rz.thegunsofavalon-第6部分

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t　everyone　who　had　entered　the　Circle　had　been　likewise　taken。　Three　had　died。　I　visited　the　rest　of　my　men；　told　them　the　story；　and　they　were　enlisted。　The　patrols　about　the　Circle　were　strengthened。　But　it　would　not　be　contained。　In　the　years　that　followed；　the　Circle　grew。　We　fought　many　skirmishes。　I　was　promoted　until　I　stood　at　Uther's　right　hand；　as　once　I　had　at　Corwin's。　Then　the　skirmishes　became　more　than　skirmishes。　Larger　and　larger　parties　emerged　from　that　hellhole。　We　lost　a　few　battles。　They　took　some　of　our　outposts。　Then　one　night　an　army　emerged；　an　army　…　a　horde　…　of　both　men　and　the　other　things　that　dwelled　there。　That　night　we　met　the　largest　force　we　had　ever　engaged。　King　Uther　himself　rode　to　battle；　against　my　advice　…　for　he　was　advanced　in　years　…　and　he　fell　that　night　and　the　land　was　without　a　ruler。　I　wanted　my　captain；　Lancelot；　to　sit　in　stewardship；　for　I　knew　him　to　be　a　far　more　honorable　man　than　myself。。。　And　it　is　strange　here。　I　had　known　a　Lancelot；　just　like　him；　in　Avalon　…　but　this　man　knew　me　not　when　first　we　met。　It　is　strange。。。　At　any　rate；　he　declined；　and　the　position　was　thrust　upon　me。　I　hate　it；　but　here　I　am。　I　have　held　them　back　for　over　three　years　now。　All　my　instincts　tell　me　to　flee。　What　do　I　owe　these　damned　people？　What　do　I　care　if　the　bloody　Circle　widens？　I　could　cross　over　the　sea　to　some　land　it　would　never　reach　during　my　lifetime；　and　then　forget　the　whole　thing。　Damn　it！　I　didn't　want　this　responsibility！　Now　it　is　mine；　though！〃
　〃Why？〃　I　asked　him；　and　the　sound　of　my　own　voice　was　strange　to　me。
　There　was　silence。
　He　emptied　his　pipe。　He　refilled　it。　He　relit　it。　He　puffed　it。
　There　was　more　silence。
　Then；　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said。　〃I'd　stab　a　man　in　the　back　for　a　pair　of　shoes；　if　he　had　them　and　I　needed　them　to　keep　my　feet　from　freezing。　I　once　did；　that's　how　I　know。　But。。。　this　is　different。　This　is　a　thing　hurting　everybody；　and　I'm　the　only　one　who　can　do　the　job。　God　damn　it！　I　know　they're　going　to　bury　me　here　one　day；　along　with　all　the　rest　of　them。　But　I　can't　pull　out。　I've　got　to　hold　that　thing　back　as　long　as　I　can。〃
　My　head　was　cleared　by　the　cold　night　air；　which　gave　my　consciousness　a　second　wind；　so　to　speak；　though　my　body　felt　mildly　anesthetized　about　me。
　〃Couldn't　Lance　lead　them？〃　I　asked。
　〃I'd　say　so。　He's　a　good　man。　But　there　is　another　reason。　I　think　that　goat…thing；　whatever　it　was；　on　the　altar；　is　a　bit　afraid　of　me。　I　had　gone　in　there　and　it　had　told　me　I'd　never　make　it　back　out　again；　but　I　did。　I　lived　through　the　sickness　that　followed　after。　It　knows　it's　me　that　has　been　fighting　it　all　along。　We　won　that　great　bloody　engagement　on　the　night　Uther　died；　and　I　met　the　thing　again　in　a　different　form　and　it　knew　me。　Maybe　this　is　a　part　of　what　is　holding　it　back　now。〃
　〃What　form？〃
　〃A　thing　with　a　manlike　shape；　but　with　goat　horns　and　red　eyes。　It　was　mounted　on　a　piebald　stallion。　We　fought　for　a　time；　but　the　tide　of　the　battle　swept　us　apart。　Which　was　a　good　thing；　too；　for　it　was　winning。　It　spoke　again；　as　we　swaggered　swords；　and　I　knew　that　head…filling　voice。　It　called　me　a　fool　and　told　me　I　could　never　hope　to　win。　But　when　morning　came；　the　field　was　ours　and　we　drove　them　back　to　the　Circle；　slaying　them　as　they　fled。　The　rider　of　the　piebald　escaped。　There　have　been　other　sallyings　forth　since　then；　but　none　such　as　that　night's。　If　I　were　to　leave　this　land；　another　such　army　…　one　that　is　readying　even　now　…　would　e　forth。　That　thing　would　somehow　know　of　my　departure　…　just　as　it　knew　that　Lance　was　bringing　me　another　report　on　the　disposition　of　troops　within　the　Circle；　sending　those　Wardens　to　destroy　him　as　he　returned。　It　knows　of　you　by　now；　and　surely　it　must　wonder　over　this　development。　It　must　wonder　who　you　are；　for　all　your　strength。　I　will　stay　here　and　fight　it　till　I　fall。　I　must。　Do　not　ask　me　why。　I　only　hope　that　before　that　day　es；　I　at　least　learn　how　this　thing　came　to　pass　…　why　that　Circle　is　out　there。〃
　Then　there　came　a　fluttering　near　to　my　head。　I　ducked　quickly　to　avoid　whatever　it　was。　It　was　not　necessary；　though。　It　was　only　a　bird。　A　white　bird。　It　landed　on　my　left　shoulder　and　stood　there；　making　small　noises。　I　held　up　my　wrist　and　it　hopped　over　onto　it。　There　was　a　note　tied　to　its　leg。　I　unfastened　it；　read　it；　crumpled　it　in　my　hand。　Then　I　studied　invisible　things　distant。
　〃What　is　the　matter。　Sir　Corey？〃　cried　Ganelon。
　The　note；　which　I　had　sent　on　ahead　to　my　destination；　written　in　my　own　hand；　transmitted　by　a　bird　of　my　desire；　could　only　reach　the　place　that　had　to　be　my　next　stop。　This　was　not　precisely　the　place　that　I　had　in　mind。　However；　I　could　read　my　own　omens。
　〃What　is　it？〃　he　asked。　〃What　is　it　that　you　hold？　A　message？〃
　I　nodded。　I　handed　it　to　him。　I　could　not　very　well　throw　it　away；　since　he　had　seen　me　take　it。　It　read；　〃I　am　ing；〃　and　it　bore　my　signature。　Ganelon　puffed　his　pipe　and　read　it　in　the　glow。
　〃He　lives？　And　he　would　e　here？〃　he　said。
　〃So　it　would　seem。〃
　〃This　is　very　strange；〃　he　said。　〃I　do　not　understand　it　at　all。。。〃
　〃It　sounds　like　a　promise　of　assistance；〃　I　said；　dismissing　the　bird；　which　cooed　twice；　then　circled　my　head　and　departed。
　Ganelon　shook　his　head。
　〃I　do　not　understand。〃
　〃Why　number　the　teeth　of　a　horse　you　may　receive　for　nothing？〃　I　said。　〃You　have　only　succeeded　in　containing　that　thing。〃
　〃True；〃　he　said。　〃Perhaps　he　could　destroy　it。〃
　〃And　perhaps　it's　just　a　joke；〃　I　told　him。　〃A　cruel　one。〃
　He　shook　his　head　again。
　〃No。　That　is　not　his　style。　I　wonder　what　he　is　after？〃
　〃Sleep　on　it；〃　I　suggested。
　〃There　is　little　else　that　I　can　do；　just　now；〃　he　said；　stifling　a　yawn。
　We　rose　then　and　walked　the　wall。　We　said　our　good　nights；　and　I　staggered　off　toward　the　pit　of　sleep　and　fell　headlong　into　it。
　
　
　Chapter　2
　
　Day。　More　aches。　More　pains。
　Someone　had　left　me　a　new　cloak；　a　brown　one；　which　I　decided　was　a　good　thing。　Especially　if　I　put　on　more　weight　and　Ganelon　recalled　my　colors。　I　did　not　shave　my　beard；　because　he　had　known　me　in　a　slightly　less　hairy　condition。　I　took　pains　to　disguise　my　voice　whenever　he　was　about。　I　hid　Grayswandir　beneath　my　bed。
　For　all　of　the　following　week　I　drove　myself　ruthlessly。　I　worked　and　sweated　and　strove　until　the　aches　subsided　and　my　muscles　grew　firm　once　more。　I　think　I　put　on　fifteen　pounds　that　week。　Slowly；　very　slowly；　I　began　feeling　like　my　old　self。
　The　country　was　called　Lorraine；　and　so　was　she。　If　I　happened　to　be　in　the　mood　to　hand　you　a　line；　I　would　tell　you　we　met　in　a　meadow　behind　the　castle；　she　gathering　flowers　and　me　walking　there　for　exercise　and　fresh　air。　Crap。
　I　guess　a　polite　term　would　be　camp　follower。　I　met　her　at　the　end　of　a　hard　day's　work；　spent　mainly　with　the　saber　and　the　mace。　She　was　standing　off　on　the　side　lines　waiting　for　her　date　when　I　first　caught　sight　of　her。　She　smiled　and　I　smiled　back；　nodded；　winked；　and　passed　her　by。　The　next　day　I　saw　her　again；　and　I　said　〃Hello〃　as　I　passed　her。　That's　all。
　Well；　I　kept　running　into　her。　By　the　end　of　my　second　week；　when　my　aches　were　gone　and　I　was　over　a　hundred…eighty　pounds　and　feeling　that　way　again；　I　arranged　to　be　with　her　one　evening。　By　then；　I　was　aware　of　her　status　and　it　was　fine；　so　far　as　I　was　concerned。　But　we　did　not　do　the　usual　thing　that　night。　No。
　Instead；　we　talked；　and　then　something　else　happened。
　Her　hair　was　rust…colored　with　a　few　strands　of　gray　in　it。　I　guessed　she　was　under　thirty；　though。　Eyes；　very　blue。　Slightly　pointed　chin。　Clean；　even　teeth　inside　a　mouth　that　smiled　at　me　a　lot。　Her　voice　was　somewhat　nasal；　her　hair　was　too　long；　her　make…up　laid　on　too　heavily　over　too　much　tiredness；　her　plexion　too　freckled；　her　choice　in　clothing　too　bright　and　tight。　But　I　liked　her。　I　did　not　think　I'd　actually　feel　that　way　when　I　asked　her　out　that　night　because；　as　I　said；　liking　her　was　not　what　I　had　in　mind。
　There　was　no　place　to　go　but　my　chamber；　so　we　had　gone　there。　I　had　bee　a　captain；　and　I　took　advantage　of　my　rank　by　having　dinner　brought　to　us；　and　an　extra　bottle　of　wine。
　〃The　men　are　afraid　of　you；〃　she　said。　〃They　say　you　never　grow　tired。〃
　〃I　do；〃　I　said；　〃believe　me。〃
　〃Of　course；〃　she　said；　shaking　her　too…long　locks　and　smiling。　〃Don't　we　all？〃
　〃I　daresay；〃　I　replied。
　〃How　old　are　you？〃
　〃How　old　are　you？〃
　〃A　gentleman　would　not　ask　that　question。〃
　〃Neither　would　a　lady？〃
　〃When　you　first　came　here；　they　thought　you　were　over　fifty。〃
　〃And。。。？〃
　〃And　now　they　have　no　idea。　Forty…five？　Forty？〃
　〃No；〃　I　said。
　〃I　didn't　think　so。　But　your　beard　fooled　everyone。〃
　〃Beards　often　do　that。〃
　〃You　look　better　every　day。　Bigger。。。〃
　〃Thanks。　I　feel　better　than　I　did　when　I　arrived。〃
　〃Sir　Corey　of　Cabra；〃　she　said。　〃Where's　Cabra？　What's　Cabra？　Will　you　take　me　there　with　you；　if　I　ask　you　nicely？〃
　〃I'd　tell　you　so；〃　I　said；　〃but　I'd　be　lying。〃
　〃I　know。　But　it　would　be　nice　to　hear。〃
　〃Okay。　I'll　take　you　there　with　me。　It's　place。〃
　〃Are　you　really　as　good　as　the　men　say？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　not。　Are　you？〃
　〃Not　really。　Do　you　want　to　go　to　bed　now？〃
　〃No。