rstacy.doomsdaywarrior-第14节

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　Danik；　when　they　reached　the　next　rise；　informed　them；　〃See　that　blue　mesa　ahead；　wreathed　in　clouds？　I　remember　that　one。　Ten　or　so　miles　beyond　it　lies　the　bridge。〃
　After　traversing　the　distance　to　the　mesa；　cutting　around　its　towering　granite；　they　were　immersed　in　a　wet　fog。　Slowly　they　advanced　their　teams　until　Danik　shouted；　〃There　it　is。〃
　A　parting　in　the　fog　bank　revealed；　straddled　over　a　calm　lake；　amidst　some　low　buildings　and　many　bare　trees；　a　bridge。
　〃My　God；　that's　London　Bridge；〃　Rock　exclaimed。
　Detroit　said　incredulously；　〃London　Bridge？　How　can　that　be？　Wasn't　it　in　London　when　they　nuked　the　place？〃
　Rockson　and　the　Freefighters　couldn't　believe　their　eyes　…　a　long；　elegant　many…arched　stone　bridge　crossed　the　gentle　waters　of　a　desert　lake。　And　it　looked　exactly　like　London　Bridge；　as　they　had　seen　many　times　in　history　books。
　Rockson　smacked　his　forehead　and　said；　〃I　remember　reading　that　some　millionaire　bought　the　whole　bridge；　and　shipped　it　over　to　Arizona　…　that　was　when　the　Brits　needed　money　badly。　A　few　decades　before　World　War　Three。　No　one　in　Century　City　knows　where　the　bridge　was　sent　and　reconstructed。　Until　now。　Here　it　is。〃
　〃Why　take　London　Bridge　to　Arizona？　Did　they　need　a　bridge　that　bad？〃
　〃I　think　I　remember　reading　that　some　entrepreneur　type　thought　it　would　be　a　good　tourist　attraction。〃
　〃And　so　the　mystery　of　the　bridge　to　nowhere　is　solved。〃　Danik　said。　〃My　panions　…　the　two　that　died　here　…　are　entombed　behind　one　of　the　big　rocks　in　the　bridge　foundation。　The　mortar　was　cracked　and　weak。　I　and　my　surviving　friends　thought　it　would　be　a　good　grave。〃
　Rockson　and　the　others　whipped　their　dogs　up　to　traverse　the　distance　to　the　spot　Danik　indicated。　There　were　still　signs　of　the　massive　bridge　foundation　rock；　at　the　edge　of　the　water；　having　been　removed　and　replaced。
　〃A　good　place；〃　Detroit　said。　〃We　will　not　disturb　them。〃
　Rockson　and　the　team　came　upon　a　fallen；　rust…pocked　sign；　lifted　it。　It　said。　〃Wele　to　London　Bridge；　Havasu　City　Arizona。〃
　〃You're　right。　Rock；〃　Rona　said；　〃You　sure　are　a　history　buff。〃
　Rockson　frowned。　〃We　have　only　one　problem　now　…　which　way　from　here　to　Eden？〃
　Danik　said；　〃Doesn't　the　notebook　show？〃
　〃I　didn't　want　to　tell　anybody　this　…　but；〃　Rockson　admitted；　〃the　notebook　didn't　start　until　Dutil　started　writing　it　after　he　saw　this　bridge。　He　found　the　toy　sextant　here　in　a　…　let's　see　。　。　。〃　Rockson　flipped　through　the　pages。　〃Here　it　is；　he　found　the　sextant　in　'Ye　olde　nautical　gift　shoppe。'　There；　right　next　to　the　bridge。〃
　〃Then；〃　Rona　said　despondently；　〃we　have　no　way　of　finding　Eden。〃
　〃Yes；　we　do；〃　Danik　shouted　exultantly。　〃Returning　here；　seeing　the　tomb　of　my　friends　did　something　…　I　can　remember　…　not　a　lot；　but　something。〃
　〃What？〃　Rock　asked；　with　great　emotion。
　〃I　remember　that　the　first　week　we　traveled；　the　week　that　brought　us　this　far；　cold　and　hungry　and　with　two　of　us　deathly　sick；　was　all　spent　traveling　directly　north。。。〃
　〃Following　the　North　Star；〃　Rock　said；　remembering　Danik's　tale。　〃Yes；　I　followed　the　North　Star　on　the　clear　nights。　We　found　shelter　and　slept　in　the　slightly　warmer　days。　I　know　that　we　came　directly　from　the　south　of　here。〃
　Rockson　said；　〃Great。　We'll　set　out　as　soon　as　we　take　a　look　around　here　…　for　the　record。　And　to　see　if　anyone　was　here　first。　We　might　not　be　the　only　people　seeking　Eden；〃　he　said　darkly。
　They　went　into　the　gift　shoppe　and；　because　there　were　few　windows；　lit　a　Coleman　lamp。　Rock　seated　himself　at　a　table；　the　Freefighters　and　Danik　gathered　around　him。　He　unfolded　the　detailed　topographical　map　the　Freefighter　carried。　It　was　ancient；　drawn　on　the　basis　of　satellite　photographs　from　the　twentieth　century。
　〃Now　we　know　where　we　are；　and　we　know　…〃　he　said；　drawing　his　finger　down　south　of　the　U。S。　…　Mexican　border；　〃approximately　where　we　are　going。　A　week's　walking　distance　is　about　…　here。〃
　Rock's　finger　had　traced　down　to　the　San　Piedro　mountain　range。
　〃Danik　might　remember　some　landmarks　if　we　can　get　him　close　to　the　mountains　that　Eden　is　hidden　in。　So　we　head　south　to；　say；　the　tallest　mountain　in　the　range。〃
　〃Mt。　Obispo？〃　Rona　asked。
　〃With　a　stopover　at　Yumak　City　…　to　retire　these　sleds　and　wolf…dogs。　It's　a　good　thing　Yumak　City　is　only　a　slight　diversion　from　our　route　to　Mt。　Obispo。　Look　here　…〃　Rock　traced　his　finger　south　about　seventy　miles　and　then　east　for　twenty。　〃See？　Not　so　great　a　detour。　I　hope　there's　enough　snow　on　the　ground　to　allow　us　to　get　there　without　lugging　everything　by　foot。〃
　〃We　could　make　some　sort　of　wagon。〃　Detroit　said。　〃We　have　to　hurry。　I　think　there　will　be　enough　snow。　I　hope　so。　Let's　get　going。〃　He　folded　the　map。　〃First；　Yumak　City；　our　resupply　point；　then　on　to　Mt。　Obispo。　And　keep　your　collective　fingers　crossed　〃　Rock　said。
　
　
　CHAPTER　11
　
　Meanwhile　in　Eden；　Coronation　Day　had　arrived。。。
　The　orchestra　was　all　brass；　no　strings；　no　drums。　The　instruments　were　badly　corroded；　not　having　been　used　in　a　hundred　years。　Nobody　knew　how　to　play　them　either；　but　that　didn't　matter。　Nobody　in　Eden　knew　what　music　was　supposed　to　sound　like；　or　exactly　what　it　was　for。　The　founder　…　in　all　his　wisdom　…　had　forgotten　to　store　any　music　in　the　vaults　of　Eden。　The　inhabitants　knew　that　music　was　important　to　have　on　momentous　occasions。　And　they　did　their　best　to　recreate　the　concept　from　what　they　remembered　of　their　grandparents'　humming　tunes。
　The　music　played　by　the　one…hundred…man　marching　orchestra　was　a　cacophonous　rendition　of　〃God　Save　the　King。〃　People　plugged　their　ears　with　their　fingers　as　the　marching　band　passed。　Then　they　bowed　their　heads　as　the　only　car　in　Eden　…　a　1989　red　Ford　Fiesta　…　crawled　by　with　the　window　rolled　down　in　the　rear　and　the　king…to…be　Charles　Stafford　waved　and　nodded。
　The　end　of　the　parade　was　made　up　of　thirty　bulldozers；　two　abreast；　also　fouling　the　limited　air　with　their　dioxides。
　Everyone　in　the　city　had　lined　the　parade　route　to　view　the　inaugural　parade　…　for　it　was　not　wise　to　miss　the　show。　It　would　appear　that　they　didn't　respect　and　adore　their　new　leader…for…life。　And　to　oppose　meant　to　die。
　King　Charles；　for　his　part；　was　pleased　with　the　way　things　were　going。　He　stepped　out　of　the　car　when　it　reached　the　Government　Building　to　appropriate　oohs　and　aaahs　from　the　public。　And　why　not？　He　was　wearing　a　vermilion　satin　robe　encrusted　with　1000　five…　to　ten…carat　diamonds　that　glinted　in　the　spotlight　especially　arranged　to　be　trained　upon　his　gleaming　body　at　that　precise　moment。　Vainly　he　smiled；　then　turned　to　walk　up　the　twenty…one　steps　to　the　throne　that　was　waiting　for　him　at　the　top　of　the　stairs。　The　orchestra　below　raged　and　fretted　with　their　untuned　instruments　in　an　attempt　to　make　up　with　noise　for　what　they　lacked　in　musicianship；　for　their　lack　of　knowledge　on　how　to　play　the　tubas；　trombones；　and　trumpets　they　held　to　their　bleeding　lips。
　〃Where　is　my　crown？〃　Stafford　said；　annoyed。　He　sat　down。　His　personal　servant　Mannerly　came　running　with　the　vermilion　pillow　upon　which　rested　the　newly　constructed　crown。　The　only　model　the　crafts…men　had　for　such　a　thing　was　an　old　wallet…sized　depiction　of　Jesus；　who　was　reputed　to　be；　by　legend；　some　sort　of　king。　They　had　thus　constructed　the　gold　and　jewel　crown　in　the　shape　of　a　crown　of　thorns；　and　realizing　it　would　be　difficult　to　wear；　had　lined　the　sharper　points　with　plastic　buttons。　It　gleamed　in　the　spotlight　also。
　〃Crown　me；　Mannerly；〃　Stafford　said。
　The　bleating　of　the　maniac　brass　reached　new　heights　of　shrilldom　as　the　servant　leaned　over　and　did　just　that。　The　coronation　was　over。
　Nobody　knew　what　to　do；　they　all　waited　for　their　new　king　to　tell　them。　But　he　just　sat　there　smiling。　Several　of　the　orchestra　players　…　all　rather　pale　and　emaciated　…　collapsed；　noses　and　lips　bleeding　from　the　strain　of　their　frantic　playing。
　Finally；　as　the　wind　went　out　of　more　and　more　of　the　mad　musicians；　until　only　a　whimpering　trumpet　carried　on；　Stafford　arose。　He　lifted　his　hand　in　a　blessing　and　said；　〃From　this　day　forth　it　is　retroactively　illegal　to　have　disagreed　with　me。　Treasonable　thoughts　are　illegal；　and　any　opposition　is　treason；　punishable　by　death。　Amen。〃
　〃Amen；〃　yelled　the　populace。
　〃We　tried　democracy　and　it　just　didn't　work；〃　said　Stafford；　once　the　amens　had　died　down。　〃It　is　time　for　the　entertainment　I　promised　you　all。　Let　the　executions　begin。〃
　In　his　cell；　Tab　Subscript　had　heard　the　orchestra；　the　cheering；　and　the　bellowing　voice　of　his　enemy　Stafford　on　the　microphone。　One　of　the　executions　Stafford　had　spoken　of　was　probably　Subscript's；　he　realized　with　apprehension。　He　had　spoken　out　against　Stafford's　plan　to　seal　Eden　off　from　the　outside　world。　And　for　that　he　must　die。
　If　only；　he　thought；　hitting　his　puny　fist　against　the　cold　steel　bars；　if　only　I　had　left　with　Danik　and　Dutil　and　the　others。　If　only　I　had　risked　the　dangers　of　the　surface　…　rather　than　remaining　behind。　Oh；　people　in　the　resistance　thought　he　had　stayed　behind　out　of　a　sense　of　duty；　out　of　the　desire　to　rally　a　counter…force　to　Stafford。　But　the　fact　was　he　had　stayed　behind　because　he　was　afraid　of　wha