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'It is ever God's good pleasure to heal the sick,' I insisted. 'How can you withhold that healing if it is
within your power?'
He merely shook his head. 'The Grail,' he said gently, 'the Grail, Merlin, is not like that. It is not to be
used so. You must understand.'
'I do not understand,' I declared flatly. 'I only know that Arthur is dying, and if he dies theKingdomof
Summerdies with him. If that should happen,Britainwill fall, and the West will die. The light of hope will
fail and darkness will overtake us at last.'
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'I am sorry, Merlin," Avallach said again. 'I would it were otherwise.' He made to return to his prayers.
Now it was my turn to challenge and refuse. 'No!' I shouted. 'Do not think to pray for Arthur's healing
when you hold that healing in your hands yet refuse to give it.'
'Death,' replied the Fisher King sadly, 'is also God's good pleasure. Do you think this easy for me? I sit
here every day and watch people die. They come to the shrine  this plague has oppressed us sorely!
 and we do what we can for them. A few live, but most die. As I said, it is for God to decide. He
alone holds power over life and death.'
'He has given you the Grail!' I argued. 'Why has he done that if he did not intend you to use it?'
'It is a burden more terrible than any I know," moaned Avallach.
'Yet you used it once to heal me,' I persisted. 'You took it upon yourself to decide then. You saved my
life. Where is the harm?'
'That was different.'
'How so?' I demanded. 'I see no difference at all.' He looked away, sighing heavily. 'You are my
daughter's only child; the only son of your father. You are my flesh and blood, Merlin, and I am weak. I
could not help myself. I did it to save you.'
'Indeed!' I cried, my voice ringing in the rock cell. 'My life was saved so that theKingdomofSummer
would not die. Perhaps I was saved so that I could stand here before you this night and argue for
Arthur's life.'
The Fisher King observed me thoughtfully. 'Who is to say?'
'You preserved me, and so preserved the vision of the Summer Realm. Hear me, Avallach, theKingdom
ofSummeris near  closer now than it has ever been. How can we let the Summer Lord die?'
He said nothing, though I could see that he was wavering. 'If you are the keeper of this Grail,' I said
solemnly, 'then it is for you to exercise the power of your position for the good of all. I tell you the truth,
there is not another life the worth of Arthur's, and even now it is slipping away from us. Saving that life
will lead to the salvation of generations yet unborn.'
Avallach pressed a hand to his head wearily. 'Do you not know I have been entreating the Throne of
Heaven on his behalf? I have not left off one moment since he arrived.'
'God will welcome Arthur in his time,' I affirmed. 'But that time is not yet. This I know. If a life is
required, I stand ready to give mine.' I raised my hands to Avallach in supplication. 'Save him. Please,
save him.'
'Very well,' Avallach relented. 'I will do what I can. Though I do not command the Grail, as you seem to
think. I can only ask. The Grail answers how it will.'
I did not know what form the Fisher King's ministrations would take; but, as we hurried back across the
yard to Arthur's chamber, I offered to help in any way I could. 'Tell me what is to be done, Grandfather,
and it will be done.'
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Avallach stopped beneath the gallery roof. 'No one can aid me, Merlin. What I do, I must do alone.
 As you will.'
'Every mortal creature must be removed from this place,' Avallach continued. 'Every male and female, all
mortal flesh, whether human or animal, must be removed beyond the walls of the palace. Arthur only may
remain.'
I wondered at this, but accepted his instructions. 'It shall be as you say.'
While Elfodd and I ran through the Fisher King's palace, rousing everyone from bed, Llenlleawg
awakened the stable hands and began moving the livestock from the barns and pens. By torchlight we
made our way down the narrow twisting path to the lake. Some led dogs on leashes, others horses;
several drove cattle: sheep, kine, and goats; two or three carried bird cages, and one child held an armful
of kittens. In a little while, all who lived in the palace  mortal, Fair Folk, birds, and beasts  were
gathered at the lakeside below the abbey. The horses and cattle grazed quietly in the long grass.
Charis and Gwenhwyvar were the last to leave Arthur's side. 'Come, lady, we can do nothing more for
him,' Charis said, taking Gwenhwyvar by the hand. 'It is time to give him up to the care of another.'
'I am loath to leave him, Lady Charis,' Gwenhwyvar said, tears swelling in her eyes. She lowered her
face to Arthur's and kissed him. A tear splashed on the king's cheek; she kissed it away.
'Come,' I said gently, 'for unless you leave, he cannot be healed.'
Charis and I led the queen from Arthur's deathbed. At the doorway, I paused and looked back at his
body sunken in the cushions of the litter, so still, so silent, as if already sinking into dissolution and decay.
Gwenhwyvar hesitated and turned; she ran back to the litter and, unfastening the brooch at her shoulder,
removed her cloak and spread it over him.
As Gwenhwyvar covered Arthur with a cloak, I covered him with a prayer: Great Light, banish the
shade of death from the face of your servant, Arthur. Shield him this night from hate, from harm, from all
ill whatever shall befall him. So be it!
She kissed him again and murmured something in his ear, then rejoined us, dry-eyed now and resolute.
We hastened through the all-but-deserted palace. I looked for Avallach, but saw no sign of him as we [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]