tw.thestoneoffarewell-第47部分

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the　once…imperial　city。　The　valley　floor　was　crowded　with　settlements　and　towns；　even　the　steep　meian　hills　were　encrusted　with　houses　of　whitewashed　stone　that　jutted　from　the　hillsides　like　teeth。
　　The　smoke　of　countless　fires　rose　up　from　the　valley　floor；　a　grayish　cloud　hanging　overhead　like　an　awning。　Most　days；　Miriamele　knew；　the　winds　from　the　sea　swept　the　blue　sky　clear；　but　today　the　breezes　were　absent。
　　〃So　many　people；〃　she　marveled。　〃And　more　in　the　city　itself。〃　
　　〃But　in　some　ways；〃　Father　Dinivan　remarked；　〃that　means　little。　Erchester　is　less　than　a　fifth　this　size；　but　the　Hayholt　there　is　the　capital　of　the　known　world。　Nabban's　glory　is　only　a　memory…except　for　Mother　Church；　of　course。　Nabban　is　her　city　now。〃
　　 〃Is　it　not　interesting；　then；　how　those　who　slew　our　Lord　Usires　now　clasp　Him　to　their　bosom？〃　Cadrach　said；　a　little　farther　down　the　trail。
　　〃One　always　makes　more　friends　after　one　is　dead。〃
　　〃I　do　not　understand　your　meaning；　Cadrach；〃　Dinivan　said；　his　homely　face　solemn；　〃but　it　sounds　like　bitterness　rather　than　insight。〃
　　〃Does　it？〃　said　Cadrach。　〃I　speak　of　the　usefulness　of　heroes　who　are　not　present　to　speak　for　themselves。〃　He　scowled。　〃Lord　love　me；　I　wish　I　had　some　wine。〃　He　turned　away　from　Dinivan's　questioning　glance；　offering　no　further　remarks。
　　The　plumes　of　smoke　reminded　Miriamele　of　something。　〃How　many　of　those　Fire　Dancers　we　saw　in　Teligure　are　there？　Are　they　in　every　town？〃
　　Dinivan　shook　his　head。　〃There　are　some　few　that　e　from　every　town；　I　would　guess；　but　they　join　together　and　travel　from　place　to　place；　preaching　their　vile　message。　It　is　not　their　numbers　that　should　frighten　you；　but　the　despair　they　carry　with　them　like　a　plague。　For　every　one　who　joins　and　follows　them　to　the　next　town；　there　are　a　dozen　more　who　take　the　message　into　their　secret　hearts；　losing　faith　in　God。〃
　　〃People　believe　in　what　they　see；〃　Cadrach　said；　eyes　suddenly　intent　on　Dinivan。　〃They　hear　the　Storm　King's　message　and　see　what　the　Storm　King's　hand　can　inspire。　They　wait　for　God　to　strike　down　the　heretics。　But　God　does　nothing。〃
　　〃That　is　a　lie；　Padreic；〃　Dinivan　said　hotly。　〃Or　Cadrach；　or　whatever　name　you　now　choose。　For　choosing　is　what　matters。　God　allows　each　man　or　woman　to　choose。　He　does　not　pel　love。〃　The　monk　snorted　as　if　in　disgust；　but　continued　to　stare　at　the　priest。
　　〃That　He　certainly　does　not。〃
　　In　a　strange　way；　Miriamele　thought；　Cadrach　seemed　to　be　pleading　with　Dinivan；　as　though　trying　to　show　the　lector's　secretary　something　that　Dinivan　would　not　recognize。
　　〃God　wishes　。　。　。〃　the　priest　began。
　　〃But　if　God　does　not　cajole；　and　does　not　force；　and　does　not　respond　to　challenges　from　the　Storm　King　or　anyone　else。〃　Cadrach　interrupted；　his　voice　hoarse　with　suppressed　emotion；　〃why；　why　do　you　find　it　surprising　that　people　think　there　is　no　God；　or　that　He　is　helpless？〃
　　Dinivan　stared　for　a　moment；　then　shook　his　head　angrily。　〃That　is　why　Mother　Church　exists。　To　give　out　God's　word；　so　that　people　may　decide。〃
　　 〃People　believe　what　they　see；〃　Cadrach　replied　sadly；　then　dropped　back　into　silent　thought　as　they　plodded　slowly　down　toward　the　valley　floor。
　　At　midday　they　reached　the　crowded　Anitullean　Road。　Streams　of　people　moved　in　each　direction；　eddying　around　wagons　going　to　and　from　market。　Miriamele　and　her　panions　attracted　little　attention。　By　sundown　they　had　covered　a　great　distance　up　the　valley。
　　They　stopped　for　the　evening　in　Bellidan；　one　of　the　score　of　towns　that　had　grown　together　along　the　road　until　it　was　nearly　impossible　to　tell　where　one　left　off　and　the　next　began。　They　slept　at　the　local　priory；　where　Dinivan's　lectoral　signet　ring　and　exalted　status　made　them　the　center　of　a　great　deal　of　interest。　Miriamele　slipped　off　early　to　the　small　cell　provided　for　her；　not　wanting　to　take　the　chance　of　her　disguise　being　promised。　Dinivan　explained　to　the　monks　that　his　panion　was　ill；　then　brought　her　a　satisfying　meal　of　barley　soup　and　bread。　When　she　blew　out　the　candle　to　sleep；　the　image　of　the　Fire　Dancer　was　again　before　her　eyes；　the　white…robed　woman　bursting　into　flame；　but　here　behind　the　priory's　thick　walls　it　did　not　seem　quite　so　frightening。　It　had　been　just　another　unsettling　occurrence　in　an　unsettling　world。
　　 By　late　afternoon　of　the　following　day　they　had　reached　the　spot　where　the　Anitullean　Road　began　to　climb　upward　through　the　hill　passes　that　led　to　Nabban　proper。　They　passed　dozens　of　pilgrims　and　merchants　who　sat　exhausted　by　the　roadside；　fanning　themselves　with　wide…brimmed　hats。　Some　had　merely　stopped　to　rest　and　drink　water；　but　several　others　were　frustrated　peddlers　whose　donkeys　had　proved　reluctant　to　pull　overloaded　wagons　up　the　steep　road。
　　 〃If　we　stop　before　dark；〃　Dinivan　said；　〃we　can　stay　the　night　in　one　of　the　hill　towns。　Then　it　would　be　a　short　ride　into　the　city　in　the　morning。　For　some　reason；　though；　I　am　reluctant　to　take　any　longer　than　necessary。　If　we　ride　past　nightfall；　we　can　reach　the　Sancellan　Aedonitis　before　midnight。〃
　　Miriamele　looked　back　down　the　road；　then　ahead；　where　it　wound　out　of　sight　among　the　dry　golden　hills。　〃I　wouldn't　mind　stopping；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　more　than　a　little　sore。〃
　　Dinivan　looked　worried。　〃I　understand。　I　am　less　used　to　riding　than　you　are。　Princess；　and　my　rump　is　smarting；　too。〃　He　blushed　and　laughed。　〃Your　pardon；　Lady。　But　I　feel　that　the　sooner　we　reach　the　lector；　the　better。〃
　　Miriamele　looked　to　Cadrach　to　see　if　he　had　something　to　add；　but　the　monk　was　deep　in　his　own　private　thoughts；　swaying　from　side　to　side　as　his　horse　plodded　uphill。　〃If　you　think　there　is　any　advantage　in　it　at　all；〃　she　said　at　last；　〃then　let　us　ride　the　night　through　if　necessary。　Truthfully；　though；　I　can't　think　what　I　might　tell　the　lector…or　that　he　might　tell　me…that　would　be　spoiled　if　it　waits　another　day。〃
　　〃There　are　many　things　changing；　Miriamele；〃　Dinivan　replied；　lowering　his　voice；　though　the　road　in　this　spot　was　empty　but　for　a　farm…　wagon　creaking　along　half　a　furlong　up　the　road。　〃In　times　like　these；　when　all　is　uncertain　and　many　dangers　are　still　not　pletely　known；　a　chance　for　speed　not　taken　is　often　regretted　later。　This　much　wisdom　I　have。　With　your　permission；　I　will　trust　in　it。〃
　　They　rode　all　through　the　darkening　evening　and　did　not　stop　when　the　stars　began　to　appear　above　the　hills。　The　road　wound　through　the　passes　and　then　down；　past　more　towns　and　settlements；　until　at　last　they　reached　the　outskirts　of　the　great　city；　lit　with　so　many　lamps　that　it　outshone　the　sky。
　　The　streets　of　Nabban　were　crowded；　even　as　midnight　approached。　Torches　burned　on　every　corner。　Jugglers　and　dancers　performed　in　pools　of　flickering　light；　hoping　for　a　coin　or　two　from　drunken　passersby。　The　taverns；　their　window　shutters　up　on　a　cool　summer　night；　spilled　lantern　light　and　noise　out　into　the　cobbled　streets。
　　Miriamele　was　nodding　with　weariness　as　they　left　the　Anitullean　Road　and　followed　the　track　of　the　Way　of　the　Fountains　up　the　Sancelline　Hill。　The　Sancellan　Aedonitis　loomed　before　them。　Its　famous　spire　was　only　a　slender　thread　of　gold　in　the　lamplight；　but　a　hundred　windows　glowed　with　warm　light。
　　〃Someone　is　always　awake　in　God's　house；〃　Dinivan　said　quietly。
　　As　they　climbed　through　the　narrow　streets；　heading　for　the　great　square；　Miriamele　could　see　the　pale；　curving　shapes　of　the　Sancellan　Mahistrevis'　towers　just　beyond　the　Sancellan　Aedonitis　to　the　west。　The　ducal　castle　sat　on　the　rocky　promontory　at　Nabban's　outermost　point；　manding　the　sea　view　as　Nabban　itself　had　once　manded　the　lands　of　men。
　　The　two　Sancellans；　Miriamele　thought；　one　built　to　rule　the　body；　the　other　to　rule　the　soul。　Well；　the　Sancellan　Mahistrevis　has　fallen　already　to　that　father…murderer　Benigaris；　but　the　lector　is　a　godly　man…a　good　one；　too；　Dinivan　says；　and　Dinivan　is　no　fool。　At　least　there　is　hope　there。　
　　A　seagull　keened　somewhere　in　the　darkness　above。　She　felt　a　pang　of　regret。　If　her　mother　had　never　married　Elias；　then　Miriamele　could　have　grown　up　and　lived　here；　above　the　ocean。　This　would　have　been　her　home。　She　would　be　ing　back　to　a　place　she　belonged。　
　　But　if　my　mother　had　never　married　my　father；　she　thought　sleepily；　I　wouldn't　be　me　anyway。　Stupid　girl。
　　Their　arrival　at　the　doors　of　the　lectoral　palace　was　a　confusing　blur　for　Miriamele；　who　was　finding　it　difficult　to　stay　awake。　Several　people　greeted　Dinivan　warmly…he　seemed　to　have　many　friends…and　the　next　thing　she　knew；　she　was　being　shown　to　a　room　with　a　warm；　soft　bed。　She　did　not　bother　to　take　off　anything　but　her　boots；　crawling　beneath　the　blanket　while　still　wrapped　in　her　hooded　cloak。　Hushed　voices　spoke　in　the　corridor　outside　her　room；　then　a　little　later　she　heard　the　Clavean　bell　tolling　far　above　her；　striking　more　times　than　she　could　count。
　　She　fell　asleep　to　the　sound　of　distant　singing。
　　Father　Dinivan　woke　her　in　the　morning　with　berries　and　milk　and　bread。　She　ate　sitting　up　in　bed　while　the　priest　lit　the　candles　and　paced　back　and　forth　across　the　windownless　room。
　　〃His　Sacredness　was　up　early　this　morning。　He　was　gone　before　I　got　to　his　chambers；　out　walking　somewhere。　He　often　does　that　when　he　has　something　to　think　about；　just　takes　to　the　corridors　in　his　night　robe。　He　doesn't　take　anyone　with　him…except　me；　if　I'm　around。〃　Dinivan　flashed　a　boyish　smile。　〃This　place　is　nearly　as　big　as　the　Hayholt。　He　could　be　anywhere。〃
　　Miriamele　dabbed　milk　from　her　chin　with　a　flapping　sleeve。　〃Will　he　see　us？〃
　　〃Of　course。　As　soon　as　he　es　back；　I'm　sure。　I　wonder　what　he　thinks　about。　Ranessin　is　a　deep　man；　deep　as　the　sea；　and　like　the　sea；　it　is　often　difficult　to　tell　what　hides　beneath　a　placid　surface。〃
　　Miriamele　shuddered；　thinking　of　the　kilpa　in　the　Bay　of　Emettin。　She　put　her　bowl　down。　〃Shall　I　wear　men's　clothes？〃　she　asked。
　　〃What？〃　Dinivan　stopped；　surprised　by　her　question。　〃Oh。　To　meet　the　lector；　you　mean。　I　don't　think　anyone　should　know　yet　that　you　are　here。　I　would　like　to　say　that　I　trust　my　fellow　priests　with　my　life；　and　I　suppose　I　do；　but　I　have　lived　and　wo