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[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] still saw in the eyes of his own memory. His hands hung in the air, as if he gripped the arm of someone else kneeling there beside him. He turned his head slightly, as if in response to what that person had said, then swallowed and released his hold on air. "The Lord's Name be praised!" he whispered fervently, crossing himself and then clasping his hands in reverence. "He sent the blessed Camber to help us!" he cried. "The Lord sent Camber to save His servant Alister!" As he bowed his head in thanksgiving, Queron moved quietly beside him and laid a hand on his shoulder, bending to speak a few words in his ear which the spellbound audience could not hear. In a few seconds, Dualta raised his head and looked at Queron, then at the king, the archbishop, the watching audience. He flashed a nervous, self-conscious ghost of a smile as he got to his feet with Queron's aid. "I pray you to forgive me, Reverend Lords, Sire," he murmured earnestly, especially beseeching Cinhil as he straightened his mantle with shaking hands. "I had not intended " Jaffray Waved his hand in negation. "No apologies are necessary, Lord Dualta. Your testimony has been quite enlightening, thus far. Dom Queron, do you intend to have Lord Dualta continue at this time?" "I am not certain, Your Grace." Queron bowed and turned slightly toward Cinhil. "Sire, we come here to a very delicate matter, for the next portion of the testimony can be better told by another witness of whom Your Highness is doubtless aware. I can, of course, ask Lord Dualta to continue, if you wish, but..." a a T T n n s s F F f f o o D D r r P P m m Y Y e e Y Y r r B B 2 2 . . B B A A Click here to buy Click here to buy w w m m w w o o w w c c . . . . A A Y Y B B Y Y B B r r Cinhil had been following the entire examination to this point with tight-lipped concentration, his eyes at least half the time covered by one hand, as if to shade them from the light though there was precious little in the hall other than from torch and fireplace. Of course, Camber knew that Cinhil was not trying to hide from the light and he was sure that Queron knew that, too. Jaffray, who also knew what Queron was doing, did not make a point of turning to stare at the king; but he did not have to, for all the other bishops and, indeed, everyone else in the hall were staring for him. Camber's heart went out to the king. Queron had set this up quite mercilessly. There was no way that Cinhil could avoid testifying now. Queron would make the matter as graceful as possible, but he would not relent. "Your Highness?" Queron asked softly, as if unsure whether Cinhil had heard his question. Cinhil toyed with a signet ring on his thumb, still managing to appear nonchalant. "I was not aware that the king had any jurisdiction in the archbishop's court," he countered, not looking up. Archbishop Oriss looked at Queron, then at Jaffray, who still had said and done nothing, then at Cinhil. "Sire? Is this witness known to Your Grace?" Cinhil nodded slowly, not daring to lift his eyes and thus risk meeting those of any other who had been there. Camber wondered whether Queron and Jaffray had set this up deliberately, baiting Oriss to do their dirty work for them and so force Cinhil to testify for Cinhil would not lie, no matter what it cost him. With a sigh, Cinhil turned his face toward Oriss. "He is well known to me, Archbishop." "Then should we not hear from him?" Oriss persisted. When Cinhil did not answer, Eustace, sitting beside Camber, cleared his throat and stood. "Sire, forgive me, but I do not understand what is happening here. I am a simple man. I do not like intrigues and mysteries. If there is another material witness, then he should be made to come forth. Friendship with Your Grace should not grant him immunity from speaking the truth in so important a matter." "You are certainly correct, Bishop," Cinhil began evenly, making one last, game try to avoid the issue while he still had the nerve. "It should not. But confound it, man!" He looked up at Eustace with eyes blazing. "You must be aware of my mixed feelings about Camber. I was that other witness! I had not wished to be drawn into this di pute!" [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |