ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第6部分

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ing　saluted　and　marked　by　Rodrigo　in　the　midst　of　roaring　battle；　and　then　after；　victorious；　drinking　unmixed　wine　at　the　Captain's　side；　being　honored　and　made　wele　among　his　pany。
　　A　young　man　could　dream；　could　he　not？
　　The　problem；　for　Alvar；　was　that　such　immensely　satisfying　images　had　been　giving　way；　in　the　almost…silence　of　night；　or　the　long　rhythms　of　a　day's　hard　riding　under　the　god's　sun；　to　the　vivid；　excruciating　memory　of　what　had　happened　the　morning　they　set　out　from　Esteren。　To　a　recollection　of　the　moment；　in　particular；　when　young　Alvar　de　Pellino…heart's　pride　and　joy　of　his　parents　and　three　sisters…had　chosen　the　wrong　place　entirely　to　unbutton　his　trousers　and　relieve　himself　before　the　pany　mounted　up　to　ride。
　　It　ought　to　have　been　a　perfectly　reasonable　thing　to　do。
　　
　　They　had　assembled　at　dawn　in　a　newly　built　sidecourt　of　the　palace　at　Esteren。　Alvar；　almost　giddy　with　excitement　and　the　simultaneous　effort　not　to　reveal　it；　had　been　attempting　to　remain　as　inconspicuous　as　possible。　He　was　not　a　shy　or　diffident　young　man　by　nature；　but　even　now；　at　the　very　moment　of　departure；　a　part　of　him　feared；　with　lurid　apprehension；　that　if　someone　noticed　him…Lain　Nunez；　for　example；　the　Captain's　lean　old　panion…at…arms…they　might　declare　Alvar's　presence　an　obvious　error　of　some　kind；　and　he'd　be　left　behind。　He　would；　of　course；　have　no　choice　but　to　kill　himself　if　such　a　thing　happened。
　　With　fifty　men　and　their　horses　and　the　laden　pack　mules　in　the　enclosed　space　of　the　courtyard　it　was　easy　enough　to　keep　a　low　profile。　It　was　cool　in　the　yard；　something　that　might　have　deceived　a　stranger　to　the　peninsula；　a　mercenary　from　Ferrieres　or　Waleska；　say。　It　would　be　very　hot　later；　Alvar　knew。　It　was　always　hot　in　summer。　There　was　a　great　deal　of　noise　and　men　were　bustling　back　and　forth　carrying　planks　of　wood；　tools；　wheeling　barrows　of　brick：　King　Ramiro　was　expanding　his　palace。
　　Alvar　checked　his　saddle　and　saddlebags　for　the　twentieth　time　and　carefully　avoided　meeting　anyone's　eye。　He　tried　to　look　older　than　his　years；　to　convey　the　impression　that　he　was；　if　anything；　a　trifle　bored　by　a　mission　as　routine　as　this　one。　He　was　intelligent　enough　to　doubt　he　was　fooling　anyone。
　　When　Count　Gonzalez　de　Rada　walked　unannounced　into　the　courtyard；　dressed　in　crimson　and　black…even　at　dawn　among　horses…Alvar　felt　his　feverish　anxiety　rise　to　an　even　higher　level。　He　had　never　seen　the　constable　of　Valledo　before；　except　at　a　distance。　A　brief　silence　fell　over　Rodrigo's　pany；　and　when　their　bustle　of　preparation　resumed　it　had　a　subtly　altered　quality。　Alvar　experienced　the　stirrings　of　inescapable　curiosity　and　sternly　tried　to　suppress　them。
　　He　saw　the　Captain　and　Lain　Nunez　observe　the　count's　arrival　and　exchange　a　glance。　Rodrigo　stepped　a　little　aside　from　the　others　to　await　the　man　who'd　replaced　him　as　constable　when　King　Ramiro　was　crowned。　The　count's　attendants　stopped　at　a　word　and　Gonzalez　de　Rada　approached　alone。　He　was　smiling　broadly。　The　Captain；　Alvar　saw；　was　not。　Behind　Rodrigo；　Lain　Nunez　abruptly　turned　his　head　and　spat　deliberately　into　the　dirt　of　the　yard。
　　At　this　point；　Alvar　decided　that　it　would　be　ill…mannered　to　observe　them　further；　even　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye…as　he　noticed　the　others　doing　while　they　pretended　to　busy　themselves　with　their　horses　or　gear。　A　Horseman　of　Jad；　he　told　himself　firmly；　had　no　business　concerning　himself　with　the　words　and　affairs　of　the　great。　Alvar　virtuously　turned　his　back　upon　the　forthing　encounter　and　walked　to　a　corner　of　the　yard　to　attend　to　his　own　pressing　business　in　private；　on　the　far　side　of　a　hay　wagon。
　　Why　Count　Gonzalez　de　Rada　and　Ser　Rodrigo　Belmonte　should　have　elected　to　stroll　together；　a　moment　later；　to　the　shade　of　that　same　wagon　would　forever　after　remain　one　of　the　enduring　mysteries　of　the　world　Jad　had　created；　as　far　as　Alvar　de　Pellino　was　concerned。
　　
　　The　two　men　were　known　throughout　the　three　Jaddite　kingdoms　of　Esperana　to　have　no　love　for　one　another。　Even　the　youngest　soldiers；　new　to　the　king's　army；　managed　to　hear　some　of　the　court　stories。　The　tale　of　how　Rodrigo　Belmonte　had　demanded　at　the　coronation　of　King　Ramiro　that　the　new　king　swear　an　oath　of　nonplicity　in　the　death　of　his　brother　before　Ser　Rodrigo　would　offer　his　own　oath　of　allegiance　was　one　that　every　one　of　them　knew。　It　was　a　part　of　the　legend　of　the　Captain。
　　It　might　even　be　true；　Alvar　had　cynically　murmured　to　some　drinking　panions　one　night　in　a　soldier's　tavern。　He　was　already　being　known　for　remarks　like　that。　It　was　a　good　thing　he　knew　how　to　fight。　His　father　had　warned　him；　more　than　once　back　on　the　farm；　that　a　quick　tongue　could　be　more　of　a　hindrance　than　it　was　an　asset　in　the　army　of　Valledo。
　　Clever　remarks　by　young　soldiers　notwithstanding；　what　was　true　was　that　although　Rodrigo　Belmonte　did　swear　his　oath　of　fealty　and　King　Ramiro　accepted　him　as　his　man；　it　was　Gonzalez　de　Rada　who　was　named　by　the　new　king　as　his　constable…the　office　Rodrigo　had　held　for　the　late　King　Raimundo。　It　was；　therefore；　Count　Gonzalez　who　was　formally　responsible；　among　other　things；　for　overseeing　the　selection　and　promotion　of　young　men　throughout　Valledo　to　posts　in　the　king's　army。
　　Not　that　many　of　the　younger　horsemen　had　been　observed　to　deviate　greatly　from　the　collective　view　that　if　you　wanted　to　be　properly　trained　you　did　whatever　you　could　to　ride　with　the　Captain。　And　if　you　wanted　to　be　numbered　among　the　elite　soldiers　of　the　peninsula；　of　the　world；　you　offered　money；　land；　your　sisters；　your　own　young　body　if　need　be；　as　a　bribe　to　whomever　could　get　you　into　Rodrigo's　band。
　　Not　that　anyone　could　get　you　in；　for　any　of　those　offerings。　The　Captain　made　his　own　choices；　often　unexpected　ones；　with　gap…toothed　old　Lain　Nunez　his　only　counsellor。　Lain　was　manifestly　uninterested　in　the　alleged　pleasures　of　boys；　and　the　Captain　。。。　well；　the　very　thought　was　near　to　sacrilege；　besides　which；　Miranda　Belmonte　d'Alveda　was　the　most　beautiful　woman　in　the　world。　So　all　the　young　men　in　Esteren　agreed；　though　almost　none　of　them　had　ever　seen　her。
　　On　the　morning　he　stood　pissing　against　a　wagon　wheel　in　a　sidecourt　of　Esteren's　palace　and　overheard　certain　things　he　ought　not　to　have　heard；　Alvar　de　Pellino　was　one　of　those　who　had　never　met　the　Captain's　wife。　He　hadn't　met　anyone；　really。　He　was　less　than　a　year　in　from　a　farm　in　the　northwest。　He　still　couldn't　believe　they　were　going　to　let　him　ride　with　them　this　morning。
　　He　heard　footsteps　and　voices　approaching　from　the　far　side　of　the　wagon；　that　was　not　of　great　concern。　Some　men　might　have　to　be　alone　to　empty　their　bladder　or　bowels；　they　didn't　last　long　in　an　army。　But　then；　on　that　very　thought；　Alvar's　groin　muscles　clenched　in　a　spasm　so　hard　they　cut　off　the　splashing　flow　of　his　water。　He　gasped；　recognizing　the　Captain's　wry　tones；　and　then　realized　that　the　second　man's　voice…the　one　that　sounded　like　slow　honey　being　poured…belonged　to　Count　Gonzalez。
　　With　a　decision　to　be　swiftly　made；　Alvar　de　Pellino　made　what　turned　out　to　be　the　wrong　one。　Panic…stricken；　irrationally　preoccupied　with　remaining　unnoticed；　Alvar　almost　injured　himself　holding　in　the　last　of　his　water　and　kept　silent。　He　hoped；　fervently；　that　the　two　men　were　only　here　to　exchange　parting　pleasantries。
　　〃I　could　arrange　to　have　your　sons　killed　and　your　ranch　burned；〃　Gonzalez　de　Rada　said；　pleasantly　enough；　〃if　you　make　any　trouble　about　this。〃
　　Alvar　decided　that　it　was　by　far　the　wisest　course　not　to　breathe　for　a　time。
　　〃Try　it；〃　the　Captain　said　briskly。　〃The　boys　could　use　some　practice　against　assault；　however　inpetent。　But　before　you　leave；　do　explain　how　I　would　be　the　one　making　trouble　and　not　your　pig　of　a　brother。〃
　　〃If　a　de　Rada　chooses　to　go　raiding　in　Al…Rassan；　what　business　is　it　of　yours；　Belmonte？〃
　　〃Ah。　Well。　If　such　is　the　case；　why　bother　asking　me　to　close　my　eyes　and　pretend　not　to　see　him？〃
　　〃I　am　merely　trying　to　save　you　an　embarrassing…〃
　　〃Don't　assume　everyone　else　is　a　fool；　de　Rada。　I'm　collecting　tribute　from　Fezana　for　the　king。　The　only　legitimacy　to　such　a　claim　is　that　Ramiro　has　formally　guaranteed　the　security　of　the　city　and　its　countryside。　Not　only　from　brigands；　or　his　brother　in　Ruenda；　or　the　other　petty…kings　in　Al…Rassan；　but　from　buffoons　in　his　own　country。　If　your　brother　wants　to　play　at　raiding　games　for　the　fun　of　it；　he'd　best　not　do　it　on　my　watch。　If　I　see　him　anywhere　in　the　country　around　Fezana；　I'll　deal　with　him　in　the　name　of　the　king。　You'll　be　doing　him　a　kindness　if　you　make　that　clear。〃　There　was　nothing　wry　or　ironic；　no　hint　of　anything　but　iron　in　the　voice　now。
　　There　was　a　silence。　Alvar　could　hear　Lain　Nunez　barking　instructions　over　by　the　horses。　He　sounded　angry。　He　often　did。　It　became　necessary；　despite　all　his　best　efforts；　to　breathe。　Alvar　did　so　as　quietly　as　he　could。
　　〃Doesn't　it　cause　you　some　concern；〃　Gonzalez　de　Rada　said　in　a　deceptively　grave；　an　almost　gentle　tone；　〃to　be　riding　off　into　infidel　lands　after　speaking　so　rashly　to　the　constable　of　Valledo；　leaving　your　poor　wife　alone　on　a　ranch　with　children　and　ranch　hands？〃
　　〃In　a　word；〃　said　the　Captain；　〃no。　For　one　thing；　you　value　your　own　life　too　much　to　make　a　real　enemy　of　me。　I　will　not　be　subtle　about　this：　if　any　man　I　can　trace　to　your　authority　is　found　within　half　a　day's　ride　of　my　ranch　I　will　know　how　to　proceed　and　I　will。　I　hope　you　understand　me。　I　am　speaking　about　killing　you。　For　another　thing；　I　may　have　my　own　thoughts　about　our　king's　ascension；　but　I　believe　him　to　be　a　fair　man。　What；　think　you；　will　Ramiro　do　when　a　messenger　reports　to　him　the　precise　words　of　this　conversation？〃
　　Gonzalez　de　Rada　sounded　amused。　〃You　would　actually　try　your　word　against　mine　with　the　king？〃
　　〃Think；　man；〃　the　Captain　said　impatiently。　Alvar　knew　that　tone　already。　〃He　doesn't　have　to　believe　me。　But　once　word　of　your　threat　does　reach　him…and　in　public；　I　promise　you…what　can　the　king　do　should　any　harm　befall　my　family？〃
　　There　was　a　silence　again。　When　de　Rada　next　spoke　the　amusement