按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ght the Arimondan； without seeking a by…your…leave from anyone； including this black…haired woman who styled herself a queen； if only of the troubadours' Court of Love。
He drew a slow breath； met Valery's gaze for a moment and held his peace。 He looked around the room。 No one else seemed to have dared to move。 With mild surprise he saw that the girl with the harp； still wearing Bertran's blue cloak； was staring at him from across the room。 He couldn't read her gaze from a distance； but he could guess。 She had thrust herself forward to defend the honour of the troubadour he'd wounded。 She would probably be quite content if he died by a curved； bejewelled Arimondan sword。
His gaze swept past her and upwards。 On the upper storey of the inn； men and women had crowded to the railings； first for the music and now for what had followed。 Most of their faces were hidden by the cross…beams； a procession of legs lined the hallway above his head； cut off at the trunk。 It was odd； in a way； an audience of feet and calves and thighs in variously coloured hose。
〃You came here bearing a message； I think；〃 Ariane de Carenzu continued； in the silence that had followed her last speech。 She was looking at the Arimondan； Quzman。 〃Is it about the boats on the river？〃
The man glanced over at her。 He had remained kneeling before Urté de Miraval。 They were both large； exceptionally handsome men； it was a pose that might have been carved in relief on the stone wall of a chapel of Corannos in Gorhaut。
〃Yes；〃 the dark…skinned man said finally。 〃It was about the boats。〃
〃They are beginning now？〃
〃They are。〃 He offered no title or any courtesy at all to the woman。
〃Then you will duel each other so for our amusement at Carnival；〃 said the lady of Carenzu with a swift； flashing smile that was radiant and yet infused with capricious malice。
〃A game？〃 the Arimondan said； with derision。 A ripple of anticipation and relief was sweeping across the room。 Blaise saw Bertran turn quickly away to hide a smile。
〃It is almost all a game；〃 Ariane said softly； in a rather different voice。 〃We play it； all of us； through our nights and days； until the goddess takes us home。 But hear me again；〃 she added calmly； 〃if any man of either of your parties dies tonight I will hold it as murder and tell the countess as much。〃
〃I haven't been on the river in years；〃 said Bertran； an apparently inconsequential remark。 He seemed to be struggling； with only partial success； to keep a thread of laughter out of his voice。
Urté de Miraval heard it。 〃And I in decades；〃 he said； rising to the bait。 〃But I will give you that； and twenty years' advantage of age and still best you； my lord of Talair； in any action that a man may honourably do among men。〃
At that； Bertran did laugh aloud。 With a whiplike malice of his own that Blaise did not fully understand； he said； 〃Only among men？ A prudent concession my lord； under the circumstances。〃
Urté de Miraval's head snapped back； as if from an actual lashing。 It was the first time he'd lost his posure； Blaise realized； and wondered why。 Something he'd overheard weeks ago tugged vaguely at his memory： there was a woman somewhere at the root of what lay between these two。
〃Bertran；〃 began Ariane de Carenzu sharply； 〃I do not think that…〃
〃Ariane； have done！ You have imposed your will here； and we are mindful of you。 Do not overreach； it is a failing。 I told you when you walked in and I have told you as much before。〃 Bertran's blue eyes as he wheeled to face her were hard and carried their own measure of authority now。 〃We will play games tonight on the river for your amusement。 No one will be killed； by your mand。 Be content with what you may control。 The past is not in your province。〃
〃Indeed it is not；〃 said Urté de Miraval very softly； his self…control regained。 Blaise had to lean forward to hear him。 〃None of the dead are。 Men or women。 Even children。 Even children； if it es to that。〃
Which； for some reason； drew a response from Bertran de Talair。 He turned from the dark…haired woman to look full into the face of the other duke standing not far away。 There was a suddenly dangerous stillness in the room again； a sense of genuine menace radiating outward from where the two men stood。
〃It es to that；〃 said Bertran finally； his own voice little more than a whisper now。 〃Oh； believe me； my lord； it does。〃 As the two of them locked gazes to the manifest exclusion of everyone else in the tavern； in the world； Blaise of Gorhaut realized； rather late； that the hatred here； the palpable weight of whatever lay in the past between them； was of a depth and texture infinitely greater than he had understood。
Beside him Valery muttered something under his breath that Blaise could not quite hear。
〃e；〃 Bertran added； breaking free of the frozen stare； his tone a sudden； exaggerated parody of ritual； 〃let us go。 Let us all go forth by the light of the mingled summer moons to make sport on the river for the queen of the Court of Love。〃
He moved towards the door without looking back。 Valery followed quickly。 Blaise glanced around the tavern one more time。 Ariane de Carenzu's expression was odd now； vulnerable for the first time。 People were beginning to stir； shaking their heads； blinking vaguely； as if freed of an enchanter's cast spell。 On the upper landing the legs were moving； black and white hose； white and blue； wheat…coloured and russet； crimson and gold； pale and forest green…the brilliant colours of festival time。
He watched for another moment； thinking about the words just spoken； nagged by the thread of a thought； and then moved with the crowd out the doorway and into the noisy street。 On the way he passed very close to Quzman the Arimondan； closer than he needed to； in fact。 He made a point of smiling as he did。
Valery was waiting just outside the door。 A man and a woman masked as a crow and a fox bumped into Blaise as they stumbled past； laughing uproariously。 The man carried an open flask of wine； the woman's tunic was mostly unbuttoned。 In the light of the lanterns above the doorway of The Liensenne； her breasts showed clearly for a moment。 There was laughter ahead of them and behind and a constant； cacophonous sound of noisemakers being whirled and banged and thumped。
〃You don't have any of this in Gorhaut； I suppose；〃 said Valery panionably； as if nothing of note had happened in the tavern。 Blaise realized that he liked Bertran's cousin for this relaxed； unruffled quality； as much as for anything else。 Just ahead of them the duke was walking amid a cluster of musicians； including the woman who had sung for them； she was still wearing Bertran's blue cloak。
〃Hardly；〃 he said shortly； by way of reply； but he tried to keep the criticism out of his voice。 What should he say to Valery： that he found this whole night's goddess…inspired exercise in lechery demeaning and vulgar； unworthy of any man who aspired to serve his country and his god？
〃I meant to tell you that there were two Arimondans；〃 Valery said after a pause。 There was riotous sound all around them； a young boy raced past； violently whirling a noise…maker shaped like the head of a bull。 Two laughing women leaned precariously far out of a window overhead； trading ribald jests with those passing in the crowded street。
〃I'm sure；〃 Blaise said drily。 〃Why didn't you？〃
Valery glanced briefly at him。 〃You didn't seem interested。〃 He said it mildly； but Blaise heard the nuance in the words。 〃You haven't seemed much interested in anything。 I wonder why you travel； sometimes。 Most men leave home to learn about the wider world。 You don't seem to want to know。〃
A different sort of elbow in the ribs。 Blaise thought of stating as much； but after a moment said only； 〃Some men leave home to leave home。〃
After a moment Valery nodded。 He didn't pursue the matter。 Turning right； he followed Bertran and the troubadours up a darker laneway leading away from the sea。
〃How good are you with small boats on water？〃 he asked after a moment。
〃Passable；〃 said Blaise cautiously。 〃What； exactly； are we about to do？〃
〃A question！〃 said Valery of Talair； grinnin