tw.togreenangeltower2-第27部分

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　　　　　　　Seriddan　gestured　impatiently。　〃I　will　not　have　it　said　that　I　misunderstood　you；　whether　I　let　you　pass　through　my　lands　or　hold　you　here　for　Benigaris。　Speak；　and　my　people　here　will　be　my　witnesses。〃
　　　　　　　〃Very　well。〃　Josua　turned　to　Sludig；　who　despite　having　drained　his　wine　cup　several　times　was　watching　the　proceedings　with　a　wary　eye。　〃May　I　have　the　scroll？〃
　　　　　　　As　the　yellow…bearded　Rimmersman　fumbled　in　the　pocket　of　his　cloak；　Josua　told　Seriddan；　〃As　I　said；　Baron：　we　go　to　Nabban。　And　we　go　in　hopes　of　removing　Benigaris　from　the　Sancellan　Mahistrevis。　In　part；　that　is　because　he　is　an　ally　of　my　brother；　and　his　fall　would　weaken　the　High　King's　position。　The　fact　that　Elias　and　I　are　at　war　with　each　other　is　no　secret；　but　the　reasons　why　are　less　well…known。〃
　　　　　　　〃If　you　think　they　are　important；〃　Seriddan　said　equably；　〃tell　them。　We　have　plenty　of　wine；　and　we　are　at　home。　It　is　your　little　army　that　may　or　may　not　be　leaving　with　the　dawn。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　will　tell　you；　because　I　would　not　ask　allies　to　fight　unknowing；〃　said　Josua。
　　　　　　　〃Hea！　Allies？　Fight！？〃　The　baron　scowled　and　sat　straighten。　〃You　are　walking　a　dangerous　road；　Josua　Lackhand。　Benigaris　is　my　liege…lord。　It　is　mad　even　to　contemplate　letting　your　people　pass；　knowing　what　I　know；　but　I　show　respect　for　your　father　by　letting　you　speak。　But　to　hear　you　talk　of　me　fighting　beside　you…madness！〃　He　waved　his　hand。　Some　two　dozen　armed　men；　who　had　been　standing　back　against　the　shadowed　walls　all　during　the　meal；　came　rustlingly　to　attention。
　　　　　　　Josua　did　not　flinch；　but　calmly　held　Seriddan's　eye。　〃As　I　said；〃　he　resumed；　〃I　will　give　you　the　reasons　that　Elias　must　be　driven　from　the　Dragonbone　Chair。　But　not　now。　There　are　other　things　to　tell　you　first。〃　He　reached　and　took　the　scroll　from　Sludig's　hand。　〃My　finest　knight；　Sir　Deornoth　of　Hewenshire；　was　at　the　battle　of　Bullback　Hill　when　Duke　Leobardis；　Benigaris'　father；　came　to　relieve　my　castle　at　Naglimund。〃
　　　　　　　〃Leobardis　chose　your　side；〃　Seriddan　said　shortly。　〃Benigaris　has　chosen　your　brother's。　What　the　old　duke　decided　does　not　affect　my　loyalty　to　his　son。〃　Despite　his　words；　there　was　a　certain　veiled　look　in　the　baron's　eyes；　watching　him；　Isgrimnur　suspected　Seriddan　might　just　wish　that　the　old　duke　were　still　alive　and　that　his　loyalty　could　be　more　fortable。　〃And　what　does　this　Sir　What…may…be…his…name　have　to　do　with　Metessa？〃
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps　more　than　you　can　know。〃　For　the　first　time　there　was　an　edge　of　impatience　in　Josua's　tone。
　　　　　　　Careful；　man。　Isgrimnur　tugged　anxiously　at　his　beard。　Don't　let　your　sorrow　over　Deornoth　betray　you。　We're　farther　along　than　I　had　thought　we　'd　be。　Seriddan's　listening；　anyway。
　　　　　　　As　if　he　heard　his　old　friend's　silent　thought；　Josua　paused　and　took　a　breath。　〃Forgive　me；　Baron　Seriddan。　I　understand　your　loyalty　to　the　Kingfisher　House。　I　only　wish　to　tell　you　things　you　deserve　to　know；　not　tell　you　where　your　duties　lie。　I　want　to　read　you　Deornoth's　words　about　what　happened　near　Bullback　Hill。　They　were　written　down　by　Father　Strangyeard　。。。〃　the　prince　pointed　to　the　archivist；　who　was　trying　to　make　himself　unobtrusive　down　near　the　long　table's　far　end；　〃and　sworn　to　before　that　priest　and　God　Himself。〃
　　　　　　　〃Why　are　you　reading　some　piece　of　parchment？〃　Seriddan　asked　impatiently。　〃If　this　man　has　a　story　to　tell；　why　does　he　not　e　here　before　us？〃
　　　　　　　〃Because　Sir　Deornoth　is　dead；〃　said　Josua。　〃He　died　at　the　hands　of　Thrithings　mercenaries　King　Elias　sent　against　me。〃
　　　　　　　At　this　there　was　a　small　stir　in　the　room。　The　Thrithings…folk　were　objects　of　both　contempt　and　fear　to　the　outland　baronies　of　Nabban…contempt　because　the　Nabbanai　thought　them　little　more　than　savages；　fear　because　when　the　Thrithings…men　went　into　one　of　their　periodic　raiding　frenzies；　outland　fiefdoms　such　as　Metessa　bore　the　greatest　part　of　the　suffering。
　　　　　　　〃Read。〃　Seriddan　was　clearly　angry。　Isgrimnur　thought　that　the　canny　baron　might　already　sense　the　snare　into　which　his　own　cleverness　had　delivered　him。　He　had　hoped　to　deal　with　the　odd　and　difficult　situation　of　the　prince　by　forcing　Josua　to　speak　his　treason　in　front　of　many　witnesses。　Now　the　baron　must　sense　that　Josua's　words　might　not　be　so　easily　dismissed。　It　was　an　awkward　spot。　But　even　now；　Metessa's　master　did　not　disperse　the　other　folk　sitting　at　table：　he　had　made　his　gambit　and　he　would　live　with　it。　The　Duke　of　Elvritshalla　found　himself　appreciating　the　man　anew。
　　　　　　　〃I　had　Deornoth　tell　his　story　to　our　priest　before　the　battle　for　New　Gadrinsett；〃　Josua　said。　〃What　he　saw　was　important　enough　that　I　did　not　wish　to　chance　it　might　die　with　him；　as　there　seemed　little　likelihood　we　would　survive　that　fight。〃　He　held　up　the　scroll；　unrolling　it　with　the　stump　of　his　right　wrist。　〃I　will　read　only　the　part　that　I　think　you　need　to　hear；　but　I　will　gladly　give　the　whole　thing　to　you。　Baron；　so　that　you　may　read　it　at　your　ease。〃
　　　　　　　He　paused　for　a　moment；　then　began。　The　listeners　along　the　table　leaned　forward；　greedy　for　more　strangeness　on　what　was　already　a　night　that　would　be　discussed　in　Metessa　for　a　long　time。
　　　　　　　〃。　。　。　When　we　came　upon　the　field；　the　Nabbanai　had　ridden　after　Earl　Guthwulf　of　Utanyeat　and　his　men　of　the　Boar　and　Spears；　who　were　falling　back　with　great　swiftness　to　the　slope　of　Bullback　Hill。　Duke　Leobardis　and　three　hundred　knights　came　at　them　in　such　a　wise　as　to　pass　between　Utanyeat　and　the　High　King's　army；　which　was　still　some　way　distant；　as　we　thought。　
　　　　　　　〃Prince　Josua；　fearing　that　Leobardis　would　be　delayed　too　long　and　that　thus　the　king　could　e　against　him　in　the　unprotected　open　lands　south　of　Naglimund；　brought　many　knights　out　of　the　castle　to　save　Nabban　from　the　king；　and　also　perhaps　to　capture　Utanyeat；　who　was　the　greatest　of　King　Elias'　generals。　Josua　himself　led　us；　and　Isorn　Isgrimnurson　and　a　score　of　Rimmersmen　were　with　us　too。
　　　　　　　〃When　we　struck　against　the　side　of　the　Boar　and　Spears；　we　at　first　did　bring　them　great　woe；　for　they　were　outnumbered　manyfold。　But　Guthwulf　and　the　king　had　prepared　a　trap；　and　soon　it　was　sprung。　Earl　Fengbald　of　Falshire　and　several　hundred　knights　came　down　a…horse　from　the　woods　at　the　top　of　Bullback　Hill。
　　　　　　　〃I　saw　Duke　Leobardis　and　his　son　Benigaris　at　the　outermost　edge　of　the　fighting；　behind　their　men…at…arms。　As　Fengbald's　falcon…crest　came　down　the　hill。　I　saw　Benigaris　draw　his　sword　and　stab　his　father　in　the　neck；　slaying　him　in　the　saddle　so　that　Leobardis　fell　across　his　horse's　withers；　bleeding　most　piteously　。。。〃
　　　　　　　At　this　last　sentence；　the　silence　abruptly　dissolved　into　shocked　cries　and　rebukes。　Several　of　Baron　Seriddan's　liege…men　stood；　shaking　their　fists　in　fury　as　though　they　would　strike　Josua　down。　The　prince　only　looked　at　them；　still　holding　the　parchment　before　him；　then　turned　to　Seriddan。　The　baron　had　retained　his　seat；　but　his　brown　face　had　paled　except　for　bright　spots　of　color　high　on　each　cheek。
　　　　　　　〃Silence！〃　he　shouted；　and　glared　at　his　followers　until　they　sank　back　onto　their　benches；　full　of　angry　muttering。　Several　of　the　women　had　to　be　helped　from　the　room；　they　stumbled　out　as　though　they　themselves　had　been　stabbed；　their　intricate　hats　and　veils　suddenly　as　sad　as　the　bright　flags　of　a　defeated　army。　'This　is　an　old　story；〃　the　baron　said　at　last。　His　voice　was　tight；　but　Isgrimnur　thought　there　was　more　than　rage　there。
　　　　　　　He　feels　the　snare　drawing　closed。
　　　　　　　Seriddan　drained　his　goblet；　then　banged　it　down　on　the　tabletop；　making　more　than　a　few　people　jump。　〃It　is　an　old　tale；〃　he　said　again。　〃Often　repeated；　never　proved。　Why　should　I　believe　it　now？〃
〃Because　Sir　Deornoth　saw　it　happen；〃　said　Josua　simply。
　　　　　　　〃He　is　not　here。　And　I　do　not　know　that　I　would　believe　him　if　he　were。〃
　　　　　　　〃Deornoth　did　not　lie。　He　was　a　true　knight。〃
Seriddan　laughed　harshly；　〃I　have　only　your　word　on　that；　Prince。　Men　will　do　strange　things　for　king　and　country。〃　He　turned　to　his　brother。　〃Brindalles？　Have　you　heard　any　reason　here　tonight　that　I　should　not　throw　the　prince　and　his　followers　into　one　of　the　locked　cells　beneath　Chasu　Metessa　to　wait　for　Benigaris'　mercy？〃
　　　　　　　The　baron's　brother　sighed。　He　held　his　two　hands　close　together；　touching　at　the　fingertips。　〃I　do　not　like　this　story；　Seriddan。　It　has　an　unpleasantly　truthful　ring；　since　those　who　prepared　Leobardis　for　burial　spoke　wonderingly　of　the　evenness　of　the　wound。　But　the　word　of　any　one　man；　even　Prince　Josua's　knight；　is　not　enough　to　condemn　the　Lord　of　Nabban。〃
　　　　　　　Wit　is　not　lacking　in　the　family　blood！　the　Duke　of　Elvritshalla　noted。　But　on　such　hard…headed　men　must　our　luck　ride。　Or　fail。
　　　　　　　〃There　are　others　who　saw　Benigaris'　terrible　deed；〃　Josua　said。　〃A　few　of　them　are　still　alive；　although　many　died　when　Naglimund　was　conquered。〃
　　　　　　　〃A　thousand　men　would　not　be　enough；〃　Seriddan　spat。　〃Hea！　What；　should　the　flower　of　Nabbanai　nobility　follow　you…an　Erkynlander　and　enemy　of　the　High　King…　against　the　rightful　heir　to　the　Kingfisher　House；　on　the　strength　of　the　writings　of　a　dead　man？〃　A　murmur　of　agreement　rose　from　Chasu　Metessa's　other