rz.thehandofoberon-第16部分

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ld　him　about　her　walking　the　Pattern；　and　he　had　decided　then　that　too　many　people　other　than　yourself　were　aware　of　her　existence。〃
　〃So　what　did　you　tell　him？〃
　〃Everything。〃
　〃Including　the　guesswork；　the　speculation　…　after　Tir…na　Nog'th？〃
　〃Just　so。〃
　〃I　see。　How　did　he　take　this？〃
　〃He　seemed　excited　about　it。　Happy；　I'd　even　say。　e　talk　with　him　yourself。〃
　I　nodded　and　he　turned　toward　his　tent。　He　pushed　back　the　flap　and　stepped　aside。　I　entered。
　Benedict　was　seated　on　a　low　stool　beside　a　foot　locker　atop　which　a　map　had　been　spread。　He　was　tracing　something　on　the　map　with　the　long　metal　finger　of　the　glinting；　skeletal　hand　attached　to　the　deadly；　silver…cabled；　firepinned　mechanical　arm　I　had　brought　back　from　the　city　in　the　sky；　the　entire　device　now　attached　to　the　stump　of　his　right　arm　a　little　below　the　point　where　the　sleeve　had　been　cut　away　from　his　brown　shirt；　a　transformation　which　halted　me　with　a　momentary　shudder；　so　much　did　he　resemble　the　ghost　I　had　encountered。　His　eyes　rose　to　meet　my　own　and　he　raised　the　hand　in　greeting；　a　casual；　perfectly　executed　gesture；　and　he　smiled　the　broadest　smile　I　had　ever　seen　crease　his　face。
　〃Corwin！〃　he　said；　and　then　he　rose　and　extended　that　hand。
　I　had　to　force　myself　to　clasp　the　device　which　had　almost　killed　me。　But　Benedict　looked　more　kindly　disposed　toward　me　than　he　had　in　a　long　while。　I　shook　the　new　hand　and　its　pressures　were　perfect。　I　tried　to　disregard　its　coldness　and　angularity　and　almost　succeeded；　in　my　amazement　at　the　control　he　had　acquired　over　it　in　such　a　brief　time。
　〃I　owe　you　an　apology；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　wronged　you。　I　am　very　sorry。〃
　〃It's　all　right；〃　I　said。　〃I　understand。〃
　He　clasped　me　for　a　moment；　and　my　belief　that　things　had　apparently　been　set　right　between　us　was　darkened　only　by　the　grip　of　those　precise　and　deadly　fingers　on　my　shoulder。
　Ganelon　chuckled　and　brought　up　another　stool；　which　he　set　at　the　other　end　of　the　locker。　My　irritation　at　his　having　aired　the　subject　I　had　not　wanted　mentioned；　whatever　the　circumstances；　was　submerged　by　the　sight　of　its　effects。　I　could　not　remember　having　seen　Benedict　in　better　spirits；　Ganelon　was　obviously　pleased　at　having　effected　the　resolution　of　our　differences。
　I　smiled　myself　and　accepted　a　seat；　unbuckling　my　sword　belt　and　hanging　Grayswandir　on　the　tent　pole。　Ganelon　produced　three　glasses　and　a　bottle　of　wine。　As　he　set　the　glasses　before　us　and　poured；　he　remarked；　〃To　return　the　hospitality　of　your　tent；　that　night；　back　in　Avalon。〃
　Benedict　took　up　his　glass　with　but　the　faintest　of　clicks。
　〃There　is　more　ease　in　this　tent；〃　he　said。　〃Is　that　not　so；　Corwin？〃
　I　nodded　and　raised　my　glass。
　〃To　that　ease。　May　it　always　prevail。〃
　〃I　have　had　my　first　opportunity　in　a　long　while；〃　he　said；　〃to　talk　with　Random　at　some　length。　He　has　changed　quite　a　bit。〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　agreed。
　〃I　am　more　inclined　to　trust　him　now　than　I　was　in　days　gone　by。　We　had　the　time　to　talk　after　we　left　the　Tecys。〃
　〃Where　were　you　headed？〃
　〃Some　ments　Martin　had　made　to　his　host　seemed　to　indicate　that　he　was　going　to　a　place　I　knew　of　further　off　in　Shadow　…　the　block　city　of　Heerat。　We　journeyed　there　and　found　this　to　be　correct。　He　had　passed　that　way。〃
　〃I　am　not　familiar　with　Heerat；〃　I　said。
　〃A　place　of　adobe　and　stone　…　a　mercial　center　at　the　junction　of　several　trade　routes。　There；　Random　found　news　which　took　him　eastward　and　probably　deeper　into　Shadow。　We　parted　pany　at　Heerat；　for　I　did　not　want　to　be　away　from　Amber　overlong。　Also；　there　was　a　personal　matter　I　was　anxious　to　pursue。　He　told　me　how　he　had　seen　Dara　walk　the　Pattern　on　the　day　of　the　battle。〃
　〃That's　right；〃　I　said。　〃She　did。　I　was　there；　too。〃
　He　nodded。
　〃As　I　said。　Random　had　impressed　me。　I　was　inclined　to　believe　he　was　telling　the　truth。　If　this　were　so；　then　it　was　possible　that　you　were　also。　Granting　this；　I　had　to　pursue　the　matter　of　the　girl's　allegations。　You　were　not　available；　so　I　came　to　Ganelon　…　this　was　several　days　ago　…　and　had　him　tell　me　everything　he　knew　about　Dara。〃
　I　glanced　at　Ganelon；　who　inclined　his　head　slightly。
　〃So　you　now　believe　you　have　uncovered　a　new　relative；〃　I　said；　〃a　mendacious　one；　to　be　sure；　and　quite　possibly　an　enemy　…　but　a　relative；　nevertheless。　What　is　your　next　move？〃
　He　took　a　sip　of　wine。
　〃I　would　like　to　believe　in　the　relationship；〃　he　said。　〃The　notion　somehow　pleases　me。　So　I　would　like　to　establish　it　or　negate　it　to　a　certainty。　If　it　turns　out　that　we　are　indeed　related；　then　I　would　like　to　understand　the　motives　behind　her　actions。　And　I　would　like　to　learn　why　she　never　made　her　existence　known　to　me　directly。〃
　He　put　down　his　glass；　raised　his　new　hand　and　flexed　the　fingers。
　〃So　I　would　like　to　begin；〃　he　continued；　〃by　learning　of　those　things　you　experienced　in　Tir…na　Nog'th　which　apply　to　me　and　to　Dara。　I　am　also　extremely　curious　about　this　hand；　which　behaves　as　if　it　were　made　for　me。　I　have　never　heard　of　a　physical　object　being　obtained　in　the　city　in　the　sky。〃
　He　made　a　fist；　unclenched　it；　rotated　the　wrist；　extended　the　arm；　raised　it；　lowered　it　gently　to　his　knee。
　〃Random　performed　a　very　effective　piece　of　surgery；　don't　you　think？〃　he　concluded。
　〃Very；〃　I　agreed。
　〃So；　will　you　tell　me　the　story？〃
　I　nodded　and　took　a　sip　of　my　wine。
　〃It　was　in　the　palace　in　the　sky　that　it　occurred；〃　I　said。　〃The　place　was　filled　with　inky；　shifting　shadows。　I　felt　impelled　to　visit　the　throne　room。　I　did　this；　and　when　the　shadows　moved　aside；　I　saw　you　standing　to　the　right　of　the　throne；　wearing　that　arm。　When　things　cleared　further；　I　saw　Dara　seated　upon　the　throne。　I　advanced　and　touched　her　with　Grayswandir；　which　made　me　visible　to　her。　She　declared　me　dead　these　several　centuries　and　bade　me　return　to　my　grave。　When　I　demanded　her　lineage；　she　said　she　was　descended　of　you　and　of　the　hellmaid　Lintra。〃
　Benedict　drew　a　deep　breath　but　said　nothing。　I　continued：
　〃Time；　she　said；　moved　at　such　a　different　rate　in　the　place　of　her　birth；　that　several　generations　had　passed　there。　She　was　the　first　of　them　possessed　of　regular　human　attributes。　She　again　bade　me　depart。　During　this　time；　you　had　been　studying　Grayswandir。　You　struck　then　to　remove　her　from　danger；　and　we　fought。　My　blade　could　reach　you　and　your　hand　could　reach　me。　That　was　all。　Otherwise；　it　was　a　confrontation　of　ghosts。　As　the　sun　began　to　rise　and　the　city　to　fade；　you　had　me　in　a　grip　with　that　hand。　I　struck　it　free　of　the　arm　with　Grayswandir　and　escaped。　It　was　returned　with　me　because　it　was　still　clasping　my　shoulder。〃
　〃Curious；〃　Benedict　said。　〃I　have　known　that　place　to　render　false　prophecies　…　the　fears　and　hidden　desires　of　the　visitor；　rather　than　a　true　picture　of　what　is　to　be。　But　then；　it　often　reveals　unknown　truths　as　well。　And　as　in　most　other　things；　it　is　difficult　to　separate　the　valid　from　the　spurious。　How　did　you　read　it？〃
　〃Benedict；〃　I　said；　〃I　am　inclined　to　believe　the　story　of　her　origin。　You　have　never　seen　her；　but　I　have。　She　does　resemble　you　in　some　ways。　As　for　the　rest。。。　it　is　doubtless　as　you　said　…　that　which　is　left　after　the　truth　has　been　separated　out。〃
　He　nodded　slowly；　and　I　could　tell　that　he　was　not　convinced　but　did　not　want　to　push　the　matter。　He　knew　as　well　as　I　did　what　the　rest　implied。　If　he　were　to　pursue　his　claim　to　the　throne　and　succeed　in　achieving　it；　it　was　possible　that　he　might　one　day　step　aside　in　favor　of　his　only　descendant。
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　I　asked　him。
　〃Do？〃　he　said。　〃What　is　Random　now　doing　about　Martin？　I　shall　seek　her；　find　her；　have　the　story　from　her　own　lips；　and　then　decide　for　myself。　This　will　have　to　wait；　however；　until　the　matter　of　the　black　road　is　settled。　That　is　another　matter　I　wish　to　discuss　with　you。〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃If　time　moves　so　differently　in　their　stronghold；　they　have　had　more　than　they　need　in　which　to　mount　another　attack。　I　do　not　want　to　keep　waiting　to　meet　them　in　indecisive　encounters。　I　am　contemplating　following　the　black　road　back　to　its　source　and　attacking　them　on　their　home　ground。　I　would　like　to　do　it　with　your　concurrence。〃
　〃Benedict；〃　I　said；　〃have　you　ever　looked　upon　the　Courts　of　Chaos？〃
　He　raised　his　head　and　stared　at　the　blank　wall　of　the　tent。
　〃Ages　ago；　when　I　was　young；〃　he　said；　〃I　hellrode　as　far　as　I　might　go；　to　the　end　of　everything。　There；　beneath　a　divided　sky；　I　looked　upon　an　awesome　abyss。　I　do　not　know　if　the　place　lies　there　or　if　the　road　runs　that　far；　but　I　am　prepared　to　take　that　way　again；　if　such　is　the　case。〃
　〃Such　is　the　case；〃　I　said。
　〃How　can　you　be　certain？〃
　〃I　am　just　returned　from　that　land。　A　dark　citadel　hovers　within　it。　The　road　goes　to　it。〃
　〃How　difficult　was　the　way？〃
　〃Here；〃　I　said；　taking　out　the　Trump　and　passing　it　to　him。　〃This　was　Dworkin's。　I　found　it　among　his　things。　I　only　just　tried　it。　It　took　me　there。　Time　is　already　rapid　at　that　point。　I　was　attacked　by　a　rider　on　a　drifting　roadway；　of　a　sort　not　shown　on　the　card。　Trump　contact　is　difficult　there；　perhaps　because　of　the　time　differential。　Gérard　brought　me　back。〃
　He　studied　the　card。
　〃It　seems　the　place　I　saw　that　time；〃　he　said　at　length。　〃This　solves　our　logistics　problems。　With　one　of　us　on　either　end　of　a　Trump　connection　we　can　transport　the　troops　right　through；　as　we　did　that　day　from　Kolvir　to　Garnath。〃
　I　nodded。
　〃That　is　one　of　the　reasons　I　showed　it　to　you；　to　indicate　my　good　faith。　There　may　be　another　way；　involving　less　risk　than　running　our　forces　into　the　unknown。　I　want　you　to　hold　off　on　this　venture　until　I　have　explored　my　way　further。〃
　〃I　will　have　to　hold　off　in　any　event；　to　obtain　some　intelligence　concerning　that　place。　We　do　not　even　know　whether　your　automatic　weapons　will　function　there；　do　we？〃
　〃No；　I　did　not　have　one　along　to　test。〃
　He　pursed　his　lips。
　〃You　really　should　have　thought　to　take　one　and　try　it。〃
　〃The　circumstances　of　my　departure　did　not　permit　this。〃
　〃Circumstances？〃
　〃Another　time。　It　is　not　relevant　here。　You　spoke　of　following　the　black　road　to　its　source。。。〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃That　is　not　its　true　source。　Its　real　source　li