kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir-第50部分

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Kelson　gave　him　a　sympathetic　smile；　well　aware　what　his　foster　brother　was　trying　to　do　and　hardly　blaming　him。
〃It's　only　been　this　way　the　past　year　or　so。　All　the　stone　facing　on　the　walls　is　new。〃　He　gestured　casually　toward　the　nearest　stretch　of　burnished　marble　as　he　moved　toward　it。　The　slap　of　his　open　palm　against　the　stone　made　Dhugal　start。
〃There　are　tomb　niches　carved　in　the　living　rock　behind　here；〃　he　went　on。　〃It　used　to　be　that　only　kings　and　queens　were　buried　in　free…standing　tombs　like　my　father's。　Other　members　of　the　royal　family　were　simply　wrapped　in　their　shrouds　and　laid　to　rest　on　the　shelves　in　these　walls。　They　didn't　rot　for　some　reason；　they　just　dried　out　and　eventually　crumbled　away　…　something　about　the　air；　I'm　told。　I'd　hold　tight　to　my　mother's　hand　and　hide　my　eyes　when　my　parents　brought　me　here　to　pray　on　feast　days。　The　fellow　behind　this　wall；　in　particular；　used　to　scare　me　half　to　death。〃
Ready　to　seize　on　any　topic　in　preference　to　his　own　grief；　Dhugal　rose　to　approach　the　panel　Kelson　was　touching。
〃Dolonus　Haldanus；　Princeps　Gwyneddis；　675…699；〃　Dhugal　read；　stumbling　a　little　over　the　fine；　archaic　script。　〃Filius　Llarici；　Rigonus　Gwyneddis。　Requiem　in　pacem。〃　He　glanced　at　Kelson　in　question。　〃Prince　Dolon　…　didn't　his　own　father　execute　him？〃
Kelson　nodded。　〃And　his　younger　brother　as　well。　It　was　thought　at　the　time　that　they　were　plotting　treason。〃
〃Were　they？〃
〃Who　knows？〃　Kelson　glanced　at　the　next　row　of　wall　inscriptions。　〃His　brother　is　over　there。　I　can　remember　being　terrified　of　the　two　headless　skeletons。　My　nurse　told　me　that　their　father　had　cut　off　their　heads　because　they　displeased　him。〃
〃What　a　thing　to　tell　a　child！〃
Kelson　grinned。　〃I　think　I'd　been　especially　trying　that　day。　Still；　it　was　years　before　I　gained　a　more　objective　perspective。〃　He　glanced　back　at　his　father's　tomb　wistfully。
〃That　wasn't　my　most　frightening　experience　down　here；　though；〃　he　went　on　softly；　not　sure　whether　he　should　risk　frightening　Dhugal　as　well　by　recounting　the　old　nightmare。　〃It　happened　the　night　before　my　coronation。〃
〃My　father　heard　rumors。。。。〃　Dhugal　said　cautiously。
Kelson　smiled　and　moved　back　to　Brion's　sarcophagus；　leaning　both　hands　along　the　edge。
〃I'll　bet　he　did。　Well；　I　shan't　go　into　details　that　might　alarm　you　overmuch；　but　as　you　may　know；　Morgan　wasn't　here　when　my　father　died。　He　was　in　Cardosa。〃
〃And　came　back　the　day　before　the　coronation；〃　Dhugal　supplied。
〃That's　right。　My　father　had　been　buried　for　over　a　week　by　then：　my　mother's　doing　…　she　hates　Morgan　for　being　Deryni。　Anyway；　as　I　talked　with　him　and　Father　Duncan　that　afternoon；　it　soon　became　apparent　that　…　　well；　something　we　needed　to　make　my　kingship　plete　had　been　buried　with　my　father。〃
〃Then　you　did　open　the　tomb！〃　Dhugal　breathed；　wide…eyed　with　horror。　〃My　father　said　there'd　been　rumors　of　vandals　…　〃
〃We　weren't　responsible　for　that　part；〃　Kelson　countered。　〃We　think　it　was　Charissa　or　her　agents；　trying　to　discredit　Morgan　and　Father　Duncan。　We　were　looking　for　the　Eye　of　Rom。〃
As　he　brushed　a　strand　of　hair　behind　his　right　ear；　exposing　the　crimson　gemstone；　Dhugal　nodded。
〃I　remember　him　wearing　that。〃
〃Aye；　I　never　saw　him　without　it。　But　when　we　opened　this；〃　Kelson　tapped　the　stone　cover　of　the　sarcophagus　with　one　hand；　〃it　wasn't　my　father　inside　…　or；　it　was；　actually；　but　it　didn't　look　like　him。　We　thought　someone　might　have　switched　bodies　at　first；　so　we　started　searching　the　rest　of　the　chapel。　I　wasn't　strong　enough　to　push　back　these　stone　lids　by　myself；　so　Morgan　and　Father　Duncan　did　that　part。　I　had　to　look　in　the　tomb　niches。　It　…　wasn't　pleasant。〃
〃I　…　don't　think　I　understand；〃　Dhugal　said　in　a　small　voice。　〃You　mean；　it　was　your　father's　body　in　the　coffin　after　all？〃
Kelson　nodded。　〃I　still　don't　totally　understand；　but　apparently　Charissa　had　placed　some　kind　of　a　…　a　binding　spell　on　the　body；　which　also　changed　its　appearance。　Father　Duncan　got　rid　of　it；　but　he　said　that　…　〃　He　hesitated　as　Dhugal　got　an　odd；　tight　look　on　his　face。　〃He　said　that　Father's　soul　had　also　been　bound　up　in　the　spell　somehow。。。　that　he　hadn't　been。。。　entirely　free。　I've　frightened　you　again；　haven't　I？　I'm　sorry。　It　still　bothers　you　to　hear　me　talk　so　casually　about　magic；　doesn't　it？〃
Dhugal　managed　to　swallow；　forcing　himself　not　to　avoid　Kelson's　gaze；　but　it　was　true。
〃Yes；〃　he　whispered。　〃I　don't　want　to　be　afraid；　but　I　guess　it's　an　old　reflex。　And　when　you　talk　about　souls　being　bound　up　…　〃
〃That　isn't　the　usual　kind　of　Deryni　magic；〃　Kelson　said　in　a　low　voice；　laying　a　gloved　hand　on　the　other's　shoulder。　〃That's　dark　magic　…　and　you　have　every　reason　to　fear　it；　as　I　do。　What　I　do　…　and　what　Morgan　and　Father　Duncan　do　…　is　of　the　Light。　I　know　there's　no　evil　in　it。　Would　I　endanger　my　soul？　…　would　I　endanger　yours〃　…　if　I　thought　it　was　evil？〃
〃No。　Not　if　you　knew。　But　what　。if　you're　wrong？〃
〃Was　my　father　wrong？〃　Kelson　asked。　〃You　knew　him；　Dhugal。　Was　Brion　an　evil　man？〃
〃No。〃
〃And　is　Morgan　evil？　Is　Father　Duncan　evil？〃
〃I　don't　think　so。〃
〃Is　Bishop　Arilan　evil；　then？〃
〃Arilan？　Arilan's　Deryni？〃
As　Dhugal's　jaw　dropped。　Kelson　nodded　slowly。
〃Arilan。　And　you　are　one　of　less　than　a　dozen　men　who　know　that；〃　he　replied。　〃I'm　told　he　es　from　very；　very　old　Deryni　lineage；　long　hidden　away　…　and　he　probably　knows　more　about　magic　than　Morgan；　Father　Duncan；　and　myself　bined。　I'm　in　awe　of　him　…　but　I　know　he　isn't　evil。　Loris　is　evil；　and　he　isn't　even　Deryni。〃
〃I　…　won't　argue　with　you　on　that　count；〃　Dhugal　murmured。　〃It's　just　that　…　〃　He　passed　a　hand　across　his　eyes　in　futile　attempt　to　clear　a　growing　fuzziness　from　his　vision；　suspecting　that　his　treatment　at　the　renegade　archbishop's　hands　had　taken　a　more　serious　toll　than　he　had　thought。　〃I'm　sorry。　I'm　afraid　I'm　not　thinking　very　clearly。〃
〃No　need　to　apologize；〃　Kelson　replied。　〃You've　been　through　a　lot　in　the　last　week　or　so；　and　you're　still　not　well。　I　should　have　had　Morgan　and　Duncan　see　you；　instead　of　bringing　you　here。〃
A　flicker　of　even　greater　foreboding　supplanted　Dhugal's　burgeoning　disfort；　and　he　looked　up　at　Kelson　with　a　sick；　queasy　sensation　in　the　pit　of　his　stomach。
〃You　mean；　to　heal　me？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃But　…　〃　He　swallowed　painfully。　〃Kelson；　I'm　…　not　certain　I'm　ready　for　that　yet。〃
〃Because　of　what　happened　in　Transha？〃
〃Yes；〃　Dhugal　admitted。　He　rubbed　both　hands　across　his　eyes。　〃God；　my　head　is　throbbing。　I　can't　think。〃
〃That's　why　I'd　like　to　have　them　take　a　look　at　you；〃　Kelson　replied。　〃They　might　be　able　to　heal　your　injuries　without　touching　your　shields；　you　know。　And　maybe　you　won't　react　the　same　way　you　did　with　me。〃
〃Maybe。　For　now；　however；　I　…　think　I　might　prefer　to　let　nature　take　its　course；　if　you　don't　mind。　I'll　be　all　right。〃
〃If　that's　what　you　want；〃　Kelson　said。　〃They　may　ask　you　themselves；　though。　I　haven't　told　Duncan　about　Transha　yet；　but　Morgan　may　have。　He　knows。〃
Dhugal　looked　down　at　his　hands　clasped　tightly　together　and　forced　them　to　relax；　drawing　a　deep　breath。
〃Well；　then；　I'll　wait　to　see　what　they　say。　I　just　can't　…　　ask　them　myself。　Kelson。　And　I　don't　want　you　to　ask　them。　Maybe　I　…　won't　be　afraid；　if　they　ask　me。〃　He　winced　and　rubbed　at　his　temples　again。　〃It's　too　bad　your　probe　hurts　worse　than　the　headache　I've　got　anyway　…　though　I　wouldn't　mind　having　my　ribs　healed；　that's　for　certain。　I　haven't　drawn　a　proper　breath　without　pain　for　days。　And　the　riding　didn't　help　matters。〃
〃We'd　better　get　you　back　to　rest　then；〃　Kelson　said；　in　a　tone　that　conveyed　nothing　of　his　disappointment。　〃It'll　be　time　for　the　council　soon　anyway；　and　I　could　use　a　snack　before　we　settle　down　for　the　meeting。〃
〃You　could　talk　me　into　that　without　half　trying；〃　Dhugal　answered　with　a　game　grin。
Their　spurs　jingled　against　the　polished　marble　of　the　steps　as　they　ascended　from　the　crypt　to　the　level　of　the　nave；　and　the　gate　of　gilded　brass　creaked　noisily　as　Kelson　pulled　it　shut　behind　them。
〃I　must　ask　the　sacristan　to　have　that　oiled；〃　he　said；　making　small　talk　as　they　moved　along　the　transept　arm　heading　toward　the　nave。　〃Remind　me　one　day