rz.nineprincesinamber-第28部分

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g　panoramas　of　color　and　distance；　the　miniaturization　of　cities；　the　broad　blue　sweep　of　sky；　the　herds　of　clouds　（where　were　they　now？）　and　the　clean　expanse　of　the　ocean　beneath　my　wings。　I　remembered　women　I　had　loved；　parties；　military　engagements。　And　when　all　was　done；　and　I　could　help　it　no　longer；　I　thought　of　Amber。
　One　time；　when　I　did　so；　my　tear　glands　began　to　function　again。　I　wept。
　After　an　interminable　time；　a　time　filled　with　blackness　and　many　sleeps；　I　heard　footsteps　which　paused　before　the　door　to　my　cell；　and　I　heard　the　sound　of　a　key　within　the　lock。
　It　was　a　time　so　long　after　Rein's　visit　that　I　had　forgotten　the　taste　of　the　wine　and　the　cigarettes。　I　could　not　really　estimate　its　span；　but　it　had　been　long。
　There　were　two　men　in　the　corridor。　I　could　tell　this　from　their　footsteps　even　before　I　heard　the　sounds　of　their　voices。
　One　of　the　voices　I　recognized。
　The　door　swung　open　and　Julian　said　my　name。
　I　didn't　answer　right　away；　and　he　repeated　it。
　〃Corwin？　e　here。〃
　Since　I　didn't　have　much　choice　in　the　matter；　I　drew　myself　erect　and　advanced。　I　stopped　when　I　knew　I　was　near　him。
　〃What　do　you　want？〃　I　asked。
　〃e　with　me。〃　And　he　took　my　arm。
　We　walked　along　the　corridor；　and　he　said　nothing　and　I'd　be　damned　if　I'd　ask　him　any　questions。
　From　the　echoes；　I　could　tell　when　we　entered　the　big　hall。　Soon　after；　he　guided　me　up　the　stair。
　Up；　and　into　the　palace　proper　we　went。
　I　was　taken　to　a　room　and　seated　in　a　chair。　A　barber　set　to　work　cutting　my　hair　and　my　beard。　I　didn't　recognize　his　voice　when　he　asked　me　if　I　wanted　the　beard　trimmed　or　removed。
　〃Cut　it　off；〃　I　said；　and　a　manicurist　set　to　work　on　my　nails；　all　twenty　of　them。
　Then　I　was　bathed；　and　someone　helped　me　to　dress　in　clean　garments。　They　hung　loose　on　me。　I　was　loused　also；　but　forget　that。
　Then　I　was　led　into　another　black　place　filled　with　music　and　the　odors　of　good　food　and　the　sounds　of　many　voices　and　some　laughter。　I　recognized　it　to　be　the　dining　room。
　The　voices　subsided　a　bit　as　Julian　led　me　in　and　seated　me。
　I　sat　there　until　the　trumpet　notes；　to　which　I　was　forced　to　rise。
　I　heard　the　toast　called　out：
　〃To　Eric　the　First；　King　of　Amber！　Long　live　the　king！〃
　I　didn't　drink　to　that；　but　no　one　seemed　to　notice。　It　was　Caine's　voice　that　had　called　out　the　toast；　from　far　up　along　the　table。
　I　ate　as　much　as　I　could；　because　it　was　the　best　meal　I　had　been　offered　since　the　coronation。　I　gathered　from　conversation　overheard　that　today　was　the　anniversary　of　Eric's　coronation；　which　meant　I　had　spent　an　entire　year　in　the　dungeons。
　No　one　spoke　to　me；　and　I　didn't　make　any　overtures。　I　was　present　as　a　ghost　only。　To　humiliate　me；　and　to　serve　as　a　reminder　to　my　brothers；　no　doubt；　as　to　the　price　of　defying　our　liege。　And　everyone　had　been　ordered　to　forget　me。
　It　went　on　well　into　the　night。　Someone　kept　me　well　provided　with　wine；　which　was　something；　and　I　sat　there　and　listened　to　the　music　of　all　the　dances。
　The　tables　had　been　removed　by　this　time；　and　I　was　seated　off　somewhere　in　a　corner。
　I　got　stinking　drunk　and　was　half　dragged；　half　carried　back　to　my　cell　in　the　morning；　when　the　whole　thing　was　over　save　for　the　cleaning　up。　My　only　regret　was　that　I　hadn't　gotten　sick　enough　to　dirty　the　floor　or　someone's　pretty　garments。
　Thus　ended　the　first　year　of　darkness。
　
　
　Chapter　9
　
　I　shall　not　bore　you　with　repetition。　My　second　year　was　pretty　much　like　my　first；　with　the　same　finale。　Ditto　for　the　third。　Rein　came　twice　that　second　year；　with　a　basket　of　goodies　and　a　mouthful　of　gossip。　Both　times　I　forbade　him　ever　to　e　again。　The　third　year　he　came　down　six　times；　every　other　month；　and　each　time　I　forbade　him　anew　and　ate　his　food　and　heard　what　he　had　to　say。
　Something　was　wrong　in　Amber。　Strange　things　walked　through　Shadow　and　presented　themselves；　with　violence；　to　all　and　sundry。　They　were　destroyed；　of　course。　Eric　was　still　trying　to　figure　out　how　they　had　occurred。　I　did　not　mention　my　curse；　though　I　later　rejoiced　in　the　fact　that　it　had　e　to　pass。
　Random；　like　myself；　was　still　a　prisoner。　His　wife　had　joined　him。　The　positions　of　my　other　brothers　and　sisters　remained　unchanged。　This　bolstered　me　through　the　third　anniversary　of　the　coronation；　and　it　made　me　feel　almost　alive　again。
　It。。。
　It！　One　day　it　was　there；　and　it　made　me　feel　so　good　that　I　immediately　broke　out　the　final　bottle　of　wine　Rein　had　brought　me　and　opened　the　last　pack　of　cigarettes；　which　I　had　been　saving。
　I　smoked　them　and　sipped　and　enjoyed　the　feeling　that　I　had　somehow　beaten　Eric。　If　he　found　this　out；　I　felt　it　might　be　fatal。　But　I　knew　he　didn't　know。
　So　I　rejoiced；　smoking；　drinking　and　reveling　in　the　light　of　that　which　had　occurred。
　Yes；　the　light。
　I'd　discovered　a　tiny　patch　of　brightness；　off　somewhere　to　my　right。
　Well；　let's　take　it　like　this：　I　had　awakened　in　a　hospital　bed　and　learned　that　I　had　recovered　all　too　soon。　Dig？
　I　heal　faster　than　others　who　have　been　broken。　All　the　lords　and　ladies　of　Amber　have　something　of　this　capacity。
　I'd　lived　through　the　Plague；　I'd　lived　through　the　march　on　Moscow。
　I　regenerate　faster　and　better　than　anybody　I've　ever　known。
　Napoleon　had　once　made　a　remark　about　it。　So　had　General　MacArthur。
　With　nerve　tissue　it　takes　me　a　bit　longer；　that's　all。
　My　sight　was　returning　to　me；　that's　what　it　meant　…　that　lovely　patch　of　brightness；　off　somewhere　to　my　right。
　After　a　time；　I　knew　that　it　was　the　little　barren　area　in　the　door　to　my　cell。
　I　had　grown　new　eyes；　my　fingers　told　me。　It　had　taken　me　over　three　years；　but　I　had　done　it。　It　was　the　million…to…one　thing　I　spoke　of　earlier；　the　thing　which　even　Eric　could　not　properly　assess；　because　of　the　variances　of　powers　among　the　individual　members　of　the　family。　I　had　beaten　him　to　this　extent：　I　had　learned　that　I　could　grow　new　eyeballs。　I　had　always　known　that　I　could　regenerate　nerve　tissues；　given　sufficient　time。　I　had　been　left　paraplegic　from　a　spine　injury　received　during　the　Franco…Prussian　wars。　After　two　years；　it　had　gone　away。　I　had　had　my　hope　…　a　wild　one；　I'll　admit　…　that　I　could　do　what　I　had　done　then；　with　my　burned…out　orbs。　And　I　had　been　right。　They　felt　intact；　and　the　sight　was　returning；　slowly。
　How　long　till　the　next　anniversary　of　Eric's　coronation？　I　stopped　pacing　and　my　heart　beat　faster。　As　soon　as　someone　saw　that　I'd　recovered　my　eyes；　I'd　lose　them　again。
　Therefore；　I'd　have　to　escape　before　the　four　years　had　passed。
　How？
　I　hadn't　thought　about　it　much　up　to　this　time；　because　even　if　I　could　figure　a　way　to　get　out　of　my　cell；　I'd　never　make　it　out　of　Amber　…　or　out　of　the　palace；　for　that　matter　…　without　eyes　or　aid；　and　neither　were　available　to　me。
　Now；　though。。。
　The　door　of　my　cell　was　a　big；　heavy；　brass…bound　thing；　with　only　a　tiny　grille　at　a　height　of　about　five　feet　for　purposes　of　looking　in　to　see　whether　I　was　still　alive；　if　anyone　cared。　Even　if　I　succeeded　in　removing　it；　I　could　tell　that　I　couldn't　reach　out　far　enough　to　touch　the　lock。　There　was　a　little　swinging　gate　at　the　bottom　of　the　door；　large　enough　to　push　my　food　through　and　that's　about　all。　The　hinges　were　either　on　the　outside　or　in　between　the　door　and　the　jamb；　I　couldn't　tell　for　sure。　Either　way；　I　couldn't　get　at　them。　There　were　no　windows　and　no　other　doors。
　It　was　still　almost　like　being　blind；　save　for　that　feeble　reassuring　light　through　the　grille。　I　knew　my　sight　hadn't　returned　fully。　That　was　still　a　long　way　off。　But　even　if　it　had；　it　was　nearly　pitch　dark　in　there。　I　knew　this　because　I　knew　the　dungeons　under　Amber。
　I　lit　a　cigarette；　paced　some　more；　and　assessed　my　possessions；　seeking　anything　that　might　be　of　aid。　There　was　my　clothing；　my　sleeping　mat；　and　all　the　damp　straw　I　wanted。　I　also　had　matches；　but　I　quickly　rejected　the　notion　of　setting　fire　to　the　straw。　I　doubted　anyone　would　e　and　open　the　door　if　I　did。　Most　likely　the　guard　would　e　and　laugh；　if　he　came　at　all。　I　had　a　spoon　I'd　picked　up　at　the　last　banquet。　I'd　wanted　a　knife；　really；　but　Julian　had　caught　me　trying　to　lift　one　and　snatched　it　away。　What　he　didn't　know；　though；　was　that　that　was　my　second　attempt。　I　already　had　the　spoon　tucked　inside　my　boot。
　So　what　good　was　it？
　I'd　heard　these　stories　of　guys　digging　their　way　out　of　cells　with　the　damnedest　things　…　belt　buckles　（which　I　didn't　have）　…　etc。　But　I　didn't　have　time　to　try　the　Count　of　Monte　Cristo　bit。　I　needed　out　in　a　matter　of　months；　or　my　new　eyes　wouldn't　mean　anything。
　The　door　was　mainly　wood。　Oak。　It　was　bound　with　four　metal　strips。　One　went　around　it　near　the　top；　one　near　the　bottom；　right　above　the　gate；　and　there　were　two　which　ran　from　top　to　bottom；　passing　along　either　side　of　the　footwide　grille。　The　door　opened　outward；　I　knew；　and　the　lock　was　to　my　left。　My　memories　told　me　the　door　was　about　two　inches　thick；　and　I　recalled　the　approximate　position　of　the　lock；　which　I　verified　by　leaning　against　the　door　and　feeling　the　tension　at　that　point。　I　knew　that　the　door　was　also　barred；　but　I　could　worry　about　that　later。　I　might　be　able　to　raise　it　by　sliding　the　handle　of　the　spoon　upward　between　the　door's　edge　and　the　jamb。
　I　knelt　on　my　sleeping　mat　and　with　the　spoon　I　traced　a　box　about　that　area　which　contained　the　lock。　I　worked　until　my　hand　was　quite　sore　…　maybe　a　couple　of　hours。　Then　I　ran　my　fingernail　over　the　surface　of　the　wood。　I　hadn't　scarred　it　much；　but　it　was　a　beginning。　I　switched　the　spoon　to　my　left　hand　and　continued　until　it　began　to　ache。
　I　kept　hoping　that　Rein　would　show　up。　I　was　sure　I　could　talk　him　into　giving　me　his　dagger　if　I　really　pressed　the　matter。　He　didn't　put　in　an　appearance；　though；　so　I　just　kept　grinding　away。
　Day　after　day　I　worked；　until　I　was　perhaps　half　an　inch　into　the　wood。　Each　time　I'd　hear　a　guard's　footsteps　I'd　move　the　pallet　back　to　the　far　wall　and　lie　down　on　it　with　my　back　to　the　door。　When　he　had　passed；　I'd　resume　work。　Then　I　had　to　stop　for　a　while；　as　much　as　I　hated　to。　Even　though　I　had　wrapped　them　in　cloth　torn　from　my　garments；　my　hands　had　blistered　and　the