rz.signoftheunicorn-第14部分

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　〃I　hear　you；〃　I　said　softly；　trying　to　figure　a　way　to　drag　him　along　with　me　if　he　decided　to　do　it。
　〃I　am　not　a　clever　man；〃　he　said。　〃But　I　had　a　thought　…　a　terrible　thought。　This　is　the　only　way　that　I　know　to　do　something　about　it。　My　thought　was　that　you　had　been　away　from　Amber　for　an　awfully　long　while。　I　have　no　way　of　knowing　whether　the　story　about　your　losing　your　memory　is　entirely　true。　You　have　e　back　and　you　have　taken　charge　of　things；　but　you　do　not　yet　truly　rule　here。　I　was　troubled　by　the　deaths　of　Benedict's　servants；　as　I　am　troubled　now　by　the　death　of　Caine。　But　Eric　has　died　recently　also；　and　Benedict　is　maimed。　It　is　not　so　easy　to　blame　you　for　this　part　of　things；　but　it　has　occurred　to　me　that　it　might　be　possible　…　if　it　should　be　that　you　are　secretly　allied　with　our　enemies　of　the　black　road。〃
　〃I　am　not；〃　I　said。
　〃It　does　not　matter；　for　what　I　have　to　say；〃　he　said。　〃Just　hear　me　out。　Things　will　go　the　way　that　they　will　go。　If；　during　your　long　absence；　you　arranged　this　state　of　affairs　…　possibly　even　removing　Dad　and　Brand　as　part　of　your　design　…　then　I　see　you　as　out　to　destroy　all　family　resistance　to　your　usurpation。〃
　〃Would　I　have　delivered　myself　to　Eric　to　be　blinded　and　imprisoned　if　this　were　the　case？〃
　〃Hear　me　out！〃　he　repeated。　〃You　could　easily　have　made　mistakes　that　led　to　that。　It　does　not　matter　now。　You　may　be　as　innocent　as　you　say　or　as　guilty　as　possible。　Look　down；　Corwin。　That　is　all。　Look　down　at　the　black　road。　Death　is　the　limit　of　the　distance　you　travel　if　that　is　your　doing。　I　have　shown　you　my　strength　once　again；　lest　you　have　forgotten。　I　can　kill　you；　Corwin。　Do　not　even　be　certain　that　your　blade　will　protect　you；　if　I　can　get　my　hands　on　you　but　once。　And　I　will；　to　keep　my　promise。　My　promise　is　only　that　if　you　are　guilty　I　will　kill　you　the　moment　I　learn　of　it。　Know　also　that　my　life　is　insured；　Corwin；　for　it　is　linked　now　to　your　own。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃All　of　the　others　are　with　us　at　this　moment；　via　my　Trump；　watching；　listening。　You　cannot　arrange　my　removal　now　without　revealing　your　intentions　to　the　entire　family。　That　way；　if　I　die　forsworn；　my　promise　can　still　be　kept。〃
　〃I　get　the　point；〃　I　said。　〃And　if　someone　else　kills　you？　They　remove　me；　also。　That　leaves　Julian；　Benedict；　Random；　and　the　girls　to　man　the　barricades。　Better　and　better　…　for　whoever　it　is。　Whose　idea　was　this；　really？〃
　〃Mine！　Mine　alone！〃　he　said；　and　I　felt　his　grip　tighten；　his　arms　bend　and　grow　tense。
　〃You　are　just　trying　to　confuse　things！　Like　you　always　do！〃　he　groaned。　〃Things　didn't　go　bad　till　you　came　back！　Damn　it；　Corwin！　I　think　it's　your　fault！〃
　Then　he　hurled　me　into　the　air。
　〃Not　guilty；　Gerard！〃　was　all　I　had　time　to　shout。
　Then　he　caught　me　…　a　great；　shoulder…wrenching　grab　…　and　snatched　me　back　from　the　precipice。　He　swung　me　in　and　around　and　set　me　on　my　feet。　He　walked　off　immediately；　heading　back　to　the　gravelly　area　where　we　had　fought。　I　followed　him　and　we　collected　our　things。
　As　he　was　clasping　his　big　belt　he　looked　up　at　me　and　looked　away　again。
　〃We'll　not　talk　about　it　any　more；〃　he　said。
　〃All　right。〃
　I　turned　and　walked　back　to　the　horses。　We　mounted　and　continued　on　down　the　trail。
　The　spring　made　its　small　music　in　the　grove。　Higher　now；　the　sun　strung　lines　of　light　through　the　trees。　There　was　still　some　dew　on　the　ground。　The　sod　that　I　had　cut　for　Caine's　grave　was　moist　with　it。
　I　fetched　the　spade　that　I　had　packed　and　opened　the　grave。　Without　a　word；　Gerard　helped　me　move　the　body　onto　a　piece　of　sailcloth　we　had　brought　for　that　purpose。　We　folded　it　about　him　and　closed　it　with　big；　loose　stitches。
　〃Corwin！　Look！〃
　It　was　a　whisper；　and　Gerard's　hand　closed　on　my　elbow　as　he　spoke。
　I　followed　the　direction　of　his　gaze　and　froze。　Neither　of　us　moved　as　we　regarded　the　apparition：　a　soft；　shimmering　white　enpassed　it；　as　if　it　were　covered　with　down　rather　than　fur　and　maning；　its　tiny；　cloven　hooves　were　golden；　as　was　the　delicate；　whorled　horn　that　rose　from　its　narrow　head。　It　stood　atop　one　of　the　lesser　rocks；　nibbling　at　the　lichen　that　grew　there。　Its　eyes；　when　it　raised　them　and　looked　in　our　direction；　were　a　bright；　emerald　green。　It　joined　us　in　immobility　for　a　pair　of　instants。　Then　it　made　a　quick；　nervous　gesture　with　its　front　feet；　pawing　the　air　and　striking　the　stone；　three　times。　And　then　it　blurred　and　vanished　like　a　snowflake；　silently；　perhaps　in　the　woods　to　our　right。
　I　rose　and　crossed　to　the　stone。　Gerard　followed　me。　There；　in　the　moss；　I　traced　its　tiny　hoofmarks。
　〃Then　we　really　did　see　it；〃　Gerard　said。
　I　nodded。
　〃We　saw　something。　Did　you　ever　see　it　before？〃
　〃No。　Did　you？〃
　I　shook　my　head。
　〃Julian　claims　he　once　saw　it；〃　he　said；　〃in　the　distance。　Says　his　hounds　refused　to　give　chase。〃
　〃It　was　beautiful。　That　long；　silky　tail；　those　shiny　hooves。。。〃
　〃Yes。　Dad　always　took　it　as　a　good　omen。〃
　〃I'd　like　to　myself。〃
　〃Strange　time　for　it　to　appear。。。　All　these　years。。。〃
　I　nodded　again。
　〃Is　there　a　special　observance？　It　being　our　patron　and　all。。。　is　there　something　we　should　do？〃
　〃If　there　is；　Dad　never　told　me　about　it；〃　I　said。　I　patted　the　rock　on　which　it　had　appeared。　〃If　you　herald　some　turn　in　our　fortunes；　if　you　bring　us　some　measure　of　grace　…　thanks；　unicorn；〃　I　said。　〃And　even　if　you　do　not；　thanks　for　the　brightness　of　your　pany　at　a　dark　time。〃
　We　went　and　drank　from　the　spring　then。　We　secured　our　grim　parcel　on　the　back　of　the　third　horse。　We　led　our　mounts　until　we　were　away　from　the　place；　where；　save　for　the　water；　things　had　bee　very　still。
　
　
　Chapter　6
　
　Life's　incessant　ceremonies　leap　everlasting；　humans　spring　eternal　on　hope's　breast；　and　frying　pans　without　fires　are　often　far　between：　the　sum　of　my　long　life's　wisdom　that　evening；　tendered　in　a　spirit　of　creative　anxiety；　answered　by　Random　with　a　nod　and　a　friendly　obscenity。
　We　were　in　the　library；　and　I　was　seated　on　the　edge　of　the　big　desk。　Random　occupied　a　chair　to　my　right。　Gerard　stood　at　the　other　end　of　the　room；　inspecting　some　weapons　that　hung　on　the　wall。　Or　maybe　it　was　Rein's　etching　of　the　unicorn　he　was　looking　at。　Whichever；　along　with　ourselves；　he　was　also　ignoring　Julian；　who　was　slouched　in　an　easy　chair　beside　the　display　cases；　right　center；　legs　extended　and　crossed　at　the　ankles；　arms　folded；　staring　down　at　his　scaley　boots。　Fiona　…　five…two；　perhaps；　in　height　…　green　eyes　fixed　on　Flora's　own　blue　as　they　spoke；　there　beside　the　fireplace；　hair　more　than　pensating　for　the　vacant　hearth；　smoldering；　reminded　me；　as　always；　of　something　from　which　the　artist　had　just　drawn　back；　setting　aside　his　tools；　questions　slowly　forming　behind　his　smile。　The　place　at　the　base　of　her　throat　where　his　thumb　had　notched　the　collarbone　always　drew　my　eyes　as　the　mark　of　a　master　craftsman；　especially　when　she　raised　her　head；　quizzical　or　imperious；　to　regard　us　taller　others。　She　smiled　faintly；　just　then；　doubtless　aware　of　my　gaze；　an　almost　clairvoyant　faculty　the　acceptance　of　which　has　never　deprived　of　its　ability　to　disconcert。　Llewella；　off　in　a　er；　pretending　to　study　a　book；　had　her　back　to　the　rest　of　us；　her　green　tresses　bobbed　a　couple　of　inches　above　her　dark　collar。　Whether　her　withdrawal　involved　animus；　self…conscious　in　her　alienation；　or　simple　caution；　I　could　never　be　certain。　Probably　something　of　all　these。　Hers　was　not　that　familiar　a　presence　in　Amber。
　。。。　And　the　fact　that　we　constituted　a　collection　of　individuals　rather　than　a　group；　a　family；　at　a　time　when　I　wanted　to　achieve　some　over…identity；　some　will　to　cooperate；　was　what　led　to　my　observations　and　Random's　acknowledgment。
　I　felt　a　familiar　presence；　heard　a　〃Hello；　Corwin〃　and　there　was　Deirdre；　reaching　toward　me。　I　extended　my　hand；　clasped　her　own；　raised　it。　She　took　a　step　forward；　as　if　to　the　first　strain　of　some　formal　dance；　and　moved　close；　facing　me。　For　an　instant　a　grilled　window　had　framed　her　head　and　shoulders　and　a　rich　tapestry　had　adorned　the　wall　to　her　left。　Planned　and　posed；　of　course。　Still；　effective。　She　held　my　Trump　in　her　left　hand。　She　smiled。　The　others　glanced　our　way　as　she　appeared　and　she　hit　them　all　with　that　smile；　like　the　Mona　Lisa　with　a　machine　gun；　turning　slowly。
　〃Corwin；〃　she　said；　kissing　me　briefly　and　withdrawing；　〃I　fear　I　am　early。〃
　〃Never；〃　I　replied；　turning　toward　Random；　who　had　just　risen　and　who　anticipated　me　by　seconds。
　〃May　I　fetch　you　a　drink；　sister？〃　he　asked；　taking　her　hand　and　nodding　toward　the　sideboard。
　〃Why；　yes。　Thank　you；〃　and　he　led　her　off　and　poured　her　some　wine；　avoiding　or　at　least　postponing；　I　suppose；　her　usual　clash　with　Flora。　At　least；　I　assumed　most　of　the　old　frictions　were　still　alive　as　I　remembered　them。　So　if　it　cost　me　her　pany　for　the　moment　it　also　maintained　the　domestic…tranquility　index；　which　was　important　to　me　just　then。　Random　can　be　good　at　such　things　when　he　wants　to。
　I　drummed　the　side　of　the　desk　with　my　fingertips；　I　rubbed　my　aching　shoulder；　I　uncrossed　and　recrossed　my　legs；　I　debated　lighting　a　cigarette。。。
　Suddenly　he　was　there。　At　the　far　end　of　the　room；　G