kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir-第49部分

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est　altar　step；　both　of　them　wearing　black　copes　and　mitres　and　also　holding　a　candle　apiece。　A　long　strip　of　parchment　trailed　from　Bradene's　other　hand；　ragged　at　the　bottom　with　heavy　pendant　seals。
〃My　lords　and　my　brothers；　it　is　my　unpleasant　duty　to　pronounce　the　following　judgment；　to　which　all　of　you　have　subscribed；〃　he　said。　〃Be　it　duly　witnessed；　here　before　the　altar　of　the　Lord　and　in　the　Presence　of　the　Hosts　of　Heaven；　that　we　do　what　we　do　without　malice；　and　for　the　good　of　the　souls　of　those　involved；　in　hopes　that　they　may　e　to　recognize　the　error　of　their　ways　and　repent；　returning　at　last　to　the　loving　bosom　of　Mother　Church。〃
Clearing　his　throat　a　little　nervously；　he　handed　his　candle　to　Cardiel　and　brought　the　parchment　within　the　range　of　its　light；　beginning　to　read　in　a　voice　which　carried　through　the　choir　and　all　along　the　nave。
〃Whereas　Edmund　Loris；　priest　and　former　archbishop；　hath　fled　the　just　penance　of　a　duly　constituted　synod　of　his　equals　and　thus　rejected　the　authority　of　those　set　above　him；　and　whereas　said　Edmund　Loris　hath　consorted　with　rebellious　subjects　of　his　lawful　liege　and　king；　forswearing　his　own　sacred　vows　by　such　action；　and　exhorted　them　to　treasonous　acts；　and　whereas　the　said　Edmund　Loris　hath　resumed　authority　to　which　he　no　longer　hath　claim　and　hath　used　that　authority　illicitly　to　consecrate　a　bishop　neither　elected　by　a　properly　constituted　synod　nor　approved　by　the　king；　and　whereas　said　Edmund　Loris　hath　usurped　the　authority　of　a　brother　bishop　in　his　own　diocese；　and　forced　him　to　witness　illicit　acts；　and　caused　him　grievous　physical　harm；　and　used　threats　against　his　life　in　an　attempt　to　sway　others　to　his　treasonous　ways。
〃So　therefore　do　we；　Bradene；　by　the　Grace　of　God　Archbishop　of　Valoret　and　Primate　of　All　Gwynedd；　pronounce　said　Edmund　Loris　deprived　of　his　episcopal　rank　and　degraded　from　the　fellowship　and　office　of　the　priesthood　throughout　the　land。　We　do　further　exmunicate　the　said　Edmund　Loris　and　suspend　and　exmunicate　all　bishops　claiming　to　owe　him　obedience；　especially　Creoda　of　Carbury　and　Judhael　of　Meara。　Likewise　do　we　exmunicate　Caitrin　of　Meara；　Sicard　MacArdry；　and　Ithel　of　Meara；　and　bar　them　from　all　solace　of　Mother　Church。　Let　no　church　of　God　be　open　to　them；　but　let　every　sacred　temple　and　sanctuary　be　shut　against　them。。。。〃
Squirming　inwardly。　Kelson　sat　back　on　his　heels　as　the　rite　continued　and　made　himself　rest　his　chin　quietly　on　his　folded　hands；　unable　to　put　from　mind　his　own　exmunication　and　the　blind　panic　it　had　first　evoked。　He　sensed　a　similar　disfiture　in　Morgan；　kneeling　motionless　at　his　right；　but　outwardly　the　Deryni　lord　was　as　posed　as　always。　He　dared　not　try　to　read　Dhugal。　Behind；　he　was　aware　of　Nigel　and　Conall；　quiet　and　awed；　and　Jodrell　and　Saer　de　Traheme　to　their　left；　only　a　little　less　affected　for　never　having　been　directly　exposed　to　this　aspect　of　the　Church's　power　before。　Ewan　sat　alone　behind　them　all；　indulgent；　dozing　a　little；　he　had　never　been　much　for　formal　ceremonies。　Out　on　the　choir　floor；　Duncan　seemed　to　be　holding　his　own　reactions　in　tight　check；　but　Kelson　had　no　doubt　that　he；　too；　was　remembering　a　time；　not　so　long　ago；　when　it　had　been　they；　not　Loris；　who　had　been　the　subjects　of　anathema。
〃。。。。　We　will　neither　give　them　the　right　hand　of　fellowship；　nor　eat　at　the　same　table　with　them；　and　much　less　will　we　municate　in　sacred　mysteries　with　those　who　choose　to　take　part　with　Edmund　Loris。。。。〃
They　were　twenty…six　gathered　before　the　altar　tonight；　the　black…coped　archbishops　set　like　twin　stones　in　the　ring　of　somber…garbed　bishops；　priests；　and　monks。　Duncan　was　a　vague；　indefinite　form　between　Arilan　and　Hugh　de　Berry；　more　evident　by　his　psychic　presence　than　by　sight。　Bradene's　voice　rose　in　volume　as　the　words　of　condemnation　rolled　from　his　tongue；　the　tension　of　the　ecclesiastical　magic　building　as　the　rite　neared　its　climax。
〃。。。。　And　unless　they　speedily　e　to　a　better　mind　and　make　satisfaction　to　us；　we　confound　them　with　eternal　malediction　and　condemn　with　perpetual　anathema。　Curst　be　they　in　the　house；　curst　in　the　field；　curst　be　their　food　and　drink　and　all　that　they　possess。　We　declare　them　exmunicate　and　numbered　among　the　thrice…damned。　May　they　have　their　portion　with　Dathan　and　Abiram；　whom　hell　swallowed　up　quick；　and　with　Pilate；　and　Judas；　who　betrayed　the　Lord。　So　do　we　strike　their　names　from　the　Book　of　Life。　So　may　their　light　be　quenched　in　the　midst　of　darkness。　Amen。　So　be　it！〃
And　with　his　final　words；　and　as　the　others　responded；　〃So　be　it！〃　Bradene　took　back　his　candle　and；　with　Cardiel；　stepped　down　from　the　altar　step　and　moved　to　the　center　of　the　circle；　the　others　closing　the　gap　behind　them。　In　silence　the　two　archbishops　raised　their　candles　aloft　and　held　for　several　heartbeats；　then　reversed　them　end　for　end　and　snuffed　the　flames　against　the　floor。　The　others　followed　suit；　the　hollow　clatter　of　the　falling　candles　echoing　ominously　in　the　darkening　choir。
When　the　silence　settled；　no　light　shone　save　the　Presence　Lamp　glowing　above　the　high　altar。　Not　a　word　was　spoken　as　participants　and　witnesses　filed　slowly　from　the　heavy　dark。


CHAPTER　FIFTEEN
But　now　it　is　e　upon　thee；　and　thou　faintest；　it　toucheth　thee；　and　thou　art　troubled。
Iob　4：5
In　the　days　that　followed；　the　worsening　political　situation　claimed　increasing　amounts　of　time　and　energy　on　the　parts　of　everyone　at　court；　forcing　Kelson　to　shift　his　personal　concerns　for　Dhugal　into　a　place　of　secondary　importance。　Still；　he　worried。　But　the　constant　demands　of　his　royal　station　left　no　opportunity　to　seek　out　the　intimate　counsel　he　might　have　asked　of　Morgan　and　Duncan　in　less　harried　times　…　and　that　seemed　to　content　Dhugal　very　well。　The　young　border　lord　carefully　avoided　any　mention　of　what　had　happened　in　the　cathedral；　but　his　behavior　made　it　clear　that　he　was　not　yet　ready　to　venture　a　repeat　of　his　experience。　Though　Kelson　tried　to　broach　the　subject　several　times；　suggesting　that　Deryni　ministrations　might　ease　Dhugal's　disfort　and　perhaps　even　speed　his　recovery；　Dhugal　always　managed　to　sidestep　the　issue　without　ever　alluding　to　it　specifically。
It　was　just　as　well；　perhaps；　for　both　Kelson　and　Morgan　had　spent　nearly　every　waking　hour　bound　up　in　meetings　of　one　sort　or　another；　first　hammering　out　the　terms　of　the　royal　reply　to　Caitrin　and　Loris　and　then　cloistered　with　Nigel　and　the　other　manders；　preparing　the　writs　of　summons　that　must　go　out　to　all　Kelson's　liegemen　if　Meara　could　not　be　coaxed　back　into　the　fold　by　peaceable　means。　Duncan　was　predictably　preoccupied　with　preparations　for　his　suddenly　imminent　consecration。　Even　Morgan　saw　little　of　him　during　those　two　days。
The　morning　of　the　third　day　marked　a　temporary　suspension　of　war　preparations；　however；　for　Duncan's　consecration　was　to　take　place　at　noon。　In　honor　of　the　occasion。　Archbishop　Cardiel　announced　a　relaxation　of　the　usual　dietary　restrictions　of　Advent；　to　which　Kelson　responded　by　declaring　a　celebration　feast　for　that　evening。　The　opportunity　for　respite　from　the　past　days'　tensions　lent　the　court　a　festive　air　to　which　even　Morgan　responded；　putting　aside　the　serviceable　but　plain　leathers　and　homespuns　of　the　past　few　days　in　favor　of　a　rich　court　robe　and　cloak　of　fine　sapphire　blue　wool。　He　had　not　been　expecting　a　summons　to　attend　the　incipient　Bishop　Duncan　before　his　consecration；　however；　and　hurried　to　his　cousin's　quarters　with　some　apprehension　when　a　servant　came　to　fetch　him。
〃Duncan？〃　he　called；　when　he　had　dismissed　the　deacon　who　admitted　him　and　glanced　around　the　room。
〃In　here；〃　came　the　muffled　reply。
A　tremor　was　evident　in　hand　as　well　as　voice　as　Duncan　emerged　partway　from　behind　a　heavy　curtain　screening　the　oratory　beyond。　Freshly　barbered　and　shaved；　he　was　clad　in　the　expected　priestly　vestments　of　alb；　amice；　and　crossed　stole　over　a　purple　cassock；　wanting　only　the　white　cope　on　a　nearby　stand　to　plete　his　attire　for　the　entrance　procession　not　an　hour　away；　but　his　face　wore　anything　but　the　serenity　and　calm　which　should　have　been　his　when　approaching　episcopal　consecration。　He　kept　his　eyes　averted　as　he　backed　against　the　curtain　to　make　the　opening　larger；　flinching　when　Morgan　brushed　past　him　to　enter。
〃What's　wrong？〃　Morgan　whispered；　stunned。
Duncan　shook　his　head；　his　voice　almost　inaudible　as　he　answered。
〃I'm　sorry　to　bother　you；　Alaric。　I'm　…　afraid　I've　taken　on　more　than　I　realized。　I　thought　I　could　deal　with　it　myself；　but　I　was　wrong。　I　…　can't　even　pray。〃
〃What　in　the　world　are　you　talking　about？〃　Morgan　said。　He　set　his　hands　on　Duncan's　shoulders　and　tried　to　get　him　to　raise　his　eyes。　〃Look　at　me！　Isn't　this　what　you　want？　You're　going　to　be　a　bishop　…　the　first　known　Deryni　bishop　in　…　what？　…　two　hundred　years？　What's　the　matter　with　you？〃
Duncan　kept　his　head　bowed　and　turned　half　away。　〃I　don't　think　I　can　pay　the　price；　Alaric；〃　he　whispered。　〃It's　because　I　am　Deryni　that　makes　it　so　difficult；　don't　you　see？　When　they　put　that　ring　on　my　finger；　how　can　I　ever　hope　to　measure　up　to　him？〃
Only　as　he　gestured　blindly　toward　the　altar　behind　him　did　Morgan　see　the　small　wood