rz.thegunsofavalon-第41部分

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t　lessened　chances　of　surprise　by　one　of　Julian's　patrols。　The　trees　were　quite　large；　as　we　were　well　into　Arden　proper；　and　the　topography　sprang　back　into　mind　as　we　moved。
　We　encountered　nothing　more　menacing　than　foxes；　deer；　rabbits；　and　squirrels　that　day。　The　smells　of　the　place　and　its　green；　gold；　and　brown　brought　back　thoughts　of　happier　times。　Near　sunset；　I　scaled　a　forest　giant　and　was　able　to　make　out　the　range　that　held　Kolvir。　A　storm　was　playing　about　its　peaks　just　then　and　its　clouds　hid　their　highest　portions。
　The　following　noon　we　ran　into　one　of　Julian's　patrols。　I　do　not　really　know　who　surprised　whom；　or　who　was　more　surprised。　The　firing　broke　out　almost　immediately。　I　shouted　myself　hoarse　stopping　it；　as　everyone　seemed　anxious　to　try　out　his　weapon　on　a　live　target。　It　was　a　small　group　…　a　dozen　and　a　half　men　…　and　we　got　all　of　them。　We　suffered　only　one　minor　casualty；　from　one　of　our　men　wounding　another　…　or　perhaps　the　man　had　wounded　himself。　I　never　got　the　story　straight。　We　moved　on　quickly　then；　because　we　had　made　a　hell　of　a　racket　and　I　had　no　idea　as　to　the　disposition　of　other　forces　in　the　vicinity。
　We　gained　considerable　distance　and　altitude　by　nightfall；　and　the　mountains　were　in　sight　whenever　there　was　a　clear　line　of　vision。　The　storm　clouds　still　clung　to　their　peaks。　My　troops　were　excited　over　the　day's　slaughter　and　took　a　long　while　getting　to　sleep　that　night。
　The　next　day　we　reached　the　foothills；　successfully　avoiding　two　patrols。　I　pushed　us　on　and　up　well　after　nightfall；　to　reach　a　place　of　cover　I　had　had　in　mind。　We　bedded　down　at　an　altitude　perhaps　half　a　mile　higher　than　we　had　the　previous　night。　We　were　under　the　cloud　cover；　but　there　was　no　rainfall；　despite　a　constant　atmospheric　tension　of　the　sort　that　precedes　a　storm。　I　did　not　sleep　well　that　night。　I　dreamed　of　the　burning　cat　head；　and　of　Lorraine。
　In　the　morning；　we　moved　out　under　gray　skies；　and　I　pushed　the　troops　remorselessly；　heading　steadily　upward。　We　heard　the　sounds　of　distant　thunder；　and　the　air　was　alive　and　electric。
　About　mid…morning；　as　I　led　our　file　up　a　twisted；　rocky　route；　I　heard　a　shout　from　behind　me；　followed　by　several　bursts　of　gunfire。　I　headed　back　immediately。
　A　small　knot　of　men；　Ganelon　among　them；　stood　staring　down　at　something；　talking　in　low　voices。　I　pushed　my　way　through。
　I　could　not　believe　it。　Never　in　my　memory　had　one　been　seen　this　near　to　Amber。　Perhaps　twelve　feet　in　length；　bearing　that　terrible　parody　of　a　human　face　on　the　shoulders　of　a　lion；　eagle…like　wings　folded　above　its　now　bloody　sides；　a　still…twitching　tail　like　that　of　a　scorpion；　I　had　glimpsed　the　manticora　once　in　isles　far　to　the　south；　a　frightful　beast　that　had　always　held　a　spot　near　the　top　on　my　unclean　list。
　〃It　tore　Rall　in　half；　it　tore　Rall　in　half；〃　one　of　the　men　kept　repeating。
　About　twenty　paces　away；　I　saw　what　was　left　of　Rall。　We　covered　him　over　with　a　tarp　and　weighted　it　down　with　rocks。　That　was　really　about　all　that　we　could　do。　If　nothing　else；　it　served　to　restore　a　quality　of　wariness　that　had　seemed　to　vanish　after　the　previous　day's　easy　victory。　The　men　were　silent　and　cautious　as　we　continued　on　our　way。
　〃Quite　a　thing；　that；〃　Ganelon　said。　〃Has　it　the　intelligence　of　a　man？〃
　〃I　do　not　really　know。〃
　〃I've　a　funny；　nervous　feeling；　Corwin。　As　though　something　terrible　is　about　to　happen。　I　don't　know　how　else　to　put　it。〃
　〃I　know。〃
　〃You　feel　it；　too？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　He　nodded。
　〃Maybe　it's　the　weather；〃　I　said。　He　nodded　again；　more　slowly。
　The　sky　continued　to　darken　as　we　climbed；　and　the　thunder　never　ceased。　Flashes　of　heat　lightning　occurred　in　the　west；　and　the　winds　grew　stronger。　Looking　up；　I　could　see　great　masses　of　clouds　about　the　higher　peaks。　Black；　bird…like　shapes　were　constantly　outlined　against　them。
　We　encountered　another　manticora　later；　but　we　dispatched　it　with　no　damage　to　ourselves。　About　an　hour　later；　we　were　attacked　by　a　flock　of　large；　razor…beaked　birds；　the　like　of　which　I　had　never　seen　before。　We　succeeded　in　driving　them　off；　but　this；　too；　disturbed　me。
　We　kept　climbing；　wondering　when　the　storm　was　going　to　begin。　The　winds　increased　in　velocity。
　It　grew　quite　dark；　though　I　knew　the　sun　had　not　yet　set。　The　air　took　on　a　misty；　hazy　quality　as　we　neared　the　cloud　clusters。　A　feeling　of　dampness　worked　it　way　into　everything。　The　rocks　were　more　slippery。　I　was　tempted　to　call　a　halt；　but　we　were　still　a　good　distance　from　Kolvir　and　I　did　not　want　to　strain　the　rations　situation；　which　I　had　calculated　quite　carefully。
　We　achieved　perhaps　another　four　miles　and　several　thousand　feet　in　elevation　before　we　were　forced　to　stop。　It　was　pitch　black　by　then；　the　only　illumination　at　all　ing　from　the　intermittent　flashes　of　lightning。　We　camped　in　a　large　circle　on　a　hard；　bare　slope；　sentries　all　about　the　perimeter。　The　thunder　came　like　long　flourishes　of　martial　music。　The　temperature　plummeted。　Even　had　I　permitted　fires；　there　was　nothing　burnable　about。　We　settled　down　for　a　cold；　clammy；　dark　time。
　The　manticoras　attacked　several　hours　later；　sudden　and　silent。　Seven　men　died　and　we　killed　sixteen　of　the　beasts。　I　have　no　idea　how　many　others　fled。　I　cursed　Eric　as　I　bound　my　wounds　and　wondered　from　what　shadow　he　had　drawn　the　things。
　During　what　passed　for　morning；　we　advanced　perhaps　five　miles　toward　Kolvir　before　bearing　off　to　the　west。　It　was　one　of　three　possible　routes　we　could　follow；　and　I　had　always　considered　it　the　best　for　a　possible　attack。　The　birds　came　to　plague　us　again；　several　times；　with　greater　numbers　and　persistency。　Shooting　a　few　of　them；　though；　was　all　it　took　to　route　the　entire　flock。
　Finally；　we　rounded　the　base　of　a　huge　escarpment；　our　way　taking　us　outward　and　upward　through　thunder　and　mist；　until　we　were　afforded　a　sudden　vista；　sweeping　down　and　out　for　dozens　of　miles　across　the　Valley　of　Garnath　that　lay　to　our　right。
　I　called　a　halt　and　moved　forward　to　observe。
　When　last　I　had　seen　that　once　lovely　valley；　it　had　been　a　twisted　wilderness。　Now；　things　were　even　worse。　The　black　road　cut　through　it；　running　to　the　base　of　Kolvir　itself；　where　it　halted。　A　battle　was　raging　within　the　valley。　Mounted　forces　swirled　together；　engaged；　wheeled　away。　Lines　of　foot　soldiers　advanced；　met；　fell　back。　The　lightning　kept　flashing　and　striking　among　them。　The　dark　birds　swept　about　them　like　ashes　on　the　wind。
　The　dampness　lay　like　a　cold　blanket。　The　echoes　of　the　thunder　bounced　about　the　peaks。　I　stared；　puzzling；　at　the　conflict　far　below。
　The　distance　was　too　great　for　me　to　determine　the　batants。　At　first　it　occurred　to　me　that　someone　else　might　be　about　the　same　thing　I　was　…　that　perhaps　Bleys　had　survived　and　returned　with　a　new　army。
　But　no。　These　were　ing　in　from　the　west；　along　the　black　road。　And　I　saw　now　that　the　birds　acpanied　them；　and　bounding　forms　that　were　neither　horses　nor　men。　The　manticoras；　perhaps。
　The　lightnings　fell　upon　them　as　they　came；　scattering；　burning；　blasting。　As　I　realized　that　they　never　struck　near　the　defenders；　I　recalled　that　Eric　had　apparently　gained　some　measure　of　control　over　that　device　known　as　the　Jewel　of　Judgment；　with　which　Dad　had　exercised　his　will　upon　the　weather　about　Amber。　Eric　had　employed　it　against　us　with　considerable　effect　five　years　earlier。
　So　the　forces　from　Shadow　about　which　I　had　been　hearing　reports；　were　even　stronger　than　I　had　thought。　I　had　envisioned　harassment；　but　not　a　pitched　battle　at　the　foot　of　Kolvir。　I　looked　down　at　the　movements　within　the　blackness。　The　road　seemed　almost　to　writhe　from　the　activity　about　it。
　Ganelon　came　and　stood　beside　me。　He　was　silent　for　a　long　while。
　I　did　not　want　him　to　ask　me；　but　I　felt　powerless　to　say　it　except　as　answer　to　a　question。
　〃What　now；　Corwin？〃
　〃We　must　increase　the　pace；〃　I　said。　〃I　want　to　be　in　Amber　tonight。〃
　We　moved　again。　The　going　was　better　for　a　time；　and　that　helped。　The　storm　without　rain　continued；　its　lightnings　and　thunders　increasing　in　brilliance　and　volume。　We　moved　through　a　constant　twilight。
　When　we　came　to　a　safe…seeming　place　later