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！
the candles and paced back and forth across the windownless room。
〃His Sacredness was up early this morning。 He was gone before I got to his chambers； out walking somewhere。 He often does that when he has something to think about； just takes to the corridors in his night robe。 He doesn't take anyone with him…except me； if I'm around。〃 Dinivan flashed a boyish smile。 〃This place is nearly as big as the Hayholt。 He could be anywhere。〃
Miriamele dabbed milk from her chin with a flapping sleeve。 〃Will he see us？〃
〃Of course。 As soon as he es back； I'm sure。 I wonder what he thinks about。 Ranessin is a deep man； deep as the sea； and like the sea； it is often difficult to tell what hides beneath a placid surface。〃
Miriamele shuddered； thinking of the kilpa in the Bay of Emettin。 She put her bowl down。 〃Shall I wear men's clothes？〃 she asked。
〃What？〃 Dinivan stopped； surprised by her question。 〃Oh。 To meet the lector； you mean。 I don't think anyone should know yet that you are here。 I would like to say that I trust my fellow priests with my life； and I suppose I do； but I have lived and worked here too long to trust tongues not to wag。 I did bring you some cleaner robes。〃 He gestured to a bundle of garments lying on a stool； beside a basin of water that steamed faintly。
〃So if you are ready and have finished breaking your fast； let us be off。〃 He stood； waiting expectantly。
Miriamele stared at the clothes for a moment； then back at Father Dinivan； whose face wore a distracted half…frown。 〃Could you turn around；〃 she asked at last； 〃so I can change？〃
Father Dinivan gaped for a moment； then blushed furiously； much to Miriamele's secret amusement。 〃Princess； forgive me！ How could I be so discourteous？ Forgive me； I will leave at once。 I will be back for you soon。 My apologies。 I am thinking of so many other things this morning。〃 He backed out of the room； closing the door carefully behind him。
When he was gone； Miriamele laughed and rose from bed。 She shucked the old robes over her head and washed herself； shivering； noting with more interest than dismay how sun…browned her hands and wrists had bee。 They were like a barge…man's hands； she thought with some satisfaction。 How her ladies…in…waiting would wince if they could see her！
The water was warm； but the chamber itself was cold； so when she finished she hurriedly pulled on the clean clothes。 Running her hands through her short…cropped hair； she considered washing it； too； but de… cided against it； thinking of the drafty corridors。 The cold reminded her of young Simon； walking somewhere in the chilly north。 In an impulsive moment she had given him her favorite blue scarf； a favor that now seemed pitifully inadequate。 Still； she had meant it well。 It was too thin to keep him warm； but perhaps it would help him remember the frightening journey they had survived together。 Perhaps he would take heart。
She found Dinivan in the hall outside； trying his best to look patient。 Back in his familiar home； the priest seemed like a war…horse awaiting battle； full of trembling need to go； to do。 He took her elbow and led her gently down the corridor。
〃Where is Cadrach？〃 she asked。 〃Is he going with us to see the lector？〃
Dinivan shook his head。 〃I am not sure of him anymore。 I said that I think there is no great harm in him； but I also think he is a man who has given in to many weaknesses。 That is sad； because the man he once was would have been valuable counsel indeed。 Still； I thought it best to expose him to no temptations。 He is having a pleasant meal with some of my brother priests。 He will be quietly and discreetly watched。〃
〃What was Cadrach？〃 she asked； craning her head to stare at the ceiling…high tapestries that lined the corridor； scenes of Aedon's Elevation； the Renunciation of Saint Vilderivis； the chastising of Imperator Crexis。 She thought of these frozen figures； eyes wide and white…rimmed； and of all the centuries they had hung here while the world spun on。 Would her uncle and father someday be the subjects of murals and tapestries； long after she and all she knew were dust？
〃Cadrach？ He was a holy man； once； and not just in dress。〃 Dinivan appeared to consider for a moment before speaking again。 〃We will speak of your panion another time； Princess； if you will pardon my rudeness Now you might be thinking of what things you would tell the lector。〃
〃What does he want to know？〃
〃Everything。〃 Dinivan smiled； the harried edge to his voice softening。 〃The lector wishes to know everything about everything。 He says it is because the weight and responsibility of Mother Church are upon his shoulders and his decisions must be informed ones…but I think that he is also a very curious fellow。〃 He laughed。 〃He knows more about book…keeping than most of the Writing…Priests in the Sancellan chancelry； and I have heard him talk for hours about milking with a Lakelands farmer。〃 Dinivan's expression became more serious。 〃But these are truly grave times。 As I said before； some of my sources of knowledge cannot be revealed even to the lector； so your words and the witness of your own eyes will be of great help in telling him things he must know。 You need fear to tell him nothing。 Ranessin is a wise man。 He knows more of what spins the world than anyone else I know 〃
To Miriamele； the walk though the dark corridors of the Sancellan Aedonitis seemed to take an hour。 But for the tapestries and the occasional flock of priests hurrying by； each corridor seemed identical to the last； so that before long she was hopelessly lost。 The great stone hallways were also damp and poorly lit。 When they at last reached a large wooden door； delicately carved with a spreading Tree； she was grateful that their journey had ended。
Dinivan； about to push the door open； stopped。 〃We should continue to exercise caution；〃 he said； leading her to a smaller door a few ells down the corridor。 He pushed this open and they went through into a small chamber hung with velvet cloth。 A fire burned in a brazier against the wall。 The wide table that filled much of the room was scattered with parchments and heavy books。 The priest left Miriamele to warm her hands before the flames。
〃I will return in a moment；〃 he said； pushing aside a curtain in the wall beside the table。 When the curtain fell back； he was gone。
When her fingers were tingling satisfactorily； she left the brazier to examine some of the parchments lying unrolled on the table。 They seemed quite uninteresting； full of numbers and descriptions of property boundaries。 The books were uniformly religious； except for one strange volume full of woodcuts of strange creatures and unfathomable ceremonies that lay open atop the rest。 As she flipped carefully through the pages； she found one that had been marked with a ribbon of cloth It was a crude illustration of an antlered man with staring eyes and black hands。 Terrified people huddled at the horned one's feet； above his head； a single dazzling star hung in a black sky。 The eyes seemed to stare out of the page and directly into her own。
Sa Astridan Condicciles； she read from the caption below the picture。 The Conqueror Star。