rz.signoftheunicorn-第6部分

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ave　something　to　eat　before　getting　a　cab　to　the　airport。　So　I　bought　three　cheeseburgers　and　a　couple　of　malts　with　a　few　of　my　quondam　Texorami　greenbacks。　Getting　served　and　eating　took　me　maybe　twenty　minutes。　Leaving　the　snack　bar；　I　saw　that　there　were　a　number　of　taxis　standing　idle　at　the　stand　out　front。　Before　I　picked　one　up；　though；　I　decided　to　make　an　important　stop　in　the　men's　room。
　At　the　very　damnedest　moment　you　can　think　of；　six　stalls　flew　open　behind　my　back　and　their　occupants　rushed　me。　There　was　no　mistaking　the　spurs　on　the　backs　of　their　hands；　the　oversized　jaws；　the　smoldering　eyes。　Not　only　had　they　caught　up　with　me；　they　were　now　clad　in　the　same　acceptable　garb　as　anyone　else　in　the　neighborhood。　Gone　were　any　remaining　doubts　as　to　their　power　over　Shadow。
　Fortunately；　one　of　them　was　faster　than　the　others。　Also；　perhaps　because　of　my　size；　they　still　might　not　have　been　fully　aware　of　my　strength。　I　seized　that　first　one　high　up　on　the　arm；　avoiding　those　hand　bayonets　he　sported；　pulled　him　over　in　front　of　me；　picked　him　up；　and　threw　him　at　the　others。　Then　I　just　turned　and　ran。　I　broke　the　door　on　the　way　out。　I　didn't　even　pause　to　zip　up　until　I　was　in　a　taxi　and　had　the　driver　burning　rubber。
　Enough。　It　was　no　longer　simple　sanctuary　that　I　had　in　mind。　I　wanted　to　get　hold　of　a　set　of　Trumps　and　tell　someone　else　in　the　family　about　those　guys。　If　they　were　Eric's　creatures；　the　others　ought　to　be　made　aware　of　them。　If　they　were　not；　then　Eric　ought　to　be　told；　too。　If　they　could　make　their　way　through　Shadow　like　that；　perhaps　others　could；　also。　Whatever　they　represented　might　one　day　constitute　a　threat　to　Amber　herself。　Supposing　…　just　supposing　…　that　no　one　back　home　was　involved？　What　if　Dad　and　Brand　were　the　victims　of　a　totally　unsuspected　enemy？　Then　there　was　something　big　and　menacing　afoot；　and　I　had　stepped　right　into　it。　That　would　be　an　excellent　reason　for　their　hounding　me　this　thoroughly。　They　would　want　me　pretty　badly。　My　mind　ran　wild。　They　might　even　be　harrying　me　toward　some　sort　of　a　trap。　No　need　for　the　visible　ones　to　be　the　only　ones　about。
　I　brought　my　emotions　to　heel。　One　by　one；　you　must　deal　with　those　things　that　e　to　hand；　I　told　myself。　That　is　all。　Divorce　the　feelings　from　the　speculations；　or　at　least　provide　for　separate　maintenance。　This　is　sister　Flora's　shadow。　She　lives　on　the　other　edge　of　the　continent　in　a　place　called　Westchester。　Get　to　a　phone；　get　hold　of　information；　and　call　her。　Tell　her　it　is　urgent　and　ask　for　sanctuary。　She　can't　refuse　you　that；　even　if　she　does　hate　your　guts。　Then　jump　a　jet　and　get　the　hell　over　there。　Speculate　on　the　way　if　you　want；　but　keep　cool　now。
　So　I　telephoned　from　the　airport　and　you　answered　it；　Corwin。　That　was　the　variable　that　broke　all　the　possible　equations　I　had　been　juggling　…　you　suddenly　showing　up　at　that　time；　that　place；　that　point　in　events。　I　grabbed　for　it　when　you　offered　me　protection；　and　not　just　because　I　wanted　protection。　I　could　probably　have　taken　those　six　guys　out　by　myself。　But　that　was　no　longer　it。　I　thought　they　were　yours。　I　figured　you　had　been　lying　low　all　along；　waiting　for　the　right　moment　to　move　in。　Now；　I　thought；　you　were　ready。　This　explains　everything。　You　had　taken　out　Brand　and　you　were　about　to　use　your　Shadow…walking　zombies　for　purposes　of　going　back　and　catching　Eric　with　his　pants　down。　I　wanted　to　be　on　your　side　because　I　hated　Eric　and　because　I　knew　you　were　a　careful　planner　and　you　usually　get　what　you　go　after。　I　mentioned　the　pursuit　by　guys　out　of　Shadow　to　see　what　you　would　say。　The　fact　that　you　said　nothing　didn't　really　prove　anything；　though。　Either　you　were　being　cagey；　I　figured；　or　you　had　no　way　of　knowing　where　I　had　been。　I　also　thought　of　the　possibility　of　walking　into　a　trap　of　your　devising；　but　I　was　already　in　trouble　and　did　not　see　that　I　was　so　important　to　the　balance　of　power　that　you　would　want　to　dispose　of　me。　Especially　if　I　offered　my　support；　which　I　was　quite　willing　to　do。　So　I　flew　on　out。　And　damned　if　those　six　didn't　board　later　and　follow　me。　Is　he　giving　me　an　escort？　I　wondered。　Better　not　start　making　more　assumptions。　I　shook　them　again　when　we　landed；　and　headed　for　Flora's　place。　Then　I　acted　as　if　none　of　my　guesses　had　occurred；　waiting　to　see　what　you　would　do。　When　you　helped　me　dispose　of　the　guys；　I　was　really　puzzled。　Were　you　genuinely　surprised；　or　was　it　a　put…on；　with　you　sacrificing　a　few　of　the　troops　to　keep　me　ignorant　of　something？　All　right；　I　decided；　be　ignorant；　cooperate；　see　what　he　has　in　mind。　I　was　a　perfect　setup　for　that　act　you　pulled　to　cover　the　condition　of　your　memory。　When　I　did　learn　the　truth；　it　was　simply　too　late。　We　were　headed　for　Rebma　and　none　of　this　would　have　meant　anything　to　you。　Later；　I　didn't　care　to　tell　Eric　anything　after　his　coronation。　I　was　his　prisoner　then　and　not　exactly　kindly　disposed　toward　him。　It　even　occurred　to　me　that　my　information　might　be　worth　something　one　day　…　at　least；　my　freedom　again　…　if　that　threat　ever　materialized。　As　for　Brand；　I　doubt　anyone　would　have　believed　me；　and　even　if　someone　did；　I　was　the　only　one　who　knew　how　to　reach　that　shadow。　Could　you　see　Eric　buying　that　as　a　reason　for　releasing　me？　He　would　have　laughed　and　told　me　to　e　up　with　a　better　story。　And　I　never　heard　from　Brand　again。　None　of　the　others　seem　to　have　heard　from　him　either。　Odds　are　he's　dead　by　now　…　I'd　say。　And　that　is　the　story　I　never　got　to　tell　you。　You　figure　out　what　it　all　means。
　
　
　Chapter　3
　
　I　studied　Random；　remembering　what　a　great　card　player　he　was。　By　looking　at　his　face；　I　could　no　more　tell　whether　he　was　lying；　in　whole　or　in　part；　than　I　could　learn　by　scrutinizing　the　Jack　of；　say；　Diamonds。　Nice　touch；　that　part；　too。　There　was　enough　of　that　kind　of　business　to　his　story　to　give　it　some　feel　of　verisimilitude。
　〃To　paraphrase　Oedipus；　Hamlet；　Lear；　and　all　those　guys；〃　I　said；　〃I　wish　I　had　known　this　some　time　ago。〃
　〃This　was　the　first　chance　I　really　had　to　tell　you；〃　he　said。
　〃True；〃　I　agreed。　〃Unfortunately；　it　not　only　fails　to　clarify　things；　it　plicates　the　puzzle　even　more。　Which　is　no　mean　trick。　Here　we　are　with　a　black　road　running　up　to　the　foot　of　Kolvir。　It　passes　through　Shadow；　and　things　have　succeeded　in　traversing　it　to　beset　Amber。　We　do　not　know　the　exact　nature　of　the　forces　behind　it；　but　they　are　obviously　malign　and　they　seem　to　be　growing　in　strength。　I　have　been　feeling　guilty　about　it　for　some　while　now；　because　I　see　it　as　being　tied　in　with　my　curse。　Yes；　I　laid　one　on　us。　Curse　or　no　curse；　though；　everything　eventually　resolves　into　some　sort　of　tangibility　that　can　be　batted。　Which　is　exactly　what　we　are　going　to　do。　But　all　week　long　I　have　been　trying　to　figure　out　Dara's　part　in　things。　Who　is　she　really？　What　is　she？　Why　was　she　so　anxious　to　try　the　Pattern？　How　is　it　that　she　managed　to　succeed？　And　that　final　threat　of　hers。。。　'Amber　will　be　destroyed；'　she　said。　It　seems　more　than　coincidental　that　this　occurred　at　the　same　time　as　the　attack　over　the　black　road。　I　do　not　see　it　as　a　separate　thing；　but　as　a　part　of　the　same　cloth。　And　it　all　seems　to　be　tied　in　with　the　fact　that　there　is　a　traitor　somewhere　here　in　Amber　…　Caine's　death；　the　notes。。。　Someone　here　is　either　abetting　an　external　enemy　or　is　behind　the　whole　thing　himself。　Now　you　link　it　all　up　with　Brand's　disappearance；　by　way　of　this　guy。〃　I　nudged　the　corpse　with　my　foot。　〃It　makes　it　look　as　if　Dad's　death　or　absence　is　also　a　part　of　it。　If　that　is　the　case；　though；　it　makes　for　a　major　conspiracy　…　with　detail　after　detail　having　been　carefully　worked　out　over　a　period　of　years。〃
　Random　explored　a　cupboard　in　the　corner；　produced　a　bottle　and　a　pair　of　goblets。　He　filled　them　and　brought　me　one；　then　returned　to　his　chair。　We　drank　a　silent　toast　to　futility。
　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃plotting　is　the　number…one　pastime　around　here；　and　everyone　has　had　plenty　of　time；　you　know。　We　are　both　too　young　to　remember　brothers　Osric　and　Finndo；　who　died　for　the　good　of　Amber。　But　the　impression　I　get　from　talking　with　Benedict　…〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said；　〃…　that　they　had　done　more　than　wishful　thinking　about　the　throne；　and　it　became　necessary　that　they　die　bravely　for　Amber。　I've　heard　that；　too。　Maybe　so；　maybe　not。　We'll　never　know　for　sure。　Still。。。　Yes；　the　point　is　well　taken；　though　almost　unnecessary。　I　do　not　doubt　that　it　has　been　tried　before。　I　do　not　put　it　past　a　number　of　us。　Who；　though？　We　will　be　operating　under　a　severe　handicap　until　we　find　out。　Any　move　that　we　make　externally　will　probably　only　be　directed　against　a　limb　of　the　beast。　e　up　with　an　idea。〃
　〃Corwin；〃　he　said；　〃to　be　frank　about　it；　I　could　make　a　case　for　it　being　anyone　here　…　even　myself；　prisoner　status　and　all。　In　fact；　something　like　that　would　be　a　great　blind　for　it。　I　would　have　taken　genuine　delight　in　looking　helpless　while　actually　pulling　the　strings　that　made　all　the　others　dance。　Any　of　us　would；　though。　We　all　have　our　motives；　our　ambitions。　And　over　the　years　we　all　have　had　time　and　opportunity　to　lay　a　lot　of　groundwork。　No；　that　is　the　wrong　way　to　go　about　it；　looking　for　suspects。　Everyone　here　falls　into　that　category。　Let　us　decide　instead　what　it　is　that　would　distinguish　such　an　individual；　aside　from　motives；　apart　from　opportunities。　I　would　say；　let's　look　at　the　methods　involved。〃
　〃All　right。　Then　you　start。〃
　〃Some　one　of　us　knows　more　than　the　rest　of　us　about　the　workings　of　Shadow　…　the　ins　and　the　outs；　the　whys　and　the　hows。　He　also　has　allies；　obtained　from　somewhere　fairly　far　afield。　This　is　the　bination　he　has　brought　to　bear　upon　Amber。　Now；　we　have　no　way　of　looking　at　a　person　and　telling　whether　he　possesses　such　special　knowledge　and　skills。　But　let　us　consider　where　he　could　have　obtained　them。　It　could　be　that　he　simply　learned　something　off　in　Shadow　somewhere；　on　his　own。　Or　he　could　have　been　studying　all　along；　here；　while　Dworkin　was　still　alive　and　willing　to　give　lessons。〃
　I　stared　down　into　my　glass。　Dworkin　could　still　be　living。　He　had　provided　my　means　of　escape　from　the　dungeons　of　Amber　…　how　long　ago？　I　had　told　no　one　this；　and　was　not　about　to。　For　one　thing；　Dworkin　was　quite　mad　…　which　was　apparently　why　Dad　had　had　him　locked　away。　For　another；　he　had　demonstrated　powers　I　did　not　understand；　which　convinced　me　he　could　be　quite　dangerous。　Still；　he　had　been　kindly　disposed　toward　me　after　a　minimum　of　flattery　and　reminiscence。　If　he　were　still　around；　I　suspected　that　with　a　bit　of　patience　I　might　be　able　to　handle　him。　So　I　had　kept　the　whole　business　locked　away　in　my　mind　as　a　possible　secret　weapon。　I　saw　no　reason　for　changing　that　decision　at　this　point。
　〃Brand　did　hang　around　him　a　lot；〃　I　acknowledged；　finally　seeing　what　he　was　getting　at。　〃He　was　interested　in　things　of　that　sort。〃
　〃Exactly；〃　Random　replied。　〃And　he　obviously　knew　more　than　the　rest　of　us；　to　be　able　to　send　me　that　message　without　a　Trump。〃
　〃You　think　he　made　a　deal　with　outsiders；　opened　the　way　for　them；　then　discovered　that　they　no　longer　needed　him　when　they　hung　him　out　to　dry？〃
　〃Not　necessarily。　Though　I　suppose　that　is　possible；　t