ggk.asongforarbonne-第79部分

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e　more　but　I　said　no。〃
　　〃You　probably　should　have　taken　it；〃　she　said。
　　He　grinned　mockingly。　She　remembered　that　quickness　from　Midsummer。　It　had　been　one　of　the　things　she　hadn't　expected　from　a　coran　of　Gorhaut。　〃I　wouldn't　have　taken　you　for　so　obedient　a　woman。　Do　you　always　do　what　you're　told？〃　he　asked。
　　She　smiled　then　herself；　for　the　first　time。　〃Always；〃　she　said。　〃I　can't　remember　the　last　time　I　didn't　obey　instructions　。〃
　　He　laughed；　and　sipped　his　wine。　〃I　saw　you　in　the　troubadours'　pavilion　this　morning；〃　he　said；　surprising　her　again。　〃Ariane　told　me　only　those　of　the　first　rank　are　invited　there。　Is　this　new　for　you？　Should　I　be　offering　congratulations？〃
　　Ariane。　That　was　the　perfume。　Of　course；　she　told　herself：　they　would　have　had　a　council　here　when　the　tidings　came。　But　what　she　was　remembering　was　five　corans　in　crimson　escorting　him　away　on　Midsummer　Eve。
　　He　had　asked　a　question；　Lisseut　shook　her　head；　pushing　such　thoughts　away。　She　said；　〃Congratulations？　Wouldn't　that　be　absurd？　After　you　didn't　let　me　salute　you？〃
　　His　eyes　were　bright　in　the　light　of　the　candle　on　the　table　and　the　beard　showed　quite　red。　〃Go　ahead　if　you　really　want　to。　Curtsey　and　kneel。　Kiss　my　foot　three　times。　You'll　help　me　get　used　to　it。〃　There　was　a　bitterness　she　hadn't　expected　in　his　voice。　He　paused　a　moment。　〃I'm　not　a　king　yet；　you　know。　I　probably　never　will　be。　I'm　only　someone　who's　made　a　large　and　foolish　claim　because　I　hate　what's　happened　to　my　country。〃
　　〃From　what　I　understand　of　the　men　of　Gorhaut；　that's　worthy　of　honour　in　itself；〃　she　murmured。
　　His　expression　changed。　〃I'm　not　sure　that　isn't　as　much　an　attack　as　a　pliment。〃
　　〃Can　you　blame　me；　tonight？〃
　　There　was　a　silence。　Without　speaking；　he　shook　his　head。　She　took　a　quick　sip　of　her　wine　and　averted　her　eyes。　This　wasn't　at　all　how　she　had　wanted　this　conversation　to　go。　She　didn't　really　know　what　she　had　wanted；　but　it　wasn't　this。　Thinking　quickly；　reaching　for　a　new　direction；　she　said；　〃You　did　miss　something　。。。　unique　in　the　hall　tonight。　A　canzone　about　your　morning's　triumph；　written　at　dazzling　speed；　rhymed　in　triplets；　with　a　refrain　that　was　simply　your　name　sung　four　times　on　a　descending　scale。〃
　　〃What？〃
　　She　kept　her　tone　blandly　innocuous。　〃We　should　be　fair　about　that　last　bit；　though：　〃Garsenc〃　is　a　difficult　rhyme　in　Arbonnais。〃
　　He　looked　pained。　〃You're　not　being　serious？〃
　　〃I'm　a　serious　person；　hadn't　you　noticed？　It　was　posed　by　an　old　panion　of　yours；　too；　Evrard　of　Lussan。〃
　　〃An　old　what？〃　He　blinked。　〃Evrard？　He　called　himself　that？〃　He　looked　so　astonished　she　had　to　laugh。　〃How　。。。　how　does　anyone　know　my　connection　with　him？〃
　　She　was　smiling　now；　enjoying　this。　〃From　Rian's　Island？　He　began　telling　us　all　about　it　immediately　after　the　challenge　this　morning。　No　one　knew　before；　but　as　of　today　you　are　a　link　worth　exploiting。　Apparently　you　yourself　and　no　lesser　mortal　were　entrusted　by　En　Mallin　de　Baude　with　the　delicate　task　of　assuaging　Evrard's　wounded　sensibilities　last　spring。　Is　it　true；　Blaise？〃
　　He　was　slowly　shaking　his　head；　though　in　wonder；　not　denial。　〃I　thought　he　was　a　pompous；　offensive　fool；　but　Mallin　asked　me　to　bring　him　back　so　I　did。　Unconscious；　actually。　My　panion。〃　He　snorted。　〃We　slung　him　like　a　sack　of　grain　into　a　skiff。　I　wouldn't　have　been　greatly　distressed　if　he'd　fallen　overboard。〃　He　shook　his　head　again；　as　if　bemused　by　the　memory。　〃I　thought　all　the　troubadours　were　like　that。〃
　　〃And　all　the　joglars？　Do　you　still　think　so？〃　
　　〃Hardly；〃　he　said　directly；　not　bothering　to　make　a　jest　of　it　or　a　pliment；　or　anything　at　all。　He　met　her　gaze　for　a　moment；　and　it　was　Lisseut　who　looked　away；　out　the　window。　There　was　silence　then　for　a　while。　She　sat　gazing　out　at　the　late…night　stars；　listening　to　the　river。　It　was　not　a　difficult　stillness；　she　decided。
　　〃May　I　ask　something　of　you？〃　he　said　at　length；　quietly。　She　looked　back　at　him。　〃I　am　genuinely　weary；　Lisseut。　I　'm　afraid　I　m　too　tired　to　entertain　you　properly；　I'm　almost　too　tired　to　sleep；　and　there　is　a　great　deal　to　be　done　tomorrow。　I　don't　know　if　this　is　an　imposition；　something　one　doesn't　ask　of　a　professional；　but　will　you　sing　for　me；　to　help　me　rest？〃　A　faint　smile　in　the　flickering　light。　〃To　show　me　again　that　all　of　you　aren't　like　Evrard？〃
　　〃I　didn't　think　you　liked　music。〃　She　was　sorry　the　moment　she'd　said　that。　Why　was　she　always　challenging　him？　
　　He　didn't　take　offense；　or　else　he　was　being　very　patient　with　her。　〃If　I　said　that　I　regret　it。　I　grew　up　with　music　in　Gorhaut；　however　different　it　might　have　been。　One　day　I　will　want　to　try　to　explain　to　you　that　my　country　is　not　only　。。。　what　it　has　been　made　to　be　tonight。〃　He　hesitated；　choosing　his　words。　〃I　think　there　are　。。。　parts　of　the　troubadour　world　here；　courtly　love；　that　I　find　unsettling。　Perhaps　I　needed　time　to　understand　it　better。　I　thought　once　it　made　your　men　weak；　your　women　presumptuous。〃　He　paused　again。　〃There　is　no　weakness　I　have　found　in　the　men　of　Arbonne。〃
　　〃And　the　women？〃
　　He　had　been　waiting　for　that；　she　realized。　〃The　women　are　intolerably　presumptuous。〃　She　knew　that　tone　though；　by　now；　and　he　was　grinning　at　her　again；　tired　as　he　was。　She　found　that　she　could　smile　back。
　　〃I　will　be　happy　to　sing　for　you；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃It　is　no　imposition。　Not　when　asked　of　a　friend。〃　There；　she　had　said　it。
　　He　looked　surprised　again；　but　not　unfortably　so。　He　opened　his　mouth　and　closed　it。　She　silently　willed　him　to　voice　whatever　thought　he　was　struggling　with；　but　all　he　said　after　a　moment　was；　〃Thank　you。〃　He　rose；　with　a　difficulty　he　didn't　bother　to　hide；　and　limped　over　to　stretch　out　on　the　bed。　He　pulled　off　his　boots　but　didn't　bother　with　the　covers　or　his　clothing。
　　Nothing　of　any　great　import　had　been　done；　nothing　said；　but　Lisseut　stood　up　as　well；　feeling　a　warmth　inside　and　an　unexpected　calm。　Moving　quietly　about　the　room　she　began　blowing　out　the　candles。　She　left　two　burning；　one　on　the　sideboard　and　one　on　the　small　table　by　the　window；　and　then；　in　the　near　darkness；　she　began　to　sing。　Not　of　love　or　war　or　the　goddess　or　the　god；　or　anything　at　all　of　the　adult　world。　On　the　night　he　had　named　himself　king　of　Gorhaut；　the　night　Aubry　had　burned；　Lisseut　sang　for　Blaise　of　Gorhaut　lullabies　of　childhood；　the　ones　her　mother　had　sung　to　her　so　many　years　ago。
　　Only　when　she　was　certain；　from　the　steady　rise　and　fall　of　his　breathing；　that　he　was　asleep　did　she　allow　herself　a　last　song　for　her　own　heart's　easing。　It　was　another　very　old　melody　this　one；　so　ancient　no　one　was　certain　who　had　written　it；　or　even　what　dim；　half…remembered　legend　or　tale　it　recounted。　It　had　always　seemed　to　Lisseut　to　be　almost　unbearably　sad。　She　had　never　thought　she　would　feel　it　applying　to　her　own　life。　But　in　Blaise　de　Garsenc's　room　that　night；　while　he　slept；　she　sang　it　softly　for　herself；　and　when　she　came　to　the　verses　at　the　end；　she　realized　that　she　was　very　nearly　offering　them　as　a　prayer：
　　Thy　table　set　with　rarest　wine；　
　　Choice　meats；　sweet　ripened　fruit　
　　And　candlelight　when　we　dine　
　　In　Fionvarre。
　　On　we　two　the　high　stars　will　shine　
　　And　the　holy　moon　lend　her　light。　
　　If　not　here　you　will　be　mine　
　　In　Fionvarre。
　　Her　uncle　had　taught　her　that　song　in　Vezét；　long　before　he　had　taken　her　from　her　father's　house　and　offered　her　the　life　of　the　singers　on　the　road。　And　the　roads　had　been　good　to　her；　had　given　her　friends　and　panions；　a　generous　measure　of　success；　fame　almost；　and　they　had　led　her　here　tonight；　following；　as　ever；　the　quick　impulses　of　her　spirit；　and　now　the　unbidden　need　of　her　heart。
　　Strangely　at　peace　now；　Lisseut　realized　that　she　had　e　looking　for　an　answer　in　this　room　and　she　had　found　it　after　all。　This　was　not　a　man　whose　life　she　had　a　right　to　share。　He　was　a　friend；　she　knew　that　now；　knew　that　he　would　make　some　place　for　her　in　the　pattern　of　his　days；　however　long　or　short　they　were　to　be。　But　for　more　than　that；　more　than　that　small　place；　she　had　no　right　and　he　no　proper　space　in　what　his　life　had　now　bee。　The　banner　in　the　wind　this　morning　had　made　this　so。
　　And　it　would　be　all　right；　Lisseut　thought；　as　she　ended　the　song。　She　was　no　longer　a　child。　Life　did　not　always　or　even　normally　grant　one　the　wishes　of　the　heart。　Sometimes　it　came　near；　sometimes　not　very　near　at　all。　She　would　accept；　with　gratitude；　what　seemed　to　have　been　allowed　her　tonight…with　a　hope；　a　prayer　to　Rian；　that　there　might　be　more　such　moments　graciously　allowed；　before　the　goddess　called　either　or　both　of　them　back　to　her。
　　She　left　him　sleeping；　with　the　last　two　candles　burning　down　and　the　moons　long　set　and　the　river　murmuring　its　own　infinitely　older；　endless　song　far　below　the　window。
　　
　　PART　IV…Winter
　　Until　the　Sun　Falls　and　the　Moons　Die　。。。　
　　CHAPTER　15
　　On　the　night　appointed　there　was　fog　at　Garsenc　Castle。　Rolling　in　from　the　east　with　the　darkness　at　day's　end　it　swallowed　up　the　donjon　and　the　outer　watch…towers　of　the　castle　like　some　mist…dragon　out　of　the　old　tales　of　the　days　before　Corannos　moved　the　sun。
　　Alone　on　the　ramparts　above　the　drawbridge　Thaune　of　Garsenc　shivered；　despite　the　woolen　overshirt　and　the　fur　vest　he　wore　in　winter。　He　was　thinking　about　an　oath　he　had　sworn　three　months　ago；　a　vow　of　fealty　that　had　turned　him　from　a　coran　of　humble　birth　and　modest　future　into　a　conspirator　with　a　substantial　prospect　of　dying　before　this　night　was　over。
　　He　watched　his　breath　make　puffs　of　smoke　in　the　grey　cold；　adding　to　the　fog；　he　couldn't　see　any　further　than　that。　The　moons　were　invisible；　of　course；　and　the　stars。　They　had　chosen　a　time　when　both　moons　should　have　been　bright　and　high；　lending　light　for　the　crossing　of　the　pass；　but　men　could　not　control　what　the　god　sent　in　the　way　of　weather；　and　more　than　one　campaign　of　the　past…including　the　not…so…distant　past…had　been　undone　by　the　elements。　He　remembered　the　savage　cold　at　Iersen　Bridge。　He　would　always　remember　that。　He　placed　both　hands　on　the　stone　and　peered　out　into　the　swirling　grey　darkness。　Nothi