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rz.thegunsofavalon-第10部分

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 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。。。
 Theirs must have been a semi…metaphysical problem in logistics。 How much could be diverted through this Gateway? I was not sure。 Soon。。。
 We topped a rise; and far ahead and below us lay a dark citadel。
 I raised my blade。
 As we descended; they attacked。
 They hissed and they croaked and they flapped。 They meant; to me; that he was running low on people。 Grayswandir became a flame in my hand; a thunderbolt; a portable electric chair。 I slew them as fast as they approached; and they burned as they died。 To my right; I saw Lance draw a similar line of chaos; and he was muttering beneath his breath。 Prayers for the dead; no doubt。 To my left; Ganelon laid about him; and a wake of fires followed behind his horse's tail。 Through the flashing lightning; the citadel loomed larger。
 The hundred or so of us stormed ahead; and the abominations fell by the wayside。
 When we reached the gate; we were faced by an infantry of men and beasts。 We charged。
 They outnumbered us; but we had little choice。 Perhaps we had proceeded our own infantry by too much。 But I thought not。 Time; as I saw it; was all important now。
 〃I've got to get through!〃 I cried。 〃He's inside!〃
 〃He's mine!〃 said Lance。
 〃You're both wele to him!〃 said Ganelon; laying about him。 〃Cross when you can! I'm with you!〃
 We slew and we slew and we slew; and then the tide turned in their favor。 They pressed us; all the ugly things that were more or less than human; mixed in with human troops。 We were drawn up into a tight knot; defending ourselves on all sides; when our bedraggled infantry arrived and began hacking。 We pressed for the gate once more and made it this time; all forty or fifty of us。
 We won through; and then there were troops in the courtyard to be slain。
 The dozen or so of us who made it to the foot of the dark tower were faced by a final guard contingent。
 〃Go it!〃 cried Ganelon; as we leaped from our horses and waded into them。
 〃Go it!〃 cried Lance; and I guess they both meant me; or each other。
 I took it to mean me; and I broke away from the fray and raced up the stairs。
 He would be there; in the highest tower; I knew; and I would have to face him; and face him down。 I did not know whether I could; but I had to try; because I was the only one who knew where he really came from … and I was the one who put him there。
 I came to a heavy wooden door at the top of the stairs。 I tried it; but it was secured from the other side。 So I kicked it as hard as I could。 It fell inward with a crash。
 I saw him there by the window; a man…formed body dressed in light armor; goat head upon those massive shoulders。
 I crossed the threshold and stopped。
 He had turned to stare as the door had fallen; and now he sought my eyes through steel。
 〃Mortal man; you have e too far;〃 he said。 〃Or are you mortal man?〃 and there was a blade in his hand。
 〃Ask Strygalldwir;〃 I said。
 〃You are the one who slew him;〃 he stated。 〃Did he name you?〃
 〃Maybe。〃
 There were footsteps on the stairs behind me。 I stepped to the left of the doorway。
 Ganelon burst into the chamber and I called 〃Halt!〃 and he did。
 He turned to me。
 〃This is the thing;〃 he said。 〃What is it?〃
 〃My sin against a thing I loved;〃 I said。 〃Stay away from it。 It's mine。〃
 〃You're wele to it。〃 He stood stock still。
 〃Did you really mean that?〃 asked the creature。
 〃Find out;〃 I said; and leaped forward。
 But it did not fence with me。 Instead; it did what any mortal fencer would consider foolish。
 It buried its blade at me; point forward; like a thunderbolt。 And the sound of its passage came like a clap of thunder。 The elements outside the tower echoed it; a deafening response。
 With Grayswandir; I parried that blade as though it were an ordinary thrust。 It embedded itself in the floor and burst into flames。 Without; the lightning responded。
 For an instant; the light was as blinding as a magnesium flare; and in that moment the creature was upon me。
 It pinned my arms to my sides; and its horns struck against my visor; once; twice。。。
 Then I threw my strength against those arms; and their grip began to weaken。
 I dropped Grayswandir; and with a final heave broke the hold it had upon me。
 In that moment; however; our eyes met。
 Then we both struck; and we both reeled back。
 〃Lord of Amber;〃 it said then; 〃why do you strive with me? It was you who gave us this passage; this way。。。〃
 〃I regret a rash act and seek to undo it。〃
 〃Too late … and this a strange place to begin。〃
 It struck again; so quickly that it got through my guard。 I was slammed back against the wall。 Its speed was deadly。
 And then it raised its hand and made a sign; and I had a vision of the Courts of Chaos e upon me … a vision that made my hackles rise; made a chill wind blow across my soul; to know what I had done。
 〃。。。 You see?〃 it was saying。 〃You gave us this Gateway。 Help us now; and we will restore to you that which is yours。〃
 For a moment I was swayed。 It was possible that it could do just what it had offered; if I would help。
 But it would be a threat forever after。 Allies briefly; we would be at each other's throats after we got what we wanted … and those dark forces would be much stronger by then。 Still; if I held the city。。。
 〃Do we have a bargain?〃 came the sharp; near…bleat of the question。
 I thought upon the shadows; and of the places beyond Shadow。。。
 Slowly; I reached up and unbuckled my helm。。。
 Then I hurled it; just as the creature seemed to relax。 I think Ganelon was moving forward by then。
 I leaped across the chamber and drove it back against the wall。
 〃No!〃 I cried。
 Its manlike hands found my throat at about the same instant mine wrapped about its own。
 I squeezed; with all my strength; and twisted。 I guess it did the same。
 I heard something snap like a dry stick。 I wondered whose neck had broken。 Mine sure hurt。
 
 ***
 
 I opened my eyes and there was the sky。 I was lying on my back on a blanket on the ground。
 〃I'm afraid he's going to live;〃 said Ganelon; and I turned my head; slowly; in the direction of his voice。
 He was seated on the edge of the blanket; sword across his knees。 Lorraine was with him。
 〃How goes it?〃 I said。
 〃We've won;〃 he told me。 〃You've kept your promise。 When you killed that thing; it was all over。 The men fell senseless; the creatures burned。〃
 〃Good。〃
 〃I have been sitting here wondering why I no longer hate you。〃
 〃Have you reached any conclusions?〃
 〃No; not really。 Maybe it's because we're a lot alike。 I don't know。〃 I smiled at Lorraine。
 〃I'm glad you're very poor when it es to prophecy。 The battle is over and you're still alive。〃
 〃The death has already begun;〃 she said; not returning my smile。
 〃What do you mean?〃
 〃They still tell stories of how the Lord Corwin had my grandfather executed … drawn and quartered publicly … for leading one of the early uprisings against him。〃
 〃That wasn't me;〃 I said。 〃It was one of my shadows。〃
 But she shook her head and said; 〃Corwin of Amber; I am what I am;〃 and she rose and left me then。
 〃What was it?〃 asked Ganelon; ignoring her departure。 〃What was the thing in the tower?〃
 〃Mine;〃 I said; 〃one of those things which was released when I laid my curse upon Amber。 I opened the way then for that which lies beyond Shadow to enter the real world。 The paths of least resistance are followed in these things; through the shadows to Amber。 Here; the path was the Circle。 Elsewhere; it might be some different thing。 I have closed their way through this place now。 You may rest easy here。〃
 〃That is why you came here?〃
 〃No;〃 I said。 〃Not really。 I was but passing on the road to Avalon when I came upon Lance。 I could not let him lie there; and after I took him to you I became involved in this piece of my handiwork。〃
 〃Avalon? Then you lied when you said it was destroyed?〃
 I shook my head。
 〃Not so。 Our Avalon fell; but in Shadow I may find its like once more。〃
 〃Take me with you。〃
 〃Are you mad?〃
 〃No; I would look once again on the land of my birth; no matter what the peril。〃
 〃I do not go to dwell there;〃 I said; 〃but to arm for battle。 In Avalon there is a pink powder the jewelers use。 I ignited a sample of it one time in Amber。 I go there only to obtain it and to build guns that I may lay siege to Amber and gain the throne that is mine。〃
 〃What of those things from beyond Shadow you spoke of。〃
 〃I will deal with them afterwards。 Should I lose this time; then they are Eric's problem。〃
 〃You said that he had blinded you and cast you into the dungeons。〃
 〃That is true。 I grew new eyes。 I escaped。〃
 〃You are a demon。〃
 〃This has often been said。 I no longer deny it。〃
 〃You will take me with you?〃
 〃If you really wish to e。 It will differ from the Avalon you knew; however。〃
 〃To Amber!〃
 〃You are mad!〃
 〃No。 Long have I wished to look upon that fabled city。 After I have seen Avalon once again I will want to turn my hand to something new。 Was I not a good general?〃
 〃Yes。〃
 〃Then you will teach me of these things you cal
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