ggk.asongforarbonne-第44章

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s　of　that。
　　It　was　therefore　not　surprising　that　when　the　hard…pressed　and　chronically　anxious　chancellor　of　Arbonne　learned　that　Duke　Bertran's　cousin　Valery　sought　urgent　audience　with　the　countess　and　himself；　he　concluded；　with　the　glum　certainty　of　the　innately　pessimistic；　that　he　was　not　about　to　receive　tidings　apt　to　soothe　his　jangling　nerves。
　　This；　of　course；　turned　out　to　be　the　case。　Aghast；　Roban　stood　beside　the　countess's　chair　in　her　small　private　room　behind　the　audience　chamber　and　heard　Valery　of　Talair　calmly　recount　a　murder　attempt　on　the　problematic　Gorhaut　coran；　the　killing　of　two　Portezzans　from　Andoria　in　response　and　then　the　summary　execution　of　the　third…a　cousin　to　Borsiard　himself；　and；　it　appeared；　very　possibly　a　favourite。　Valery　was　careful　to　spare　them　no　details。　The　tensions　that　would　ensue　in　the　wake　of　all　this；　Roban　calculated　swiftly；　were　likely　to　ruin　the　fair　before　it　began。　They　would　also　probably　drive　him　to　his　bed　for　a　day　and　a　night　with　one　of　his　blinding　headaches。
　　It　sometimes　seemed　to　him　that　he'd　spent　his　entire　adult　life　here　at　Barbentain；　with　the　count　and　now　the　countess；　attempting　to　smooth　over　crises　caused　by　the　actions　of　the　fractious；　capricious　noblemen　of　Arbonne。　Roban　was　Arbonnais　himself；　of　course；　born　to　minor　rank　in　Vaux　Castle；　but　he'd　been　consecrated　to　Corannos　early；　in　the　way　of　younger　sons　of　younger　sons；　then　plucked　from　a　chapel　of　the　god　by　Guibor　IV　while　still　beardless；　though　with　his　abilities　in　numbers　and　letters　already　manifest。
　　He'd　e　to　Barbentain　and　risen　swiftly　through　the　ranks　of　Guibor's　court　to　the　chancellorship。　At　the　time　of　his　appointment　there　had　been　much　made　of　his　youthful　links　with　the　clergy　of　the　god…an　act　of　careful　political　balancing　by　the　count。　That　had　been　so　long　ago　Roban　doubted　anyone　even　remembered　any　more。　Few　had　objected　to　his　precipitate　ascent；　even　in　an　ambitious　court。　Even　when　he　was　young　there　had　been　something　reassuringly　earnest　about　Roban's　manner。　He　was　trusted。　He　deserved　to　be　trusted；　he　often　thought；　if　only　he　were　listened　to　more　often　in　this　country　of　hot…blooded　men　and　women　with　more　passion　for　music　than　for　orderly　government。
　　Music　was　fine；　Roban　thought。　He　enjoyed　the　troubadours　and　joglars　when　he　had　the　chance　to　hear　them。　He'd　even　written　some　verses　himself　long　ago　when　formally　courting　the　woman　the　count　had　suggested　he　marry。　He　couldn't　remember　the　tunes　or　the　lyrics　very　well…probably　a　good　thing。　There　were　limits　to　where　music　could　take　you；　Roban　had　always　thought；　or；　more　properly；　there　were　dimensions　in　affairs　of　state　where　it　was　necessary　to　leave　aside　the　romantic　troubadour　strains　and　be　ruthlessly　practical。　Roban　was　a　pragmatic　man；　by　his　own　estimation。　He　knew　what　implications　flowed　from　what　actions。　He　was　aware　that　Bertran　de　Talair　would　know　these　things　too；　perhaps　even　better　than　he；　but　that　much　of　the　time　the　duke　would　simply　not　care。　That　was　the　way　of　things　here　in　Arbonne；　the　chancellor　thought　gloomily。　Witness　what　had　happened　two　days　ago　on　the　high　road　beside　the　river。
　　There　was　no　question　that　punishment　had　been　called　for；　that　something　would　have　had　to　be　done。　What　would　have　put　the　Andorians　in　a　fury…and　a　contingent　of　them　were　reported　to　have　also　arrived　today；　coated　in　dust；　horses　lathered…was　the　summary　action　of　the　duke　of　Talair　by　the　roadside。　Noblemen　were　simply　not　executed　in　the　manner　of　mon　thieves。　Bertran　had　even　had　the　man　branded；　Roban　winced　when　Valery　mentioned　that；　and　turned　away　in　a　vain　attempt　to　conceal　his　reaction。　He　tried　to　turn　the　motion　into　a　coughing　spasm；　but　suspected　that　the　countess　knew　this　was　a　subterfuge。
　　He　was　seldom　able　to　conceal　much　from　the　countess。　He　had　fallen　in　love　the　first　time　he'd　ever　seen　her；　forty　years　ago。　He　loved　her　yet；　more　than　his　life。　He　was　almost　certain　that　this；　at　least；　she　did　not　know…but　it　was　one　of　the　things　that　defined　Roban　of　Vaux　in　his　own　eyes。　He　was　a　man　who　had　loved　one　woman　only　and　had　done　so　for　virtually　all　his　days；　notwithstanding　his　own　marriage　and　children；　notwithstanding　their　enormous　difference　in　rank。　He　would　die　having　loved　the　countess　of　Arbonne　with　the　sustained；　lifelong　passion　of　his　soul。　He　didn't　even　think　about　it　any　more；　though　there　had　been　sleepless；　sighing　nights　in　a　narrow　bed　long　ago。　By　now；　four　decades　later；　it　was　simply　a　given；　a　fact　upon　which　all　else　in　his　life　had　been　founded。
　　In　the　room　behind　the　audience　chamber　he　smoothed　his　face；　ran　a　hand　down　the　front　of　his　doublet　in　an　habitual　gesture　and　turned　back　to　Bertran's　cousin。　Valery　was　pointing　out；　in　a　tone　of　calmly　reasonable　argument；　that　noblemen　could　not　be　allowed　to　violate　a　truce　by　attempting　murder　on　the　roads　in　the　blithe　expectation　that　a　ransom　of　some　sort　would　smooth　things　over　for　them。　Bertran's　extremely　petent　cousin…a　man　Roban　approved　of；　actually…also　noted　that　by　acting　summarily　Bertran　had　decisively　protected　the　countess's　authority；　while　leaving　her　the　option　of　chastising　him　and　appeasing　the　Andoria；　if　she　wished。
　　Roban；　seeing　a　faint　flicker　of　hope　here；　his　mind　quickly　running　through　possibilities；　tried　to　intercede　at　this　point。　He　did　not　succeed。　Bertran's　own　remendation；　Valery　added　smoothly　without　pausing　for　breath；　was　that　no　such　appeasement　should　be　contemplated。　Roban　closed　his　eyes。　He　was　aware；　just　about　then；　that　one　of　his　headaches　was　indeed　beginning　to　e　on。
　　The　countess's　credibility　as　a　woman　ruling　Arbonne；　Valery　of　Talair　said　gravely；　virtually　demanded　that　she　be　seen　to　be　as　decisive　as；　say；　Jorg　of　Gotzland　would　have　been　in　the　same　situation。　Borsiard　d'Andoria　should　be　barred　from　the　fair；　that　was　Bertran's　suggestion。　Naturally　it　was；　Roban　thought　bitterly：　it　was　amazing　to　the　chancellor　that　such　things　could　be　thought　and　said；　could　be　casually　proposed；　by　otherwise　intelligent　men。
　　〃Gotzland　is　not　facing　the　real　possibility　of　invasion　next　year；〃　he　said　bluntly　to　Valery；　finally　seizing　the　chance　to　speak。　〃The　countess　has　matters　to　consider　that　go　beyond　the　protocols　of　trade　fairs。　It　is　a　bad　time…a　very　bad　time…to　be　offending　men　as　important　as　Borsiard　d'Andoria。〃
　　〃You　would　have　let　him　buy　his　man's　life？　Let　him　swan　about　with　a　new　bride　in　Lussan　at　the　fair　and　in　this　castle　having　attempted　murder　on　our　roads？　What　if　the　Gorhaut　coran　had　died？　What　then？〃
　　〃His　death　might　have　simplified　things；〃　Roban　answered；　too　quickly。　This　was　a　sore　spot　for　him。　〃You　know　what　I　think　of　this　insanity　En　Bertran　has　proposed。　〃
　　〃It　was　my　daughter　who　proposed　it；〃　the　countess　said；　speaking　for　the　first　time。　It　was　a　bad　sign　that　her　first　words　were　to　correct　him。　〃Bertran　agreed　with　Beatritz's　suggestion。　I　also　agreed。　You　objected；　made　your　arguments；　and　were　presented　with　my　decision。　Do　not　be　tiresome；　Roban。　I　know　your　concerns　here；　but　I　do　not　see　how　we　can　do　other　than　back　what　Bertran　has　already　done。　I　am　going　to　ban　Borsiard　d'Andoria　from　the　fair。〃　The　count；　her　husband；　had　been　like　that　too；　amazingly　like　that：　hugely　important　decisions　were　made　with　a　speed　that　stunned　Roban。
　　〃We　will　pay　for　it；〃　he　said；　feeling　his　face　attaining　the　unfortunate　pink　hue　that　came　with　agitation。　〃D'Andoria　will　be　funding　Gorhaut　next　year；　I'll　wager　on　it。〃
　　Valery　of　Talair　shrugged　indifferently。　〃They　don't　need　funding；　my　lord　chancellor。　With　the　money　they　received　from　Valensa　by　the　terms　of　Iersen　Bridge　they　have　more　than　enough。　Look　what　they　paid　to　assassinate　Bertran。　Did　that　appear　to　be　the　action　of　someone　short　of　gold？〃
　　〃There　is　always　a　shortage　of　gold　in　wartime；〃　Roban　said　darkly。　He'd　actually　had　some　privy　information　about　the　exact　sums　paid　and　still　owing　from　Valensa　to　Gorhaut　by　the　terms　of　the　treaty。　The　numbers　terrified　him。
　　〃That　reminds　me；〃　the　countess　said　in　a　different　tone；　one　Roban　recognized　apprehensively。　〃Daufridi　of　Valensa　must　be　desperately　short　of　money　these　days　if　he　paid　so　much　to　Gorhaut　for　the　lands　they　ceded　him。〃
　　〃I　daresay　he　may　have　some　problems；〃　Roban　said　cautiously。　He　had　learned　it　was　always　wise　to　be　cautious　when　he　heard　that　tone…it　usually　meant　some　plan　or　other　was　about　to　be　proposed。　Usually　those　plans　made　him　extremely　nervous。　His　headache　was　growing　worse。　He　saw　Valery　grin　just　before　the　man　brought　a　hand　up　quickly　to　cover　his　mouth。　The　men　of　Talair　were　so　clever；　it　was　almost　unfair。
　　〃We'll　have　to　talk　about　that　then；〃　the　countess　murmured。　〃I　do　have　an　idea。〃
　　Roban　had　no　notion　what　she　was　referring　to；　it　rankled　him　that　Valery　appeared　to　know。　His　was　the　endlessly　vexing　position　of　being　the　man　left　behind　to　attend　to　details　and　minutiae；　he　was　surrounded　by　quicksilver　people　whose　minds　leapt　effortlessly　down　channels　he　found　perilously　dark。
　　The　countess　was　gazing　pointedly　at　Valery；　she　had　seen　his　smile　as　well。　〃That　is；　if　Bertran　hasn't　already　had　the　same　thought　long　before　me。〃　Her　tone　was　not　nearly　as　stern　as　Roban　felt　it　ought　to　have　been。　It　was　her　weakness；　he　thought；　not　for　the　first　time：　she　loved　her　gallant；　irresponsible　noblemen　far　too　much　to　rein　them　in　properly。　And　Bertran　de　Talair；　among　all　of　them；　was　a　special　case。
　　〃I　am　sure；〃　Valery　said　gracefully；　〃that　any　thoughts　En　Bertran　might　have　on　the　subject　of　Valensa　will　be　conveyed　to　you　as　soon　as　he　arrives。　I　believe　we　can　expect　him　by　the　end　of　the　day。〃
　　〃I　rather　think；〃　Signe　de　Barbentain　said　drily；　〃he　will　instead　consent　to　inform　me　of　measures　he　has　already　set　in　motion。　Exactly　as　he　did　with　those　verses　that　nearly　had　him　killed　this　summer。　By　the　way；〃　she　turned　to　Roban；　〃this　is　important：　I　want　Barbentain　guards　visible　wherever　the　duke　of　Talair　goes　during　the　fair　this　month。　No　slight　to　Bertran's　own　corans；　but　anyone　with　designs　upon　him　must　be　made　aware　that　we　are　watching　for　them。〃　
　　Roban　nodded。　This　made　sense；　he　liked　it　when　she　gave　him　mands　that　made　sense。
　　〃Rudel　Correze　is　travelling　with　the　Delonghi；〃　Valery　said　casually；　almost　as　an　afterthought。　〃They　were　all　in　a　party　with　the　Andoria。〃
　　〃Wonderful；〃　the　countess　said　tartly。　It　pleased　Roban　to　see　her　angry　with　someone　else；　even　though　Bertran's　cousin　was　hardly　the　appropriate　target。　〃Do　I　ban　him；　too？　Do　we　spend　this　week　antagonizing　every　important　family　in　Portezza？〃　Signe　de　Barbentain　seldom　lost　her　temper；　but　Roban　sensed　it　might　be　happening　now。　It　gratified　him　that　she　understood　and　shared　his　concerns。　He　smoothed　his　doublet　again。
　　Valery　was　shaking　his　head。　〃Blaise　de　Garsenc　says　that　the　man　will　do　nothing　here。　That　the　Correze　are　too　prudent　to　risk　the　economic　hazards　of　violating　a　truce。　He　thinks　Rudel　has　probably　withdrawn　from　his　contract　in　any　case。〃
　　〃Why　would　he　think　that？〃　Roban　asked　testily。　〃No　one　in　that　family　turn