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Turning toward Benedict； who was sitting gazing into the fire； I said； 〃Back in Avalon； Benedict； you told me that Brand was one of the ones who searched for me after my disappearance。〃
〃That is correct；〃 Benedict answered。
〃All of us went looking；〃 Julian said。
〃Not at first；〃 I replied。 〃Initially； it was Brand； Gerard； and yourself； Benedict。 Isn't that what you told me？〃
〃Yes；〃 he said。 〃The others did have a go at it later； though。 I told you that； too。〃
I nodded。
〃Did Brand report anything unusual at that time？〃 I asked。
〃Unusual？ In what way？〃 said Benedict。
〃I don't know。 I am looking for some connection between what happened to him and what happened to me。〃
〃Then you are looking in the wrong place；〃 Benedict said。 〃He returned and reported no success。 And he was around for ages after that； unmolested。〃
〃I gathered that much；〃 I said。 〃I understand from what Random has told me； though； that his final disappearance occurred approximately a month before my own recovery and return。 That almost strikes me as peculiar。 If he did not report anything special after his return from the search； did he do so prior to his disappearance？ Or in the interim？ Anyone？ Anything？ Say it if you've got it！〃
There followed some mutual glancing about。 The looks seemed more curious than suspicious or nervous； though。
Finally； then； 〃Well；〃 Llewella said； 〃I do not know。 Do not know whether it is significant； I mean。〃
All eyes came to rest upon her。 She began to knot and unknot the ends of her belt cord； slowly； as she spoke。
〃It was in the interim； and it may have no bearing；〃 she went on。 〃It is just something that struck me as peculiar。 Brand came to Rebma long ago … 〃
〃How long ago？〃 I asked。
She furrowed her brow。
〃Fifty； sixty； seventy years。。。 I am not certain。〃
I tried to summon up the rough conversion factor I had worked out during my long incarceration。 A day in Amber； it seemed； constituted a bit over two and a half days on the shadow Earth where I had spent my exile。 I wanted to relate events in Amber to my own time…scale whenever possible； just in case any peculiar correspondences turned up。 So Brand had gone to Rebma sometime in what was； to me； the nineteenth century。
〃Whatever the date；〃 she said； 〃he came and visited me。 Stayed for several weeks。〃 She glanced at Random then。 〃He was asking about Martin。〃
Random narrowed his eyes and cocked his head。 〃Did he say why？〃 he asked her。
〃Not exactly；〃 she said。 〃He implied that he had met Martin somewhere in his travels； and he gave the impression that he would like to get in touch with him again。 I did not realize until some time after his departure that finding out everything he could concerning Martin was probably the entire reason for his visit。 You know how subtle Brand can be； finding out things without seeming to be after them。 It was only after I had spoken with a number of others whom he had visited that I began to see what had occurred。 I never did find out why； though。〃
〃That is … most peculiar；〃 Random observed。 〃For it brings to mind something to which I had never attached any significance。 He once questioned me at great length concerning my son … and it may well have been at about the same time。 He never indicated that he had met him； however … or that he had any desire to do so。 It started out as a bit of banter on the subject of bastards。 When I took offense he apologized and asked a number of more proper questions about the boy； which I assumed he then put for the sake of politeness … to leave me with a softer remembrance。 As you say； though； he had a way of drawing admissions from people。 Why is it you never told me of this before？〃
She smiled prettily。
〃Why should I have？〃 she said。
Random nodded slowly； his face expressionless。
〃Well； what did you tell him？〃 he said。 〃What did he learn？ What do you know about Martin that I don't？〃
She shook her head； her smile fading。
〃Nothing … actually；〃 she said。 〃To my knowledge； no one in Rebma ever heard from Martin after he took the Pattern and vanished。 I do not believe that Brand departed knowing any more than he did when he arrived。〃
〃Strange。。。〃 I said。 〃Did he approach anyone else on the subject？〃
〃I don't remember；〃 Julian said。
〃Nor I；〃 said Benedict。
The others shook their heads。
〃Then let us note it and leave it for now；〃 I said。 〃There are other things I also need to know。 Julian； I understand that you and Gerard attempted to follow the black road a while back； and that Gerard was injured along the way。 I believe you both stayed with Benedict for a time after that； while Gerard recuperated。 I would like to know about that expedition。〃
〃It seems as if you already do；〃 Julian replied。 〃You have just stated everything that occurred。〃
〃Where did you learn of this； Corwin；〃 Benedict inquired。
〃Back in Avalon；〃 I said。
〃From whom？〃
〃Dara；〃 I said。
He rose to his feet； came over； stood before me； glared down。
〃You still persist in that absurd story about the girl！〃
I sighed。
〃We have been round and round on this too many times；〃 I said。 〃By now I have told you everything that I know on the subject。 Either you accept it or you do not。 She is the one who told me； though。〃
〃Apparently； then； there were some things you did not tell me。 You never mentioned that part before。〃
〃Is it true or isn't it？ About Julian and Gerard。〃
〃It is true；〃 he said。
〃Then forget the source for now and let us get on with what happened。〃
〃Agreed；〃 Benedict said。 〃I may speak candidly； now that the reason for secrecy is no longer with us。 Eric； of course。 He was unaware of my whereabouts； as were most of the others。 Gerard was my main source of news in Amber。 Eric grew more and more apprehensive concerning the black road and finally decided to send scouts to trace it through Shadow to its source。 Julian and Gerard were selected。 They were attacked by a very strong party of its creatures at a point near Avalon。 Gerard called to me； via my Trump； for assistance and I went to their aid。 The enemy was dispatched。 As Gerard had sustained a broken leg in the fighting and Julian was a bit battered himself； I took them both home with me。 I broke my silence with Eric at that time； to tell him where they were and what had bee of them。 He ordered them not to continue their journey； but to return to Amber after they had recovered。 They remained with me until they did。 Then they went back。〃
〃That is all？〃
〃That is all。〃
But it wasn't。 Dara had also told me something else。 She had mentioned another visitor。 I remembered it quite distinctly。 That day； beside the stream； a tiny rainbow in the mist above the waterfall； the mill wheel turning round and round； delivering dreams and grinding them； that day we had fenced and talked and walked in Shadow； had passed through a primordial wood； ing to a Spot beside a mighty torrent where turned a wheel fit for the granary of the gods； that day we had picnicked； flirted； gossiped； she had told me many things； some of them doubtless false。 But she had not lied concerning the journey of Julian and Gerard； and I believed it possible that she had also spoken truly when she said that Brand had visited Benedict in Avalon。 〃Frequently〃 was the word she had used。
Now； Benedict made no secret of the fact that he distrusted me。 I could see this alone as sufficient reason for his withholding information on anything he judged too sensitive to bee my business。 Hell； buying his story； I would not have trusted me either if our situations were reversed。 Only a fool would have called him on it at that moment； though。 Because of the other possibilities。
It could be that he planned to tell me later； in private； of the circumstances surrounding Brand's visits。 They could well have involved something he did not wish to discuss before the group； and especially before Brand's would…be killer。
Or … There was； of course； the possibility that Benedict himself was behind it all。 I did not even like to think about the consequences。 Having served under Napoleon； Lee； and MacArthur； I appreciated the tactician as well as the strategist。 Benedict was both； and he was the best I had ever known。 The rece