sk.thetalisman-第67节

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　　He　started　leading　Wolf　out。　The　weariness　had　fallen　over　him　again。
　　The　light　of　the　lobby　hit　his　eyes　sharply；　needling　them。　The　woman　who　had　dragged　the　little　boy　out　of　the　theater　was　backed　into　a　corner　with　her　arms　around　the　kid。　When　she　saw　Jack　lead　the　still…howling　Wolf　through　the　double　doors　of　Cinema　6；　she　swept　the　kid　up　and　made　a　break　for　it。
　　The　counterman；　the　ticket…girl；　the　projectionist；　and　a　tall　man　in　a　sportcoat　that　looked　as　if　it　belonged　on　the　back　of　a　racetrack　tout　were　clustered　together　in　a　tight　little　group。　Jack　supposed　the　guy　in　the　checkered　sportcoat　and　white　shoes　was　the　manager。
　　The　doors　of　the　other　cinemas　in　the　hive　had　opened　partway。　Faces　peered　out　of　the　darkness　to　see　what　all　the　hooraw　was。　To　Jack；　they　all　looked　like　badgers　peering　out　of　their　holes。
　　'Get　out！'　the　man　in　the　checkered　sportcoat　said。　'Get　out；　I've　called　the　police　already；　they'll　be　here　in　five　minutes。'
　　Bullshit　you　did；　Jack　thought；　feeling　a　ray　of　hope。　You　didn't　have　time。　And　if　we　blow　right　away；　maybe…just　maybe…you　won't　bother。
　　'We're　going；'　he　said。　'Look；　I'm　sorry。　It's　just　that　。　。　。　my　big　brother's　an　epileptic　and　he　just　had　a　seizure。　We　。　。　。　we　forgot　his　medicine。'　
　　At　the　word　epileptic；　the　ticket…girl　and　the　counterman　recoiled。　It　was　as　if　Jack　had　said　leper。
　　'e　on；　Wolf。'
　　He　saw　the　manager's　eyes　drop；　saw　his　lip　curl　with　distaste。　Jack　followed　the　glance　and　saw　the　wide　dark　stain　on　the　front　of　Wolf's　Oshkosh　biballs。　He　had　wet　himself。
　　Wolf　also　saw。　Much　in　Jack's　world　was　foreign　to　him；　but　he　apparently　knew　well　enough　what　that　look　of　contempt　meant。　He　burst　into　loud；　braying；　heartbroken　sobs。
　　'Jack；　I'm　sorry；　Wolf　is　so　SORRY！'
　　'Get　him　out　of　here；'　the　manager　said　contemptuously；　and　turned　away。
　　Jack　put　an　arm　around　Wolf　and　got　him　started　toward　the　door。　'e　on；　Wolf；'　he　said。　He　spoke　quietly；　and　with　an　honest　tenderness。　He　had　never　felt　quite　so　keenly　for　Wolf　as　he　did　now。　'e　on；　it　was　my　fault；　not　yours。　Let's　go。'
　　'Sorry。'　Wolf　wept　brokenly。　'I'm　no　good；　God　pound　me；　just　no　good。'
　　'You're　plenty　good；'　Jack　said。　'e　on。'　
　　He　pushed　open　the　door　and　they　went　out　into　the　thin；　late…October　warmth。
　　The　woman　with　the　child　was　easily　twenty　yards　away；　but　when　she　saw　Jack　and　Wolf；　she　retreated　backward　toward　her　car；　holding　her　kid　in　front　of　her　like　a　cornered　gangster　with　a　hostage。
　　'Don't　let　him　e　near　me！'　she　screamed。　'Don't　let　that　monster　e　near　my　baby！　Do　you　hear？　Don't　let　him　e　near　me！'　
　　Jack　thought　he　should　say　something　to　calm　her　down；　but　he　couldn't　think　what　it　might　be。　He　was　too　tired。
　　He　and　Wolf　started　away；　heading　across　the　parking　lot　at　an　angle。　Halfway　back　to　the　road；　Jack　staggered。　The　world　went　briefly　gray。
　　He　was　vaguely　aware　of　Wolf　sweeping　him　up　in　his　arms　and　carrying　him　that　way；　like　a　baby。　Vaguely　aware　that　Wolf　was　crying。
　　'Jack；　I'm　so　sorry；　please　don't　hate　Wolf；　I　can　be　a　good　old　Wolf；　you　wait；　you'll　see　。　。　。　'
　　'I　don't　hate　you；'　Jack　said。　'I　know　you're　。　。　。　you're　a　good　old…'　
　　But　before　he　could　finish；　he　had　fallen　asleep。　When　he　woke　up　it　was　evening　and　Muncie　was　behind　them。　Wolf　had　gotten　off　the　main　roads　and　on　to　a　web　of　farm　roads　and　dirt　tracks。　Totally　unconfused　by　the　lack　of　signs　and　the　multitude　of　choices；　he　had　continued　west　with　all　the　unerring　instinct　of　a　migrating　bird。
　　They　slept　that　night　in　an　empty　house　north　of　Cammack；　and　Jack　thought　in　the　morning　that　his　fever　had　gone　down　a　little。
　　It　was　midmorning…midmorning　of　October　28th…when　Jack　realized　that　the　hair　was　back　on　Wolf's　palms。
　　
　　　CHAPTER　19
　　　Jack　in　the　Box
　　　
　　　1
　　
　　They　camped　that　night　in　the　ruins　of　a　burned…out　house　with　a　wide　field　on　one　side　and　a　copse　of　woods　on　another。　There　was　a　farmhouse　on　the　far　side　of　the　field；　but　Jack　thought　that　he　and　Wolf　would　be　safe　enough　if　they　were　quiet　and　stayed　in　most　of　the　time。　After　the　sun　went　down；　Wolf　went　off　into　the　woods。　He　was　moving　slowly；　his　face　close　to　the　ground。　Before　Jack　lost　sight　of　him；　he　thought　that　Wolf　looked　like　a　nearsighted　man　hunting　for　his　dropped　spectacles。　Jack　became　quite　nervous　（visions　of　Wolf　caught　in　a　steel…jawed　trap　had　begun　to　e　to　him；　Wolf　caught　and　grimly　not　howling　as　he　gnawed　at　his　own　leg　。　。　。）　before　Wolf　returned；　walking　almost　upright　this　time；　and　carrying　plants　in　both　hands；　the　roots　dangling　out　of　his　fists。
　　'What　have　you　got　there；　Wolf？'　Jack　asked。
　　'Medicine；'　Wolf　said　morosely。　'But　it's　not　very　good；　Jack。　Wolf！　Nothing's　much　good　in　your　world！'
　　'Medicine？　What　do　you　mean？'　
　　But　Wolf　would　say　no　more。　He　produced　two　wooden　matches　from　the　bib　pocket　of　his　overalls　and　started　a　smokeless　fire　and　asked　Jack　if　he　could　find　a　can。　Jack　found　a　beer　can　in　the　ditch。　Wolf　smelled　it　and　wrinkled　his　nose。
　　'More　bad　smells。　Need　water；　Jack。　Clean　water。　I'll　go；　if　you're　too　tired。'
　　'Wolf；　I　want　to　know　what　you're　up　to。'
　　'I'll　go；'　Wolf　said。　'There's　a　farm　right　across　that　field。　Wolf！　There'll　be　water　there。　You　rest。'　
　　Jack　had　a　vision　of　some　farmer's　wife　looking　out　the　kitchen　window　as　she　did　the　supper　dishes　and　seeing　Wolf　skulking　around　in　the　dooryard　with　a　beer　can　in　one　hairy　paw　and　a　bunch　of　roots　and　herbs　in　the　other。
　　'I'll　go；'　he　said。
　　The　farm　was　not　five　hundred　feet　away　from　where　they　had　camped；　the　warm　yellow　lights　were　clearly　visible　across　the　field。　Jack　went；　filled　the　beer　can　at　a　shed　faucet　without　incident；　and　started　back。　Halfway　across　the　field　he　realized　he　could　see　his　shadow；　and　looked　up　at　the　sky。
　　The　moon；　now　almost　full；　rode　the　eastern　horizon。　
　　Troubled；　Jack　went　back　to　Wolf　and　gave　him　the　can　of　water。　Wolf　sniffed；　winced　again；　but　said　nothing。　He　put　the　can　over　the　fire　and　began　to　sift　crumbled　bits　of　the　things　he　had　picked　in　through　the　pop…top　hole。　Five　minutes　or　so　later；　a　terrible　smell…a　reek；　not　to　put　too　fine　a　point　on　it…began　to　rise　on　the　steam。　Jack　winced。　He　had　no　doubt　at　all　that　Wolf　would　want　him　to　drink　that　stuff；　and　Jack　also　had　no　doubt　it　would　kill　him。　Slowly　and　horribly；　probably。
　　He　closed　his　eyes　and　began　snoring　loudly　and　theatrically。　If　Wolf　thought　he　was　sleeping；　he　wouldn't　wake　him　up。　No　one　woke　up　sick　people；　did　they？　And　Jack　was　sick；　his　fever　had　e　back　at　dark；　raging　through　him；　punishing　him　with　chills　even　while　he　oozed　sweat　from　every　pore。
　　Looking　through　his　lashes；　he　saw　Wolf　set　the　can　aside　to　cool。　Wolf　sat　back　and　looked　skyward；　his　hairy　hands　locked　around　his　knees；　his　face　dreamy　and　somehow　beautiful。
　　He's　looking　at　the　moon；　Jack　thought；　and　felt　a　thread　of　fear。
　　We　don't　go　near　the　herd　when　we　change。　Good　Jason；　no！　We'd　eat　them！
　　Wolf；　tell　me　something：　am　I　the　herd　now？
　　Jack　shivered。
　　Five　minutes　later…Jack　almost　had　gone　to　sleep　by　then…Wolf　leaned　over　the　can；　sniffed；　nodded；　picked　it　up；　and　came　over　to　where　Jack　was　leaning　against　a　fallen；　fire…blackened　beam　with　an　extra　shirt　behind　his　neck　to　pad　the　angle。　Jack　closed　his　eyes　tightly　and　resumed　snoring。
　　'e　on；　Jack；'　Wolf　said　jovially。　'I　know　you're　awake。　You　can't　fool　Wolf。'
　　Jack　opened　his　eyes　and　looked　at　Wolf　with　bleary　resentment。　'How　did　you　know？'
　　'People　have　a　sleep…smell　and　a　wake…smell；'　Wolf　said。　'Even　Strangers　must　know　that；　don't　they？'
　　'I　guess　we　don't；'　Jack　said。
　　'Anyway；　you　have　to　drink　this。　It's　medicine。　Drink　it　up；　Jack；　right　here　and　now。'
　　'I　don't　want　it；'　Jack　said。　The　smell　ing　from　the　can　was　swampy　and　rancid。
　　'Jack；'　Wolf　said；　'you've　got　a　sick…smell；　too。'　
　　Jack　looked　at　him；　saying　nothing。
　　'Yes；'　Wolf　said。　'And　it　keeps　getting　worse。　It's　not　really　bad；　not　yet；　but…Wolf！…it's　going　to　get　bad　if　you　don't　take　some　medicine。'
　　'Wolf；　I'll　bet　you're　great　at　sniffing　out　herbs　and　things　back　in　the　Territories；　but　this　is　the　Country　of　Bad　Smells；　remember？　You've　probably　got　ragweed　in　there；　and　poison　oak；　and　bitter　vetch；　and…'
　　'They're　good　things；'　Wolf　said。　'Just　not　very　strong；　God　pound　them。'　Wolf　looked　wistful。　'Not　everything　smells　bad　here；　Jack。　There　are　good　smells；　too。　But　the　good　smells　are　like　the　medicine　plants。　Weak。　I　think　they　were　stronger；　once。'　
　　Wolf　was　looking　dreamily　up　at　the　moon　again；　and　Jack　felt　a　recurrence　of　his　earlier　unease。
　　'I'll　bet　this　was　a　good　place　once；'　Wolf　said。　'Clean　and　full　of　power　。　。　。　'
　　'Wolf？'　Jack　asked　in　a　low　voice。　'Wolf；　the　hair's　e　back　on　your　palms。'　
　　Wolf　started　and　looked　at　Jack。　For　a　moment…it　might　have　been　his　feverish　imagination；　and　even　if　not；　it　was　only　for　a　moment…Wolf　looked　at　Jack　with　a　flat；　greedy　hunger。　Then　he　seemed　to　shake　himself；　as　if　out　of　a　bad　dream。
　　'Yes；'　he　said。　'But　I　don't　want　to　talk　ab