kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir-第54部分

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〃That　it　isn't　the　power　…　it's　how　the　power's　used　that　makes　it　constructive　or　destructive。〃　Dhugal　paused　for　just　an　instant。　〃Are　you　saying　that　magic　is　the　same？〃
〃Precisely　the　same。〃
〃But　the　priests　say　…　〃
〃The　priests　say　what　they　have　been　told　to　say　for　the　last　two　hundred　years；〃　Morgan　returned　briskly。　〃Deryni　have　not　always　been　persecuted；　and　not　all　'magic'　has　been　anathema　until　fairly　recently。　Black　magic　…　extraordinary　power　applied　to　destructive　or　selfish　ends　…　has　always　been　condemned　by　the　righteous。　But　those　who　could　harness　extraordinary　power　for　the　aid　of　man　…　for　healing　and　for　defending　against　the　abuse　of　power　…　traditionally　have　been　called　miracle　workers　and　saints。　They　were　also　once　called　Deryni。〃
〃But　there　were　evil　Deryni！〃　Dhugal　objected。　〃And　there　still　are。　What　about　Charissa　and　Wencit？〃
〃They　were　Deryni　who　used　their　gifts　for　evil。　The　gifts　themselves。。。〃　Morgan　sighed。　〃Do　you　think　I'm　an　evil　person？〃
Dhugal's　face　went　very　still。　〃No。　But　they　say　…　〃
〃They　say　what；　Dhugal？　Morgan　whispered。　〃And　who　are　they？　And　do　they　ever　give　an　accounting　of　what　I've　done；　or　is　it　all　because　of　what　I　am？〃
〃I。。。　never　thought　about　it　that　way　before。〃
〃No；　I　don't　suppose　you　did。〃　Morgan　glanced　at　the　Haldane　signet　on　his　right　hand；　balanced　by　the　Corwyn　Siphon　on　his　left。　〃I'll　make　you　a　bargain；　Dhugal。　I　can't　speak　for　Duncan　or　Kelson；　but　if　you　can　name　one　specific　instance　in　which　you　think　that　I've　misused　my　powers；　I'll　submit　to　whatever　justice　you　think　is　appropriate。　Should　I　not　have　helped　Kelson　defeat　the　woman　who　killed　his　father　and　would　have　killed　him　to　seize　his　throne？　Should　I　have　let　the　former　archbishops　continue　the　lie　and　bring　down　Gwynedd　by　undermining　her　rightful　king？　Should　I　not　have　healed　you？〃
Dhugal　shook　his　head；　unwilling　to　meet　Morgan's　eyes。
〃Dhugal；　I　may　have　access　to　more　and　other　kinds　of　power　than　most　men；〃　Morgan　continued　softly；　〃but　I　must　answer　for　the　use　of　that　power　to　the　same　God　and　king　that　you　do　…　or　that　any　of　the　priests　and　bishops　do　…　and　to　my　own　conscience　as　well；　which　can　be　a　far　sterner　taskmaster。　Because　I've　been　given　far　greater　abilities；　I've　had　to　contend　with　far　greater　responsibilities。　I　didn't　ask　for　either　…　but　I　have　them。　All　I　can　do　is　serve　the　best　way　I　know　how。　〃Kelson's　father　taught　me　honor　and　chivalry；　and　I've　tried　never　to　betray　the　trust　he　put　in　me。　I　hope　I've　not　been　too　unsuccessful　…　despite　the　fact　that　I'm　Deryni。〃
But　he　was　to　be　given　no　chance　to　hear　Dhugal's　judgment；　for　at　that　moment　a　fumbling　at　the　door　latch　announced　visitors。　As　Morgan　came　to　his　feet；　already　aware　of　their　identities；　the　door　opened　and　Duncan　peered　around　the　edge　and　entered；　standing　aside　to　admit　Kelson　and　Bishop　Arilan。　Dhugal　got　to　his　feet　more　slowly　as　Kelson　came　to　give　him　a　hand　up　and　search　his　face　questioningly。　Arilan　came　straight　to　Morgan；　his　lean　face　set　in　tight…checked　disapproval。
〃Why　wasn't　I　told　you'd　found　another　Deryni？〃　he　said　through　his　teeth；　drawing　Morgan　aside。　〃And　what　the　devil　was　he　trying　to　do　out　there？〃
Morgan　sighed　and　picked　up　his　cloak；　far　more　concerned　for　Dhugal；　deep　in　whispered　conversation　with　Kelson　and　Duncan；　than　with　an　opinion　of　Arilan。
〃First　of　all。　Bishop；　we　don't　know　that　he's　necessarily　Deryni　…　only　that　he　has　shields　that　we　can't　breach　and　he　can't　control；〃　Morgan　murmured；　slinging　his　cloak　around　his　shoulders　and　fastening　the　clasp。　〃As　for　what　he　was　trying　to　do；　I　can　only　guess　that　he　was　trying　to　shut　out　the　psychic　overflow　from　Duncan's　consecration。　Surely　you're　aware　that　such　a　ritual　generates　a　great　deal　of　energy；　especially　if　the　central　participant　is　Deryni。〃
〃Don't　be　impertinent；〃　Arilan　muttered。　〃And　what　do　you　mean；　you　don't　know　that　he's　Deryni？〃
〃Just　that；　Bishop。　There's　nothing　in　his　family　to　account　for　any　of　this　…　unless　you　can　count　that　rather　undefinable　talent　the　border　folk　refer　to　as　the　Second　Sight。　Dhugal　does　have　shields；　though；　and　he　doesn't　have　the　first　clue　what　to　do　with　them。　As　Duncan's　consecration　gathered　momentum；　it　must　have　seemed　like　an　enormous　pressure　beating　against　those　shields　he　only　recently　learned　he　had；　and　which　he　doesn't　know　how　to　lower。〃
〃You　say　'recently；'　How　recently？〃
Morgan　tried　to　curb　his　impatience。　〃Three　weeks　ago；　while　we　were　in　Culdi　for　the　convocation。　It　happened　the　night　you　asked　me　to　try　to　contact　Kelson　and　let　him　know　about　the　attack　on　Duncan。　Kelson　put　him　in　the　link　to　augment　his　power；　but　Dhugal　felt　something　that　frightened　him　enough　to　kick　both　of　them　right　out　of　the　link。　Then　he　nearly　went　into　convulsions　when　Kelson　tried　to　read　him。〃
〃Has　anyone　tried　since；　or　anyone　besides　Kelson？〃　Arilan　asked；　a　little　subdued　after　listening　to　Morgan's　account。
〃I　tried；〃　Duncan　said　as　he　joined　them。　〃He　didn't　seem　to　mind　my　probe　as　much　as　Kelson's；　but　nor　was　I　any　more　successful　at　getting　through。　It　was　like　going　up　against　an　obsidian　wall。　The　harder　I　pushed；　the　stronger　it　got。　And　when　Kelson　joined　in；　thinking　he　might　be　of　help；　Dhugal　had　another　violent　reaction。〃
〃I　see。〃　Arilan　sighed　resignedly。　〃And　you；　Alaric？〃
〃I　wasn't　able　to　bring　him　through　the　Portal　without　roughing　him　up　physically；〃　Morgan　replied。　〃My　touch　seems　to　fall　somewhere　between　Kelson's　and　Duncan's　on　a　fort　scale。　I　was　able　to　get　around　his　shields　enough　to　heal　his　injuries；　but　only　while　he　was　unconscious。　I　wouldn't　have　wanted　to　try　it　otherwise。〃
Arilan　glanced　at　Dhugal；　letting　Kelson　help　him　to　a　seat　at　the　table　set　back　from　the　fireplace；　then　shepherded　Morgan　and　Duncan　with　him　as　he　moved　purposefully　to　join　them。　Dhugal　started　to　rise；　courteous　even　in　his　confusion　and　apprehension；　but　Arilan　stayed　him　with　a　gesture　and　pulled　out　a　chair　for　Kelson　to　sit；　only　then　taking　a　seat　himself。　At　Duncan's　sign；　Morgan　took　the　remaining　chair　to　Dhugal's　right；　across　from　the　king。
〃With　your　permission。　Sire；〃　Arilan　said；　nodding　to　Kelson；　〃I　should　like　to　get　right　to　the　heart　of　this　matter。　Dhugal；〃　he　conjured　handfire　in　a　softly　glowing　blue…white　sphere　which　he　set　in　the　center　of　the　table；　〃I　think　this　should　answer　any　question　about　what　I　am　and　why　I　presume　to　take　charge　in　this　matter。　Will　you　trust　me？〃
Dhugal　had　jerked　back　as　the　fire　materialized；　new　apprehension　flaring　around　the　still　pulsing　shields；　but　a　glance　at　Kelson　lent　him　sufficient　courage　to　push　his　anxiety　to　a　lower　level。　Morgan　was　amazed。　As　Dhugal　drew　a　deep；　steadying　breath；　he　folded　his　shaking　hands　in　deliberate　mimicry　of　Kelson's；　setting　them　but　a　hand…span　from　the　handfire　glowing　in　the　center　of　the　table；　and　made　himself　look　squarely　into　the　eyes　of　the　Deryni　bishop。
〃I'd　be　lying　if　I　said　I'm　not　afraid。　Excellency；　but　my　…　friend　Duke　Alaric　has　taught　me　a　great　deal　in　the　last　little　while。　And　Kelson　told　me　of　you　before。　I'll　try　to　do　as　you　ask。〃
Arilan's　mouth　quirked　upward　in　grudging　response…even　he　could　not　deny　the　boy　had　pluck　…　but　Morgan　caught　his　disapproval　of　Kelson's　indiscretion　quite　clearly。　He　was　glad　it　was　directed　at　the　king　instead　of　himself。
〃Very　well。　We　shall　see　just　how　much　you　have　learned；〃　Arilan　said。　〃I　assume　I　shan't　have　to　go　into　long；　involved　explanations　of　what　I　should　like　to　do。〃
〃N…no；　sir。〃
With　a　sigh　and　a　glance　at　the　rest　of　them　which　bespoke　impatience　only　barely　held　in　check；　Arilan　flexed　his　fingers　and　lifted　one　hand　toward　Dhugal's　forehead。　The　startled　Dhugal　started　to　draw　back　in　reflex　avoidance；　but　then　he　took　another　deep　breath　and　leaned　closer　so　that　Arilan　could　touch　him。　He　flinched　at　the　contact；　but　he　did　not　draw　away　even　when　Arilan　began　to　probe；　though　the　process　obviously　caused　him　some　disfort。　After　a　moment；　Arilan　dropped　his　hand　and　sat　back；　sighing　again。
〃Well；　there's　no　question　of　the　shields。　Given　time　and　the　right　support；　I　could　probably　breach　them；　but　it　might　do　permanent　damage。　I　see　no　need　to　risk　that。　Duncan；　you　said　he　didn't　seem　to　mind　your　touch　as　much。　Are　you　willing　to　give　it　another　try？〃
Duncan；　standing　between　Arilan　and　Morgan；　looked　at　Dhugal　in　question。　〃That　depends。　Are　you　willing；　Dhugal？　I'll　stop　whenever　you　want；　if　it　gets　too　bad。〃
Licking　his　lips　nervously；　Dhugal　swallowed　and　gave　a　nod。　Without　further　ado；　Duncan　came　around　to　stand　behind　his　chair；　resting　his　hands　lightly　on　Dhugal's　shoulders。
〃Has　Kelson　taught　you　how　to　relax　by　using　deep　breathing？〃　he　asked；　easing　Dhugal's　shoulders　back　against　his　chest　and　sliding　his　thumbs　up　to　rest　on　the　pulse　points　in　his　throat。
〃A　little。〃
〃Good。　That　will　make　things　much　easier　for　both　of　us。　Take　a　deep　breath；　then；　and　let　it　out；　and　try　to　concentrate　on　your　heartbeat。　You　should　be　able　to　feel　it　against　my　thumbs。　Do　you？〃
〃Aye。〃
〃Excellent。　Take　another　breath；　then　…　that's　good　…　　and　now　close　your　eyes　and　let　all　your　mu