rz.thegunsofavalon-第38部分

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　〃It　does　not　matter。〃
　〃Confidence　is　a　fine　thing。　Then　there　is　foolhardiness。。。〃　He　shrugged。　〃Have　it　as　you　say　then　…　your　problem。〃
　Then　I　told　him　about　the　ammo　and　he　must　have　been　convinced　as　to　my　mental　deterioration。　He　just　stared　at　me　for　a　long　while；　not　even　shaking　his　head　this　time。　It　was　a　good　ten　minutes　before　I　could　even　get　him　to　look　at　the　specifications。　It　was　then　that　he　began　shaking　his　head　and　mumbling　about　silver　bullets　and　inert　primers。
　The　ultimate　arbiter；　cash；　convinced　him　we　would　do　it　my　way；　however。　There　was　no　trouble　on　the　rifles　or　the　trucks；　but　persuading　an　arms　factory　to　produce　my　ammo　was　going　to　be　expensive；　he　told　me。　He　was　not　even　certain　he　could　find　one　that　would　be　willing。　When　I　told　him　that　the　cost　was　no　object；　it　seemed　to　upset　him　even　more。　If　I　could　afford　to　indulge　in　weird；　experimental　ammo；　an　end…use　certificate　would　not　e　to　that　much　…
　No。　I　told　him　no。　My　way；　I　reminded　him。
　He　sighed　and　tugged　at　the　fringe　of　his　mustache。　Then　he　nodded。　Very　well；　we　would　do　it　my　way。
　He　overcharged　me；　of　course。　Since　I　was　rational　in　all　other　matters；　the　alternative　to　psychosis　would　be　that　I　was　party　to　an　expensive　boondoggle。　While　the　ramifications　must　have　intrigued　him；　he　apparently　decided　not　to　look　too　far　into　such　a　sticky…seeming　enterprise。　He　was　willing　to　seize　every　opportunity　I　extended　for　dissociating　himself　from　the　project。　Once　he　found　the　ammo　people　…　a　Swiss　outfit　as　it　turned　out　…　he　was　quite　willing　to　put　me　into　contact　with　them　and　wash　his　hands　of　everything　but　the　money。
　Ganelon　and　I　went　to　Switzerland　on　fake　papers。　He　was　a　German　and　I　was　Portuguese。　I　did　not　especially　care　what　my　papers　showed；　so　long　as　the　forgery　was　of　good　quality；　but　I　had　settled　on　German　as　the　best　language　for　Ganelon　to　learn；　since　he　had　to　learn　one　and　German　tourists　have　always　seemed　to　be　all　over　the　place。　He　picked　it　up　quite　rapidly。　I　had　told　him　to　tell　any　real　Germans　and　any　Swiss　who　asked　that　he　had　been　raised　in　Finland。
　We　spent　three　weeks　in　Switzerland　before　I　was　satisfied　with　the　quality　controls　on　my　ammo。　As　I　had　suspected；　the　stuff　was　totally　inert　in　this　shadow。　I　had　worked　out　the　formula；　though；　which　was　all　that　really　mattered　at　that　point。　The　silver　came　high；　of　course。　Perhaps　I　was　being　over…cautious。　Still；　there　are　some　things　about　Amber　that　are　best　dispatched　with　that　metal；　and　I　could　afford　it。　For　that　matter；　what　better　bullet　…　short　of　gold　…　for　a　king？　Should　I　wind　up　shooting　Eric；　there　would　be　no　lese…majeste　involved。　Indulge　me；　brothers。
　Then　I　left　Ganelon　to　shift　for　himself　for　a　time；　since　he　had　thrown　himself　into　his　tourist　role　in　a　true　Stanislavskian　fashion。　I　saw　him　off　to　Italy；　camera　about　his　neck　and　a　faraway　look　in　his　eyes；　and　I　flew　back　to　the　States。
　Back？　Yes。　That　run…down　place　on　the　hillside　below　me　had　been　my　home　for　the　better　part　of　a　decade。　I　had　been　heading　toward　it　when　I　was　forced　off　the　road　and　into　the　accident　which　led　to　everything　which　has　since　occurred。
　I　drew　on　my　cigarette　and　regarded　the　place。　It　had　not　been　run…down　then。　I　had　always　kept　it　in　good　shape。　The　place　had　been　pletely　paid　for。　Six　rooms　and　an　attached　two…car　garage。　Around　seven　acres。　The　whole　hillside；　actually。　I　had　lived　there　alone　most　of　the　time。　I　had　liked　it。　I　had　spent　much　of　my　time　in　the　den　and　in　my　workshop。　I　wondered　whether　the　Mori　woodcut　still　hung　in　my　study。　Face　to　Face　it　was　called；　and　it　depicted　two　warriors　in　mortal　bat。　It　would　be　nice　to　have　it　back。　It　would　be　gone；　though；　I　felt。　Probably　everything　that　had　not　been　stolen　had　been　sold　for　back　taxes。　I　imagined　that　was　what　the　State　of　New　York　would　do。　I　was　surprised　that　the　house　itself　seemed　not　to　have　acquired　new　occupants。　I　kept　watching；　to　make　certain。　Hell；　I　was　in　no　hurry。　There　was　no　place　else　I　had　to　be。
　I　had　contacted　Gerard　shortly　after　my　arrival　in　Belgium。　I　had　decided　against　trying　to　talk　with　Benedict　for　the　time　being。　I　was　afraid　that　he　would　simply　try　to　attack　me；　one　way　or　the　other；　if　I　did。
　Gerard　had　studied　me　quite　carefully。　He　was　out　somewhere　in　open　country　and　he　seemed　to　be　alone。　〃Corwin？〃　he　had　said；　then；　〃Yes。。。〃
　〃Right。　What　happened　with　Benedict？〃
　〃I　found　him　as　you　said　he　would　be　and　I　released　him。　He　was　set　to　pursue　you　once　again；　but　I　was　able　to　persuade　him　that　a　considerable　time　had　passed　since　I　had　seen　you。　Since　you　said　you　had　left　him　unconscious；　I　figured　that　was　the　best　line　to　take。　Also；　his　horse　was　very　tired。　We　went　back　to　Avalon　together。　I　remained　with　him　through　the　funerals；　then　borrowed　a　horse。　I　am　on　my　way　back　to　Amber　now。〃
　〃Funerals？　What　funerals？〃
　Again；　that　calculating　look。
　〃You　really　do　not　know？〃　he　said。
　〃If　I　knew；　damn　it；　I　would　not　ask！〃
　〃His　servants。　They　were　murdered。　He　says　you　did　it。〃
　〃No；〃　I　said。　〃No。　That　is　ridiculous。　Why　should　I　want　to　murder　his　servants？　I　do　not　understand。。。〃
　〃It　was　not　long　after　his　return　that　he　went　looking　for　them；　as　they　were　not　on　hand　to　wele　him。　He　found　them　murdered　and　you　and　your　panion　gone。〃
　〃Now　I　see　how　it　looked；〃　I　said。　〃Where　were　the　bodies？〃
　〃Buried；　but　not　too　deeply；　in　the　little　wood　behind　the　garden　to　the　rear　of　the　house。〃
　Just　so；　just　so。。。　Better　not　to　mention　I　had　known　about　the　grave。
　〃But　what　possible　reason　does　he　think　I　could　have　for　doing　such　a　thing？〃　I　protested。
　〃He　is　puzzled；　Corwin。　Very　puzzled；　now。　He　could　not　understand　why　you　did　not　kill　him　when　you　had　the　chance；　and　why　you　sent　for　me　when　you　could　have　just　left　him　there。〃
　〃I　see　now　why　he　kept　calling　me　a　murderer　as　we　fought；　but　…　Did　you　tell　him　what　I　said　about　not　having　slain　anyone？〃
　〃Yes。　At　first　he　shrugged　it　off　as　a　self…serving　statement。　I　told　him　you　sounded　sincere；　and　very　puzzled　yourself。　I　believe　it　bothered　him　a　bit　that　you　should　be　so　insistent。　He　asked　me　several　times　whether　I　believed　you。〃
　〃Do　you？〃
　He　dropped　his　eyes。
　〃Damn　it；　Corwin！　What　am　I　supposed　to　believe？　I　came　into　the　middle　of　this。　We　have　been　apart　for　so　long。。。〃
　He　met　my　gaze。
　〃There　is　more　to　it；〃　he　said。
　〃What　is　that？〃
　〃Why　did　you　call　me　to　help　him？　That　was　a　plete　deck　you　took。　You　could　have　called　any　of　us。〃
　〃You　must　be　joking；〃　I　said。
　〃No；　I　want　an　answer。〃
　〃Very　well。　You　are　the　only　other　one　I　trust。〃
　〃Is　that　all？〃
　〃No。　Benedict　does　not　want　his　whereabouts　known　back　in　Amber。　You　and　Julian　are　the　only　two　I　know　for　certain　to　be　aware　of　his　location。　I　don't　like　Julian；　I　don't　trust　him。　So　I　called　you。〃
　〃How　did　you　know　that　Julian　and　I　knew　about　him？〃
　〃He　helped　you　both　out　when　you　ran　into　trouble　on　the　black　road　awhile　back；　and　he　put　you　up　while　you　recuperated。　Dara　told　me　about　it。〃
　〃Dara？　Who　is　this　Dara　anyway？〃
　〃The　orphaned　daughter　of　a　couple　who　once　worked　for　Benedict；〃　I　said。　〃She　was　around　when　you　and　Julian　were　there。〃
　〃And　you　sent　her　a　bracelet。　You　also　mentioned　her　to　me　by　the　road；　back　when　you　summoned　me。〃
　〃Correct。　What　is　the　matter？〃
　〃Nothing。　I　do　not　really　remember　her；　though。　Tell　me；　why　did　you　leave　so　suddenly？　You　have　to　admit；　it　seemed　the　act　of　a　guilty　man。〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said；　〃I　was　guilty　…　but　not　of　murder。　I　went　to　Avalon　to　obtain　something　that　I　wanted；　I　got　it；　and　I　cleared　out。　You　saw　that　wagon；　and　you　saw　that　I　had　a　cargo　in　it。　I　got　out　before　he　returned　to　keep　from　answering　questions　Benedict　might　ask　me　about　it。　Hell！　If　I　just　wanted　to　run；　I　wouldn't　go　dragging　a　wagon　along　behind　me！　I'd　have　traveled　on　horseback；　fast　and　light。〃
　〃What　was　in　the　wagon？〃
　〃No；〃　I　said。　〃I　did　not　want　to　tell　Benedict　and　I　do　not　want　to　tell　you。　Oh；　he　can　find　out；　I　suppose。　But　let　him　do　it　the　hard　way；　if　he　must。　It　is　immaterial；　though。　The　fact　I　went　there　for　something　and　really　obtained　it　s