rz.thehandofoberon-第18部分

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ns　against　Gérard's　abdomen。　For　several　moments；　Gérard　seemed　too　dazed　to　protect　himself；　and　when　he　finally　bent　and　brought　his　arms　in；　Ganelon　caught　him　with　a　right　to　the　jaw　that　staggered　him　backward。　Ganelon　immediately　rushed　forward；　throwing　his　arms　about　Gérard　as　he　slammed　into　him　and　hooking　his　right　leg　behind　Gérard's　own。　Gérard　toppled　and　Ganelon　fell　upon　him。　He　straddled　Gérard　then　and　drove　his　right　fist　against　his　jaw。　When　Gérard's　head　rolled　back；　Ganelon　crossed　with　his　left。
　Benedict　suddenly　moved　to　intervene；　but　Ganelon　chose　that　moment　to　rise　to　his　feet。　Gérard　lay　unconscious；　bleeding　from　his　mouth　and　nose。　I　got　shakily　to　my　own　feet；　dusted　myself　off。　Ganelon　grinned　at　me。
　〃Don't　stay　around；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　know　how　I　would　do　in　a　rematch。　Go　find　the　trinket。〃
　I　glanced　at　Benedict　and　he　nodded。　I　returned　to　the　tent　for　Grayswandir。
　When　I　emerged；　Gérard　still　had　not　moved；　but　Benedict　stood　before　me。
　〃Remember；〃　he　said；　〃you've　my　Trump　and　I've　yours。　Nothing　final　without　a　conference。〃
　I　nodded。　I　was　going　to　ask　him　why　he　had　seemed　willing　to　help　Gérard；　but　not　me。　But　second　thoughts　had　me　and　I　decided　against　spoiling　our　fresh…minted　amity。
　〃Okay。〃
　I　headed　toward　the　horses。　Ganelon　clapped　me　on　the　shoulder　as　I　came　up　to　him。
　〃Good　luck；〃　he　said。　〃I'd　go　with　you；　but　I　am　needed　here　…　especially　with　Benedict　trumping　off　to　Chaos。〃
　〃Good　show；〃　I　said。　〃I　shouldn't　have　any　trouble。　Don't　worry。〃
　I　went　off　to　the　paddock。　Shortly；　I　was　mounted　and　moving。　Ganelon　threw　me　a　salute　as　I　passed　and　I　returned　it。　Benedict　was　kneeling　beside　Gérard。
　I　headed　for　the　nearest　trail　into　Arden。　The　sea　lay　at　my　back；　Garnath　and　the　black　road　to　the　left；　Kolvir　to　my　right。　I　had　to　gain　some　distance　before　I　could　work　with　the　stuff　of　Shadow。　The　day　lay　clean　once　Garnath　was　lost　to　sight；　several　rises　and　dips　later。　I　struck　the　trail　and　followed　its　long　curve　into　the　wood；　where　moist　shadows　and　distant　bird　songs　reminded　me　of　the　long　periods　of　peace　we　had　known　of　old　and　the　silken；　gleaming　presence　of　the　maternal　unicorn。
　My　aches　faded　into　the　rhythm　of　the　ride；　and　I　thought　once　again　of　the　encounter　I　had　departed。　It　was　not　difficult　to　understand　Gérard's　attitude；　since　he　had　already　told　me　of　his　suspicions　and　issued　me　a　warning。　Still；　it　was　such　bad　timing　for　whatever　had　happened　with　Brand　that　I　could　not　but　see　it　as　another　action　intended　either　to　slow　me　or　to　stop　me　entirely。　It　was　fortunate　that　Ganelon　had　been　on　hand；　in　good　shape；　and　able　to　put　his　fists　in　the　right　places　at　the　proper　times。　I　wondered　what　Benedict　would　have　done　if　there　had　only　been　the　three　of　us　present。　I'd　a　feeling　he　would　have　waited　and　intervened　only　at　the　very　last　moment；　to　stop　Gérard　from　killing　me。　I　was　still　not　happy　with　our　accord；　though　it　was　certainly　an　improvement　over　the　previous　state　of　affairs。
　All　of　which　made　me　wonder　again　what　had　bee　of　Brand。　Had　Fiona　or　Bleys　finally　gotten　to　him？　Had　he　attempted　his　proposed　assassinations　singlehanded　and　been　met　with　a　counterthrust；　then　dragged　through　his　intended　victim's　Trump？　Had　his　old　allies　from　the　Courts　of　Chaos　somehow　gotten　through　to　him？　Had　one　of　his　horny…handed　guardians　from　the　tower　finally　been　able　to　reach　him？　Or　had　it　been　as　I　had　suggested　to　Gérard　…　an　accidental　self…injury　in　a　fit　of　rage；　followed　by　an　ill…tempered　flight　from　Amber　to　do　his　brooding　and　plotting　elsewhere？
　When　that　many　questions　arise　from　a　single　event　the　answer　is　seldom　obtainable　by　pure　logic。　I　had　to　sort　out　the　possibilities　though；　to　have　something　to　reach　for　when　more　facts　did　turn　up。　In　the　meantime；　I　thought　carefully　over　everything　he　had　told　me；　regarding　his　allegations　in　light　of　those　things　which　I　now　knew。　With　one　exception；　I　did　not　doubt　most　of　the　facts。　He　had　built　too　cleverly　to　have　the　edifice　simply　toppled　…　but　then；　he　had　had　a　lot　of　time　to　think　these　things　over。　No；　it　was　in　his　manner　of　presenting　events　that　something　had　been　hidden　by　misdirection。　His　recent　proposal　practically　assured　me　of　that。
　The　old　trail　twisted；　widened；　narrowed　again；　swung　to　the　northwest　and　downward；　into　the　thickening　wood。　The　forest　had　changed　very　little。　It　seemed　almost　the　same　trail　a　young　man　had　ridden　centuries　before；　riding　for　the　sheer　pleasure　of　it；　riding　to　explore　that　vast　green　realm　which　extended　over　most　of　the　continent；　if　he　did　not　stray　into　Shadow。　It　would　be　good　to　be　doing　it　again　for　no　reason　other　than　this。
　After　perhaps　an　hour；　I　had　worked　my　way　well　back　into　the　forest；　where　the　trees　were　great　dark　towers；　what　sunlight　I　glimpsed　caught　like　phoenix　nests　in　their　highest　branches；　an　always　moist；　twilight　softness　smoothing　the　outlines　of　stumps　and　boles；　logs　and　mossy　rocks。　A　deer　bounded　across　my　path；　not　trusting　to　the　excellent　concealment　of　a　thicket　at　the　right　of　the　trail。　Bird　notes　sounded　about　me；　never　too　near。　Occasionally；　I　crossed　the　tracks　of　other　horsemen。　Some　of　these　were　quite　fresh；　but　they　did　not　stay　long　with　the　trail。　Kolvir　was　well　out　of　sight；　had　been　for　some　time。
　The　trail　rose　again；　and　I　knew　that　I　would　shortly　reach　the　top　of　a　small　ridge；　pass　among　rocks；　and　head　downward　once　more。　The　trees　thinned　somewhat　as　we　climbed；　until　finally　I　was　afforded　a　partial　view　of　the　sky。　It　was　enlarged　as　I　continued；　and　when　I　came　to　the　summit　I　heard　the　distant　cry　of　a　hunting　bird。
　Glancing　upward；　I　saw　a　great　dark　shape；　circling　and　circling；　high　above　me。　I　hurried　past　the　boulders　and　shook　the　reins　for　a　burst　of　speed　as　soon　as　the　way　was　clear。　We　plunged　downward；　racing　to　get　under　cover　of　the　larger　trees　once　again。
　The　bird　cried　out　as　we　did　this；　but　we　won　to　the　shade；　to　the　dimness；　without　incident。　I　slowed　gradually　after　that　and　continued　to　listen；　but　there　were　no　untoward　sounds　on　the　air。　This　part　of　the　forest　was　pretty　much　the　same　as　that　we　had　left　beyond　the　ridge；　save　for　a　small　stream　we　picked　up　and　paralleled　for　a　time；　finally　crossing　it　at　a　shallow　ford。　Beyond；　the　trail　widened　and　a　little　more　light　leaked　through　and　flowed　with　us　for　half　a　league。　We　had　almost　e　a　sufficient　distance　for　me　to　begin　those　small　manipulations　of　Shadow　which　would　bear　me　to　the　pathway　back　to　the　shadow　Earth　of　my　former　exile。　Yet；　it　would　be　difficult　to　begin　here；　easier　farther　along。　I　resolved　to　save　the　strain　on　myself　and　my　mount　by　continuing　to　a　better　beginning。　Nothing　of　a　threatening　nature　had　really　occurred。　The　bird　could　be　a　wild　hunter；　probably　was。
　Only　one　thought　nagged　at　me　as　I　rode。
　Julian。。。
　Arden　was　Julian's　preserve；　patrolled　by　his　rangers；　sheltering　several　encampments　of　his　troops　at　all　times　…　Amber's　inland　border　guard；　both　against　incursions　natural　and　against　those　things　which　might　appear　at　the　boundaries　of　Shadow。
　Where　did　Julian　go　when　he　had　departed　the　palace　so　suddenly　on　the　night　of　Brand's　stabbing？　If　he　wished　simply　to　hide；　there　was　no　necessity　for　him　to　flee　farther　than　this。　Here　he　was　strong；　backed　by　his　own　men；　moving　in　a　realm　he　knew　far　better　than　the　rest　of　us。　It　was　quite　possible　that　he　was　not；　right　now；　too　far　away。　Also；　he　liked　to　hunt。　He　had　his　hellhounds；　he　had　his　birds。。。　A　half　mile；　a　mile。。。
　Just　then；　I　heard　the　sound　that　I　feared　most。　Piercing　the　green　and　the　shade；　there　came　the　notes　of　a　hunting　horn。　They　came　from　some　distance　behind　me；　and　I　think　from　the　left　of　the　trail。
　I　urged　my　mount　to　a　gallop　and　the　trees　rushed　to　a　blur　on　either　side。　The　trail　was　straight　and　level　here。　We　took　advantage　of　this。
　Then　from　behind；　I　heard　a　roar　…　a　kind　of　deep…chested　coughing；　growling　sound　backed　by　a　lot　of　resonant　lung　space。　I　did　not　know　what　it　was　that　had　littered　it；　but　it　was　no　dog。　Not　even　a　hellhound　sounded　like　that。　I　glanced　back；　but　there　was　no　pursuit　in　sight。　So　I　kept　low　and　talked　to　Drum　a　bit。
　After　a　time；　I　heard　a　crashing　noise　in　the　woods　off　to　my　right；　but　the　roar　was　not　repeated　just　then。　I　looked　again；　several　times；　but　I　was　unable　to　make　out　what　it　was　that　was　causing　the　disturbance。　Shortly　thereafter；　I　heard　the　horn　once　more；　much　nearer；　and　this　time　it　was　answered　by　the　barks　and　the　baying　which　I　could　not　mistake。　The　hellhounds　were　ing　…　swift；　powerful；　vicious　beasts　Julian　had　found　in　some　shadow　and　trained　to　the　hunt。
　It　was　time；　I　decided；　to　begin　the　shift。　Amber　was　still　strong　about　me；　but　I　laid　hold　of　Shadow　as　best　I　could　and　started　the　movement。
　The　trail　began　to　curve　to　the　left；　and　as　we　raced　along　it　the　trees　at　either　hand　diminished　in　size；　fell　back。　Another　curve；　and　the　trail　led　us　through　a　clearing；　perhaps　two　hundred　meters　across。　I　glanced　up　then　and　saw　that　that　damned　bird　was　still　circling；　much　nearer　now；　close　enough　to　be　dragged　with　me　through　Shadow。
　This　was　more　plicated　than　I　had　intended。　I　wanted　an　open　space　in　which　to　wheel　my　mount　and　swing　a　blade　freely　if　it　came　to　that。　The　occurrence　of　such　a　place；　however；　revealed　my　position　quite　clearly　to　the　bird；　whom　it　was　proving　difficult　to　lose。
　All　right。　We　came　to　a　low　hill；　mounted　it；　started　downward；　passing　a　lone；　lightning…blasted　tree　as　we　did。　On　its　nearest　branch　sat　a　hawk　of　gray　and　silver　and　black。　I　whistled　to　it　as　we　passed；　and　it　leaped　into　the　air；　shrieking　a　savage　battle　cry。
　Hurrying　on；　I　heard　the　individual　voices　of　the　dogs　clearly　now；　and　the　thud　of　the　horses'　hoofs。　Mixed　in　with　these　sounds　there　was　something　else；　more　a　vibration；　a　shuddering　of　the　ground。　I　looked　back　again；　but　none　of　my　pursuit　had　yet　topped　the　hill。　I　bent　my　mind　toward　the　way　away　and　clouds　occluded　the　sun。　Strange　flowers　appeared　along　the　trail　…　green　and　yellow　and　purple　…　and　there　came　a　rumble　of　distant　thunders。　The　clearing　widene