ggk.asongforarbonne-第48部分

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t　was　part　of　his　problem；　of　course；　that　was　why　he　ended　up　with　so　much　to　do。　It　was　also　the　source　of　his　own　particular　pride：　he　knew…and　he　was　certain　the　count；　and　more　recently；　the　countess；　knew…that　there　was　simply　no　one　else　in　Barbentain；　in　all　of　Arbonne；　who　could　handle　details　such　as　these　as　well　as　he。
　　The　tax　officers　of　the　fair　were　under　his　direct　authority…the　tariffs　levied　on　all　goods　leaving　Lussan　went　straight　to　the　countess's　coffers…but　the　burghers　of　the　town　were　responsible　for　appointing　and　paying　the　inspectors；　notaries；　scribes；　clerks　and　couriers。　They　sent　out　their　own　heralds；　too；　into　hamlets　throughout　the　countryside　in　the　harvest　season；　to　remind　the　farmers　and　villagers　of　Arbonne…as　if　anyone　was　likely　to　need　reminding…that　the　Autumn　Fair　was　ing；　with　its　puppet　shows　and　performing　animals；　its　dancers　and　singers；　men　who　swallowed　burning　coals　and　others　who　made　pigeons　disappear；　and　pedlars　who　sold　trinkets　and　toys　and　pottery　and　cures　for　everything　from　infertility　to　indigestion。　And　there　were　also；　of　course；　the　women　who　gathered　in　Lussan　for　that　month　from　all　parts　of　the　known　world；　and　who　could　be　bought　in　a　tavern　room　for　an　hour　or　a　night。
　　Roban　was　happy　to　leave　the　supervision　of　such　things　to　the　burghers；　his　own　concern　was　for　those　ing　with　more　tangible　goods　to　trade；　over　the　mountains　or　by　water　to　Tavernel　and　then　up　the　high　road　along　the　river。　The　merchants　came　from　everywhere；　in　fact；　travelling　with　silk　and　wool　and　wood；　with　medicines　and　perfumes　and　staggeringly　costly　spices　from　the　east；　with　daggers　from　Arimonda；　swords　and　armour　from　the　forges　of　Aulensburg；　longbows　from　Valensa；　carved　icons　of　Corannos　from　Gorhaut；　gold　and　silver　jewellery　from　Portezza；　Valensan　cloth　and　cheese；　wine　and　olives　and　olive　oil　from　the　south　of　Arbonne　itself。　You　could　buy　virtually　anything　at　the　Lussan　Fair；　see　people　from　almost　anywhere　in　the　known　world　and；　for　the　price　of　a　beaker　of　ale　bought　in　a　tavern；　hear　tales　told　by　sea　captains　of　the　fabled　countries　to　the　south；　far　beyond　the　boundaries　of　the　known。
　　You　could　also　find；　in　private　houses　that　sheltered　the　princes　and　great　merchants　from　too…close　scrutiny；　discussions　going　forward；　in　rooms　shuttered　against　the　sun　or　candlelit　at　night；　that　would　shape　the　flow　of　events　in　the　six　countries　for　the　year　to　e。
　　The　Lussan　Fair　was　always　the　last　of　each　year　before　winter　closed　the　roads　and　passes。　It　was　the　final　opportunity　for　face…to…face　discussions　for　months。　Roban　knew　from　long　experience　that　it　was　what　happened　behind　those　forbidding；　ornate　doors　that　became　the　most　important　legacy　of　any　fair。
　　That　was　especially　true　this　year；　perhaps　more　than　any　other　in　memory；　for　the　Treaty　of　Iersen　Bridge　between　Gorhaut　and　Valensa　had　pletely　altered　the　long　balance　of　power　among　the　six　countries；　and　Arbonne　in　particular　had　reason　to　weigh　and　fear　the　consequences　of　that。
　　It　was　therefore　not　surprising　that　when　the　hard…pressed　and　chronically　anxious　chancellor　of　Arbonne　learned　that　Duke　Bertran's　cousin　Valery　sought　urgent　audience　with　the　countess　and　himself；　he　concluded；　with　the　glum　certainty　of　the　innately　pessimistic；　that　he　was　not　about　to　receive　tidings　apt　to　soothe　his　jangling　nerves。
　　This；　of　course；　turned　out　to　be　the　case。　Aghast；　Roban　stood　beside　the　countess's　chair　in　her　small　private　room　behind　the　audience　chamber　and　heard　Valery　of　Talair　calmly　recount　a　murder　attempt　on　the　problematic　Gorhaut　coran；　the　killing　of　two　Portezzans　from　Andoria　in　response　and　then　the　summary　execution　of　the　third…a　cousin　to　Borsiard　himself；　and；　it　appeared；　very　possibly　a　favourite。　Valery　was　careful　to　spare　them　no　details。　The　tensions　that　would　ensue　in　the　wake　of　all　this；　Roban　calculated　swiftly；　were　likely　to　ruin　the　fair　before　it　began。　They　would　also　probably　drive　him　to　his　bed　for　a　day　and　a　night　with　one　of　his　blinding　headaches。
　　It　sometimes　seemed　to　him　that　he'd　spent　his　entire　adult　life　here　at　Barbentain；　with　the　count　and　now　the　countess；　attempting　to　smooth　over　crises　caused　by　the　actions　of　the　fractious；　capricious　noblemen　of　Arbonne。　Roban　was　Arbonnais　himself；　of　course；　born　to　minor　rank　in　Vaux　Castle；　but　he'd　been　consecrated　to　Corannos　early；　in　the　way　of　younger　sons　of　younger　sons；　then　plucked　from　a　chapel　of　the　god　by　Guibor　IV　while　still　beardless；　though　with　his　abilities　in　numbers　and　letters　already　manifest。
　　He'd　e　to　Barbentain　and　risen　swiftly　through　the　ranks　of　Guibor's　court　to　the　chancellorship。　At　the　time　of　his　appointment　there　had　been　much　made　of　his　youthful　links　with　the　clergy　of　the　god…an　act　of　careful　political　balancing　by　the　count。　That　had　been　so　long　ago　Roban　doubted　anyone　even　remembered　any　more。　Few　had　objected　to　his　precipitate　ascent；　even　in　an　ambitious　court。　Even　when　he　was　young　there　had　been　something　reassuringly　earnest　about　Roban's　manner。　He　was　trusted。　He　deserved　to　be　trusted；　he　often　thought；　if　only　he　were　listened　to　more　often　in　this　country　of　hot…blooded　men　and　women　with　more　passion　for　music　than　for　orderly　government。
　　Music　was　fine；　Roban　thought。　He　enjoyed　the　troubadours　and　joglars　when　he　had　the　chance　to　hear　them。　He'd　even　written　some　verses　himself　long　ago　when　formally　courting　the　woman　the　count　had　suggested　he　marry。　He　couldn't　remember　the　tunes　or　the　lyrics　very　well…probably　a　good　thing。　There　were　limits　to　where　music　could　take　you；　Roban　had　always　thought；　or；　more　properly；　there　were　dimensions　in　affairs　of　state　where　it　was　necessary　to　leave　aside　the　romantic　troubadour　strains　and　be　ruthlessly　practical。　Roban　was　a　pragmatic　man；　by　his　own　estimation。　He　knew　what　implications　flowed　from　what　actions。　He　was　aware　that　Bertran　de　Talair　would　know　these　things　too；　perhaps　even　better　than　he；　but　that　much　of　the　time　the　duke　would　simply　not　care。　That　was　the　way　of　things　here　in　Arbonne；　the　chancellor　thought　gloomily。　Witness　what　had　happened　two　days　ago　on　the　high　road　beside　the　river。
　　There　was　no　question　that　punishment　had　been　called　for；　that　something　would　have　had　to　be　done。　What　would　have　put　the　Andorians　in　a　fury…and　a　contingent　of　them　were　reported　to　have　also　arrived　today；　coated　in　dust；　horses　lathered…was　the　summary　action　of　the　duke　of　Talair　by　the　roadside。　Noblemen　were　simply　not　executed　in　the　manner　of　mon　thieves。　Bertran　had　even　had　the　man　branded；　Roban　winced　when　Valery　mentioned　that；　and　turned　away　in　a　vain　attempt　to　conceal　his　reaction。　He　tried　to　turn　the　motion　into　a　coughing　spasm；　but　suspected　that　the　countess　knew　this　was　a　subterfuge。
　　He　was　seldom　able　to　conceal　much　from　the　countess。　He　had　fallen　in　love　the　first　time　he'd　ever　seen　her；　forty　years　ago。　He　loved　her　yet；　more　than　his　life。　He　was　almost　certain　that　this；　at　least；　she　did　not　know…but　it　was　one　of　the　things　that　defined　Roban　of　Vaux　in　his　own　eyes。　He　was　a　man　who　had　loved　one　woman　only　and　had　done　so　for　virtually　all　his　days；　notwithstanding　his　own　marriage　and　children；　notwithstanding　their　enormous　difference　in　rank。　He　would　die　having　loved　the　countess　of　Arbonne　with　the　sustained；　lifelong　passion　of　his　soul。　He　didn't　even　think　about　it　any　more；　though　there　had　been　sleepless；　sighing　nights　in　a　narrow　bed　long　ago。　By　now；　four　decades　later；　it　was　simply　a　given；　a　fact　upon　which　all　else　in　his　life　had　been　founded。
　　In　the　room　behind　the　audience　chamber　he　smoothed　his　face；　ran　a　hand　down　the　front　of　his　doublet　in　an　habitual　gesture　and　turned　back　to　Bertran's　cousin。　Valery　was　pointing　out；　in　a　tone　of　calmly　reasonable　argument；　that　noblemen　could　not　be　allowed　to　violate　a　truce　by　attempting　murder　on　the　roads　in　the　blithe　expectation　that　a　ransom　of　some　sort　would　smooth　things　over　for　them。　Bertran's　extremely　petent　cousin…a　man　Roban　approved　of；　actually…also　noted　that　by　acting　summarily　Bertran　had　decisively　protected　the　countess's　authority；　while　leaving　her　the　option　of　chastising　him　and　appeasing　the　Andoria；　if　she　wished。
　　Roban；　seeing　a　faint　flicker　of　hope　here；　his　mind　quickly　running　through　possibilities；　tried　to　intercede　at　this　point。　He　did　not　succeed。　Bertran's　own　remendation；　Valery　added　smoothly　without　pausing　for　breath；　was　that　no　such　appeasement　should　be　contemplated。　Roban　closed　his　eyes。　He　was　aware；　just　about　then；　that　one　of　his　headaches　was　indeed　beginning　to　e　on。
　　The　countess's　credibility　as　a　woman　ruling　Arbonne；　Valery　of　Talair　said　gravely；　virtually　demanded　that　she　be　seen　to　be　as　decisive　as；　say；　Jorg　of　Gotzland　would　have　been　in　the　same　situation。　Borsiard　d'Andoria　should　be　barred　from　the　fair；　that　was　Bertran's　suggestion。　Naturally　it　was；　Roban　thought　bitterly：　it　was　amazing　to　the　chancellor　that　such　things　could　be　thought　and　said；　could　be　casually　proposed；　by　otherwise　intelligent　men。
　　〃Gotzland　is　not　facing　the　real　possibility　of　invasion　next　year；〃　he　said　bluntly　to　Valery；　finally　seizing　the　chance　to　speak。　〃The　countess　has　matters　to　consider　that　go　beyond　the　protocols　of　trade　fairs。　It　is　a　bad　time…a　very　bad　time…to　be　offending　men　as　important　as　Borsiard　d'Andoria。〃
　　〃You　would　have　let　him　buy　his　man's　life？　Let　him　swan　about　with　a　new　bride　in　Lussan　at　the　fair　and　in　this　castle　having　attempted　murder　on　our　roads？　What　if　the　Gorhaut　coran　had　died？　What　then？〃
　　〃His　death　might　have　simplified　things；〃　Roban　answered；　too　quickly。　This　was　a　sore　spot　for　him。　〃You　know　what　I　think　of　this　insanity　En　Bertran　has　proposed。　〃
　　〃It　was　my　daughter　who　proposed　it；〃　the　countess　said；　speaking　for　the　first　time。　It　was　a　bad　sign　that　her　first　words　were　to　correct　him。　〃Bertran　agreed　with　Beatritz's　suggestion。　I　also　agreed。　You　objected；　made　your　arguments；　and　were　presented　with　my　decision。　Do　not　be　tiresome；　Roban。　I　know　your　concerns　here；　but　I　do　not　see　how　we　can　do　other　than　back　w