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n affection for him。 His name then occurred to me。 He was Gerard。
Then came a fiery bearded； flame…crowned man； dressed all in red and orange； mainly of silk stuff； and he held a sword in his right hand and a glass of wine in his left； and the devil himself danced behind his eyes； as blue as Flora's； or Eric's。 His chin was slight； but the beard covered it。 His sword was inlaid with an elaborate filigree of a golden color。 He wore two huge rings on his right hand and one on his left： an emerald； a ruby； and a sapphire； respectively。 This； I knew； was Bleys。
Then there was a figure both like Bleys and myself。 My features； though smaller； my eyes； Bleys' hair； beardless。 He wore a riding suit of green and sat atop a white horse； heading toward the dexter side of the card。 There was a quality of both strength and weakness； questing and abandonment about him。 I both approved and disapproved； liked and was repelled by； this one。 His name was Brand； I knew。 As soon as I laid eyes upon him； I knew。
In fact； I realized that I knew them all well； remembered them all； with their strengths； their weaknesses； their victories； their defeats。
For they were my brothers。
I lit a cigarette I'd filched from Flora's desk box； and I leaned back and considered the things I had recalled。
They were my brothers； those eight strange men garbed in their strange costumes。 And I knew that it was right and fitting that they should dress in whatever manner they chose； just as it was right for me to wear the black and the silver。 Then I chuckled； as I realized what I was wearing； what I had purchased in the little clothing store of that little town I had stopped in after my departure from Greenwood。
I had on black slacks； and all three of the shirts I had purchased had been of a grayish； silvery color。 And my jacket； too； was black。
I returned to the cards； and there was Flora in a gown green as the sea； just as I'd remembered her the previous evening； and then there was a black…haired girl with the same blue eyes； and her hair hung long and she was dressed all in black； with a girdle of silver about her waist。 My eyes filled with tears； why I don't know。 Her name was Deirdre。 Then there was Fiona； with hair like Bleys or Brand； my eyes； and a plexion like mother of pearl。 I hated her the second I turned over the card。 Next was Llewella； whose hair matched her jade…colored eyes； dressed in shimmering gray and green with a lavender belt； and looking moist and sad。 For some reason； I knew she was not like the rest of us。 But she； too； was my sister。
I felt a terrible sense of distance and removal from all these people。 Yet somehow they seemed physically close。
The cards were so very cold on my fingertips that I put them down again； though with a certain sense of reluctance at having to relinquish their touch。
There were no more； though。 All the rest were minor cards。 And I knew； somehow； that somehow； again … ah； somehow！ … that several were missing。
For the life of me； however； I did not know what the missing Trumps represented。
I was strangely saddened by this； and I picked up my cigarette and mused。
Why did all these things rush back so easily when I viewed the cards … rush back without dragging their contexts along with them？ I knew more now than I'd known before； in the way of names and faces。 But that was about all。
I couldn't figure the significance of the fact that we were all done up in cards this way。 I had a terribly strong desire to own a pack of them； however。 If I picked up Flora's； though； I knew she'd spot in a hurry that they were missing； and I'd be in trouble。 Therefore； I put them back in the little drawer behind the big drawer and locked them in again。 Then； God； how I racked my brains！ But to little avail。
Until I recalled a magical word。
Amber。
I had been greatly upset by the word on the previous evening。 I had been sufficiently upset so that I had avoided thinking of it since then。 But now I courted it。 Now I rolled it around my mind and examined all the associations that sprang up when it struck。
The word was charged with a mighty longing and a massive nostalgia。 It had； wrapped up inside it； a sense of forsaken beauty； grand achievement； and a feeling of power that was terrible and almost ultimate。 Somehow； the word belonged in my vocabulary。 Somehow； I was part of it and it was a part of me。 It was a place name； I knew then。 It was the name of a place I once had known。 There came no pictures； though； only emotions。
How long I sat so； I do not know。 Time had somehow divorced itself from my reveries。
I realized then； from the center of my thoughts； that there had e a gentle rapping upon the door。 Then the handle slowly turned and the maid； whose name was Carmella； entered and asked me if I was interested in lunch。
It seemed like a good idea； so I followed her back to the kitchen and ate half a chicken and drank a quart of milk。
I took a pot of coffee back to the library with me； avoiding the dogs as I went。 I was into the second cup when the telephone rang。
I longed to pick it up； but I figured there must be extensions all over the house and Carmella would probably get it from somewhere。
I was wrong。 It kept ringing。
Finally； I couldn't resist it any longer。
〃Hello；〃 I said； 〃this is the Flaumel residence。〃
〃May I speak with Mrs。 Flaumel please？〃
It was a man's voice； rapid and slightly nervous。 He sounded out of breath and his words were masked and surrounded by the faint ringing and the ghost voices that indicate long distance。
〃I'm sorry。〃 I told him。 〃She's not here right now。 May I take a message or have her call you back？〃
〃Who am I talking to？〃 he demanded。
I hesitated； then； 〃Corwin's the name；〃 I told him。
〃My God！〃 he said； and a long silence followed。
I was beginning to think he'd hung up。 I said； 〃Hello？〃 again； just as he started talking。
〃Is she still alive？〃 he asked。
〃Of course she's still alive。 Who the hell am I talking to？〃
〃Don't you recognize the voice； Corwin？ This is Random。 Listen。 I'm in California and I'm in trouble。 I was calling to ask Flora for sanctuary。 Are you with her？〃
〃Temporarily；〃 I said。
〃I see。 Will you give me your protection； Corwin？〃 Pause； then； 〃Please？〃
〃As much as I can；〃 I said； 〃but I can't mit Flora to anything without consulting her。〃
〃Will you protect me against her？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Then you're good enough for me； man。 I'm going to try to make it to New York now。 I'll be ing by a rather circuitous route； so I don't know how long it will take me。 If I can avoid the wrong shadows； I'll be seeing you whenever。 Wish me luck。〃
〃Luck；〃 I said。
Then there was a click and I was listening to a distant ringing and the voices of the ghosts。
So cocky little Random was in trouble！ I had a feeling it shouldn't have bothered me especially。 But now； he was one of the keys to my past； and quite possibly my future also。 So I would try to help him； in any way I could； until I'd learned all I wanted from him。 I knew that there wasn't much brotherly love lost between the two of us。 But I knew that on the one hand he was nobody's fool； he was resourceful； shrewd； strangely sentimen