ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第70部分

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e　that。　It　was　past　time　for　Valledo　to　move　west。
　　No　mands　came。
　　Ramiro　appeared　from　those　meetings　with　a　sternly　resolute　expression。　So　did　the　men　with　whom　he　had　been　speaking。　No　one　said　a　word；　though；　as　to　what　had　transpired。　It　was　noted　that　de　Chervalles；　the　cleric；　shocked　and　sobered　as　he　might　be　by　what　had　happened；　did　not　look　censorious。
　　King　Ramiro　seemed　subtly　changed；　with　a　new　manner　that　unsettled　his　courtiers。　He　appeared　to　be　reaching　inward　for　strength　or　resolution。　Perhaps　he　was　nurturing　the　desire　for　bloodshed；　someone　suggested。　Men　could　understand　that。　Spring　was　the　time　for　war　in　any　case；　and　war　was　where　a　brave　man　found　his　truest　sense　of　life。
　　Still　no　one　was　certain　what　was　afoot。　The　king　showed　no　signs　of　leaving　Carcasia　for　Esteren。　Messengers　went　out　in　all　directions。　A　single　herald　was　sent　west　along　the　river　towards　Ruenda。　Only　a　herald。　No　army。　Men　cursed　in　the　taverns　of　Carcasia。　No　one　knew　what　message　he　carried。　Another　small　party　set　out　east。　One　of　them　told　a　friend　they　were　bound　for　the　ranching　lands　where　the　horses　of　Valledo　were　bred。　No　one　knew　what　to　make　of　that　either。
　　Through　the　ensuing　days　and　then　weeks；　the　king　remained　inscrutable。　He　hunted　most　mornings；　though　in　a　distracted　fashion。　He　spent　a　great　deal　of　time　with　the　queen；　as　if　her　passage　near　to　death　had　drawn　the　two　of　them　closer。　The　constable　was　a　busy　man；　and　he　too　offered　no　hint；　by　word　or　expression；　of　what　was　happening。　Only　the　High　Cleric　from　Ferrieres　could　be　seen　to　be　smiling　when　he　thought　he　was　unobserved；　as　if　something　he'd　thought　lost　had　been　unexpectedly　found。
　　
　　Then；　as　the　spring　ripened　and　flowers　bloomed　in　the　meadows　and　the　forest　clearings；　the　Horsemen　of　Valledo　began　to　ride　into　Carcasia。
　　They　were　the　finest　riders　in　the　world；　on　the　finest　horses；　and　they　came　armed　and　equipped　for　war。　As　more　and　more　of　them　appeared；　it　slowly　became　apparent；　to　even　the　dullest　courtier　in　Carcasia；　what　was　taking　place。
　　An　air　of　disbelief　mingled　with　a　trembling　excitement　began　to　pervade　the　city　and　castle　as　the　soldiers　continued　to　gather；　pany　after　pany。　Men　and　women　who　had　been　markedly　lax　in　their　observances　for　some　time；　if　not　all　their　lives；　began　to　be　seen　at　the　services　in　Carcasia's　ancient　chapel；　built　in　those　long…ago　days　when　Esperana　had　ruled　all　of　the　peninsula；　not　just　the　northlands。
　　At　those　services；　frequently　led　by　the　High　Cleric　from　Ferrieres；　the　king　of　Valledo　and；　after　she　was　allowed　to　leave　her　rooms；　his　queen　were　present；　morning　and　evening；　kneeling　side　by　side　in　prayer；　sun　disks　of　the　god　clasped　in　their　hands。
　　Over　a　span　of　centuries；　the　golden；　fabulously　wealthy　khalifs　of　Al…Rassan　had　led　their　armies　thundering　north；　irresistible　as　the　sea；　to　raid　and　enslave　the　Jaddites　cowering　at　the　hard　fringes　of　a　land　that　had　once　been　their　own。　Year　after　year　after　year；　back　beyond　the　memories　of　men。
　　The　last；　weak　puppet　khalif　in　Silvenes　had　been　slain；　though；　nearly　sixteen　years　ago。　There　were　no　khalifs　any　more。
　　It　was　time　to　start　rolling　back　the　tide　the　other　way；　in　Jad's　fierce；　bright；　holy　name。
　　
　　Eliane　bet　Danel；　wife　to　a　physician　and　mother　of　one；　was　not　unused　to　strangers　speaking　to　her　in　the　street。　She　was　known　in　the　city；　and　her　husband　and　daughter　had　both　had　a　great　many　patients　over　the　years　here　in　Fezana。　Some　might　wish　to　express　gratitude；　others　to　seek　a　speedy　or　a　less　expensive　access　to　the　doctor。　Eliane　had　learned　to　deal　briskly　with　both　sorts。
　　The　woman　who　stopped　her　on　a　cool　market　morning　in　the　early　spring　of　that　year　fell　into　neither　category。　In　fact；　Eliane　was　later　to　reflect；　this　marked　the　first　time　in　her　life　she'd　ever　been　accosted　by　a　prostitute　of　either　sex。
　　〃My　lady；〃　the　woman　said；　without　stepping　from　the　shaded　side　of　the　lane；　and　speaking　much　more　politely　than　was　customary　for　an　Asharite　addressing　a　Kindath；　〃might　I　have　a　moment　only　of　your　time？〃
　　Eliane　had　been　too　surprised　to　do　more　than　nod　and　follow　the　woman…a　girl；　truly；　she　realized…further　back　into　the　shadows。　A　small　alleyway　ran　off　the　lane。　Eliane　had　e　this　way　twice　a　week　for　much　of　her　life　and　had　never　noticed　it。　There　was　a　smell　of　decay　here；　and　she　saw　what　she　hoped　were　small　cats　moving　quickly　about　further　along　the　alley。　She　wrinkled　her　nose。
　　〃I　hope　this　isn't　where　you　do　business；〃　she　said　in　her　crispest　tones。
　　〃Used　to　be；　up　above；〃　the　girl　said　carelessly；　〃before　they　moved　us　outside　the　walls。　Sorry　about　the　smell。　I　won't　keep　you　long。〃
　　〃I'm　sure；〃　Eliane　said。　〃How　may　I　help　you？〃
　　〃You　can't。　Your　daughter　has；　though；　most　of　us；　one　way　or　another。　That's　why　I'm　here。〃
　　Eliane　liked　things　to　be　as　clear　as　possible。　〃Jehane；　my　daughter；　has　treated　you　medically；　is　that　what　you　are　saying？〃
　　〃That's　it。　And　she's　been　good　to　us；　too。　Almost　a　friend；　if　that　doesn't　shame　you。〃　She　said　it　with　a　youthful　defiance　that　touched　Eliane　unexpectedly。
　　〃It　doesn't　shame　me；〃　she　said。　〃Jehane　has　good　judgment　in　whom　she　befriends。〃
　　That　surprised　the　girl。　As　Eliane's　eyes　adjusted　further　to　the　darkness　here；　she　saw　that　the　woman　with　whom　she　spoke　was　thin…boned　and　small；　no　more　than　fifteen　or　sixteen　years　old；　and　that　she　was　wrapped　only　in　a　torn　shawl　over　a　faded　green　knee…length　tunic。　Not　nearly　enough　for　a　day　this　cold　and　windy。　She　almost　said　something　about　that；　but　kept　silent。
　　〃I　wanted　to　tell　you；　there's　trouble　ing；〃　the　girl　said　abruptly。　〃For　the　Kindath；　I　mean。〃
　　Eliane　felt　something　icy　slide　into　her。　〃What　does　that　mean？〃　she　said；　involuntarily　looking　over　her　shoulder；　back　where　the　sunlight　was；　where　people　were　moving；　and　might　be　listening。
　　〃We're　hearing　things；　outside。　From　the　men　that　e。　There's　been　sheets　posted　on　walls。　A　nasty　poem。　A　。。。　what　do　they　call　it　。。。　an　allegation。　About　the　Kindath　and　the　Day　of　the　Moat。　Nunaya　thinks　something's　being　planned。　That　the　governor　may　be　under　orders。〃
　　〃Who　is　Nunaya？〃　Eliane　realized　that　she　had　begun　to　shiver。
　　〃Our　leader。　Outside　the　walls。　She's　older。　Knows　a　lot。〃　The　girl　hesitated。　〃She's　a　friend　of　Jehane's。　She　sold　her　mules　when　Jehane　left。〃
　　〃You　know　about　that？〃
　　〃I　took　her　to　Nunaya　myself　that　night。　We　wouldn't　have　let　Jehane　down。〃　Defiance　again；　a　note　of　pride。
　　〃Thank　you；　then。　I'm　sure　you　wouldn't　have　let　her　down。　I　told　you；　she　knew　where　to　choose　her　friends。〃
　　〃She　was　always　good　to　me；〃　the　girl　said；　with　a　shrug；　trying　to　seem　indifferent。　〃Don't　see　what's　so　wrong　with　calling　the　moons　sisters；　anyhow；　myself。〃
　　Eliane　had　to　be　careful　not　to　smile；　despite　the　fear　in　her。　Fifteen　years　old。　〃Some　disagree　with　you；　unfortunately；〃　was　all　she　said。
　　〃I　know　that；〃　the　girl　replied。　〃Jehane's　all　right？〃
　　〃I　think　so。〃　Eliane　hesitated。　〃She's　in　Ragosa；　working　there。〃
　　The　girl　nodded；　satisfied。　〃I'll　tell　Nunaya。　Anyhow；　that's　all　I　wanted　to　say。　Nunaya　says　you　should　be　careful。　Think　about　leaving。　She　says　people　here　are　nervous　again　because　of　this　claim　by　that　other　king　in　the　north　。。。　from　Ruensa？〃
　　〃Ruenda；〃　Eliane　said。　〃About　the　parias？　Why　should　that　affect　the　Kindath？〃
　　〃Now　you're　asking　the　wrong　person；　aren't　you？〃　The　girl　shrugged　again。　〃I　hear　things；　but　I　don't　know　much。　Nunaya　thinks　there's　something　funny　about　it；　that's　all。〃
　　Eliane　stood　in　silence　for　a　moment；　looking　at　the　girl。　That　shawl　really　wasn't　at　all　warm　enough　for　this　time　of　year。　Impulsively；　surprising　herself　again；　she　took　off　her　own　blue　cloak　and　draped　it　over　the　girl。　〃I　have　another；〃　she　said。　〃Will　this　be　stolen　from　you？〃
　　The　girl's　eyes　had　widened。　She　fingered　the　warm；　woven　cloak。　〃Not　unless　someone　wants　to　wake　up　dead；〃　she　said。
　　〃Good。　Thank　you　for　the　warning。〃　Eliane　turned　to　go。
　　〃My　lady。〃
　　She　stopped　and　looked　back。
　　〃Do　you　know　the　toy…maker's　shop；　at　the　end　of　the　Street　of　Seven　Windings？〃
　　〃I　have　seen　it。〃
　　〃Just　past　it；　by　the　city　wall；　there's　a　linden　tree。　There's　bushes　behind　it；　along　the　wall。　There's　a　way　out　there。　It's　a　small　gate；　and　locked；　but　the　key　is　hanging　from　a　nail　on　the　tree；　on　the　back　side；　about　my　height。〃　She　indicated　with　her　hand。　〃If　you　ever　need　to　get　out　that's　one　way　that　will　bring　you　to　us。〃
　　Eliane　was　silent　again；　then　she　nodded　her　head。
　　〃I　am　glad　my　daughter　has　such　friends；〃　she　said；　and　went　back　into　the　sunlight；　which　did　not　warm　her　now；　without　her　cloak。
　　She　decided　to　forgo　the　market　this　morning；　though　it　normally　gave　her　pleasure。　One　of　the　servants　could　go。　She　was　cold。　She　turned　back　towards　the　Kindath　Quarter　and　the　house　that　had　been　her　home　for　thirty　years。
　　Think　about　leaving。　Just　like　that。
　　The　Wanderers。　They　were　always　thinking　about　leaving。　Moving　like　the　moons　against　the　fixed　and　gleam