rz.signoftheunicorn-第29部分

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　〃Thanks　again。〃　I　shook　his　hand。
　〃By　the　way；〃　he　said；　〃you　did　agree　to　answer　a　question。〃
　〃I　did；　didn't　I？　What　is　it？〃
　〃Are　you　human？〃　he　asked；　still　gripping　my　hand；　no　special　expression　on　his　face。
　I　started　in　on　a　grin；　then　threw　it　away。
　〃I　don't　know。　I　…　I　like　to　think　so。　But　I　don't　really　…　Of　course　I　am！　That's　a　silly。。。　Oh　hell！　You　really　mean　it；　don't　you？　And　I　said　I'd　be　honest。。。〃
　I　chewed　my　lip　and　thought　for　a　moment。　Then；　〃I　don't　think　so；〃　I　said。
　〃Neither　do　I；〃　he　said；　and　he　smiled。　〃It　doesn't　make　any　real　difference　to　me；　but　I　thought　it　might　to　you　…　to　know　that　someone　knows　you　are　different　and　doesn't　care。〃
　〃I'll　remember　that；　too；〃　I　said。
　〃Well。。。　see　you　around。〃
　〃Right。〃
　
　
　Chapter　9
　
　It　was　just　after　the　state　patrolman　left。。。　Late　afternoon。　I　was　lying　there　feeling　better；　and　feeling　better　that　I　felt　better。　Lying　there；　reflecting　on　the　hazards　involved　in　living　in　Amber。　Brand　and　I　were　both　laid　up　by　means　of　the　family's　favorite　weapon。　I　wondered　who　had　gotten　it　worse。　Probably　he　had。　It　might　have　reached　his　kidney；　and　he　was　in　poor　condition　to　begin　with。
　I　had　stumbled　across　the　room　and　back　again　twice　before　Bill's　clerk　came　over　with　the　papers　for　me　to　sign。　It　was　necessary　that　I　know　my　limits。　It　always　is。　Since　I　tended　to　heal　several　times　faster　than　those　about　me　in　that　shadow；　I　felt　that　I　ought　to　be　able　to　stand　and　walk　some；　to　perform　in　the　same　fashion　as　one　of　these　after；　say；　a　day　and　a　half；　maybe　two。　I　established　that　I　could。　It　did　hurt；　and　I　was　dizzy　the　first　time；　less　dizzy　the　second。　That　was　something；　anyway。　So　I　lay　there　feeling　better。
　I　had　fanned　the　Trumps　dozens　of　times；　dealt　private　solitaires；　read　ambiguous　fortunes　among　familiar　faces。　And　each　time　I　had　restrained　myself；　suppressing　my　desire　to　contact　Random；　to　tell　him　what　had　happened；　to　inquire　after　new　developments。　Later；　I　kept　telling　myself。　Each　additional　hour　they　sleep　is　two　and　a　half　for　you；　here。　Each　two　and　a　half　for　you；　here；　is　the　equivalent　of　seven　or　eight　for　some　lesser　mortal；　here。　Abide。　Think。　Regenerate。
　And　so　it　came　to　pass　that　a　little　after　dinnertime；　just　as　the　sky　was　darkening　again；　I　was　beaten　to　the　punch。　I　had　already　told　a　well…starched　young　member　of　the　State　Patrol　everything　that　I　was　going　to　tell　him。　I　have　no　idea　whether　he　believed　me；　but　he　was　polite　and　he　did　not　stay　long。　In　fact；　it　was　only　moments　after　he　left　that　things　began　to　happen。
　Lying　there；　feeling　better；　I　was　waiting　for　Dr。　Bailey　to　stop　by　and　check　whether　I　was　still　oriented。　Lying　there；　assessing　all　of　the　things　Bill　had　told　me；　trying　to　fit　them　together　with　other　things　that　I　knew　or　had　guessed　at。。。
　Contact！　I　had　been　anticipated。　Someone　in　Amber　was　an　early　riser。　〃Corwin！〃　It　was　Random；　agitated。
　〃Corwin！　Get　up！　Open　the　door！　Brand's　e　around；　and　he's　asking　for　you。〃
　〃Have　you　been　pounding　on　that　door；　trying　to　get　me　up？〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃Are　you　alone？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Good。　I　am　not　inside。　You　have　reached　me　in　Shadow。〃
　〃I　do　not　understand。〃
　〃Neither　do　I。　I　am　hurt；　but　I　will　live。　I　will　give　you　the　story　later。　Tell　me　about　Brand。〃
　〃He　woke　up　just　a　little　while　ago。　Told　Gerard　he　had　to　talk　to　you　right　away。　Gerard　rang　up　a　servant；　sent　him　to　your　room。　When　he　couldn't　rouse　you；　he　came　to　me。　I　just　sent　him　back　to　tell　Gerard　I'd　be　bringing　you　along　shortly。〃
　〃I　see；〃　I　said；　stretching　slowly　and　sitting　up。　〃Get　in　some　place　where　you　can't　be　seen；　and　I'll　e　through。　I　will　need　a　robe　or　something。　I　am　missing　some　clothes。〃
　〃It　could　probably　be　best　if　I　went　back　to　my　rooms；　then。〃
　〃Okay。　Go　ahead。〃
　〃A　minute；　then。〃
　And　silence。
　I　moved　my　legs　slowly。　I　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　bed。　I　gathered　up　my　Trumps　and　replaced　them　in　their　case。　I　felt　it　important　that　I　mask　my　injury　back　in　Amber。　Even　in　normal　times　one　never　advertises　one's　vulnerability。
　I　took　a　deep　breath　and　stood；　holding　on　to　the　bed　frame。　My　practice　had　paid　off。　I　breathed　normally　and　relaxed　my　grip。　Not　bad；　if　I　moved　slowly；　if　I　did　not　exert　myself　beyond　the　barest　essentials　required　for　appearances'　sake。。。　I　might　be　able　to　carry　it　until　my　strength　really　returned。
　Just　then　I　heard　a　footfall；　and　a　friendly　nurse　was　framed　in　the　doorway；　crisp；　symmetrical；　differing　from　a　snowflake　mainly　in　that　they　are　all　of　them　alike。
　〃Get　back　in　that　bed；　Mr。　Corey！　You　are　not　supposed　to　be　up！〃
　〃Madam；〃　I　said；　〃it　is　quite　necessary　that　I　be　up。　I　have　to　go。〃
　〃You　could　have　rung　for　a　pan；〃　she　said；　entering　the　room　and　advancing。
　I　gave　my　head　a　weary　shake　just　as　Random's　presence　reached　me　once　more。　I　wondered　how　she　would　report　this　one　…　and　if　she　would　mention　my　prismatic　afterimage　as　I　trumped　out。　Another　entry；　I　suppose；　for　the　growing　record　of　folklore　I　tend　to　leave　behind。
　〃Think　of　it　this　way；　my　dear；〃　I　told　her。　〃Ours　has　been　a　purely　physical　relationship　all　along。　There　will　be　others。。。　many　others。　Adieu！〃
　I　bowed　and　blew　her　a　kiss　as　I　stepped　forward　into　Amber；　leaving　her　to　clutch　at　rainbows　as　I　caught　hold　of　Random's　shoulder　and　staggered。
　〃Corwin！　What　the　hell　…　〃
　〃If　blood　be　the　price　of　admiralty；　I've　just　bought　me　a　naval　mission；〃　I　said。　〃Give　me　something　to　wear。〃
　He　draped　a　long；　heavy　cloak　about　my　shoulders　and　I　fumbled　to　clasp　it　at　my　throat。
　〃All　set；〃　I　said。　〃Take　me　to　him。〃
　He　led　me　out　the　door；　into　the　hall；　toward　the　stair。　I　leaned　on　him　heavily　as　we　went。
　〃How　bad　is　it？〃　he　asked　me。
　〃Knife；〃　I　said；　and　laid　my　hand　on　the　spot。　〃Someone　attacked　me　in　my　room　last　night。〃
　〃Who？〃
　〃Well；　it　couldn't　have　been　you；　because　I　had　just　left　you；〃　I　said；　〃and　Gerard　was　up　in　the　library　with　Brand。　Subtract　the　three　of　you　from　the　rest　and　start　guessing。　That　is　the　best　…〃
　〃Julian；〃　he　said。
　〃His　stock　is　definitely　bearish；〃　I　said。　〃Fiona　was　just　running　him　down　for　me　the　other　night；　and　of　course　it　is　no　secret　that　he　is　not　my　favorite。〃
　〃Corwin；　he's　gone。　He　cut　out　during　the　night。　The　servant　who　came　to　get　me　told　me　that　Julian　had　departed。　What　does　that　look　like　to　you？〃
　We　reached　the　stair。　I　kept　one　hand　on　Random　and　rested　there　briefly。
　〃I　don't　know；〃　I　said。　〃It　can　sometimes　be　just　as　bad　to　extend　the　benefit　of　the　doubt　too　far　as　not　to　grant　it　at　all。　But　it　does　occur　to　me　that　if　he　thought　he　had　disposed　of　me；　he　would　look　a　lot　better　by　staying　here　and　acting　surprised　to　learn　of　it　than　by　getting　the　hell　out。　That　does　look　suspicious。　I　am　inclined　to　think　he　might　have　departed　because　he　was　afraid　of　what　Brand　would　have　to　say　when　he　came　around。〃
　〃But　you　lived；　Corwin。　You　got　away　from　whoever　attacked　you；　and　he　could　not　be　certain　he　had　done　you　in。　If　it　were　me；　I　would　be　worlds　away　by　now。〃
　〃There　is　that；〃　I　acknowledged；　and　we　started　on　down　again。　〃Yes；　you　might　well　be　right。　Let　us　leave　it　academic　for　now。　And　no　one　is　to　know　I　have　been　injured。〃
　He　nodded。
　〃As　you　say。　Silence　beats　a　chamber　pot　in　Amber。〃
　〃How's　that？〃
　〃'Tis　gilt；　m'lord；　like　a　royal　flush。〃
　〃Your　wit　pains　both　wounded　and　unwounded　parts；　Random。　Spend　some　figuring　how　the　assailant　entered　my　room。〃
　〃Your　panel？〃
　〃It　secures　from　the　inside。　I　keep　it　that　way　now。　And　the　door's　lock　is　a　new　one。　Tricky。〃
　〃All　right；　I　have　it。　My　answer　requires　that　it　be　a　family　member；　too。〃
　〃Tell　me。〃
　〃Someone　was　willing　to　psyche　himself　up　and　tough　it　through　the　Pattern　again　for　a　shot　at　you。　He　went　below；　walked　it；　projected　himself　into　your　room；　and　attacked　you。〃
　〃That　would　be　perfect　except　for　one　thing。　We　all　left　at　pretty　much　the　same　time。　The　attack　did　not　occur　later　on　in　the　evening。　It　happened　immediately　on　my　entering。　I　do　not　believe　there　was　sufficient　time　for　one　of　us　to　get　down　to　the　chamber；　let　alone　negotiate　the　Pattern。　The　attacker