ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第76节

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　　〃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'm　gone；　Mazur？　Are　they　capable　of　such？〃
　　〃With　help；　I　think　so。〃
　　〃Will　they　not　have　you；　my　friend；　as　I　have？〃
　　〃So　long　as　I　am　able。　We　are　much　the　same　age；　as　you　know；　my　lord。　That；〃　said　the　chancellor　of　Ragosa；　〃is　actually　the　point　of　what　I　am　saying。〃
　　Badir　looked　at　him。　He　held　up　his　almost　empty　glass。　Mazur　rose　smoothly　and　went　to　the　sideboard。　He　took　the　decanter　and　poured　for　the　king　and　then；　at　a　gesture；　for　himself。　He　replaced　the　decanter　and　returned　to　his　cushions；　subsiding　among　them。
　　〃It　was　an　extremely　short　poem；〃　said　the　king　of　Ragosa。
　　〃It　was。〃
　　〃Almost　。。。　perfunctory。〃
　　〃Almost。　Not　quite。〃　The　chancellor　was　silent　a　moment。　〃I　think　he　was　giving　you　a　pliment　of　an　unusual　kind；　my　lord。〃
　　〃Ah。　How　so？〃
　　〃He　let　you　see　that　he　is　struggling。　He　did　not　hide　the　fact　behind　some　bland；　elaborate　homage。〃
　　The　king's　turn　to　be　silent　again。　〃Let　me　understand　you；〃　he　said　at　length。　There　was　a　trace　of　irritation　in　his　voice　now；　a　rare　thing。　He　was　tired。　〃Ammar　ibn　Khairan；　asked　to　offer　a　verse　for　my　birth　day；　recites　a　quick　little　piece　about　there　always　being　water　from　a　pool　or　wine　in　my　cup。　That　is　all。　Six　lines。　And　my　chancellor；　my　poet；　says　this　is　to　be　construed　as　a　pliment？〃
　　Mazur　looked　undisturbed。　〃Because　he　could　so　easily　have　done　more；　my　lord；　or　at　the　least；　have　claimed　his　inspiration　was　inadequate　to　the　magnitude　of　the　occasion。　He　is　too　experienced　not　to　have　done　so；　had　he　felt　the　slightest　need　to　play　a　courtier's　game。　Which　means　he　wanted　you…and　me；　I　suppose…to　understand　that　he　is　being　and　will　be　honest　with　us。〃
　　〃And　that　is　a　pliment？〃
　　〃From　a　man　such　as　this；　I　believe　it　is。　He　is　saying　he　believes　we　are　thoughtful　enough　to　read　that　message　in　his　six　lines；　and　wait　for　him。〃
　　〃And　we　will　wait　for　him；　Mazur？〃
　　〃It　is　my　counsel；　my　lord。〃
　　The　king　stood　up　then；　and　so　the　chancellor　did　the　same。　Badir　strode；　in　jewelled　slippers　on　the　carpet　and　the　marble　floor；　to　a　window。　He　turned　the　latch　and　pushed　open　both　panes　of　beautifully　etched　glass。　He　stood　overlooking　a　courtyard　with　almond　and　lemon　trees　and　a　fountain。　Torches　had　been　left　burning　below　to　light　the　play　of　water。
　　From　beyond　the　palace　the　streets　of　the　city　were　quiet。　They　would　not　be　tomorrow　night。　In　the　distance；　faintly；　could　be　heard　the　sound　of　a　stringed　instrument；　and　then　a　voice；　yearning。　The　blue　moon　was　overhead；　shining　through　the　open　window　and　upon　the　splashing　fountain　and　the　grass。　Stars　glittered　around　the　moon　and　through　the　branches　of　the　tall　trees。
　　〃You　think　a　great　deal　of　this　man；〃　King　Badir　said　finally；　looking　out　at　the　night。
　　〃What　I　think；〃　said　his　chancellor；　〃if　you　will　allow　me　to　pursue　a　poet's　conceit　and　imagine　men　as　bodies　in　the　heavens；　is　that　we　have　the　two　most　brilliant　ets　in　the　sky　here　in　Ragosa　this　spring。〃
　　Badir　turned　back　to　look　at　him。　After　a　moment；　he　smiled。
　　〃And　where　would　you　put　yourself；　old　friend；　in　such　a　glittering　firmament？〃
　　And　now　the　chancellor；　too；　smiled。
　　〃That　is　easy；　in　truth。　I　am　a　moon　at　your　side；　my　good　lord。〃
　　The　king　thought　about　that。　He　shook　his　head。　〃Inexact；　Mazur。　Moons　wander。　Your　people　are　named　for　that。　But　you　have　not。　You　have　been　steadfast。〃
　　〃Thank　you；　my　lord。〃
　　The　king　crossed　his　arms；　still　musing。　〃A　moon　is　also　brighter　than　ets　in　the　dark；〃　he　said。　〃Though　being　familiar；　perhaps　it　occasions　less　note。〃
　　Mazur　inclined　his　head　but　said　nothing。
　　〃Will　you　be　going　abroad　tomorrow　night？〃
　　Mazur　smiled。　〃I　always　do；　my　lord。　For　a　little　time。　Carnival　is　useful；　to　walk　about　unknown；　and　gauge　the　mood　of　the　city。〃
　　〃And　it　is　solely　duty　that　takes　you　out；　my　friend？　You　find　no　pleasure　in　the　night？〃
　　〃I　would　never　say　that；　my　lord。〃
　　The　two　men　shared　the　smile　this　time。
　　After　a　moment；　Badir　asked；　bemusedly；　〃Why　plain　water　from　a　pool；　though；　Mazur。　In　his　verse。　Why　not　just　a　rich　red　wine。'
　　And　this；　too；　his　chancellor　explained　to　him。
　　
　　A　little　later；　Mazur　ben　Avren　took　leave　of　his　king。　When；　at　length；　he　reached　his　own　quarters　in　the　palace；　the　Lady　Zabira　was　waiting。
　　She　had　been　very　much　present　at　the　banquet；　of　course；　and　had　all　the　questions　of　someone　who　understood　royal　courts　very　well　and　wished　to　rise　in　this　one。　She　also　displayed；　gracefully；　a　continuing　desire　to　minister　to　whatever　needs　the　chancellor　of　Ragosa　might　have…in　a　fashion　that　might　surpass　anyone　who　had　e　before　her。
　　As　it　happened；　she　had　been　doing　just　that　through　the　winter；　to　his　pleasure　and　surprise。　He　had　thought　he　was　too　old　for　such　a　thing　to　happen。
　　Later　that　night；　when　he　was　drifting　towards　the　shores　of　sleep；　feeling　her　youthful　nakedness　against　his　body；　soft　as　a　cat；　warm　as　a　pleasant　dream；　Mazur　heard　her　ask　one　last　question。　〃Did　the　king　understand　what　ibn　Khairan　meant　in　his　poem　tonight？　About　the　water　at　the　drinking　place？〃
　　She　was　clever　too；　this　lady　from　Cartada；　sharp　as　a　cutting　edge。　He　would　do　well　to　remember　that。　He　was　getting　old；　must　not　allow　it　to　render　him　vulnerable。　He　had　seen　that　happen　to　other　men。
　　〃He　understands　it　now；〃　he　murmured；　eyes　closed。
　　He　heard　her　laugh　then；　softly。　Her　laughter　seemed　to　ease　him　wonderfully；　a　caressing　sound。　One　of　her　hands　slid　across　his　chest。　She　turned　herself　a　little；　to　fit　more　closely　to　him。
　　She　said；　〃I　was　watching　Ammar　tonight。　I　have　known　him　for　many　years。　I　believe　he　is　troubled　by　something　beyond　。。。　divided　loyalty。　I　don't　think　he　understands　it　himself　yet。　If　I　am　right；　it　would　be　amusing；　in　truth。〃
　　He　opened　his　eyes　and　looked　at　her；　waiting。　And　then　she　told　him　something　he　would　never　have　even　contemplated。　Women；　Mazur　ben　Avren　had　long　thought；　had　an　entirely　different　way　of　seeing　the　world。　It　was　one　of　the　reasons　he　enjoyed　their　pany　so　much。
　　Soon　after　that　she　fell　asleep。　The　chancellor　of　Ragosa　lay　awake　for　a　long　time；　however；　considering　what　she　had　said；　turning　it　over　and　over　in　his　mind；　as　a　stone　in　the　hand；　or　the　different　possible　endings　for　a　verse。
　　
For　the　bright　lord　of　Ragosa；
Long…tenured　on　his　dais；　
Much…loved；　and　deservedly；　
May　there　always　be　in　times　to　e　
Cool　water　from　the　moonlit　pool　
And　wine　in　the　drinking　glass。
　　He　could　perhaps　have　said；　alone　by　the　pool；　Ammar　ibn　Khairan　reflected；　but　that　would　have　had　a　flavor　of　sycophancy；　however　subtle；　and　he　wasn't　ready…so　soon　after　the　elegy　for　Almalik…to　give　so　much　to　Badir　of　Ragosa　in　a　verse。　Almost；　but　not　quite。　That　was　the　problem。
　　It　was　lions；　of　course；　who　were　alone　when　they　came　down　to　the　water　to　drink。
　　He　wondered　if　the　king　had　been　offended　by　his　brevity；　which　would　be　a　pity。　The　banquet　tables　had　barely　settled　themselves　to　silence　when　ibn　Khairan；　given　pride　of　place；　first　recital；　had　already　finished　speaking　his　brief　verse。　The　lines　were　as　simple　as　he　could　make　them；　more　a　well…wishing　than　an　homage。　Save　for　the　hint　。。。　the　moonlit　waters。　If　Badir　understood。　He　wondered。
　　I　am　too　old；　Ammar　ibn　Khairan　said　to　himself；　justifying；　to　abuse　my　craft。
　　Any　of　your　crafts？
　　The　inner　voice　always　had　the　hard　questions。　He　was　a　soldier　and　a　diplomat　as　well　as　a　poet。　Those　were　the　real　crafts　of　his　living　here　in　Ragosa；　as　they　had　been　in　Cartada。　The　poetry？　Was　for　when　the　winds　of　the　world　died　down。
　　What　ought　a　man　honorably　to　do？　To　aspire　towards？　Was　it　the　stillness　of　that　pool…dreamed　of；　and　written　about…where　only　the　one　beast　dared　stalk　from　the　dark　trees　to　drink　in　the　moonlight　and　under　the　stars？
　　That　stillness；　that　single　image；　was　the　touchstone　of　verse　for　him。　A　place　out　of　the　wind；　for　once；　where　the　noise　of　the　world　and　all　the　brilliant　color…the　noise　and　color　he　still　loved！…might　recede　and　a　deceptively　simple　art　be　conjured　forth。
　　Standing；　as　he　had　stood　one　night　before…the　night　he'd　first　e　here…by　the　waters　of　Lake　Serrana；　ibn　Khairan　understood　that　he　was　still　a　long　way　from　that　dark　pool。　Water　and　water。　The　dream　of　the　Asharites。　The　water　that　nourished　the　body　and　the　waters　the　soul　craved。　If　I　am　not　careful；　he　told　himself；　I'll　end　up　being　good　for　nothing　but　mumbled；　cryptic　teachings　under　some　arch　in　Soriyya。　I'll　let　my　beard　and　hair　grow；　walk　barefoot　in　a　torn　robe；　let　my　students　bring　me　bread　and　water　for　sustenance。
　　Water　the　body　needed；　waters　the　soul　desired。
　　There　were　lanterns　in　the　rigging　of　all　the　fishing　boats；　he　saw　by　the　blue　moonlight。　They　were　not　yet　alight。　That　would　e　tomorrow。　Carnival。　Masks。　Music　and　wine。　Pleasures　of　torchlight。　A　brilliance　until　dawn。
　　Sometimes　the　darkness　needed　to　be　pushed　back。
　　Beloved　Al…Rassan；　the　though