rz.thehandofoberon-第10部分

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　A　while　later　I　had　uncovered　what　remained　of　it。　I　had　forgotten　the　skull　on　the　desk　until　a　careful　stroke　revealed　it　once　again　…　and　the　angle　of　the　far　wall；　and　a　tall　candlestick。。。　I　drew　back。　It　would　be　risky　to　do　any　more　rubbing。　Probably　unnecessary；　also。　It　seemed　about　as　entire　as　it　had　been。
　The　lantern　was　flickering　once　again。　Cursing　Roger　for　not　checking　the　kerosene　level；　I　stood　and　held　the　light　at　shoulder　level　off　to　my　left。　I　put　everything　from　my　mind　but　the　scene　before　me。
　It　gained　something　of　perspective　as　I　stared。　A　moment　later　and　it　was　totally　three…dimensional　and　had　expanded　to　fill　my　entire　field　of　vision。　I　stepped　forward　then　and　rested　the　lantern　on　the　edge　of　the　desk。
　I　cast　my　eyes　about　the　place。　There　were　bookshelves　on　all　four　walls。　No　windows。　Two　doors　at　the　far　end　of　the　room；　right　and　left；　across　from　one　another；　one　closed；　the　other　partly　ajar。　There　was　a　long；　low　table　covered　with　books　and　papers　beside　the　opened　door。　Bizarre　curios　occupied　open　spaces　on　the　shelves　and　odd　niches　and　recesses　in　the　walls　…　bones；　stones；　pottery；　inscribed　tablets；　lenses；　wands；　instruments　of　unknown　function。　The　huge　rug　resembled　an　Ardebil　I　took　a　step　toward　that　end　of　the　room　and　the　lantern　sputtered　again。　I　turned　and　reached　for　it。　At　that　moment；　it　failed。
　I　growled　an　obscenity　and　lowered　my　hand。　Then　I　turned；　slowly；　to　check　for　any　possible　light　sources。　Something　resembling　a　branch　of　coral　shone　faintly　on　a　shelf　across　the　room　and　a　pale　line　of　illumination　occurred　at　the　base　of　the　closed　door。　I　abandoned　the　lantern　and　crossed　the　room。
　I　opened　the　door　as　quietly　as　I　could。　The　room　it　let　upon　was　deserted；　a　small；　windowless　living　place　faintly　lit　by　the　still　smoldering　embers　in　its　single；　recessed　hearth。　The　room's　walls　were　of　stone　and　they　arched　above　me。　The　fireplace　was　a　possibly　natural　niche　in　the　wall　to　my　left。　A　large；　armored　door　was　set　in　the　far　wall；　a　big　key　partly　turned　in　its　lock。
　I　entered；　taking　a　candle　from　a　nearby　table；　and　moved　toward　the　fireplace　to　give　it　a　light。　As　I　knelt　and　sought　a　flame　among　the　embers；　I　heard　a　soft　footfall　in　the　vicinity　of　the　doorway。
　Turning；　I　saw　him　just　beyond　the　threshold。　About　five　feet　in　height；　hunchbacked。　His　hair　and　beard　were　even　longer　than　I　remembered。　Dworkin　wore　a　nightshirt　which　reached　to　his　ankles。　He　carried　an　oil　lamp；　his　dark　eyes　peering　across　its　sooty　chimney。
　〃Oberon〃　he　said；　〃is　it　finally　time？〃
　〃What　time　is　that？〃　I　asked　softly。
　He　chuckled。
　〃What　other？　Time　to　destroy　the　world；　of　course！〃
　
　
　Chapter　5
　
　I　kept　the　light　away　from　my　face；　kept　my　voice　low。
　〃Not　quite；〃　I　said。　〃Not　quite。〃
　He　sighed。
　〃You　remain　unconvinced。〃
　He　looked　forward　and　cocked　his　head；　peering　down　at　me。
　〃Why　must　you　spoil　things？〃　he　said。
　〃I've　spoiled　nothing。〃
　He　lowered　the　lamp。　I　turned　my　head　again；　but　he　finally　got　a　good　look　at　my　face。　He　laughed。
　〃Funny。　Funny；　funny；　funny；〃　he　said。　〃You　e　as　the　young　Lord　Corwin；　thinking　to　sway　me　with　family　sentiment。　Why　did　you　not　choose　Brand　or　Bleys？　It　was　Clarissa's　lot　served　us　best。〃
　I　shrugged　and　stood。
　〃Yes　and　no；〃　I　said；　determined　now　to　feed　him　ambiguities　for　so　long　as　he'd　accept　them　and　respond。　Something　of　value　might　emerge；　and　it　seemed　an　easy　way　to　keep　him　in　a　good　humor。
　〃And　yourself？〃　I　continued。　〃What　face　would　you　put　on　things？〃
　〃Why；　to　win　your　good　will　I'll　match　you；〃　he　said；　and　then　he　began　to　laugh。
　He　threw　his　head　back；　and　as　his　laughter　rang　about　me　a　change　came　over　him。　His　stature　seemed　to　increase；　and　his　face　luffed　like　a　sail　cut　too　close　to　the　wind。　The　hump　on　his　back　was　diminished　as　he　straightened　and　stood　taller。　His　features　rearranged　themselves　and　his　beard　darkened。　By　then　it　was　obvious　that　he　was　somehow　redistributing　his　body　mass；　for　the　nightshirt　which　had　reached　his　ankles　was　now　midway　up　his　shins。　He　breathed　deeply　and　his　shoulders　widened。　His　arms　lengthened；　his　bulging　abdomen　narrowed；　tapered。　He　reached　shoulder　height　on　me；　then　higher。　He　looked　me　in　the　eye。　His　garment　reached　only　to　his　knees。　His　hump　was　totally　resorbed。　His　face　gave　a　final　twist；　his　features　steadied；　were　reset。　His　laughter　fell　to　a　chuckle；　faded；　closed　with　a　smirk。
　I　regarded　a　slightly　slimmer　version　of　myself。
　〃Sufficient？〃　he　inquired。
　〃Not　half　bad；〃　I　said。
　〃Wait　till　I　toss　a　couple　logs　on　the　fire。〃
　〃I　will　help　you。〃
　〃That's　all　right。〃
　I　drew　some　wood　from　a　rack　to　the　right。　Any　stall　served　me　somewhat；　buying　reactions　for　my　study。　As　I　was　about　the　work；　he　crossed　to　a　chair　and　seated　himself。　When　I　glanced　at　him　I　saw　that　he　was　not　looking　at　me；　but　staring　into　the　shadows。　I　drew　out　the　fire…building；　hoping　that　he　would　say　something；　anything。　Eventually；　he　did。
　〃Whatever　became　of　the　grand　design？〃　he　asked。
　I　did　not　know　whether　he　was　speaking　of　the　Pattern　or　of　some　master　plan　of　Dad's　to　which　he　had　been　privy。　So；　〃You　tell　me；〃　I　said。　He　chuckled　again。
　〃Why　not？　You　changed　your　mind；　that　is　what　happened；〃　he　said。
　〃From　what　to　what　…　as　you　see　it？〃
　〃Don't　mock　me。　Even　you　have　no　right　to　mock　me；〃　he　said。　〃Least　of　all；　you。〃
　I　got　to　my　feet。
　〃I　was　not　mocking　you；〃　I　said。
　I　crossed　the　room　to　another　chair　and　carried　it　over　to　a　position　near　the　fire；　across　from　Dworkin。　I　seated　myself。
　〃How　did　you　recognize　me？〃　I　asked。
　〃My　whereabouts　are　hardly　mon　knowledge。〃
　〃That　is　true。〃
　〃Do　many　in　Amber　think　me　dead？〃
　〃Yes；　and　others　suppose　you　might　be　traveling　off　in　Shadow。〃
　〃I　see。〃
　〃How　have　you　been　…　feeling？〃
　He　gave　me　an　evil　grin。
　〃Do　you　mean　am　I　still　mad？〃
　〃You　put　it　more　bluntly　than　I　care　to。〃
　〃There　is　a　fading；　there　is　an　intensifying；〃　he　said。　〃It　es　to　me　and　it　departs　again。　For　the　moment　I　am　almost　myself　…　almost；　I　say。　The　shock　of　your　visit；　perhaps。。。　Something　is　broken　in　my　mind。　You　know　that。　It　cannot　be　otherwise；　though。　You　know　that；　too。〃
　〃I　suppose　that　I　do；〃　I　said。　〃Why　don't　you　tell　me　all　about　it；　all　over　again？　Just　the　business　of　talking　might　make　you　feel　better；　might　give　me　something　I've　missed。　Tell　me　a　story。〃
　Another　laugh。
　〃Anything　you　like。　Have　you　any　preferences？　My　flight　from　Chaos　to　this　small　sudden　island　in　the　sea　of　night？　My　meditations　upon　the　abyss？　The　revelation　of　the　Pattern　in　a　jewel　hung　round　the　neck　of　a　unicorn？　My　transcription　of　the　design　by　lightning；　blood；　and　lyre　while　our　fathers　raged　baffled；　too　late　e　to　call　me　back　while　the　poem　of　fire　ran　that　first　route　in　my　brain；　infecting　me　with　the　will　to　form？　Too　late！　Too　late。。。　Possessed　of　the　abominations　born　of　the　disease；　beyond　their　aid；　their　power；　I　planned　and　built；　captive　of　my　new　self。　Is　that　the　tale　you'd　hear　again？　Or　rather　I　tell　you　of　its　cure？〃
　My　mind　spun　at　the　implications　he　had　just　scattered　by　the　fistful。　I　could　not　tell　whether　he　spoke　literally　or　metaphorically　or　was　simply　sharing　paranoid　delusions；　but　the　things　that　I　wanted　to　hear；　had　to　hear；　were　things　closer　to　the　moment。　So；　regarding　the　shadowy　image　of　myself　from　which　that　ancient　voice　emerged；　〃Tell　me　of　its　cure；〃　I　said。
　He　braced　his　finger　tips　together　and　spoke　through　them。
　〃I　am　the　Pattern；〃　he　said；　〃in　a　very　real　sense。　In　passing　through　my　mind　to　achieve　the　form　it　now　holds；　the　foundation　of　Amber；　it　marked　me　as　surely　as　I　marked　it。　I　realized　one　day　that　I　am　both　the　Pattern　and　myself；　and　it　was　forced　to　bee　Dworkin　in　the　process　of　being　itself。　There　were　mutual　modifications　in　the　birthing　of　this　place　and　this　time；　and　therein　lay　our　weakness　as　well　as　our　strength。　For　it　occurred　to　me　that　damage　to　the　Pattern　would　be　damage　to　myself；　and　damage　to　myself　would　be　reflected　within　the　Pattern。　Yet　I　could　not　be　truly　banned　because　the　Pattern　protects　me；　and　who　but　I　could　harm　the　Pattern？　A　beautiful　closed　system；　it　seemed；　its　weakness　totally　shielded　by　its　strength。〃
　He　fell　silent。　I　listened　to　the　fire。　I　do　not　know　what　he　listened　to。
　Then；　〃I　was　wrong；〃　he　said。　〃Such　a　simple　matter；　too。。。　My　blood；　with　which　I　drew　it；　could　deface　it。　But　it　took　me　ages　to　realize　that　the　blood　of　my　blood　could　also　do　this　thing。　You　could　use　it；　you　could　also　change　it　…　yea；　unto　the　third　generation。〃
　It　did　not　e　to　me　as　a　surprise；　learning　that　he　was　grandsire　to　us　all。　Somehow；　it　seemed　that　I　had　known　all　along；　had　known　but　never　voiced　it。　Yet。。。　if　anything；　this　raised　more　questions　than　it　answered。　Collect　one　generation　of　ancestry。　Proceed　to　confusion。　I　had　less　idea　now　than　ever　before　as　to　what　Dworkin　really　was。　Add　to　this　the　fact　which　even　he　acknowledged：　It　was　a　tale　told　by　a　madman。
　〃But　to　repair　it。。。？〃　I　said。
　He　smirked；　my　own　face　twisting　before　me。
　〃Have　you　lost　your　taste　to　be　a　lord　of　the　living　void；　a　king　of　chaos？〃　he　asked。
　〃Mayhap；〃　I　replied。
　〃By　the　Unicorn；　thy　mother；　I　knew　it　would　e　to　this！　The　Pattern　is　as　strong　in　you　as　is　the　greater　realm。　What　then　is　your　desire？〃
　〃To　preserve　the　realm。〃
　He　shook　his/my　head。
　〃'Twould　be　simpler　to　destroy　everything　and　try　a　new　start　…　as　I　have　told　you　so　often　before。〃
　〃I'm　stubborn。　So　tell　me　again；〃　I　said；　attempting　to　simulate　Dad's　gruffness。
　He　shrugged。
　〃Destroy　the　Pattern　and　we　destroy　Amber　…　and　all　of　the　shadows　in　polar　array　about　it。　Give　me　leave　to　destroy　myself　in　the　midst　of　the　Pattern　and　we　will　obliterate　it。　Give　me　leave　by　giving　me　your　word　that　you　will　then　take　the　Jewel　which　contains　the　essence　of　order　and　use　it　to　create　a　new　Pattern；　bright　and　pure；　untainted；　drawing　upon　the　stuff　of　your　own　being　while　the　legions　of　chaos　attempt　to　distract　you　on　every　side。　Promise　me　that　and　let　me　end　it；　for　broken　as　I　am；　I　would　rather　die　for　order　than　live　for　it。　What　say