rz.thegunsofavalon-第9部分

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known　on　many　earths　that　I　had　never　trod；　for　shadows　of　myself　had　walked　them；　mimicking　imperfectly　my　deeds　and　my　thoughts。
　〃No；〃　said　Ganelon；　〃I　never　paid　heed　to　the　old　stories。　I　wonder　if　it　could　have　been　the　same　man；　ruling　here。　That　is　interesting。〃
　〃Very；〃　I　agreed；　to　keep　my　hand　in　things。　〃But　if　he　ruled　so　long　ago；　surely　he　must　be　dead　or　decrepit　by　now。〃
　〃He　was　a　sorcerer；〃　said　Lance。
　〃The　one　I　knew　certainly　was；〃　said　Ganelon；　〃for　he　banished　me　from　a　land　neither　art　nor　artifice　can　discover　now。〃
　〃You　never　spoke　of　this　before；〃　said　Lance。　〃How　did　it　occur？〃
　〃None　of　your　business；〃　said　Ganelon；　and　Lance　was　silent　once　again。
　I　hauled　out　my　own　pipe　…　I　had　obtained　one　two　days　earlier　…　and　Lance　did　the　same。　It　was　a　clay　job　and　drew　hot　and　hard。　We　lit　up；　and　the　three　of　us　sat　there　smoking。
　〃Well；　he　did　the　smart　thing；〃　said　Ganelon。　〃Let's　forget　it　now。〃
　We　did　not；　of　course。　But　we　stayed　away　from　the　subject　after　that。
　If　it　had　not　been　for　the　dark　thing　behind　us；　it　would　have　been　quite　pleasant；　just　sitting　there；　relaxing。　Suddenly；　I　felt　close　to　the　two　of　them。　I　wanted　to　say　something；　but　I　could　not　think　what。　Ganelon　solved　that　by　bringing　up　current　business　once　more。
　〃So　you　want　to　hit　them　before　they　hit　us？〃　he　said。
　〃That's　right；〃　I　replied。　〃Take　the　fight　to　their　home　territory。〃
　〃The　trouble　is　that　it　is　their　home　territory；〃　he　said。　〃They　know　it　better　than　we　do　now；　and　who　knows　what　powers　they　might　be　able　to　call　on　there？〃
　〃Kill　the　horned　one　and　they　will　crumble；〃　I　said。
　〃Perhaps。　Perhaps　not。　Maybe　you　could　do　it；〃　said　Ganelon。　〃Unless　I　got　lucky；　though；　I　don't　know　whether　I　could。　He's　too　mean　to　die　easily。　While　I　think　I'm　still　as　good　a　man　as　I　was　some　years　ago；　I　may　be　fooling　myself。　Perhaps　I've　grown　soft。　I　never　wanted　this　damn　stay…at…home　job！〃
　〃I　know；〃　I　said。
　〃I　know；〃　said　Lance。
　〃Lance；〃　said　Ganelon；　〃should　we　do　as　our　friend　here　says？　Should　we　attack？〃
　He　could　have　shrugged　and　equivocated。　He　did　not。
　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃They　almost　had　us　last　time。　It　was　very　close　the　night　King　Uther　died。　If　we　do　not　attack　them　now；　I　feel　they　may　defeat　us　next　time。　Oh；　it　would　not　be　easy；　and　we　would　hurt　them　badly。　But　I　think　they　could　do　it。　Let　us　see　what　we　can　see　now；　then　make　our　plans　for　an　attack。〃
　〃All　right；〃　said　Ganelon。　〃I　am　sick　of　waiting　too。　Tell　me　that　again　after　we　return　and　I'll　go　along　with　it。〃　So　we　did　that　thing。
　We　rode　north　that　afternoon；　and　we　hid　ourselves　in　the　hills　and　looked　down　upon　the　Circle。　Within　it；　they　worshiped；　after　their　fashion；　and　they　drilled。　I　estimated　around　four　thousand　troops。　We　had　about　twenty…five　hundred。　They　also　had　weird　flying；　hopping；　crawling　things　that　made　noises　in　the　night。　We　had　stout　hearts。　Yeah。
　All　that　I　needed　was　a　few　minutes　alone　with　their　leader；　and　it　would　be　decided；　one　way　or　another。　The　whole　thing。　I　could　not　tell　my　panions　that；　but　it　was　true。
　You　see；　I　was　the　party　responsible　for　the　whole　thing　down　there。　I　had　done　it；　and　it　was　up　to　me　to　undo　it；　if　I　could。
　I　was　afraid　that　I　could　not。
　In　a　fit　of　passion；　pounded　of　rage；　horror；　and　pain；　I　had　unleashed　this　thing；　and　it　was　reflected　somewhere　in　every　earth　in　existence。　Such　is　the　blood　curse　of　a　Prince　of　Amber。
　We　watched　them　all　that　night；　the　Wardens　of　the　Circle；　and　in　the　morning　we　departed。
　The　verdict　was；　attack！
　So　we　rode　all　the　way　back　and　nothing　followed　us。　When　we　reached　the　Keep　of　Ganelon；　we　fell　to　planning。　Our　troops　were　ready　…　over…ready；　perhaps　…　and　we　decided　to　strike　within　a　fortnight。
　
　***
　
　As　I　lay　with　Lorraine；　I　told　her　of　these　things。　For　I　felt　that　she　should　know。　I　possessed　the　power　to　spirit　her　away　into　Shadow　…　that　very　night；　if　she　would　agree。　She　did　not。
　〃I'll　stay　with　you；〃　she　said。
　〃Okay。〃
　I　did　not　tell　her　that　I　felt　everything　lay　within　my　hands；　but　I　have　a　feeling　she　knew　and　that　for　some　reason　she　trusted　me。　I　would　not　have；　but　that　was　her　affair。
　〃You　know　how　things　might　be；〃　I　said。
　〃I　know；〃　she　said；　and　I　knew　that　she　knew　and　that　was　it。
　We　turned　our　attention　to　other　subjects；　and　later　we　slept。
　
　***
　
　She'd　had　a　dream。
　In　the　morning；　she　said　to　me；　〃I　had　a　dream。〃
　〃What　about？〃　I　asked。
　〃The　ing　battle；〃　she　told　me。　〃I　see　you　and　the　homed　one　locked　in　bat。〃
　〃Who　wins？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　But　as　you　slept；　I　did　a　thing　that　might　help　you。〃
　〃I　wish　you　had　not；〃　I　said。　〃I　can　take　care　of　myself。〃
　〃Then　I　dreamed　of　my　own　death；　in　this　time。〃
　〃Let　me　take　you　away　to　a　place　I　know。〃
　〃No；　my　place　is　here；〃　she　told　me。
　〃I　don't　pretend　to　own　you；〃　I　said；　〃but　I　can　save　you　from　whatever　you've　dreamed。　That　much　lies　within　my　power；　believe　me。〃
　〃I　do　believe　you；　but　I　will　not　go。〃
　〃You're　a　damned　fool。〃
　〃Let　me　stay。〃
　〃As　you　wish。。。　Listen；　I'll　even　send　you　to　Cabra。。。〃
　〃No。〃
　〃You're　a　damned　fool。〃
　〃I　know。　I　love　you。〃
　〃。。。　And　a　stupid　one。　The　word　is　'like。'　Remember？〃
　〃You'll　do　it；〃　she　said。
　〃Go　to　hell；〃　I　said。
　Then　she　wept；　softly；　until　I　forted　her　once　again。
　That　was　Lorraine。
　
　
　Chapter　3
　
　I　thought　back；　one　morning；　upon　all　that　had　gone　before。　I　thought　of　my　brothers　and　sisters　as　though　they　were　playing　cards；　which　I　knew　was　wrong。　I　thought　back　to　the　rest　home　where　I　had　awakened；　back　to　the　battle　for　Amber；　back　to　my　walking　the　Pattern　in　Rebma；　and　back　to　that　time　with　Moire；　who　just　might　be　Eric's　by　now。　I　thought　of　Bleys　and　of　Random；　Deirdre；　Caine；　Gerard；　and　Eric；　that　morning。　It　was　the　morning　of　the　battle；　of　course；　and　we　were　camped　in　the　hills　near　the　Circle。　We　had　been　attacked　several　times　along　the　way；　but　they　had　been　brief；　guerrilla　affairs。　We　had　dispatched　our　assailants　and　continued。　When　we　reached　the　area　we　had　decided　upon；　we　made　our　camp；　posted　guards；　and　retired。　We　slept　undisturbed。　I　awoke　wondering　whether　my　brothers　and　sisters　thought　of　me　as　I　thought　of　them。　It　was　a　very　sad　thought。
　In　the　privacy　of　a　small　grove；　my　helmet　filled　with　soapy　water；　I　shaved　my　beard。　Then　I　dressed；　slowly；　in　my　private　and　tattered　colors。　I　was　as　hard　as　stone；　dark　as　soil；　and　mean　as　hell　once　more。　Today　would　be　the　day。　I　donned　my　visor；　put　on　chain　mail；　buckled　my　belt；　and　hung　Grayswandir　at　my　side。　Then　I　fastened　my　cloak　at　my　neck　with　a　silver　rose　and　was　discovered　by　a　messenger　who　had　been　looking　for　me　to　tell　me　that　things　were　about　ready。
　I　kissed　Lorraine；　who　had　insisted　on　ing　along。　Then　I　mounted　my　horse；　a　roan　named　Star；　and　rode　off　toward　the　front。
　There　I　met　with　Ganelon　and　with　Lance。　They　said；　〃We　are　ready。〃
　I　called　for　my　officers　and　briefed　them。　They　saluted；　turned　and　rode　away。　〃Soon；〃　said　Lance；　lighting　his　pipe。
　〃How　is　your　arm？〃
　〃Fine；　now；〃　he　replied；　〃after　that　workout　you　gave　it　yesterday。　Perfect。〃　I　opened　my　visor　and　lit　my　own　pipe。
　〃You've　shaved　your　beard；〃　said　Lance。　〃I　cannot　picture　you　without　it。〃
　〃The　helm　fits　better　this　way；〃　I　said。
　〃Good　fortune　to　us　all；〃　said　Ganelon。
　〃I　know　no　gods；　but　if　any　care　to　be　with　us；　I　wele　them。〃
　〃There　is　but　one　God；〃　said　Lance。　〃I　pray　that　He　be　with　us。〃
　〃Amen；〃　said　Ganelon；　lighting　his　pipe。　〃For　today。〃
　〃It　will　be　ours；〃　said　Lance。
　〃Yes；〃　said　I；　as　the　sun　stirred　the　east　and　the　birds　of　morning　the　air；　〃it　has　that　feel　to　it。〃
　We　emptied　our　pipes　when　we　had　finished　and　tucked　them　away　at　our　belts。　Then　we　secured　ourselves　with　final　tightenings　and　claspings　of　our　armor　and　Ganelon　said；　〃Let　us　be　about　it。〃
　My　officers　reported　back　to　me。　My　sections　were　ready。
　We　filed　down　the　hillside；　and　we　assembled　outside　the　Circle。　Nothing　stirred　within　it；　and　no　troops　were　visible。
　〃I　wonder　about　Corwin；〃　Ganelon　said　to　me。
　〃He　is　with　us；〃　I　told　him；　and　he　looked　at　me　strangely；　seemed　to　notice　the　rose　for　the　first　time；　then　nodded　brusquely。
　〃Lance；〃　he　said；　when　we　had　assembled。　〃Give　the　order。〃
　And　Lance　drew　his　blade。　His　cried　〃Charge！〃　echoed　about　us。
　
　***
　
　We　were　half　a　mile　inside　the　Circle　before　anything　happened。　There　were　five　hundred　of　us　in　the　lead；　all　mounted。　A　dark　cavalry　appeared；　and　we　met　them。　After　five　minutes；　they　broke　and　we　rode　on。　Then　we　heard　the　thunder。
　There　was　lightning；　and　the　rain　began　to　fall。
　The　thunderhead　had　finally　broken。
　A　thin　line　of　foot　soldiers；　pikemen　mainly；　barred　our　way；　waiting　stoically。　Maybe　we　all　smelled　the　trap；　but　we　bore　down　upon　them。　Then　the　cavalry　hit　our　flanks。
　We　wheeled；　and　the　fighting　began　in　earnest。
　It　was　perhaps　twenty　minutes　later。。。
　We　held　out；　waiting　for　the　main　body　to　arrive。
　Then　the　two　hundred　or　so　of　us　rode　on。。。
　Men。　It　was　men　that　we　slew；　that　slew　us　…　gray…faced；　dour…countenanced　men。　I　wanted　more。　One　more。。。