rz.nineprincesinamber-第9部分

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he　werld。〃　The　driver　covered　me　with　abuse；　as　I　stepped　out；　rounded　the　car；　and　began　apologizing。　He　was　as　big　as　I　was；　and　built　like　a　beer　barrel；　and　he　carried　a　jack　handle　in　one　hand。
　〃Look；　I　said　I'm　sorry；〃　I　told　him。　〃What　do　you　want　me　to　do？　Nobody　got　hurt　and　there　was　no　damage。〃
　〃They　shouldn't　turn　goddamn　drivers　like　you　loose　on　the　road！〃　he　yelled。　〃You're　a　friggin'　menace！〃
　Random　got　out　of　the　car　then　and　said；　〃Mister；　you'd　better　move　along！〃　and　he　had　a　gun　in　his　hand。
　〃Put　that　away；〃　I　told　him；　but　he　flipped　the　safety　catch　off　and　pointed。
　The　guy　turned　around　and　started　to　run；　a　look　of　fear　widening　his　eyes　and　loosening　his　jaw。
　Random　raised　the　pistol　and　took　careful　aim　at　the　man's　back；　and　I　managed　to　knock　his　arm　to　the　side　just　as　he　pulled　the　trigger。
　It　scored　the　pavement　and　ricocheted　away。
　Random　turned　toward　me　and　his　face　was　almost　white。
　〃You　bloody　fool！〃　he　said。　〃That　shot　could　have　hit　the　tank！〃
　〃It　could　also　have　hit　the　guy　you　were　aiming　at。〃
　〃So　who　the　hell　cares？　We'll　never　pass　this　way　again；　in　this　generation。　That　bastard　dared　to　insult　a　Prince　of　Amber！　It　was　your　honor　I　was　thinking　about。〃
　〃I　can　take　care　of　my　own　honor；〃　I　told　him；　and　something　cold　and　powerful　suddenly　gripped　me　and　answered；　〃for　he　was　mine　to　kill；　not　yours；　had　I　chosen；〃　and　a　sense　of　outrage　filled　me。
　He　bowed　his　head　then；　as　the　cab　door　slammed　and　the　truck　took　off　down　the　road。
　〃I'm　sorry；　brother；〃　he　said。　〃I　did　not　mean　to　presume。　But　it　offended　me　to　hear　one　of　them　speak　to　you　in　such　a　manner。　I　know　I　should　have　waited　to　let　you　dispose　of　him　as　you　saw　fit；　or　at　least　have　consulted　with　you。〃
　〃Well；　whatever；〃　I　told　him；　〃let's　get　back　onto　the　road　and　get　moving；　if　we　can。〃
　The　rear　wheels　were　sunken　up　to　their　hubcaps；　and　as　I　stared　at　them；　trying　to　decide　the　best　way　to　go　about　things；　Random　called　out；　〃Okay；　I've　got　the　front　bumper。　You　take　the　rear　and　we'll　carry　it　back　to　the　road　…　and　we'd　better　deposit　it　in　the　left　lane。〃
　He　wasn't　kidding。
　He'd　said　something　about　lesser　gravitation；　but　I　didn't　feel　that　light。　I　knew　I　was　strong；　but　I　had　my　doubts　about　being　able　to　raise　the　rear　end　of　a　Mercedes。
　But　on　the　other　hand；　I　had　to　try；　since　he　seemed　to　expect　it　of　me；　and　I　couldn't　tip　him　off　as　to　any　gaps　in　my　memory。
　So　I　stooped；　squatted；　grasped；　and　started　to　straighten　my　legs。　With　a　sucking　sound；　the　rear　wheels　freed　themselves　from　the　moist　earth。　I　was　holding　my　end　of　the　car　about　two　feet　above　the　ground！　It　was　heavy　…　damn！　it　was　heavy！　…　but　I　could　do　it！
　With　each　step　that　I　took；　I　sank　about　six　inches　into　the　ground。　But　I　was　carrying　it。　And　Random　was　doing　the　same　with　his　end。
　We　set　it　down　on　the　roadway；　with　a　slight　jouncing　of　springs。　Then　I　took　off　my　shoes　and　emptied　them；　cleaned　them　with　swatches　of　grass；　wrung　out　my　socks；　brushed　off　the　cuffs　of　my　trousers；　threw　my　footgear　into　the　rear　seat　and　climbed　back　into　the　front；　bare　footed。
　Random　jumped　in；　on　the　passenger's　side；　and　said；　〃Look；　I　want　to　apologize　again　…　〃
　〃Forget　it；〃　I　said。　〃It's　over　and　done　with。〃
　〃Yes；　but　I　don't　want　you　to　hold　it　against　me。〃
　〃I　won't；〃　I　told　him。　〃Just　curb　your　impetuosity　in　the　future；　when　it　involves　life…taking　in　my　presence。〃
　〃I　will；〃　he　promised。
　〃Then　let's　get　rolling；〃　and　we　did。
　We　moved　through　a　canyon　of　rocks；　then　passed　through　a　city　which　seemed　to　be　made　entirely　of　glass；　or　glass…like　substance；　of　tall　buildings；　thin　and　fragile…appearing；　and　of　people　through　whom　the　pink　sun　shone；　revealing　their　internal　organs　and　the　remains　of　their　last　meals。　They　stared　at　us　as　we　drove　by。　They　mobbed　the　corners　of　their　streets；　but　no　one　attempted　to　halt　us　or　pass　in　front　of　us。
　〃The　Charles　Forts　of　this　place　will　doubtless　quote　this　happening　for　many　years；〃　said　my　brother。
　I　nodded。
　Then　there　was　no　roadway　whatsoever；　and　we　were　driving　across　what　seemed　an　eternal　sheet　of　silicon。　After　a　while　it　narrowed　and　became　our　road；　and　after　another　while　there　were　marshes　to　our　left　and　our　right；　low；　brown；　and　stinking。　And　I　saw　what　I'd　swear　to　be　a　Diplodocus　raise　its　head　and　stare　down　upon　us。　Then；　overhead；　an　enormous　bat…winged　shape　passed　by。　The　sky　was　now　a　royal　blue；　and　the　sun　was　of　fallow　gold。
　〃We've　now　got　less　than　a　quarter　tank　of　gas；〃　I　mented。
　〃Okay；〃　said　Random；　〃stop　the　car。〃
　I　did　this　and　waited。
　For　a　long　time　…　like　maybe　six　minutes　…　he　was　silent；　then；　〃Drive　on；〃　he　said。
　After　about　three　miles　we　came　to　a　barricade　of　logs　and　I　began　driving　around　it。　A　gate　occurred　on　one　side；　and　Random　told　me；　〃Stop　and　blow　your　horn。〃
　I　did　so；　and　after　a　time　the　wooden　gate　creaked　upon　its　huge　iron　hinges　and　swung　inward。
　〃Go　on　in。〃　he　said。　〃It's　safe。〃
　I　drove　in；　and　off　to　my　left　were　three　bubble…headed　Esso　pumps；　the　small　building　behind　them　being　one　of　the　kind　I　had　seen　countless　times　before；　under　more　ordinary　circumstances。　I　pulled　up　before　one　of　the　pumps　and　waited。
　The　guy　who　emerged　from　the　building　was　about　five　feet　tall；　of　enormous　girth；　with　a　strawberry…like　nose；　and　his　shoulders　maybe　a　yard　across。
　〃What'll　it　be？〃　he　asked。　〃Fill　'er　up？〃
　I　nodded。　〃With　regular；〃　I　said。
　〃Pull　it　up　a　bit；〃　he　directed。
　I　did；　and　asked　Random；　〃Is　my　money　any　good　here？〃
　〃Look　at　it；〃　he　told　me；　and　I　did。
　My　wallet　was　stuffed　with　orange　and　yellow　bills。　Roman　numerals　in　their　corners；　followed　by　the　letters　〃D。R。〃
　He　grinned　at　me　as　I　examined　the　sheaf。
　〃See；　I've　taken　care　of　everything；〃　he　said。
　〃Great。　By　the　way；　I'm　getting　hungry。〃
　We　looked　around　us；　and　we　saw　a　picture　of　a　gent　who　sells　Kentucky　Fried　Chicken　in　another　place；　staring　down　at　us　from　a　big　sign。
　Strawberry　Nose　sloshed　a　little　on　the　ground　to　make　it　e　out　even；　hung　up　the　hose；　approached；　and　said；　〃Eight　Drachae　Regums。〃
　I　found　an　orange　note　with　a　〃V　D。R。〃　on　it　and　three　more　with　〃I　D。R。〃　and　passed　them　to　him。
　〃Thanks；〃　he　said；　and　stuffed　them　in　his　pocket。　〃Check　your　oil　and　water？〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　He　added　a　little　water；　told　me　the　oil　level　was　okay；　and　smeared　the　windshield　a　bit　with　a　dirty　rag。　Then　he　waved　and　walked　back　into　the　shack
　We　drove　over　to　Kenni　Roi's　and　got　us　a　bucket　full　of　Kentucki　Fried　Lizzard　Partes　and　another　bucket　of　weak；　salty　tasting　beer。
　Then　we　washed　up　in　the　outbuilding；　beeped　the　horn　at　the　gate；　and　waited　till　a　man　with　a　halberd　hanging　over　his　right　shoulder　came　and　opened　it　for　us。
　Then　we　hit　the　road　again。
　A　tyrannosaurus　leaped　before　us；　hesitated　for　a　moment；　then　went　on　his　way；　off　to　the　left。　Three　more　pterodactyls　passed　overhead。
　〃I　am　loath　to　relinquish　Amber's　sky；〃　said　Random；　whatever　that　meant；　and　I　grunted　back　at　him。
　〃I'm　afraid　to　try　it　all　at　once；　though；〃　he　continued。　〃We　might　be　torn　to　bits。〃
　〃Agreed；〃　I　agreed。
　〃But　on　the　other　hand；　I　don't　like　this　place。〃
　I　nodded；　so　we　drove　on；　till　the　silicon　plain　ended　and　bare　rock　lay　all　about　us。
　〃What　are　you　doing　now？〃　I　ventured。
　〃Now　that　I've　got　the　sky；　I'm　going　to　try　for　the　terrain；〃　he　said。
　And　the　rock　sheet　became　rocks；　as　we　drove　along。　There　was　bare；　black　earth　between。　After　a　while；　there　was　more　earth　and　fewer　rocks。　Finally；　I　saw　splotches　of　green。　First　a　bit　of　grass　here　and　there。　But　it　was　a　very；　very　bright　green；　of　a　kind　like　yet　unlike　that　mon　on　Earth　as　I　knew　it。
　Soon　there　was　much　of　it。
　After　a　time　there　were　trees；　spotted　occasionally　along　our　way。
　Then　there　was　a　forest。
　And　what　a　forest！
　I　had　never　seen　trees　such　as　this；　mighty　and　majestic；　of　a　deep；　rich　green；　slightly　tinged　with　gold。　They　towered；　they　soared。　They　were　enormous　pines；　oaks；　maples；　and　many　others　which　I　could　not　distinguish。　Through　them　crept　a　breeze　of　fantastic　and　lovely　fragrance；　when　I　cracked　the　window　a　bit。　I　decided　to　open　it　all　the　way　and　leave　it　like　that　after　I'd　had　a　few　whiffs。
　〃The　Forest　of　Arden；〃　said　the　man　who　was　my　brother；　and　I　knew　he　was　right；　and　somehow　I　both　loved　and　envied　him　for　his　wisdom；　his　knowledge。
　〃Brother；〃　said　I；　〃you're　doing　all　right。　Better　than　I'd　expected。　Thank　you。〃
　This　seemed　to　take　him　somewhat　aback。　It　was　as　if　he'd　never　received　a　good　word　from　a　relative　before。
　〃I'm　doing　my　best；〃　he　said；　〃and　I'll　do　it　all　the　way；　I　promise。　Look　at　it！　We've　got　the　sky；　and　we've　got　the　forest！　It's　almost　too　good　to　be　true！　We've　passed　the　halfway　point；　and　nothing's　bugged　us　especially。　I　think　we're　very　fortunate。　Will　you　give　me　a　Regency？〃
　〃Yes。〃　I　said；　not　knowing　what　it　meant；　but　willing　to　grant　it；　if　it　lay　within　my　powers。
　He　nodded　then　and　said；　〃You're　okay。〃
　He　was　a　homicidal　little　fink；　who　I　recalled　had　always　been　sort　of　a　rebel。　Our　parents　had　tried　to　discipline　him　in　the　past；　I　knew；　never　very　successfully。　And　I　realized；　with　that；　that　we　had　shared　mon　parents；　which　I　suddenly　knew　was　not　the　case　with　me　and　Eric；　me　and　Flora；　me　and　Caine　and　Bleys　and　Fiona。　And　probably　others；　but　these　I'd　recalled；　I　knew　for　sure。
　We　were　driving　on　a　bare；　dirt　roadway　through　a　cathedral　of　enormous　trees。　It　seemed　to　go　on　forever　and　ever。　I　felt　safe　in　the　place。　Occasionally；　startled　a　deer；　surprised　a　fox　crossing　or　standing　near　the　road。　In　places；　the　way　was　marked　with　hoofprints。　The　sunlight　was　sometimes　filtered　through　leaves；　angling　like　tight　golden　strings　on　some　Hindu　musical　instrument。　The　breeze　was　moist　and　spoke　of　living　things。　It　came　to　me　that　I　knew　this　place；　that　I　had　ridden　this　road　often　in　the　past。　I　had　ridden　through　the　Forest　of　Arden　on　horseback；　walked　through　it；　hunted　in　it；　lay　on　my　back　beneath　some　of　those　great　boughs；　my　arms　beneath　my　head；　staring　upward。　I　had　climbed　among　the　branches　of　some　of　those　giants　and