ggk.asongforarbonne-第104部分

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　　And　Ariane　had　bent　and　kissed　the　dying　woman　upon　the　mouth　and　had　fled；　alone　down　the　twisting　back　stairway；　wrapped　in　a　dark　cloak　with　a　baby　next　to　her　heart。　And　she　met　no　one　at　all　on　the　stairs　or　in　the　corridor　or　passing　out　of　the　castle　into　the　rain　by　the　postern　gate。　At　the　stables　the　ostlers　were　nowhere　to　be　seen　in　the　storm；　and　so　Ariane　had　taken　her　mare　from　its　stall　herself　and　had　mounted　up　awkwardly　from　astride　a　bale　of　hay；　and　she　had　ridden　bareback　from　the　yard　with　only　her　cloak　and　hood　to　shield　her　and　the　child　from　the　cold　and　the　driving　rain。
　　She　never　forgot　that　ride　for　the　rest　of　her　days　or　nights。　It　would　e　back　to　her　in　dreams；　or　with　any　sudden　crack　of　thunder　or　flash　of　lightning　in　a　storm。　She　would　be　back　in　the　vineyards　of　Miraval　then；　riding　east　towards　the　lake；　the　twisted　shapes　of　vines　showing　around　her　when　lightning　shredded　earth　and　sky。　The　child　had　cried　and　cried　at　the　beginning　but　had　fallen　silent　after　that；　and　Ariane　had　been　terrified　the　baby　was　dead　and　had　been　afraid　to　open　her　cloak　in　the　rain　to　see。　And　she　had　been　weeping　all　through　that　ride。
　　She　never　knew　how　she　managed　to　find　the　hut　by　the　lake　where　they　kept　the　wood　and　kindling　dry　for　signalling　the　isle。　She　remembered　dismounting　there　and　tethering　the　horse　and　hurrying　inside；　to　stand　in　the　doorway；　dripping　wet；　unable　to　stop　crying。　A　vivid　sheet　of　lightning　had　lit　the　whole　of　the　sky　then；　and　for　a　moment　in　its　dazzling　flash　she　had　seen　the　Arch　of　the　Ancients　looming　nearby；　huge　and　black　in　the　night；　and　she　had　screamed　in　fear。　But　then；　as　if　in　answer　to　her　own　cry；　she　had　felt；　oh；　she　had　felt　a　stirring　of　the　child　next　to　her　heart；　and　had　heard　her　begin　to　wail　again；　a　precarious；　determined　assertion　of　presence　amid　the　terrors　of　the　world。
　　Ariane　had　held　her　close；　rocking　back　and　forth；　crooning　wordlessly；　watching　as　lightning　flashed　again　and　again　and　finally　moved　on；　as　the　peals　of　thunder　gradually　grew　fainter　to　the　south；　as；　after　what　seemed　a　span　of　time　without　measure　or　end；　the　blue　moon　named　for　Rian　showed　briefly　once　and　then　appeared　again　through　the　swift　racing　of　the　clouds；　and　the　rain　stopped。
　　She　had　laid　the　baby　down　then；　wrapping　it　as　best　she　could　on　the　blessedly　dry　floor　of　the　cabin；　and　she　took　wood　and　kindling　and　flint　for　flame　and　lit　a　flare　on　the　mound　outside　to　summon　the　priestesses　to　e；　and　they　came。
　　She　saw　a　white　sail　running　up　on　the　near　shore　of　the　isle　and　watched　as　one　small　boat　slipped　across　the　now　calm　waters　of　the　lake　towards　her；　ineffably　beautiful　and　strange　in　the　blue　moonlight；　something　graceful　and　delicate　in　a　world　from　which　those　things　had　seemed　to　her　forever　gone。
　　Her　robe　was　soaked　and　stained　and　torn。　In　the　night　they　would　not　know　it　for　a　garment　of　wealth　or　privilege。　She　kept　her　hood　up　about　her　face。　When　the　boat　had　almost　reached　the　shore　she　unwrapped　the　baby；　grieving；　from　the　rich　clothes　of　the　castle　and　brought　it　out　to　them　in　a　scrap　of　rag　she　found　in　the　cabin。
　　Then　she　gave　Aelis's　child　to　the　priestess　who　stood；　tall　and　grave　beside　the　prow　of　the　boat　on　the　strand。　She　made　her　voice　quiver　and　stammer　with　accents　of　the　farmyard　and　told　them　it　was　her　own　child　and　her　father　would　not　let　her　keep　her　and；　oh；　would　the　good　servants　of　sweet　Rian　shelter　and　guard　her　baby　all　her　days？　She　had　been　crying　then；　too；　Ariane　remembered。
　　It　was　not　a　rare　thing；　her　request。　It　was　one　of　the　ways　Rian's　Isle　and　the　goddess's　Island　in　the　sea　received　their　necessary　plement　of　servants　and　priests　and　priestesses　through　the　turning　of　seasons　and　years。　The　two　women　asked　no　questions　other　than　of　her　own　health。　She　had　reached　out；　Ariane　remembered；　and　had　taken　the　child　in　her　thin；　tired　arms　for　a　last　time　and　had　kissed　her　farewell　full　upon　the　mouth；　as　she　had　the　mother。　She　told　the　two　priestesses　she　would　be　all　right。
　　She　had　told　herself　the　same　thing　as　she　watched　the　boat　going　back　across　the　stilled　waters　of　the　lake　under　the　one　moon　and　the　thin；　high；　drifting　clouds　and　the　emerging　glitter　of　the　stars；　carrying　Aelis's　daughter　and　Bertran's。
　　Aelis　had　said　nothing　to　her　about　a　name。　Ariane；　on　that　stony　shore；　had　looked　up　at　the　blue　crescent　of　the　moon　and　had　told　the　priestesses　that　the　child　was　to　be　named；　if　they　found　her　worthy；　for　that　moon　and　so　for　the　goddess。
　　〃She　lived；〃　Ariane　de　Carenzu　said；　twenty…three　years　after；　astride　another　horse　before　the　cabin　where　that　child　and　her　dead　brother　had　been　conceived。　The　tears　had　dried　on　her　cheeks　during　the　telling　of　the　tale。　〃I　have　kept　watch　over　her　all　these　years；　whenever　I　could；　as　best　I　could。　She　remained　on　the　isle；　of　course；　they　usually　do。　She　is　beautiful　and　clever　and　brave；　Bertran。　She　looks　very　like　her　mother；　I　think。　Her　name　is　Rinette。　She　was　to　bee　High　Priestess　of　Rian's　Isle　one　day　soon。〃
　　〃Was？〃　Bertran's　voice　was　so　low；　the　one　word　was　almost　inaudible。　His　hands　were　clasped　together　before　him。　They　had　been　through　the　length　of　the　tale。　Blaise　could　see　that　they　were　trembling。
　　〃I　spoke　to　her　before　ing　to　you。　I　thought　that　was　proper。　I　told　her　who　she　was　and　how　she　had　e　to　Rian's　Isle；　and　I　explained　some　other　things　as　well。　I　said　。。。　that　because　of　who　she　was　she　might　be　more　dearly　needed　now　away　from　the　isle；　in　the　world　of　men　and　women；　but　that　it　was　her　own　choice　to　make　and　。。。　that　I　would　ensure　that　that　was　so。〃
　　〃And？〃　Bertran　looked　older　now；　Blaise　realized。　He　wanted　to　put　an　arm　around　the　other　man；　but　held　back。
　　〃She　said　that　if　what　I　had　told　her　was　true；　it　was　obvious　that　she　was　indeed　more　important　to　Arbonne　among　the　castles　than　among　the　sanctuaries。　Those　were　her　own　words。　She　is　very　strong；　Bertran。　She　is　。。。　really　quite　wonderful。〃　Her　voice　broke　a　little　on　the　last　words。
　　〃I　have　seen　her　then；〃　the　duke　said；　his　tone　holding　wonder　like　a　chalice。　〃I　must　have　seen　her　so　many　times　and　I　never　saw　the　resemblance。〃
　　〃Why　should　you　have？　There　was　nothing　you　were　looking　to　find。〃
　　Bertran　shook　his　head。　〃It　must　have　been　so　hard　for　her；　learning　of　this　so　suddenly。　It　must　have　been　terrible。〃
　　〃It　may　bee　so。　Not　yet；　I　think；〃　said　Ariane。　〃I　suspect；　with　everything；　she　is　only　half　understanding　what　all　of　it　will　mean。　She　does　know　。。。　〃　Ariane　hesitated；　and　turned；　inexplicably；　to　Blaise；　〃she　does　know；　because　I　told　her；　that　she　may　possibly　be　expected　to　wed　one　day　soon。〃
　　And　now　he　understood　why　she　had　wanted　him　to　stay。　He　looked　up　in　the　waning　of　that　clear　light　and　met　Ariane's　dark…eyed　gaze。　He　was　remembering　many　different　things　suddenly；　but　one　conversation　most　of　all；　from　a　summer　night　in　Tavernel。
　　It　was；　in　the　end；　Bertran　who　looked　from　one　to　the　other　of　them　and　rose　first　from　that　cabin　doorway　at　the　edge　of　the　forest。　〃I　think；〃　said　the　duke；　〃that　I　am　going　to　ride　back　now。〃
　　〃Shall　I　e？〃　asked　Blaise。
　　Bertran　shook　his　head。　He　smiled　crookedly；　a　ghost　of　his　most　habitual　expression。　〃I　know　the　way；〃　he　said。　〃That　much　hasn't　changed。〃
　　Everything　else　seemed　to　have；　though；　as　Blaise　stood　and　watched　the　duke　ride　off。　Ariane　turned　in　the　saddle　to　watch　him　as　well。　Only　when　Bertran　had　passed　from　sight；　an　unprepossessing　figure　in　the　torn　and　bloodstained　garb　of　a　fighting　man；　did　she　turn　back　to　Blaise。　She　still　made　no　movement　to　dismount。
　　He　said　bluntly；　〃There　was　a　woman　who　shared　her　bed　with　me　on　Midsummer　Eve　in　Tavernel。　She　told　me　she　would　live　her　life　to　change　the　rules　of　the　marriage　game　among　men　and　women　in　our　day。〃　He　wasn't　certain　why；　but　he　almost　meant　the　words　as　a　blow。
　　She　took　them　that　way；　he　saw；　and　realizing　that；　all　anger　and　resentment　passed　from　him　as　if　swept　by　the　wind。　Ariane　said；　very　quietly；　〃I　can　control　nothing　here；　nor　do　I　want　to　try。　I　can　see；　even　now；　something　that　might　happen。　So　can　you；　Blaise。　You　must　know　how　difficult　this　is　for　me。　Surely　you　must。　Even　with　everything　else　that　has　happened。〃
　　He　did　know；　actually。　He　seemed　to　be　a　wiser　man　than　he　had　been　a　year　ago。　He　knew　what　truth　of　the　heart　she　was　holding　out　to　him　as　an　offering；　and　he　felt；　not　for　the　first　time；　a　humbling　awareness　of　her　honesty。　This　was　the　woman；　he　thought　suddenly；　who　had　freed　him　from　Lucianna　and　the　bitterness　he　had　carried　from　Portezza。
　　〃Ariane；〃　he　said　roughly；　〃you　are　the　reason　Arbonne　must　never　be　allowed　to　die。〃
　　〃There　are　a　world　of　reasons；〃　she　said；　but　something　flashed　briefly　in　the　darkness　of　her　eyes。
　　〃And　you　are　the　symbol　and　the　heart　of　them。　You　are　the　queen　of　the　Court　of　Love。〃
　　〃I　thought　you　regarded　that　as　folly。〃
　　〃I　thought　many　things　here　to　be　folly　that　have　turned　out　to　be　more　true　than　anything　I　knew　before。〃　He　stopped；　and　then；　because　it　absolutely　needed　to　be　said；　added　steadily；　〃Ariane；　your　husband　is　the　reason　we　were　able　to　win　this　battle；　whatever　we　might　say　about　Urté　and　Bertran　and　Fulk　de　Savaric。　And　Thierry　is　also　the　reason　we　were　able　to　prevent　a　slaughter　of　surrendering　men。〃
　　〃I　think　I　know　this；〃　she　said　gravely。
　　〃I　cannot　tell　you　how　much　respect　I　have　for　him。〃
　　〃And　I；〃　she　murmured。　〃I　told　you　as　much　in　Tavernel。　What　are　you　saying；　Blaise？〃
　　He　forced　himself　to　meet　her　level　gaze。　Her　eyes　were　so　dark；　deep　enough　for　a　man　to　lose　his　way　in　them。　〃That　I　am　still　enough　of　a　man　of　Gorhaut；　and　I　think　I　always　will　be；　to　have　a　world　of　trouble　speaking　words　of　love　to　the　wife　of　such　a　man。〃
　　He　saw　her　lower　her　head　for　a　moment。　〃I　know　this　too；〃　she　said；　looking　up　at　him　again。　〃I　also　know；　to　my　sorrow；　that　we　are　what　we　are；　and　so　are　the　times　into　which　we　have　been　born；　and　those　words　I　spoke　at　Midsummer　to　you　about　freedom　of　choice　are；　truly；　the　only　real　folly　either　of　us　has　ever　offered　to　the