sk.thegunslinger-第30节

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The　trestle　had　begun　to　twist　further；　screaming；　pulling　loose　from　itself；　giving　〃Then　I　shall　leave　you。〃
〃No！〃
His　legs　carried　him　in　a　sudden　leap　through　the　entropy　that　held　him；　above　the　dangling　boy；　into　a　skidding；　plunging　rush　toward　the　light　that　offered；　the　Tower　frozen　on　the　retina　of　his　mind's　eye　in　a　black　frieze；　suddenly　silence；　the　silhouette　gone；　even　the　beat　of　his　heart　gone　as　the　trestle　settled　further；　beginning　its　final　slow　dance　to　the　depths；　tearing　loose；　his　hand　finding　the　rocky；　lighted　lip　of　damnation；　and　behind　him；　in　the　dreadful　silence；　the　boy　spoke　from　too　far　beneath　him。
〃Go　then。　There　are　other　worlds　than　these。〃
It　tore　away　from　him；　the　whole　weight　of　it；　and　as　he　pulled　himself　up　and　through　to　the　light　and　the　breeze　and　the　reality　of　a　new　karma　（we　all　shine　on）；　he　twisted　his　head　back；　for　a　moment　in　his　agony　striving　to　be　Janus　but　there　was　nothing；　only　plummeting　silence；　for　the　boy　made　no　sound。
Then　he　was　up；　pulling　his　legs　through　onto　the　rocky　escarpment　that　looked　toward　a　grassy　plain　at　the　descending　foot；　toward　where　the　man　in　black　stood　spread…legged；　with　arms　crossed。
The　gunslinger　stood　drunkenly；　pallid　as　a　ghost；　eyes　huge　and　swimming　beneath　his　forehead；　shirt　smeared　with　the　white　dust　of　his　final；　lunging　crawl。　It　came　to　him　that　he　would　always　flee　murder。　It　came　to　him　that　there　would　be　further　degradations　of　the　spirit　ahead　that　might　make　this　one　seem　infinitesimal；　and　yet　he　would　still　flee　it；　down　corridors　and　through　cities；　from　bed　to　bed；　he　would　flee　the　boy's　face　and　try　to　bury　it　in　cunts　or　even　in　further　destruction；　only　to　enter　one　final　room　and　find　it　looking　at　him　over　a　candle　flame。　He　had　bee　the　boy；　the　boy　had　bee　him。　He　was　a　wurderlak；　lycanthropus　of　his　own　making；　and　in　deep　dreams　he　would　bee　the　boy　and　speak　strange　tongues。
This　is　death。　Is　it？　Is　it？
He　walked　slowly；　drunkenly　down　the　rocky　hill　toward　where　the　man　in　black　waited。　Here　the　tracks　had　been　worn　away；　under　the　sun　of　reason；　and　it　was　as　if　they　had　never　been。
The　man　in　black　pushed　his　hood　away　with　the　backs　of　both　hands；　laughing。
〃So！〃　he　cried。　〃Not　an　end；　but　the　end　of　the　beginning；　eh？　You　progress；　gunslinger！　You　progress！　Oh；　how　I　admire　you！〃
The　gunslinger　drew　with　blinding　speed　and　fired　twelve　times。　The　gun…flashes　dimmed　the　sun　itself；　and　the　pounding　of　the　explosions　slammed　back　from　the　rock…faced　escarpments　behind　them。
〃Now；〃　the　man　in　black　said；　laughing。　〃Oh；　now。　We　make　great　magic　together；　you　and　I。　You　kill　me　no　more　than　you　kill　yourself。〃
He　withdrew；　walking　backwards；　facing　the　gunslinger；　grinning。　〃e。　e。　e。〃
The　gunslinger　followed　him　in　broken　boots　to　the　place　of　counseling。
　
　
THE　GUNSLINGER　AND　THE　DARKMAN
I
The　man　in　black　led　him　to　an　ancient　killing　ground　to　make　palaver。　The　gunslinger　knew　it　immediately；　a　Golgotha；　place…of…the…skull。　And　bleached　skulls　stared　blandly　up　at　them　…　cattle；　coyotes；　deer；　rabbits。　Here　the　alabaster　xylophone　of　a　hen　pheasant　killed　as　she　fed；　there　the　tiny；　delicate　bones　of　a　mole；　perhaps　killed　for　pleasure　by　a　wild　dog。
The　Golgotha　was　a　bowl　indented　into　the　descending　slope　of　the　mountain；　and　below；　in　easier　altitudes；　the　gunslinger　could　see　Joshua　trees　and　scrub　firs。　The　sky　overhead　was　a　softer　blue　than　he　had　seen　for　a　twelve…month；　and　there　was　an　indefinable　something　that　spoke　of　the　sea　in　the　not…too…great　distance。
Jam　in　the　West；　Cuthbert；　he　thought　wonderingly。
And　of　course　in　each　skull；　in　each　rondure　of　vacated　eye；　he　saw　the　boy's　face。
The　man　in　black　sat　on　an　ancient　ironwood　log。　His　boots　were　powdered　white　with　dust　and　the　uneasy　bone…meal　of　this　place。　He　had　put　his　hood　up　again；　but　the　gunslinger　could　see　the　square　shape　of　his　chin　clearly；　and　the　shading　of　his　jaw。
The　shadowed　lips　twitched　in　a　smile。　〃Gather　wood；　gunslinger。　This　side　of　the　mountains　is　gentle；　but　at　this　altitude；　the　cold　still　may　put　a　knife　in　one's　belly。　And　this　is　a　place　of　death；　eh？〃
〃I'll　kill　you；〃　the　gunslinger　said。
〃No　you　won't　You　can't。　But　you　can　gather　wood　to　remember　your　Isaac。〃
The　gunslinger　had　no　understanding　of　the　reference。　He　went　wordlessly　and　gathered　wood　like　a　mon　cook's　boy。　The　pickings　were　slim。　There　was　no　devil…grass　on　this　side　and　the　ironwood　would　not　burn。　It　had　bee　stone。　He　returned　finally　with　a　large　armload；　powdered　and　dusted　with　disintegrated　bone；　as　if　dipped　in　flour。　The　sun　had　sunk　beyond　the　highest　Joshua　trees　and　had　taken　on　a　reddish　glow　and　peered　at　them　with　baleful　indifference　through　the　black；　tortured　branches。
〃Excellent；〃　the　man　in　black　said。　〃How　exceptional　you　are！　How　methodical！　I　salute　you！〃　He　giggled；　and　the　gunslinger　dropped　the　wood　at　his　feet　with　a　crash　that　ballooned　up　bone　dust。
The　man　in　black　did　not　start　or　jump；　he　merely　began　laying　the　fire。　The　gunslinger　watched；　fascinated；　as　the　idiogram　（fresh；　this　time）　took　shape。　When　it　was　finished；　it　resembled　a　small　and　plex　double　chimney　about　two　feet　high。　The　man　in　black　lifted　his　hand　skyward；　shaking　back　the　voluminous　sleeve　from　a　tapered；　handsome　hand；　and　brought　it　down　rapidly；　index　and　pinky　fingers　forked　out　in　the　traditional　sign　of　the　evil　eye。　There　was　a　blue　flash　of　flame；　and　their　fire　was　lighted。
〃I　have　matches；〃　the　man　in　black　said　jovially；　〃but　I　thought　you　might　enjoy　the　magic。　For　a　pretty；　gunslinger。　Now　cook　our　dinner。〃
The　folds　of　his　robe　shivered；　and　the　plucked　and　gutted　carcass　of　a　plump　rabbit　fell　on　the　dirt。
The　gunslinger　spitted　the　rabbit　wordlessly　and　roasted　it。　A　savory　smell　drifted　up　as　the　sun　went　down。
Purple　shadows　drifted　hungrily　over　the　bowl　where　the　man　in　black　had　chosen　to　finally　face　him。　The　gunslinger　felt　hunger　begin　to　rumble　endlessly　in　his　belly　as　the　rabbit　browned；　but　when　the　meat　was　cooked　and　its　juices　sealed　in；　he　handed　the　entire　skewer　wordlessly　to　the　man　in　black；　rummaged　in　his　own　nearly　flat　knapsack；　and　withdrew　the　last　of　his　jerky。　It　was　salty；　painful　to　his　mouth；　and　tasted　like　tears。
〃That's　a　worthless　gesture；〃　the　man　in　black　said；　managing　to　sound　angry　and　amused　at　the　same　time。
〃Nevertheless；〃　the　gunslinger　said。　There　were　tiny　sores　in　his　mouth；　the　result　of　vitamin　deprivation；　and　the　salt　taste　made　him　grin　bitterly。
〃Are　you　afraid　of　enchanted　meat？〃
〃Yes。〃
The　man　in　black　slipped　his　hood　back。
The　gunslinger　looked　at　him　silently。　In　a　way；　the　face　of　the　man　in　black　was　an　uneasy　disappointment。　It　was　handsome　and　regular；　with　none　of　the　marks　and　twists　which　indicate　a　person　who　has　been　through　awesome　times　and　who　has　been　privy　to　great　and　unknown　secrets。　His　hair　was　black　and　of　a　ragged；　matted　length。　His　forehead　was　high；　his　eyes　dark　and　brilliant。　His　nose　was　nondescript。　The　lips　were　full　and　sensual。　His　plexion　was　pallid；　as　was　the　gunslinger's　own。
He　said　finally；　〃I　expected　an　older　man。〃
〃Not　necessary。　I　am　nearly　immortal。　I　could　have　taken　a　face　that　you　more　expected；　of　course；　but　I　elected　to　show　you　the　one　I　was　　ah　　born　with。　See；　gunslinger；　the　sunset。〃
The　sun　had　departed　already；　and　the　western　sky　was　filled　with　a　sullen　furnace　light。
〃You　won't　see　another　sunrise　for　what　may　seem　a　very　long　time；〃　the　man　in　black　said　softly。
The　gunslinger　remembered　the　pit　under　the　mountains　and　then　looked　at　the　sky；　where　the　constellations　sprawled　in　clockspring　profusion。
〃It　doesn't　matter；〃　he　said　softly；　〃now。〃
The　man　in　black　shuffled　the　cards　with　flying；　merging　rapidity。　The　deck　was　huge；　the　design　on　the　backs　of　the　cards　convoluted。　〃These　are　tarot　cards；〃　the　man　in　black　was　saying；　〃a　mixture　of　the　standard　deck　and　a　selection　of　my　own　development　Watch　closely　gunslinger。〃
〃Why？〃
〃I'm　going　to　tell　your　future；　Roland。　Seven　cards　must　be　turned；　one　at　a　time；　and　placed　in　conjunction　with　the　others。　I've　not　done　this　for　over　three　hundred　years。　And　I　suspect　I've　never　read　one　quite　like　yours。〃　The　mocking　note　was　creeping　in　again；　like　a　Kuvian　night…soldier　with　a　killing　knife　gripped　in　one　hand。　〃You　are　the　world's　last　adventurer。　The　last　crusader。　How　that　must　please　you；　Roland！　Yet　you　have　no　idea　how　close　you　stand　to　the　Tower　now；　how　close　in　time。　Worlds　turn　about　your　head。〃
〃Read　my　fortune　then；〃　he　said　harshly。
The　first　card　was　turned。
〃The　Hanged　Man；〃　the　man　in　black　said。　The　darkness　had　given　him　back　his　hood。　〃Yet　here；　in　conjunction　with　nothing　else；　it　signifies　strength　and　not　death。　You；　gunslinger；　are　the　Hanged　Man；　plodding　ever　onward　toward　your　goal　over　all　the　pits　of　Hades。　You　have　already　dropped　one　co…traveler　into　the　pit；　have　you　not？〃
He　turned　the　second　card。　〃The　Sailor。　Note　the　clear　brow；　the　hairless　cheeks；　the　wounded　eyes。　He　drowns；　gunslinger；　and　no　one　throws　out　the　line。　The　boy　Jake。〃
The　gunslinger　winced；　said　nothing。
The　third　card　was　turned。　A　baboon　stood　grinningly　astride　a　young　man's　shoulder。　The　young　m