kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir-第15部分

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ell　as　one　of　my　choosing。　That　he　is　also　my　king　is　a　great　joy　to　me；　and　I　freely　give　him　my　allegiance　as　lord　as　well　as　brother　and　kinsman。　Will　you　honor　him　the　same；　for　my　sake？〃
The　renewed　shouting　and　cheers　were　all　the　confirmation　Dhugal　needed。　As　Kelson　stood　back；　pleased；　still　panting　from　the　exertion　of　the　dance　and　wondering　just　how　he　had　managed　to　bring　them　around　…　these　dour　mountain　folk　who　were　usually　so　slow　to　admit　a　lowlander　to　their　midst　…　Dhugal　turned　and　knelt　at　his　feet；　slipping　his　joined　hands　between　Kelson's　and　touching　them　to　his　forehead　in　homage。
In　ragged　succession；　Dhugal's　borderers　joined　him　in　salute；　sinking　to　one　knee　in　their　places。　A　few　even　smiled；　inasmuch　as　any　borderer　did　when　obliged　to　follow　lowland　custom。　A　handful　remained　dour　and　grim；　but　all　of　them　knelt。　The　rarity　of　the　concession　was　not　lost　on　Kelson。
〃My　brother；　I　thank　you；〃　Kelson　said；　smoothly　raising　Dhugal　and　signalling　the　rest　of　them　to　rise。　〃And　to　you；　my　border　kinsman；　my　profound　thanks　as　well。　Please　believe　that　I　understand　the　honor　you　have　done　me。　And　if　there　be　some　of　you　who　yet　have　your　doubts　about　this　upstart　lowland　lord　who　es　among　you；　I　cannot　blame　you。　Nor　will　I　try　to　change　your　opinion　by　my　words。　My　actions；　I　hope；　will　speak　for　me；　in　that　I　shall　always　strive　to　be　your　true　and　gentle　lord。〃
His　own　men　pounded　on　the　tables　in　approval；　but　Kelson　held　up　his　hand　again　for　silence。
〃But　though　I　be　lowland　born；　yet　am　I　a　borderer　like　yourselves；　by　choice　and　chosen　blood；　as　my　brother　Dhugal　has　said。　I　would　assure　you；　therefore；　that　whenever　possible；　I　shall　place　the　considerations　of　the　clan　above　my　own　concerns；　an'　it　be　not　against　the　interests　of　the　other　folk　I　have　sworn　to　protect　and　defend。　In　token；　therefore；　I　ask　that　you　host　me　not　as　king　tonight；　but　as　kinsman；　and　that　you　join　with　me　in　toast　to　our　noble　chief：　The　MacArdry　…　long　may　he　guide　his　children　in　peace　and　plenty。　Air　do　slainte！
It　was　the　one　border　phrase　Kelson　could　remember；　and　he　blessed　old　Caulay　for　having　refreshed　his　memory　earlier；　but　it　produced　the　desired　response。　This　time　there　was　no　restraining　the　men　of　Transha。　The　hall　erupted　in　echo　of　the　traditional　border　toast；　even　the　most　dour　of　the　old　chieftains　raising　their　cups　with　more　thoughtful　expressions。　Soon　the　pipers　struck　up　another　dance　tune　and　the　floor　filled　with　other　dancers　eager　to　tread　a　few　steps　with　their　new　young　kinsman。　Some　of　the　girls　were　very　pretty。　Kelson　answered　their　first　few　invitations　with　laughing　good　humor　and　an　honest　attempt　to　follow；　but　the　dance　with　Dhugal　had　exhausted　both　his　knowledge　and　his　energy。　He　soon　had　to　bow　himself　out　and　retreat　to　the　safety　of　his　place　by　the　chief。　Dhugal　remained　on　the　floor。
Caulay　was　jovial　pany　for　what　remained　of　the　evening；　but　he　downed　three　cups　of　wine　to　every　one　of　Kelson's　and　quickly　began　to　show　the　effects。　Any　serious　return　to　their　discussion　was　impossible　under　the　circumstances；　so　they　were　soon　reduced　to　rambling　exchanges　about　the　dancers；　Dhugal's　escapades　and　prospects　for　the　future；　and　an　increasingly　maudlin　tendency　on　Caulay's　part　to　dwell　on　his　failing　health。　By　the　time　people　began　falling　asleep　at　table　and　bedding　down　in　the　hall　for　the　night。　Kelson　had　managed　to　diminish　the　effect　of　his　own　alcoholic　consumption　to　a　dull　buzz；　but　Caulay　was　on　the　verge　of　passing　out。　Dhugal　was　less　steady　on　his　feet　than　Kelson；　but　not　really　drunk；　either。
〃I　think　he's　about　had　enough；　don't　you？〃　Kelson　murmured；　when　Dhugal　returned　to　the　table　to　refill　his　cup　during　a　piper's　slowly　skirled　lament。
Dhugal　looked　down　at　his　father；　steadying　himself　on　the　edge　of　the　table　as　he　watched　old　Caulay　bobble　and　grin；　then　signalled　to　a　gillie　who　towered　at　least　a　head　and　a　half　above　either　him　or　Kelson。　The　man　scooped　up　his　chief　with　no　more　effort　than　Kelson　might　have　picked　up　a　three　year　old；　and　carried　him　tenderly　out　of　the　hall　and　up　the　newel　stair　with　the　two　young　men　following　behind；　Dhugal　with　his　arm　linked　in　Kelson's　for　stability。　When　they　had　gotten　the　old　man　to　bed　and　the　gillie　had　gone；　Dhugal　sank　down　in　a　window　seat　and　sighed；　glancing　up　at　Kelson　with　a　tired　grin。
〃Well；　you　certainly　left　your　mark　on　Transha　tonight。　The　clan　will　be　talking　about　you　all　winter　…　and　speaking　well；　too。〃
Kelson　smiled　and　leaned　against　the　window　embrasure；　tossing　his　bonnet　to　the　seat　beside　Dhugal。　The　climb　to　the　laird's　chamber　had　finished　clearing　his　head；　and　now　the　considerations　of　earlier　in　the　evening　came　flooding　back。　To　have　won　the　confidence　of　the　clan　was　a　fine　thing；　and　part　of　what　he　had　set　out　to　acplish；　but　he　still　had　not　learned　all　he　needed　to　know　about　Caulay's　Mearan　kin。　And　if　Ithel　of　Meara　was　plotting。。。
〃I　wonder；　will　they　speak　well　of　me　when　they　remember　that　I'm　part　Deryni？〃　he　mused；　trying　to　decide　how　best　to　approach　what　he　wanted　to　ask。　However　he　phrased　it；　Dhugal　was　going　to　be　either　frightened　or　insulted。
Dhugal　frowned。　〃What　difference　does　it　make？　And　what　makes　you　think　of　it　now？〃
〃It　isn't　all　a　bad　thing；　you　know　…　being　Deryni；〃　Kelson　continued；　testing。　〃You　saw　that　when　I　put　that　trooper　to　sleep　so　you　could　sew　up　his　arm。　It　does　have　its　positive　uses。〃
Dhugal　swallowed　with　an　audible　sound；　suddenly　far　more　sober　than　he　had　been；　not　seconds　before；　all　the　gaiety　gone。
〃Why　do　I　have　the　sudden　feeling　that　something　very　scary　is　about　to　happen。　You're　warning　me；　aren't　you？〃
〃Not　…　exactly。〃　Kelson　glanced　down　at　Dhugal's　upturned　face；　then　over　at　the　sleeping　Caulay。
〃Dhugal；　I've　never　even　been　tempted　to　take　unfair　advantage　of　a　friendship　before；〃　he　said　softly；　〃but　damn　it　…　he　hasn't　told　me　everything　he　knows。〃
〃What　do　you　mean？〃
Kelson　shook　his　head。　〃Oh；　I　don't　mean　to　imply　a　deliberate　deception。　I　think　he　just　doesn't　want　to　get　involved　…　and　one　can　hardly　blame　him。　Sicard　is　still　his　brother；　after　all。　Unfortunately；　Sicard　is　also　the　father　of　a　boy　who　may　just　try　to　take　away　my　throne　…　　and　Caulay　hinted　of　conspiracies　at　dinner；　just　before　he　clammed　up。〃
〃Surely；　you're　not　suggesting　he'd　keep　such　knowledge　from　you；　if　there　really　were　a　danger？〃　Dhugal　asked。
〃I　don't　know；〃　Kelson　replied。　〃I　do　know　that　your　father　has　information　I　may　need　…　and　that　I　have　the　means　to　take　it；　if　I　must；　without　his　knowledge　and　without　hurting　him。〃
〃With　magic；〃　Dhugal　supplied。　His　face　had　stiffened　to　a　taut　mask　as　Kelson　spoke；　and　now　the　honey…amber　eyes　reflected　cold　resentment；　as　well　as　a　little　fear。
〃Kelson；　I　can't　stop　you；〃　he　continued；　after　a　long；　slow　breath。　〃If　that's　what　you're　determined　to　do；　there　isn't　a　thing　I　can　do　to　prevent　it。〃
〃I　know　that。　That's　why　I'm　asking　if　I　may。　He　wouldn't　remember　it；〃　Kelson　added。　〃He　need　never　even　know　I　talked　with　him　tonight。〃
〃And　if　you　had　to　use　what　you　learned　against　him？〃　Dhugal　asked。
Kelson　sighed。　〃I　hope　to　God　it　never　es　to　that；〃　he　murmured；　eyes　downcast。　〃You　know　I　would　never　deliberately　do　anything　to　hurt　you　or　your　family。　But　if　information　that　I　gained　had　to　be　used　to　stop　a　war；　to　save　innocent　lives　…　well；　what　would　you　do？〃
Only　after　a　long　pause　did　Dhugal's　answer　e：　halting；　reluctant　…　and　resigned。
〃I　suppose　I　…　would　do　what　I　had　to　do；〃　he　whispered。





CHAPTER　FIVE
They　have　set　up　kings；　but　not　by　me：　they　have　made　princes；　and　I　knew　it　not。
Hosea　8：4
I　would　do　what　1　had　to　do。
Dhugal's　words　put　responsibility　squarely　back　on　Kelson　…　where　it　had　always　rested；　with　the　other　burdens　of　the　Crown；　but　this　particular　responsibility　was　unique　to　a　king　endowed　with　magic。　Kelson　found　himself　wondering　whether　his　father　had　ever　had　to　make　such　a　demand　of　a　friend。　Somehow　he　could　hardly　imagine　Brion　using　his　powers　for　much　of　anything；　even　though　he　knew　his　father　had　slain　the　Marluk　with　magic　and　obviously　had　taken　the　necessary　measures　to　ensure　that　his　legacy　passed　to　Kelson。
But　Haldane　magic　was　not　the　same　as　that　derived　from　being　born　Deryni　…　and　perhaps　that　difference　was　the　source　of　some　of　Kelson's　uneasiness　just　now；　for　he　had　the　limitations　as　well　as　the　benefits　of　both　sorts。　The　Haldane　legacy　came　full…blown　to　each　successive　male　heir　in　the　senior　royal　line；　its　potential　sealed　by　the　previous　king　and　triggered　in　the　heir　by　ritual　whose　essential　elements　apparently　had　altered　little　in　nearly　two　hundred　years。　It　was　of　Deryni　origin；　to　be　sure；　but　it　was　a　somewhat　artificial　construct；　so　far　as　Kelson　had　been　able　to　learn；　crafted　by　the　great　Saint　Camber　for　the　defense　of　Cinhil　Haldane　against　mad　Imre；　to　end　the　Interregnum；　and　perpetuated　in　Cinhil's　descendants　ever　since。
Such　magic　dealt　primarily　with　protection　…　holding　and　keeping　what　was　Haldane。　But　it　was　power　to　be　called　up　without　training　and　without　real　understanding；　a　pendium　of　set　spells　whose　use　and；　indeed；　very　existence　generally　became　apparent　only　when　the　need　arose　…　difficult　to　call　to　mind　of　one's　own　inclination。　A　few　casual　skills　there　were　of　Haldane　origin；　like　Truth…Reading　and　extending　one's　physical　endurance；　duplicating　some　Deryni　functions；　but　the　more　subtle　and　satisfying　uses　of　magic　…　and　the　ones　most　open　to　abuse　…　lay　within　the　province　of　Deryni　only。　Indeed；　most　of　the　magic　readily　accessible　to　Kelson　came　from　his　Deryni　blood；　not　Haldane　sources：　mostly　what　Morgan　and　Duncan　had　been　able　to　teach　him　about　that　aspect　of　his　heritage　…　and　much　of　that　still　lay　in　the　realm　of　theory。
Now　his　meager　experience　with　the　two　of　them　must　be　melded　with　the　impersonal　knowledge　at　his　beck　and　call　from　Haldane　sources；　and　techniques　chosen　to　fit　the　very　personal　situation　here　before　him。　Several　times　in　the　past　two　years　he　had　watched　Morgan　do　this　kind　of　thing　…　and　had　done　it　himself　under　Morgan's　guidance　once　or　twice　…　but　this　was　diff