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！
of departure； multitudes of qualifications lining the roadway thereafter。 Pursuant to this state of affairs； I must admit that there were times when I found him so charming； considerate； and loyal that I valued him above all my other kin。 Other times； however； he could be so bitter； sarcastic； and downright savage that I tried to avoid his pany for fear that I might do him harm。 Summing up； the last time I had seen him had been one of the latter occasions； just a bit before Eric and I had had the falling out that led to my exile from Amber。
。。。 And those were my thoughts and feelings as I studied his Trump； reaching out to him with my mind； my will； opening the vacant place I sought him to fill。 About me； the others shuffled their own memories and did the same。
Slowly the card took on a dream…dust quality and acquired the illusion of depth。 There followed that familiar blurring； with the sense of movement which heralds contact with the subject。 The Trump grew colder beneath my fingertips； and then things flowed and formed； achieving a sudden verity of vision； persistent； dramatic； full。
He seemed to be in a cell。 There was a stone wall behind him。 There was straw on the floor。 He was manacled； and his chain ran back through a huge ring bolt set in the wall above and behind him。 It was a fairly long chain； providing sufficient slack for movement； and at the moment he was taking advantage of this fact； lying sprawled on a heap of straw and rags off in the corner。 His hair and beard were quite long； his face thinner than I had ever before seen it。 His clothes were tattered and filthy。 He seemed to be sleeping。 My mind went back to my own imprisonment … the smells； the cold； the wretched fare； the dampness； the loneliness； the madness that came and went。 At least he still had his eyes； for they flickered and I saw them when several of us spoke his name； green they were； with a flat； vacant look。
Was he drugged？ Or did he believe himself to be hallucinating？
But suddenly his spirit returned。 He raised himself。 He extended his hand。
〃Brothers！〃 he said。 〃Sisters。。。〃
〃I'm ing！〃 came a shout that shook the room。
Gerard had leaped to his feet； knocking over his chair。 He dashed across the room and snatched a great battle ax from its pegs on the wall。 He slung it at his wrist； holding the Trump in that same hand。 For a moment he froze； studying the card。 Then he extended his free hand and suddenly he was there； clasping Brand； who chose that moment to pass out again。 The image wavered。 The contact was broken。
Cursing； I sought through the pack after Gerard's own Trump。 Several of the others seemed to be doing the same thing。 Locating it； I moved for contact。 Slowly； the melting； the turning； the re…forming occurred。 There！
Gerard had drawn the chain taut across the stones of the wall and was attacking it with the ax。 It was a heavy thing； however； and resisted his powerful blows for a long while。 Eventually several of the links were mashed and scarred； but by then he had been at it for almost two minutes； and the ringing； chopping sounds had alerted the jailers。
For there were noises from the left … a rattling sound； the sliding of bolts； the creaking of hinges。 Although my field of perception did not extend that far； it seemed obvious that the cell's door was being opened。 Brand raised himself once more。 Gerard continued to hack at the chain。
〃Gerard！ The door！〃 I shouted。
〃I know！〃 he bellowed； wrapping the chain about his arm and yanking it。 It did not yield。
Then he let go of the chain and swung the ax； as one of the horny…handed warriors rushed him； blade upraised。 The swordsman fell； to be replaced by another。 Then a third and a fourth crowded by them。 Others were close on their heels。
There was a blur of movement at that moment and Random knelt within the tableau； his right hand clasped with Brand's； his left holding his chair before him like a shield； its legs pointing outward。 He sprang to his feet and rushed the attackers； driving the chair like a battering ram amid them。 They fell back。 He raised the chair and swung it。 One lay dead on the floor； felled by Gerard's ax。 Another had drawn off to one side； clutching at the stump of his right arm。 Random produced a dagger and left it in a nearby stomach； brained two more with the chair； and drove back the final man。 Eerily； while this was going on； the dead man rose above the floor and slowly drifted upward； spilling and dripping the while。 The one who had been stabbed collapsed to his knees； clutching at the blade。
In the meantime； Gerard had taken hold of the chain with both hands。 He braced one foot against the wall and menced to pull。 His shoulders rose as the great muscles tightened across his back。 The chain held。 Ten seconds； perhaps。 Fifteen。。。
Then； with a snap and a rattle； it parted。 Gerard stumbled backward； catching himself with an outflung hand。 He glanced back； apparently at Random； who was out of my line of sight at the moment。 Seemingly satisfied； he turned away； stooped and raised Brand； who had fallen unconscious again。 Holding him in his arms； he turned and extended one hand from beneath the limp form。 Random leaped back into sight beside them； sans chair； and gestured to us also。
All of us reached for them； and a moment later they stood amid us and we crowded around。
A sort of cheer had gone up as we rushed to touch him； to see him； our brother who had been gone these many years and just now snatched back from his mysterious captors。 And at last； hopefully； finally； some answers might also have been liberated。 Only he looked so weak； so thin； so pale。。。
〃Get back！〃 Gerard shouted。 〃I'm taking him to the couch！ Then you can look all you …〃
Dead silence。 For everyone had backed off； and then turned to stone。 This was because there was blood on Brand； and it was dripping。 And this was because there was a knife in his left side； to the rear。 It had not been there moments before。 Some one of us had just tried for his kidney and possibly succeeded。 I was not heartened by the fact that the Random…Corwin Conjecture that it was One Of Us Behind It All had just received a significant boost。 I had an instant during which to concentrate all my faculties in an attempt to mentally photograph everyone's position。 Then the spell was broken。 Gerard bore Brand to the couch and we drew aside； and we all knew that we all realized not only what had happened； but what it implied。
Gerard set Brand down in a prone position and tore away his filthy shirt。
〃Get me clean water to bathe him；〃 he said。 〃And towels。 Get me saline solution and glucose and something to hang them from。 Get me a whole medical kit。〃
Deirdre and Flora moved toward the door。
〃My quarters are closest；〃 said Random。 〃One of you will find a medical kit there。 But the only IV stuff is in the lab on the third floor。 I'd better e and help。〃 They departed together。
We all had had medical training somewhere along the line； both here and abroad。 That which we learned in Shadow； though； had to be modified in Amber。 Most antibiotics from the shadow worlds； for example； were ineffectual here。 On the other hand； our personal immunological processes appear to behave differently from those of any other peoples we have studied； so that it is much more difficult for us to bee infected … and if infected we deal with it more expeditiously。 Then； too； we possess profound regenerative abilities。
All of which is as it must be； of course； the ideal necessarily being superior to its shadows。 And Amberites that we are； and aware of these facts from an early age； all of us obtained medical training relatively early in life。 Basically； despite what is often said about being your own physician； it goes back to our not unjustified distrust of virtually everyone； and most particularly of those who might hold our lives in their hands。 All of which partly explains why I did not rush to shoulder Gerard aside to undertake Brand's treatment myself； despite the fact that I had been through a med school on the shadow Earth within the past couple of generations。 The other part of the explanation is that Gerard was not letting anyone else near Brand。 Julian and Fiona had both m