ggk.asongforarbonne-第85部分

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e　what　he　is　thinking：　he　doesn't　care　what　you　do　here。　If　he　takes　Arbonne　quickly　enough…and　it　will　probably　be　wide　open　to　him　now　in　winter；　however　many　men　he　loses　to　the　mountains…he　can　e　home　with　an　army　in　triumph　from　the　sack　of　that　land　and　deal　with　us　in　spring；　wherever　Blaise　is。〃
　　〃That　isn't　Ademar　thinking；　you　do　realize；〃　said　Blaise　finally。　You　could　hear　the　bitterness。　〃This　is　my　father's　cunning；　and　his　dream。　He　has　always　wanted　Arbonne　destroyed。　Always。　He　told　me　stories　as　a　boy　of　how　the　temples　of　Rian　had　to　be　brought　down　to　save　the　whole　world　from　their　corruption。　And　he　knows　me。　He　knew　I　would　not　bring　an　army　here；　that　Ademar　would　be　safe　to　leave　Gorhaut　almost　undefended；　and　then　e　back；　as　Fulk　says；　to　deal　with　whatever　happens　while　he's　gone。〃　He　turned　to　Bertran。　〃You　know　what　he's　going　to　do；　don't　you？〃
　　The　other　man's　expression　was　bleak　as　the　winter　night。　Slowly　he　nodded　his　head。　〃He　won't　bother　with　the　castles　or　the　cities。　He　won't　try　sieges　in　winter。　He's　going　to　force　our　corans　out　by　making　war　on　the　villages　and　the　temples。　As　he　did　at　Aubry。〃
　　〃As　he　did　at　Aubry；〃　echoed　Blaise。
　　〃Shall　we　ride；　then？〃　asked　Fulk　de　Savaric。　〃You　wanted　one　battle；　Blaise。　It　looks　as　if　you　might　get　it；　but　it　will　be　in　Arbonne。〃
　　〃Of　course　it　will；〃　said　the　duke　of　Talair　with　savage　irony。　〃It　is　warmer　there；　isn't　it？　The　sun　shines；　even　in　winter。　If　you　go　far　enough　south　there's　no　snow　at　all。　You　can　even　catch　the　scent　of　the　sea。〃
　　〃Through　the　smoke；〃　said　Blaise　shortly。　〃Let's　go。〃
　　They　left　two　hundred　of　Fulk's　men　to　hold　Garsenc　Castle　and　to　spread　word　as　best　they　could　that　they　were　there。　The　rest　of　their　pany　set　out　that　same　night　in　the　fog　and　the　cold　on　the　long　road　back　to　the　mountains。　At　one　point　during　the　night　the　mist　finally　began　to　lift　and　they　caught　a　glimpse　through　tattered　windblown　clouds　of　white　Vidonne　low　in　the　west　before　morning　came。
　　
　　CHAPTER　16
　　Roche　the　priest　was　in　disgrace　on　Rian's　Island　in　the　sea。　Someone　foraging　for　winter　firewood　had　smelled　burning　by　a　cove　on　the　southern　shoreline　and　had　gone　to　investigate；　the　risk　of　the　forests　burning；　though　rather　less　in　winter；　was　always　real。　A　small　fire…pit　had　been　found；　dug　in　the　cold　sand；　covered　with　a　flat　slab　of　stone。　Lifting　the　stone　with　a　long　branch　revealed　half　a　dozen　lampfish　grilling　underneath。
　　Roche　would　have　even　tried　to　deny　being　the　culprit；　had　he　not　been　discovered　moments　later　by　the　same　interfering　woodsman　in　a　small　shelter　not　far　away；　dozing　in　happy　anticipation　with　a　fishing　line　beside　him　and　the　smell　of　fish　on　his　hands。
　　Awakened　by　an　insolent　prod　of　the　woodsman's　branch；　he　had　stammered　an　offer　to　share　his　morning's　secret　catch　under　the　mild　winter　sun　while　they　looked　out　from　the　beach　at　the　gentle　swells　of　the　sea。　The　woodsman　was　not　moved；　either　by　the　idyllic　setting　nor　even　the　succulent　promise　of　lampfish。　He　was　one　of　those　depressingly　pious　fellows　who　left　their　homes　after　some　night　vision　or　other　to　e　and　serve　the　goddess　on　her　island；　labouring　for　the　priests　and　priestesses；　often　being　more　sturdily　attached　to　the　doctrines　and　codes　of　conduct　than　the　clergy　were　themselves。
　　It　was　fixed　law；　the　woodsman　pronounced　with　obdurate；　finger…wagging　satisfaction；　that　all　fish　and　fowl　around　the　shores　of　the　island　were　interdicted　to　mortal　men　and　women；　sacred；　he　intoned　virtuously；　to　holy　Rian　in　her　incarnation　as　protectress　of　the　beasts。
　　Roche　tried；　without　real　hope；　to　explain　that　this　applied　only　to　fishermen　or　hunters　from　the　mainland。　As　he'd　expected；　the　woodsman　knew　better　than　that。　Such　an　impiety；　the　man　declared　self…righteously；　would　have　to　be　taken　directly　to　the　High　Priestess　herself。　He　shouldered　his　bundle　of　wood；　took　the　reins　of　his　equally　burdened　donkey　and　started　briskly　back　north　towards　the　temple　pound。　They　always　wanted　to　go　straight　to　the　High　Priestess；　Roche　thought　miserably；　watching　him　go。　As　if　she　had　nothing　better　to　do　than　listen　to　reports　of　minor　transgressions　by　her　priests　and　priestesses。
　　This　was；　however；　his　third　such　minor　transgression…for　the　same　offence…in　a　year。　Despairingly；　he　wondered　if　he　would　be　sent　away；　demoted　to　service　in　some　temple　in　the　grainlands　or　the　mountains。　He　didn't　want　to　leave　Rian's　Island。　He　didn't　want　to　leave　the　sea。　He'd　grown　up　by　the　ocean；　it　was　what　he　knew　and　loved…as　he　loved　the　gracious　harvests　Rian　in　her　generosity　allowed　them　from　the　waves。　Especially　lampfish；　most　especially　lampfish。
　　Morosely　depressed；　cursing　his　own　weakness　and　the　fact　that　he'd　been　stupid　enough　to　fall　asleep　so　near　the　fire…pit；　he　considered　catching　up　to　the　woodsman；　trying　to　forestall　him；　or　concocting　some　tale　that　would　serve　his　cause　before　they　both　got　back　to　the　pound。　There　was；　he　decided　glumly；　no　point。　Roche　felt　so　miserable　he　almost　lost　his　appetite。
　　The　fish　were　ready；　he　could　tell　from　the　wafting　aroma。　With　a　heavy　sigh；　Roche　went　back　to　the　fire…pit　and　looked　sadly　down　on　his　six　treasures　sizzling　invitingly　beneath　their　carefully　assembled　and　sprinkled　herbs。　As　he　did　so　he　was　somewhat　surprised；　given　the　extreme　gravity　of　his　plight；　to　discover　that　his　hunger　seemed　to　be　returning　after　all。
　　He　wandered　back　to　the　pound　somewhat　later；　though　in　plenty　of　time　for　his　tour　of　duty　in　the　temple。　He　was　a　good　priest；　Roche　told　himself；　he　just　liked　fish。
　　
　　As　he'd　anticipated；　he　was　ordered　to　attend　upon　the　High　Priestess　forthwith。　He　saw　the　woodsman　with　his　donkey　by　the　bakehouse　door。　The　man　looked　smugly　virtuous　as　Roche　walked　past。　Wiping　his　mouth　and　rubbing　at　the　stains　on　his　robe；　Roche　ignored　him　as　best　he　could。
　　On　the　far　side　of　the　temple　dome；　where　the　High　Priestess　and　the　Inner　Circle　had　their　chambers　and　meeting　rooms；　Roche　was　admitted　by　a　stone…faced　woman　from　Cauvas。　He　had　never　liked　people　from　Cauvas…or　anywhere　inland；　he　suddenly　thought。　It　took　folk　raised　by　the　sea　to　understand　the　rhythms　of　life　on　the　water。　He　wondered　if　he　could　say　that　to　the　High　Priestess。　She　was　from　Barbentain；　though；　he　didn't　think　it　would　be　a　prudent　notion　to　present　her　with　this　particular　proposition。
　　He　waited　in　gloomy　silence；　alone　in　the　antechamber；　dabbing　futilely　at　intervals　at　the　tell…tale　streaks　on　his　robe。　He　sniffed　his　hands　suddenly　and　grimaced。　He　ought　to　have　had　a　wash；　he　realized。　He　was　carrying　the　evidence　of　his　sin　right　into　Rian's　temple。　And　this　was　the　third　time　in　a　year。　He　was　going　to　be　sent　north；　Roche　decided　with　real　despair。　He　deserved　to　be　sent　to　the　mountains；　far　from　his　beloved　ocean　waters　and　their　seductive　bounty。　He　had　no　self…control　at　all；　he　reproached　himself；　no　proper　respect　for　the　traditions　of　holy　Rian　which　he　had　vowed　to　uphold　for　life；　no　true　sense　of　his　own　solemn　responsibility　to　set　an　example　for…
　　The　door　opened。　Another　grim…faced　servant　nodded　coldly　to　him。　The　lay…folk　always　loved　it　when　a　priest　or　priestess　was　in　trouble。　Roche　wiped　his　hands　on　his　robe　one　last　time　and　walked　in；　with　what　dignity　he　could　mand　while　smelling　of　lampfish　and　charcoal；　to　be　told　his　fate　by　the　High　Priestess　of　Rian　in　Arbonne。
　　He　came　out　of　the　room　shortly　afterwards　seriously　unsettled。　The　High　Priestess　had　barely　even　bothered　to　take　note　of　his　transgression。　She　had　reprimanded　him　briefly；　never　even　turning　to　him　or　taking　her　blind　gaze　from　the　fire　on　the　hearth。　She　had　pardoned　him　almost　absently；　with　a　ritually　phrased　injunction　to　pray　in　the　temple　for　the　strength　to　resist　his　weaknesses。　That　had　been　all。　For　the　third　offense　in　a　year。　He'd　been　dismissed。　Not　even　her　white　owl　had　seemed　to　care　enough　to　look　over　at　him。
　　Roche　couldn't　understand　it。　His　had　been　a　fairly　serious　malfeasance；　a　terrible　example　for　the　lay　workers。　How　could　the　High　Priestess　take　an　indifferent　view　of　such　a　thing；　he　wondered？　How　could　the　customs　of　the　goddess　be　properly　preserved　if　the　great　ones　of　the　temple　paid　so　little　attention　to　them？　He　felt　almost　indignant　at　his　casual　reprieve。　Why；　he　deserved　a　temporary　exile　at　the　very　least！　Though　he　would　have　felt　miserable　at　such　a　punishment；　he　had　certainly　deserved　it。　But　what　was　this…an　absent…minded　lecture　and　a　quick　dismissal？
　　Something；　Roche　decided；　was　seriously　wrong。　He　was　only　a　lowly　priest；　but　he　couldn't　help　wondering　if　the　upper　hierarchies　of　Rian's　clergy　were　serving　her　properly　these　days。　He　shook　his　head。　What　was　the　world　ing　to？
　　On　the　way　out；　though；　he　couldn't　forebear　grinning　broadly　at　the　dour…faced　woman　at　the　door；　and　as　he　walked　back　past　the　bakehouse　through　the　crisp　afternoon　sunshine　he　offered　the　woodsman　a　positively　cheerful　wave。　Not；　perhaps；　the　most　judicious　thing　to　do；　but　some　temptations；　Roche　had　learned；　he　was　ill…equipped　to　resist。
　　When　he　finished　his　tour　of　duty　in　the　sanctuary　that　evening；　he　washed　himself　carefully；　hands　and　face　and　body；　in　the　growing　chill　of　evening　after　the　sun　had　gone　down；　and　he　donned　clean　raiment　before　going　back　to　pray　in　the　temple　for　two　full　watches　of　the　evening。　As　he　had　been　admonished　to　do；　Roche　humbly　asked　the　goddess　to　vouchsafe　him　the　strength　to　resist　his　inappropriate　desires；　and　then；　as　an　afterthought；　he　prayed　for　Rian　to　lend　her　holy　wisdom　and　eternal　presence　to　the　High　Priestess；　who　seemed　troubled　of　late　by　burdens　beyond　his　own　poor　understanding。
　　He　felt　better　when　he　finally　rose；　though　his　knees　and　back　creaked　stiffly　in　the　cold。　He　left　the　temple　to　return　to　the　dormitory　and　his　bed　under　the　winter　stars　and　both　moons。
　　On　the　way　out　from　the　dome　he　saw　a　cluster　of　his　fellow　priests　and　priestesses　standing　together　in　the　atrium　around　the　one　small　fire　there。　It　was　very　late；　this　was　unusual。　He　went　over　to　join　them；　and　as　they　made　room　for　him　in　th