sk.thewastelands-第106节

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　　Susannah　Dean　raised　her　hand　to　her　mouth　and　felt　the　small　smile　there　as　a　woman　might　feel　some　strange　new　article　of　clothing…a　hat；　perhaps…to　make　sure　it　is　still　on　straight。　She　was　afraid　that　this　was　the　end　of　her　life；　but　the　feeling　which　dominated　her　heart　at　that　moment　was　not　fear　but　pride。　She　glanced　to　her　left　and　saw　Eddie　regarding　Roland　with　an　amazed　grin。　Jake's　expression　was　even　simpler：　it　was　adoration；　pure　and　simple。
　　〃Tell　him！〃　Jake　breathed。　〃Walk　it　to　him！　Right！〃
　　〃You　better　pay　attention；〃　Eddie　agreed。　〃He　really　doesn't　give　much　of　a　rat's　ass；　Blaine。　They　didn't　call　him　The　Mad　Dog　of　Gilead　for　nothing。〃
　　After　a　long；　long　moment；　Blaine　asked：　〃DID　THEY　CALL　YOU　SO；　ROLAND　SON　OF　STEVEN？〃
　　〃It　may　have　been　so；〃　Roland　agreed；　standing　calmly　on　thin　air　above　the　sterile　foothills。
　　〃WHAT　GOOD　ARE　YOU　TO　ME　IF　YOU　WON'T　TELL　ME　RIDDLES？〃　Blaine　asked。　Now　he　sounded　like　a　grumbling；　sulky　child　who　has　been　allowed　to　stay　up　too　long　past　his　usual　bedtime。
　　〃I　didn't　say　we　wouldn't；〃　Roland　said；
　　〃NO？〃　Blaine　sounded　bewildered。　〃I　DO　NOT　UNDERSTAND；　YET　VOICE…PRINT　ANALYSIS　INDICATES　RATIONAL　DIS…COURSE。　PLEASE　EXPLAIN。〃
　　〃You　said　you　wanted　them　right　now；〃　the　gunslinger　replied。　〃That　was　what　I　was　refusing。　Your　eagerness　has　made　you　unseemly。〃
　　〃I　DON'T　UNDERSTAND。〃
　　〃It　has　made　you　rude。　Do　you　understand　that？〃
　　There　was　a　long；　thoughtful　silence。　Then：　〃IF　WHAT　I　SAID　STRUCK　YOU　AS　RUDE；　I　APOLOGIZE。〃
　　〃It　is　accepted；　Blaine。　But　there　is　a　larger　problem。〃
　　〃EXPLAIN。〃
　　Blaine　now　sounded　a　bit　unsure　of　himself；　and　Roland　was　not　entirely　surprised。　It　had　been　a　long　time　since　the　puter　had　experi…enced　any　human　responses　other　than　ignorance；　neglect；　and　supersti…tious　subservience。　If　it　had　ever　been　exposed　to　simple　human　courage；　it　had　been　a　long　time　ago。
　　〃Close　the　carriage　again　and　I　will。〃　Roland　sat　down　as　if　further　argument…and　the　prospect　of　immediate　death…was　now　unthinkable。
　　Blaine　did　as　he　was　asked。　The　walls　filled　with　color　and　the　nightmare　landscape　below　was　once　more　blotted　out。　The　blip　on　the　route…map　was　now　blinking　close　to　the　dot　which　marked　Candleton。
　　〃All　right；〃　Roland　said。　〃Rudeness　is　forgivable；　Blaine；　so　I　was　taught　in　my　youth；　and　the　clay　has　dried　in　the　shapes　left　by　the　artist's　hand。　But　I　was　also　taught　that　stupidity　is　not。〃
　　〃HOW　HAVE　I　BEEN　STUPID；　ROLAND　OF　GILEAD？〃　Blaine's　voice　was　soft　and　ominous。　Susannah　suddenly　thought　of　a　cat　crouched　outside　a　mouse…hole；　tail　swishing　back　and　forth；　green　eyes　shining。
　　〃We　have　something　that　you　want；〃　Roland　said；　〃but　the　only　reward　you　offer　if　we　give　it　to　you　is　death。　That's　very　stupid。〃
　　There　was　a　long；　long　pause　as　Blaine　thought　this　over。　Then：　〃WHAT　YOU　SAY　IS　TRUE；　ROLAND　OF　GILEAD；　BUT　THE　QUALITY　OF　YOUR　RIDDLES　IS　NOT　PROVEN。　I　WILL　NOT　REWARD　YOU　WITH　YOUR　LIVES　FOR　BAD　RIDDLES。〃
　　Roland　nodded。　〃I　understand；　Blaine。　Listen；　now；　and　take　under…standing　from　me。　I　have　told　some　of　this　to　my　friends　already。　When　I　was　a　boy　in　the　Barony　of　Gilead；　there　were　seven　Fair…Days　each　year…Winter；　Wide　Earth；　Sowing；　Mid…Summer；　Full　Earth；　Reaping；　and　Year's　End。　Riddling　was　an　important　part　of　every　Fair…Day；　but　it　was　the　most　important　event　of　the　Fair　of　Wide　Earth　and　that　of　Full　Earth；　for　the　riddles　told　were　supposed　to　augur　well　or　ill　for　the　success　of　the　crops。〃
　　〃THAT　IS　SUPERSTITION　WITH　NO　BASIS　AT　ALL　IN　FACT；〃　Blaine　said。　〃I　FIND　IT　ANNOYING　AND　UPSETTING。〃
　　〃Of　course　it's　superstition；〃　Roland　agreed；　〃but　you　might　be　sur…prised　at　how　well　the　riddles　foresaw　the　crops。　For　instance；　riddle　me　this；　Blaine：　What　is　the　difference　between　a　grandmother　and　a　granary？〃
　　〃THAT　IS　VERY　OLD　AND　NOT　VERY　INTERESTING；〃　Blaine　said；　but　he　sounded　happy　to　have　something　to　solve　just　the　same。　〃ONE　IS　ONE'S　BORN　KIN；　THE　OTHER　IS　ONE'S　CORN…BIN。　A　RIDDLE　BASED　ON　PHONETIC　COINCIDENCE。　ANOTHER　OF　THIS　TYPE；　ONE　TOLD　ON　THE　LEVEL　WHICH　CONTAINS　THE　BARONY　OF　NEW　YORK；　GOES　LIKE　THIS：　WHAT　IS　THE　DIF…FERENCE　BETWEEN　A　CAT　AND　A　PLEX　SENTENCE？〃
　　Jake　spoke　up。　〃Our　English　teacher　told　us　that　one　just　this　year。　A　cat　has　claws　at　the　end　of　its　paws；　and　a　plex　sentence　has　a　pause　at　the　end　of　its　clause。〃
　　〃YES；〃　Blaine　agreed。　〃A　VERY　SILLY　OLD　RIDDLE。〃
　　〃For　once　I　agree　with　you；　Blaine　old　buddy；〃　Eddie　said。
　　〃I　WOULD　HEAR　MORE　OF　FAIR…DAY　RIDDLING　IN　GILEAD；　ROLAND；　SON　OF　STEVEN。　I　FIND　IT　QUITE　INTERESTING。〃
　　〃At　noon　on　Wide　Earth　and　Full　Earth；　somewhere　between　sixteen　and　thirty　riddlers　would　gather　in　The　Hall　of　the　Grandfathers；　which　was　opened　for　the　event。　Those　were　the　only　times　of　year　when　the　mon　fold…merchants　and　farmers　and　ranchers　and　such…were　allowed　into　The　Hall　of　the　Grandfathers；　and　on　that　day　they　all　crowded　in。〃
　　The　gunslinger's　eyes　were　far　away　and　dreamy；　it　was　the　expres…sion　Jake　had　seen　on　his　face　in　that　misty　other　life；　when　Roland　had　told　him　of　how　he　and　his　friends；　Cuthbert　and　Jamie；　had　once　sneaked　into　the　balcony　of　that　same　Hall　to　watch　some　sort　of　ritual　dance。　Jake　and　Roland　had　been　climbing　into　the　mountains　when　Roland　had　told　him　of　that　time；　close　on　the　trail　of　Walter。
　　Marten　sat　next　to　my　mother　and　father；　Roland　had　said。　I　knew　them　even　from　so　high　above…and　once　she　and　Marten　danced；　slowly　and　revolvingly；　and　the　others　cleared　the　floor　for　them　and　clapped　when　it　was　over。　But　the　gunslingers　did　not　clap　。。。
　　Jake　looked　curiously　at　Roland；　wondering　again　where　this　strange；　distant　man　had　e　from　。　。　。　and　why。
　　〃A　great　barrel　was　placed　in　the　center　of　the　floor；〃　Roland　went　on；　〃and　into　this　each　riddler　would　toss　a　handful　of　bark　scrolls　with　riddles　writ　upon　them。　Many　were　old；　riddles　they　had　gotten　from　the　elders…even　from　books；　in　some　cases…but　many　others　were　new…made　up　for　the　occasion。　Three　judges；　one　always　a　gunslinger；　would　pass　on　these　when　they　were　told　aloud；　and　they　were　accepted　only　if　the　judges　deemed　them　fair。〃
　　〃YES；　RIDDLES　MUST　BE　FAIR；〃　Blame　agreed。
　　〃So　they　riddled；〃　the　gunslinger　said。　A　faint　smile　touched　his　mouth　as　he　thought　of　those　days；　days　when　he　had　been　the　age　of　the　bruised　boy　sitting　across　from　him　with　a　billy…bumbler　in　his　lap。　〃For　hours　on　end　they　riddled。　A　line　was　formed　down　the　center　of　The　Hall　of　the　Grandfathers。　One's　position　in　this　line　was　determined　by　lot；　and　since　it　was　much　better　to　be　at　the　end　of　the　line　than　at　its　head；　everyone　hoped　for　a　high　number；　although　the　winner　had　to　answer　at　least　one　riddle　correctly。〃
　　〃OF　COURSE。〃
　　〃Each　man　or　woman…for　some　of　Gilead's　best　riddlers　were　women…approached　the　barrel；　drew　a　riddle；　and　handed　it　to　the　Master。　The　Master　would　ask；　and　if　the　riddle　was　still　unanswered　after　the　sands　in　a　three…minute　glass　had　run　out；　that　contestant　had　to　leave　the　line。〃
　　〃AND　WAS　THE　SAME　RIDDLE　ASKED　OF　THE　NEXT　MAN　IN　LINE？〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃SO　THAT　MAN　HAD　EXTRA　TIME　TO　THINK。〃
　　〃Yes。〃
　　〃I　SEE。　IT　SOUNDS　PRETTY　SWELL。〃
　　Roland　frowned。　〃Swell？〃
　　〃He　means　it　sounds　like　fun；〃　Susannah　said　quietly。
　　Roland　shrugged。　〃It　was　fun　for　the　onlookers；　I　suppose；　but　the　contestants　took　it　very　seriously；　and　there　were　quite　often　arguments　and　fist…fights　after　the　contest　was　over　and　the　prize　had　been　awarded。〃
　　〃WHAT　PRIZE　WAS　THAT？〃
　　〃The　largest　goose　in　Barony。　And　year　after　year　my　teacher；　Cort；　carried　that　goose　home。〃
　　〃HE　MUST　HAVE　BEEN　A　GREAT　RIDDLER；〃　Blaine　said　respectfully。　〃I　WISH　HE　WERE　HERE。〃
　　That　makes　two　of　us；　Roland　thought。
　　〃Now　I　e　to　my　proposal；〃　Roland　said。
　　〃I　WILL　LISTEN　WITH　GREAT　INTEREST；　ROLAND　OF　GILEAD。〃
　　〃Let　these　next　hours　be　our　Fair…Day。　You　will　not　riddle　us；　for　you　wish　to　hear　new　riddles；　not　tell　some　of　those　millions　you　must　already　know…〃
　　〃CORRECT。〃
　　〃We　couldn't　solve　most　of　them；　anyway；〃　Roland　went　on。　〃I'm　sure　you　know　riddles　that　would　have　stumped　even　Cort；　had　they　been　pulled　out　of　the　barrel。〃　He　was　not　sure　of　it　at　all；　but　the　time　to　use　the　fist　had　passed　and　the　time　for　the　open　hand　had　e。
　　〃OF　COURSE；〃　Blaine　agreed。
　　〃I　propose　that；　instead　of　a　goose；　our　lives　shall　be　the　prize；〃　Roland　said。　〃We　will　riddle　you　as　we　run；　Blaine。　If；　when　we　e　to　Topeka；　you　have　solved　every　one　of　our　riddles；　you　may　carry　out　your　original　plan　and　kill　us。　That　is　your　goose。　But　if　we　stump　you…if　there　is　a　riddle　in　either　Jake's　book　or　one　of　our　heads　which　you　don't　know　and　can't　answer…you　must　take　us　to　Topeka　and　then　free　us　to　pursue　our　quest。　That　is　our　goose。〃
　　Silence。
　　〃Do　you　understand？〃
　　〃YES。〃
　　〃Do　you　agree？〃
　　More　silence　from　Blaine　the　Mono。　Eddie　sat　stiffly　with　his　arm　around　Susannah；　looking　up　at　the　ceiling　of　the　Barony　Coach。　Susan…nah's　left　hand　slipped　across　her　belly；　thinking　of　the　secret　which　might　be　growing　there。　Jake　stroked　Oy's　fur　lightly；　avoiding　the　bloody　tangles　wher