sk.thewastelands-第45节

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　Almost；　but　not　quite。
　　That's　just　Henry　again。　That's　just　all　those　years　of　never　being　quite　good　enough。　You　did　it；　buddy…it's　just　that　the　Henry　inside　doesn't　want　to　admit　it。
　　He　dropped　the　key　onto　the　square　of　hide　and　folded　the　edges　carefully　around　it。　〃I'm　done。　I　don't　know　if　it's　right　or　not；　but　I　guess　it's　as　right　as　I　can　make　it。〃　He　felt　oddly　empty　now　that　he　no　longer　had　the　key　to　work　on…purposeless　and　directionless。
　　〃Do　you　want　something　to　eat；　Eddie？〃　Susannah　asked　quietly。
　　There's　your　purpose；　he　thought。　There's　your　direction。　Sitting　right　over　there；　with　her　hands　folded　in　her　lap。　All　the　purpose　and　direction　you'll　ever…
　　But　now　something　else　rose　in　his　mind…it　came　all　at　once。　Not　a　dream　。　。　。　not　a　vision　。。。
　　No；　not　either　of　those。　It's　a　memory。　It's　happening　again…you're　remembering　forward　in　time。
　　〃I　have　to　do　something　else　first；〃　he　said；　and　got　up。
　　On　the　far　side　of　the　fire；　Roland　had　stacked　some　odd　lots　of　scavenged　wood。　Eddie　hunted　through　them　and　found　a　dry　stick　about　two　feet　long　and　four　inches　or　so　through　the　middle。　He　took　it；　returning　to　his　place　by　the　fire；　and　picked　up　Roland's　knife　again。　This　time　he　worked　faster　because　he　was　simply　sharpening　the　stick；　turning　it　into　something　that　looked　like　a　small　tent…peg。
　　〃Can　we　get　moving　before　daybreak？〃　he　asked　the　gunslinger。　〃I　think　we　should　get　to　that　circle　as　soon　as　we　can。〃
　　〃Yes。　Sooner；　if　we　must。　I　don't　want　to　move　in　the　dark…a　speaking　ring　is　an　unsafe　place　to　be　at　night…but　if　we　have　to；　we　have　to。〃
　　〃From　the　look　on　your　face；　big　boy；　I　doubt　if　those　stone　circles　are　very　safe　any　time；〃　Susannah　said。
　　Eddie　put　the　knife　aside　again。　The　dirt　Roland　had　taken　out　of　the　shallow　hole　he'd　made　for　the　campfire　was　piled　up　by　Eddie's　right　foot。　Now　he　used　the　sharp　end　of　the　stick　to　carve　a　question…mark　shape　in　the　dirt。　The　shape　was　crisp　and　clear。
　　〃Okay；〃　he　said；　brushing　it　away。　〃All　done。〃
　　〃Have　something　to　eat；　then；〃　Susannah　said。
　　Eddie　tried；　but　he　wasn't　very　hungry。　When　he　finally　went　to　sleep；　nestled　against　Susannah's　warmth；　his　rest　was　dreamless　but　very　thin。　Until　the　gunslinger　shook　him　awake　at　four　in　the　morning；　he　heard　the　wind　racing　endlessly　over　the　plain　below　them；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　went　with　it；　flying　high　into　the　night；　away　from　these　cares；　while　Old　Star　and　Old　Mother　rode　serenely　above　him；　painting　his　cheeks　with　frost。
　　
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　　〃IT'S　TIME；〃　ROLAND　SAID。
　　Eddie　sat　up。　Susannah　sat　up　beside　him；　rubbing　her　palms　over　her　face。　As　Eddie's　head　cleared；　his　mind　was　filled　with　urgency。　〃Yes。　Let's　go；　and　fast。〃
　　〃He's　getting　close；　isn't　he？〃
　　〃Very　close。〃　Eddie　got　to　his　feet；　grasped　Susannah　around　the　waist；　and　boosted　her　into　her　chair。
　　She　was　looking　at　him　anxiously。　〃Do　we　still　have　enough　time　to　get　there？〃
　　Eddie　nodded。　〃Barely。〃
　　Three　minutes　later　they　were　headed　down　the　Great　Road　again。　It　glimmered　ahead　of　them　like　a　ghost。　And　an　hour　after　that；　as　the　first　light　of　dawn　began　to　touch　the　sky　in　the　east；　a　rhythmic　sound　began　far　ahead　of　them。
　　The　sound　of　drums；　Roland　thought。
　　Machinery；　Eddie　thought。　Some　huge　piece　of　machinery。
　　It's　a　heart；　Susannah　thought。　Some　huge；　diseased；　beating　heart　。。　。　and　it's　in　that　city；　where　we　have　to　go。
　　Two　hours　later；　the　sound　stopped　as　suddenly　as　it　had　begun。　White；　featureless　clouds　had　begun　to　fill　the　sky　above　them；　first　veiling　the　early　sun；　then　blotting　it　out。　The　circle　of　standing　stones　lay　less　than　five　miles　ahead　now；　gleaming　in　the　shadowless　light　like　the　teeth　of　a　fallen　monster。
　　
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　　SPAGHETTI　WEEK　AT　THE　MAJESTIC！
　　the　battered；　dispirited　marquee　jutting　over　the　corner　of　Brooklyn　and　Markey　Avenues　proclaimed。
　　2　SERGIO　LEONE　CLASSIX！
　　A　FISTFUL　OF　　PLUS　GOOD　BAD　&　UGLY！
　　99　Cents　ALL　SHOWS
　　A　gum…chewing　cutie　with　rollers　in　her　blonde　hair　sat　in　the　box　office　listening　to　Led　Zep　on　her　transistor　and　reading　one　of　the　tabloids　of　which　Mrs。　Shaw　was　so　fond。　To　her　left；　in　the　theater's　remaining　display　case；　there　was　a　poster　showing　Glint　Eastwood。
　　Jake　knew　he　should　get　moving…three　o'clock　was　almost　here…but　he　paused　a　moment　anyway；　staring　at　the　poster　behind　the　dirty；　cracked　glass。　Eastwood　was　wearing　a　Mexican　serape。　A　cigar　was　clamped　in　his　teeth。　He　had　thrown　one　side　of　the　serape　back　over　his　shoulder　to　free　his　gun。　His　eyes　were　a　pale；　faded　blue。　Bombar…dier's　eyes。
　　It's　not　him；　Jake　thought；　but　it's　almost　him。　It's　the　eyes；　mostly　。。　。　the　eyes　are　almost　the　same。
　　〃You　let　me　drop；〃　he　said　to　the　man　in　the　old　poster；　the　man　who　was　not　Roland。　〃You　let　me　die。　What　happens　this　time？〃
　　〃Hey；　kid；〃　the　blonde　ticket…seller　called；　making　Jake　start。　〃You　gonna　e　in　or　just　stand　there　and　talk　to　yourself？〃
　　〃Not　me；〃　Jake　said。　〃I've　already　seen　those　two。〃
　　He　got　moving　again；　turning　left　on　Markey　Avenue。
　　Once　again　he　waited　for　the　feeling　of　remembering　forward　to　seize　him；　but　it　didn't　e。　This　was　just　a　hot；　sunny　street　lined　with　sandstone…colored　apartment　buildings　that　looked　like　prison　cellblocks　to　Jake。　A　few　young　women　were　walking　along；　pushing　baby…carriages　in　pairs　and　talking　desultorily；　but　the　street　was　otherwise　deserted。　It　was　unseasonably　hot　for　May…too　hot　to　stroll。
　　What　am　I　looking　for？　What？
　　From　behind　him　came　a　burst　of　raucous　male　laughter。　It　was　followed　by　an　outraged　female　shriek：　〃You　give　that　back〃
　　Jake　jumped；　thinking　the　owner　of　the　voice　must　mean　him。
　　〃Give　it　back；　Henry！　I'm　not　kidding！〃
　　Jake　turned　and　saw　two　boys；　one　at　least　eighteen　and　the　other　a　lot　younger　。　。　。　twelve　or　thirteen。　At　the　sight　of　this　second　boy；　Jake's　heart　did　something　that　felt　like　a　loop…the…loop　in　his　chest。　The　lad　was　wearing　green　corduroys　instead　of　madras　shorts；　but　the　yellow　T…shirt　was　the　same；　and　he　had　a　battered　old　basketball　under　one　arm。　Although　his　back　was　to　Jake；　Jake　knew　he　had　found　the　boy　from　last　night's　dream。
　　
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　　THE　GIRL　WAS　THE　gum…chewing　cutie　from　the　ticket…booth。　The　older　of　the　two　boys…who　looked　almost　old　enough　to　be　called　a　man…had　her　newspaper　in　his　hands。　She　grabbed　for　it。　The　newspaper…grabber…he　was　wearing　denims　and　a　black　T…shirt　with　the　sleeves　rolled　up…held　it　over　his　head　and　grinned。
　　〃Jump　for　it；　Maryanne！　Jump；　girl；　jump！〃
　　She　stared　at　him　with　angry　eyes；　her　cheeks　flushed。　〃Give　it　to　me！〃　she　said。　〃Quit　fooling　around　and　give　it　back！　Bastard！〃
　　〃Oooo　wisten　to　dat；　Eddie！〃　the　old　kid　said。　〃Bad　wang…gwidge！　Naughty；　naughty！〃　He　waved　the　newspaper　just　out　of　the　blonde　tick…et…seller's　grasp；　grinning；　and　Jake　suddenly　understood。　These　two　were　walking　home　from　school　together…although　they　probably　didn't　go　to　the　same　one；　if　he　was　right　about　the　difference　in　their　ages…and　the　bigger　boy　had　gone　over　to　the　box　office；　pretending　he　had　something　interesting　to　tell　the　blonde。　Then　he　had　reached　through　the　slot　at　the　bottom　and　snatched　her　paper。
　　The　big　boy's　face　was　one　that　Jake　had　seen　before；　it　was　the　face　of　a　kid　who　would　think　it　the　height　of　hilarity　to　douse　a　cat's　tail　with　lighter　fluid　or　feed　a　bread…ball　with　a　fishhook　planted　in　the　middle　to　a　hungry　dog。　The　sort　of　lad　who　sat　in　the　back　of　the　room　and　snapped　bra…straps　and　then　said　〃Who　me？〃　with　a　big；　dumb　look　of　surprise　on　his　face　when　someone　finally　plained。　There　weren't　many　lads　like　him　at　Piper；　but　there　were　a　few。　Jake　supposed　there　were　a　few　in　every　school。　They　dressed　better　at　Piper；　but　the　face　was　the　same。　He　guessed　that　in　the　old　days；　people　would　have　said　it　was　the　face　of　a　boy　who　was　born　to　be　hung。
　　Maryanne　jumped　for　her　newspaper；　which　the　old　boy　in　the　black　pants　had　rolled　into　a　tube。　He　pulled　it　out　of　her　reach　just　before　she　could　grab　it；　then　whacked　her　on　the　head　with　it；　the　way　you　might　whack　a　dog　for　piddling　on　the　carpet。　She　was　beginning　to　cry　now…mostly　from　humiliation；　Jake　guessed。　Her　face　was　now　so　red　it　was　almost　glowing。　〃Keep　it；　then！〃　she　yelled　at　him。　〃I　know　you　can't　read；　but　you　can　look　at　the　pictures；　at　least！〃
　　She　began　to　turn　away。
　　〃Give　it　back；　why　don't　you？〃　the　younger　boy…Jake's　boy…said　softly。
　　The　old　boy　held　out　the　newspaper　tube。　The　girl　snatched　it　from　him；　and　even　from　his　place　thirty　feet　farther　down　the　street；　Jake　heard　it　rip。　〃You're　a　turd；　Henry　Dean！〃　she　cried。　〃A　real　turd！〃
　　〃Hey；　what's　the　big　deal？〃　Henry　sounded　genuinely　injured。　〃It　was　just　a　joke。　Besides；　it　only　ripped　in　one　place…you　can　still　read　it；　for　Chrissake。　Lighten　up　a　little；　why　don'tcha？〃
　　And　that　was　right；　too；　Jake　thought。　Guys　like　this　Henry　always　pushed　even　the　most　unfunny　joke　two　steps　too　far　。。。　then　looked　wounded　and　misunderstood　when　someone　yelled　at　them。　And　it　was　always　Wassa　matter？　and　it　was　Can'tc