"Zelazny, Roger - ComingToACord" - читать интересную книгу автора (Zelazny Roger)

Roger Zelazny. Coming to a Cord

Preface from _Pirate Writings_: This story takes up the second Amber
series where "The Shroudling and the Guisel" (which appeared in the
first issue of _Realms of Fantasy_) left off. It shows the continuing
tale of Merlin's strangling cord, Frakir, while telling more about the
leftover guisel and the sorcerer responsible for the affair behind the
mirror. Flora and the visiting Luke are drawn into the action.
I have been using an occasional short story of late to tie up loose
ends I'd left hanging in previous Amber books and stories, as well as to
continue the overall narrative. The first of these stories was "The
Salesman's Tale," featuring Luke and Vialle, which appeared in the
February 1994 (#6) issue of _Amberzine_, and the second was "Blue Horse,
Dancing Mountains," which will appear this Summer in the AvoNova
collection of gambling stories, _Wheel of Fortune_, edited by myself.
"The Shroudling and the Guisel" was the third Amber story, and "coming
to a Cord" is the fourth.
So, if anyone has a burning Amber question, I suggest they send it
to me c/o AvoNova and I may be able to straighten the matter out in one
of these stories (I may not, also). And to all you Amber fans, thanks
for hanging around for so long.
-Roger Zelazny
---------------------------------------------------------------

It is no fun being tied to a bedpost when you are feeling under the
weather. I phased back and forth between visibility and invisibility
uncontrollably. On the other wrist, I felt my ability to communicate
beginning to return. My increased sentience had remained with me ever
since my strange journey with Merlin in the place between shadows. But
there was a shock on my return to this reality. Slowly now, I was
recovering from it, though some of the symptoms were slower in going
than others. Consequently, it took me much longer than it normally
would have to unknot myself.
I am Frakir, strangling cord to Merlin--Lord of Amber and Prince of
Chaos. Normally, too, he would never have abandoned me like this, in
the blasted apartments of Brand, late Prince of Amber and would-be Lord
of the Universe. But he was under a mild spell Brand had actually left
about for his son Rinaldo. However, Merlin has such a strong affinity
with Rinaldo--also known as Luke--by virtue of their long association,
that the spell latched onto him. He must have shaken it by now, but
that still left me in an awkward position, with him doubtless back in
the Courts.
I did not feel like waiting around with all the rebuilding and
redecorating going on. They could decide to chuck the bed, with me
attached, and go for all new stuff.
I finished unknotting myself. At least Merlin had used no magic
when he'd tied me there. On the other hand, it was a tight knot, and I
squirmed for a long while to get myself unlooped. Finally, the thing
was loosened and I was able to undo it. Once I had freed myself from
its subtle geometries, I slithered down the bedpost to the ground. This