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！
Leviticus 21：8
〃Memento； homo； quia pulvis es； et in pulverem reverteris 。。。。 Memento； homo 。。。〃
Kneeling at the altar rail in Rhemuth Cathedral； huddled deep in the collar of his sable…lined cloak； Morgan waited blearily to receive the ashes that marked the beginning of Lent。
〃Memento； homo； quia pulvis es。。。 〃 Remember； man； that thou art dust； and unto dust thou shalt return。。。 。
His head felt as if it were filled with dust this morning； and his mouth tasted of it。 Worse； Duncan would not even lecture him； later on； about the folly of over…indulgence。 But it had been a fine Vezaire port。。。 。
〃Memento； homo； quia pulvis es。。。〃
Morgan had missed Mass； too； though perhaps Duncan had not noticed。 The Deryni bishop was far toward the left…hand end of the line of penitents kneeling at the altar rail； solemnly bending to smudge a young page's forehead with ashes。 Both he and Father Shandon； the young priest assisting him this morning； wore the somber violet vestments appropriate to the beginning of the Lenten season； but suddenly it occurred to Morgan that far more people were waiting on Shandon's side of the sanctuary than on Duncan's； despite the fact that people usually preferred to receive anything from a bishop rather than an ordinary priest。
Ah； but that assumed that the bishop was also ordinary； Morgan suddenly realized…and a Deryni bishop was far from that。 Given the official position of the Church regarding Deryni； was it any wonder that； as news spread of Duncan's display of the day before； many folk would have qualms about having an admitted Deryni touch them？ No matter that the archbishop and two other bishops had witnessed the incident and had done nothing。 Who wanted to be among the first to test whether harm might； indeed； e from a Deryni priest's touch？
Clearly； not everyone felt that way。 Thank God for that。 The men kneeling to either side of Morgan…a young MacEwan man…at…arms and an even younger sergeant of lancers that Morgan knew had been present in the hall the day before…could hardly fail to know who and what both he and Duncan were； but they seemed to have no hesitation either about kneeling next to Morgan or receiving ashes from Duncan； who was proceeding back along the altar rail toward them； now tracing a sooty cross on a Haldane archer's brow。
〃Memento； homo； quia pulvis es； el in p。ulverem reverteris。。。〃
In fact； Morgan suddenly noticed； the mon factor among most of those apparently willing to have Duncan minister to them was that they were young； most of them younger than Morgan and Duncan themselves…which at least bespoke hope for the future； if Duncan could ride out the immediate outcry。
〃Memento； homo； quia pulvis es。。。 。〃
Intrigued by that observation； Morgan scanned the altar rail again。 There was a correlation by age； though it was not iron…clad。 In fact； as Father Shandon reached the center of the altar rail and crossed back； to resume at the far end of the rail again； Morgan saw several older men； just past where Shandon had left off； rise and edge surreptitiously into the queue of men and women waiting to kneel on Shandon's side。 It was quietly done； but it was done； nonetheless。 He supposed it was too late for some men to change。
〃Memento； homo； quia pulvis es。。。 。〃
Duncan was giving ashes to the lancer sergeant now； and Morgan raised his head to meet his cousin's eyes as the Deryni bishop finished and came before him。
〃Memento； homo； quia pulvis es； el in pulverem reverteris；〃 Duncan murmured； tracing the cross on Morgan's brow with special attention。 So glad you could finally make it this morning； he added mentally。 Meet me in the sacristy； after。
Morgan had to duck his head to keep from smiling； waiting until Duncan had finished with the MacEwan man…at…arms and moved on before crossing himself deliberately and easing to his feet。 He withdrew into the relative shelter of one of the pillars of the clerestory aisle； shadowed and anonymous； to continue watching until the last penitents had received ashes。 No one actually got up and left when Duncan began helping Shandon finish with those kneeling on Shandon's side or refused to receive ashes from Duncan； but Morgan could feel the apprehension and tension radiating as the people left the rail； their duty done at last。 He even saw one man scrub surreptitiously at his forehead to remove the ashes Duncan had placed there； as soon as he thought no one would notice。
Morgan knew that it would take a few minutes for Father Shandon to unvest and leave； so he waited quietly for a few more minutes before heading for the sacristy。 But by the time he got there himself； he could hear angry voices within； neither of them Shandon。 Deryni shields； not Duncan's alone； tingled against Morgan's own as he pushed the door open in alarm and entered。
〃I really don't want to talk about it； Denis；〃 Duncan was saying； though neither he nor Arilan even glanced aside as Morgan drew the door closed and leaned against it； watching and listening warily。 Over on a stool beside a vestment press； Father Shandon slumped asleep or unconscious； still fully vested in surplice and stole； obviously taken unawares by one of the two Deryni when the argument began to get too specific for outsiders to witness。
〃Well； you'd better think again about talking about it；〃 Arilan said。 〃Don't you realize that you may have put the entire Church at jeopardy？ You saw what happened out there。 It was one thing when they only thought you might be Deryni。 God； Duncan； couldn't you have waited？〃
〃And just how long was I supposed to have waited？〃 Duncan countered。 〃Twenty…odd years； like you？ Is that how long you've been a priest？ And you still haven't owned up to what you are！ Someone's got to be the first； if there's ever going to be a change。〃
Too angry to reply； Arilan spun away to glare unseeing at the tiny window above the vesting altar。 It was filled with colored glass in a random pattern suggestive of ocean waves； and the sunlight cast sickly greenish blotches on Arilan's face and hands and on the plain black working cassock he wore。 Morgan glanced at Duncan； not daring to intervene beyond his mere presence； but Duncan was focused only on his fellow bishop。
〃I was the first； once；〃 Arilan finally said； very softly。 〃Or； no； I wasn't the first…Jorian came before me…but I was the first one to make it through successfully that I know of。〃 He leaned the heels of both hands against the edge of the altar and stared down at the white…worked linen covering it； then glanced back over his shoulder。
〃That's not such a poor distinction； is it； Duncan？ To be the first Deryni successfully ordained as a priest in nearly two hundred years？ And you were ordained。 And after you； in the past two or three years； there have been a few others； too。 I'll bet you didn't know about those。 But if I'd tried to do it all when I was the first； I'd be as dead as Jorian and all the rest that they killed before him！ So； damn it； don't you dare talk to me about someone has to be first！〃
As he turned to confront Duncan again； Morgan felt himself sag against the door； closing his eyes against his own memories。
Jorian。 God； he remembered Jorian！ Morgan had been just barely thirteen； a