rz.thehandofoberon-第29部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃Yes。　Ganelon　told　me。〃
　〃Did　you　ever　suspect　…　any　of　this？〃
　〃I　never　trusted　Brand；〃　he　told　me。
　〃What　of　your　journey　to　the　Courts　of　Chaos？　What　did　you　learn？〃
　〃Later；　Corwin。　He　could　e　any　time　now。〃
　〃I　hope　no　distracting　visions　show　up；〃　I　said；　recalling　my　own　journey　to　Tir…na　Nog'th　and　his　own　part　in　my　final　adventure　there。
　He　shrugged。
　〃One　gives　them　power　by　paying　them　heed。　My　attention　is　reserved　for　one　matter　tonight。〃
　He　turned　through　a　full　circle；　regarding　every　part　of　the　chamber；　halted　when　he　had　finished。
　〃I　wonder　if　he　knows　you　are　there？〃　I　said。
　〃Perhaps。　It　does　not　matter。〃
　I　nodded。　If　Brand　did　not　show　up；　we　had　gained　a　day。　The　guards　would　ward　the　other　Patterns；　Fiona　would　have　a　chance　to　demonstrate　her　own　skill　in　matters　arcane　by　locating　Brand　for　us。　We　would　then　pursue　him。　She　and　Bleys　had　been　able　to　stop　him　once　before。　Could　she　do　it　alone　now？　Or　would　we　have　to　find　Bleys　and　try　to　convince　him　to　help？　Had　Brand　found　Bleys？　What　the　hell　did　Brand　want　this　kind　of　power　for　anyhow？　A　desire　for　the　throne　I　could　understand。　Yet。。。　The　man　was　mad；　leave　it　at　that。　Too　bad；　but　that's　the　way　it　was。　Heredity　or　environment？　I　wondered　wryly。　We　were　all　of　us；　to　some　degree；　mad　after　his　fashion。　To　be　honest；　it　had　to　be　a　form　of　madness；　to　have　so　much　and　to　strive　so　bitterly　for　just　a　little　more；　for　a　bit　of　an　edge　over　the　others。　He　carried　this　tendency　to　its　extreme；　that　is　all。　He　was　a　caricature　of　this　mania　in　all　of　us。　In　this　sense；　did　it　really　matter　which　of　us　was　the　traitor？
　Yes；　it　did。　He　was　the　one　who　had　acted。　Mad　or　not；　he　had　gone　too　far。　He　had　done　things　Eric；　Julian；　and　I　would　not　have　done。　Bleys　and　Fiona　had　finally　backed　away　from　his　thickening　plot。　Gérard　and　Benedict　were　a　notch　above　the　rest　of　us　…　moral；　mature；　whatever　…　for　they　had　exempted　themselves　from　the　zero…sum　power　game。　Random　had　changed；　quite　a　bit；　in　recent　years。　Could　it　be　that　the　children　of　the　unicorn　took　ages　in　which　to　mature；　that　it　was　slowly　happening　to　the　rest　of　us　but　had　somehow　passed　Brand　by？　Or　could　it　be　that　by　his　actions　Brand　was　causing　it　in　the　rest　of　us？　Like　most　such　questions；　the　benefit　of　these　was　in　the　asking；　not　the　answering。　We　were　enough　like　Brand　that　I　knew　a　particular　species　of　fear　nothing　else　could　so　provoke。　But　yes；　it　did　matter。　Whatever　the　reason；　he　was　the　one　who　had　acted。
　The　moon　was　higher　now；　its　vision　superimposed　upon　my　inward　viewing　of　the　chamber　of　the　Pattern。　The　clouds　continued　to　shift；　to　boil　nearer　the　moon。　I　thought　of　advising　Benedict；　but　it　would　serve　no　other　end　than　distraction。　Above　me；　Tir…na　Nog'th　rode　like　some　supernatural　ark　upon　the　seas　of　night。
　。。。　And　suddenly　Brand　was　there。
　Reflexively；　my　hand　went　to　Grayswandir's　hilt；　despite　the　fact　that　a　part　of　me　realized　from　the　very　first　that　he　stood　across　the　Pattern　from　Benedict　in　a　dark　chamber　high　in　the　sky。
　My　hand　fell　again。　Benedict　had　bee　aware　of　the　intruding　presence　immediately；　and　he　turned　to　face　him。　He　made　no　move　toward　his　weapon；　but　simply　stared　across　the　Pattern　at　our　brother。
　My　earliest　fear　had　been　that　Brand　would　contrive　to　arrive　directly　behind　Benedict　and　stab　him　in　the　back。　I　would　not　have　tried　that　though；　because　even　in　death　Benedict's　reflexes　might　have　been　sufficient　to　dispatch　his　assailant　Apparently；　Brand　wasn't　that　crazy　either。
　Brand　smiled。
　〃Benedict；〃　he　said。　〃Fancy。。。　You。。。　Here。〃
　The　Jewel　of　Judgment　hung　fiery　upon　his　breast。
　〃Brand；〃　Benedict　said；　〃don't　try　it。〃
　Still　smiling。　Brand　unclasped　his　sword　belt　and　let　his　weapon　fall　to　the　floor。　When　the　echoes　died；　he　said；　〃I　am　not　a　fool；　Benedict。　The　man　hasn't　been　born　who　can　go　up　against　you　with　a　blade。〃
　〃I　don't　need　the　blade；　Brand。〃
　Brand　began　walking；　slowly；　about　the　edge　of　the　Pattern。
　〃Yet　you　wear　it　as　a　servant　of　the　throne；　when　you　could　have　been　king。〃
　〃That　has　never　been　high　on　my　list　of　ambitions。〃
　〃That　is　right。〃　He　paused；　only　part　way　about　the　Pattern。
　〃Loyal；　self…effacing。　You　have　not　changed　at　all。　Pity　Dad　conditioned　you　so　well。　You　could　have　gone　so　much　further。〃
　〃I　have　everything　that　I　want；〃　Benedict　said。
　〃。。。　To　have　been　stifled；　cut　off；　so　early。〃
　〃You　cannot　talk　your　way　past　me　either；　Brand。　Do　not　make　me　hurt　you。〃
　The　smile　still　on　his　face。　Brand　began　moving　again；　slowly。　What　was　it　he　was　trying　to　do？　I　could　not　figure　his　strategy。
　〃You　know　I　can　do　certain　things　the　others　cannot；〃　Brand　said。　〃If　there　is　anything　at　all　that　you　want　and　think　that　you　cannot　have；　now　is　your　chance　to　name　it　and　learn　how　wrong　you　were。　I　have　learned　things　you　would　scarcely　believe。〃
　Benedict　smiled　one　of　his　rare　smiles。
　〃You　have　chosen　the　wrong　line；〃　he　said。　〃I　can　walk　to　anything　that　I　want。〃
　〃Shadows！〃　Brand　snorted；　halting　again。　〃Any　of　the　others　can　clutch　a　phantom！　I　am　talking　of　reality！　Amber！　Power！　Chaos！　Not　daydreams　made　solid！　Not　second　best！〃
　〃If　I　had　wanted　more　than　I　have；　I　knew　what　to　do。　I　did　not　do　it。〃
　Brand　laughed；　began　walking　again。　He　had　e　a　quarter　of　the　way　about　the　Pattern's　periphery。　The　Jewel　burned　more　brightly。　His　voice　rang。
　〃You　are　a　fool；　to　wear　your　chains　willingly！　But　if　things　do　not　call　out　to　you　to　possess　them　and　if　power　holds　no　attraction；　what　of　knowledge？　I　learned　the　last　of　Dworkin's　lore。　I　have　gone　on　since　then　and　paid　dark　prices　for　greater　insight　into　the　workings　of　the　universe。　This　you　could　have　without　that　price　tag。〃
　〃There　would　be　a　price；〃　Benedict　said；　〃one　that　I　will　not　pay。〃
　Brand　shook　his　head　and　tossed　his　hair。　The　image　of　the　Pattern　wavered　for　a　moment　then；　as　a　wisp　of　cloud　crossed　the　moon。　Tir…na　Nog'th　faded　slightly；　returned　to　normal　focus。
　〃You　mean　it；　you　really　mean　it；〃　Brand　said；　apparently　not　aware　of　the　moment　of　fading。　〃I　shan't　test　you　further　then。　I　had　to　try。〃　He　halted　again；　staring。　〃You　are　too　good　a　man　to　waste　yourself　on　that　mess　in　Amber；　defending　something　that　is　obviously　falling　apart。　I　am　going　to　win；　Benedict。　I　am　going　to　erase　Amber　and　build　it　anew。　I　am　going　to　rub　out　the　old　Pattern　and　draw　my　own。　You　can　be　with　me。　I　want　you　on　my　side。　I　am　going　to　raise　up　a　perfect　world；　one　with　more　direct　access　to　and　from　Shadow。　I　am　going　to　merge　Amber　with　the　Courts　of　Chaos。　I　am　going　to　extend　this　realm　directly　through　all　of　Shadow。　You　will　mand　our　legions；　the　mightiest　military　forces　ever　assembled。　You　…〃
　〃If　your　new　world　would　be　as　perfect　as　you　say；　Brand；　there　would　be　no　need　for　legions。　If；　on　the　other　hand；　it　is　to　reflect　the　mind　of　its　creator；　then　I　see　it　as　something　less　than　an　improvement　over　the　present　state　of　affairs。　Thank　you　for　your　offer；　but　I　hold　with　the　Amber　which　already　exists。〃
　〃You　are　a　fool；　Benedict。　A　well…meaning　one；　but　a　fool　nevertheless。〃
　He　began　to　move　again；　casually。　He　was　within　forty　feet　of　Benedict。　Thirty。。。　He　kept　moving。　He　finally　paused　about　twenty　feet　away；　hooked　his　thumbs　behind　his　belt；　and　simply　stared。　Benedict　met　his　gaze。　I　checked　the　clouds　again。　A　long　mass　of　them　continued　a　moonward　slide。　I　could　pull　Benedict　out　at　any　time；　though。　It　was　hardly　worth　disturbing　him　at　the　moment。
　〃Why　don't　you　e　and　cut　me　down　then？〃　Brand　finally　said。　〃Unarmed　as　I　am；　it　should　not　be　difficult。　The　fact　that　the　same　blood　flows　in　both　our　veins　makes　no　difference；　does　it？　What　are　you　waiting　for？〃
　〃I　already　told　you　that　I　do　not　wish　to　hurt　you；〃　Benedict　said。
　〃Yet　you　stand　ready　to；　if　I　attempt　to　pass　your　way。〃
　Benedict　simply　nodded。
　〃Admit　that　you　fear　me；　Benedict。　All　of　you　are　afraid　of　me。　Even　when　I　approach　you　weaponless　like　this；　something　must　be　twisting　your　guts。　You　see　my　confidence　and　you　do　not　understand　it。　You　must　be　afraid。〃
　Benedict　did　not　reply。
　〃。。。　And　you　fear　my　blood　on　your　hands；〃　Brand　went　on；　〃you　fear　my　death　curse。〃
　〃Did　you　fear　Martin's　blood　on　your　own？〃　Benedict　asked。
　〃That　bastard　puppy！〃　Brand　said。　〃He　was　not　truly　one　of　us。　He　was　only　a　tool。〃
　〃Brand；　I　have　no　desire　to　kill　a　brother。　Give　me　that　trinket　you　wear　about　your　neck　and　e　back　with　me　now　to　Amber。　It　is　not　too　late　to　set　matters　right。〃
　Brand　threw　back　his　head　and　laughed。
　〃Oh；　nobly　spoken！　Nobly　spoken；　Benedict！　Like　a　true　lord　of　the　realm！　You　would　shame　me　with　your　excessive　virtue！　And　what　is　the　sticking　point　of　this　all？〃
　He　reached　down　and　stroked　the　Jewel　of　Judgment。
　〃This？〃
　He　laughed　again　and　strode　forward。
　〃This　bauble？　Would　its　surrender　buy　us　peace；　amity；　order？　Would　it　ransom　my　life？〃
　He　halted　once　more；　ten　feet　from　Benedict　now。　He　raised　the　Jewel　between　his　fingers　and　looked　down　at　it。
　〃Do　you　realize　the　full　powers　of　this　thing？〃　he　asked。
　〃Enough　of　th　…　〃　Benedict　began；　and　his　voice　cracked　in　his　throat。
　Brand　hurriedly　took　another　step　forward。　The　Jewel　was　bright　before　him。　Benedict's　hand　had　begun　to　move　toward　his　blade；　but　it　did　not　reach　it。　He　stood　stiffly　now；　as　if　suddenly　transformed　into　a　statue。　Then　I　began　to　understand；　but　by　then　it　was　too　late。
　Nothing　that　Brand　had　been　saying　had　really　mattered。　It　had　simply　been　a　running　line　of　patter；　a　distraction　thrown　up　before　him　while　he　sought　cautiously　after　the　proper　range。　He　was　indeed　partly　attuned　to　the　Jewel；　and　the　limited　control　this　gave　him　was　still　sufficient　to　enable　him　to　produce　effects　with　it；　effects　which　I　was　unaware　it　could　produce；　but　of　which　he　had　known　all　along。
　Brand　had　carefully　contrived　his　arrival　a　good　distance　from　Benedict；　tried　the　Jewel；　moved　a　little　nearer；　tried　again；　kept　up　this　movement；　this　testing；　until　he　found　the　point　where　it　could　affect　Benedict's　nervous　system。
　〃Benedict；〃　I　said；　〃you　had　better　e　to　me　now；〃　and　I　exerted　my　will；　but　he　did　not　bud