rz.thehandofoberon-第27部分

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the　next　day。　I　was　into　and　out　of　delirium　during　this　time；　so　I　do　not　know　exactly　when　she　appeared。　She　seemed　like　part　of　my　dream　much　of　the　while。　A　young　girl。　Pretty。　She　took　care　of　me　while　I　recovered。　Her　name　was　Dara。　We　talked　interminably。　It　was　very　pleasant。　Having　someone　to　talk　with　like　that。。。　I　must　have　told　her　my　whole　life　story。　Then　she　told　me　something　of　herself。　She　was　not　a　native　of　the　area　in　which　I　had　collapsed。　She　said　that　she　had　traveled　there　through　Shadow。　She　could　not　yet　walk　through　it　as　we　do；　though　she　felt　she　could　learn　to　do　this；　as　she　claimed　descent　from　the　House　of　Amber　through　Benedict。　In　fact；　she　wanted　very　badly　to　learn　how　it　was　done。　Her　means　of　travel　then　was　the　black　road　itself。　She　was　immune　to　its　noxious　effects；　she　said；　because　she　was　also　related　to　the　dwellers　at　its　farther　end；　in　the　Courts　of　Chaos。　She　wanted　to　learn　our　ways　though；　so　I　did　my　best　to　instruct　her　in　those　things　that　I　did　know。　I　told　her　of　the　Pattern；　even　sketched　it　for　her。　I　showed　her　my　Trumps　…　Benedict　had　given　me　a　deck　…　to　show　her　the　appearance　of　her　other　relatives。　She　was　particularly　interested　in　yours。〃
　〃I　begin　to　understand；〃　I　said。　〃Go　on。〃
　〃She　told　me　that　Amber；　in　the　fullness　of　its　corruption　and　presumption；　had　upset　a　kind　of　metaphysical　balance　between　itself　and　the　Courts　of　Chaos。　Her　people　now　had　the　job　of　redressing　the　matter　by　laying　waste　to　Amber。　Their　own　place　is　not　a　shadow　of　Amber；　but　a　solid　entity　in　its　own　right。　In　the　meantime；　all　of　the　intervening　shadows　are　suffering　because　of　the　black　road。　My　knowledge　of　Amber　being　what　it　was；　I　could　only　listen。　At　first；　I　accepted　everything　that　she　said。　Brand；　to　me；　certainly　fit　her　description　of　evil　in　Amber。　But　when　I　mentioned　him；　she　said　no。　He　was　some　sort　of　hero　back　where　she　hied　from。　She　was　uncertain　as　to　the　particulars；　but　it　did　not　trouble　her　all　that　much。　It　was　then　that　I　realized　how　oversure　she　seemed　about　everything　…　there　was　a　ring　of　the　fanatic　when　she　talked。　Almost　unwillingly；　I　found　myself　trying　to　defend　Amber。　I　thought　of　Llewella　and　of　Benedict　…　and　of　Gérard；　whom　I　had　met　a　few　times。　She　was　eager　to　learn　of　Benedict；　I　discovered。　That　proved　the　soft　spot　in　her　armor。　Here　I　could　speak　with　some　knowledge；　and　here　she　was　willing　to　believe　the　good　things　I　had　to　say。　So；　I　do　not　know　what　the　ultimate　effect　of　all　this　talk　was；　except　that　she　seemed　somewhat　less　sure　of　herself　near　the　end。。。　〃
　〃The　end？〃　I　said。　〃What　do　you　mean？　How　long　was　she　with　you？〃
　〃Almost　a　week；〃　he　replied。　〃She　had　said　she　would　take　care　of　me　until　I　was　recovered；　and　she　did。　Actually；　she　remained　several　days　longer。　She　said　that　was　just　to　be　sure；　but　I　think　it　was　really　that　she　wanted　to　continue　our　conversations。　Finally　though；　she　said　that　she　had　to　be　moving　on。　I　asked　her　to　stay　with　me；　but　she　said　no。　I　offered　to　go　with　her；　but　she　said　no　to　that；　too。　She　must　have　realized　that　I　planned　to　follow　her　then；　because　she　slipped　away　during　the　night。　I　could　not　ride　the　black　road；　and　I　had　no　idea　what　shadow　she　would　travel　to　next　on　her　way　to　Amber。　When　I　awoke　in　the　morning　and　realized　she　had　gone；　I　thought　for　a　time　of　visiting　Amber　myself。　But　I　was　still　afraid。　Perhaps　some　of　the　things　she　had　said　had　reinforced　my　own　fears。　Whatever；　I　decided　to　remain　in　Shadow。　And　so　I　traveled　on；　seeing　things；　trying　to　learn　things　…　until　Random　found　me　and　told　me　he　wanted　me　to　e　home。　He　brought　me　here　first　though；　to　meet　you；　because　he　wanted　you　to　hear　my　story　before　any　of　the　others。　He　said　that　you　knew　Dara；　that　you　wanted　to　learn　more　about　her。　I　hope　that　I　have　helped。〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃Thank　you。〃
　〃I　understand　that　she　did　finally　walk　the　Pattern。〃
　〃Yes；　she　succeeded　in　that。〃
　〃And　afterward　declared　herself　an　enemy　of　Amber。〃
　〃That；　too。〃
　〃I　hope；〃　he　said；　〃that　she　es　to　no　harm　from　all　this。　She　was　kind　to　me。〃
　〃She　seems　quite　able　to　take　care　of　herself；〃　I　said。　〃But。。。　yes；　she　is　a　likable　girl。　I　cannot　promise　you　anything　concerning　her　safety；　because　I　still　know　so　little　about　her；　so　little　of　her　part　in　everything　that　is　going　on。　Yet；　what　you　have　told　me　has　been　helpful。　It　makes　her　someone　I　would　still　like　to　grant　doubt's　benefit；　as　far　as　I　can。〃
　He　smiled。
　〃I　am　glad　to　hear　that。〃
　I　shrugged。
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　now？〃　I　asked。
　〃I　am　taking　him　to　see　Vialle；〃　Random　said；　〃and　then　to　meet　the　others；　as　time　and　opportunity　permit。　Unless；　of　course；　something　new　has　developed　and　you　need　me　now。〃
　〃There　have　been　new　developments；〃　I　said；　〃but　I　do　not　really　need　you　now。　I　had　better　bring　you　up　to　date；　though。　I　still　have　a　little　time。〃
　As　I　filled　Random　in　on　events　since　his　departure；　I　thought　about　Martin。　He　was　still　an　unknown　quantity　so　far　as　I　was　concerned。　His　story　might　be　perfectly　true。　In　fact；　I　felt　that　it　was。　On　the　other　hand；　I　had　a　feeling　that　it　was　not　plete；　that　he　was　intentionally　leaving　something　out。　Maybe　something　harmless。　Then　again；　maybe　not。　He　had　no　real　reason　to　love　us。　Quite　the　contrary。　And　Random　could　be　bringing　home　a　Trojan　Horse。　Probably　though；　it　was　nothing　like　that。　It　is　just　that　I　never　trust　anyone　if　there　is　an　alternative　available。
　Still；　nothing　that　I　was　telling　Random　could　really　be　used　against　us；　and　I　strongly　doubted　that　Martin　could　do　us　much　damage　if　that　was　his　intention。　No；　more　likely　he　was　being　as　cagey　as　the　rest　of　us；　and　for　pretty　much　the　same　reasons：　fear　and　self　preservation。　On　a　sudden　inspiration；　I　asked　him；　〃Did　you　ever　run　into　Dara　again　after　that？〃
　He　flushed。
　〃No；〃　he　said；　too　quickly。　〃Just　that　time。　That's　all。〃
　〃I　see；〃　I　said；　and　Random　was　too　good　a　poker　player　not　to　have　noticed；　so　I　had　just　bought　us　a　piece　of　instant　insurance　at　the　small　price　of　putting　a　father　on　guard　against　his　long…lost　son。
　I　quickly　shifted　our　talk　back　to　Brand。　It　was　while　we　were　paring　notes　on　psychopathology　that　I　felt　the　tiny　tingle　and　the　sense　of　presence　which　heralds　a　Trump　contact。　I　raised　my　hand　and　turned　aside。
　In　a　moment　the　contact　was　clear　and　Ganelon　and　I　regarded　one　another。
　〃Corwin；〃　he　said；　〃I　decided　it　was　time　to　check。　By　now；　you　have　the　Jewel；　Brand　has　the　Jewel；　or　you　are　both　still　looking。　Which　one　is　it？〃
　〃Brand　has　the　Jewel；〃　I　said。
　〃More's　the　pity；〃　he　said。　〃Tell　me　about　it。〃
　So　I　did。
　〃Then　Gérard　had　the　story　right；〃　he　said。
　〃He's　already　told　you　all　this？〃
　〃Not　in　such　detail；〃　Ganelon　replied；　〃and　I　wanted　to　be　sure　I　was　getting　it　straight。　I　just　finished　speaking　with　him。〃
　He　glanced　upward。
　〃It　would　seem　you　had　best　be　moving　then；　if　my　memories　of　moonrise　serve　me　right。〃
　I　nodded。
　〃Yes；　I　will　be　heading　for　the　stairway　shortly。　It　is　not　all　that　far　from　here。〃
　〃Good。　Now　here　is　what　you　must　be　ready　to　do　…　〃
　〃I　know　what　I　have　to　do；〃　I　said。　〃I　have　to　get　up　to　Tir…na　Nog'th　before　Brand　does　and　block　his　way　to　the　Pattern。　Failing　that；　I　have　to　chase　him　through　it　again。〃
　〃That　is　not　the　way　to　go　about　it；〃　he　said。
　〃You　have　a　better　idea？〃
　〃Yes；　I　do。　You　have　your　Trumps　with　you？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Good。　First；　you　would　not　be　able　to　get　up　there　in　time　to　block　his　way　to　the　Pattern　…〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃You　have　to　make　the　ascension；　then　you　have　to　walk　to　the　palace　and　make　your　way　down　to　the　Pattern。　That　takes　time；　even　in　Tir…na　Nog'th　…　especially　in　Tir…na　Nog'th；　where　time　tends　to　play　tricks　anyway。　For　all　you　know；　you　may　have　a　hidden　death　wish　slowing　you　down。　I　don't　know。　Whatever　the　case；　he　would　have　menced　walking　the　Pattern　by　the　time　you　arrived。　It　may　well　be　that　he　would　be　too　far　into　it　for　you　to　reach　him　this　time。〃
　〃He　will　probably　be　tired。　That　should　slow　him　some。〃
　〃No。　Put　yourself　in　his　place。　If　you　were　Brand；　wouldn't　you　have　headed　for　some　shadow　where　the　time　flow　was　different？　Instead　of　an　afternoon；　he　could　well　have　taken　several　days　to　rest　up　for　this　evening's　ordeal。　It　is　safest　to　assume　that　he　will　be　in　good　shape。〃
　〃You　are　right；〃　I　said。　〃I　can't　count　on　it。　Okay。　An　alternative　I　had　entertained　but　would　rather　not　try　if　it　could　be　avoided；　would　be　to　kill　him　at　a　distance。　Take　along　a　crossbow　or　one　of　our　rifles　and　simply　shoot　him　in　the　midst　of　the　Pattern。　The　thing　that　bothers　me　about　it　is　the　effect　of　our　blood　on　the　Pattern。　It　may　be　that　it　is　only　the　primal　Pattern　that　suffers　from　it；　but　I　don't　know。〃
　〃That's　right。　You　do　not　know；〃　he　said。　〃Also；　I　would　not　want　you　to　rely　on　normal　weapons　up　there。　That　is　a　peculiar　place。　You　said　yourself　it　is　like　a　strange　piece　of　Shadow　drifting　in　the　sky。　While　you　figured　how　to　make　a　rifle　fire　in　Amber；　the　same　rules　may　not　apply　up　there。〃
　〃It　is　a　risk；〃　I　acknowledged。
　〃As　for　the　crossbow　…　supposing　a　sudden　gust　of　wind　deflected　the　bolt　each　time　you　shot　one？〃
　〃I　am　afraid　I　do　not　follow　you。〃
　〃The　Jewel。　He　walked　it　part　way　through　the　primal　Pattern；　and　he　has　had　some　time　to　experiment　with　it　since　then。　Do　you　think　it　possible　that　he　is　partly　attuned　to　it　now？〃
　〃I　do　not　know。　I　am　not　at　all　that　sure　how　the　process　works。〃
　〃I　just　wanted　to　point　out　that　if　it　does　work　that　way；　he　may　be　able　to　use　it　to　defend　himself。　The　Jewel　may　even　have　other　properties　you　are　not　aware　of。　So　what　I　am　saying　is　that　I　would　not　want　you　to　count　on　being　able　to　kill　him　at　a　distance。　And　I　would　not　even　want　you　to　rely　on　being　able　to　pull　the　trick　you　did　with　the　Jewel　again　…　not　if　he　may　have　gained　some　measure　of　control　over　it。〃
　〃You　do　make　things　look　a　little　bleaker　than　I　had　them。〃
　〃But　possibly　more　realistic；〃　he　said。
　〃Conceded。　Go　on。　You　said　you　had　a　plan。〃
　〃That　is　correct。　My　thinking　is　that　Brand　must　not　be　allowed　to　reach　the　Pattern　at　all；　that　once　he　sets　foot　upon　i