rz.signoftheunicorn-第9部分

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and　opportunity　to　lay　a　lot　of　groundwork。　No；　that　is　the　wrong　way　to　go　about　it；　looking　for　suspects。　Everyone　here　falls　into　that　category。　Let　us　decide　instead　what　it　is　that　would　distinguish　such　an　individual；　aside　from　motives；　apart　from　opportunities。　I　would　say；　let's　look　at　the　methods　involved。〃
　〃All　right。　Then　you　start。〃
　〃Some　one　of　us　knows　more　than　the　rest　of　us　about　the　workings　of　Shadow　…　the　ins　and　the　outs；　the　whys　and　the　hows。　He　also　has　allies；　obtained　from　somewhere　fairly　far　afield。　This　is　the　bination　he　has　brought　to　bear　upon　Amber。　Now；　we　have　no　way　of　looking　at　a　person　and　telling　whether　he　possesses　such　special　knowledge　and　skills。　But　let　us　consider　where　he　could　have　obtained　them。　It　could　be　that　he　simply　learned　something　off　in　Shadow　somewhere；　on　his　own。　Or　he　could　have　been　studying　all　along；　here；　while　Dworkin　was　still　alive　and　willing　to　give　lessons。〃
　I　stared　down　into　my　glass。　Dworkin　could　still　be　living。　He　had　provided　my　means　of　escape　from　the　dungeons　of　Amber　…　how　long　ago？　I　had　told　no　one　this；　and　was　not　about　to。　For　one　thing；　Dworkin　was　quite　mad　…　which　was　apparently　why　Dad　had　had　him　locked　away。　For　another；　he　had　demonstrated　powers　I　did　not　understand；　which　convinced　me　he　could　be　quite　dangerous。　Still；　he　had　been　kindly　disposed　toward　me　after　a　minimum　of　flattery　and　reminiscence。　If　he　were　still　around；　I　suspected　that　with　a　bit　of　patience　I　might　be　able　to　handle　him。　So　I　had　kept　the　whole　business　locked　away　in　my　mind　as　a　possible　secret　weapon。　I　saw　no　reason　for　changing　that　decision　at　this　point。
　〃Brand　did　hang　around　him　a　lot；〃　I　acknowledged；　finally　seeing　what　he　was　getting　at。　〃He　was　interested　in　things　of　that　sort。〃
　〃Exactly；〃　Random　replied。　〃And　he　obviously　knew　more　than　the　rest　of　us；　to　be　able　to　send　me　that　message　without　a　Trump。〃
　〃You　think　he　made　a　deal　with　outsiders；　opened　the　way　for　them；　then　discovered　that　they　no　longer　needed　him　when　they　hung　him　out　to　dry？〃
　〃Not　necessarily。　Though　I　suppose　that　is　possible；　too。　My　thinking　runs　more　like　this　…　and　I　don't　deny　my　prejudice　in　his　favor：　I　think　he　had　learned　enough　about　the　subject　so　that　he　was　able　to　detect　it　when　someone　did　something　peculiar　involving　the　Trumps；　the　Pattern；　or　that　area　of　Shadow　most　adjacent　to　Amber。　Then　he　slipped　up。　Perhaps　he　underestimated　the　culprit　and　confronted　him　directly；　rather　than　going　to　Dad　or　Dworkin。　What　then？　The　guilty　party　subdued　him　and　imprisoned　him　in　that　tower。　Either　he　thought　enough　of　him　not　to　want　to　kill　him　if　he　did　not　have　to；　or　he　had　some　later　use　of　him　in　mind。〃
　〃You　make　that　sound　plausible；　too；〃　I　said；　and　I　would　have　added；　〃and　it　fits　your　story　nicely〃　and　watched　his　poker　face　again；　except　for　one　thing。　Back　when　I　was　with　Bleys；　before　our　attack　on　Amber；　I　had　had　a　momentary　contact　with　Brand　while　fooling　with　the　Trumps。　He　had　indicated　distress；　imprisonment；　and　then　the　contact　had　been　broken。　Random's　story　did　fit；　to　that　extent。　So；　instead；　I　said；　〃If　he　can　point　the　finger；　we　have　got　to　get　him　back　and　set　him　to　pointing。〃
　〃I　was　hoping　you　would　say　that；〃　Random　replied。　〃I　hate　to　leave　a　bit　of　business　like　that　unfinished。〃
　I　went　and　fetched　the　bottle；　refilled　our　glasses。　I　sipped。　I　lit　another　cigarette。
　〃Before　we　get　into　that；　though；〃　I　said；　〃I　have　to　decide　on　the　best　way　of　breaking　the　news　about　Caine。　Where　is　Flora；　anyway？〃
　〃Down　in　town；　I　think。　She　was　here　this　morning。　I　can　find　her　for　you。　I'm　pretty　sure。〃
　〃Do　it；　then。　She　is　the　only　other　one　I　know　of　who　has　seen　one　of　these　guys；　back　when　they　broke　into　her　place　in　Westchester。　We　might　as　well　have　her　handy　for　that　much　corroboration　as　to　their　nastiness。　Besides；　I　have　some　other　things　I　want　to　ask　her。〃
　He　swallowed　his　drink　and　rose。
　〃All　right。　I'll　go　do　that　now。　Where　should　I　bring　her？〃
　〃My　quarters。　If　I'm　not　there；　wait。〃　He　nodded。
　I　rose　and　acpanied　him　into　the　hall。
　〃Have　you　got　the　key　to　this　room？〃　I　asked。
　〃It's　on　a　hook　inside。〃
　〃Better　get　it　and　lock　up。　We　wouldn't　want　a　premature　unveiling。〃
　He　did　that　and　gave　me　the　key。　I　walked　with　him　as　far　as　the　first　landing　and　saw　him　on　his　way。
　From　my　safe；　I　removed　the　Jewel　of　Judgment；　a　ruby　pendant　which　had　given　Dad　and　Eric　control　over　the　weather　in　the　vicinity　of　Amber。　Before　he　died；　Eric　had　told　me　the　procedure　to　be　followed　in　tuning　it　to　my　own　use。　I　had　not　had　time　to　do　it；　though；　and　did　not　really　have　the　time　now。　But　during　my　conversation　with　Random　I　had　decided　that　I　was　going　to　have　to　take　the　time。　I　had　located　Dworkin's　notes；　beneath　a　stone　near　Eric's　fireplace。　He　had　given　me　that　much　information　also；　that　last　time。　I　would　have　liked　to　know　where　he　had　e　across　the　notes　in　the　first　place；　though；　for　they　were　inplete。　I　fetched　them　from　the　rear　of　the　safe　and　regarded　them　once　again。　They　did　agree　with　Eric's　explanation　as　to　how　the　attunement　was　to　be　managed。
　But　they　also　indicated　that　the　stone　had　other　uses；　that　the　control　of　meteorological　phenomena　was　almost　an　incidental；　though　spectacular；　demonstration　of　a　plex　of　principles　which　underlay　the　Pattern；　the　Trumps；　and　the　physical　integrity　of　Amber　herself；　apart　from　Shadow。　Unfortunately；　the　details　were　lacking。　Still；　the　more　I　searched　my　memory；　the　more　something　along　these　lines　did　seem　indicated。　Only　rarely　had　Dad　produced　the　stone；　and　though　he　had　spoken　of　it　as　a　weather　changer；　the　weather　had　not　always　been　especially　altered　on　those　occasions　when　he　had　sported　it。　And　he　had　often　taken　it　along　with　him　on　his　little　trips。　So　I　was　ready　to　believe　that　there　was　more　to　it　than　that。　Eric　had　probably　reasoned　the　same　way；　but　he　had　not　been　able　to　dope　out　its　other　uses　either。　He　had　simply　taken　advantage　of　its　obvious　powers　when　Bleys　and　I　had　attacked　Amber；　and　he　had　used　it　the　same　way　this　past　week　when　the　creatures　had　made　their　assault　from　the　black　road。　It　had　served　him　well　on　both　occasions；　even　if　it　had　not　been　sufficient　to　save　his　life。　So　I　had　better　get　hold　of　its　power　myself；　I　decided；　now。　Any　extra　edge　was　important。　And　it　would　be　good　to　be　seen　wearing　the　thing；　too；　I　judged。　Especially　now。
　I　put　the　notes　back　into　the　safe；　the　jewel　in　my　pocket。　I　left　then　and　headed　downstairs。　Again；　as　before；　to　walk　those　halls　made　me　feel　as　if　I　had　never　been　away。　This　was　home；　this　was　what　I　wanted。　Now　I　was　its　defender。　I　did　not　even　wear　the　crown；　yet　all　its　problems　had　bee　my　own。　It　was　ironic。　I　had　e　back　to　claim　the　crown；　to　wrest　it　from　Eric；　to　hold　the　glory；　to　reign。　Now；　suddenly；　things　were　falling　apart。　It　had　not　taken　long　to　realize　that　Eric　had　behaved　incorrectly。　If　he　had　indeed　done　Dad　in；　he　had　no　right　to　the　crown。　If　he　had　not；　then　he　had　acted　prematurely。　Either　way；　the　coronation　had　served　only　to　fatten　his　already　obese　ego。　Myself；　I　wanted　it　and　I　knew　that　I　could　take　it。　But　it　would　be　equally　irresponsible　to　do　so　with　my　troops　quartered　in　Amber；　suspicious　of　Caine's　murder　about　to　descend　upon　me；　the　first　signs　of　a　fantastic　plot　suddenly　displayed　before　me；　and　the　continuing　possibility　that　Dad　was　still　alive。　On　several　occasions　it　seemed　we　had　been　in　contact；　briefly　…　and　at　one　such　time；　years　ago；　that　he　had　okayed　my　succession。　But　there　was　so　much　deceit　and　trickery　afoot　that　I　did　not　know　what　to　believe。　He　had　not　abdicated。　Also；　I　had　had　a　head　injury；　and　I　was　well　aware　of　my　own　desires。　The　mind　is　a　funny　place。　I　do　not　even　trust　my　own。　Could　it　be　that　I　had　manufactured　that　whole　business？　A　lot　had　happened　since。　The　price　of　being　an　Amberite；　I　suppose；　is　that　you　cannot　even　trust　yourself。　I　wondered　what　Freud　would　have　said。　While　he　had　failed　to　pierce　my　amnesia；　he　had　e　up　with　some　awfully　good　guesses　as　to　what　my　father　had　been　like；　what　our　relationship　had　been；　even　though　I　had　not　real