ggk.asongforarbonne-第6部分

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　　He　looked　back　over　his　shoulder　again。　They　had　rowed　very　close　now。　The　pines　were　around　towards　the　western　side　of　the　island；　away　from　the　sandy　northern　beaches　and　the　glowing　lights　beyond　that　marked　the　three　temples　and　the　residences。　Hirnan；　who　had　been　here　before…he　hadn't　said　why　and　Blaise　hadn't　pushed　him…had　said　there　was　no　chance　of　landing　undetected　on　any　of　those　northern　beaches。　The　servants　of　Rian　guarded　their　island；　in　the　past　they　had　had　cause　to　fear　more　than　a　single　skiff　of　corans　searching　for　a　poet。
　　They　were　going　to　have　to　try　to　get　ashore　in　a　harder　place；　where　the　forest　pines　gave　way；　not　to　sand；　but　to　rocky　cliffs　and　boulders　in　the　sea。　They　had　rope　with　them；　and　each　of　the　corans；　even　Luth；　knew　how　to　handle　himself　on　a　rock　face。　Castle　Baude　was　perched　high　in　the　wild　country　of　the　south…west。　Men　who　served　there　would　not　be　unfamiliar　with　cliffs　or　crags。
　　The　sea　was　another　matter。　Hirnan　and　Blaise　himself　were　the　only　ones　entirely　at　ease　on　the　water；　and　on　Hirnan's　shoulders　now　rested　the　burden　of　getting　them　close　enough；　amid　sharp　and　shadowed　rocks；　to　make　it　possible　to　e　ashore。　Privately；　Blaise　had　told　him　that　if　the　best　they　could　find　was　a　sheer　cliff　face；　they　didn't　really　have　a　chance。　Not　at　night　and　with　the　need　for　absolute　silence　and　with　a　poet　to　bring　back　down。　In　addition　to　which…
　　〃Couch　oars！〃　he　hissed。　In　the　same　instant　Maffour；　beside　him；　snarled　the　same　words。　Eight　rowers　swiftly　lifted　their　oars　from　the　water　and　sat　rigidly　still；　the　skiff　gliding　silently　towards　the　island。　The　sound　came　again；　nearer　now。　Motionless；　bent　low　for　concealment；　Blaise　strained　his　eyes　into　the　night；　searching　by　moonlight　for　the　boat　he'd　heard。
　　Then　it　was　there；　a　single　dark　sail　against　the　starry　sky；　skimming　through　the　waves　around　the　island。　In　the　skiff　eight　men　held　their　breath。　They　were　inside　the　circling　path　of　the　sailboat；　though；　very　near…dangerously　near；　in　fact…to　the　rocky　coast。　Someone　looking　towards　them　in　this　faint　light　would　almost　certainly　see　nothing　against　the　dark　bulk　of　the　island；　and　the　guards；　Blaise　knew；　would　probably　be　looking　outward　in　any　case。　He　relaxed　his　fingers　on　his　oar　as　the　small　boat　continued　past　them；　cutting　across　the　wind；　a　beautiful　thing　in　the　moonlight。
　　〃The　goddess　be　praised！〃　Luth　murmured　with　reflexive　piety　from　up　front　beside　Hirnan。
　　Cursing　himself　for　not　having　sat　the　man　next　to　him；　Blaise　flung　a　furious　look　over　his　shoulder　in　time　to　see　Hirnan's　hand　shoot　out　and　grip　his　benchmate　fiercely　on　the　arm　in　a　belated　effort　to　silence　him。
　　〃Ouch！〃　Luth　said。　Not　quietly。　At　sea。　In　a　very　calm　night。
　　Blaise　closed　his　eyes。　There　was　a　moment　of　straining　silence；　then：
　　〃Who　is　there！　In　Rian's　name；　declare　yourselves！〃　A　grim　male　voice　rang　out　from　the　sailboat。
　　His　brain　racing　furiously；　Blaise　looked　over　and　saw　the　other　boat　already　beginning　to　swing　about。　They　had　two　choices　now。　They　could　retreat；　rowing　frantically；　and　hope　to　lose　the　guards　in　the　darkness　of　the　sea。　No　one　knew　who　they　were；　they　might　not　be　seen　or　identified。　But　the　mainland　was　a　long　way　off；　and　eight　men　rowing　had　little　chance　of　outracing　sails　if　they　were　pursued。　And　this　one　sailboat　could　have　others　with　it　very　soon；　Blaise　knew。
　　He　hated　retreating　anyhow。
　　〃Only　fisherfolk；　your　grace；〃　he　called　out　in　a　wavering；　high…pitched　voice。　〃Only　my　brothers　and　myself　trawling　for　lampfish。　We're　terrible　sorry　to　have　wandered　out　so　far。〃
　　He　lowered　his　voice　to　a　snarled　whisper。　〃Get　three　of　the　ropes　over　the　side；　quickly！　Hold　them　as　if　you　were　fishing。　Hirnan；　you　and　I　are　going　into　the　water。〃　Even　as　he　spoke　he　was　removing　his　boots　and　sword。　Hirnan；　without　a　question　asked；　began　doing　the　same。
　　〃It　is　interdicted　to　e　so　near　the　goddess's　Island　without　leave。　You　are　subject　to　Rian's　curse　for　what　you　have　done。〃　The　deep　voice　across　the　water　was　hostile　and　assured。　The　boat　was　still　turning；　it　would　begin　bearing　down　upon　them　in　a　moment。
　　〃We　are　not　to　kill；〃　Maffour　whispered　anxiously　from　beside　Blaise。
　　〃I　know　that；〃　Blaise　hissed　back。　〃Do　what　I　told　you。　Offer　them　a　tithe。　Hirnan；　let's　go。〃
　　With　the　last　words　he　swung　his　feet　across　the　low　railing　and　slipped　silently　over　the　side　of　the　skiff。　On　the　other　side；　balancing　his　motion　exactly；　Hirnan　did　the　same。　The　water　was　shockingly　cold。　It　was　night；　and　early　yet　in　the　spring。
　　〃Truly；　your　graces；　as　my　brother　says；　we　had　no　intention　to　transgress。〃　Maffour's　apologetic　voice　carried　across　the　darkness。　〃We　will　gladly　offer　a　tithe　of　our　catch　for　the　holy　servants　of　blessed　Rian。〃
　　There　was　a　silence　from　the　other　boat；　very　much　as　if　someone　were　weighing　a　sudden　temptation。　That；　Blaise　had　not　expected。　To　his　right　he　spotted　Hirnan's　dark　head　bobbing　towards　him。　He　motioned；　and　the　two　of　them　began　swimming　quietly　towards　the　other　boat。
　　〃Are　you　fools？〃　The　second　voice　from　the　sailboat　was　a　woman's；　and　cold　as　the　ocean　waters。　〃Do　you　think　you　can　make　redress　for　trespass　in　the　waters　of　the　goddess　by　offering　a　load　of　fish？〃
　　Blaise　grimaced。　The　priestesses　of　the　goddess　were　always　harsher　than　the　priests；　even　a　short　time　in　Arbonne　had　taught　him　that　much。　He　heard　the　sound　of　flint　being　struck；　and　a　moment　later；　cursing　silently；　saw　a　lamp　lit　in　the　sailboat。　A　glow　of　orange　light　fell　upon　the　water　but　offered　only　slight　illumination。　Praying　that　the　six　corans　in　the　skiff　would　have　the　sense　to　keep　their　heads　down　and　faces　hidden；　he　gestured　for　Hirnan　to　move　closer。　Then；　treading　silently　in　the　sea；　he　put　his　mouth　to　the　other　man's　ear　and　told　him　what　they　had　to　try　to　do。
　　
　　Holding　the　lamp　high　while　Maritte　guided　their　craft；　Roche　the　priest　peered　ahead　into　the　night。　Even　with　the　flame；　even　by　the　light　of　the　waxing　pale　moon；　it　was　difficult　to　see　clearly。　Certainly　the　skiff　they　were　approaching　was　one　such　as　the　fisherfolk　of　the　shore　used；　and　he　could　make　out　the　lines　of　the　trawling　nets　over　the　side；　but　there　was　still　something　odd　about　this　encounter。　For　one　thing；　there　seemed　to　be　too　many　men　in　the　skiff。　He　counted　at　least　five。　Where　were　they　going　to　put　their　catch　with　so　many　men　on　board？　Roche　had　grown　up　by　the　sea；　he　knew　more　than　a　little　about　trawling　for　lampfish。　He　also　loved…more　than　a　little…the　taste　of　the　succulent；　hard…to…find　delicacy；　which　is　why　he'd　been　shamefully　tempted　by　the　offered　tithe。　Maritte；　mountain…born；　had　no　such　weaknesses　to　tempt　her。　Sometimes　he　wondered　if　Maritte　had　any　weaknesses　at　all。　He　would　not　be　particularly　unhappy　when　their　shared　tour　of　duties　ended　next　week；　though　he　couldn't　claim　to　regret　the　three　obligatory　nights　in　bed　together。　He　wondered　if　she　had　conceived　by　him；　what　a　child　born　of　the　two　of　them　would　be　like。　It　really　did　seem　to　be　a　fishing　boat。　Manned　by　too　many　men；　most　likely　because　they　were　afraid；　venturing　so　near　the　island。　It　happened　more　often　than　it　should；　Roche　knew。　The　deep　waters　around　Rian's　Island　were　a　known　ground　for　lampfish。　A　pity；　he　sometimes　thought…aware　that　this　was　perilously　near　to　heresy…that　all　fish　and　fauna　on　or　about　the　island　were　sacred　to　the　goddess　in　her　incarnation　as　Huntress；　and　so　not　to　be　pursued　in　any　way　by　mortal　man　or　woman。
　　One　really　couldn't　entirely　blame　the　fisherfolk　of　Arbonne　for　occasionally　yielding　to　the　lure　of　that　rare　and　delicate　taste　and　once　in　a　while　venturing　perhaps　a　little　nearer　the　island　than　they　ought。　He　wondered　if　he　dared　turn　to　Maritte　and　offer　that　thought；　in　the　spirit　of　passionate　Rian。　He　forebore　to　do　so。　He　could　guess　what　she　would　say；　mountain…born；　hard　as　mountain　rock。　Though　not　so　much　so　in　the　dark；　mind　you；　surprisingly　softened　by　passion　and　its　aftermath。　The　three　nights　had　been　worth　it；　he　decided；　whatever　she'd　have　said　now　to　his　suggestion。
　　What　Maritte　did　in　fact　say　in　that　moment；　her　voice　suddenly　harsh；　was：　〃Roche；　these　are　not　fisherfolk。　Those　are　only　ropes；　not　nets！　We　must…〃
　　That　was　all；　lamentably；　that　Roche　heard。　Even　as　he　leaned　quickly　forward　to　peer　more　closely　at　the　skiff；　Roche　of　the　Island　felt　himself　pulled　bodily　out　of　their　small　boat；　the　lantern　flying　from　his　hand　to　douse　itself　hissing　in　the　sea。
　　He　tried　to　cry　out；　but　he　hit　the　water　with　a　smack　that　knocked　the　wind　from　his　lungs。　Then；　as　he　desperately　sucked　for　air；　he　went　under　an　advancing　wave；　swallowed　a　mouthful　of　salt　sea　water　and　began　retching　and　coughing。　There　was　a　hand　holding　him　from　behind　in　a　grip　like　a　blacksmith's。　Roche　coughed　and　gasped　and　coughed；　and　finally　cleared　his　lungs　of　water。
　　He　drew　one　normal　breath　and　then；　as　if　that　had　been　a　patiently　awaited　signal；　received　a　blow　from　the　haft　of　a　knife　on　the　side　of　his　head　that　rendered　him　oblivious　to　the　icy　chill　of　the　water　or　the　beauty　of　moonlight　on　the　sea。　He　did　have　an　instant　to　realize；　just　before　all　went　black；　that　he　hadn't　heard　a　sound　from　Maritte。
　　
　　Blaise　was　briefly　afraid；　as　he　manoeuvred　the　unconscious　priest　back　into　the　sailboat　with　Hirnan's　help；　that　the　other　man；　anxious　not　to　err；　might　have　killed　the　woman　with　his　blow。　After　he　had　clambered　with　some　difficulty　into　the　boat　he　reassured　himself。　She　would　have　a　lump　like　a　corfe　egg　on　her　temple　for　a　few　days；　but　Hirnan　had　done　well。　He　spared　a　moment　to　grip　the　other　man　briefly　on　the　shoulder　in　approbation；　such　things　mattered　to　the　men　one　led。　He　had　some　experience　of　that；　too…on　both　sides　of　the　equation。
　　The　sailboat　was　neat　and　trim　and　well　equipped；　which　meant　plenty　of　rope。　There　were　also　blankets　against　the　night　chill　and　an　amount　of　food　that　might　have　been　surprising　had　the　priest　not　been　so　plump。　He　stripped　the　unconscious　man　of　his　sodden　shirt；　then　swaddled　him　in　one　of　the　blankets。　They