rz.signoftheunicorn-第27部分

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he　strain　on　my　sutures。　It　was　not　all　that　urgent；　though。　Eight　hours'　sleep　in　Amber　would　e　to　around　twenty　hours　here；　so　everyone　should　still　have　been　respectably　retired　back　home。　I　wanted　to　get　hold　of　Random；　though；　to　e　up　with　some　sort　of　cover　story　for　my　not　being　there　in　the　morning。　Later。
　I　did　not　want　to　look　suspicious　at　a　time　like　this。　Also；　I　wanted　to　know　immediately　whatever　Brand　had　to　say。　I　wanted　to　be　in　a　position　to　act　on　it。　I　did　a　quick　bit　of　mental　juggling。　If　I　could　do　the　worst　of　my　recovering　here　in　Shadow；　it　would　mean　less　wasted　time　for　me　back　in　Amber。　I　would　have　to　budget　my　time　carefully　and　avoid　plications　on　this　end。　I　hoped　that　Bill　would　arrive　soon。　I　was　anxious　to　know　what　the　picture　was　in　this　place。
　Bill　was　a　native　of　the　area；　had　gone　to　school　in　Buffalo；　e　back；　married；　joined　the　family　firm；　and　that　was　that。　He　had　known　me　as　a　retired　Army　officer　who　sometimes　traveled　on　vague　business。　We　both　belonged　to　the　country　club；　which　was　where　I　had　met　him。　I　had　known　him　for　over　a　year　without　our　exchanging　more　than　a　few　words。　Then　one　evening　I　happened　to　be　next　to　him　in　the　bar　and　it　had　somehow　e　out　that　he　was　hot　on　military　history；　particularly　the　Napoleonic　Wars。　The　next　thing　we　knew；　they　were　closing　up　the　place　around　us。　We　were　close　friends　from　then　on；　right　up　until　the　time　of　my　difficulties。　I　had　occasionally　wondered　about　him　since。　In　fact；　the　only　thing　that　had　prevented　me　from　seeing　him　the　last　time　I　had　passed　through　was　that　he　would　doubtless　have　had　all　sorts　of　questions　as　to　what　had　bee　of　me；　and　I　had　had　too　many　things　on　my　mind　to　deal　with　them　all　that　gracefully　and　still　enjoy　myself。　I　had　even　thought　once　or　twice　of　ing　back　and　seeing　him　if　I　could；　when　everything　was　finally　settled　in　Amber。　Next　to　the　fact　that　this　was　not　the　case；　I　regretted　not　being　able　to　meet　him　in　the　club　lounge。
　He　arrived　within　the　hour；　short；　heavy；　ruddy；　a　bit　grayer　on　the　sides；　grinning；　nodding。　I　had　propped　myself　up　by　then；　already　tried　a　few　deep　breaths　and　decided　they　were　premature。　He　clasped　my　hand　and　took　the　bedside　chair。　He　had　his　briefcase　with　him。
　〃You　scared　the　hell　out　of　me　last　night；　Carl。　Thought　I　was　seeing　a　ghost；〃　he　said。
　I　nodded。
　〃A　bit　later；　and　I　might　have　been　one；〃　I　said。　〃Thanks。　How　have　you　been？〃
　Bill　sighed。
　〃Busy。　You　know。　The　same　old　stuff；　only　more　of　it。〃
　〃And　Alice？〃
　〃She's　fine。　And　we've　got　two　new　grandsons　…　Bill　Jr。's　…　twins。　Wait　a　minute。〃　He　fished　out　his　wallet　and　located　a　photo。　〃Here。〃
　I　studied　it；　noted　the　family　resemblances。
　〃Hard　to　believe；〃　I　said。
　〃You　don't　look　much　worse　for　the　years。〃　I　chuckled　and　patted　my　abdomen。
　〃Subtracting　that；　I　mean；〃　he　said。　〃Where　have　you　been？〃
　〃God！　Where　haven't　I　been！〃　I　said。　〃So　many　places　I've　lost　count。〃
　He　remained　expressionless；　caught　my　eyes　and　stared。
　〃Carl；　what　kind　of　trouble　are　you　in？〃　he　asked。
　I　smiled。
　〃If　you　mean　am　I　in　trouble　with　the　law；　the　answer　is　no。　My　troubles　actually　involve　another　country；　and　I　am　going　to　have　to　go　back　there　shortly。〃
　His　face　relaxed　again；　and　there　was　a　small　glint　behind　his　bifocals。
　〃Are　you　some　sort　of　military　adviser　in　that　place？〃
　I　nodded。
　〃Can　you　tell　me　where？〃
　I　shook　my　head。　〃Sorry。〃
　〃That　I　can　sort　of　understand；〃　he　said。　〃Dr。　Roth　told　me　what　you　said　had　happened　last　night。　Off　the　record　now；　was　it　connected　with　whatever　you　have　been　doing？〃
　I　nodded　again。
　〃That　makes　things　a　little　clearer；〃　he　said。　〃Not　much；　but　enough。　I　won't　even　ask　you　which　agency；　or　even　if　there　is　one。　I　have　always　known　you　to　be　a　gentleman；　and　a　rational　one　at　that。　That　was　why　I　grew　curious　at　the　time　of　your　disappearance　and　did　some　investigating。　I　felt　a　bit　officious　and　self…conscious　about　it。　But　your　civil　status　was　quite　puzzling；　and　I　wanted　to　know　what　had　happened。　Mainly；　because　I　was　concerned　about　you。　I　hope　that　doesn't　disturb　you。〃
　〃Disturb　me？〃　I　said。　〃There　aren't　that　many　people　who　care　what　happens　to　me。　I'm　grateful。　Also；　curious　what　you　discovered。　I　never　had　the　time　to　look　into　it；　you　know；　to　straighten　things　out。　How　about　telling　me　what　you　learned？〃
　He　opened　the　briefcase　and　withdrew　a　manila　folder。　Spreading　it　across　his　knees；　he　shuffled　out　several　sheets　of　yellow　paper　covered　with　neat　handwriting。　Raising　the　first　of　these；　he　regarded　it　a　moment；　then　said；　〃After　you　escaped　from　the　hospital　in　Albany　and　had　your　accident；　Brandon　apparently　dropped　out　of　the　picture　and　…　〃
　〃Stop！〃　I　said；　raising　my　hand；　trying　to　sit　up。
　〃What？〃　he　asked。
　〃You　have　the　order　wrong；　also　the　place；〃　I　said。　〃First　came　the　accident；　and　Greenwood　is　not　in　Albany。〃
　〃I　know；〃　he　said。　〃I　was　referring　to　the　Porter　Sanitarium；　where　you　spent　two　days　and　then　escaped。　You　had　your　accident　that　same　day；　and　you　were　brought　here　as　a　result　of　it。　Then　your　sister　Evelyn　entered　the　picture。　She　had　you　transferred　to　Greenwood；　where　you　spent　a　couple　of　weeks　before　departing　on　your　own　motion　once　again。　Right？〃
　〃Partly；〃　I　said。　〃Namely；　the　last　part。　As　I　was　telling　the　doctor　earlier；　my　memory　is　shot　for　a　couple　of　days　prior　to　the　accident。　This　business　about　a　place　in　Albany　does　sort　of　seem　to　ring　a　bell；　but　only　very　faintly。　Do　you　have　more　on　it？〃
　〃Oh　yes；〃　he　said。　〃It　may　even　have　something　to　do　with　the　state　of　your　memory。　You　were　mitted　on　a　bum　order　…〃
　〃By　whom？〃　He　shook　the　paper　and　peered。
　〃'Brother；　Brandon　Corey；　attendant　physician；　Hillary　B。　Rand；　psychiatrist；〃　he　read。　〃Hear　any　more　bells？〃
　〃Quite　possibly；〃　I　said。　〃Go　ahead。〃
　〃Well；　an　order　got　signed　on　that　basis；〃　he　said。　〃You　were　duly　certified；　taken　into　custody；　and　transported。　Then；　concerning　your　memory。。。〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃I　don't　know　that　much　about　the　practice　and　its　effects　on　the　memory；　but　you　were　subjected　to　electroshock　therapy　while　you　were　at　Porter。　Then；　as　I　said；　the　record　indicates　that　you　escaped　after　the　second　day。　You　apparently　recovered　your　car　from　some　unspecified　locale　and　were　heading　back　this　way　when　you　had　the　accident。〃
　〃That　seems　right；〃　I　said。　〃It　does。〃　For　a　moment；　when　he　had　begun　talking；　I　had　had　a　wild　vision　of　having　been　returned　to　the　wrong　shadow　…　one　where　everything　was　similar；　but　not　congruent。　Now；　though；　I　did　not　believe　this　to　be　the　case。　I　was　responding　to　this　story　on　some　level。
　〃Now；　about　that　order；〃　he　said。　〃It　was　based　on　false　evidence；　but　there　was　no　way　of　the　court's　knowing　it　at　the　time。　The　real　Dr。　Rand　was　in　England　when　everything　happened；　and　when　I　contacted　him　later　he　had　never　heard　of　you。　His　office　had　been　broken　into　while　he　was　away；　though。　Also；　peculiarly；　his　middle　initial　is　not　B。　He　had　never　heard　of　Brandon　Corey　either。〃
　〃What　did　bee　of　Brandon？〃
　〃He　simply　vanished。　Several　attempts　were　made　to　contact　him　at　the　time　of　your　escape　from　Porter；　but　he　could　not　be　found。　Then　you　had　the　accident；　were　brought　here　and　treated。　At　that　time；　a　woman　named　Evelyn　Flaumel；　who　represented　herself　as　your　sister；　contacted　this　place；　told　them　you　had　been　probated　and　that　the　family　wanted　you　transferred　to　Greenwood。　In　the　absence　of　Brandon；　who　had　been　appointed　your　guardian；　her　instructions　were　followed；　as　the　only　available　next　of　kin。　That　was　how　it　came　about　that　you　were　sent　to　the　other　place。　You　escaped　again；　a　couple　of　weeks　later；　and　that　is　where　my　chronology　ends。〃
　〃Then　what　is　my　legal　status　right　now？〃　I　asked。
　〃Oh；　you've　been　made　whole；〃　he　said。　〃Dr。　Rand　went　down　after　I　talked　with　him　and　gave　the　court　an　affidavit　reciting　these　facts。　The　order　was　vacated。〃
　〃Then　why　is　the　doctor　here　acting　as　if　I　might　be　a　psycho　case？〃
　〃Oh　my！　That　is　a　thought。　It　hadn't　occurred　to　me。　All　their　records　here　would　show　is　that　one　time　you　apparently　were。　I　had　better　see　him　on　the　way　out。　I　have　a