rz.thegunsofavalon-第5部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

at　his　belt。　He　filled　it；　tamped　it；　and　struck　a　flame。　His　face　would　have　been　satanic　in　the　spark　light；　save　for　whatever　turned　his　mouth　downward　and　drew　the　muscles　in　his　cheeks　up　into　that　angle　formed　by　the　inner　corners　of　his　eyes　and　the　sharp　bridge　of　his　nose。　A　devil　is　supposed　to　have　an　evil　grin；　and　this　one　looked　too　morose。
　I　smelled　the　smoke。　After　a　time；　he　began　to　speak；　softly　and　very　slowly　at　first：
　〃I　remember　Avalon；〃　he　began。　〃My　birth　there　was　not　ignoble；　but　virtue　was　never　one　of　my　strong　points。　I　went　through　my　inheritance　quickly　and　I　took　to　the　roads　where　I　waylaid　travelers。　Later；　I　joined　with　a　band　of　other　men　such　as　myself。　When　I　discovered　I　was　the　strongest　and　most　fit　to　lead；　I　became　the　leader。　There　were　prices　on　all　our　heads。　Mine　was　the　highest。〃
　He　spoke　more　rapidly　now；　and　his　voice　grew　more　refined　and　his　choice　of　words　came　as　an　echo　from　out　of　his　past。
　〃Yes；　I　remember　Avalon；〃　he　said；　〃a　place　of　silver　and　shade　and　cool　waters；　where　the　stars　shone　like　bonfires　at　night　and　the　green　of　day　was　always　the　green　of　spring。　Youth；　love；　beauty　…　I　knew　them　in　Avalon。　Proud　steeds；　bright　metal；　soft　lips；　dark　ale。　Honor。。。〃
　He　shook　his　head。
　〃One　later　day；〃　he　said；　〃when　war　menced　within　the　realm；　the　ruler　offered　full　pardon　to　any　outlaws　who　would　follow　him　in　battle　against　the　insurgents。　This　was　Corwin。　I　threw　in　with　him　and　rode　off　to　the　wars。　I　became　an　officer；　and　then　…　later　…　a　member　of　his　staff。　We　won　the　battles；　put　down　the　uprising。　Then　Corwin　ruled　peacefully　once　more；　and　I　remained；　at　his　court。　Those　were　the　good　years。　There　later　came　some　border　skirmishes；　but　these　we　always　won。　He　trusted　me　to　handle　such　things　for　him。　Then　he　granted　a　Dukedom　to　dignify　the　House　of　a　minor　noble　whose　daughter　he　desired　in　marriage。　I　had　wanted　that　Dukedom；　and　he　had　long　hinted　it　might　one　day　be　mine。　I　was　furious；　and　I　betrayed　my　mand　the　next　time　I　was　dispatched　to　settle　a　dispute　along　the　southern　border；　where　something　was　always　stirring。　Many　of　my　men　died；　and　the　invaders　entered　into　the　realm。　Before　they　could　be　routed；　Lord　Corwin　himself　had　to　take　up　arms　once　more。　The　invaders　had　e　through　in　great　strength；　and　I　thought　they　would　conquer　the　realm。　I　hoped　they　would。　But　Corwin；　again；　with　his　foxy　tactics；　prevailed。　I　fled；　but　was　captured　and　taken　to　him　for　sentencing。　I　cursed　him　and　spat　at　him。　I　would　not　bow。　I　hated　the　ground　he　trod；　and　a　condemned　man　has　no　reason　not　to　put　up　the　best　front　he　can；　to　go　out　like　a　man。　Corwin　said　he　would　show　me　a　measure　of　mercy　for　favors　past。　I　told　him　to　shove　his　mercy；　and　then　I　realized　that　he　was　mocking　me。　He　ordered　me　released　and　he　approached　me。　I　knew　he　could　kill　me　with　his　hands。　I　tried　to　fight　with　him；　but　to　no　avail。　He　struck　me　once　and　I　fell。　When　I　awakened；　I　was　strapped　across　his　horse's　rump。　He　rode　along；　jibing　at　me　the　while。　I　would　not　reply　to　anything　he　said；　but　we　rode　through　wondrous　lands　and　lands　out　of　nightmare；　which　is　one　way　I　learned　of　his　sorcerous　power　…　for　no　traveler　I　have　ever　met　has　passed　through　the　places　I　saw　that　day。　Then　he　pronounced　my　exile；　released　me　in　this　place；　turned；　and　rode　away。〃
　He　paused　to　relight　his　pipe；　which　had　gone　out；　puffed　upon　it　for　a　time；　went　on：　〃Many　a　bruising；　cudgeling；　biting；　and　beating　did　I　take　in　this　place；　at　the　hands　of　man　and　beast；　only　barely　preserving　my　life。　He　had　left　me　in　the　wickedest　portion　of　the　realm。　But　then　one　day　my　fortunes　took　a　turn。　An　armored　knight　bade　me　depart　the　roadway　that　he　might　pass。　At　that　point；　I　cared　not　whether　I　lived　or　died；　so　I　called　him　a　pock…marked　whoreson　and　bade　him　go　to　the　Devil。　He　charged　me　and　I　seized　his　lance　and　pushed　its　point　into　the　ground；　so　unhorsing　him。　I　drew　him　a　smile　beneath　his　chin　with　his　own　dagger；　and　thus　obtained　me　mounting　and　weapons。　Then　did　I　set　about　paying　back　those　who　had　used　me　poorly。　I　took　up　my　old　trade　on　the　highways　once　again　and　I　gained　me　another　band　of　followers。　We　grew。　When　there　were　hundreds　of　us　our　needs　were　considerable。　We　would　ride　into　a　small　town　and　make　it　ours。　The　local　militia　would　fear　us。　This；　too；　was　a　good　life；　though　not　so　splendid　as　the　Avalon　I　never　shall　know　again。　All　the　roadside　inns　came　to　fear　the　thunder　of　our　mounts；　and　travelers　would　soil　their　britches　when　they　heard　us　ing。　Ha！　This　lasted　for　several　years。　Large　parties　of　armed　men　were　sent　to　track　us　and　destroy　us；　but　always　we　evaded　them　or　ambushed　them。　Then　one　day　there　was　the　dark　Circle；　and　no　one　really　knows　why。〃
　He　puffed　more　vigorously　on　his　pipe；　stared　off　into　the　distance。
　〃I　am　told　it　began　as　a　tiny　ring　of　toadstools；　far　to　the　west。　A　child　was　found　dead　in　its　center；　and　the　man　who　found　her　…　her　father　…　died　of　convulsions　several　days　later。　The　spot　was　immediately　said　to　be　accursed。　It　grew　quickly　in　the　months　that　followed；　until　it　was　half　a　league　across。　The　grasses　darkened　and　shone　like　metal　within　it；　but　did　not　die。　The　trees　twisted　and　their　leaves　blackened。　They　swayed　when　there　was　no　wind；　and　bats　danced　and　darted　among　them。　In　the　twilight；　strange　shapes　could　be　seen　moving　…　always　within　the　Circle；　mind　you　…　and　there　were　lights；　as　of　small　fires；　throughout　the　night。　The　Circle　continued　to　grow；　and　those　who　lived　near　it　fled　…　mostly。　A　few　remained。　It　was　said　that　those　who　remained　had　struck　some　bargain　with　the　dark　things。　And　the　Circle　continued　to　widen；　spreading　like　the　ripple　from　a　rock　cast　into　a　pond。　More　and　more　people　remained；　living；　within　it。　I　have　spoken　with　these　people；　fought　with　them；　slain　them。　It　is　as　if　there　is　something　dead　inside　them　all。　Their　voices　lack　the　thrust　and　dip　of　men　chewing　over　their　words　and　tasting　them。　They　seldom　do　much　with　their　faces；　but　wear　them　like　death　masks。　They　began　to　leave　the　Circle　in　bands；　marauding。　They　slew　wantonly。　They　mitted　many　atrocities　and　defiled　places　of　worship。　They　put　things　to　the　torch　when　they　left　them。　They　never　stole　objects　of　silver。　Then；　after　many　months；　other　creatures　than　men　began　to　e　forth　…　strangely　formed；　like　the　hellcats　you　slew。　Then　the　Circle　slowed　in　its　growth；　almost　halting；　as　though　it　were　nearing　some　sort　of　limit。　But　now　all　manner　of　raiders　emerged　from　it　…　some　even　faring　forth　during　the　day　…　laying　waste　to　the　countryside　about　its　borders。　When　they　had　devastated　the　land　about　its　entire　circumference；　the　Circle　moved　to　enpass　those　areas；　also。　And　so　its　growth　began　again；　in　this　fashion。　The　old　king；　Uther；　who　had　long　hunted　me；　forgot　all　about　me　and　set　his　forces　to　patrolling　that　damned　Circle。　It　was　beginning　to　worry　me；　also；　as　I　did　not　relish　the　notion　of　being　seized　by　some　hell…spawned　bloodsucker　as　I　slept。　So　I　got　together　fifty…five　of　my　men　…　that　was　all　who　would　volunteer；　and　I　wanted　no　cowards　…　and　we　rode　into　that　place　one　afternoon。　We　came　upon　a　pack　of　those　dead…faced　men　burning　a　live　goat　on　a　stone　altar　and　we　lit　into　the　lot　of　them。　We　took　one　prisoner　and　tied　him　to　his　own　altar　and　questioned　him　there。　He　told　us　that　the　Circle　would　grow　until　it　covered　the　entire　land；　from　ocean　to　ocean。　One　day　it　would　close　with　itself　on　the　other　side　of　the　world。　We　had　best　join　with　them；　if　we　wished　to　save　our　hides。　Then　one　of　my　men　stabbed　him　and　he　died。　He　really　died；　for　I　know　a　dead　man　when　I　see　one。　I've　made　it　happen　often　enough。　But　as　his　blood　fell　upon　the　stone；　his　mouth　opened　and　out　came　the　loudest　laugh　I　ever　heard　in　my　life。　It　was　like　thunder　all　about　us。　Then　he　sat　up；　unbreathing；　and　began　to　burn。　As　he　burned；　his　form　changed；　until　it　was　like　that　of　the　burning　goat　…　only　larger　…　there　upon　the　altar。　Then　a　voice　came　from　the　thing。　It　said；　'Flee；　mortal　man！　But　you　shall　never　leave　this　Circle！'　And　believe　me；　we　fled！　The　sky　grew　black　with　bats　and　other　…　things。　We　heard　the　sound　of　hoofbeats。　We　rode　with　our　blades　in　our　hands；　killing　everything　that　came　near　us。　There　were　cats　such　as　you　slew；　and　snakes　and　hopping　things；　and　God　knows　what　all　else。　As　we　neared　the　edge　of　the　Circle；　one　of　King　Uther's　patrols　saw　us　and　came　to　our　aid。　Sixteen　of　the　fifty…five　who　had　ridden　in　with　me　rode　back　out。　And　the　patrol　lost　perhaps　thirty　men　itself。　When　they　saw　who　I　was；　they　hustled　me　off　to　court。　Here。　This　used　to　be　Uther's　palace。　I　told　him　what　I　had　done；　what　I　had　seen　and　heard。　He　did　with　me　as　Corwin　had。　He　offered　full　pardon　to　me　and　to　my　men　if　we　would　join　with　him　against　the　Wardens　of　the　Circle。　Having　gone　through　what　I　had　gone　through；　I　realized　that　the　thing　had　to　be　stopped。　So　I　agreed。　Then　I　fell　ill；　I　am　told　that　I　was　delirious　for　three　days。　I　was　as　weak　as　a　child　after　my　recovery；　and　I　learned　that　everyone　who　had　entered　the　Circle　had　been　likewise　taken。　Three　had　died。　I　visited　the　rest　of