kutzkattherine.the bishopsheir- 第24节

Sighing；　Creoda　motioned　Judhael　to　take　a　seat　across　from　him；　staying　the　priest…secretary　with　a　similar　gesture。　Judhael　sat。　He　was　a　youngish…looking　man　of　ramrod…straight　carriage；　with　hair　gone　prematurely　silver；　in　stark　contrast　to　his　clerical　black。　The　pale；　sea　blue　eyes　measured　Creoda　accusingly；　the　hands　also　betraying　his　agitation　as　he　played　with　a　ring　on　his　right　hand。
〃These　things　happen；〃　Creoda　muttered。　〃If　it's　any　consolation；　you　reacted　precisely　as　you　should　have。　Cardiel　sprang　the　remendation　on　us　at　an　early　meeting　this　morning。　There　was　no　way　to　warn　you　between　then　and　Mass。　I'm　sorry。〃
〃So　am　I。〃　Judhael　worried　at　his　ring　a　moment　longer；　then　glanced　aside　at　the　fire　in　the　stone　fireplace。　The　silver　signet　on　his　hand　was　more　befitting　a　secular　lord　than　a　cleric。
〃What　happens　next；　then？〃　Judhael　asked。　〃Is　this　the　end　of　it？　Will　the　king　ratify　Istelyn's　appointment？〃
〃I　don't　know；　to　all　three　questions；〃　Creoda　replied。　〃Istelyn　has　been　in　the　king's　favor　for　several　years；　so　I　doubt　there　will　be　any　objection　on　the　part　of　His　Majesty。　That　does　not　necessarily　spell　an　end　to　things；　however。〃
〃No？〃
Creoda　snapped　his　fingers　in　the　direction　of　the　secretary　and　held　out　his　hand　for　the　folded　square　of　parchment　which　the　man　immediately　produced。　Judhael　sat　forward　expectantly；　but　Creoda　took　his　time　unfolding　the　missive。
〃This　came　late　last　night；〃　the　bishop　said；　holding　it　at　arm's　length　and　squinting　at　the　text　before　handing　it　over　to　Judhael。　〃The　gist　of　it　is　that　our　brother　in　Saint　Iveagh's　is　prepared　to　support　you；　and　awaits　the　guide　who　will　escort　him　to　freedom。〃
〃And　how　much　is　that　support　worth；　now　that　someone　else　has　been　chosen　for　the　See　of　Meara？〃　Judhael　said　bitterly；　as　he　scanned　the　closely　penned　script。
〃It　will　be　as　useful　as　it　needs　to　be；〃　Creoda　replied。　〃At　very　least；　he　can　pull　the　ecclesiastical　factions　together　for　the　reunification　of　Old　Meara。〃
〃You　really　think　he　still　wields　that　much　influence？〃
〃He　might　surprise　you；〃　Creoda　countered。　〃Granted；　he's　a　bit　fanatic　for　some　people's　tastes；　but　I　have　always　known　him　to　be　an　upright　and　godly　man。　His　treatment　at　the　hands　of　the　king　rankled　many；　myself　among　them。　He　was　our　elected　primate；　after　all。〃
〃And　a　fanatic；〃　Judhael　reminded　his　superior；　as　he　handed　the　missive　back　to　the　priest　beside　him。　〃You　yourself　have　conceded　that。〃
Creoda　shrugged　narrow　shoulders　and　smiled　a　thin；　smug　smile。　〃Please；　Father。　Grant　me　credit　for　some　mon　sense。　Just　because　one　describes　our　one…time　master　as　a　godly　man　does　not　necessarily　mean　one　thinks　he　should　be　primate　once　again。〃
〃Not　primate？〃　Judhael　stared　at　the　bishop　in　blank　astonishment。　〃But；　I　thought　…　〃
〃Don't　think。　Father。〃　Creoda　replied　softly。　〃Let　me　do　the　thinking。　There　are　other　things　at　stake　besides　your　Mearan　See。　The　less　you　know；　the　better。〃
〃But　…　〃
〃It　is　said　that　the　king　can　force　a　man　to　speak　the　truth。　Father；〃　Creoda　went　on。　〃And　God　alone　knows　what　unholy　things　his　Deryni　friends　can　do。　But　one　cannot　speak　of　what　one　does　not　know；　now；　can　one？　My　silence　is　for　your　protection　as　well　as　mine；　my　son。〃
Judhael's　face　turned　pale　beneath　his　silver　hair；　and　he　hugged　his　arms　across　his　chest　as　he　suppressed　a　shiver。
〃Dear　God　in　heaven；　you're　right！　General　Morgan　stopped　me　on　the　way　out　of　chapel　last　night。　I　couldn't　avoid　him。　He　wanted　to　know　whether　I　had　any　knowledge　of　an　assassination　attempt　on　McLain。〃
〃An　assassination　attempt？〃
〃You　weren't　behind　it；　then？〃
〃Certainly　not！　What　happened？〃
Judhael　looked　confused　as　he　shook　his　head。　〃i　don't　know　for　certain。　Apparently　there　was　a　boy　with　a　knife。　It　can't　have　been　too　serious；　though。　McLain　attended　Mass　this　morning。　I　saw　him　sitting　next　to　Morgan。〃
〃So　he　was。〃　Creoda　stared　into　space　for　a　few　seconds；　then　shook　his　head。　〃No　matter。　It　doesn't　concern　us。　Any　number　of　people　might　want　a　Deryni　priest　dead。〃
〃Or　a　Deryni　duke；〃　Judhael　added。　〃He's　that；　too；　don't　forget。　My　aunt　and　my　cousins　wouldn't　mind。〃
When　Creoda　looked　puzzled；　Judhael　continued　a　little　disdainfully。
〃Can　you　have　forgotten；　Excellency？　Because　it　has　no　immediate　ecclesiastical　significance　doesn't　mean　it　isn't　important。　As　Duke　of　Cassan　and　Earl　of　Kierney；　Duncan　McLain　has　no　direct　heir。　By　strict　right　of　succession；　his　lands　should　pass　to　Ithel　after　he　dies　…　　not　that　the　king　would　allow　it。〃
〃Ah；　then；　Morgan　felt　you　had　a　motive；〃　Creoda　breathed。　〃Which；　in　fact；　you　did。　That's　why　he　wanted　to　question　you。　Aren't　you　glad　you　knew　nothing　to　tell　him？〃
〃I'll　confess　to　that。　He　did　want　to　know　how　long　it　had　been　since　I'd　heard　from　my　aunt。　And　he　has　to　be　aware　how　my　elevation　to　the　See　of　Meara　could　have　helped　the　cause　of　Mearan　independence。〃
〃That　is　hardly　any　secret；〃　Creoda　observed　dryly。　〃But；　very　well。　We　must　assume　that　in　the　future　he'll　be　even　more　observant　…　which　simply　confirms　my　instinct　that　you　should　know　as　little　about　the　rest　of　our　plans　as　possible；　until　the　deeds　are　done。　Do　you　agree？〃
〃I　have　no　real　choice；　it　seems。〃
〃No；　you　do　not。　Therefore；　for　the　time　being；　I　advise　you　to　bide　your　time；　support　Istelyn　with　grace　…　and　stay　as　far　as　possible　from　Morgan　or　any　other　Deryni。　There　are　too　damned　many　of　them　around；　as　it　is。〃
Judhael　inclined　his　head　in　assent。
〃Good。　I　think　you'd　best　return　to　your　quarters　now；〃　Creoda　went　on。　〃And　stay　there；　as　much　as　possible。　No　one　will　think　it　odd　if　you　keep　to　yourself　for　a　few　days。　I　gather　that　the　king　is　expected　back　tomorrow　or　the　day　after；　and　I　anticipate　a　mass　exodus　to　Rathar…kin　for　Istelyn's　investiture　shortly　thereafter。　I　hope　we　will　be　ready　to　make　our　move　soon　after　that。〃
〃I　shall　bow　to　your　judgment。　Excellency；〃　Judhael　murmured；　kneeling　in　formal　leave…taking　to　kiss　the　bishop's　ring　and　receive　his　blessing。
When　Judhael　had　gone；　Creoda　glanced　aside　at　his　secretary。
〃Is　Gorony's　messenger　still　waiting　in　the　next　room？〃　he　asked。
〃Yes；　Excellency。〃
〃Very　well。　Ask　him　to　e　in；　then；　and　bring　your　inks　and　vellums。　We　have　work　to　do。〃

Two　days　later；　the　king　returned　to　Culdi。　A　delegation　of　bishops　met　him　outside　the　city　gates　and　conducted　him　with　due　ceremony　to　the　chapter　house；　where　Istelyn　was　formally　presented　as　bishop…elect　of　Meara。　Messengers　had　been　sent　ahead　on　several　different　roads　to　intercept　the　king　and　apprise　him　of　the　bishops'　intentions；　so　an　informed　Kelson　was　able　to　grant　his　royal　approval　on　the　spot。　He　dined　with　Istelyn　and　a　few　other　intimates　that　evening；　then　retired　with　Morgan　and　a　mostly…recovered　Duncan　later　that　night；　the　three　of　them　exchanged　details　of　what　had　transpired　in　the　days　of　Kelson's　absence。　The　following　morning；　the　entire　royal　party　made　the　day…long　ride　to　Ratharkin；　to　witness　Istelyn's　installation　the　following　day。
That　night；　however；　while　king　and　court　rested　in　Ratharkin　and　the　new　bishop…elect　kept　vigil　with　several　of　his　brethren　in　a　nearby　monastic　chapel；　a　man　in　monk's　robes　made　his　way　along　the　silent　corridors　of　another　monastery　far　to　the　east　and　north；　close　by　the　sea。　The　prisoner　of　Saint　Iveagh's　paced　impatiently　as　metal　picked　at　the　workings　of　his　door　lock　from　the　other　side；　fearing　at　each　new　scrape　or　click　that　the　sound　would　raise　the　alarm。　The　face　which　greated　him；　when　the　door　swung　back　at　last；　was　that　of　the　monk　who　had　confessed　him　earlier　in　the　week：　the　preacher　Jeroboam；　whom　he　had　been　told　to　expect。　Jeroboam　inclined　his　head　for　Loris'　blessing；　then　signed　that　he　should　remove　his　sandals。　The　bare　feet　of　the　two　made　no　sound　as　they　descended　the　tower　newel　to　make　good　their　escape。
It　was　the　hour　between　Matins　and　Lauds；　when　all　the　abbey　slept。　Only　now　might　they　hope　to　traverse　the　abbey's　corridors　without　danger　of　meeting　someone。　As　they　skirted　the　night　stairs；　closed　by　the　monks'　dorter；　Loris　hardly　dared　to　breathe。　Once　past；　he　could　breathe