kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir-第41部分

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He　was　just　drunk　enough　to　mistake　Dhugal's　nervous　laughter　for　awe；　Sidana　also　joining　in　the　mirth。
Only　Llewell　kept　himself　aloof；　staring　furtively　at　Dhugal　when　he　thought　Dhugal　didn't　notice　and　brooding　over　his　cup。　Ruthlessly　Dhugal　set　about　to　win　all　their　confidence；　drawing　out　the　taciturn　Llewell；　hearing　accounts　of　the　princes'　martial　exploits　with　feigned　awe；　and　eventually　joining　in　the　goodnatured　teasing　which　Sidana　endured　from　her　older　brothers。　He　was　nearly　one　of　them　by　the　time　dinner　was　over。
One　of　the　children；　however　…　not　one　of　the　men。　Over　stronger　wine；　after　the　ladies　had　retired；　a　possibly　intoxicated　Sicard　drew　his　stool　close　beside　Dhugal's　and　began　sounding　him　out　about　old　Caulay's　politics；　hinting　that　once　Caulay　was　gone；　Meara　was　in　a　position　to　better　Dhugal's　lot　considerably。
Dhugal　suspected　his　uncle　was　far　more　sober　than　he　seemed。　He　hid　his　true　feelings　well；　however；　even　pretending　pleased　interest　in　Sicard's　offer　of　a　dukedom　when　the　secession　was　acplished。　He　gathered　that　he　gave　the　right　answers。　He　drank　with　Sicard　and　his　sons　for　another　hour；　somehow　managing　to　consume　far　less　than　they　thought　he　did。　Ithel；　a　tipsy　Llewell；　and　the　watchful　and　still　sober　man…at…arms　walked　him　to　his　room　when　the　reveling　was　done；　the　two　princes　singing　him　a　noisy　salute　as　future　Duke　of　Transha　before　giving　him　a　playful　buffet　through　the　doorway　of　his　room。
Istelyn　was　still　cold　to　him；　however。　Dhugal　found　him　on　his　knees　in　the　little　oratory；　but　the　bishop　would　not　look　at　him　after　an　initial；　disdainful　sweep　of　him　from　head　to　toe；　turning　a　contemptuous　back　on　him　after　that。　Nor　could　Dhugal　elicit　any　verbal　response。
He　crept　under　the　sleeping　furs　on　his　pallet　feeling　like　a　snake；　tears　streaming　silently　down　his　cheeks　until　he　at　last　slipped　into　uneasy　sleep。　His　dreams　edged　almost　immediately　into　nightmares：
Judgment　Day。　Naked　and　afraid；　he　cowered　at　the　foot　of　the　great　golden　Throne　of　Heaven　as　a　wrathful　Istelyn　raised　one　hand　toward　the　Light　in　mute　appeal；　stabbing　accusingly　at　Dhugal　with　the　other。　Hosts　of　weeping　angels　bore　the　supine　form　of　Kelson　before　the　throne；　his　body　bleeding　from　a　dozen　wounds。
Frantic；　Dhugal　tried　to　explain。　Kelson　could　not　be　dead；　and　Dhugal　certainly　was　not　to　blame。　But　the　king　suddenly　lifted　his　head　and　raised　one　gory　hand　to　also　point　in　Dhugal's　direction；　the　flesh　melting　from　the　bones　as　Dhugal　watched　in　horror；　the　eyes　but　empty　sockets　in　a　masklike　skull。
The　nightmare　wrenched　Dhugal　out　of　sleep。　Gasping　for　breath；　he　woke　in　a　cold　sweat；　terrified　that　it　was　real；　that　he　had　already　killed　his　brother　and　his　king。
But　the　room　was　dark；　Istelyn　no　longer　kneeling　in　the　oratory　but　wrapped　in　his　sleeping　furs　on　the　other　side　of　the　room；　his　back　to　Dhugal；　only　a　dark　blur　in　the　dim　light　of　dying　fire。　It　had　only　been　a　dream　after　all。
Dhugal's　head　pounded　from　the　wine；　however；　even　after　the　terror　of　the　dream　had　passed；　and　he　slept　no　more。　Nursing　his　apprehensions　and　his　hangover；　he　searched　his　conscience　all　through　the　rest　of　the　night；　hands　clasped　to　his　lips　in　intermittent　prayer。　The　hours　seemed　to　crawl　until　grey　dawn　at　last　streaked　the　sky　and　he　could　rise　to　wash　and　dress；　a　much　sobered　young　man。

The　object　of　Dhugal's　prayers　also　saw　the　dawn　that　morning；　a　day's　hard　ride　south　of　Ratharkin。　Letting　his　horse　blow　at　the　top　of　a　high　pass。　Kelson　hunched　down　in　his　fur…lined　cloak　and　gnawed　on　a　lump　of　tough　brown　journey　bread；　glancing　aside　as　Morgan　drew　rein　beside　him。　They　had　been　riding　this　leg　of　the　journey　since　midnight；　and　planned　no　further　pause　until　they　reached　Ratharkin。　The　rain　had　given　way　to　a　light　snow　during　the　night；　with　promise　of　more　to　e。　Behind　them；　stretching　back　along　the　trail　by　twos；　the　hundred　knights　of　their　escort　adjusted　girths　and　bridle　buckles　and　took　advantage　of　the　brief　stop　to　eat　or　sleep　or　relieve　themselves。　Conall　dozed　on　his　horse　behind　and　to　Kelson's　left；　nodding　in　the　saddle。
〃He　has　to　be　alive；〃　Kelson　murmured；　so　low　that　even　Morgan　barely　could　hear　him。　〃He　has　to　be。　If　he　were　dead；　I'd　know　…　wouldn't　I？〃
〃I　honestly　don't　know；　my　prince。〃
〃But　we're　closer　now！〃　Kelson　protested。　〃If　he's　still　alive；　shouldn't　I　have　been　able　to　touch　something　during　the　night？　We　were　so　close　that　night　in　Transha。〃
〃Until　you　triggered　the　shutdown　of　his　shields；〃　Morgan　reminded　him　gently。　〃You　also　had　physical　contact　that　time　…　and　you　know　how　much　more　difficult　it　is　to　establish　rapport　without　it。　A　deliberate　shielding　…〃
〃It　isn't　deliberate。　Not　from　me。〃
〃Very　well　…　not　from　you。　But　if　he　is　shielded。。。　？〃
〃Are　you　saying　he　isn't？〃
Morgan　sighed　patiently。　〃Touchy　this　morning；　aren't　you？　Kelson；　I　haven't　even　seen　the　boy　since　he　was　…　　what？　…　nine　or　ten？　How　would　I　know？〃
Shaking　his　head。　Kelson　shrugged　again　dispiritedly。　〃That　long　ago；　how　would　either　of　us　have　known？　He　has　shields　now；　though。〃
〃Very　well。　And　that's　undoubtedly　the　reason　you　haven't　been　able　to　reach　him。〃　Morgan　reached　across　to　clap　the　king's　shoulder　in　reassurance。　〃In　any　case；　we　should　know　something　soon。　We'll　be　at　Ratharkin　before　dark。〃
〃Before　dark　…　yes。　But　will　it　be　in　time？〃　Kelson　wondered。


CHAPTER　ELEVEN
They　fall　into　many　actions　and　businesses；　and　are　void　of　sense；　and　when　they　think　of　things
　pertaining　unto　God；　they　understand　nothing　at　all。
II　Hermas　10：12
The　sparse　noonday　sun　turned　the　stained　glass　of　Saint　Uriel's　to　darkly　glowing　jewels；　but　the　cathedral's　glory　brought　little　fort　to　Dhugal；　kneeling　meekly　in　the　choir　with　the　Mearan　royal　family。　The　consecration　of　Judhael　as　Bishop　of　Ratharkin　was　about　to　begin　…　　and　there　was　nothing　Dhugal　could　do　to　stop　it。
Nor　could　Henry　Istelyn。　He　had　spoken　not　a　word　on　his　awakening；　to　Dhugal　or　to　the　priest　sent　to　inquire　a　final　time　whether　he　would　assist　with　Judhael's　consecration。　Later　he　still　stood　mute　as　two　deacons　vested　him；　not　resisting　their　ministrations　or　the　cup　which　a　cold…eyed　Gorony　manded　him　to　drink　when　they　had　done。　Dhugal　could　see　the　drug's　effect　in　Istelyn's　eyes　even　as　the　two　deacons　walked　him　out　of　the　room　between　them；　Gorony　following；　and　thought　he　knew　what　they　had　given　him。　He　could　expect　no　help　from　Istelyn　for　many　hours；　if　then。
Dhugal　was　alone；　then。　He　could　depend　on　no　one's　resources　but　his　own。　Those　kneeling　around　him　claimed　to　have　accepted　him　as　family；　and　promised　much　in　return　for　his　support；　but　he　knew　they　did　not　trust　him　yet；　he　had　given　them　no　cause　to　trust　him　other　than　the　face　value　of　his　apparent　opportunism。　His　very　position　in　the　seating；　between　Sicard　and　Llewell；　the　younger　prince；　placed　him　where　he　could　be　easily　and　quietly　subdued；　should　he　attempt　a　disruption　despite　his　word。　Dressed　in　the　princely　raiment　they　had　brought　him　that　morning　…　Ithel's；　by　the　length　of　the　richly　embroidered　cloak　…　he　did　look　like　one　of　them。　Even　his　borderman's　braid　did　not　set　him　much　apart；　for　Sicard　and　several　of　his　personal　attendants　wore　them　as　well；　even　if　the　two　princes　did　not。
Far　at　the　back　of　the　cathedral；　the　choir　began　to　chant　the　entrance　antiphon。　The　nave　was　packed。　Great　liturgies　of　state　were　always　popular　with　the　mon　folk；　with　their　chance　to　at　least　glimpse　the　rich　and　the　highborn；　and　the　appetites　of　Ratharkin's　citizenry　had　been　whetted　not　a　fortnight　before；　when　Istelyn　had　been　installed。　Dhugal　wondered　whether　they　had　flocked　in　such　numbers　for　their　rightful　lord　as　they　did　for　a　usurper's　kin。　But　perhaps　they　did　not　know。
As　the　procession　entered　the　church　and　headed　down　the　aisle；　those　around　Dhugal　stood；　so　he　did　likewise。　Slowly　the　clergy　approached　them；　led　by　a　thurifer；　incense　bearer；　servers　with　candles；　and　then　a　processional　cross　and　the　choir。　A　second　thurifer　came　after　them；　followed　by　the　entourages　of　the　various　bishops　assisting　in　the　ceremony；　each　preceded　b