rz.signoftheunicorn-第12部分

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　trickled　from　a　mass　of　rock；　formed　a　clear　pool；　brimmed　into　a　tiny　creek；　made　its　way　off　toward　Garnath　and　on　down。
　It　was　to　this　place　that　Gerard　and　I　rode　the　following　day；　leaving　at　an　hour　that　found　us　halfway　down　our　trail　from　Kolvir　before　the　sun　skipped　flakes　of　light　across　the　ocean；　then　cast　its　whole　bucketful　against　the　sky。　Gerard　drew　rein　as　it　was　doing　this。　He　dismounted　then　and　motioned　to　me　to　do　the　same。　I　did；　leaving　Star　and　the　pack　horse　I　was　leading　there　beside　his　own　huge　piebald。　I　followed　him　off　perhaps　a　dozen　paces　into　a　basin　half…filled　with　gravel。　He　halted　and　I　came　up　beside　him。
　〃What　is　it？〃　I　asked。
　He　turned　and　faced　me　and　his　eyes　were　narrow　and　his　jaw　clamped　tight。　He　unfastened　his　cloak；　folded　it；　and　placed　it　on　the　ground。　He　unclapped　his　swordbelt　and　lay　it　atop　the　cloak。
　〃Get　rid　of　your　blade　and　your　cloak；〃　he　said。　〃They　will　only　get　in　the　way。〃
　I　had　an　inkling　of　what　was　ing；　and　I　decided　I　had　better　go　along　with　it。　I　folded　my　cloak；　placed　the　Jewel　of　Judgment　beside　Grayswandir；　and　faced　him　once　again。　I　said　only　one　word。
　〃Why？〃
　〃It　has　been　a　long　time；〃　he　said；　〃and　you　might　have　forgotten。〃
　He　came　at　me　slowly；　and　I　got　my　arms　out　in　front　of　me　and　backed　away。　He　did　not　swing　at　me。　I　used　to　be　faster　than　he　was。　We　were　both　crouched；　and　he　was　making　slow；　pawing　movements　with　his　left　hand；　his　right　hand　nearer　to　his　body；　twitching　slightly。
　If　I　had　had　to　choose　a　place　to　fight　with　Gerard；　this　would　not　have　been　it。　He；　of　course；　was　aware　of　this。　If　I　had　to　fight　with　Gerard　at　all；　I　would　not　have　chosen　to　do　so　with　my　hands。　I　am　better　than　Gerard　with　a　blade　or　a　quarterstaff。　Anything　that　involved　speed　and　strategy　and　gave　me　a　chance　to　hit　him　occasionally　while　keeping　him　at　bay　would　permit　me　to　wear　him　down　eventually　and　provide　openings　for　heavier　and　heavier　assaults。　He；　of　course；　was　aware　of　this　also。　That　is　why　he　had　trapped　me　as　he　had。　I　understood　Gerard；　though；　and　I　had　to　play　by　his　rules　now。
　I　brushed　his　hand　away　a　couple　of　times　as　he　stepped　up　his　movements；　pressing　nearer　to　me　with　every　pace。　Finally　I　took　a　chance；　ducked　and　swung。　I　landed　a　fast；　hard　left　just　a　little　above　his　middle。　It　would　have　broken　a　stout　board　or　ruptured　the　insides　of　a　lesser　mortal。　Unfortunately；　time　had　not　softened　Gerard。　I　heard　him　grunt；　but　he　blocked　my　right；　got　his　right　hand　under　my　left　arm；　and　caught　my　shoulder　from　behind。
　I　closed　with　him　fast　then；　anticipating　a　shoulder　lock　I　might　not　be　able　to　break；　and；　turning；　driving　forward；　catching　his　left　shoulder　in　a　similar　fashion；　I　hooked　my　right　leg　behind　his　knee　and　was　able　to　cast　him　backward　to　the　ground。
　He　maintained　his　grip；　though；　and　I　came　down　atop　him。　I　released　my　own　hold　and　was　able　to　drive　my　right　elbow　into　his　left　side　as　we　hit。　The　angle　was　not　ideal　and　his　left　hand　went　up　and　across；　reaching　to　grasp　his　right　somewhere　behind　my　head。
　I　was　able　to　duck　out　of　it；　but　he　still　had　my　arm。　For　a　moment　I　had　a　clear　shot　at　his　groin　with　my　right；　but　I　restrained　myself。　It　is　not　that　I　have　any　qualms　about　hitting　a　man　below　his　belt。　I　knew　that　if　I　did　it　to　Gerard　just　then　his　reflexes　would　probably　cause　him　to　break　my　shoulder。　Instead；　scraping　my　forearm　on　the　gravel；　I　managed　to　twist　my　left　arm　up　behind　his　head；　while　at　the　same　time　sliding　my　right　arm　between　his　legs　and　catching　him　about　the　left　thigh。　I　rolled　back　as　I　did　this；　attempting　to　straighten　my　legs　as　soon　as　my　feet　were　beneath　me。　I　wanted　to　raise　him　off　the　ground　and　slam　him　down　again；　driving　my　shoulder　into　his　middle　for　good　measure。
　But　Gerard　scissored　his　legs　and　rolled　to　the　left；　forcing　me　to　somersault　across　his　body。　I　let　go　my　hold　on　his　head　and　pulled　my　left　arm　free　as　I　went　over。　I　scrambled　clockwise　then；　dragging　my　right　arm　away　and　going　for　a　toehold。
　But　Gerard　would　have　none　of　that。　He　had　gotten　his　arms　beneath　him　by　then。　With　one　great　heave　he　tore　himself　free　and　twisted　his　way　back　to　his　feet。　I　straightened　myself　and　leaped　backwards。　He　began　moving　toward　me　immediately；　and　I　decided　that　he　was　going　to　maul　the　hell　out　of　me　if　I　just　kept　grappling　with　him。　I　had　to　take　a　few　chances。
　I　watched　his　feet；　and　at　what　I　judged　to　be　the　best　moment　I　dove　in　beneath　his　extended　arms　just　as　he　was　shifting　his　weight　forward　onto　his　left　foot　and　raising　his　right。　I　was　able　to　catch　hold　of　his　right　ankle　and　hoist　it　about　four　feet　high　behind　him。　He　went　over　and　down；　forward　and　to　his　left。
　He　scrambled　to　get　to　his　feet　and　I　caught　him　on　the　jaw　with　a　left　that　knocked　him　down　again。　He　shook　his　head　and　blocked　with　his　arms　as　he　came　up　once　more。　I　tried　to　kick　him　in　the　stomach；　but　missed　as　he　pivoted；　catching　him　on　the　hip。　He　maintained　his　balance　and　advanced　again。
　I　threw　jabs　at　his　face　and　circled。　I　caught　him　twice　more　in　the　stomach　and　danced　away。　He　smiled。　He　knew　I　was　afraid　to　close　with　him。　I　snapped　a　kick　at　his　stomach　and　connected。　His　arms　dropped　sufficiently　for　me　to　chop　him　alongside　the　neck；　just　above　the　collarbone。　At　that　moment；　however；　his　arms　shot　forward　and　locked　about　my　waist。　I　slammed　his　jaw　with　the　heel　of　my　hand；　but　it　did　not　stop　him　from　tightening　his　grip　and　raising　me　above　the　ground。　Too　late　to　hit　him　again。　Those　massive　arms　were　already　crushing　my　kidneys。　I　sought　his　carotids　with　my　thumbs；　squeezed。
　But　he　kept　raising　me；　back；　up　over　his　head。　My　grip　loosened；　slipped　away。　Then　he　slammed　me　down　on　my　back　in　the　gravel；　as　peasant　women　do　their　laundry　on　rocks。
　There　were　exploding　points　of　light　and　the　world　was　a　jittering；　half…real　place　as　he　dragged　me　to　my　feet　again。　I　saw　his　fist　…　
　
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　The　sunrise　was　lovely；　but　the　angle　was　wrong。。。　By　about　ninety　degrees。。。
　Suddenly　I　was　assailed　by　vertigo。　It　canceled　out　the　beginning　awareness　of　a　roadmap　of　pains　that　ran　along　my　back　and　reached　the　big　city　somewhere　in　the　vicinity　of　my　chin。
　I　was　hanging　high　in　the　air。　By　turning　my　head　slightly　I　could　see　for　a　very　great　distance；　down。
　I　felt　a　set　of　powerful　clamps　affixed　to　my　body　…　shoulder　and　thigh。　When　I　turned　to　look　at　them；　I　saw　that　they　were　hands。　Twisting　my　neck　even　farther；　I　saw　that　they　were　Gerard's　hands。　He　was　holding　me　at　full　arm's　length　above　his　head。　He　stood　at　the　very　edge　of　the　trail；　and　I　could　see　Gamath　and　the　terminus　of　the　black　road　far　below。　If　he　let　go；　part　of　me　might　join　the　bird　droppings　that　smeared　the　cliff　face　and　the　rest　would　e　to　resemble　washed…up　jellyfish　I　had　known　on　beaches　past。
　〃Yes。　Look　down；　Corwin；〃　he　said；　feeling　me　stir；　glancing　up；　meeting　my　eyes。　〃All　that　I　need　to　do　is　open　my　hands。〃
　〃I　hear　you；〃　I　said　softly；　trying　to　figure　a　way　to　drag　him　along　with　me　if　he　decided　to　do　it。
　〃I　am　not　a　clever　man；〃　he　said。　〃But　I　had　a　thought　…　a　terrible　thought。　This　is　the　only　way　that　I　know　to　do　something　about　it。　My　thought　was　that　you　had　been　away　from　Amber　for　an　awfully　long　while。　I　have　no　way　of　knowing　whether　the　story　about　your　losing　your　memory　is　entirely　true。　You　have　e　back　and　you　have　taken　charge　of　things；　but　you　do　not　yet　truly　rule　here。　I　was　troubled　by　the　deaths　of　Benedict's　servants；　as　I　am　troubled　now　by　the　death　of　Caine。　But　Eric　has　died　recently　also；　and　Benedict　is　maimed。　It　is　not　so　easy　to　blame　you　for　this　part　of　things；　but　it　has　occurred　to　me　that　it　might　be　possible　…　if　it　should　be　that　you　are　secretly　allied　with　our　enemies　of　the　black　road。〃
　〃I　am　not；〃　I　said。
　〃It　does　not　matter；　for　what　I　have　to　say；〃　he　said。　〃Just　hear　me　out。　Things　will　go　the　way　that　they　will　go。　If；　during　your　long　absence；　you　arranged　this　state　of　affairs　…　possibly　even　removing　Dad　and　Brand　as　part　of　your　design　…　then　I　see　you　as　out　to　destroy　all　family　resistance　to　your　usurpation。〃
　〃Would　I　have　delivered　myself　to　Eric　to　be　blinded　and　imprisoned　if　this　were　the　case？〃
　〃Hear　me　out！〃　he　repeated。　〃You　could　easily　have　made　mistakes　that　led　to　that。　It　does　not　matter　now。　You　may　be　as　innocent　as　you　say　or　as　guilty　as　possible。　Look　down；　Corwin。　That　is　all。　Look　down　at　the　black　road。　Death　is　the　limit　of　the　distance　you　travel　if　that　is　your　doing。　I　have　shown　you　my　strength　once　again；　lest　you　have　forgotten。　I　can　kill　you；　Corwin。　Do　not　even　be　certain　that　your　blade　will　protect　you；　if　I　can　get　my　hands　on　you　but　once。　And　I　will；　to　keep　my　promise。　My　promise　is　only　that　if　you　are　guilty　I　will　kill　you　the　moment　I　learn　of　it。　Know　also　that　my　life　is　insured；　Corwin；　for　it　is　linked　now　to　your　own。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃All　of　the　others　are　with　us　at　this　moment；　via　my　Trump；　watching；　listening。　You　cannot　arrange　my　removal　now　without　revealing　your　intentions　to　the　entire　family。　That　way；　if　I　die　forsworn；　my　promise　can　still　be　kept。〃
　〃I　get　the　point；〃　I　said。　〃And　if　someone　else　kills　you？　They　remove　me；　also。　That　leaves　Julian；　Benedict；　Random；　and　the　girls　to　man　the　barricades。　Better　and　better　…　for　whoever　it　is。　Whose　idea　was　this；　really？〃
　〃Mine！　Mine　alone！〃　he　said；　and　I　felt　his　grip　tighten；　his　arms　bend　and　grow　tense。
　〃You　are　just　trying　to　confuse　things！　Like　you　always　do！〃　he　groaned。　〃Things　didn't　go　bad　till　you　came　back！　Damn　it；　Corwin！　I　think　it's　your　fault！〃
　Then　he　hurled　me　into　the　air。
　〃Not　guilty；　Gerard！〃　was　all　I　had　time　to　shout。
　Then　he　caught　me　…　a　great；　shoulder…wrenching　grab　…　and　snatched　me　back　from　the　precipice。　He　swung　me　in　and　around　and　set　me　on　my　feet。　He　walked　off　immediately；　heading　back　to　the　gravelly　area　where　we　had　fought。　I　followed　him　and　we　collected　our　things。
　As　he　was　clasping　his　big　belt　he　looked　up　at　me　and　looked　away　again。
　〃We'll　not　talk　about　it　any　more；〃　he　said。
　〃All　right。〃
　I　turned　and　walked　back　to　the　horses。　We