sk.thewastelands-第29节

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　　〃Well；　you　know　where　we　are。〃
　　Yes；　Jake　thought。　Now　if　I　only　knew　where　I　am。
　　
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　　HE　STOPPED　JUST　OUTSIDE　the　bookstore　and　flipped　open　the　riddle　book　again；　this　time　to　page　one；　where　there　was　a　short　uncredited　introduction。
　　〃Riddles　are　perhaps　the　oldest　of　all　the　games　people　still　play　today；〃　it　began。　〃The　gods　and　goddesses　of　Greek　myth　teased　each　other　with　riddles；　and　they　were　employed　as　teaching　tools　in　ancient　Rome。　The　Bible　contains　several　good　riddles。　One　of　the　most　famous　of　these　was　told　by　Samson　on　the　day　he　was　married　to　Delilah：
　　'Out　of　the　eater　came　forth　meat；　and　out　of　the　strong　came　forth　sweetness！'
　　〃He　asked　this　riddle　of　several　young　men　who　attended　his　wedding；　confident　that　they　wouldn't　be　able　to　guess　the　answer。　The　young　men；　however；'　got　Delilah　aside　and　she　whispered　the　answer　to　them。　Samson　was　furious；　and　had　the　young　men　put　to　death　for　cheating…in　the　old　days；　you　see；　riddles　were　taken　much　more　seriously　than　they　are　today！
　　〃By　the　way；　the　answer　to　Samson's　riddle…and　all　the　other　rid…dles　in　this　book…can　be　found　in　the　section　at　the　back。　We　only　ask　that　you　give　each　puzzler　a　fair　chance　before　you　peek！〃
　　Jake　turned　to　the　back　of　the　book；　somehow　knowing　what　he　would　find　even　before　he　got　there。　Beyond　the　page　marked　ANSWERS　there　was　nothing　but　a　few　torn　fragments　and　the　back　cover。　The　section　had　been　ripped　out。
　　He　stood　there　for　a　moment；　thinking。　Then；　on　an　impulse　that　didn't　really　feel　like　an　impulse　at　all；　Jake　walked　back　inside　The　Manhattan　Restaurant　of　the　Mind。
　　Calvin　Tower　looked　up　from　the　chessboard。　〃Change　your　mind　about　that　cup　of　coffee；　O　Hyperborean　Wanderer？〃
　　〃No。　I　wanted　to　ask　you　if　you　know　the　answer　to　a　riddle。〃
　　〃Fire　away；〃　Tower　invited；　and　moved　a　pawn。
　　〃Samson　told　it。　The　strong　guy　in　the　Bible？　It　goes　like　this…〃
　　〃　'Out　of　the　eater　came　forth　meat；'　〃　said　Aaron　Deepneau；　swing…ing　around　again　to　look　at　Jake；　〃　'and　out　of　the　strong　came　forth　sweetness。'　That　the　one？〃
　　〃Yeah；　it　is；〃　Jake　said。　〃How'd　you　know…〃
　　〃Oh；　I've　been　around　the　block　a　time　or　two。　Listen　to　this。〃　He　threw　his　head　back　and　sang　in　a　full；　melodious　voice：
　　
　　〃　'Samson　and　a　lion　got　in　attack；
　　And　Samson　climbed　up　on　the　lion's　back。
　　Well；　you've　read　about　lion　killin　men　with　their　paws；
　　But　Samson　put　his　hands　round　the　lion's　jaws！
　　He　rode　that　lion　'til　the　beast　fell　dead；
　　And　the　bees　made　honey　in　the　lion's　head。'〃
　　
　　Aaron　winked　and　then　laughed　at　Jake's　surprised　expression。　〃That　answer　your　question；　friend？〃
　　Jake's　eyes　were　wide。　〃Wow！　Good　song！　Where'd　you　hear　it？〃
　　〃Oh；　Aaron　knows　them　all；〃　Tower　said。　〃He　was　hanging　around　Bleecker　Street　back　before　Bob　Dylan　knew　how　to　blow　more　than　open　G　on　his　Hohner。　At　least；　if　you　believe　him。〃
　　〃It's　an　old　spiritual；〃　Aaron　said　to　Jake；　and　then　to　Tower：　〃By　the　way；　you're　in　check；　fatso。〃
　　〃Not　for　long；〃　Tower　said。　He　moved　his　bishop。　Aaron　promptly　bagged　it。　Tower　muttered　something　under　his　breath。　To　Jake　it　sounded　suspiciously　like　fuckwad。
　　〃So　the　answer　is　a　lion；〃　Jake　said。
　　Aaron　shook　his　head。　〃Only　half　the　answer。　Samson's　Riddle　is　a　double；　my　friend。　The　other　half　of　the　answer　is　honey。　Get　it？〃
　　〃Yes；　I　think　so。〃
　　〃Okay；　now　try　this　one。〃　Aaron　closed　his　eyes　for　a　moment　and　then　recited；
　　
　　〃What　can　run　but　never　walks；
　　Has　a　mouth　but　never　talks；
　　Has　a　bed　but　never　sleeps；
　　Has　a　head　but　never　weeps？〃
　　
　　〃Smartass；〃　Tower　growled　at　Aaron。
　　Jake　thought　it　over；　then　shook　his　head。　He　could　have　worried　it　longer…he　found　this　business　of　riddles　both　fascinating　and　charm…ing…but　he　had　a　strong　feeling　that　he　ought　to　be　moving　on　from　here；　that　he　had　other　business　on　Second　Avenue　this　morning。
　　〃I　give　up。〃
　　〃No；　you　don't；〃　Aaron　said。　〃That's　what　you　do　with　modern　rid…dles。　But　a　real　riddle　isn't　just　a　joke；　kiddo…it's　a　puzzle。　Turn　it　over　in　your　head。　If　you　still　can't　get　it；　make　it　an　excuse　to　e　back　another　day。　If　you　need　another　excuse；　fatso　here　does　make　a　pretty　good　cup　of　joe。〃
　　〃Okay；〃　Jake　said。　〃Thanks。　I　will。〃
　　But　as　he　left；　a　certainty　stole　over　him：　he　would　never　enter　The　Manhattan　Restaurant　of　the　Mind　again。
　　
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　　JAKE　WALKED　SLOWLY　DOWN　Second　Avenue；　holding　his　new　purchases　in　his　left　hand。　At　first　he　tried　to　think　about　the　riddle…what　did　have　a　bed　but　never　slept？…but　little　by　little　the　question　was　driven　from　his　mind　by　an　increasing　sense　of　anticipation。　His　senses　seemed　more　acute　than　ever　before　in　his　life；　he　saw　billions　of　coruscating　sparks　in　the　pavement；　smelled　a　thousand　mixed　aromas　in　every　breath　he　took；　and　seemed　to　hear　other　sounds；　secret　sounds；　within　each　of　the　sounds　he　heard。　He　wondered　if　this　was　the　way　dogs　felt　before　thunderstorms　or　earthquakes；　and　felt　almost　sure　that　it　was。　Yet　the　sensation　that　the　impending　event　was　not　bad　but　good；　that　it　would　balance　out　the　terrible　thing　which　had　happened　to　him　three　weeks　ago；　continued　to　grow。
　　And　now；　as　he　drew　close　to　the　place　where　the　course　would　be　set；　that　knowing…in…advance　fell　upon　him　once　again。
　　A　bum　is　going　to　ask　me　for　a　handout；　and　I'll　give　him　the　change　Mr；　Tower　gave　me。　And　there's　a　record　store。　The　door's　open　to　let　in　the　fresh　air　and　I'll　hear　a　Stones　song　playing　when　I　pass。　And　I'm　going　to　see　my　own　reflection　in　a　bunch　of　mirrors。
　　Traffic　on　Second　Avenue　was　still　light。　Taxis　honked　and　wove　their　way　amid　the　slower…moving　cars　and　trucks。　Spring　sunshine　twin…kled　off　their　windshields　and　bright　yellow　hides。　While　he　was　waiting　for　a　light　to　change；　Jake　saw　the　bum　on　the　far　corner　of　Second　and　Fifty…second。　He　was　sitting　against　the　brick　wall　of　a　small　restaurant；　and　as　Jake　approached　him；　he　saw　that　the　name　of　the　restaurant　was　Chew　Chew　Mama's。
　　Choo…choo；　Jake　thought。　And　that's　the　truth。
　　〃Godda…quarder？〃　the　bum　asked　tiredly；　and　Jake　dropped　his　change　from　the　bookstore　into　the　bum's　lap　without　even　looking　around。　Now　he　could　hear　the　Rolling　Stones；　right　on　schedule：
　　
　　〃I　see　a　red　door　and　I　want　to　paint　it　black；
　　No　colours　anymore；　I　want　them　to　turn　black　。。。〃
　　
　　As　he　passed；　he　saw…also　without　surprise…that　the　name　of　the　store　was　Tower　of　Power　Records。
　　Towers　were　selling　cheap　today；　it　seemed。
　　Jake　walked　on；　the　street…signs　floating　past　in　a　kind　of　dream…daze。　Between　Forty…ninth　and　Forty…eighth　he　passed　a　store　called　Reflections　of　You。　He　turned　his　head　and　caught　sight　of　a　dozen　Jakes　in　the　mirrors；　as　he　had　known　he　would…a　dozen　boys　who　were　small　for　their　age；　a　do/en　boys　dressed　in　neat　school　clothes：　blue　blazers；　white　shirts；　dark　red　ties；　gray　dress　pants。　Piper　School　didn't　have　an　official　uniform；　but　this　was　as　close　to　the　unofficial　one　as　you　could　get。
　　Piper　seemed　long　ago　and　far　away　now。
　　Suddenly　Jake　realized　where　he　was　going。　This　knowledge　rose　in　his　mind　like　sweet；　refreshing　water　from　an　underground　spring。　It's　a　delicatessen；　he　thought。　That's　what　it　looks　like；　anyway。　It's　really　something　else…a　doorway　to　another　world。　The　world。　His　world。　The　right　world。
　　He　began　to　run；　looking　ahead　eagerly。　The　light　at　Forty…seventh　was　against　him　but　he　ignored　it；　leaping　from　the　curb　and　racing　nimbly　between　the　broad　white　lines　of　the　crosswalk　with　just　a　per…functory　glance　to　the　left。　A　plumbing　van　stopped　short　with　a　squeal　of　tires　as　Jake　flashed　in　front　of　it。
　　〃Hey！　Whaddaya…whaddaya？〃　the　driver　yelled；　but　Jake　ignored　him。
　　Only　one　more　block。
　　He　began　to　sprint　all…out　now。　His　tie　fluttered　behind　his　left　shoulder；　his　hair　had　blown　back　from　his　forehead；　his　school　loafers　hammered　the　sidewalk。　He　ignored　the　stares…some　amused；　some　merely　curious…of　the　passersby　as　he　had　ignored　the　van　driver's　out…raged　shout。
　　Up　here…up　here　on　the　corner。　Next　to　the　stationery　store。
　　Here　came　a　UPS　man　in　dark　brown　fatigues；　pushing　a　dolly　loaded　with　packages。　Jake　hurdled　it　like　a　long…jumper；　arms　up。　The　tail　of　his　white　shirt　pulled　free　of　his　pants　and　flapped　beneath　his　blazer　like　the　hem　of　a　slip。　He　came　down　and　almost　collided　with　a　baby…carriage　being　pushed　by　a　young　Puerto　Rican　woman。　Jake　hooked　around　the　pram　like　a　halfback　who　has　spotted　a　hole　in　the　line　and　is　bound　for　glory。　〃Where's　the　fire；　handsome？〃　the　young　woman　asked；　but　Jake　ignored　her；　too。　He　dashed　past　The　Paper　Patch；　with　its　window…display　of　pens　and　notebooks　and　desk　calculators。
　　The　door！　he　thought　ecstatically。　I'm　going　to　see　it！　And　am　I　going　to　stop？　No；　way；　Jose！　I'm　going　to　go　straight　through　it；　and　if　it's　locked；　I'll　flatten　it　right　in　front　of　m…
　　Then　he　saw　what　was　at　the　corner　of　Second　and　Forty…sixth　and　stopped　after　all…skidded　to　a　halt；　in　fact；　on　the　heels　of　his　loafers。　He　stood　there　in　the　middle　of　the　sidewa