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had not guessed that Cinhil himself was the unnamed witness. Amazement rustled
through the hall like an errant wind, gradually subsiding when Cinhil did not speak
further. After a moment of awkward silence, Queron essayed the breach.
"Your Highness, I must apologize. I did not intend for you to be forced into this
testimony against your will."
Camber nodded to himself and restrained a bitter smile, knowing that that was exactly
what Queron had intended.
Queron returned his attention to Jaffray. "My apologies to Your Grace, as well. I should
not have mentioned this. With your permission, I should like to ask Lord Dualta to "
"No."
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r r
Cinhil's word was not loud, but it cut Queron off as effectively as though it had been
shouted. To the sound of low-voiced murmurs of surprise, Cinhil stood, curtly signaling
with his hand for them to remain seated when they would have risen in respect. Removing
his crown with steady hands, he laid it gently on the cushion of his throne. Awed silence
followed him down the three shallow steps of the dais as he turned to face Jaffray. Without
his crown, in his somber robes of near-black green, he looked almost like the ascetic monk
he had always wished to be.
"I am prepared to give my testimony in this matter, my Lord Archbishop. Since I do not
speak from the throne, you may dispense with regal titles for the duration of this
examination."
Jaffray half-stood and bowed, then resumed his seat, glancing at Queron.
"I think we need not place His Grace under oath," he said, half questioning, and then
shaking his head as Queron minutely shook his. "Dom Queron, you may proceed with the
witness."
Bowing deeply, Queron turned to face Cinhil. This was the witness he had been waiting
for, who would confirm all that had been said, even in his understandable reluctance. In
fact, that very reluctance would make his testimony all the more telling, for Cinhil had not
been exaggerating when he had spoken of his mixed feelings regarding Camber. Cinhil was
truly the unimpeachable witness whom Queron had promised, for all that he did not
physically wear his crown. Camber could almost read Queron's triumph in his very stance.
God, if he but knew what he was really doing!
"I shall try to make this as brief as possible, Father  if I may call you by that title without
causing undue pain. All here know that you were once a priest."
Cinhil winced at that, as Queron had intended, reminding all that this was at least one
reason Cinhil had for not wishing any honor for Camber. Queron glanced at the floor,
considering his next barb.
"Very well, Father. You affirm, then, that you were, indeed, present in Bishop Cullen's
chamber on that night before the Blessed Camber's funeral?"
"Yes," came Cinhil's whispered reply.
"And that you witnessed something quite out of the ordinary concerning Bishop Cullen
on that night?"
"Yes," Cinhil said again.
"Excellent," Queron said, scanning his audience and gauging their response. "Now,
Father, please tell these Reverend Lords what you saw that night, in as much detail as you
can remember. We wish specifically to hear of anything relating to Camber."
Cinhil closed his eyes and swallowed, then looked at the floor and began to relate what
he believed he had seen.
His initial testimony did not take long. Glossing over what Dualta had already related,
for Dualta's recollection differed very little from his own as far as sequence of events,
Cinhil dwelt instead on his own reaction to the alleged miracle: his white-faced disbelief at
first, and then his growing awe and almost fear as he realized that he was not mad, and
that the others had seen the same thing.
"I did not want to believe it," Cinhil whispered, "even though Dualta had stated what I
suppose we were all thinking. I told myself that we must have been mistaken, that miracles
do not happen any more. Even Lord Rhys would not commit himself; and Healers are
probably the closest thing we know to miracle-workers on an everyday basis. He said that [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]