rz.signoftheunicorn-第13部分

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　〃Since　Eric　is　no　longer　around　to　confirm　or　deny　anything；　we　will　simply　have　to　let　it　go；〃　I　said；　〃for　now；〃　and　I　said　it　to　make　her　look　even　harder　to　her　defense；　to　direct　her　attention　away　from　any　possible　slip；　either　in　word　or　expression；　from　which　she　might　infer　the　small　flaw　which　still　existed　in　my　memory。
　〃Did　you　later　bee　aware　of　the　identity　of　the　person　with　the　gun？〃　I　asked。
　〃Never；〃　she　said。　〃Most　likely　some　hired　thug。　I　don't　know。〃
　〃Have　you　any　idea　how　long　I　was　unconscious　before　someone　found　me；　took　me　to　a　hospital？〃
　She　shook　her　head　again。
　Something　was　bothering　me　and　I　could　not　quite　put　my　finger　on　it。
　〃Did　Eric　say　what　time　I　had　been　taken　into　the　hospital？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃When　I　was　with　you；　why　did　you　try　walking　back　to　Amber　rather　than　using　Eric's　Trump？〃
　〃I　couldn't　raise　him。〃
　〃You　could　have　called　someone　else　to　bring　you　through；〃　I　said。　〃Flora；　I　think　you　are　lying　to　me。〃
　It　was　really　only　a　test；　to　observe　her　reaction。　Why　not？
　〃About　what？〃　she　asked。　〃I　couldn't　raise　anyone　else。　They　were　all　otherwise　occupied。　Is　that　what　you　mean？〃
　She　studied　me。
　I　raised　my　arm　and　pointed　at　her　and　the　lightning　flashed　at　my　back；　just　outside　the　window。　I　felt　a　tingle；　a　mild　jolt。　The　thunderclap　was　also　impressive。　〃You　sin　by　omission；〃　I　tried。
　She　covered　her　face　with　her　hands　and　began　to　weep。
　〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean！〃　she　said。　〃I　answered　all　your　questions！　What　do　you　want？　I　don't　know　where　you　were　going　or　who　shot　at　you　or　what　time　it　occurred！　I　just　know　the　facts　I've　given　you；　damn　it！〃
　She　was　either　sincere　or　unbreakable　by　these　means；　I　decided。　Whichever；　I　was　wasting　my　time　and　could　get　nothing　more　this　way。　Also；　I　had　better　switch　us　away　from　the　accident　before　she　began　thinking　too　much　about　its　importance　to　me。　If　there　was　something　there　that　I　was　missing；　I　wanted　to　find　it　first。
　〃e　with　me；〃　I　said。
　〃Where　are　we　going？〃
　〃I　have　something　I　want　you　to　identify。　I　will　tell　you　why　after　you　see　it。〃
　She　rose　and　followed　me。　I　took　her　up　the　hall　to　see　the　body　before　I　gave　her　the　story　on　Caine。　She　regarded　the　corpse　quite　dispassionately。　She　nodded。
　〃Yes；〃　she　said；　and；　〃Even　if　I　did　not　know　it　I　would　be　glad　to　say　that　I　did；　for　you。〃
　I　grunted　a　nonmittal。　Family　loyalty　always　touches　me；　somewhere。　I　could　not　tell　whether　she　believed　what　I　had　said　about　Caine。　But　things　sort　of　equal　to　equal　things　sort　of　being　equal　to　each　other；　it　didn't　much　seem　to　matter。　I　did　not　tell　her　anything　about　Brand　and　she　did　not　seem　to　possess　any　new　information　concerning　him。　Her　only　other　ment　when　everything　I'd　had　to　say　was　said；　was；　〃You　wear　the　jewel　well。　What　about　the　headpiece？〃
　〃It　is　too　soon　to　talk　of　such　things；〃　I　told　her。
　〃Whatever　my　support　may　be　worth。。。〃
　〃I　know；〃　I　said。　〃I　know。〃
　
　***
　
　My　tomb　is　a　quiet　place。　It　stands　alone　in　a　rocky　declivity；　shielded　on　three　sides　against　the　elements；　surrounded　by　transported　soil　wherein　a　pair　of　scrubby　trees；　miscellaneous　shrubs；　weeds；　and　great　ropes　of　mountain　ivy　are　rooted；　about　two　miles　down；　in　back　of　the　crest　of　Kolvir。　It　is　a　long；　low　building　with　two　benches　in　front；　and　the　ivy　has　contrived　to　cover　it　to　a　great　extent；　mercifully　masking　most　of　a　bombastic　statement　graven　on　its　face　beneath　my　name。　It　is；　understandably；　vacant　most　of　the　time。
　That　evening；　however；　Ganelon　and　I　repaired　thither；　acpanied　by　a　good　supply　of　wine　and　some　loaves　and　cold　cuts。
　〃You　weren't　joking！〃　he　said；　having　dismounted；　crossed　over；　and　parted　the　ivy；　able　to　read　by　the　moon's　light　the　words　that　were　rendered　there。
　〃Of　course　not；〃　I　said；　climbing　down　and　taking　charge　of　the　horses。　〃It's　mine　all　right。〃
　Tethering　our　mounts　to　a　nearby　shrub；　I　unslung　our　bags　of　provisions　and　carried　them　to　the　nearest　bench。　Ganelon　joined　me　as　I　opened　the　first　bottle　and　poured　us　a　dark；　deep　pair。
　〃I　still　don't　understand；〃　he　said；　accepting　his。
　〃What's　there　to　understand？　I'm　dead　and　buried　there；〃　I　said。　〃It's　my　cenotaph；　is　what　it　is　…　the　monument　that　gets　set　up　when　the　body　has　not　been　recovered。　I　only　just　learned　about　mine　recently。　It　was　raised　several　centuries　ago；　when　it　was　decided　I　wasn't　ing　back。〃
　〃Kind　of　spooky；〃　he　said。　〃What's　inside　then？〃
　〃Nothing。　Though　they　did　thoughtfully　provide　a　niche　and　a　casket；　just　in　case　my　remains　put　in　an　appearance。　You　cover　both　bets　that　way。〃
　Ganelon　made　himself　a　sandwich。
　〃Whose　idea　was　it？〃　he　asked。
　〃Random　thinks　it　was　Brand's　or　Eric's。　No　one　remembers　for　sure。　They　all　seemed　to　feel　it　was　a　good　idea　at　the　time。〃
　He　chuckled；　an　evil　noise　that　perfectly　suited　his　creased；　scarred；　and　red…bearded　self。
　〃What's　to　bee　of　it　now？〃
　I　shrugged。
　〃I　suppose　some　of　them　think　it's　a　shame　to　waste　it　this　way　and　would　like　to　see　me　fill　it。　In　the　meantime；　though；　it's　a　good　place　to　e　and　get　drunk。　I　hadn't　really　paid　my　respects　yet。〃
　I　put　together　a　pair　of　sandwiches　and　ate　them　both。　This　was　the　first　real　breather　I　had　had　since　my　return；　and　perhaps　the　last　for　some　time　to　e。　It　was　impossible　to　say。　But　I　had　not　really　had　a　chance　to　speak　with　Ganelon　at　any　length　during　the　past　week；　and　he　was　one　of　the　few　persons　I　trusted。　I　wanted　to　tell　him　everything。　I　had　to。　I　had　to　talk　with　someone　who　was　not　a　part　of　it　in　the　same　way　as　the　rest　of　us。　So　I　did。
　The　moon　moved　a　considerable　distance　and　the　shards　of　broken　glass　multiplied　within　my　crypt。
　〃So　how　did　the　others　take　it？〃　he　asked　me。
　〃Predictably；〃　I　answered。　〃I　could　tell　that　Julian　did　not　believe　a　word　of　it　even　though　he　said　that　he　did。　He　knows　how　I　feel　about　him；　and　he　is　in　no　position　to　challenge　me。　I　don't　think　Benedict　believes　me　either；　but　he　is　a　lot　harder　to　read。　He　is　biding　his　time；　and　I　hope　giving　me　the　benefit　of　the　doubt　while　he　is　about　it。　As　for　Gerard；　I　have　the　feeling　that　this　was　the　final　weight；　and　whatever　trust　he　had　left　for　me　has　just　collapsed。　Still；　he　will　be　returning　to　Amber　early　tomorrow；　to　acpany　me　to　the　grove　to　recover　Caine's　body。　No　sense　in　turning　it　into　a　safari；　but　I　did　want　another　family　member　present。　Deirdre　now　…　she　seemed　happy　about　it。　Didn't　believe　a　word；　I'm　sure。　But　no　matter。　She　has　always　been　on　my　side；　and　she　has　never　liked　Caine。　I'd　say　she　is　glad　that　I　seem　to　be　consolidating　my　position。　I　can't　really　tell　whether　Llewella　believed　me　or　not。　She　doesn't　much　give　a　damn　what　the　rest　of　us　do　to　one　another；　so　far　as　I　can　see。　As　to　Fiona；　she　simply　seemed　amused　at　the　whole　business。　But　then；　she　has　always　had　this　detached；　superior　way　of　regarding　things。　You　can　never　be　certain　what　represents　her　real　thinking。〃
　〃Did　you　tell　them　the　business　about　Brand　yet？〃
　〃No。　I　told　them　about　Caine　and　I　told　them　I　wanted　them　all　to　be　in　Amber　by　tomorrow　evening。　That　is　when　the　subject　of　Brand　will　be　raised。　I've　an　idea　I　want　to　try　out。〃
　〃You　contacted　all　of　them　by　means　of　the　Trumps？〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃There　is　something　I　have　been　meaning　to　ask　you　about　that。　Back　on　the　shadow　world　we　visited　to　obtain　the　weapons；　there　are　telephones。。。〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃I　learned　about　wiretaps　and　such　while　we　were　there。　Is　it　possible；　do　you　think；　that　the　Trumps　could　be　bugged？〃
　I　began　to　laugh；　then　caught　myself　as　some　of　the　implications　of　his　suggestion　sank　in。　Finally；　〃I　don't　really　know；〃　I　said。　〃So　much　concerning　Dworkin's　work　remains　a　mystery　…　the　thought　just　never　occurred　to　me。　I've　never　tried　it　myself。　I　wonder；　though。。。〃
　〃Do　you　know　how　many　sets　there　are？〃
　〃Well；　everyone　in　the　family　has　a　pack　or　two　and　there　were　a　dozen　or　so　spares　in　the　library。　I　don't　really　know　whether　there　are　any　others。〃
　〃It　seems　to　me　that　a　lot　could　be　learned　just　by　listening　in。〃
　〃Yes。　Dad's　deck。　Brand's；　my　original　pack；　the　one　Random　lost　…　Hell！　There　are　quite　a　num