rz.thehandofoberon-第4部分

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vinced　that　he　wanted　my　blood　because　of　the　affair　with　Dara。　But　no。　In　the　few　words　that　passed　between　us　he　denied　any　knowledge　of　the　existence　of　such　a　person。　Instead；　he　had　e　after　us　convinced　that　I　had　murdered　his　servants。　Now；　Ganelon　had　indeed　located　some　fresh　corpses　in　the　wood　at　Benedict's　place；　but　we　had　agreed　to　forget　about　them；　having　no　idea　as　to　their　identities　and　no　desire　to　plicate　our　existence　any　further。
　Leaving　Benedict　in　the　care　of　brother　Gérard；　whom　I　had　summoned　via　his　Trump　from　Amber；　Ganelon　and　I　proceeded　to　the　shadow　Earth；　armed　ourselves；　recruited　a　strike　force　in　Shadow；　and　headed　off　to　attack　Amber。　But　upon　our　arrival　we　discovered　that　Amber　was　already　under　attack　by　creatures　which　had　e　in　along　the　black　road。　My　new　weapons　quickly　turned　the　tide　in　Amber's　favor；　and　my　brother　Eric　died　in　that　battle；　leaving　me　his　problems；　his　ill　will；　and　the　Jewel　of　Judgment　…　a　weather…controlling　weapon　he　had　used　against　me　when　Bleys　and　I　had　attacked　Amber。
　At　that　point；　Dara　showed　up；　swept　on　by　us；　rode　into　Amber；　found　her　way　to　the　Pattern；　and　proceeded　to　walk　it　…　prima…facie　evidence　that　we　were　indeed　somehow　related。　During　the　course　of　this　ordeal；　however；　she　had　exhibited　what　appeared　to　be　peculiar　physical　transformations。　Upon　pletion　of　the　Pattern；　she　announced　that　Amber　would　be　destroyed。　Then　she　had　vanished。
　About　a　week　later；　brother　Caine　was　murdered；　under　conditions　arranged　to　show　me　as　the　culprit。　The　fact　that　I　had　slain　his　slayer　was　hardly　satisfactory　evidence　of　my　innocence；　in　that　the　guy　was　necessarily　in　no　condition　to　talk　about　it。　Realizing；　however；　that　I　had　seen　his　like　before；　in　the　persons　of　those　creatures　who　had　pursued　Random　into　Flora's　home；　I　finally　found　time　to　sit　down　with　Random　and　hear　the　story　of　his　unsuccessful　attempt　to　rescue　Brand　from　his　tower。
　Random；　subsequent　to　my　leaving　him　in　Rebma　years　before；　when　I　had　journeyed　to　Amber　to　fight　my　duel　with　Eric；　had　been　forced　by　Rebma's　queen；　Moire；　to　marry　a　woman　of　her　court：　Vialle；　a　lovely　blind　girl。　This　was　partly　intended　as　a　punishment　for　Random；　who　years　before　had　left　Moire's　late　daughter　Morganthe　pregnant　with　Martin；　the　apparent　subject　of　the　damaged　Trump　Random　now　held　in　his　hands。　Strangely；　for　Random；　he　appeared　to　have　fallen　in　love　with　Vialle；　and　he　now　resided　with　her　in　Amber。
　After　I　left　Random；　I　fetched　the　Jewel　of　Judgment　and　took　it　down　to　the　chamber　of　the　Pattern。　There；　I　followed　the　partial　instructions　I　had　received　for　purposes　of　attuning　it　to　my　use。　I　underwent　some　unusual　sensations　during　the　process　and　was　successful　in　obtaining　control　of　its　most　obvious　function：　the　ability　to　direct　meteorological　phenomena。　After　that；　I　questioned　Flora　concerning　my　exile。　Her　story　seemed　reasonable　and　jibed　with　those　facts　I　did　possess；　although　I　had　the　feeling　she　was　holding　back　somewhat　on　events　at　the　time　of　my　accident。　She　did　promise　to　identify　Caine's　slayer　as　one　of　the　same　sort　as　those　individuals　Random　and　I　had　fought　at　her　home　in　Westchester；　however；　and　she　assured　me　of　her　support　in　anything　I　might　currently　be　about。
　At　the　time　I　had　heard　Random's　story；　I　was　still　unaware　of　the　two　factions　and　their　machinations。　I　decided　then　that　if　Brand　were　still　living；　his　rescue　was　of　first　importance；　if　for　no　other　reason　than　the　fact　that　he　obviously　possessed　information　that　someone　did　not　want　circulated。　I　hit　on　a　scheme　for　achieving　this；　the　trial　of　which　was　only　postponed　for　the　time　required　by　Gérard　and　myself　for　returning　Caine's　body　to　Amber。　Part　of　this　time；　however；　was　appropriated　by　Gérard　for　purposes　of　beating　me　unconscious；　just　in　case　I　had　forgotten　he　was　capable　of　the　feat；　to　add　weight　to　his　words　when　he　informed　me　that　he　would　personally　kill　me　should　it　turn　out　that　I　was　the　author　of　Amber's　present　woes。　It　was　the　most　exclusive　closed　circuit　fight　I　knew　of；　viewed　by　the　family　via　Gérard's　Trump　…　an　act　of　insurance　should　I　actually　be　the　culprit　and　have　a　mind　to　erase　his　name　from　the　list　of　the　living　because　of　his　threat。　We　journeyed　on　to　the　Grove　of　the　Unicorn　then　and　exhumed　Caine。　At　that　time；　we　actually　caught　a　brief　glimpse　of　the　legendary　unicorn　of　Amber。
　That　evening　we　met　in　the　library　of　the　palace　in　Amber　…　we　being　Random；　Gérard；　Benedict；　Julian；　Deirdre；　Fiona；　Flora；　Llewella；　and　myself。　There；　we　tested　my　idea　for　finding　Brand。　It　amounted　to　all　nine　of　us　simultaneously　attempting　to　reach　him　via　his　Trump。　And　we　succeeded。
　We　contacted　him　and　were　successful　in　transporting　him　back　to　Amber。　In　the　midst　of　the　excitement；　however；　with　all　of　us　crowded　about　as　Gérard　bore　him　through；　someone　planted　a　dagger　in　Brand's　side。　Gérard　immediately　elected　himself　attending　physician　and　cleared　the　room。
　The　rest　of　us　moved　to　a　downstairs　sitting　room；　there　to　backbite　and　discuss　events。　During　this　time；　Fiona　advised　me　that　the　Jewel　of　Judgment　might　represent　a　hazard　in　situations　of　prolonged　exposure；　suggesting　the　possibility　that　it；　rather　than　his　wounds；　might　have　been　the　cause　of　Eric's　death。　One　of　the　first　signs；　she　believed；　was　a　distortion　of　one's　time…sense　…　an　apparent　slowdown　of　temporal　sequence；　actually　representing　a　speed…up　of　physiological　events。　I　resolved　to　be　more　cautious　with　it；　in　that　she　was　more　conversant　with　these　matters　than　the　rest　of　us；　having　once　been　an　advanced　pupil　of　Dworkin's。
　And　perhaps　she　was　correct。　Perhaps　there　was　such　an　effect　in　operation　later　that　evening　when　I　returned　to　my　own　quarters。　At　least；　it　seemed　as　if　the　person　who　attempted　to　kill　me　was　moving　a　trifle　more　slowly　than　I　would　have　myself　under　similar　circumstances。　At　that；　the　stroke　was　almost　successful。　The　blade　caught　me　in　the　side　and　the　world　went　away。
　Leaking　life；　I　awoke　in　my　old　bed　in　my　old　home　on　the　shadow　Earth　where　I　had　dwelled　for　so　long　as　Carl　Corey。　How　I　had　been　returned；　I　had　no　idea。　I　crawled　outside　and　into　a　blizzard。　Clinging　precariously　to　consciousness；　I　cached　the　Jewel　of　Judgment　in　my　old　post　heap；　for　the　world　did　indeed　seem　to　be　slowing　down　about　me。　Then　I　made　it　to　the　road；　to　try　flagging　down　a　passing　motorist。
　It　was　a　friend　and　former　neighbor；　Bill　Roth；　who　found　me　there　and　drove　me　to　the　nearest　clinic。　There；　I　was　treated　by　the　same　doctor　who　had　attended　me　years　before；　at　the　time　of　my　accident。　He　suspected　I　might　be　a　psychiatric　case；　as　the　old　record　did　reflect　that　faked　state　of　affairs。
　Bill　showed　up　later；　however；　and　set　a　number　of　things　right。　An　attorney；　he　had　grown　curious　at　the　time　of　my　disappearance　and　done　some　investigating。　He　had　learned　about　my　fake　certification　and　my　successive　escapes。　He　even　possessed　details　on　these　matters　and　on　the　accident　itself。　He　still　felt　there　was　something　strange　about　me；　but　it　did　not　really　bother　him　that　much。
　Later；　Random　contacted　me　via　my　Trump　and　advised　me　that　Brand　had　e　around　and　was　asking　for　me。　With　Random's　assistance；　I　returned　to　Amber。　I　went　to　see　Brand。　It　was　then　that　I　learned　of　the　nature　of　the　power　struggle　which　had　been　going　on　about　me；　and　the　identities　of　the　participants。　His　story；　together　with　what　Bill　had　told　me　back　on　the　shadow　Earth；　finally　brought　some　sense　and　coherence　to　occurrences　of　the　past　several　years。　He　also　told　me　more　concerning　the　nature　of　the　danger　we　currently　faced。
　I　did　nothing　the　following　day；　ostensibly　for　purposes　of　preparing　myself　for　a　visit　to　Tir…na　Nog'th；　actually　to　buy　additional　time　in　which　to　recover　from　my　injury。　This　mitment　made；　however；　it　had　to　be　kept。　I　did　journey　to　the　city　in　the　sky　that　night；　encountering　a　confusing　collection　of　signs　and　portents；　signifying　perhaps　nothing；　and　collecting　a　peculiar　mechanical　arm　from　the　ghost　of　my　brother　Benedict　while　I　was　about　it。
　Returned　from　this　excursion　on　high；　I　breakfasted　with　Random　and　Ganelon　before　setting　out　across　Kolvir　to　return　home。　Slowly；　bewilderingly；　the　trail　began　to　change　about　us。　It　was　as　though　we　were　walking　in　Shadow；　a　well…nigh　impossible　feat　this　near　to　Amber。　When　we　reached　this　conclusion；　we　tried　to　alter　our　course；　but　neither　Random　nor　I　was　able　to　affect　the　changing　scene。　About　that　time；　the　unicorn　put　in　an　appearance。　It　seemed　to　want　us　to　follow　it。　We　did。
　It　had　led　us　through　a　kaleidoscopic　series　of　changes；　until　finally　we　arrived　at　this　pace；　where　it　abandoned　us　to　our　present　devices。
　Now；　with　this　entire　sequence　of　events　tumbling　through　my　head；　my　mind　moved　about　the　peripheries；　pushed　its　way　forward；　returned　to　the　words　Random　had　just　spoken。　I　felt　that　I　was　slightly　ahead　of　him　once　more。　For　how　long　this　state　of　affairs　might　last；　I　did　not　know；　but　I　realized　where　I　had　seen　work　by　the　same　hand　which　had　executed　the　pierced　Trump。
　Brand　had　often　painted　when　he　was　entering　one　of　his　melancholy　periods；　and　his　favorite　techniques　came　to　mind　as　I　recalled　canvas　after　canvas　he　had　brightened　or　darkened。　Add　to　this　his　campaign　of　years　before　to　obtain　recollections　and　descriptions　from　everyone　who　had　known　Martin。　While　Random　had　not　recognized　his　style；　I　wondered　how　long　it　might　be　before　he　began　thinking　as　I　just　had　about　the　possible　ends　of　Brand's　information　gathering。　Even　if　his　hand　had　not　actually　propelled　the　blade；　Brand　was　party　to　the　act　by　providing　the　means。　I　knew　Random　well　enough　to　know　that　he　meant　what　he　had　said。　He　would　try　to　kill　Brand　as　soon　as　he　saw　the　connection。　This　was　going　to　be　more　than　awkward。
　It　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　fact　that　Brand　had　probably　saved　my　life。　I　figured　I　had　squared　accounts　with　him　by　getting　him　out　of　that　damned　tower。　No。　It　was　neither　indebtedness　nor　sentiment　that　caused　me　to　cast　about　for　ways　to　mislead　Random　or　slow　him　down。　It　was　the　naked；　frigid　fact　that　I　needed　Brand。