sk.thewastelands-第19节

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ackles。　He　felt　that　same　subtle　wind　blowing　past　him；　although　the　leaves　on　the　trees　which　ringed　the　clearing　were　perfectly　still。
　　Yet　he　walked　toward　the　door　anyway　（for　that　was　what　it　was；　of　course；　another　door；　although　this　one　was　locked　and　always　would　be　against　the　likes　of　him）；　not　stopping　until　his　ear　was　pressed　against　it。
　　It　was　as　if　he　had　dropped　a　tab　of　really　strong　acid　half　an　hour　ago　and　it　was　just　beginning　to　e　on　heavy。　Strange　colors　flowed　across　the　darkness　behind　his　eyeballs。　He　seemed　to　hear　voices　mur…muring　up　to　him　from　long　hallways　like　stone　throats；　halls　which　were　lit　with　guttering　electric　torches。　Once　these　flambeaux　of　the　modern　age　had　thrown　a　bright　glare　across　everything；　but　now　they　were　only　sullen　cores　of　blue　light。　He　sensed　emptiness　。　。　。　desertion　。　。　。　desola…tion　。　。　。　death。
　　The　machinery　rumbled　on　and　on；　but　wasn't　there　a　rough　under…tone　to　the　sound？　A　land　of　desperate　thudding　beneath　the　hum；　like　the　arrhythmia　of　a　diseased　heart？　A　feeling　that　the　machinery　produc…ing　this　sound；　although　far　more　sophisticated　even　than　that　within　the　bear　had　been；　was　somehow　falling　out　of　tune　with　itself？
　　〃All　is　silent　in　the　halls　of　the　dead；〃　Eddie　heard　himself　whisper　in　a　falling；　fainting　voice。　〃All　is　forgotten　in　the　stone　halls　of　the　dead。　Behold　the　stairways　which　stand　in　darkness；　behold　the　rooms　of　ruin。
　　These　are　the　halls　of　the　dead　where　the　spiders　spin　and　the　great　circuits　tall　quiet；　one　by　one。〃
　　Roland　pulled　him　roughly　back；　and　Eddie　looked　at　him　with　dazed　eyes。
　　〃That's　enough；〃　Roland　said。
　　〃Whatever　they　put　in　there　isn't　doing　so　well；　is　it？〃　Eddie　heard　himself　ask。　His　trembling　voice　seemed　to　e　from　far　away。　He　could　still　feel　the　power　ing　out　of　that　box。　It　called　to　him。
　　〃No。　Nothing　in　my　world　is　doing　so　well　these　days。〃
　　〃If　you　boys　are　planning　to　camp　here　for　the　night；　you'll　have　to　do　without　the　pleasure　of　my　pany；〃　Susannah　said。　Her　face　was　a　white　blur　in　the　ashy　aftermath　of　twilight。　〃I'm　going　over　yonder。　I　don't　like　the　way　that　thing　makes　me　feel。〃
　　〃We'll　all　camp　over　yonder；〃　Roland　said。　〃Let's　go。〃
　　〃What　a　good　idea；〃　Eddie　said。　As　they　moved　away　from　the　box；　the　sound　of　the　machinery　began　to　dim。　Eddie　felt　its　hold　on　him　weakening；　although　it　still　called　to　him；　invited　him　to　explore　the　half…lit　hallways；　the　standing　stairways；　the　rooms　of　ruin　where　the　spiders　spun　and　the　control　panels　were　going　dark；　one　by　one。
　　
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　　IN　His　DREAM　THAT　night；　Eddie　again　went　walking　down　Second　Ave…nue　toward　Tom　and　Gerry's　Artistic　Deli　on　the　corner　of　Second　and　Forty…sixth。　He　passed　a　record　store　and　the　Rolling　Stones　boomed　from　the　speakers：
　　
　　〃I　see　a　red　door　and　I　want　to　paint　it　black；
　　No　colours　anymore；　I　want　them　to　turn　black；
　　I　see　the　girls　walk　by　dressed　in　their　summer　clothes；
　　I　have　to　turn　my　head　until　my　darkness　goes　。。。〃
　　
　　He　walked　on；　passing　a　store　called　Reflections　of　You　between　Forty…ninth　and　Forty…eighth。　He　saw　himself　in　one　of　the　mirrors　hang…ing　in　the　display　window。　He　thought　he　looked　better　than　he　had　in　years…hair　a　little　too　long；　but　otherwise　tanned　and　fit。　The　clothes；　though　。　。　。　uh…uh；　man。　Square…bear　shit　all　the　way。　Blue　blazer；　white　shirt；　dark　red　tie；　gray　dress　pants　。。。　he　had　never　owned　a　yuppie…from…hell　outfit　like　that　in　his　life。
　　Someone　was　shaking　him。
　　Eddie　tried　to　burrow　deeper　into　the　dream。　He　didn't　want　to　wake　up　now。　Not　before　he　got　to　the　deli　and　used　his　key　to　go　through　the　door　and　into　the　field　of　roses。　He　wanted　to　see　it　all　again…the　endless　blanket　of　red；　the　overarching　blue　sky　where　those　great　white　cloud…ships　sailed；　and　the　Dark　Tower。　He　was　afraid　of　the　darkness　which　lived　within　that　eldritch　column；　waiting　to　eat　anyone　who　got　too　close；　but　he　wanted　to　see　it　again　just　the　same。　Needed　to　see　it。
　　The　hand；　however；　would　not　stop　shaking。　The　dream　began　to　darken；　and　the　smells　of　car　exhaust　along　Second　Avenue　became　the　smell　of　woodsmoke…thin　now；　because　the　fire　was　almost　out。
　　It　was　Susannah。　She　looked　scared。　Eddie　sat　up　and　put　an　arm　around　her。　They　had　camped　on　the　far　side　of　the　alder　grove；　within　earshot　of　the　stream　babbling　through　the　bone…littered　clearing。　On　the　other　side　of　the　glowing　embers　which　had　been　their　campfire；　Roland　lay　asleep。　His　sleep　was　not　easy。　He　had　cast　aside　his　single　blanket　and　lay　with　his　knees　drawn　up　almost　to　his　chest。　With　his　boots　off；　his　feet　looked　white　and　narrow　and　defenseless。　The　great　toe　of　the　right　foot　was　gone；　victim　of　the　lobster…thing　which　had　also　snatched　away　part　of　his　right　hand。
　　He　was　moaning　some　slurred　phrase　over　and　over　again。　After　a　few　repetitions；　Eddie　realized　it　was　the　phrase　he　had　spoken　before　keeling　over　in　the　clearing　where　Susannah　had　shot　the　bear：　Go；　then…there　are　other　worlds　than　these。　He　would　fall　silent　for　a　moment；　then　call　out　the　boy's　name：　〃Jake！　Where　are　you？　Jake！〃
　　The　desolation　and　despair　in　his　voice　filled　Eddie　with　horror。　His　arms　stole　around　Susannah　and　he　pulled　her　tight　against　him。　He　could　feel　her　shivering；　although　the　night　was　warm。
　　The　gunslinger　rolled　over。　Starlight　fell　into　his　open　eyes。
　　〃Jake；　where　are　you？〃　he　called　to　the　night。　〃e　back！〃
　　〃Oh　Jesus…he's　off　again。　What　should　we　do；　Suze？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。　I　just　knew　I　couldn't　listen　to　it　anymore　by　myself。　He　sounds　so　far　away。　So　far　away　from　everything。〃
　　〃Go；　then；〃　the　gunslinger　murmured；　rolling　back　onto　his　side　and　drawing　his　knees　up　once　more；　〃there　are　other　worlds　than　these。〃　He　was　silent　for　a　moment。　Then　his　chest　hitched　and　he　loosed　the　boy's　name　in　a　long；　bloodcurdling　cry。　In　the　woods　behind　them；　some　large　bird　flew　away　in　a　dry　whirr　of　wings　toward　some　less　exciting　part　of　the　world。
　　〃Do　you　have　any　ideas？〃　Susannah　asked。　Her　eyes　were　wide　and　wet　with　tears。　〃Maybe　we　should　wake　him　up？〃
　　〃I　don't　know。〃　Eddie　saw　the　gunslinger's　revolver；　the　one　he　wore　on　his　left　hip。　It　had　been　placed；　in　its　holster；　on　a　neatly　folded　square　of　hide　within　easy　reach　of　the　place　where　Roland　lay。　〃I　don't　think　I　dare；〃　he　added　at　last。
　　〃It's　driving　him　crazy。〃
　　Eddie　nodded。
　　〃What　do　we　do　about　it？　Eddie；　what　do　we　do？〃
　　Eddie　didn't　know。　An　antibiotic　had　stopped　the　infection　caused　by　the　bite　of　the　lobster…thing；　now　Roland　was　burning　with　infection　again；　but　Eddie　didn't　think　there　was　an　antibiotic　in　the　world　that　would　cure　what　was　wrong　with　him　this　time。

　　〃I　don't　know。　Lie　down　with　me；　Suze。〃
　　Eddie　threw　a　hide　over　both　of　them；　and　after　a　while　her　trembling　quieted。
　　〃If　he　goes　insane；　he　may　hurt　us；〃　she　said。
　　〃Don't　I　know　it。〃　This　unpleasant　idea　had　occurred　to　him　in　terms　of　the　bear…its　red；　hate…filled　eyes　（and　had　there　not　been　bewilderment　as　well；　lurking　deep　in　those　red　depths？）　and　its　deadly　slashing　claws。　Eddie's　eyes　moved　to　the　revolver；　lying　so　close　to　the　gunslinger's　good　left　hand；　and　he　remembered　again　how　fast　Roland　had　been　when　he'd　seen　the　mechanical　bat　swooping　down　toward　them。　So　fast　his　hand　had　seemed　to　disappear。　If　the　gunslinger　went　mad；　and　if　he　and　Susannah　became　the　focus　of　that　madness；　they　would　have　no　chance。　No　chance　at　all。
　　He　pressed　his　face　into　the　warm　hollow　of　Susannah's　neck　and　closed　his　eyes。
　　Not　long　after；　Roland　ceased　his　babbling。　Eddie　raised　his　head　and　looked　over。　The　gunslinger　appeared　to　be　sleeping　naturally　again。　Eddie　looked　at　Susannah　and　saw　that　she　had　also　gone　to　sleep。　He　lay　down　beside　her；　gently　kissed　the　swell　of　her　breast；　and　closed　his　own　eyes。
　　Not　you；　buddy；　you're　gonna　be　awake　a　long；　long　time。
　　But　they　had　been　on　the　move　for　two　days　and　Eddie　was　bone…tired。　He　drifted　off　。。。　drifted　down。
　　Back　to　the　dream；　he　thought　as　he　went。　I　want　to　go　back　to　Second　Avenue　。　。　。　back　to　Tom　and　Gerry's。　That's　what　I　want。
　　The　dream　did　not　return　that　night；　however。
　　
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　　THEY　ATE　A　QUICK　breakfast　as　the　sun　came　up；　repacked　and　redistrib…uted　the　gear；　and　then　returned　to　the　wedge…shaped　clearing。　It　didn't　look　quite　so　spooky　in　the　clear　light　of　morning；　but　all　three　of　them　were　still　at　pains　to　keep　well　away　from　the　metal　box　with　its　warning　slashes　of　black　and　yellow。　If　Roland　had　any　recollection　of　the　bad　dreams　which　had　haunted　him　in　the　night；　he　gave　no　sign。　He　had　gone　about　the　morning　chores　as　he　always　did；　in　thoughtful；　stolid　silence。
　　〃How　do　you　plan　to　keep　to　a　straight…line　course　from　here？〃　Susannah　asked　the　gunslinger。
　　〃If　the　legends　are　right；　that　should　be　no　problem。　Do　you　remem…ber　when　you　asked　about　magnetism？〃
　　She　nodded。
　　He　rummaged　deep　into　his　purse　and　at　last　emerged　with　a　small　square　of　old；　supple　leather。　Threaded　through　it　was　a　long　silver　needle。
　　〃A　pass！〃　Eddie　said。　〃You　really　are　an　Eagle　Scout！〃
　　Rola