ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第78部分

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　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　for　his　blessing；　which　he　gave；　making　the　sign　of　the　god's　disk　over　them。　They　were　weeping；　so　was　he。　Rain　was　falling　when　he　went　back　out；　the　good；　much…needed　rain　of　spring。
　　Outside　the　stables　there　was　a　horse　saddled　for　him。　By　the　lady's　orders；　he　was　given　to　understand。　She　was　true　to　her　word；　however。　She　did　not　e　out　to　see　him　ride　away　in　the　rain。
　　
　　His　heart　hammering　the　way　it　had　in　battle；　Alvar　watched　as　the　grey　iguana　spider　approached　him　slowly。　The　igwarra　was　poisonous；　sometimes　fatally　so。　The　son　of　one　of　the　farm　workers　had　died　of　a　bite。　He　tried　to　move；　but　could　not。　The　spider　came　up　and　kissed　him　on　the　lips。
　　Alvar；　twisting；　managed　to　free　his　arms　in　the　press　of　people　and　put　them　around　the　spider。　He　kissed　her　back　as　best　he　could　from　behind　his　eagle　mask。　He　was　improving；　he　thought。　He　had　learned　a　great　deal　since　sundown。
　　The　spider　stepped　back。　Some　people　seemed　to　have　a　knack　of　finding　space　to　maneuver　in　the　crowd。　That　trick；　Alvar　hadn't　learned　yet。
　　〃Nice。　Find　me　later；　eagle；〃　said　the　iguana。　She　reached　downwards　and　gave　him　a　quick　squeeze　on　his　private　parts。　Alvar　hoped　the　others　hadn't　seen。
　　Not　much　chance　of　that。
　　A　hard；　bony　elbow　was　driven　into　his　ribs　as　the　spider　drifted　away。　〃What　I'd　give；〃　cackled　Lain　Nunez；　〃to　be　young　and　broad…shouldered　again！　Did　she　hurt　you；　child？〃
　　〃What　do　you　mean　again？〃　roared　Martin；　on　Alvar's　other　side。　He　was　a　fox　for　the　Carnival；　it　suited　him。　〃You　were　never　built　like　Alvar；　except　in　your　dreams！〃
　　〃I　assume；〃　said　Lain；　with　dignity；　〃that　you　are　speaking　of　his　shoulders；　and　not　elsewhere？〃
　　There　was　a　raucous　whoop　of　laughter　in　response　to　that。　Not　that　the　noise　level　could　possibly　get　much　higher；　Alvar　thought。　Just　ahead　of　them…he　had　to　walk　ahead　of　them；　given　his　spectacular　mask…Husari　ibn　Musa　carefully　turned　around　and　gave　Lain　a　gesture　of　encouragement。　The　normally　dour　old　warrior　wave