sk.thewastelands-第55节

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d　fold　its　wings　and　drop　like　a　stone；　probably　on　a　fishing　expedition。　The　road　and　the　river　were　moving　slowly　toward　one　another；　although　the　junction　point　could　not　yet　be　seen。
　　They　could　see　more　buildings　ahead。　Most　looked　like　farms；　and　all　appeared　deserted。　Some　of　them　had　fallen　down；　but　these　wrecks　seemed　to　be　the　work　of　time　rather　than　violence；　furthering　Eddie's　and　Jake's　hopes　of　what　they　might　find　in　the　city…hopes　each　had　kept　strictly　within　himself；　lest　the　others　scoff。　Small　herds　of　shaggy　beasts　grazed　their　way　across　the　plains。　They　kept　well　away　from　the　road　except　to　cross；　and　this　they　did　quickly；　at　a　gallop；　like　packs　of　small　children　afraid　of　traffic。　They　looked　like　bison　to　Jake　。　。　。　except　he　saw　several　which　had　two　heads。　He　mentioned　this　to　the　gunslinger　and　Roland　nodded。
　　〃Muties。〃
　　〃Like　under　the　mountains？〃　Jake　heard　the　fear　in　his　own　voice　and　knew　the　gunslinger　must；　also；　but　he　was　helpless　to　keep　it　out。　He　remembered　that　endless　nightmare　journey　on　the　handcart　very　well。
　　〃I　think　that　here　the　mutant　strains　are　being　bred　out。　The　things　we　found　under　the　mountains　were　still　getting　worse。〃
　　〃What　about　up　there？〃　Jake　pointed　toward　the　city。　〃Will　there　be　mutants　there；　or…〃　He　found　it　was　as　close　as　he　could　e　to　voicing　his　hope。
　　Roland　shrugged。　〃I　don't　know；　Jake。　I'd　tell　you　if　I　did。〃
　　They　were　passing　an　empty　building…almost　surely　a　farmhouse…that　had　been　partially　burnt。　But　that　amid　have　been　lighting；　Jake　thought；　and　wondered　which　it　was　he　was　trying　to　do…explain　to　himself　or　fool　himself。
　　Roland；　perhaps　reading　his　mind；　put　an　arm　around　Jake's　shoul…ders。　〃No　use　even　trying　to　guess；　Jake；〃　he　said。　〃Whatever　happened　here　happened　long　ago。〃　He　pointed。　〃That　over　there　was　probably　a　corral。　Now　it's　just　a　few　sticks　poking　out　of　the　grass。〃
　　〃The　world　has　moved　on；　right？〃
　　Roland　nodded。
　　〃What　about　the　people？　Did　they　go　to　the　city；　do　you　think？〃
　　〃Some　may　have；〃　Roland　said。　〃Some　are　still　around。〃
　　〃What？〃　Susannah　jerked　around　to　look　at　him；　startled。
　　Roland　nodded。　〃We've　been　watched　the　last　couple　of　days。　There　aren't　a　lot　of　folk　denning　in　these　old　buildings；　but　there　are　some。　There'll　be　more　as　we　get　closer　to　civilization。〃　He　paused。　〃Or　what　used　to　be　civilization。〃
　　〃How　do　you　know　they're　there？〃　Jake　asked。
　　〃Smelled　them。　Seen　a　few　gardens　hidden　behind　banks　of　weeds　grown　purposely　to　hide　the　crops。　And　at　least　one　working　windmill　way　back　in　a　grove　of　trees。　Mostly；　though；　it's　just　a　feeling　。　。　。　like　shade　on　your　face　instead　of　sunshine。　It'll　e　to　you　three　in　time；　I　imagine。〃
　　〃Do　you　think　they're　dangerous？〃　Susannah　asked。　They　were　approaching　a　large；　ramshackle　building　that　might　once　have　been　a　storage　shed　or　an　abandoned　country　market；　and　she　eyed　it　uneasily；　her　hand　dropping　to　the　butt　of　the　gun　she　wore　on　her　chest。
　　〃Will　a　strange　dog　bite？〃　the　gunslinger　countered。
　　〃What's　that　mean？〃　Eddie　asked。　〃I　hate　it　when　you　start　up　with　your　Zen　Buddhist　shit；　Roland。〃
　　〃It　means　I　don't　know；〃　Roland　said。　〃Who　is　this　man　Zen　Bud…dhist？　Is　he　wise　like　me？〃
　　Eddie　looked　at　Roland　for　a　long；　long　time　before　deciding　the　gunslinger　was　making　one　of　his　rare　jokes。　〃Ah；　get　outta　here；〃　he　said。　He　saw　one　corner　of　Roland's　mouth　twitch　before　he　turned　away。　As　Eddie　started　to　push　Susannah's　chair　again；　something　else　caught　his　eye。　〃Hey；　Jake！〃　he　called。　〃I　think　you　made　a　friend！〃
　　Jake　looked　around；　and　a　big　grin　overspread　his　face。　Forty　yards　to　the　rear；　the　scrawny　billy…bumbler　was　limping　industriously　after　them；　sniffing　at　the　weeds　which　grew　between　the　crumbling　cobbles　of　the　Great　Road。
　　　
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　　SOME　HOURS　LATER　ROLAND　called　a　halt　and　told　them　to　be　ready。
　　〃For　what？〃　Eddie　asked。
　　Roland　glanced　at　him。　〃Anything。〃
　　It　was　perhaps　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon。　They　were　standing　at　a　point　where　the　Great　Road　crested　a　long；　rolling　drumlin　which　ran　diagonally　across　the　plain　like　a　wrinkle　in　the　world's　biggest　bed…spread。　Below　and　beyond；　the　road　ran　through　the　first　real　town　they　had　seen。　It　looked　deserted；　but　Eddie　had　not　forgotten　the　conversa…tion　that　morning。　Roland's　question…Will　a　strange　dog　bite？…no　longer　seemed　quite　so　Zenny。
　　〃Jake？〃
　　〃What？〃
　　Eddie　nodded　to　the　butt　of　the　Ruger；　which　protruded　from　the　waistband　of　Jake's　bluejeans…the　extra　pair　he　had　tucked　into　his　pack　before　leaving　home。　〃Do　you　want　me　to　carry　that？〃
　　Jake　glanced　at　Roland。　The　gunslinger　only　shrugged；　as　if　to　say　It's　your　choice。
　　〃Okay。〃　Jake　handed　it　over。　He　unshouldered　his　pack；　rummaged　through　it；　and　brought　out　the　loaded　clip。　He　could　remember　reaching　behind　the　hanging　files　in　one　of　his　father's　desk　drawers　to　get　it；　but　all　that　seemed　to　have　occurred　a　long；　long　time　ago。　These　days；　thinking　about　his　life　in　New　York　and　his　career　as　a　student　at　Piper　was　like　looking　into　the　wrong　end　of　a　telescope。
　　Eddie　took　the　clip；　examined　it；　rammed　it　home；　checked　the　safety；　then　stuck　the　Ruger　in　his　own　belt。
　　〃Listen　closely　and　heed　me　well；〃　Roland　said。　〃If　there　are　people；　they'll　likely　be　old　and　much　more　frightened　of　us　than　we　are　of　them。　The　younger　folk　will　be　long　gone。　It's　unlikely　that　those　left　will　have　firearms…in　fact；　ours　may　be　the　first　guns　many　of　them　have　ever　seen；　except　maybe　for　a　picture　or　two　in　the　old　books。　Make　no　threatening　gestures。　And　the　childhood　rule　is　a　good　one：　speak　only　when　spoken　to。〃
　　〃What　about　bows　and　arrows？〃　Susannah　asked。
　　〃Yes；　they　may　have　those。　Spears　and　clubs；　as　well。〃
　　〃Don't　forget　rocks；〃　Eddie　said　bleakly；　looking　down　at　the　cluster　of　wooden　buildings。　The　place　looked　like　a　ghost…town；　but　who　knew　for　sure？　〃And　if　they're　hard　up　for　rocks；　there's　always　the　cobbles　from　the　road。〃
　　〃Yes；　there's　always　something；〃　Roland　agreed。　〃But　we'll　start　no　trouble　ourselves…is　that　clear？〃
　　They　nodded。
　　〃Maybe　it　would　be　easier　to　detour　around。〃　Susannah　said。
　　Roland　nodded；　eyes　never　leaving　the　simple　geography　ahead。　Another　road　crossed　the　Great　Road　at　the　center　of　the　town；　making　the　dilapidated　buildings　look　like　a　target　centered　in　the　telescopic　sight　of　a　high…powered　rifle。　〃It　would；　but　we　won't。　Detouring's　a　bad　habit　that's　easy　to　get　into。　It's　always　better　to　go　straight　on；　unless　there's　a　good　visible　reason　not　to。　I　see　no　reason　not　to　here。　And　if　there　are　people；　well；　that　might　be　a　good　thing。　We　could　do　with　a　little　palaver。〃
　　Susannah　reflected　that　Roland　seemed　different　now；　and　she　didn't　think　it　was　simply　because　the　voices　in　his　mind　had　ceased。　This　is　the　way　he　was　when　he　still　had　wars　to　fight　and　men　to　lead　and　his　old　friends　around　him；　she　thought。　How　he　was　before　the　world　moved　on　and　he　moved　on　with　it；　chasing　that　man　Walter。　This　is　how　he　was　before　the　Big　Empty　turned　him　inward　on　himself　and　made　him　strange。
　　〃They　might　know　what　those　drum　sounds　are；〃　Jake　suggested。
　　Roland　nodded　again。　〃Anything　they　know…particularly　about　the　city…would　e　in　handy；　but　there's　no　need　to　think　ahead　too　much　about　people　who　may　not　even　be　there。〃
　　〃Tell　you　what；〃　Susannah　said；　〃I　wouldn't　e　out　if　I　saw　us。　Four　people；　three　of　them　armed？　We　probably　look　like　a　gang　of　those　old…time　outlaws　in　your　stories；　Roland…what　do　you　call　them？〃
　　〃Harriers。〃　His　left　hand　dropped　to　the　sandalwood　grip　of　his　remaining　revolver　and　he　pulled　it　a　little　way　out　of　the　holster。　〃But　no　harrier　ever　born　carried　one　of　these；　and　if　there　are　old…timers　in　yon　village；　they'll　know　it。　Let's　go。〃
　　Jake　glanced　behind　them　and　saw　the　bumbler　lying　in　the　road　with　his　muzzle　between　his　short　front　paws；　watching　them　closely。　〃Oy！〃　Jake　called。
　　〃Oy！〃　the　bumbler　echoed；　and　scrambled　to　its　feet　at　once。
　　They　started　down　the　shallow　knoll　toward　the　town　with　Oy　trot…ting　along　behind　them。
　　　
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　　Two　BUILDINGS　ON　THE　outskirts　had　been　burned；　the　rest　of　the　town　appeared　dusty　but　intact。　They　passed　an　abandoned　livery　stable　on　the　left；　a　building　that　might　have　been　a　market　on　the　right；　and　then　they　were　in　the　town　proper…such　as　it　was。　There　were　perhaps　a　dozen　rickety　buildings　standing　on　either　side　of　the　road。　Alleys　ran　between　some　of　them。　The　other　road；　this　one　a　dirt　track　mostly　overgrown　with　plains　grass；　ran　northeast　to　southwest。
　　Susannah　looked　at　its　northeast　arm　and　thought：　Once　there　were　barges　on　the　river；　and　somewhere　down　that　road　there　was　a　landing；　and　probably　another　shacky　little　town；　mostly　saloons　and　cribs；　built　up　around　it。　That　was　the　last　point　of　trade　before　the　barges　went　on　down　to　the　city。　The　wagons　came　through　this　place　going　to　that　place　and　then　back　again。　How　long　ago　was　that？
　　She　didn't　know…but　a　long　time；　from　the　look　of　this　place。
　　Somewhere　a　rusty　hinge　squalled　monotonously。　Somewhere　else　one　shutter　clap