tw.togreenangeltower2-第178部分

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still　hurts　fiercely。　But　I　had　my　hand　up。〃　He　extended　his　left　arm　and　the　tattered　sleeve　pulled　back。　Elias'　manacle　still　hung　on　the　swollen　wrist；　the　metal　flattened　and　scarred。　〃My　brother　and　Pryrates　forgot　the　gift　they　had　given　me。　There　is　some　poetry　in　that…or　perhaps　God　wished　to　send　a　message　about　the　value　of　suffering。〃　The　prince's　sleeve　rustled　back　into　place。　〃I　could　barely　use　the　hand　for　two　days　after　I　awoke；　but　the　feeling　is　ing　back　now。〃
Miriamele　stirred　and　opened　her　eyes。　For　a　moment　they　widened　in　dread；　then　she　sat　up；　clutching　the　blanket　to　her　breast。　〃Uncle　Josua！〃
　　　　　　　Smiling　crookedly；　he　lifted　his　finger　to　his　lips。　She　pulled　the　top　part　of　the　blanket　around　her…leaving　most　of　Simon　exposed　to　the　cold　air…and　threw　her　arms　around　him；　weeping。　Josua；　too；　seemed　almost　overe。　After　a　few　moments　Miriamele　pulled　away；　then　looked　down　at　her　bare　shoulders　and　colored。　She　hurriedly　lay　back　on　the　bedroll　again　and　pulled　the　blanket　up　to　her　chin。　Simon　took　back　his　half　of　it　with　gratitude。
〃How　can　you　be　alive？〃　she　said；　laughing　and　dabbing　at　her　eyes　with　the　blanket's　edge。
　　　　　　　Josua　explained　again；　showing　her　the　dented　manacle。
　　　　　　　〃But　how　did　you　escape？〃　Simon　was　anxious　now　for　the　story　to　continue。　〃The　tower　fell！〃
The　prince's　head　moved　from　side　to　side。　Shadows　flittered　on　the　tent　wall。　〃That　is　one　thing　I　cannot　know　for　certain；　but　my　guess　is　that　Camaris　picked　me　up　and　carried　me　down　in　the　first　moments。　I　have　e　close　to　many　campfires　in　the　past　nights；　and　heard　many　things。　It　sounds　as　though　the　confusion　and　smoke　and　flames　were　such　that　he　could　have　gone　down　the　stairwell　ahead　of　you。　We　first　came　into　the　tower　from　beneath；　through　the　tunnels；　I　believe　he
went　out　that　way　as　well。　All　I　know　for　certain　is　that　I　woke　up　beneath　the　stars；　alone　on　the　beach　beside　the　Kynslagh。　But　who　except　Camaris　would　have　had　the　strength　to　carry　me　so　far？〃
〃If　he　went　down　before　us；　then　Cadrach　must　have　seen。〃　Miriamele　fell　silent；　pondering　this。
　　　　　　　〃It's　a　miracle；〃　Simon　breathed。　〃But　why　have　you　told　no　one？　And　what　did　you　mean　when　you　said　Miriamele　would　be　queen？　Won't　you。。。　？〃
　　　　　　　〃You　do　not　understand；〃　the　prince　said　quietly。　There　was　a　strange　edge　of　merriment　in　his　voice。　〃I　am　dead。　I　wish　to　stay　that　way。〃
　　　　　　　〃What？〃　
　　　　　　　〃Just　as　I　said。　Simon；　Miriamele；　I　was　never　meant　to　rule。　It　was　a　pain　to　me；　but　I　saw　no　other　course　but　to　try　to　push　Elias　trom　the　throne。　Now　God　has　opened　a　door　for　me；　a　door　that　I　believed　forever　shut。　To　die　or　to　take　the　crown　were　my　only　choices。　Now；　I　have　been　given　another。〃
Simon　was　stunned。　For　a　long　while　he　said　nothing。　Miriamele　was　silent；　too。　Josua　watched　them；　a　smile　playing　across　his　mouth。
〃It　is　shocking；　I　know。〃　The　prince　turned　to　his　niece。　〃But　you　will　be　a　far　better　ruler　than　I　ever　would…as　will　Simon。〃
　　　　　　　〃But　you　are　John's　true　heir；〃　Simon　protested；　〃even　more　than　Miriamele！　And　I'm　just　a　kitchen　boy　you　knighted！　They　say　I'm　a　descendant　of　Saint　Eahlstan；　but　that　means　nothing　to　me。　It　doesn't　make　me　fit　to　rule　Erkynland　or　anything　else。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　heard　that　tale；　Simon。　Isgrimnur　and　the　others　keep　secrets　poorly；　if　they　ever　meant　to　keep　your　heritage　secret。〃　Josua　laughed　quietly。　〃And　I　was　not　at　all　surprised　to　hear　that　you　are　of　Eahlstan　Fiskerne's　blood。　But　as　to　whether　that　makes　you　more　or　less　fit　than　me；　Simon…you　do　not　know　all；　even　so。　I　am　no　more　John's　heir　than　you　are。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　Simon　moved　slightly　so　that　Miriamele's　head　found　a　more　fortable　position　on　his　breast。　She　was　not　looking　at　Josua　now；　but　up　at　Simon；　her　brow　furrowed　with　worry　or　deep　thought。
〃Just　as　I　said；〃　the　prince　replied。　〃I　am　not　John's　son。　Camaris　was　my　father。〃
Simon　sucked　in　his　breath。　〃Camaris。。。　？〃　Now　Miriamele　did　look　at　the　prince；　as　startled　as　Simon。　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　　　　　　　〃John　was　old　when　he　married　my　mother；　Efiathe　of　Hernysadharc；〃　Josua　said。　〃A　measure　of　the　distance　in　their　years　is　that　he　felt　no　qualms　about　giving　her　a　new　name；　Ebekah；　as　though　she　were　a　child。〃　He　frowned。　〃What　happened　after　that　is　not　particularly　surprising。　It　is　one　of　the　monest　and　oldest　stories　in　the　world；　although　I　do　not　doubt　she　loved　the　king　and　he　loved　her。　But　Camaris　was　her　special　protector；　a　young　man；　as　great　and　fabled　a　hero　as　John。　What　began　as　a　deep　respect　and　admiration　between　them　grew　into　something　more。
　　　　　　　〃Elias　was　John's　child；　but　I　was　not。　When　my　mother　died　birthing　me；　Camaris　went　mad。　What　could　he　think　but　that　his　sin　had　sentenced　his　beloved；　who　was　also　the　wife　of　his　closest　friend；　to　death？〃　The　prince　shook　his　head。　〃His　agony　was　such　that　he　gave　away　everything　he　had；　as　one　who　knows　he　will　die…　and　he　must　have　felt　he　was　dying；　since　every　breath；　every　moment；　was　so　full　of　pain　and　terrible　shame。　At　last　he　took　the　horn　Ti…tuno　and　went　in　search　of　the　Sithi；　perhaps　to　expiate　the　sin　of　participating　in　John's　persecution　of　them；　or　perhaps；　like　Elias；　he　hoped　the　wise　immortals　could　help　him　reach　his　beloved　beyond　death。　Whatever　the　aim　of　his　pilgrimage；　Amerasu　brought　him　secretly　to　Jao　e…Tinukai'i；　for　reasons　of　her　own。　I　have　not　discovered　all　that　happened：　my　father　was　so　distraught　when　he　told　me　it　was　hard　to　make　sense　of　everything。
〃In　any　case；　Amerasu　met　with　him　and　took　the　horn　back；　perhaps　to　keep　it　for　him；　perhaps　because　it　had　belonged　to　her　lost　sons。　Exactly　what　passed　between　them　is　still　a　mystery　to　me；　but　apparently　whatever　she　told　him　was　no　fort。　My　father　left　the　forest　deeps；　still　grieving。　Soon　after；　when　his　despair　finally　outweighed　even　his　terror　of　the　sin　of　self…slaughter；　he　cast　himself　over　the　side　of　a　ship　into　the　Bay　of　Firannos。　He　survived　somehow…he　is　fearfully　strong；　you　know；　that　trait　his　blood　certainly　did　not　pass　on　to　me！…but　his　wits　were　shadowed。　He　wandered　through　the　southland；　begging；　living　in　the　wilderness；　subsisting　on　the　charities　of　others；　until　he　found　his　way　at　last　to　that　Kwanitupul　inn。　In　a　way；　I　suppose；　he　knew　peace　for　that　time；　despite　the　harshness　of　his　life　and　his　own　poor　wits。　Then；　after　two　score　years；　Isgrimnur　found　him；　and　soon　peace　was　taken　from　him　again。　He　awakened　with　the　old　horror　still　fresh　in　his　mind；　and　the　knowledge　he　had　tried　to　murder　himself　added　to　it。〃
〃Mother　of　Mercy'〃　Miriamele　said　feelingly。　〃That　unhappy　man！〃
　　　　　　　It　was　hard　for　Simon　to　enpass　the　breadth　of　the　old　knight's　suffering。　〃Where　is　he　now？〃
　　　　　　　Josua　shook　his　head。　〃I　do　not　know。　Wandering　once　more；　perhaps。　I　pray　he　did　not　try　to　drown　himself　again。　My　poor　father！　I　hope　that　the　demons　that　plague　him　are　weaker　now；　although　I　doubt　it。　I　will　find　him；　and　I　will　try　to　help　him　toward　some　kind　of　peace。〃
　　　　　　　〃So　that's　what　you're　going　to　do？〃　Simon　asked。　〃Look　for　Camaris？〃
　　　　　　　Miriamele　looked　at　the　prince　sharply。　〃What　about　Vorzheva？〃
Josua　nodded　and　smiled。　〃I　will　search　for　my　father；　but　only　after　my　wife　and　children　are　safe。　There　is　much　to　be　done；　and　it　will　be　almost　impossible　for　me　to　do　any　of　it　here　in　Erkynland　where　I　am　known。〃　He　laughed　quietly。　〃You　see；　I　am　imitating　Duke　Isgrimnur　and　letting　my　beard　grow　to　better　my　disguise。〃　The　prince　rubbed　his　chin。　〃So　tonight　I　ride　south。　Soon　old　Count　Streawe　will　have　a　late…night　visitor。　He　owes　me　a　favor　。。。　of　which　I　will　remind　him。　If　anyone　can　spirit　Vorzheva　and　the　two　children　out　of　the　Nabbanai　court；　it　will　be　Perdruin's　devious　master。　And　he　will
enjoy　the　sport　of　it　more　than　any　payment　I　could　ever　make　him。　He　loves　secrets。〃
〃The　dead　prince's　wife　and　heirs　disappearing。〃　Simon　could　not　resist　a　smile　of　his　own。　〃That　will　make　for　a　few　stories　and　songs！〃
　　　　　　　〃So　it　will。　And　I'm　sure　I　will　hear　them　and　laugh。〃　He　reached　over　and　squeezed　Simon's　arm；　then　leaned　farther　to　embrace　Miriamele；　who　clung　to　him　for　a　long