rz.nineprincesinamber-第30部分

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　〃Oh。　I　can　see　in　the　dark；〃　I　told　him。　〃I've　lived　with　it　so　long　that　it　has　bee　my　friend。〃
　〃I　see。　I　just　wondered。　Give　me　a　light　so　I　can　go　back　now。〃
　〃Very　well；〃　I　agreed；　considering　my　second　to　last　match。　〃But　you'd　better　bring　your　own　illumination　next　time　you　stop　around；　I'll　be　out　of　matches　after　this。〃
　〃All　right。〃　And　I　struck　a　light　and　he　considered　his　drawing；　walked　toward　it；　and　vanished　once　more。
　I　turned　quickly　and　considered　the　Lighthouse　of　Cabra　before　the　match　failed。　Yes；　the　power　was　there。　I　could　feel　it。
　Would　my　final　match　serve　me；　though？
　No；　I　didn't　think　it　would。　A　longer　period　of　concentration　than　that　was　required　for　me　to　use　a　Trump　as　a　gateway。
　What　could　I　burn？　The　straw　was　too　damp　and　might　not　take　fire。　It　would　be　horrible　to　have　the　gateway　…　my　road　to　freedom　…　right　there　with　me　and　not　be　able　to　use　it。
　I　needed　a　flame　that　would　last　awhile。
　My　sleeping　roll！　It　was　a　cloth　liner　stuffed　with　straw。　That　straw　would　be　drier；　and　the　cloth　would　burn；　too。
　I　cleared　half　the　floor；　down　to　the　bare　stone。　Then　I　sought　the　sharpened　spoon；　to　use　to　cut　the　liner。　I　cursed　then。　Dworkin　had　carried　it　off　with　him。
　I　twisted　and　tore　at　the　thing。
　Finally；　it　came　open　and　I　pulled　out　the　dry　straw　from　the　middle。　I　made　a　little　heap　of　it　and　I　set　the　liner　nearby；　to　use　as　extra　fuel　if　I　needed　it。　The　less　smoke　the　better；　though。　It　would　attract　attention　if　a　guard　passed　this　way。　This　wasn't　too　likely；　though；　since　I　had　just　recently　been　fed；　and　I　got　one　meal　a　day。
　I　struck　my　last　match；　then　used　it　to　set　fire　to　the　cardboard　book　that　had　contained　it。　When　this　got　going；　I　used　it　on　the　straw。
　It　almost　didn't　take。　The　straw　was　damper　than　I'd　thought；　even　though　it　came　from　the　center　of　my　mat。　But　finally　there　was　a　glow；　and　then　a　flame。　It　took　two　of　the　other　empty　matchbooks　to　achieve　this；　so　I　was　glad　I　hadn't　thrown　them　down　the　john。
　I　tossed　on　the　third；　held　the　liner　in　my　left　hand；　and　stood　and　faced　the　drawing。
　The　glow　spread　up　the　wall　as　the　flames　danced　higher；　and　I　concentrated　on　the　tower　and　recalled　it。　I　thought　I　heard　the　cry　of　a　gull。　I　sniffed　something　like　a　salt　breeze；　and　the　place　became　more　real　as　I　stared。
　I　tossed　the　liner　onto　the　fire；　and　the　flames　subsided　for　a　moment；　then　sprang　higher。　I　didn't　remove　my　eyes　from　the　drawing　as　I　did　this。
　The　magic　was　still　there；　in　Dworkin's　hand；　for　soon　the　lighthouse　seemed　as　real　to　me　as　my　cell。　Then　it　seemed　the　only　reality；　and　the　cell　but　a　Shadow　at　my　back。　I　heard　the　splashing　of　the　waves　and　felt　something　like　the　afternoon　sun　upon　me。
　I　stepped　forward；　but　my　foot　did　not　descend　into　the　fire。
　I　stood　upon　the　sandy；　rock…stewn　edge　of　the　small　island　Cabra；　which　held　the　great　gray　lighthouse　that　lit　a　path　for　the　ships　of　Amber　by　night。　A　flock　of　frightened　gulls　wheeled　and　screamed　about　me；　and　my　laughter　was　one　with　the　booming　of　the　surf　and　the　free　song　of　the　wind。　Amber　lay　forty…three　miles　behind　my　left　shoulder。
　I　had　escaped。
　
　
　Chapter　10
　
　I　made　my　way　to　the　lighthouse　and　climbed　the　stone　stair　that　led　to　the　door　on　its　western　face。　It　was　high；　wide；　heavy；　and　watertight。　Also；　it　was　locked。　There　was　a　small　quay　about　three　hundred　yards　behind　me。　Two　boats　were　moored　at　it。　One　was　a　rowboat　and　the　other　was　a　sailboat　with　a　cabin。　They　swayed　gently；　and　beneath　the　sun　and　water　was　mica　behind　them。　I　paused　for　a　moment　to　regard　them。　It　had　been　so　long　since　I　had　seen　anything　that　for　an　instant　they　seemed　more　than　real；　and　I　caught　a　sob　within　my　throat　and　swallowed　it。
　I　turned　and　knocked　on　the　door。
　After　what　seemed　too　long　a　wait；　I　knocked　again。
　Finally；　I　heard　a　noise　within　and　the　door　swung　open；　creaking　on　its　three　dark　hinges。
　Jopin；　the　keeper；　regarded　me　through　bloodshot　eyes　and　I　smelled　whisky　upon　his　breath。　He　was　about　five　and　a　half　feet　tall　and　so　stooped　that　he　reminded　me　somewhat　of　Dworkin。　His　beard　was　as　long　as　mine；　so　of　course　it　seemed　longer；　and　it　was　the　color　of　smoke；　save　for　a　few　yellow　stains　near　his　dry…looking　lips。　His　skin　was　as　porous　as　an　orange　rind　and　the　elements　had　darkened　it　to　resemble　a　fine　old　piece　of　furniture。　His　dark　eyes　squinted；　focused。　As　with　many　people　who　are　hard　of　hearing；　he　spoke　rather　loudly。
　〃Who　are　you？　What　do　you　want？〃　he　asked。
　If　I　was　that　unrecognizable　in　my　emaciated；　hairy　condition；　I　decided　that　I　might　as　well　maintain　my　anonymity。
　〃I　am　a　traveler　from　the　south　and　I　was　shipwrecked　recently；〃　I　said。　〃I　clung　to　a　piece　of　wood　for　many　days　and　was　finally　washed　ashore　here。　I　slept　on　the　beach　all　morning。　It　was　only　recently　that　I　recovered　sufficient　strength　to　walk　to　your　lighthouse。〃
　He　moved　forward　and　took　my　arm。　He　threw　his　other　arm　around　my　shoulders。
　〃e　in；　e　in　then；〃　he　said。　〃Lean　on　me。　Take　it　easy。　e　this　way。〃
　He　led　me　to　his　quarters；　which　were　extraordinarily　messy；　being　strewn　with　many　old　books；　charts；　maps；　and　pieces　of　nautical　equipment。　He　wasn't　any　too　steady　himself；　so　I　didn't　lean　too　hard；　just　enough　to　maintain　the　impression　of　weakness　I　had　tried　to　convey　as　I'd　leaned　against　his　doorframe。
　He　led　me　to　a　daybed；　suggested　I　lie　down；　and　left　to　secure　the　door　and　fetch　me　something　to　eat。
　I　removed　my　boots；　but　my　feet　were　so　filthy　that　I　put　them　back　on　again。　If　I'd　been　drifting　about　very　long；　I　wouldn't　be　dirty。　I　didn't　want　to　give　away　my　story；　so　I　drew　a　blanket　that　was　there　over　me　and　leaned　back；　really　resting。
　Jopin　returned　shortly　with　a　pitcher　of　water；　a　pitcher　of　beer；　a　great　slice　of　beef；　and　half　a　loaf　of　bread　upon　a　square　wooden　tray。　He　swept　clear　the　top　of　a　small　table；　which　he　then　kicked　into　a　position　beside　the　couch。　Then　he　set　the　tray　down　on　it　and　bade　me　eat　and　drink。
　I　did。　I　stuffed　myself。　I　glutted　myself。　I　ate　everything　in　sight。　I　emptied　both　pitchers。
　Then　I　felt　tremendously　tired。　Jopin　nodded　when　he　saw　it　e　over　me；　and　he　told　me　to　go　to　sleep。　Before　I　knew　it；　I　had。
　When　I　awakened；　it　was　night　time　and　I　felt　considerably　better　than　I　had　in　many　weeks。　I　got　to　my　feet　and　retraced　my　earlier　route　and　departed　the　building。　It　was　chilly　out　there；　but　the　sky　was　crystal　clear　and　there　seemed　to　be　a　million　stars。　The　lens　at　the　top　of　the　tower　blazed　at　my　back；　then　went　dark；　blazed；　then　went　dark。　The　water　was　cold；　but　I　just　had　to　cleanse　myself。　I　bathed　and　washed　my　clothing　and　wrung　it　out。　I　must　have　spent　an　hour　doing　that。　Then　I　went　back　to　the　lighthouse；　hung　my　clothes　over　the　back　of　an　old　chair　to　dry　out；　crawled　beneath　the　blanket；　slept　again。
　
　***
　
　In　the　morning；　when　I　awoke；　Jopin　was　already　up。　He　prepared　me　a　hearty　breakfast；　and　I　treated　it　the　same　way　as　I　had　the　dinner　of　the　previous　evening。　Then　I　borrowed　a　razor；　a　mirror；　and　a　pair　of　scissors　and　gave　myself　a　shave　and　a　sort　of　haircut。　I　bathed　again　afterward；　and　when　I　donned　my　salty；　stiff；　clean　garments　I　felt　almost　human　again。
　Jopin　stared　at　me　when　I　returned　from　the　sea　and　said；　〃You　look　kinda　familiar；　fella；〃　and　I　shrugged。
　〃Now　tell　me　about　your　wreck。〃
　So　I　did。　Out　of　whole　cloth。　What　a　disaster　I　detailed！　Down　to　the　snapping　of　the　mainmast；　yet。
　He　patted　me　on　the　shoulder　and　poured　me　a　drink。　He　lit　the　cigar　he　had　given　me。
　〃You　just　rest　easy　here；〃　he　told　me。　〃I'll　take　you　ashore　any　time　you　like；　or　I'll　signal　you　a　passing　ship　if　you　see　one　you　recognize。〃
　I　took　him　up　on　his　offered　hospitality。　It　was　too　much　of　a　lifesaver　not　to。　I　ate　his　food　and　drank　his　drinks　and　let　him　give　me　a　clean　shirt　which　was　too　big　for　him。　It　had　belonged　to　a　friend　of　his　who'd　drowned　at　sea。
　I　stayed　with　him　for　three　months；　as　I　recovered　my　strength。　I　helped　him　around　the　place　…　tending　the　light　on　nights　when　he　felt　like　getting　smashed；　and　cleaning　up　all　the　rooms　in　the　house　…　even　to　the　extent　of　painting　two　of　them　and　replacing　five　cracked　windowpanes　…　and　watching　the　sea　with　him　on　stormy　nights。
　He　was　apolitical；　I　learned。　He　didn't　care　who　reigned　in　Amber。　So　far　as　he　was　concerned；　the　whole　bloody　crew　of　us　were　rotten。　So　long　as　he　could　tend　his　lighthouse　and　eat　and　drink　of　good　food　and　brew；　and　consider　his　nautical　charts　in　peace；　he　didn't　give　half　a　damn　what　happened　ashore。　I　came　to　be　rather　fond　of　him；　and　since　I　knew　something　of　old　charts　and　maps　also；　we　spent　many　a　good　evening　correcting　a　few。　I　had　sailed　far　into　the　north　many　years　ago；　and　I　gave　him　a　new　chart　based　on　my　recollections　of　the　voyage。　This　seemed　to　please　him　immensely；　as　did　my　description　of　those　waters。
　〃Corey；〃　（that　was　how　I'd　named　myself）；　〃I'd　like　to　sail　with　you　one　day；〃　he　said。　〃I　hadn't　realized　you　were　skipper　of　your　own　vessel　one　time。〃
　〃Who　knows？〃　I　told　him。　〃You　were　once　a　captain　yourself；　weren't　you？〃
　〃How'd　you　know？〃　he　asked。
　Actually；　I'd　remembered；　but　I　gestured　about　me　in　reply。
　〃All　these　things　you've　collected；〃　I　said；　〃and　your　fondness　for　the　charts。　Also；　you　bear　yourself　like　a　man　who　once　held　a　mand。〃
　He　smiled。
　〃Yes；〃　he　told　me；　〃that's　true。　I　had　a　mand　for　over　a　hundred　years。　That　seems　long　ago。。。　Let's　have　another　drink。〃
　I　sipped　mine　and　sort　of　put　it　aside。　I　must　have　gained　over　forty　pounds　in　the　months　I　had　spent　with　him。　Any　day　now；　I　was　expecting　him　to　recognize　me　as　a　member　of　the　family。　Maybe　he　would　turn　me　in　to　Eric　if　he　did　…　and　maybe　not。　Now　that　we'd　established　this　much　of　camaraderie；　I　had　a　feeling　that　he　might　not　do　it。　I　didn't　want　to　take　the　chance　and　find　out。
　Sometimes　as　I　sat　tending　the　light　I　wondered；　〃How　long　should　I　stay　here？〃
　Not　too　much　longer；　I　decided；　adding　a　drop　of　grease　to　a　swivel　bearing。　Not　much　longer　at　all。　The　time　was　drawing　near　when　I　should　take　to　the　road　and　wal