rz.thehandofoberon-第30部分

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　〃Benedict；〃　I　said；　〃you　had　better　e　to　me　now；〃　and　I　exerted　my　will；　but　he　did　not　budge　nor　did　he　reply。
　His　Trump　was　still　functioning；　I　felt　his　presence；　I　observed　events　because　of　it；　but　I　could　not　reach　him。　The　Jewel　was　obviously　affecting　more　than　his　motor　system。
　I　looked　to　the　clouds　again。　They　were　still　growing；　they　were　reaching　for　the　moon。　It　seemed　they　might　e　across　it　soon。　If　I　could　not　pull　Benedict　out　when　it　happened；　he　would　fall　to　the　sea　as　soon　as　the　light　was　fully　blocked；　the　city　disrupted。　Brand！　If　he　became　aware　of　it；　he　might　be　able　to　use　the　Jewel　to　dissipate　the　clouds。　But　to　do　that；　he　would　probably　have　to　release　Benedict。　I　did　not　think　he　would　do　it。　Still。。。　The　clouds　seemed　to　be　slowing　now。　This　entire　line　of　reasoning　could　bee　unnecessary。　I　thumbed　out　Brand's　Trump　though；　and　set　it　aside。
　〃Benedict；　Benedict；〃　said　Brand；　smiling；　〃of　what　use　is　the　finest　swordsman　alive　if　he　cannot　move　to　take　up　his　blade？　I　told　you　that　you　were　a　fool。　Did　you　think　I　would　walk　willingly　to　my　slaughter？　You　should　have　trusted　the　fear　you　must　have　felt。　You　should　have　known　that　I　would　not　enter　this　place　helpless。　I　meant　it　when　I　said　that　I　was　going　to　win。　You　were　a　good　choice　though；　because　you　are　the　best。　I　really　wish　that　you　had　accepted　my　offer。　But　it　is　not　that　important　now。　I　cannot　be　stopped。　None　of　the　others　has　a　chance；　and　with　you　gone　things　are　going　to　be　much　easier。〃
　He　reached　beneath　his　cloak　and　produced　a　dagger。
　〃Bring　me　through；　Benedict！〃　I　cried；　but　it　was　no　use。　There　was　no　response；　no　strength　to　trump　me　up　there。
　I　seized　Brand's　Trump。　I　recalled　my　Trump　battle　with　Eric。　If　I　could　hit　Brand　through　his　Trump；　I　might　be　able　to　break　his　concentration　sufficiently　for　Benedict　to　e　free。　I　turned　all　of　my　faculties　upon　the　card；　preparing　for　a　massive　mental　assault。　But　nothing。　The　way　was　frozen　and　dark。
　It　had　to　be　that　his　concentration　on　the　task　at　hand；　his　mental　involvement　with　the　Jewel；　was　so　plete　that　I　simply　could　not　reach　him。　I　was　blocked　at　every　turn。
　Suddenly；　the　stairway　grew　paler　above　me　and　I　cast　a　quick　glance　at　the　moon。　A　limb　of　cumulus　now　covered　a　portion　of　its　face。　Damn！
　I　returned　my　attention　to　Benedict's　Trump。　It　seemed　slow；　but　I　did　recover　the　contact；　indicating　that　somewhere；　inside　it　all；　Benedict　was　still　conscious。　Brand　had　moved　a　pace　nearer　and　was　still　taunting　him。　The　Jewel　on　its　heavy　chain　burned　with　the　light　of　its　use。　They　stood　perhaps　three　paces　apart　now。　Brand　toyed　with　the　dagger。
　〃。。。　Yes；　Benedict；〃　he　was　saying；　〃you　probably　would　have　preferred　to　die　in　battle。　On　the　other　hand；　you　might　look　upon　this　as　a　kind　of　honor　…　a　signal　honor。　In　a　way；　your　death　will　allow　the　birth　of　a　new　order。。。〃
　For　a　moment；　the　Pattern　faded　behind　them。　I　could　not　tear　my　eyes　from　the　scene　to　examine　the　moon；　however。　There；　within　the　shadows　and　the　flickering　light；　his　back　to　the　Pattern；　Brand　did　not　seem　to　notice。　He　took　another　step　forward。
　〃But　enough　of　this；〃　he　said。　〃There　are　things　to　be　done；　and　the　night　grows　no　younger。〃
　He　stepped　nearer　and　lowered　the　blade。
　〃Good　night；　sweet　Prince；〃　he　said；　and　he　moved　to　close　with　him。
　At　that　instant；　Benedict's　strange　mechanical　right　arm；　torn　from　this　place　of　shadow　and　silver　and　moonlight；　moved　with　the　speed　of　a　striking　snake。　Thing　of　glinting；　metallic　planes　like　the　facets　of　a　gem；　wrist　a　wondrous　weave　of　silver　cable；　pinned　with　flecks　of　fire；　stylized；　skeletal；　a　Swiss　toy；　a　mechanical　insect；　functional；　deadly；　beautiful　in　its　way；　it　shot　forward　with　a　speed　that　I　could　not　follow；　while　the　rest　of　his　body　remained　steady；　a　statue。
　The　mechanical　fingers　caught　the　Jewel's　chain　about　Brand's　neck。　Immediately；　the　arm　moved　upward；　raising　Brand　high　above　the　floor。　Brand　dropped　the　dagger　and　clutched　at　his　throat　with　both　hands。
　Behind　him；　the　Pattern　faded　once　again。　It　returned　with　a　much　paler　glow。　Brand's　face　in　the　lantern　light　was　a　ghastly；　twisted　apparition。　Benedict　remained　frozen；　holding　him　on　high；　unmoving；　a　human　gallows。
　The　Pattern　grew　dimmer。　Above　me；　the　steps　began　to　recede。　The　moon　was　half…occluded。
　Writhing；　Brand　raised　his　arms　above　his　head；　catching　at　the　chain　on　either　side　of　the　metal　hand　that　held　it。　He　was　strong；　as　all　of　us　are。　I　saw　his　muscles　bunch　and　harden。　By　then；　his　face　was　dark　and　his　neck　a　mass　of　straining　cables。　He　bit　his　lip；　the　blood　ran　into　his　beard　as　he　drew　upon　the　chain。
　With　a　sharp　snap　followed　by　a　rattling；　the　chain　parted　and　Brand　fell　to　the　floor　gasping。　He　rolled　over　once；　clutching　at　his　throat　with　both　hands。
　Slowly；　very　slowly；　Benedict　lowered　his　strange　arm。　He　still　held　the　chain　and　the　Jewel。　He　flexed　his　other　arm。　He　sighed　deeply。
　The　Pattern　grew　even　dimmer。　Above　me；　Tir…na　Nog'th　became　transparent。　The　moon　was　almost　gone。
　〃Benedict！〃　I　cried。　〃Can　you　hear　me？〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　very　softly；　and　he　began　to　sink　through　the　floor。
　〃The　city　is　fading！　You've　got　to　e　to　me　right　away！〃
　I　extended　my　hand。
　〃Brand。。。〃　he　said；　turning。
　But　Brand　was　sinking　also；　and　I　saw　that　Benedict　could　not　reach　him。　I　clasped　Benedict's　left　hand　and　jerked。　Both　of　us　fell　to　the　ground　beside　the　high　outcrop。
　I　helped　him　to　his　feet。　Then　we　both　seated　ourselves　on　the　stone。　For　a　long　while；　we　did　not　say　anything。　I　looked　again　and　Tir…na　Nog'th　was　gone。
　I　thought　back　over　everything　that　had　happened；　so　fast；　so　sudden；　that　day。　A　great　weight　of　weariness　lay　upon　me　now；　and　I　felt　that　my　energies　must　be　at　their　end；　that　shortly　I　must　sleep。　I　could　scarcely　think　straight。　Life　had　simply　been　too　crowded　recently。　I　leaned　my　back　against　the　stone　once　more；　regarding　cloud　and　star。　The　pieces。。。　the　pieces　which　it　seemed　should　fit；　if　only　the　proper　jiggle；　twist；　or　flip　were　applied。。。　They　were　jiggling；　twisting；　and　flipping　now；　almost　of　their　own　accord。。。
　〃Is　he　dead；　do　you　think？〃　Benedict　asked；　pulling　me　back　from　a　half…dream　of　emerging　forms。
　〃Probably；〃　I　said。　〃He　was　in　bad　shape　when　things　fell　apart。〃
　〃It　was　a　long　way　down。　He　might　have　had　time　to　work　some　escape　along　the　lines　of　his　arrival。〃
　〃Right　now　it　does　not　really　matter；〃　I　said。　〃You've　drawn　his　fangs。〃
　Benedict　grunted。　He　was　still　holding　the　Jewel；　a　much　dimmer　red　than　it　had　been　so　recently。
　〃True；〃　he　finally　said。　〃The　Pattern　is　safe　now。　I　wish。。。　I　wish　that　some　time；　long　ago；　something　had　not　been　said　that　was　said；　or　something　done　that　was　not　done。　Something；　had　we　known；　which　might　have　let　him　grow　differently；　something　which　would　have　seen　him　bee　another　man　than　the　bitter；　bent　thing　I　saw　up　there。　It　is　best　now　if　he　is　dead。　But　it　is　a　waste　of　something　that　might　have　been。〃
　I　did　not　answer　him。　What　he　had　said　might　or　might　not　be　right。　It　did　not　matter。　Brand　might　have　been　borderline　psychotic；　whatever　that　means；　and　then　again　maybe　not。　There　is　always　a　reason。　Whenever　anything　has　been　mucked　up；　whenever　anything　outrageous　happens；　there　is　a　reason　for　it。　You　still　have　a　mucked…up；　outrageous　situation　on　your　hands；　however；　and　explaining　it　does　not　alleviate　it　one　bit。　If　someone　does　something　really　rotten；　there　is　a　reason　for　it。　Learn　it；　if　you　care；　and　you　learn　why　he　is　a　son　of　a　bitch。　The　fact　is　the　thing　that　remains；　though。　Brand　had　acted。　It　changed　nothing　to　run　a　posthumous　psychoanalysis。　Acts　and　their　consequences　are　the　things　by　which　our　fellows　judge　us。　Anything　else；　and　all　that　you　get　is　a　cheap　feeling　of　moral　superiority　by　thinking　how　you　would　have　done　something　nicer　if　it　had　been　you。　So　as　for　the　rest；　leave　it　to　heaven。　I'm　not　qualified。
　〃We　had　best　get　back　to　Amber；〃　Benedict　said；　〃There　are　a　great　number　of　things　that　must　be　done。〃
　〃Wait；〃　I　said。
　〃Why？〃
　〃I've　been　thinking。〃
　When　I　did　not　elaborate；　he　finally　said；　〃And。。。？〃
　I　riffled　slowly　through　my　Trumps；　replacing　his；　replacing　Brand's。
　〃Haven't　you　wondered　yet　about　the　new　arm　you　wear？〃　I　asked　him。
　〃Of　course。　You　brought　it　from　Tir…na　Nog'th；　under　unusual　circumstances。　It　fits。　It　works。　It　proved　itself　tonight。〃
　〃Exactly。　Isn't　the　last　a　lot　of　weight　to　dump　on　poor　coincidence？　The　one　weapon　that　gave　you　a　chance　up　there；　against　the　Jewel。　And　it　just　happened　to　be　a　part　of　you　…　and　you　just　happened　to　be　the　person　who　was　up　there；　to　use　it？　Trace　things　back　and　trace　them　forward　again。　Isn't　there　an　extraordinary　…　no；　preposterous　…　chain　of　coincidences　involved？〃
　〃When　you　put　it　that　way。。。〃　he　said。
　〃I　do。　And　you　must　realize　as　well　as　I　do　that　there　has　to　be　more　to　it　than　that。〃
　〃All　right。　Say　that。　But　how？　How　was　it　done？〃
　〃I　have　no　idea；〃　I　said；　withdrawing　the　card　I　had　not　looked　upon　in　a　long；　long　while；　feeling　its　coldness　beneath　my　finger　tips；　〃but　the　method　is　not　important。　You　asked　the　wrong　question。〃
　〃What　should　I　have　asked？〃
　〃Not　'How？'　but　'Who？'〃
　〃You　think　that　a　human　agency　arranged　that　entire　chain　of　events；　up　through　the　recovery　of　the　Jewel？〃
　〃I　don't　know　about　that。　What's　human？　But　I　do　think　that　someone　we　both　know　has　returned　and　is　behind　it　all。〃
　〃All　right。　Who？〃
　I　showed　him　the　Trump　that　I　held。
　〃Dad？　That　is　ridiculous？　He　must　be　dead。　It's　been　so　long。〃
　〃You　know　he　could　have　engineered　it。　He's　that　devious。　We　never　understood　all　of　his　powers。〃
　Benedict　rose　to　his　feet。　He　stretched。　He　shook　his　head。
　〃I　think　you　have　been　out　in　the　cold　too　long；　Corwin。　Let's　go　home　now。〃
　〃Without　testing　my　guess？　e　on！　That　is　hardly　sporting。　Sit　down　and　give　me　a　minute。　Let's　try　his　Trump。〃
　〃He　would　have　contacted　someone　by　now。〃
　〃I　don't　think　so。　In　fact　…　e　on。　Humor　me。　What　have　we　got　to　lose？〃
　〃All　right。　Why　not？〃
　He　sat　down　beside　me。　I　held　the　Trump　where　both　of　us　could　make　it　out。　We