rz.thehandofoberon-第20部分

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　〃Then　whose　idea　was　the　blinding？〃
　He　was　silent　again　for　a　long　while。　Then　he　spoke　very　softly；　almost　a　whisper：　〃Hear　me　out；　please。　It　was　mine；　and　it　may　have　saved　your　life。　Any　action　taken　against　you　had　to　be　tantamount　to　death；　or　their　faction　would　have　tried　for　the　real　thing。　You　were　no　longer　of　any　use　to　them；　but　alive　and　about　you　possessed　the　potentiality　of　being　a　danger　at　some　future　time。　They　could　have　used　your　Trump　to　contact　you　and　kill　you；　or　they　could　have　used　it　to　free　you　in　order　to　sacrifice　you　in　yet　another　move　against　Eric。　Blinded；　however；　there　was　no　need　to　slay　you　and　you　were　of　no　use　for　anything　else　they　might　have　in　mind。　It　saved　you　by　taking　you　out　of　the　picture　for　a　time；　and　it　saved　us　from　a　more　egregious　act　which　might　one　day　be　held　against　us。　As　we　saw　it；　there　was　no　choice。　It　was　the　only　thing　we　could　do。　There　could　be　no　show　of　leniency　either；　or　we　might　be　suspected　of　having　some　use　for　you　ourselves。　The　moment　you　assumed　any　such　semblance　of　value　you　would　have　been　a　dead　man。　The　most　we　could　do　was　look　the　other　way　whenever　Lord　Rein　contrived　to　fort　you。　That　was　all　that　could　be　done。〃
　〃I　see；〃　I　said。
　〃Yes；〃　he　agreed；　〃you　saw　too　soon。　No　one　had　guessed　you　would　recover　your　sight　that　quickly；　nor　that　you　would　be　able　to　escape　once　you　did。　How　did　you　manage　it？〃
　〃Does　Macy's　tell　Gimbel's？〃　I　said。
　〃Beg　pardon？〃
　〃I　said　…　never　mind。　What　do　you　know　of　Brand's　imprisonment；　then？〃
　He　regarded　me　once　more。
　〃All　I　know　is　that　there　was　some　sort　of　falling　out　within　his　group。　I　lack　the　particulars。　For　some　reason；　Bleys　and　Fiona　were　afraid　to　kill　him　and　afraid　to　let　him　run　loose。　When　we　freed　him　from　their　promise　…　imprisonment　…　Fiona　was　apparently　more　afraid　of　having　him　free。〃
　〃And　you　said　you　feared　him　enough　to　have　made　ready　to　kill　him。　Why　now；　after　all　this　time；　when　all　of　this　is　history　and　the　power　has　shifted　again？　He　was　weak；　virtually　helpless。　What　harm　could　he　do　now？〃
　He　sighed。
　〃I　do　not　understand　the　power　that　he　possesses；〃　he　said；　〃but　it　is　considerable。　I　know　that　he　can　travel　through　Shadow　with　his　mind；　that　he　can　sit　in　a　chair；　locate　what　he　seeks　in　Shadow；　and　then　bring　it　to　him　by　an　act　of　will　without　moving　from　the　chair；　and　he　can　travel　through　Shadow　physically　in　a　somewhat　similar　fashion。　He　lays　his　mind　upon　the　place　he　would　visit；　forms　a　kind　of　mental　doorway；　and　simply　steps　through。　For　that　matter；　I　believe　he　can　sometimes　tell　what　people　are　thinking。　It　is　almost　as　if　he　has　himself　bee　some　sort　of　living　Trump。　I　know　these　things　because　I　have　seen　him　do　them。　Near　the　end；　when　we　had　him　under　surveillance　in　the　palace　he　had　eluded　us　once　in　this　fashion。　This　was　the　time　he　traveled　to　the　shadow　Earth　and　had　you　placed　in　Bedlam。　After　his　recapture；　one　of　us　remained　with　him　at　all　times。　We　did　not　yet　know　that　he　could　summon　things　through　Shadow；　however。　When　he　became　aware　that　you　had　escaped　your　confinement；　he　summoned　a　horrid　beast　which　attacked　Caine；　who　was　then　his　bodyguard。　Then　he　went　to　you　once　again。　Bleys　and　Fiona　apparently　got　hold　of　him　shortly　after　that；　before　we　could；　and　I　did　not　see　him　again　until　that　night　in　the　library　when　we　brought　him　back。　I　fear　him　because　he　has　deadly　powers　which　I　do　not　understand。〃
　〃In　such　a　case；　I　wonder　how　they　managed　to　confine　him　at　all？〃
　〃Fiona　has　similar　strengths；　and　I　believe　Bleys　did　also。　Between　the　two　of　them；　they　could　apparently　annul　most　of　Brand's　power　while　they　created　a　place　where　it　would　be　inoperative。〃
　〃Not　totally；〃　I　said。　〃He　got　a　message　to　Random。　In　fact；　he　reached　me　once；　weakly。〃
　〃Obviously　not　totally；　then；〃　he　said。　〃Sufficiently；　however。　Until　we　broke　through　the　defenses。〃
　〃What　do　you　know　of　all　their　byplay　with　me　…　confining　me；　trying　to　kill　me；　saving　me。〃
　〃That　I　do　not　understand；〃　he　said；　〃except　that　it　was　part　of　the　power　struggle　within　their　own　group。　They　had　had　a　falling　out　amongst　themselves；　and　one　side　or　the　other　had　some　use　for　you。　So；　naturally；　one　side　was　trying　to　kill　you　while　the　other　fought　to　preserve　you。　Ultimately；　of　course；　Bleys　got　the　most　mileage　out　of　you；　in　that　attack　he　launched。〃
　〃But　he　was　the　one　who　tried　to　kill　me；　back　on　the　shadow　Earth；〃　I　said。　〃He　was　the　one　who　shot　out　my　tires。〃
　〃Oh？〃
　〃Well；　that　is　what　Brand　told　me；　but　it　jibes　with　all　sorts　of　secondary　evidence。〃
　He　shrugged。
　〃I　cannot　help　you　on　that；〃　he　said。　〃I　simply　do　not　know　what　was　going　on　among　them　at　that　time。〃
　〃Yet　you　countenance　Fiona　in　Amber；〃　I　said。　〃In　fact；　you　are　more　than　a　little　cordial　to　her　whenever　she　is　about。〃
　〃Of　course；〃　he　said；　smiling。　〃I　have　always　been　very　fond　of　Fiona。　She　is　certainly　the　loveliest；　most　civilized　of　us　all。　Pity　Dad　was　always　so　dead…set　against　brother…sister　marriages；　as　well　you　know。　It　bothered　me　that　we　had　to　be　adversaries　for　so　long　as　we　were。　Things　returned　pretty　much　to　normal　after　Bleys's　death；　your　imprisonment；　and　Eric's　coronation；　though。　She　accepted　their　defeat　gracefully；　and　that　was　that。　She　was　obviously　as　frightened　at　the　prospect　of　Brand's　return　as　I　was。〃
　〃Brand　told　things　differently；〃　I　said；　〃but　then；　of　course；　he　would。　For　one　thing；　he　claims　that　Bleys　is　still　living；　that　he　hunted　him　down　with　his　Trump　and　knows　that　he　is　off　in　Shadow；　training　another　force　for　another　strike　at　Amber。〃
　〃I　suppose　this　is　possible；〃　Julian　said。　〃But　we　are　more　than　adequately　prepared；　are　we　not？〃
　〃He　claims　further　that　the　strike　will　be　a　feint；〃　I　continued；　〃and　that　the　real　attack　will　then　e　direct　from　the　Courts　of　Chaos；　over　the　black　road。　He　says　that　Fiona　is　off　preparing　the　way　for　this　right　now。〃
　He　scowled。
　〃I　hope　he　was　simply　lying；〃　he　said。　〃I　would　hate　to　see　their　group　resurrected　and　at　us　again；　this　time　with　help　from　the　dark　direction。　And　I　would　hate　to　see　Fiona　involved。〃
　〃Brand　claimed　he　was　out　of　it　himself；　that　he　had　seen　the　error　of　his　ways　…　and　suchlike　penitent　noises。〃
　〃Ha！　I'd　sooner　trust　that　beast　I　just　slew　than　take　Brand　at　his　word。　I　hope　you've　had　the　sense　to　keep　him　well　guarded　…　though　this　might　not　be　of　much　avail　if　he　has　his　old　powers　back。〃
　〃But　what　game　could　he　be　playing　now？〃
　〃Either　he　has　revived　the　old　triumvirate；　a　thought　I　like　not　at　all；　or　he　has　a　new　plan　all　his　own。　But　mark　me；　he　has　a　plan。　He　has　never　been　satisfied　to　be　a　mere　spectator　at　anything。　He　is　always　scheming。　I'd　take　an　oath　he　even　plots　in　his　sleep。〃
　〃Perhaps　you　are　right；〃　I　said。　〃You　see；　there　has　been　a　new　development；　whether　for　good　or　ill；　I　cannot　yet　tell。　I　just　had　a　fight　with　Gérard。　He　thinks　I　have　done　Brand　some　mischief。　This　is　not　the　case；　but　I　was　in　no　position　to　prove　my　innocence。　I　was　the　last　person　I　know　of　to　see　Brand；　earlier　today。　Gérard　visited　his　quarters　a　short　time　ago。　He　says　the　place　is　broken　up；　there　are　blood　smears　here　and　there；　and　Brand　is　missing。　I　don't　know　what　to　make　of　it。〃
　〃Neither　do　I。　But　I　hope　it　means　someone　has　done　the　job　properly　this　time。〃
　〃Lord；〃　I　said；　〃it's　tangled。　I　wish　I　had　known　all　of　these　things　before。〃
　〃There　was　never　a　proper　time　to　tell　you；〃　he　said；　〃until　now。　Certainly　not　when　you　were　a　prisoner　and　could　still　be　reached；　and　after　that　you　were　gone　for　a　long　while。　When　you　returned　with　your　troops　and　your　new　weapons；　I　was　uncertain　as　to　your　full　intentions。　Then　things　happened　quickly　and　Brand　was　back　again。　It　was　too　late。　I　had　to　get　out　to　save　my　skin。　I　am　strong　here　in　Arden。　Here；　I　can　take　anything　he　can　throw　at　me。　I　have　been　maintaining　the　patrols　at　full　battle　force　and　awaiting　word　of　Brand's　death。　I　wanted　to　inquire　of　one　of　you　whether　he　was　still　around。　But　I　could　not　decide　whom　to　ask；　thinking　myself　still　suspect　should　he　have　died。　As　soon　as　I　did　get　word；　though；　should　it　prove　he　was　still　living；　I　was　resolved　to　have　a　try　at　him　myself。　Now　this。。。　state　of　affairs。。。　What　are　you　going　to　do　now；　Corwin？〃
　〃I　am　off　to　fetch　the　Jewel　of　Judgment　from　a　place　where　I　cached　it　in　Shadow。　There　is　a　way　it　can　be　used　to　destroy　the　black　road。　I　intend　to　try　it。〃
　〃How　can　this　be　done？〃
　〃That　is　too　long　a　story；　for　a　horrible　thought　has　just　occurred　to　me。〃
　〃What　is　that？〃
　〃Brand　wants　the　Jewel。　He　was　asking　about　it；　and　now　…　This　power　of　his　to　find　things　in　Shadow　and　fetch　them　back。　How　good　is　it？〃
　Julian　looked　thoughtful。
　〃He　is　hardly　omniscient；　if　that　is　what　you　mean。　You　can　find　anything　you　want　in　Shadow　the　normal　way　we　go　about　it　…　by　traveling　to　it。　According　to　Fiona；　he　just　cuts　out　the　footwork。　It　is　therefore　an　object；　not　a　particular　object　that　he　summons。　Besides；　that　Jewel　is　a　very　strange　item　from　everything　Eric　told　me　about　it。　I　think　Brand　would　have　to　go　after　it　in　person；　once　he　finds　out　where　it　is。〃
　〃Then　I　must　get　on　with　my　hellride。　I　have　to　beat　him　to　it。〃
　〃I　see　you　are　riding　Drum；〃　Julian　observed。　〃He　is　a　good　beast；　a　sturdy　fellow。　Been　through　many　a　hellride。〃
　〃Glad　to　hear　that；〃　I　said。　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　now？〃
　〃Get　in　touch　with　someone　in　Amber　and　get　up　to　date　on　everything　we　haven't　had　a　chance　to　talk　about　…　Benedict；　probably。〃
　〃No　good；〃　I　said。　〃You　will　not　be　able　to　reach　him。　He　is　off　to　the　Courts　of　Chaos。　Try　Gérard；　and　convince　him　I　am　an　honorable　man　while　you　are　about　it。〃
　〃The　redheads　are　the　only　magicians　in　this　family；　but　I　will　try。。。　You　did　say　the　Courts　of　Chaos？〃
　〃Yes；　but　again；　the　time　is　too　valuable　now。〃
　〃Of　course。　Get　you　gone。　We　will　have　our　leisure　later　…　I　trust。〃
　He　reached　out　and　clasped　my　arm。　I　glanced　at　the　manticora；　at　the　dogs　seated　in　a　circle　about　it。
　〃Thanks；　Julian。　I　…　You　are　a　difficult　man　to　understand。〃
　〃Not　so。　I　think　the　Corwin　I　hated　must　have　died　centuries　ago。　Ride