rz.nineprincesinamber-第18部分

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　With　my　left　hand；　I　opened　the　panel　through　which　I　had　entered。
　〃Okay；〃　I　said；　〃it　looks　like　you're　going　to　live　…　for　a　time。　You're　lucky。　Next　time　we　meet；　there　won't　be　anyone　to　help　you。〃
　He　spat　and　called　me　a　few　traditional　vile　names；　even　putting　down　the　chair　to　add　an　obscene　gesture；　as　I　ducked　through　the　panel　and　closed　it　behind　me。
　There　came　a　thunk；　and　eight　inches　of　steel　gleamed　on　my　side　of　the　panel　as　I　was　fastening　it。　He　had　thrown　his　blade。　Risky；　if　I　chose　to　return。　But　he　knew　I　wouldn't；　for　the　door　sounded　about　ready　to　fall。
　I　descended　the　pegs　as　rapidly　as　I　could；　to　the　place　where　I　had　slept　earlier。　As　I　did；　I　considered　my　increased　skill　with　the　blade。　At　first；　in　the　battle；　I　had　been　awed　by　the　man　who　had　beaten　me　before。　Now；　though；　I　wondered。　Perhaps　those　centuries　on　the　Shadow　Earth　were　not　a　waste。　Maybe　I　had　actually　gotten　better　during　that　time。　Now　I　felt　that　I　might　be　Eric's　equal　with　the　weapon。　This　made　me　feel　good。　If　we　met　again；　as　I　was　sure　we　would；　and　there　was　no　outside　interference　…　who　knew？　I　would　court　the　chance；　however。　Today's　encounter　had　scared　him。　I　was　certain。　That　might　serve　to　slow　his　hand；　to　cause　the　necessary　hesitation　on　the　next　occasion。
　I　let　go　and　dropped　the　final　fifteen　feet；　bending　my　knees　as　I　landed。　I　was　the　proverbial　five　minutes　ahead　of　the　posse；　but　I　was　sure　I　could　take　advantage　of　it　and　escape。　For　I　had　the　cards　in　my　belt。
　I　drew　the　card　that　was　Bleys　and　stared　at　it。　My　shoulder　hurt；　but　I　forgot　it；　as　the　coldness　came　upon　me。
　There　were　two　ways　to　depart　directly　from　Amber　into　Shadow。。。
　One　was　the　Pattern；　seldom　used　for　this　purpose。
　Another　was　the　Trumps；　if　you　could　trust　a　brother。
　I　considered　Bleys。　I　could　almost　trust　him。　He　was　my　brother；　but　he　was　in　trouble　and　could　use　my　help。
　I　stared　at　him；　flame…crowned；　dressed　all　in　red　and　orange；　with　a　sword　in　his　right　hand　and　a　glass　of　wine　in　his　left。　The　devil　danced　in　his　blue　eyes；　his　beard　blazed；　and　the　tracery　on　his　blade；　I　suddenly　realized；　flared　with　a　portion　of　the　Pattern。　His　rings　flashed。　He　seemed　to　move。
　The　contact　came　like　an　icy　wind。
　The　figure　on　the　card　seemed　life…sized　now　and　changed　position　into　whatever　stance　he　presently　held。　His　eyes　did　not　quite　focus　upon　me；　and　his　lips　moved。
　〃Who　is　it？〃　they　said；　and　I　heard　the　words。
　〃Corwin；〃　said　I；　and　he　held　forth　his　left　hand；　which　no　longer　bore　the　goblet。
　〃Then　e　to　me；　if　you　would。〃
　I　reached　forth　and　our　fingers　met。　I　took　a　step。
　I　was　still　holding　the　card　in　my　left　hand；　but　Bleys　and　I　stood　together　on　a　cliff　and　there　was　a　chasm　to　our　side　and　a　high　fortress　to　our　other　side。　The　sky　above　us　was　the　color　of　flame。
　〃Hello；　Bleys；〃　I　said；　tucking　the　card　into　my　belt　with　the　others。　〃Thanks　for　the　assistance。〃
　I　suddenly　felt　weak　and　realized　the　blood　was　still　flowing　from　my　left　shoulder。
　〃You're　wounded！〃　he　said；　throwing　an　arm　about　my　shoulders；　and　I　started　to　nod　but　fainted　instead。
　
　***
　
　Later　that　night；　I　sprawled　in　a　big　chair　within　the　fortress　and　drank　whiskey。　We　smoked　and　passed　the　bottle　and　talked。
　〃So　you　were　actually　in　Amber？〃
　〃Yes；　that's　right。〃
　〃And　you　wounded　Eric　in　your　duel？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Damn！　I　wish　you'd　killed　him！〃　Then　he　reflected。　〃Well；　maybe　not。　Then　you'd　have　held　the　throne。　I　might　have　a　better　chance　against　Eric　than　I'd　have　had　against　you。　I　don't　know。　What　are　your　plans？〃
　I　decided　upon　plete　honesty。
　〃We　all　want　the　throne；〃　I　said；　〃so　there's　no　reason　to　lie　to　one　another。　I'm　not　about　to　try　killing　you　for　it　…　that　would　be　foolish　…　but　on　the　other　hand。　I'm　not　about　to　renounce　my　claim　because　I'm　enjoying　your　hospitality。　Random　would　like　it；　but　he's　pretty　much　out　of　the　picture。　No　one　has　heard　from　Benedict　for　some　time　now。　Gerard　and　Caine　seem　to　he　supporting　Eric；　rather　than　promoting　their　own　claims。　The　same　goes　for　Julian。　That　leaves　Brand　and　our　sisters。　I　don't　know　what　the　hell　Brand　is　up　to　these　days；　but　I　do　know　that　Deirdre　is　without　power；　unless　she　and　Llewella　can　raise　something　in　Rebma；　and　Flora　is　Eric's　creature。　I　don't　know　what　Fiona　is　up　to。〃
　〃And　so　that　leaves　us；〃　said　Bleys；　pouring　us　each　another　drink。　〃Yes；　you're　right。　I　don't　know　what's　going　on　in　everyone's　head　right　now；　but　I　can　assess　our　relative　strengths　and　I　think　I'm　in　the　best　position。　You　made　a　wise　choice　in　ing　to　me。　Support　me；　and　I'll　give　you　a　regency。〃
　〃Bless　your　heart；〃　I　said。　〃We'll　see。〃
　We　sipped　our　whiskies。
　〃What　else　is　there　to　do？〃　he　asked；　and　I　realized　that　the　question　was　important。
　〃I　might　raise　an　army　of　my　own；　to　lay　siege　to　Amber；〃　I　told　him。
　〃Where　among　Shadows　lies　your　army？〃　he　inquired。
　〃That；　of　course；　is　my　affair。〃　I　said。　〃I　don't　think　I'd　oppose　you。　When　it　es　to　monarchs。　I'd　like　to　see　either　you；　me；　Gerard；　or　Benedict　…　if　he　still　lives　…　upon　the　throne。〃
　〃Preferably　you；　of　course。〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　〃Then　we　understand　one　another。　So　I　think　we　can　work　together；　for　the　time　being。〃
　〃And　I；〃　I　agreed；　〃else　I　would　not　have　delivered　myself　into　your　hands。〃
　He　smiled　within　his　beard。
　〃You　needed　someone；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　was　the　lesser　evil。〃
　〃True；〃　I　agreed；
　〃I　wish　Benedict　were　here。　I　wish　Gerard　had　not　sold　out。〃
　〃Wishes；　wishes；〃　I　told　him；　〃Wish　in　one　hand　and　do　something　else　in　the　other；　and　squeeze　them　both　and　see　which　es　true。〃
　〃Well　taken；〃　he　said。
　We　smoked　a　while　in　silence。
　〃How　far　can　I　trust　you？〃　he　asked。
　〃As　far　as　I　can　trust　you。〃
　〃Then　let's　make　a　deal。　Frankly；　I　had　thought　you　dead　for　many　years。　I　hadn't　foreseen　your　showing　up　at　a　crucial　time　and　pressing　your　own　claim。　But　you're　here；　and　that's　that。　Let's　form　an　alliance　…　bine　our　forces　and　lay　siege　to　Amber。　Whichever　of　us　lives　through　it　winds　up　on　top。　If　we　both　do；　well　…　hell！　…　we　can　always　fight　a　duel！〃
　I　thought　about　it。　It　sounded　like　the　best　deal　I'd　get　anywhere。
　So　I　said；　〃I'd　like　to　sleep　on　it。　Tell　you　in　the　morning；　okay？〃
　〃Okay。〃
　We　finished　our　drinks　then　and　fell　to　reminiscing。　My　shoulder　throbbed　a　bit；　but　the　whisky　helped；　and　the　salve　which　Bleys　had　supplied。　After　a　time；　we　were　almost　maudlin。
　It　is　strange；　I　guess；　to　have　kin　and　to　be　without　kinship；　for　as　long　as　our　lives　had　led　us　along　our　separate　paths。　Lord！　We　talked　the　moon　out　of　the　heavens　before　either　of　us　grew　tired。　Then　he　clapped　me　upon　my　good　shoulder　and　told　me　that　he　was　beginning　to　feel　his　load　and　that　a　servant　would　be　by　in　the　morning　to　bring　my　breakfast。　I　nodded；　we　embraced；　and　he　retired。
　Then　I　moved　to　the　window；　and　from　that　vantage　I　could　see　down　far　into　the　chasm。
　The　campfires　below　burned　like　stars。　There　were　thousands　of　them。　I　could　tell　that　Bleys　had　assembled　a　mighty　force；　and　I　was　envious。　But；　on　the　other　hand；　it　was　a　good　thing。　If　anyone　could　take　Eric；　it　was　probably　Bleys。　He　wouldn't　be　a　bad　thing　in　Amber；　it　was　just　that　I　preferred　me。
　Then　I　watched　a　while　longer；　and　I　saw　that　strange　shapes　moved　among　the　lights。　I　wondered　then　as　to　the　nature　of　his　army。
　Whatever；　it　was　more　than　I　possessed。
　I　made　my　way　back　to　the　table　and　poured　me　a　final　drink。　Before　I　quaffed　it；　however；　I　lighted　a　taper。　In　its　light；　I　withdrew　the　pack　of　cards　I　had　stolen。
　I　spread　them　before　me　and　I　came　across　the　one　depicting　Eric。　I　laid　it　in　the　center　of　the　table　and　put　the　rest　away。
　After　a　time；　it　came　to　life；　and　I　saw　Eric　in　his　sleeping　garments　and　I　heard　the　words；　〃Who　is　it？〃　His　arm　was　bound。
　〃Me；〃　I　said；　〃Corwin。　How　are　you？〃
　He　cursed　then；　and　I　laughed。　This　was　a　dangerous　game　and　maybe　the　whisky　had　contributed　to　it。　but　I　continued：　〃I　just　felt　like　telling　you　that　all　goes　well　with　me。　I　also　wanted　to　advise　you　that　you　were　right　when　you　spoke　of　the　uneasy　head。　You　won't　be　wearing　it　long；　though。　So　cheerio！　Brother！　The　day　I　e　again　to　Amber　is　the　day　you　die！　Just　thought　I'd　tell　you；　since　that　day　is　not　too　far　off。〃
　〃e　ahead；〃　he　told　me；　〃and　I'll　not　want　for　grace　in　the　matter　of　your　passing。〃
　His　eyes　focused　on　me　then　and　we　were　close。　I　thumbed　my　nose　at　him　and　passed　my　palm　over　the　card。　It　was　like　hanging　up　a　telephone；　and　I　shuffled　Eric　in　with　all　the　rest。
　I　wondered　though；　as　I　approached　sleep；　concerning　those　troops　of　Bleys　which　occupied　the　defile　below；　and　I　thought　upon　Eric's　defenses。
　It　would　not　be　easy。
　
　
　Chapter　6
　
　The　land　was　known　as　Avernus；　and　the　assembled　troops　were　not　quite　men。　I　reviewed　them　the　following　morning；　walking　behind　Bleys。　They　were　all　of　them　around　seven　feet　in　height；　had　very　red　skins　and　little　hair；　catlike　eyes；　and　six…digited　hands　and　feet。　They　wore　garments　that　looked　as　light　as　silk；　but　were　woven　of　something　else　and　were　mainly　gray　or　blue　in　color。　Each　bore　two　short　blades；　hooked　at　the　end。　Their　ears　were　pointed　and　their　many　fingers　clawed。
　The　climate　was　warm　and　the　colors　bewildering；　and　everyone　thought　we　were　gods。
　Bleys　had　found　a　place　where　the　religion　involved　brother…gods　who　looked　like　us　and　had　their　troubles。　Invariably；　in　the　terms　of　this　mythos；　an　evil　brother　would　seize　power　and　seek　to　oppress　the　good　brothers。　And　of　course　there　was　the　legend　of　an　Apocalypse　where　they　themselves　would　be　called　upon　to　stand　on　the　side　of　the　surviving　good　brothers。
　I　wore　my　left　arm　in　a　black　sling　and　considered　those　who　were　about　to　die。
　I　stood　before　a　trooper　and　looked　up　at　him。　I　asked　him；　〃Do　you　know　who　Eric　is？〃
　〃The　Lord　of　Evil；〃　he　replied。
　I　nodded　and　said；　〃Very　good；〃　and　passed　on。
　Bleys　had　custom…made　cannon　fodder。
　〃How　large　is　your　army？〃　I　asked　him。
　〃Around　fifty　thousand；〃　he　replied。
　〃I　salute　those　who　are　about　to　Give　Their　All；〃　I　told　him。　〃You　can't　take　Amber　with　fifty　t