rz.thegunsofavalon-第28部分

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　things　in　my　time　that　many　would　consider　much　worse；　and　I　was　not　especially　troubled　by　these。　I　wrestled　with　it；　not　liking　to　admit　it　but　already　knowing　the　answer。　I　cared　for　the　girl。　It　was　as　simple　as　that。　It　was　different　from　the　friendship　I　had　felt　for　Lorraine；　with　its　element　of　world…weary　understanding　between　two　veterans　about　it；　or　the　air　of　casual　sensuality　that　had　existed　briefly　between　Moire　and　myself　back　before　I　had　taken　the　Pattern　for　the　second　time。　It　was　quite　different。　I　had　known　her　so　briefly　that　it　was　most　illogical。　I　was　a　man　with　centuries　behind　me。　Yet。。。　I　had　not　felt　this　way　in　centuries。　I　had　forgotten　the　feeling；　until　now。　I　did　not　want　to　be　in　love　with　her。　Not　now。　Later；　perhaps。　Better　yet；　not　at　all。　She　was　all　wrong　for　me。　She　was　a　child。　Everything　that　she　would　want　to　do；　everything　that　she　would　find　new　and　fascinating；　I　had　already　done。　No；　it　was　all　wrong。　I　had　no　business　falling　in　love　with　her。　I　should　not　let　myself。。。
　Ganelon　hummed　some　bawdy　tune；　badly。　The　wagon　jounced　and　creaked；　took　a　turn　uphill。　The　sun　fell　upon　my　face；　and　I　covered　my　eyes　with　my　forearm。　Somewhere　thereabout；　oblivion　fixed　its　grip　and　squeezed。
　
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　When　I　awoke；　it　was　past　noon　and　I　was　feeling　grimy。　I　took　a　long　drink　of　water；　poured　some　in　the　palm　of　my　hand；　and　rubbed　it　in　my　eyes。　I　bed　my　hair　with　my　fingers。　I　took　a　look　at　our　surroundings。
　There　was　greenery　about　us；　small　stands　of　trees　and　open　spaces　where　tall　grasses　grew。　It　was　still　a　dirt　road　that　we　traveled；　hard…packed　and　fairly　smooth。　The　sky　was　clear；　but　for　a　few　small　clouds；　and　shade　alternated　with　sunlight　fairly　regularly。　There　was　a　light　breeze。
　〃Back　among　the　living。　Good！〃　said　Ganelon；　as　I　climbed　over　the　front　wall　and　took　a　seat　beside　him。
　〃The　horses　are　getting　tired；　Corwin；　and　I'd　like　to　stretch　my　legs　a　bit；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　also　getting　very　hungry。　Aren't　you？〃
　〃Yes。　Pull　off　into　that　shady　place　to　the　left　and　we'll　stop　awhile。〃
　〃I　would　like　to　go　on　a　bit　farther　than　that；〃　he　said。
　〃For　any　special　reason？〃
　〃Yes。　I　want　to　show　you　something。〃
　〃Go　ahead。〃
　We　clopped　along　for　perhaps　a　half　a　mile；　then　came　to　a　bend　in　the　road　that　took　us　in　a　more　northerly　direction。　Before　very　long　we　came　to　a　hill；　and　when　we　had　mounted　it　there　was　another　hill；　leading　even　higher。
　〃How　much　farther　do　you　want　to　go？〃　I　said。
　〃Let's　take　this　next　hill；〃　he　replied。　〃We　might　be　able　to　see　it　from　up　there。〃
　〃All　right。〃
　The　horses　strained　against　the　steepness　of　that　second　hill；　and　I　got　out　and　pushed　from　behind。　When　we　finally　reached　the　top；　I　felt　even　grimier　from　the　mixture　of　sweat　and　dust；　but　I　was　fully　awake　once　more。　Ganelon　reined　in　the　horses　and　put　on　the　brake。　He　climbed　back　in　the　wagon　and　up　onto　a　crate　then。　He　stood；　facing　to　the　left；　and　shaded　his　eyes。
　〃e　up　here；　Corwin；〃　he　called。
　I　climbed　over　the　tailgate　and　he　squatted　and　extended　a　hand。　I　took　it；　and　he　helped　me　up　onto　the　crate；　where　I　stood　beside　him。　He　pointed；　and　I　followed　the　gesture。
　Perhaps　three…quarters　of　a　mile　distant；　running　from　left　to　right　for　as　far　as　I　could　see；　was　a　wide；　black　band。　We　were　several　hundred　yards　higher　than　the　thing　and　had　a　decent　view　of；　I　would　say；　half　a　mile　of　its　length。　It　was　several　hundred　feet　across；　and　though　it　curved　and　turned　twice　that　I　could　see；　its　width　appeared　to　remain　constant。　There　were　trees　within　it；　and　they　were　totally　black。　There　seemed　to　be　some　movement。　I　could　not　say　what　it　was。　Perhaps　it　was　only　the　wind　rippling　the　black　grasses　near　its　edge。　But　there　was　also　a　definite　sensation　of　flowing　within　it；　like　currents　in　a　flat；　dark　river。
　〃What　is　it？〃　I　said。
　〃I　thought　perhaps　you　could　tell　me；〃　Ganelon　replied。　〃I　had　thought　it　a　part　of　your　shadow…sorceries。〃
　I　shook　my　head　slowly。
　〃I　was　quite　drowsy；　but　I　would　remember　if　I　had　arranged　for　anything　that　strange　to　occur。　How　did　you　know　it　was　there？〃
　〃We　skirted　it　several　times　as　you　slept；　then　edged　away　again。　I　did　not　like　the　feeling　at　all。　It　was　a　very　familiar　one。　Does　it　not　remind　you　of　something？〃
　〃Yes。　Yes；　it　does。　Unfortunately。〃
　He　nodded。
　〃It's　like　that　damned　Circle　back　in　Lorraine。　That's　what　it's　like。〃
　〃The　black　road。。。〃　I　said。
　〃What？〃
　〃The　black　road；〃　I　repeated。　〃I　did　not　know　what　she　was　referring　to　when　she　mentioned　it；　but　now　I　begin　to　understand。　This　is　not　good　at　all。〃
　〃Another　ill　omen？〃
　〃I　am　afraid　so。〃
　He　cursed；　then；　〃Will　it　cause　us　any　immediate　trouble？〃　he　asked。
　〃I　don't　believe　so；　but　I　am　not　certain。〃
　He　climbed　down　from　the　crate　and　I　followed。
　〃Let's　find　some　forage　for　the　horses　then；〃　he　said；　〃and　tend　to　our　own　bellies　as　well。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　We　moved　forward　and　he　took　the　reins。　We　found　a　good　spot　at　the　foot　of　the　hill。
　We　tarried　there　for　the　better　part　of　an　hour；　talking　mainly　of　Avalon。　We　did　not　speak　again　of　the　black　road；　though　I　thought　of　it　quite　a　bit。　I　had　to　get　a　closer　look　at　the　thing；　of　course。
　When　we　were　ready　to　move　on；　I　took　the　reins　again。　The　horses；　somewhat　refreshed；　moved　out　at　a　good　pace。
　Ganelon　sat　beside　me　on　the　left；　still　in　a　talkative　mood。　I　was　only　just　then　beginning　to　realize　how　much　this　strange　homeing　had　meant　to　him。　He　had　revisited　many　of　his　old　haunts　from　the　days　of　his　outlawry；　as　well　as　four　battlefields　where　he　had　distinguished　himself　greatly　after　he　had　achieved　respectability。　I　was　in　many　ways　moved　by　his　reminiscences。　An　unusual　mixture　of　gold　and　clay；　this　man。　He　should　have　been　an　Amberite。
　The　miles　slid　by　quickly　and　we　were　drawing　near　to　the　black　road　again　when　I　felt　a　familiar　mental　jab。　I　passed　the　reins　to　Ganelon。
　〃Take　them！〃　I　said。　〃Drive！〃
　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃Later！　Just　drive！〃
　〃Should　I　hurry？〃
　〃No。　Keep　it　normal。　Don't　say　anything　for　a　while。〃
　I　closed　my　eyes　and　rested　my　head　in　my　hands；　emptying　my　mind　and　building　a　wall　around　the　emptiness。　No　one　home。　Out　to　lunch。　No　solicitors。　This　property　is　vacant。　Do　not　disturb。　Trespassers　will　be　prosecuted。　Beware　of　dog。　Falling　rock。　Slippery　when　wet。　To　be　razed　for　urban　renewal。。。
　It　eased；　then　came　on　again；　hard；　and　I　blocked　it　again。　There　followed　a　third　wave。　I　stopped　that　one；　too。
　Then　it　was　gone。
　I　sighed；　massaged　my　eyeballs。
　〃It's　all　right　now；〃　I　said。
　〃What　happened？〃
　〃Someone　tried　to　reach　me　by　a　very　special　means。　It　was　almost　certainly　Benedict。　He　must　just　now　have　found　out　any　of　a　number　of　things　that　could　make　him　want　to　stop　us。　I'll　take　the　reins　again　now。　I　fear　he　will　be　on　our　trail　soon。〃
　Ganelon　handed　them　over。
　〃What　are　our　chances　of　escaping　him？〃
　〃Pretty　fair　now。　I'd　say；　that　we've　got　more　distance　behind　us。　I　am　going　to　shuffle　some　more　shadows　as　soon　as　my　head　stops　spinning。〃
　I　guided　us　on；　and　our　way　twisted　and　wound；　paralleling　that　black　road　for　a　time；　then　heading　in　closer　to　it。　Finally；　we　were　only　a　few　hundred　yards　away　from　it。
　Ganelon　studied　it　in　silence　for　a　long　while；　then　said；　〃It　reminds　me　too　much　of　that　other　place。　The　little　tongues　of　mist　that　lick　about　things；　the　feeling　that　something　is　always　moving　just　at　the　corner　of　your　eye。。。〃
　I　bit　my　lip。　I　began　to　perspire　heavily。　I　was　trying　to　shift　away　from　the　thing　now　and　there　was　some　sort　of　resistance。　It　was　not　the　same　feeling　of　monolithic　immovability　as　occurs　when　you　try　to　move　through　Shadow　in　Amber。　It　was　altogether　different。　It　was　a　feeling　of　…　inescapability。
　We　moved　through　Shadow　all　right。　The　sun　drifted　higher　in　the　heavens；　heading　back　toward　noonday　…　for　I　did　not　relish　the　thought　of　nightfall　beside　that　black　strip　…　and　the　sky　lost　something　of　its　blue　and　the　trees　shot　higher　about　us　and　mountains　appeared　in　the　distance。
　Was　it　that　the　road　cut　through　Shadow　itself？
　It　must。　Why　else　would　Julian　and　Gerard　have　located　it　and　been　sufficiently　intrigued　to　explore　the　thing？
　It　was　unfortunate；　but　I　feared　we　had　much　in　mon；　that　road　and　I。　Damn　it！
　We　moved　beside　it　for　a　long　while；　gradually　moving　closer　together；　also。　Soon；　only　about　a　hundred　feet　separated　us。　Fifty。。。
　。。。　And；　as　I　had　felt　they　eventually　must；　our　paths　finally　intersected。
　I　drew　rein。　I　packed　my　pipe　and　lit　it；　smoked　as　I　studied　the　thing。　Star　and　Firedrake　obviously　did　not　approve　of　the　black　area　that　cut　across　our　way。　They　had　whinnied　and　tried　to　pull　off　to　the　side。
　It　was　a　long；　diagonal　cut　across　the　black　place　if　we　wanted　to　keep　to　the　road。　Also；　part　of　the　terrain　was　hidden　from　our　sight　by　a　series　of　low；　stone　hills。　There　were　heavy　grasses　at　the　edge　of　the　black　and　patches　of　it；　here　and　there；　about　the　foot　of　the　hills。　Bits　of　mist　scudded　among　them　and　faint；　vaporous　clouds　hovered　in　all　the　hollows。　The　sky；　seen　through　the　atmosphere　that　hung　about　the　place；　was　se