rz.thehandofoberon-第17部分

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　〃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　lies　in　the　true　Amber；　in　the　defect　in　the　primal　Pattern。〃
　〃Yes；　I　understand　that。　Both　Random　and　Ganelon　have　described　your　journey　to　the　place　of　the　true　Pattern；　and　the　damage　you　discovered　there。　I　see　the　analogy；　the　possible　connection　…〃
　〃Do　you　recall　my　flight　from　Avalon；　and　your　pursuit？〃
　In　answer；　he　only　smiled　faintly。
　〃There　was　a　point　where　we　crossed　the　black　road；〃　I　said。　〃Do　you　recall　it？〃
　He　narrowed　his　eyes。
　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃You　cut　a　path　through　it。　The　world　had　returned　to　normal　at　that　point。　I　had　forgotten。〃
　〃It　was　an　effect　of　the　Pattern　upon　it；〃　I　said；　〃one　which　I　believe　can　be　employed　upon　a　much　larger　scale。〃
　〃How　much　larger？〃
　〃To　wipe　out　the　entire　thing。〃
　He　leaned　back　and　studied　my　face。
　〃Then　why　are　you　not　about　it？〃
　〃There　are　a　few　preliminaries　I　must　undertake。〃
　〃How　much　time　will　they　involve？〃
　〃Not　too　much。　Possibly　as　little　as　a　few　days。　Perhaps　a　few　weeks。〃
　〃Why　didn't　you　mention　all　of　this　sooner？〃
　〃I　only　learned　how　to　go　about　it　recently。〃
　〃How　do　you　go　about　it？〃
　〃Basically；　it　amounts　to　repairing　the　Pattern。〃
　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃Say　you　succeed。　The　enemy　will　still　be　out　there。〃　He　gestured　toward　Garnath　and　the　black　road。　〃Someone　gave　them　passage　once。〃
　〃The　enemy　has　always　been　out　there；〃　I　said。　〃And　it　will　be　up　to　us　to　see　that　they　are　not　given　passage　again　…　by　dealing　properly　with　those　who　provided　it　in　the　first　place。〃
　〃I　go　along　with　you　on　that；〃　he　said；　〃but　that　is　not　what　I　meant。　They　require　a　lesson；　Corwin。　I　want　to　teach　them　a　proper　respect　for　Amber；　such　a　respect　that　even　if　the　way　is　opened　again　they　will　fear　to　use　it。　That　is　what　I　meant。　It　is　necessary。〃
　〃You　do　not　know　what　it　would　be　like　to　carry　a　battle　to　that　place；　Benedict。　It　is　…　literally　…　indescribable。〃
　He　smiled　and　stood。
　〃Then　I　guess　I　had　best　go　see　for　myself；〃　he　said。　〃I　will　keep　this　card　for　a　time；　if　you　don't　mind。〃
　〃I　don't　mind。〃
　〃Good。　Then　you　be　on　with　your　business　about　the　Pattern；　Corwin；　and　I　will　be　about　my　own。　This　will　take　me　some　time；　too。　I　must　go　give　my　manders　orders　concerning　my　absence　now。　Let　us　agree　that　neither　of　us　mence　anything　of　a　final　nature　without　checking　first　with　the　other。〃
　〃Agreed；〃　I　said。
　We　finished　our　wine。
　〃I　will　be　under　way　myself；　very　soon　now；〃　I　said。　〃So；　good　luck。〃
　〃To　you　also。〃　He　smiled　again。　〃Things　are　better；〃　he　said；　and　he　clasped　my　shoulder　as　he　passed　to　the　entrance。　We　followed　him　outside。
　〃Bring　Benedict's　horse；〃　Ganelon　directed　the　orderly　who　stood　beneath　a　nearby　tree；　and　turning；　he　offered　Benedict　his　hand。
　〃I；　too；　want　to　wish　you　luck；〃　he　said。
　Benedict　nodded　and　shook　his　hand。
　〃Thank　you；　Ganelon。　For　many　things。〃
　Benedict　withdrew　his　Trumps。
　〃I　can　bring　Gérard　up　to　date；〃　he　said；　〃before　my　horse　arrives。〃
　He　riffled　through　them；　withdrew　one；　studied　it。
　〃How　do　you　go　about　repairing　the　Pattern？〃　Ganelon　asked　me。
　〃I　have　to　get　hold　of　the　Jewel　of　Judgment　again；〃　I　said。　〃With　it；　I　can　reinscribe　the　damaged　area。〃
　〃Is　this　dangerous？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Where　is　the　Jewel？〃
　〃Back　on　the　shadow　Earth；　where　I　left　it。〃
　〃Why　did　you　abandon　it？〃
　〃I　feared　that　it　was　killing　me。〃
　He　contorted　his　features　into　a　near…impossible　grimace。
　〃I　don't　like　the　sound　of　this；　Corwin。　There　must　be　another　way。〃
　〃If　I　knew　a　better　way；　I'd　take　it。〃
　〃Supposing　you　just　followed　Benedict's　plan　and　took　them　all　on？　You　said　yourself　that　he　could　raise　infinite　legions　in　Shadow。　You　also　said　that　he　is　the　best　man　there　is　in　the　field。〃
　〃Yet　the　damage　would　remain　in　the　Pattern；　and　something　else　would　e　to　fill　it。　Always。　The　enemy　of　the　moment　is　not　as　important　as　our　own　inner　weakness。　If　this　is　not　mended　we　are　already　defeated；　though　no　foreign　conqueror　stands　within　our　walls。〃
　He　turned　away。
　〃I　cannot　argue　with　you。　You　know　your　own　realm；〃　he　said。　〃But　I　still　feel　you　may　be　making　a　grave　mistake　by　risking　yourself　on　what　may　prove　unnecessary　at　a　time　when　you　are　very　much　needed。〃
　I　chuckled；　for　it　was　Vialle's　word　and　I　had　not　wanted　to　call　it　my　own　when　she　had　said　it。
　〃It　is　my　duty；〃　I　told　him。
　He　did　not　reply。
　Benedict；　a　dozen　paces　away；　had　apparently　reached　Gérard；　for　he　would　mutter　something；　then　pause　and　listen。　We　stood　there；　waiting　for　him　to　conclude　his　conversation　so　that　we　could　see　him　off。
　〃。。。　Yes；　he　is　here　now；〃　I　heard　him　say。　〃No；　I　doubt　that　very　much。　But　…〃
　Benedict　glanced　at　me　several　times　and　shook　his　head。
　〃No；　I　do　not　think　so；〃　he　said。　Then；　〃All　right；　e　ahead。〃
　He　extended　his　new　hand；　and　Gérard　stepped　into　being；　clasping　it。　Gérard　turned　his　head；　saw　me；　and　immediately　moved　in　my　direction。
　He　ran　his　eyes　up　and　down　and　back　and　forth　across　my　entire　person；　as　if　searching　for　something。
　〃What　is　the　matter？〃　I　said。
　〃Brand；〃　he　replied。　〃He　is　no　longer　in　his　quarters。　At　least；　most　of　him　isn't。　He　left　some　blood　behind。　The　place　is　also　broken　up　enough　to　show　there　had　been　a　fight。〃
　I　glanced　down　at　my　shirt　front　and　trousers。
　〃And　you　are　looking　for　bloodstains？　As　you　can　see；　these　are　the　same　things　I　had　on　earlier。　They　may　be　dirty　and　wrinkled；　but　that's　all。〃
　〃That　does　not　really　prove　anything；〃　he　said。
　〃It　was　your　idea　to　look。　Not　mine。　What　makes　you　think　I　…〃
　〃You　were　the　last　one　to　see　him；〃　he　said。
　〃Except　for　the　person　be　had　a　fight　with　…　if　he　really　did。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃
　〃You　know　his　temper；　his　moods。　We　had　a　small　argument。　He　might　have　started　breaking　things　up　after　I　left；　maybe　cut　himself；　gotten　disgusted；　trumped　out　for　a　change　of　scene　…　Wait！　His　rug！　Was　there　any　blood　on　that　small；　fancy　rug　before　his　door？〃
　〃I　am　not　sure　…　no；　I　don't　think　so。　Why？〃
　〃Circumstantial　evidence　that　he　did　it　himself。　He　was　very　fond　of　that　rug。　He　avoided　messing　it。〃
　〃I　don't　buy　it；〃　Gérard　said；　〃and　Caine's　death　still　looks　peculiar　…　and　Benedict's　servants；　who　could　have　found　out　you　wanted　gunpowder。　Now　Brand　…〃
　〃This　could　well　be　another　attempt　to　frame　me；〃　I　said；　〃and　Benedict　and　I　have　e　to　better　terms。〃
　He　turned　toward　Benedict；　who　had　not　moved　from　where　he　stood　a　dozen　paces　away；　regarding　us　without　expression；　listening。
　〃Has　he　explained　away　those　deaths？〃　Gérard　asked　him。
　〃Not　directly；〃　Benedict　answered；　〃but　much　of　the　rest　of　the　story　now　stands　in　a　better　light。　So　much　so；　that　I　am　inclined　to　believe　all　of　it。〃
　Gérard　shook　his　head　and　glared　down　at　me　again。
　〃Still　unsettled；〃　he　said。　〃What　were　you　and　Brand　arguing　about？〃
　〃Gérard；〃　I　said；　〃that　is　our　business；　till　Brand　and　I　decide　otherwise。〃
　〃I　dragged　him　back　to　life　and　watched　over　him；　Corwin。　I　didn't　do　it　just　to　see　him　killed　in　a　squabble。〃
　〃Use　your　brains；〃　I　told　him。　〃Whose　idea　was　it　to　search　for　him　the　way　that　we　did？　To　bring　him　back？〃
　〃You　wanted　something　from　him；〃　he　said。　〃You　finally　got　it。　Then　he　became　an　impediment。〃
　〃No。　But　even　if　that　were　the　case；　do　you　think　I　would　be　so　damned　obvious　about　it？　If　he　has　been　killed；　then　it　is　on　the　same　order　as　Caine's　death　…　an　attempt　to　frame　me。〃
　〃You　used　the　obviousness　excuse　with　Caine；　too。　It　seems　to　me　it　could　be　a　kind　of　subtlety　…　a　thing　you　are　good　at。〃
　〃We　have　been　through　this　before；　Gérard。。。〃
　〃。。。　And　you　know　what　I　told　you　then。〃
　〃It　would　be　difficult　to　have　forgotten。〃
　He　reached　forward　and　seized　my　right　shoulder。　I　immediately　drove　my　left　hand　into　his　stomach　and　pulled　away。　It　occurred　to　me　then　that　perhaps　I　should　have　told　him　what　Brand　and　I　had　been　talking　about。　But　I　didn't　like　the　way　he　had　asked　me。
　He　came　at　me　again。　I　side…stepped　and　caught　him　with　a　light　left　near　the　right　eye。　I　kept　jabbing　after　that；　mainly　to　keep　his　head　back。　I　was　in　no　real　shape　to　fight　him　again；　and　Grayswandir　was　back　in　the　tent。　I　had　no　other　weapon　with　me。
　I　kept　circling　him。　My　side　hurt　if　I　kicked　with　my　left　leg。　I　caught　him　once　on　the　thigh　with　my　right；　but　I　was　slow　and　off…balance　and　could　not　really　follow　through。　I　continued　to　jab。
　Finally；　he　blocked　my　left　and　managed　to　drop　his　hand　on　my　biceps。　I　should　have　pulled　away　then；　but　he　was　open。　I　stepped　in　with　a　heavy　right　to　his　stomach；　all　of　my　strength　behind　it。　It　bent　him　forward　with　a　gasp；　but　his　grip　tightened　on　my　arm。　He　blocked　my　attempted　uppercut　with　his　left；　continuing　its　forward　motion　until　the　heel　of　his　hand　slammed　against　my　chest；　at　the　same　time　jerking　my　left　arm　backward　and　to　the　side　with　such　force　that　I　was　thrown　to　the　ground。　If　he　came　down　on　me；　that　was　it。
　He　dropped　to　one　knee　and　reached　for　my　throat。
　
　
　Chapter　9
　
　I　moved　to　block　his　hand；　but　it　halted　in　midreach。　Turning　my　head；　I　saw　that　another　hand　had　fallen　upon　Gérard's　arm；　was　now　grasping　it；　was　holding　it　back。
　I　rolled　away。　When　I　looked　up　again；　I　saw　that　Ganelon　had　caught　hold　of　him。　Gérard　jerked　his　arm　forward；　but　it　did　not　e　free。
　〃Stay　out　of　this；　Ganelon；〃　he　said。
　〃Get　going；　Corwin！〃　Ganelon　said。　〃Get　the　Jewel！〃
　Even　as　he　called　out；　Gérard　was　beginning　to　rise。　Ganelon　crossed　with　his　left　and　connected　with　Gérard's　jaw。　Gérard　sprawled　at　his　feet。　Ganelon　moved　in　and　swung　a　kick　toward　his　kidney；　but　Gérard　caught　his　foot　and　heaved　him　over　backward。　I　scrambled　back　into　a　crouch；　supporting　myself　with　one　hand。
　Gérard　came　up　off　the　ground　and　rushed　Ganelon；　who　was　just　recovering　his　feet。　As　he　was　almost　upon　him；　Ganelon　came　up　with　a　double…fisted　blow　to　Guard's　midsection；　which　halted　him　in　his　tracks。　Instantly；　Ganelon's　fists　were　moving　like　pistons　against　Gérard's