ggk.asongforarbonne-第80部分

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wn　past。　All　that　was　needed　now…
　　〃The　countess　of　Arbonne　has　e；〃　said　Imera。　Of　course；　thought　Blaise；　tenderly　probing　the　blood…encrusted　lump　on　the　back　of　his　skull；　preparing　to　kneel。
　　He　was　not　really　surprised；　he　was　even　beginning　to　find　the　oddest　element　of　humour　in　all　of　this。　The　small；　elegant　figure　of　Signe　de　Barbentain　came　briskly　into　the　room；　dressed　in　pale　blue　trimmed　with　pearls。　She　was　followed…and　this　was　a　shock…by　the　bulky；　grim…faced　figure　of　Duke　Urté　de　Miraval。
　　〃My　lady！〃　exclaimed　Roban　as　they　all　sank　down　and　then　rose　from　their　obeisances。　〃I　thought　you　to　be　asleep。　I　did　not　want　to…〃
　　〃Asleep？〃　said　the　countess　of　Arbonne。　〃With　such　beautiful　music　below　and　treachery　above　stairs　in　our　palace？　I　have　only　the　duke　of　Miraval　to　thank　for　bringing　me　here　in　time　to　deal　with　this。　You　and　I；　Roban；　will　have　to　have　a　talk　in　the　morning。〃
　　〃But　countess；〃　began　the　chancellor；　a　little　too　earnestly；　〃it　is　the　duke　of　Miraval　himself　who…〃
　　〃Who　was　informed　by　an　Arimondan　in　his　employ　of　a　plot　by　the　wife　of　the　banned　Borsiard　d'Andoria；　a　second　attempt　against　the　life　of　our　dear　friend　from　Gorhaut。〃　Signe's　voice　and　manner　were　chillingly　austere。
　　〃Quzman；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　has　his　own　grievance　against　the　northerner；〃　Urté　added　smoothly。　〃So　deep　a　hatred　that　he　was　willing　to　breach　the　truce　of　the　fair　to　aid　the　lady　of　Andoria　in　her　corrupt　designs。　I　chose　to　allow　the　affair　to　proceed　a　certain　distance；　trusting　it　could　be　halted…and　thereby　exposing　the　Portezzan　evil　at　its　source。　I　am　pleased　to　see　that　this　has　happened。〃　He　was　staring　coldly　at　Lucianna。
　　Blaise　looked　over　at　Rudel　and　saw　his　friend　smiling　crookedly　back　at　him；　still　holding　a　cloth　to　the　side　of　his　head。　They　turned；　simultaneously；　to　the　chancellor　of　Arbonne。　Roban's　surprise　was　just　a　little　too　extreme　again。　This　is　a　clever　man；　thought　Blaise。　He　may　get　away　with　it；　after　all。　Massena　Delonghi；　he　noted；　had　paled　a　little　beneath　the　dark　tan；　but　he　too　was　smiling　slightly；　showing　a　master's　appreciation　for　the　neatness　of　what　was　happening。
　　As　if　on　cue　to　Blaise's　thought；　Roban　said；　〃But　countess；　there　was　no　Portezzan　plot。　The　gracious　lady　Lucianna　Delonghi　d'Andoria　was　acting　only　to　expose　this　selfsame　Arimondan。　She　personally　informed　me　of　his　designs　last　night。　She　only　pretended　to　accede　to　his　scheme　to　prevent　a　more　summary　murder　of　the　Gorhaut　coran。　It　seems　to　be　her　understanding　that；　ah　。。。　the　duke　of　Miraval　was　actively　involved　in　his　underling's　designs。〃
　　〃Evidently　a　faulty　understanding　on　my　part；〃　Lucianna　murmured　silkily　into　the　silence　that　followed　this。　〃One　for　which　I　must　surely　make　amends　to　the　duke　when　more　private　opportunity　allows。〃　She　smiled　at　Urté；　her　most　dazzling　smile。
　　〃My　dear　daughter　has　such　an　impulsive　nature；〃　Massena　Delonghi　added；　playing　out　the　game；　〃and　she　was　naturally　so　anxious　to　make　redress　for　her　。。。　equally　impulsive　husband's　earlier　transgression。〃　He　shrugged；　and　spread　his　hands。　〃It　seems　we　have　all　been　acting　in　good　faith　here。〃
　　〃Except　for　one　man；〃　said　Signe　de　Barbentain　icily。　She　was　looking　at　the　Arimondan。
　　Blaise　had　seen　it　before；　and　now　he　registered　it　again：　Quzman　of　Arimonda　was　neither　a　coward　nor　a　fool。　The　man　was　smiling；　ringed　about　with　steel　and　hostile　glances。
　　〃Ever　the　way　of　things；　is　it　not？〃　he　asked　quietly；　looking　directly　at　his　employer。　Duke　Urté；　stone…faced；　made　no　reply。　〃I　am　the　sacrifice　after　all；　not　the　man　who　murdered　my　brother。　I　do　wonder；　though；〃　he　said；　turning　with　bold　eyes　and　no　deference　at　all　to　the　countess　of　Arbonne；　〃how　I　am　presumed　to　have　used　ten　of　my　lord　of　Miraval's　corans　tonight　without　his　knowledge。〃
　　The　weak　link；　Blaise　thought；　racing　through　possibilities。　He's　going　to　take　Urté　down　with　him。　But　he'd　underestimated　the　Arbonnais　again。
　　〃That　is　a　matter　of　some　grief　to　me；〃　En　Urté　de　Miraval　said；　his　deep　voice　conveying　dimensions　of　regret。　〃I　chose　to　test　the　loyalty　and　prudence　of　my　corans；　electing　not　to　caution　them　about　Quzman's　designs　or　undermine　his　plot。　I　am　sorry　to　say　that　ten　of　them　did；　indeed；　succumb　to　his　undeniable　persuasiveness。　They　have　their　own　hatred　of　this　Gorhautian　coran；　arising　from　the　deaths　of　five　of　their　fellows　half　a　year　ago　in　a　most　unfortunate　incident。　They　agreed　to　assist　in　this　terrible　deed。〃
　　〃Then　these　men　too　must　surely　be　punished；〃　said　Massena　Delonghi　to　the　countess；　shaking　his　head　at　this　latest　revelation　of　the　world's　depredations；　the　evils　that　seemed　to　flourish　so　brazenly　in　the　midst　of　good　and　honest　men。
　　Quzman　of　Arimonda　was　still　smiling；　Blaise　saw…a　terrible　expression　now；　of　plete　understanding。
　　〃They　have　been　punished；〃　said　Urté　briefly。　〃They　are　dead。〃
　　And　so　the　chancellor　had　indeed　won；　after　all；　Blaise　realized。　Given　that　his　sole　purpose　here　would　have　been　to　control　the　reverberations　of　this；　to　keep　the　countess　from　having　to　deal　with　the　bitter　feud　between　Miraval　and　Talair　at　this　most　sensitive　juncture　in　Arbonne's　affairs；　he　had　almost　certainly　managed　to　do　so。　He　turned　to　Rudel　again　and　saw　wry　admiration　in　his　friend's　eyes　as　he　looked　towards　the　unassuming　chancellor　of　Arbonne。
　　Impulsively；　Blaise　turned　back　towards　the　door；　to　the　bench　were　Rosala　was　sitting；　and　read；　without　real　surprise；　an　identically　cynical　understanding　in　her　expression。　She　had　always　been　that　quick。　It　had　been　too　easy　to　see　her　only　as　a　woman　at　the　beginning；　the　selected　wife　of　his　older　brother…to　fail　to　realize　how　clever　she　really　was。　But　there　had　been　moments；　even　in　the　few；　brief　intervals　when　he　had　been　home；　when　Blaise　had　been　forced　to　remind　himself　whose　daughter　Rosala　was；　and　to　remember　that　any　child　of　Cadar　de　Savaric　would　know　more　than　a　thing　or　two　about　the　world's　affairs。　Thinking　so；　he　took　a　few　steps　towards　her。　Rosala　was　the　last；　in　a　real　sense　the　largest；　mystery　of　this　night。
　　It　was　with　a　renewed　surprise　that　he　saw　Signe　de　Barbentain　turn　as　well；　to　smile　at　Rosala　and　then　take　a　seat　beside　her　on　the　bench。　The　countess　of　Arbonne　took　his　sister…in…law's　hands　between　her　own。　〃You　thought　you　were　saving　a　life；　didn't　you？〃　she　asked。　Her　voice　was　low；　but　Blaise；　moving　nearer；　was　concentrating　now　on　the　two　of　them　and　he　heard。　Behind　him　the　chancellor　was　ordering　the　binding　of　the　Arimondan。
　　〃I　did　think　that；〃　he　heard　Rosala　say。　〃I　didn't　know　who　it　was。〃
　　〃Which　makes　it　a　braver　act；　my　dear。　How　is　Cadar？〃
　　Blaise　blinked；　and　suddenly　stopped　where　he　was。
　　Rosala　said；　〃Sleeping　down　the　hall；　with　his　nurse。〃　She　looked　up　at　Blaise　as　she　spoke　those　words；　her　clear　blue　eyes　on　his　from　across　the　room。
　　〃Then　why　don't　we　leave　these　untidy　affairs　and　go　look　in　on　your　baby？〃　Blaise　heard　the　countess　say。
　　〃I　would　like　that；〃　his　brother's　wife　murmured；　rising。　Blaise　realized　that　his　heart　was　pounding。　〃You　haven't　seen　him　since　the　morning；　have　you？〃
　　Signe　stood　up　as　well；　smiling。　〃But　I　have　been　thinking　of　him　all　day。　Shall　we　go？〃
　　Blaise　wasn't　quite　certain　how；　but　he　seemed　to　have　crossed　the　room　towards　the　two　of　them。　The　countess　looked　at　him；　her　elegant　features　posed。　He　was　staring　at　Rosala　though。　He　bent；　carefully；　and　saluted　her　on　both　cheeks。
　　〃My　lady；　this　is　a　great　surprise；〃　he　said　awkwardly；　feeling　himself　flush。　He　had　never　been　easy　with　her。　〃Am　I　understanding　correctly？　Have　you　had　a　child？　Have　you　had　a　child　here！？〃
　　Her　head　was　high；　her　handsome；　intelligent　features　betrayed　no　distress　at　all；　but　up　close　now　he　could　see　marks　of　weariness　and　strain。　She　had　burst　into　this　room；　even　so；　at　the　very　real　risk　of　her　own　life；　following　a　man　with　a　blade　to　save　whoever　it　might　have　been　who　was　in　danger　here。
　　She　said　gravely；　〃I　am　sorry　you　are　discovering　it　in　this　fashion。　I　was　told　you　were　here；　but　there　seemed　to　be　no　easy　way