第十七章：嗯，也许可以再加一个下午茶。
那管事见到他先是一愣，隨即认出了这位女伯爵的新贵客，脸上的倨傲瞬间收敛连忙躬身行礼道：
“日安，伊莱恩先生！不知有何事可以为您效劳？”
达希安並未立刻回答，而是將目光落在了那副精美的马鞍上装模作样端详了片刻。
“一件杰作，”他讚嘆道，隨后目光转向那位紧张的年轻马夫，
“我能感受到，这件物品上倾注了创造者与养护者的灵魂。
请恕我冒昧，是何等精湛的技艺，能让皮革与金属的结合如此完美？”
“先生，这是马提亚斯阁下的马鞍，由王都最有名的工匠亲手打造。”管事连忙回答。
“原来如此，”达希安点点头，“这让我想起了大学者赫拉利乌斯的论著《论器物之魂》中的一段话。”
“『真正的光泽並非源於冰冷的打磨，』”他一本正经地引述道，
“『而是源於守护者掌心的温度，唤醒了器物自身的灵魂』。”
达希安转向年轻的马夫：
“这位年轻的朋友，我在你的双手中看到了这份哲思的证明。你为这件作品赋予的温度是任何表面的拋光都无法企及的。
那份由內而生的光辉才是无价之宝。”
年轻的马夫目瞪口呆地看著他，嘴巴微微张开显然没完全听懂，但每一个字似乎又都蕴含著深刻哲理让他大受震撼。
管事的表情也变得有些微妙，他看看伊莱恩先生又看看那副马鞍，一时间竟不知该如何反驳这番听起来无比高深的“学术理论”。
达希安又转向那管事：
“而您，先生。您一丝不苟的监督，您对每个细节完美的苛求，这正是构筑此等艺术的基石。
看来，索恩菲尔德女伯爵阁下的城堡，正是因为有你们这样尽职的僕人才能如此井井有条。”
他顿了顿，乾脆把女伯爵搬出来补充道：
“今日我所见令我印象深刻。我感到有必要將这份默默的奉献，这份无名的荣耀记录下来，
以便在適当的时候將它作为我见闻的一部分呈报给女伯爵阁下。”
管事一听这话，脸上的严厉瞬间烟消云散。
这可是天大的好事！
管事立刻换上一副和蔼的面孔亲切地拍了拍年轻马夫的肩膀：
“听到了吗？伊莱恩先生说得对！继续努力小伙子！你的用心我们都看在眼里！”
达希安微笑著对两人点头致意，隨后便转身继续他的“採风”之旅，仿佛只是路过时发表了一番学术见解而已。
他心里却有些发虚，那个什么《论器物之魂》和赫拉利乌斯全是他刚才临时编的，希望这个世界没有重名的大学者。
不过，看著那两个僕人深信不疑的样子，达希安突然冒出一个荒诞的念头。
或许……自己可以再编一部古籍，就叫《论神圣的餐桌》。核心论点就写贵族们必须使用叉子，並且一日享用早、中、晚、宵夜四餐，才是对圣光与神明最崇高的敬意……
嗯，也许可以再加一个下午茶……
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达希安压下这些不切实际的幻想，继续在马厩里探索。
这里比他想像的要大，除了贵族们的私家坐骑外，还有大量用於拉车和运输的役马，以及一小队专门用於传递信件的信使马。
僕役和马夫们来来往往各司其职，一切都显得井井有条，並没有他想像中外庭区应有的混乱。
他装模作样地观察四周，但並没有再遇见什么特別的人。
就在他准备离开，打算去找塞拉菲娜修女时，身后传来一阵急促的脚步声。
“伊莱恩先生！请……请等一下！”
达希安转过身，正是先前那位年轻的马夫。
他跑到近前，脸上还带著几分紧张。
“先生，我……我叫汤姆，”他结结巴巴地自我介绍道，
“刚才的事……真的、真的太感谢您了！如果不是您，我……”
“请別放在心上，汤姆。”达希安温和地打断了他，
“我只是说出了我所见的实话。真正值得称讚的是你投入工作的心血。”
汤姆的眼眶一下子就红了，他用力地点著头，感激之情溢於言表。
达希安见时机差不多了，便说道：
“说起来，我必须承认我从未见过如此宏伟的马厩。作为学者我对这些血统高贵的造物也怀有几分好奇。
汤姆，如果你的工作允许，是否可以满足一位学者的好奇心，为我介绍一二？”
“当然！当然可以，先生！”这正是他求之不得的报答机会，汤姆急忙说道：
“这是我的荣幸！”
他立刻来了精神，带著达希安走向那些饲养著贵族坐骑的隔间，如数家珍地介绍起来：
“先生，您看这匹，这是凯兰爵士的战马『风暴』，它能一口气奔袭二十里格！
还有这匹雪白的，是吉迪恩阁下的爱马，听说有著精灵马的血统……”
达希安耐心地听著，故作好奇地问道：
“看来城堡里的绅士们对马匹都很有研究。那么，夫人们呢？她们是否也常来探望自己的爱马？”
“哦，当然，先生！”汤姆立刻回答，
“不过夫人们更喜欢那些性情温顺的马。
比如玛蒂尔达夫人就总爱来给她的那匹小母马餵苹果。”
他挠了挠头继续说道，“不过要说来的最勤快的，还得是萝赛女男爵阁下。”
“哦？看来女男爵阁下也是一位爱马之人。”
“是的，先生。女男爵阁下几乎每隔一天下午的时候都会过来，”汤姆毫无保留的说道，
“她总是一个人来，说是要餵她最爱的那匹栗色母马『星尘』，而且不喜欢別人打扰。
有时候，她还会骑著『星尘』去西边的农庄那边散步呢。”
农庄？
一个远离城堡耳目的地方。
对於一对需要秘密幽会的情人而言还有比这更完美的地点吗？
“西边的农庄？我听闻那边的土地保留著几分古老的风貌，想必景致一定很独特吧。
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作为歷史的研究者，我对这类地方总是充满嚮往。那里是贵族们常去的散心之地吗？”
“呃，那倒不是，先生。”汤姆诚实地摇了摇头，
“农庄那边都是些田地和佃户的屋子，除了干活的僕役，贵族老爷和夫人们嫌那里有泥土味很少过去。
唯有萝赛女男爵阁下时常称讚那里的开阔，是骑马的绝佳之地。”
“独自骑行去农庄？看来女男爵阁下不仅是一位爱马之人，更是一位技艺精湛的骑手。那边的路途想必很安全吧？”
“哦，是的，先生！通往西边的那条路途向来十分安寧，”
汤姆立刻回答，
“况且……况且马提亚斯阁下与他麾下的骑士们也时常在那片家族农庄的领地上巡视。
因此，安全是无须担忧的。”
“日安，伊莱恩先生！不知有何事可以为您效劳？”
达希安並未立刻回答，而是將目光落在了那副精美的马鞍上装模作样端详了片刻。
“一件杰作，”他讚嘆道，隨后目光转向那位紧张的年轻马夫，
“我能感受到，这件物品上倾注了创造者与养护者的灵魂。
请恕我冒昧，是何等精湛的技艺，能让皮革与金属的结合如此完美？”
“先生，这是马提亚斯阁下的马鞍，由王都最有名的工匠亲手打造。”管事连忙回答。
“原来如此，”达希安点点头，“这让我想起了大学者赫拉利乌斯的论著《论器物之魂》中的一段话。”
“『真正的光泽並非源於冰冷的打磨，』”他一本正经地引述道，
“『而是源於守护者掌心的温度，唤醒了器物自身的灵魂』。”
达希安转向年轻的马夫：
“这位年轻的朋友，我在你的双手中看到了这份哲思的证明。你为这件作品赋予的温度是任何表面的拋光都无法企及的。
那份由內而生的光辉才是无价之宝。”
年轻的马夫目瞪口呆地看著他，嘴巴微微张开显然没完全听懂，但每一个字似乎又都蕴含著深刻哲理让他大受震撼。
管事的表情也变得有些微妙，他看看伊莱恩先生又看看那副马鞍，一时间竟不知该如何反驳这番听起来无比高深的“学术理论”。
达希安又转向那管事：
“而您，先生。您一丝不苟的监督，您对每个细节完美的苛求，这正是构筑此等艺术的基石。
看来，索恩菲尔德女伯爵阁下的城堡，正是因为有你们这样尽职的僕人才能如此井井有条。”
他顿了顿，乾脆把女伯爵搬出来补充道：
“今日我所见令我印象深刻。我感到有必要將这份默默的奉献，这份无名的荣耀记录下来，
以便在適当的时候將它作为我见闻的一部分呈报给女伯爵阁下。”
管事一听这话，脸上的严厉瞬间烟消云散。
这可是天大的好事！
管事立刻换上一副和蔼的面孔亲切地拍了拍年轻马夫的肩膀：
“听到了吗？伊莱恩先生说得对！继续努力小伙子！你的用心我们都看在眼里！”
达希安微笑著对两人点头致意，隨后便转身继续他的“採风”之旅，仿佛只是路过时发表了一番学术见解而已。
他心里却有些发虚，那个什么《论器物之魂》和赫拉利乌斯全是他刚才临时编的，希望这个世界没有重名的大学者。
不过，看著那两个僕人深信不疑的样子，达希安突然冒出一个荒诞的念头。
或许……自己可以再编一部古籍，就叫《论神圣的餐桌》。核心论点就写贵族们必须使用叉子，並且一日享用早、中、晚、宵夜四餐，才是对圣光与神明最崇高的敬意……
嗯，也许可以再加一个下午茶……
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达希安压下这些不切实际的幻想，继续在马厩里探索。
这里比他想像的要大，除了贵族们的私家坐骑外，还有大量用於拉车和运输的役马，以及一小队专门用於传递信件的信使马。
僕役和马夫们来来往往各司其职，一切都显得井井有条，並没有他想像中外庭区应有的混乱。
他装模作样地观察四周，但並没有再遇见什么特別的人。
就在他准备离开，打算去找塞拉菲娜修女时，身后传来一阵急促的脚步声。
“伊莱恩先生！请……请等一下！”
达希安转过身，正是先前那位年轻的马夫。
他跑到近前，脸上还带著几分紧张。
“先生，我……我叫汤姆，”他结结巴巴地自我介绍道，
“刚才的事……真的、真的太感谢您了！如果不是您，我……”
“请別放在心上，汤姆。”达希安温和地打断了他，
“我只是说出了我所见的实话。真正值得称讚的是你投入工作的心血。”
汤姆的眼眶一下子就红了，他用力地点著头，感激之情溢於言表。
达希安见时机差不多了，便说道：
“说起来，我必须承认我从未见过如此宏伟的马厩。作为学者我对这些血统高贵的造物也怀有几分好奇。
汤姆，如果你的工作允许，是否可以满足一位学者的好奇心，为我介绍一二？”
“当然！当然可以，先生！”这正是他求之不得的报答机会，汤姆急忙说道：
“这是我的荣幸！”
他立刻来了精神，带著达希安走向那些饲养著贵族坐骑的隔间，如数家珍地介绍起来：
“先生，您看这匹，这是凯兰爵士的战马『风暴』，它能一口气奔袭二十里格！
还有这匹雪白的，是吉迪恩阁下的爱马，听说有著精灵马的血统……”
达希安耐心地听著，故作好奇地问道：
“看来城堡里的绅士们对马匹都很有研究。那么，夫人们呢？她们是否也常来探望自己的爱马？”
“哦，当然，先生！”汤姆立刻回答，
“不过夫人们更喜欢那些性情温顺的马。
比如玛蒂尔达夫人就总爱来给她的那匹小母马餵苹果。”
他挠了挠头继续说道，“不过要说来的最勤快的，还得是萝赛女男爵阁下。”
“哦？看来女男爵阁下也是一位爱马之人。”
“是的，先生。女男爵阁下几乎每隔一天下午的时候都会过来，”汤姆毫无保留的说道，
“她总是一个人来，说是要餵她最爱的那匹栗色母马『星尘』，而且不喜欢別人打扰。
有时候，她还会骑著『星尘』去西边的农庄那边散步呢。”
农庄？
一个远离城堡耳目的地方。
对於一对需要秘密幽会的情人而言还有比这更完美的地点吗？
“西边的农庄？我听闻那边的土地保留著几分古老的风貌，想必景致一定很独特吧。
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作为歷史的研究者，我对这类地方总是充满嚮往。那里是贵族们常去的散心之地吗？”
“呃，那倒不是，先生。”汤姆诚实地摇了摇头，
“农庄那边都是些田地和佃户的屋子，除了干活的僕役，贵族老爷和夫人们嫌那里有泥土味很少过去。
唯有萝赛女男爵阁下时常称讚那里的开阔，是骑马的绝佳之地。”
“独自骑行去农庄？看来女男爵阁下不仅是一位爱马之人，更是一位技艺精湛的骑手。那边的路途想必很安全吧？”
“哦，是的，先生！通往西边的那条路途向来十分安寧，”
汤姆立刻回答，
“况且……况且马提亚斯阁下与他麾下的骑士们也时常在那片家族农庄的领地上巡视。
因此，安全是无须担忧的。”