kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir-第45部分

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　an　odd；　tight　look　on　his　face。　〃He　said　that　Father's　soul　had　also　been　bound　up　in　the　spell　somehow。。。　that　he　hadn't　been。。。　entirely　free。　I've　frightened　you　again；　haven't　I？　I'm　sorry。　It　still　bothers　you　to　hear　me　talk　so　casually　about　magic；　doesn't　it？〃
Dhugal　managed　to　swallow；　forcing　himself　not　to　avoid　Kelson's　gaze；　but　it　was　true。
〃Yes；〃　he　whispered。　〃I　don't　want　to　be　afraid；　but　I　guess　it's　an　old　reflex。　And　when　you　talk　about　souls　being　bound　up　…　〃
〃That　isn't　the　usual　kind　of　Deryni　magic；〃　Kelson　said　in　a　low　voice；　laying　a　gloved　hand　on　the　other's　shoulder。　〃That's　dark　magic　…　and　you　have　every　reason　to　fear　it；　as　I　do。　What　I　do　…　and　what　Morgan　and　Father　Duncan　do　…　is　of　the　Light。　I　know　there's　no　evil　in　it。　Would　I　endanger　my　soul？　…　would　I　endanger　yours〃　…　if　I　thought　it　was　evil？〃
〃No。　Not　if　you　knew。　But　what　。if　you're　wrong？〃
〃Was　my　father　wrong？〃　Kelson　asked。　〃You　knew　him；　Dhugal。　Was　Brion　an　evil　man？〃
〃No。〃
〃And　is　Morgan　evil？　Is　Father　Duncan　evil？〃
〃I　don't　think　so。〃
〃Is　Bishop　Arilan　evil；　then？〃
〃Arilan？　Arilan's　Deryni？〃
As　Dhugal's　jaw　dropped。　Kelson　nodded　slowly。
〃Arilan。　And　you　are　one　of　less　than　a　dozen　men　who　know　that；〃　he　replied。　〃I'm　told　he　es　from　very；　very　old　Deryni　lineage；　long　hidden　away　…　and　he　probably　knows　more　about　magic　than　Morgan；　Father　Duncan；　and　myself　bined。　I'm　in　awe　of　him　…　but　I　know　he　isn't　evil。　Loris　is　evil；　and　he　isn't　even　Deryni。〃
〃I　…　won't　argue　with　you　on　that　count；〃　Dhugal　murmured。　〃It's　just　that　…　〃　He　passed　a　hand　across　his　eyes　in　futile　attempt　to　clear　a　growing　fuzziness　from　his　vision；　suspecting　that　his　treatment　at　the　renegade　archbishop's　hands　had　taken　a　more　serious　toll　than　he　had　thought。　〃I'm　sorry。　I'm　afraid　I'm　not　thinking　very　clearly。〃
〃No　need　to　apologize；〃　Kelson　replied。　〃You've　been　through　a　lot　in　the　last　week　or　so；　and　you're　still　not　well。　I　should　have　had　Morgan　and　Duncan　see　you；　instead　of　bringing　you　here。〃
A　flicker　of　even　greater　foreboding　supplanted　Dhugal's　burgeoning　disfort；　and　he　looked　up　at　Kelson　with　a　sick；　queasy　sensation　in　the　pit　of　his　stomach。
〃You　mean；　to　heal　me？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃But　…　〃　He　swallowed　painfully。　〃Kelson；　I'm　…　not　certain　I'm　ready　for　that　yet。〃
〃Because　of　what　happened　in　Transha？〃
〃Yes；〃　Dhugal　admitted。　He　rubbed　both　hands　across　his　eyes。　〃God；　my　head　is　throbbing。　I　can't　think。〃
〃That's　why　I'd　like　to　have　them　take　a　look　at　you；〃　Kelson　replied。　〃They　might　be　able　to　heal　your　injuries　without　touching　your　shields；　you　know。　And　maybe　you　won't　react　the　same　way　you　did　with　me。〃
〃Maybe。　For　now；　however；　I　…　think　I　might　prefer　to　let　nature　take　its　course；　if　you　don't　mind。　I'll　be　all　right。〃
〃If　that's　what　you　want；〃　Kelson　said。　〃They　may　ask　you　themselves；　though。　I　haven't　told　Duncan　about　Transha　yet；　but　Morgan　may　have。　He　knows。〃
Dhugal　looked　down　at　his　hands　clasped　tightly　together　and　forced　them　to　relax；　drawing　a　deep　breath。
〃Well；　then；　I'll　wait　to　see　what　they　say。　I　just　can't　…　　ask　them　myself。　Kelson。　And　I　don't　want　you　to　ask　them。　Maybe　I　…　won't　be　afraid；　if　they　ask　me。〃　He　winced　and　rubbed　at　his　temples　again。　〃It's　too　bad　your　probe　hurts　worse　than　the　headache　I've　got　anyway　…　though　I　wouldn't　mind　having　my　ribs　healed；　that's　for　certain。　I　haven't　drawn　a　proper　breath　without　pain　for　days。　And　the　riding　didn't　help　matters。〃
〃We'd　better　get　you　back　to　rest　then；〃　Kelson　said；　in　a　tone　that　conveyed　nothing　of　his　disappointment。　〃It'll　be　time　for　the　council　soon　anyway；　and　I　could　use　a　snack　before　we　settle　down　for　the　meeting。〃
〃You　could　talk　me　into　that　without　half　trying；〃　Dhugal　answered　with　a　game　grin。
Their　spurs　jingled　against　the　polished　marble　of　the　steps　as　they　ascended　from　the　crypt　to　the　level　of　the　nave；　and　the　gate　of　gilded　brass　creaked　noisily　as　Kelson　pulled　it　shut　behind　them。
〃I　must　ask　the　sacristan　to　have　that　oiled；〃　he　said；　making　small　talk　as　they　moved　along　the　transept　arm　heading　toward　the　nave。　〃Remind　me　one　day　to　tell　you　about　his　part　in　the　confusion　the　night　before　my　coronation。　I　wish　you　could　have　been　here　for　the　day　itself。〃
Dhugal　returned　Kelson's　sunny　grin　uneasily。
〃My　father　told　me　about　the　part　he　saw。　He　said　you　fought　some　sort　of　magical　duel；　right　here　in　the　cathedral。〃
Kelson　gestured　grandly　toward　the　transept　crossing；　trying　to　diffuse　some　of　the　magical　drama　of　the　incident　while　still　conveying　the　wonder。
〃Right　there　at　the　foot　of　the　altar　steps；〃　he　replied。　〃What　really　saved　me；　though；　was　one　of　those　seals　set　in　the　floor。　Without　it；　I　wouldn't　have　had　a　clue　what　to　do。〃　He　led　Dhugal　to　one　near　the　center　of　the　transept　and　removed　his　right　glove　as　he　knelt　beside　it。
〃All　of　these　are　seals　and　sigils　of　various　patron　saints　of　this　cathedral；〃　he　explained；　gesturing　to　include　the　entire　circle　of　mosaic　designs　beneath　the　crossing。　〃Part　of　the　kingmaking　I　had　from　my　father　called　for　a　'Defender's　Sign。'　We　had　assumed　…　not　unreasonably；　at　the　time　…　that　the　Defender's　Sign　was　Morgan's　signet　ring；　since　he　was　my　defender；　my　champion。〃
He　brushed　his　fingertips　almost　reverently　over　the　worn　design　beside　his　knees。　〃It　wasn't；　though。　It　was　this：　Saint　Camber's　seal。〃
〃The　Deryni　heretic　saint？〃
〃Yes。　I　know　his　name　doesn't　appear　on　it；　but　somehow　I　knew　this　was　it　…　don't　ask　me　how。　Maybe　the　ability　to　recognize　the　true　seal　when　it　was　time　was　part　of　the　knowledge　that　passed　to　me　with　my　father's　magic。　Here's　the　robed　and　hooded　figure　holding　up　the　crown　…　see？　Because　Saint　Camber　restored　the　crown　of　Gwynedd　to　the　Haldanes。　And　here；　worked　into　the　design；　you　can　trace　out　most　of　the　letters　of　his　name；　if　you　know　where　to　look：　？　…　M　…　？　…　R　…　S。　The　vagueness　of　the　identification　may　be　what　saved　the　seal　from　obliteration　when　Camber's　cult　was　stamped　out；　two　centuries　ago。〃
Dhugal　nodded　distractedly；　steadying　himself　with　gloved　knuckles　against　the　floor　as　he　stared　down　at　the　swirls　of　colored　mosaic；　his　eyes　tracing　out　the　sigil　of　Sanctus　Camberus　as　Kelson's　fingertip　showed　him　where　to　look。
〃You　don't　believe　that　Saint　Camber　was　evil；　then？〃　he　finally　asked。
Kelson　shook　his　head　and　stood；　giving　Dhugal　a　hand　up。　〃Not　at　all。　And　I　don't　want　to　sound　naive；　but　either　Saint　Camber　or　some　present…day　disciple　who　wants　us　to　think　he's　Saint　Camber　has　e　to　our　rescue　more　than　once　…　Morgan's　and　Duncan's　as　well　as　my　own。　I　think　I'd　like　to　restore　his　cult　someday；〃　he　added　wistfully。　〃Most　folks　would　disagree；　but　I　think　he　was　a　great　man；　as　well　as　a　powerful　saint。　I'd　like　to　find　out　more　about　what　he　was　really　like；　and　then　I　think　I'd　like　to　go　on　a　quest　to　try　to　recover　some　of　his　relics；　and　build　a　proper　shrine　to　house　them。　He　deserves　that。〃
〃I　suspect　the　Church　might　take　exception　to　that　notion；〃　Dhugal　murmured。
〃I　suspect　you're　right；〃　said　a　voice　from　behind　them；　〃if　you　judge　the　Church　by　some　of　her　more　stodgy　leaders。　By　that　definition；　the　Church　takes　exception　to　a　great　many　notions　of　far　less　controversial　nature。　I　can　personally　vouch　for　that。〃
〃Father　Duncan！〃　Kelson　said；　as　he　and　Dhugal　both　whirled　to　see　Duncan　standing　behind　them　with　an　armful　of　manuscript　scrolls。　〃Oh；　bother；　I　didn't　mean　for　you　to　overhear　the　part　about　Camber。　It's　probably　silly　to　even　think　of　it。〃
〃Not　silly；　my　prince；〃　Duncan　said　mildly。　〃No　genuine　act　of　piety　and　faith　is　ever　silly。　This　is　not　to　say　that　your　dream　is　necessarily　realistic；〃　he　added。　〃At　least　not　now。　But　who　knows　what　the　future　may　bring？　After　all；　who　would　have　thought　the　bishops　would　approve　the　appointment　of　a　known　Deryni　to　their　ranks？〃
Nervously　Kelson　glanced　around　the　transept　to　be　certain　there　was　no　one　else　within　earshot；　a　little　annoyed　that　even　Duncan　should　have　crept　up　on　him　unawares。
〃Shhh！〃　he　hissed　under　his　breath。　〃The　bishops　may　know；　and　a　lot　of　other　people；　but　everybody　doesn't。　You　needn't　make　things　any　more　difficult　than　they　are。〃
Duncan　raised　an　eyebrow。　〃I　am　what　I　am。　Sire；　as　we　all　are。　Denying　serves　no　useful　purpose。〃
〃And　what　am　I；　then？〃　Dhugal　whispered；　turning　sick；　fearful　eyes　on　Kelson。　〃Go　ahead　and　ask　him；　Kelson。　He's　right。　I　need　to　know。　And　I　can't　properly　serve　you　and　what　you've　bee；　until　I　do。〃
Kelson　glanced　up　at　Duncan　to　find　the　Deryni　priest　incredibly　still；　glancing　back　and　forth　between　him　and　Dhugal　with　taut　question　in　the　blue　eyes。
〃Dhugal　has　shields；〃　Kelson　murmured；　at　the　same　time　touching　his　fingertips　to　Duncan's　hands　and　imparting　a　quick　mental　impression　of　what　he　and　Dhugal　had　experienced。　〃I　told　Alaric　about　them　before　the　expedition；　but　there　wasn't　time　to　tell　you。　Now　he　needs　to　be　healed；　but　I'm　a　little　afraid　to　have　either　of　you　try　it　alone。　I　suspect　you're　going　to　have　to　get　around　the　shields　to　do　it；　and　that　could　be　very　tricky。　He　shut　down　in　terrible　pain　when　I　tried　to　read　him　in　Transha。〃
Duncan's　ey