ggk.asongforarbonne-第72部分

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ore　being　as　frank　as　I　have　been。　Why　are　you　here；　Garsenc？　Why　are　you　not　at　Ademar's　court　in　Cortil　anticipating　the　glory　of　this　conquest　your　father　and　king　have　set　in　motion？　There　might　even　be　land　for　you。　Younger　sons　always　want　land；　don't　they？　We　have　spoken　of　love　of　country…where　then　is　yours；　de　Garsenc？〃
　　Blaise　had　been　waiting　for　that：　it　was　the　next　foreknown　speech；　the　next　move　in　the　game　being　played。　He　wondered　if　Bertran　had　prepared　this；　if　he　had　seen　it　ing　or　even　steered　them　towards　this　moment。　It　didn't　really　matter。　The　moment　was　upon　them。　He　said；　〃Because　I　have　set　myself　squarely　against　Ademar　of　Gorhaut。　Because　I　think　he　is　weak　and　unworthy　of　allegiance。　Because　it　is　my　belief　that　he　dispossessed　and　betrayed　the　people　of　my　country　with　the　Treaty　of　Iersen　Bridge。　Because　the　Gorhaut　I　love　is　the　holy　land　where　Corannos　the　god　of　the　Ancients　first　came　among　the　six　countries　we　know；　and　the　earliest　corans　swore　their　oaths　to　serve　the　god　and　their　fellow　men　and　walk　a　path　of　righteousness。　Because　the　invasion　of　Arbonne　would　be　a　final　straying　from　that　path　in　pursuit　of　a　dominion　that　could　never；　in　the　end；　be　preserved。　Because　my　father　knows　that。　He　does　not　want　to　rule　in　Arbonne；　he　wants　to　put　it　to　the　fire。　Because　he　has　long　ago　lost　whatever　true　munion　with　the　god　he　ever　had。〃
　　He　drew　a　needful　breath　to　check　this　rush　of　words　spilling　out　of　him　like　a　river　in　flood　over　a　dam　that　has　been　breached。　And　he　said　the　last　thing　then；　made　the　next　move　in　the　game；　chose：
　　〃And　because　before　the　Lussan　Fair　is　ended　I　will　have　named　myself　claimant　to　the　crown　of　Gorhaut；　to　see　if　there　are　men　of　honour　in　my　country…and　elsewhere…who　will　rally　to　my　name　and　this　cause。〃
　　He　heard　Rudel　suck　in　his　breath　sharply。　At　least　he'd　surprised　his　friend；　Blaise　thought。　If　he　did　nothing　else　at　all；　he　seemed　to　have　succeeded　in　astonishing　the　unflappable　scion　of　the　House　of　Correze。
　　And　the　king　of　Valensa；　too；　he　now　saw。　Daufridi's　hands　went　to　the　arms　of　his　chair　and　gripped　there。　He　pushed　for　a　moment；　as　if　to　lever　himself　to　his　feet；　but　then；　with　a　visible　effort；　remained　where　he　was。
　　It　was　silent　in　the　room　then。　The　only　sound　was　the　crackle　of　the　fire　and　the　strained　breathing　of　four　men。　From　outside；　where　the　corans　of　the　king　were　being　entertained　by　Bertran's　men；　they　heard　a　sudden　loud　burst　of　laughter。
　　〃Ah；　well；〃　said　Daufridi　of　Valensa　at　length；　very　softly。　〃Ah；　well　now。　It　seems　we　do　have　some　things　to　talk　about　after　all。〃
　　Blaise　felt　light…headed；　almost　numb。　He　reached　for　his　wine　and　drank。　The　motion　itself　seemed　odd；　unnaturally　slow。　He　felt　as　if　the　owl　should　be　in　the　room　with　them；　Beatritz　de　Barbentain's　white　owl；　settling　on　his　shoulder　again　to　mark　him　as　a　fool；　or　whatever　else　he　was。
　　
　　CHAPTER　12
　　〃I　hope　you　realize　I　do　not　want　her　back；〃　Ranald　de　Garsenc　says；　glaring　at　the　man　on　the　far　side　of　the　room。　He　has　expected　this　encounter；　and　has　prepared　himself；　as　much　as　he　ever　can　be　prepared　for　dealing　with　his　father。　The　news　of　Rosala's　flight　to　Arbonne；　brought　by　two　stammering；　exhausted　corans；　was　a　shock　but　not；　Ranald　has　e　to　realize　during　the　course　of　the　day；　as　much　of　one　as　might　perhaps　have　been　expected。
　　When　he　had　learned…during　this　morning's　earlier；　furious　discussion…about　Galbert's　visit　to　Garsenc　and　his　claiming　of　the　child；　Ranald　had　laughed　bitterly　in　his　father's　face。
　　〃You　did　this；　then；〃　he'd　said。　〃Not　I；　not　anyone　else。　Your　own　folly；　father。　She　angered　you；　didn't　she？　You　had　to　say　something；　to　put　her　in　her　place。〃　Galbert　had　scowled　furiously；　clenching　and　unclenching　his　big　hands。
　　〃That　is　exactly　what　happened；　isn't　it？〃　Ranald　had　gone　on。　〃You　are　the　fool　and　the　weakling；　father。　You　lashed　out　in　the　heat　of　the　moment。　You　had　to　tell　her；　didn't　you；　to　see　if　you　could　get　a　reaction。　You　should　have　known　better　than　to　threaten　to　take　her　child。〃
　　〃Threaten？　Her　child？〃　Galbert　had　made　sure　the　instrument　of　his　deep　voice　carried　all　possible　nuances　of　contempt。　〃Is　that　how　you　see　it？　Not　your　own　child？　Not　ours？　Are　you　truly　so　feeble？　I　am　shamed　by　you　in　the　eyes　of　the　god　and　all　men。〃
　　There　had　been　a　servant　in　the　room；　and　almost　certainly　men　listening　on　the　outside　of　each　of　the　three　doors　to　the　chamber　where　they'd　been。　King　Ademar's　palace　in　Cortil　was　not　the　place　for　private　discussions。　Flushing；　feeling　suddenly　defensive；　Ranald　had　said；　〃We　will　talk　later；　when　you　have　calmed　your　choler。　It　is　clear　you　are　in　no　condition　to　be　spoken　with　now。　I　will　await　you　here　at　midday；　father。　Until　then。〃
　　He'd　stalked　quickly　out　of　the　room　before　Galbert　could　reply。　A　coran　in　the　antechamber　barely　had　time　to　be　busy　at　the　window。　Ranald　had　ignored　him。　In　fact　he　had　been　guardedly　pleased　with　himself　for　that　exit　until；　alone　in　his　own　rooms　in　the　palace；　he'd　begun　thinking　more　carefully　through　the　implications　of　what　his　wife　had　done。
　　He'd　sent　a　servant　for　ale　and　sat　in　a　chair　by　the　window　looking　out　over　a　landscape　where　the　sun　was　trying　to　break　free　of　windblown　autumn　clouds。　The　king　was　hunting　that　morning。　Someone　had　probably　ridden　out　already　to　tell　him　the　news；　at　Ademar's　court　ambitious　men　fell　over　each　other　to　be　the　first　to　bring　him　tidings；　particularly　tidings　damaging　to　the　de　Garsenc　family。　Galbert　was　seen　as　too　powerful；　Ranald　knew。　He　probably　was　too　powerful。　Their　family　had　blood　as　royal　as　Ademar's　if　one　went　back　only　two　generations；　and　the　High　Elder　was　now　first　of　all　the　king's　advisers。　Not　much　need　to　wonder　why　they　were　feared。　There　were　those　at　court…and　not　a　few　of　them…who　would　exult　in　Rosala's　flight　and　their　own　disfiture。
　　The　servant　had　e　back　with　a　pitcher　of　beer　and　Ranald　had　gratefully　drained　his　first　flagon　of　the　day。　He'd　stretched　out　his　legs　and　closed　his　eyes。　There　was　no　fort　waiting　for　him　though。　His　wife　had　lied　to　him　in　her　last　letter；　had　fled；　carrying　her　child。　His　child。　Had　already　given　birth；　it　now　appeared；　in　Arbonne。　The　corans　who'd　brought　the　tidings；　riding　north　through　the　pass　at　horse…killing　speed　for　two　nights　and　a　day；　hadn't　known　if　it　was　a　boy　or　a　girl。　That　mattered；　of　course；　quite　a　lot。　Ranald　had　found　it　hard　to　weigh　political　implications　that　morning　though。　He　wasn't　very　good　at　it；　for　one　thing。　He　would　have　preferred　to　be　hunting　with　the　king　just　then。　In　fact；　what　he　really　would　have　preferred　was　to　be　back　at　Garsenc；　riding　with　his　own　men　in　his　own　forest。　Slumped　back；　eyes　closed；　in　that　chair；　he'd　tried　to　picture　Rosala　with　a　babe。　He　had　even　tried；　briefly；　to　imagine　himself　with　one。　He'd　opened　his　eyes　and　filled　his　flagon　from　the　pitcher　on　the　table　by　his　elbow。
　　He'd　allowed　himself　no　more。　He　would　be　meeting　his　father　again　at　midday。　It　was　necessary　to　be　sober　for　such　meetings；　as　he　had　learned；　at　a　cost；　over　the　years。
　　
　　〃I　do　not　want　her　back；〃　he　repeats。　It　is　noon；　the　clouds　are　gone　and　the　sun　is　high　in　a　pale　sky；　shining　through　the　western　windows。　Ranald　tries　to　keep　his　voice　calm。　He　even　moves　nearer　to　his　father　so　they　can　speak　more　softly。　The　servants　have　been　dismissed　this　time。　Ranald　doesn't　want　this　discussion　to　be　mon　knowledge　through　the　palace…or　all　of　Gorhaut；　for　that　matter。
　　Galbert　is　quieter　as　well　now；　Ranald　sees。　In　fact　the　High　Elder　appears　to　be　dangerously　posed。　Before　answering；　he　deliberately　selects　a　chair　and　settles　his　bulk　in　it。　He　has　changed　his　clothing：　he　is　in　the　blue　robes　of　Corannos　now。　Blaise；　before　he　left；　used　to　refuse　to　talk　to　their　father　when　he　wore　the　robes　of　the　god。　He'd　called　them　a　desecration　once。　That　had　been　the　last　time　they'd　seen　Blaise；　actually；　at　the　peak　of　yet　another　raging　argument　about　the　Treaty　of　Iersen　Bridge。　That　one　had　ended　with　Ranald's　younger　brother　storming　out　of　the　room　and　the　castle　swearing　never