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rz.thegunsofavalon-第1部分

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 I stood there on the beach and said; 〃Good…by; Butterfly;〃 and the ship slowly turned; then headed out toward deep water。 It would make it back into port at the lighthouse of Cabra; I knew; for that place lay near to Shadow。
 Turning away; I regarded the black line of trees near at hand; knowing that a long walk lay ahead of me。 I moved in that direction; making the necessary adjustments as I advanced。 A pre…dawn chill lay upon the silent forest; and this was good。
 I was perhaps fifty pounds underweight and still occasionally experienced double vision; but I was improving。 I had escaped the dungeons of Amber and recuperated somewhat; with the assistance of mad Dworkin and drunken Jopin; in that order。 Now I had to find me a place; a place resembling another place … one which no longer existed。 I located the path。 I took it。
 After a time; I stopped at a hollow tree that had to be there。 I reached inside and drew forth my silvered blade and strapped it to my waist。 It mattered not that it had been somewhere in Amber。 It was here now; for the wood that I walked was in Shadow。
 I continued for several hours; the unseen sun somewhere behind my left shoulder。 Then I rested awhile; then moved on。 It was good to see the leaves and the rocks and the dead tree trunks; the live ones; the grass; the dark earth。 It was good to smell all the little smells of life; and to hear its buzzing/humming/chirping sounds。 Gods! How I treasured my eyes! Having them back again after nearly four years of blackness was a thing for which I lacked words。 And to be walking free。。。
 I went on; my tattered cloak flapping in the morning breeze。 I must have looked over fifty years old; my face creased; my form sparse; lean。 Who would have known me for what I was?
 As I walked; walked in Shadow; moved toward a place; I did not reach that place。 It must be that I had grown somewhat soft。 Here is what happened …
 I came upon seven men by the side of the road; and six of them were dead; lying in various stages of red dismemberment。 The seventh was in a semi…reclined position; his back against the mossy bole of an ancient oak。 He held his blade across his lap and there was a large wet wound in his right side; from which the blood still flowed。 He wore no armor; though some of the others did。 His gray eyes were open; though glassy。 His knuckles were skinned and his breathing was slow。 From beneath shaggy brows; he watched the crows eat out the eyes of the dead。 He did not seem to see me。
 I raised my cowl and lowered my head to hide my face。 I moved nearer。
 I knew him; or someone very like him; once。 His blade twitched and the point rose as I advanced。
 〃I'm a friend;〃 I said。 〃Would you like a drink of water?〃 He hesitated a moment; then nodded。
 〃Yes。〃 I opened my canteen and passed it to him。 He drank and coughed; drank some more。
 〃Sir; I thank you;〃 he said as he passed it back。 〃I only regret it were not stronger。 Damn this cut!〃
 〃I've some of that; too。 If you're sure you can handle it。〃
 He held out his hand and I unstoppered a small flask and gave it to him。 He must have coughed for twenty seconds after a slug of that stuff Jopin drinks。
 Then the left side of his mouth smiled and he winked lightly。
 〃Much better;〃 he said。 〃Mind if I pour a drop of this onto my side? I hate to waste good whisky; but …〃
 〃Use it all; if you have to。 On second thought; though; your hand looks shaky。 Maybe I'd better do the pouring。〃
 He nodded; and I opened his leather jacket and with my dagger cut away at his shirt until I had exposed the wound。 It was nasty…looking; deep; running from front to back a couple inches above the top of his hip。 He had other; less serious gashes on his arms; chest; and shoulders。
 The blood kept oozing from the big one; and I blotted it a bit and wiped it clean with my kerchief。
 〃Okay;〃 I said; 〃clench your teeth and look away;〃 and I poured。
 His entire body jerked; one great spasm; and then he settled down to shivering。 But he did not cry out。 I had not thought he would。 I folded the kerchief and pressed it in place on the wound。 I tied it there; with a long strip I had torn from the bottom of my cloak。 〃Want another drink?〃 I asked him。
 〃Of water;〃 he said。 〃Then I fear I must sleep。〃 He drank; then his head leaned forward until his chin was resting upon his breast。 He slept; and I made him a pillow and covered him over with dead men's cloaks。
 Then I sat there at his side and watched the pretty black birds。
 
 ***
 
 He had not recognized me。 But then; who would? Had I revealed myself to him; he might possibly have known me。 We had never really met; I guess; this wounded man and I。 But in a peculiar sense; we were acquainted。
 I was walking in Shadow; seeking a place; a very special place。 It had been destroyed once; but I had the power to re…create it; for Amber casts an infinity of shadows。 A child of Amber may walk among them; and such was my heritage。 You may call them parallel worlds if you wish; alternate universes if you would; the products of a deranged mind if you care to。 I call them shadows; as do all who possess the power to walk among them。 We select a possibility and we walk until we reach it。 So; in a sense; we create it。 Let's leave it at that for now。
 I had sailed; had begun this walk toward Avalon。
 Centuries before; I had lived there。 It is a long; plicated; proud and painful story; and I may go into it later on; if I live to finish much more of this telling。
 I was drawing nearer to my Avalon when I came upon the wounded knight and the six dead men。 Had I chosen to walk on by; I could have reached a place where the six men lay dead and the knight stood unwounded … or a place where he lay dead and they stood laughing。 Some would say it did not really matter; since all these things are possibilities; and therefore all of them exist somewhere in Shadow。
 Any of my brothers and sisters … with the possible exceptions of Gerard and Benedict … would not even have given a second glance。 I have bee somewhat chickenhearted; however。 I was not always that way; but perhaps the shadow Earth; where I spent so many years; mellowed me a bit; and maybe my hitch in the dungeons of Amber reminded me somewhat of the quality of human suffering。 I do not know。 I only know that I could not pass by the hurt I saw on the form of someone much like someone who had once been a friend。 If I were to speak my name in this man's ear; I might hear myself reviled; I would certainly hear a tale of woe。
 So; all right。 I would pay this much of the price: I would get him back on his feet; then I would cut out。 No harm done; and perhaps some small good within this Other。
 I sat there; watching him; and after several hours; he awakened。
 〃Hello;〃 I said; unstoppering my canteen。 〃Have another drink?〃
 〃Thank you。〃 He extended a hand。
 I watched him drink; and when he handed it back he said; 〃Excuse me for not introducing myself。 I was not in good manner。。。〃
 〃I know you;〃 I said。 〃Call me Corey。〃
 He looked as if he were about to say; 〃Corey of What?〃 but thought better of it and nodded。
 〃Very well。 Sir Corey;〃 he demoted me。 〃I wish to thank you。〃
 〃I am thanked by the fact that you are looking better;〃 I told him。 〃Want something to eat?〃
 〃Yes; please。〃
 〃I have some dried meat here and some bread that could be fresher;〃 I said。 〃Also a big hunk of cheese。 Eat all you want。〃 I passed it to him and he did。
 〃What of yourself; Sir Corey?〃 he inquired。
 〃I've already eaten; while you were asleep。〃 I looked about me; significantly。 He smiled。
 〃。。。 And you knocked off all six of them by yourself?〃 I said。 He nodded。
 〃Good show。 What am I going to do with you now?〃
 He tried to see my face; failed。 〃I do not understand;〃 he said。
 〃Where are you headed?〃
 〃I have friends;〃 he said; 〃some five leagues to the north。 I was going in that direction when this thing happened。 And I doubt very much that any man; or the Devil himself; could bear me on his back for one league。 And I could stand。 Sir Corey; you'd a better idea as to my size。〃
 I rose; drew my blade; and felled a sapling … about two inches in diameter … with one cut。 Then I stripped it and hacked it to the proper length。
 I did it again; and with the belts and cloaks of dead men I rigged a stretcher。
 He watched until I was finished; then mented:
 〃You swing a deadly blade。 Sir Corey … and a silver one; it would seem。。。〃
 〃Are you up to some traveling?〃 I asked him。
 Five leagues is roughly fifteen miles。
 〃What of the dead?〃 he inquired。
 〃You want to maybe give them a decent Christian burial?〃 I said。 〃Screw them! Nature takes care of its own。 Let's get out of here。 They stink already。〃
 〃I'd like at least to see them covered over。 They fought well。〃
 I sighed。
 〃All right; if it will help you to sleep nights。 I haven't a spade; so I'll build them a cairn。 It's going to be a mon burial; though。〃
 〃Good enough;〃 he said。
 I laid the six bodies out; side by side。 I heard him mumbling something; which I guessed to be a prayer for the dead。
 I ringed them around with stones。 There were plenty of stones in the vicinity; so I worked quickly; choosing the largest so that things would 
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