sk.thetalisman-第131节

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　　'Wolfs？'
　　'I　guess　so；'　Richard　said；　almost　angrily。　'Yeah；　I　guess　some　of　them　could　have　been　Wolfs；　or　whatever　you　call　them。　They　looked　unfortable　in　their　clothes…they　were　always　scratching　themselves；　usually　in　those　places　where　nice　people　aren't　supposed　to　scratch。　Others　looked　like　the　substitute　coach。　Kind　of　hard　and　mean。　Some　of　those　guys　I　used　to　see　out　at　Camp　Readiness；　too。　I'll　tell　you　one　thing；　Jack…those　guys　were　even　more　scared　of　that　place　than　my　father　was。　They　just　about　cringed　when　they　got　near　it。'
　　'Sunlight　Gardener？　Was　he　ever　there？'
　　'Uh…huh；'　Richard　said。　'But　in　Point　Venuti　he　looked　more　like　the　man　we　saw　over　there　'
　　'Like　Osmond。'
　　'Yes。　But　those　people　didn't　e　very　often。　Mostly　it　was　just　my　father；　by　himself。　Sometimes　he'd　get　the　restaurant　at　our　motel　to　pack　him　some　sandwiches；　and　he'd　sit　on　a　sidewalk　bench　and　eat　his　lunch　looking　at　the　hotel。　I　stood　at　the　window　in　the　lobby　of　the　Kingsland　and　looked　at　my　father　looking　at　the　hotel。　I　never　liked　his　face　at　those　times。　He　looked　afraid；　but　he　also　looked　like　。　。　。　like　he　was　gloating。'
　　'Gloating；'　Jack　mused。
　　'Sometimes　he　asked　me　if　I　wanted　to　e　with　him；　and　I　always　said　no。　He'd　nod　and　I　remember　once　he　said；　'There'll　be　time。　You'll　understand　everything；　Rich　。　。　。　in　time。'　I　remember　thinking　that　if　it　was　about　that　black　hotel；　I　didn't　want　to　understand。
　　'Once；'　Richard　said；　'when　he　was　drunk；　he　said　there　was　something　inside　that　place。　He　said　it　had　been　there　for　a　long　time。　We　were　lying　in　our　beds；　I　remember。　The　wind　was　high　that　night。　I　could　hear　the　waves　hitting　the　beach；　and　the　squeaky　sound　of　those　weathervanes　turning　on　top　of　the　Agincourt's　towers。　It　was　a　scary　sound。　I　thought　about　that　place；　all　those　rooms；　all　of　them　empty…'
　　'Except　for　the　ghosts；'　Jack　muttered。　He　thought　he　heard　footsteps　and　looked　quickly　behind　them。　Nothing；　no　one。　The　roadbed　was　deserted　for　as　far　as　he　could　see。
　　'That's　right；　except　for　the　ghosts；'　Richard　agreed。　'So　I　said；　'Is　it　valuable；　Daddy？'　'
　　'　'It's　the　most　valuable　thing　there　is；'　he　said。
　　'　'Then　some　junkie　will　probably　break　in　and　steal　it；'　I　said。　It　wasn't…how　can　I　say　this？…it　wasn't　a　subject　I　wanted　to　pursue；　but　I　didn't　want　him　to　go　to　sleep；　either。　Not　with　that　wind　blowing　outside；　and　the　sound　of　those　vanes　squeaking　in　the　night。
　　'He　laughed；　and　I　heard　a　clink　as　he　poured　himself　a　little　more　bourbon　from　the　bottle　on　the　floor。
　　'　'Nobody　is　going　to　steal　it；　Rich；'　he　said。　'And　any　junkie　who　went　into　the　Agincourt　would　see　things　he　never　saw　before。'　He　drank　his　drink；　and　I　could　tell　he　was　getting　sleepy。　'Only　one　person　in　the　whole　world　could　ever　touch　that　thing；　and　he'll　never　even　get　close　to　it；　Rich。　I　can　guarantee　that。　One　thing　that　interests　me　is　that　it's　the　same　over　there　as　over　here。　It　doesn't　change…at　least；　as　far　as　I　can　tell；　it　doesn't　change。　I'd　like　to　have　it；　but　I'm　not　even　going　to　try；　at　least　not　now；　and　maybe　not　ever。　I　could　do　things　with　it…you　bet！…but　on　the　whole；　I　think　I　like　the　thing　best　right　where　it　is。'　
　　'I　was　getting　sleepy　myself　by　then；　but　I　asked　him　what　it　was　that　he　kept　talking　about。'
　　'What　did　he　say？'　Jack　asked；　dry…mouthed。
　　'He　called　it…'　Richard　hesitated；　frowning　in　thought。　'He　called　it　'the　axle　of　all　possible　worlds。'　Then　he　laughed。　Then　he　called　it　something　else。　Something　you　wouldn't　like。'
　　'What　was　that？'
　　'It'll　make　you　mad。'
　　'e　on；　Richard；　spill　it。'
　　'He　called　it　。　。　。　well　。　。　。　he　called　it　'Phil　Sawyer's　folly'。　'　
　　It　was　not　anger　he　felt　but　a　burst　of　hot；　dizzying　excitement。　That　was　it；　all　right；　that　was　the　Talisman。　The　axle　of　all　possible　worlds。　How　many　worlds？　God　alone　knew。　The　American　Territories；　the　Territories　themselves；　the　hypothetical　Territories'　Territories；　and　on　and　on；　like　the　stripes　ing　ceaselessly　up　and　out　of　a　turning　barber　pole。　A　universe　of　worlds；　a　dimensional　macrocosm　of　worlds…and　in　all　of　them　one　thing　that　was　always　the　same；　one　unifying　force　that　was　undeniably　good；　even　if　it　now　happened　to　be　imprisoned　in　an　evil　place；　the　Talisman；　axle　of　all　possible　worlds。　And　was　it　also　Phil　Sawyer's　folly？　Probably　so。　Phil's　folly　。　。　。　Jack's　folly　。　。　。　Morgan　Sloat's　。　。　。　Gardener's　。　。　。　and　the　hope；　of　course；　of　two　Queens。
　　'It's　more　than　Twinners；'　he　said　in　a　low　voice。
　　Richard　had　been　plodding　along；　watching　the　rotted　ties　disappear　beneath　his　feet。　Now　he　looked　nervously　up　at　Jack。
　　'It's　more　than　Twinners；　because　there　are　more　than　two　worlds。　There　are　triplets　。　。　。　quadruplets　。　。　。　who　knows？　Morgan　Sloat　here；　Morgan　of　Orris　over　there；　maybe　Mor…gan；　Duke　of　Azreel；　somewhere　else。　But　he　never　went　inside　the　hotel！'
　　'I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about；'　Richard　said　in　a　resigned　voice。　But　I'm　sure　you'll　go　right　on；　anyway；　that　resigned　tone　said；　progressing　from　nonsense　to　outright　insanity。　All　aboard　for　Seabrook　Island！
　　'He　can't　go　inside。　That　is；　Morgan　of　California　can't…and　do　you　know　why？　Because　Morgan　of　Orris　can't。　And　Morgan　of　Orris　can't　because　Morgan　of　California　can't。　If　one　of　them　can't　go　into　his　version　of　the　black　hotel；　then　none　of　them　can。　Do　you　see？'
　　'No。'　
　　Jack；　feverish　with　discovery；　didn't　hear　what　Richard　said　at　all。
　　'Two　Morgans；　or　dozens。　It　doesn't　matter。　Two　Lilys；　or　dozens…dozens　of　Queens　in　dozens　of　worlds；　Richard；　think　of　that！　How　does　that　mess　your　mind？　Dozens　of　black　hotels…only　in　some　worlds　it　might　be　a　black　amusement　park　。　。　。　or　a　black　trailer　court　。　。　。　or　I　don't　know　what。　But　Richard…'　
　　He　stopped；　turned　Richard　by　the　shoulders；　and　stared　at　him；　his　eyes　blazing。　Richard　tried　to　draw　away　from　him　for　a　moment；　and　then　stopped；　entranced　by　the　fiery　beauty　on　Jack's　face。　Suddenly；　briefly；　Richard　believed　that　all　things　might　be　possible。　Suddenly；　briefly；　he　felt　healed。
　　'What？'　he　whispered。
　　'Some　things　are　not　excluded。　Some　people　are　not　excluded。　They　are　。　。　。　well　。　。　。　single…natured。　That's　the　only　way　I　can　think　of　to　say　it。　They　are　like　it…the　Talisman。　Single…natured。　Me。　I'm　single…natured。　I　had　a　Twinner；　but　he　died。　Not　just　in　the　Territories　world；　but　in　all　worlds　but　this　one。　I　know　that…I　feel　that。　My　dad　knew　it；　too。　I　think　that's　why　he　called　me　Travelling　Jack。　When　I'm　here；　I'm　not　there。　When　I'm　there；　I'm　not　here。　And　Richard；　neither　are　you！'　
　　Richard　stared　at　him；　speechless。
　　'You　don't　remember；　you　were　mostly　in　Freakout　City　while　I　was　talking　to　Anders。　But　he　said　Morgan　of　Orris　had　a　boy…child。　Rushton。　Do　you　know　what　he　was？'
　　'Yes；'　Richard　whispered。　He　was　still　unable　to　pull　his　eyes　away　from　Jack's。　'He　was　my　Twinner。'
　　'That's　right。　The　little　boy　died；　Anders　said。　The　Talisman　is　single…natured。　We're　single…natured。　Your　father　isn't。　I've　seen　Morgan　of　Orris　in　that　other　world；　and　he's　like　your　father；　but　he's　not　your　father。　He　couldn't　go　into　the　black　hotel；　Richard。　He　can't　now。　But　he　knew　you　were　single…natured；　just　as　he　knows　I　am。　He'd　like　me　dead。　He　needs　you　on　his　side。
　　'Because　then；　if　he　decided　he　did　want　the　Talisman；　he　could　always　send　you　in　to　get　it；　couldn't　he？'　
　　Richard　began　to　tremble。
　　'Never　mind；'　Jack　said　grimly。　'He　won't　have　to　worry　about　it。　We're　going　to　bring　it　out；　but　he's　not　going　to　have　it。'
　　'Jack；　I　don't　think　I　can　go　into　that　place；'　Richard　said；　but　he　spoke　in　a　low；　strengthless　whisper；　and　Jack；　who　was　already　walking　on；　didn't　hear　him。
　　Richard　trotted　to　catch　up。
　　　
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　　Conversation　lapsed。　Noon　came　and　went。　The　woods　had　bee　very　silent；　and　twice　Jack　had　seen　trees　with　strange；　gnarly　trunks　and　tangled　roots　growing　quite　close　to　the　tracks。　He　did　not　much　like　the　looks　of　these　trees。　They　looked　familiar。
　　Richard；　staring　at　the　ties　as　they　disappeared　beneath　his　feet；　at　last　stumbled　and　fell　over；　hitting　his　head。　After　that；　Jack　piggybacked　him　again。
　　'There；　Jack！'　Richard　called；　after　what　seemed　an　eternity。
　　Up　ahead；　the　tracks　disappeared　into　an　old　car…barn。　The　doors　hung　open　on　a　shadowy　darkness　that　looked　dull　and　moth…eaten。　Beyond　the　car…barn　（which　might　once　have　been　as　pleasant　as　Richard　had　said；　but　which　only　looked　spooky　to　Jack　now）　was　a　highway…101；　Jack　guessed。
　　Beyond　that；　the　ocean…he　could　hear　the　pounding　waves。
　　'I　guess　we're　here；'　he　said　in　a　dry　voice。
　　'Almost；'　Richard　said。　'Point　Venuti's　a　mile　or　so　down　the　road。　God；　I　wish　we　didn't　have　to　go　there；　Jack　。　。　。　Jack？　Where　are　you　going？'　
　　But　Jack　didn't　look　around。　He　stepped　off　the　tracks；　detoured　around　one　of　those　strange…looking　trees　（this　one　not　even　shrub…high）；　and　headed　for　the　road。　High　grasses　and　weeds　brushed　his　road…battered　jeans。　Something　inside　the　trolley…barn…Morgan　Sloat's　private　train…station　of　yore…moved　with　a　nast