epeters.amorbidtasteforbones-第19部分

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　Bened　considered　gravely；　nursing　his　wine。　〃I　wouldn't　say　there's　a　man　anywhere　who　has　not　someone　to　wish　him　ill；　but　it's　a　far　cry　from　that　to　murder。　Time　was　when　Father　Huw　himself　came　up　against　Rhisiart　over　a　patch　of　land　both　claimed；　and　tempers　ran　high；　but　they　settled　it　the　proper　way；　by　witness　from　the　neighbours；　and　there's　been　no　malice　after。　And　there　have　been　lawsuits…did　you　ever　hear　of　a　Welsh　landholder　without　one　or　two　lawsuits　in　hand？　One　with　Rhys　ap　Cynan　over　a　disputed　boundary；　one　over　some　beasts　that　strayed。　Nothing　to　make　lasting　bad　blood。　We　thrive　on　suits　at　law。　One　thing's　true；　with　the　interest　you've　roused　here；　every　soul　for　miles　around　knew　that　Rhisiart　was　due　at　Father　Huw's　parsonage　at　noon。　No　limit　at　all；　there；　on　who　might　have　decided　to　waylay　him　on　the　road。〃
　That　was　as　far　as　they　could　get。　The　field　was　wide；　wide　enough　still　to　include　Engelard；　however　persuaded　Cadfael　might　be　that　he　was　incapable　of　such　an　act。　Wide　enough　to　enfold　even　neighbours　like　Cadwallon；　villeins　from　the　village；　servants　of　the　household。
　But　not；　surely；　thought　Brother　Cadfael；　making　his　way　back　to　Huw's　loft　in　the　green　and　fragrant　dark；　not　that　strange　young　man　who　had　been　a　favourite　of　Rhisiart；　and　fond　of　him；　and　in　and　out　of　his　house　like　a　son　from　childhood？　The　young　man　who　had　said　of　Engelard；　and　of　himself；　that　a　man　might　step　far　aside　even　from　his　own　nature；　for　love；　and　then；　presumably　for　love；　had　opened　a　way　for　Engelard　to　escape；　as　Cadfael　had　seen　for　himself。　And　who　was　now　avoiding　Sioned's　gratitude　and　affection；　either　because　it　was　not　love；　and　love　was　the　only　thing　he　wanted　from　her；　or　for　some　darker　reason。　When　he　flung　away　in　silence　into　the　forest　he　had　had　the　look　of　one　pursued　by　a　demon。　But　surely　not　that　demon？　So　far　from　furthering　his　chances；　Rhisiart's　death　robbed　him　of　his　most　staunch　ally；　who　had　waited　patiently　and　urged　constantly；　to　bring　his　daughter　to　the　desired　match　in　the　end。　No；　whichever　way　a　man　looked　at　him；　Peredur　remained　mysterious　and　disturbing。
　Father　Huw　did　not　e　back　from　Rhisiart's　house　that　night。　Brother　Cadfael　lay　alone　in　the　loft；　and　mindful　that　Brother　John　was　locked　up　somewhere　in　Sioned's　barns；　and　there　was　no　one　to　prepare　food；　got　up　in　good　time　and　went　to　do　it　himself；　and　then　set　off　to　Bened's　paddock　to　see　the　horses；　who　were　also　left　without　a　groom。　It　suited　him　better　to　be　out　and　working　in　the　fresh　morning　than　cooped　up　with　Prior　Robert；　but　he　was　obliged　to　return　in　time　for　chapter；　which　the　prior　had　decreed　should　be　held　daily　as　at　home；　however　brief　the　business　they　had　to　transact　here。
　They　met　in　the　orchard；　the　five　of　them；　Prior　Robert　presiding　in　as　solemn　dignity　as　ever。　Brother　Richard　read　out　the　saints　to　be　celebrated　that　day　and　the　following　day。　Brother　Jerome　posed　his　wiry　person　into　his　usual　shape　of　sycophantic　reverence；　and　made　all　the　appropriate　responses。　But　it　seemed　to　Cadfael　that　Brother　Columbanus　looked　unusually　withdrawn　and　troubled；　his　full　blue　eyes　veiled。　The　contrast　between　his　athletic　build　and　fine；　autocratic　head；　and　his　meek　and　anxious　devoutness　of　feature　and　bearing；　was　always　confusing　to　the　observer；　but　that　morning　his　extreme　preoccupation　with　some　inward　crisis　of　real　or　imagined　sin　made　it　painful　to　look　at　him。　Brother　Cadfael　sighed；　expecting　another　falling　fit　like　the　one　that　had　launched　them　all　on　this　quest。　Who　knew　what　this　badly…balanced　half…saint；　half…idiot　would　do　next？
　〃Here　we　have　but　one　business　in　hand；〃　said　Prior　Robert　firmly；　〃and　we　shall　pursue　it　as　in　duty　bound。　I　mean　to　press　more　resolutely　than　ever　for　our　right　to　take　up　the　relics　of　the　saint；　and　remove　them　to　Shrewsbury。　But　we　must　admit；　at　this　moment；　that　we　have　not　so　far　been　successful　in　carrying　the　people　with　us。　I　had　great　hopes　yesterday　that　all　would　be　resolved。　We　made　every　reverent　preparation　to　deserve　success。。。。〃
　At　this　point　he　was　interrupted　by　an　audible　sob　from　Brother　Columbanus；　that　drew　all　eyes　to　that　young　man。　Trembling　and　meek；　he　rose　from　his　place　and　stood　with　lowered　eyes　and　folded　hands　before　Robert。
　〃Father　Prior；　alas；　mea　culpa！　I　am　to　blame！　I　have　been　unfaithful；　and　I　desire　to　make　confession。　I　came　to　chapter　determined　to　cleanse　my　bosom　and　ask　penance；　for　my　backsliding　is　the　cause　of　our　continued　distresses。　May　I　speak？〃
　I　knew　there　was　something　brewing；　thought　Brother　Cadfael；　resigned　and　disgusted。　But　at　least　without　rolling　on　the　ground　and　biting　the　grass；　this　time！
　〃Speak　out；〃　said　the　prior；　not　unkindly。　〃You　have　never　sought　to　make　light　of　your　failings；　I　do　not　think　you　need　fear　our　too　harsh　condemnation。　You　have　been　monly　your　own　sternest　judge。〃　So　he　had；　but　that；　well　handled；　can　be　one　way　of　evading　and　forestalling　the　judgements　of　others。
　Brother　Columbanus　sank　to　his　knees　in　the　orchard　turf。　And　very　ely　and　aristocratic　he　looked；　Cadfael　admitted；　again　admiring　with　surprise　the　pact　grace　and　strength　of　his　body；　and　the　supple　flow　of　his　movements。
　〃Father；　you　sent　me　with　Brother　Jerome；　yesterday；　to　keep　vigil　in　the　chapel；　and　pray　earnestly　for　a　good　oute；　in　amity　and　peace。　Father；　we　came　there　in　good　time；　before　eleven；　as　I　judge；　and　having　eaten　our　meal；　we　went　in　and　took　our　places；　for　there　are　prayer…desks　within；　and　the　altar　is　kept　clean　and　well…tended。　Oh；　Father；　my　will　to　keep　vigil　was　good；　but　the　flesh　was　weak。　I　had　not　been　half　an　hour　kneeling　in　prayer；　when　I　fell　asleep　on　my　arms　on　the　desk；　to　my　endless　shame。　It　is　no　excuse　that　I　have　slept　badly　and　thought　much　since　we　came　here。　Prayer　should　fix　and　purify　the　mind。　I　slept；　and　our　cause　was　weakened。　I　must　have　slept　all　the　afternoon；　for　the　next　thing　I　remember　is　Brother　Jerome　shaking　me　by　the　shoulder　and　telling　me　there　was　a　messenger　calling　us　to　go　with　him。〃
　He　caught　his　breath；　and　a　frantic　tear　rolled　down　his　cheek；　circling　the　bold；　rounded　Norman　bone。　〃Oh；　do　not　look　askance　at　Brother　Jerome；　for　he　surely　never　knew　I　had　been　sleeping；　and　there　is　no　blame　at　all　to　him　for　not　observing　and　reporting　my　sin。　I　awoke　as　he　touched　me；　and　arose　and　went　with　him。　He　thought　me　as　earnest　in　prayer　as　he；　and　knew　no　wrong。〃
　Nobody；　probably；　had　thought　of　looking　askance　at　Brother　Jerome　until　then；　but　Cadfael　was　probably　the　quickest　and　most　alert；　and　the　only　one　who　caught　the　curious　expression　of　apprehension；　fading　rapidly　into　placency；　that　passed　over　Brother　Jerome's　normally　controlled　countenance。　Jerome　had　not　been　pursuing　the　same　studies　as　Cadfael；　or　he　would　have　been　far　from　placent。　For　Brother　Columbanus　in　his　self…absorbed　innocence　had　just　removed　all　certainty　that　Jerome　had　spent　the　previous　noon　and　afternoon　motionless　in　Saint　Winifred's　chapel；　praying　for　a　happy　solution。　His　only　guarantor　had　been　fast　asleep　throughout。　He　could　have　sauntered　out　and　gone　anywhere　he　chose。
　〃Son；〃　said　Prior　Robert；　in　an　indulgent　voice　he　would　certainly　never　have　used　to　Brother　John；　〃your　fault　is　human；　and　frailty　is　in　our　nature。　And　you　redeem　your　own　error；　in　defending　your　brother。　Why　did　you　not　tell　us　of　this　yesterday？〃
　〃Father；　how　could　I？　There　was　no　opportunity；　before　we　learned　of　Rhisiart's　death。　Thus　burdened；　how　could　I　burden　you　further　at　that　time？　I　kept　it　for　this　chapter；　the　right　place　for　erring　brothers　to　receive　their　penance；　and　make　their　abasement。　As　I　do　abase　myself；　as　all　unworthy　the　vocation　I　chose。　Speak　out　sentence　on　me；　for　I　desire　penance。〃
　The　prior　was　opening　his　lips　to　give　judgment；　patiently　enough；　for　such　devout　submission　and　awareness　of　guilt　disarmed　him；　when　they　were　distracted　by　the　clap　of　the　wooden　bar　of　the　garden　gate；　and　there　was　Father　Huw　himself　advancing　across　the　grass　towards　them；　hair　and　beard　even　more　disordered　than　usual；　and　his　eyes　heavy　and　resolved　and　calm。
　〃Father　Prior；〃　he　said；　halting　before　them；　〃I　have　just　e　from　holding　council　with　Cadwallon；　and　Rhys；　and　Meurice；　and　all　the　men　of　substance　in　my　parish。　It　was　the　best　opportunity；　though　I'm　sad　indeed　about　the　cause。　They　all　came　to　the　mourning　for　Rhisiart。　Every　man　there　knew　how　he　had　been　struck　down；　and　how　such　a　fate　was　prophesied。。。。〃
　〃God　forbid；〃　said　Prior　Robert　hastily；　〃that　I　should　threaten　any　man's　death。　I　said　that　Saint　Winifred　would　be　revenged　in　her　own　time　on　the　man　who　stood　in　the　way　and　did　her　offence；　I　never　said　word　of　killing。〃
　〃But　when　he　was　dead　you　did　claim　that　this　was　the　saint's　vengeance。　Every　man　there　heard　it；　and　most　believed。　I　took　this　chance　of　conferring　with　them　again　in　the　matter。　They　do　not　wish　to　do　anything　that　is　against　the　will　of　heaven；　nor　to　give　offence　to　the　Benedictine　order　and　the　abbey　of　Shrewsbury。　They　do　not　think　it　right　or　wise；　after　what　has　happened；　even　to　put　any　man；　woman　or　child　of　Gwytherin　in　peril。　I　am　missioned；　Father　Prior；　to　tell　you　that　they　withdraw　all　opposition　to　your　plans。　The　relics　of　Saint　Winifred　are　yours　to　take　away　with　you。〃
　Prior　Robert　drew　a　great　breath　of　triumph　and　joy；　and　whatever　will　he　might　have　had　to　deal　even　the　lightest　punishment　left　him　in　an　instant。　It　was　everything　he　had　hoped　for。　Brother　Columbanus；　still　kneeling；　cast　up　his　eyes　radiantly　towards　heaven　and　clasped　his　hands　in　gratitude；　and　somehow　contrived　to　look　as　though　he　had　brought　about　this　desired　consummation　himself；　the　deprivation　caused　by　his　unfaithfulness　pensated　in　full　by　this　reward　of　his　penitence。　Brother　Jerome；　just　as　determined　to　impress　prior　and　priest　with　his　devotion；　threw　up　his　hands　and　uttered　a　reverent　Latin　invocation　of　praise　to　God　and　the　saints。
　〃I　am　certain；〃　said　Prior　Robert　magnanimously；　〃that　the　people　of　Gwytherin　never　wished　to　offend；　and　that　they　have　done　wisely　and　rightly　now。　I　am　glad；　for　them　as　for　my　abbey；　that　we　may　p