kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir-第44部分

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the　notion　of　sleep　and　got　dressed；　pulling　on　plain　grey　breeches；　boots；　tunic；　and　fur…lined　overrobe。
Like　a　silent　ghost　he　prowled　the　precincts　of　his　castle；　inquiring　after　the　men　and　horses　that　had　returned　with　him　from　Ratharkin；　checking　on　his　prisoners　and　hostages；　and　breaking　his　fast　with　Morgan；　who　was　also　unable　to　sleep　into　the　day。　When　he　returned　to　his　own　apartments　a　few　hours　later；　still　on　edge；　he　found　Dhugal　also　awake　and　dressed；　wondering　where　he　had　gone。
〃I　couldn't　sleep；〃　Kelson　told　him。　〃I　talked　to　Morgan；　but　that　didn't　seem　to　help　much。　I　thought　I　might　pay　a　visit　to　my　father's　tomb　before　the　council　meeting。　Sometimes　doing　so　helps　me　clear　my　head　…　almost　as　if　I　could　still　ask　him　for　advice。　Would　you　e　with　me？〃
They　chose　the　most　mon…looking　horses　they　could　find　in　the　royal　stables；　for　Kelson　did　not　want　his　going　to　be　noticed。　Cloaked　and　closely　capped；　as　much　for　anonymity　as　for　warmth；　they　rode　the　half　mile　to　the　cathedral　along　silent；　nearly　deserted　streets　and　alleys。　The　weather　held　cold　and　clear；　the　snow　was　still　mostly　white　from　the　previous　night　when　they　dismounted　in　the　cathedral　yard。　Their　breath　fogged　on　the　air　before　them　as　they　made　their　way　through　a　slype　to　skirt　the　northern　side　of　the　cloister　garth。　Kelson　bounding　up　steps　to　a　side　door；　Dhugal　hobbling　a　little　stiffly　from　the　still…painful　bruise　on　his　thigh。
〃I　used　to　hate　this　place；〃　Kelson　said　as　he　led　the　way　down　the　south　aisle。　〃The　royal　crypt；　I　mean。　Archbishop　Cardiel　has　done　a　lot　to　make　it　more　bearable　in　the　two　years　he's　had　the　cathedral；　but　it's　still　a　little　creepy。　Did　I　ever　bring　you　here　before？〃
〃If　you　did；　I　don't　remember。〃
〃You'd　remember。〃　Kelson　paused　to　open　a　high；　gilded　brass　gate　far　enough　for　himself　and　Dhugal　to　slip　through；　then　pulled　it　to　behind　them。　〃I　suppose　the　best　part　about　it　is　that　it's　one　place　where　I　can　almost　always　be　sure　I'll　not　be　disturbed；〃　he　continued。　〃Such　places　are　rare　when　one　is　king。〃
Dhugal　allowed　himself　a　nonmittal　grunt　as　they　followed　the　corridor　around　a　left…hand　turn　and　started　down　a　flight　of　marble　steps；　hanging　back　to　ease　his　aching　leg。　By　the　time　he　reached　the　bottom；　he　found　Kelson　already　kneeling　beside　an　ornately　carved　sepulcher；　head　bowed　in　prayer；　so　he　eased　himself　to　a　sitting　position　on　the　lowest　step　and　breathed　a　prayer　for　his　own　father's　soul。　When　he　finished；　he　glanced　around　the　dimly　lit　chamber；　noting　the　rows　of　stone　sarcophagi　and　the　smooth　marble　of　the　walls。　The　stylized　stone　effigy　atop　the　tomb　where　Kelson　knelt　was　snowy…new　and　stiff；　very　little　like　the　King　Brion　whom　Dhugal　remembered。
〃I　suppose　this　is　the　way　most　people　will　remember　him；〃　Kelson　remarked；　when　he　had　crossed　himself　and　stood　to　glance　back　at　Dhugal；　one　hand　lingering　on　the　stone　king's　hand。　〃The　stem　Lord　of　Justice；　who　kept　the　peace　for　nearly　fifteen　years。〃　He　sighed　and　glanced　at　his　feet。　〃It　isn't　the　way　I　like　to　think　of　him；　though。　My　father　laughed　a　lot；　but　King　Brion　…　well；　he　did　what　he　had　to　do；　as　king。　Kings　don't　get　to　laugh　as　much　as　ordinary　folk。　That's　but　one　of　the　things　I've　learned　in　these　three　years　I've　worn　the　crown。〃
Dhugal　nodded　and　glanced　around　the　subterranean　chapel　again　with　idle　interest；　remembering　the　old　king's　kindness　to　a　confused　young　page　of　eight；　still　fresh　from　the　less　sophisticated　ways　of　his　father's　highland　hall。　Like　many　eight　year　olds；　Dhugal's　mand　of　his　rapidly　growing　body　had　been　intermittent；　with　disastrous　results　the　first　time　he　was　required　to　serve　the　high　table。　Only　the　king　had　refrained　from　laughing　when　Dhugal　tripped　and　sent　a　tray　of　steaming　pheasants　and　gravy　skittering　and；　sloshing　down　the　steps　of　the　royal　dais。
The　memory　merged　with　recollections　of　old　Caulay　seated　in　the　hall　at　Transha；　training　his　own　fosterlings　with　the　same　sort　of　firm　but　loving　discipline　that　Dhugal　had　enjoyed　at　Brion's　court；　and　Dhugal　started　to　smile。　The　smile　faded　as　he　glanced　again　at　Brion's　effigy；　however；　for　the　man　at　Transha　was　only　newly　dead；　and　the　shock　of　his　passing　was　unnumbed　by　the　passage　of　years。　Dhugal　could　feel　the　tears　threatening　to　well　up　in　his　eyes；　despite　the　fact　that；　in　some　ways；　old　Caulay's　death　still　seemed　quite　unreal。
〃It's　all　right　to　miss　him；　you　know；〃　Kelson　said　softly；　reading　his　mood；　if　not　his　thought。　〃I　still　miss　my　father；　after　all　this　time。　I　cried　when　it　happened；　too。　And　sometimes　late　at　night；　when　I'm　feeling　especially　alone　and　burdened；　I　still　cry。〃
Dhugal　had　all　he　could　do　to　swallow；　not　daring　to　look　at　Kelson　lest　he　loose　a　whole　floodgate　of　ill…timed　grief。　He　focused　on　one　of　the　torches　burning　in　a　brass　cresset　instead；　forcing　himself　to　raise　his　eyes　to　the　chapel's　vaulting。
〃This　isn't　such　a　creepy　place；〃　he　managed　to　say；　in　an　awkward　attempt　to　change　the　subject。　〃It's　rather　nice；　actually。〃
Kelson　gave　him　a　sympathetic　smile；　well　aware　what　his　foster　brother　was　trying　to　do　and　hardly　blaming　him。
〃It's　only　been　this　way　the　past　year　or　so。　All　the　stone　facing　on　the　walls　is　new。〃　He　gestured　casually　toward　the　nearest　stretch　of　burnished　marble　as　he　moved　toward　it。　The　slap　of　his　open　palm　against　the　stone　made　Dhugal　start。
〃There　are　tomb　niches　carved　in　the　living　rock　behind　here；〃　he　went　on。　〃It　used　to　be　that　only　kings　and　queens　were　buried　in　free…standing　tombs　like　my　father's。　Other　members　of　the　royal　family　were　simply　wrapped　in　their　shrouds　and　laid　to　rest　on　the　shelves　in　these　walls。　They　didn't　rot　for　some　reason；　they　just　dried　out　and　eventually　crumbled　away　…　something　about　the　air；　I'm　told。　I'd　hold　tight　to　my　mother's　hand　and　hide　my　eyes　when　my　parents　brought　me　here　to　pray　on　feast　days。　The　fellow　behind　this　wall；　in　particular；　used　to　scare　me　half　to　death。〃
Ready　to　seize　on　any　topic　in　preference　to　his　own　grief；　Dhugal　rose　to　approach　the　panel　Kelson　was　touching。
〃Dolonus　Haldanus；　Princeps　Gwyneddis；　675…699；〃　Dhugal　read；　stumbling　a　little　over　the　fine；　archaic　script。　〃Filius　Llarici；　Rigonus　Gwyneddis。　Requiem　in　pacem。〃　He　glanced　at　Kelson　in　question。　〃Prince　Dolon　…　didn't　his　own　father　execute　him？〃
Kelson　nodded。　〃And　his　younger　brother　as　well。　It　was　thought　at　the　time　that　they　were　plotting　treason。〃
〃Were　they？〃
〃Who　knows？〃　Kelson　glanced　at　the　next　row　of　wall　inscriptions。　〃His　brother　is　over　there。　I　can　remember　being　terrified　of　the　two　headless　skeletons。　My　nurse　told　me　that　their　father　had　cut　off　their　heads　because　they　displeased　him。〃
〃What　a　thing　to　tell　a　child！〃
Kelson　grinned。　〃I　think　I'd　been　especially　trying　that　day。　Still；　it　was　years　before　I　gained　a　more　objective　perspective。〃　He　glanced　back　at　his　father's　tomb　wistfully。
〃That　wasn't　my　most　frightening　experience　down　here；　though；〃　he　went　on　softly；　not　sure　whether　he　should　risk　frightening　Dhugal　as　well　by　recounting　the　old　nightmare。　〃It　happened　the　night　before　my　coronation。〃
〃My　father　heard　rumors。。。。〃　Dhugal　said　cautiously。
Kelson　smiled　and　moved　back　to　Brion's　sarcophagus；　leaning　both　hands　along　the　edge。
〃I'll　bet　he　did。　Well；　I　shan't　go　into　details　that　might　alarm　you　overmuch；　but　as　you　may　know；　Morgan　wasn't　here　when　my　father　died。　He　was　in　Cardosa。〃
〃And　came　back　the　day　before　the　coronation；〃　Dhugal　supplied。
〃That's　right。　My　father　had　been　buried　for　over　a　week　by　then：　my　mother's　doing　…　she　hates　Morgan　for　being　Deryni。　Anyway；　as　I　talked　with　him　and　Father　Duncan　that　afternoon；　it　soon　became　apparent　that　…　　well；　something　we　needed　to　make　my　kingship　plete　had　been　buried　with　my　father。〃
〃Then　you　did　open　the　tomb！〃　Dhugal　breathed；　wide…eyed　with　horror。　〃My　father　said　there'd　been　rumors　of　vandals　…　〃
〃We　weren't　responsible　for　that　part；〃　Kelson　countered。　〃We　think　it　was　Charissa　or　her　agents；　trying　to　discredit　Morgan　and　Father　Duncan。　We　were　looking　for　the　Eye　of　Rom。〃
As　he　brushed　a　strand　of　hair　behind　his　right　ear；　exposing　the　crimson　gemstone；　Dhugal　nodded。
〃I　remember　him　wearing　that。〃
〃Aye；　I　never　saw　him　without　it。　But　when　we　opened　this；〃　Kelson　tapped　the　stone　cover　of　the　sarcophagus　with　one　hand；　〃it　wasn't　my　father　inside　…　or；　it　was；　actually；　but　it　didn't　look　like　him。　We　thought　someone　might　have　switched　bodies　at　first；　so　we　started　searching　the　rest　of　the　chapel。　I　wasn't　strong　enough　to　push　back　these　stone　lids　by　myself；　so　Morgan　and　Father　Duncan　did　that　part。　I　had　to　look　in　the　tomb　niches。　It　…　wasn't　pleasant。〃
〃I　…　don't　think　I　understand；〃　Dhugal　said　in　a　small　voice。　〃You　mean；　it　was　your　father's　body　in　the　coffin　after　all？〃
Kelson　nodded。　〃I　still　don't　totally　understand；　but　apparently　Charissa　had　placed　some　kind　of　a　…　a　binding　spell　on　the　body；　which　also　changed　its　appearance。　Father　Duncan　got　rid　of　it；　but　he　said　that　…　〃　He　hesitated　as　Dhugal　got　an　odd；　tight　look　on　his　face。　〃He　said　that　Father's　soul　had　also　been　bound　up　in　the　spell　som