rz.thegunsofavalon-第33章

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　I　exerted　all　my　strength　against　that　grip　and　it　weakened。　My　hand　shot　forward　and　I　tore　away　the　mask。
　There　came　a　brief　cry　of　anger　as　I　freed　myself；　and　four　final；　fading　words　as　the　mask　came　away：
　〃Amber　must　be　destroyed！〃
　There　was　no　face　behind　the　mask。　There　was　nothing　there　at　all。
　Her　garment　collapsed　and　hung　limply　over　my　arm。　She　…　or　it　…　had　vanished。
　Turning　quickly；　I　saw　that　Ganelon　was　sprawled　at　the　edge　of　the　black；　his　legs　twisted　unnaturally。　His　blade　rose　and　fell　slowly；　but　I　could　not　see　at　what　he　was　striking。　I　ran　toward　him。
　The　black　grasses；　over　which　I　had　leaped；　were　twined　about　his　ankles　and　legs。　Even　as　he　hacked　at　them；　others　lashed　about　as　though　seeking　to　capture　his　sword　arm。　He　had　succeeded　in　partly　freeing　his　right　leg；　and　I　leaned　far　forward　and　managed　to　finish　the　job。
　I　moved　to　a　position　behind　him；　out　of　reach　of　the　grasses；　and　tossed　away　the　mask；　which　I　just　then　realized　I　was　still　clutching。　It　fell　to　earth　beyond　the　edge　of　the　black　and　immediately　began　to　smolder。
　Catching　him　under　the　arms；　I　strove　to　drag　Ganelon　back。　The　stuff　resisted　fiercely；　but　at　last　I　tore　him　free。　I　carried　him　then；　leaping　over　the　remaining　dark　grasses　that　separated　us　from　the　more　docile；　green　variety　beyond　the　road。
　He　regained　his　footing　and　continued　to　lean　heavily　against　me；　bending　forward　and　slapping　at　his　leggings。
　〃They're　numb；〃　he　said。　〃My　legs　are　asleep。〃　I　helped　him　back　to　the　wagon。　He　transferred　his　grip　to　its　side　and　began　stamping　his　feet。
　〃They're　tingling；〃　he　announced。　〃It's　starting　to　e　back。。。　Oow！〃
　Finally；　he　limped　to　the　front　of　the　wagon。　I　helped　him　climb　onto　the　seat　and　followed　him　up。　He　sighed。
　〃That's　better；〃　he　said。　〃They're　ing　along　now。　That　stuff　just　sucked　the　strength　out　of　them。　Out　of　the　rest　of　me；　too。　What　happened？〃
　〃Our　bad　omen　made　good　on　its　promise。〃
　〃What　now？〃　I　picked　up　the　reins　and　released　the　brake。
　〃We　go　across；〃　I　said。　〃I　have　to　find　out　more　about　this　thing。　Keep　your　blade　handy。〃
　He　granted　and　laid　the　weapon　across　his　knees。　The　horses　did　not　like　the　idea　of　going　on；　but　I　flicked　their　flanks　lightly　with　the　whip　and　they　began　to　move。
　We　entered　the　black　area；　and　it　was　like　riding　into　a　World　War　II　newsreel。　Remote　though　near　at　hand；　stark；　depressing；　grim。　Even　the　creaking　and　the　hoof　falls　were　somehow　muffled；　made　to　seem　more　distant。　A　faint；　persistent　ringing　began　in　my　ears。　The　grasses　beside　the　road　stirred　as　we　passed；　though　I　kept　well　away　from　them。　We　passed　through　several　patches　of　mist。　They　were　odorless；　but　our　breathing　grew　labored　on　each　occasion。　As　we　neared　the　first　hill；　I　began　the　shift　that　would　take　us　through　Shadow。
　We　rounded　the　hill。
　Nothing。
　The　dark；　miasmal　prospect　was　unaltered。
　I　grew　angry　then。　I　drew　the　Pattern　from　memory　and　held　it　blazing　before　my　mind's　eye。　I　essayed　the　shift　once　more。
　Immediately；　my　head　began　to　ache。　A　pain　shot　from　my　forehead　to　the　back　of　my　skull　and　hung　there　like　a　hot　wire。　But　this　only　fanned　my　anger　and　caused　me　to　try　even　harder　to　shift　the　black　road　into　nothingness。
　Things　wavered。　The　mists　thickened；　rolled　across　the　road　in　billows。　Outlines　grew　indistinct。　I　shook　the　reins。　The　horses　moved　faster。　My　head　began　to　throb；　felt　as　if　it　were　about　to　e　apart。　Instead；　momentarily；　everything　else　did。。。
　The　ground　shook；　cracking　in　places；　but　it　was　more　than　just　that。　Everything　seemed　to　undergo　a　spasmodic　shudder；　and　the　cracking　was　more　than　mere　fracture　lines　in　the　ground。
　It　was　as　though　someone　had　suddenly　kicked　the　leg　of　a　table　on　which　a　loosely　assembled　jigsaw　puzzle　lay。　Gaps　appeared　in　the　entire　prospect：　here；　a　green　bough；　there；　a　sparkle　of　water；　a　glimpse　of　blue　sky；　absolute　blackness；　white　nothingness；　the　front　of　a　brick　building；　faces　behind　a　window；　fire；　a　piece　of　star…filled　sky。。。
　The　horses　were　galloping　by　then；　and　I　had　all　I　could　do　to　keep　from　screaming　for　the　pain。
　A　babble　of　mixed　noises　…　animal；　human；　mechanical　…　washed　over　us。　It　seemed　that　I　could　hear　Ganelon　cursing；　but　I　could　not　be　certain。
　I　thought　that　I　would　pass　out　from　the　pain；　but　I　determined；　out　of　sheer　stubbornness　and　anger；　to　persist　until　I　did。　I　concentrated　on　the　Pattern　as　a　dying　man　might　cry　out　to　his　God；　and　I　threw　my　entire　will　against　the　existence　of　the　black　road。
　Then　the　pressure　was　off　and　the　horses　were　plunging　wildly；　dragging　us　into　a　green　field。　Ganelon　snatched　at　the　reins；　but　I　drew　on　them　myself　and　shouted　to　the　horses　until　they　halted。　We　had　crossed　the　black　road。
　I　turned　immediately　and　looked　back。　The　scene　had　the　wavering　quality　of　something　seen　through　troubled　waters。　Our　path　through　it　stood　clean　and　steady；　however；　like　a　bridge　or　a　dam；　and　the　grasses　at　its　edge　were　green。
　〃That　was　worse；〃　Ganelon　said；　〃than　the　ride　you　took　me　on　when　you　exiled　me。〃
　〃I　think　so；　too；〃　I　said；　and　I　spoke　to　the　horses；　gently；　finally　persuading　them　to　return　to　the　dirt　road　and　continue　on　along　it。
　The　world　was　brighter　here；　and　the　trees　that　we　soon　moved　among　were　great　pines。　The　air　was　fresh　with　their　fragrance。　Squirrels　and　birds　moved　within　them。　The　soil　was　darker；　richer。　We　seemed　to　be　at　a　higher　altitude　than　we　had　been　before　the　crossing。　It　pleased　me　that　we　had　indeed　shifted　…　and　in　the　direction　I　had　desired。
　Our　way　curved；　ran　back　a　bit；　straightened。　Every　now　and　then　we　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　black　road。　It　was　not　too　far　off　to　our　right。　We　were　still　running　roughly　parallel　to　it。　The　thing　definitely　cut　through　Shadow。　From　what　we　saw　of　it；　it　appeared　to　have　settled　back　down　to　being　its　normal；　sinister　self　once　more。
　My　headache　faded　and　my　heart　grew　somewhat　lighter。　We　achieved　higher　ground　and　a　pleasant　view　over　a　large　area　of　hills　and　forest；　reminding　me　of　parts　of　Pennsylvania　I　had…enjoyed　driving　through　years　earlier。
　I　stretched；　then；　〃How　are　your　legs　now？〃　I　asked。
　〃All　right；〃　Ganelon　said；　looking　back　along　our　trail。　〃I　can　see　for　a　great　distance；　Corwin。。。〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃I　see　a　horseman；　ing　very　fast。〃
　I　stood　and　turned。　I　think　I　might　have　groaned　as　I　dropped　back　into　the　seat　and　shook　the　reins。
　He　was　still　too　far　off　to　tell　for　certain　…　on　the　other　side　of　the　black　road。　But　who　else　could　it　be；　pushing　along　at　that　speed　on　our　trail？　I　cursed　then。
　We　were　nearing　the　crest　of　the　rise。　I　turned　to　Ganelon　and　said；　〃Get　ready　for　another　hellride。〃
　〃It's　Benedict？〃
　〃I　think　so。　We　lost　too　much　time　back　there。　He　can　move　awfully　fast　…　especially　through　Shadow　…　all　alone　like　that。〃
　〃Do　you　think　you　can　still　lose　him？〃
　〃We'll　find　out；〃　I　said。　〃Real　soon　now。〃
　I　clucked　to　the　horses　and　shook　the　reins　again。　We　reached　the　top　and　a　blast　of　icy　air　struck　us。　We　leveled　off　and　the　shadow　of　a　boulder　to　our　left　darkened　the　sky。　When　we　had　passed　it；　the　darkness　remained　and　crystals　of　fine…textured　snow　stung　our　faces　and　hands。
　Within　a　few　moments；　we　were　heading　downward　once　more　and　the　snowfall　became　a　blinding　blizzard。　The　wind　screamed　in　our　ears　and　the　wagon　rattled　and　skidded。　I　leveled　us　quickly。　There　were　drifts　all　about　by　then　and　the　road　was　white。　Our　breath　fumed　and　ice　glistened　on　trees　and　rocks。
　Motion　and　temporary　bafflement　of　the　senses。　That　was　what　it　took。。。
　We　raced　on；　and　the　wind　slammed　and　bit　and　cried　out。　Drifts　began　to　cover　the　road。
　We　rounded　a　bend　and　emerged　from　the　storm。　The　world　was　still　a　glazed…over　thing　and　an　occasional　flake　flitted　by；　but　the　sun　pulled　free　of　the　clouds；　pouring　light　upon　the　land；　and　we　headed　downward　once　more。。。
　。。。　Passing　through　a　fog　and　emerging　in　a　barren；　though　snowless　waste　of　rock　and　pitted　land。。。
　。。。　We　bore　to　the　right；　regained　the　sun；　followed　a　twisted　course　on　a　level　plain；　winding　among　tall；　featureless　stands　of　blue…gray　stone。。。