larger　fireplace；　bulky　and　formidable；　dressed　in　a　dark　green；　fur…lined　robe。　〃I　have　recent　information　about　that。　They　have　used　their　monies　from　Valensa；　the　enormous　price　they　received　for　the　northern　lands　they　ceded；　to　ensure　a　flow　of　supplies　to　follow　them　here　from　Gotzland。　With　our　villagers　taking　refuge　in　the　cities　and　castles　we　will　be　at　risk　of　hunger　before　them。　We　might　want　to　consider　an　attack　against　their　supply　line。〃
　　〃That　will　not　be　necessary；〃　said　Bertran　de　Talair；　briefly；　dismissively；　from　the　opposite　wall。　Rosala　turned　to　look　at　him。
　　He　had　arrived　only　the　night　before；　with　Blaise　and　his　mercenaries　and　eight　hundred　armed　men　of　Gorhaut。　The　assembled　council　was　still　dealing　with　that　last　fact；　and　the　presence　among　them　this　morning　of　Duke　Fulk　de　Savaric。　Rosala　was　struggling　to　adjust　to　it　as　well；　if　for　different　reasons。　Pride　and　fear　and　disbelief　swept　over　her　whenever　she　looked　at　her　brother。　They　had　not　yet　had　a　chance　to　speak　privately。
　　〃I　would　be　very　interested　in　learning　why；〃　Urté　said　to　Bertran；　gazing　inimically　at　the　other　man　across　the　room。　〃Have　military　strategies　changed　so　greatly　in　recent　years？〃
　　〃Hardly　at　all。〃　Bertran；　dressed　in　nondescript　brown　riding　clothes；　turned　away　from　de　Miraval　to　the　countess。　〃You　will　remember；　your　grace；　that　I　had　dealings　with　King　Daufridi　of　Valensa　during　the　Lussan　Fair。〃　He　paused。　There　was　a　stir　in　the　room　at　this；　it　was　news　to　most　of　them。　Bertran　ignored　the　reaction。　〃These　dealings　have　borne　useful　fruit；　though　not；　I'm　afraid；　dramatically　so。　Daufridi　has　persuaded　Jorg　of　Gotzland　that　their　joint　interests　will　not　be　served　by　a　swift　destruction　of　Arbonne。　They　will　not　go　so　far　as　to　intercede　for　us；　but　the　promised　supplies　from　the　east　will　be　sadly　late　in　arriving；　I　am　informed。　The　food；　when　it　reaches　the　army　of　Gorhaut；　will　be　of　dangerously　poor　quality；　most　of　it　inedible。　King　Jorg　will　be　profusely　apologetic　to　Ademar；　of　course。　He　will　promise　an　enquiry；　offer　to　return　some　of　the　money　he　has　been　paid。　It　helps；〃　he　added　with　a　straight　face；　〃to　have　up…to…date　information　in　wartime。〃
　　〃It　helps；〃　said　the　countess　of　Arbonne　icily；　〃if　the　manders　serving　us　share　their　information　with　each　other　and　ourself。〃
　　Bertran　looked　unabashed；　despite　the　rare；　admonitory　use　of　royal　language　by　the　countess。　〃I　only　returned　last　night；〃　he　said　mildly。　〃I　found　confirmation　from　Valensa　waiting　for　me。　I　might　have　expected　to　receive　approval　from　my　countess　and　those　assembled　here　for　what　I　have　done；　rather　than　condemnation。〃
　　〃You　presumptuous　peacock！〃　rasped　Urté　de　Miraval。　paring　the　garb　of　the　two　men；　Rosala　found　the　word　almost　amusing。　But　there　was　really　no　room　for　levity　just　then。　〃An　army　more　than　twice　as　large　as　any　we　can　raise　is　burning　its　way　through　Arbonne；〃　Urté　snapped；　glaring　at　Bertran；　〃and　you　seek　praise　like　a　vain　child；　preening　yourself　on　small　triumphs　of　diplomacy。〃
　　〃Small　perhaps；　my　lord…I　began　by　saying　as　much　myself；　you　will　recall…but　do　favour　us　with　an　account　of　what　you　have　achieved　in　the　same　interval。〃　Bertran's　hard　blue　eyes　met　those　of　Urté　and　this　time　neither　man　looked　away。　Rosala　felt　hatred　in　the　room　like　a　wintry；　congealing　presence。
　　〃It　would　be　most　pleasant；〃　Bertran　went　on；　in　a　voice　that　was　not　pleasant　at　all；　〃to　be　able　to　report　richer　results　of　my　efforts　with　Valensa；　but　we　can　hardly　blame　Daufridi　or　the　Gotzlanders　for　being　careful　here；　can　we？　We　might　perhaps　make　some　ments　instead　about　lords　of　Arbonne　whose　principal　activity　this　past　year　seems　to　have　been　to　sanction；　if　not　instigate；　the　attempted　murder　of　a　friend　and　ally。〃
　　Rosala；　vividly　remembering　that　night　in　Lucianna　Delonghi's　rooms；　saw　Blaise　step　forward　then。　〃That's　enough；　I　think；〃　he　said　quietly　to　Bertran。　〃We'll　get　nowhere　useful　retracing　old　paths。〃　His　tone　was　interesting；　he　had　changed　in　the　short　time　since　going　north　and　ing　back。　His　father　and　Ranald　had　both　been　at　Garsenc；　she　had　been　told　by　Rudel　Correze　just　before　the　meeting　began。　The　one　had　escaped　and　the　other　had　been　set　free；　it　was　hard　not　to　wonder　about　what　had　happened　there。
　　〃Enough？　Is　it　really？〃　Bertran　de　Talair　said；　turning　away　from　Urté　again。　〃I'm　dreadfully　sorry。　So　please　forgive　my　lamentable　penchant　for　excess。〃　His　voice　was　etched　in　acid　but　he　didn't　argue；　Rosala　noticed；　or　pursue　the　matter。　Blaise　looked　at　him　a　moment　longer；　but　said　nothing　more。
　　〃We　forgive　almost　everything　just　now　because　we　have　little　choice。〃　It　was　the　countess　again；　reclaiming　control　of　the　room。　They　turned　back　to　her。　Her　hands　clasped　about　one　of　the　small　metal　warming　balls　her　women　favoured；　Signe　waited　a　moment；　deliberately；　and　then　added：　〃And　also　because　we　have　desperate　and　perilous　need　of　you；　my　lord　of　Talair；　with　all　your　。。。　penchants。　After　taking　most　careful　thought　on　this；　we　are　resolved　to　appoint　you　herewith　to　lead　our　armies　in　this　war。　Into　your　hands　we　now　entrust　the　sovereignty　of　Arbonne　and　the　destiny　of　our　children。〃
　　Rosala　closed　her　eyes　for　a　moment。　Cadar　was　with　his　nurse　upstairs；　it　occurred　to　her　to　wonder　if　Fulk　would　ask　to　see　him。　She　didn't　think　so。　She　looked　up。　Signe　had　paused　again；　looking　with　her　famous　eyes　into　the　equally　celebrated　blue　ones　of　the　duke　of　Talair。　When　she　spoke　again　her　tone　was　very　different。
　　〃Bertran；　it　may　be　unfair　to　say　'Fail　me　not；'　for　I　know　what　Ademar　of　Gorhaut　has　brought　against　us；　but　I　am　going　to　say　it　nonetheless；　for　if　you　do　fail　we　are　lost　and　from　the　burning　that　must　follow　there　will　be　no　rising　from　ashes。〃
　　〃No。　You　cannot　do　this！〃　In　the　stark　silence　that　followed　the　countess's　words；　the　voice　of　Urté　de　Miraval　sounded　harsh　and　raw。　There　was　passion　in　it　and　a　real　pain。
　　Rosala　saw　him　step　awkwardly　forward　from　the　fireside　and　drop　heavily　to　his　knees　before　the　countess。　〃I　am　prostrate　before　you；　my　lady；〃　he　said　fiercely。　〃I　will　not　ask　but　beg。　Do　not　do　this　thing。　Do　not　put　me　in　this　position；　I　beg　of　you；　your　grace。　I　will　not　serve　under　him。　I　cannot。　You　know　I　cannot。　For　love　of　Arbonne；　for　the　memory　of　your　husband；　for　any　honour　at　all　in　which　you　may　yet　hold　my　name；　choose　another　leader！　It　need　not　be　myself；　it　cannot　be　myself　or　you　do　the　same　thing　to　de　Talair…but　choose　another　leader；　countess；　lest　you　break　me　into　pieces。〃　Under　the　short…cropped　grey　hair；　his　still…handsome；　fleshy　face　was　vivid　with　stricken　intensity。
　　Signe　de　Barbentain's　features；　by　contrast；　were　like　a　mask；　beautiful　and　implacable；　as　she　looked　down　at　the　duke　on　his　knees　before　her。　〃Have　you　ever　thought；〃　she　said　with　frigid　clarity；　〃how　like　children　the　both　of　you　are？〃　She　drew　a　breath　then；　and　Rosala　winced　in　premonitory　anticipation　of　what　was　ing。　Nor　was　she　wrong。
　　〃My　daughter　Aelis；〃　said　the　countess　of　Arbonne　deliberately；　〃was　willful　and　proud　and　a　child　herself　when　she　died。　It　was　twenty…three　years　ago；　in　the　name　of　our　most　holy　goddess！　Can　neither　of　you　realize　that？〃　Rosala　saw　Urté　flinch　at　the　spoken　name；　Bertran　turned　his　head　away。　Signe　ignored　both　reactions；　went　on；　her　voice　blunt　as　a　hammer。　〃She　deceived　Urté　with　Bertran。　We　all　know　this。　She　bore　a　son　that　was　not　her　husband's　and　told　him　as　much。　We　know　this　too。　It　was　a　desperately　foolish　thing　to　do。　The　child　died　or　did　not　die。　My　daughter　died。　It　is　an　old　story。　Do　you　hear　me；　both　of　you？　It　is　an　old　story！　Let　it　rest！　Let　Aelis　lie　in　her　grave；　with　her　child　or　without　him。　I　will　not　let　Arbonne　lie　buried　in　that　same　grave；　or　be　trapped　in　the　maze　you　two　have　shaped　for　each　other　from　that　history。　It　is　over！　It　must　be　over。　Make　no　mistake；　I　am　naming　as　leader　this　morning　the　man　who　understands　Gorhaut　better　than　any　other　here　and　who　has　Blaise　de　Garsenc　and　Fulk　de　Savaric　beside　him。　This　is　my　firm　decision。　It　is　not　subject　to　the　tired；　worn…out　passions　of　ancient　history；　my　lord　de　Miraval。〃
　　Silence　then。　A　stillness　as　after　a　storm　has　passed。　And　into　it；　at　length；　came　the　quiet；　careful　voice　of　Bertran　de　Talair；　unwontedly　diffident。　〃Your　grace；　I　am　deeply　mindful　of　the　honour　you　offer　me。　I　will　say　that　I　have　no　difficulty　at　all　in　stepping　aside　for　another　if　it　will　。。。　ease　matters　among　us。　I　will　be　proud　to　serve　under　Duke　Thierry　for　example；　or　your　brother　of　Malmont　if　you　would　prefer。〃
　　〃I　would　not　prefer。〃　Signe's　voice　was　brittle。　〃Bertran；　understand　me；　this　is　not　a　request；　it　is　a　mand。　If　you　refuse　I　will　regard　it　as　treason　in　wartime　and　act　accordingly。〃
　　〃My　lady！〃　began　Ariane　de　Carenzu；　her　own　colour　high。　〃Countess；　this　is　something　that…〃　She　stopped　abruptly　at　a　swift；　imperious　gestur