ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第30部分

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y　in　front　of　Almalik。　He　had　laid　aside　the　basket　of　oranges　but　made　no　other　motion。　The　king　opened　his　mouth；　no　sound　came　out。
　　It　is；　in　fact；　a　well…known　characteristic　of　the　poison　fijana　that　it　locks　shut　the　throat　just　before　it　reaches　the　heart。　As　a　consequence；　no　one　in　the　room　save　the　man　kneeling　directly　in　front　of　him　was　able　to　say；　afterwards；　if　the　dying　king　of　Cartada　realized；　before　he　lost　consciousness　and　life　and　went　to　join　Ashar　among　the　stars；　that　the　slave　who　had　been　offering　him　oranges　all　morning　had　remarkably　blue；　quite　distinctive　eyes。
　　The　king's　arm　suddenly　buckled　and　Almalik；　mouth　gaping　wide；　fell　soundlessly　amid　a　scatter　of　bright　pillows。　Someone　screamed　then；　the　sound　echoing　among　the　columns。　There　was　a　babble　of　terrified　noise。
　　〃Ashar　and　the　god　are　merciful；〃　said　the　slave；　rising　from　his　position　and　turning　to　face　the　courtiers　and　the　stupefied　poet　in　front　of　the　dais。　〃I　really　didn't　want　to　hear　that　poem　again。〃　He　gestured　apologetically。　〃I　wrote　it　in　a　great　hurry；　you　see；　and　there　are　infelicities。〃
　　〃Ammar　ibn　Khairan！〃　stammered　Serafi　somewhat　unnecessarily。
　　The　erstwhile　slave　was　calmly　unwinding　his　saffron…colored　headcloth。　He　had　darkened　his　skin　but　had　essayed　no　further　disguise：　no　one　ever　looked　closely　at　slaves。　〃Ammar　ibn　Khairan！〃　stammered　Serafi　somewhat　unnecessarily。
　　〃I　do　hope　he　recognized　me；〃　said　ibn　Khairan　in　a　musing　tone。　〃I　think　he　did。〃　He　dropped　the　slave's　headcloth　among　the　pillows。　He　seemed　utterly　relaxed；　standing　before　the　dais　on　which　the　most　powerful　monarch　in　Al…Rassan　lay　sprawled　in　slack…jawed；　untidy　death。
　　As　one；　in　that　moment；　the　courtiers　looked　to　the　Muwardis　by　the　doors；　the　only　men　in　the　room　bearing　arms。　The　veiled　ones　had　remained　inexplicably　motionless　through　all　of　what　had　just　taken　place。　Ibn　Khairan　noticed　the　direction　of　the　glances。
　　〃Mercenaries；〃　he　said　gravely；　〃are　mercenaries。〃
　　He　did　not　add；　but　might　have；　that　the　tribesmen　of　the　desert　would　not　be　sparing　any　moments　of　prayer　for　the　secular；　degenerate　worse…than…infidel　who　had　just　died。　As　far　as　the　Muwardis　were　concerned；　all　of　the　kings　of　Al…Rassan　merited　approximately　the　same　fate。　If　they　all　killed　each　other　the　starlit　visions　of　Ashar　might　yet　be　fulfilled　in　this　land。
　　One　of　the　veiled　ones　did　e　forward　then；　moving　towards　the　dais。　He　passed　near　to　the　woman；　Zabira；　who　had　remained　motionless　after　rising。　Her　hands　were　at　her　mouth。
　　〃Not　quite；〃　he　said　softly；　but　the　words　carried；　and　were　remembered。
　　Then　he　ascended　the　dais　and　removed　the　Muwardi　veil　from　the　lower　part　of　his　face　and　it　could　be　seen　by　all　assembled　in　the　room　that　this　was；　indeed；　the　princely　heir　of　Cartada's　realm；　Almalik　ibn　Almalik；　he　of　the　nervous　eyelid；　who　his　father　had　said　looked　like　a　leper。
　　He　looks　rather　more　like　a　desert　warrior　at　the　moment。　He　is　also；　as　of　this　same　moment；　the　king　of　Cartada。
　　The　other　three　Muwardis　now　draw　their　swords；　without　moving　from　where　they　stand　by　the　doors。　One　might　have　expected　an　outcry　from　the　court；　but　stupefaction　and　fear　impose　their　restraints　upon　men。　The　only　sound　in　the　audience　chamber　for　a　frozen　instant　is　the　breathing　of　terrified　courtiers。
　　〃The　guards　on　the　other　side　of　the　doors　are　mine　as　well；　by　the　way；〃　says　young　Almalik　mildly。　His　afflicted　eyelid；　it　can　be　seen；　is　not　drooping　or　twitching　at　this　time。
　　He　looks　down　upon　the　toppled　body　of　his　father。　After　a　moment；　with　a　swift；　decisive　movement　of　one　foot；　he　rolls　the　dead　king　off　the　dais。　The　body　es　to　rest　at　the　feet　of　the　woman；　Zabira。　The　son　sits　down　smoothly　among　the　remaining　pillows　of　the　dais。
　　Ammar　ibn　Khairan　sinks　to　his　knees　in　front　of　him。
　　〃May　holy　Ashar　intercede　with　the　god　among　the　stars；〃　he　says；　〃to　grant　you　long　life；　O　great　king。　Be　merciful　in　your　grandeur　to　your　loyal　servants；　Magnificence。　May　your　reign　be　crowned　with　everlasting　glory　in　Ashar's　name。〃
　　He　proceeds　to　perform　the　quadruple　obeisance。
　　Behind　him；　the　poet　Serafi　suddenly　es　to　his　senses。　He　drops　to　the　mosaic　tiles　as　if　smitten　behind　the　knees　and　does　the　same。　Then；　very　much　as　if　they　are　grateful　for　this　cue　as　to　how　to　proceed；　the　men　in　the　audience　chamber　all　perform　full　obeisance　to　the　new　king　of　Cartada。
　　It　is　seen　that　the　only　woman　in　the　room；　the　beautiful　Zabira；　does　so　as　well；　touching　the　floor　with　her　forehead　beside　the　body　of　her　dead　lover；　graceful　and　alluring　as　always　in　the　movements　of　her　homage　to　the　son。
　　It　is　observed　that　Ammar　ibn　Khairan；　who　has　been　searched　for　through　the　whole　of　Al…Rassan；　now　rises　to　his　knees　and　stands；　without　invitation　from　the　dais。
　　It　is　also　a　source　of　belated；　devastating　wonder　to　those　now　imprisoned　in　the　room　by　the　drawn　swords　of　the　Muwardis；　how　they　could　have　failed　to　identify　him　before。　No　one　looks　quite　like　ibn　Khairan；　with　those　unconscionably　blue　eyes。　No　one　moves　like　him。　No　one's　arrogance　quite　matches　his。　With　the　headcloth　removed　his　signature　earring　gleams…with　amusement　one　could　be　forgiven　for　thinking。　He　will　have　been　here　in　Cartada　for　a　long　time；　it　now　bees　clear。　Perhaps　in　this　very　room。　A　number　of　men　in　the　audience　chamber　begin　rapidly　scanning　their　memories　for　remarks　of　an　injudicious　sort　they　might　have　made　about　the　disgraced　favorite　during　his　presumed　absence。
　　Ibn　Khairan　smiles　and　turns　to　survey　them　all。　His　smile　is　vividly　remembered；　if　no　more　forting　than　it　has　ever　been。
　　〃The　Day　of　the　Moat；〃　he　says；　to　no　one　in　particular；　〃was　a　mistake　in　a　great　many　ways。　It　is　never　a　good　idea　to　leave　a　man　with　no　real　alternatives。〃
　　For　Serafi　the　poet　this　is　inprehensible；　but　there　are　wiser　men　than　he　standing　among　the　columns　and　beneath　the　arches。　Ibn　Khairan's　remark　will　be　recollected；　it　will　be　expounded　upon。　Men　will　hasten　to　be　the　first　to　elucidate　its　meaning。
　　Ibn　Khairan；　they　will　say；　whispering　in　bathhouses　or　courtyards；　or　in　the　Jaddite　taverns　of　the　city；　was　meant　to　bear　the　responsibility　for　the　executions　in　Fezana。　He　had　grown　too　powerful　in　the　king's　eyes。　He　was　to　be　curbed　by　this。　No　one　would　ever　trust　him　again。　Heads　will　nod　knowingly　over　sherbet　or　forbidden　wine。
　　With　this　one　cryptic　sentence；　the　dialogues　of　the　next　days　have　been　set　in　motion；　or　so　it　seems。
　　It　is　an　old　truth；　however；　that　events；　whether　large　or　small；　do　not　always　follow　upon　the　agendas　of　even　the　most　subtle　of　men。
　　Behind　ibn　Khairan；　the　new　king　of　Cartada　finishes　arranging　the　pillows　of　the　dais　to　his　satisfaction　and　says　now；　quietly；　but　very　clearly；　〃We　are　indulgent　of　all　of　your　obeisances。　No　man　of　you　need　fear　us；　so　long　as　he　is　loyal。〃　No　mention　of　the　woman；　a　number　of　them　note。
　　The　king　continues；　as　ibn　Khairan　turns　back　to　him。　〃We　have　certain　pronouncements　to　make　at　this　mencement　of　our　reign。　The　first　is　that　all　formal　rites　of　mourning　will　be　observed　for　seven　days；　in　honor　of　our　tragically　slain　king　and　father。〃
　　The　men　of　the　Cartadan　court　are　masters　of　reading　the　smallest　nuances　of　information。　None　of　them　see　any　hint　of　surprise　in　the　features　or　the　bearing　of　ibn　Khairan；　who　has　just　killed　the　king。
　　He　planned　this　too；　they　decide。　The　prince　would　not　have　been　so　clever。
　　They　are　wrong；　as　it　happens。
　　A　great　many　people　are　about　to　be　proven　wrong　about　Almalik　ibn　Almalik　in　time　to　e。　The　first　and　foremost　of　them　stands　now；　directly　in　front　of　the　young　king　and　hears　the　new　monarch；　his　ward　and　disciple；　say；　in　that　same　quiet；　clear　voice；　〃The　second　pronouncement　must　be；　lamentably；　a　decree　of　exile　for　our　once…trusted　and　dearly　loved　servant；　Ammar　ibn　Khairan。〃
　　No　sign；　no　motion；　no　slightest　indication　of　disfiture　from　the　man　so　named。　Only　one　raised　eyebrow…a　characteristic　gesture　that　might　mean　many　things…and　then　a　question　calmly　broached：　〃Why；　Magnificence？〃
　　In　the　mouth　of　someone　who　had　just　killed　a　king；　with　the　still…warm　body　lying　not　far　away；　it　seems　a　question　of　astonishing　impudence。　Given　that　the　killing　has　doubtless　been　effected　with　the　countenance　and　involvement　of　the　young　prince；　it　is　also　a　dangerous　query。　Almalik　II　of　Cartada　looks　to　one　side　and　sees　his　father's　sword　beside　the　dais。　He　reaches　out；　almost　absently；　and　takes　it　by　the　hilt。　It　can　be　seen　that　his　unfortunate　affliction　of　the　eye　has　now　returned。
　　〃For　sins　against　morality；〃　the　young　king　says；　finally。　And　flushes。
　　In　the　rigid　silence　that　follows　this；　the　laughter　of　Ammar　ibn　Khairan；　when　it　es；　echoes　from　column　to　arch　to　the　high　vaulted　ceiling。　There　is　an　edge　to　his　amusement　though…the　discerning　can　hear　it。　This　is　not　part　of　what　had　been　arranged；　they　are　certain　of　it。　And　there　is　an　extreme　subtlety　here；　the　most　quick…minded　of　them　realize。　The　new　king　needs　to　swiftly　distance　himself　from　regicide。　If　he　had　spoken　of　murder　as　a　cause　of　exile　that　distance　would　be　lost…for　his　own　presence；　disguised；　in　this　chamber　speaks　all　that　needs　to　be　spoken　of　how　his　father's　death　has　been　achieved。
　　〃Ah；〃　says　ibn　Khairan　now；　into　the　silence；　as　the　echoes　of　his　laughter　fade；　〃moral　failings　again。　Only　those？〃　He　pauses；　smiles。　Says　bluntly；　〃I　feared　you　might　speak　of　killing　a　king。　That　dreadful　lie　some　might　even　now　be　spreading　through　the　city。　I　am　relieved。　Might　I　therefore　live　in　hope　of　the　king's　forgiving　kiss　upon　my　unworthy　brow　one　day？〃
　　The　king　flushes　a　deeper　shade　of　crimson。　Serafi　the　poet　abruptly　remembers　that　their　new　monarch　is　still　a　young　man。　And　Ammar　ibn　Khairan　has　been　his　closest　advisor　and　friend；　and　there　have　been　certain　rumors　for　a　number　of　years　。。。　He　decides　that　he　now　understands　matters　more　clearly。　The　king's　forgiving　kiss。　Indeed！
　　〃Time　and　the　stars　and　the　will　of　Ashar　determine　such　things；〃　the　young　king　says　with　determined；　form