sk.thewastelands-第17节

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s　expression　serene　and　distant。　He　might　have　been　thinking　of　chess　problems　or　old　love…letters。
　　The　dish　on　the　rat's　back　suddenly　locked　down。　It　changed　direc…tion　slightly　and　buzzed　straight　toward　Susannah　Dean。
　　One　bullet　left；　Eddie　thought。　If　I　miss；　it'll　take　her　face　off。
　　Instead　of　shooting；　he　stepped　forward　and　kicked　the　rat　as　hard　as　he　could。　He　had　replaced　his　shoes　with　a　pair　of　deerskin　moccasins；　and　he　felt　the　jolt　all　the　way　up　to　his　knee。　The　rat　gave　a　rusty；　ratcheting　squeal；　tumbled　over　and　over　in　the　dirt；　and　came　to　rest　on　its　back。　Eddie　could　see　what　looked　like　a　dozen　stubby　mechanical　legs　pistoning　up　and　down。　Each　was　tipped　with　a　sharp　steel　claw。　These　claws　twirled　around　and　around　on　gimbals　the　size　of　pencil…erasers。
　　A　steel　rod　poked　out　of　the　robot's　midsection　and　flipped　the　gadget　upright　again。　Eddie　brought　Roland's　revolver　down；　ignoring　a　momentary　impulse　to　steady　it　with　his　free　hand。　That　might　be　the　way　cops　in　his　own　world　were　taught　to　shoot；　but　it　wasn't　the　way　it　was　done　here。　When　you　forget　the　gun　is　there；　when　it　feels　like　you're　shooting　with　your　finger；　Roland　had　told　them；　then　you'll　be　some…where　near　home。
　　Eddie　pulled　the　trigger。　The　tiny　radar…dish；　which　had　begun　to　turn　again　in　an　effort　to　find　the　enemies；　disappeared　in　a　blue　Hash。　The　rat　made　a　choked　noise…Chop！…and　fell　dead　on　its　side。
　　Eddie　turned　with　his　heart　jackhammering　in　his　chest。　He　couldn't　remember　being　this　furious　since　he　realized　that　Roland　meant　to　keep　him　in　his　world　until　his　goddamned　Tower　was　won　or　lost。　。　。　probably　until　they　were　all　worm…chow；　in　other　words。
　　He　levelled　the　empty　gun　at　Roland's　heart　and　spoke　in　a　thick　voice　he　hardly　recognized　as　his　own。　〃If　there　was　a　round　left　in　this；　you　could　stop　worrying　about　your　fucking　Tower　right　now。〃
　　〃Stop　it；　Eddie！〃　Susannah　said　sharply。
　　He　looked　at　her。　〃It　was　going　for　you；　Susannah；　and　it　meant　to　turn　you　into　ground　chuck。〃
　　〃But　it　didn't　get　me。　You　got　it；　Eddie。　You　got　it。〃
　　〃No　thanks　to　him。〃　Eddie　made　as　if　to　re…holster　the　gun　and　then　realized；　to　his　further　disgust；　that　he　had　nothing　to　put　it　in。　Susannah　was　wearing　the　holster。　〃Him　and　his　lessons。　Him　and　his　goddam　lessons。〃　He　turned　to　Roland。　〃I　tell　you；　for　two　cents…〃
　　Roland's　mildly　interested　expression　suddenly　changed。　His　eyes　shifted　to　a　point　over　Eddie's　left　shoulder。　〃DOWN！〃　he　shouted。
　　Eddie　didn't　ask　questions。　His　rage　and　confusion　were　wiped　from　his　mind　immediately。　He　dropped；　and　as　he　did；　he　saw　the　gunslinger's　left　hand　blur　down　to　his　side。　My　God；　he　thought；　still　falling；　he　CAN'T　be　that　fast；　no　one　can　be　that　fast；　I'm　not　bad　but　Susannah　makes　me　look　slow　and　he　makes　Susannah　look　like　a　turtle　trying　to　walk　uphill　on　a　piece　of　glass…
　　Something　passed　just　over　his　head；　something　that　squealed　at　him　in　mechanical　rage　and　pulled　out　a　tuft　of　his　hair。　Then　the　gunslinger　was　shooting　from　the　hip；　three　fast　shots　like　thunder…cracks；　and　the　squealing　stopped。　A　creature　which　looked　to　Eddie　like　a　large　mechan…ical　bat　thudded　to　earth　between　the　place　where　Eddie　now　lay　and　the　one　where　Susannah　knelt　beside　Roland。　One　of　its　jointed；　rust…speckled　wings　thumped　the　ground　once；　weakly；　as　if　angry　at　the　missed　chance；　and　then　became　still。
　　Roland　crossed　to　Eddie；　walking　easy　in　his　old　sprung　boots。　He　extended　a　hand。　Eddie　took　it　and　let　Roland　help　him　to　his　feet。　The　wind　had　been　knocked　out　of　him　and　he　found　he　couldn't　talk。　Proba…bly　just　as　well　。　。　。　seems　like　every　time　I　open　my　mouth　I　stick　my　goddam　foot　into　it。
　　〃Eddie！　You　all　right？〃　Susannah　was　crossing　the　clearing　to　where　he　stood　with　his　head　bent　and　his　hands　planted　on　his　upper　thighs；　trying　to　breathe。
　　〃Yeah。〃　The　word　came　out　in　a　croak。　He　straightened　up　with　an　effort。　〃Just　got　a　little　haircut。〃
　　〃It　was　in　a　tree；〃　Roland　said　mildly。　〃1　didn't　see　it　myself；　at　first。　The　light　gets　tricky　this　time　of　day。　He　paused　and　then　went　on　in　that　same　mild　voice：　〃She　was　never　in　any　danger；　Eddie。〃
　　Eddie　nodded　his　head。　Roland；　he　now　realized；　could　almost　have　eaten　a　hamburger　and　drunk　a　milkshake　before　beginning　his　draw。　He　was　that　fast。
　　〃All　right。　Let's　just　say　I　disapprove　of　your　teaching　techniques；　okay？　I'm　not　going　to　apologize；　though；　so　if　you're　waiting　for　one；　you　can　stop　now。〃
　　Roland　bent；　picked　Susannah　up；　and　began　to　brush　her　off。　He　did　this　with　a　kind　of　impartial　affection；　like　a　mother　brushing　off　her　toddler　after　she　has　taken　one　of　her　necessary　tumbles　in　the　dust　of　the　back　yard。　〃Your　apology　is　not　expected　or　necessary；〃　he　said。　〃Susannah　and　I　had　a　conversation　similar　to　this　one　two　days　ago。　Didn't　we；　Susannah？〃
　　She　nodded。　〃Roland's　of　the　opinion　that　apprentice　gunslingers　who　won't　bite　the　hand　that　feeds　them　from　time　to　time　need　a　good　lack　in　the　slats。〃
　　Eddie　looked　around　at　the　wreckage　and　slowly　began　to　beat　the　bone…dust　out　of　his　pants　and　shirt。　〃What　if　I　told　you　I　don't　want　to　be　a　gunslinger；　Roland　old　buddy？〃
　　〃I'd　say　that　what　you　want　doesn't　much　matter。〃　Roland　was　look…ing　at　the　metal　kiosk　which　stood　against　the　rock　wall；　and　seemed　to　have　lost　interest　in　the　conversation。　Eddie　had　seen　this　before。　When　the　conversation　turned　to　questions　of　should…be；　could…be；　or　oughtta…be；　Roland　almost　always　lost　interest。
　　〃Ka？〃　Eddie　asked；　with　a　trace　of　his　old　bitterness。
　　〃That's　right。　Ka。〃　Roland　walked　over　to　the　kiosk　and　passed　a　hand　along　the　yellow　and　black　stripes　which　ran　down　its　front。　〃We　have　found　one　of　the　twelve　portals　which　ring　the　edge　of　the　world　。　。　。　one　of　the　six　paths　to　the　Dark　Tower。
　　〃And　that　is　also　ka。〃
　　
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　　EDDIE　WENT　BACK　FOR　Susannah's　wheelchair。　No　one　had　to　ask　him　to　do　this；　he　wanted　some　time　alone；　to　get　himself　back　under　control。　Now　that　the　shooting　was　over；　every　muscle　in　his　body　seemed　to　have　picked　up　its　own　little　thrumming　tremor。　He　did　not　want　either　of　them　to　see　him　this　way…not　because　they　might　misread　it　as　fear；　but　because　one　or　both　might　know　it　for　what　it　really　was：　excitement　overload。　He　had　liked　it。　Even　when　you　added　in　the　bat　which　had　almost　scalped　him；　he　had　liked　it。
　　That's　bullshit；　buddy。　And　you　know　it。
　　The　trouble　was；　he　didn't　know　it。　He　had　e　face　to　face　with　something　Susannah　had　found　out　for　herself　after　shooting　the　bear：　he　could　talk　about　how　he　didn't　want　to　be　a　gunslinger；　how　he　didn't　want　to　be　tramping　around　this　crazy　world　where　the　three　of　them　seemed　to　be　the　only　human　life；　that　what　he　really　wanted　more　than　anything　else　was　to　be　standing　on　the　corner　of　Broadway　and　Forty…second　Street；　popping　his　fingers；　munching　a　chili…dog；　and　listening　to　Creedence　Clearwater　Revival　blast　out　of　his　Walkman　earphones　as　he　watched　the　girls　go　by；　those　ultimately　sexy　New　York　girls　with　their　pouty　go…to…hell　mouths　and　their　long　legs　in　short　skirts。　He　could　talk　about　those　things　until　he　was　blue　in　the　face；　but　his　heart　knew　other　things。　It　knew　that　he　had　enjoyed　blowing　the　electronic　menag…erie　back　to　glory；　at　least　while　the　game　was　on　and　Roland's　gun　was　his　own　private　hand…held　thunderstorm。　He　had　enjoyed　kicking　the　robot　rat；　even　though　it　had　hurt　his　foot　and　even　though　he　had　been　scared　shitless。　In　some　weird　way；　that　part…the　being　scared　part…actually　seemed　to　add　to　the　enjoyment。
　　All　that　was　bad　enough；　but　his　heart　knew　something　even　worse：　that　if　a　door　leading　back　to　New　York　appeared　in　front　of　him　right　now；　he　might　not　walk　through　it。　Not；　at　least；　until　he　had　seen　the　Dark　Tower　for　himself。　He　was　beginning　to　believe　that　Roland's　illness　was　a　municable　disease。
　　As　he　wrestled　Susannah's　chair　through　the　tangle　of　junk…alders；　cursing　the　branches　that　whipped　at　his　face　and　tried　to　poke　his　eyes　out；　Eddie　found　himself　able　to　admit　at　least　some　of　these　things；　and　the　admission　cooled　his　blood　a　little。　/　want　to　see　if　it　looks　the　way　it　did　in　my　dream；　he　thought。　To　see　something　like　that。　。　。　that　would　be　really　fantastic。
　　And　another　voice　spoke　up　inside。　I'll　bet　his　other　friends…the　ones　with　the　names　that　sound　like　they　came　straight　from　the　Round　Table　in　King　Arthur's　court…I'll　bet　they　felt　the　same　way；　Eddie。　And　they're　all　dead。　Every　one　of　them。
　　He　recognized　that　voice；　like　it　or　not。　It　belonged　to　Henry；　and　that　made　it　a　hard　voice　not　to　hear。
　　
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　　ROLAND；　WITH　SUSANNAH　BALANCED　on　his　right　hip；　was　standing　in　front　of　the　metal　box　that　looked　like　a　subway　entrance　closed　for　the　night。　Eddie　left　the　wheelchair　at　the　edge　of　the　clearing　and　walked　over。　As　he　did；　the　steady　humming　noise　and　the　vibration　under　his　feet　became　louder。　The　machinery　making　the　noise；　he　realized；　was　either　inside　the　box　or　under　it。　It　seemed　that　he　heard　it　not　with　his　ears　but　somewhere　deep　inside　his　head；　and　in　the　hollows　of　his　gut。
　　〃So　t