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tes were read。
〃Absolvo；〃 came the first vote。 I absolve him。
〃Absolve。〃
〃Absolvo。〃
〃Absolvo。〃
The tally went on without a single dissenting vote； a full nineteen repetitions of the healing word： 〃Absolvo。〃 At the end； Duncan buried his face in his hands and wept tears of joy that he made no attempt to hide。 His eyes were still wet when he looked up again as Bradene came to sit once more upon the episcopal throne。 The archbishop was smiling。 Nor had Duncan's tears been the only ones in the ancient chapter house。
〃Duncan Howard McLain； you who are called to be Christ's priest；〃 Bradene said formally； paralleling the calling forward of a priestly candidate to be ordained as he referred to a book that Bishop Tolliver came and knelt to hold for him。
〃Adsum；〃 Duncan replied softly。 Here am I。
〃Duncan Howard McLain；〃 Bradene repeated。 〃According to the ordinal under which you were ordained these twelve years hence； you were manded and charged； under pain of exmunication； not to e forward for ordination to God's holy priesthood under any pretext if you were irregular； exmunicate in law or by judicial sentence。 under interdict or suspension； illegitimate； infamous。 or in any other way disqualified。 At that time； according to the letter of the law。 being Deryni was not only a disqualification from the priesthood； but an automatic death sentence if you had been discovered after your ordination。
〃And yet； in the spirit of the law； you came forward and accepted the yoke of God's holy priesthood； obeying a higher call than that which had prompted frightened men to make frightening laws two hundred years before； in the aftermath of a terrible tyranny…for you knew in your heart that you were called。 By the letter of the law； you would have incurred the most severe penalties of Church and state had you been discovered； but in the spirit of the law； you chose to serve God despite the danger； remaining true to your conscience and your calling； in hope that God's will and man's might one day be as one again。〃
Bradene sighed as he closed the book and gave leave by gesture for Tolliver to return to his seat。
〃I wish I could say for certain that God's will and man's are； indeed； one at last； though I believe…and your brothers obviously believe…that in this matter at least； we are reaching a little nearer that perfect reunion with His will； by the progress we have made in these latter days。 But you； beloved son in Christ； are surely more aware than any of us just how far we still have to go to right what was awry as the legacy of our forebears。 Still； your brothers in faith have absolved you of any further guilt in whatever technical disobedience you may have mitted in the past…and your own soul has been your harshest warder； I think； so far as any repense that might be owed for expiation。 Further； canon law will soon legitimize the truth you recognized more than a decade ago。
〃Therefore do I absolve you as well； in the name of the Father； and of the Son； and of the Holy Spirit。〃 He made the sign of the cross over Duncan's upturned head。 〃May almighty God have mercy on you； forgive you your sins； and bring you to life everlasting。〃
〃Amen；〃 the bishops said together； as Duncan also mouthed the response。
〃May the almighty and merciful Lord grant you pardon； absolution； and remission of your sins；〃 Bradene said。 signing Duncan again。
Again； the assembly said； 〃Amen。〃
〃And finally；〃 Bradene concluded； 〃may the blessing of almighty God； the Father； Son； and Holy Spirit； descend upon you and remain with you forever。〃
The third 〃Amen〃 positively resounded among the ceiling beams as Bradene signed Duncan a third time； then gently laid both his hands on Duncan's head。
〃I ask you a special favor now；〃 Bradene said then； bending closer to Duncan's head as he took away his hands。 〃Will you again promise obedience and reverence to me and my successors； according to justice and according to your grade of ministry； as you promised on your ordination day； aware from this time hence that deception no longer will be necessary？〃
Smiling； tears running openly down his cheeks now。 Duncan placed his hands between Bradene's and ducked his head to kiss the archbishop's ring。
〃Promitto。〃 I promise。
〃Ora pro me； frater。〃 Pray for me； brother。
〃Dominus vobis retribuat。〃 May the Lord reward you。
With Duncan once more restored to his episcopal purple； a proper cassock lent by Bishop Hugh； the evening meal was cause for joyous if subdued celebration…for it was still Holy Saturday； after all； and the most solemn time of Lent。 The fare was simple； but Duncan sat in a place of honor at the archbishop's right hand。 Kelson deliberately taking the left； out of deference to Duncan's restoration to grace。 Early on Easter morning； the king and his party kept the Paschal feast with the bishops in Valoret Cathedral； raising their voices with the choir in the joyous introit。
〃Resurrexi； et adhuc tecum sum； alleluia。。。〃 I have risen and am still with thee； alleluia； Thou hast laid Thy hand upon me。 alleluia。。。 。 Lord； Thou hast seen me put to the test； Thou hast seen my death and my resurrection。。。 。
Afterwards； when the Mass was ended and all of them had received munion； the MacArdry men and Kelson's mountain folk as well； Duncan and Morgan led them into the sacristy； especially cleared for the occasion； and began taking them through the Portal。 Archbishop Bradene also came。
Their emergence from the sacristy at Rhemuth Cathedral half an hour later； just as Archbishop Cardiel's High Easter Mass was ending； nearly provoked a riot。 The sudden appearance of men in the rough border and mountain garb of Kelson's escort was first taken as an attack by local belligerents who had somehow managed to pass the city gates unchallenged and infiltrate the cathedral pound； for Kelson was not recognized immediately； being similarly dressed。
But Morgan was recognized； and then Duncan and Bradene。 And then； as the pany parted around Kelson； anger and fear melted into astonishment and then joy。 The king had returned！
〃Let's not make too much fuss； though；〃 Kelson warned them； after the initial shouting had died down； when one of the priests wanted to begin ringing the cathedral bells； and the overjoyed Squire Dolfin asked whether he ought to ride to the castle to tell Prince Conall the good news。 〃And if you don't mind； I'd like to tell my cousin myself。〃
And so； it was a subdued but barely contained assemblage that began making its way from the cathedral plex up the hill to the castle gate； picking up followers as it went and the word spread。 And Kelson； now that he was nearing home； prepared himself to meet his cousin Conall and the woman who was to have been his own queen； but was now his cousin's wife。
Conall； ing out of his father's bedchamber； shuddered and pressed the back of a trembling hand to his forehead for a moment when he had closed the door softly behind him。 His mother had been bathing the atose Nigel when Conall came to make his expected daily visit to the royal bedside。 Seeing the once powerful body so wasted and frail had been a shock。 He had not realized how much his father had deteriorated in two weeks of unconsciousness； and that