rz.thegunsofavalon-第19部分

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　I　moved　to　my　place　and　sat　down。
　〃That　is　Benedict's　best　crystal；〃　I　noted；　as　I　opened　the　bottle。
　〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃Do　be　careful　not　to　upset　them　when　you　pour　…　and　I　don't　think　we　should　clink　them　together。〃
　〃No；　I　don't　think　we　should；〃　I　said；　and　I　poured。　She　raised　her　glass。
　〃To　the　reunion；〃　she　said。
　〃What　reunion？〃
　〃Ours。〃
　〃I　have　never　met　you　before。〃
　〃Don't　be　so　prosaic；〃　she　said；　and　took　a　drink。
　I　shrugged。
　〃To　the　reunion。〃
　She　began　to　eat　then；　so　I　did　too。　She　was　so　enjoying　the　air　of　mystery　she　had　created　that　I　wanted　to　cooperate；　just　to　keep　her　happy。
　〃Now　where　could　I　have　met　you？〃　I　ventured。　〃Was　it　some　great　court？　A　harem；　perhaps。。。？〃
　〃Perhaps　it　was　in　Amber；〃　she　said。　〃There　you　were。。。〃
　〃Amber？〃　I　said；　remembering　that　I　was　holding　Benedict's　crystal　and　confining　my　emotions　to　my　voice。　〃Just　who　are　you；　anyway？〃
　〃。。。　There　you　were　…　handsome；　conceited；　admired　by　all　the　ladies；〃　she　continued；　〃and　there　I　was　…　a　mousy　little　thing；　admiring　you　from　afar。　Gray；　or　pastel　…　not　vivid　…　little　Dara　…　a　late　bloomer；　I　hasten　to　add　…　eating　her　heart　out　for　you　…〃
　I　muttered　a　mild　obscenity　and　she　laughed　again。
　〃That　wasn't　it？〃　she　asked。
　〃No；〃　I　said；　taking　another　bite　of　beef　and　bread。　〃More　likely　it　was　that　brothel　where　I　sprained　my　back。　I　was　drunk　that　night　…〃
　〃You　remember！〃　she　cried。　〃It　was　a　part…time　job。　I　used　to　break　horses　during　the　day。〃
　〃I　give　up；〃　I　said；　and　I　poured　more　wine。
　The　really　irritating　thing　was　that　there　was　something　damnably　familiar　about　her。　But　from　her　appearance　and　her　behavior；　I　guessed　her　age　at　about　seventeen。　This　pretty　much　precluded　our　paths　ever　having　crossed。
　〃Did　Benedict　teach　you　your　fencing？〃　I　asked。
　〃Yes。〃
　〃What　is　he　to　you？〃
　〃My　lover；　of　course；〃　she　replied。　〃He　keeps　me　in　jewels　and　furs　…　and　he　fences　with　me。〃
　She　laughed　again。
　I　continued　to　study　her　face。
　Yes；　it　was　possible。。。
　〃I　am　hurt；〃　I　said；　finally。
　〃Why？〃　she　asked。
　〃Benedict　didn't　give　me　a　cigar。〃
　〃Cigar？〃
　〃You　are　his　daughter；　aren't　you？〃
　She　reddened；　but　she　shook　her　head。　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃But　you　are　getting　close。〃
　〃Granddaughter？〃　I　said。
　〃Well。。。　sort　of。〃
　〃I　am　afraid　that　I　do　not　understand。〃
　〃Grandfather　is　what　he　likes　me　to　call　him。　Actually；　though；　he　was　my　grandmother's　father。〃
　〃I　see。　Are　there　any　others　at　home　like　you？〃
　〃No；　I　am　the　only　one。〃
　〃What　of　your　mother　…　and　your　grandmother？〃
　〃Dead；　both　of　them。〃
　〃How　did　they　die？〃
　〃Violently。　Both　times　it　happened　while　he　was　back　in　Amber。　I　believe　that　is　why　he　has　not　returned　there　for　a　long　while　now。　He　does　not　like　to　leave　me　unprotected　…　even　though　he　knows　that　I　can　take　care　of　myself。　You　know　that　I　can；　too；　don't　you？〃
　I　nodded。　It　explained　several　things；　one　of　them　being　why　he　was　Protector　here。　He　had　to　keep　her　somewhere；　and　he　certainly　would　not　want　to　take　her　back　to　Amber。　He　would　not　even　want　her　existence　known　to　the　rest　of　us。　She　could　be　made　into　an　easy　armlock。　And　it　would　be　out　of　keeping　to　make　me　aware　of　her　so　readily。
　So；　〃I　do　not　believe　that　you　are　supposed　to　be　here；〃　I　said；　〃and　I　feel　that　Benedict　would　be　quite　angry　if　he　knew　that　you　were。〃
　〃You　are　just　the　same　as　he　is！　I　am　an　adult；　damn　it！〃
　〃Have　you　heard　me　deny　it？　You　are　supposed　to　be　someplace　else；　though；　aren't　you？〃
　She　filled　her　mouth　instead　of　answering。　So　I　did；　too。　After　several　unfortable　minutes　of　chewing；　I　decided　to　start　on　a　fresh　subject。
　〃How　did　you　recognize　me？〃　I　asked。
　She　swallowed；　took　a　drink　of　wine；　grinned。
　〃From　your　picture；　of　course；〃　she　said。
　〃What　picture？〃
　〃On　the　card；〃　she　said。　〃We　used　to　play　with　them　when　I　was　very　small。　I　learned　all　my　relatives　that　way。　You　and　Eric　are　the　other　good　swordsmen；　I　knew　that。　That　is　why　I　…〃
　〃You　have　a　set　of　the　Trumps？〃　I　interrupted。
　〃No；〃　she　said；　pouting。　〃He　wouldn't　give　me　a　set　…　and　I　know　he　has　several；　too。〃
　〃Really？　Where　does　he　keep　them？〃
　She　narrowed　her　eyes；　focusing　them　on　my　own。　Damn！　I　hadn't　meant　to　sound　that　eager。
　But；　〃He　has　a　set　with　him　most　of　the　time；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　have　no　idea　where　he　keeps　the　others。　Why？　Won't　he　let　you　see　them？〃
　〃I　haven't　asked　him；〃　I　told　her。　〃Do　you　understand　their　significance？〃
　〃There　were　certain　things　I　was　not　allowed　to　do　when　I　was　near　them。　I　gather　that　they　have　a　special　use；　but　he　never　told　me　what　it　is。　They　are　quite　important；　aren't　they？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃I　thought　so。　He　is　always　so　careful　with　them。　Do　you　have　a　set？〃
　〃Yes；　but　it's　out　on　loan　just　now。〃
　〃I　see。　And　you　would　like　to　use　them　for　something　plicated　and　sinister。〃
　I　shrugged。
　〃I　would　like　to　use　them；　but　for　very　dull；　unplicated　purposes。〃
　〃Such　as？〃
　I　shook　my　head。
　〃If　Benedict　does　not　want　you　to　know　their　function　yet；　I　am　not　about　to　tell　you。〃
　She　made　a　small　growling　noise。
　〃You're　afraid　of　him；〃　she　said。
　〃I　have　considerable　respect　for　Benedict；　not　to　mention　some　affection。〃
　She　laughed。
　〃Is　he　a　better　fighter　than　you；　a　better　swordsman？〃
　I　looked　away。　She　must　have　just　gotten　back　from　someplace　fairly　removed　from　things。　The　townspeople　I'd　met　had　all　known　about　Benedict's　arm。　It　was　not　the　sort　of　news　that　traveled　slowly。　I　certainly　was　not　going　to　be　the　first　to　tell　her。
　〃Have　it　as　you　would；〃　I　said。　〃Where　have　you　been？〃
　〃The　village；〃　she　said；　〃in　the　mountains。　Grandpa　took　me　there　to　stay　with　some　friends　of　his　called　Tecys。　Do　you　know　the　Tecys？〃
　〃No；　I　don't。〃
　〃I've　been　there　before；〃　she　said。　〃He　always　takes　me　to　stay　with　them　in　the　village　when　there　is　any　sort　of　trouble　here。　The　place　has　no　name。　I　just　call　it　the　village。　It　is　quite　strange　…　the　people；　as　well　as　the　village。　They　seem　to　…　sort　of　…　worship　us。　They　treat　me　as　if　I　were　something　holy；　and　they　never　tell　me　anything　I　want　to　know。　It　is　not　a　long　ride；　but　the　mountains　are　different；　the　sky　is　different　…　everything！　…　and　it　is　as　if　there　were　no　way　back；　once　I　am　there。　I　had　tried　ing　back　on　my　own　before；　but　I　just　got　lost。　Grandpa　always　had　to　e　for　me；　and　then　the　way　was　easy。　The　Tecys　follow　all　of　his　instructions　concerning　me。　They　treat　him　as　if　he　were　some　sort　of　god。〃
　〃He　is；〃　I　said；　〃to　them。〃
　〃You　said　that　you　do　not　know　them。〃
　〃I　don't　have　to。　I　know　Benedict。〃
　〃How　does　he　do　it？　Tell　me。〃
　I　shook　my　head。
　〃How　did　you　do　it？〃　I　asked　her。　〃How　did　you　get　back　here　this　time？〃
　She　finished　her　wine　and　held　out　the　glass。　When　I　looked　up　from　refilling　it；　her　head　was　cocked　toward　her　right　shoulder；　her　brows　were　furrowed；　and　her　eyes　were　focused　on　something　far　away。
　〃I　do　not　really　know；〃　she　said；　raising　the　glass　and　sipping　from　it　automatically；　〃I　am　not　quite　certain　how　I　went　about　it。。。〃
　With　her　left　hand；　she　began　to　toy　with　her　knife；　finally　picking　it　up。
　〃I　was　mad；　mad　as　hell　for　having　been　packed　off　again；〃　she　said。　〃I　told　him　that　I　wanted　to　stay　here　and　fight；　but　he　took　me　riding　with　him　and　after　a　time　we　arrived　at　the　village。　I　do　not　know　how。　It　was　not　a　long　ride；　and　suddenly　we　were　there。　I　know　this　area。　I　was　born　here；　I　grew　up　here。　I've　ridden　all　over；　hundreds　of　leagues　in　all　directions。　I　was　never　able　to　find　it　when　I　went　looking。　But　it　seemed　only　a　brief　while　that　we　rode；　and　suddenly　we　were　at　the　Tecys'　again。　But　it　had　been　several　years；　and　I　can　be　more　determined　about　things　now　that　I　am　grown。　I　resolved　to　return　by　myself。〃
　With　the　knife；　she　began　scraping　and　digging　at　the　ground　beside　her；　not　seeming　to　notice　what　she　was　doing。
　〃I　waited　till　nightfall；〃　she　went　on；　〃and　studied　the　stars　to　take　my　direction。　It　was　an　unreal　feeling。　The　stars　were　all　different。　I　didn't　recognize　any　of　the　constellations。　I　went　back　inside　and　thought　about　it。　I　was　a　little　bit　afraid　and　did　not　know　what　to　do。　I　spent　the　next　day　trying　to　get　more　information　out　of　the　Tecys　and　the　other　people　in　the　village。　But　it　was　like　a　bad　dream。　Either　they　were　stupid　or　they　were　purposely　trying　to　confuse　me。　Not　only　was　there　no　way　to　get　from　there　to　here；　they　had　no　idea　where　'here'　was　and　were　none　too　certain　about　'there。'　That　night　I　checked　the　stars　again；　to　be　sure　about　what　I　had　seen；　and　I　was　about　ready　to　begin　believing　them。〃
　She　moved　the　knife　back　and　forth　as　if　honing　it　now；　smoothing　the　soil　and　packing　it　flat。　Then　she　began　to　trace　designs。
　〃For　the　next　several　days；　I　tried　to　find　my　way　back；〃　she　continued。　〃I　thought　I　could　locate　our　trail　and　backtrack　along　it；　but　it　just　sort　of　vanished。　Then　I　did　the　only　other　thing　I　could　think　of。　Each　morning　I　struck　out　in　a　different　direction；　rode　until　noon；　then　headed　back。　I　came　across　nothing　that　was　familiar。　It　was　totally　bewildering。　Each　night　I　went　to　sleep　more　angry　and　upset　over　the　way　things