rz.signoftheunicorn-第31部分

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scapegoats。　But；　all　in　all；　nothing　much　really　acplished。　Am　I　right？〃
　I　nodded；　appreciative　of　the　way　his　mind　worked；　and　resigned　to　letting　him　tell　it　his　way。
　〃You　know　you're　right；〃　I　said。
　He　gave　me　a　sharp　look　at　that；　then　went　on。　〃But　everyone　did　finally　go　off；　to　lie　awake　worrying；　or　to　get　together　with　an　acplice；　to　scheme。　There　were　hidden　turmoils　in　the　night。　It　is　flattering　to　know　that　my　well…being　was　on　everyone's　mind。　Some；　of　course；　were　for　it；　others　against。　And　in　the　midst　of　it　all；　I　rallied　…　nay；　flourished　…　not　wishing　to　disappoint　my　supporters。　Gerard　spent　a　long　while　bringing　me　up　to　date　on　recent　history。　When　I　had　enough　of　this；　I　sent　for　you。〃
　〃In　case　you　haven't　noticed。　I'm　here。　What　did　you　want　to　tell　me？〃
　〃Patience；　brother！　Patience！　Consider　all　the　years　you　spent　in　Shadow；　not　even　remembering　…　this。〃　He　gestured　widely　with　his　cigarette。　〃Consider　all　that　time　you　waited；　unknowing；　until　I　succeeded　in　locating　you　and　tried　to　remedy　your　plight。　Surely　a　few　moments　now　are　not　so　priceless　by　contrast。〃
　〃I　was　told　that　you　had　sought　me；〃　I　said。　〃I　wondered　at　that；　for　we　had　not　exactly　parted　on　the　best　of　terms　the　last　time　we　were　together。〃
　He　nodded。
　〃I　cannot　deny　it；〃　he　said。　〃But　I　always　get　over　such　things；　eventually。〃
　I　snorted。
　〃I　have　been　deciding　how　much　to　tell　you；　and　what　you　would　believe；〃　he　continued。　〃I　doubted　you　would　accept　it　if　I　had　simply　e　out　and　said　that；　save　for　a　few　small　items；　my　present　motives　are　almost　entirely　altruistic。〃
　I　snorted　again。
　〃But　this　is　true；〃　he　went　on；　〃and　to　lay　your　suspicions；　I　add　that　it　is　because　I　have　small　choice　in　it。　Beginnings　are　always　difficult。　Wherever　I　begin；　something　preceded　it。　You　were　gone　for　so　long。　If　one　must　name　a　single　thing；　however；　then　let　it　be　the　throne。　There。　I　have　said　it。　We　had　thought　of　a　way　to　take　it；　you　see。　This　was　just　after　your　disappearance；　and　in　some　ways；　I　suppose；　prompted　by　it。　Dad　suspected　Eric　of　having　slain　you。　But　there　was　no　evidence。　We　worked　on　this　feeling；　though　…　a　word　here　and　there；　every　now　and　then。　Years　passed；　with　you　unreachable　by　any　means；　and　it　seemed　more　and　more　likely　that　you　were　indeed　dead。　Dad　looked　upon　Eric　with　growing　disfavor。　Then；　one　night；　pursuant　to　a　discussion　I　had　begun　on　a　totally　neutral　matter　…　most　of　us　present　at　the　table　…　he　said　that　no　fratricide　would　ever　take　the　throne；　and　he　was　looking　at　Eric　as　he　said　it。　You　know　how　his　eyes　could　get。　Eric　grew　bright　as　a　sunset　and　could　not　swallow　for　a　long　while。　But　then　Dad　took　things　much　further　than　any　of　us　had　anticipated　or　desired。　In　fairness　to　you；　I　do　not　know　whether　he　spoke　solely　to　vent　his　feelings；　or　whether　he　actually　meant　what　he　said。　But　he　told　us　that　he　had　more　than　half　decided　upon　you　as　his　successor；　so　that　he　took　whatever　misadventure　had　befallen　you　quite　personally。　He　would　not　have　spoken　of　it；　but　that　he　was　convinced　as　to　your　passing。　In　the　months　that　followed；　we　reared　you　a　cenotaph　to　give　some　solid　form　to　this　conclusion；　and　we　made　certain　that　no　one　forgot　Dad's　feelings　toward　Eric。　All　along；　after　yourself；　Eric　was　the　one　we　felt　had　to　be　gotten　around　to　reach　the　throne。〃
　〃We！　Who　were　the　others？〃
　〃Patience；　Corwin。　Sequence　and　order；　time　and　stress！　Accent；　emphasis。。。　Listen。〃
　He　took　another　cigarette；　chain…lit　it　from　the　butt；　stabbed　the　air　with　its　burning　tip。
　〃The　next　step　required　that　we　get　Dad　out　of　Amber。　This　was　the　most　crucial　and　dangerous　part　of　it；　and　it　was　here　that　we　disagreed。　I　did　not　like　the　idea　of　an　alliance　with　a　power　I　did　not　fully　understand；　especially　one　that　gave　them　some　hold　on　us。　Using　shadows　is　one　thing；　allowing　them　to　use　you　is　ill…considered；　whatever　the　circumstances。　I　argued　against　it；　but　the　majority　had　it　otherwise。〃　He　smiled。　〃Two　to　one。　Yes；　there　were　three　of　us。　We　went　ahead　then。　The　trap　was　set　and　Dad　went　after　the　bait　…〃
　〃Is　he　still　living？〃　I　asked。
　〃I　do　not　know；〃　Brand　said。　〃Things　went　wrong　afterward；　and　then　I'd　troubles　of　my　own　to　concern　me。　After　Dad's　departure　though；　our　next　move　was　to　consolidate　our　position　while　waiting　a　respectable　period　of　time　for　a　presumption　of　death　to　seem　warranted。　Ideally；　all　that　we　required　was　the　cooperation　of　one　person。　Either　Caine　or　Julian　…　it　did　not　matter　which。　You　see；　Bleys　had　already　gone　off　into　Shadow　and　was　in　the　process　of　putting　together　a　large　military　force　…〃
　〃Bleys！　He　was　one　of　you？〃
　〃Indeed。　We　intended　him　for　the　throne　…　with　sufficient　strings　on　him；　of　course；　so　that　it　would　have　amounted　to　a　de　facto　triumvirate。　So；　he　went　off　to　assemble　troops；　as　I　was　saying。　We　hoped　for　a　bloodless　takeover；　but　we　had　to　be　ready　in　the　event　that　words　proved　insufficient　to　win　our　case。　If　Julian　gave　us　the　land　route　in；　or　Caine　the　waves；　we　could　have　transported　the　troops　with　dispatch　and　held　the　day　by　force　of　arms；　should　that　have　proven　necessary。　Unfortunately；　I　chose　the　wrong　man。　In　my　estimate；　Caine　was　Julian's　superior　in　matters　of　corruption。　So；　with　measured　delicacy　I　sounded　him　on　the　matter。　He　seemed　willing　to　go　along　with　things；　at　first。　But　he　either　reconsidered　subsequently　or　deceived　me　quite　skillfully　from　the　beginning。　Naturally；　I　prefer　to　believe　that　it　was　the　former。　Whatever；　at　some　point　he　came　to　the　conclusion　that　he　stood　to　benefit　more　by　supporting　a　rival　claimant。　To　wit；　Eric。　Now　Eric's　hopes　had　been　somewhat　dashed　by　Dad's　attitude　toward　him　…　but　Dad　was　gone；　and　our　intended　move　gave　Eric　the　chance　to　act　as　defender　of　the　throne。　Unfortunately　for　us；　such　a　position　would　also　put　him　but　a　step　away　from　the　throne　itself。　To　make　matters　darker；　Julian　went　along　with　Caine　in　pledging　the　loyalty　of　his　troops　to　Eric；　as　defender。　Thus　was　the　other　trio　formed。　So　Eric　took　a　public　oath　to　defend　the　throne；　and　the　lines　were　thereby　drawn。　I　was　naturally　in　a　somewhat　embarrassing　position　at　this　time。　I　bore　the　brunt　of　their　animosity；　as　they　did　not　know　who　my　fellows　were。　Yet　they　could　not　imprison　or　torture　me；　for　I　would　immediately　be　trumped　out　of　their　hands。　And　if　they　were　to　kill　me；　they　realized　there　might　well　be　a　reprisal　by　parties　unknown。　So　it　had　to　stand　as　a　stalemate　for　a　time。　They　also　saw　that　I　could　no　longer　move　directly　against　them。　They　kept　me　under　heavy　surveillance。　So　a　more　devious　route　was　charted。　Again　I　disagreed　and　again　I　lost；　two　to　one。　We　were　to　employ　the　same　forces　we　had　called　upon　to　deal　with　Dad；　this　time　for　purposes　of　discrediting　Eric。　If　the　job　of　defending　Amber；　so　confidently　assumed；　were　to　prove　too　much　for　him　and　Bleys　then　came　onto　the　scene　and　handled　the　situation　with　dispatch；　why　Bleys　would　even　have　popular　support　as　he　moved　on　to　assume　the　role　of　defender　himself　and　…　after　a　fit　period　of　time　…　suffered　the　thrusting　of　sovereignty　upon　him；　for　the　good　of　Amber。〃
　〃Question；〃　I　interrupted。　〃What　about　Benedict？　I　know　he　was　off　being　discontent　in　his　Avalon；　but　if　something　really　threatened　Amber。。。〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　nodding；　〃and　for　that　reason；　a　part　of　our　deal　was　to　involve　Benedict　with　a　number　of　problems　of　his　own。〃
　I　thought　of　the　harassment　of　Benedict's　Avalon　by　the　hellmaids。　I　thought　of　the　stump　of　his　right　arm。　I　opened　my　mouth　to　speak　again；　but　Brand　raised　his　hand。
　〃Let　me　finish　in　my　own　fashion；　Corwin。　I　am　not　unmindful　of　your　thought　processes　as　you　speak。　I　feel　the　pain　in　your　side；　twin　to　my　own。　Yes；　I　know　these　things　and　many　more。〃
　His　eyes　burned　strangely　as　he　took　another　cigarette　into　his　hand　and　it　lit　of　its　own　accord。　He　drew　heavily　upon　it　and　spoke　as　he　exhaled。
　〃I　broke　with　the　others　over　this　decision。　I　saw　it　as　involving　too　great　a　peril；　as　placing　Amber　herself　in　jeopardy。　Broke　with　them。。。〃
　He　watched　the　smoke　for　several　moments　before　he　continued。
　〃But　things　were　too　far