rz.thegunsofavalon-第29部分

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　〃Obviously　they　gave　Benedict　some　trouble　and　he　returned　the　favor。〃
　〃Perhaps。　What　were　they　like？　How　did　they　die？〃
　〃Nothing　special　about　them。　They　were　in　their　middle　years；　and　their　throats　had　been　cut　…　save　for　one　fellow　who　got　it　in　the　guts。〃
　〃Strange。　Yes；　it　is　good　that　we　are　leaving　soon。　We　have　enough　problems　of　our　own　without　getting　involved　in　the　local　ones。〃
　〃Agreed。　So　let　us　be　off　to　bed。〃
　〃You　go　ahead。　I　am　not　quite　ready　yet。〃
　〃Take　your　own　advice　and　get　some　rest；〃　he　said；　turning　back　toward　the　manor。　〃Don't　sit　up　and　worry。〃
　〃I　won't。〃
　〃Good　night；　then。〃
　〃See　you　in　the　morning。〃
　I　watched　him　return　along　the　path。　He　was　right；　of　course；　but　I　was　not　yet　ready　to　surrender　my　consciousness。　I　went　over　my　plans　again；　to　be　certain　there　was　nothing　I　was　overlooking；　finished　my　drink　and　set　the　glass　on　the　bench。　I　rose　then　and　strolled；　trailing　wisps　of　tobacco　smoke　about　me。　There　was　a　bit　of　moonlight　from　over　my　shoulder　and　dawn　was　still　a　few　hours'　distant；　as　I　reckoned　it。　I　was　firm　in　my　resolve　to　spend　the　rest　of　the　night　out　of　doors；　and　I　thought　to　find　me　a　good　place　to　sack　out。
　Of　course；　I　eventually　wandered　down　the　path　and　into　the　grove　of　saplings。　A　little　poking　around　showed　me　that　there　had　been　some　recent　digging；　but　I　was　in　no　mood　to　exhume　bodies　by　moonlight　and　was　perfectly　willing　to　take　Ganelon's　word　as　to　what　he　had　found　there。　I　am　not　even　certain　why　I　went　there。　Morbid　streak；　I　guess。　I　did　decide　against　sleeping　in　the　vicinity；　though。
　I　made　my　way　into　the　northwest　corner　of　the　garden；　finding　an　area　that　was　out　of　line　of　sight　from　the　manor。　There　were　high　hedgerows　and　the　grass　was　long；　soft；　and　sweet…smelling。　I　spread　my　cloak；　sat　down　upon　it；　and　pulled　off　my　boots。　I　put　my　feet　down　into　the　cool　grass　and　sighed。
　Not　too　much　longer；　I　decided。　Shadows　to　diamonds　to　guns　to　Amber。　I　was　on　my　way。　A　year　ago　I　had　been　rotting　in　a　cell；　crossing　and　recrossing　the　line　between　sanity　and　madness　so　many　times　that　I　had　all　but　rubbed　it　out。　Now　I　was　free；　strong；　sighted；　and　had　a　plan。　Now　I　was　a　threat　seeking　fulfillment　once　again；　a　deadlier　threat　than　I　had　been　previously。　This　time　I　did　not　have　my　fortunes　tied　up　with　the　plans　of　another。　Now　I　was　responsible　for　my　own　success　or　failure。
　The　feeling　was　good；　as　was　the　grass；　as　was　the　alcohol　which　had　now　seeped　through　my　system　and　warmed　me　with　a　pleasant　flame。　I　cleaned　my　pipe；　put　it　away；　stretched；　yawned；　and　was　about　to　recline。
　I　detected　a　distant　movement；　propped　myself　on　my　elbows　and　watched　for　it　again。　I　did　not　have　long　to　wait。　A　figure　was　passing　slowly　along　the　path；　pausing　frequently；　moving　quietly。　It　vanished　beneath　the　tree　where　Ganelon　and　I　had　been　sitting；　and　did　not　emerge　again　for　a　long　while。　Then　it　continued　on　for　several　dozen　paces；　stopped　and　seemed　to　be　staring　in　my　direction。　Then　it　advanced　toward　me。
　Passing　about　a　clump　of　shrubbery　and　emerging　from　the　shadows；　her　face　was　suddenly　touched　by　the　moonlight。　Apparently　aware　of　this；　she　smiled　in　my　direction；　slowing　as　she　came　near；　stopping　when　she　stood　before　me。
　She　said；　〃I　take　it　your　quarters　are　not　to　your　liking；　Lord　Corwin。〃
　〃Not　at　all；〃　I　said。　〃It　is　such　a　beautiful　night　that　it　appealed　to　the　outdoorsman　in　me。〃
　〃Something　must　have　appealed　to　you　last　night；　also；〃　she　said；　〃despite　the　rain；〃　and　she　seated　herself　beside　me　on　my　cloak。　〃Did　you　sleep　indoors　or　out？〃
　〃I　spent　it　out；〃　I　said。　〃But　I　did　not　sleep。　In　fact；　I　have　not　slept　since　I　saw　you　last。〃
　〃Where　have　you　been？〃
　〃Down　by　the　seaside；　sifting　sand。〃
　〃Sounds　depressing。〃
　〃It　was。〃
　〃I　have　been　doing　a　lot　of　thinking；　since　we　walked　in　Shadow。〃
　〃I　would　imagine。〃
　〃I　have　not　done　too　much　sleeping　either。　That　was　why　I　heard　you　e　in；　heard　you　talking　with　Ganelon；　knew　you　were　out　here　somewhere　when　he　came　back　alone。〃
　〃You　were　right。〃
　〃I　must　get　to　Amber；　you　know。　And　walk　the　Pattern。〃
　〃I　know。　You　will。〃
　〃Soon；　Corwin。　Soon！〃
　〃You　are　young；　Dara。　There　is　plenty　of　time。〃
　〃Damn　it！　I　have　been　waiting　all　my　life　…　without　even　knowing　about　it！　Is　there　no　way　I　can　go　now？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Why　not？　You　could　take　me　on　a　quick　journey　through　shadows；　take　me　to　Amber；　let　me　walk　the　Pattern。。。〃
　〃If　we　are　not　slain　immediately；　we　might　be　fortunate　enough　to　be　given　adjoining　cells　for　a　time　…　or　racks　…　before　we　are　executed。〃
　〃Whatever　for？　You　are　a　Prince　of　the　City。　You　have　a　right　to　do　as　you　please。〃
　I　laughed。
　〃I　am　an　outlaw；　dear。　If　I　return　to　Amber　I　will　be　executed；　if　I　am　lucky。　Or　something　much　worse　if　I　am　not。　But　seeing　as　how　things　turned　out　last　time；　I　should　think　they　would　kill　me　quickly。　This　courtesy　would　doubtless　also　be　extended　to　my　panions。〃
　〃Oberon　would　not　do　such　a　thing。〃
　〃Given　sufficient　provocation；　I　believe　that　he　would。　But　the　question　does　not　really　arise。　Oberon　is　no　more；　and　my　brother　Eric　sits　on　the　throne　and　calls　himself　liege。〃
　〃When　did　this　occur？〃
　〃Several　years　ago；　as　time　is　measured　in　Amber。〃
　〃Why　would　he　want　to　kill　you？〃
　〃To　keep　me　from　killing　him；　of　course。〃
　〃Would　you？〃
　〃Yes；　and　I　will。　Soon；　too；　I　think。〃
　She　turned　to　face　me　then。
　〃Why？〃
　〃So　that　I　can　occupy　the　throne　myself。　It　is　rightly　mine；　you　see。　Eric　has　usurped　it。　I　am　just　recently　escaped　from　torture　and　several　years'　imprisonment　at　his　hands。　He　made　the　mistake；　however；　of　allowing　himself　the　luxury　of　keeping　me　alive　so　that　he　could　contemplate　my　wretchedness。　He　never　thought　that　I　would　get　free　and　return　to　challenge　him　again。　Neither　did　I；　for　that　matter。　But　since　I　have　been　fortunate　enough　to　obtain　a　second　chance；　I　shall　be　careful　not　to　make　the　same　mistake　he　did。〃
　〃But　he　is　your　brother。〃
　〃Few　are　more　aware　of　that　fact　than　he　and　I；　I　assure　you。〃
　〃How　soon　do　you　expect　to　acplish　…　your　objectives？〃
　〃As　I　said　the　other　day；　if　you　can　get　hold　of　the　Trumps；　contact　me　in　about　three　months。　If　you　cannot；　and　things　e　about　according　to　my　plans；　I　will　get　in　touch　with　you　fairly　early　in　my　reign。　You　should　have　your　chance　to　take　the　Pattern　before　another　year　passes。〃
　〃And　if　you　fail？〃
　〃Then　you　will　have　a　longer　wait　ahead　of　you。　Until　Eric　has　assured　the　permanency　of　his　own　reign；　and　until　Benedict　has　acknowledged　him　king。　You　see；　Benedict　is　not　willing　to　do　this。　He　has　remained　away　from　Amber　for　a　long　while；　and　for　all　Eric　knows；　he　is　no　longer　among　the　living。　Should　he　put　in　an　appearance　now；　he　is　going　to　have　to　take　a　position　either　for　or　against　Eric。　Should　he　e　out　for　him；　then　the　continuance　of　Eric's　reign　will　be　assured　…　and　Benedict　does　not　want　to　be　responsible　for　that。　Should　he　e　out　against　him；　there　will　be　strife　…　and　he　does　not　want　to　be　responsible　for　that　either。　He　has　no　desire　for　the　crown　himself。　Only　by　remaining　out　of　the　picture　entirely　can　he　assure　the　measure　of　tranquility　that　does　prevail。　Were　he　to　appear　and　refuse　to　take　either　position；　he　could　possibly　get　away　with　it；　but　it　would　be　tantamount　to　denying　Eric's　kingship　and　would　still　lead　to　trouble。　Were　he　to　appear　with　you；　he　would　be　surrendering　his　will；　for　Eric　would　put　pressure　on　him　through　you。〃
　〃Then　if　you　lose　I　might　never　get　to　Amber！〃
　〃I　am　only　describing　the　situation　as　I　see　it。　There　are　doubtless　many　factors　of　which　I　am　unaware。　I　have　been　out　of　circulation　for　a　long　while。〃
　〃You　must　win！〃　she　said。　Then；　suddenly；　〃Would　Grandpa　support　you？〃
　〃I　doubt　it。　But　the　situation　would　be　quite　different。　I　am　aware　of　his　existence；　and　of　yours。　I　will　not　ask　his　support。　So　long　as　he　does　not　oppose　me；　I　will　be　satisfied。　And　if　I　am　quick；　efficient；　and　successful；　he　will　not　oppose　me。　He　will　not　like　my　having　found　out　about　you；　but　when　he　sees　that　I　mean　you　no　harm　all　will　be　well　on　that　count。〃
　〃Why　would　you　not