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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃I'm sorry；〃 he said； 〃that there is nothing I can do for you；〃 and I could feel the pain in his voice。
〃I know；〃 I said。
〃I would if I could；〃 he told me。
〃I know that； too。〃
〃I brought you something。 Here。〃
The little gate at the bottom of the cell door creaked slightly as it swung inward several times。
〃What is it？〃 I asked。
〃Some clean clothes；〃 he said； 〃and three loaves of fresh bread； a head of cheese； some beef； two bottles of wine； a carton of cigarettes； and a lot of matches。〃
My voice caught in my throat。
〃Thanks； Rein。 You're all right。 How did you arrange this？〃
〃I know the guard who's standing duty this shift。 He won't talk。 He owes me too much。〃
〃He might try to cancel his debts by squealing；〃 I said。 〃So don't do it again … much as I appreciate it。 Needless to say； I'll dispose of the evidence。〃
〃I wish it had turned out different； Corwin。〃
〃You and me both。 Thanks for thinking of me when you were ordered not to。〃
〃That part was easy；〃 he said。
〃How long have I been in this place？〃
〃Four months and ten days；〃 he said。
〃So what's new in Amber？〃
〃Eric reigns。 That's all。〃
〃Where's Julian？〃
〃Back in the Forest of Arden with his guard。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Some strange things made it through Shadow recently。〃
〃I see。 How about Caine？〃
〃He's still in Amber； enjoying himself。 Wenching and drinking； mostly。〃
〃And Gerard？〃
〃He's admiral of the entire fleet。〃
I sighed with a bit of relief。 I was afraid his withdrawal during the naval engagement might have cost him something with Eric。
〃And what of Random？〃
〃He's up the hall aways。〃
〃What？ He was taken？〃
〃Yes。 He walked the Pattern in Rebma and showed up here； with a crossbow。 He wounded Eric before he was taken。〃
〃Really？ Why wasn't he slain？〃
〃Well； rumor has it he's married a noblewoman of Rebma。 Eric didn't want to court an incident with Rebma at this point。 Moire has quite a kingdom； and there is talk that Eric is even considering asking her to be his queen。 All gossip； of course。 But interesting。〃
〃Yes；〃 I said
〃She liked you； didn't she？〃
〃Somewhat。 How did you hear？〃
〃I was present when Random was sentenced。 I got to speak with him for a moment。 The Lady Vialle； who claims to be his wife； has asked to join him in prison。 Eric is not yet certain how to reply。〃
I thought upon the blind girl； who I had never met； and I wondered at this。
〃How long ago did all this happen？〃 I asked。
〃Mm。 Thirty…four days；〃 he replied。 〃That was when Random showed up。 A week later； Vialle made her request。〃
〃She must be a strange woman； if she really loves Random；〃
〃Those were my sentiments；〃 he replied。 〃I can't think of a more unusual bination。〃
〃If you should get to see him again； give him my regards and my regrets。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃How fare my sisters？〃
〃Dierdre and LIewella remain in Rebma。 The Lady Florimel has been enjoying Eric's favors and stands high in the present court。 I do not know where Fiona is presently。〃
〃Has anything more been heard of Bleys？ I am sure that he died。〃
〃He must have died；〃 said Rein。 〃His body was never recovered； though。〃
〃What of Benedict？〃
〃As absent as ever。〃
〃How about Brand？〃
〃No word。〃
〃Then I guess that covers the whole family tree； as it stands at present。 Have you written any new ballads？〃
〃No；〃 he said。 〃I'm still working on 'The Siege of Amber；' but it will be an underground hit； if at all。〃
I reached my hand out through the tiny gate at the bottom of the door。
〃I would clasp hands with thee；〃 I said； and I felt his hand touch mine。
〃It was good of thee to do this thing for me。 Don't do it again； though。 It would he foolish to risk Eric's wrath。〃
He squeezed my hand； muttered something； and was gone。
I found his CARE package and stuffed myself with the meat； which was the most perishable item。 I ate a lot of the bread； to acpany it； and I realized that I had almost forgotten how good food can taste。 Then I grew drowsy and slept。 I don't think I slept very long； and when I awoke I opened one of the bottles of wine。
It didn't take as much as usual； in my weakened condition； to get me kind of high。 I had a cigarette； sat down on my mattress； leaned back against the wall； and mused。
I remembered Rein as a child。 I was already full grown by then and he was a candidate for court jester。 A thin； wise kid。 People had kidded him too much。 Me included。 But I wrote music； posed ballads； and he'd picked up a lute somewhere and had taught himself how to use it。 Soon we were singing with voices together raised and all like that； and before long I took a liking to him and we worked together； practicing the martial arts。 He was lousy at them。 But I felt kind of sorry for the way I had treated him earlier； what with the way he had dug my stuff； so I forced the fake graces upon him and also made him a passable saber man。 I'd never regretted it； and I guess he didn't either。 Before long； he became minstrel to the court of Amber。 I had called him my page all that while； and when the wars beckoned； against the dark things out of Shadow called Weirmonken； I made him my squire； and we had ridden off to the wars together。 I knighted him upon the battlefield； at Jones Falls； and he had deserved it。 After that； he had gone on to bee my better when it came to the ways of words and music。 His colors were crimson and his words were golden。 I loved him； as one of my two or three friends in Amber。 I didn't think he'd take the risk he had to bring me a decent meal； though。 I didn't think anyone would。 I had another drink and smoked another cigarette； in his name； to celebrate him。 He was a good man。 I wondered how long he would survive。
I threw all the butts into the head and also … eventually … the empty bottle。 I didn't want anything around to show that I had been 〃enjoying〃 myself； should a sudden inspection be held。 I ate all the good food he had brought me； and I felt surfeited for the first time since I had been in durance。 I saved the last bottle for one massive spell of drunkenness and forgetfulness。
And after that time had passed； I returned to my cycle of recriminations。
I hoped； mainly； that Eric had no measure of our plete powers。 He was king in Amber； granted； but he didn't know everything。 Not yet。 Not the way Dad had known。 There was a million…in…one shot that might still work in my favor。 So much so； and so different that at least it served to grant me my small purchase upon sanity； there in the grip of despair。
But maybe I did go mad for a time； I don't know。 There are days that are great blanks to me now； as I stand here on the brink of Chaos。 God knows what they held； and I'll never see a shrink to find out。
There are none of you； good doctors； could cope with my family； anyway。
***
I lay there and I paced there； within the numbing darkness。 I grew quite sensitive to sounds。 I listened to the scurry of rats' feet through straw； the distant moaning of other prisoners； the echoes of a guard's footsteps as he approached with a tray of food。 I began estimating distances and direction from things like this。
I suppose I became more sensitive to odors also； but I tried n