epeters.amorbidtasteforbones-第17部分

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g；　while　she　so　smiled　and　blossomed；　beaming　her　gratitude　and　admiration。
　Brother　Richard　and　Brother　Jerome　loomed　like　messengers　of　doom；　one　at　either　elbow。　〃Brother　John；　you　are　summoned。　You　are　in　gross　offence。〃
　He　went　with　them　resignedly。　For　all　the　threatening　thunder…bolts　he　had　never　felt　freer　in　his　life。　And　having　now　nothing　to　lose　but　his　own　self…respect；　he　was　sturdily　determined　not　to　sacrifice　that。
　〃Unfaithful　and　unworthy　brother；〃　hissed　Prior　Robert；　towering　in　terrible　indignation；　〃what　have　you　done？　Do　not　deny　what　we　have　all　witnessed。　You　have　not　merely　connived　at　the　escape　of　a　felon；　you　have　frustrated　the　attempt　of　a　loyal　servant　to　arrest　him。　You　felled　that　good　man　deliberately；　to　let　Engelard　go　free。　Traitor　against　church　and　law；　you　have　put　yourself　beyond　the　pale。　If　there　is　anything　you　can　say　in　your　defence；　say　it　now。〃
　〃I　thought　the　lad　was　being　harried　beyond　reason；　on　very　suspect　suspicion；〃　said　Brother　John　boldly。　〃I've　talked　with　Engelard；　I've　got　my　own　view　of　him；　a　decent；　open　soul　who'd　never　do　violence　to　any　man　by　stealth；　let　alone　Rhisiart；　whom　he　liked　and　valued　high。　I　don't　believe　he　has　any　part　in　this　death；　and　what's　more；　I　think　he'll　not　go　far　until　he　knows　who　had；　and　God　help　the　murderer　then！　So　I　gave　him　his　chance；　and　good　luck　to　him！〃
　The　two　girls；　their　heads　close　together　in　women's　solidarity；　interpreted　the　tone　for　themselves；　if　they　lacked　the　words；　and　glowed　in　silent　applause。　Prior　Robert　was　helpless；　though　he　did　not　know　it。　Brother　Cadfael　knew　it　very　well。
　〃Shameless！〃　thundered　Robert；　bristling　until　even　his　suave　purity　showed　knife…edged　with　affront。　〃You　are　condemned　out　of　your　own　mouth；　and　a　disgrace　to　our　order。　I　have　no　jurisdiction　here　as　regards　Welsh　law。　The　prince's　bailiff　must　resolve　this　crime　that　cries　for　vengeance　here。　But　where　my　own　subordinates　are　concerned；　and　where　they　have　infringed　the　law　of　this　land　where　we　are　guests；　there　two　disciplines　threaten　you；　Brother　John。　As　to　the　sovereignty　of　Gwynedd；　I　cannot　speak。　As　to　my　own　discipline；　I　can　and　do。　You　are　set　far　beyond　mere　ecclesiastical　penance。　I　consign　you　to　close　imprisonment　until　I　can　confer　with　the　secular　authority　here；　and　I　refuse　to　you；　meanwhile；　all　the　forts　and　consolations　of　the　church。〃　He　looked　about　him　and　took　thought；　brooding。　Father　Huw　hovered　miserably；　lost　in　this　ocean　of　plaints　and　accusations。　〃Brother　Cadfael；　ask　Father　Huw　where　there　is　a　safe　prison；　where　he　can　be　held。〃
　This　was　more　than　Brother　John　had　bargained　for；　and　though　he　repented　of　nothing；　like　a　practical　man　he　did　begin　to　look　round　to　weigh　up　the　chances　of　evading　the　consequences。　He　eyed　the　gaps　in　the　ring　as　Engelard　had　done；　braced　his　sturdy　feet　well　apart；　and　flexed　his　shoulders　experimentally；　as　though　he　had　thoughts　of　elbowing　Brother　Richard　smartly　in　the　belly；　kicking　the　legs　from　under　Jerome；　and　making　a　dash　for　freedom。　He　stopped　himself　just　in　time　when　he　heard　Cadfael　report　sedately：　〃Father　Huw　suggests　there　is　only　one　place　secure　enough。　If　Sioned　is　willing　to　allow　her　holding　to　be　used；　a　prisoner　could　be　safe　enough　there。〃
　At　this　point　Brother　John　unaccountably　lost　interest　in　immediate　escape。
　〃My　house　is　at　Prior　Robert's　disposal；〃　said　Sioned　in　Welsh；　with　appropriate　coldness；　but　very　promptly。　She　had　herself　well　in　hand；　she　made　no　more　lapses　into　English。　〃There　are　storehouses　and　stables；　if　you　wish　to　use　them。　I　promise　I　shall　not　go　near　the　prisoner；　or　hold　the　key　to　his　prison　myself。　Father　Prior　may　choose　his　guard　from　among　my　people　as　he　sees　fit。　My　household　shall　provide　him　his　living；　but　even　that　charge　I　shall　give　to　someone　else。　If　I　undertook　it　myself　I　fear　my　impartiality　might　be　doubted；　after　what　has　happened。〃
　A　good　girl；　Cadfael　thought；　translating　this　for　Robert's　benefit　rather　less　than　for　John's。　Clever　enough　to　step　resolutely　round　any　actual　lies　even　when　she　was　thus　wrung　by　one　disaster　after　another；　and　generous　enough　to　mink　for　the　wants　and　wishes　of　others。　The　someone　else　who　would　be　charged　with　seeing　Brother　John　decently　housed　and　fed　was　standing　cheek　to　cheek　with　her　mistress　as　she　spoke；　fair　head　against　dark　head。　A　formidable　pair！　But　they　might　not　have　found　this　unexpected　and　promising　path　open　to　them　but　for　the　innocence　of　celibate　parish　priests。
　〃That　may　be　the　best　plan；〃　said　Prior　Robert；　chilly　but　courteous；　〃and　I　thank　you　for　your　dutiful　offer；　daughter。　Keep　him　straitly；　see　he　has　what　he　needs　for　life；　but　no　more。　He　is　in　great　peril　of　his　soul；　his　body　may　somewhat　atone。　If　you　permit；　we　will　go　before　and　bestow　him　securely；　and　let　your　uncle　know　what　has　happened；　so　that　he　may　send　down　to　you　and　bring　you　home。　I　will　not　intrude　longer　on　a　house　of　mourning。〃
　〃I　will　show　you　the　way；〃　said　Annest；　stepping　demurely　from　Sioned's　side。
　〃Hold　him　fast！〃　warned　the　prior；　as　they　massed　to　follow　her　uphill　through　the　woods。　Though　he　might　have　seen　for　himself；　had　he　looked　closely；　mat　the　culprit's　resignation　had　mellowed　into　something　very　like　placency；　and　he　stepped　out　as　briskly　as　his　guards；　a　good　deal　more　intent　on　keeping　Annest's　slender　waist　and　lime　shoulders　in　sight　than　on　any　opportunity　for　escape。
　Well；　thought　Cadfael；　letting　them　go　without　him；　and　turning　to　meet　Sioned's　steady　gaze；　God　sort　all！　As　doubtless　he　is　doing；　now　as　ever！
　The　men　of　Gwytherin　cut　young　branches　and　made　a　green　litter　to　carry　Rhisiart's　body　home。　Under　the　corpse；　when　they　lifted　it；　there　was　much　more　blood　than　about　the　frontal　wound；　though　the　point　of　the　arrow　barely　broke　through　skin　and　clothing。　Cadfael　would　have　liked　to　examine　tunic　and　wound　more　closely；　but　forbore　because　Sioned　was　there　beside　him；　stiffly　erect　in　her　stony　grief；　and　nothing；　no　word　or　act　that　was　not　hieratic　and　ceremonial；　was　permissible　then　in　her　presence。　Moreover；　soon　all　the　servants　of　Rhisiart's　household　came　down　in　force　to　bring　their　lord　home；　while　the　steward　waited　at　the　gate　with　bards　and　mourning　women　to　wele　him　back　for　the　last　time；　and　this　was　no　longer　an　enquiry　into　guilt；　but　the　first　celebration　of　a　great　funeral　rite；　in　which　probing　would　have　been　indecent。　No　hope　of　enquiring　further　tonight。　Even　Prior　Robert　had　acknowledged　that　he　must　remove　himself　and　his　fellows　reverently　from　a　mourning　munity　in　which　they　had　no　rights。
　When　it　was　time　to　raise　the　litter　and　its　burden；　now　stretched　out　decently　with　his　twisted　legs　drawn　out　straight　and　his　hands　laid　quietly　at　his　sides；　Sioned　looked　round　for　one　more　to　whom　she　meant　to　confide　a　share　in　this　honourable　load。　She　did　not　find　him。
　〃Where　is　Peredur？　What　became　of　him？〃
　No　one　had　seen　him　go；　but　he　was　gone。　No　one　had　had　attention　to　spare　for　him　after　Brother　John　had　pleted　what　Peredur　had　begun。　He　had　slipped　away　without　a　word；　as　though　he　had　done　something　to　be　ashamed　of；　something　for　which　he　might　expect　blame　rather　than　thanks。　Sioned　was　a　little　hurt；　even　in　her　greater　hurt；　at　his　desertion。
　〃I　thought　he　would　have　wanted　to　help　me　bring　my　father　home。　He　was　a　favourite　with　him；　and　fond　of　him。　From　a　little　boy　he　was　in　and　out　of　our　house　like　his　own。〃
　〃He　maybe　doubted　his　wele；〃　said　Cadfael；　〃after　saying　a　word　that　displeased　you　concerning　Engelard。〃
　〃And　doing　a　thing　afterwards　that　more　than　wiped　that　out？〃　she　said；　but　for　his　ears　only。　No　need　to　say　outright　before　everyone　what　she　knew　very　well；　that　Peredur　had　contrived　a　way　out　for　her　lover。　〃No；　I　don't　understand　why　he　should　slink　away　without　a　word；　like　this。〃　But　she　said　no　more　then；　only　begged　him　with　a　look　to　walk　with　her　as　she　fell　in　behind　the　litter。　They　went　some　distance　in　silence。　Then　she　asked；　without　looking　aside　at　him：　〃Did　my　father　yet　tell　you　those　things　he　had　to　tell？〃
　〃Some；〃　said　Cadfael。　〃Not　all。〃
　〃Is　there　anything　I　should　do；　or　not　do？　I　need　to　know。　We　must　make　him　seemly　tonight。〃　By　the　morrow　he　would　be　stiff；　and　she　knew　it。　〃If　you　need　anything　from　me；　tell　me　now。〃
　〃Keep　me　the　clothes　he's　wearing；　when　you　take　them　off　him；　and　take　note　for　me　where　they're　damp　from　this　morning's　rain；　and　where　they're　dry。　If　you　notice　anything　strange；　remember　it。　Tomorrow；　as　soon　as　I　can；　I'll　e　to　you。〃
　〃I　must　know　the　truth；〃　she　said。　〃You　know　why。〃
　〃Yes；　I　know。　But　tonight　sing　him　and　drink　to　him；　and　never　doubt　but　he'll　hear　the　singing。〃
　〃Yes；〃　she　said；　and　loosed　a　great；　renewing　sigh。　〃You　are　a　good　man。　I'm　glad　you're　here。　You　do　not　believe　it　was　Engelard。〃
　〃I'm　as　good　as　certain　it　was　not。　First　and　best；　it　isn't　in　him。　Lads　like　Engelard　hit　out　in　passion；　but　with　their　fists；　not　with　weapons。　Second；　if　it　had　been　in　his　scope；　he'd　have　made　a　better　job　of　it。　You　saw　the　angle　of　the　arrow。　Engelard；　I　judge；　is　the　breadth　of　three　fingers　taller　than　your　father。　How　could　he　shoot　an　arrow　under　a　man's　rib…cage　who　is　shorter　than　he；　even　from　lower　ground？　Even　if　he　kneeled　or　crouched　in　the　undergrowth　in　ambush；　I　doubt　if　it　could　be　done。　And　why　should　it　ever　be　tried？　No；　this　is　folly。　And　to　say　that　the　best　shot　in　all　these　parts　could　not　put　his　shaft　clean　through　his　man；　at　any　distance　there　where　he　could　see　him？　Not　more　than　fifty　yards　clear　in　any　direction。　Worse　folly　still；　why　should　a　good　bowman　choose　such　a　blind　tangled　place？　They　have　not　looked　at　the　ground；　or　they　could　not　put　forward　such　foolishness。　But　first　and　last　and　best；　that　young　man　of　yours　is　too　open　and　honest　to　kill　by　stealth；　even　a　man　he　hated。　And　he　did　not　hate　Rhisiart。　You　need　not　tell　me；　I　know　it。〃
　Much　of　what　he　had　said　might　well　have　been　hurtful　to　her；　but　none　of　it　was。　She　went　with　him　every　step　of　that　way；　and　flushed　and　wanned　into　her　proper；　vulnerable　girlhood　at　hearing　her　lover　thus　accepted。
　〃You've　said　no　word　in　wonde