ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第70部分

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to　learn　of　their　mission…was　elsewhere　on　the　estate；　the　cleric　informed　them。　The　leader　of　the　troop　showed　him　the　king's　seal　and　his　mand。　The　cleric…Ibero　was　his　name…tore　open　the　seal；　read　the　letter　then　surprised　them　by　handing　it　over　to　the　two　boys；　who　read　it　together。
　　They　were　utterly　identical；　Ser　Rodrigo's　two　sons。　A　few　of　the　horsemen　had　already　made　the　sign　of　Jad；　discreetly。　Magic　and　witchcraft　were　said　to　attend　upon　such　mirrored　twins。
　　〃But　of　course；〃　said　one　of　the　boys；　looking　up　as　he　finished　reading。　It　was　evident　that　they　could　read。　〃If　the　king　believes　my　。。。　gift　may　be　of　use；　if　he　wishes　me　to　e；　I　am　honored　to　do　so。〃
　　The　captain　of　the　pany　didn't　know　anything　about　a　gift。　He　didn't　much　care；　he　was　simply　relieved　to　find　things　going　smoothly。
　　〃And　I；〃　said　the　other　brother　quickly。　〃Where　Diego　goes；　I　also　go。〃
　　This　was　not　expected；　but　it　didn't　seem　to　pose　a　great　problem；　and　the　captain　agreed。　If　the　king　didn't　want　this　other　brother　in　Carcasia；　for　whatever　reason；　he　could　send　him　back。　With　someone　else。　The　two　boys　glanced　at　each　other　and　flashed　identical　smiles　before　dashing　off　to　get　ready。　Some　of　the　soldiers　glanced　at　each　other　with　ironic　expressions。　Youngsters；　everywhere；　looked　forward　to　war。
　　They　were　very　young；　and　not　especially　prepossessing　either。　Slightly　built；　if　anything。　Still；　it　was　not　a　soldier's　place　to　dwell　upon　orders；　and　these　were　the　sons　of　Rodrigo　Belmonte。　The　riders　were　offered　refreshments；　which　they　accepted；　and　a　night's　lodging；　which　they　courteously　declined。　It　would　be　imprudent；　their　captain　decided；　to　push　the　luck　that　had　caused　the　lady　of　Rancho　Belmonte　to　be　absent　this　day。　They　took　a　cold　lunch；　fed　and　watered　the　horses；　and　provisioned　themselves。
　　Ten　men；　escorting　two　boys　and　a　squire　of　little　more　than　the　boys'　age；　rode　west　from　the　ranch　house　towards　mid…afternoon　of　that　same　day；　passing　to　the　south　of　a　copse　of　trees；　and　crossing　the　stream　at　a　place　Rodrigo's　sons　suggested。　The　ranch　dogs　followed　them　that　far　and　then　went　loping　back。
　　
　　Ibero　di　Vaquez　had　lived　an　uneventful；　even　a　sedate　life；　given　the　turbulent　times　into　which　he　had　been　born。　He　was　fifty…two　years　old。　Raised　in　what　was　now　Jalona；　he　had　e　west　to　Esteren　to　study　with　the　clerics　there　when　quite　young。　Thirteen　years　old；　in　fact。
　　He　was　a　good　acolyte；　attentive　and　disciplined。　In　his　early　twenties；　he　had　been　sent　as　part　of　a　holy　mission　bearing　relics　of　Queen　Vasca　to　the　High　Clerics　in　Ferrieres　and　had　lingered　there；　with　permission；　for　two　years；　spending　most　of　his　time　in　the　magnificent　libraries　of　the　great　sanctuaries　there。
　　Upon　his　return　to　Esperana　he　had　been　assigned…and　had　cheerfully　accepted…the　short…term　position　of　cleric　to　the　Belmontes；　a　moderately　important　ranching　family　in　the　breeding　lands　of　the　southeast。　The　possibilities　for　advancement　were　certainly　greater　in　Esteren　or　one　of　the　larger　sanctuaries；　but　Ibero　was　not　an　ambitious　man　and　he　had　never　had　much　appetite　for　courts　or　the　equally　faction…riven　retreats　of　Jad。
　　He　was　a　quiet　man；　somewhat　old　before　his　years；　but　not　without　a　sense　of　humor　or　an　awareness　of　how　the　stern　precepts　of　the　god　had；　at　times；　to　be　measured　against　an　awareness　of　human　frailty　and　passions。　The　short…term　position　had　turned；　as　sometimes　happened　without　one's　noticing；　into　a　permanent　one。　He　had　been　with　the　Belmontes　now　for　twenty…eight　years；　since　the　Captain　himself　had　been　a　boy。　They　had　built　a　chapel　and　a　library　for　him；　and　then　expanded　both。　He　had　taught　young　Rodrigo　his　letters；　and　then　his　wife；　and　later　his　sons。
　　It　had　been　a　good；　gentle　life。　Pleasures　came　from　the　books　he　was　able　to　obtain　with　the　sums　allocated　him；　from　his　herb　garden；　from　correspondents　in　many　places。　He　had　taught　himself　a　little　of　medicine；　and　had　a　reputation　for　extracting　teeth　efficiently。　Excitement…not　inconsiderable…arrived　home　at　intervals　with　the　Captain　and　his　pany。　Ibero　would　listen　in　the　dining　hall　to　the　tales　of　warfare　and　intrigue　they　brought　with　them。　He'd　formed　an　unlikely　friendship　with　gruff　old　Lain　Nunez；　whose　profanity　masked　a　generous　spirit；　in　the　little　cleric's　view。
　　For　Ibero　di　Vaquez　the　stories　he　heard　were　enough　turbulence　for　him；　and　more　than　close　enough　to　real　conflict。　He　liked　the　seasonal　rhythms　of　existence　here；　the　measured　routine　of　the　days　and　years。
　　His　first　intervention　on　the　wider　stage　of　the　world；　seven　years　ago；　had　been　a　brief；　respectful　essay　on　a　doctrinal　clash　between　the　clerics　of　Ferrieres　and　Batiara　on　the　meaning　of　solar　eclipses。　That　clash；　and　the　battle　for　precedence　it　represented；　was　still　unresolved。　Ibero's　contribution　appeared　to　have　been　ignored；　so　far　as　he　could　tell。
　　His　second　intervention　had　been　to　write　a　letter；　in　the　late　autumn　of　last　year；　to　the　holy　person　of　Geraud　de　Chervalles；　High　Cleric　of　Ferrieres；　dwelling　in　Esteren。
　　A　pany　of　men　had　arrived　this　morning　in　response　to　that。　They　had　e　and　had　gone；　with　the　boys。　And　now　Ibero；　late　that　same　afternoon；　stood　with　his　head　bowed　and　trembling　hands　clasped　before　him；　learning　that　he；　too；　was　to　quit　this　house。　Leave　chapel；　library；　garden；　home。　After　almost　thirty　years。
　　He　was　weeping。　He　had　never　been　spoken　to；　in　all　his　life；　in　the　tones　with　which　he　was　being　addressed　by　Miranda　Belmonte　in　her　small　sitting　room；　as　the　sun　went　down。
　　〃Understand　me　perfectly；〃　she　was　saying；　pacing　before　the　fire；　her　face　bloodless；　unheeded　tears　sparkling　on　her　cheeks。　〃This　was　a　traitor's　betrayal　of　our　family。　The　betrayal　of　a　confidence　we　had　reposed　in　you；　regarding　Diego。　I　will　not　kill　you；　or　order　your　death。　I　have　known　you；　and　loved　you；　for　too　long。〃　Her　voice　caught。　She　stopped　her　pacing。
　　〃Rodrigo　might；〃　she　said。　〃He　might　find　you；　wherever　you　go；　and　kill　you　for　this。〃
　　〃He　will　not　do　that；〃　the　little　cleric　whispered。　It　was　difficult　to　speak。　It　was　also　hard　for　him；　now；　to　imagine　what　he　had　expected　her　response　might　be；　back　in　the　autumn；　when　he　wrote　that　letter　to　Esteren。
　　She　glared　at　him。　He　found　it　impossible　to　sustain　her　glance。　It　wasn't　the　fury；　it　was　the　tears。
　　〃No；〃　Miranda　Belmonte　said；　〃no；　you're　right；　he　won't。　He　loves　you　much　too　dearly。　He　will　simply　tell　you；　or　write　to　you；　how　you　have　wounded　him。〃
　　Which　would　break　Ibero's　heart。　He　knew　it　would。
　　He　tried；　again；　to　explain。　〃Dearest　lady；　this　is　a　time　of　holiness；　of　men　riding　beneath　the　god's　banner。　They　will　be　taking　ship　in　Batiara　for　the　east　soon。　There　is　hope　they　may　be　riding　south　here；　in　the　name　of　Jad。　In　our　time；　my　lady。　The　Reconquest　may　begin！〃
　　〃And　it　could　begin　and　continue　without　my　children！〃　She　had　clenched　her　fists　at　her　sides　like　a　man；　but　he　saw　that　her　lips　were　trembling。　〃Diego's　is　a　special　gift；　a　frightening　one。　Something　we　have　kept　to　ourselves　all　his　life。　You　know…you　know；　Ibero！…that　clerics　have　burned　such　people。　What　have　you　done　to　him！〃
　　He　swallowed　hard。　He　said；　〃The　high　lord　Geraud　de　Chervalles　is　an　enlightened　man。　The　king　of　Valledo　is　the　same。　It　is　my　belief　that　Diego　and　Fernan　will　be　weled　with　honor　into　the　army。　That　if　Diego　is　able　to　help　in　this　holy　cause　he　will　win　renown　in　his　own　name；　not　simply　his　father's。〃
　　〃And　be　named　a　sorcerer　all　his　life？〃　Miranda　swiped　at　the　tears　on　her　face。　〃Had　you　thought　of　that；　Ibero？　Had　you？　What　price　renown；　then？　His　own；　or　his　father's？〃
　　Ibero　swallowed　again。　〃It　will　be　a　holy　war；　my　lady。　If　he　aids　in　the　cause　of　Jad…〃
　　〃Oh；　Ibero；　you　innocent　fool！　I　could　kill　you；　I　swear　I　could！　It　is　not　a　holy　war。　If　it　happens；　this　will　be　a　Valledan　campaign　to　take　Fezana　and　expand　south　into　the　tagra。　That　is　all。　King　Ramiro　has　been　thinking　about　this　for　years。　Your　precious　High　Cleric　simply　showed　up　at　the　right　time　to　put　a　gloss　on　it。　Ibero；　this　is　no　Reconquest　by　a　united　Esperana。　There　is　no　Esperana　any　more！　This　is　just　Valledo　expanding。　Ramiro　is　as　likely　to　turn　west　and　besiege　his　brother　in　Orvedo　as　anything　else　before　autumn　es。　What　does　your　holy　god　say　to　that？〃
　　She　was　blaspheming；　now；　and　her　soul　was　in　his　care；　but　he　feared　to　chide　her。　It　was　also　possible　that　she　was　right　about　much　of　this。　He　was　an　innocent　man；　he　would　never　have　denied　that；　but　even　so　。。。　
　　〃Kings　may　err；　Miranda；　my　lady。　So　may　humble　clerics。　I　do　what　I　do；　always；　in　the　name　of　Jad　and　his　holy　light。〃
　　She　sat　down；　abruptly；　as　if　the　last　of　her　strength　had　given　out。　She　looked　as　if　she　had　been　physically　injured；　he　saw；　and　there　seemed　to　be　a　lost　place　in　her　eyes。　She　had　been　alone；　without　Ser　Rodrigo；　for　a　long　time。　His　heart　ached。
　　Labelled　a　sorcerer　all　his　life。
　　It　might　be　true。　He　had　thought　only　of　the　triumph；　the　glory　Diego　might　accrue　should　he　help　the　king　in　battle　with　his　gift　of　sight。
　　Miranda　said；　her　voice　low　now；　uninflected。　〃You　were　here　at　Rancho　Belmonte　to　serve　Jad　and　this　family。　For　all　these　years　there　has　been　no　conflict　in　that。　Here；　for　once；　it　seems　there　was。　You　made　a　choice。　You　chose；　as　you　say；　the　god　and　his　light　over　the　needs　and　the　trust　of　the　Belmonte。　You　are　entitled　to　do　so。　Perhaps　you　are　required　to　do　so。　I　don't　know。　I　only　know　that　you　cannot　make　such　a　choice　and　remain　here。　You　will　be　gone　in　the　morning。　I　will　not　see　you。　Goodbye；　Ibero。　Leave　me　now。　I　wish　to　cry　alone；　for　my　sons。〃
　　He　tried；　heartsick；　to　think　of　something　to　say。　He　could　not。　She　would　not　even　look　at　him。　He　left　the　room。　He　went　to　his　own　chambers。　He　sat　in　his　bedroom　for　a　time；　desolate；　lost；　and　then　went　next　door　to　the　chapel。　He　knelt　and　prayed；　without　finding　any　fort。
　　In　the　morning　he　packed　a　very　few　belongings。　In　the　kitchen；　when　he　went　there　to　say　farewell；　they　gave　him　food　and　wine　to　begin　his　journey。　They　asked