kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir-第36部分

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　lawful　Lord。〃
〃History　will　decide　whether　it　is　treason；〃　Loris　retorted；　〃just　as　history　will　decide　whether　your　decision　was　wise。　You　may　have　overnight　to　reconsider　your　position　…　but　you　will　witness　Father　Judhael's　consecration　tomorrow；　even　if　you　must　be　drugged　and　bound　to　your　throne　half…conscious。　Do　not　make　the　mistake　of　thinking　this　an　empty　threat。　It　can　and　will　be　done。〃
〃Then；　the　legitimacy　of　what　you　are　doing　does　matter；　doesn't　it；　Loris？〃　Istelyn　turned　his　gaze　on　Caitrin。　〃My　lady；　I　pray　you　to　reconsider　what　you　are　about　to　do。　It　still　is　not　too　late　to　reverse　what　you　have　begun　and　beg　the　king's　pardon。　Loris　is　a　fugitive；　and　will　be　dealt　with；　but　you　have　mitted　no　grave　offenses　if　you　back　off　now。〃
Outraged；　Loris　lifted　a　hand　to　strike　him；　but　Sicard　blocked　his　wrist　at　Caitrin's　quick　signal。
〃We　shall　take　your　advice　under　consideration；　Bishop；〃　Caitrin　said　smoothly；　〃as　we　hope　you　shall　take　ours。　Archbishop　Loris；　we　have　more　to　discuss　in　private；　I　think。〃　She　glanced　at　the　silent　and　wide…eyed　Dhugal　as　Sicard　moved　to　open　the　door。　〃Nephew；　if　you　value　the　life　of　this　foolish　priest；　you　would　do　well　to　try　to　convince　him　of　the　error　of　his　stand。　You　shall　dine　with　us　this　evening　and　report　your　progress。〃
She　turned　and　swept　through　the　open　doorway　after　Sicard　even　as　the　astonished　Dhugal　made　a　hasty　bow。　Loris　cast　Istelyn　one　lingering；　venomous　glance；　a　more　calculating　one　in　Dhugal's　direction；　then　followed。　Dhugal　exhaled　softly　as　soon　as　the　bolts　had　snicked　shut　on　the　other　side；　glancing　uneasily　at　the　now…shaking　Istelyn。
〃So　that's　my　Aunt　Caitrin；〃　he　murmured。
Istelyn　shot　him　a　look　of　undiluted　disgust　and　turned　away；　making　his　way　blindly　to　the　prie…dieu　to　collapse　with　his　head　cradled　on　his　folded　arms。　After　a　moment　Dhugal　followed；　kneeling　awkwardly　on　the　bare　stone　beside　him。
〃Please　don't　be　angry　with　me。　Excellency；〃　he　whispered；　trying　to　will　the　bishop　to　raise　his　head。　〃You　don't　think　I　really　mean　to　do　anything　that　would　help　Loris；　do　you？〃
Istelyn's　whisper　could　barely　be　heard　from　behind　his　folded　forearms。
〃You　swore　an　oath；　Dhugal　…　in　terrible　terms。　Do　you　mean　to　be　forsworn？〃
〃I　…　I　had　no　choice。〃
Istelyn　looked　up　coldly。　〃You　had　a　choice：　the　same　choice　that　I　did。　And　you　gave　him　your　word。〃
Dhugal　swallowed　painfully。　His　ribs　were　aching　again　from　the　pounding　of　his　heart。
〃I　gave　the　king　my　word；〃　he　murmured。　〃And　if　it　costs　me　my　soul；　I'll　keep　my　word　…　to　him。〃　He　folded　his　hands　carefully；　interlacing　the　fingers；　and　pressed　them　tightly　clasped　to　his　chin。
〃But　I　can't　escape　to　warn　him　if　I'm　too　closely　guarded；〃　he　went　on　very　softly。　〃Maybe　I　can't　escape　anyway　…　but　at　least　I　have　to　try。　And　if　I'm　going　to　try；　I　owe　it　to　him　to　give　myself　the　best　possible　chance　of　succeeding。〃
〃Even　at　the　cost　of　breaking　your　sacred　oath？〃　Istelyn　asked。
〃Whatever　the　cost；〃　Dhugal　whispered。

He　could　not　convince　Istelyn　that　the　wisest　course　lay　in　pretending　to　cooperate　with　their　captors；　however。　He　tried　until　a　servant　came　to　fetch　him　for　dinner；　but　the　bishop　maintained　his　stand：　to　allow　the　appearance　of　cooperation　was　as　damaging　as　actually　capitulating　to　the　。enemy。　Istelyn　would　not　be　moved。
〃But　they　mean　to　have　you　there。　Excellency　…　probably　even　if　they　have　to　prop　up　your　dead　body　on　its　throne！〃　Dhugal　had　said　at　last。　〃You　can't　help　the　king　if　you're　dead！〃
〃Perhaps。　But　I　will　die　knowing　that　I　was　true　to　my　office　and　my　God。　Loris　will　never　have　that　satisfaction。〃
Dhugal　thought　about　what　Istelyn　had　said　as　he　followed　the　servant　into　the　bishop's　great　hall；　his　spirits　temporarily　dampened　by　the　heavy　weight　of　duty；　but　he　had　all　he　could　do　to　keep　his　wits　about　him　once　he　sat　down　to　supper。　They　put　him　at　the　far　end　of　the　high　table　with　a　man…at…arms　to　watch　as　well　as　serve　him；　and　he　knew　that　many　others　watched　for　errors　as　well。
Increasingly　conscious　of　the　dangerous　charade　he　played；　he　kept　his　peace　and　did　his　best　to　stay　wide…eyed　and　awed…looking　in　the　presence　of　the　Mearan　Court。　No　one　seemed　to　remember　that　he　had　been　fostered　to　a　finer　court　in　Rhemuth；　but　if　anyone　had；　Dhugal　planned　to　shrug　it　off　as　time　ill　spent　for　a　border…man。　In　fact；　he　had　not　been　at　court　for　several　years；　so　it　took　little　effort　to　slip　into　the　more　relaxed　border　manners　mon　in　his　father's　hall：　loud　and　boisterous；　hearty　in　appetite　and　more　uninhibited　in　behavior　than　would　have　been　seemly　in　Rhemuth。
Once　he　got　into　his　role；　however；　maintaining　it　was　easy。　He　was　soon　introduced　to　his　cousins；　Ithel　and　Llewell；　both　about　his　age；　and　the　stunningly　beautiful　Sidana。
〃I　don't　suppose　you　see　many　ladies　to　pare　with　this　in　Transha；〃　Prince　Ithel　said　proudly；　pouring　his　sister　another　cup　of　ale。　〃Meara　will　be　the　center　of　the　civilized　world　when　we're　done　…　you'll　see。〃
He　was　just　drunk　enough　to　mistake　Dhugal's　nervous　laughter　for　awe；　Sidana　also　joining　in　the　mirth。
Only　Llewell　kept　himself　aloof；　staring　furtively　at　Dhugal　when　he　thought　Dhugal　didn't　notice　and　brooding　over　his　cup。　Ruthlessly　Dhugal　set　about　to　win　all　their　confidence；　drawing　out　the　taciturn　Llewell；　hearing　accounts　of　the　princes'　martial　exploits　with　feigned　awe；　and　eventually　joining　in　the　goodnatured　teasing　which　Sidana　endured　from　her　older　brothers。　He　was　nearly　one　of　them　by　the　time　dinner　was　over。
One　of　the　children；　however　…　not　one　of　the　men。　Over　stronger　wine；　after　the　ladies　had　retired；　a　possibly　intoxicated　Sicard　drew　his　stool　close　beside　Dhugal's　and　began　sounding　him　out　about　old　Caulay's　politics；　hinting　that　once　Caulay　was　gone；　Meara　was　in　a　position　to　better　Dhugal's　lot　considerably。
Dhugal　suspected　his　uncle　was　far　more　sober　than　he　seemed。　He　hid　his　true　feelings　well；　however；　even　pretending　pleased　interest　in　Sicard's　offer　of　a　dukedom　when　the　secession　was　acplished。　He　gathered　that　he　gave　the　right　answers。　He　drank　with　Sicard　and　his　sons　for　another　hour；　somehow　managing　to　consume　far　less　than　they　thought　he　did。　Ithel；　a　tipsy　Llewell；　and　the　watchful　and　still　sober　man…at…arms　walked　him　to　his　room　when　the　reveling　was　done；　the　two　princes　singing　him　a　noisy　salute　as　future　Duke　of　Transha　before　giving　him　a　playful　buffet　through　the　doorway　of　his　room。
Istelyn　was　still　cold　to　him；　however。　Dhugal　found　him　on　his　knees　in　the　little　oratory；　but　the　bishop　would　not　look　at　him　after　an　initial；　disdainful　sweep　of　him　from　head　to　toe；　turning　a　contemptuous　back　on　him　after　that。　Nor　could　Dhugal　elicit　any　verbal　response。
He　crept　under　the　sleeping　furs　on　his　pallet　feeling　like　a　snake；　tears　streaming　silently　down　his　cheeks　until　he　at　last　slipped　into　uneasy　sleep。　His　dreams　edged　almost　immediately　into　nightmares：
Judgment　Day。　Naked　and　afraid；　he　cowered　at　the　foot　of　the　great　golden　Throne　of　Heaven　as　a　wrathful　Istelyn　raised　one　hand　toward　the　Light　in　mute　appeal；　stabbing　accusingly　at　Dhugal　with　the　other。　Hosts　of　weeping　angels　bore　the　supine　form　of　Kelson　before　the　throne；　his　body　bleeding　from　a　dozen　wounds。
Frantic；　Dhugal　tried　to　explain。　Kelson　could　not　be　dead；　and　Dhugal　certainly　was　not　to　blame。　But　the　king　suddenly　lifted　his　head　and　raised　one　gory　hand　to　also　point　in　Dhugal's　direction；　the　flesh　melting　from　the　bones　as　Dhugal　watched　in　horror；　the　eyes　but　empty　sockets　in　a　masklike　skull。
The　nightmare　wrenched　Dhugal　out　of　sleep。　Gasping　for　breath；　he　woke　in　a　cold　sweat；　terrified　that　it　was　real；　that　he　had　already　killed　his　brother　and　his　king。
But　the　room　was　dark；　Istelyn　no　longer　kneeling　in　the　oratory　but　wrapped　in　his　sleeping　furs　on　the　other　side　of　the　room；　his　back　to　Dhugal；　only　a　dark　blur　in　the　dim　light　of　dying　fire。　It　had　only　been　a　dream　after　all。
Dhugal's　head　pounded　from　the　wine；　however；　even　after　the　terror　of　the　dream　had　passed；　and　he　slept　no　more。　Nursing　his　apprehensions　and　his　hangover；　he　searched　his　conscience　all　through　the　rest　of　the　night；　hands　clasped　to　his　lips　in　intermittent　prayer。　The　hours　seemed　to　crawl　until　grey　dawn　at　last　streaked　the　sky　and　he　could　rise　to　wash　and　dress；　a　much　sobered　young　man。

The　object　of　Dhugal's　prayers　also　saw　the　dawn　that　morning；　a　day's　hard　ride　south　of　Ratharkin。　Letting　his　horse　blow　at　the　top　of　a　high　pass。　Kelson　hunched　down　in　his　fur…lined　cloak　and　gnawed　on　a　lump　of　tough　brown　journey　bread；　glancing　aside　as　Morgan　drew　rein　beside　him。　They　had　been　riding　this　leg　of　the　journey　since　midnight；　and　planned　no　further　pause　until　they　reached　Ratharkin。　The　rain　had　given　way　to　a　light　snow　during　the　night；　with　promise　of　more　to　e。　Behind　them；　stretching　back　along　the　trail　by　twos；　the　hundred　knights　of　their　escort　adjusted　girths　and　bridle　buckles　and　took　advantage　of　the　brief　stop　to　eat　or　sleep　or　relieve　themselves。　Conall　dozed　on　his　horse　behind　and　to　Kelson's　left；　nodding　in　the　saddle。
〃He　has　to　be　alive；〃　Kelson　mu