kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir-第12部分

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eding　him　down　the　short　aisle　when　Morgan　gestured　toward　the　front　of　the　chapel。　Both　men　genuflected　and　signed　themselves　when　they　reached　the　altar　rail；　Morgan　and　then　Judhael　easing　onto　the　kneelers　which　lay　along　its　length。　Morgan　bowed　his　head　for　a　moment　as　if　in　prayer；　letting　Judhael's　curiosity　and　apprehension　grow；　then　glanced　at　the　priest　sidelong。
〃You're　acquainted　with　my　cousin。　Father　Duncan　McLain；　I　believe；〃　he　said　softly。
Judhael　cocked　his　head　and　stared　at　Morgan　in　surprise。
〃Why；　I'm　aware　that　he　is　secretary　to　the　Lord　Archbishop　of　Rhemuth；　Your　Grace。　He's　been　keeping　the　accounts　of　the　interviews　this　week。〃
〃That　he　has；〃　Morgan　murmured；　opening　his　mind　to　Truth…Read。　〃Are　you　aware　that　he　was　set　upon　by　a　boy　with　a　knife　earlier　this　evening？〃
Judhael's　eyes　widened　at　the　news；　then　shuttered　behind　a　quickly　posed　mask　of　concern。
〃Father　McLain　is　a　priest　like　myself。　Your　Grace；〃　he　said　in　a　low；　uninflected　voice。　〃I　am　sorry　to　hear　that　someone　would　attempt　his　sacrilegious　murder；　but　it　grieves　me　far　more　to　think　that　you　might　believe　me　involved　in　any　way。〃
〃You　have　no　knowledge　of　it；　then？〃　Morgan　asked；　a　little　taken　aback　to　realize　that　Judhael　was　telling　the　truth。
〃None；　Your　Grace。〃
〃I　see。〃
No　knowledge　whatsoever。　Judhael　really　had　not　known。　Morgan　gazed　searchingly　into　the　priest's　eyes　for　several　seconds；　not　doing　anything　but　looking　…　　though　Judhael　might　construe　what　he　liked；　and　hopefully　panic　enough　to　let　slip　some　additional　bit　of　information　…　but　Judhael　met　his　gaze　with　no　more　uneasiness　than　anyone　might　have　exhibited　when　stared　at　by　a　Deryni；　the　extent　of　whose　powers　were　uncertain。
〃Just　one　more　question；　then；〃　Morgan　said；　choosing　his　words　carefully。　〃When　was　the　last　time　you　heard　from　your　aunt？〃
Judhael　hardly　batted　an　eye。
〃Last　Christmastide；　Your　Grace。　Why　do　you　ask？〃
Last　Christmastide；　long　before　Meara's　bishopric　became　vacant；　Morgan　noted。　Nor　was　there　any　duplicity　in　Judhael's　answer。　Not　only　was　Judhael　innocent　of　knowledge　about　the　attempt　on　Duncan；　but　he　did　not　seem　to　be　involved　in　any　machinations　his　aunt　might　have　planned　for　his　insertion　into　a　bishop's　see　…　　though　Judhael　surely　had　his　own　ambitions。
Morgan　dared　not　push　the　issue　any　further；　however。　Judhael　was　beginning　to　look　more　anxious；　and　the　only　way　to　go　from　here　was　to　actually　force　a　deep　reading　on　the　priest　…　and　Arilan　would　very　likely　skin　him　if　he　got　wind　of　it；　after　his　earlier　lecture　to　Cardiel。
〃Very　well。　Father。　I'll　leave　you；　then。　Thank　you　for　your　time。　If　you've　a　mind　to　ease　a　soul；　you　might　whisper　a　prayer　for　the　boy　with　the　knife。　I'm　afraid　he　died　unshriven。〃
He　signed　himself　slowly　and　deliberately；　not　taking　his　eyes　from　Judhael's；　then　rose　and　glided　back　up　the　aisle。　Judhael　was　still　kneeling；　face　buried　in　his　hands；　when　Morgan　glanced　back　just　before　going　out。
He　walked　for　a　while　after　that；　reviewing　what　he　had　done　and　finally　inquiring　among　the　guards　as　to　what　had　happened　to　the　body　of　Duncan's　attacker。　He　found　it　in　the　infirmary；　covered　with　a　blanket；　and　he　stared　at　the　face　of　the　dead　boy　for　some　time；　wondering　who　had　sent　him。


CHAPTER　FOUR
Thou　hast　made　us　to　drink　the　wine　of　astonishment。
Psalms　60：3
Farther　north　and　east　of　Culdi；　nearer　the　coast；　an　early　dusk　began　to　settle　as　Kelson　and　his　warband　urged　their　weary　horses　along　the　final　stretch　approaching　Castle　Transha；　cloaks　pulled　close　against　an　increasingly　bitter　drizzle。　Dhugal；　riding　at　the　king's　side；　had　set　them　a　brisk　pace　since　leaving　the　Trurill　patrol　at　midmorning；　pushing　to　reach　the　shelter　of　his　father's　castle　before　dark。　They　slowed　as　the　grade　of　the　road　got　steeper；　Dhugal　expectantly　searching　the　rain　ahead　until　the　vast　pile　which　was　Transha　gradually　took　shape；　almost　black　against　the　darkening　sky。　The　young　border　lord　grinned　as　he　glanced　aside　at　the　king。
〃We're　nearly　there　now；〃　he　said　cheerily。　〃My　father's　castellan　should　have　everything　prepared。　We've　been　observed　for　the　past　hour；　you　know。〃'
〃Oh？〃
Surprised　and　a　little　taken　aback。　Kelson　turned　to　look　at　Dhugal　in　question；　for　he　had　been　scanning　the　craggy　hills　with　Deryni　senses　as　well　as　sight　for　nearly　that　long；　and　had　detected　nothing。
〃Don't　worry；〃　Dhugal　went　on　with　a　chuckle。　〃I　didn't　see　them　either。　But　then；　I'm　not　as　experienced　as　Ciard　yet。　He　signalled　me　when　we　made　our　last　rest　stop。〃
Ciard。　Of　course。　He　had　been　the　only　other　MacArdry　retainer　riding　with　the　Trurill　patrol；　so　of　course　had　e　with　them。　Kelson　remembered　him　well　from　the　days　of　Dhugal's　fosterage　at　court。　Glancing　back　thoughtfully　at　the　middle…aged　gillie　riding　a　few　ranks　behind；　he　recalled　being　told　that　Ciard　O　Ruane　had　been　made　Dhugal's　personal　attendant　and　bodyguard　by　the　MacArdry　chief　himself；　shortly　after　Dhugal's　birth。　Kelson　had　never　known　him　to　be　far　from　his　young　charge's　side。　The　man's　almost　uncanny　ability　in　the　field　had　mystified　Kelson　even　in　the　old　days；　and　Deryni　perceptions　gained　since　their　last　contact　had　added　no　further　explanation。
〃Ciard。　I　might　have　known；〃　Kelson　muttered　aside　to　Dhugal；　as　he　returned　his　attention　to　the　narrowing　trail　ahead。　〃I　suppose　next　you'll　be　telling　me　he　does　it　with　that　borderer　Second　Sight　you　mentioned　yesterday。〃
〃Why；　I　thought　your　kind　knew　all　about　such　things；〃　Dhugal　replied　with　another　chuckle。　〃You　really　needn't　worry；　though。　I　personally　guarantee　my　people's　loyalty　…　though　I　should　warn　you　not　to　be　surprised　if　your　wele　seems　a　little　cool　at　first。　Even　if　you　weren't　the　king；　you　are　a　lowlander。　Both　make　you　an　oddity　this　far　west。〃
And　being　Deryni　makes　me　odder　still；　Kelson　added　in　his　own　mind；　pleting　what　Dhugal　had　not　said。　Despite　Dhugal's　assurance；　he　could　not　suppress　a　faint　itch　between　his　shoulderblades。
The　air　tasted　increasingly　of　salt　as　they　approached　the　castle's　outer　defenses；　and　the　gulls　screeching　overhead　gave　odd　counterpoint　to　the　dull　clop　of　mud…clogged　hooves　and　the　muted　jingle　of　harness。　Ewan　and　Conall　followed　directly　behind；　the　rain…soaked　Haldane　standard　flapping　wetly　against　Conal's　gloved　hand　and　occasionally　lifting　enough　on　the　rising　wind　to　actually　be　read。　Dhugal　had　advised　them　not　to　furl　it；　so　that　there　could　be　no　mistaking　their　identity。　The　rest　of　the　warband　also　followed　by　twos；　Ciard　with　one　of　Ewan's　gillies　and　then　Jodrell；　Traheme；　and　the　rest　of　the　column　…　knights；　squires；　and　servants。
They　came　within　easy　bowshot　of　the　outer　curtain　before　Kelson　at　last　spotted　lockouts　manning　the　battlements　high　above；　barely　silhouetted　against　the　grey　sky。　Torchlight　flickered　at　some　of　the　arrow　slits　piercing　the　stone　of　the　barbican　gate；　betokening　human　habitation　there　as　well　…　a　suspicion　confirmed　by　Kelson's　Deryni　senses　…　but　no　one　appeared　at　closer　hand。　The　column　slowed　almost　to　a　stop　as　they　neared　the　gatehouse。
〃They　know　who　you　are；　but　not　why　you're　here；〃　Dhugal　murmured；　as　the　heavy　doors　swung　outward　and　chains　clattered　on　windlass　drums；　raising　the　heavy　portcullis。　〃One　can　hardly　blame　them　for　being　wary。〃
〃I　suppose　not。〃
As　soon　as　there　was　headroom　beneath　the　portcullis；　Ciard　kneed　his　pony　past　them　with　a　scrambling　of　unshod　hooves　and　jogged　into　the　gatehouse　passage；　seizing　a　torch　from　a　wall　bracket　before　leading　on　across　the　drawbridge　beyond。　He　reined　in　and　looked　back　as　he　reached　the　other　side；　gesturing　for　them　to　follow；　and　Dhugal　set　heels　to　his　own　pony　at　once。　Kelson　glanced　upward　as　he　and　the　rest　of　the　column　followed　Dhugal　through　the　gatehouse；　and　was　rewarded　with　a　glimpse　of　a　red…cheeked　border　face　watching　from　a　murder…hole　high　above。　The　man　gave　a　nod　and　touched　two　fingers　to　the　front　of　his　highland　bonnet　before　disappearing；　but　Kelson　sensed　that　the　salute　was　as　much　for　Dhugal　as　for　him。
The　hollow　clatter　of　the　horses'　hooves　on　the　drawbridge　gave　way　to　the　more　solid　ring　of　steel　on　flint　paving　as　they　reached　the　other　side　of　the　ditch　protecting　the　outer　ward；　and　as　they　resumed　climbing；　Kelson　reflected　that　if　ever　a　castle　had　been　designed　to　take　all　advantage　of　its　natural　defenses；　Transha　was　it。　The　road　spiraling　upward　to　the　left　rapidly　became　a　steep；　narrow　killing　zone；　the　seaward　side　sheering　off　in　a　heart…stopping　plunge　to　the　surf　crashing　far　below。　On　their　unshielded　right；　the　keep　itself　rose　forty　feet　above　their　heads；　the　gaps　along　the　crenellated　wall　providing　easy　vantage　points　from　which　to　bombard　an　approaching　enemy。　The　way　was　wide　enough　for　two　border　ponies　side　by　side；　but　the　Haldane　greathorses　were　obliged　to　go　single　file。　Sea　gulls　swooped　in　for　a　closer　look　at　the　intruders；　veering　off　with　angry　cries　when　a　horse　would　snort　or　a　cloak　would　flap。　The　smell　of　the　sea　was　strong；　even　when　they　had　passed　beneath　a　second　gatehouse。
〃Bring　light　for　the　young　master　and　his　guests！〃　Ciard　cried；　turning　his　pony　in　a　t