ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第75部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　〃We　could　say　that　every　year　each　season　ends　something。〃
　　〃We　could　say　that。　Are　you　going　to？〃
　　He　shook　his　head。　〃No。　I　have　felt　for　some　time　we　are　nearing　a　change。　I　don't　know　what　it　will　be。　But　it　is　ing；　I　think。〃　He　paused。　〃Of　course；　I　have　been　wrong　about　such　things。〃
　　〃Often？〃
　　He　grinned。　〃Not　very；　Jehane。〃
　　〃Thank　you　for　your　honesty。〃
　　He　continued　to　look　at　her。　The　direct　gaze。　〃Pure　self…protection；　doctor。　I　dare　not　dissemble　with　you。　You　may　have　to　bleed　me　one　day。　Or　cut　off　a　leg。〃
　　She　realized　that　she　didn't　like　thinking　about　that。
　　〃Have　you　a　mask　for　the　Carnival？〃　she　asked；　inconsequentially。
　　He　smiled　again；　crookedly。　〃Actually；　I　do。　Ludus　and　Martin；　who　like　to　think　they　are　amusing；　bought　me　something　elaborate。　Perhaps　I'll　wear　it；　to　humor　them；　and　walk　about　early　for　a　while；　but　I　don't　think　I'll　stay　out。〃
　　〃Why　not？　What　will　you　do？　Sit　in　a　blanket　by　the　fire？〃
　　He　lifted　the　small　parcel　he　carried。　〃Write　letters。　Home。〃　He　hesitated。　〃To　my　wife。〃
　　〃Ah；〃　said　Jehane。　〃Stern　duty　summons。　Even　during　Carnival？〃
　　Rodrigo　colored　slightly；　for　the　first　time　she　could　ever　remember；　and　looked　away。　The　last　fishing　boat　was　in　now。　The　sailors　were　unloading　their　catch。
　　〃Not　duty；〃　he　said。
　　And　Jehane　realized　then；　belatedly；　something　important　about　him。
　　He　walked　her　home。　She　invited　him　in　for　a　midday　meal；　but　he　declined；　graciously。　She　ate　alone；　fish　and　fruit；　prepared　by　the　cook　Velaz　had　hired　for　them。
　　Thoughtfully；　she　went　to　look　in　on　her　patients　later　in　the　day；　and　thoughtfully　she　came　home　at　twilight　to　bathe　and　dress　for　the　banquet　at　the　palace。
　　Mazur　had　sent　jewelry　for　her；　another　generous　act。　It　was　a　notoriously　elegant　occasion；　she　had　learned；　the　king's　banquet　on　the　eve　of　Carnival。　Husari　had　presented　her　with　her　gown；　crimson　dyed；　edged　in　black。　He　had　flatly　refused　payment…one　argument　she　had　lost；　resoundingly。　She　looked　at　the　gown　in　her　room。　It　was　exquisite。　She　had　never　worn　anything　like　it　in　her　life。
　　The　Kindath　were　supposed　to　wear　blue　and　white　only；　and　without　ostentation。　It　had　been　made　clear；　however；　that　for　tonight…and　most　certainly　for　tomorrow…such　rules　were　suspended　in　King　Badir's　Ragosa。　She　began　to　dress。
　　Thinking　about　Husari；　she　remembered　his　speech　of　the　morning。　The　pompous；　lofty　style　of　a　mock…scholar。　He　had　been　jesting；　he　said。
　　But　he　hadn't　been；　or　not　entirely。
　　At　certain　moments；　Jehane　thought；　in　the　presence　of　men　like　Husari　ibn　Musa　or　young　Alvar；　or　Rodrigo　Belmonte；　it　was　actually　possible　to　imagine　a　future　for　this　peninsula　that　left　room　for　hope。　Men　and　women　could　change；　could　cross　boundaries；　give　and　take；　each　from　the　other　。。。　given　enough　time；　enough　good　will；　intelligence。
　　There　was　a　world　for　the　making　in　Esperana；　in　Al…Rassan；　one　world　made　of　the　two…or　perhaps；　if　one　were　to　dream；　made　of　three。　Sun；　stars　and　the　moons。
　　Then　you　remembered　Orvilla；　the　Day　of　the　Moat。　You　looked　into　the　eyes　of　the　Muwardis；　or　paused　on　a　street　corner　and　heard　a　wadji　demanding　death　for　the　foul　Kindath　sorcerer　ben　Avren；　who　drank　the　blood　of　Asharite　infants　torn　from　their　mothers'　arms。
　　Even　the　sun　goes　down；　my　lady。
　　Rodrigo　had　said　that。
　　She　had　never　known　a　man　like　him。　Or　no；　that　was　not　quite　so。　One　other；　met　on　the　same　terrible　day　last　summer。　They　were　like　a　bright　golden　coin；　those　two；　two　sides；　different　images　on　each；　one　value。
　　Was　that　true？　Or　did　it　just　sound　true；　like　the　words　of　one　of　those　pedagogues　Husari　mocked；　all　symmetry；　no　substance？
　　She　didn't　know　the　answer　to　that。　She　missed　Nunaya　and　the　women　outside　the　walls　of　Fezana。　She　missed　her　own　room　at　home。　She　missed　her　mother。
　　She　missed　her　father　very　much。　He　would　have　liked　to　have　seen　her　looking　as　she　did　now；　she　knew。　He　would　never　see　her　again；　never　see　anything　again。　The　man　who　had　done　that　to　him　was　dead。　Ammar　ibn　Khairan　had　killed　him；　and　then　written　his　lament。　Jehane　had　been　near　to　tears；　hearing　that　elegy；　in　the　palace　where　they　were　dining　again　tonight；　in　a　room　with　a　stream　running　through　it。
　　It　was　very　hard；　how　many　things　in　life　you　never　discovered　the　answers　to；　no　matter　how　much　you　tried。
　　Jehane　stood　before　her　seldom…used　looking　glass　and　put　on　Mazur's　jewelry。　She　stayed　there；　looking　at　herself；　for　a　long　time。
　　Eventually；　she　heard　music　approaching　outside；　and　then　a　knocking　at　the　door　downstairs。　She　heard　Velaz　going　to　answer。　Mazur　had　sent　an　escort　for　her；　strings　and　wind　instruments；　it　sounded　like。　She　had　made　him　feel　guilty　last　night；　it　seemed。　She　ought　to　be　amused　by　that。　She　remained　motionless　another　moment；　staring　at　her　image　in　the　glass。
　　She　didn't　look　like　a　doctor　serving　with　a　military　pany。　She　looked　like　a　woman…not　young　with　the　extreme　freshness　of　youth；　but　not　so　old；　either；　with　quite　good　cheekbones　and　blue　eyes　accentuated　now　by　paint　and　Mazur's　lapis　lazuli　at　ears　and　throat。　A　court　lady；　about　to　join　a　glittering　pany　at　a　palace　banquet。
　　Looking　at　the　figure　in　the　glass；　Jehane　offered　her　small　shrug。　That；　at　least；　she　recognized。
　　The　mask；　her　real　disguise；　lay　on　the　table　beside　the　glass。　That　was　for　tomorrow。　Tonight；　in　the　palace　of　King　Badir；　however　altered　she　might　seem；　everyone　would　still　know　she　was　Jehane。　Whatever　that　meant。
　　
Thirteen
　　〃Were　you　pleased？〃　the　king　of　Ragosa　asked　his　chancellor；　breaking　a　panionable　silence。
　　Mazur　ben　Avren　glanced　up　from　the　cushions　where　he　reclined。　〃I　ought　to　be　asking　you　that；〃　he　said。
　　Badir　smiled　in　his　deep；　low　chair。　〃I　am　easily　pleased；〃　he　murmured。　〃I　enjoyed　the　food　and　the　pany。　The　music　was　splendid　tonight；　especially　the　reeds。　Your　new　musician　from　Ronizza　is　a　discovery。　Are　we　paying　him　well？〃
　　〃Extremely　well；　I'm　sorry　to　say。　There　have　been　other　offers　for　his　services。〃
　　The　king　sipped　from　his　glass；　held　it　to　the　nearest　candle　flame　and　looked；　thoughtfully。　The　sweet　wine　was　pale：　as　starlight；　the　white　moon；　a　northern　girl。　He　tried　briefly　but　failed　to　think　of　a　fresher　image。　It　was　very　late。　〃What　did　you　think　of　the　verses　tonight？〃
　　The　verses　were　an　issue；　as　it　happened。
　　The　chancellor　took　his　time　before　answering。　They　were　alone　again；　in　the　king's　chambers。　It　occurred　to　ben　Avren　to　wonder　how　many　times　over　the　years　the　two　of　them　had　sat　like　this　at　the　end　of　a　night。
　　Badir's　second　wife　had　died　six　winters　ago；　giving　birth　to　his　third　son。　The　king　had　never　remarried。　He　had　heirs；　and　no　single　overriding　political　interest　had　emerged　to　dictate　an　obvious　union。　It　was　useful　at　times　for　a　secure　monarch　to　be　unattached：　overtures　came；　and　negotiations　could　be　spun　out　a　long　while。　Rulers　in　three　countries　had　reason　to　believe　their　daughter　might　one　day　be　queen　of　wealthy　Ragosa　in　Al…Rassan。
　　〃What　did　you　think　of　the　verses；　my　lord？〃
　　It　was　unlike　the　chancellor　to　deflect　a　question　back。　Badir　raised　one　eyebrow。　〃Are　you　being　careful；　old　friend？　With　me？〃
　　Mazur　shook　his　head。　〃Not　careful。　Uncertain；　actually。　I　may　be　。。。　prejudiced　by　my　own　aspirations　in　the　realm　of　poetry。〃
　　〃That　gives　me　most　of　an　answer。〃
　　Mazur　smiled。　〃I　know。〃
　　The　king　leaned　back　and　put　his　feet　up　on　his　favorite　stool。　He　balanced　his　wine　on　the　wide　arm　of　the　chair。
　　〃What　do　I　think？　I　think　most　of　the　poems　were　indifferent。　The　usual　run　of　images。　I　also　think；〃　he　added；　〃that　our　friend　ibn　Khairan　betrayed　a　conflict　in　his　verse…either　deliberately；　or　something　he　would　rather　have　kept　hidden。〃
　　The　chancellor　nodded　slowly。　〃That　seems　exact。　You　will　think　I　am　flattering；　I　fear。〃　King　Badir's　glance　was　keen。　He　waited。　Mazur　sipped　from　his　wine。　〃Ibn　Khairan's　too　honest　a　poet；　my　lord。　He　might　dissemble　in　speech　and　act；　but　not　easily　in　verse。〃
　　〃What　do　we　do　about　it？〃
　　Mazur　gestured　gracefully。　〃There　is　nothing　to　do。　We　wait　and　see　what　he　decides。〃
　　〃Ought　we　to　try　to　influence　that　decision？　If　we　know　what　our　own　desires　are？〃
　　Mazur　shook　his　head。　〃He　knows　what　he　can　have　from　you；　my　lord。〃
　　〃Does　he？〃　Badir's　tone　sharpened。　〃I　don't。　What　is　it　he　can　have　from　me？〃
　　The　chancellor　laid　his　glass　down　and　sat　up　straighter。　They　had　been　drinking　all　night…during　the　banquet；　and　now　alone。　Ben　Avren　was　weary　but　clear…headed。　〃It　is；　as　ever；　yours　to　decide；　my　lord；　but　it　is　my　view　that　he　can　have　whatever　it　is　he　wants；　should　he　choose　to　remain　with　us。〃
　　A　silence。　It　was　an　extraordinary　thing　to　have　said。　Both　men　knew　it。
　　〃I　need　him　so　much；　Mazur？〃
　　〃Not　if　we　choose　to　stay　as　we　are；　my　lord。　But　if　you　wish　to　have　more；　then　yes；　you　need　him　that　much。〃
　　Another　reflective　stillness。
　　〃I　do；　of　course；　wish　to　have　more；〃　said　King　Badir　of　Ragosa。
　　〃I　know。〃
　　〃Can　my　sons　deal　with　a　wider　realm　when　I