rz.nineprincesinamber-第29部分

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d　to。　Even　though　I　had　wrapped　them　in　cloth　torn　from　my　garments；　my　hands　had　blistered　and　the　blisters　had　broken；　and　after　a　time　the　raw　flesh　underneath　began　to　bleed。　So　I　took　a　break　to　let　them　heal。　I　decided　to　devote　the　time　to　planning　what　I'd　do　after　I　got　out。
　When　I'd　worked　my　way　far　enough　through　the　door；　I'd　raise　the　bar。　The　sound　of　it　falling　would　probably　bring　a　guard。　By　then；　though；　I'd　be　out。　A　couple　of　good　kicks　would　break　out　the　piece　I　was　working　on　and　the　lock　could　stay　right　where　it　was　if　it　wanted　to。　The　door　would　swing　open　then　and　I　would　face　the　guard。　He　would　be　armed　and　I　wouldn't。　I'd　have　to　take　him。
　He　might　be　overconfident；　thinking　I　couldn't　see。　On　the　other　hand；　he　might　be　a　bit　afraid；　if　he　recalled　how　I　had　entered　into　Amber。　Either　way　he　would　die　and　I　would　then　be　armed。　I　gripped　my　right　biceps　with　my　left　hand　and　my　fingertips　touched。　Gods！　I　was　emaciated！　Whatever；　I　was　of　the　blood　of　Amber；　and　I　felt　that　even　in　that　condition　I　could　take　any　ordinary　man。　Maybe　I　was　kidding　myself；　but　I'd　have　to　try　it。
　Then　if　I　succeeded；　with　a　blade　in　my　hand；　nothing　could　keep　me　from　reaching　the　Pattern。　I'd　walk　it；　and　when　I　made　it　to　the　center；　I　could　transport　myself　to　any　Shadow　world　I　chose。　There　I　would　recuperate；　and　this　time　I　would　not　rush　things。　If　it　took　me　a　century；　I'd　have　everything　letter…perfect　before　I　moved　against　Amber　again。　After　all；　I　was　technically　its　liege。　Hadn't　I　crowned　myself　in　the　presence　of　all；　before　Eric　had　done　the　same？　I'd　make　good　my　claim　to　the　throne！
　If　only　it　weren't　impossible　to　walk　into　Shadow　from　Amber　itself！　Then　I　wouldn't　have　to　fool　around　with　the　Pattern。　But　my　Amber　is　the　center　of　all；　and　you　just　don't　depart　it　that　easily。
　After；　say；　a　month　my　hands　had　healed　and　I　was　developing　large　callouses　from　my　scraping　activities。　I　heard　a　guard's　footsteps　and　removed　myself　to　the　far　side　of　the　cell。　There　was　a　brief　creak　and　my　meal　was　slipped　beneath　the　door。　Then　there　were　footsteps　again；　this　time　diminishing　in　the　distance。
　I　returned　to　the　door。　Without　looking；　I　knew　what　was　on　the　tray：　a　chunk　of　stale　bread；　a　crock　of　water；　and　a　piece　of　cheese　if　I　was　lucky。　I　positioned　the　mat；　knelt　on　it　and　felt　at　the　groove。　I　was　about　halfway　through。
　Then　I　heard　the　chuckle。
　It　came　from　behind　me。
　I　turned；　not　needing　my　eyes　to　tell　me　that　someone　else　was　present。　There　was　a　man　standing　near　the　left　wall；　giggling。
　〃Who　is　it？〃　I　asked；　and　my　voice　sounded　strange。　I　realized　then　that　these　were　the　first　words　I　had　spoken　in　a　long　while。
　〃Escape；〃　he　said。　〃Trying　to　escape。〃　And　he　chuckled　again。
　〃How　did　you　get　in　here？〃
　〃Walked；〃　he　replied。
　〃From　where？　How？〃
　I　struck　a　match　and　it　hurt　my　eyes；　but　I　held　it。
　He　was　a　small　man。　Tiny；　might　be　an　even　better　word。　He　was　around　five　feet　tall　and　a　hunchback。　His　hair　and　beard　were　as　heavy　as　my　own。　The　only　distinguishing　features　in　that　great　mass　of　fur　were　his　long；　hook　nose　and　his　almost　black　eyes；　now　squinted　against　the　light。
　〃Dworkin！〃　I　said。
　He　chuckled　again。
　〃That's　my　name。　What's　yours？〃
　〃Don't　you　know　me；　Dworkin？〃　I　struck　another　match　and　held　it　near　my　face。　〃Look　hard。　Forget　the　beard　and　the　hair。　Add　a　hundred　pounds　to　my　frame。　You　drew　me；　in　exquisite　detail；　on　several　packs　of　playing　cards。〃
　〃Corwin；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃I　remember　you。　Yes。〃
　〃I　had　thought　you　were　dead。〃
　〃I'm　not；　though。　See？〃　and　he　pirouetted　before　me。
　〃How　is　your　father？　Have　you　seen　him　recently？　Did　he　put　you　here？〃
　〃Oberon　is　no　more；〃　I　replied。　〃My　brother　Eric　reigns　in　Amber；　and　I'm　his　prisoner。〃
　〃Then　I　have　seniority；〃　he　told　me；　〃for　I　am　Oberon's　prisoner。〃
　〃Oh？　None　of　us　knew　that　Dad　had　locked　you　up。〃
　I　heard　him　weeping。
　〃Yes；〃　he　said　after　a　time。　〃He　didn't　trust　me。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃I　told　him　I'd　thought　of　a　way　to　destroy　Amber。　I　described　it　to　him；　and　he　locked　me　in。〃
　〃That　wasn't　very　nice；〃　I　said。
　〃I　know；〃　he　agreed；　〃but　he　did　give　me　a　pretty　apartment　and　lots　of　things　to　do　research　with。　Only　he　stopped　ing　to　visit　me　after　a　time。　He　used　to　bring　men　who　showed　me　splotches　of　ink　and　made　me　tell　stories　about　them。　That　was　fun；　until　I　told　a　story　I　didn't　like　and　turned　the　man　into　a　frog。　The　king　was　angry　when　I　wouldn't　turn　him　back；　and　it's　been　so　long　since　I've　seen　anybody　that　I'd　even　turn　him　back　now；　if　he　still　wanted　me　to。　Once　…　〃
　〃How　did　you　get　here；　into　my　cell？〃　I　asked　again；
　〃I　told　you。　I　walked。〃
　〃Through　the　wall？〃
　〃Of　course　not。　Through　the　shadow　wall。〃
　〃No　man　can　walk　through　Shadows　in　Amber。　There　are　no　Shadows　in　Amber。〃
　〃Well；　I　cheated；〃　he　admitted。
　〃How？〃
　〃I　designed　a　new　Trump　and　stepped　through　it；　to　see　what　was　on　this　side　of　the　wall。　Oh　my！　…　I　just　remembered。。。　I　can't　get　back　without　it。　I'll　have　to　make　another。　Have　you　got　anything　to　eat？　And　something　to　draw　with？　And　something　to　draw　on？〃
　〃Have　a　piece　of　bread；〃　I　said；　and　handed　it　to　him；　〃and　here's　a　piece　of　cheese　to　go　along　with　it。〃
　〃Thank　you；　Corwin。〃　and　he　wolfed　them　down　and　drank　all　my　water　afterward。　〃Now；　if　you'll　give　me　a　pen　and　a　piece　of　parchment；　I'll　be　returning　to　my　own　rooms。　I　want　to　finish　a　book　I　was　reading。　It's　been　nice　talking　to　you。　Too　bad　about　Eric。　I'll　stop　back　again　some　time　and　we'll　talk　some　more。　If　you　see　your　father；　please　tell　him　not　to　be　angry　with　me　because　I'll　…　〃
　〃I　don't　have　a　pen；　or　parchment；〃　I　observed。
　〃Goodness；〃　he　said；　〃that's　hardly　civilized。〃
　〃I　know。　But　then；　Eric　isn't　very。〃
　〃Well；　what　have　you　got？　I　prefer　my　own　apartment　to　this　place。　At　least；　it's　better　lighted。〃
　〃You　have　dined　with　me；〃　I　said；　〃and　now　I　am　going　to　ask　you　a　favor。　If　you　will　grant　me　this　request；　I　promise　that　I　will　do　everything　I　can　to　make　things　right　between　you　and　Dad。〃
　〃What　is　it　that　you　want？〃　he　asked。
　〃Long　have　I　admired　your　work；〃　I　said；　〃and　there　is　something　I　have　always　desired　as　a　work　of　your　hand。　Do　you　recall　the　Lighthouse　of　Cabra？〃
　〃Of　course。　I've　been　there　many　times。　I　know　the　keeper；　Jopin。　I　used　to　play　chess　with　him。〃
　〃More　than　anything　else　I　can　think　of；〃　I　told　him；　〃for　most　of　my　adult　life。　I　have　longed　to　see　one　of　your　magical　sketches　of　that　great　gray　tower。〃
　〃A　very　simple　subject；〃　he　said；　〃and　rather　an　appealing　one；　at　that；　I　did　some　preliminary　sketches　in　the　past；　but　I　never　got　beyond　that　point。　Other　work　kept　getting　in　the　way。　I'll　fetch　you　one；　if　you'd　like。〃
　〃No；〃　I　said。　〃I'd　like　something　more　enduring；　to　keep　me　pany　here　in　my　cell　…　to　fort　me；　and　any　others　who　may　later　occupy　this　place。〃
　〃mendable；〃　he　said。　〃What　have　you　in　mind　as　the　medium。〃
　〃I　have　a　stylus　here；〃　I　told　him　（the　spoon　was　fairly　sharp　by　then）；　〃and　I'd　like　to　see　it　traced　upon　the　far　wall；　so　that　I　might　look　at　it　as　I　take　my　rest。〃
　He　was　silent　a　moment；　then；　〃The　illumination　is　quite　poor。〃　he　remarked。
　〃I　have　several　books　of　matches；〃　I　replied。　〃I'll　light　them　and　hold　them　for　you。　We　might　even　burn　some　of　this　straw　if　we　run　low。〃
　〃Those　are　hardly　ideal　working　conditions。〃
　〃I　know；〃　I　said；　〃and　I　apologize　for　them；　great　Dworkin；　but　they　are　the　best　I　have　to　offer。　A　work　of　art　by　your　hand　would　brighten　my　humble　existence　beyond　measure。〃
　He　chuckled　again。
　〃Very　well。　But　you　must　promise　me　that　you　will　provide　light　afterwards；　so　that　I　may　sketch　myself　a　way　back　to　my　own　chambers。〃
　〃Agreed。〃　I　said；　and　I　felt　in　my　pocket。
　I　had　three　full　packages　of　matches　and　part　of　a　fourth。
　I　pressed　the　spoon　into　his　hand　and　led　him　to　the　wall。
　〃Do　you　have　the　feel　of　the　instrument？〃　I　asked　him。
　〃Yes；　it's　a　sharpened　spoon；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Yes。　I'll　make　a　light　as　soon　as　you　say　you　are　ready。　You'll　have　to　sketch　rapidly；　because　my　supply　of　matches　is　limited。　I'll　allot　half　for　the　lighthouse　and　the　other　half　for　your　own　business。〃
　〃All　right；〃　he　said；　and　I　struck　a　match　and　he　began　to　trace　lines　upon　the　moist　gray　wall。
　First　he　did　an　upright　rectangle　to　frame　and　contain　the　thing。　Then　with　several　deft　strokes；　the　lighthouse　began　to　appear。　It　was　amazing；　daft　as　he　was；　his　skill　was　intact。　I　held　each　match　at　its　barest　base；　spat　on　my　left　thumb　and　forefinger；　and　when　I　could　hold　it　no　longer　in　my　right　I　took　hold　of　the　blackened　end　and　inverted　it；　letting　the　match　burn　away　pletely　before　I　struck　another。
　When　the　first　book　of　matches　was　gone；　he　had　finished　the　tower　and　was　working　on　the　sea　and　the　sky。　I　encouraged　him；　I　murmured　appreciation　at　every　stroke。
　〃Great；　really　great；〃　I　said；　when　it　appeared　to　be　almost　finished。　Then　he　made　me　waste　another　match　while　he　signed　it。　I　was　almost　through　the　second　book　by　then。
　〃Now　let's　admire　it；〃　he　said。
　〃If　you　want　to　get　back　to　your　own　apartments；　you'll　have　to　leave　the　admiring　to　me。〃　I　told　him。　〃We're　too　low　on　matches　to　be　art　critics　at　this　point。〃
　He　pouted　a　bit；　but　moved　to　the　other　wall　and　began　sketching　as　soon　as　I　struck　a　light。
　He　sketched　a　tiny　study；　a　skull　on　the　desk；　a　globe　beside　it；　walls　full　of　books　all　around。
　〃Now　that's　good；〃　he　said；　when　I　had　finished　the　third　pack　and　was　starting　on　the　remaining　partial　pack。
　It　took　him　six　more　to　finish　up　and　one　to　sign　it。　He　gazed　at　it　while　the　eighth　match　burned　…　there　were　only　two　remaining　…　then　he　took　a　step　forward　and　was　gone。
　The　match　was　burning　my　fingertips　by　then　and　I　dropped　it　and　it　sizzled　when　it　hit　the　straw　and　went　out。
　I　stood　there　shaking；　full　of　mixed　feelings；　and　then　I　heard　his　voice　and　felt　his　presence　at　my　side。　He　was　back　again。
　〃I　just　thought　of　something；〃　he　said。　〃How　can　you　see　the　picture　when　it's　so　dark　in　here？〃
　〃Oh。　I　can　see　in　the　dark；〃　I　told　him。　〃I've　lived　with　it　so　long　that　it　has　bee　my　friend。〃
　〃I　s