rz.nineprincesinamber-第5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！


outh　that　always　smiled；　and　he　was　dressed　simply　in　a　leather　jacket　and　leggings；　a　plain　cloak；　high　black　boots；　and　he　wore　a　red　sword　belt　bearing　a　long　silvery　saber　and　clasped　with　a　ruby；　and　his　high　cloak　collar　round　his　head　was　lined　with　red　and　the　trimmings　of　his　sleeves　matched　it。　His　hands；　thumbs　hooked　behind　his　belt；　were　terribly　strong　and　prominent。　A　pair　of　black　gloves　jutted　from　the　belt　near　his　right　hip。　He　it　was；　I　was　certain；　that　had　tried　to　kill　me　on　that　day　I　had　almost　died。　I　studied　him　and　I　feared　him　somewhat。
　Then　there　was　Benedict；　tall　and　dour；　thin；　thin　of　body；　thin　of　face；　wide　of　mind。　He　wore　orange　and　yellow　and　brown　and　reminded　me　of　haystacks　and　pumpkins　and　scarecrows　and　the　Legend　of　Sleepy　Hollow。　He　had　a　long　strong　jaw　and　hazel　eyes　and　brown　hair　that　never　curled。　He　stood　beside　a　tan　horse　and　leaned　upon　a　lance　about　which　was　twined　a　rope　of　flowers。　He　seldom　laughed。　I　liked　him。
　I　paused　when　I　uncovered　the　next　card；　and　my　heart　leaped　forward　and　banged　against　my　sternum　and　asked　to　be　let　out。
　It　was　me。
　I　knew　the　me　I　shaved　and　this　was　the　guy　behind　the　mirror。　Green　eyes；　black　hair；　dressed　in　black　and　silver；　yes。　I　had　on　a　cloak　and　it　was　slightly　furled　as　by　a　wind。　I　had　on　black　boots；　like　Eric's；　and　I　too　wore　a　blade；　only　mine　was　heavier；　though　not　quite　as　long　as　his。　I　had　my　gloves　on　and　they　were　silver　and　scaled。　The　clasp　at　my　neck　was　cast　in　the　form　of　a　silver　rose。
　Me；　Corwin。
　And　a　big；　powerful　man　regarded　me　from　the　next　card。　He　resembled　me　quite　strongly；　save　that　his　jaw　was　heavier。　And　I　knew　he　was　bigger　than　I；　though　slower。　His　strength　was　a　thing　out　of　legend。　He　wore　a　dressing　gown　of　blue　and　gray　clasped　about　the　middle　with　a　wide；　black　belt；　and　he　stood　laughing。　About　his　neck；　on　a　heavy　cord；　there　hung　a　silver　hunting　horn。　He　wore　a　fringe　beard　and　a　light　mustache。　In　his　right　hand　he　held　a　goblet　of　wine。　I　felt　a　sudden　affection　for　him。　His　name　then　occurred　to　me。　He　was　Gerard。
　Then　came　a　fiery　bearded；　flame…crowned　man；　dressed　all　in　red　and　orange；　mainly　of　silk　stuff；　and　he　held　a　sword　in　his　right　hand　and　a　glass　of　wine　in　his　left；　and　the　devil　himself　danced　behind　his　eyes；　as　blue　as　Flora's；　or　Eric's。　His　chin　was　slight；　but　the　beard　covered　it。　His　sword　was　inlaid　with　an　elaborate　filigree　of　a　golden　color。　He　wore　two　huge　rings　on　his　right　hand　and　one　on　his　left：　an　emerald；　a　ruby；　and　a　sapphire；　respectively。　This；　I　knew；　was　Bleys。
　Then　there　was　a　figure　both　like　Bleys　and　myself。　My　features；　though　smaller；　my　eyes；　Bleys'　hair；　beardless。　He　wore　a　riding　suit　of　green　and　sat　atop　a　white　horse；　heading　toward　the　dexter　side　of　the　card。　There　was　a　quality　of　both　strength　and　weakness；　questing　and　abandonment　about　him。　I　both　approved　and　disapproved；　liked　and　was　repelled　by；　this　one。　His　name　was　Brand；　I　knew。　As　soon　as　I　laid　eyes　upon　him；　I　knew。
　In　fact；　I　realized　that　I　knew　them　all　well；　remembered　them　all；　with　their　strengths；　their　weaknesses；　their　victories；　their　defeats。
　For　they　were　my　brothers。
　I　lit　a　cigarette　I'd　filched　from　Flora's　desk　box；　and　I　leaned　back　and　considered　the　things　I　had　recalled。
　They　were　my　brothers；　those　eight　strange　men　garbed　in　their　strange　costumes。　And　I　knew　that　it　was　right　and　fitting　that　they　should　dress　in　whatever　manner　they　chose；　just　as　it　was　right　for　me　to　wear　the　black　and　the　silver。　Then　I　chuckled；　as　I　realized　what　I　was　wearing；　what　I　had　purchased　in　the　little　clothing　store　of　that　little　town　I　had　stopped　in　after　my　departure　from　Greenwood。
　I　had　on　black　slacks；　and　all　three　of　the　shirts　I　had　purchased　had　been　of　a　grayish；　silvery　color。　And　my　jacket；　too；　was　black。
　I　returned　to　the　cards；　and　there　was　Flora　in　a　gown　green　as　the　sea；　just　as　I'd　remembered　her　the　previous　evening；　and　then　there　was　a　black…haired　girl　with　the　same　blue　eyes；　and　her　hair　hung　long　and　she　was　dressed　all　in　black；　with　a　girdle　of　silver　about　her　waist。　My　eyes　filled　with　tears；　why　I　don't　know。　Her　name　was　Deirdre。　Then　there　was　Fiona；　with　hair　like　Bleys　or　Brand；　my　eyes；　and　a　plexion　like　mother　of　pearl。　I　hated　her　the　second　I　turned　over　the　card。　Next　was　Llewella；　whose　hair　matched　her　jade…colored　eyes；　dressed　in　shimmering　gray　and　green　with　a　lavender　belt；　and　looking　moist　and　sad。　For　some　reason；　I　knew　she　was　not　like　the　rest　of　us。　But　she；　too；　was　my　sister。
　I　felt　a　terrible　sense　of　distance　and　removal　from　all　these　people。　Yet　somehow　they　seemed　physically　close。
　The　cards　were　so　very　cold　on　my　fingertips　that　I　put　them　down　again；　though　with　a　certain　sense　of　reluctance　at　having　to　relinquish　their　touch。
　There　were　no　more；　though。　All　the　rest　were　minor　cards。　And　I　knew；　somehow；　that　somehow；　again　…　ah；　somehow！　…　that　several　were　missing。
　For　the　life　of　me；　however；　I　did　not　know　what　the　missing　Trumps　represented。
　I　was　strangely　saddened　by　this；　and　I　picked　up　my　cigarette　and　mused。
　Why　did　all　these　things　rush　back　so　easily　when　I　viewed　the　cards　…　rush　back　without　dragging　their　contexts　along　with　them？　I　knew　more　now　than　I'd　known　before；　in　the　way　of　names　and　faces。　But　that　was　about　all。
　I　couldn't　figure　the　significance　of　the　fact　that　we　were　all　done　up　in　cards　this　way。　I　had　a　terribly　strong　desire　to　own　a　pack　of　them；　however。　If　I　picked　up　Flora's；　though；　I　knew　she'd　spot　in　a　hurry　that　they　were　missing；　and　I'd　be　in　trouble。　Therefore；　I　put　them　back　in　the　little　drawer　behind　the　big　drawer　and　locked　them　in　again。　Then；　God；　how　I　racked　my　brains！　But　to　little　avail。
　Until　I　recalled　a　magical　word。
　Amber。
　I　had　been　greatly　upset　by　the　word　on　the　previous　evening。　I　had　been　sufficiently　upset　so　that　I　had　avoided　thinking　of　it　since　then。　But　now　I　courted　it。　Now　I　rolled　it　around　my　mind　and　examined　all　the　associations　that　sprang　up　when　it　struck。
　The　word　was　charged　with　a　mighty　longing　and　a　massive　nostalgia。　It　had；　wrapped　up　inside　it；　a　sense　of　forsaken　beauty；　grand　achievement；　and　a　feeling　of　power　that　was　terrible　and　almost　ultimate。　Somehow；　the　word　belonged　in　my　vocabulary。　Somehow；　I　was　part　of　it　and　it　was　a　part　of　me。　It　was　a　place　name；　I　knew　then。　It　was　the　name　of　a　place　I　once　had　known。　There　came　no　pictures；　though；　only　emotions。
　How　long　I　sat　so；　I　do　not　know。　Time　had　somehow　divorced　itself　from　my　reveries。
　I　realized　then；　from　the　center　of　my　thoughts；　that　there　had　e　a　gentle　rapping　upon　the　door。　Then　the　handle　slowly　turned　and　the　maid；　whose　name　was　Carmella；　entered　and　asked　me　if　I　was　interested　in　lunch。
　It　seemed　like　a　good　idea；　so　I　followed　her　back　to　the　kitchen　and　ate　half　a　chicken　and　drank　a　quart　of　milk。
　I　took　a　pot　of　coffee　back　to　the　library　with　me；　avoiding　the　dogs　as　I　went。　I　was　into　the　second　cup　when　the　telephone　rang。
　I　longed　to　pick　it　up；　but　I　figured　there　must　be　extensions　all　over　the　house　and　Carmella　would　probably　get　it　from　somewhere。
　I　was　wrong。　It　kept　ringing。
　Finally；　I　couldn't　resist　it　any　longer。
　〃Hello；〃　I　said；　〃this　is　the　Flaumel　residence。〃
　〃May　I　speak　with　Mrs。　Flaumel　please？〃
　It　was　a　man's　voice；　rapid　and　slightly　nervous。　He　sounded　out　of　breath　and　his　words　were　masked　and　surrounded　by　the　faint　ringing　and　the　ghost　voices　that　indicate　long　distance。
　〃I'm　sorry。〃　I　told　him。　〃She's　not　here　right　now。　May　I　take　a　message　or　have　her　call　you　back？〃
　〃Who　am　I　talking　to？〃　he　demanded。
　I　hesitated；　then；　〃Corwin's　the　name；〃　I　told　him。
　〃My　God！〃　he　said；　and　a　long　silence　followed。
　I　was　beginning　to　think　he'd　hung　up。　I　said；　〃Hello？〃　again；　just　as　he　started　talking。
　〃Is　she　still　alive？〃　he　asked。
　〃Of　course　she's　still　alive。　Who　the　hell　am　I　talking　to？〃
　〃Don't　you　recognize　the　voice；　Corwin？　This　is　Random。　Listen。　I'm　in　California　and　I'm　in　trouble。　I　was　calling　to　ask　Flora　for　sanctuary。　Are　you　with　her？〃
　〃Temporarily；〃　I　said。
　〃I　see。　Will　you　give　me　your　protection；　Corwin？〃　Pause；　then；　〃Please？〃
　〃As　much　as　I　can；〃　I　said；　〃but　I　can't　mit　Flora　to　anything　without　consulting　her。〃
　〃Will　you　protect　me　against　her？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Then　you're　good　enough　for　me；　man。　I'm　going　to　try　to　make　it　to　New　York　now。　I'll　be　ing　by　a　rather　circuitous　route；　so　I　don't　know　how　long　it　will　take　me。　If　I　can　avoid　the　wrong　shadows；　I'll　be　seeing　you　whenever。　Wish　me　luck。〃
　〃Luck；〃　I　said。
　Then　there　was　a　click　and　I　was　listening　to　a　distant　ringing　and　the　voices　of　the　ghosts。
　So　cocky　little　Random　was　in　trouble！　I　had　a　feeling　it　shouldn't　have　bothered　me　especially。　But　now；　he　was　one　of　the　keys　to　my　past；　and　quite　possibly　my　future　also。　So　I　would　try　to　help　him；　in　any　way　I　could；　until　I'd　learned　all　I　wanted　from　him。　I　knew　that　there　wasn't　much　brotherly　love　lost　between　the　two　of　us。　But　I　knew　that　on　the　one　hand　he　was　nobody's　fool；　he　was　resourceful；　shrewd；　strangely　sentimental　over　the　damnedest　things；　and　on　the　other　hand；　his　word　wasn't　worth　the　spit　behind　it；　and　he'd　probably　sell　my　corpse　to　the　medical　school　of　his　choice　if　he　could　get　much　for　it。　I　remembered　the　little　fink　all　right；　with　only　a　touch　of　affection；　perhaps　for　a　few　pleasant　times　it　seemed　we　had　spent　together。　But　trust　him？　Never。　I　decided　I　wouldn't　tell　Flora　he　was　ing　until　the　last　possible　moment。　He　might　be　made　to　serve　as　an　ace；　or　at　least　a　knave；　in　the　hole。
　So　I　added　some　hot　coffee　to　what　remained　in　my　cup　and　sipped　it　slowly。
　Who　was　he　running　from？
　Not　Eric；　certainly；　or　he　wouldn't　have　been　calling　here。　I　wondered　then　concerning　his　question　as　to　whether　Flora　was　dead；　just　because　I　happened　to　be　present　here。　Was　she　really　that　strongly　allied　with　the　brother　I　knew　I　hated　that　it　was　mon　knowledge　in　the　family　that　I'd　do　her　in；　too；　given　the　chance？　It　seemed　strange；　but　then　he'd　asked　the　question。
　And　what　was　it　in　which　they　wer