ggk.asongforarbonne-第20部分

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my　declining　years？　What　an　intriguing　thought。　Shall　we　discuss　it　on　the　way　down？〃
　　He　had　begun　walking　towards　his　horse　as　he　spoke；　and　so　Blaise；　perforce；　did　the　same。　It　had　grown　colder　now　on　this　windy　height；　the　sun　hidden　behind　a　grey　mass　of　swiftly　driven　clouds。　As　an　afterthought　Blaise　looked　back　and　saw　that　the　lamb　was　following。　They　mounted　up　and　began　to　ride。　From　the　crest　of　the　ridge　they　could　see　Mallin　and　the　rest　of　their　party　gathered　east　of　them　and　below。　Bertran　waved　briefly　and　they　started　down。　Far　in　the　distance；　beyond　meadow　and　wood　and　the　other　men；　the　castle　could　be　seen；　with　the　lavender　fields　in　shadow　beyond。
　　On　the　way　down；　in　the　interval　before　they　reached　the　others；　the　matter　Bertran　de　Talair　chose　to　raise　had　nothing　at　all　to　do　with　marital　bliss；　belated　or　otherwise；　or　with　the　soothing　accoutrements　of　a　quiescent　old　age。
　　
　　And　now；　remarkably　or　predictably；　depending　on　how　one　chose　to　consider　things；　there　came　the　unabashed　glow　of　a　candle　from　the　curve　of　the　stairway　below　the　window　niche　where　Blaise　was　keeping　watch。　Not　even　an　attempt　at　stealth；　he　thought　grimly。　He　heard　the　quiet　sound　of　footsteps　steadily　ascending。　As　promised；　though　Blaise　hadn't　really　believed　it　on　the　hillside。
　　〃I　imagine　you'll　be　posted　on　watch　outside　the　baroness's　rooms　on　my　last　night。　I　wouldn't　go　up　until　then　in　any　case　。。。　too　many　plications　otherwise；　and　it　isn't　really　decent。　No；〃　Bertran　de　Talair　had　said　on　that　ride　down　the　chilly　slope；　〃I'll　wait　till　the　end；　which　is　always　best。　I　can　count　on　your　discretion；　I　take　it？〃
　　For　a　long　moment　Blaise　had　had　to　struggle　to　control　his　anger。　When　he'd　replied；　it　was　in　the　best　equivalent　he　could　manage　to　the　duke's　casual　tones。　〃I　would　suggest　you　not　rely　on　any　such　thing。　I　have　accepted　an　offer　of　service　from　you；　but　that　begins　a　fortnight　from　now。　For　the　moment　Mallin　de　Baude　pays　me　and　you　would　be　advised　to　remember　that。〃
　　〃Such　loyalty！〃　de　Talair　had　murmured；　gazing　straight　ahead。
　　Blaise　shook　his　head。　〃Professionalism；〃　he'd　replied；　keeping　his　temper。　〃I　am　worth　nothing　in　the　market　for　fighting　men　if　I　have　a　reputation　for　duplicity。〃
　　〃That　is　an　irrelevance。　Nothing　that　affects　a　reputation　will　emerge　from　a　dark　stairway　with　only　the　two　of　us　to　know。〃　De　Talair's　tone　was　quietly　serious。　〃Tell　me；　Northerner；　would　you　impose　your　own　values　in　matters　of　love　and　right　on　all　the　men　and　women　that　you　meet？〃
　　〃Hardly。　But　I'm　afraid　I　will　impose　them　on　myself。〃
　　The　duke　had　glanced　across　at　him　then　and　smiled。　〃Then　we　shall　probably　have　an　interesting　encounter　a　few　nights　from　now。〃　He'd　waved　again　at　Mallin　de　Baude　down　below　and　spurred　his　horse　forward　to　join　the　baron　and　his　men　for　the　rest　of　the　ride　back　down　to　the　castle。
　　And　now　here　he　was；　without　even　a　token　attempt　at　deception　or　concealment。　Blaise　stood　up　and　stepped　from　the　window　nook　onto　the　stairway。　He　checked　the　hang　of　his　sword　and　dagger　both　and　then　waited；　his　feet　balanced　and　spread　wide。　From　around　the　curve　of　the　stairs　the　glow　of　flame　gradually　became　brighter　and　then　Blaise　saw　the　candle。　Following　it；　as　if　into　the　ambit　of　light；　came　Bertran　de　Talair；　in　burgundy　and　black　with　a　white　shirt　open　at　the　throat。
　　〃I　have　e；〃　said　the　duke　softly；　smiling　behind　the　flame；　〃for　that　interesting　encounter。〃
　　〃Not　with　me；〃　said　Blaise　grimly。
　　〃Well；　no；　not　really　with　you。　I　don't　think　either　of　us　suffers　unduly　from　the　Arimondan　vice。　I　thought　it　might　be　diverting　to　see　if　I　could　fare　better　in　the　room　at　the　top　of　these　stairs　than　poor　Evrard　did　some　while　ago。〃
　　Blaise　shook　his　head。　〃I　meant　what　I　told　you　on　the　hills。　I　will　not　judge　you；　or　the　baroness　either。　I　am　a　sword　for　hire；　here　or　elsewhere　in　the　world。　At　the　moment　En　Mallin　de　Baude　is　paying　me　to　guard　this　stairway。　Will　it　please　you　to　turn　and　go　down；　my　lord；　before　matters　bee　unpleasant　here？〃
　　〃Go　down？〃　Bertran　said；　gesturing　with　the　candle；　〃and　waste　an　hour's　fussing　with　my　appearance　and　several　days　of　anticipating　what　might　happen　tonight？　I'm　too　old　to　be　excited　by　temptation　and　then　meekly　turn　away。　You're　too　young　to　understand　that；　I　suppose。　But　I　daresay　you　do　have　your　own　lessons　to　learn；　or　perhaps　to　remember。　Hear　me；　Northerner：　a　man　can　be　forestalled　in　matters　such　as　this；　even　I　can　be；　whatever　you　might　have　heard　to　the　contrary；　but　a　woman　of　spirit　will　do　what　she　wants　to　do；　even　in　Gorhaut；　and　most　especially　in　Arbonne。〃　He　lifted　the　candle　higher　as　he　spoke；　sending　an　orange　glow　spinning　out　to　illuminate　both　of　them。
　　Blaise　registered　the　fact　of　that　quite　effective　light　an　instant　before　he　heard　a　rustle　of　clothing　close　behind　him。　He　was　turning　belatedly；　and　opening　his　mouth　to　cry　out；　when　the　blow　cracked　him　on　the　side　of　the　temple；　hard　enough　to　make　him　stagger　back　against　the　window　seat；　momentarily　dazed。　And　a　moment；　of　course；　was　more　than　enough　for　Bertran　de　Talair　to　spring　up　the　three　steps　between　them；　a　dagger　reversed　in　one　hand；　the　candle　uplifted　in　the　other。
　　〃It　is　difficult；〃　said　the　duke　close　to　Blaise's　ear；　〃extremely　difficult；　to　protect　those　who　prefer　not　to　be　protected。　A　lesson；　Northerner。〃　He　was　wearing　a　perfume　of　some　kind；　and　his　breath　was　scented　with　mint。　Through　unfocused　eyes　and　a　wave　of　dizziness；　Blaise　caught　a　glimpse　beyond　him　of　a　woman　on　the　stairs。　Her　long　yellow　hair　was　unbound；　tumbling　down　her　back。　Her　night　robe　was　of　silk；　and　by　the　light　of　the　candle　and　of　the　moon　in　the　archers'　window　Blaise　saw　that　it　was　white　as　a　bride's；　an　icon　of　innocence。　That　was　all　he　managed　to　register；　he　had　no　chance　for　more；　to　move　or　cry　out　again；　before　Bertran　de　Talair's　dagger　haft　rapped；　in　a　neat；　hard；　precisely　judged　blow；　against　the　back　of　his　skull　and　Blaise　lost　all　consciousness　of　moonlight　or　icons　or　pain。
　　When　he　awoke；　he　was　lying　on　the　stone　floor　of　the　window　niche；　slumped　back　against　one　of　the　benches。　With　a　groan　he　turned　to　look　out。　Pale　Vidonne；　waning　from　full；　was　high　in　the　window　now；　lending　her　silver　light　to　the　night　sky。　The　clouds　had　passed；　he　could　see　faint　stars　around　the　moon。
　　He　brought　up　a　hand　and　gingerly　touched　his　head。　He　would　have　a　corfe　egg　of　his　own　on　the　back　of　his　skull　for　some　days　to　e；　and　a　nasty　bruise　above　the　hairline　over　his　right　ear　as　well。　He　moaned　again；　and　in　the　same　instant　realized　that　he　was　not　alone。
　　〃The　seguignac　is　on　the　seat　just　above　you；〃　said　Bertran　de　Talair　quietly。　〃Be　careful；　I've　left　the　flask　open。〃
　　The　duke　was　sitting　on　the　other　side　of　the　stairwell；　leaning　back　against　the　inner　wall　at　the　same　level　as　Blaise。　The　moonlight　pouring　in　through　the　window　fell　upon　his　disheveled　garments　and　the　tousled　disarray　of　his　hair。　The　blue　eyes　were　as　clear　as　ever；　but　Bertran　looked　older　now。　There　were　lines　Blaise　couldn't　remember　seeing　before　at　the　corners　of　his　eyes；　and　dark　circles　beneath　them。
　　He　couldn't　think　of　anything　to　say　or　do　so　he　reached　upwards…carefully；　as　advised…and　found　the　flask。　The　seguignac　slipped　down　his　throat　like　distilled；　reviving　fire；　Blaise　imagined　he　could　feel　it　reaching　out　to　his　extremities；　restoring　life　to　arms　and　legs；　fingers　and　toes。　His　head　ached　ferociously；　though。　Stretching　cautiously…it　hurt　to　move…he　reached　across　the　stairway　and　handed　the　flask　to　the　duke。　Bertran　took　it　without　speaking　and　drank。
　　It　was　silent　then　on　the　stairs。　Blaise；　fighting　off　the　miasma　of　two　blows　to　the　head；　tried　to　make　himself　think　clearly。　He　could；　of　course；　shout　now　and　raise　an　alarm。　Mallin　himself；　from　his　own　room　down　the　hall　from　Soresina's；　would　likely　be　the　first　man　to　reach　them　here。
　　With　what　consequences？
　　Blaise　sighed　and　accepted　the　return　passing　of　the　seguignac　from　the　duke。　The　flask　gleamed　palely　in　the　moonlight；　there　were　intricate　designs　upon　it