ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第8节

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nd　soldiers　awaited；　in　a　simpler　world　by　far　than　the　one　into　which　he'd　stumbled　by　the　wagon。
　　
　　Late　in　the　morning　of　that　same　day；　Ser　Rodrigo　Belmonte　had　dropped　back　from　his　position　near　the　front　of　the　column　and　signalled　Alvar　with　a　motion　of　his　head　to　join　him。
　　His　heart　pounding　with　the　apprehension　of　disaster；　Alvar　followed　his　Captain　to　a　position　off　one　flank　of　the　party。　They　were　passing　through　the　Vargas　Hills；　some　of　the　most　beautiful　country　in　Valledo。
　　〃Lain　was　born　in　a　village　beyond　that　western　range；〃　the　Captain　began　conversationally。　〃Or　so　he　says。　I　tell　him　it's　a　lie。　That　he　was　hatched　from　an　egg　in　a　swamp；　as　bald　at　birth　as　he　is　today。〃
　　Alvar　was　too　nervous　to　laugh。　He　managed　a　feeble　grin。　It　was　the　first　time　he'd　ever　been　alone　with　Ser　Rodrigo。　The　slandered　Lain　Nunez　was　up　ahead；　rasping　orders　again。　They　would　be　taking　their　midday　break　soon。
　　The　Captain　went　on；　in　the　same　mild　voice；　〃I　heard　of　a　man　in　Al…Rassan　years　ago　who　was　afraid　to　leave　the　khalif's　banquet　table　to　take　a　piss。　He　held　it　in　so　long　he　ruptured　himself　and　died　before　dessert　was　served。〃
　　〃I　can　believe　it；〃　Alvar　said　fervently。
　　〃What　ought　you　to　have　done　back　there？〃　the　Captain　asked。　His　tone　had　changed；　but　only　slightly。
　　Alvar　had　been　thinking　about　nothing　else　since　they　had　left　the　walls　of　Esteren　behind。　In　a　small　voice；　he　said；　〃I　should　have　cleared　my　throat；　or　coughed。〃
　　Rodrigo　Belmonte　nodded。　〃Whistled；　sung；　spat　on　a　wheel。　Anything　to　let　us　know　you　were　there。　Why　didn't　you？〃
　　There　was　no　good；　clever　answer　so　he　offered　the　truth：　〃I　was　afraid。　I　still　couldn't　believe　you　were　bringing　me　on　this　ride。　I　didn't　want　to　be　noticed。〃
　　The　Captain　nodded　again。　He　gazed　past　Alvar　at　the　rolling　hills　and　the　dense　pine　forest　to　the　west。　Then　the　clear　grey　eyes　shifted　and　Alvar　found　himself　pinned　by　a　vivid　gaze。　〃All　right。　First　lesson。　I　do　not　choose　men　for　my　pany；　even　for　a　short　journey；　by　mistake。　If　you　were　named　to　be　with　us　it　was　for　a　reason。　I　have　little　patience　with　that　kind　of　thing　in　a　fighting　man。　Understood？〃
　　Alvar　jerked　his　head　up　and　down。　He　took　a　breath　and　let　it　out。　Before　he　could　speak；　the　Captain　went　on。　〃Second　lesson。　Tell　me；　why　do　you　think　I　called　you　out　from　behind　the　wagon？　I　made　an　enemy　for　you…the　second　most　powerful　man　in　Valledo。　That　wasn't　a　generous　thing　for　me　to　do。　Why　did　I　do　it？〃
　　Alvar　looked　away　from　the　Captain　and　rode　for　a　time　thinking　hard。　He　didn't　know　it；　but　his　face　bore　an　expression　that　used　to　induce　apprehension　in　his　family。　His　thoughts　sometimes　took　him　to　unexpected；　dangerous　places。　This；　as　it　happened；　was　such　a　time。　He　glanced　over　at　Ser　Rodrigo　and　then　away　again；　uncharacteristically　cautious。
　　〃Say　it！〃　the　Captain　snapped。
　　Alvar　suddenly　wished　he　were　back　on　the　farm；　planting　grain　with　his　father　and　the　farm　hands；　waiting　for　one　of　his　sisters　to　walk　out　with　beer　and　cheese　and　bread；　and　gossip　from　the　house。　He　swallowed。　He　might　be　back　there；　soon　enough。　But　it　had　never　been　said　that　Pellino　de　Damon's　son　was　a　coward　or；　for　that　matter；　overly　shy　with　his　thoughts。
　　〃You　weren't　thinking　about　me；〃　he　said　as　firmly　as　he　could　manage。　There　was　no　point　saying　this　if　he　sounded　like　a　quavering　child。　〃You　pulled　me　out　to　be　a　body　between　Count　Gonzalez　and　your　family。　I　may　be　nothing　in　myself；　but　my　father　was　known；　and　the　constable　now　realizes　that　I'm　a　witness　to　what　happened　this　morning。　I'm　protection　for　your　wife　and　sons。〃
　　He　closed　his　eyes。　When　he　opened　them　it　was　to　see　Rodrigo　Belmonte　grinning　at　him。　Miraculously；　the　Captain　didn't　seem　angry。　〃As　I　said；　there　was　a　reason　you　were　chosen　to　be　tested　on　this　ride。　I　don't　mind　a　clever　man；　Alvar。　Within　limits；　mind　you。　You　may　even　be　right。　I　may　have　been　entirely　selfish。　When　it　es　to　threats　against　my　family；　I　can　be。　I　did　make　a　possible　enemy　for　you。　I　even　put　your　life　at　some　risk。　Not　a　very　honorable　thing　for　a　leader　to　do　to　one　of　his　pany；　is　it？〃
　　This　was　another　test；　and　Alvar　was　aware　of　it。　His　father　had　told　him；　more　than　once；　that　he　would　do　better　if　he　thought　a　little　less　and　spoke　a　great　deal　less。　But　this　was　Ser　Rodrigo　Belmonte　himself；　the　Captain；　asking　questions　that　demanded　thought。　He　could　dodge　it；　Alvar　supposed。　Perhaps　he　was　expected　to。　But　here　they　were；　riding　towards　Al…Rassan　through　the　pine…clad　hills　of　Vargas；　which　he　had　never　seen；　and　he　was　in　this　pany　for　a　reason。　The　Captain　had　just　said　so。　They　weren't　going　to　send　him　back。　Alvar's　customary　nature　seemed　to　be　returning　to　him　with　every　passing　moment。
　　Alvar　de　Pellino　said；　〃Was　it　an　honorable　thing　to　do？　Not　really；　if　you　want　my　true　thought；　my　lord。　In　war　a　captain　can　do　anything　with　his　men；　of　course；　but　in　a　private　feud　I　don't　know　if　it's　right。〃
　　For　a　moment　he　thought　he　had　gone　too　far。　Then　Ser　Rodrigo　smiled　again；　there　was　real　amusement　in　the　grey　eyes。　The　Captain　stroked　his　moustache　with　a　gloved　hand。　〃I　imagine　you　caused　your　father　some　distress　with　your　frankness；　lad。〃
　　Alvar　grinned　back。　〃He　did　caution　me　at　times；　my　lord。　Yes。〃
　　〃Cautioned？〃
　　Alvar　nodded。　〃Well；　in　fairness；　I　don't　know　what　more　he…〃
　　Alvar　was　not　a　small　man；　and　there　had　been　nothing　easy　about　life　on　a　northern　farm；　and　even　less　that　was　conducive　to　softness　during　a　year　of　service　with　the　king's　army　in　Esteren。　He　was　strong　and　quick；　and　a　good　rider。　Nonetheless；　the　fist　he　never　saw　ing　hit　the　side　of　his　head　like　a　hammer　and　sent　him　flying　from　his　horse　into　the　grass　as　if　he'd　been　a　child。
　　Alvar　struggled　quickly　to　a　sitting　position；　spitting　blood。　One　hand　went　feebly　to　his　jaw；　which　felt　as　if　it　might　be　broken。　It　had　happened：　his　father's　warning　had　just　e　true。　His　imbecilic　habit　of　speaking　whatever　he　thought　had　just　cost　him　the　opportunity　any　young　soldier　would　die　for。　Rodrigo　Belmonte　had　opened　a　door　for　him；　and　Alvar；　swaggering　through　like　the　fool　he　was；　had　just　fallen　on　his　face。　Or　on　his　elbow　and　backside；　actually。
　　Holding　a　hand　to　his　face；　Alvar　looked　up　at　his　Captain。　A　short　distance　away　the　pany　had　e　to　a　halt　and　was　regarding　the　two　of　them。
　　〃I've　had　to　do　that　to　my　sons；　too；　once　or　twice；〃　Rodrigo　said。　He　was；　improbably；　still　looking　amused。　〃I'll　doubtless　have　to　do　it　for　a　few　years　yet。　Third　lesson　now；　Alvar　de　Pellino。　Sometimes　it　is　wrong　to　hide　as　you　did　by　the　wagon。　Sometimes　it　is　equally　wrong　to　push　your　ideas　forward　before　they　are　plete。　Take　a　little　longer　to　be　so　sure　of　yourself。　You'll　have　some　time　to　think　about　this　while　we　ride。　And　while　you　are　doing　so；　you　might　consider　whether　an　unauthorized　raid　in　Al…Rassan　by　a　band　of　Garcia　de　Rada's　cronies　playing　outlaw　might　take　this　affair　out　of　the　realm　of　a　private　feud　and　into　something　else。　I　am　an　officer　of　the　king　of　Valledo；　and　while　you　are　in　this　pany；　so　are　you。　The　constable　attempted　to　suborn　me　from　my　duty　to　the　king　with　a　threat。　Is　that　a　private　matter；　my　young　philosopher？〃
　　〃By　the　god's　balls；　Rodrigo！〃　came　an　unmistakable　voice；　approaching　from　the　head　of　the　column；　〃What　did　Pellino's　brat　do　to　deserve　that？〃
　　Ser　Rodrigo　turned　to　look　at　Lain　Nunez　trotting　his　horse　over　toward　them。　〃Called　me　selfish　and　unfair　to　my　men。　Guilty　of　exploiting　them　in　my　private　affairs。〃
　　〃That　all？〃　Lain　spat　into　the　grass。　〃His　father　said　a　lot　worse　to　me　in　our　day。〃
　　〃Really？〃　The　Captain　seemed　surprised。　〃De　Rada　just　said　he　was　famous　for　his　discretion。〃
　　〃Horsepiss；〃　said　Lain　Nunez　succinctly。　〃Why　would　you　believe　anything　a　de　Rada　said？　Pellino　de　Damon　had　an　opinion　about　anything　and　everything　under　the　god's　sun。　Drove　me　near　crazy；　he　did。　I　had　to　put　up　with　it　until　I　wangled　him　a　promotion　to　manding　a　fort　by　the　no…man's…land。　I　was　never　as　happy　in　my　life　as　when　I　saw　his　backside　on　a　horse　going　away　from　me。〃
　　Alvar　goggled　up　at　both　of　them；　his　jaw　would　have　dropped　if　it　hadn't　hurt　so　much。　He　was　too　stunned　to　even　get　up　from　the　grass。　For　most　of　his　life　his　quiet；　patient　father　had　been　gently　chiding　him　against　the　evils　of　being　too　outspoken。
　　〃You；〃　Ser　Rodrigo　was　saying；　grinning　at　the　veteran　soldier　beside　him；　〃are　as　full　of　horsepiss　as　any　de　Rada　I've　ever　met。〃
　　〃That；　I'll　tell　you；　is　a　deadly　insult；〃　Lain　Nunez　rasped；　the　seamed　and　wizened　face　assuming　an　expression　of　fierce　outrage。
　　Rodrigo　laughed　aloud。　〃You　loved　this　man's　father　like　a　brother。　You've　been　telling　me　that　for　years。　You　picked　his　son　yourself　for　this　ride。　Do　you　want　to　deny　it？〃
　　〃I　will　deny　anything　I　have　to；〃　his　lieutenant　said　sturdily。　〃But　if　Pellino's　boy　has　already　driven　you　to　a　blow　I　might　have　made　a　terrible　mistake。〃　They　both　looked　down　at　Alvar；　shaking　their　heads　slowly。
　　〃It　may　well　be　that　you　have；〃　said　the　Captain　at　length。　He　didn't