ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第117节

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！


　　There　was　laughter。　Alvar　looked　for　ibn　Khairan。　He　had　taken　a　chair　in　one　corner　of　the　garden　where　he　could　stretch　out　his　leg。
　　Dina　and　Razel　came　back；　more　decorously；　bearing　their　enterprise　on　silver　trays。　No　one　said　a　word　about　the　cakes。　Alvar；　who　thought　his　daughters　embodied　all　the　graces　of　both　moons；　thought　they　were　delicious　and　said　so。　Marisa　made　sure　his　wine　glass　was　always　full。
　　He　was　toasted　several　times；　made　a　few　wry　jests　in　the　speech　they　demanded：　about　being　ready　to　settle　by　the　fire　now　but　not　being　able　to　afford　to　do　so　until　his　burdens　had　been　properly　married　off。　The　girls　made　faces　at　him。
　　Ammar；　from　his　corner；　declared　that　he　and　Eliane　were　in　no　way　ready　to　surrender　their　places　by　the　fire。　Alvar　would　have　to　wait　his　turn。
　　The　afternoon　passed。　When　his　friends　rose　to　go；　Alvar　was　touched　and　a　little　surprised　by　the　warmth　with　which　they　embraced　him。　It　still　came　as　a　source　of　wonder　to　him　that　he　was　a　man　with　nearly　grown　daughters　and　a　loving　wife　and　that　so　many　people　seemed　to　regard　him　with　affection。　In　his　own　mind；　much　of　the　time；　he　was　still　the　same　person；　barely　e　to　manhood；　who　had　ridden　from　Carcasia；　stirrups　ically　high；　with　Rodrigo　Belmonte　one　morning　long　ago。
　　He　seemed　to　have　had　a　great　deal　to　drink；　much　more　than　usual。　Marisa's　doing。　She'd　evidently　decided　it　would　be　good　for　him　today。　He　remembered　kissing　Eliane　goodbye；　holding　her　gently　as　she　reached　up　and　patted　his　cheek。　That；　too；　had　been　a　source　of　wonder；　years　ago；　when　he　had　realized　that　she　approved　of　him。　He　looked　around。　The　girls　were　gone；　and　Jehane　and　Ammar's　twins。　Somewhere　upstairs；　causing　mischief　almost　certainly。　They　would　probably　hear　a　scream　in　due　course。
　　It　was　quiet　in　the　courtyard　now；　and　a　little　cold。　Marisa　had　brought　out　a　shawl　for　herself　and　one　for　Jehane　who　had　taken　her　mother　home　and　returned。　Jehane　was　lighting　candles。　Alvar　made　as　if　to　rise　and　help；　but　she　motioned　him　back　to　his　chair。
　　He　sat　back　dutifully；　but　then；　as　a　strong　impulse　overtook　him；　stood　up　and　made　his　way；　carrying　his　glass　and　the　flask；　to　the　seat　beside　Ammar。　Ibn　Khairan　was　nursing　the　last　of　his　wine；　Alvar　filled　his　glass。
　　〃Fare　gently　in　the　god；　old　friend；〃　Ammar　said　to　him；　smiling　gravely。　〃My　love　and　good　wishes；　today　and　all　days。〃
　　Alvar　nodded　his　head。　〃Will　you　do　something　for　me？〃　he　asked。　〃I　know　this　is　a　celebration。　It　has　been。　But　the　girls　are　upstairs　with　your　boys；　we　needn't　worry　about　disappointing　them。〃
　　〃A　good　thing；〃　Ammar　said；　with　a　straight　face。
　　Alvar　snorted。　Everyone　teased　him　on　the　subject　of　his　daughters。　〃But　truthfully；　the　day　will　be　wrong　for　me　if　we　pretend　nothing　has　happened；　or　changed。　I　can't　pretend。　Ammar；　you've　improvised　for　kings　and　khalifs；　will　you　honor　my　birth　day　by　doing　so　for　me？　Or　is　it　too　much　to　ask？〃
　　Ammar's　expression　had　changed。　He　set　down　his　wine。　〃The　honor　will　be　mine；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃Have　you　a　theme？〃
　　〃You　know　the　theme。〃
　　The　two　women　had　e　nearer；　and　now　they　sat　down　next　to　each　other；　wrapped　in　their　shawls；　on　a　stone　bench。
　　There　was　a　silence。　They　watched　ibn　Khairan；　and　waited。　From　upstairs　the　sound　of　their　childrens'　laughter　carried　down　to　the　garden　through　an　open　window。
　　Ammar　said：
Ask　Fezana　what　has　bee　of　Fibaz；
And　where　is　Ardefio；　or　where　Lonza？
Where　is　Ragosa；　the　seat　of　great　learning；
How　many　wise　men　remain　there？
Where　is　Cartada；　city　of　towers；
In　the　red　valley　of　its　power？
Or　Seria　where　the　silk　was　spun？
Where　are　Tudesca；　Elvira；　Aljais；
And　where；　in　this　twilight；　is　Silvenes？
The　streams；　the　perfect　gardens；
The　many　arched　courtyards　of　the　Al'Fontina？
The　wells　and　the　fountains　weep　far　sorrow；　
As　a　lover　does　when　dawn　es　
To　take　him　away　from　his　desire。　
They　mourn　for　the　passing　of　lions；　
For　the　ending　of　Al…Rassan　the　Beloved；　
Which　is　gone。
　　The　measured；　beautiful　voice　fell　silent。　Alvar　looked　up　at　the　sky。　The　first　stars　were　out。　The　white　moon　would　be　rising　soon　above　Sorenica。　Would　it　shine　on　that　peninsula　west　of　them？
　　Time　lay　upon　him　like　a　weight。　Rodrigo's　two　sons　were　grown　men。　They　were　constable　and　chancellor　of　Esperana。　Serving　King　Ramiro　the　Great。　And　Rodrigo　lay　in　Esteren；　under　a　statue；　under　stone。
　　Alvar　filled　his　glass　again；　and　set　it　down　untouched；　a　libation；　on　the　bench　beside　him。　He　stood　up；　extending　a　hand　to　Ammar；　whose　leg　had　never　been　the　same　since　that　other　twilight　by　Silvenes。
　　〃e；〃　he　said。　〃It　is　dark　and　cold。　I　think　we　all　need　light；　and　the　children。〃
　　He　saw　Jehane　set　her　own　glass　down；　as　he　had　done；　on　the　table　near　her。　Marisa　led　them　in。　She　spoke　a　quiet　word　with　the　servants。　They　dined　that　evening；　together；　in　a　bright　room　with　two　fires　amid　the　laughter　of　their　sons　and　daughters。　It　was　very　late　when　Ammar　and　Jehane　and　their　children　took　their　leave　and　walked　the　short　distance　to　their　own　home。
　　Alvar　listened　to　Marisa　and　the　nurse　settling　two　overly　stimulated　young　women。　He　went　up　to　say　good　night　to　his　daughters　and　then　he　and　his　wife　went　along　the　corridor　to　their　own　room　and　closed　the　door　and　drew　the　curtains　against　the　night。　Outside；　white　moonlight　shone　down　upon　the　courtyard　where　the　day's　celebration　had　taken　place。　It　fell　upon　the　water　and　the　small；　quick　fish　in　the　water。　It　silvered　the　olive　and　fig　trees；　the　tall　cypress　by　the　ivy…covered　wall　and　the　late…season　shrubs。　And　it　cast　its　pale　light　upon　the　three　glasses　of　wine　that　had　each　been　left　deliberately　behind；　brim…full；　on　a　stone　table；　a　stone　bench；　on　the　rim　of　the　fountain　there。
　　
　　
About　the　Author
　　GUY　GAVRIEL　KAY'S　distinguished　literary　career　began　when　he　helped　pile　Tolkien's　posthumous　masterpiece；　The　Silmarillion。　Kay's　own　epic　trilogy；　THE　FIONVAR　TAPESTRY；　appears　on　the　〃The　Internet　Top　100　SF/Fantasy　List。〃　Subsequently　the　author　of　Tigana；　A　Song　for　Arbonne；　and；　most　recently；　Sailing　to　Sarantium；　he　has　been　both　a　winner　of　the　Prix　Aurora　Award　and　a　World　Fantasy　Award　nominee。　His　works　have　been　translated　into　fourteen　languages。　He　lives　in　Toronto。