rz.thegunsofavalon-第31部分

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　〃What　do　we　do　now？〃　Ganelon　asked。
　〃Let's　pick　up　our　stuff　and　get　moving　again。　We　can　at　least　delay　the　inevitable　a　little　longer。　I　want　more　time　to　think。〃
　We　rolled　once　more；　still　moving　at　a　moderate　pace；　though　my　mind　was　racing　at　full　speed。　There　had　to　be　a　way　to　stop　him。　Preferably；　without　killing　him。
　But　I　couldn't　think　of　any。
　Except　for　the　black　road；　which　was　edging　nearer　once　more；　we　had　e　into　a　lovely　afternoon　in　a　beautiful　place。　It　was　a　shame　to　dampen　it　with　blood；　particularly　if　it　might　be　my　blood。　Even　with　his　blade　in　his　left　hand；　I　was　afraid　to　face　him。　Ganelon　would　be　of　no　use　to　me。　Benedict　would　barely　notice　him。
　I　shifted　as　we　took　another　turning。　Moments　later；　a　faint　smell　of　smoke　came　to　my　nostrils。　I　shifted　slightly　again。
　〃He's　ing　fast！〃　Ganelon　announced。　〃I　just　saw　…　There's　smoke！　Flames！　The　woods　are　on　fire！〃
　I　laughed　and　looked　back。　Half　the　hillside　swam　under　smoke　and　an　orange　thing　raced　through　the　green；　its　crackling　just　then　reaching　my　ears。　Of　their　own　accord；　the　horses　increased　their　pace。
　〃Corwin！　Did　you　…　？〃
　〃Yes！　If　it　were　steeper　and　there　were　no　trees；　I'd　have　tried　an　avalanche。〃
　The　air　was　momentarily　filled　with　birds。　We　drew　nearer　the　black　way。　Firedrake　tossed　his　head　and　whinnied。　There　were　flecks　of　foam　on　his　muzzle。　He　tried　to　bolt；　then　reared　and　pawed　the　air。　Star　made　a　frightened　noise　and　pulled　to　the　right。　I　fought　a　moment；　regained　control；　decided　to　let　them　run　a　bit。
　〃He's　still　ing！〃　cried　Ganelon。
　I　cursed　and　we　ran。　Eventually；　our　path　brought　us　alongside　the　black　road。　We　were　on　a　long　straightaway；　and　a　glance　back　showed　me　that　the　whole　hillside　was　ablaze；　the　trail　running　like　a　nasty　scar　down　its　middle。　It　was　then　that　I　saw　the　rider。　He　was　almost　halfway　down　and　moving　like　something　in　the　Kentucky　Derby。　God！　What　a　horse　that　had　to　be！　I　wondered　what　shadow　had　borne　him。
　I　drew　on　the　reins；　gently　at　first；　then　harder；　until　finally　we　began　to　slow。　We　were　only　a　few　hundred　feet　from　the　black　road　by　then；　and　I　had　seen　to　it　that　there　was　a　place　not　too　far　ahead　where　the　gap　narrowed　to　thirty　or　forty。　I　managed　to　rein　in　the　horses　when　we　reached　it；　and　they　stood　there　quivering。　I　handed　the　reins　to　Ganelon；　drew　Grayswandir；　and　stepped　down　to　the　road。
　Why　not？　It　was　a　good；　clear；　level　area；　and　perhaps　that　black；　blasted　slice　of　land；　contrasting　with　the　colors　of　life　and　growth　immediately　beside　it；　appealed　to　some　morbid　instinct　in　me。
　〃What　now？〃　Ganelon　asked。
　〃We　cannot　shake　him；〃　I　said；　〃and　if　he　makes　it　through　the　fire　he　will　be　here　in　a　few　minutes。　There　is　no　sense　to　running　any　farther。　I'll　meet　him　here。〃
　Ganelon　twisted　the　reins　around　a　side　bar　and　reached　for　his　blade。
　〃No；〃　I　said。　〃You　cannot　affect　the　oute　one　way　or　the　other。　Here　is　what　I　want　you　to　do：　Take　the　wagon　on　up　the　road　and　wait　there　with　it。　If　things　are　resolved　to　my　satisfaction；　we　will　be　continuing　on。　If　they　are　not；　surrender　immediately　to　Benedict。　It　is　me　that　he　wants；　and　he　will　be　the　only　one　left　who　can　take　you　back　to　Avalon。　He　will　do　it；　too。　You　will　at　least　retire　to　your　homeland　that　way。〃
　He　hesitated。
　〃Go　on；〃　I　told　him。　〃Do　as　I　said。〃
　He　looked　down　at　the　ground。　He　unwound　the　reins。　He　looked　at　me。
　〃Good　luck；〃　he　said；　and　he　shook　the　horses　forward。
　I　backed　off　the　trail；　moved　to　a　position　before　a　small　stand　of　saplings；　and　waited。　I　kept　Grayswandir　in　my　hand；　glanced　once　at　the　black　road；　then　fixed　my　eyes　on　the　trail。
　Before　long；　he　appeared　up　near　the　flame　line；　smoke　and　fire　all　about　him；　burning　branches　falling。　It　was　Benedict　all　right；　his　face　partly　muffled；　the　stump　of　his　right　arm　upraised　to　shield　his　eyes；　ing　like　some　ghastly　escapee　from　hell。　Bursting　through　a　shower　of　sparks　and　cinders；　he　came　into　the　clear　and　plunged　on　down　the　trail。
　Soon；　I　could　hear　the　hoofbeats。　A　gentlemanly　thing　to　do　would　be　to　sheathe　my　blade　while　I　waited。　If　I　did　that；　though；　I　might　not　have　a　chance　to　draw　it　again。
　I　found　myself　wondering　how　Benedict　would　be　wearing　his　blade　and　what　sort　it　would　be。　Straight？　Curved？　Long？　Short？　He　could　use　them　all　with　equal　facility。　He　had　taught　me　how　to　fence。。。
　It　might　be　smart　as　well　as　gentlemanly　to　sheathe　Grayswandir。　He　might　be　willing　to　talk　first　…　and　this　way　I　was　asking　for　trouble。　As　the　hoofbeats　grew　louder；　though；　I　realized　I　was　afraid　to　put　it　away。
　I　wiped　my　palm　only　once　before　he　came　into　view。　He　had　slowed　for　the　turn；　and　he　must　have　seen　me　at　the　same　instant　I　saw　him。　He　rode　straight　toward　me；　slowing。　But　halting　did　not　appear　to　be　his　immediate　aim。
　It　was　almost　a　mystical　experience。　I　do　not　know　how　else　to　put　it。　My　mind　outran　time　as　he　neared；　and　it　was　as　though　I　had　an　eternity　to　ponder　the　approach　of　this　man　who　was　my　brother。　His　garments　were　filthy；　his　face　blackened；　the　stump　of　his　right　arm　raised；　gesturing　anywhere。　The　great　beast　that　he　rode　was　striped；　black　and　red；　with　a　wild　red　mane　and　tail。　But　it　really　was　a　horse；　and　its　eyes　rolled　and　there　was　foam　at　its　mouth　and　its　breathing　was　painful　to　hear。　I　saw　then　that　he　wore　his　blade　slung　across　his　back；　for　its　haft　protruded　high　above　his　right　shoulder。　Still　slowing；　eyes　fixed　upon　me；　he　departed　the　road；　bearing　slightly　toward　my　left；　jerked　the　reins　once　and　released　them；　keeping　control　of　the　horse　with　his　knees。　His　left　hand　went　up　in　a　salute…like　movement　that　passed　above　his　head　and　seized　the　hilt　of　his　weapon。　It　came　free　without　a　sound；　describing　a　beautiful　arc　above　him　and　ing　to　rest　in　a　lethal　position　out　from　his　left　shoulder　and　slanting　back；　like　a　single　wing　of　dull　steel　with　a　minuscule　line　of　edge　that　gleamed　like　a　filament　of　mirror。　The　picture　he　presented　was　burned　into　my　mind　with　a　kind　of　magnificence；　a　certain　splendor　that　was　strangely　moving。　The　blade　was　a　long；　scythe　like　affair　that　I　had　seen　him　use　before。　Only　then　we　had　stood　as　allies　against　a　mutual　foe　I　had　begun　to　believe　unbeatable。　Benedict　had　proved　otherwise　that　night。　Now　that　I　saw　it　raised　against　me　I　was　overwhelmed　with　a　sense　of　my　own　mortality；　which　I　had　never　experienced　before　in　this　fashion。　It　was　as　though　a　layer　had　been　stripped　from　the　world　and　I　had　a　sudden；　full　understanding　of　death　itself。
　The　moment　was　gone。　I　backed　into　the　grove。　I　had　stood　there　so　that　I　could　take　advantage　of　the　trees。　I　dropped　back　about　twelve　feet　among　them　and　took　two　steps　to　my　left。　The　horse　reared　at　the　last　possible　moment　and　snorted　and　whinnied；　moist　nostrils　flaring。　It　turned　aside；　tearing　up　turf。　Benedict's　arm　moved　with　near…invisible　speed；　like　the　tongue　of　a　toad；　and　his　blade　passed　through　a　sapling　I'd　guess　at　three　inches　in　diameter。　The　tree　continued　to　stand　upright　for　a　moment；　then　slowly　toppled。
　His　boots　struck　the　earth　and　he　strode　toward　me。　I　had　wanted　the　grove　for　this　reason；　also；　to　make　him　e　to　me　in　a　place　where　a　long　blade　would　be　hampered　by　branches　and　boles。
　But　as　he　advanced；　he　swung　the　weapon；　almost　casually；　back　and　forth；　and　the　trees　fell　about　him　as　he　passed。　If　only　he　were　not　so　infernally　petent。　If　only　he　were　not　Benedict。。。
　〃Benedict；〃　I　said；　in　a　normal　voice；　〃she　is　an　adult　now；　and　she　is　capable　of　making　up　her　own　mind　about　things。〃
　But　he　gave　no　sign　of　having　heard　me。　He　just　kept　ing；　swinging　that　great　blade　from　side　to　side。　It　made　an　almost　ringing　sound　as　it　passed　through　the　air；　followed　by　a　soft　thukk！　as　it　bit　through　another　tree；　slowing　only　slightly。　I　raised　Grayswandir　to　point　at　his　breast。
　〃e　no　farther；　Benedict；〃　I　said。　〃I　do　not　wish　to　fight　with　you。〃
　He　moved　his　blade　into　an　attack　position　and　said　one　word：
　〃Murderer！〃
　His　hand　twitched　then　and　my　blade　was　almost　simultaneously　beaten　aside。　I　parried　the　ensuing　thrust　and　he　brushed　my　riposte　aside　and　was　at　me　again。
　This　time　I　did　not　even　bother　to　riposte。　I　simply　parried；　retreated；　and　stepped　behind　a　tree。
　〃I　don't　understand；〃　I　said；　beating　down　his　blade　as　it　slid　by　the　trunk　and　nearly　skewered　me。　〃I　have　not　murdered　anyone　recently。　Certainly　not　in　Avalon。〃
　Another　thukk！　and　the　tree　was　falling　toward　me。　I　got　out　of　its　way　and　retreated；　parrying。
　〃Murderer；〃　he　said　again。
　〃I　don't　know　what　you　are　talking　about；　Benedict。〃
　〃Liar！〃
　I　stood　my　ground　then　and　held　it。　Damn　it！　It　was　senseless　to　die　for　the　wrong　reason！　I　riposted　as　fast　as　I　could；　seeking　openings　everywhere。　There　were　none。
　〃At　least　tell　me！〃　I　shouted。　〃Please！〃
　But　he　seemed　to　be　finished　with　talking。　He　pressed　forward　and　I　had　to　fall　back　once　more。　It　was　like　trying　to　fence　with　a　glacier。　I　became　convinced　then　that　he　was　out　of　his　mind；　not　that　that　helped　me　any。　With　anybody　else；　an　insane　madness　would　cause　the　loss　of　some　control　in　a　fight。　But　Benedict　had　ha