rz.signoftheunicorn-第19部分

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t　be　driving　them　this　way。　In　other　words；　highly　improbable　penetrations　of　Shadow　were　occurring。〃
　〃This　actually　began　while　Dad　was　still　around？〃
　〃Oh　yes。　It　started　several　years　before　your　recovery　…　as　I　said。〃
　〃I　see。　Did　anyone　consider　the　possibility　of　there　being　a　connection　between　this　state　of　affairs　and　Dad's　departure？〃
　〃Certainly；〃　Benedict　replied。　〃I　still　feel　that　that　was　the　reason　for　it。　He　went　off　to　investigate；　or　to　seek　a　remedy。〃
　〃But　that　is　purely　conjecture；〃　Julian　said。　〃You　know　how　he　was。　He　gave　no　reasons。〃
　Benedict　shrugged。
　〃It　is　a　reasonable　inference；　though；〃　he　said。　〃I　understand　that　he　had　spoken　of　his　concern　over　the　…　monster　migrations；　if　you　like　…　on　numerous　occasions。〃
　I　withdrew　my　cards　from　their　case；　having　recently　gotten　into　the　habit　of　carrying　a　set　of　Trumps　with　me　at　all　times。　I　raised　Gerard's　Trump　and　regarded　it。　The　others　were　silent；　watching　me　as　I　did　this。　Moments　later；　there　was　contact。
　Gerard　was　still　seated　in　his　chair；　his　blade　across　his　knees。　He　was　still　eating。　He　swallowed　when　he　felt　my　presence　and　said；　〃Yes；　Corwin？　What　do　you　want？〃
　〃How　is　Brand？〃
　〃Sleeping；〃　he　said。　〃His　pulse　is　a　little　stronger。　His　breathing　is　the　same　…　regular。　It's　still　too　early　…〃
　〃I　know；〃　I　said。　〃I　mainly　wanted　to　check　your　recollection　of　something：　Near　the　end　there；　did　you　get　the　impression　from　anything　he　might　have　said　or　done　that　Dad's　going　away　might　have　been　connected　with　the　increased　number　of　Shadow　beings　that　were　slipping　through　into　Amber？〃
　〃That；〃　said　Julian；　〃is　what　is　known　as　a　leading　question。〃
　Gerard　wiped　his　mouth。
　〃There　could　have　been　a　connection；　yes；〃　he　said。　〃He　seemed　disturbed；　preoccupied　with　something。　And　he　did　talk　about　the　creatures。　But　he　never　really　said　that　that　was　his　main　concern　…　or　whether　it　was　something　entirely　different。〃
　〃Like　what？〃
　He　shook　his　head。
　〃Anything。　I　…　yes。。。　yes；　there　is　something　you　probably　ought　to　know；　for　whatever　it　is　worth。　Some　time　after　his　disappearance；　I　did　make　an　effort　to　find　out　one　thing。　That　was；　whether　I　was　indeed　the　last　person　to　see　him　before　his　departure。　I　am　fairly　certain　that　I　was。　I　had　been　here　in　the　palace　all　evening；　and　I　was　preparing　to　return　to　the　flagship。　Dad　had　retired　about　an　hour　earlier；　but　I　had　stayed　on　in　the　guard　room；　playing　draughts　with　Captain　Thoben。　As　we　were　sailing　the　following　morning；　I　decided　to　take　a　book　with　me。　So　I　came　up　here　to　the　library。　Dad　was　seated　at　the　desk。〃　He　gestured　with　his　head。　〃He　was　going　through　some　old　books；　and　he　had　not　yet　changed　his　garments。　He　nodded　to　me　when　I　entered；　and　I　told　him　I　had　just　e　up　for　a　book。　He　said；　'You've　e　to　the　right　place；'　and　he　kept　on　reading。　While　I　was　looking　over　the　shelves；　he　said　something　to　the　effect　that　he　could　not　sleep。　I　found　a　book；　told　him　good　night；　he　said；　'Good　sailing；'　and　I　left。〃　He　lowered　his　eyes　again。　〃Now　I　am　positive　he　was　wearing　the　Jewel　of　Judgment　that　night；　that　I　saw　it　on　him　then　as　plainly　as　I　see　it　on　you　now。　I　am　equally　certain　that　he　had　not　had　it　on　earlier　that　evening。　For　a　long　while　after；　I　thought　that　he　had　taken　it　along　with　him；　wherever　he　went。　There　was　no　indication　in　his　chambers　that　he　had　later　changed　his　clothing。　I　never　saw　the　stone　again　until　you　and　Bleys　were　defeated　in　your　assault　on　Amber。　Then；　Eric　was　wearing　it。　When　I　questioned　him　he　claimed　that　he　had　found　it　in　Dad's　chambers。　Lacking　evidence　to　the　contrary；　I　had　to　accept　his　story。　But　I　was　never　happy　with　it。　Your　question　…　and　seeing　you　wearing　it　…　has　brought　it　all　back。　So　I　thought　you　had　better　know　about　it。〃
　〃Thanks；〃　I　said；　and　another　question　occurred　to　me　but　I　decided　against　asking　it　at　that　moment。　For　the　benefit　of　the　others；　I　closed　off　by　saying；　〃So　do　you　think　he　needs　any　more　blankets？　Or　anything　else？〃
　Gerard　raised　his　glass　to　me；　then　took　a　drink。
　〃Very　good。　Keep　up　the　good　work；〃　I　said；　and　I　passed　my　hand　over　his　card。
　〃Brother　Brand　seems　to　be　doing　all　right；〃　I　said；　〃and　Gerard　does　not　recollect　Dad's　saying　anything　that　would　directly　connect　Shadow　slippage　and　his　departure。　I　wonder　how　Brand　will　recall　things；　when　he　es　around？〃
　〃If　he　es　around；〃　Julian　said。
　〃I　think　that　he　will；〃　I　said。　〃We　have　all　taken　some　pretty　bad　beatings。　Our　vitality　is　one　of　the　few　things　we　have　e　to　trust。　My　guess　is　that　he　will　be　talking　by　morning。〃
　〃What　do　you　propose　doing　with　the　guilty　party；〃　he　asked；　〃if　Brand　names　him？〃
　〃Question　him；〃　I　said。
　〃Then　I　would　like　to　do　the　questioning。　I　am　beginning　to　feel　that　you　may　be　right　this　time；　Corwin；　and　that　the　person　who　stabbed　him　may　also　be　responsible　for　our　intermittent　state　of　siege；　for　Dad's　disappearance；　and　for　Caine's　killing。　So　I　would　enjoy　questioning　him　before　we　cut　his　throat；　and　I　would　like　to　volunteer　for　that　last　part　also。〃
　〃We　will　keep　it　in　mind；〃　I　said。
　〃You　are　not　excluded　from　the　reckoning；　Corwin。〃
　〃I　was　aware　of　that。〃
　〃I　have　something　to　say；〃　said　Benedict；　smothering　a　rejoinder　from　Julian。　〃I　find　myself　troubled　both　by　the　strength　and　the　apparent　objective　of　the　opposition。　I　have　encountered　them　now　on　several　occasions；　and　they　are　out　for　blood。　Accepting　for　the　moment　your　story　of　the　girl　Dara；　Corwin；　her　final　words　do　seem　to　sum　up　their　attitude：　'Amber　will　be　destroyed。'　Not　conquered；　subjugated；　or　taught　a　lesson。　Destroyed。　Julian；　you　wouldn't　mind　ruling　here；　would　you？〃　Julian　smiled。
　〃Perhaps　next　year　this　time；〃　he　said。　〃Not　today；　thank　you。〃
　〃What　I　am　getting　at　is　that　I　could　see　you　…　or　any　of　us　…　employing　mercenaries　or　obtaining　allies　to　effect　a　takeover。　I　cannot　see　you　employing　a　force　so　powerful　that　it　would　represent　a　grave　problem　itself　afterward。　Not　a　force　that　seems　bent　on　destruction　rather　than　conquest。　I　cannot　see　you；　me；　Corwin；　the　others　as　actually　trying　to　destroy　Amber；　or　willing　to　gamble　with　forces　that　would。　That　is　the　part　I　do　not　like　about　Corwin's　notion　that　one　of　us　is　behind　this。〃
　I　had　to　nod。　I　was　not　unaware　of　the　weakness　of　that　link　in　my　chain　of　speculations。　Still；　there　were　so　many　unknowns。。。　I　could　offer　alternatives；　such　as　Random　then　did；　but　guesses　prove　nothing。
　〃It　may　be；〃　Random　said；　〃that　one　of　us　made　the　deal　but　underestimated　his　allies。　The　guilty　party　may　now　be　sweating　this　thing　as　much　as　the　rest　of　us。　He　may　not　be　in　a　position　to　turn　things　off　now；　even　if　he　wants　to。〃
　〃We　could　offer　him　the　opportunity；〃　Fiona　said；　〃to　betray　his　allies　to　us　now。　If　Julian　could　be　persuaded　to　leave　his　throat　uncut　and　the　rest　of　us　were　willing　to　do　the　same；　he　might　e　around　…　if　Random's　guess　is　correct。　He　would　not　claim　the　throne；　but　he　was　obviously　not　about　to　have　it　before。　He　would　have　his　life　and　he　could　save　Amber　quite　a　bit　of　trouble。　Is　anyone　willing　to　mit　himself　to　a　position　on　this？〃
　〃I　am；〃　I　said。　〃I　will　give　him　life　if　he　will　e　across；　with　the　understanding　that　it　will　be　spent　in　exile。〃
　〃I　will　go　along　with　that；〃　Benedict　said。
　〃So　will　I；〃　said　Random。
　〃On　one　condition；〃　Julian　said。　〃If　he　was　not　personally　responsible　for　Caine's　death；　I　will　go　along　with　it。　Otherwise；　no。　And　there　would　have　to　be　evidence。〃
　〃Life；　in　exile；〃　Deirdre　said。　〃All　right。　I　agree。〃
　〃So　do　I；〃　said　Flora。
　〃And　I；〃　Llewella　followed。
　〃Gerard　will　probably　agree　too；〃　I　said。　〃But　I　really　wonder　whether　Brand　will　feel　the　same　as　the　rest　of　us。　I've　a　feeling　he　may　not。〃
　〃Let　us　check　with　Gerard；〃　Benedict　said。　〃If　Brand　makes　it　and　proves　the　only　holdout；　the　guilty　party　will　know　he　has　only　one　enemy　to　avoid　…　and　they　can　always　work　out　their　own　terms　on　that　count。〃
　〃All　right；〃　I　said；　smothering　a　few　misgivings；　and　I　recontacted　Gerard；　who　agreed　also。
　So　we　rose　to　our　feet　and　swore　that　much　by　the　Unicorn　of　Amber　…　Julian's　oath　having　an　extra　clause　to　it　…　and　swore　to　enforce　exile　on　any　of　our　own　number　who　violated　the　oath。　Frankly；　I　did　not　think　it　would　net　us　anything；　but　it　is　always　nice　to　see　families　doing　things　together。
　After　that；　everyone　made　a　point　of　mentioning　that　he　would　be　remaining　in　the　palace　overnight；　presumably　to　indicate　that　no　one　feared　anything　Brand　might　have　to　say　in　the　morning　…　and　especially　to　indicate　that　no　one　had　a　desire　to　get　out　of　town；　a　thing　that　would　not　be　forgotten；　even　if　Brand　gave　up　the　ghost　during　the　night。　In　that　I　had　no　further　questions　to　put　to　the　group　and　no　one　had　sprung　forward　to　own　up　to　the　misdeeds　covered　by　the　oath；　I　leaned　back　and　listened　for　a　time　after　that。　Things　came　apart；　falling　into　a　series　of　conversations　and　exchanges；　one　of　the　main　topics　being　an　attempted　reconstruction　of　the　library　tableau；　each　of　us　in　his　own　place　and；　invariably；　why　each　of　us　was　in　a　position　to　have　done　it；　except　for　the　speaker。　I　smoked；　I　said