ggk.asongforarbonne-第103部分

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　on　through　the　silence；　following　the　survivor　of　those　two　men　through　the　bare　winter　vineyards　with　the　autumn　grapes　long　harvested　and　the　first　buds　a　long　way　off。　The　vines　gave　way　to　grass　eventually　and　a　forest　rose　up　before　him　as　he　rode　and　in　time　Blaise　came　to　a　small　charcoal…burner's　cabin　at　the　edge　of　that　wood　and　saw　a　horse　he　knew　tethered　outside。
　　Sitting　in　the　doorway；　where　a　woman　might　sit　at　needle　and　thread　at　day's　ending　to　catch　the　last　of　the　good　light；　was　Bertran　de　Talair。
　　The　duke　looked　up　as　Blaise　dismounted。　His　expression　registered　surprise　but　was　not　unweling。　Blaise　had　not　been　sure　about　that。　He　saw　the　flask　of　seguignac　clasped　in　Bertran's　hands。　Memory　came　with　that；　too；　clear　as　a　temple　bell。　A　stairway　in　Castle　Baude。　The　moons　passing　from　the　narrow　window。　That　flask　passing　back　and　forth　between　the　two　of　them。　Blaise　brooding　upon　Lucianna　Delonghi　in　bitterness；　Bertran　speaking　of　a　woman　dead　more　than　twenty　years　and　not　of　the　one　whose　bed　he　had　just　left。
　　The　duke　saw　him　looking　at　the　flask　and　lifted　it。　〃There's　a　little　left；〃　he　said。
　　〃My　father　is　dead；〃　said　Blaise。　He　hadn't　expected　to　say　that。　〃Thierry's　archers。〃
　　Bertran's　expressive　face　grew　still。　〃There　isn't　enough　seguignac　for　that；　Blaise。　Not　nearly　enough　for　the　needs　of　this　day；　but　sit　down；　sit　with　me。〃
　　Blaise　walked　across　the　grass　and　sat　down　beside　the　duke　in　the　doorway。　He　took　the　offered　flask　and　drank。　The　clean　fire　ran　through　him。　He　drank　again；　feeling　the　warmth；　and　handed　back　the　flask。
　　〃It　is　over？〃　Bertran　asked。
　　Blaise　nodded。　〃They　will　all　have　surrendered　by　now。〃
　　Bertran　looked　at　him；　his　blue　eyes　ringed　by　dark　circles。　〃You　were　trying　to　stop　me　there　at　the　end；　weren't　you。　I　heard　you　calling　my　name。〃
　　Blaise　nodded　again。
　　〃I　don't　think　I　would　have　stopped。　I　don't　think　I　could　have；　if　Thierry　hadn't　blown　the　horns。〃
　　〃I　know。　I　understand。〃
　　〃I'm　not　very　proud　of　that。〃　Bertran　took　another　short　pull　at　the　flask。
　　〃This　isn't　a　time　to　be　judging　yourself。　Women　were　burned。　And　the　two　troubadours　。。。　〃
　　Bertran　closed　his　eyes　and　Blaise　fell　silent。　The　duke　looked　up　again　after　a　moment　and　handed　back　the　flask。　Blaise　cradled　it；　not　drinking。　The　seguignac　was　already　making　him　light…headed。
　　〃I　have　a　question　for　you；〃　said　Bertran　de　Talair。
　　〃Yes？〃
　　〃Do　you　have　any　great　objection　if　I　ask　your　brother's　wife　to　marry　me？　If　Rosala　will　have　me；　I　would　like　to　raise　Cadar　as　my　own；　as　heir　to　Talair。〃
　　A　remarkable　sensation　of　warmth　began　to　spread　through　Blaise；　and　he　knew　it　wasn't　ing　from　the　seguignac　this　time。　He　looked　over　at　Bertran　and　smiled　for　what　was　surely　the　first　time　in　that　long　day。　〃I　have　no　say　at　all　in　what　Rosala　does；　but　nothing　I　can　imagine　would　please　me　more。〃
　　〃Really？　Do　you　think　she　will　accept？〃　Bertran's　tone　was　suddenly　diffident。
　　Blaise　laughed　aloud。　It　was　a　strange　sound　in　that　space　at　the　edge　of　the　woods。　〃You　are　asking　me　for　guidance　on　a　woman's　thoughts？〃
　　For　a　moment　Bertran　was　still；　and　then　he　too　laughed；　more　softly。　After　that　there　was　silence　again　for　a　time。
　　〃My　father；〃　said　Blaise　finally；　needing　to　say　it；　〃my　father　told　me　that　Ademar　was　only　his　tool　for　destroying　Rian　in　Arbonne。　That　his　other　goal　all　these　years　had　been　to　place　me　on　the　throne　of　Gorhaut。〃
　　Bertran　was　still　again；　in　that　manner　he　had　of　careful；　focused　gravity。　〃That　does　not　surprise　me；〃　he　said。
　　Blaise　sighed　and　looked　down　at　the　flask　in　his　hands。　〃I　would　rather　not　accept　it　as　true。〃
　　〃I　can　see　that。　Don't　tell　anyone　else　then。　This　need　only　be　ours。〃
　　〃Which　doesn't　make　it　less　true；　that　he　was　shaping　even　this。〃
　　Bertran　shrugged。　〃Partly；　not　entirely。　He　couldn't　have　guessed　what　would　happen　to　you　in　Arbonne。〃
　　〃He　admitted　that；　actually。〃
　　〃You　see？　Blaise；　we　are　shaped　by　so　many　different　things　it　frightens　me　sometimes。〃　Bertran　hesitated。　〃This　was　the　cabin　where　I　used　to　meet　Aelis。　Where　my　son　was　conceived。〃
　　It　was　Blaise's　turn　to　grow　still。　He　understood；　and　was　deeply　moved　by　the　awareness；　that　Bertran　was　offering　this　to　him　as　a　truth　of　the　heart　in　exchange　for　his　own。
　　〃I'm　sorry；〃　Blaise　said。　〃I　didn't　set　out　to　follow　you；　I　just　saw　your　tracks。　Shall　I　go？〃
　　Bertran　shook　his　head。　〃You　might　give　me　that；　though；　if　you　aren't　drinking。〃　Blaise　handed　over　the　flask。　Bertran　lifted　it；　the　metal　glinting　in　the　light；　and　finished　the　last　of　the　seguignac。　〃I　don't　think；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　can　possibly　deal　with　anything　more　today　than　I　already　have。〃
　　A　moment　later　they　heard　the　sound　of　another　horse　approaching　and　looked　up　to　see　Ariane　riding　alone　towards　them　through　the　winter　grass。
　　She　came　up　to　where　they　were　sitting　together　in　the　doorway　of　the　cabin。　She　did　not　move　to　dismount。　They　could　see　that　she　had　been　weeping　though　she　was　not　doing　so　now。　She　took　a　ragged　breath　and　let　it　slowly　out。
　　〃I　swore　an　oath　to　my　cousin　Aelis　the　night　she　died；〃　she　said　without　greeting；　without　preamble。　Blaise　saw　that　she　was　controlling　herself　only　with　a　great　effort；　he　felt　Bertran　grow　rigid　at　his　side。　〃An　oath　from　which　I　have　been　released　by　Urté's　death　today。〃
　　She　was　looking　at　the　duke；　Blaise　saw；　and　so　he　made　to　rise　and　said　again；　〃I　should　leave。　This　is　not　something　I　have　a　right　to…〃
　　〃No；〃　said　Ariane；　her　voice　bloodless；　her　exquisite　features　nearly　white。　〃This　does　concern　you；　as　it　happens。〃　Even　as　she　was　speaking；　Bertran　laid　a　hand　on　Blaise's　knee　to　keep　him　from　standing。　〃Stay　with　me；〃　said　the　duke。
　　And　so　he　stayed；　he　sat　in　a　charcoal…burner's　cabin　doorway　at　the　cold　end　of　a　day　of　death　with　wind　blowing　past　them；　pushing　Ariane's　black　hair　back　from　her　face；　stirring　the　tall　grass　behind　her；　and　he　heard　her　say；　in　that　voice　from　which　all　resonance　seemed　to　have　bled　away；　leaving　only　the　flat　assertion　of　the　words：　〃There　is　something　I　can　now　tell　you　about　the　night　Aelis　died。　There　was　a　reason　why　she　came　early　to　her　time；　Bertran。〃　Another　breath；　the　vivid　evidence　of　a　struggle　for　self…control。　Ariane　said；　〃When　Urté　took　your　son　from　her　arms　and　left　the　room　with　the　priestess　following　him；　trying　to　reclaim　the　boy；　I　was　left　alone　in　the　birthing　room　with　Aelis。　And　a　few　moments　later　we　。。。　realized　she　was　carrying　a　second　child。〃　Beside　Blaise；　Bertan　make　a　convulsive　gesture　with　his　hands。　The　flask　fell　on　the　grass。　Bertran　tried　awkwardly　to　stand。　His　strength　seemed　to　have　left　him　though；　he　remained　sitting　in　the　doorway　looking　up　at　the　woman　on　the　horse。
　　Ariane　said；　〃I　delivered　your　daughter　into　the　world；　Bertran。　And　then　。。。　then　Aelis　made　me　swear　an　oath　to　her；　and　we　both　knew　she　was　dying。〃　She　was　weeping　again　now；　tears　bright　as　crystal　on　her　cheeks。
　　〃Tell　me；〃　said　Bertran。　〃Ariane；　tell　me　what　happened。〃
　　She　had　been　weeping　then；　too；　amid　the　terrors　of　that　room。　She　had　been　thirteen　years　old；　and　had　heard　Aelis；　dying；　tell　her　husband　that　the　boy　child　she　was　holding　was　Bertran　de　Talair's。　Ariane　had　cowered　in　a　corner　of　the　room　watching　Urté's　face　grow　blood…dark　with　a　rage　such　as　she　had　never　ever　seen　in　her　life。　She　saw　him　seize　the　baby　from　its　mother's　arms　where　the　priestess　had　gently　laid　it。　Outside　the　walls　of　Miraval　a　winter　storm　had　been　howling；　rain　lashing　the　castle；　thunder　like　an　angry　spirit　overhead。
　　The　duke　and　the　priestess　had　rushed　from　the　room；　where；　Ariane　did　not　know。　She　was　certain　he　was　about　to　kill　the　child；　though。　Aelis　had　been　sure　of　the　same　thing。
　　〃Oh；　my　dear；〃　her　cousin　had　said；　lying　amid　blood　on　her　bed；　〃what　is　it　I　have　done？〃　Ariane；　distraught　with　fear　and　grief；　had　clutched　her　hand；　unable　to　think　of　a　single　thing　to　say。　Wanting　only　to　be　far　away　from　that　room；　from　that　terrible　castle。
　　And　then；　a　moment　later；　Aelis　had　said　something　else；　in　a　different　tone。　〃Oh；　Rian；〃　she　had　said。　And；　〃Cousin；　in　the　goddess's　name；　I　think　there　is　another　child　in　me。〃
　　There　had　been。　A　small　babe；　though　larger　than　the　first　it　seemed　to　Ariane。　And　this　one　was　a　girl；　with　her　mother's　dark　hair　and　long　limbs；　and　a　strong　voice　when　she　raised　her　first　cry　amid　the　storms　of　the　world　she　had　entered。
　　It　was　Ariane　who　took　her　from　Aelis's　womb。　Ariane　who　bit　through　the　cord　and　wrapped　the　infant　in　the　warm　cloths　that　had　been　readied　by　the　fire。　Ariane　who　gave　her；　with　trembling　hands；　to　her　mother。　No　one　else　had　been　in　the　room。　No　one　else　had　heard　that　second　cry。
　　And　Aelis　de　Miraval　de　Barbentain　had　looked　upon　the　dark…haired　daughter　in　her　arms；　knowing　that　her　own　life　was　passing　from　her；　and　had　said　to　her　cousin；　who　was　thirteen　years　old　that　year；　〃I　am　binding　you　to　something　now　as　an　oath　to　me　on　my　deathbed。　You　must　swear　to　do　what　I　ask　of　you。〃
　　Ariane　had　looked　at　the　two　of　them；　mother　and　child；　and　she　had　done　so：　had　sworn　to　take　the　baby　from　that　room　by　the　back　stairway；　wrapped　in　those　swaddling…clothes；　hidden　within　her　own　cloak；　and　to　bear　it　from　Miraval　into　the　wildness　of　that　night　storm。
　　And　she　swore　an　oath　that　night　to　tell　no　living　soul；　not　even　Bertran；　of　the　existence　of　a　second　child　for　so　long　as　Urté　de　Miraval　was　alive。　〃After　Urté　dies；〃　her　cousin　had　said；　〃if　you　are　alive　and　she　is；　I　leave　it　to　you。　Judge　what　she　has　bee；　if　you　know　where　she　is。　I　have　no　gift　of　foreknowledge；　Ariane。　Judge　the　needs　of　the　time。　It　may　even　be　that　this　child；　my　daughter；　will　be　heir　to　Miraval　or　Talair；　to　Arbonne　itself。　I　need　you　to　bee　the　sort　of　woman　who　will　be　able　to　make　that　judgment　one　day。　And　now　kiss　me　cousin；　and　forgive　me　if　you　can；　and　go。〃
　　And　Ariane　had　bent　and　kissed　the　dying　woman　upon　the　mouth　and　had　fled；　alone　down　the　twisting　back　stairway；　wrapped　in　a　dark　cloak　with　a　baby　next　to　her　heart。　And　she　me