rz.nineprincesinamber-第19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！


　〃I　salute　those　who　are　about　to　Give　Their　All；〃　I　told　him。　〃You　can't　take　Amber　with　fifty　thousand　men；　even　providing　you　can　get　them　all　to　the　foot　of　Kolvir　intact　…　and　you　can't。　It's　silly　even　to　consider　using　these　poor　bastards　against　the　immortal　city；　with　their　toy　swords　and　all。〃
　〃I　know；〃　he　said；　〃but　they're　not　all　I've　got。〃
　〃You'll　need　a　lot　more。〃
　〃Then　how　do　three　navies　sound　…　half　again　the　size　of　Caine's　and　Gerard's　fleets　put　together？
　〃I've　a　way。〃
　〃Not　yet　enough；〃　said　I；　〃and　barely　a　beginning。〃
　〃I　know。　I'm　still　building；〃　he　said。
　〃Well；　we'd　better　build　a　lot　more。　Eric　will　sit　in　Amber　and　kill　us　as　we　march　through　Shadows。　When　the　remaining　forces　finally　reach　the　foot　of　Kolvir；　he'll　decimate　them　there。　Then　there　will　be　the　climb　to　Amber。　How　many　hundred　do　you　think　will　remain　when　we　reach　the　city？　Enough　to　be　dispatched　in　five　minutes；　at　almost　no　cost　to　Eric。　If　this　is　the　best　you've　got；　brother　Bleys；　I　have　misgivings　concerning　this　expedition。〃
　〃Eric　has　announced　his　coronation　in　three　months'　time；〃　he　said。　〃I　can　triple　my　forces　by　then　…　at　least。　Perhaps　I　can　even　have　a　quarter　of　a　million　Shadow　troops　to　lead　against　Amber。　There　are　other　worlds　like　this　one；　and　I　will　penetrate　them。　I　will　raise　me　such　a　force　of　holy　crusaders　as　has　never　been　sent　against　Amber　before。〃
　〃And　Eric　will　have　had　the　same　time　to　intensify　his　defenses。　I　don't　know；　Bleys。。。　it's　almost　a　suicide　run。　I　didn't　know　the　full　situation　when　I　came　here　…〃
　〃And　what　have　you　brought　with　you？〃　be　asked。　〃Nothing！　It　is　rumored　that　you　once　manded　troops。　Where　are　they？〃
　I　turned　away　from　him。
　〃They　are　no　more；〃　I　said。　〃I　am　certain。〃
　〃Could　you　not　find　a　Shadow　of　your　Shadow？〃
　〃I　don't　want　to　try；〃　I　said。　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　〃Then　what　real　good　are　you　to　me？〃
　〃I'll　go；〃　I　told　him；　〃if　that's　all　you　had　in　mind；　if　that's　all　you　really　wanted　me　around　for　…　more　bodies。〃
　〃Wait！〃　he　cried　out。　〃I　spoke　hastily。　I　don't　want　to　lose　your　counsel；　if　nothing　else。　Stay　with　me；　please。　I　will　even　apologize。〃
　〃That　is　not　necessary；〃　I　said；　knowing　what　this　thing　means　to　a　prince　of　Amber。　〃I'll　stay。　I　think　I　can　help　you。〃
　〃Good！〃　and　he　clapped　me　upon　my　good　shoulder。
　〃And　I'll　get　you　more　troops；〃　I　added。　〃Never　fear。〃
　And　I　did。
　I　walked　among　Shadows；　and　found　a　race　of　furry　creatures；　dark　and　clawed　and　fanged；　reasonably　manlike；　and　about　as　intelligent　as　a　freshman　in　the　high　school　of　your　choice　…　sorry；　kids；　but　what　I　mean　is　they　were　loyal；　devoted；　honest；　and　too　easily　screwed　by　bastards　like　me　and　my　brother。　I　felt　like　the　dee…jay　of　your　choice。
　Around　a　hundred　thousand　worshiped　us　to　the　extent　of　taking　up　arms。
　Bleys　was　impressed　and　shut　up。　After　a　week　my　shoulder　was　healed。　After　two　months　we　had　our　quarter　million　and　more。
　〃Corwin；　Corwin！　You're　still　Corwin！〃　he　said；　and　we　took　another　drink。
　But　I　was　feeling　kind　of　funny。　Most　of　these　troops　were　destined　to　die。　I　was　the　agent　responsible　for　much　of　this。　I　felt　some　remorse；　though　I　knew　the　difference　between　Shadow　and　Substance。　Each　death　would　be　a　real　death；　however；　I　knew　that　also。
　And　some　nights　I　dwelled　upon　the　playing　cards。　The　missing　Trumps　had　been　restored　to　the　pack　I　held。　One　of　them　was　a　portrait　of　Amber　itself；　and　I　knew　it　could　bear　me　back　into　the　city。　The　others　were　those　of　our　dead　or　missing　relatives。　And　one　was　Dad's；　and　I　skipped　it　over　quickly。　He　was　gone。
　I　stared　at　each　face　for　a　long　while　to　consider　what　might　be　gained　from　each。　I　cast　the　cards　several　times；　and　the　same　thing　came　up　on　each　occasion。
　His　name　was　Caine。
　He　wore　satin　that　was　green　and　black；　and　a　dark　three…cornered　hat　with　a　green　plume　of　feathers　trailing　down　behind。　At　his　belt　there　was　an　emerald…studded　dagger。　He　was　dark。
　〃Caine；〃　I　said。
　After　a　time；　there　came　a　reply。
　〃Who？〃　he　asked。
　〃Corwin；〃　said　I。
　〃Corwin！　Is　this　a　joke？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃What　do　you　want？〃
　〃What've　you　got？〃
　〃You　know　that；〃　and　his　eyes　shifted　and　lay　upon　me；　but　I　watched　his　hand；　which　was　near　to　his　dagger。
　〃Where　are　you？〃
　〃With　Bleys。〃
　〃There　was　a　rumor　you'd　shown　up　in　Amber　recently　…　and　I　wondered　at　the　bandages　on　Eric's　arm。〃
　〃You're　looking　at　the　reason；〃　I　said。　〃What's　your　price？〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃Let　us　be　frank　and　to　the　point。　Do　you　think　Bleys　and　I　can　take　Eric？〃
　〃No；　that's　why　I'm　with　Eric。　And　I　won't　sell　out　my　armada　either；　if　that's　what　you're　after　…　and　I'd　imagine　you　are。〃
　I　smiled。
　〃Perceptive　brother；〃　I　replied。　〃Well；　it's　been　nice　talking　to　you。　See　you　in　Amber　…　maybe。〃
　I　moved　my　hand；　and　he　cried　out。
　〃Wait！〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃I　don't　even　know　your　offer。〃
　〃Yes；　you　do；〃　I　said。　〃You've　guessed　it；　and　you're　not　interested。〃
　〃I　didn't　say　that。　It's　just　that　I　know　where　the　equities　lie。〃
　〃You　mean　the　power。〃
　〃Okay；　the　power。　What've　you　got　to　offer？〃
　We　talked　for　maybe　an　hour；　after　which　time　the　northern　seaways　were　open　to　the　three　phantom　fleets　of　Bleys；　which　might　enter　expecting　reinforcements。
　〃If　you　fail；　there'll　be　three　beheadings　in　Amber；〃　said　he。
　〃But　you　don't　really　expect　that；　do　you？〃　I　asked。
　〃No。　I　think　either　you　or　Bleys　will　sit　upon　the　throne　before　too　very　long。　I'll　be　satisfied　to　serve　the　winner。　That　regency　would　be　nice。　I'd　still　like　Random's　head　as　part　of　the　price；　though。〃
　〃No　deal；〃　I　said。　〃Take　it　as　you've　heard　it　or　forget　it。〃
　〃I'll　take　it。〃
　I　smiled　and　placed　my　palm　upon　the　card　and　he　was　gone。
　Gerard　was　a　matter　I'd　leave　for　the　morrow。　Caine　had　exhausted　me。
　I　rolled　into　bed　and　slept。
　
　***
　
　Gerard；　when　be　learned　the　score；　agreed　to　lay　off　us。　Mainly　because　it　was　I　who　was　asking；　as　he　had　considered　Eric　a　lesser　of　potent　evils。
　I　concluded　the　deal　quickly；　promising　him　everything　he　asked；　as　no　heads　were　involved。
　Then　I　reviewed　the　troops　again　and　told　them　more　of　Amber。　Strangely；　they　got　along　like　brothers；　the　big　red　guys　and　the　little　hairy　ones。
　It　was　sad　and　it　was　true。
　We　were　their　gods；　and　that　was　that。
　
　***
　
　I　saw　the　fleet；　sailing　on　a　great　ocean　the　color　of　blood。　I　wondered。　In　the　Shadow　worlds　through　which　they　sailed；　many　of　them　would　be　lost。
　I　considered　the　troops　of　Avernus；　and　my　recruits　from　the　place　called　Ri'ik。　Theirs　was　the　task　of　marching　to　Earth　and　Amber。
　I　shuffled　my　cards　and　cast　them。　I　picked　up　the　one　called　Benedict。　For　a　long　while　I　searched　it；　but　there　was　nothing　but　the　cold。
　Then　I　seized　upon　Brand's。　For　another　long　while　there　was　nothing　but　the　cold。
　Then　there　came　a　scream。　It　was　a　horrible；　tormented　thing。
　〃Help　me！〃　came　the　cry。
　〃How　can　I？〃　I　asked。
　〃Who　is　that？〃　be　asked；　and　I　saw　his　body　writhe。
　〃Corwin。〃
　〃Deliver　me　from　this　place；　brother　Corwin！　Anything　you　name　shall　be　yours　in　return！〃
　〃Where　are　you？〃
　〃I　…　〃
　And　there　came　a　swirling　of　things　my　mind　refused　to　conceive　of；　and　another　scream；　torn　forth　as　though　in　agony　and　ending　in　silence。
　Then　the　coldness　came　in　again。
　I　found　that　I　was　shaking。　From　what；　I　did　not　know。
　I　lit　a　cigarette　and　moved　to　the　window　to　consider　the　night；　leaving　the　cards　where　they　had　fallen　upon　the　table…top　of　my　room　within　the　garrison。
　The　stars　were　tiny　and　misted　over。　There　were　no　constellations　that　I　could　recognize。　A　small　blue　moon　dropped　quickly　through　the　darkness。　The　night　had　e　on　with　a　sudden；　icy　chill　and　I　wrapped　my　cloak　close　about　me。　I　thought　back　to　the　winter　of　our　disastrous　campaign　in　Russia。　Gods！　I'd　almost　frozen　to　death！　And　where　did　it　all　lead？
　To　the　throne　of　Amber；　of　course。
　For　that　was　sufficient　justification　for　anything。
　But　what　of　Brand？　Where　was　he？　What　was　happening　about　him；　and　who　had　done　this　thing　to　him？
　Answers？　None。
　I　wondered；　though；　as　I　stared　up　and　out；　tracing　the　path　of　that　blue　disk　in　its　descent。　Was　there　something　I　was　missing　in　the　whole　picture；　some　factor　I　didn't　quite　dig？
　No　answer。
　I　seated　myself　at　the　table　once　more；　a　small　drink　at　my　hand。
　I　fingered　my　way　through　the　pack　and　found　Dad's　card。
　Oberon；　Lord　of　Amber；　stood　before　me　in　his　green　and　his　gold。　High；　wide；　and　thick；　his　beard　black　and　shot　with　silver；　his　hair　the　same。　Green　rings　in　gold　settings　and　a　blade　of　golden　color。　It　had　once　seemed　to　me　that　nothing　could　ever　displace　the　immortal　liege　of　Amber　from　his　throne。　What　had　happened？　I　still　didn't　know。　But　he　was　gone。　How　had　my　father　met　with　his　end？
　I　stared　and　concentrated。
　Nothing；　nothing　…　
　Something？
　Something。
　There　came　a　responding　movement；　though　ever　so　weak；　and　the　figure　on　the　card　turned　in　upon　itself　and　shriveled　to　a　shadow　of　the　man　he　had　been。
　〃Father？〃　I　asked。
　Nothing。
　〃Father？〃
　〃Yes。。。〃　Very　faint　and　distant；　as　though　through　a　seashell；　immersed　in　its　monotone　humming。
　〃Where　are　you？　What　has　happened？〃
　〃I。。。〃　Long　pause。
　〃Yes？　This　is　Corwin；　your　son。　What　came　to　pass　in　Amber；　that　you　are　gone？〃
　〃My　time；〃　he　said；　sounding　even　further　away。
　〃Do　you　mean　that　you　abdicated？　None　of　my　brothers　has　given　me　the　tale；　and　I　do　not　trust　them　sufficiently　to　ask　them。　Eric　now　holds　the　city　and　Julian　guards　the　Forest　of　Arden。　Caine　and　Gerard　maintain　the　seas。　Bleys　would　oppose　all　and　I　am　allied　with　him。　What　are　your　wishes　in　this　matter？〃
　〃You　are　the　only　one　…　who　…　has　asked；〃　he　gasped。　〃Yes。。。〃
　〃'Yes'　what？〃
　〃Yes；　oppose　…　them。。。〃
　〃What　of　you？　How　can　I　help　you？〃
　〃I　am　beyond　help。　Take　the　throne。。。〃
　〃I？　Or　Bleys　and　I？〃
　〃You！〃　he　said。
　〃Yes？〃
　〃You　have　my　blessing。。。　Take　the　throne　…　and　be　quick　…　about　it！〃
　〃Why；　Father？〃
　〃I　lack　the　breath　…　Take　it！〃
　Then　he；　too；　was　gone。
　So　Dad　lived。　That　was　interesting。　What　to　do　now？
　I　sipped　my　drink　and　thought　about　it。