sk.thewastelands-第100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！


　　〃That's　good；〃　the　stranger　said；　and　helped　Quick　to　his　feet；　〃because　they　have　to　die…they're　meddling　with　things　they　have　no　business　meddling　with。　I　expected　Blaine　to　take　care　of　them；　but　things　have　gone　much　too　far　to　depend　on　anything　。　。　。　after　all；　who　would　have　thought　they　could　get　as　far　as　they　have？〃
　　〃I　don't　know；〃　Quick　said。　He　did　not；　in　fact；　have　the　slightest　idea　what　the　stranger　was　talking　about。　Nor　did　he　care；　there　was　a　feeling　of　exaltation　creeping　through　his　mind　like　some　excellent　drug；　and　after　the　pain　of　the　cider…press；　that　was　enough　for　him。　More　than　enough。
　　Richard　Fannin's　lips　curled。　〃Bear　and　bone　。　。　。　key　and　rose　。　。　。　day　and　night　。　。　。　time　and　tide。　Enough！　Enough；　I　say！　They　must　not　draw　closer　to　the　Tower　than　they　are　now！〃
　　Quick　staggered　backward　as　the　man's　hands　shot　out　with　the　flickery　speed　of　heat　lightning。　One　broke　the　chain　which　held　the　tiny　glass…enclosed　pendulum　clock；　the　other　stripped　Jake　Chambers's　Seiko　from　his　forearm。
　　〃I'll　just　take　these；　shall　I？〃　Fannin　the　Wizard　smiled　charmingly；　his　lips　modestly　closed　over　those　awful　teeth。　〃Or　do　you　object？〃
　　〃No；〃　Quick　said；　surrendering　the　last　symbols　of　his　long　leader…ship　without　a　qualm　（without；　in　fact；　even　being　aware　that　he　was　doing　so）。　〃Be　my　guest。〃
　　〃Thank　you；　Andrew；〃　the　dark　man　said　softly。　〃Now　we　must　step　lively…I'm　expecting　a　drastic　change　in　the　atmosphere　of　these　envi…rons　in　the　next　five　minutes　or　so。　We　must　get　to　the　nearest　closet　where　gas　masks　are　stored　before　that　happens；　and　it's　apt　to　be　a　near　thing。　I　could　survive　the　change　quite　nicely；　but　I'm　afraid　you　might　have　some　difficulties。〃
　　〃I　don't　understand　what　you're　talking　about；〃　Andrew　Quick　said。　His　head　had　begun　to　throb　again；　and　his　mind　was　whirling。
　　〃Nor　do　you　need　to；〃　the　stranger　said　smoothly。　〃e；　Andrew…I　think　we　should　hurry。　Busy；　busy　day；　eh？　With　luck；　Blaine　will　fry　them　right　on　the　platform；　where　they　are　no　doubt　still　standing…he's　bee　very　eccentric　over　the　years；　poor　fellow。　But　I　think　we　should　hurry；　just　the　same。〃
　　He　slid　his　arm　over　Quick's　shoulders　and；　giggling；　led　him　through　the　hatchway　Roland　and　Jake　had　used　only　a　few　minutes　before。
　　
　　
　　　VI
　　　RIDDLE　AND　WASTE　LANDS
　　　
　　　1
　　〃ALL　RIGHT；〃　ROLAND　SAID。　〃Tell　me　his　riddle。〃
　　〃What　about　all　the　people　out　there？〃　Eddie　asked；　pointing　across　the　wide；　pillared　Plaza　of　the　Cradle　and　toward　the　city　beyond。　〃What　can　we　do　for　them？〃
　　〃Nothing；〃　Roland　said；　〃but　it's　still　possible　that　we　may　be　able　to　do　something　for　ourselves。　Now　what　was　the　riddle？〃
　　Eddie　looked　toward　the　streamlined　shape　of　the　mono。　〃He　said　we'd　have　to　prime　the　pump　to　get　him　going。　Only　his　pump　primes　backward。　Does　it　mean　anything　to　you？〃
　　Roland　thought　it　over　carefully；　then　shook　his　head。　He　looked　down　at　Jake。　〃Any　ideas；　Jake？〃
　　Jake　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　even　see　a　pump。〃
　　〃That's　probably　the　easy　part；〃　Roland　said。　〃We　say　he　and　him　instead　of　it　and　that　because　Blaine　sounds　like　a　living　being；　but　he's　still　a　machine…&　sophisticated　one；　but　a　machine。　He　started　his　own　engines；　but　it　must　take　some　sort　of　code　or　bination　to　open　the　gate　and　the　train　doors。〃
　　〃We　better　hurry　up；〃　Jake　said　nervously。　〃It's　got　to　be　two　or　three　minutes　since　he　last　talked　to　us。　At　least。〃
　　〃Don't　count　on　it；〃　Eddie　said　gloomily。　〃Time's　weird　over　here。〃
　　〃Still…〃
　　〃Yeah；　yeah。〃　Eddie　glanced　toward　Susannah；　but　she　was　sitting　astride　Roland's　hip　and　looking　at　the　numeric　diamond　with　a　day…dreamy　expression　on　her　face。　He　looked　back　at　Roland。　〃I'm　pretty　sure　you're　right　about　it　being　a　bination…that　must　be　what　all　those　number…pads　are　for。〃　He　raised　his　voice。　〃Is　that　it；　Blaine？　Have　we　got　at　least　that　much　right？〃
　　No　response；　only　the　quickening　rumble　of　the　mono's　engines。
　　〃Roland；〃　Susannah　said　abruptly。　〃You　have　to　help　me。〃
　　The　daydreamy　look　was　being　replaced　by　an　expression　of　mingled　horror；　dismay；　and　determination。　To　Roland's　eye；　she　had　never　looked　more　beautiful　。。。　or　more　alone。　She　had　been　on　his　shoulders　when　they　stood　at　the　edge　of　the　clearing　and　watched　the　bear　trying　to　claw　Eddie　out　of　the　tree；　and　Roland　had　not　seen　her　expression　when　he　told　her　she　must　be　the　one　to　shoot　it。　But　he　knew　what　that　expression　had　been；　for　he　was　seeing　it　now。　Ka　was　a　wheel；　its　one　purpose　to　turn；　and　in　the　end　it　always　came　back　to　the　place　where　it　had　started。　So　it　had　ever　been　and　so　it　was　now；　Susannah　was　once　again　facing　the　bear；　and　her　face　said　she　knew　it。
　　〃What？〃　he　asked。　〃What　is　it；　Susannah？〃
　　〃I　know　the　answer；　but　I　can't　get　it。　It's　stuck　in　my　mind　the　way　a　fishbone　can　get　stuck　in　your　throat。　I　need　you　to　help　me　remember。　Not　his　face；　but　his　voice。　What　he　said。〃
　　Jake　glanced　down　at　his　wrist　and　was　surprised　all　over　again　by　a　memory　of　the　Tick…Tock　Man's　catlike　green　eyes　when　he　saw　not　his　watch　but　only　the　place　where　it　had　been…a　white　shape　outlined　by　his　deeply　tanned　skin。　How　much　longer　did　they　have？　Surely　no　more　than　seven　minutes；　and　that　was　being　generous。　He　looked　up　and　saw　that　Roland　had　removed　a　cartridge　from　his　gunbelt　and　was　walking　it　back　and　forth　across　the　knuckles　of　his　left　hand。　Jake　felt　his　eyelids　immediately　grow　heavy　and　looked　away；　fast。
　　〃What　voice　would　you　remember；　Susannah　Dean？〃　Roland　asked　in　a　low；　musing　voice。　His　eyes　were　not　fixed　on　her　face　but　on　the　cartridge　as　it　did　its　endless；　limber　dance　across　his　knuckles　。　。　。　and　back　。　。　。　across　。　。　。　and　back　。　。　。
　　He　didn't　need　to　look　up　to　know　that　Jake　had　looked　away　from　the　dance　of　the　cartridge　and　Susannah　had　not。　He　began　to　speed　it　up　until　the　cartridge　almost　seemed　to　be　floating　above　the　back　of　his　hand。
　　〃Help　me　remember　the　voice　of　my　father；〃　Susannah　Dean　said。
　　　
　　　2
　　FOR　A　MOMENT　THERE　was　silence　except　for　a　distant；　crumping　explo…sion　in　the　city；　the　rain　pounding　on　the　roof　of　the　Cradle；　and　the　fat　throb　of　the　monorail's　slo…trans　engines。　Then　a　low…pitched　hydraulic　hum　cut　through　the　air。　Eddie　looked　away　from　the　cartridge　dancing　across　the　gunslinger's　fingers　（it　took　an　effort；　he　realized　that　in　another　few　moments　he　would　have　been　hypnotized　himself）　and　peered　through　the　iron　bars。　A　slim　silver　rod　was　pushing　itself　up　from　the　sloping　pink　surface　between　Blaine's　forward　windows。　It　looked　like　an　antenna　of　some　kind。
　　〃Susannah？〃　Roland　asked　in　that　same　low　voice。
　　〃What？〃　Her　eyes　were　open　but　her　voice　was　distant　and　breathy…the　voice　of　someone　who　is　sleeptalking。
　　〃Do　you　remember　the　voice　of　your　father？〃
　　〃Yes　。　。　。　but　I　can't　hear　it。〃
　　〃SIX　MINUTES；　MY　FRIENDS。〃
　　Eddie　and　Jake　started　and　looked　toward　the　control…box　speaker；　but　Susannah　seemed　not　to　have　heard　at　all；　she　only　stared　at　the　floating　cartridge。　Below　it；　Roland's　knuckles　rippled　up　and　down　like　the　heddles　of　a　loom。
　　〃Try；　_Susannah；〃　Roland　urged；　and　suddenly　he　felt　Susannah　change　within　the　circle　of　his　right　arm。　She　seemed　to　gain　weight　。　。　；　and；　in　some　indefinable　way；　vitality　as　well。　It　was　as　if　her　essence　had　somehow　changed。
　　And　it　had。
　　〃Why　you　want　to　bother　wit　dot　bitch？〃　the　raspy　voice　of　Detta　Walker　asked。
　　　
　　　3
　　DETTA　SOUNDED　BOTH　EXASPERATED　and　amused。　〃She　never　got　no　better'n　a　C　in　math　her　whole　life。　Wouldn'ta　got　dat　widout　me　to　he'p　her。〃　She　paused；　then　added　grudgingly：　〃An'　Daddy。　He　he'ped　some；　too。　I　knowed　about　them　forspecial　numbahs；　but　was　him　showed　us　de　net。　My；　I　got　de　bigges'　kick　outta　dat！〃　She　chuckled。　〃Reason　Suze　can't　remember　is　'cause　Odetta　never　understood　'bout　dem　forspecial　numbers　in　de　firs'　place。〃
　　〃What　forspecial　numbers？〃　Eddie　asked。
　　〃Prime　numbahs！〃　She　pronounced　the　word　prime　in　a　way　that　almost　rhymed　with　calm。　She　looked　at　Roland；　appearing　to　be　wholly　awake　again　now　。　。　。　except　she　was　not　Susannah；　nor　was　she　the　same　wretched；　devilish　creature　who　had　previously　gone　under　the　name　of　Detta　Walker；　although　she　sounded　the　same。　〃She　went　to　Daddy　cryin　an'　carryin　on　'cause　she　was　flunkin　dat　math　course　。　。　。　and　it　wasn't　nuthin　but　funnybook　algebra　at　dat！　She　could　do　de　woik…if　I　could；　she　could…but　she　din'　want　to。　Poitry…readin　bitch　like　her　too　good　for　a　little　ars　mathematica；　you　see？〃　Detta　threw　her　head　back　and　laughed；　but　the　poisoned；　half…mad　bitterness　was　gone　from　the　sound。　She　seemed　genuinely　amused　at　the　foolishness　of　her　mental　twin。
　　〃And　Daddy；　he　say；　Tm　goan　show　you　a　trick；　Odetta。　I　learned　it　in　college。　It　he'ped　me　get　through　this　prime　numbah　bi'ness；　and　it's　goan　he'p　you；　too。　He'p　you　find　mos'　any　prime　numbah　you　want。'　Oh…detta；　dumb　as　ever；　she　say；　'Teacher　says　ain't　no　formula　for　prime　numbahs；　Daddy。'　And　Daddy；　he　say　right　back；　'They　ain't。　But　you　can　catch　em；　Odetta；　if　you　have　a　net。'　He　called　it　The　Net　of　Eratos…thenes。　Take　me　over　to　dat　box