rz.thehandofoberon-第21部分

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　〃Thanks；　Julian。　I　…　You　are　a　difficult　man　to　understand。〃
　〃Not　so。　I　think　the　Corwin　I　hated　must　have　died　centuries　ago。　Ride　now；　man！　If　Brand　shows　up　around　here；　I'll　nail　his　hide　to　a　tree！〃
　He　shouted　an　order　to　his　dogs　as　I　mounted；　and　they　fell　upon　the　carcass　of　the　manticora；　lapping　at　its　blood　and　tearing　out　huge　chunks　and　strips　of　flesh。　As　I　rode　past　that　strange；　massive；　manlike　face；　I　saw　that　its　eyes　were　still　open；　though　glazed。　They　were　blue；　and　death　had　not　robbed　them　of　a　certain　preternatural　innocence。　Either　that；　or　the　look　was　death's　final　gift　…　a　senseless　way　of　passing　out　ironies；　if　it　was。
　I　took　Drum　back　to　the　trail　and　began　my　hellride。
　
　
　Chapter　10
　
　Moving　along　the　trail　at　a　gentle　pace；　clouds　darkening　the　sky　and　Drum's　whinny　of　memory　or　anticipation。。。　A　turn　to　the　left；　and　uphill。。。　The　ground　is　brown；　yellow；　back　to　brown　again。。。　The　trees　squat　down；　draw　apart。。。　Grasses　wave　between　them　in　the　cool　and　rising　breeze。。。　A　quick　fire　in　the　sky。。。　A　rumble　shakes　loose　raindrops。。。
　Steep　and　rocky　now。。。　The　wind　tugs　at　my　cloak。。。　Up。。。　Up　to　where　the　rocks　are　streaked　with　silver　and　the　trees　have　drawn　their　line。。。　The　grasses；　green　fires；　die　down　in　the　rain。。。　Up；　to　the　craggy；　sparkling；　rain…washed　heights；　where　the　clouds　rush　and　boil　like　a　mud…gorged　river　at　flood　crest。。。　The　rain　stings　like　buckshot　and　the　wind　clears　its　throat　to　sing。。。　We　rise　and　rise　and　the　crest　es　into　view；　like　the　head　of　a　startled　bull；　horns　guarding　the　trail。。。　Lightnings　twist　about　their　tips；　dance　between　them。。。　The　smell　of　ozone　as　we　reach　that　place　and　rush　on　through；　the　rain　suddenly　blocked；　the　wind　shunted　away。。。
　Emerging　on　the　farther　side。。。　There　is　no　rain；　the　air　is　still；　the　sky　smoothed　and　darkened　to　a　proper　star…filled　black。。。　Meteors　cut　and　burn；　cut　and　burn；　cauterizing　to　afterimage　scars；　fading；　fading。。。　Moons；　cast　like　a　handful　of　coins。。。　Three　bright　dimes；　a　dull　quarter；　a　pair　of　pennies；　one　of　them　tarnished　and　scarred。。。　Down　then；　that　long；　winding　way。。。　Hoof　clops　clear　and　metallic　in　the　night　air。。。　Somewhere；　a　catlike　cough。。。　A　dark　shape　crossing　a　lesser　moon；　ragged　and　swift。。。
　Downward。。。　The　land　drops　away　at　either　hand。。。　Darkness　below。。。　Moving　along　the　top　of　an　infinitely　high；　curved　wall；　the　way　itself　bright　with　moonlight。。。　The　trail　buckles；　folds；　grows　transparent。。。　Soon　it　drifts；　gauzy；　filamentous；　stars　beneath　as　well　as　above。。。　Stars　below　on　either　side。。。　There　is　no　land。。。　There　is　only　the　night；　night　and　the　thin；　translucent　trail　I　had　to　try　to　ride；　to　learn　how　it　felt；　against　some　future　use。。。
　It　is　absolutely　silent　now；　and　the　illusion　of　slowness　attaches　to　every　movement。。。　Shortly；　the　trail　falls　away；　and　we　move　as　if　swimming　underwater　at　some　enormous　depth；　the　stars　bright　fish。。。　It　is　freedom；　it　is　the　power　of　the　hellride　that　brings　an　elation；　like　yet　unlike　the　recklessness　that　sometimes　es　in　battle；　the　boldness　of　a　risky　feat　well　learned；　the　rush　of　rightness　following　the　finding　of　the　poem's　proper　word。。。　It　is　these　and　the　prospect　itself；　riding；　riding；　riding；　from　nowhere　to　nowhere　perhaps；　across　and　among　the　minerals　and　fires　of　the　void；　free　of　earth　and　air　and　water。。。
　We　race　a　great　meteor；　we　touch　upon　its　bulk。。。　Speeding　across　its　pitted　surface；　down；　around；　then　up　again。。。　It　stretches　into　a　great　plain；　it　lightens；　it　yellows。。。
　It　is　sand；　sand　now　beneath　our　movement。。。　The　stars　fade　out　as　the　darkness　is　diluted　to　a　morning　full　of　sunrise。。。　Swaths　of　shade　ahead；　desert　trees　within　them。。。　Ride　for　the　dark。。。　Crashing　through。。。　Bright　birds　burst　forth；　plain；　resettle。。。
　Among　the　thickening　trees。。。　Darker　the　ground；　narrower　the　way。。。　Palm　fronds　shrink　to　hand　size；　barks　darken。。。　A　twist　to　the　right；　a　widening　of　the　way。。。　Our　hoofs　striking　sparks　from　cobblestones。。。　The　lane　enlarges；　bees　a　tree…lined　street。。。　Tiny　row　houses　flash　by。。。　Bright　shutters；　marble　steps；　painted　screens；　set　back　beyond　flagged　walks。。。　Passing；　a　horse…drawn　cart；　loaded　with　fresh　vegetables。。。　Human　pedestrians　turning　to　stare。。。　A　small　buzz　of　voices。。。
　On。。。　Passing　beneath　a　bridge。。。　Coursing　the　stream　till　it　widens　to　river；　taking　it　down　to　the　sea。。。
　Thudding　along　the　beach　beneath　a　lemon　sky；　blue　clouds　scudding。。。　The　salt；　the　wrack；　the　shells；　the　smooth　anatomy　of　driftwood。。。　White　spray　off　the　lime…colored　sea。。。
　Racing；　to　where　the　place　of　waters　ends　at　a　terrace。。。　Mounting；　each　step　crumbling　and　roaring　down　behind；　losing　its　identity；　joined　with　the　boom　of　the　surf。。。　Up；　up　to　the　flattopped；　tree…grown　plain；　a　golden　city　shimmering；　miragelike；　at　its　end。。。
　The　city　grows；　darkens　beneath　a　shadowy　umbrella；　its　gray　towers　stretch　upward；　glass　and　metal　flashing　light　through　the　murk。。。　The　towers　begin　to　sway。。。
　The　city　falls　in　upon　itself；　soundlessly；　as　we　pass。。。　Towers　topple；　dust　boils；　rises；　is　pinked　by　some　lower　glow。。。　A　gentle　noise；　as　of　a　snuffed　candle；　drifting　by。。。
　A　dust　storm；　quickly　falling；　giving　place　to　fog。。。　Through　it；　the　sounds　of　automobile　horns。。。　A　drift；　a　brief　lift；　a　break　in　the　gray…white；　pearlwhite；　shifting。。。　Our　hoofprints　on　a　shoulder　of　highway。。。　To　the　right；　endless　rows　of　unmoving　vehicles。。。　Pearl…white；　gray…white；　drifting　again。。。
　Directionless　shrieks　and　wailings。。。　Random　flashes　of　light。。。
　Rising　once　more。。。　The　fogs　lower　and　ebb。。。　Grass；　grass；　grass。。。　Clear　now　the　sky；　and　delicate　blue。。。　A　sun　racing　to　set。。。　Birds。。。　A　cow　in　the　field；　chewing；　staring　and　chewing。。。
　Leaping　a　wooden　fence　to　ride　a　country　road。。。　A　sudden　chill　beyond　the　hill。。。　The　grasses　are　dry　and　snow's　on　the　ground。。。　Tin…roofed　farmhouse　atop　a　rise；　curl　of　smoke　above　it。。。
　On。。。　The　hills　grow　up；　the　sun　rolls　down；　darkness　dragged　behind。。。　A　sprinkle　of　stars。。。　Here　a　house；　set　far　back。。。　There　another；　long　driveway　wound　among　old　trees。。。　Headlights。。。
　Off　to　the　side　of　the　road。。。　Draw　rein　and　let　it　pass。。。
　I　wiped　my　brow；　dusted　my　shirt　front　and　sleeves。　I　patted　Drum's　neck。　The　oning　vehicle　slowed　as　it　neared　me；　and　I　could　see　the　driver　staring。　I　gave　the　reins　a　gentle　movement　and　Drum　began　walking。　The　car　braked　to　a　halt　and　the　driver　called　something　after　me；　but　I　kept　going。　Moments　later；　I　heard　him　drive　off。
　It　was　country　road　for　a　time　after　that。　I　traveled　at　an　easy　pace；　passing　familiar　landmarks；　recalling　other　times。　A　few　miles　later　and　I　came　to　another　road；　wider　and　better。　I　turned　there；　staying　off　on　the　shoulder　to　the　right。　The　temperature　continued　to　drop；　but　the　cold　air　had　a　good　clean　taste　to　it。　A　sliced　moon　shone　above　the　hills　to　my　left。　There　were　a　few　small　clouds　passing　overhead；　touched　to　the　moon's　quarter　with　a　soft；　dusty　light。　There　was　very　little　wind；　an　occasional　stirring　of　branches；　no　more。　After　a　time；　I　came　to　a　series　of　dips　in　the　road；　telling　me　I　was　almost　there。
　A　curve　and　a　couple　more　dips。。。　I　saw　the　boulder　beside　the　driveway；　I　read　my　address　upon　it。
　I　drew　rein　then　and　looked　up　the　hill。　There　was　a　station　wagon　in　the　driveway　and　a　light　on　inside　the　house。　I　guided　Drum　off　the　road　and　across　a　field　into　a　stand　of　trees。　I　tethered　him　behind　a　pair　of　evergreens；　rubbed　his　neck；　and　told　him　I　would　not　be　long。
　I　returned　to　the　road。　No　cars　in　sight。　I　crossed　over　and　walked　up　the　far　side　of　the　driveway；　passing　behind　the　station　wagon。　The　only　light　in　the　house　was　in　the　living　room；　off　to　the　right。　I　made　my　way　around　the　left　side　of　the　house　to　the　rear。
　I　halted　when　I　reached　the　patio；　looking　around。　Something　was　wrong。
　The　back　yard　was　changed。　A　pair　of　decaying　lawn　chairs　which　had　been　leaning　against　a　dilapidated　chicken　coop　I　had　never　bothered　to　remove　were　gone。　So；　for　that　matter；　was　the　chicken　coop。　They　had　been　present　the　last　time　I　had　passed　this　way。　All　of　the　dead　tree　limbs　which　had　previously　been　strewn　about；　as　well　as　a　rotting　mass　of　them　I　had　long　ago　heaped　to　cut　for　firewood；　were　also　gone。
　The　post　heap　was　missing。
　I　moved　to　the　space　where　it　had　been。　All　that　was　there　was　an　irregular　patch　of　bare　earth　of　the　approximate　shape　of　the　heap　itself。
　But　I　had　discovered　in　attuning　myself　to　the　Jewel　that　I　could　make　myself　feel　its　presence。　I　closed　my　eyes　for　a　moment　and　tried　to　do　so。　Nothing。
　I　looked　again；　searching　carefully；　but　there　was　no　tell…tale　glitter　anywhere　in　sight。　Not　that　I　had　really　expected　to　see　anything；　not　if　I　could　not　feel　it　nearby。
　There　had　been　no　curtains　in　the　lighted　room。　Studying　the　house　now；　I　saw　that　none　of　the　windows　had　curtains；　shades；　shutters；　or　blinds。　Therefore。。。
　I　passed　around　the　other　end　of　the　house。　Approaching　the　first　lighted　window；　I　glanced　in　quickly。　Dropcloths　covered　much　of　the　floor。　A　man　in　cap　and　coveralls　was　painting　the　far　wall。　Of　course。
　I　had　asked　Bill　to　sell　the　place。　I　had　signed　the　necessary　papers　while　a　patient　in　the　local　clinic；　when　I　had　been　projected　back　to　my　old　home　…　probably　by　some　action　of　the　Jewel　…　on　the　occasion　of　my　stabbing。　That　would　have　been　several　weeks　ago；　local　time；　using　the　Amber　to　shadow　Earth　conversion　factor　of　approximately　two　and　a　half　to　one　and　allowing　for　the　eight　days　the　Courts　of　Chaos　had　cost　me　in　Amber。　Bill；　of　course；　had　gone　ahead　on　my　request。　But　the　place　had　been　in　bad　shape；　abandoned　as　it　had　been　for　a　number　of　years；　vandalized。。。　It　needed　some　new　windowpanes；　some　roofing　work；　new　guttering；　painting；　sanding；　buffing。　And　there　had　been　a　lot　of　trash　to　haul　away；　outside　as　well　as　inside。。。
　I　turned　away　and　walked　down　the　front　slope　to　the　road；　recalling　my　last　passage　this　way；　half…delirious；　on　my　hands　and　knees；　blood　leaking　from　my　side。　It　had　been　much　colder　that　night　and　there　had　been　snow　on　the　ground　and　in　the　air。　I　passed　near　the　roc