sk.thetalisman-第116节
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 Prince Philip Sawtelle and the son of Morgan of Orris。 For an instant the world wheeled above Jack and he snagged a second's insight that Richard might just be essential to whatever he was going to have to do in the black hotel。 Then Richard snuffled and let his mouth drop open； and the feeling of momentary prehension slipped away from Jack。
'Let's have a look at those devil…things；' he said。 He whirled around and marched back down the length of the train； along the way noticing for the first time that the floor of the octagonal shed was in two sections…most of it was one round circular mass； like an enormous dinner plate。 Then there was a break in the wood； and what was beyond the perimeter of the circle extended to the walls。 Jack had never heard of a roundhouse； but he understood the concept： the circular part of the floor could turn a hundred and eighty degrees。 Normally； trains or coaches came in from the east； and returned in the same direction。
The tarpaulin had been tied down over the cargo with thick brown cord so hairy it looked like steel wool。 Jack strained to lift an edge； peered under； saw only blackness。 'Help me；' he said； turning to Anders。
The old man stepped forward； frowning； and with one strong； deft motion released a knot。 The tarpaulin loosened and sagged。 Now when Jack lifted its edge； he saw that half of the flatcar held a row of wooden boxes stencilled MACHINE PARTS。 Guns； he thought： Morgan is arming his rebel Wolfs。 The other half of the space beneath the tarp was occupied by bulky rectangular packages of a squashy…looking substance wrapped in layers of clear plastic sheeting。 Jack had no idea what this substance might be； but he was pretty sure it wasn't Wonder Bread。 He dropped the tarpaulin and stepped back； and Anders pulled at the thick rope and knotted it again。
'We're going tonight；' Jack said； having just decided this。
'But my Lord Jason 。 。 。 the Blasted Lands 。 。 。 at night 。 。 。 d'ye ken…'
'I ken； all right；' Jack said。 'I ken that I'll need all the surprise I can whip up。 Morgan and that man the Wolfs call He of the Lashes are going to be looking for me； and if I show up twelve hours before anybody is expecting this train； Richard and I might get away alive。'
Anders nodded gloomily； and again looked like an oversize dog acmodating itself to unhappy knowledge。
Jack looked at Richard again…asleep； sitting up with his mouth open。 As if he knew what was in Jack's mind； Anders； too； looked toward sleeping Richard。 'Did Morgan of Orris have a son？' Jack asked。
'He did； my Lord。 Morgan's brief marriage had issue…a boy child named Rushton。'
'And what became of Rushton？ As if I couldn't guess。'
'He died；' Anders said simply。 'Morgan of Orris was not meant to be a father。'
Jack shuddered； remembering how his enemy had torn his way through the air and nearly killed Wolf's entire herd。
'We're going；' he said。 'Will you please help me get Richard into the cab； Anders？'
'My Lord 。 。 。' Anders hung his head； then lifted it and gave Jack a look of almost parental concern。 'The journey will require at least two days； perhaps three； before ye reach the western shore。 Have ye any food？ Would ye share my evening meal？'
Jack shook his head； impatient to begin this last leg of his journey to the Talisman； but then his stomach abruptly growled； reminding him of how long it had been since he had eaten anything but the Ring…Dings and stale Famous Amos cookies in Albert the Blob's room。 'Well；' he said； 'I suppose another half hour won't make any difference。 Thank you； Anders。 Help me get Richard up on his feet； will you？' And maybe； he thought； he wasn't so eager to cross the Blasted Lands after all。
The two of them jerked Richard to his feet。 Like the Dormouse； he opened his eyes； smiled； and sagged back to sleep again。 'Food；' Jack said。 'Real food。 You up for that； chum？'
'I never eat in dreams；' Richard answered with surreal rationality。 He yawned； then wiped his eyes。 He gradually had found his feet； and no longer leaned against Anders and Jack。 'I am pretty hungry； though； to tell you the truth。 I'm having a long dream； aren't I； Jack？' He seemed almost proud of it。
'Yep；' said Jack。
'Say； is that the train we're going to take？ It looks like a cartoon。'
'Yep。'
'Can you drive that thing； Jack？ It's my dream； I know； but…'
'It's about as hard to operate as my old electric train set；' Jack said。 'I can drive it； and so can you。'
'I don't want to；' Richard said； and that cringing； whining tone came back into his voice again。 'I don't want to get on that train at all。 I want to go back to my room。'
'e and have some food instead；' Jack said； and found himself leading Richard out of the shed。 'Then we're on our way to California。'
And so the Territories showed one of its best faces to the boys immediately before they entered the Blasted Lands。 Anders gave them thick sweet slices of bread clearly made from the grain growing around The Depot； kebabs of tender sections of meat and plump juicy unfamiliar vegetables； a spicy pink juice that Jack for some reason thought of as papaya though he knew it was not。 Richard chewed in a happy trance； the juice running down his chin until Jack wiped it off for him。 'California；' he said once。 'I should have known。' Assuming that he was alluding to that state's reputation for craziness； Jack did not question him。 He was more concerned about what the two of them were doing to Anders's presumably limited stock of food； but the old man kept nipping behind the counter； where he or his father before him had installed a small wood…burning stove； and returning with yet more food。 Corn muffins； calf's…foot jelly； things that looked like chicken legs but tasted of 。 。 。 what？ Frankincense and myrrh？ Flowers？ The taste fairly exploded over his tongue； and he thought that he； too； might begin to drool。
The three of them sat around a little table in the warm and mellow room。 At the end of the meal Anders almost shyly brought forth a heavy beaker half…filled with red wine。 Feeling as if he were following someone else's script； Jack drank a small glassful。
3
Two hours later； beginning to feel drowsy； Jack wondered if that enormous meal had been an equally enormous error。 First of all； there had been the departure from Ellis…Breaks and The Depot； which had not gone easily； secondly； there was Richard； who threatened to go seriously crazy； and thirdly； and above all else； there were the Blasted Lands。 Which were far crazier than Richard would ever be； and which absolutely demanded concentrated attention。
After the meal the three of them had returned to the shed； and the trouble had started。 Jack knew that he was fearful of whatever might be ahead…and； he now knew； that fear was perfectly justified…and perhaps his trepidation had made him behave less well than he should have。 The first difficulty had e when he tried to pay old Anders with the coin Captain Farren had given him。 Anders responded as if his beloved Ja…son had just stabbed him in the back。 Sacrilege！ Outrage！ By offering the coin； Jack had done more than merely insult the old liveryman； he had metaphorically smeared mud on his religion。 Supernaturally restored divine beings apparently were not supposed to offer coins to their followers。 Anders had been upset enough to smash his hand into the 'devil…box；' as he called the metal container for the rank of batteries； and Jack knew that Anders had been mightily tempted to strike another target besides the train。 Jack had managed only a semi…truce： Anders did not want his apologies any more than he wanted his money。 The old man had finally calmed down once he realized the extent of the boy's dismay； but he did not really return to his normal behavior until Jack speculated out loud that the Captain Farren coin might have other functions； other roles for him。 'Ye're not Jason entire；' the old man gloomed； 'yet the Queen's coin may aid ye toward yer destiny。' He shook his head heavily。 His farewell wave had been distinctly half…hearted。
But a good portion of that had been due to Richard。 What had begun as a sort of childish panic had quickly blossomed into full…blown terror。 Richard had refused to get in the cab。 Up until that moment he had mooned around the shed； not looking at the train； seemingly in an uncaring daze。 Then he had realized that Jack was serious about getting him on that thing； and he had freaked…and； strangely； it had been the idea of ending up in California which had disturbed him most。 'NO！ NO！ CAN'T！' Richard had yelled when Jack urged him toward the train。 'I WANT TO GO BACK TO MY ROOM！'
'They might be following us； Richard；' Jack said wearily。 'We have to get going。' He reached out and took Richard's arm。 'This is all a dream； remember？'
'Oh my Lord； oh my Lord；' Anders had said； moving aimlessly around in the big shed； and Jack understood that for once the liveryman was not addressing him。
'I HAVE TO GO BACK TO MY ROOM！' Richard squalled。 His eyes were clamped shut so tightly that a single painful crease ran from temple to temple。
Echoes of Wolf again。 Jack had tried to pull Richard toward th
