ggk.thelionsofal-rassan-第4章

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halif；　then　battled　his　way　out　again；　alone；　dead　bodies　strewn　about　him。　For　this　service；　the　grateful；　newly　proclaimed　king　in　Cartada　had　rewarded　ibn　Khairan　with　immediate　wealth　and　increasing　power　through　the　years；　including；　of　late；　the　formal　role　of　guardian　and　advisor　to　the　prince。
　　A　status　which　brought　a　different　sort　of　power。　Too　much　so；　some　had　been　whispering。　Almalik　of　Cartada　was　an　impulsive；　subtle；　jealous　man　and　was　not　said；　in　truth；　to　be　particularly　fond　of　his　eldest　son。　Nor　was　the　prince　reputed　to　dote　upon　his　father。　It　made　for　a　volatile　situation。　The　rumors　surrounding　the　dissolute；　flamboyant　Ammar　ibn　Khairan…and　there　were　always　rumors　surrounding　him…had　been　of　a　somewhat　altered　sort　in　the　past　year。
　　Though　none　of　them　came　remotely　close　to　explaining　why　this　man　should　have　personally　offered　to　summon　a　physician　for　a　Fezanan　silk　merchant；　just　so　the　merchant　could　be　enabled　to　attend　a　courtly　reception。　As　to　that；　Jehane　had　only　the　thinly　veiled　hint　of　amusement　in　ibn　Khairan's　face　to　offer　a　clue…and　it　wasn't　much　of　a　clue。
　　In　any　event；　she　stopped　thinking　about　such　things；　including　the　unsettling　presence　of　the　man　beside　her；　when　she　entered　the　bedchamber　and　saw　her　longtime　patient。　One　glance　was　enough。
　　Husari　ibn　Musa　was　lying　in　bed；　propped　on　many　pillows。　A　slave　was　energetically　beating　a　fan　in　the　air；　trying　to　cool　the　room　and　its　suffering　occupant。　Ibn　Musa　could　not　have　been　called　a　courageous　man。　He　was　white…faced；　there　were　tears　on　his　cheeks；　he　was　whimpering　with　pain　and　the　anticipation　of　worse　to　e。
　　Her　father　had　taught　her　that　it　was　not　only　the　brave　or　the　resolute　who　were　deserving　of　a　doctor's　sympathy。　Suffering　came　and　was　real；　however　one's　constitution　and　nature　responded　to　it。　A　glance　at　her　afflicted　patient　served　to　focus　Jehane　abruptly　and　ease　her　own　agitation。
　　Moving　briskly　to　the　bedside；　Jehane　adopted　her　most　decisive　tones。　〃Husari　ibn　Musa；　you　are　not　going　anywhere　today。　You　know　these　symptoms　by　now　as　well　as　I　do。　What　were　you　thinking？　That　you　would　bound　from　bed；　straddle　a　mule　and　ride　off　to　a　reception？〃
　　The　portly　man　on　the　bed　groaned　piteously　at　the　very　thought　of　such　exertion　and　reached　for　her　hand。　They　had　known　each　other　a　long　time；　she　allowed　him　to　do　that。　〃But　Jehane；　I　must　go！　This　is　the　event　of　the　year　in　Fezana。　How　can　I　not　be　present？　What　can　I　do？〃
　　〃You　can　send　your　most　fulsome　regrets　and　advise　that　your　physician　has　ordered　you　to　remain　in　bed。　If　you　wish；　for　some　perverse　reason；　to　offer　details；　you　may　have　your　steward　say　that　you　are　about　to　pass　a　stone　this　afternoon　or　this　evening　in　extreme　pain；　controlled　only　by　such　medications　as　leave　you　unable　to　stand　upright　or　speak　coherently。　If；　anticipating　such　a　condition；　you　still　wish　to　attend　a　Cartadan　function　I　can　only　assume　your　mind　has　already　been　disjointed　by　your　suffering。　If　you　wish　to　be　the　first　person　to　collapse　and　die　in　the　new　wing　of　the　castle　you　will　have　to　do　so　against　my　instructions。〃
　　She　used　this　tone　with　him　much　of　the　time。　With　many　of　her　patients；　in　truth。　In　a　female　physician　men；　even　powerful　ones；　often　seemed　to　want　to　hear　their　mothers　giving　orders。　Ishak　had　induced　obedience　to　his　treatments　by　the　gravity　of　his　manner　and　the　weight　of　his　sonorous；　beautiful　voice。　Jehane…a　woman；　and　still　young…had　had　to　evolve　her　own　methods。
　　Ibn　Musa　turned　a　despairing　face　towards　the　Cartadan　courtier。　〃You　see？〃　he　said　plaintively。　〃What　can　I　do　with　such　a　doctor？〃
　　Ammar　ibn　Khairan　seemed　amused　again。　Jehane　found　that　irritation　was　helping　her　deal　with　the　earlier　feeling　of　being　overwhelmed　by　his　identity。　She　still　had　no　idea　what　the　man　found　so　diverting　about　all　of　this；　unless　this　was　simply　the　habitual　pose　and　manner　of　a　cynical　courtier。　Perhaps　he　was　bored　by　the　usual　court　routine；　the　god's　sisters　knew；　she　would　have　been。
　　〃You　could　consult　another　physician；　I　suppose；〃　ibn　Khairan　said；　thoughtfully　stroking　his　chin。　〃But　my　guess；　based　on　all…too…brief　experience；　is　that　this　exquisite　young　woman　knows　exactly　what　she　is　doing。〃　He　favored　her　with　another　of　the　brilliant　smiles。　〃You　will　have　to　tell　me　where　you　were　trained；　when　we　have　greater　leisure。〃
　　Jehane　didn't　like　being　treated　as　a　woman　when　she　was　functioning　as　a　doctor。　〃Little　to　tell；〃　she　said　briefly。　〃Abroad　at　the　university　of　Sorenica　in　Batiara；　with　Ser　Rezzoni；　for　two　years。　Then　with　my　father　here。〃
　　〃Your　father？〃　he　asked　politely。
　　〃Ishak　ben　Yonannon；〃　Jehane　said；　and　was　deeply　pleased　to　see　this　elicit　a　reaction　he　could　not　mask。　From　a　courtier　in　the　service　of　Almalik　of　Cartada　there　would　almost　have　to　be　a　response　to　Ishak's　name。　It　was　no　secret；　the　story　of　what　had　happened。
　　〃Ah；〃　said　Ammar　ibn　Khairan　quietly；　arching　his　eyebrows。　He　regarded　her　for　a　moment。　〃I　see　the　resemblance　now。　You　have　your　father's　eyes　and　mouth。　I　ought　to　have　made　the　association　before。　You　will　have　been　even　better　trained　here　than　in　Sorenica。〃
　　〃I　am　pleased　that　I　seem　to　meet　your　standards；〃　Jehane　said　drily。　He　grinned　again；　unfazed；　rather　too　clearly　enjoying　her　attempted　sallies。　Behind　him；　Jehane　saw　the　steward's　mouth　gape　at　her　impertinence。　They　were　awed　by　the　Cartadan；　of　course。　Jehane　supposed　she　should　be；　as　well。　In　truth；　she　was；　more　than　a　little。　No　one　needed　to　know　that；　however。
　　〃The　lord　ibn　Khairan　has　been　most　generous　with　his　time　on　my　behalf；〃　Husari　murmured　faintly　from　the　bed。　〃He　came　this　morning；　by　appointment；　to　examine　some　silks　for　purchase　and　found　me　。。。　as　you　see。　When　he　learned　I　feared　not　being　able　to　attend　the　reception　this　afternoon　he　insisted　that　my　presence　was　important〃…there　was　pride　in　the　voice；　audible　through　the　pain…〃and　he　offered　to　try　to　lure　my　stubborn　physician　to　my　side。〃
　　〃And　now　she　is　here；　and　would　stubbornly　request　that　all　those　in　this　room　save　the　slave　and　your　steward　be　so　kind　as　to　leave　us。〃　Jehane　turned　to　the　Cartadan。　〃I'm　sure　one　of　ibn　Musa's　factors　can　assist　you　in　the　matter　of　silk。〃
　　〃Doubtless；〃　the　man　said　calmly。　〃I　take　it；　then；　that　you　are　of　the　view　that　your　patient　ought　not　to　attend　upon　the　prince　this　afternoon？〃
　　〃He　could　die　there；〃　Jehane　said　bluntly。　It　was　unlikely；　but　certainly　possible；　and　sometimes　people　needed　to　be　shocked　into　accepting　a　physician's　orders。
　　The　Cartadan　was　not　shocked。　If　anything；　he　seemed　once　more　to　be　in　the　grip　of　his　private　source　of　diversion。　Jehane　heard　a　sound　from　beyond　the　door。　Velaz　had　arrived；　with　her　medications。
　　Ammar　ibn　Khairan　heard　it　too。　〃You　have　work　to　do。　I　will　take　my　leave；　as　requested。　Failing　an　ailment　that　would　allow　me　to　spend　the　day　in　your　care　I　am　afraid　I　must　attend　this　consecration　in　the　castle。〃　He　turned　to　the　man　in　the　bed。　〃You　need　not　send　a　messenger；　ibn　Musa。　I　will　convey　your　regrets　myself　with　a　report　of　your　condition。　No　offense　will　be　taken；　trust　me。　No　one；　least　of　all　Prince　Almalik；　would　want　you　to　die　passing　a　stone　in　the　new　courtyard。〃　He　bowed　to　ibn　Musa　and　then　a　second　time　to　Jehane…to　the　steward's　visible　displeasure…and　withdrew。
　　There　was　a　little　silence。　Amid　the　chatter　of　marketplace　or　temple；　Jehane　unexpectedly　remembered；　it　was　reported　that　the　high…born　women　of　Cartada…and　some　of　the　men；　the　whispers　went…had　been　known　to　seriously　injure　each　other　in　quarrels　over　the　panionship　of　Ammar　ibn　Khairan。　Two　people　had　died；　or　was　it　three？
　　Jehane　bit　her　lip。　She　shook　her　head　as　if　to　clear　it；　astonished　at　herself。　This　was　the　sheerest；　most　idle　sort　of　gossip　to　be　calling　to　mind；　the　kind　of　talk　to　which　she　had　never　paid　attention　in　her　life。　A　moment　later　Velaz　hurried　in　and　she　set　to　work；　gratefully；　at　her　trade。　Softening　pain；　prolonging　life；　offering　a　hope　of　ease　where　little　might　otherwise　lie。
　　
　　One　hundred　and　thirty…nine　citizens　of　Fezana　assembled　in　the　newest　wing　of　the　castle　that　afternoon。　Throughout　Al…Rassan；　not　long　after；　what　ensued　became　known　as　the　Day　of　the　Moat。　This　was　the　way　of　it。
　　The　newly　finished　part　of　Fezana's　castle　was　of　a　most　unusual　and　particular　design。　A　large　dormitory　for　quartering　the　new　Muwardi　troops　led　to　an　equally　large　refectory　for　feeding　them　and　an　adjacent　temple　for　prayers。　The　notorious　Ammar　ibn　Khairan；　who　acpanied　the　guests　through　these　rooms；　was　much　too　polite　to　make　specific　mention　of　the　reason　for　further　military　presence　in　Fezana；　but　none　of　the　assembled　dignitaries　of　the　town　could　possibly　escape　the　significance　of　such　extensive　facilities。
　　Ibn　Khairan；　offering　undeniably　witty　and　impeccably　courteous　mentary；　was　also　too　discreet　to　draw　anyone's　attention；　particularly　during　a　celebration；　to　the　ongoing　indications　of　unrest　and　subversion　in　the　city。　A　certain　number　of　those　passing　through　the　castle；　however；　exchanged　wary；　sidelong　glances　with　each　other。　What　they　were　seeing；　clearly；　was　meant　to　be　intimidating。
　　In　fact；　it　was　a　little　more　than　that。
　　The　odd　nature　of　the　new　wing's　design　became　even　more　apparent　when　they　passed…a　magnificently　dressed　herd　of　prosperous　men…through　the　refectory　to　the　near　end　of　a　long　corridor。　The　narrow　tunnel；　ibn　Khairan　explained；　designed　for　defensive　purposes；　led　to　the　courtyard　where　the　wadjis　were　to　perform　the　consecration　and　where　Prince　Almalik；　heir　to　Cartada's　ambitious　kingdom；　was　waiting　to　receive　them。
　　The　aristocracy　and　most　successful　merchants　of　Fezana　were　individually　escorted　by　Muwardi　soldiers　down　that　dark　corridor。　Approaching　the　end　of　it　each；　in　turn；　could　discern　a　blazing　of　sunlight。　Each　of　them　paused　there；　squinting；　almost　sightless　on　the　threshold　of　light；　while　a　herald　announced　their　proffered　names　with　satisfying　resonance。
　　As　they　passed；　blinking；　into　the　blinding　light　and　stepped　forward　to　offer　homage　to　the　hazily　perceived；　white…robed　figure　seated　on　a　cushion　in　the　midst　of　the　courtyard；　each　of　the　guests　was　sweepingly　beheaded　by　one　of　two　Muwardi　tribesmen　standing　on　either　side　of　the　tunnel's　arch。
　　The　Muwardis；　not　really　strangers　to　this　sort　of　thing；　enjoyed　their　labors　perhaps　more　than　they　ought　to　have　done。　There　were；　of　course；　no　wadjis　waiting　in　the　courtyard；　the　castle　wing　was　receiving　a　different　sort　of　consecration。
　　One　by　one；　through　the　course　of　a　scorching　hot；　cloudless　summer's　afternoon；　the　elite　of　Fezanan　society　made　their　way　along　that　dark；　cool　tunnel；　and　then；　dazzled　by　the　return　to　sunlight；　followed　the　herald's　ringing　proclamation　of　their　names　into　the　white　courtyard　where　they　were　slain。　The　Muwardis　had　been　carefully　chosen。　No　mistakes　were　made。　No　one　cried　out。
　　The　toppling　bodies　were　swiftly　seized　by　other　veiled　tribesmen　and　dragged　to　the　far　end　of　the　courtyard　where　a　round　tower　overlooked　the　new　moat