kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir-第11部分

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Cardiel　smiled。　〃Henry　Istelyn；　Bradene's　assistant。〃
〃Ah。〃
〃He's　already　been　handling　a　great　deal　of　work　behind　the　scenes　for　Bradene　for　the　past　two　years；〃　Arilan　said。　〃Furthermore；　when　he　was　first　made　an　itinerant　bishop；　several　years　ago；　he　spent　a　great　deal　of　time　in　Kierney　and　the　border　areas。　He　probably　knows　the　people　better　than　anyone　besides　Judhael　himself　…　or　Duncan；　of　course。　But　we've　already　agreed　that　he's　to　be　otherwise　occupied。〃
Morgan　nodded　thoughtfully。　From　Gwynedd's　point　of　view；　the　selection　of　Istelyn　made　perfect　sense　…　but　simply　choosing　a　logically　qualified　candidate　did　not　eliminate　the　very　practical　political　repercussions　which　were　likely　to　result　if　anyone　besides　Judhael　were　posted　to　Meara。
〃You're　saddling　Istelyn　with　a　heavy　responsibility；〃　he　said。　〃What　makes　you　think　the　Mearans　will　accept　him？　They　have　their　minds　set　on　Judhael。〃
〃That's　true；〃　Arilan　agreed。　〃However；　even　if　they　object　…　〃
〃Which　you　know　they're　going　to　do；　if　it's　anyone　else　…　〃
〃Even　if　they　object；〃　Arilan　continued；　〃it's　too　late　in　the　season　to　mount　any　kind　of　major　military　campaign　to　try　to　oust　him。　Ratharkin　will　be　secure　enough　through　the　winter；　if　we　leave　him　a　detachment　of　episcopal　troops　for　local　security。　And　with　the　king　planning　to　campaign　in　Meara　next　year。。。〃
At　Morgan's　still…doubtful　expression；　Cardiel　spread　his　hands　helplessly。
〃There　isn't　going　to　be　a　perfect　candidate；　Alaric　…　　not　one　who　will　please　every　faction。　And　we　could　certainly　find　a　lot　worse　than　Istelyn。　Incidentally；　when　is　the　king　due　back？　Naturally；　we'd　like　his　concurrence　before　we　go　ahead　with　any　formal　announcement。〃
Morgan　raised　an　eyebrow；　still　unconvinced。　〃I　had　word　this　morning　that　he　expects　to　be　back　in　a　few　days。　He's　headed　north　to　see　the　Earl　of　Transha。〃
〃Transha　…　that's　The　MacArdry？〃　Cardiel　asked。
Arilan　nodded　knowingly。　〃I　remember　when　his　〃eager　son　was　fostered　at　court　a　few　years　ago：　a　bright；　about　Kelson's　age；　as　I　recall。　What　was　his　name？〃
〃Dhugal；〃　Morgan　replied。　〃In　any　case。　Kelson　apparently　ran　across　him　over　Trurill　way；　so　he's　decided　to　tide　back　to　Transha　with　the　boy　and　pay　a　courtesy　call　on　the　old　man。〃
〃Well；　I　suppose　a　few　days　won't　make　any　difference；　one　way　or　the　other；〃　Cardiel　said。　〃There　are　still　details　to　work　out　on　Istelyn　…　such　as　finding　out　whether　he's　even　willing　to　take　on　Meara。　This　assumes；　of　course；　that　Kelson　has　no　objection。〃
Before　Morgan　could　reply；　a　sharp　cry　and　the　sounds　of　a　scuffle　in　the　corridor　outside　suddenly　intruded；　punctuated　by　a　mental　scream：　Duncan's。　Morgan　was　on　his　feet　and　moving　before　the　others　could　even　glance　in　that　direction。　As　he　burst　into　the　corridor；　he　saw　Duncan　struggling　with　someone　at　the　far　end；　but　by　the　time　he　could　reach　them；　Duncan　was　letting　the　body　of　his　attacker　slide　to　the　floor。　There　was　blood　everywhere。
〃Are　you　all　…　〃
〃Don't　touch　me；〃　Duncan　gasped；　cradling　a　bloody　right　hand　against　his　equally　bloody　cassock　and　wobbling　to　his　knees。　〃There　was　merasha　on　the　blade。〃　He　glanced　woozily　at　his　motionless　attacker。　〃Christ；　I'm　afraid　I　killed　him。〃
Merasha。　The　very　word　took　Morgan　back　for　just　an　instant　to　a　chapel　that　was　no　more；　and　a　barb　on　an　altar　rail　gate；　and　the　terror　of　being　in　the　drug's　grip；　helpless　to　use　his　powers；　at　the　mercy　of　men　who　would　have　killed　him　because　of　what　he　was。　Duncan　had　gotten　him　out　and　nursed　him　through　the　worst　of　the　physical　effects　of　the　ordeal；　but　the　memory　had　never　been　fully　exorcised；　especially　that　final；　haunting　image　of　the　stake　wrapped　with　chains；　which　they　had　passed　as　they　made　their　escape。　It　had　been　intended　for　him。
〃Never　mind　him；〃　Morgan　replied；　stepping　over　the　body　to　crouch　cautiously　beside　the　wounded　priest。　〃Where　are　you　hurt？　How　much　of　that　blood　is　yours？〃
Drawn　by　the　disturbance；　others　were　congregating　in　the　corridor　to　gawk；　servants　and　priests　and　even　a　few　guards　from　the　courtyard　outside；　forcing　Cardiel　and　Arilan　to　push　their　way　through　to　reach　Duncan's　side。　White…faced；　Duncan　only　shook　his　head　and　drew　in　his　breath　between　clenched　teeth　as　he　gingerly　eased　open　his　right　hand。　The　palm　was　slashed　almost　to　the　bone　where　he　had　tried　to　ward　off　his　attacker's　knife　with　his　bare　hand；　but　more　terrifying；　by　far；　was　the　wave　of　queasy　disharmony　that　he　radiated　as　Morgan　reached　out　in　instinctive　mental　probe　and　as　quickly　recoiled。
〃Careful　of　the　blade；〃　Morgan　warned；　though　Arilan　had　already　stopped　with　his　hand　poised　above　the　knife　as　he；　too；　sensed　the　drug's　effects。
Taking　care　to　avoid　the　blood；　which　might　carry　traces　of　the　drug　to　affect　them　as　well；　the　two　Deryni　turned　over　the　dead　assassin。　Bright　scarlet　stained　the　front　of　the　blue　Cassani　livery　and　steamed　where　it　had　pooled　on　the　cold　stone　beneath　the　body；　welling　from　a　second　mouth　which　gaped　beneath　a　beardless　chin。　The　bloody　face　could　not　have　been　more　than　fourteen。
〃Why；　it's　a　boy！〃　Cardiel　murmured。
〃As　God　is　my　witness；　I　had　no　choice；〃　Duncan　whispered；　closing　his　hand　again　and　slumping　back　to　sit　on　his　heels。　〃Until　he　actually　cut　me；　I　thought　he　was　legitimate。〃
〃You　don't　know　him？〃　Arilan　asked。
〃No　…　but　I　wouldn't　expect　to　recognize　every　last　page　or　squire　in　my　service。　And　with　…　with　the　merasha　in　me；　I　was　afraid　that　if　I　didn't　kill　him　while　I　still　could；　he　might　be　able　to　outwait　me；　until　I　was　helpless　with　the　drug。　Why　did　he　do　it？〃
Morgan　shook　his　head；　reaching　out　gingerly　with　his　mind　as　he　slid　a　hand　around　the　back　of　the　boy's　neck；　where　there　was　less　blood。　Sometimes　it　was　possible　to　readjust　a　little　from　a　dead　man's　mind；　if　he　had　not　been　dead　too　long；　but　Morgan　could　detect　nothing　beyond　a　few　hazy　images　of　dim　childhood　memories；　fading　even　as　he　read　them。　While　Arilan　and　a　monk　began　gathering　up　the　scattered　dispatches；　he　carefully　searched　the　body　for　anything　which　might　give　them　a　clue　as　to　the　boy's　identity　or　origin；　but　there　was　nothing。　Duncan　was　beginning　to　weave　as　Morgan　glanced　over　at　him　again；　his　blue　eyes　glassy　from　the　drug；　keeping　them　open　only　by　the　sheerest　force　of　will。　Cardiel　had　an　arm　around　his　shoulder　to　support　him；　but　it　was　obvious　that　Duncan　was　slipping　fast　into　the　chaos　of　the　merasha。　Whoever　the　assassin　had　been；　he　had　known　his　quarry　to　be　Deryni。
〃Thomas；　why　don't　you　take　Duncan　back　to　your　quarters　and　see　to　his　wound？〃　Arilan　suggested　softly；　touching　a　hand　to　Cardiel's　shoulder　and　including　Morgan　in　his　glance。　〃I'll　see　to　the　clean…up　here　and　try　to　find　out　more　about　our　boy…assassin。〃
Cardiel　nodded；　he　and　Morgan　helping　Duncan　to　stand。
〃Very　well。　You　might　check　with　the　guards　who　let　the　boy　into　the　pound。　Perhaps　someone　may　have　recognized　him。　It　would　also　be　interesting　to　know　whether　he　was　the　original　messenger　sent　with　the　dispatches；　or　if　the　real　one　is　lying　dead　in　a　ditch　somewhere　…　or；　at　the　least；　relieved　of　his　livery。〃
Duncan　went　pletely　limp　as　Cardiel　finished　speaking；　and　Morgan　and　the　archbishop　together　had　to　carry　him　back　to　the　episcopal　apartments。　An　hour　later；　washed　and　bandaged；　Duncan　was　sleeping　soundly　in　his　own　room；　an　exhausted　Morgan　running　himself　through　a　brief　spell　to　banish　fatigue。
〃I'll　try　to　heal　him　in　the　morning；　when　he's　over　the　worst　effects　of　the　drug；〃　Morgan　whispered；　as　he　turned　at　last　from　Duncan's　bed。　〃It's　a　nasty　wound；　but　I　didn't　think　it　was　a　good　idea　to　put　my　fingers　into　all　that　merasha。'''
His　hands　were　trembling　as　he　took　the　cup　of　wine　which　Cardiel　gave　him；　for　going　into　Duncan's　merasha…muddled　mind　had　been　a　great　personal　trial；　as　well　as　a　physically　taxing　one；　forcing　him　to　relive　much　of　his　own　terrifying　experience。　He　still　kept　flashing　on　the　worst　of　it；　unless　he　kept　his　mind　on　short　leash。　He　knew　he　would　have　nightmares　for　days　to　e。
But　Cardiel's　touch　on　his　shoulder　conveyed　genuine　passion　and　even　understanding　as　he　guided　Morgan