kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir-第60部分

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〃Neither　is　anyone　else；〃　Dhugal　replied。
〃Then；　why　do　we　do　it？〃
〃I　suppose　…　because　we　have　to。〃
〃We　have　to；〃　Kelson　repeated。
Drawing　a　deep　breath；　he　let　it　out　explosively　and　looked　up　with　a　grin　that　was　only　a　little　strained。
〃Well；　if　you　put　it　that　way；　I　suppose　it's　time　I　finished　putting　on　the　badges　of　my　rank；　don't　you　think？　Can't　make　you　an　earl　without　them；　you　know。〃
〃Certainly　not！〃　Dhugal　retorted；　picking　up　the　cue。
They　continued　to　banter　on　that　level　all　the　while　Kelson　finished　dressing；　and　even　up　to　the　very　doors　of　the　great　hall。


CHAPTER　EIGHTEEN
And　I　shall　even　betroth　thee　unto　me　in　faithfulness。
Hosea　2：20
Christmas　Court：　The　tang　of　evergreen　and　cedar　in　Kelson's　nostrils　…　more　pungent　scent　of　pine　knots　dipped　in　pitch；　lighting　his　way　through　the　packed；　murmuring　hall。　Silver　trumpet　voices；　a　flourish　of　drums。　Bright…clad　forms　giving　him　obeisance　as　he　moved　among　them；　rows　of　courtiers　in　holiday　finery；　some　lightly　armed；　ladies　bright　and　graceful　as　songbirds。
As　on　most　great　feast　days；　he　wore　the　jewelled　state　crown　of　his　coronation　rather　than　the　simpler　circlet　of　gold　he　usually　favored。　His　black　hair　fell　loose　on　his　shoulders。　A　belt　of　gilded　leather　girded　his　father's　sword　at　his　waist；　a　jewel…encrusted　sceptre　lay　cradled　in　the　crook　of　his　left　arm。　Before　ascending　the　dais　to　the　canopied　chair　of　state；　he　passed　to　the　left　where　the　bishops　waited　and　knelt　briefly　for　Bradene's　Christmas　blessing；　hoarding　the　brief　peacefulness　as　he　took　his　throne。
It　was　to　be　the　only　island　of　calm。　No　sooner　was　he　seated　than　the　drums　rolled　to　mand　attention　to　a　herald　who　proclaimed　the　opening　of　Christmas　Court。　The　loyal　greetings　of　his　vassals　followed　…　mostly　a　rapid　blur。　Head　inclining　to　acknowledge　their　bows；　hand　extending　to　receive　the　brush　of　lips　in　homage；　murmured　words　of　thanks；　of　inquiry　after　their　families　and　lands；　each　man　replaced　by　the　next　in　rapid　succession。
He　brightened　at　the　unexpected　approach　of　Derry　…　for　he　had　not　known　the　young　lord　was　ing　to　Christmas　Court　…　then　rose　to　kiss　the　smiling　Richenda's　hand　when　Morgan　brought　her　forward；　suddenly　understanding　Derry's　presence。　Still；　one　presentation　ran　into　the　next　all　too　quickly；　the　pace　slowing　only　when　Dhugal　came　forward　to　be　invested。　And　even　that　sped　by　too　fast　to　really　savor。
Border　plaids　and　braids　and　silver…mounted　dirks；　the　skirl　of　pipes。　Dhugal　kneeling　before　him。　Words　of　condolence　for　the　death　of　the　old　earl；　wele　for　the　new。　The　act　of　homage　and　oath　of　fealty；　Dhugal's　hands　between　his　own。
Dubbing　with　the　great　sword；　bright　line　of　silver　gleaming　between　them　…　and　girding　Dhugal　with　another　sword；　DhugaTs　own；　on　the　gilded　belt　of　his　earldom。。。。
〃With　this　sword　defend　the　defenseless　and　punish　evil；　always　remembering　that　honor；　like　the　sword；　has　two　edges：　justice　and　mercy。。。。〃
The　presentation　of　banner　and　cauldron：　tokens　of　Dhugal's　authority　to　lead　in　war　and　his　duty　to　feed　and　support　his　vassals。。。　and　the　vesting　with　the　ring　and　coronet。
〃Though　its　worth　in　precious　metal　is　token　of　thy　rank　and　dignity；　let　its　weight　also　remind　thee　of　thy　duty；　and　of　the　responsibility　which　thou　sharest　now　with　us。　Arise；　Dhugal　MacArdry；　Earl　of　Transha；　and　stand　at　our　right　hand；　among　our　other　well…beloved　and　trusty　counsellors。〃
Pipers　had　skirled　again　in　spirited　interlude　as　Dhugal's　clansmen　paraded　him　around　the　hall　on　their　shoulders；　chanting　a　border　salute；　but　all　too　soon　the　maelstorm　began　anew。
The　Mearan　herald　ing　forward；　courteous　in　his　own　demeanor；　but　delivering　words　of　defiance　in　behalf　of　his　mistress　…　spurning　the　offer　of　clemancy；　abandoning　the　royal　hostages　to　their　fate。
And　Istelyn's　bloody；　waxen　head　displayed　aloft　by　a　handful　of　matted　hair；　stark　declaration　of　the　fate　of　any　man　who　broke　faith　with　Meara。
And　even　then　it　did　not　stop。　The　hall　erupted　to　howls　of　outrage　and　shouted　threats　of　retribution。　Several　women　fainted。　More　than　one　of　Kelson's　retainers　had　to　be　forcibly　restrained　from　taking　out　his　fury　on　the　herald　before　the　man　was　whisked　away　into　protective　custody。　When　king　and　chief　advisors　had　retired　to　the　privacy　of　the　council　chamber；　reaction　exploded　even　more　heatedly。　Too　stunned　and　sick…at…heart　even　to　think　about　what　he　was　going　to　do　next。　Kelson　sat　with　his　head　in　his　hands　and　merely　shut　out　everything　for　several　minutes；　letting　the　others　get　the　anger　out　of　their　systems；　only　looking　up　when　Bradene；　close　on　his　left；　called　him　repeatedly。
〃Sire？　Sire；　I　beg　of　you！　I　am　not　a　vengeful　man；　Sire；　but　this　is　an　unforgivable　affront；〃　Bradene　was　saying；　twisting　his　pectoral　cross　in　nervous；　agitated　hands。　〃Surely　there　is　no　longer　any　question　of　marrying　a　Mearan！〃
〃If　I　don't　marry　her；　my　only　other　choice　is　to　kill　her；〃　Kelson　said　wearily。　〃Would　you　have　me　vent　my　anger　against　an　innocent　hostage？〃
〃Innocent？〃　Jodrell　snorted。　〃Since　when　did　the　guilt　or　innocence　of　hostages　have　anything　to　do　with　their　fate？　Beg　pardon。　Sire；　but　Henry　Istelyn　was　far　more　innocent　than　any　Mearan　princeling。　His　fate　cries　out　for　vengeance！〃
〃Aye；　and　if　I　did　allow　vengeance　to　rule　me；　what　kind　of　a　king　would　I　be？〃　Kelson　countered。　〃I　swore　oaths；　Jodrell！　Oaths　to　uphold　law…to　temper　justice　with　mercy…not　to　take　vengeance！〃
〃I　see　no　justice　here；〃　Jodrell　muttered　almost　inaudibly；　as　he　shifted　angrily　in　his　chair。
〃What　was　that；　Jodrell？〃
〃I　said　that　it　seems　you　intend　to　allow　the　offspring　of　traitors　to　go　unpunished。　Sire！〃　Jodrell　said　in　a　louder　voice；　his　handsome　face　distorted　by　a　scowl；　〃and　to　reward　one　of　them　with　the　very　crown　her　mother　tries　to　seize　so　treacherously！　Mercy　is　weakness　in　this　case；　Sire。　The　Mearan　bitch　slew　the　hostage　she　took；　it　is　our　right　to　slay　the　ones　we　hold。〃
〃An　eye　for　an　eye？〃　Kelson　said。　〃I　think　not。　And　you　yourself　admit　that　it　is　Caitrin　who　has　rebelled　against　me。〃
〃Aye；　rebelled；　Sire！〃　Bradene　boomed。　〃And　mitted　sacrilegious　murder！　Shall　the　sins　of　the　fathers　not　be　visited　upon　the　children？　She　had　a　bishop　executed；　Kelson！　A　man　anointed　of　God！　And　before　they　took　his　life；　Edmund　Loris　had　the　audacity　not　only　to　exmunicate　him；　but　to　degrade　him　from　the　priesthood…Henry　Istelyn：　one　of　the　godliest　men　I　have　ever　known！〃
As　Kelson　searched　for　a　temperate　reply；　for　this　was　getting　quite　out　of　hand；　Cardiel　shook　his　head　and　laid　a　restraining　hand　on　Bradene's　sleeve。
〃Peace；　brother；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃No　one　will　argue　that　Istelyn　was　not　a　godly　man。　But　given　that　he　was　a　godly　man；　he　will　not　have　faltered　when　faced　with　his　martyrdom　in　the　cause　of　king　and　faith。　Loris'　action　was　empty　of　substance。〃
〃Of　course　it　was　empty；〃　Bradene　retorted。　〃That　isn't　at　issue　here。　Empty　or　not；　Istelyn　had　to　face　an　unjust　death…alone；　bereft　of　the　outward　solace　of　his　office。　And　to　die　so　horribly；〃　he　finished　lamely；　anger　dissolving　away　to　grief。
Cardiel　sighed　and　looked　down　at　the　table；　tears　in　his　eyes。
〃Dear；　dear　brother；　I　beg　you；　do　not　torment　yourself　this　way。　In　all　things。　Henry　Istelyn　was　the　king's　and　God's　good　servant。　We　must　believe　that　he　died　in　the　faith…that　he　did　what　any　of　us　would　pray　we　had　the　grace　to　do；　were　we　in　his　place…and　that　his　faith　sustained　him　through…〃
〃No！〃　Bradene　gasped；　anger　flaring　again。　〃Let　the　faith　of　the　Mearan　brats　sustain　them；　as　they　meet　their　justly　deserved　fate　as　traitor's　kin！　Sire；　I　cannot　find　it　in　my　heart　to　let　this　pass。　One　crushes　a　viper's　brood…　one　does　not　marry　it！〃
Morgan；　seated　at　the　king's　right　hand　with　Richenda　close　beside　him；　could　not　fail　to　catch　the　overflow　of　shock　and　stomach…churning　grief　that　flared　for　just　an　instant　as　the　two　archbishops　argued。　It　was　quickly　damped；　but　he　knew　Richenda　had　sensed　it；　too。　He　could　feel　her　trembling；　her　hand　clenched　tight　in　his。　He　knew　also　what　it　was　costing　Kelson　not　to　lash　out　in　his　own　anger　and　sense　of　helplessness。　No　matter　what　the　king　did；　some　would　not　agree。
Hurting　with　Kelson；　Morgan　turned　pleading　eyes　on　the　two　archbishops；　letting　his　glance　include　everyone　around　the　table。
〃Let　be；　my　lords！〃　he　said；　cutting　off　another　heated　exchange。　〃Do　you　think　your　railing　makes　his　decision　any　easier？　What　are　you　trying　to　do　to　him？　Do　you　think　he　does　not　know？　How　heavy　must　the　crown　be？〃
〃How　heavy　was　Istelyn's　burden？〃　Bradene　muttered。
But　any　further　outburst　was　forestalled　by　Arilan's　withering　glance　and　the　pained；　passionate　shake　of　Cardiel's　grey　head。
〃Please；　Bradene；〃　Cardiel　murmured。　〃Duke　Alaric　is　right。　However　terrible　and　unjust　may　have　been　our　brother　Istelyn's　fate；　that　is　past。　He　is　beyond　our　ability　to　help　or　hinder　him。　We　must　not　let　the　wisdom　of　our　future　decision　be　clouded　by　our　grief　and　outrage。〃
〃Archbishop　Cardiel　is　correct；〃　Nigel　agreed。　〃If　we　kill　our　hostages；　we　lose　all　hope　of　any　peaceful　resolution　to　the　Mearan　question。　Spite　will　only　bre