rz.thegunsofavalon-第2部分

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　I　did　not　answer　him　immediately。　Then　I　said；　〃I　try　to　keep　in　good　condition。　Clean　living　and　all。〃
　〃。。。　And　your　voice　sounds　rather　familiar。〃
　He　was　staring　upward；　still　trying　to　see　my　face。　I　decided　to　get　off　the　subject　fast。
　〃Who　are　these　friends　of　yours　I　am　taking　you　to？〃
　〃We　are　headed　for　the　Keep　of　Ganelon。〃
　〃That　ratfink！〃　I　said；　almost　dropping　him。
　〃While　I　do　not　understand　the　word　you　have　used；　I　take　it　to　be　a　term　of　opprobrium；〃　he　said；　〃from　the　tone　of　your　voice。　If　such　is　the　case；　I　must　be　his　defender　in　…〃
　〃Hold　on；〃　I　said。　〃I've　a　feeling　we're　talking　about　two　different　guys　with　the　same　name。　Sorry。〃　Through　the　stretcher；　I　felt　a　certain　tension　go　out　of　him。
　〃That　is　doubtless　the　case；〃　he　said。
　So　I　carried　him　until　we　reached　the　trail；　and　there　I　turned　to　the　left。
　He　dropped　off　to　sleep　again；　and　I　made　better　time　after　that；　taking　the　fork　he　had　told　me　about　and　sprinting　while　he　snored。　I　began　wondering　about　the　six　fellows　who　had　tried　to　do　him　in　and　almost　succeeded。　I　hoped　that　they　did　not　have　any　friends　beating　about　the　bushes。
　I　slowed　my　pace　back　to　a　walk　when　his　breathing　changed。
　〃I　was　asleep；〃　he　said。
　〃。。。　And　snoring；〃　I　added。
　〃How　far　have　you　borne　me？〃
　〃Around　two　leagues；　I'd　say。〃
　〃And　you　are　not　tired？〃
　〃Some；〃　I　said；　〃but　not　enough　to　need　rest　just　yet。〃
　〃Mon　Dieu！〃　he　said。　〃I　am　pleased　never　to　have　had　you　for　an　enemy。　Are　you　certain　you　are　not　the　Devil？〃
　〃Yeah；　sure；〃　I　said。　〃Don't　you　smell　the　brimstone？　And　my　right　hoof　is　killing　me。〃
　He　actually　sniffed　a　couple　times　before　he　chuckled；　which　hurt　my　feelings　a　bit。
　Actually；　we　had　traveled　over　four　leagues；　as　I　reckoned　it。　I　was　hoping　he　would　sleep　again　and　not　be　too　concerned　about　distances。　My　arms　were　beginning　to　ache。
　〃Who　were　those　six　men　you　slew？〃　I　asked　him。
　〃Wardens　of　the　Circle；〃　he　replied；　〃and　they　were　no　longer　men；　but　men　possessed。　Now　pray　to　God；　Sir　Corey；　that　their　souls　be　at　peace。〃
　〃Wardens　of　the　Circle？〃　I　asked。　〃What　Circle？〃
　〃The　dark　Circle　…　the　place　of　iniquity　and　loathsome　beasts。。。〃　He　took　a　deep　breath。　〃The　source　of　the　illness　that　lies　upon　the　land。〃
　〃This　land　doesn't　look　especially　ill　to　me；〃　I　said。
　〃We　are　far　from　that　place；　and　the　realm　of　Ganelon　is　still　too　strong　for　the　invaders。　But　the　Circle　widens。　I　feel　that　the　last　battle　will　be　fought　here。〃
　〃You　have　aroused　my　curiosity　as　to　this　thing。〃
　〃Sir　Corey；　if　you　know　not　of　it　'twere　better　you　forgot　it；　skirted　the　Circle；　and　went　your　way。　Though　I　should　dearly　love　to　fight　by　your　side；　this　is　not　your　fight　…　and　who　can　tell　the　oute？〃
　The　trail　began　winding　upward。　Then；　through　a　break　in　the　trees；　I　saw　a　distant　thing　that　made　me　pause　and　caused　me　to　recall　another；　similar　place。
　〃What。。。？〃　asked　my　charge；　turning。　Then；　〃Why；　you　moved　much　more　quickly　than　I　had　guessed。　That　is　our　destination；　the　Keep　of　Ganelon。〃
　I　thought　then　about　a　Ganelon。　I　did　not　want　to；　but　I　did。　He　had　been　a　traitorous　assassin　and　I　had　exiled　him　from　Avalon　centuries　before。　I　had　actually　cast　him　through　Shadow　into　another　time　and　place；　as　my　brother　Eric　had　later　done　to　me。　I　hoped　it　was　not　to　this　place　that　I　had　sent　him。　While　not　very　likely；　it　was　possible。　Though　he　was　a　mortal　man　with　his　allotted　span；　and　I　had　exiled　him　from　that　place　perhaps　six　hundred　years　ago；　it　was　possible　that　it　was　only　a　few　years　past　in　terms　of　this　world。　Time；　too；　is　a　function　of　Shadow；　and　even　Dworkin　did　not　know　all　of　its　ins　and　outs。　Or　perhaps　he　did。　Maybe　that　is　what　drove　him　mad。　The　most　difficult　thing　about　Time；　I　have　learned；　is　doing　it。　In　any　case；　I　felt　that　this　could　not　be　my　old　enemy　and　former　trusted　aide；　for　he　would　certainly　not　be　resisting　any　wave　of　iniquity　that　was　sweeping　across　the　land。　He　would　be　right　in　there　pitching　for　the　loathsome　beasts；　I　felt　sure。
　A　thing　that　caused　me　difficulty　was　the　man　that　I　carried。　His　counterpart　had　been　alive　in　Avalon　at　the　time　of　the　exiling；　meaning　that　the　time　lag　could　be　just　about　right。
　I　did　not　care　to　encounter　the　Ganelon　I　had　known　and　be　recognized　by　him。　He　knew　nothing　of　Shadow。　He　would　only　know　that　I　had　worked　some　dark　magic　on　him；　as　an　alternative　to　killing　him；　and　while　he　had　survived　that　alternative　it　might　have　been　the　rougher　of　the　two。
　But　the　man　in　my　arms　needed　a　place　of　rest　and　shelter；　so　I　trudged　forward。
　I　wondered；　though。。。
　There　did　seem　to　be　something　about　me　that　lent　itself　to　recognition　by　this　man。　If　there　were　some　memories　of　a　shadow　of　myself　in　this　place　that　was　like　yet　not　like　Avalon；　what　form　did　they　take？　How　would　they　condition　a　reception　of　the　actual　me　should　I　be　discovered？
　The　sun　was　beginning　to　sink。　A　cool　breeze　began；　hinting　of　a　chilly　night　to　e。　My　ward　was　snoring　once　more；　so　I　decided　to　sprint　most　of　the　remaining　distance。　I　did　not　like　the　feeling　that　this　forest　after　dark　might　bee　a　place　crawling　with　unclean　denizens　of　some　damned　Circle　that　I　knew　nothing　about；　but　who　seemed　to　be　on　the　make　when　it　came　to　this　particular　piece　of　real　estate。
　So　I　ran　through　lengthening　shadows；　dismissing　rising　notions　of　pursuit；　ambush；　surveillance；　until　I　could　do　so　no　longer。　They　had　achieved　the　strength　of　a　premonition；　and　then　I　heard　the　noises　at　my　back：　a　soft　pat…pat…pat；　as　of　footfalls。
　I　set　the　stretcher　down；　and　I　drew　my　blade　as　I　turned。
　There　were　two　of　them；　cats。
　Their　markings　were　precisely　those　of　Siamese　cats；　only　these　were　the　size　of　tigers。　Their　eyes　were　of　a　solid；　sun…bright　yellow；　pupilless。　They　seated　themselves　on　their　haunches　as　I　turned；　and　they　stared　at　me　and　did　not　blink。
　They　were　about　thirty　paces　away。　I　stood　sideways　between　them　and　the　stretcher；　my　blade　raised。
　Then　the　one　to　the　left　opened　its　mouth。　I　did　not　know　whether　to　expect　a　purr　or　a　roar。　Instead；　it　spoke。　It　said；　〃Man；　most　mortal。〃　The　voice　was　not　human…sounding。　It　was　too　highpitched。
　〃Yet　still　it　lives；〃　said　the　second；　sounding　much　like　the　first。
　〃Slay　it　here；〃　said　the　first。
　〃What　of　the　one　who　guards　it　with　the　blade　I　like　not　at　all？〃
　〃Mortal　man？〃
　〃e　find　out；〃　I　said；　softly。
　〃It　is　thin；　and　perhaps　it　is　old。〃
　〃Yet　it　bore　the　other　from　the　cairn　to　this　place；　rapidly　and　without　rest。　Let　us　flank　it。〃
　I　sprang　forward　as　they　moved；　and　the　one　to　my　right　leaped　toward　me。
　My　blade　split　its　skull　and　continued　on　into　the　shoulder。　As　I　turned；　yanking　it　free；　the　other　swept　past　me；　heading　toward　the　stretcher。　I　swung　wildly。
　My　blade　fell　upon　its　back　and　passed　pletely　through　its　body。　It　emitted　a　shriek　that　grated　like　chalk　on　a　blackboard　as　it　fell　in　two　pieces　and　began　to　burn。　The　other　was　burning　also。
　But　the　one　I　had　halved　was　not　yet　dead。　Its　head　turned　toward　me　and　those　blazing　eyes　met　my　own　and　held　them。
　〃I　die　the　final　death；〃　it　said；　〃and　so　I　know　you；　Opener。　Why　do　you　slay　us？〃　And　then　the　flames　consumed　its　head。
　I　turned；　cleaned　my　blade　and　sheathed　it；　picked　up　the　stretcher；　ignored　all　questions；　and　continued　on。
　A　small　knowledge　had　begun　within　me；　as　to　what　the　thing　was；　what　it　had　meant。
　And　I　still　sometimes　see　that　burning　cat　head　in　dreams；　and　then　I　awaken；　wet　and　shivering；　and　the　night　seems　darker；　and　filled　with　shapes　I　cannot　define。
　
　***
　
　The　Keep　of　Ganelon　had　a　moat　about　it；　and　a　drawbridge；　which　was　raised。　There　was　a　tower　at　each　of　the　four　ers　where　its　high　walls　met。　From　within　those　walls　many　other　towers　reached　even　higher；　tickling　the　bellies　of　low；　dark　clouds；　occluding　the　early　stars；　casting　shadows　of　jet　down　the　high　hill　the　place　occupied。　Several　of　the　towers　were　already　lighted；　and　the　wind　bore　me　the　faint　sound　of　voices。
　I　stood　before　the　drawbridge；　lowered　my　charge　to　the　ground；　cupped　my　hands　about　my　mouth；　and　called　out：
　〃Hola！　Ganelon！　Two　travelers　are　stranded　in　the　night！〃
　I　heard　the　clink　of　metal　on　stone。　I　felt　that　I　was　being　studied　from　somewhere　above。　I　squinted　upward；　but　my　eyes　were　still　far　from　normal。
　〃Who　is　there？〃　the　voice　came　down；　big　and　booming。
　〃Lance；　who　is　wounded；　and　I；　Corey　of　Cabra；　who　bore　him　here。〃
　I　waited　as　he　called　this　information　to　another　sentry；　and　I　heard　more　voices　raised　as　the　message　was　passed　along　the　line。
　After　a　pause　of　several　minutes；　a　reply　came　back　in　the　same　manner。
　Then　the　guard　called　down：
　〃Stay　clear！　We're　going　to　lower　the　drawbridge！　You　may　enter！〃
　The　creaking　began　as　he　spoke；　and　in　a　brief　time　the　thing　banged　to　earth　on　our　side　of　the　moat。　I　raised　my　charge　once　more　and　walked　across　it。
　Thus　did　I　bear　Sir　Lancelot　du　Lac　to　the　Keep　of　Ganelon；　whom　I　trusted　like　a　brother。　That　is　to　say；　not　at　all。
　
　***
　
　There　was　a　rush　of　people　about　me；　and　I　found　myself　ringed　by　armed　men。　There　was　no　hostility　present；　however；　only　concern。　I　had　entered　a　large；　cobbled　courtyard；　lit　by　torches　and　filled　with　bedrolls。　I　could　smell　sweat；　smoke；　horses；　and　the　odors　of　cooking。　A　small　army　was　bivouacked　there。
　Many　had　approached　me　and　stood　staring　and　murmuring；　but　then　there　came　up　two　who　were　fully　arrayed；　as　for　battle；　and　one　of　them　touched　my　shoulder。
　〃e　this　way；〃　he　said。
　I　followed　and　they　flanked　me。　The　ring　of　people　parted　as　we　passed。　The　drawbridge　was　already　creaking　back　into　place。　We　moved　toward　the　main　plex　of　dark　stone。
　Inside；　we　walked　along　a　hallway　and　passed　what　appeared　to　be　a　reception　chamber。　Then　we　came　upon　a　stairway。　The　man　to　my　right　indicated　that　I　should　mount　it。　On　the　second　floor；　we　stopped　before　a　heavy　wooden　door　and　the　guard　knocked　upon　it。
　〃e　in；〃　called　out　a　voice　which　unfortunately　seemed　very　familiar。　We　entered。
　He　sat　at　a　heavy　wooden　table　near　a　wide　window　overlooking　the　courtyard。　He　wore　a　b