rz.signoftheunicorn-第21节
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n the other hand； have made a number of blunders which you would not have made had you been in full possession of your faculties。 That is why I believe your story； amnesia and all。 No one gets himself blinded as a piece of strategy。 Gerard is well on the way to establishing his own innocence。 I almost think he is up there with Brand now more for that reason than from any desire to protect Brand。 At any rate； we will know for sure before long … or else have some new suspicions。 Random has simply been watched too closely these past years to have had the opportunity to engineer everything that has been happening。 So he is out。 Of us more delicate sorts。 Flora hasn't the brains； Deirdre lacks the guts； Llewella hasn't the motivations； as she is happy elsewhere but never here； and I； of course； am innocent of all but malice。 That leaves Julian。 Is he capable？ Yes。 Does he want the throne？ Of course。 Has he had time and opportunity？ Again； yes。 He is your man。〃
〃Would he have killed Caine？〃 I asked。
〃They were buddies。〃
She curled her lip。
〃Julian has no friends；〃 she said。 〃That icy personality of his is thawed only by thoughts of himself。 Oh； in recent years he seemed closer to Caine than to anyone else。 But even that。。。 even that could have been a part of it。 Shamming a friendship long enough to make it seem believable； so that he would not be suspect at this time。 I can believe Julian capable of that because I cannot believe him capable of strong emotional attachments。〃
I shook my head。
〃I don't know；〃 I said。 〃His friendship with Caine is something that occurred during my absence； so everything I know concerning it is secondhand。 Still； if Julian were looking for friendship in the form of another personality close to his own； I can see it。 They were a lot alike。 I tend to think it was real； because I don't think anybody is capable of deceiving someone about his friendship for years。 Unless the other party is awfully stupid； which is something Caine was not。 And … well； you say your reasoning was subjective； intuitive； and biased。 So is mine； on something like this。 I just don't like to think anybody is such a miserable wretch that he would use his only friend that way。 That's why I think there is something wrong with your list。〃
She sighed。
〃For someone who has been around for as long as you have； Corwin； you say some silly things。 Were you changed by your long stay in that funny little place？ Years ago you would have seen the obvious； as I do。〃
〃Perhaps I have changed； for such things no longer seem obvious。 Or could it be that you have changed； Fiona？ A trifle more cynical than the little girl I once knew。 It might not have been all that obvious to you； years ago。〃
She smiled softly。
〃Never tell a woman she has changed； Corwin。 Except for the better。 You used to know that； too。 Could it be that you are really only one of Corwin's shadows； sent back to suffer and intimidate here on his behalf？ Is the real Corwin somewhere else； laughing at us all？〃
〃I am here； and I am not laughing；〃 I said。 She laughed。
〃Yes； that is it！〃 she said。 〃I have just decided that you are not yourself！
〃Announcement； everybody！〃 she cried； springing to her feet。 〃I have just noticed that this is not really Corwin！ It has to be one of his shadows！ It has just announced a belief in friendship； dignity； nobility of spirit； and those other things which figure prominently in popular romances！ I am obviously onto something！〃
The others stared at her。 She laughed again； then sat down abruptly。
I heard Flora mutter 〃drunk〃 and return to her conversation with Deirdre。
Random said； 〃Let's hear it for shadows；〃 and turned back to a discussion with Benedict and Llewella。
〃See？〃 she said。
〃What？〃
〃You're insubstantial；〃 she said； patting my knee。 〃And so am I； now that I think about it。 It has been a bad day； Corwin。〃
〃I know。 I feel like hell； too。 I thought I had such a fine idea for getting Brand back。 Not only that； it worked。 A lot of good it did him。〃
〃Don't overlook those bits of virtue you've acquired；〃 she said。 〃You're not to blame for the way it turned out。〃
〃Thanks。〃
〃I believe that Julian might have had the right idea；〃 she said。 〃I don't feel like staying awake any longer。〃
I rose with her； walked her to the door。
〃I'm all right；〃 she said。 〃Really。〃
〃Sure？〃
She nodded sharply。
〃See you in the morning then。〃
〃I hope so；〃 she said。 〃Now you can talk about me。〃
She winked and went out。
I turned back； saw that Benedict and Llewella were approaching。
〃Turning in？〃 I asked。
Benedict nodded。
〃Might as well；〃 Llewella said； and she kissed me on the cheek。
〃What was that for？〃
〃A number of things；〃 she said。 〃Good night。〃
〃Good night。〃
Random was crouched on the hearth； poking at the fire。 Deirdre turned to him and said； 〃Don't throw on more wood just for us。 Flora and I are going too。〃
〃Okay。〃 He set the poker aside and rose。 〃Sleep well；〃 he called after them。
Deirdre gave me a sleepy smile and Flora a nervous one。 I added my good nights and watched them leave。
〃Learn anything new and useful？〃 Random asked。
I shrugged。
〃Did you？〃
〃Opinions； conjectures。 No new facts；〃 he said。 〃We were trying to decide who might be next on the list。〃
〃And。。。？〃
〃Benedict thinks it's a toss…up。 You or him。 Providing you are not behind it all； of course。 He also thinks your buddy Ganelon ought to watch his step。〃
〃Ganelon。。。 Yes； that's a thought … and it should have been mine。 I think he is right about the toss…up； too。 It may even be slightly weighted against him； since they know I'm alert because of the attempted frameup。〃
〃I would say that all of us are now aware that Benedict is alert himself。 He managed to mention his opinion to everyone。 I believe that he would wele an attempt。〃
I chuckled。
〃That balances the coin again。 I guess it is a toss…up。〃
〃He said that； too。 Naturally； he knew I would tell you。〃
〃Naturally； I wish he would start talking to me again。 Well。。。 not much I can do about it now；〃 I said。 〃The hell with everything。 I'm going to bed。〃
He nodded。
〃Look under it first。〃
We left the room； headed up the hall。
〃Corwin； I wish you'd had the foresight to bring some coffee back with you； along with the guns；〃 he said。 〃I could use a cup。〃
〃Doesn't it keep you awake？〃
〃No。 I like a couple of cups in the evening。〃
〃I miss it mornings。 We'll have to import some when this mess is all settled。〃
〃Small fort； but a good idea。 What got into Fi； anyhow？〃
〃She thinks Julian is our man。〃
〃She may be right。〃
〃What about Caine？〃
〃Supposing it was not a single individual；〃 he said as we mounted the stair。 〃Say it was two； like Julian and Caine。 They finally had a falling out； Caine lost； Julian disposed of him and used the death； to weaken your position as well。 Former friends make the worst enemies。〃
〃It's no use；〃 I said。 〃I get dizzy when I start sorting the possibilities。 We are either going to have to wait for something more to happen； or make something happen。 Probably the latter。 But not tonight …〃
〃Hey！ Wait up！〃
〃Sorry。〃 I paused at the landing。 〃Don't know what got into me。 Finishing spurt； I guess。〃
〃Nervous energy；〃 he said； ing abreast of me once more。 We continued on up； and I made an effort to match his pace； fighting down a desire to hurry。
〃Well； sleep well；〃 he said finally。
〃Good night。 Random。〃
He continued on up the stair and I headed off along the corridor toward my quarters。 I was feeling jittery by then； which must be why I dropped my key。
I reached and plucked it out of the air before it had fallen very far。 Simultaneously； I was struck by the impression that its motion was somewhat slower than it should have been。 I inserted it in the lock and turned it。
The room was dark； but I decided against lighting a candle or an oil lamp。 I had gotten used to the dark a long time ago。 I locked and bolted the door。 My eyes were already half adjusted to the gloom； from the dim hallway。 I turned。 There was some starlight leaking in about the drapes； too。 I crossed the room； unfastening my collar。
He was waiting in my bed chamber； to the left of the entrance。 He was perfectly positioned and he did nothing to give himself away。 I walked right into it。 He had the ideal station； he held the dagger ready； he had the element of total surprise going for him。 By rights I should have died … not in my bed； but just there at its foot。
I caught a glimpse of the movement； realized the presence and its significance as I stepped over the threshold。
I knew that it was too late to avoid the thrust even as I raised my arm to try to block it。 But one peculiarity struck me before the blade itself did： my assailant seemed to be moving too slowly。 Quick； with all the tension of his wait behind it； that is how it should have been。 I should never have known it was occurring until after the act； if then。 I should not have had time to turn partway and swing my arm as far as I did。 A ruddy haze filled my vision and I felt my forearm strike the side of the outflung arm at about the same moment as the steel touched my belly and bit。 Within the redness there seemed a faint tr
