rz.signoftheunicorn-第7部分

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t　ever　materialized。　As　for　Brand；　I　doubt　anyone　would　have　believed　me；　and　even　if　someone　did；　I　was　the　only　one　who　knew　how　to　reach　that　shadow。　Could　you　see　Eric　buying　that　as　a　reason　for　releasing　me？　He　would　have　laughed　and　told　me　to　e　up　with　a　better　story。　And　I　never　heard　from　Brand　again。　None　of　the　others　seem　to　have　heard　from　him　either。　Odds　are　he's　dead　by　now　…　I'd　say。　And　that　is　the　story　I　never　got　to　tell　you。　You　figure　out　what　it　all　means。
　
　
　Chapter　3
　
　I　studied　Random；　remembering　what　a　great　card　player　he　was。　By　looking　at　his　face；　I　could　no　more　tell　whether　he　was　lying；　in　whole　or　in　part；　than　I　could　learn　by　scrutinizing　the　Jack　of；　say；　Diamonds。　Nice　touch；　that　part；　too。　There　was　enough　of　that　kind　of　business　to　his　story　to　give　it　some　feel　of　verisimilitude。
　〃To　paraphrase　Oedipus；　Hamlet；　Lear；　and　all　those　guys；〃　I　said；　〃I　wish　I　had　known　this　some　time　ago。〃
　〃This　was　the　first　chance　I　really　had　to　tell　you；〃　he　said。
　〃True；〃　I　agreed。　〃Unfortunately；　it　not　only　fails　to　clarify　things；　it　plicates　the　puzzle　even　more。　Which　is　no　mean　trick。　Here　we　are　with　a　black　road　running　up　to　the　foot　of　Kolvir。　It　passes　through　Shadow；　and　things　have　succeeded　in　traversing　it　to　beset　Amber。　We　do　not　know　the　exact　nature　of　the　forces　behind　it；　but　they　are　obviously　malign　and　they　seem　to　be　growing　in　strength。　I　have　been　feeling　guilty　about　it　for　some　while　now；　because　I　see　it　as　being　tied　in　with　my　curse。　Yes；　I　laid　one　on　us。　Curse　or　no　curse；　though；　everything　eventually　resolves　into　some　sort　of　tangibility　that　can　be　batted。　Which　is　exactly　what　we　are　going　to　do。　But　all　week　long　I　have　been　trying　to　figure　out　Dara's　part　in　things。　Who　is　she　really？　What　is　she？　Why　was　she　so　anxious　to　try　the　Pattern？　How　is　it　that　she　managed　to　succeed？　And　that　final　threat　of　hers。。。　'Amber　will　be　destroyed；'　she　said。　It　seems　more　than　coincidental　that　this　occurred　at　the　same　time　as　the　attack　over　the　black　road。　I　do　not　see　it　as　a　separate　thing；　but　as　a　part　of　the　same　cloth。　And　it　all　seems　to　be　tied　in　with　the　fact　that　there　is　a　traitor　somewhere　here　in　Amber　…　Caine's　death；　the　notes。。。　Someone　here　is　either　abetting　an　external　enemy　or　is　behind　the　whole　thing　himself。　Now　you　link　it　all　up　with　Brand's　disappearance；　by　way　of　this　guy。〃　I　nudged　the　corpse　with　my　foot。　〃It　makes　it　look　as　if　Dad's　death　or　absence　is　also　a　part　of　it。　If　that　is　the　case；　though；　it　makes　for　a　major　conspiracy　…　with　detail　after　detail　having　been　carefully　worked　out　over　a　period　of　years。〃
　Random　explored　a　cupboard　in　the　corner；　produced　a　bottle　and　a　pair　of　goblets。　He　filled　them　and　brought　me　one；　then　returned　to　his　chair。　We　drank　a　silent　toast　to　futility。
　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃plotting　is　the　number…one　pastime　around　here；　and　everyone　has　had　plenty　of　time；　you　know。　We　are　both　too　young　to　remember　brothers　Osric　and　Finndo；　who　died　for　the　good　of　Amber。　But　the　impression　I　get　from　talking　with　Benedict　…〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said；　〃…　that　they　had　done　more　than　wishful　thinking　about　the　throne；　and　it　became　necessary　that　they　die　bravely　for　Amber。　I've　heard　that；　too。　Maybe　so；　maybe　not。　We'll　never　know　for　sure。　Still。。。　Yes；　the　point　is　well　taken；　though　almost　unnecessary。　I　do　not　doubt　that　it　has　been　tried　before。　I　do　not　put　it　past　a　number　of　us。　Who；　though？　We　will　be　operating　under　a　severe　handicap　until　we　find　out。　Any　move　that　we　make　externally　will　probably　only　be　directed　against　a　limb　of　the　beast。　e　up　with　an　idea。〃
　〃Corwin；〃　he　said；　〃to　be　frank　about　it；　I　could　make　a　case　for　it　being　anyone　here　…　even　myself；　prisoner　status　and　all。　In　fact；　something　like　that　would　be　a　great　blind　for　it。　I　would　have　taken　genuine　delight　in　looking　helpless　while　actually　pulling　the　strings　that　made　all　the　others　dance。　Any　of　us　would；　though。　We　all　have　our　motives；　our　ambitions。　And　over　the　years　we　all　have　had　time　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