kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir-第3部分

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But　partially　because　Duncan's　secular　status　already　presented　plications　in　the　deliberations　ahead；　and　partially　because　he　wished　to　delay　his　formal　consecration　until　the　following　Easter；　no　public　announcement　had　yet　been　made。　Duncan's　very　presence　at　the　convocation；　ostensibly　as　secretary　for　the　proceedings；　had　been　enough　to　raise　eyebrows　among　the　Mearan　clergy　and　lay　observers　in　attendance。
Nor　did　Mearan　uneasiness　spring　from　the　fact　that　Duncan；　like　Morgan；　was　Deryni　…　though　the　Deryni　question　had　certainly　presented　problems　of　its　own　in　the　beginning；　and　doubtless　would　continue　to　be　a　factor　of　varying　importance。　For　nearly　two　centuries；　no　known　Deryni　had　been　permitted　ordination　to　the　priesthood。　Discovery　that　Duncan　was　Deryni　and　had　been　so　ordained　had　sparked　a　panicked　flurry　of　ecclesiastical　speculation　as　to　how　many　other　Deryni　might　have　served　in　the　clergy　secretly；　to　the　possible　detriment　of　uncountable　human　souls　to　whom　they　might　have　ministered　…　and　how　many　might　be　serving　now？　No　one　knew　how　virulent　the　infection　might　be；　if　Deryni　consorted　unbeknownst　with　decent　Christian　folk。　The　very　thought　had　sent　men　like　Edmund　Loris　into　near…apoplectic　fits　on　more　than　one　occasion。
Fortunately；　cooler　logic　than　Loris'　had　eventually　prevailed。　Under　the　physical　protection　of　a　part…Deryni　king；　both　Duncan　and　Morgan　had　managed　to　convince　a　majority　of　the　ecclesiastical　hierarchy　that　they；　at　least；　did　not　fit　the　image　of　evil　for　so　long　attributed　to　Deryni　…　for　surely　evil　men　would　not　have　put　themselves　so　thoroughly　at　risk　to　save　their　king　and　kingdom　from　another　of　their　race。
But　while　Morgan　could　quickly　return　to　a　status　not　unlike　that　which　he　had　enjoyed　before　the　death　of　Brion　…　known　and　sometimes　feared　for　what　he　was；　but　nonetheless　grudgingly　respected；　if　only　for　the　threat　of　what　he　might　do　if　provoked　…　Duncan's　situation　required　more　delicate　handling。　Once　he　and　Morgan　had　made　peace　with　the　bishops；　the　Deryni　priest　had　spent　many　agonizing　weeks　reconciling　his　own　conscience　on　the　matter　of　having　accepted　ordination　to　the　priesthood　when　he　knew　it　was　forbidden　to　Deryni。　He　had　resumed　his　priestly　function　only　after　Kelson's　victory　at　Llyndruth　Meadows。
In　Duncan's　favor；　at　least；　was　the　fact　that　few　outside　the　confines　of　consistory　and　court　definitely　knew　he　was　Deryni；　and　whatever　rumor　and　innuendo　might　be　whispered　beyond　that　circle　of　intimates；　scrupulous　avoidance　of　any　public　display　of　magic　had　enabled　Duncan　not　to　confirm　anything。　He　was　not　known　to　be　Deryni　by　most；　he　was　only　known　to　consort　with　them　…　Morgan　and　the　king；　in　particular。　Arilan；　now　the　Bishop　of　Dhassa；　was　Deryni　too；　but　among　the　bishops　only　Cardiel　knew　that　…　as　did　a　meager　handful　outside　the　episcopal　ranks　…　for　neither　Arilan　nor　Duncan　had　had　to　reveal　their　powers　against　Wencit　at　the　Llyndruth　Meadows　confrontation　two　years　before。　Morgan　did　not　fully　trust　Arilan；　but　he　was　sure　he　and　Cardiel　were　largely　responsible　for　Duncan's　cautious　acceptance　among　the　clergy。　Certainly；　Duncan　could　not　have　been　elected　bishop　without　their　support。
What　gave　the　Mearans　cause　to　distrust　Duncan；　then；　had　almost　entirely　to　do　with　Duncan's　secular　status；　for　following　his　father's　death　without　other　heir；　Duncan　had　assumed　the　ducal　and　county　titles　of　Cassan　and　Kierney　…　titles　which　had　once　belonged　to　Old　Meara。　To　Mearan　separatists；　working　to　establish　a　powerbase　for　a　Mearan　restoration；　a　Cassani　duke　loyal　to　the　crown　of　Gwynedd　was　merely　a　political　annoyance　across　the　northern　border；　to　be　worked　around　and　watched；　as　Duncan's　father　had　been　watched　for　years；　but　if　that　duke　was　also　a　high…ranking　priest；　and　Meara's　only　bishopric　fell　suddenly　vacant；　matters　instantly　became　more　plicated。　A　Cassani　royalist　duke　who　also　became　Bishop　of　Meara　would　wield　both　spiritual　and　temporal　authority　over　two　vast　areas。
Indeed；　Duncan's　election　to　any　bishopric　would　be　viewed　with　suspicion　in　Meara；　for　even　if　he　himself　had　no　aspirations　in　that　direction；　his　politically　motivated　wishes　could　carry　great　weight　in　the　selection　of　the　man　who　was　chosen　to　occupy　the　Mearan　See。　Monsignor　The　Duke　of　Cassan　represented　a　threat；　then；　for　all　that　he　seemed　to　be　an　innocuous…looking　priest…secretary　seated　quietly　beside　the　Archbishop　of　Rhemuth。
Smothering　another　cough；　Morgan　glanced　down　at　the　consistory　chamber　again　…　Kelson　was　winding　up　his　speech　…　then　allowed　his　gaze　to　drift　lazily　over　his　own　form；　reflecting　on　the　effort　which　had　gone　into　making　his　image　less　threatening　in　the　past　two　years。　Gone　was　the　somber　black　attire　which　a　younger；　more　arrogant　Morgan　had　affected　in　those　days　as　Brion's　shadow　and　confidant。　Cardiel　had　told　him　quite　frankly　that　such　affectations　only　tended　to　reinforce　the　sinister　notions　most　people　still　entertained　about　Deryni。
〃Why　dress　as　the　Adversary？〃　Cardiel　demanded。　〃You've　shown　amply　by　your　actions　that　you're　a　servant　of　Light；　not　Darkness。　Why；　with　your　pale　hair　and　fair　features；　you　could　have　e　off　my　chapel　ceiling：　one　of　the　Lord's　messengers　…　maybe　even　blessed　Michael　himself！〃
And　Lord　Rathold；　his　wardrober　at　Coroth；　had　badgered　him　no　less　mercilessly　about　his　ducal　image。
〃You　must　think　of　your　people。　Your　Grace！〃　Rathold　had　said　stubbornly。　〃You　dress　like　a　mon　soldier；　when　you　have　your　way。　No　one　wishes　to　think　he　serves　an　impoverished　master　…　or　to　have　others　think　it！　'Tis　a　matter　of　pride！〃
And　so；　unless　there　was　a　need　for　stealth；　the　sable　leathers　had　been　put　aside　and　replaced　with　color：　a　deep　burgundy　cloak　at　first；　as　a　self…conscious　concession　to　his　rank　as　King's　Champion　…　he　could　not　bring　himself　to　adopt　the　crimson　Kelson　favored　…　but　worn　over　muted；　conservative　grey；　with　little　embellishment。　Deep　blues　followed；　and　eventually　greens　and　golds　and　even　particolors　…　the　rich　jewel…tones　rather　than　bright　shades。　Eventually；　he　even　learned　to　like　them。
His　body　squire　had　chosen　verdant　hues　for　him　today：　a　blue…green　cloak　collared　and　lined　in　silver　fox　drawn　over　a　nubby　wool　robe　in　a　slightly　lighter　shade；　ankle…length　and　slit　front　and　rear　for　riding。　The　borders　and　cuffs　were　stiff　with　dozens　of　his　Corwyn　gryphons　worked　in　gold　bullion；　the　throat　clasped　with　a　silver　penannular　brooch　which　had　been　his　mother's。
He　still　wore　a　mail　shirt　beneath　his　finery；　as　he　always　had：　fine；　supple　chain　which　would　turn　aside　all　but　the　most　direct　dagger　thrust。　But　where　once　the　metal　would　have　gleamed　openly　at　wrists　and　throat；　boldly　belligerent　and　just　a　little　to　ready　for　trouble；　now　it　was　hidden　beneath　an　undertunic　of　rich；　slubbed　silk；　with　soft　wool　between　the　chain　and　his　skin。　The　scabbard　of　the　sword　at　his　left　hip　was　mounted　with　silver…set　Cassani　cairngorms　the　size　of　a　man's　thumbnail　…　Duncan's　birthday　gift　to　him　two　months　before：　civilized　splendor；　even　if　the　blade　the　scabbard　sheathed　was　as　serviceable　as　ever。
A　shorter　blade　was　thrust　into　his　right　boot…top；　the　hilt　never　far　from　his　gloved　hand；　and　he　still　carried　a　narrow　stiletto　in　a　wrist…sheathed　strapped　along　his　left　forearm；　underneath　the　mail。　Around　his　neck　he　wore　the　gilded　captain…general's　chain　Kelson　had　given　him　at　last　year's　Christmas　Court；　each　link　engraved　with　Haldane　lions　and　Corwyn　gryphons　chasing　one　another's　tails。　The　old　Morgan　would　not　have　understood　the　joke。
He　sighed　and　shifted；　and　the　sound　of　the　chain　chiming　against　the　stone　railing　brought　him　back　to　awareness　of　his　surroundings。　Kelson's　voice　in　the　chamber　below　had　been　replaced　by　another　while　Morgan　day…dreamed；　and　a　quick　glance　between　the　curtains　confirmed　that　the　speaker　was　Archbishop　Bradene。　Seconds　before　the　door　latch　lifted；　Morgan　sensed　the　king　approaching　even　as　he　quested　outward　with　his　mind。　He　was　already　rising　to　incline　his　head　in　a　slight　bow　as　Kelson　stepped　inside。
〃Well；　no　sense　trying　to　take　you　by　surprise；〃　the　boy　remarked　with　a　rueful　smile。　〃You　always　seem　to　know　it　is　I。　How　did　I　do？〃
Morgan　shrugged　and　returned　the　smile。
〃The　part　that　I　heard　was　fine；　my　prince。　I　must　confess　that　my　attention　wandered；　toward　the　end。　We　went　over　this　so　many　times　in　Droghera。〃
〃I　know。　I　nearly　bored　myself　as　well。〃　Kelson　flashed　a　more　wistful　grin　as　he　drifted　over　to　peer　through　the　curtains　as　Morgan　had　done。　〃Still；　it　had　to　be　said。〃
〃Aye。〃
As　the　king　stood　there　poised　and　listening；　Morgan　was　reminded　once　again　how　much　had　changed　in　the　past　three　years。　Kelson　had　grown　more　than　a　handspan　since　that　day　Morgan　had　e　to　help　a　grief…stricken　boy　of　fourteen　keep　his　throne。　The　boy　was　a　man　now　…　still　not　as　tall　as　Morgan；　but　already　taller　than　his　father　had　been；　if　more　slightly　built。　In　other　ways　than　size；　he　would　also　be　a　bigger　man　than　Brion。　Already　he　knew　more　of　his　magical　heritage　than　Brion　ever　had；　and　more　of　the　ways　of　people。
The　eyes　were　the　same；　though　…　the　grey