rz.signoftheunicorn-第1部分

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　I　ignored　the　questions　in　the　eyes　of　the　groom　as　I　lowered　the　grisly　parcel　and　turned　the　horse　in　for　care　and　maintenance。　My　cloak　could　not　really　conceal　the　nature　of　its　contents　as　I　slung　the　guts　over　my　shoulder　and　stamped　off　toward　the　rear　entrance　to　the　palace。　Hell　would　soon　be　demanding　its　paycheck。
　I　skirted　the　exercise　area　and　made　my　way　to　the　trail　that　led　toward　the　southern　end　of　the　palace　gardens。　Fewer　eyes　along　that　route。　I　would　still　be　spotted；　but　it　would　be　a　lot　less　awkward　than　going　in　the　front　way；　where　things　are　always　busy。　Damn。
　And　again；　damn。　Of　troubles　I　considered　myself　amply　possessed。　But　those　who　have　do　seem　to　get。　Some　spiritual　form　of　pound　interest；　I　suppose。
　There　were　a　few　idlers　beside　the　fountain　at　the　far　end　of　the　garden。　Also；　a　couple　of　guards　were　passing　among　the　bushes　near　the　trail。　The　guards　saw　me　ing；　held　a　brief　discussion；　and　looked　the　other　way。　Prudent。
　Me；　back　less　than　a　week。　Most　things；　still　unresolved。　The　court　of　Amber；　full　of　suspicion　and　unrest。　This；　now：　a　death　to　further　jeopardize　the　brief；　unhappy　prereign　of　Corwin　I：　me。
　Time　now　to　do　something　I　should　have　done　right　away。　But　there　had　been　so　many　things　to　do；　from　the　very　first。　It　was　not　as　if　I　had　been　nodding；　as　I　saw　it。　I　had　assigned　priorities　and　acted　on　them。　Now；　though。。。
　I　crossed　the　garden；　out　of　the　shade　and　into　the　slanting　sunlight。　I　swung　up　the　wide；　curving　stair。　A　guard　snapped　to　attention　as　I　entered　the　palace。　I　made　for　the　rear　stairway；　then　up　to　the　second　floor。　Then　the　third。
　From　the　right；　my　brother　Random　stepped　out　of　his　suite　and　into　the　hallway。
　〃Corwin！〃　he　said；　studying　my　face。　〃What's　the　matter？　I　saw　you　from　the　balcony　and　…　〃
　〃Inside；〃　I　said；　gesturing　with　my　eyes。　〃We　are　going　to　have　a　private　conference。　Now。〃
　He　hesitated；　regarding　my　burden。
　〃Let's　make　it　two　rooms　up；〃　he　said。　〃Okay？　Vialle's　in　here。〃
　〃All　right。〃
　He　led　the　way；　opened　the　door。　I　entered　the　small　sitting　room；　sought　a　likely　spot；　dropped　the　body。
　Random　stared　at　the　bundle。
　〃What　am　I　supposed　to　do？〃　he　asked。
　〃Unwrap　the　goodies；〃　I　said；　〃and　take　a　look。〃
　He　knelt　and　undid　the　cloak。　He　folded　it　back。　〃Dead　all　right；〃　he　observed。　〃What's　the　problem？〃
　〃You　did　not　look　closely　enough；〃　I　said。　〃Peel　back　an　eyelid。　Open　the　mouth　and　look　at　the　teeth。　Feel　the　spurs　on　the　backs　of　the　hands。　Count　the　joints　in　the　fingers。　Then　you　tell　me　about　the　problem。〃
　He　began　doing　these　things。　As　soon　as　he　looked　at　the　hands　he　stopped　and　nodded。　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃I　remember。〃
　〃Remember　out　loud。〃
　〃It　was　back　at　Flora's　place。。。〃
　〃That　was　where　I　first　saw　anyone　like　this；〃　I　said。　〃They　were　after　you；　though。　I　never　did　find　out　why。〃
　〃That's　right；〃　he　said。　〃I　never　got　a　chance　to　tell　you　about　it。　We　weren't　together　all　that　long。　Strange。。。　Where　did　this　one　e　from？〃
　I　hesitated；　torn　between　pushing　him　from　his　story　and　telling　him　mine。　Mine　won　out　because　it　was　mine　and　very　immediate。
　I　sighed　and　sank　into　a　chair。
　〃We've　just　lost　us　another　brother；〃　I　said。　〃Caine　is　dead。　I　got　there　a　bit　too　late。　That　thing　…　person　…　did　it。　I　wanted　it　alive；　for　obvious　reasons。　But　it　put　up　quite　a　fight。　I　didn't　have　much　of　a　choice。〃
　He　whistled　softly；　seated　himself　in　the　chair　opposite　me。
　〃I　see；〃　he　said　very　softly。
　I　studied　his　face。　Was　that　the　faintest　of　smiles　waiting　in　the　wings　to　enter　and　meet　my　own？　Quite　possibly。
　〃No；〃　I　said　flatly。　〃If　it　were　otherwise；　I　would　have　arranged　for　a　lot　less　doubt　as　to　my　innocence。　I'm　telling　you　what　really　happened。〃
　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃Where　is　Caine？〃
　〃Under　a　layer　of　sod；　near　the　Grove　of　the　Unicorn。〃
　〃That　looks　suspicious　right　there；〃　he　said。　〃Or　will。　To　the　others。〃
　I　nodded。
　〃I　know。　I　had　to　hide　the　body　and　cover　it　in　the　meantime；　though。　I　couldn't　just　bring　him　back　and　start　parrying　questions。　Not　when　there　were　important　facts　waiting　for　me；　in　your　head。〃
　〃Okay；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　know　how　important　they　are；　but　they're　yours。　But　don't　leave　me　hanging；　huh？　How　did　this　thing　happen？〃
　〃It　was　right　after　lunch；〃　I　said。　〃I　had　eaten　down　at　the　harbor　with　Gerard。　Afterward；　Benedict　brought　me　topside　through　his　Trump。　Back　in　my　rooms；　I　found　a　note　which　apparently　had　been　slipped　in　under　the　door。　It　requested　a　private　meeting；　later　in　the　afternoon；　at　the　Grove　of　the　Unicorn。　It　was　signed　'Caine。'〃
　〃Have　you　still　got　the　note？〃
　〃Yes。〃　I　dug　it　out　of　my　pocket　and　passed　it　to　him。　〃Here。〃
　He　studied　it　and　shook　his　head。
　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said。　〃It　could　be　his　writing　…　if　he　were　in　a　hurry　…　but　I　don't　think　it　is。〃
　I　shrugged。　I　took　the　note　back；　folded　it；　put　it　away。
　〃Whatever；　I　tried　to　reach　him　with　his　Trump；　to　save　myself　the　ride。　But　he　wasn't　receiving。　I　guessed　it　was　to　maintain　secrecy　as　to　his　whereabouts；　if　it　was　all　that　important。　So　I　got　a　horse　and　rode　on　down。〃
　〃Did　you　tell　anyone　where　you　were　going？〃
　〃Not　a　soul。　I　did　decide　to　give　the　horse　a　workout；　though；　so　I　rode　along　at　a　pretty　good　clip。　I　didn't　see　it　happen；　but　I　saw　him　lying　there　as　I　came　into　the　wood。　His　throat　had　been　cut；　and　there　was　a　disturbance　off　in　the　bushes　some　distance　away。　I　rode　the　guy　down；　jumped　him；　fought　with　him；　had　to　kill　him。　We　didn't　engage　in　any　conversation　while　this　was　going　on。〃
　〃You're　sure　you　got　the　right　guy？〃
　〃As　sure　as　you　can　be　under　such　circumstances。　His　trail　went　back　to　Caine。　He　had　fresh　blood　on　his　garments。〃
　〃Might　have　been　his　own。〃
　〃Look　again。　No　wounds。　I　broke　his　neck。　Of　course　I　remembered　where　I　had　seen　his　like　before；　so　I　brought　him　right　to　you。　Before　you　tell　me　about　it；　though；　there　was　one　more　thing　…　just　for　a　clincher。〃　I　withdrew　the　second　note；　passed　it　over。　〃The　creature　had　this　on　its　person。　I　presume　it　had　removed　it　from　Caine。〃
　Random　read　it；　nodded；　and　handed　it　back。
　〃From　you；　to　Caine；　asking　to　be　met　there。　Yes；　I　see。　Needless　to　say。。。〃
　〃Needless　to　say；〃　I　finished。　〃And　it　does　look　a　bit　like　my　writing　…　at　first　glance；　anyway。〃
　〃I　wonder　what　would　have　happened　if　you　had　gotten　there　first？〃
　〃Probably　nothing；〃　I　said。　〃Alive　and　looking　bad　…　that　seems　how　they　wanted　me。　The　trick　was　to　get　us　there　in　the　proper　order；　and　I　didn't　hurry　quite　enough　to　miss　what　was　bound　to　follow。〃
　He　nodded。
　〃Granting　the　tight　scheduling；〃　he　said；　〃it　had　to　be　someone　on　the　scene；　here　in　the　palace。　Any　ideas？〃
　I　chuckled　and　reached　for　a　cigarette。　I　lit　it　and　chuckled　again。
　〃I'm　just　back。　You　have　been　here　all　along；〃　I　said。　〃Which　one　hates　me　the　most　these　days？〃
　〃That　is　an　embarrassing　question；　Corwin；〃　he　stated。　〃Everyone's　down　on　you　for　something。　Ordinarily；　I　would　nominate　Julian。　Only　it　doesn't　seem　to　hold　up　here。〃
　〃Why　not？〃
　〃He　and　Caine　got　along　very　well。　For　years　now。　They　had　been　looking　out　for　each　other；　hanging　around　together。　Pretty　thick。　Julian　is　cold　and　petty　and　just　as　nasty　as　you　remember。　But　if　he　liked　anybody；　he　liked　Caine。　I　don't　think　he'd　do　it　to　him；　not　even　to　get　at　you。　After　all；　he　probably　could　have　found　plenty　of　other　ways　if　that　was　all　he　wanted。〃
　I　sighed。
　〃Who's　next？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　I　just　don't　know。〃
　〃Okay。　How　do　you　read　the　reactions　to　this？〃
　〃You're　screwed；　Corwin。　Everyone　is　going　to　think　you　did　it；　no　matter　what　you　say。〃
　I　nodded　at　the　corpse。　Random　shook　his　head。
　〃That　could　easily　be　some　poor　clod　you　dug　up　out　of　Shadow　to　take　the　blame。〃
　〃I　know；〃　I　said。　〃Funny；　ing　back　to　Amber　as　I　did；　I　arrived　at　an　ideal　time　for　positioning　myself　advantageously。〃
　〃A　perfect　time；〃　Random　agreed。　〃You　didn't　even　have　to　kill　Eric　to　get　what　you　wanted。　That　was　a　stroke　of　luck。〃
　〃Yes。　Still；　it　is　no　secret　that　that　is　what　I　came　to　do；　and　it　is　only　a　matter　of　time　before　my　troops　…　foreign；　specially　armed；　and　quartered　here　…　are　going　to　start　provoking　some　very　bad　feelings。　Only　the　presence　of　an　external　threat　has　saved　me　from　that　so　far。　And　then　there　are　the　things　I　am　suspected　of　having　done　before　my　return　…　like　murdering　Benedict's　retainers。　Now　this。。。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Random　said；　〃I　saw　it　ing　as　soon　as　you　told　me。　When　you　and　Bleys　attacked　years　ago；　Gerard　deployed　part　of　the　fleet　so　that　it　was　out　of　your　way。　Caine；　on　the　other　hand；　engaged　you　with　his　vessels　and　scuttled　you。　Now　that　he　is　gone；　I　imagine　you　will　put　Gerard　in　mand　of　the　entire　fleet。〃
　〃Who　else？　He　is　the　only　man　for　the　job。〃
　〃Nevertheless。。。〃
　〃Nevertheless。　Admitted。　If　I　were　going　to　kill　anyone　person　to　strengthen　my　position；　Caine　would　be　the　logical　choice。　That's　the　real；　damning　truth。〃
　〃How　do　you　propose　handling　this？〃
　〃Tell　everyone　what　happened　and　try　to　discover　who　was　behind　it。　Have　you　any　better　suggestions？〃
　〃I've　been　trying　to　think　how　I　could　alibi　you。　But　it