epeters.amorbidtasteforbones-第27部分

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ned　against　his　teeth。　He　watched　the　dark　pit　deepen　in　the　grass；　and　breathed　hard　and　deep；　like　a　man　containing　pain。　A　far　cry　from　the　spoiled　boy　with　the　long；　light　step　and　the　audacious　smile；　who　so　plainly　had　taken　it　for　granted　that　the　world　was　his　for　the　wooing。　Peredur's　demons　were　at　him　within。
　The　ground　was　moist　but　light；　not　hard　to　work；　but　the　grave　was　deep。　Gradually　the　diggers　sank　to　the　shoulders　in　the　pit；　and　by　mid…afternoon　Brother　Cadfael；　shortest　of　the　party；　had　almost　disappeared　from　view　when　he　took　his　final　turn　in　the　depths。　No　one　dared　to　doubt　openly　if　they　were　in　the　right　place；　but　some　must　have　been　wondering。　Cadfael；　for　no　good　reason　that　he　could　see；　had　no　doubts　at　all。　The　girl　was　here。　She　had　lived　many　years　as　an　abbess　after　her　brief　martyrdom　and　miraculous　restoration；　yet　he　thought　of　her　as　that　devout；　green　girl；　in　romantic　love　with　celibacy　and　holiness；　who　had　fled　from　Prince　Cradoc's　advances　as　from　the　devil　himself。　By　some　perverse　severance　of　the　heart　in　two　he　could　feel　both　for　her　and　for　the　desperate　lover；　so　roughly　molten　out　of　the　flesh　and　presumably　exterminated　in　the　spirit。　Did　anyone　every　pray　for　him？　He　was　in　greater　need　than　Winifred。　In　the　end；　perhaps　the　only　prayers　he　ever　benefited　by　were　Winifred's　prayers。　She　was　Welsh；　and　capable　of　detachment　and　subtlety。　She　might　well　have　put　in　a　word　for　him；　to　reassemble　his　liquefied　person　and　congeal　it　again　into　the　shape　of　a　man。　A　chastened　man；　doubtless；　but　still　the　same　shape　as　before。　Even　a　saint　may　take　pleasure；　in　retrospect；　in　having　been　once　desired。
　The　spade　grated　on　something　in　the　dark；　friable　soil；　something　neither　loam　nor　stone。　Cadfael　checked　his　stroke　instantly　at　its　suggestion　of　age；　frailty　and　crumbling　dryness。　He　let　the　blade　lie；　and　stooped　to　scoop　away　with　his　hands　the　cool；　odorous；　gentle　earth　that　hid　the　obstruction　from　him。　Dark　soil　peeled　away　under　his　fingers　from　a　slender；　pale；　delicate　thing；　the　gentle　dove…grey　of　pre…dawn；　but　freckled　with　pitted　points　of　black。　He　drew　out　an　arm…bone；　scarcely　more　than　child　size；　and　stroked　away　the　clinging　earth。　Islands　of　the　same　soft　colouring　showed　below；　grouped　loosely　together。　He　did　not　want　to　break　any　of　them。　He　hoisted　the　spade　and　tossed　it　out　of　the　pit。
　〃She　is　here。　We　have　found　her。　Softly；　now；　leave　her　to　me。〃
　Faces　peered　in　upon　him。　Prior　Robert　gleamed　in　silvery　agitation；　thirsting　to　plunge　in　and　dredge　up　the　prize　in　person；　but　deterred　by　the　clinging　darkness　of　the　soil　and　the　whiteness　of　his　hands。　Brother　Columbanus　at　the　brink　towered　and　glittered；　his　exalted　visage　turned；　not　towards　the　depths　where　this　fragile　virgin　substance　lay　at　rest；　but　rather　to　the　heavens　from　which　her　diffused　spiritual　essence　had　addressed　him。　He　displayed；　no　doubt　of　it；　an　aura　of　distinct　proprietorship　that　dwarfed　both　prior　and　sub…prior；　and　shone　with　its　full　radiance　upon　all　those　who　watched　from　the　distance。　Brother　Columbanus　meant　to　be；　was；　and　knew　that　he　was；　memorable　in　this　memorable　hour。
　Brother　Cadfael　kneeled。　It　may　even　have　been　a　significant　omen　that　at　this　moment　he　alone　was　kneeling。　He　judged　that　he　was　at　the　feet　of　the　skeleton。　She　had　been　there　some　centuries；　but　the　earth　had　dealt　kindly；　she　might　well　be　whole；　or　virtually　whole。　He　had　not　wanted　her　disturbed　at　all；　but　now　he　wanted　her　disturbed　as　little　as　might　be；　and　delved　carefully　with　scooping　palms　and　probing；　stroking　finger…tips　to　uncover　the　whole　slender　length　of　her　without　damage。　She　must　have　been　a　little　above　medium　height；　but　willowy　as　a　seventeen…year…old　girl。　Tenderly　he　stroked　the　earth　away　from　round　her。　He　found　the　skull；　and　leaned　on　stretched　arms；　fingering　the　eye…sockets　clear；　marvelling　at　the　narrow　elegance　of　the　cheek…bones；　and　the　generosity　of　the　dome。　She　had　beauty　and　fineness　in　her　death。　He　leaned　over　her　like　a　shield；　and　grieved。
　〃Let　me　down　a　linen　sheet；〃　he　said；　〃and　some　bands　to　raise　it　smoothly。　She　shall　not　e　out　of　here　bone　by　bone；　but　whole　woman　as　she　went　in。〃
　〃They　handed　a　cloth　down　to　him；　and　he　spread　it　beside　the　slight　skeleton；　and　with　infinite　care　eased　her　free　of　the　loose　soil；　and　edged　her　by　inches　into　the　shroud　of　linen；　laying　the　disturbed　armbone　in　its　proper　place。　With　bands　of　cloth　slung　under　her　she　was　drawn　up　into　the　light　of　day；　and　laid　tenderly　in　the　grass　at　the　side　of　her　grave。
　〃We　must　wash　away　the　soil…marks　from　her　bones；〃　said　Prior　Robert；　gazing　in　reverent　awe　upon　the　prize　he　had　gone　to　such　trouble　to　gain；　〃and　wrap　them　afresh。〃
　〃They　are　dry　and　frail　and　brittle；　'　warned　Cadfael　impatiently。　〃If　she　is　robbed　of　this　Welsh　earth　she　may　very　well　crumble　to　Welsh　earth　herself　in　your　hands。　And　if　you　keep　her　here　in　the　air　and　the　sun　too　long；　she　may　fall　to　dust　in　any　case。　If　you　are　wise；　Father　Prior；　you'll　wrap　her　well　as　she　lies；　and　get　her　into　the　reliquary　and　seal　her　from　the　air　as　tight　as　you　can；　as　quickly　as　you　can。〃
　That　was　good　sense；　and　the　prior　acted　on　it；　even　if　he　did　not　much　relish　being　told　what　to　do　so　brusquely。　With　hasty　but　exultant　prayers　they　brought　the　resplendent　coffin　out　to　the　lady；　to　avoid　moving　her　more　than　they　must；　and　with　repeated　swathings　of　linen　bound　her　little　bones　carefully　together；　and　laid　her　in　the　coffin。　The　brothers　who　made　it　had　realised　the　need　for　perfect　sealing　to　preserve　the　treasure；　and　taken　great　pains　to　make　the　lid　fit　down　close　as　a　skin；　and　line　the　interior　with　lead。　Before　Saint　Winifred　was　carried　back　into　the　chapel　for　the　thanksgiving　Mass　the　lid　was　closed　upon　her；　the　catches　secured；　and　at　the　end　of　the　service　the　prior's　seals　were　added　to　make　all　fast。　They　had　her　imprisoned；　to　be　carried　away　into　the　alien　land　that　desired　her　patronage。　All　the　Welsh　who　could　crowd　into　the　chapel　or　cling　close　enough　to　the　doorway　to　catch　glimpses　of　the　proceedings　kept　a　silence　uncannily　perfect；　their　eyes　following　every　move；　secret　eyes　that　expressed　no　resentment；　but　by　their　very　attention；　fixed　and　unwavering；　implied　an　unreconciled　opposition　they　were　afraid　to　speak　aloud。
　〃Now　that　this　sacred　duty　is　done；〃　said　Father　Huw；　at　once　relieved　and　saddened；　〃it　is　time　to　attend　to　the　other　duty　which　the　saint　herself　has　laid　upon　us；　and　bury　Rhisiart　honourably；　with　full　absolution；　in　the　grave　she　has　bequeathed　to　him。　And　I　call　to　mind；　in　the　hearing　of　all；　how　great　a　blessing　is　thus　bestowed；　and　how　notable　an　honour。〃　It　was　as　near　as　he　would　go　to　speaking　out　his　own　view　of　Rhisiart；　and　in　this；　at　least；　he　had　the　sympathy　of　every　Welshman　there　present。
　That　burial　service　was　brief；　and　after　it　six　of　Rhisiart's　oldest　and　most　trusted　servants　took　up　the　bier　of　branches；　a　little　wilted　now　but　still　green；　and　carried　it　out　to　the　graveside。　The　same　slings　which　had　lifted　Saint　Winifred　waited　to　lower　Rhisiart　into　the　same　bed。
　Sioned　stood　beside　her　uncle；　and　looked　all　round　her　at　the　circle　of　her　friends　and　neighbours；　and　unclasped　the　silver　cross　from　her　neck。　She　had　so　placed　herself　that　Cadwallon　and　Peredur　were　close　at　her　right　hand；　and　it　was　simple　and　natural　to　turn　towards　them。　Peredur　had　hung　back　throughout；　never　looking　at　her　but　when　he　was　sure　she　was　looking　away；　and　when　she　swung　round　upon　him　suddenly　he　had　no　way　of　avoiding。
　〃One　last　gift　I　want　to　give　to　my　father。　And　I　would　like　you；　Peredur；　to　be　the　one　to　give　it。　You　have　been　like　a　son　to　him。　Will　you　lay　this　cross　on　his　breast；　where　the　murderer's　arrow　pierced　him？　I　want　it　to　be　buried　with　him。　It　is　my　farewell　to　him　here；　let　it　be　yours；　too。〃
　Peredur　stood　dumbstruck　and　aghast；　staring　from　her　still　and　challenging　face　to　the　little　thing　she　held　out　to　him；　in　front　of　so　many　witnesses；　all　of　whom　knew　him；　all　of　whom　were　known　to　him。　She　had　spoken　clearly；　to　be　heard　by　all。　Every　eye　was　on　him；　and　all　recorded；　though　without　understanding；　the　slow　draining　of　blood　from　his　face；　and　his　horror…stricken　stare。　He　could　not　refuse　what　she　asked。　He　could　not　do　it　without　touching　the　dead　man；　touching　the　very　place　where　death　had　struck　him。
　His　hand　came　out　with　aching　reluctance；　and　took　the　cross　from　her。　To　leave　her　thus　extending　it　in　vain　was　more　than　he　could　stand。　He　did　not　look　at　it；　but　only　desperately　at　her；　and　in　her　face　the　testing　calm　had　blanched　into　incredulous　dismay；　for　now　she　believed　she　knew　everything；　and　it　was　worse　than　anything　she　had　imagined。　But　as　he　could　not　escape　from　the　trap　she　had　laid　for　him；　neither　could　she　release　him。　It　was　sprung；　and　now　he　had　to　fight　his　way　out　of　it　as　best　he　could。　They　were　already　wondering　why　he　made　no　move；　and　whispering　together　in　concern　at　his　hanging　back。
　He　made　a　great　effort；　drawing　himself　together　with　a　frantic　briskness　that　lasted　only　a　moment。　He　took　a　few　irresolute　steps　towards　the　bier　and　the　grave；　and　then　baulked　like　a　frightened　horse；　and　halted　again；　and　that　was　worse；　for　now　he　stood　alone　in　the　middle　of　the　circle　of　witnesses；　and　could　go　neither　forward　nor　back。　Cadfael　saw　sweat　break　in　great　beads　on　his　forehead　and　lip。
　〃e；　son；〃　said　Father　Huw　kindly；　the　last　to　suspect　evil；　〃don't　keep　the　dead　waiting；　and　don't　grieve　too　much　for　them；　for　that　would　be　sin。　I　know；　as　Sioned　has　said；　he　was　like　another　father　to　you；　and　you　share　her　loss。　So　do　we　all。〃
　Peredur　stood　quivering　at　Sioned's　name；　and　at　the　word　〃father；〃　and　tried　to　go　forward；　and　could　not　move。　His　feet　would　not　take　him　one　step　nearer　to　the　swathed　form　that　lay　by　the　open　grave。　The　light　of　the　sun　on　him；　the　weight　of　all　eyes；　bore　him　down。　He　fell　on　his　knees　suddenly；　the　cross　still　clutched　in　one　hand；　the　other　spread　to　hide　his　face。
　〃He　cannot！〃　he　cried　hoarsely　from　behind　the　shielding　palm。　〃He　cannot　accuse　me！　I　am　not　guilty　of　murder！　What　I