rz.thegunsofavalon-第21节

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　it　was　a　sound　like　steady　thunder　that　fell　against　us。　I　guided　her　to　the　edge　of　the　precipice　and　gestured　outward　and　down。
　It　plunged　for　over　a　thousand　feet：　a　mighty　cataract　that　smote　the　gray　river　like　an　anvil。　The　currents　were　rapid　and　strong；　bearing　bubbles　and　flecks　of　foam　a　great　distance　before　they　finally　dissolved。　Across　from　us；　perhaps　half　a　mile　distant；　partly　screened　by　rainbow　and　mist；　like　an　island　slapped　by　a　Titan；　a　gigantic　wheel　slowly　rotated；　ponderous　and　gleaming。　High　overhead；　enormous　birds　rode　like　drifting　crucifixes　the　currents　of　the　air。
　We　stood　there　for　a　fairly　long　while。　Conversation　was　impossible；　which　was　just　as　well。　After　a　time；　when　she　turned　from　it　to　look　at　me；　narrow…eyed；　speculative；　I　nodded　and　gestured　with　my　eyes　toward　the　wood。　Turning　then；　we　made　our　way　back　in　the　direction　from　which　we　had　e。
　Our　return　was　the　same　process　in　reverse；　and　I　managed　it　with　greater　ease。　When　conversation　became　possible　once　more；　Dara　still　kept　her　silence；　apparently　realizing　by　then　that　I　was　a　part　of　the　process　of　change　going　on　around　us。
　It　was　not　until　we　stood　beside　our　own　stream　once　more；　watching　the　small　mill　wheel　in　its　turning；　that　she　spoke。
　〃Was　that　place　like　the　village？〃
　〃Yes。　A　shadow。〃
　〃And　like　Amber？〃
　〃No。　Amber　casts　Shadow。　It　can　be　sliced　to　any　shape；　if　you　know　how。　That　place　was　a　shadow；　your　village　was　a　shadow　…　and　this　place　is　a　shadow。　Any　place　that　you　can　imagine　exists　somewhere　in　Shadow。〃
　〃。。。　And　you　and　Grandpa　and　the　others　can　go　about　in　these　shadows；　picking　and　choosing　what　you　desire？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃That　is　what　I　did；　then；　ing　back　from　the　village？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　Her　face　became　a　study　in　realization。　Her　almost　black　eyebrows　dropped　half　an　inch　and　her　nostrils　flared　with　a　quick　inhalation。
　〃I　can　do　it；　too。。。〃　she　said。　〃Go　anywhere；　do　anything　I　want！〃
　〃The　ability　lies　within　you；〃　I　said。
　She　kissed　me　then；　a　sudden；　impulsive　thing；　then　rotated　away；　her　hair　bobbing　on　her　slim　neck　as　she　tried　to　look　at　everything　at　once。
　〃Then　I　can　do　anything；〃　she　said；　ing　to　a　standstill。
　〃There　are　limitations；　dangers。。。〃
　〃That　is　life；〃　she　said。　〃How　do　I　learn　to　control　it？〃
　〃The　Great　Pattern　of　Amber　is　the　key。　You　must　walk　it　in　order　to　gain　the　ability。　It　is　inscribed　on　the　floor　in　a　chamber　beneath　the　palace　in　Amber。　It　is　quite　large。　You　must　begin　on　the　outside　and　walk　it　to　its　center　without　stopping。　There　is　considerable　resistance　and　the　feat　is　quite　an　ordeal。　If　you　stop；　if　you　attempt　to　depart　the　Pattern　before　pleting　it；　it　will　destroy　you。　plete　it；　though；　and　your　power　over　Shadow　will　be　subject　to　your　conscious　control。〃
　She　raced　to　our　picnic　site　and　studied　the　pattern　we　had　drawn　on　the　ground　there。
　I　followed　more　slowly。　As　I　drew　near；　she　said；　〃I　must　go　to　Amber　and　walk　it！〃
　〃I　am　certain　that　Benedict　plans　for　you　to　do　so；　eventually；〃　I　said。
　〃Eventually？〃　she　said。　〃Now！　I　must　walk　it　now！　Why　did　he　never　tell　me　of　these　things？〃
　〃Because　you　cannot　do　it　yet。　Conditions　in　Amber　are　such　that　it　would　be　dangerous　to　both　of　you　to　allow　your　existence　to　bee　known　there。　Amber　is　barred　to　you；　temporarily。〃
　〃It　is　not　fair！〃　she　said；　turning　to　glare　at　me。
　〃Of　course　not；〃　I　said。　〃But　that　is　the　way　things　stand　just　now。　Don't　blame　me。〃
　The　words　came　somewhat　stickily　to　my　lips。　Part　of　the　blame；　of　course；　was　mine。
　〃It　would　almost　be　better　if　you　had　not　told　me　of　these　things；〃　she　said；　〃if　I　cannot　have　them。〃
　〃It　is　not　as　bad　as　all　that；〃　I　said。　〃The　situation　in　Amber　will　bee　stable　again　…　before　too　very　long。〃
　〃How　will　I　learn　of　it？〃
　〃Benedict　will　know。　He　will　tell　you　then。〃
　〃He　has　not　seen　fit　to　tell　me　much　of　anything！〃
　〃To　what　end？　Just　to　make　you　feel　bad？　You　know　that　he　has　been　good　to　you；　that　he　cares　for　you。　When　the　time　is　ready；　he　will　move　on　your　behalf。〃
　〃And　if　he　does　not？　Will　you　help　me　then？〃
　〃I　will　do　what　I　can。〃
　〃How　will　I　be　able　to　find　you？　To　let　you　know？〃
　I　smiled。　It　had　gotten　to　this　point　without　my　half　trying。　No　need　to　tell　her　the　really　important　part。　Just　enough　to　be　possibly　useful　to　me　later。。。
　〃The　cards；〃　I　said；　〃the　family　Trumps。　They　are　more　than　a　mere　sentimental　affectation。　They　are　a　means　of　munication。　Get　hold　of　mine；　stare　at　it；　concentrate　on　it；　try　to　keep　all　other　thoughts　out　of　your　mind；　pretend　that　it　is　really　me　and　begin　talking　to　me　then。　You　will　find　that　it　really　is；　and　that　I　am　answering　you。〃
　〃Those　are　all　the　things　Grandpa　told　me　not　to　do　when　I　handle　the　cards！〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　〃How　does　it　work？〃
　〃Another　time；〃　I　said。　〃A　thing　for　a　thing。　Remember？　I　have　told　you　now　of　Amber　and　of　Shadow。　Tell　me　of　the　visit　here　by　Gerard　and　Julian。〃
　〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃There　is　not　really　much　to　tell；　though。　One　morning；　five　or　six　months　ago。　Grandpa　simply　stopped　what　he　was　doing。　He　was　pruning　some　trees　back　in　the　orchard　…　he　likes　to　do　that　himself　…　and　I　was　helping　him。　He　was　up　on　a　ladder；　snipping　away；　and　suddenly　he　just　stopped；　lowered　the　clippers；　and　did　not　move　for　several　minutes。　I　thought　that　he　was　just　resting；　and　I　kept　on　with　my　raking。　Then　I　heard　him　talking　…　not　just　muttering　…　but　talking　as　though　he　were　carrying　on　a　conversation。　At　first；　I　thought　he　was　talking　to　me；　and　I　asked　him　what　he　had　said。　He　ignored　me；　though。　Now　that　I　know　about　the　Trumps；　I　realize　that　he　must　have　been　talking　to　one　of　them　just　then。　Probably　Julian。　Anyway；　he　climbed　down　from　the　ladder　quite　quickly　after　that；　told　me　he　had　to　go　away　for　a　day　or　so；　and　started　back　toward　the　manor。　He　stopped　before　he　had　gone　very　far；　though；　and　returned。　That　was　when　he　told　me　that　if　Julian　and　Gerard　were　to　visit　here　that　I　was　to　be　introduced　as　his　ward；　the　orphaned　daughter　of　a　faithful　servant。　He　rode　away　a　short　while　later；　leading　two　spare　horses。　He　was　wearing　his　blade。
　〃He　returned　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　bringing　both　of　them　with　him。　Gerard　was　barely　conscious。　His　left　leg　was　broken；　and　the　entire　left　side　of　his　body　was　badly　bruised。　Julian　was　quite　battered　also；　but　he　had　no　broken　bones。　They　remained　with　us　for　the　better　part　of　a　month；　and　they　healed　quickly。　Then　they　borrowed　two　horses　and　departed。　I　have　not　seen　them　since。〃
　〃What　did　they　say　as　to　how　they　had　been　injured？〃
　〃Only　that　they　had　been　in　an　accident。　They　would　not　discuss　it　with　me。〃
　〃Where？　Where　did　it　happen？〃
　〃On　the　black　road。　I　overheard　them　talking　about　it　several　times。〃
　〃Where　is　this　black　road？〃
　〃I　do　not　know。〃
　〃What　did　they　say　about　it？〃
　〃They　cursed　it　a　lot。　That　was　all。〃
　Looking　down；　I　saw　that　there　was　some　wine　left　in　the　bottle。　I　stooped　and　poured　two　final　drinks；　passed　her　one。
　〃To　the　reunion；〃　I　said；　and　smiled。
　〃。。。　The　reunion；〃　she　agreed；　and　we　drank。
　She　began　cleaning　the　area　and　I　assisted　her；　my　earlier　sense　of　urgency　upon　me　once　again。
　〃How　long　should　I　wait　before　I　try　to　reach　you？〃　she　asked。
　〃Three　months。　Give　me　three　months。〃
　〃Where　will　you　be　then？〃
　〃In　Amber；　I　hope。〃
　〃How　long　will　you　be　staying　here？〃
　〃Not　very。　In　fact；　I　have　to　take　a　little　trip　right　now。　I　should　be　back　tomorrow；　though。　I　will　probably　only　be　staying　for　a　few　days　after　that。〃
　〃I　wish　you　would　stay　longer。〃
　〃I　wish　that　I　could。　I　would　like　to；　now　that　I　have　met　you。〃
　She　reddened　and　turned　what　seemed　all　of　her　attention　to　repacking　the　basket。　I　gathered　up　the　fencing　gear。
　〃Are　you　going　back　to　the　manor　now？〃　she　said。
　〃To　the　stables。　I'll　be　leaving　immediately。〃
　She　picked　up　the　basket。
　〃We　will　go　together　then。　My　horse　is　this　way。〃
　I　nodded　and　followed　her　toward　a　footpath　to　our　right。
　〃I　suppose；〃　she　said；　〃that　it　would　be　best　for　me　not　to　mention　any　of　this　to　anybody。　Grandpa　in　particular？〃
　〃That　would　be　prudent。〃
　The　splash　and　gurgle　of　the　stream；　as　it　flowed　to　the　river；　on　its　way　to　the　sea；　faded；　faded；　was　gone；　and　only　the　creak　of　the　land…locked　wheel　that　cut　it　as　it　went；　remained　for　a　time　in　the　air。
　
　
　Chapter　6
　
　Steady　movement　is　more　important　than　speed；　much　of　the　time。　So　long　as　there　is　a　regular　progression　of　stimuli　to　get　your　mental　hooks　into；　there　is　room　for　lateral　movement。　Once　this　begins；　its　rate　is　a　matter　of　discretion。
　So　I　moved　slowly；　but　steadily；　using　my　discretion。　No　sense　in　tiring　Star　unnecessarily。　Rapid　shifts　are　hard　enough　on　people。　Animals；　who　are　not　so　good　at　lying　to　themselves；　have　a　rougher　time　of　it；　sometimes　going　pletely　berserk。
　I　crossed　the　stream　at　a　small　wooden　bridge　and　moved　parallel　to　it　for　a　time。　My　intention　was　to　skirt　the　town　itself；　but　to　follow　the　general　direction　of　the　watercourse　until　I　reached　the　vicinity　of　the　coast。　It　was　midafternoon。　My　way　was　shaded；　cool。　Grayswandir　hung　at　my　side。
　I　bore　west；　in