sk.thewastelands-第82节

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　　〃Ardis　was　the　last　to　go　nigh　Blaine；〃　the　bloodstained　woman　said。
　　Jeeves　nodded　somberly。　〃Ardis　always　was　a　fool　when　he　were　in　drink。　Blaine　asked　him　some　question。　I　heard　it；　hut　it　made　no　sense　to　me…something　about　the　mother　of　ravens；　I　think…and　when　Ardis　couldn't　answer　what　was　asked；　Blaine　slew　him　with　blue　fire。〃
　　〃Electricity？〃　Eddie　asked。
　　Jeeves　and　the　bloodstained　woman　both　nodded。　〃Ay；〃　the　woman　said。　〃Electricity；　so　it　were　called　in　the　old　days；　so　it　were。〃
　　〃You　don't　have　to　go　in　with　us；〃　Susannah　proposed　suddenly。　〃Just　get　us　within　sight　of　the　place。　We'll　go　the　rest　of　the　way　on　our　own。〃
　　The　woman　looked　at　her　mistrustfully；　and　then　Jeeves　pulled　her　head　close　to　his　lips　and　mumbled　in　her　ear　for　a　while。　The　other　Pubes　stood　behind　them　in　a　ragged　line；　looking　at　Eddie　and　Susannah　with　the　dazed　eyes　of　people　who　have　survived　a　bad　air…raid。
　　At　last　the　woman　looked　around。　〃Ay；〃　she　said。　〃We'll　take　you　nigh　the　cradle；　and　then　it's　good　riddance　to　bad　swill。〃
　　〃My　idea　exactly；〃　Eddie　said。　〃You　and　Jeeves。　The　rest　of　you；　scatter。〃　He　swept　them　with　his　eyes。　〃But　remember　this…one　spear　thrown　from　ambush；　one　arrow；　one　brick；　and　these　two　die。〃　This　threat　came　out　sounding　so　weak　and　pointless　that　Eddie　wished　he　hadn't　made　it。　How　could　they　possibly　care　for　these　two；　or　for　any　of　the　individual　members　of　their　clan；　when　they　dusted　two　or　more　of　them　each　and　every　day？　Well；　he　thought；　watching　the　others　trot　off　without　so　much　as　a　backward　glance；　it　was　too　late　to　worry　about　that　now。
　　〃e　on；〃　the　woman　said。　〃I　want　to　be　done　with　you。〃
　　〃The　feeling's　mutual；〃　Eddie　replied。
　　But　before　she　and　Jeeves　led　them　away；　the　woman　did　something　which　made　Eddie　repent　a　little　of　his　hard　thoughts：　knelt；　brushed　back　the　hair　of　the　man　in　the　kilt；　and　placed　a　kiss　on　his　dirty　cheek。　〃Goodbye；　Winston；〃　she　said。　〃Wait　for　me　where　the　trees　clear　and　the　water's　sweet。　I'll　e　to　ye；　ay；　as　sure　as　dawn　makes　shadows　run　west。〃
　　〃I　didn't　want　to　kill　him；〃　Susannah　said。　〃I　want　you　to　know　that。　But　I　wanted　to　die　even　less。〃
　　〃Ay。〃　The　face　that　turned　toward　Susannah　was　stem　and　tearless。　〃But　if　ye　mean　to　enter　Blaine's　cradle；　ye'll　die　anyway。　And　the　chances　are　that　ye'll　die　envying　poor　old　Winston。　He's　cruel；　is　Blaine。　The　crudest　of　all　demons　in　this　cruel；　cruel　place。〃
　　〃e　on；　Maud；〃　Jeeves　said；　and　helped　her　up。
　　〃Ay。　Let's　finish　with　them。〃　She　surveyed　Susannah　and　Eddie　again；　her　eyes　stem　but　somehow　confused；　as　well。　〃Gods　curse　my　eyes　that　they　should　ever　have　happened　on　you　two　in　the　first　place。
　　And　gods　curse　the　guns　ye　carry；　as　well；　for　they　were　always　the　springhead　of　our　troubles。〃
　　And　with　that　attitude；　Susannah　thought；　your　troubles　are　going　to　last　at　least　a　thousand　years；　sugar。
　　Maud　set　a　rapid　pace　along　The　Street　of　the　Turtle。　Jeeves　trotted　beside　her。　Eddie；　who　was　pushing　Susannah　in　the　wheelchair；　was　soon　panting　and　struggling　to　keep　up。　The　palatial　buildings　which　lined　their　way　spread　out　until　they　resembled　ivy…covered　country　houses　on　huge；　run…to…riot　lawns；　and　Eddie　realized　they　had　entered　what　had　once　been　a　very　ritzy　neighborhood　indeed。　Ahead　of　them；　one　building　loomed　above　all　others。　It　was　a　deceptively　simple　square　construction　of　white　stone　blocks；　its　overhanging　roof　supported　by　many　pillars。　Eddie　thought　again　of　the　gladiator　movies　he'd　so　enjoyed　as　a　kid。　Susannah；　educated　in　more　formal　schools；　was　reminded　of　the　Par…thenon。　Both　saw　and　marvelled　at　the　gorgeously　sculpted　bestiary…Bear　and　Turtle；　Fish　and　Rat；　Horse　and　Dog…which　ringed　the　top　of　the　building　in　two…by…two　parade；　and　understood　it　was　the　place　they　had　e　to　find。
　　That　uneasy　sensation　that　they　were　being　watched　by　many　eyes…eyes　filled　equally　with　hate　and　wonder…never　left　them。　Thunder　boomed　as　they　came　in　sight　of　the　monorail　track；　like　the　storm；　the　track　came　sweeping　in　from　the　south；　joined　The　Street　of　the　Turtle；　and　ran　straight　on　toward　the　Cradle　of　Lud。　And　as　they　neared　it；　ancient　bodies　began　to　twist　and　dance　in　the　strengthening　wind　on　either　side　of　them。
　　
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　　AFTER　THEY　HAD　RUN　for　God　knew　how　long　（all　Jake　knew　for　sure　was　that　the　drums　had　stopped　again）；　Gasher　once　more　yanked　him　to　a　stop。　This　time　Jake　managed　to　keep　his　feet。　He　had　gotten　his　second　wind。　Gasher；　who　would　never　see　eleven　again；　had　not。
　　〃Hoo！　My　old　pump's　doing　nip…ups；　sweetie。〃
　　〃Too　bad；〃　Jake　said　unfeelingly；　then　stumbled　backward　as　Gasher's　gnarled　hand　connected　with　the　side　of　his　face。
　　〃Yar；　you'd　cry　a　bitter　tear　if　I　dropped　dead　right　here；　woontcher？　Too　likely！　But　no　such　luck；　my　fine　young　squint…old　Gasher's　seen　em　e　and　seen　em　go；　and　I　wasn't　born　to　drop　dead　at　the　feet　of　any　little　sweetcheeks　berry　like　you。〃
　　Jake　listened　to　these　incoherencies　impassively。　He　meant　to　see　Gasher　dead　before　the　day　was　over。　Gasher　might　take　Jake　with　him；　but　Jake　no　longer　cared　about　that。　He　dabbed　blood　from　his　freshly　split　lip　and　looked　at　it　thoughtfully；　wondering　at　how　quickly　the　desire　to　do　murder　could　invade　and　conquer　the　human　heart。
　　Gasher　observed　Jake　looking　at　his　bloody　fingers　and　grinned。　〃Sap's　runnin；　ennet？　Nor　will　it　be　the　last　your　old　pal　Gasher　beats　out　of　your　young　tree；　unless　you　look　sharp；　unless　you　look　wery　sharp　indeed。〃　He　pointed　down　at　the　cobbled　surface　of　the　narrow　alley　they　were　currently　negotiating。　There　was　a　rusty　manhole　cover　there；　and　Jake　realized　he　had　seen　the　words　stamped　into　the　steel　not　long　ago：　LaMERK　FOUNDRY；　they　said。
　　〃There's　a　grip　on　the　side；〃　Gasher　said。　〃Yer　see？　Get　your　hands　into　that　and　pull　away。　Step　lively；　now；　and　maybe　ye'll　still　have　all　your　teeth　when　ye　meet　up　with　Tick…Tock。〃
　　Jake　grasped　the　steel　cover　and　pulled。　He　pulled　hard；　but　not　quite　as　hard　as　he　could　have　done。　The　maze　of　streets　and　alleys　through　which　Gasher　had　run　him　was　bad；　but　at　least　he　could　see。　He　couldn't　imagine　what　it　might　be　like　in　the　underworld　below　the　city；　where　the　blackness　would　preclude　even　dreams　of　escape；　and　he　didn't　intend　to　find　out　unless　he　absolutely　had　to。
　　Gasher　quickly　made　it　clear　to　him　that　he　did。
　　〃It's　too　heavy　for…〃　Jake　began；　and　then　the　pirate　seized　him　by　the　throat　and　yanked　him　upward　until　they　were　face　to　face。　The　long　run　through　the　alleys　had　brought　a　thin；　sweaty　flush　to　his　cheeks　and　turned　the　sores　eating　into　his　flesh　an　ugly　yellow…purple　color。　Those　which　were　open　exuded　thick　infected　matter　and　threads　of　blood　in　steady　pulses。　Jake　caught　just　a　whiff　of　Gasher's　thick　stench　before　his　wind　was　cut　off　by　the　hand　which　had　encircled　his　throat。
　　〃Listen；　you　stupid　cull；　and　listen　well；　for　this　is　your　last　warning。　You　yank　that　fucking　streethead　off　right　now　or　I'll　reach　into　your　mouth　and　rip　the　living　tongue　right　out　of　it。　And　feel　free　to　bite　all　you　want　while　I　do　it；　for　what　I　have　runs　in　the　blood　and　you'll　see　the　first　blossoms　on　yer　own　face　before　the　week's　out…if　yer　lives　that　long。　Now；　do　you　see？〃
　　Jake　nodded　frantically。　Gasher's　face　was　disappearing　into　deepen…ing　folds　of　gray；　and　his　voice　seemed　to　be　ing　from　a　great　distance。
　　〃All　right。〃　Gasher　shoved　him　backward。　Jake　fell　in　a　heap　beside　the　manhole　cover；　gagging　and　retching。　He　finally　managed　to　draw　in　a　deep；　whooping　breath　that　burned　like　liquid　fire。　He　spat　out　a　blood…flecked　wad　of　stuff　and　almost　threw　up　at　the　sight　of　it。
　　〃Now　yank　back　that　cover；　my　heart's　delight；　and　let's　have　no　more　natter　about　it。
　　Jake　crawled　over　to　it；　slid　his　hands　into　the　grip；　and　this　time　pulled　with　all　his　might。　For　one　terrible　moment　he　thought　he　was　still　not　going　to　be　able　to　budge　it。　Then　he　imagined　Gasher's　fingers　reaching　into　his　mouth　and　seizing　his　tongue；　and　found　a　little　extra。　There　was　a　dull；　spreading　agony　in　his　lower　back　as　something　gave　there；　but　the　circular　lid　slipped　slowly　aside；　grinding　on　the　cobbles　and　exposing　a　grinning　crescent　of　darkness。
　　〃Good；　cully；　good！〃　Gasher　cried　cheerfully。　〃What　a　little　mule　y'are！　Keep　pulling…don't　give　up　now！〃
　　When　the　crescent　had　bee　a　half…moon　and　the　pain　in　Jake's　lower　back　was　a　white…hot　fire；　Gasher　booted　him　in　the　ass；　knocking　him　asprawl。
　　〃Wery　good！〃　Gasher　said；　peering　in。　〃Now；　cully；　go　smartly　down　the　ladder　on　the　side。　Mind　you　don't　lose　your　grip　and　tumble　all　the　way　to　the　bottom；　for　those　rungs　are　fearsome　slick　and　greezy。　There's　twenty　or　so；　as　I　remember。　And　when　you　get　to　the　bottom；　stand　stock…still　and　wait　for　me。　You　might　feel　like　runnin　from　yer　old　pal；　but　do　you　think　that　would　be　a　good　idea？〃
　　〃No；〃　Jake　said。　〃I　suppose　not。〃
　　〃Wery　intelligent；　old　son！〃　Gasher's　lips　spread　in　his　hideous　smile；　once　more　revealing　his　few　surviving　teeth。　〃It's　dark　down　there；　and　there　are　a　thousand　tunnels　going　every　which…a…way。　Yer　old　pal　Gasher　knows　e