ggk.asongforarbonne-第63部分

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ound　beneath　him　in　a　dazzle　of　light；　watching　。。。　and　then　he　had　untied　all　the　knots　that　bound　her　before　lowering　himself　to　the　bed。
　　Lucianna　had　laughed；　he　remembered。　He　had　thought　then　it　might　be　from　a　certain　kind　of　relief。　Now；　living　the　moment　again；　he　heard　that　laughter　differently；　as　genuine　amusement　at　his　innocence：　a　war…trained　Gorhaut　coran　in　decadent　Portezza；　coupling　with　the　least　innocent　woman　in　the　world。　Young　as　she　was；　Lucianna　seemed　never　to　have　been　young。　The　bitterness　was　in　him　again；　there　might　always　be　that　bitterness。　Bertran　de　Talair；　he　thought　suddenly；　had　never　managed　to　move　past　what　had　happened　to　him　in　love　when　he　was　young。
　　She　was　silent　still。　Blaise　kept　his　head　averted；　his　eyes　closed。　He　felt　the　knife　blade　withdraw　and　a　moment　later　heard　Lucianna　say；　〃I　thought；　back　then　。。。　I　remember　thinking　towards　the　end　of　that　summer；　before　Engarro　was　killed　。。。　that　I　had　met　you　too　late。〃　An　odd　note　in　her　voice。　But　that　was　not　what　finally　caused　Blaise　to　open　his　eyes。　He　had　heard　another　sound；　from　the　far　end　of　the　room；　and　felt　the　faintest　thread　of　a　draft　across　his　skin。
　　When　he　looked　up；　Lucianna　was　turned　away　from　him　towards　the　door；　and　following　her　glance　Blaise　saw　Quzman　of　Arimonda　standing　there；　white　teeth　bared　in　a　luxurious　smile；　a　blade　in　his　hand；　long　as　a　small　sword。
　　Lucianna　glanced　over　and　down　at　Blaise　for　an　instant；　her　eyes　wide　and　black　with　the　drug；　then　she　turned　her　back　on　him　entirely　and　moved　towards　the　fire；　leaving　only　empty　space　between　Blaise　and　the　Arimondan　who　had　e　to　end　his　life。　It　had　indeed　been　corans　of　Miraval　who　had　brought　him　here；　the　last　piece　of　the　puzzle　fell　into　place。
　　〃Staked　out　like　a　horse　thief；〃　said　Quzman　with　relish。　〃Were　this　Arimonda　I　would　have　him　in　the　desert　beside　a　hive　of　blood　ants；　and　I　would　pour　honey　myself　over　his　private　parts　and　eyes　and　leave　him　there。〃　Lucianna　said　nothing。　She　was　gazing　into　the　depths　of　the　fire。
　　〃How　fortunate　for　me　that　this　is　not　Arimonda；〃　said　Blaise　stonily。　He　was　not　going　to　give　this　man　any　more　satisfaction　than　the　fact　of　his　death　would　offer。　〃Land　of　cowards　and　incestuous　catamites。〃
　　The　Arimondan's　smile　never　altered。　〃You　are　foolish；〃　he　said。　〃You　should　not　be　goading　me。　Not　with　your　sex　easy　to　my　blade。　Your　life　ends　here。　My　brother's　ghost　is　hungry　for　your　shade　in　the　afterworld　and　it　is　in　my　hands　whether　your　passage　to　the　god　is　easy　or　very　hard。〃
　　〃No　it　isn't；〃　said　Lucianna　quietly；　her　back　to　both　of　them。　〃Do　what　you　came　to　do；　but　quickly。〃
　　〃What　I　came　to　do？　I　came　for　an　execution；〃　said　the　Arimondan；　the　smile　deepening。　〃And　perhaps　for　some　pleasure　upon　his　body　when　he　is　dead。〃
　　〃You　presume　too　greatly；〃　said　Lucianna；　still　not　turning　from　the　fire。　Her　voice　was　toneless；　very　low。　The　Arimondan　laughed　and　moved　towards　the　bed。
　　〃A　severe　penalty　it　does　seem；〃　said　Blaise　to　Lucianna；　dragging　his　eyes　away　from　the　man　with　the　blade　towards　the　woman　who　had　taught　him　all　he　knew　about　certain　dimensions　of　joy　and　pain；　〃for　having　met　you　too　late。　I　do　hope　this　pleases　your　new　husband；　and　perhaps　even　the　next　one。〃
　　She　made　a　small　sound；　he　thought　it　might　be　a　kind　of　laugh。　He　didn't　have　time　to　decide；　though；　because　just　then；　as　he　turned　back　to　face　his　death　the　way　a　man　does；　with　dignity　and　an　acceptance　of　the　infinite；　eternal　power　of　the　god；　the　door　opened　again　and；　with　utter　stupefaction；　Blaise　saw　his　brother's　wife　step　into　the　room　behind　the　Arimondan。
　　〃If　you　use　that　blade；〃　he　heard　Rosala　announce　in　her　crispest　voice；　〃I　swear　by　holy　Corannos　I　will　have　you　brought　into　the　presence　of　the　countess　of　Arbonne　before　this　night　is　over；　and　I　will　not　rest　until　you　are　both　dealt　with　for　breaching　a　truce　with　murder。〃
　　And　then；　with　that　spoken；　as　her　own　fierce　inner　momentum　seemed　to　slow；　all　three　of　them　staring　at　her；　she　registered　for　the　first　time…he　actually　saw　it　happen…who　was　lying　on　the　bed；　and　she　said；　in　a　voice　so　pletely　different　it　could　almost　have　made　one　laugh：
　　〃Blaise？〃
　　It　was　Lucianna　who　laughed。　〃How　touching。　A　reunion；〃　she　murmured；　turning　from　the　fire。　She　was　still　holding　her　own　jewelled　blade。　〃The　wandering　children　of　Garsenc　in　the　den　of　the　dark　lady。　Someone　will　surely　make　a　ballad　of　this。〃
　　〃I　think　not；〃　said　Quzman　of　Arimonda。　〃Since　both　of　them　must　now　be　slain。〃
　　His　smile　had　gone。　He　took　another　step　towards　Blaise。　〃Now；〃　said　Lucianna　Delonghi　loudly；　very　clearly。　The　inner　doors　on　either　side　of　the　bed　burst　open。　Through　them；　swords　drawn；　rushed　half　a　dozen　corans　in　the　countess's　colours；　followed　quickly　by　Roban；　the　chancellor　or　Arbonne；　and　then　more　slowly　by　a　black…haired；　sumptuously　dressed；　darkly　handsome　man。　Last　of　all；　moving　with　extreme　caution；　a　press　held　to　one　side　of　his　head；　came　Rudel　Correze。
　　The　corans　surrounded　the　Arimondan。　One　of　them　seized　the　dagger　from　him。　Quzman's　gaze；　bleak　and　malevolent；　did　not　move　from　Lucianna's　face　now。　Returning　a　brief；　glacially　patrician　glance；　she　said；　〃You　made　an　error　and　you　are　a　crude；　unpleasant　man。　The　one　might　have　been　forgivable　were　the　other　not　also　the　case。　And　both　things；　I　might　add；　are　equally　true　of　the　duke　of　Miraval；　whom　you　serve　in　this　matter。〃
　　She　said　that　last　very　clearly　as　well。　Blaise　saw　the　handsome　man　who　was　her　father　smile　thinly　as　Roban　the　chancellor　winced。　It　was　being　slowly　clear　to　Blaise　that　he　was　not；　for　the　moment　at　least；　about　to　die。　That　Lucianna　had　set　this　whole　thing　up　as　a　trap　for　。。。　whom？　Quzman？　Urté？　Both？　He　looked　to　his　left　and　saw　Rudel　leaning　against　a　bedpost　for　support；　gazing　down　on　him　with　an　expression　that　might　have　managed　to　be　amused　if　his　face　had　not　been　quite　so　green。
　　〃If　you　do　not　stop　standing　there　uselessly　and　cut　these　cords；〃　Blaise　snarled　through　clenched　teeth；　〃I　will　not　be　responsible　for　what　I　do　to　you　later。〃
　　〃To　me？〃　his　friend　replied　with　feeling。　〃What　can　you　possibly　do　beyond　what　has　been　done　already？　I　have　just　been　half　killed　by　corans　of　Miraval　in　the　interests　of　a　ploy　by　my　cursed　cousin　Lucianna　that　had　nothing　at　all　to　do　with　me。〃　But　he　did　begin；　moving　gingerly；　to　cut　Blaise's　bonds。
　　〃You　are；　you　understand；　now　taken　into　the　custody　of　the　countess　of　Arbonne；〃　the　chancellor　was　saying　to　Quzman。　He　did　not　look　happy。　Blaise；　finally　able　to　sit　up；　slowly　chafing　his　wrists；　had　some　idea　why。　〃In　the　morning　she　will　decide　your　fate；〃　Roban　finished　coldly。
　　The　Arimondan　was　a　brave　man。　〃My　fate　alone？〃　he　said。　〃You　see　how　the　woman　had　the　northerner　trussed　up　for　me　like　a　hog　for　slaughter？　You　know　her　husband　tried　to　kill　him　on　the　road。　Will　you　let　her　play　this　double　game　and　laugh　at　all　of　us？〃　Blaise　glanced　over　at　Lucianna；　she　had　moved　towards　the　windows；　and　had　put　on　a　heavier　robe。　She　didn't　bother　looking　back　at　Quzman；　or　at　any　of　them。
　　〃I　do　not　see　anyone　laughing；〃　said　the　chancellor。　〃And　if　her　game　was　doubled；　it　was　only　against　yourself。　She　informed　me　of　your　proposal　last　night；　immediately　after　it　was　first　made。〃
　　A　good　attempt　at　deflecting　and　controlling　the　damage；　Blaise　thought；　but　it　was　unlikely　to　succeed。　Not　with　the　other　man　who　had　entered　the　room　standing　there；　listening　attentively。　He　knew　a　fair　bit　about　Massena　Delonghi；　actually。　He　had　lived　in　his　palaces　two　summers　ago；　sleeping　with　his　daughter。　He　and　Rudel　Correze　had　killed　a　prince　for　him。
　　But　it　seemed；　the　way　events　were　unfolding；　that　Lucianna　had　not　intended　to　have　Blaise　murdered　tonight　after　all；　though　the　manner　in　which　she　had　had　him　bound　and　what　she　had　done　and　said　still　needed　an　answer。　Or；　he　reflected；　perhaps　they　did　not。　I　don't　like　it　when　men　leave　me；　Blaise。　Did　I　never　tell　you　that？　Perhaps　he　had　his　answer。　Perhaps　she　had　said　nothing　more　or　less　than　truth。　How　novel　that　would　be；　he　thought　wryly。
　　As　he　had　expected；　the　chancellor's　effort　at　diversion　did　not　succeed。　〃There　is　another　person　involved　in　this；　though；〃　said　Massena　Delonghi；　the　sleek；　suave　man　who　was　said　to　be　seeking　to　dominate　Portezza；　and　to　be　using　his　daughter's　marriages　in　steady　pursuit　of　that　goal。　〃This　Arimondan；　I　am　informed；　is　employed　by　the　duke　of　Miraval。　I　understand　from　my　dear　daughter　that　it　was　the　corans　of　Duke　Urté　who　assaulted　this　young　friend　of　ours；　and　our　well…beloved　cousin　as　well。〃
　　〃Thank　you；〃　Rudel　said　brightly。　〃I　am　so　pleased　someone　remembered　that。〃
　　Roban　did　not　look　pleased　at　all。　〃We　will；　of　course；　seek　to　hear　what　En　Urté　has　to　say　about　all　of　this　in　the　morning。　For　the　moment；　there　is　only　this　man；　caught　by　your　daughter's　。。。　devices　。。。　in　the　act　of　attempting　murder。〃
　　〃For　which　he　will　be　branded　and　hanged；　I　trust？〃　Lucianna's　brows　were　arched　as　she　finally　turned　to　look　at　them。　Her　voice　and　manner　were　a　cool；　glittering　mirror　of　her　father's。　Blaise　remembered　this　side　of　her　too。　She　gazed　at　the　chancellor：　〃Precisely　as　that　poor　cousin　of　my　dear　husband　was　branded　and　hanged　by　the　duke　of　Talair。　Precisely　in　the　same　way；　I　dare　suggest。　Or　indeed　we　will　have　sad　cause　to　question　the　impartiality　of　the　countess　of　Arbonne　in　her　justice　towards　strangers　and　towards　those　who　serve　her　own　high　lords。〃　The　celebrated　eyebrows　remained　pointedly　high。
　　〃And；〃　Massena　Delonghi　now　added；　in　a　tone　more　of　sorrow　than　reproach；　〃there　must　indeed　be　the　morning's　determination　of　Duke　Urté's　own　responsibility　for　this　most　flagrant　breach　of　the　truce　of　the　fair。　A　lamentable　duty　for　the　countess；　I　am　sure；　but　if　Portezzan　nobleman　are　to　be　executed　like　mon　thieves；　she　surely　cannot　turn　a　blind　eye　to　the　transgressions　of　her　own　people；　however　lofty　their　rank。〃
　　Lucianna's　father　was　enjoying　every　moment　of　this；　Blaise　realized。　It　was　exactly　the　sort　of　multi…faceted　intrigue　the　Delon