rz.signoftheunicorn-第2部分
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〃I've been trying to think how I could alibi you。 But it does not look promising。〃
I shook my head。
〃You are too close to me。 No matter how good we made it sound； it would probably have the opposite effect。〃
〃Have you considered admitting to it？〃
〃Yes。 But self…defense is out。 With a cut throat； it had to be a matter of surprise。 And I have no stomach for starting off with the alternative： hoke up some evidence that he was up to something rotten and say I did it for the good of Amber。 I flatly refuse to take on fake guilt under those terms。 I'd wind up with a bad odor that way； too。〃
〃But with a real tough reputation。〃
〃It's the wrong kind of tough for the sort of show I want to run。 No； that's out。〃
〃That covers everything； then … just about。〃
〃What do you mean 'just about'？〃
He studied his left thumbnail through slitted eyes。
〃Well； it occurs to me that if there is anyone else you are anxious to get out of the picture； now is the time to consider that a frame can often be shifted。〃
I thought about it and finished my cigarette。
〃Not bad；〃 I said； 〃but I can't spare any more brothers at the moment。 Not even Julian。 Anyhow； he's the least frameable。〃
〃It need not be family；〃 he said。 〃Plenty of noble Amberites around with possible motives。 Take Sir Reginald … 〃
〃Forget it； Random！ The reframing is out； too。〃
〃Okay。 I've exhausted my little gray cells； then。〃
〃Not the ones in charge of memory； I hope。〃
〃All right。〃
He sighed。 He stretched。 He got to his feet； stepped over the room's other occupant； and made his way to the window。 Drawing back the drapes； he stared out for a time。
〃All right；〃 he repeated。 〃There's a lot to tell。。。〃
Then he remembered out loud。
Chapter 2
While sex heads a great number of lists； we all have other things we like to do in between。 With me； Corwin； it's drumming； being up in the air； and gambling … in no special order。 Well； maybe soaring has a little edge … in gliders； balloons； and certain variations … but mood has a lot to do with that too； you know。 I mean； ask me another time and I might say one of the others。 Depends on what you want most at the moment。
Anyway； I was here in Amber some years ago。 Not doing much of anything。 Just visiting and being a nuisance。 Dad was still around； and when I noticed that he was getting into one of his grumpy moods； I decided it was time to take a walk。 A long one。 I had often noticed that his fondness for me tended to increase as an inverse function of my proximity。 He gave me a fancy riding crop for a going…away present … to hasten the process of affection； I suppose。 Still； it was a very nice crop … silver…chased； beautifully tooled … and I made good use of it。 I had decided to go looking for an assemblage of all my simple pleasures in one small nook of Shadow。
It was a long ride … I will not bore you with the details … and it was pretty far from Amber； as such things go。 This time； I was not looking for a place where I would be especially important。 That can get either boring or difficult fairly quickly； depending on how responsible you want to be。 I wanted to be an irresponsible nonentity and just enjoy myself。
Texorami was a wide open port city； with sultry days and long nights； lots of good music； gambling around the clock； duels every morning and in…between mayhem for those who couldn't wait。 And the air currents were fabulous。 I had a little red sail plane I used to go sky surfing in； every couple of days。 It was the good life。 I played drums till all hours in a basement spot up the river where the walls sweated almost as much as the customers and the smoke used to wash around the lights like streams of milk。 When I was done playing I'd go find some action； women； or cards； usually。 And that was it for the rest of the night。 Damn Eric； anyway！ That reminds me again。。。 He once accused me of cheating at cards； did you know that？ And that's about the only thing I wouldn't cheat at。 I take my card playing seriously。 I'm good and I'm also lucky。 Eric was neither。 The trouble with him was that he was good at so many things he wouldn't admit even to himself that there were some things other people could do better。 If you kept beating him at anything you had to be cheating。 He started a nasty argument over it one night … could have gotten serious … but Gerard and Caine broke it up。 Give Caine that。 He took my part that time。 Poor guy。。。 Hell of a way to go； you know？ His throat。。。 Well； anyhow； there I was in Texorami； making music and women； winning at cards and jockeying around the sky。 Palm trees and night…blooming wallflowers。 Lots of good port smells … spices； coffee； tar； salt … you know。 Gentlefolk； merchants； and peons … the same straights as in most other places。 Sailors and assorted travelers passing in and out。 Guys like me living around the edges of things。 I spent a little over two years in Texorami； happy。 Really。 Not much contact with the others。 Sort of postcard like hellos via the Trumps every now and then； and that was about it。 Amber was pretty much off my mind。 All this changed one night when I was sitting there with a full house and the guy across from me was trying to make up his mind whether or not I was bluffing。
The Jack of Diamonds began talking to me。
Yes； that is how it started。 I was in a weird frame of mind anyway。 I had just finished a couple very hot sets and was still kind of high。 Also； I was physically strung out from a long day's gliding and not much sleep the night before。 I decided later that it must be our mental quirk associated with the Trumps that made me see it that way when someone was trying to reach me and I had cards in my hand … any cards。 Ordinarily； of course； we get the message empty…handed； unless we are doing the calling。 It could have been that my subconscious … which was kind of footloose at the time … just seized on the available props out of habit。 Later； though； I had cause to wonder。 Really； I just don't know。
The Jack said； 〃Random。〃 Then its face blurred and it said； 〃Help me。〃 I began getting a feel of the personality by then； but it was weak。 The whole thing was very weak。 Then the face rearranged itself and I saw that I was right。 It was Brand。 He looked like hell； and he seemed to be chained or tied to something。 〃Help me；〃 he said again。
〃I'm here；〃 I said。 〃What's the matter？〃
〃。。。 prisoner；〃 he said； and something else that I couldn't make out。
〃Where？〃 I asked。
He shook his head at that。
〃Can't bring you through；〃 he said。 〃No Trumps； and I am too weak。 You will have to e the long way around。。。〃
I did not ask him how he was managing it without my Trump。 Finding out where he was seemed of first importance。 I asked him how I could locate him。
〃Look very closely；〃 he said。 〃Remember every feature。 I may only be able to show you once。 e armed； too。。。〃
Then I saw the landscape … over his shoulder； out a window； over a battlement； I can't be sure。 It was far from Amber； somewhere where the shadows go mad。 Farther than I like to go。 Stark； with shifting colors。 Fiery。 Day without a sun in the sky。 Rocks that glided like sailboats across the land。 Brand there in some sort of tower … a small point of stability in that flowing scene。 I remembered it； all right。 And I remembered the presence coiled about the base of that tower。 Brilliant。 Prismatic。 Some sort of watch…thing； it seemed … too bright for me to make out its outline； to guess its proper size。 Then it all just went away。 Instant off。 And there I was； staring at the Jack of Diamonds again； with the guy across from me not knowing whether to be mad at my long distraction or concerned that I might be having some sort of sick spell。
I closed up shop with that hand and went home。 I lay stretched out on my bed； smoking and thinking。 Brand had still been in Amber when I had departed。 Later； though； when I had asked after him； no one had any idea as to his whereabouts。 He had been having one of his melancholy spells； had snapped out of it one day and ridden off。 And that was that。 No messages either … either way。 He wasn't answering； he wasn't talking。
I tried to figure every angle。 He was smart； damn smart。 Possibly the best mind in the family。 He was in trouble and he had called me。 Eric and Gerard were more the heroic types and would probably have weled the adventure。 Caine would have gone out of curiosity； I think。 Julian； to look better than the rest of us and to score points with Dad。 Or； easiest of all； Brand could have called Dad himself。 Dad would have done something about it。 But he had called me。 Why？
It occurred to me then that maybe one or more of the others had been responsible for his circumstances。 If； say； Dad was beginning to favor him。。。 Well。 You know。 Eliminate the positive。 And if he did call Dad； he would look like a weakling。
So I suppressed my impulse to yell for reinforcements。 He had called me； and it was quite possible that I would be cutting his throat by letting anyone back in Amber in on the fact that he had gotten the message out。 Okay。 What was in it for me？
If it involved the succession and he had truly bee fair…haired； I figured that I could do a lot worse than give him this to remember me by。 A
