epeters.amorbidtasteforbones-第14部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ringy grass under the trees； and no dense undergrowth。 They spread out into a half…circle； moving along within a few paces of one another； Sioned pressing purposefully forward up the path with set lips and fixed eyes； Peredur with every evidence of desperate affection following close and murmuring agitated urgings into her unheeding ears。 Whether he believed in his own reassurances or not； out of all question he was a young man fathoms deep in love； and ready to do anything to serve and protect Sioned； while she saw in him nothing but the boy from the next holding； and tiresome at that。
They were perhaps half a mile beyond Cadwallon's enclosure when Father Huw suddenly plucked at Brother Cadfael's sleeve。
〃We have forgotten Brother Jerome and Brother Columbanus！ The hill of the chapel is off to the right here； no great way。 Ask Prior Robert； should we not send and call them to join us？〃
〃I had indeed forgotten；〃 admitted the prior。 〃Yes； by all means send someone。 Best one of your parishioners； they'll all know the way。〃
One of the young men swerved aside obediently between the trees； and ran。 The slow…moving scythe swept on into deeper forest。
〃About here；〃 said Sioned； halting； 〃he would have e down from the clearing。 If we go obliquely to the right here； and spread out as before； we shall be covering his likely way。〃
The ground rose； the trees grew closer； the undergrowth thicker。 They began to thread the encroaching bushes； having to part pany by a few yards； losing sight momentarily of their neighbours。 They had gone thus only a short way when Bened the smith； crashing through bushes at Brother Cadfael's left hand； uttered a great shout of discovery and dismay； and everyone in the wavering line halted and shook to the sound。
Cadfael turned towards the cry； thrusting through thorn…branches； and came out in a narrow oval of grass surrounded every way with thick bushes； through which a used track no wider than a man's shoulders clove； the long way of the oval。 Just where he must have brushed through into the clear space； Rhisiart lay on his back； his right hip hollowing the grass under him； shoulders flattened to the ground and arms spread wide。 His legs were drawn up under him with bent knees； the left leg crossed over the right。 His short； defiant beard pointed at the sky。 So； and at the very same slanting angle； did the feathered flight of the arrow that jutted out from under the cage of his ribs。
Chapter Five
From both sides they gathered； drawn to the smith's call； breaking through bushes like the running of a startled herd of deer； and halting appalled round the oval where the body lay。 Cadfael went on his knees； and looked for any sign of breath within the drawnback lips； any pulse in the stretched throat or rise and fall of the pierced breast； but there was none。 And for that first moment he was the only one who moved within the open space of grass； and what he did was done in strange； too…intense silence； as though everyone round him held his breath。
Then everything broke out at once in noise and motion。 Sioned clawed through the screening circle and saw her father's body； and uttered a great shriek that was more of fury even than of grief； and flung herself forward。 Peredur caught her by the wrist and pulled her round into his arms； one hand cupped behind her head to press her face into his shoulder； but she shrieked again； and struck out at him with all her strength； and breaking loose； hurled herself to her knees facing Cadfael； and reached out to embrace her father's body。 Cadfael leaned across to ward her off； his hand braced into the grass under Rhisiart's right armpit。
〃No！ Touch nothing！ Not yet！ Let him alone； he has things to tell us！〃
By some intuitive quickness of mind that had not deserted her even at this moment； she obeyed the tone first； and awakened to the words immediately after。 Her eyes questioned him； widening； and slowly she sat back in the grass； and drew her hands together in her lap。 Her lips shaped the words after him silently： 〃…things to tell us！〃 She looked from his face into the face of the dead man。 She knew he was dead。 She also knew that the dead speak； often in thunder。 And she came of proud Welsh stock to which the blood…feud is sacred； a duty transcending even grief。
When those following gathered closer； and one reached to touch； it was she who spread her arm protectively over the body； and said with authority： 〃No！ Let him be！〃
Cadfael had drawn back his arm； and for a moment wondered what troubled him about the palm he had lifted from the grass beside Rhisiart's breast。 Then he knew。 Where he knelt the grass was perceptibly damp from the morning's sharp shower； he could feel the cling of the habit when he shifted his knee。 Yet under the outflung right arm the grass was dry； his hand rose from it with no hint of moisture； no scent of rain。 He touched again； ran his fingers up and down alongside Rhisiart's right flank。 He was down to the knee before he felt the dampness and stirred the green fragrance。 He felt outwards； the width of the body； to find the same signs。 Strange！ Very strange！ His mind recorded and forbore to wonder then； because there were other things to be observed； and all manner of dangers were falling in upon all manner of people。
The tall shape looming at his back； motionless and chill； could be none other than Prior Robert； and Prior Robert in a curious state of exalted shock； nearer to Brother Columbanus' ecstatic fit than he had ever been before or would ever be again。 The high； strained voice asked； over the shuddering quietness of Sioned's tearless sobs： 〃He is dead？〃
〃Dead；〃 said Cadfael flatly； and looked into Sioned's wide； dry eyes and held them； promising something as yet undefined。 Whatever it was； she understood it and was appeased； for he was Welsh； too； he knew about the blood…feud。 And she was the only heir； the only close kin； of a murdered man。 She had a task far above sorrow。
The prior's voice soared suddenly； awed and exalted。 〃Behold the saint's vengeance！ Did I not say her wrath would be wreaked upon all those who stood in the way of her desire？ Tell them what I am saying！ Tell them to look well at the fulfilment of my prophecy； and let all other obdurate hearts take warning。 Saint Winifred has shown her power and her displeasure。〃
There was hardly any need for translation； they had the sense of it already。 A dozen of those standing close shrank warily away； a dozen voices muttered hurried submission。 Not for worlds would they stand in the saint's way。
〃The impious man reaps what he sows；〃 declaimed Robert。 〃Rhisiart had his warning； and did not heed it。〃
The most timorous were on their knees by then； cowed and horrified。 It was not as if Saint Winifred had meant very much to them； until someone else wanted her； and Rhisiart stated a prior claim on behalf of the parish。 And Rhisiart was dead by violence； struck down improbably in his own forests。
Sioned's eyes held Cadfael's； above her father's pierced heart。 She was a gallant girl； she said never a word； though she had words building up in her ripe for saying； spitting； rather； into Prior Robert's pallid； aristocratic； alabaster face。 It was not she who suddenly spoke out。 It was Peredur。
〃I don't believe it！〃 He had a fine； clear； vehement voice that rang under the branches。 〃What； a gentle virgin saint； to take such vengeance on a good man？ Yes； a good man； however mistaken！ If she had been so pitiless as to want to slay…and I do not believe it of her！…what need would she have of arrows and bows？ Fire from heaven would have done her will just as well； and shown her power better。 You are looking at a murdered man； Father Prior。 A man's hand fitted that arrow； a man's hand drew the bow； and for a man's reason。 There must have been others who had a grudge against Rhisiart； others whose plans he was obstructing； besides Saint Winifred。 Why blame this killing on her？〃
This forthright Welsh sense Cadfael translated into English for Robert's benefit； who had caught the dissenting tone of it； but not the content。 〃And the young man's right。 This arrow never was shot from heaven。 Look at the angle of it； up from under his ribs into the heart。 Out of the earth； rather！ A man with a short bow； on his knee among the bushes？ True； the ground slopes； he may even have been lower than Rhisiart； but even so。。。〃
〃Avenging saints may make use of earthly instruments；〃 said Robert overbearingly。
〃The instrument would still be a murderer；〃 said Cadfael。 〃There is law in Wales； too。 We shall need to send word to the prince's bailiff。〃
Bened had stood all this time darkly gazing； at the body； at the very slight ooze of blood round the wound； at the jutting shaft with its trimmed feathers。 Slowly he said： 〃I know this arrow。 I know its owner； or at least the man whose mark it bears。 Where young men are living close together in a household； they mark their own with a distinctive sign； so that there can be no argument。 See the tip of the feathering on one side； dyed blue。〃 It was as he said； and at the mention of it several there drew breath hard； knowing the mark as well as he knew it。
〃It's Engelard's；〃 said Bened outright； and three or four hushed voices bore him out。
Sioned raised her stricken face； shocked into a false； frozen calm that suddenly melted and crumbled into dread and anger。 Rhisiart was dead； there was nothing she could do now for him but mourn and wait； but Engelard was alive and vulnerable； and an outlander； with no kinship to speak for him。 She rose abruptly； slender and straight； turning her fierce eyes from face to face all round the circle。
〃Engelard is the most trustworthy of all my father's men； and would cut off his own drawing hand rather than loose against my father's life。 Who dares say this is his work？〃
〃I don't say so；〃 said Bened reasonably。 〃I do say this is marked as his arrow。 He is the best shot with the short bow in all this countryside。〃
〃And everybody in Gwytherin knows；〃 spoke up a voice from among the Welshmen； not accusing； only pointing out facts； 〃that he has quarrelled often and fiercely with Rhisiart； over a certain matter at issue between them。〃
〃Over me；〃 said Sioned harshly。 〃Say wh
