rz.signoftheunicorn-第32部分

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hem。。。〃
　He　watched　the　smoke　for　several　moments　before　he　continued。
　〃But　things　were　too　far　advanced　that　I　might　simply　walk　away。　I　had　to　oppose　them；　in　order　to　defend　myself　as　well　as　Amber。　It　was　too　late　to　swing　over　to　Eric's　side。　He　would　not　have　protected　me　if　he　could　have　…　and　besides；　I　was　certain　he　was　going　to　lose。　It　was　then　that　I　decided　to　employ　certain　new　abilities　I　had　acquired。　I　had　often　wondered　at　the　strange　relationship　between　Eric　and　Flora；　off　on　that　shadow　Earth　she　pretended　so　to　enjoy。　I　had　had　a　slight　suspicion　that　there　was　something　about　that　place　which　concerned　him；　and　that　she　might　be　his　agent　there。　While　I　could　not　get　close　enough　to　him　to　achieve　any　satisfaction　on　this　count；　I　felt　confident　that　it　would　not　take　too　much　in　the　way　of　investigation；　direct　and　otherwise；　to　learn　what　Flora　was　about。　And　so　I　did。　Then　suddenly　the　pace　accelerated。　My　own　party　was　concerned　as　to　my　whereabouts。　Then　when　I　picked　you　up　and　shocked　back　a　few　memories；　Eric　learned　from　Flora　that　something　was　suddenly　quite　amiss。　Consequently；　both　sides　were　soon　looking　for　me。　I　had　decided　that　your　return　would　throw　everyone's　plans　out　the　window　and　get　me　out　of　the　pocket　I　was　in　long　enough　to　e　up　with　an　alternative　to　the　way　things　were　going。　Eric's　claim　would　be　clouded　once　again；　you　would　have　had　supporters　of　your　own；　my　party　would　have　lost　the　purpose　for　its　entire　maneuver　and　I　had　assumed　you　would　not　be　ungrateful　to　me　for　my　part　in　things。　Then　you　went　and　escaped　from　Porter；　and　things　really　got　plicated。　All　of　us　were　looking　for　you；　as　I　later　learned；　for　different　reasons。　But　my　former　associates　had　something　very　extra　going　for　them。　They　learned　what　was　happening；　located　you；　and　got　there　first。　Obviously；　there　was　a　very　simple　way　to　preserve　the　status　quo；　where　they　would　continue　to　hold　the　edge。　Bleys　fired　the　shots　that　put　you　and　your　car　into　the　lake。　I　arrived　just　as　this　was　occurring。　He　departed　almost　immediately；　for　it　looked　as　if　he　had　done　a　thorough　job。　I　dragged　you　out；　though；　and　there　was　enough　left　to　start　treating。　It　was　frustrating　now　that　I　think　back　on　it；　not　knowing　whether　the　treatment　had　really　been　effective；　whether　you　would　awaken　as　Corwin　or　Corey。　It　was　frustrating　afterward；　also；　still　not　knowing。。。　I　hellrode　out　when　help　arrived。　My　associates　caught　up　with　me　somewhat　later　and　put　me　where　you　found　me。　Do　you　know　the　rest　of　the　story？〃
　〃Not　all　of　it。〃
　〃Then　stop　me　whenever　we've　caught　up　on　this。　I　only　obtained　it　later；　myself。　Eric's　crowd　learned　of　the　accident；　got　your　location；　and　had　you　transferred　to　a　private　place。　Where　you　could　be　better　protected；　and　kept　you　heavily　sedated；　so　that　they　could　be　protected。〃
　〃Why　should　Eric　protect　me；　especially　if　my　presence　was　going　to　wreck　his　plans？〃
　〃By　then；　seven　of　us　knew　you　were　still　living。　That　was　too　many。　It　was　simply　too　late　to　do　what　he　would　have　liked　to　do。　He　was　still　trying　to　live　down　Dad's　words。　If　anything　had　happened　to　you　once　you　were　in　his　power；　it　would　have　blocked　his　movement　to　the　throne。　If　Benedict　ever　got　word　of　it；　or　Gerard。。。　No；　he'd　not　have　made　it。　Afterward；　yes。　Before；　no。　What　happened　was　that　general　knowledge　of　the　fact　of　your　existence　forced　his　hand。　He　scheduled　his　coronation　and　resolved　to　keep　you　out　of　the　way　until　it　had　occurred。　An　extremely　premature　bit　of　business；　not　that　I　see　he　had　much　of　a　choice。　I　guess　you　know　what　happened　after　that；　since　it　happened　to　you。〃
　〃I　fell　in　with　Bleys；　just　as　he　was　making　his　move。　Not　too　fortunate。〃　He　shrugged。
　〃Oh；　it　might　have　been　…　if　you　had　won；　and　if　you　had　been　able　to　do　something　about　Bleys。　You　hadn't　a　chance；　though；　not　really。　My　grasp　of　their　motivations　begins　to　dissolve　at　this　point；　but　I　believe　that　that　entire　assault　really　constituted　some　sort　of　feint。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃As　I　said；　I　do　not　know。　But　they　already　had　Eric　just　about　where　they　wanted　him。　It　should　not　have　been　necessary　to　call　that　attack。〃
　I　shook　my　head。　Too　much；　too　fast。。。　Many　of　the　facts　sounded　true；　once　I　subtracted　the　narrator's　bias。　But　still。。。
　〃I　don't　know。。。〃　I　began。
　〃Of　course；〃　he　said。　〃But　if　you　ask　me　I　will　tell　you。〃
　〃Who　was　the　third　member　of　your　group？〃
　〃The　same　person　who　stabbed　me；　of　course。　Would　you　care　to　venture　a　guess？〃
　〃Just　tell　me。〃
　〃Fiona。　The　whole　thing　was　her　idea。〃
　〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me　that　right　away？〃
　〃Because　you　would　not　have　sat　still　long　enough　to　hear　the　rest　of　what　I　had　to　say。　You　would　have　dashed　off　to　put　her　under　restraint；　discovered　that　she　was　gone；　roused　all　the　others；　started　an　investigation；　and　wasted　a　lot　of　valuable　time。　You　still　may；　but　it　at　least　provided　me　with　your　attention　for　a　sufficient　time　for　me　to　convince　you　that　I　know　what　I　am　about。　Now；　when　I　tell　you　that　time　is　essential　and　that　you　must　hear　the　rest　of　what　I　have　to　say　as　soon　as　possible　…　if　Amber　is　to　have　any　chance　at　all　…　you　might　listen　rather　than　chase　a　crazy　lady。〃
　I　had　already　half　risen　from　my　chair。
　〃I　shouldn't　go　after　her？〃　I　said。
　〃The　hell　with　her；　for　now。　You've　got　bigger　problems。　You　had　better　sit　down　again。〃
　So　I　did。
　
　
　Chapter　10
　
　A　raft　of　moonbeams。。。　the　ghostly　torchlight；　like　fires　in　black…and…white　films。。。　stars。。。　a　few　fine　filaments　of　mist。。。
　I　leaned　upon　the　rail；　I　looked　across　the　world。。。　Utter　silence　held　the　night；　the　dream…drenched　city；　the　entire　universe　from　here。　Distant　things　…　the　sea；　Amber；　Arden；　Garnath；　the　Lighthouse　of　Cabra；　the　Grove　of　the　Unicorn；　my　tomb　atop　Kolvir。。。　Silent；　far　below；　yet　clear；　distinct。。。　A　god's　eye　view。　I'd　say；　or　that　of　a　soul　cut　loose　and　drifting　high。。。　In　the　middle　of　the　night。。。
　I　had　e　to　the　place　where　the　ghosts　play　at　being　ghosts；　where　the　omens；　portents；　signs；　and　animate　desires　thread　the　nightly　avenues　and　palace　high　halls　of　Amber　in　the　sky；　Tir…na　Nog'th。。。
　Turning；　my　back　to　the　rail　and　dayworld's　vestiges　below；　I　regarded　the　avenues　and　dark　terraces；　the　halls　of　the　lords；　the　quarters　of　the　low。。。　The　moonlight　is　intense　in　Tir…na　Nog'th；　silvers　over　the　facing　sides　of　all　our　imaged　places。。。　Stick　in　hand；　I　passed　forward；　and　the　strangelings　moved　about　me；　appeared　at　windows；　on　balconies；　on　benches；　at　gates。。。　Unseen　I　passed；　for　truly　put；　in　this　place　I　was　the　ghost　to　whatever　their　substance。。。
　Silence　and　silver。。。　Only　the　tapping　of　my　stick；　and　that　mostly　muted。。。　More　mists　adrift　toward　the　heart　of　things。。。　The　palace　a　white　bonfire　of　it。。。　Dew；　like　drops　of　mercury　on　the　finely　sanded　petals　and　stems　in　the　gardens　by　the　walks。。。　The　passing　moon　as　painful　to　the　eye　as　the　sun　at　midday；　the　stars　outshone；　dimmed　by　it。。。　Silver　and　silence。。。　The　shine。。。
　I　had　not　planned　on　ing；　for　its　omens　…　if　that　they　truly　be　…　are　deceitful；　its　similarities　to　the　lives　and　places　below　unsettling；　its　spectacle　often　disconcerting。　Still；　I　had　e。。。　A　part　of　my　bargain　with　time。。。
　After　I　had　left　Brand　to　continue　his　recovery　in　the　keeping　of　Gerard；　I　had　realized　that　I　required　additional　rest　myself　and　sought　to　obtain　it　without　betraying　my　disability。　Fiona　was　indeed　flown；　and　neither　she　nor　Julian　could　be　reached　by　means　of　the　Trumps。　Had　I　told　Benedict　and　Gerard　what　Brand　had　told　me；　I　was　certain　that　they　would　have　insisted　we　begin　efforts　at　tracking　her　down；　at　tracking　both　of　them。　I　was　equally　certain　that　such　efforts　would　prove　useless。
　I　had　sent　for　Random　and　Ganelon　and　retired　to　my　quarters；　giving　out　that　I　intended　to　pass　the　day　in　rest　and　quiet　thought　in　anticipation　of　spending　the　night　in　Tir…na　Nog'th　…　reasonable　behavior　for　any　Amberite　with　a　serious　problem。　I　did　not　put　much　stock　in　the　practice；　but　most　of　the　others　did。　As　it　was　the　perfect　time　for　me　to　be　about　such　a　thing；　I　felt　that　it　would　make　my　day's　retirement　believable。　Of