ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第107节

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　bring　to　your　land？〃
　　〃My　faith？　I　would　put　it　differently；　my　lord。　I　would　say；　my　history。　Not　just　Al…Rassan；　but　Ammuz；　Soriyya　。。。　Ashar　in　the　desert　of　the　homelands　under　stars。　Our　sages；　our　singers；　the　khalifs　of　the　eastern　world。〃　Ammar　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃The　Muwardis？　They　are　a　part　of　that。　Every　people　has　its　zealots。　They　e；　and　change；　and　e　again　in　a　new　guise。　Forgive　me　for　saying　this；　but　if　a　king　of　Valledo　can　be　as　reflective　as　you；　my　lord…a　descendant　of　Queen　Vasca　of　blessed　name！…shall　I　be　the　one　to　deny　the　possibility　of　like　grace　descending　upon　a　veiled　son　of　the　sands？　Perhaps　among　the　seductive　fountains；　the　flowing　rivers　of　Al…Rassan　。。。　？〃
　　〃You　would　rather　be　with　them。〃　Jehane　heard　the　bitterness　in　Rodrigo's　voice。
　　Ammar　looked　at　him。　〃As　panions？　Friends？　Am　I　mad？　Rodrigo；　do　I　look　mad？〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃But　the　Muwardis；　what　are　they？　Exactly　the　same　as　Queen　Vasca　was；　as　most　of　the　people　of　your　north　still　are　today。　Righteous；　convinced；　unforgiving。　Terrified　of　anything　beyond　their　understanding　of　the　world。　The　tribes　are　uncivilized？　I　think　so。　But　I　confess　I　find　little　of　value　in　the　cities　of　Esperana　either。　The　desert　is　a　hard　place；　harder　even　than　your　northlands　in　winter。　Ashar　knows；　I　have　no　bonding　of　spirit　with　the　veiled　ones；　but　I　share　even　less　with　those　who　make　pilgrimage　on　their　knees　to　Vasca's　Isle。　Would　I　rather　be　with　the　tribesmen？　Again；　put　it　a　little　differently；　and　then　leave　it；　Rodrigo；　as　my　last　words；　lest　we　quarrel　before　we　part。　I　suppose　I　would　rather；　if　Al…Rassan　is　to　be　lost；　herd　camels　in　the　Majriti　than　be　a　shepherd　in　Esperana。〃
　　〃No！　That　cannot　be　a　last　word；　Ammar！〃　Rodrigo　shook　his　head　vehemently。　〃How　do　I　let　you　ride　to　them？　Do　you　know　what　they　will　do　to　you？〃
　　Ammar　smiled　again；　wryly　this　time。　〃What　will　they　do？　Take　away　my　ink　and　paper？　For　a　start；　I　will　almost　certainly　be　named　ka'id　of　all　Cartada's　armies　by　Almalik　II。　I　expect　Ghalib　ibn　Q'arif　and　I　will　one　day　have　a　disagreement　over　who　leads　our　conjoined　forces；　and　I　will　politely　defer　to　him。　I　am　reliably　informed　he　wears　a　neck　thong　made　of　the　foreskins　of　those　who　do　not　defer　to　him。〃　He　let　the　smile　fade。　〃After　that；　I　truly　do　not　know。　It　may　e　to　camel　herding；　after　all。　Leave　it；　Rodrigo；　please。〃　He　paused。　〃There　is　a　question　about　Jehane；　however。〃
　　〃No　there　isn't。〃
　　She　had　actually　been　expecting　this　and　she　was　ready　when　it　came。　The　four　men　turned　to　her。　〃Ammar；　if　I　can　have　some　assurance　that　my　parents　are　safe　with　Rodrigo　and　the　king；　then　I'm　afraid　you　must　let　me　e　with　you…or　I'll　kill　you　before　you　leave　this　camp。〃
　　She　saw　Rodrigo　Belmonte　smile　then　for　the　first　time　that　night；　the　remembered　look　softening　his　face。　〃Ah。　You've　met　my　wife；　then？〃　he　said。
　　Jehane　turned　to　him。　〃I　have。　The　lady　Miranda　is　as　gracious　and　as　beautiful　as　I　was　told…by　others…she　would　be。　Would　she　let　you　leave　her　behind　in　such　a　circumstance　as　this；　Ser　Rodrigo？〃
　　Ammar　said　quickly；　〃It　is　not　the…
　　〃It　is　the　same。　Enough　so　as　to　make　no　difference；〃　Jehane　snapped。　She　was　afraid　weariness　would　make　her　cry　again；　and　she　didn't　want　that　at　all。
　　〃Well　now；〃　said　the　king　of　Valledo；　〃I　do　regret　having　to　add　my　voice　to　what　seems　a　matter　of　the　heart；　but　I　need　to　be　told　why　I　ought　to　allow　the　self…proclaimed　future　ka'id　of　my　enemies　to　depart。〃
　　Jehane　swallowed　abruptly。　Her　heart　thudded。　She　hadn't　even　thought　of　this。
　　〃You　must　let　him　leave；〃　Rodrigo　said　quietly。
　　King　Ramiro　looked　sharply　at　him；　and　Jehane　saw　his　temper；　now　being　kept　in　check。　What　he　had　just　said　terrified　her。
　　In　truth；　given　the　war　that　had　begun；　she　could　see　no　reason　why　he　ought　to　let　them　go。　Ammar　had　had　his　chance；　his　astonishing　offer；　and　now　。。。　
　　〃I　must？〃　said　Ramiro　of　Valledo。　〃I　am　never　happy　with　the　word；　Ser　Rodrigo。〃
　　〃My　lord；　forgive　me；〃　said　Rodrigo　calmly；　〃but　I　have…we　have…one　hundred　and　fifty　men　in　the　army　of　Ragosa。　Trapped　there。　When　word　es　that　you　are　in　Al…Rassan　and　I　am　with　you；　and　that　the　king　of　Jalona　has　e　south　as　well；　I　believe　Badir　of　Ragosa　will　receive　counsel　that　he　should　eliminate　my　pany　before　they　are　deployed　against　him。〃
　　Ammar's　expression　had　grown　sober。　〃You　believe　Mazur　would　propose　this？〃
　　Rodrigo　said；　〃Ben　Avren；　or　one　of　the　others。　Remember？　Last　autumn？　Badir　valued　you　at　your　named　price…equal；　in　yourself；　to　me　and　all　my　pany。　By　that　measure；　he　does　a　lesser　thing　in　destroying　them　than　we　would　in　killing　you。〃
　　〃You　are　playing　with　words。　That　isn't　a　true　measure；　Rodrigo。〃
　　〃What　is？　In　wartime？　They　are　in　mortal　danger。　I　must　try　to　deal　with　that。　You　are　my　best…at　the　moment　my　only　way。　The　price　of　your　freedom　is　this：　you　ensure；　upon　your　oath　and　your　honor；　that　my　men　are　allowed　to　leave　that　army　and　e　here。〃
　　〃And　if　I　cannot？〃
　　It　was　the　king　who　answered。　His　anger　had　passed。　〃You　agree　to　return；　on　your　oath　and　honor；　and　submit　to　my　judgment。　True　measure；　or　not；　if　King　Badir　accepted　such　a　value　for　your　service；　so　will　I。〃
　　It　was　monstrous；　Jehane　thought；　monstrous；　and　somehow　inevitable；　as　if　the　careless　banter　about　mercenary　wages　that　bright；　autumn　day　in　Ragosa　had　led　straight　to　this　moment　on　a　dark　plain。　She　heard　sounds　from　the　camp　behind　them；　and　the　wind　blowing。
　　〃It　is　agreed；〃　said　Ammar　quietly。
　　〃You　can　free　them　and　e　back；〃　Rodrigo　added　quickly。　He　was　not　a　man　who　surrendered　easily；　if　at　all；　Jehane　realized。　And　he　would　not　stand　on　pride。　There　was　a　plea　in　his　voice。
　　Ammar；　she　saw；　heard　it　too。　He　had　to　hear　it。　Again　the　two　men　looked　at　each　other；　but　by　now　the　horses　were　long　gone；　far　apart　in　a　too　wide；　too　dark　night。　It　was　over。
　　Ammar　said　softly；　〃We　refused　to　fight　each　other　that　day　in　Ragosa。〃
　　〃I　remember。〃
　　〃It　was　an　entertainment　they　proposed。　It　is　a　different　place　now；　the　world；〃　said　ibn　Khairan；　unwontedly　awkward。　〃I　。。。　deeply　regret　to　say　this。　More　than　I　can　tell　you。　Rodrigo；　I　could　wish　。。。　〃　He　thought　for　a　moment；　then　spread　his　hands　and　fell　silent。
　　〃You　have　a　choice；〃　Rodrigo　said。　〃You　are　making　a　choice　tonight。　You　have　had　an　offer　from　us。〃
　　Ammar　shook　his　head；　and　when　he　spoke；　for　the　first　time　there　was　something　desperate　in　his　voice；　too。　〃Not　really　a　choice；〃　he　said。　〃Not　in　this。　I　cannot　turn　my　back　on　this　land；　now　that　it　has　e　to　such　bitter　grief。　Don't　you　understand？　Rodrigo；　you　of　all　men　must　surely　understand。〃　They　heard　his　small；　known；　self…mocking　laugh。　〃I'm　the　man　who　killed　the　last　khalif　of　Al…Rassan。〃
　　And　hearing　those　words；　Rodrigo　Belmonte　bowed　his　neck；　as　if　to　accept　the　descent　of　a　sword。　Jehane　saw　Ammar　lift　a　hand；　as　if　he　would　touch　the　other　man；　but　then　he　let　his　hand　fall。
　　Beside　her；　she　realized　that　Alvar　de　Pellino　was　weeping。　She　would　remember　that　after；　and　love　him　for　it。
　　
　　Her　parents　were　asleep；　and　the　two　children　as　well；　in　tents　provided　by　the　queen。　Jehane　looked　in　on　them　briefly；　and　then　went；　as　promised；　to　relieve　Bernart　d'Inigo　beside　their　patient。　She　ought　to　have　been　sleeping；　during　this　time　but　it　was　not；　evidently；　to　be　a　night　for　sleep。　Not　for　her。
　　She　was　used　to　this。　Doctors　often　had　to　deal　with　nights　of　vigil　beside　those　who　depended　upon　them　to　fight　back　the　ing　of　final　darkness。　In　another　way；　though；　this　night　was　unlike　any　she　had　known。　It　marked　an　ending；　in　a　real　sense；　to　everything　she　had　ever　known。
　　Bernart　d'Inigo　smiled　tiredly　at　her　as　she　walked　up。　He　held　a　finger　to　his　lips。　Jehane　saw　that　Fernan　had　fallen　asleep　on　the　ground　beside　his　brother。　So；　too；　on　a　pillow；　covered　by　a　small　blanket；　had　his　mother。
　　〃Get　some　rest；〃　Jehane　whispered　to　the　Jaddite　doctor。　〃I'll　do　what's　left　of　the　night。〃　D'Inigo　nodded　and　rose。　He　stumbled　a　little　as　he　went。　They　were　all　bone…weary。
　　She　looked　down　at　Diego。　He　lay　on　his　back；　head　propped　on　folded　blankets。　The　doctor　in　her　began　to　assert　control　again。　She　knelt　and　took　his　wrist；　and　was　immediately　encouraged。　His　pulse　was　stronger　and　it　had　slowed。
　　She　looked　up　and　gestured。　A　soldier　not　far　away　came　nearer　with　a　torch。　〃Hold　it　close；〃　she　whispered。
　　She　lifted　the　boy's　closed　eyelids　and　watched　how　the　eyes　contracted　in　the　light：　equally；　and　both　were　centered。　Again；　good。　He　was　extremely　pale；　but　that　was　to　be　expected。　There　was　no　fever。　The　dressing　was　secure。
　　He　was　doing　wonderfully　well。　Despite　everything　else　that　had　happened；　Jehane　could　not　suppress　another　shiver　of　pride　and　disbelief。　This　boy；　by　all　rights；　by　everything　known；　ought　to　be　dead。
　　He　would　have　been；　if　Jehane　had　been　his　physician。　If　Bernart　d'Inigo　had；　if　any　doctor　she　could　name　had　been。　He　was　alive；　his　pulse　was　firm　and　his　breathing　steady；　because　Ishak　ben　Yonannon　was　still…after　five　years　in　darkness…the　most　courageous　and　the　most