ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第2部分

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king。　A　more　generous　offering　in　its　way；　but　awareness　of　that　did　nothing　to　touch　the　core　of　bitterness　Jehane　felt　to　this　day；　four　years　after。　It　was　not　a　bitterness　that　would　pass；　she　knew　that　with　certainty。
　　She　gave　a　prescription　for　sleeplessness　and　another　for　stomach　troubles。　Several　people　stopped　to　buy　her　father's　remedy　for　headache。　It　was　a　simple　pound；　though　closely　guarded；　as　all　physicians'　private　mixtures　were：　cloves；　myrrh　and　aloes。　Jehane's　mother　was　kept　busy　preparing　that　one　all　week　long　in　the　treatment　rooms　at　the　front　of　their　home。
　　The　morning　passed。　Velaz　quietly　and　steadily　filled　clay　pots　and　vials　at　the　back　of　the　booth　as　Jehane　issued　her　directions。　A　flask　of　urine　clear　at　the　bottom　but　thin　and　pale　at　the　top　told　its　tale　of　chest　congestion。　Jehane　prescribed　fennel　and　told　the　woman　to　return　the　next　week　with　another　sample。
　　Ser　Rezzoni　of　Sorenica；　a　sardonic　man；　had　taught　that　the　essence　of　the　successful　physician's　practice　lay　in　inducing　patients　to　return。　The　dead　ones；　he'd　noted；　seldom　did。　Jehane　could　remember　laughing；　she　had　laughed　often　in　those　days；　studying　in　far…off　Batiara；　before　the　fourth　son　of　Cartada's　king　had　been　born。
　　Velaz　dealt　with　all　payments；　most　often　in　small　coin；　sometimes　otherwise。　One　woman　from　a　hamlet　nearby；　troubled　by　a　variety　of　recurring　ailments；　brought　a　dozen　brown　eggs　every　week。
　　The　market　was　unusually　crowded。　Stretching　her　arms　and　shoulders　as　she　glanced　up　briefly　from　steady　work；　Jehane　noted　with　satisfaction　the　respectable　line　of　patients　in　front　of　her。　In　the　first　months　after　she'd　taken　over　her　father's　weekly　booth　here　and　the　treatment　rooms　at　home　the　patients　had　been　slow　to　e；　now　it　seemed　she　was　doing　almost　as　well　as　Ishak　had。
　　The　noise　level　this　morning　was　really　quite　extraordinary。　There　had　to　be　some　cause　for　this　bustling　excitement　but　Jehane　couldn't　think　what　it　might　be。　It　was　only　when　she　saw　three　blond　and　bearded　foreign　mercenaries　arrogantly　shouldering　their　way　through　the　market　that　she　remembered。　The　new　wing　of　the　castle　was　being　consecrated　by　the　wadjis　today；　and　the　young　prince　of　Cartada；　Almalik's　eldest　son；　who　bore　his　name；　was　here　to　receive　selected　dignitaries　of　subjugated　Fezana。　Even　in　a　town　notorious　for　its　rebels；　social　status　mattered；　those　who　had　received　a　coveted　invitation　to　the　ceremony　had　been　preening　for　weeks。
　　Jehane　paid　little　attention　to　this　sort　of　thing；　or　to　any　other　nuances　of　diplomacy　and　war　most　of　the　time。　There　was　a　saying　among　her　people：　Whichever　way　the　wind　blows；　it　will　rain　upon　the　Kindath。　That　pretty　well　summed　up　her　feelings。
　　Since　the　thunderous；　echoing　fall　of　the　Khalifate　in　Silvenes　fifteen　years　ago；　allegiances　and　alignments　in　Al…Rassan　had　shifted　interminably；　often　several　times　a　year；　as　petty…kings　rose　and　fell　in　the　cities　with　numbing　regularity。　Nor　were　affairs　any　clearer　in　the　north；　beyond　the　no…man's…land；　where　the　Jaddite　kings　of　Valledo　and　Ruenda　and　Jalona…the　two　surviving　sons　and　the　brother　of　Sancho　the　Fat…schemed　and　warred　against　each　other。　It　was　a　waste　of　time；　Jehane　had　long　ago　decided；　to　try　to　keep　track　of　what　former　slave　had　gained　an　ascendancy　here；　or　what　king　had　poisoned　his　brother　there。
　　It　was　being　warmer　in　the　marketplace　as　the　sun　climbed　upwards　in　a　blue　sky。　Not　a　great　surprise；　midsummer　in　Fezana　was　always　hot。　Jehane　dabbed　at　her　forehead　with　a　square　of　muslin　and　brought　her　mind　back　to　the　business　at　hand。　Medicine　was　her　training　and　her　love；　her　refuge　from　chaos；　and　it　was　her　link　to　her　father；　now　and　as　long　as　she　lived。
　　A　leather　worker　she　did　not　recognize　stood　shyly　at　the　front　of　the　line。　He　carried　a　chipped　earthenware　beaker　to　serve　as　a　flask。　Placing　a　grimy　coin　on　the　counter　beside　her　he　grimaced　apologetically　as　he　proffered　the　beaker。　〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　whispered；　barely　audible　amid　the　tumult。　〃It　is　all　we　have。　This　is　from　my　son。　He　is　eight　years　old。　He　is　not　well。〃
　　Velaz；　behind　her；　unobtrusively　picked　up　the　coin；　it　was　considered　bad　form；　Ser　Rezzoni　had　taught；　for　doctors　to　actually　touch　their　remuneration。　That；　he　had　said　waspishly；　is　what　servants　are　for。　He　had　been　her　first　lover　as　well　as　her　teacher；　during　her　time　living　and　studying　abroad　in　Batiara。　He　slept　with　almost　all　his　women　students；　and　a　few　of　the　men　it　had　been　rumored。　He　had　a　wife　and　three　young　daughters　who　doted　upon　him。　A　plex；　brilliant；　angry　man；　Ser　Rezzoni。　Kind　enough　to　her；　however；　after　his　fashion；　out　of　respect　for　Ishak。
　　Jehane　smiled　up　at　the　leather　worker　reassuringly。　〃It　doesn't　matter　what　container　you　bring　a　sample　in。　Don't　apologize。〃
　　By　his　coloring　he　appeared　to　be　a　Jaddite　from　the　north；　living　here　because　the　work　for　skilled　artisans　was　better　in　Al…Rassan；　most　probably　a　convert。　The　Asharites　didn't　demand　conversions；　but　the　tax　burden　on　Kindath　and　Jaddite　made　for　a　keen　incentive　to　embrace　the　desert　visions　of　Ashar　the　Sage。
　　She　transferred　the　urine　sample　from　the　chipped　beaker　to　her　father's　gorgeous　flask；　gift　of　the　grateful　king　whose　namesake　heir　was　here　today　to　celebrate　an　event　that　further　ensured　Cartadan　dominance　of　proud　Fezana。　On　a　bustling　market　morning　Jehane　had　little　time　to　ponder　ironies；　but　they　tended　to　surface　nonetheless；　her　mind　worked　that　way。
　　As　the　sample　settled　in　the　flask　she　saw　that　the　urine　of　the　leather　worker's　son　was　distinctly　rose…colored。　She　tilted　the　flask　back　and　forth　in　the　light；　in　fact；　the　color　was　too　close　to　red　for　fort。　The　child　had　a　fever；　what　else　he　had　was　hard　to　judge。
　　〃Velaz；〃　she　murmured；　〃dilute　the　absinthe　with　a　quarter　of　mint。　A　drop　of　the　cordial　for　taste。〃　She　heard　her　servant　withdraw　into　the　booth　to　prepare　the　prescription。
　　To　the　leather　worker　she　said；　〃He　is　warm　to　the　touch？〃
　　He　nodded　anxiously。　〃And　dry。　He　is　very　dry；　doctor。　He　has　difficulty　swallowing　food。〃
　　Briskly；　she　said；　〃That　is　understandable。　Give　him　the　remedy　we　are　preparing。　Half　when　you　arrive　home；　half　at　sundown。　Do　you　understand　that？〃　The　man　nodded。　It　was　important　to　ask；　some　of　them；　especially　the　Jaddites　from　the　countryside　in　the　north；　didn't　understand　the　concept　of　fractions。　Velaz　would　make　up　two　separate　vials　for　them。
　　〃Feed　him　hot　soups　only　today；　a　little　at　a　time；　and　the　juice　of　apples　if　you　can。　Make　him　take　these　things；　even　if　he　does　not　want　to。　He　may　vomit　later　today。　That　is　not　alarming　unless　there　is　blood　with　it。　If　there　is　blood；　send　to　my　house　immediately。　Otherwise；　continue　with　the　soup　and　the　juice　until　nightfall。　If　he　is　dry　and　hot　he　needs　these　things；　you　understand？〃　Again　the　man　nodded；　his　brow　furrowed　with　concentration。　〃Before　you　go；　give　Velaz　directions　to　your　home。　I　will　e　in　the　morning　tomorrow　to　see　him。〃
　　The　man's　relief　was　evident；　but　then　a　familiar　hesitation　appeared。　〃Doctor；　forgive　me。　We　have　no　money　to　spare　for　a　private　consultation。〃
　　Jehane　grimaced。　Probably　not　a　convert　then；　sorely　burdened　by　the　taxes　but　refusing　to　surrender　his　worship　of　the　sun…god；　Jad。　Who　was　she；　however；　to　question　religious　scruples？　Nearly　a　third　of　her　own　earnings　went　to　the　Kindath　tax；　and　she　would　never　have　called　herself　religious。　Few　doctors　were。　Pride；　on　the　other　hand；　was　another　matter。　The　Kindath　were　the　Wanderers；　named　for　the　two　moons　traversing　the　night　sky　among　the　stars；　and　as　far　as　Jehane　was　concerned；　they　had　not　travelled　so　far；　through　so　many　centuries；　only　to　surrender　their　long　history　here　in　Al…Rassan。　If　a　Jaddite　felt　the　same　about　his　god；　she　could　understand。
　　〃We　will　deal　with　the　matter　of　payment　when　the　time　es。　For　the　moment；　the　question　is　whether　the　child　will　need　to　be　bled；　and　I　cannot　very　well　do　that　here　in　the　marketplace。〃
　　She　heard　a　ripple　of　laughter　from　someone　standing　by　the　booth。　She　ignored　that；　made　her　voice　more　gentle。　Kindath　physicians　were　known　to　be　the　most　expensive　in　the　peninsula。　As　well　we　should　be；　Jehane　thought。　We　are　the　only　ones　who　know　anything。　It　was　wrong　of　her；　though；　to　chide　people　for　concerns　about　cost。　〃Never　fear。〃　She　smiled　up　at　the　leather　worker。　〃I　will　not　bleed　both　you　and　the　boy。〃
　　More　general　laughter　this　time。　Her　father　had　always　said　that　half　the　task　of　doctors　was　to　make　the　patient　believe　in　them。　A　certain　kind　of　laughter　helped；　Jehane　had　found。　It　conveyed　a　sense　of　confidence。　〃Be　sure　you　know　both　the　moons　and　the　Higher　Stars　of　his　birth　hour。　If　I　am　going　to　draw　blood　I'll　want　to　work　out　a　time。〃
　　〃My　wife　will　know；〃　the　man　whispered。　〃Thank　you。　Thank　you；　doctor。〃
　　〃Tomorrow；〃　she　said　crisply。
　　Velaz　reappeared　from　the　back　with　the　medicine；　gave　it　to　the　man；　and　took　away　her　flask　to　empty　it　into　the　pail　beside　the　counter。　The　leather　worker　paused　beside　him；　nervously　giving　directions　for　the　morrow。
　　〃Who's　next？