kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir-第76部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


her's　castle。
〃Something　happened　between　the　clans　while　they　were　on　that　campaign；　however。　Her　eldest　brother　was　killed　in　a　drunken　brawl　with　one　of　my　father's　men；　and　there　was　the　very　real　possibility　of　a　bitter　blood　feud；　even　though　the　guilty　McLain　man　was　duly　executed。　Her　father　and　his　men　came　back　to　Culdi　just　long　enough　to　pack　up　the　women　and　children　and　prepare　to　ride　out　the　following　dawn。
〃In　any　case；　to　make　a　long　story　short；　we　realized　that　our　fathers　would　never　let　us　marry；　under　the　circumstances　…　at　least　not　for　a　very　long　time　…　so　we　exchanged　vows　in　the　darkened　chapel。　She　gave　me　a　token；　and　I　gave　her　a　cloak　clasp　very　similar　to　the　one　in　your　hand。　In　fact；　that　could　be　the　very　one。〃
Dhugal　had　followed　the　entire　story　with　increasing　amazement；　and　now　he　glanced　at　the　clasp　in　his　hand　again；　suspicion　beginning　to　niggle　at　the　edges　of　consciousness。
〃May　…　may　I　ask　what　her　name　was？〃　he　breathed。
〃Maryse　MacArdry；〃　Duncan　whispered。　〃And　if　only　in　the　eyes　of　ourselves　and　of　God；　she　was　my　wife　for　that　brief　night。〃
〃But　…　Maryse　was　my　sister's　name。　She　died　the　same　winter　I　was　born。〃
〃Yes；　I　heard　that　the　following　summer；〃　Duncan　said；　〃and　that　her　mother　had　borne　twins　about　the　same　time。　Until　I　saw　you　wearing　that　cloak　clasp；　it　had　never　even　occurred　to　me　that　one　of　those　children　might　be　mine。〃
〃You　mean；　me？〃　Dhugal　asked；　in　a　very　small　voice。
Duncan　dropped　his　hand　to　look　full　into　Dhugal's　eyes。
〃Shall　I　tell　you　what　you　found　inside　the　partment　of　your　cloak　clasp？〃　he　asked。
Solemnly；　fearfully；　Dhugal　nodded。
〃The　afternoon　before　we　made　our　vows；　Maryse　took　strands　of　our　hair　and　wove　them　into　a　ring；　using　longer　strands　from　our　ponies'　tails　to　form　the　framework。　I　know　that　you　don't　remember　her；　if　you　ever　even　saw　her；　but　you　may　have　seen　paintings。　Her　hair　was　silver　blond；　even　lighter　than　Alaric's。　The　horsehairs　were　black。　I　think　that's　what　you'll　find；　if　you'll　pull　out　what's　inside。〃
Almost　afraid　to　breathe；　Dhugal　prodded　at　the　partment　in　the　clasp　and　worried　loose　precisely　that：　a　mostly　dark　ring　of　hair；　oval　in　shape　from　having　been　pressed；　with　a　strand　of　purest　silver　braided　into　the　design。　As　Dhugal　held　it　tremblingly　between　his　thumb　and　forefinger；　not　daring　to　speak；　Morgan　leaned　forward　and　spoke　for　the　first　time。
〃If　one　of　the　hairs　is　Duncan's；　I'll　be　able　to　detect　it；　Dhugal；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃And　if　it　isn't；　I'll　tell　you　that；　too。　May　I　hold　it？〃
Wordlessly；　Dhugal　placed　it　on　his　outstretched　palm；　glancing　fearfully　at　Duncan　as　he　did　so。　Morgan　closed　his　eyes　for　several　seconds；　the　ring　closed　lightly　in　his　fist　then　passed　it　across　to　Duncan。
〃It　is　one　of　your　hairs；〃　he　said　softly。　〃But　that　doesn't　prove　that　Dhugal　is　your　son　…　only　that　you　probably　did　have　the　relationship　with　Maryse　that　you've　described。　Dhugal　could　still　be　Caulay's　child。　You　have　a　twin　sister；　don't　you；　Dhugal？〃
〃It　…　sounds　like　I　have　another　aunt　or　niece；〃　Dhugal　breathed；　〃depending　on　which　one　of　us　was　Maryse's　child。〃
〃That's　true；〃　Duncan　murmured。　〃But　I　would　be　willing　to　wager　everything　I　hold　dear；　including　any　slight　chance　I　may　have　of　salvation；　that　you　are　Maryse's　child。　Shall　I　tell　you　why？〃
Dhugal　nodded　solemnly。
〃Because　Maryse's　child　by　me　would　be　part　Deryni　…　　and　I　think　that's　what　we've　been　getting　hints　of；　ever　since　you　and　Kelson　got　back　together；〃　Duncan　said　steadily。　〃I　think　that　night　at　Transha；　when　you　helped　Kelson　reach　Alaric；　was　a　catalyst　that　went　awry。　Your　Deryni　potentials　started　to　be　touched　for　the　first　time；　but　it　was　frightening；　and　you　froze　up。　That　would　also　explain　why；　when　we　later　tried　to　read　you　and　find　out　what　had　been　going　on；　you　felt　most　fortable　with　me。　Do　you　remember？〃
Dhugal's　eyes　had　been　getting　wider　and　wider　as　Duncan　spoke；　now　his　hands　were　trembling。　Quickly　he　clamped　them　together　to　make　them　stop；　not　daring　to　take　his　eyes　from　Duncan's。
〃I　…　want　to　believe　you；〃　he　finally　managed　to　whisper。　〃I　mean　no　disrespect　to　my　f　…　to　Lord　Caulay；　but　if　…　if　you　are　my　father；　it　would　certainly　explain　a　lot。〃
Slowly　Duncan　drew　deep　breath。　The　time　was　e　to　take　the　final　chance。
〃I　know　of　only　one　way　to　prove　that　to　you；　beyond　what　I've　already　done；　Dhugal；〃　he　said　softly。　〃If　I　am　your　father；　then　you're　Deryni；　too。　And　if　you're　Deryni；　then　…　if　you're　willing　…　I　should　be　able　to　form　a　mind…link　with　you　and　show　you　exactly　what　I　remember　about　your　mother　and　me。　I　loved　her　very　much；　Dhugal；　and　I've　e　to　care　a　great　deal　for　you；　over　the　years；　before　I　ever　suspected　you　might　be　my　son。　I　can't　make　up　for　all　the　years　you've　lived　in　ignorance　…　　and　that's　the　fault　of　no　one　who's　still　alive　…　but　I　can　try　to　bridge　the　gap　now　that　I　know　it's　there。　Do　you　trust　me？〃
〃Yes；〃　Dhugal　breathed。
〃No；　do　you　really　trust　me？〃　Duncan　insisted。　〃You　trusted　me　before　and　weren't　able　to　let　me　in。　Do　you　think　you　might　be　ready　now？〃
〃Duncan；　I'm　not　sure　we　really　have　the　time；〃　Morgan　murmured。
〃If　it's　going　to　work　without　a　lot　of　trouble；　it　isn't　going　to　take　a　lot　of　time；〃　Duncan　replied；　not　taking　his　eyes　off　the　boy。　〃We'll　be　given　the　time；　if　that's　what　Dhugal　really　wants。〃
Dhugal　swallowed　and　nodded。　〃He's　right；　Morgan；〃　he　breathed。　〃We　have　to　try　it　now。　Would　you　go　to　Kelson；　please；　and　tell　him　I'll　be　there　directly？　Don't　tell　him　what's　happened。　He　has　enough　to　think　about　just　now。〃
〃Duncan？〃　Morgan　asked。
〃Do　as　he　asks；〃　the　priest　replied。　〃We'll　be　all　right。〃


CHAPTER　TWENTY…ONE
I　will　be　to　him　a　Father；　and　he　shall　be　to　me　a　Son。
Hebrews　1：5
As　soon　as　the　door　had　closed　behind　Morgan；　Duncan　glanced　at　Dhugal。
〃We　haven't　any　time　to　spare；〃　he　said　softly。　〃If　you　want　your　proof　now；　you're　going　to　have　to　do　exactly　as　I　say；　perhaps　without　as　full　an　explanation　as　either　of　us　would　want。〃
Dhugal　shook　his　head　slowly。　〃I　don't　want　to　wait；　Fa　…　〃　He　lowered　his　eyes。　〃I　just　realized　that　maybe　I've　been　calling　you　by　the　proper　name　all　these　years；〃　he　continued　softly。　〃Strange；　but　it　somehow　feels　so　much　more　fortable　than　when　I　used　to　call　Caulay　my　father。〃
〃He　was　your　father；　in　all　the　ways　that　are　most　important　to　a　boy　growing　up。　I　wish　I'd　had　the　chance　to　watch　you　grow。　Of　course；　I　did；　in　a　way；　knowing　you　at　court　and　all　…　but　I　think　I　might　have　felt　differently　if　I'd　known　you　were　my　son。〃
〃Maybe　it　was　meant　to　be　this　way；〃　Dhugal　replied　shyly。　〃Maybe　I　had　to　lose　one　father　before　I　could　find　the　other。　If　I'd　known　about　you　while　Caulay　was　still　alive；　I　wouldn't　have　wanted　to　hurt　him。〃
〃Nor　I。　And　I　hope　you'll　always　honor　his　memory。〃　Duncan　smiled　as　he　laid　a　hand　lightly　on　Dhugal's　forearm。　〃He　gave　you　his　name　and　his　protection　in　the　years　when　you　were　most　vulnerable。　Now　that　he's　gone　and　you're　a　man；　no　one　will　be　hurt　by　the　truth。〃　The　smile　broadened　to　a　grin。
〃You　should　know　that　there's　at　least　one　plication　that　could　be　…　ah　…　awkward；　at　best。　If　I'm　to　acknowledge　you；　as　is　my　intention　…　if　you　want　it；　that　is　…　there　are　going　to　be　those　who　will　call　you　bastard　in　addition　to　Deryni；　of　course。〃
Dhugal　smiled。　〃They've　called　you　and　Morgan　bastards　for　years。　Somehow　I've　never　gotten　the　impression　that　had　anything　to　do　with　your　paternity。〃
〃No。〃　Reaching　into　the　front　of　his　cassock；　Duncan　rose　and　moved　a　stool　in　front　of　Dhugal's　chair；　withdrawing　the　shiral　crystal　on　its　leather　thong　as　he　sat。
〃You　remember　this；〃　he　said　simply；　placing　it　in　Dhugal's　hand。　〃It　was　your　mother's。　She　gave　it　to　me　the　night　I　gave　her　the　cloak　clasp。〃
Dhugal　ran　a　thumb　across　the　rough…polished　stone　and　nodded　slowly。　〃What　am　I　supposed　to　do　this　time？〃
〃I'll　do　most　of　what　needs　to　be　done。　All　I　ask　is　that　you　try　to　be　open　and　unafraid。　We'll　try　to　use　the　crystal　as　a　link　between　us。　You　may　feel　some　odd　sensations；　perhaps　even　some　unfortable　ones；　but　I　promise　I　won't　hurt　you。　To　start；　al