ggk.asongforarbonne-第78部分

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garro。〃
　　〃Ah；〃　she　said；　stopping　now　to　look　directly　at　him。　Her　skin　was　pale；　flawless；　it　was　still　a　shock　sometimes　to　realize　how　young　she　was。　〃But　you　would　have　wanted　to　refuse；　wouldn't　you；　my　dear？　You　would　have　stayed　only　against　your　better　judgment；　tangled　in　my　dark　toils　。。。　is　that　not　how　it　would　have　been；　Blaise？〃
　　He　swallowed　with　difficulty。　She　was　her　father's　daughter；　the　subtlest　woman　he　had　ever　known。　She　was　also　dancing　the　knife　upwards　now；　along　the　inside　of　his　thigh。　〃I　need　a　drink；　Lucianna；〃　he　said。
　　〃I　know　what　you　need。　Answer　my　question。〃
　　Blaise　turned　his　head　away；　and　then　back；　to　look　her　full　in　the　eyes。　〃As　it　happens；　you　are　wrong。　I　was　even　more　innocent　than　you　knew。　Rudel　tried　to　warn　me…I　didn't　want　to　listen。　I　thought；　if　you　can　believe　it；　that　you　were　only　the　way　you　were　because　your　father　had　forced　you　to　be　his　tool；　an　instrument　of　policy。　I　thought　you　could　still　love　truly　if　you　made　a　free　choice；　and　I　thought　you　might　actually　give　that　love　to　me。〃　He　felt　the　bitterness　beginning　to　e　back；　step　by　step；　mingled；　as　ever；　with　desire。　〃I　was　even　more　a　fool　than　I　might　have　appeared。〃
　　It　occurred　to　him；　incongruously；　even　as　he　was　speaking；　that　Ariane　de　Carenzu　had　said　something　very　like　this　to　him　in　a　different　bed　in　summer；　about　choices　and　the　paths　of　love。　It　also　occurred　to　him；　belatedly；　that　there　was　something　more　than　a　little　absurd　about　this　exchange；　he　had　been　brought　here　to　die。　He　wondered　where　her　husband　was。　Borsiard　d'Andoria　was　probably　waiting　for　her　outside　the　city　walls。　It　had　been　the　corans　of　Miraval　who　had　brought　him　here；　though；　a　strange　union　this　one　had　turned　out　to　be。　When　one's　enemies　take　counsel　together；　the　proverb　ran　in　Gorhaut；　one　wants　the　wings　of　a　bird　to　fly；　or　the　strength　of　lions　to　fight。　He　had　neither　at　the　moment。　He　was　bound　and　helpless；　head　ringing　like　a　temple　bell；　on　Lucianna's　bed。
　　〃Do　what　you　want；〃　he　said　tiredly　as　she　remained　motionless；　saying　nothing。　Her　dark　eyes；　shadings　carefully　applied　above　and　below；　were　wide　but　unreadable。　The　pupils　were　larger　than　they　should　have　been。　She　had　taken　her　drugs；　he　realized。　They　heightened　her　pleasures。　He　wondered　if　she　used　them　all　the　time　now。　He　wondered　how　any　mortal　woman　could　possibly　be　so　beautiful。
　　He　tried　once　more　to　swallow。　〃I　would　have　thought　the　honour　of　your　family；　if　nothing　else；　would　preclude　torturing　a　man　who　never　did　or　meant　you　harm。〃　I　sound　like　a　lawyer　making　a　plea；　he　thought　sourly。　〃If　you　must　kill　me；　for　your　own　reasons　or　your　husband's；　then　have　done　with　it；　Lucianna。〃　He　closed　his　eyes　again。
　　〃You　really　aren't　in　a　position　to　make　requests；　are　you；　Blaise？〃　Her　tone　had　sharpened。　〃Or　to　ment　unpleasantly　on　either　my　father's　or　my　husband's　courses　of　action。〃　He　felt　the　knife　point　in　his　thigh。　He　refused　to　react。　He　kept　his　eyes　closed；　it　seemed　to　be　his　only　option　of　denial。　That；　and　silence。　Once；　in　Mignano；　she　had　known　he　was　displeased　about　something　she　had　said　at　a　banquet。　Her　woman　had　e　to　lead　him　to　her　chambers　much　later　than　usual　that　night。　When　they　arrived；　he　had　seen　why。　There　had　been　easily　a　hundred　candles　of　different　shapes　and　sizes　burning　around　the　bed　where　Lucianna　had　lain；　naked　in　the　flicker　and　dance　of　all　that　light　like　an　offering　in　some　temple　of　dead　and　forgotten　gods。　She　had　been　bound；　wrist　and　ankle；　as　he　was　now。　She　had　waited　for　the　woman　to　leave　that　night　and　had　said；　〃You　are　unhappy。　You　have　no　cause　to　be。　Do　with　me　as　you　will。〃　It　had　not　been；　he　remembered　noting　even　at　the　time；　an　apology。　She　was　not　a　woman　who　apologized。　Her　body　had　glistened　and　shimmered　with　oil　as　she　twisted　slowly　to　left　and　right　in　the　blaze　of　the　candles；　not　smiling；　her　eyes　enormous。　Blaise　had　stood　above　the　bed；　looking　down　upon　her　for　a　long　time。　Slowly　he　had　removed　his　own　clothing　as　she　lay　bound　beneath　him　in　a　dazzle　of　light；　watching　。。。　and　then　he　had　untied　all　the　knots　that　bound　her　before　lowering　himself　to　the　bed。
　　Lucianna　had　laughed；　he　remembered。　He　had　thought　then　it　might　be　from　a　certain　kind　of　relief。　Now；　living　the　moment　again；　he　heard　that　laughter　differently；　as　genuine　amusement　at　his　innocence：　a　war…trained　Gorhaut　coran　in　decadent　Portezza；　coupling　with　the　least　innocent　woman　in　the　world。　Young　as　she　was；　Lucianna　seemed　never　to　have　been　young。　The　bitterness　was　in　him　again；　there　might　always　be　that　bitterness。　Bertran　de　Talair；　he　thought　suddenly；　had　never　managed　to　move　past　what　had　happened　to　him　in　love　when　he　was　young。
　　She　was　silent　still。　Blaise　kept　his　head　averted；　his　eyes　closed。　He　felt　the　knife　blade　withdraw　and　a　moment　later　heard　Lucianna　say；　〃I　thought；　back　then　。。。　I　remember　thinking　towards　the　end　of　that　summer；　before　Engarro　was　killed　。。。　that　I　had　met　you　too　late。〃　An　odd　note　in　her　voice。　But　that　was　not　what　finally　caused　Blaise　to　open　his　eyes。　He　had　heard　another　sound；　from　the　far　end　of　the　room；　and　felt　the　faintest　thread　of　a　draft　across　his　skin。
　　When　he　looked　up；　Lucianna　was　turned　away　from　him　towards　the　door；　and　following　her　glance　Blaise　saw　Quzman　of　Arimonda　standing　there；　white　teeth　bared　in　a　luxurious　smile；　a　blade　in　his　hand；　long　as　a　small　sword。
　　Lucianna　glanced　over　and　down　at　Blaise　for　an　instant；　her　eyes　wide　and　black　with　the　drug；　then　she　turned　her　back　on　him　entirely　and　moved　towards　the　fire；　leaving　only　empty　space　between　Blaise　and　the　Arimondan　who　had　e　to　end　his　life。　It　had　indeed　been　corans　of　Miraval　who　had　brought　him　here；　the　last　piece　of　the　puzzle　fell　into　place。
　　〃Staked　out　like　a　horse　thief；〃　said　Quzman　with　relish。　〃Were　this　Arimonda　I　would　have　him　in　the　desert　beside　a　hive　of　blood　ants；　and　I　would　pour　honey　myself　over　his　private　parts　and　eyes　and　leave　him　there。〃　Lucianna　said　nothing。　She　was　gazing　into　the　depths　of　the　fire。
　　〃How　fortunate　for　me　that　this　is　not　Arimonda；〃　said　Blaise　stonily。　He　was　not　going　to　give　this　man　any　more　satisfaction　than　the　fact　of　his　death　would　offer。　〃Land　of　cowards　and　incestuous　catamites。〃
　　The　Arimondan's　smile　never　altered。　〃You　are　foolish；〃　he　said。　〃You　should　not　be　goading　me。　Not　with　your　sex　easy　to　my　blade。　Your　life　ends　here。　My　brother's　ghost　is　hungry　for　your　shade　in　the　afterworld　and　it　is　in　my　hands　whether　your　passage　to　the　god　is　easy　or　very　hard。〃
　　〃No　it　isn't；〃　said　Lucianna　quietly；　her　back　to　both　of　them。　〃Do　what　you　came　to　do；　but　quickly。〃
　　〃What　I　came　to　do？　I　came　for　an　execution；〃　said　the　Arimondan；　the　smile　deepening。　〃And　perhaps　for　some　pleasure　upon　his　body　when　he　is　dead。〃
　　〃You　presume　too　greatly；〃　said　Lucianna；　still　not　turning　from　the　fire。　Her　voice　was　toneless；　very　low。　The　Arimondan　laughed　and　moved　towards　the　bed。
　　〃A　severe　penalty　it　does　seem；〃　said　Blaise　to　Lucianna；　dragging　his　eyes　away　from　the　man　with　the　blade　towards　the　woman　who　had　taught　him　all　he　knew　about　certain　dimensions　of　joy　and　pain；　〃for　having　met　you　too　late。　I　do　hope　this　pleases　your　new　husband；　and　perhaps　even　the　next　one。〃
　　She　made　a　small　sound；　he　thought　it　might　be　a　kind　of　laugh。　He　didn't　have　time　to　decide；　though；　because　just　then；　as　he　turned　back　to　face　his　death　the　way　a　man　does；　with　dignity　and　an　acceptance　of　the　infinite；　eternal　power　of　the　god；　the　door　opened　again　and；　with　utter　stupefaction；　Blaise　saw　his　brother's　wife　step　into　the　room　behind　the　Arimondan。
　　〃If　you　use　that　blade；〃　he　heard　Rosala　announce　in　her　crispest　voice；　〃I　swear　by　holy　Corannos　I　will　have　you　brought　into　the　presence　of　the　countess　of　Arbonne　before　this　night　is　over；　and　I　will　not　rest　until　you　are　both　dealt　with　for　breaching　a　truce　with　murder。〃
　　And　then；　with　that　spoken；　as　her　own　fierce　inner　momentum　seemed　to　slow；　all　three　of　them　staring　at　her；　she　registered　for　the　first　time…he　actually　saw　it　happen…who　was　lying　on　the　be