rz.signoftheunicorn-第7节

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　As　I　hurried　downhill；　heading　for　one　of　the　roads；　I　worked　with　the　stuff　of　Shadow　…　quite　subtly　this　time；　using　every　bit　of　skill　I　could　muster。　There　were　just　two　things　I　desired　at　the　moment：　a　final　assault　on　my　possible　trackers　and　a　fast　path　to　a　place　of　sanctuary。
　The　world　shimmered　and　did　a　final　jig；　being　the　California　I　had　been　seeking。　A　rasping；　growling　noise　reached　my　ears；　for　the　final　touch　I　had　intended。　Looking　back；　I　saw　a　section　of　cliff　face　e　loose；　almost　in　slow　motion；　and　slide　directly　toward　the　horsemen。　A　while　later；　I　had　dismounted　and　was　walking　in　the　direction　of　the　road；　my　garments　even　fresher　and　of　better　quality。　I　was　uncertain　as　to　the　time　of　year；　and　I　wondered　what　the　weather　was　like　in　New　York。
　Before　very　long；　the　bus　that　I　had　anticipated　approached　and　I　flagged　it　down。　I　located　a　window　seat；　smoked　for　a　while；　and　watched　the　countryside。　After　a　time；　I　dozed。
　I　did　not　wake　until　early　afternoon；　when　we　pulled　into　a　terminal。　I　was　ravenous　by　then；　and　decided　I　had　better　have　something　to　eat　before　getting　a　cab　to　the　airport。　So　I　bought　three　cheeseburgers　and　a　couple　of　malts　with　a　few　of　my　quondam　Texorami　greenbacks。　Getting　served　and　eating　took　me　maybe　twenty　minutes。　Leaving　the　snack　bar；　I　saw　that　there　were　a　number　of　taxis　standing　idle　at　the　stand　out　front。　Before　I　picked　one　up；　though；　I　decided　to　make　an　important　stop　in　the　men's　room。
　At　the　very　damnedest　moment　you　can　think　of；　six　stalls　flew　open　behind　my　back　and　their　occupants　rushed　me。　There　was　no　mistaking　the　spurs　on　the　backs　of　their　hands；　the　oversized　jaws；　the　smoldering　eyes。　Not　only　had　they　caught　up　with　me；　they　were　now　clad　in　the　same　acceptable　garb　as　anyone　else　in　the　neighborhood。　Gone　were　any　remaining　doubts　as　to　their　power　over　Shadow。
　Fortunately；　one　of　them　was　faster　than　the　others。　Also；　perhaps　because　of　my　size；　they　still　might　not　have　been　fully　aware　of　my　strength。　I　seized　that　first　one　high　up　on　the　arm；　avoiding　those　hand　bayonets　he　sported；　pulled　him　over　in　front　of　me；　picked　him　up；　and　threw　him　at　the　others。　Then　I　just　turned　and　ran。　I　broke　the　door　on　the　way　out。　I　didn't　even　pause　to　zip　up　until　I　was　in　a　taxi　and　had　the　driver　burning　rubber。
　Enough。　It　was　no　longer　simple　sanctuary　that　I　had　in　mind。　I　wanted　to　get　hold　of　a　set　of　Trumps　and　tell　someone　else　in　the　family　about　those　guys。　If　they　were　Eric's　creatures；　the　others　ought　to　be　made　aware　of　them。　If　they　were　not；　then　Eric　ought　to　be　told；　too。　If　they　could　make　their　way　through　Shadow　like　that；　perhaps　others　could；　also。　Whatever　they　represented　might　one　day　constitute　a　threat　to　Amber　herself。　Supposing　…　just　supposing　…　that　no　one　back　home　was　involved？　What　if　Dad　and　Brand　were　the　victims　of　a　totally　unsuspected　enemy？　Then　there　was　something　big　and　menacing　afoot；　and　I　had　stepped　right　into　it。　That　would　be　an　excellent　reason　for　their　hounding　me　this　thoroughly。　They　would　want　me　pretty　badly。　My　mind　ran　wild。　They　might　even　be　harrying　me　toward　some　sort　of　a　trap。　No　need　for　the　visible　ones　to　be　the　only　ones　about。
　I　brought　my　emotions　to　heel。　One　by　one；　you　must　deal　with　those　things　that　e　to　hand；　I　told　myself。　That　is　all。　Divorce　the　feelings　from　the　speculations；　or　at　least　provide　for　separate　maintenance。　This　is　sister　Flora's　shadow。　She　lives　on　the　other　edge　of　the　continent　in　a　place　called　Westchester。　Get　to　a　phone；　get　hold　of　information；　and　call　her。　Tell　her　it　is　urgent　and　ask　for　sanctuary。　She　can't　refuse　you　that；　even　if　she　does　hate　your　guts。　Then　jump　a　jet　and　get　the　hell　over　there。　Speculate　on　the　way　if　you　want；　but　keep　cool　now。
　So　I　telephoned　from　the　airport　and　you　answered　it；　Corwin。　That　was　the　variable　that　broke　all　the　possible　equations　I　had　been　juggling　…　you　suddenly　showing　up　at　that　time；　that　place；　that　point　in　events。　I　grabbed　for　it　when　you　offered　me　protection；　and　not　just　because　I　wanted　protection。　I　could　probably　have　taken　those　six　guys　out　by　myself。　But　that　was　no　longer　it。　I　thought　they　were　yours。　I　figured　you　had　been　lying　low　all　along；　waiting　for　the　right　moment　to　move　in。　Now；　I　thought；　you　were　ready。　This　explains　everything。　You　had　taken　out　Brand　and　you　were　about　to　use　your　Shadow…walking　zombies　for　purposes　of　going　back　and　catching　Eric　with　his　pants　down。　I　wanted　to　be　on　your　side　because　I　hated　Eric　and　because　I　knew　you　were　a　careful　planner　and　you　usually　get　what　you　go　after。　I　mentioned　the　pursuit　by　guys　out　of　Shadow　to　see　what　you　would　say。　The　fact　that　you　said　nothing　didn't　really　prove　anything；　though。　Either　you　were　being　cagey；　I　figured；　or　you　had　no　way　of　knowing　where　I　had　been。　I　also　thought　of　the　possibility　of　walking　into　a　trap　of　your　devising；　but　I　was　already　in　trouble　and　did　not　see　that　I　was　so　important　to　the　balance　of　power　that　you　would　want　to　dispose　of　me。　Especially　if　I　offered　my　support；　which　I　was　quite　willing　to　do。　So　I　flew　on　out。　And　damned　if　those　six　didn't　board　later　and　follow　me。　Is　he　giving　me　an　escort？　I　wondered。　Better　not　start　making　more　assumptions。　I　shook　them　again　when　we　landed；　and　headed　for　Flora's　place。　Then　I　acted　as　if　none　of　my　guesses　had　occurred；　waiting　to　see　what　you　would　do。　When　you　helped　me　dispose　of　the　guys；　I　was　really　puzzled。　Were　you　genuinely　surprised；　or　was　it　a　put…on；　with　you　sacrificing　a　few　of　the　troops　to　keep　me　ignorant　of　something？　All　right；　I　decided；　be　ignorant；　cooperate；　see　what　he　has　in　mind。　I　was　a　perfect　setup　for　that　act　you　pulled　to　cover　the　condition　of　your　memory。　When　I　did　learn　the　truth；　it　was　simply　too　late。　We　were　headed　for　Rebma　and　none　of　this　would　have　meant　anything　to　you。　Later；　I　didn't　care　to　tell　Eric　anything　after　his　coronation。　I　was　his　prisoner　then　and　not　exactly　kindly　disposed　toward　him。　It　even　occurred　to　me　that　my　information　might　be　worth　something　one　day　…　at　least；　my　freedom　again　…　if　that　threat　ever　materialized。　As　for　Brand；　I　doubt　anyone　would　have　believed　me；　and　even　if　someone　did；　I　was　the　only　one　who　knew　how　to　reach　that　shadow。　Could　you　see　Eric　buying　that　as　a　reason　for　releasing　me？　He　would　have　laughed　and　told　me　to　e　up　with　a　better　story。　And　I　never　heard　from　Brand　again。　None　of　the　others　seem　to　have　heard　from　him　either。　Odds　are　he's　dead　by　now　…　I'd　say。　And　that　is　the　story　I　never　got　to　tell　you。　You　figure　out　what　it　all　means。
　
　
　Chapter　3
　
　I　studied　Random；　remembering　what　a　great　card　player　he　was。　By　looking　at　his　face；　I　could　no　more　tell　whether　he　was　lying；　in　whole　or　in　part；　than　I　could　learn　by　scrutinizing　the　Jack　of；　say；　Diamonds。　Nice　touch；　that　part；　too。　There　was　enough　of　that　kind　of　business　to　his　story　to　give　it　some　feel　of　verisimilitude。
　〃To　paraphrase　Oedipus；　Hamlet；　Lear；　and　all　those　guys；〃　I　said；　〃I　wish　I　had　known　this　some　time　ago。〃
　〃This　was　the　first　chance　I　really　had　to　tell　you；〃　he　said。
　〃True；〃　I　agreed。　〃Unfortunately；　it　not　only　fails　to　clarify　things；　it　plicates　the　puzzle　even　more。　Which　is　no　mean　trick。　Here　we　are　with　a　black　road　running　up　to　the　foot　of　Kolvir。　It　passes　through　Shadow；　and　things　have　succeeded　in　traversing　it　to　beset　Amber。　We　do　not　know　the　exact　nature　of　the　forces　behind　it；　but　they　are　obviously　malign　and　they　seem　to　be　growing　in　strength。　I　have　been　feeling　guilty　about　it　for　some　while　now；　because　I　see　it　as　being　tied　in　with　my　curse。　Yes；　I　laid　one　on　us。　Curse　or　no　curse；　though；　everything　eventually　resolves　into　some　sort　of　tangibility　that　can　be　batted。　Which　is　exactly　what　we　are　going　to　do。　But　all　week　long　I　have　been　trying　to　figure　out　Dara's　part　in　things。　Who　is　she　really？　What　is　she？　Why　was　she　so　anxious　to　try　the　Pattern？　How　is　it　that　she　managed　to　succeed？　And　that　final　threat　of　hers。。。　'Amber　will　be　destroyed；'　she　said。　It　seems　more　than　coincidental　that　this　occurred　at　the　same　time　as　the　attack　over　the　black　road。　I　do　not　see　it　as　a　separate　thing；　but　as　a　part　of　the　same　cloth。　And　it　all　seems　to　be　tied　in　with　the　fact　that　there　is　a　traitor　somewhere　here　in　Amber　…　Caine's　death；　the　notes。。。　Someone　here　is　either　abetting　an　external　enemy　or　is　behind　the　whole　thing　himself。　Now　you　link　it　all　up　with　Brand's　disappearance；　by　way　of　this　guy。〃　I　nudged　the　corpse　with　my　foot。　〃It　makes　it　look　as　if　Dad's　death　or　absence　is　also　a　part　of　it。　If　that　is　the　case；　though；　it　makes　for　a　major　conspiracy　…　with　detail　after　detail　having　been　carefully　worked　out　over　a　period　of　years。〃
　Random　explored　a　cupboard　in　the　corner；　produced　a　bottle　and　a　pair　of　goblets。　He　filled　them　and　brought　me　one；　then　returned　to　his　chair。　We　drank　a　silent　toast　to　futility。
　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃plotting　is　the　number…one　pastime　around　here；　and　everyone　has　had　plenty　of　time；　you　know。　We　are　both　too　young　to　remember　brothers　Osric　and　Finndo；　who　died　for　the　good　of　Amber。　But　the　impression　I　get　fro