rz.signoftheunicorn-第10部分

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r　whether　three　dimensions　were　sufficient　to　account　for　the　senses…warping　plexities　with　which　I　was　confronted。　Rather　than　my　galactic　analogy；　something　in　my　mind　shifted　to　the　other　extreme；　suggesting　the　infinitely　dimensioned　Hilbert　space　of　the　subatomic。　But　then；　it　was　a　metaphor　of　desperation。　Truly　and　simply；　I　did　not　understand　anything　about　it。　I　had　only　a　growing　feeling　…　Pattern…conditioned？　Instinctive？　…　that　I　had　to　pass　through　this　maze　also　to　gain　the　new　degree　of　power　that　I　sought。
　Nor　was　I　incorrect。　I　was　swept　on　into　it　without　any　slackening　of　my　apparent　velocity。　I　was　spun　and　whirled　along　blazing　ways；　passing　through　substanceless　clouds　of　glitter　and　shine。　There　were　no　areas　of　resistance；　as　in　the　Pattern　itself；　my　initial　impetus　seeming　sufficient　to　bear　me　throughout。　A　whirlwind　tour　of　the　Milky　Way？　A　drowning　man　swept　among　canyons　of　coral？　An　insomniac　sparrow　passing　over　an　amusement　park　of　a　July　Fourth　evening？　These　my　thoughts　as　I　recapitulated　my　recent　passage　in　this　transformed　fashion。
　。。。　And　out；　through；　over；　and　done；　in　a　blaze　of　ruddy　light　that　found　me　regarding　myself　holding　the　pendant　beside　the　Pattern；　then　regarding　the　pendant；　Pattern　within　it；　within　me；　everything　within　me；　me　within　it；　the　redness　subsiding；　down；　gone。　Then　just　me；　the　pendant；　the　Pattern；　alone；　subject…object　relationships　reestablished　…　only　an　octave　higher；　which　I　feel　is　about　the　best　way　there　is　to　put　it。　For　a　certain　empathy　now　existed。　It　was　as　though　I　had　acquired　an　extra　sense；　and　an　additional　means　of　expression。　It　was　a　peculiar　sensation；　satisfying。
　Anxious　to　test　it；　I　summoned　my　resolve　once　again　and　manded　the　Pattern　to　transport　me　elsewhere。
　I　stood　then　in　the　round　room；　atop　the　highest　tower　in　Amber。　Crossing　it；　I　passed　outside；　onto　a　very　small　balcony。　The　contrast　was　powerful；　ing　so　close　to　the　supersensory　voyage　I　had　just　pleted。　For　several　long　moments　I　simply　stood　there；　looking。
　The　sea　was　a　study　in　textures；　as　the　sky　was　partly　overcast　and　getting　on　toward　evening。　The　clouds　themselves　showed　patterns　of　soft　brightness　and　rough　shading。　The　wind　made　its　way　seaward；　so　that　the　salt　smell　was　temporarily　denied　me。　Dark　birds　dotted　the　air；　swinging　and　hovering　at　a　great　distance　out　over　the　water。　Below　me；　the　palace　yards　and　the　terraces　of　the　city　lay　spread　in　enduring　elegance　out　to　Kolvir's　rim。　People　were　tiny　on　the　thoroughfares；　their　movements　discountable。　I　felt　very　alone。
　Then　I　touched　the　pendant　and　called　for　a　storm。
　
　
　Chapter　4
　
　Random　and　Flora　were　waiting　in　my　quarters　when　I　returned。　Random's　eyes　went　first　to　the　pendant；　then　to　my　own。　I　nodded。
　I　turned　toward　Flora；　bowing　slightly。
　〃Sister；〃　I　said；　〃it　has　been　a　while；　and　then　a　while。〃
　She　looked　somewhat　frightened；　which　was　all　to　the　good。　She　smiled　and　took　my　hand；　though。
　〃Brother；〃　she　said。　〃I　see　that　you　have　kept　your　word。〃
　Pale　gold；　her　hair。　She　had　cut　it；　but　retained　the　bangs。　I　could　not　decide　whether　I　liked　it　that　way　or　not。　She　had　very　lovely　hair。　Blue　eyes；　too；　and　tons　of　vanity　to　keep　everything　in　her　favorite　perspective。　At　times　she　seemed　to　behave　quite　stupidly；　but　then　at　other　times　I　have　wondered。
　〃Excuse　me　for　staring；〃　I　said；　〃but　the　last　time　that　we　met　I　was　unable　to　see　you。〃
　〃I　am　very　happy　that　the　situation　has　been　corrected；〃　she　said。　〃It　was　quite　…　There　was　nothing　that　I　could　do；　you　know。〃
　〃I　know；〃　I　said；　recalling　the　occasional　lilt　of　her　laughter　from　the　other　side　of　the　darkness　on　one　of　the　anniversaries　of　the　event。　〃I　know。〃
　I　moved　to　the　window　and　opened　it；　knowing　that　the　rain　would　not　be　ing　in。　I　like　the　smell　of　a　storm。
　〃Random；　did　you　learn　anything　of　interest　with　regard　to　a　possible　postman？〃　I　asked。
　〃Not　really；〃　he　said。　〃I　made　some　inquiries。　No　one　seems　to　have　seen　anyone　else　in　the　right　place　at　the　right　time。〃
　〃I　see；〃　I　said。　〃Thank　you。　I　may　see　you　again　later。〃
　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　be　in　my　quarters　all　evening；　then。〃
　I　nodded；　turned；　leaned　back　against　the　sill；　watched　Flora。　Random　closed　the　door　quietly　as　he　left。　I　listened　to　the　rain　for　half　a　minute　or　so。
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　with　me？〃　she　said　finally。
　〃Do？〃
　〃You　are　in　a　position　to　call　for　a　settlement　on　old　debts。　I　assume　that　things　are　about　to　begin。〃
　〃Perhaps；〃　I　said。　〃Most　things　depend　on　other　things。　This　thing　is　no　different。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃Give　me　what　I　want；　and　we'll　see。　I　have　even　been　known　to　be　a　nice　guy　on　occasion。〃
　〃What　is　it　that　you　want？〃
　〃The　story。　Flora。　Let's　start　with　that。　Of　how　you　came　to　be　my　shepherdess　there　on　that　shadow；　Earth。　All　pertinent　details。　What　was　the　arrangement？　What　was　the　understanding？　Everything。　That's　all。〃
　She　sighed。
　〃The　beginning。。。〃　she　said。　〃Yes。。。　It　was　in　Paris；　a　party；　at　a　certain　Monsieur　Focault's。　This　was　about　three　years　before　the　Terror　…　〃
　〃Stop；〃　I　said。　〃What　were　you　doing　there？〃
　〃I　had　been　in　that　general　area　of　Shadow　for　approximately　five　of　their　years；〃　she　said。　〃I　had　been　wandering；　looking　for　something　novel；　something　that　suited　my　fancy。　I　came　upon　that　place　at　that　time　in　the　same　way　we　find　anything。　I　let　my　desires　lead　me　and　I　followed　my　instincts。〃
　〃A　peculiar　coincidence。〃
　〃Not　in　light　of　all　the　time　involved　…　and　considering　the　amount　of　travel　in　which　we　indulge。　It　was；　if　you　like；　my　Avalon；　my　Amber　surrogate；　my　home　away　from　home。　Call　it　what　you　will；　I　was　there；　at　that　party；　that　October　night；　when　you　came　in　with　the　little　redheaded　girl　…　Jacqueline；　I　believe；　was　her　name。〃
　That　brought　it　back；　from　quite　a　distance；　a　memory　I　hadn't　called　for　in　a　long；　long　while。　I　remembered　Jacqueline　far　better　than　I　did　Focault's　party；　but　there　had　been　such　an　occasion。
　〃Go　ahead。〃
　〃As　I　said；〃　she　went　on；　〃I　was　there。　You　arrived　later。　You　caught　my　attention　immediately；　of　course。　Still；　if　one　exists　for　a　sufficiently　long　period　of　time　and　travels　considerably；　one　does　occasionally　encounter　a　person　greatly　resembling　someone　else　one　has　known。　That　was　my　first　thought　after　the　initial　excitement　faded。　Surely　it　had　to　be　a　double。　So　much　time　had　passed　without　a　whisper。　Yet　we　all　have　secrets　and　good　reasons　for　having　them。　This　could　be　one　of　yours。　So　I　saw　that　we　were　introduced　and　then　had　a　devil　of　a　time　getting　you　away　from　that　little　redheaded　piece　for　more　than　a　few　minutes。　And　you　insisted　your　name　was　Fenneval　…　Cordell　Fenneval。　I　grew　uncertain。　I　could　not　tell　whether　it　was　a　double　or　you　playing　games。　The　third　possibility　did　cross　my　mind；　though　…　that　you　had　dwelled　in　some　adjacent　area　of　Shadow　for　a　sufficient　time　to　cast　shadows　of　yourself。　I　might　have　departed　still　wondering　had　not　Jacqueline　later　boasted　to　me　concerning　your　strength。　Now　this　is　not　the　monest　subject　of　conversation　for　a　woman；　and　the　way　in　which　she　said　it　led　me　to　believe　that　she　had　actually　been　quite　impressed　by　some　things　you　had　done。　I　drew　her　out　a　bit　and　realized　that　they　were　all　of　them　feats　of　which　you　were　capable。　That　eliminated　the　notion　of　it　being　a　double。　It　had　to　be　either　you　or　your　shadow。　This　in　mind；　even　if　Cordell　was　not　Corwin　he　was　a　clue；　a　clue　that　you　were　or　had　been　in　that　shady　neighborhood　…　the　first　real　clue　I　had　e　across　concerning　your　whereabouts。　I　had　to　pursue　it。　I　began　keeping　track　of　you　then；　checking　into　your　past。　The　more　people　I　questioned；　the　more　puzzling　it　became。　In　fact；　after　several　months　I　was　still　unable　to　decide。　There　were　enough　smudgy　areas　to　make　it　possible。　Things　were　resolved　for　me　the　following　summer；　though；　when　I　revisited　Amber　for　a　time。　I　mentioned　the　peculiar　affair　to　Eric。。。〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃Well。。。　he　was　…　somewhat　…　aware　…　of　the　possibility。〃
　She　paused　and　rearranged　her　gloves　on　the　seat　beside　her。
　〃Uh…huh；〃　I　said。　〃Just　what　did　he　tell　you？〃
　〃That　it　might　be　the　real　you；〃　she　said。　〃He　told　me　there　had　been　…　an　accident。〃
　〃Really？〃
　〃Well；　no；〃　she　admitted。　〃Not　an　accident。　He　said　there　had　been　a　fight　and　he　had　injured　you。　He　thought　you　were　going　to　die；　and　he　did　not　want　the　blame。　So　he　transported　you　off　into　Shadow　and　left　you　there；　in　that　place。　After　a　long　while；　he　decided　that　you　must　be　dead；　that　it　was　finally　all　over　between　you。　My　news　naturally　disturbed　him。　So　he　swore　me　to　secrecy　and　sent　me　back　to　keep　you　under　surveillance。　I　had　a　good　excuse　for　being　there；　as　I　had　already　told　everyone　how　much　I　liked　the　place。〃
　〃You　didn't　promise　to　keep　silent　for　nothing；　Flora。　What　did　he　give　you？〃
　〃He　gave　me　his　word　that　should　he　ever　e　into　power　here　in　Amber；　I　would　not　be　forgotten。〃
　〃A　little　risky；〃　I　said。　〃After　all；　that　would　still　leave　you　with　something　on　him　…　knowledge　of　the　whereabouts　of　a　rival　claimant；　and　of　his　part　in　putting　him　there。〃
　〃True。　But　things　sort