rz.thegunsofavalon-第5部分

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　did　I　set　about　paying　back　those　who　had　used　me　poorly。　I　took　up　my　old　trade　on　the　highways　once　again　and　I　gained　me　another　band　of　followers。　We　grew。　When　there　were　hundreds　of　us　our　needs　were　considerable。　We　would　ride　into　a　small　town　and　make　it　ours。　The　local　militia　would　fear　us。　This；　too；　was　a　good　life；　though　not　so　splendid　as　the　Avalon　I　never　shall　know　again。　All　the　roadside　inns　came　to　fear　the　thunder　of　our　mounts；　and　travelers　would　soil　their　britches　when　they　heard　us　ing。　Ha！　This　lasted　for　several　years。　Large　parties　of　armed　men　were　sent　to　track　us　and　destroy　us；　but　always　we　evaded　them　or　ambushed　them。　Then　one　day　there　was　the　dark　Circle；　and　no　one　really　knows　why。〃
　He　puffed　more　vigorously　on　his　pipe；　stared　off　into　the　distance。
　〃I　am　told　it　began　as　a　tiny　ring　of　toadstools；　far　to　the　west。　A　child　was　found　dead　in　its　center；　and　the　man　who　found　her　…　her　father　…　died　of　convulsions　several　days　later。　The　spot　was　immediately　said　to　be　accursed。　It　grew　quickly　in　the　months　that　followed；　until　it　was　half　a　league　across。　The　grasses　darkened　and　shone　like　metal　within　it；　but　did　not　die。　The　trees　twisted　and　their　leaves　blackened。　They　swayed　when　there　was　no　wind；　and　bats　danced　and　darted　among　them。　In　the　twilight；　strange　shapes　could　be　seen　moving　…　always　within　the　Circle；　mind　you　…　and　there　were　lights；　as　of　small　fires；　throughout　the　night。　The　Circle　continued　to　grow；　and　those　who　lived　near　it　fled　…　mostly。　A　few　remained。　It　was　said　that　those　who　remained　had　struck　some　bargain　with　the　dark　things。　And　the　Circle　continued　to　widen；　spreading　like　the　ripple　from　a　rock　cast　into　a　pond。　More　and　more　people　remained；　living；　within　it。　I　have　spoken　with　these　people；　fought　with　them；　slain　them。　It　is　as　if　there　is　something　dead　inside　them　all。　Their　voices　lack　the　thrust　and　dip　of　men　chewing　over　their　words　and　tasting　them。　They　seldom　do　much　with　their　faces；　but　wear　them　like　death　masks。　They　began　to　leave　the　Circle　in　bands；　marauding。　They　slew　wantonly。　They　mitted　many　atrocities　and　defiled　places　of　worship。　They　put　things　to　the　torch　when　they　left　them。　They　never　stole　objects　of　silver。　Then；　after　many　months；　other　creatures　than　men　began　to　e　forth　…　strangely　formed；　like　the　hellcats　you　slew。　Then　the　Circle　slowed　in　its　growth；　almost　halting；　as　though　it　were　nearing　some　sort　of　limit。　But　now　all　manner　of　raiders　emerged　from　it　…　some　even　faring　forth　during　the　day　…　laying　waste　to　the　countryside　about　its　borders。　When　they　had　devastated　the　land　about　its　entire　circumference；　the　Circle　moved　to　enpass　those　areas；　also。　And　so　its　growth　began　again；　in　this　fashion。　The　old　king；　Uther；　who　had　long　hunted　me；　forgot　all　about　me　and　set　his　forces　to　patrolling　that　damned　Circle。　It　was　beginning　to　worry　me；　also；　as　I　did　not　relish　the　notion　of　being　seized　by　some　hell…spawned　bloodsucker　as　I　slept。　So　I　got　together　fifty…five　of　my　men　…　that　was　all　who　would　volunteer；　and　I　wanted　no　cowards　…　and　we　rode　into　that　place　one　afternoon。　We　came　upon　a　pack　of　those　dead…faced　men　burning　a　live　goat　on　a　stone　altar　and　we　lit　into　the　lot　of　them。　We　took　one　prisoner　and　tied　him　to　his　own　altar　and　questioned　him　there。　He　told　us　that　the　Circle　would　grow　until　it　covered　the　entire　land；　from　ocean　to　ocean。　One　day　it　would　close　with　itself　on　the　other　side　of　the　world。　We　had　best　join　with　them；　if　we　wished　to　save　our　hides。　Then　one　of　my　men　stabbed　him　and　he　died。　He　really　died；　for　I　know　a　dead　man　when　I　see　one。　I've　made　it　happen　often　enough。　But　as　his　blood　fell　upon　the　stone；　his　mouth　opened　and　out　came　the　loudest　laugh　I　ever　heard　in　my　life。　It　was　like　thunder　all　about　us。　Then　he　sat　up；　unbreathing；　and　began　to　burn。　As　he　burned；　his　form　changed；　until　it　was　like　that　of　the　burning　goat　…　only　larger　…　there　upon　the　altar。　Then　a　voice　came　from　the　thing。　It　said；　'Flee；　mortal　man！　But　you　shall　never　leave　this　Circle！'　And　believe　me；　we　fled！　The　sky　grew　black　with　bats　and　other　…　things。　We　heard　the　sound　of　hoofbeats。　We　rode　with　our　blades　in　our　hands；　killing　everything　that　came　near　us。　There　were　cats　such　as　you　slew；　and　snakes　and　hopping　things；　and　God　knows　what　all　else。　As　we　neared　the　edge　of　the　Circle；　one　of　King　Uther's　patrols　saw　us　and　came　to　our　aid。　Sixteen　of　the　fifty…five　who　had　ridden　in　with　me　rode　back　out。　And　the　patrol　lost　perhaps　thirty　men　itself。　When　they　saw　who　I　was；　they　hustled　me　off　to　court。　Here。　This　used　to　be　Uther's　palace。　I　told　him　what　I　had　done；　what　I　had　seen　and　heard。　He　did　with　me　as　Corwin　had。　He　offered　full　pardon　to　me　and　to　my　men　if　we　would　join　with　him　against　the　Wardens　of　the　Circle。　Having　gone　through　what　I　had　gone　through；　I　realized　that　the　thing　had　to　be　stopped。　So　I　agreed。　Then　I　fell　ill；　I　am　told　that　I　was　delirious　for　three　days。　I　was　as　weak　as　a　child　after　my　recovery；　and　I　learned　that　everyone　who　had　entered　the　Circle　had　been　likewise　taken。　Three　had　died。　I　visited　the　rest　of　my　men；　told　them　the　story；　and　they　were　enlisted。　The　patrols　about　the　Circle　were　strengthened。　But　it　would　not　be　contained。　In　the　years　that　followed；　the　Circle　grew。　We　fought　many　skirmishes。　I　was　promoted　until　I　stood　at　Uther's　right　hand；　as　once　I　had　at　Corwin's。　Then　the　skirmishes　became　more　than　skirmishes。　Larger　and　larger　parties　emerged　from　that　hellhole。　We　lost　a　few　battles。　They　took　some　of　our　outposts。　Then　one　night　an　army　emerged；　an　army　…　a　horde　…　of　both　men　and　the　other　things　that　dwelled　there。　That　night　we　met　the　largest　force　we　had　ever　engaged。　King　Uther　himself　rode　to　battle；　against　my　advice　…　for　he　was　advanced　in　years　…　and　he　fell　that　night　and　the　land　was　without　a　ruler。　I　wanted　my　captain；　Lancelot；　to　sit　in　stewardship；　for　I　knew　him　to　be　a　far　more　honorable　man　than　myself。。。　And　it　is　strange　here。　I　had　known　a　Lancelot；　just　like　him；　in　Avalon　…　but　this　man　knew　me　not　when　first　we　met。　It　is　strange。。。　At　any　rate；　he　declined；　and　the　position　was　thrust　upon　me。　I　hate　it；　but　here　I　am。　I　have　held　them　back　for　over　three　years　now。　All　my　instincts　tell　me　to　flee。　What　do　I　owe　these　damned　people？　What　do　I　care　if　the　bloody　Circle　widens？　I　could　cross　over　the　sea　to　some　land　it　would　never　reach　during　my　lifetime；　and　then　forget　the　whole　thing。　Damn　it！　I　didn't　want　this　responsibility！　Now　it　is　mine；　though！〃
　〃Why？〃　I　asked　him；　and　the　sound　of　my　own　voice　was　strange　to　me。
　There　was　silence。
　He　emptied　his　pipe。　He　refilled　it。　He　relit　it。　He　puffed　it。
　There　was　more　silence。
　Then；　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said。　〃I'd　stab　a　man　in　the　back　for　a　pair　of　shoes；　if　he　had　them　and　I　needed　them　to　keep　my　feet　from　freezing。　I　once　did；　that's　how　I　know。　But。。。　this　is　different。　This　is　a　thing　hurting　everybody；　and　I'm　the　only　one　who　can　do　the　job。　God　damn　it！　I　know　they're　going　to　bury　me　here　one　day；　along　with　all　the　rest　of　them。　But　I　can't　pull　out。　I've　got　to　hold　that　thing　back　as　long　as　I　can。〃
　My　head　was　cleared　by　the　cold　night　air；　which　gave　my　consciousness　a　second　wind；　so　to　speak；　though　my　body　felt　mildly　anesthetized　about　me。
　〃Couldn't　Lance　lead　them？〃　I　asked。
　〃I'd　say　so。　He's　a　good　man。　But　there　is　another　reason。　I　think　that　goat…thing；　whatever　it　was；　on　the　altar；　is　a　bit　afraid　of　me。　I　had　gone　in　there　and　it　had　told　me　I'd　never　make　it　back　out　again；　but　I　did。　I　lived　through　the　sickness　that　followed　after。　It　knows　it's　me　that　has　been　fighting　it　all　along。　We　won　that　great　bloody　engagement　on　the　night　Uther　died；　and　I　met　the　thing　again　in　a　different　form　and　it　knew　me。　Maybe　this　is　a　part　of　what　is　holding　it　back　now。〃
　〃What　form？〃
　〃A　thing　with　a　manlike　shape；　but　with　goat　horns　and　red　eyes。　It　was　mounted　on　a　piebald　stallion。　We　fought　for　a　time；　but　the　tide　of　the　battle　swept　us　apart。　Which　was　a　good　thing；　too；　for　it　was　winning。　It　spoke　again；　as　we　swaggered　swords；　and　I　knew　that　head…filling　voice。　It　called　me　a　fool　and　told　me　I　could　never　hope　to　win。　But　when　morning　came；　the　field　was　ours　and　we　drove　them　back　to　the　Circle；　slaying　them　as　they　fled。　The　rider　of　the　piebald　escaped。　There　have　been　other　sallyings　forth　since　then；　but　none　such　as　that　night's。　If　I　were　to　leave　this　land；　another　such　army　…　one　that　is　readying　even　now　…　would　e　forth。　That　thing　would　somehow　know　of　my　departure　…　just　as　it　knew　that　Lance　was　bringing　me　another　report　on　the　disposition　of　troops　within　the　Circle；　sending　those　Wardens　to　destroy　him　as　he　returned。　It　knows　of　you　by　now；　and　surely　it　must　wonder　over　this　development。　It　must　wonder　who　you　are；　for　all　your　strength。　I　will　stay　here　and　fight　it　till　I　fall。　I　must。　Do　not　ask　me　why。　I　only　hope　that　before　that　day　es；　I　at　least　learn　how　this　thing　came　to　pass　…　why　that　Circle　is　out　there。〃
　Then　there　came　a　fluttering　near　to　my　head。　I　ducked　quickly　to　avoid　whatever　it　was。　It　was　not　necessary；　though。　It　was　only　a　bird。　A　white　bird。　It　landed　on　my　left　shoulder　and　stood　there；　making　small　noises。　I　held　up　my　wrist　and　it　hopped　over　onto　it。　There　was　a　note　tied　to　its　leg。　I　unfastened　it；　read　it；　crumpled　it　in　my　hand。　Then　I　studied　invisible　things　distant。
　〃What　is　the　matter。　Sir　Corey？〃　cried　Ganelon。
　The　note；　which　I　had　sent　on　ahead　to　my　destination；　written　in　my　own　hand；　transmitted　by　a　bird　of　my　desire；　could　only　reach　the　place　that　had　to　be　my　next　stop。　This　was　not　precisely　the　place　that　I　had　in　mind。　However；　I　could　read　my　own　omens。
　〃What　is　it？〃　he　asked。　〃What　is　it　that　you　hold？　A　message？〃
　I　nodded。　I　handed　it　to　him。　I　could　not　very　well　throw　it　away；　since　he　had　seen　me　take　it。　It　read；　〃I　am　ing；〃　and　it　bore　my　signature。　Ganelon　puffed　his　pipe　and　read　it　in　the　glow。
　〃He　lives？　And　he　would　e　here？〃　he　said。
　〃So　it　would　seem。〃
　〃This　is　very　strange；〃　he　said。　〃I　do　not　understand　it　at　all。。。〃
　〃It　sounds　like　a　promise　of　assistan