kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir-第51部分

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〃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　to　tell　you　about　his　part　in　the　confusion　the　night　before　my　coronation。　I　wish　you　could　have　been　here　for　the　day　itself。〃
Dhugal　returned　Kelson's　sunny　grin　uneasily。
〃My　father　told　me　about　the　part　he　saw。　He　said　you　fought　some　sort　of　magical　duel；　right　here　in　the　cathedral。〃
Kelson　gestured　grandly　toward　the　transept　crossing；　trying　to　diffuse　some　of　the　magical　drama　of　the　incident　while　still　conveying　the　wonder。
〃Right　there　at　the　foot　of　the　altar　steps；〃　he　replied。　〃What　really　saved　me；　though；　was　one　of　those　seals　set　in　the　floor。　Without　it；　I　wouldn't　have　had　a　clue　what　to　do。〃　He　led　Dhugal　to　one　near　the　center　of　the　transept　and　removed　his　right　glove　as　he　knelt　beside　it。
〃All　of　these　are　seals　and　sigils　of　various　patron　saints　of　this　cathedral；〃　he　explained；　gesturing　to　include　the　entire　circle　of　mosaic　designs　beneath　the　crossing。　〃Part　of　the　kingmaking　I　had　from　my　father　called　for　a　'Defender's　Sign。'　We　had　assumed　…　not　unreasonably；　at　the　time　…　that　the　Defender's　Sign　was　Morgan's　signet　ring；　since　he　was　my　defender；　my　champion。〃
He　brushed　his　fingertips　almost　reverently　over　the　worn　design　beside　his　knees。　〃It　wasn't；　though。　It　was　this：　Saint　Camber's　seal。〃
〃The　Deryni　heretic　saint？〃
〃Yes。　I　know　his　name　doesn't　appear　on　it；　but　somehow　I　knew　this　was　it　…　don't　ask　me　how。　Maybe　the　ability　to　recognize　the　true　seal　when　it　was　time　was　part　of　the　knowledge　that　passed　to　me　with　my　father's　magic。　Here's　the　robed　and　hooded　figure　holding　up　the　crown　…　see？　Because　Saint　Camber　restored　the　crown　of　Gwynedd　to　the　Haldanes。　And　here；　worked　into　the　design；　you　can　trace　out　most　of　the　letters　of　his　name；　if　you　know　where　to　look：　？　…　M　…　？　…　R　…　S。　The　vagueness　of　the　identification　may　be　what　saved　the　seal　from　obliteration　when　Camber's　cult　was　stamped　out；　two　centuries　ago。〃
Dhugal　nodded　distractedly；　steadying　himself　with　gloved　knuckles　against　the　floor　as　he　stared　down　at　the　swirls　of　colored　mosaic；　his　eyes　tracing　out　the　sigil　of　Sanctus　Camberus　as　Kelson's　fingertip　showed　him　where　to　look。
〃You　don't　believe　that　Saint　Camber　was　evil；　then？〃　he　finally　asked。
Kelson　shook　his　head　and　stood；　giving　Dhugal　a　hand　up。　〃Not　at　all。　And　I　don't　want　to　sound　naive；　but　either　Saint　Camber　or　some　present…day　disciple　who　wants　us　to　think　he's　Saint　Camber　has　e　to　our　rescue　more　than　once　…　Morgan's　and　Duncan's　as　well　as　my　own。　I　think　I'd　like　to　restore　his　cult　someday；〃　he　added　wistfully。　〃Most　folks　would　disagree；　but　I　think　he　was　a　great　man；　as　well　as　a　powerful　saint。　I'd　like　to　find　out　more　about　what　he　was　really　like；　and　then　I　think　I'd　like　to　go　on　a　quest　to　try　to　recover　some　of　his　relics；　and　build　a　proper　shrine　to　house　them。　He　deserves　that。〃
〃I　suspect　the　Church　might　take　exception　to　that　notion；〃　Dhugal　murmured。
〃I　suspect　you're　right；〃　said　a　voice　from　behind　them；　〃if　you　judge　the　Church　by　some　of　her　more　stodgy　leaders。　By　that　definition；　the　Church　takes　exception　to　a　great　many　notions　of　far　less　controversial　nature。　I　can　personally　vouch　for　that。〃
〃Father　Duncan！〃　Kelson　said；　as　he　and　Dhugal　both　whirled　to　see　Duncan　standing　behind　them　with　an　armful　of　manuscript　scrolls。　〃Oh；　bother；　I　didn't　mean　for　you　to　overhear　the　part　about　Camber。　It's　probably　silly　to　even　think　of　it。〃
〃Not　silly；　my　prince；〃　Duncan　said　mildly。　〃No　genuine　act　of　piety　and　faith　is　ever　silly。　This　is　not　to　say　that　your　dream　is　necessarily　realistic；〃　he　added。　〃At　least　not　now。　But　who　knows　what　the　future　may　bring？　After　all；　who　would　have　thought　the　bishops　would　approve　the　appointment　of　a　known　Deryni　to　their　ranks？〃
Nervously　Kelson　glanced　around　the　transept　to　be　certain　there　was　no　one　else　within　earshot；　a　little　annoyed　that　even　Duncan　should　have　crept　up　on　him　unawares。
〃Shhh！〃　he　hissed　under　his　breath。　〃The　bishops　may　know；　and　a　lot　of　other　people；　but　everybody　doesn't。　You　needn't　make　things　any　more　difficult　than　they　are。〃
Duncan　raised　an　eyebrow。　〃I　am　what　I　am。　Sire；　as　we　all　are。　Denying　serves　no　useful　purpose。〃
〃And　what　am　I；　then？〃　Dhugal　whispered；　turning　sick；　fearful　eyes　on　Kelson。　〃Go　ahead　and　ask　him；　Kelson。　He's　right。　I　need　to　know。　And　I　can't　properly　serve　you　and　what　you've　bee；　until　I　do。〃
Kelson　glanced　up　at　Duncan　to　find　the　Deryni　priest　incredibly　still；　glancing　back　and　forth　between　him　and　Dhugal　with　taut　question　in　the　blue　eyes。
〃Dhugal　has　shields；〃　Kelson　murmured；　at　the　same　time　touching　his　fingertips　to　Duncan's　hands　and　imparting　a　quick　mental　impression　of　what　he　and　Dhugal　had　experienced。　〃I　told　Alaric　about　them　before　the　expedition；　but　there　wasn't　time　to　tell　you。　Now　he　needs　to　be　healed；　but　I'm　a　little　afraid　to　have　either　of　you　try　it　alone。　I　suspect　you're　going　to　have　to　get　around　the　shields　to　do　it；　and　that　could　be　very　tricky。　He　shut　down　in　terrible　pain　when　I　tried　to　read　him　in　Transha。〃
Duncan's　eyes　betrayed　no　emotion　as　he　assimilated　Kelson's　words　and　thoughts；　but　when　the　king　had　finished；　Duncan　slowly　turned　his　gaze　on　the　apprehensive　Dhugal；　looking　slightly　wistful。
〃Shields；　you　say？　Shields　that　even　you　can't　breach；　Kelson？〃
The　king　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　want　to　hurt　him　any　more　than　I　have　already；　trying　to　force　the　issue。　I　have　the　technical　knowledge；　but　you　and　Alaric　have　far　more　experience。　If　necessary；　I　thought　you　might　draw　on　…　other　expertise；　as　well；〃　he　added；　thinking　of　Arilan；　and　seeing　that　the　thought　had　occurred　to　Duncan　as　well；　though　he　suddenly　did　not　want　Duncan　to　know　that　he　had　told　Dhugal。
〃No；〃　Duncan　said　softly；　〃I'd　rather　not　involve　any　one　else；　if　we　can　handle　this　ourselves。〃　He　flicked　his　attention　back　to　Dhugal；　shifting　his　armful　of　scrolls　to　free　one　hand。　〃Do　you　mind　if　I　try　a　light　probe；　Dhugal？〃　he　asked；　reaching　casually　toward　the　boy's　forehead　before　Dhugal　could　back　away。　〃I'll　pull　right　out　if　it　distresses　you。〃
As　he　touched　Dhugal；　he　sent　out　a　cautious　tendril　of　thought；　recoiling　almost　immediately　as　rigid　shields　slammed　into　place　and　Dhugal　blinked。
〃Was　that　painful？〃　Duncan　asked；　not　withdrawing　his　hand。
Dhugal　gave　a　cautious　shake　of　his　head；　too　amazed　to　even　think　of　pulling　back。　〃Not　painful；　no。　But　I　felt　…　something。〃
〃With　shields　like　that；　I　should　imagine　you　did。〃　Again　Duncan　extended　a　cautious　probe。　〃Can　you　feel　that？〃
Dhugal　got　an　odd；　not　quite　frightened　look　on　his　face。
〃I　don't　exactly　…　feel　it。　It　isn't　a　physical　sensation　at　all。　Kind　of　like　a。。。　an　itch　inside　my　head。〃
〃Shall　I　stop？〃
Dhugal　swallowed。　〃Well；　it　doesn't　really　hurt。　It　isn't　even　that　unpleasant；　but　…　〃
〃Let　me　help；〃　Kelson　said；　adding　his　hand　beside　Duncan's　and　trying　a　contact。
But　at　Kelson's　first　psychic　touch；　Dhugal　gasped　and　recoiled；　clapping　hands　to　his　temples　and　doubling　over　with　pain。　Both　Kelson　and　Duncan　withdrew　immediately；　Duncan　letting　his　scrolls　fall　to　the　floor　as　he　helped　Kelson　support　his　tottering　foster　brother。　Dhugal　gasped　for　breath；　letting　Duncan　ease　him　to　a　crouch　and　push　his　head　between　his　knees；　trying　not　to　jostle　his　sore　ribs　or　kink　the　bruise　on　his　thigh。　His　head　was　throbbing　again。
〃That's　exactly　what　happened　in　Transha；〃　Kelson　murmured；　leaving　Dhugal　to　Duncan's　ministrations　while　he　awkwardly　gathered　up　the　dropped　scrolls。　〃It　didn't　happen　right　away；　but　it's　been　that　way　ever　since。　I　wonder　why　you　don't　get　the　same　reaction。〃
Duncan　shrugged；　gently　kneading　the　back　of　Dhugal's　neck　and　trying　a　tentative　probe　again。　〃I　don't　know。　He's　still　shielded；　though。　The　harder　I　push；　the　stronger　it　gets。〃
〃But　it　doesn't　hurt　when　you　do　it；〃　Dhugal　managed　to　murmur。
〃And　damned　if　I　know　why；〃　Duncan　replied；　helping　the　boy　to　stand。　〃I　confess　it's　beyond　me；　at　least　on　casual　investigation。　We're　due　back　at　the　council　meeti