ggk.asongforarbonne-第73部分

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t　one　had　ended　with　Ranald's　younger　brother　storming　out　of　the　room　and　the　castle　swearing　never　to　return　to　Gorhaut　while　that　treaty　stood。　Thinking　back　to　that　night；　Ranald　suddenly　had　an　image　of　his　wife　crying　silently　in　her　seat　by　the　fire　while　the　three　of　them　screamed　at　each　other。
　　〃You　are　rejecting　her。　A　most　natural　reaction；〃　his　father　says　now；　hands　fortably　across　his　ample　belly。　He　has　gained　weight；　Ranald　decides　sourly。　It　goes　with　the　increased　power。　〃Indeed；　a　better　man　would　already　have　made　arrangements　to　have　her　killed。　Shall　I　do　that　for　you？〃
　　〃The　way　you　arranged　for　the　duke　of　Talair？　Thank　you；　but　no。　You　aren't　very　efficient；　father。〃　He　can　still　trade　barbs；　to　a　point；　but　this　subject　makes　Ranald　uneasy。　Truth　is；　he　doesn't　like　the　idea　of　Rosala　dead。　He　doesn't　want　her　back…that　much　is　clear　in　his　own　mind…but　that　doesn't　mean　she　has　to　be　executed　for　reacting　urgently　to　some　threat　by　his　father。　He　adds；　〃We　trivialize　ourselves　if　we　pursue　her　in　that　way。〃
　　Galbert　blinks；　as　if　surprised。　He　probably　is；　his　older　son　thinks。　It　isn't　often　that　Ranald　shows　up　for　encounters　in　a　state　of　such　lucidity。　He　feels　a　tired　self…contempt　rising　again。　His　father　says；　〃You　would　let　her　go；　then？　And　have　the　world　laugh　at　you。〃　Galbert　uses　the　dismissive；　flicking　gesture　Ranald　has　always　hated。　〃Well；　so　much　is　your　own　affair。　I　cannot　play　the　man　for　you　forever。　You　will　concede；〃　he　continues；　in　a　tone　of　exaggerated　civility；　〃that　there　is　an　issue　regarding　the　child？〃
　　There　is；　of　course。　Though；　in　fact；　Ranald　has　e　to　realize　during　the　course　of　the　morning　that　he　is　ambivalent　about　that；　too。　He　is；　he　has　long　ago　decided；　an　ambivalent　man。　Life　was　so　much　simpler　in　the　days　when；　as　King　Duergar's　appointed　champion；　all　he　had　to　do　was　unhorse　and　defeat　whomever　they　sent　against　him。　He'd　been　good　at　that　ten　years　ago；　he'd　been　extremely　good。　He　is　less　good　at　thinking　through　something　like　this。　But　if　Rosala　cares　so　much　that　she　would　risk　death　and　accept　exile　to　keep　a　child　from　Galbert's　hands；　well；　Ranald；　to　be　absolutely　truthful；　can　understand　such　a　feeling。　The　problem　is；　he　can't　give　way　to　it。　He　is　the　duke　of　Garsenc；　first　among　the　nobility　of　Gorhaut；　his　father；　who　ought　to　have　bee　duke　himself　when　Ereibert　his　brother　died　childless；　is　High　Elder　of　Corannos　instead；　with　even　more　power　accruing　from　that。　Rosala's　child…Ranald's　child…is　a　pawn　in　an　enormous　game　of　power。
　　〃If　it　is　a　boy；〃　Ranald　says　quietly；　〃we　take　him　back。　I　will　offer　her　her　life　and　her　freedom　to　go　where　she　will；　but　she　gives　back　the　babe…if　it　is　a　boy。　If　it　is　a　girl　child　I　truly　do　not　care。　Let　them　go。　The　king　will　free　me　to　remarry。　As　soon　as　tomorrow；　if　I　ask　him。　I'll　beget　other　children。　If　only　to　make　you　happy；　father。〃　He　smiles　bitterly　again。　〃Will　you　want　all　of　them　for　your　designs；　or　just　a　few？〃
　　Galbert　ignores　that。　〃You　say　we　should　take　a　boy　child　back。　Why　should　you　imagine　that　Rosala　would　consent　to　such　a　thing；　if　that　is　why　she　fled　in　the　first　instance？〃　His　voice；　too；　is　low。　He　won't　want　this　conversation　bruited　about　either。
　　Ranald　shrugs。　〃She　too　can　have　other　children。　For　a　life　of　freedom　from　us　she　might　be　willing　to　do　this。〃
　　〃And　if　not？〃　his　father　pursues；　dangerously　calm。　〃If　she　is　not　willing？〃
　　Belatedly　Ranald　sees　where　this　is　going。　It　is　going　where　almost　everything　Galbert　de　Garsenc　has　touched　of　late　seems　to　go。　He　rises　from　his　chair；　suddenly　agitated。
　　〃Did　you　do　this　deliberately？〃　he　snaps。　〃Did　you　goad　her　into　flight　purposely？　To　create　this　situation？〃
　　Galbert　smiles　placently；　his　eyes　crinkling；　almost　disappearing　into　the　folds　of　his　skin。　〃What　do　you　think？　Of　course　I　did；〃　he　murmurs。
　　〃You　are　lying；　aren't　you。〃　Ranald　feels　his　hands　forming　into　fists　at　his　sides…his　father's　own　gestures；　he　has　tried　and　failed　to　break　himself　of　it。　〃The　truth　is　she　goaded　you　and　you　spat　out　something　you　didn't　mean　to　say。〃
　　His　father　shakes　his　head　slowly　back　and　forth；　his　jowls　waggling　with　the　motion。　〃Don't　be　pletely　the　fool；　Ranald。　Why　do　you　think　I　went　to　see　her　at　Garsenc　in　the　first　place？　Why　would　I　want　a　baby？　What　would　I　do　with　an　infant？　You　seem　sober　this　morning。　Seize　the　opportunity：　think。　It　will　be　in　your　own　interests；　incidentally…whatever　you　might　privately　imagine…to　confirm　my　version　of　the　story。　I　cannot　conceive　of　events　falling　out　better　for　our　purposes。〃
　　〃Our　purposes？　Your　own；　you　mean。　You　will　now　make　war　on　Arbonne　to　bring　back　the　child。〃　It　is　just　barely　possible　that　his　father　is　telling　the　truth；　that　this　entire　escapade　of　Rosala's　flight　was　cunningly　engineered。　It　is　the　way　he　deals　with　people；　the　way　he　has　proceeded　all　his　life。
　　With　a　crash　that　shatters　the　stillness　the　largest　door　to　the　room　bangs　open　and　thuds　against　the　stone　wall。　Father　and　son　wheel　swiftly。　Massive　in　the　doorway；　beard　and　hair　dripping　with　perspiration；　blood　and　grass　stains　on　his　broad　shoulders　and　chest；　mud　spattering　breeches　and　boots；　King　Ademar　of　Gorhaut　throws　his　riding　whip　down　on　the　stone　floor　and　snarls；　〃I　want　her　back！　You　hear　me；　Galbert？　I　want　her　back　here　immediately！〃　His　face　is　a　vivid　red；　his　pale　eyes　are　glassy　with　rage。
　　〃Of　course；　my　liege；〃　says　the　High　Elder　soothingly；　recovering　his　poise　with　speed。　〃Of　course　you　do。　You　are　conscious　of　the　insult　to　our　family　and　seek　to　help　us　respond。　We　are　profoundly　grateful。　Indeed；　my　son　and　I　were　just　discussing　how　next　to　proceed。〃
　　〃Proceed　however　you　must！　I　want　her　back！〃　Ademar　says　again；　running　a　gloved　hand　through　his　hair。
　　〃And　the　child；　too；　of　course。〃　Galbert　murmurs。　〃The　child　is　so　very　important。〃
　　His　deep；　calming　tones　seem　finally　to　take　effect。　The　king　of　Gorhaut　takes　a　breath　and　shakes　his　head　as　if　to　clear　it。　He　says；　a　little　more　lucidly；　〃Of　course。　The　child　too。　Very　important。　Heir　to　Garsenc；　if　it's　a　boy。　Of　course。〃　He　looks　at　Ranald　for　the　first　time　and　his　eyes　flick　away。
　　〃If　they　keep　a　boy　child　from　us；〃　Galbert　de　Garsenc　says　then；　still　in　the　quiet；　assuaging　voice；　〃the　world　can　scarcely　dispute　our　right　to　go　after　him。〃
　　Ademar　bends　suddenly　and　picks　up　his　whip。　He　strikes　it　sharply　against　his　own　leg。　〃Right。　You　do　it。　Gotzland；　Arimonda；　the　Portezzans　。。。　explain　it；　make　it　all　sound　right；　whatever　you　need　to　do。　But　I　want　her　back。〃
　　He　spins　on　his　heel；　not　even　looking　at　Ranald　a　second　time；　and　strides　heavily　from　the　room。　Behind　him；　expressionlessly；　a　servant　reaches　in　and　swings　the　heavy　door　closed；　leaving　the　two　Garsenc　men　alone　again。
　　Registering　his　elder　son's　expression；　Galbert　begins；　quietly；　to　laugh。　〃Ah；　well；〃　he　says；　not　bothering　to　hide　his　amusement；　his　jowls　shaking；　〃you　have　just　made　a　discovery。　It　seems　that　someone　here　at　least　desires　the　return　of　your　lady　wife。　I　do　wonder　why。〃
　　Ranald　turns　away。　He　feels　sick　to　his　stomach　and　he　needs　a　drink。　The　memory　of　the　king；　huge　and　wrathful　in　the　doorway；　seems　imprinted　on　his　brain。　He　can't　shake　free　of　the　image。　He　wonders　where　his　own　rage　is；　where　his　capacity　for　such　feelings　seems　to　have　gone　over　the　years。
　　〃It　all　works　out　so　neatly　for　you；　doesn't　it？〃　he　says　quietly；　looking　out　the　window　now　on　the　inner　courtyard　of　the　palace。　Ademar's　corans　are　dismounting　there　in　the　bright　sunlight；　displaying　the　bloody　trophies　of　their　hunt。
　　〃If　they　shelter　the　wife　and　heir　of　Garsenc；〃　his　father　says　peacefully；　in　the　deep；　sonorous　voice；　〃they　must　not　imagine　they　can　do　so　with　impunity。　In　the　eyes　of　the　world　we　will　have　the　cause　we　need。〃
　　〃And　if　they　do　surrender　them？〃　Ranald　turns　back　from　the　window。　He　is　wondering　how　long　King　Ademar　has　been　coveting　his　wife。　He　wonders　how　he　has　never　noticed　it　before。　He　wonders；　finally；　if　his　father　has　been　quietly　guiding　that　desire。　Another　tool；　another　instrument　of　policy。　He