kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir-第9部分

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Duncan　raised　an　eyebrow。　〃No？　But　then；　no　one　asked　me。　Carsten's　health　had　been　frail　for　some　time。　Everyone　in　Kierney　and　Cassan　knew　that。　Still；　there　was　no　real　trouble　in　Meara　while　he　was　alive。　Now　that　he's　gone；　most　of　the　Mearan　clergy　are　suddenly　talking　about　Judhael　for　his　replacement。　Now；　that's　one　I　certainly　don't　fancy　being　appointed　to　the　See　of　Meara。〃
〃Judhael？〃　Morgan　toyed　with　one　of　the　links　of　his　captain…general's　chain；　tapping　the　engraved　gold　against　a　front　tooth　as　he　nodded。　〃Nor　do　I。　It's　entirely　too　much　like　a　real　throne。　Even　by　separatist　standards；　he's　too　far　down　the　succession　to　press　his　own　claim　to　the　Mearan　coronet；　but　as　Bishop　of　Meara；　he　could　certainly　exert　a　great　deal　of　influence　for　his　aunt　and　her　sons。〃
〃Those　sons　…　〃　Duncan　snorted。　〃Sometimes　I　think　we'd　be　better　off　if　old　Malcolm　had　killed　off　all　the　other　Mearan　heirs　when　he　took　the　coronet　and　married　Roisian。　Perhaps　that　sounds　cold　and　unpriestly；　but　it　might　have　prevented　a　lot　more　bloodshed　later　on。〃
〃Aye。　And　our　Mearan　princelings　are　only　a　little　younger　than　Kelson：　just　old　enough　to　be　ambitious　about　asserting　their　mother's　claim。　And　Judhael　on　a　bishop's　throne　could　be　the　foot　in　the　door。　The　very　thought　gives　me　the　shakes。〃
〃You'll　get　no　argument　from　me　on　that；〃　Duncan　replied。　'The　sad　thing　is；　he's　well　qualified　for　the　job。　His　record　as　a　priest　is　spotless；　and　he　has　all　the　right　administrative　abilities　to　make　a　very　good　bishop。〃
〃Or　the　focus　for　a　separatist　revolt；〃　Morgan　said。　〃Still；　credentials　like　his　will　make　it　very　difficult　to　ignore　his　candidacy。　And　let's　face　it：　the　man　had　no　more　say　about　being　born　into　a　cadet　royal　house　than　you　and　I　did　about　being　born　Deryni。〃
〃More's　the　pity。〃
With　a　sigh；　Duncan　turned　away　from　the　window　and　sat　down　in　a　high…backed　chair　whose　shadows　nearly　swallowed　his　black　cassock；　stretching　out　his　legs　toward　the　fire。　Morgan　followed　him；　lifting　mulled　wine　in　wordless　question　and　only　refilling　his　own　cup　when　Duncan　shook　his　head。　As　Morgan　sat　in　another　chair　beside　him；　Duncan　rolled　his　head　in　Morgan's　direction　and　looked　at　him　searchingly；　folding　his　hands　and　tapping　joined　forefingers　against　his　cheek　as　he　rested　his　elbows　on　the　chair　arms。
〃I'm　beginning　to　be　really　concerned；　Alaric；〃　the　priest　said　softly。　〃We've　interviewed　a　lot　of　candidates；　but　none　of　them　match　up　to　Judhael。　Oh；　some　are　better　in　one　area　or　another；　but　none　of　them　average　out　as　well。〃
〃What　about　that　one　they　interviewed　this　morning？〃　Morgan　asked。　〃What　was　his　name　…　Father　Benoit？　He　seemed　well　qualified　to　me。〃
Duncan　shook　his　head。　〃A　fine　priest；　but　far　too　naive　to　cope　with　the　Mearan　situation。　He's　someone　to　keep　ID　mind　for　the　future；　and　he　can　be　groomed　for　the　episcopate　in　some　subsidary　post；　but　that　doesn't　help　us　now。　No；　what　we　need　is　a　good　promise　candidate　…　and　I'm　not　sure　he　exists。　He　needs　to　be　the　king's　man；　but　he　also　ought　to　have　at　least　some　familiarity　with　Mearan　politics。　The　only　men　who　seem　to　fill　both。　requirements　are　either　too　young　or　too　inexperienced。　They　can't　all　be　like　Arilan；　I　suppose：　auxiliary　bishop　at　thirty…five；　and　with　his　own　see　before　he　was　forty。〃
〃No；　I　suppose　not；〃　Morgan　said。　He　took　a　thought…fill　pull　at　his　wine；　then　cocked　his　head　at　Duncan。　〃Has　it　occurred　to　you　that　perhaps　the　bishops　have　expanded　the　episcopal　structure　a　little　too　quickly？　…　reviving　three　old　sees　and　only　abolishing　one　…　that　you've　used　up　your　reserve　of　men　qualified　to　promote？　Plus；　you've；　lost　…　what？　…　four　bishops　in　the　past　two　years？　Five；　if　you　count　Loris。〃
Duncan　grimaced。　〃Count　that　a　blessing；　not　a　loss；　cousin。　Anyway；　he's　safely　locked　away　at　Saint　Iveagh's；　so　I　don't　think　we　need　to　worry。〃
〃Let's　hope　not。　Wouldn't　that　muddy　the　waters；　if　he　got　out？〃
〃Don't　even　think　it。　They　say　he　hasn't　changed　a　bit；　you　know；〃　Duncan　went　on；　in　a　more　confidential　tone。　1　hear　he　nearly　had　apoplexy　when　he　heard　Arilan　had　been　made　Bishop　of　Dhassa。〃
〃Did　he；　now？〃
〃Oh；　you　needn't　pretend　to　be　surprised；〃　Duncan　replied　with　a　droll　grin。　〃Who；　of　all　the　so…called　rebel　bishops；　was　largely　responsible　for　his　fall；　after　all？　And　even　if　Loris　doesn't　know　for　sure　that　Arilan's　Deryni；　think　about　it。　A　suspected　Deryni　in　one　of　the　oldest　sees　in　Gwynedd？　It　would　have　been　bad　enough　if　he'd　only　stayed　the　assistant　in　Rhemuth。〃
As　if　the　mere　mention　of　Arilan's　name　had　conjured　his　presence；　the　door　opened　at　that　moment　to　admit　Bishop　Denis　Arilan；　closely　followed　by　Cardiel。　The　two　looked　inordinately　pleased　with　themselves　as　Duncan　and　Morgan　divested　them　of　their　soggy　cloaks；　Cardiel　shaking　rain　from　his　steel　grey　hair　and　smoothing　back　little　wings　of　it　over　his　ears　with　both　palms　as　he　sat　in　the　chair　which　Morgan　held　for　him。　As　the　darker…haired　Arilan　also　sat；　leaning　forward　lazily　to　poke　at　the　fire　with　a　piece　of　kindling；　Cardiel　glanced　at　Duncan；　who　was　setting　new　cups　on　the　hearth　by　the　pot　of　mulled　wine。
〃Duncan；　a　messenger's　just　arrived　for　you　in　the　inner　courtyard；〃　he　said。　〃A　lad　wearing　your　ducal　livery。　He's　taken　an　amazing　number　of　dispatches　off　a　packhorse。〃
Grinning；　Duncan　turned　over　his　hosting　duties　to　Morgan　and　rose。
〃Ah；　well；　I　suppose　they've　found　me。　I　was　rather　afraid　the　correspondence　would　catch　up　with　me；　if　I　stayed　too　long　in　Culdi。　Will　you　excuse　me　for　a　moment；　sir？　I　suppose　I　really　ought　to　see　what　he's　got。〃
Cardiel　said　nothing　as　he　waved　permission；　but　as　Duncan　left　the　room；　Morgan　was　once　again　struck　by　an　undercurrent　of　something　brewing　beneath　the　surface；　another　hint　of　the　self…satisfaction　he　had　sensed　when　the　two　first　entered。　He　wondered　about　it　as　he　handed　Cardiel　a　steaming　cup；　aware；　as　their　fingers　brushed；　that　Cardiel　was　the　source　of　most　of　it；　but　he　did　not　even　consider　probing　deeper　with　Arilan　present。　The　Deryni　bishop　had　a　knack　for　knowing　when　he　or　Duncan　were　using　their　powers　in　ways　of　which　he　did　not　approve　…　in　almost　any　way；　it　sometimes　seemed。　Of　late；　it　often　made　Morgan　ill…at…ease　even　to　be　around　Arilan；　though　that　was　not　the　case　today。
〃Well；　I'm　glad　Duncan's　messenger　arrived　when　he　did；〃　Cardiel　said；　as　Morgan　passed　Arilan　a　second　brimming　cup。　〃We　wanted　to　discuss　something　with　you　privately；　very　quickly　before　he　es　back。　What　would　you　think　of　Duncan　being　consecrated　bishop　a　little　sooner　than　we'd　planned？〃
Morgan　nearly　dropped　the　cup　he　was　refilling　for　himself。
〃You're　not　thinking　of　making　him　Bishop　of　Meara　lifter　all；　are　you？〃
〃No；　no　…　not　of　Meara；〃　Cardiel　reassured　him　quickly。　〃Just　my　assistant；　as　we'd　already　decided。　We　have　found　a　candidate　for　Meara；　however。　If　we　take　him；　I'm　going　to　need　Duncan's　help　more　than　ever。〃
Morgan　made　no　attempt　to　hide　his　sigh　of　relief。　Still　shaking　his　head　slightly；　he　hooked　a　three…legged　stool　closer　to　the　two　and　sat；　his　back　to　the　fire。
〃Sweet　Jesu；　I　confess　I　thought　you'd　taken　leave　of　your　senses　for　a　moment　there。　Are　you　really　going　to　pass　over　Judhael？〃
〃Not　…　exactly；〃　Cardiel　replied。　〃That　is；　we're　not　going　to　consecrate　someone　else　bishop　instead　of　him。　We've　been　aware　from　the　beginning　that　any　bishop　not　to　the　Mearans'　liking　was　going　to　have　his　hands　full；　trying　to　learn　his　job　and　cope　with　Mearan　hostility　both　at　once。　But　suppose　we　were　to　put　someone　in　Meara　who's　already　experienced？　That　would　eliminate　half　the　problem　from　the　start。〃
〃You'd　transfer　an　existing　bishop；　then；〃　Morgan　guessed；　running　swiftly　down　the　list　of　prelates　in　his　mind。
Arilan　lowered　his　cup　to　nod。　〃That's　correct。　And　there　can　be　no　question　about　passing　over　Judhael　in　favor　of　a　man　who　already　knows　how　to　run　a　diocese。〃
〃Except　that　all　your　diocesan　bishops　are　already　occupied；〃　Morgan　said；　even　more　mystified。　〃Where　are　you　going　to　find　this　paragon？〃
Cardiel　smiled。　〃Henry　Istelyn；　Bradene's　assistant。〃
〃Ah。〃
〃He's　already　been　handling　a　great　deal　of　work　behind　the　scenes　for　Bradene　for　the　past　two　years；〃　Arilan　said。　〃Furthermore；　when　he　was　first　made　an　itinerant　bishop；　several　years　ago；　he　spent　a　great　deal　of　time　in　Kierney　and　the　border　areas。　He　probably　knows　the　people　better　than　anyone　besides　Judhael　himself　…　or　Duncan；　of　course。　But　we've　already　agreed　that　he's　to　be　otherwise　occupied。〃
Morgan　nodded　thoughtfully。　From　Gwynedd's　point　of　view；　the　selection　of　Istelyn　made　perfect　sense　…　but　simply　choosing　a　logically　qualified　candidate　did　not　eliminate　the　very　practical　political　repercussions　which　were　likely　to　result　if　anyone　besides　Judhael　were　posted　to　Meara。
〃You're　saddling　Istelyn　with　a　heavy　responsibility；〃　he　said。　〃What　makes　you　think　the　Mearans　will　accept　him？　They　have　their　minds　set　on　Judhael。〃
〃That's　true；〃　Arilan　agreed。　〃However；　even　if　they　object　…　〃
〃Which　you　know　they're　going　to　do；　if　it's　anyone　else　…　〃
〃Even　if　they　object；〃　Arilan　continued；　〃it's　too　late　i