rz.thegunsofavalon-第40部分

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　〃I'm　glad　for　you；〃　I　said。
　We　reached　the　door　that　opened　onto　the　platform　hiding　the　long；　spiral　stairway　down。　It　was　open。　We　passed　through　and　began　the　descent。
　〃I'm　not；〃　he　said；　as　we　hurried　around　and　around。　〃I　didn't　want　to　fall　in　love。　Not　then。　We've　been　prisoners　the　whole　time；　you　know。　How　can　she　be　proud　of　that？〃
　〃That　is　over　now；〃　I　said。　〃You　became　a　prisoner　because　you　followed　me　and　tried　to　kill　Eric；　didn't　you？〃
　〃Yes。　Then　she　joined　me　here。〃
　〃I　will　not　forget；〃　I　said。
　We　rushed　on。　It　was　a　great　distance　down；　and　there　were　only　lanterns　every　forty　feet　or　so。　It　was　a　huge；　natural　cavern。　I　wondered　whether　anyone　knew　how　many　tunnels　and　corridors　it　contained。　I　suddenly　felt　myself　overwhelmed　with　pity　for　any　poor　wretches　rotting　in　its　dungeons；　for　whatever　reasons。　I　resolved　to　release　them　all　or　find　something　better　to　do　with　them。
　Long　minutes　passed。　I　could　see　the　flickering　of　the　torches　and　the　lanterns　below。
　〃There　is　a　girl；〃　I　said；　〃and　her　name　is　Dara。　She　told　me　she　was　Benedict's　great…granddaughter　and　gave　me　reason　to　believe　it。　I　told　her　somewhat　concerning　Shadow；　reality；　and　the　Pattern。　She　does　possess　some　power　over　Shadow；　and　she　was　anxious　to　walk　the　Pattern。　When　last　I　saw　her；　she　was　headed　this　way。　Now　Benedict　swears　she　is　not　his。　Suddenly　I　am　fearful。　I　want　to　keep　her　from　the　Pattern。　I　want　to　question　her。〃
　〃Strange；〃　he　said。　〃Very。　I　agree　with　you。　Do　you　think　she　might　be　there　now？〃
　〃If　she　is　not；　then　I　feel　she　will　be　along　soon。〃
　We　finally　reached　the　floor；　and　I　began　to　race　through　the　shadows　toward　the　proper　tunnel。
　〃Wait！〃　Random　cried。
　I　halted　and　turned。　It　took　me　a　moment　to　locate　him；　as　he　was　back　behind　the　stairs。　I　returned。
　My　question　did　not　reach　my　lips。　I　saw　that　he　knelt　beside　a　large；　bearded　man。
　〃Dead；〃　he　said。　〃A　very　thin　blade。　Good　thrust。　Just　recently。〃
　〃e　on！〃
　We　both　ran　to　the　tunnel　and　turned　up　it。　Its　seventh　side　passage　was　the　one　we　wanted。　I　drew　Grayswandir　as　we　neared　it；　for　that　great；　dark；　metal…bound　door　was　standing　ajar。
　I　sprang　through。　Random　was　right　behind　me。　The　floor　of　that　enormous　room　is　black　and　looks　to　be　smooth　as　glass；　although　it　is　not　slippery。　The　Pattern　burns　upon　it；　within　it；　an　intricate；　shimmering　maze　of　curved　lines；　perhaps　a　hundred　and　fifty　yards　long。　We　halted　at　its　edge；　staring。
　Something　was　out　there；　walking　it。　I　felt　that　old；　tingling　chill　the　thing　always　gives　me　as　I　watched。　Was　it　Dara？　It　was　difficult　for　me　to　make　out　the　figure　within　the　fountains　of　sparks　that　spewed　constantly　about　it。　Whoever　it　was　had　to　be　of　the　blood　royal；　for　it　was　mon　knowledge　that　anyone　else　would　be　destroyed　by　the　Pattern；　and　this　individual　had　already　made　it　past　the　Grand　Curve　and　was　negotiating　the　plicated　series　of　arcs　that　led　toward　the　Final　Veil。
　The　firefly　form　seemed　to　change　shape　as　it　moved。　For　a　time；　my　senses　kept　rejecting　the　tiny　subliminal　glimpses　that　I　knew　must　be　ing　through　to　me。　I　heard　Random　gasp　beside　me；　and　it　seemed　to　breach　my　subconscious　dam。　A　horde　of　impressions　flooded　my　mind。
　It　seemed　to　tower　hugely　in　that　always　unsubstantial…seeming　chamber。　Then　shrink；　die　down；　almost　to　nothing。　It　seemed　a　slim　woman　for　a　moment　…　possibly　Dara；　her　hair　lightened　by　the　glow；　streaming；　crackling　with　static　electricity。　Then　it　was　not　hair；　but　great；　curved　horns　from　some　wide；　uncertain　brow；　whose　crook…legged　owner　struggled　to　shuffle　hoofs　along　the　blazing　way。　Then　something　else。。。　An　enormous　cat。。。　A　faceless　woman。。。　A　bright…winged　thing　of　indescribable　beauty。。。　A　tower　of　ashes。。。
　〃Dara！〃　I　cried　out。　〃Is　that　you？〃
　My　voice　echoed　back；　and　that　was　all。　Whoever/whatever　it　was　struggled　now　with　the　Final　Veil。　My　muscles　strained　forward　in　unwilling　sympathy　with　the　effort。
　Finally；　it　burst　through。
　Yes；　it　was　Dara！　Tall　and　magnificent　now。　Both　beautiful　and　somehow　horrible　at　the　same　time。　The　sight　of　her　tore　at　the　fabric　of　my　mind。　Her　arms　were　upraised　in　exultation　and　an　inhuman　laughter　flowed　from　her　lips。　I　wanted　to　look　away；　yet　I　could　not　move。　Had　I　truely　held；　caressed；　made　love　to　…　that？　I　was　mightily　repelled　and　simultaneously　attracted　as　I　had　never　been　before。　I　could　not　understand　this　overwhelming　ambivalence。
　Then　she　looked　at　me。
　The　laughter　ceased。　Her　altered　voice　rang　out。
　〃Lord　Corwin；　are　you　liege　of　Amber　now？〃
　From　somewhere；　I　managed　a　reply。　〃For　all　practical　purposes；〃　I　said。
　〃Good！　Then　behold　your　nemesis！〃
　〃Who　are　you？　What　are　you？〃
　〃You　will　never　know；〃　she　said。　〃It　is　just　exactly　too　late　now。〃
　〃I　do　not　understand。　What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃Amber；〃　she　said；　〃will　be　destroyed。〃
　And　she　vanished。
　〃What　the　hell；〃　said　Random　then；　〃was　that？〃
　I　shook　my　head。
　〃I　do　not　know。　I　really　do　not　know。　And　I　feel　that　it　is　the　most　important　thing　in　the　world　that　we　find　out。〃
　He　gripped　my　arm。
　〃Corwin；〃　he　said。　〃She　…　it　…　meant　it。　And　it　may　be　possible；　you　know。〃
　I　nodded。
　〃I　know。〃
　〃What　are　we　going　to　do　now？〃
　I　resheathed　Grayswandir　and　turned　back　toward　the　door。
　〃Pick　up　the　pieces；〃　I　said。　〃I　have　what　I　thought　I　always　wanted　within　my　grasp　now；　and　I　must　secure　it。　And　I　cannot　wait　for　what　is　to　e。　I　must　seek　it　out　and　stop　it　before　it　ever　reaches　Amber。〃
　〃Do　you　know　where　to　seek　it？〃　he　asked。
　We　turned　up　the　tunnel。
　〃I　believe　it　lies　at　the　other　end　of　the　black　road；〃　I　said。
　We　moved　on　through　the　cavern　to　the　stairs　where　the　dead　man　lay　and　went　round　and　round　above　him　in　the　dark。