rz.thehandofoberon-第13部分

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me　plane　of　reality；　so　unnatural　was　his　mien。　Yet　I　unsheathed　Grayswandir　and　took　a　step　backward　as　he　approached。
　His　long　white　hair　shed　tiny　sparkling　motes；　and　when　he　turned　his　head　I　knew　that　he　was　ing　for　me；　for　then　I　felt　his　gaze　like　a　cold　pressure　across　the　front　of　my　body。　I　turned　sidewise　and　raised　my　blade　to　guard。
　He　continued；　and　I　realized　that　both　he　and　the　horse　were　big；　bigger　even　than　I　had　thought。　They　came　on。　When　they　reached　the　point　nearest　me　…　some　ten　meters；　perhaps　…　the　horse　reared　as　the　rider　drew　it　to　a　halt。　They　regarded　me　then；　bobbing　and　swaying　as　if　on　a　raft　in　a　gently　swelling　sea。
　〃Your　name！〃　the　rider　demanded。　〃Give　me　your　name；　who　es　to　this　place！〃
　His　voice　produced　a　crackling　sensation　in　my　ears。　It　was　all　of　one　sound　level；　loud　and　without　inflection。
　I　shook　my　head。
　〃I　give　my　name　when　I　choose；　not　when　I　am　ordered　to；〃　I　said。　〃Who　are　you？〃
　He　gave　three　short　barks；　which　I　took　to　be　a　laugh。
　〃I　will　hale　you　down　and　about；　where　you　will　cry　it　out　forever。〃
　I　pointed　Grayswandir　at　his　eyes。
　〃Talk　is　cheap；〃　I　said。　〃Whisky　costs　money。〃
　I　felt　a　faint　cool　sensation　just　then；　as　if　someone　were　toying　with　my　Trump；　thinking　of　me。　But　it　was　dim；　weak；　and　I　had　no　attention　to　spare；　for　the　rider　had　passed　some　signal　to　his　mount　and　the　beast　reared。　The　distance　is　too　great；　I　decided。　But　this　thought　belonged　to　another　shadow。　The　beast　plunged　ahead　toward　me；　departing　the　tenuous　roadway　that　had　been　its　course。
　Its　leap　bore　it　to　a　point　far　short　of　my　position。　But　it　did　not　fall　from　there　and　vanish；　as　I　had　hoped。　It　resumed　the　motions　of　galloping；　and　although　its　progress　was　not　fully　mensurate　with　the　action；　it　continued　to　advance　across　the　abyss　at　about　half…speed。
　While　this　was　occurring；　I　saw　that　in　the　distance　from　which　it　had　e　another　figure　appeared　to　be　headed　my　way。　Nothing　to　do　but　stand　my　ground；　fight；　and　hope　that　I　could　dispatch　this　attacker　before　the　other　was　upon　me。
　As　the　rider　advanced；　his　ruddy　gaze　flicked　over　my　person　and　halted　when　it　fell　upon　Grayswandir。　Whatever　the　nature　of　the　mad　illumination　at　my　back；　it　had　tricked　the　delicate　tracery　on　my　blade　to　life　once　more；　so　that　that　portion　of　the　Pattern　it　bore　swam　and　sparkled　along　its　length。　The　horseman　was　very　near　by　then；　but　he　drew　back　on　the　reins　and　his　eyes　leaped　upward；　meeting　my　own。　His　nasty　grin　vanished。
　〃I　know　you！〃　he　said。　〃You　are　the　one　called　Corwin！〃
　But　we　had　him；　me　and　my　ally　momentum。
　His　mount's　front　hoofs　fell　upon　the　ledge　and　I　rushed　forward。　The　beast's　reflexes　caused　it　to　seek　equal　footing　for　its　hind　legs　despite　the　drawn　reins。　The　rider　swung　his　blade　into　a　guard　position　as　I　came　on；　but　I　cross…stepped　and　attacked　from　his　left。　As　he　moved　his　blade　cross…body；　I　was　already　lunging。　Grayswandir　sheared　through　his　pale　hide；　entering　beneath　the　sternum　and　above　the　guts。
　I　wrenched　my　blade　free　and　gouts　of　fire　poured　like　blood　from　his　wound。　His　sword　arm　sagged　and　his　mount　uttered　a　shriek　that　was　almost　a　whistle　as　the　blazing　stream　fell　upon　its　neck。　I　danced　back　as　the　rider　slumped　forward　and　the　beast；　now　fully　footed；　plunged　on　toward　me；　kicking。　I　cut　again；　reflexively；　defensively。　My　blade　nicked　its　left　foreleg；　and　it；　too；　began　to　burn。
　I　side…stepped　once　again　as　it　turned　and　made　for　me　a　second　time。　At　that　moment；　the　rider　erupted　into　a　pillar　of　light。　The　beast　bellowed；　wheeled；　and　rushed　away。　Without　pausing；　it　plunged　over　the　edge　and　vanished　into　the　abyss；　leaving　me　with　the　memory　of　the　smoldering　head　of　a　cat　which　had　addressed　me　long　ago　and　the　chill　which　always　acpanied　the　recollection。
　I　was　backed　against　rock；　panting。　The　wispy　road　had　drifted　nearer　…　ten　feet；　perhaps；　from　the　ledge。　I　had　developed　a　cramp　in　my　left　side。　The　second　rider　was　rapidly　approaching。　He　was　not　pale　like　the　first。　His　hair　was　dark　and　there　was　color　in　his　face。　His　mount　was　a　properly　maned　sorrel。　He　bore　a　cocked　and　bolted　crossbow。　I　glanced　behind　me　and　there　was　no　retreat；　no　crevice　into　which　I　might　back。
　I　wiped　my　palm　on　my　trousers　and　gripped　Grayswandir　by　the　forte　of　the　blade。　I　turned　sideways；　so　as　to　present　the　narrowest　target　possible。　I　raised　my　blade　between　us；　hilt　level　with　my　head；　point　toward　the　ground；　the　only　shield　I　possessed。
　The　rider　came　abreast　of　me　and　halted　at　the　nearest　point　on　the　gauzy　strip。　He　raised　the　crossbow　slowly；　knowing　that　if　he　did　not　drop　me　instantly　with　his　single　shot；　I　might　be　able　to　hurl　my　blade　like　a　spear。　Our　eyes　met。
　He　was　beardless；　slim。　Possibly　light…eyed　within　the　squint　of　his　aim。　He　managed　his　mount　well；　with　just　the　pressure　of　his　legs。　His　hands　were　big；　steady。　Capable。　A　peculiar　feeling　passed　over　me　as　I　beheld　him。
　The　moment　stretched　beyond　the　point　of　action。　He　rocked　backward　and　lowered　the　weapon　slightly；　though　none　of　the　tension　left　his　stance。
　〃You；〃　he　called　out。　〃Is　that　the　blade　Grayswandir？〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　〃it　is。〃
　He　continued　his　appraisal；　and　something　within　me　looked　for　words　to　wear；　failed；　ran　naked　away　through　the　night。
　〃What　do　you　want　here？〃　he　asked。
　〃To　depart；〃　I　said。
　There　was　a　chish…chá；　as　his　bolt　struck　the　rock　far　ahead　and　to　the　left　of　me。
　〃Go　then；〃　he　said。　〃This　is　a　dangerous　place　for　you。〃
　He　turned　his　mount　back　in　the　direction　from　which　he　had　e。
　I　lowered　Grayswandir。
　〃I　won't　forget　you；〃　I　said。
　〃No；〃　he　answered。　〃Do　not。〃
　Then　he　galloped　away；　and　moments　later　the　gauze　drifted　off　also。
　I　resheathed　Grayswandir　and　took　a　step　forward。　The　world　was　beginning　to　turn　about　me　again；　the　light　advancing　on　my　right；　the　dark　retreating　to　my　left。　I　looked　about　for　some　way　to　scale　the　rocky　prominence　at　my　back。　It　seemed　to　rise　only　thirty　or　forty　feet　higher；　and　I　wanted　the　view　that　might　be　available　from　its　summit。　My　ledge　extended　to　both　my　right　and　my　left。　On　inspection；　the　way　to　the　right　narrowed　quickly；　however；　without　affording　a　suitable　ascent。　I　turned　and　made　my　way　to　the　left。
　I　came　upon　a　rougher　spot　in　a　narrow　place　beyond　a　rocky　shoulder。　Running　my　gaze　up　its　height；　an　ascent　seemed　possible。　I　checked　behind　me　after　the　approach　of　additional　threats。　The　ghostly　roadway　had　drifted　farther　away；　no　new　riders　advanced。　I　menced　climbing。
　The　going　was　not　difficult；　though　the　height　proved　greater　than　it　had　seemed　from　below。　Likely　a　symptom　of　the　spatial　distortion　which　seemed　to　have　affected　my　sight　of　so　much　else　in　this　place。　After　a　time；　I　hauled　myself　up　and　stood　erect　at　a　point　which　afforded　a　better　view　in　the　direction　opposite　the　abyss。
　Once　again；　I　beheld　the　chaotic　colors。　From　my　right；　the　darkness　herded　them。　The　land　they　danced　above　was　rock…cropped　and　cratered；　no　sign　of　any　life　within　it。　Passing　through　its　midst；　however；　from　the　far　horizon　to　a　point　in　the　mountains　somewhere　to　the　right；　inky　and　serpentine；　ran　what　could　only　be　the　black　road。
　Another　ten　minutes　of　climbing　and　maneuvering；　and　I　had　positioned　myself　to　view　its　terminus。　It　swept　through　a　broad　pass　in　the　mountains　and　ran　right　to　the　very　edge　of　the　abyss。　There；　its　blackness　merged　with　that　which　filled　the　place；　noticeable　now　only　by　virtue　of　the　fact　that　no　stars　shone　through　it。　Using　this　occlusion　to　gauge　it；　I　obtained　the　impression　that　it　continued　on　to　the　dark　eminence　about　which　the　misty　strips　drifted。
　I　stretched　out　on　my　belly；　so　as　to　disturb　the　outline　of　the　low　crest　as　little　as　possible　to　whatever　unseen　eyes　might　flick　across　it。　Lying　there；　I　thought　upon　the　opening　of　this　way。　The　damage　to　the　Pattern　had　laid　Amber　open　to　this　access；　and　I　believed　that　my　curse　had　provided　the　precipitating　element。　I　felt　now　that　it　would　have　e　to　pass　without　me；　but　I　was　certain　that　I　had　done　my　part。　The　guilt　was　still　partly　mine　though　no　longer　entirely　so；　as　I　had　once　believed。　I　thought　then　of　Eric；　as　he　lay　dying　on　Kolvir。　He　had　said　that　as　much　as　he　hated　me；　he　was　saving　his　dying　curse　for　the　enemies　of　Amber。　In　other　words；　this；　and　these。　Ironic。　My　efforts　were　now　entirely　directed　toward　making　good　on　my　least…liked　brother's　dying　wish。　His　curse　to　cancel　my　curse；　me　as　the　agent。　Fitting　though；　perhaps；　in　some　larger　sense。
　I　sought；　and　was　pleased　not　to　discover；　ranks　of　glowing　riders　setting　forth　or　assembling　upon　that　road。　Unless　another　raiding　party　was　already　under　way　Amber　was　still　temporarily　safe。　A　number　of　things　immediately　troubled　me；　however。　Mainly；　if　time　did　indeed　behave　as　peculiarly　in　that　place　as　Dara's　possible　origin　indicated；　then　why　had　there　not　been　another　attack？　They　had　certainly　had　ample　time　in　which　to　recover　and　prepare　for　another　assault。　Had　something　occurred　recently；　by　Amber's　time；　that　is；　to　alter　the　nature　of　their　strategy？　If　so；　what？　My　weapons？　Brand's　recovery？　Or　something　else？　I　wondered；　too；　how　far　Benedict's　outposts　reached。　Certainly　not　this　far；　or　I　should　have　been　informed。　Had　he　ever　been　to　this　place？　Had　any　of　the　others；　within　recent　memory；　stood　where　I　had　just　stood；　looking　upon　the　Courts　of　Chaos；　knowing　something　that　I　did　not　know？　I　resolved　to　question　Brand　and　Benedict　in　this　regard　as　soon　as　I　returned。
　All　of　which　led　me　to　wonder　how　time　was　behaving　with　me；　at　that　moment。　Better　not　to　spend　any　more　time　here　than　I　had　to；　I　decided。　I　scanned　the　other　Trumps　I　had　removed　from　Dworkin's　desk。　While　they　were　all　of　them　interesting；　I　was　familiar　with　none　of　the　scenes　depicted。　I　slipped　my　own　case　then　and　riffled　through　to　Random's　Trump。　Perhaps　he　was　the　one　who　had　tried　to　contact　me　earlier。　I　raised　his　card　and　regarded　it。
　Shortly；　it　swam　before　my　eyes　and　I　looked　upon　a　blurred　kaleidoscope　of　images；　the　impression　of　Random　in　their　midst。　Motion；　and　twisting　perspectives。。。