ggk.asongforarbonne-第83部分

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　　WINTER
　　399
　　arm；　to　disappear　into　the　shrouded　darkness　of　the　dry　moat。
　　After　a　frozen　moment　there　was　a　babble　of　sound　on　the　bridge。　Valery　of　Talair　and　Rudel　Correze　hurtled　into　the　moat　after　him。　Thaune　heard　a　snarled　Portezzan　obscenity　as　the　latter　landed　badly　on　the　uneven；　rock…strewn　surface　below。
　　〃He　won't　get　far；〃　said　Fulk　de　Savaric　as　Blaise　helped　him　to　his　feet。　Over　his　shoulder；　de　Savaric　snapped　mands　in　the　darkness。　A　moment　later　Thaune　heard　horses　galloping　and　saw　torches　moving　again　in　the　mist。
　　Of　all　of　them　it　was　Blaise　who　seemed　least　surprised。　〃If　he　makes　the　woods；〃　he　said；　almost　musingly；　〃I　doubt　we'll　find　him。〃
　　〃He　has　to　get　out　of　the　moat　first；〃　said　Bertran　de　Talair；　〃and　he's　got　a　wounded　arm。〃
　　〃Not　badly　wounded；〃　Blaise　said；　shaking　his　head；　still　with　that　detached　air　about　him；　as　if　he　had　almost　anticipated　this。　〃He　wears　heavy　mail；　double…linked。　I　doubt　the　arrow　went　deep。　Ring　the　moat；　though；〃　he　said　to　Fulk　de　Savaric。　〃There's　at　least　a　chance　your　men　might　see　him　climbing　out。〃
　　There　came　the　sound　of　laughter　then；　laced　with　mockery；　with　something　else　in　it　that　Thaune　could　not　quite　identify。　〃He　won't　be　climbing　out；〃　said　Ranald；　duke　of　Garsenc；　to　his　brother。　〃He's　under　the　castle　already；　and　will　be　out　from　it　and　gone　before　morning。　There's　a　tunnel　in　from　the　moat　that　no　one　knows　about；　and　another　from　the　dungeon　level　that　leads　away。　A　long　distance　away。　You　won't　find　him；　brother。〃　In　silence　the　two　men　looked　at　each　other。
　　〃Blaise；　quickly；　do　you　know　where　it　leads？　We　can　get　to　the　exit　before　him。〃　It　was　Bertran；　speaking　with　urgency　for　the　first　time。　Galbert　de　Garsenc；　Thaune　abruptly　remembered；　had　offered　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　in　gold　last　summer　for　the　death　of　de　Talair。
　　Blaise　was　shaking　his　head　though；　looking　at　his　brother。　〃This　was　done　after　I　left。〃　His　mouth　twisted　slightly。　〃Ranald　wouldn't　have　mentioned　it　otherwise。〃
　　〃We　could　make　you　tell　us　where　the　tunnels　are；〃　said　En　Bertran　to　Ranald　de　Garsenc　very　quietly。　There　was　something　frightening　in　his　voice　now。　Thaune　wondered　how　he　could　ever　have　arrived　at　the　notion　that　the　Arbonnais　men　were　soft。
　　The　duke　of　Garsenc　was　still　a　handsome　man；　tall　and　well　built；　the　image　of　what　a　lord　should　be。　He　looked　down　upon　the　slight；　unprepossessing　figure　of　the　duke　of　Talair　and　said　contemptuously；　〃Really；　my　lord？　What　will　you　do？　Set　me　on　fire？〃
　　Blaise　said　something　then　that　Thaune　could　not　hear。　His　brother　did　hear　it　though；　and　turned　quickly　back　to　him；　his　arrogance　fading。
　　〃Go　ahead；〃　Blaise　said；　more　loudly。　〃I　mean　it。　If　you　want　to　go　with　him　you　will　not　be　stopped　or　followed。〃　Ranald's　expression　had　bee　confused；　hesitant。　He　looked　like　a　man　who　wanted　a　drink；　thought　Thaune。　A　cruel　thought；　he　knew；　but　it　was　there。　He　had　lived　in　this　castle　long　enough。　He　knew　the　duke。
　　〃If　you　want　to；　though；　you　can　stay；〃　Blaise　added。　〃I　will　trust　you　among　us　if　you　give　me　your　oath。　I　have　never　known　you　to　lie；　Ranald。　I　will　not　assume　you　would　do　so　now。　If　you　can　see　anything　clearly　tonight　you　must　surely　realize　that　this　is　the　chance　of　your　life。　Probably　the　last　chance；　brother。　Do　you　want　to　free　yourself　from　him　or　not？　He　is　gone；　down　that　tunnel；　away　from　both　of　us；　back　to　Ademar。　You　don't　have　to　follow　him；　Ranald；　and　I　will　not　make　you　stay。　You　have　the　first　free　choice　you've　had　in　a　long　time。〃
　　〃If　I　kneel　and　swear　fealty　to　a　younger　brother　who　ought　to　have　been　a　cleric　of　Corannos？　Is　that　my　choice？〃　
　　〃Is　it　so　evil　a　course？　Does　it　matter　what　he　was　supposed　to　bee　all　those　years　ago？〃　It　was　Fulk　de　Savaric　who　spoke；　as　Blaise　remained　silent　looking　at　his　brother　by　the　wan　light　of　the　torches　in　the　mist。
　　Beyond　the　bridge；　Thaune　could　hear　men　shouting　and　the　galloping　horses　as　corans　raced　to　surround　the　moat。　He　shared　Ranald's　certainty：　they　were　not　going　to　find　Galbert　de　Garsenc；　not　in　the　mists　of　this　night；　not　in　the　morning；　even　if　the　sun　returned。　At　the　back　of　his　mind；　behind　his　awareness　of　the　miracle　of　their　triumph　and　Fulk　de　Savaric's　sworn　allegiance；　he　felt　a　flicker　of　fear；　like　a　tongue　of　flame。
　　Blaise　cleared　his　throat；　oddly　tentative　with　his　brother；　as　he　had　been　with　the　father。　〃I　do　not　request　that　you　kneel　before　me；　only　that　you　follow　my　lead；　Ranald。〃　He　hesitated。　〃I　think　you　know；　if　the　roles　were　reversed　I　would　have　been　proud　to　swear　homage　to　you。〃　He　stopped　again；　visibly　struggling　for　words；　as　if　wrestling　with　something　difficult。　〃I　also　think　you　know　there　was　a　time　I　would　have　followed　you　to　the　end　of　the　earth　had　you　asked　me　to。〃
　　〃But　why；〃　said　Duke　Ranald　de　Garsenc；　after　a　silence；　〃would　I　ever　have　wanted　to　go　to　such　a　place？　Or　to　have　you　there　with　me？〃
　　Blaise　said　nothing　at　all　to　that。　He　lowered　his　head。
　　〃You　are　a　greater　fool　than　I　even　guessed；〃　said　Bertran　de　Talair；　but　softly　now；　almost　with　regret。　〃Bring　my　lord　Ranald　his　horse；〃　he　called　out　to　the　invisible　corans　beyond　the　end　of　the　bridge。　〃The　most　puissant　duke　of　Garsenc　is　leaving　our　poor　pany　for　the　pleasure　of　his　father's　and　the　high　grace　of　Ademar's　court。〃
　　Blaise　was　still　silent。　Thaune；　behind　him；　could　not　see　his　face。　In　a　way　he　was　glad　of　that。　Even　after　years　in　this　castle　he　found　that　what　lay　between　the　three　men　of　Garsenc…like　a　thicket　of　spear　shafts　in　the　earth；　iron　heads　angled　to　kill…was　too　much　for　him　sometimes。　Tonight；　suddenly；　had　bee　one　of　those　times；　as　if　the　destiny　of　nations　was　bound　up　in　the　darkness　of　this　castle；　a　darkness　that　went　far　deeper　than　the　mist　and　fog　of　a　winter's　night。　They　heard　a　horse　being　led　up　onto　the　bridge。
　　〃Someone　help　the　duke　to　mount；〃　Bertran　said；　with　the　same　grim　courtesy。
　　〃No　need；〃　said　Ranald　shortly；　and　he　mounted　in　one　smooth　motion。　He　curvetted　his　horse　and　looked　down　upon　his　brother。　〃Are　you　expecting　me　to　thank　you　now？〃　he　asked。　Again　there　was　that　note　in　his　voice；　the　one　Thaune　could　not　quite　identify。
　　Blaise　looked　up。　He　shook　his　head。　〃I　thought　you　might　ask　about　your　son　though。〃　A　cruel　question；　though　perhaps　not　cruelly　meant。　Thaune　wasn't　sure；　he　didn't　understand　the　younger　son　either。　He　saw　Ranald's　jaw　tighten。　Blaise　added；　in　a　flat　voice；　〃I　am　proposing　to　name　him　my　heir　in　Gorhaut；　with　Fulk　as　regent；　should　I　die　in　this　war。　Does　that　interest　you　at　all？〃
　　He　had　to　be　quick；　Thaune　thought；　he　had　to　be　very　fast　to　have　thought　of　this　already。　He　turned　to　look　at　Fulk　de　Savaric；　but　there　was　nothing　to　be　read　there　at　all；　nor　in　the　features　of　Bertran　de　Talair　beside　Fulk。　These　were　men　used　to　the　play　of　power；　and　to　hiding　their　responses　to　it。
　　Ranald　de　Garsenc　was　less　able　to　mask　his　feelings。　〃How　touching；〃　he　shot　back；　as　if　firing　a　crossbow　bolt。　〃How　wonderful　to　see　that　everyone　in　my　family　has　plans　for　my　son。　It　does　free　me　of　a　father's　anxiety；　I　must　say。〃
　　Blaise　said；　still　gravely；　〃Given　that　you　haven't　even　cared　to　ask　of　his　condition　or　even　his　name；　it　ill　behooves　you　to　take　such　a　tone；　brother。〃
　　There　was　a　silence。　The　very　calmness　of　the　words　made　the　lash　of　them　bite　harder。　Thaune　felt　that　he　and　the　others　on　the　bridge　had　bee　extraneous；　mere　hangers…on　at　the　edges　of　this　long；　bitter　struggle　within　the　de　Garsenc　family。
　　〃Well？〃　said　Ranald　finally；　as　if　that　one　word　cost　him　a　great　effort。　〃Tell　me。〃
　　From　behind；　Thaune　saw　Blaise　lower　his　head　again　for　a　long　moment；　and　then　lift　it　once　more。　〃He　is　well。　A　handsome；　healthy　child。　He　looks　like　a　Garsenc。　His　name　is　Cadar；　for　his　grandfather　of　Savaric。〃
　　Ranald　laughed　then；　the　same　quick；　bitter；　corrosive　sound　as　before；　when　his　father　had　escaped。　〃Of　course　it　is；〃　he　said。　〃She　would　do　that。〃
　　〃Can　you　blame　her？〃
　　Surprisingly；　Ranald　de　Garsenc's　laughter　ended。　He　shook　his　head。　He　said；　〃You　will　not　believe　me；　but　I　told　father　and　the　king　both　that　I　was　prepared　to　let　her　go　if　she　sent　back　the　child。　Neither　would　agree；　not　that　she　would　have　done　so　in　any　case。〃　He　paused。　〃I　faced　summary　execution　if　I　did　not　ride　with　Ademar　to　Aubry　last　autumn。　Ask　the　duke　of　Savaric；　your　brave　new　ally。　He　was　at　that　burning　too；　for　the　same　reason。〃
　　It　was　Blaise's　turn　to　be　silent。　〃I　know　he　was；〃　he　said　at　length。　〃I　know　why　you　were　there；　Ranald。　But　Fulk　de　Savaric　has　made　his　response　to　that　tonight。　He　is　with　us　now。　You　are　about　to　ride　back　to　Cortil。　To　the　ugliness　there。　I　don't　understand。　I　can't　understand。　Ranald；　will　you　not　tell　me　why？〃　There　was　pain　in　the　question。　Every　man　on　the　bridge　heard　it。
　　Slowly　Ranald　de　Garsenc　shook　his　head　again。　〃No；〃　he　said　finally。　〃I　do　not　owe　you　that　much。〃　He　paused；　seeming　more　posed　than　his　younger　brother　on　the　ground　now。　〃Nor　will　I　thank　you　for　not　torturing　me　to　find　the　location　of　the　tunnel。　I　will　say　this　much…〃　he　turned　to　the　duke　of　Talair；　〃…I　am　not　going　back　to　Cortil。　Forget　not；　in　your　urge　to　mock　and　diminish　your　foes；　who　and　what　it　is　you　are　dealing　with。　I　never　forget　it；　not　ever；　during　any　day　or　night　of　my　life。〃
　　He　turned　back　to　his　brother。　〃Farewell；　little　Blaise；　who　would　be　king　of　all　of　us。　I　can　recall　teaching　you　to　use　that　sword　you　carry。　I　wonder　if　you　remember？〃
　　He　turned　then；　and　was　gone　into　night　and　fog；　only　the　drumming　of　his　horse's　hooves　in　the　mist　telling　them　he　was　riding　east。
　　〃Of　course　I　remember；〃　said　Blaise；　to　no　one　in　particular。
　　He　turned　then　and　began　walking　up　the　bridge　towards　the　castle；　past　the　two　dukes　and　all　the　corans；　who　quickly　made　way　for　him。　He　stood　motionless　before　the　portcullis　bars　until　they　had　been　rolled　up　again；　allowing　him　to　pass　within；　into　his　ancestral　home。
　　
　　Feeling　buffeted　by　the　speed　of　events；　Thaune　of　Garsenc　was　more　than　a　little　eased　to　note　heightened　colour　a