rz.signoftheunicorn-第28节

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poken　of　it；　but　that　he　was　convinced　as　to　your　passing。　In　the　months　that　followed；　we　reared　you　a　cenotaph　to　give　some　solid　form　to　this　conclusion；　and　we　made　certain　that　no　one　forgot　Dad's　feelings　toward　Eric。　All　along；　after　yourself；　Eric　was　the　one　we　felt　had　to　be　gotten　around　to　reach　the　throne。〃
　〃We！　Who　were　the　others？〃
　〃Patience；　Corwin。　Sequence　and　order；　time　and　stress！　Accent；　emphasis。。。　Listen。〃
　He　took　another　cigarette；　chain…lit　it　from　the　butt；　stabbed　the　air　with　its　burning　tip。
　〃The　next　step　required　that　we　get　Dad　out　of　Amber。　This　was　the　most　crucial　and　dangerous　part　of　it；　and　it　was　here　that　we　disagreed。　I　did　not　like　the　idea　of　an　alliance　with　a　power　I　did　not　fully　understand；　especially　one　that　gave　them　some　hold　on　us。　Using　shadows　is　one　thing；　allowing　them　to　use　you　is　ill…considered；　whatever　the　circumstances。　I　argued　against　it；　but　the　majority　had　it　otherwise。〃　He　smiled。　〃Two　to　one。　Yes；　there　were　three　of　us。　We　went　ahead　then。　The　trap　was　set　and　Dad　went　after　the　bait　…〃
　〃Is　he　still　living？〃　I　asked。
　〃I　do　not　know；〃　Brand　said。　〃Things　went　wrong　afterward；　and　then　I'd　troubles　of　my　own　to　concern　me。　After　Dad's　departure　though；　our　next　move　was　to　consolidate　our　position　while　waiting　a　respectable　period　of　time　for　a　presumption　of　death　to　seem　warranted。　Ideally；　all　that　we　required　was　the　cooperation　of　one　person。　Either　Caine　or　Julian　…　it　did　not　matter　which。　You　see；　Bleys　had　already　gone　off　into　Shadow　and　was　in　the　process　of　putting　together　a　large　military　force　…〃
　〃Bleys！　He　was　one　of　you？〃
　〃Indeed。　We　intended　him　for　the　throne　…　with　sufficient　strings　on　him；　of　course；　so　that　it　would　have　amounted　to　a　de　facto　triumvirate。　So；　he　went　off　to　assemble　troops；　as　I　was　saying。　We　hoped　for　a　bloodless　takeover；　but　we　had　to　be　ready　in　the　event　that　words　proved　insufficient　to　win　our　case。　If　Julian　gave　us　the　land　route　in；　or　Caine　the　waves；　we　could　have　transported　the　troops　with　dispatch　and　held　the　day　by　force　of　arms；　should　that　have　proven　necessary。　Unfortunately；　I　chose　the　wrong　man。　In　my　estimate；　Caine　was　Julian's　superior　in　matters　of　corruption。　So；　with　measured　delicacy　I　sounded　him　on　the　matter。　He　seemed　willing　to　go　along　with　things；　at　first。　But　he　either　reconsidered　subsequently　or　deceived　me　quite　skillfully　from　the　beginning。　Naturally；　I　prefer　to　believe　that　it　was　the　former。　Whatever；　at　some　point　he　came　to　the　conclusion　that　he　stood　to　benefit　more　by　supporting　a　rival　claimant。　To　wit；　Eric。　Now　Eric's　hopes　had　been　somewhat　dashed　by　Dad's　attitude　toward　him　…　but　Dad　was　gone；　and　our　intended　move　gave　Eric　the　chance　to　act　as　defender　of　the　throne。　Unfortunately　for　us；　such　a　position　would　also　put　him　but　a　step　away　from　the　throne　itself。　To　make　matters　darker；　Julian　went　along　with　Caine　in　pledging　the　loyalty　of　his　troops　to　Eric；　as　defender。　Thus　was　the　other　trio　formed。　So　Eric　took　a　public　oath　to　defend　the　throne；　and　the　lines　were　thereby　drawn。　I　was　naturally　in　a　somewhat　embarrassing　position　at　this　time。　I　bore　the　brunt　of　their　animosity；　as　they　did　not　know　who　my　fellows　were。　Yet　they　could　not　imprison　or　torture　me；　for　I　would　immediately　be　trumped　out　of　their　hands。　And　if　they　were　to　kill　me；　they　realized　there　might　well　be　a　reprisal　by　parties　unknown。　So　it　had　to　stand　as　a　stalemate　for　a　time。　They　also　saw　that　I　could　no　longer　move　directly　against　them。　They　kept　me　under　heavy　surveillance。　So　a　more　devious　route　was　charted。　Again　I　disagreed　and　again　I　lost；　two　to　one。　We　were　to　employ　the　same　forces　we　had　called　upon　to　deal　with　Dad；　this　time　for　purposes　of　discrediting　Eric。　If　the　job　of　defending　Amber；　so　confidently　assumed；　were　to　prove　too　much　for　him　and　Bleys　then　came　onto　the　scene　and　handled　the　situation　with　dispatch；　why　Bleys　would　even　have　popular　support　as　he　moved　on　to　assume　the　role　of　defender　himself　and　…　after　a　fit　period　of　time　…　suffered　the　thrusting　of　sovereignty　upon　him；　for　the　good　of　Amber。〃
　〃Question；〃　I　interrupted。　〃What　about　Benedict？　I　know　he　was　off　being　discontent　in　his　Avalon；　but　if　something　really　threatened　Amber。。。〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　nodding；　〃and　for　that　reason；　a　part　of　our　deal　was　to　involve　Benedict　with　a　number　of　problems　of　his　own。〃
　I　thought　of　the　harassment　of　Benedict's　Avalon　by　the　hellmaids。　I　thought　of　the　stump　of　his　right　arm。　I　opened　my　mouth　to　speak　again；　but　Brand　raised　his　hand。
　〃Let　me　finish　in　my　own　fashion；　Corwin。　I　am　not　unmindful　of　your　thought　processes　as　you　speak。　I　feel　the　pain　in　your　side；　twin　to　my　own。　Yes；　I　know　these　things　and　many　more。〃
　His　eyes　burned　strangely　as　he　took　another　cigarette　into　his　hand　and　it　lit　of　its　own　accord。　He　drew　heavily　upon　it　and　spoke　as　he　exhaled。
　〃I　broke　with　the　others　over　this　decision。　I　saw　it　as　involving　too　great　a　peril；　as　placing　Amber　herself　in　jeopardy。　Broke　with　them。。。〃
　He　watched　the　smoke　for　several　moments　before　he　continued。
　〃But　things　were　too　far　advanced　that　I　might　simply　walk　away。　I　had　to　oppose　them；　in　order　to　defend　myself　as　well　as　Amber。　It　was　too　late　to　swing　over　to　Eric's　side。　He　would　not　have　protected　me　if　he　could　have　…　and　besides；　I　was　certain　he　was　going　to　lose。　It　was　then　that　I　decided　to　employ　certain　new　abilities　I　had　acquired。　I　had　often　wondered　at　the　strange　relationship　between　Eric　and　Flora；　off　on　that　shadow　Earth　she　pretended　so　to　enjoy。　I　had　had　a　slight　suspicion　that　there　was　something　about　that　place　which　concerned　him；　and　that　she　might　be　his　agent　there。　While　I　could　not　get　close　enough　to　him　to　achieve　any　satisfaction　on　this　count；　I　felt　confident　that　it　would　not　take　too　much　in　the　way　of　investigation；　direct　and　otherwise；　to　learn　what　Flora　was　about。　And　so　I　did。　Then　suddenly　the　pace　accelerated。　My　own　party　was　concerned　as　to　my　whereabouts。　Then　when　I　picked　you　up　and　shocked　back　a　few　memories；　Eric　learned　from　Flora　that　something　was　suddenly　quite　amiss。　Consequently；　both　sides　were　soon　looking　for　me。　I　had　decided　that　your　return　would　throw　everyone's　plans　out　the　window　and　get　me　out　of　the　pocket　I　was　in　long　enough　to　e　up　with　an　alternative　to　the　way　things　were　going。　Eric's　claim　would　be　clouded　once　again；　you　would　have　had　supporters　of　your　own；　my　party　would　have　lost　the　purpose　for　its　entire　maneuver　and　I　had　assumed　you　would　not　be　ungrateful　to　me　for　my　part　in　things。　Then　you　went　and　escaped　from　Porter；　and　things　really　got　plicated。　All　of　us　were　looking　for　you；　as　I　later　learned；　for　different　reasons。　But　my　former　associates　had　something　very　extra　going　for　them。　They　learned　what　was　happening；　located　you；　and　got　there　first。　Obviously；　there　was　a　very　simple　way　to　preserve　the　status　quo；　where　they　would　continue　to　hold　the　edge。　Bleys　fired　the　shots　that　put　you　and　your　car　into　the　lake。　I　arrived　just　as　this　was　occurring。　He　departed　almost　immediately；　for　it　looked　as　if　he　had　done　a　thorough　job。　I　dragged　you　out；　though；　and　there　was　enough　left　to　start　treating。　It　was　frustrating　now　that　I　think　back　on　it；　not　knowing　whether　the　treatment　had　really　been　effective；　whether　you　would　awaken　as　Corwin　or　Corey。　It　was　frustrating　afterward；　also；　still　not　knowing。。。　I　hellrode　out　when　help　arrived。　My　associates　caught　up　with　me　somewhat　later　and　put　me　where　you　found　me。　Do　you　know　the　rest　of　the　story？〃
　〃Not　all　of　it。〃
　〃Then　stop　me　whenever　we've　caught　up　on　this。　I　only　obtained　it　later；　myself。　Eric's　crowd　learned　of　the　accident；　got　your　location；　and　had　you　transferred　to　a　private　place。　Where　you　could　be　better　protected；　and　kept　you　heavily　sedated；　so　that　they　could　be　protected。〃
　〃Why　should　Eric　protect　me；　especially　if　my　presence　was　going　to　wreck　his　plans？〃
　〃By　then；　seven　of　us　knew　you　were　still　living。　That　was　too　many。　It　was　simply　too　late　to　do　what　he　would　have　liked　to　do。　He　was　still　trying　to　live　down　Dad's　words。　If　anything　had　happened　to　you　once　you　were　in　his　power；　it　would　have　blocked　his　movement　to　the　throne。　If　Benedict　ever　got　word　of　it；　or　Gerard。。。　No；　he'd　not　have　made　it。　Afterward；　yes。　Before；　no。　What　happened　was　that　general　knowledge　of　the　fact　of　your　existence　forced　his　hand。　He　scheduled　his　coronation　and　resolved　to　keep　you　out　of　the　way　until　it　had　occurred。　An　extremely　premature　bit　of　business；　not　that　I　see　he　had　much　of　a　choice。　I　guess　you　know　what　happened　after　that；　since　it　happened　to　you。〃
　〃I　fell　in　with　Bleys；　just　as　he　was　making　his　move。　Not　too　fortunate。〃　He　shrugged。
　〃Oh；　it　might　have　been　…　if　you　had　won；　and　if　you　had　been　able　to　do　something　about　Bleys。　You　hadn't　a　chance；　though；　not　really。　My　grasp　of　their　motivations　begins　to　dissolve　at　this　point；　but　I　believe　that　that　entire　assault　really　constituted　some　sort　of　feint。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃As　I　said；　I　do　not　know。　But　they　already　had　Eric　just　about　where　they　wanted　him。　It　should　not　have　been　nece