sk.thewastelands-第57节

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　shine　was。　Si　was　crying。
　　〃A　gunslinger！　I　told　you；　Mercy！　I　seen　the　shooting…iron　and　told　you！〃
　　〃No　harriers？〃　she　asked；　as　if　unable　to　believe　it。　〃Are　you　sure　they　ain't　harriers；　Si？〃
　　Roland　turned　to　Eddie。　〃Make　sure　of　the　safety　and　then　give　her　Jake's　gun。〃
　　Eddie　pulled　the　Ruger　from　his　waistband；　checked　the　safety；　and　then　put　it　gingerly　in　the　blind　woman's　hands。　She　gasped；　almost　dropped　it；　then　ran　her　hands　over　it　wonderingly。　She　turned　the　empty　sockets　where　her　eyes　had　been　up　to　the　man。　〃A　gun！〃　she　whispered。　〃My　sainted　hat！〃
　　〃Ay；　some　kind；〃　the　old　man　replied　dismissively；　taking　it　from　her　and　giving　it　back　to　Eddie；　〃but　the　gunslinger's　got　a　real　one；　and　there's　a　woman　got　another。　She's　got　a　brown　skin；　too；　like　my　da'　said　the　people　of　Garlan　had。〃
　　Oy　gave　his　shrill；　whistling　bark。　Jake　turned　and　saw　more　people　ing　up　the　street…five　or　six　in　all。　Like　Si　and　Mercy；　they　were　all　old；　and　one　of　them；　a　woman　hobbling　over　a　cane　like　a　witch　in　a　fairy…tale；　looked　positively　ancient。　As　they　neared；　Jake　realized　that　two　of　the　men　were　identical　twins。　Long　white　hair　spilled　over　the　shoulders　of　their　patched　homespun　shirts。　Their　skin　was　as　white　as　fine　linen；　and　their　eyes　were　pink。　Albinos；　he　thought。
　　The　crone　appeared　to　be　their　leader。　She　hobbled　toward　Roland's　party　on　her　cane；　staring　at　them　with　gimlet　eyes　as　green　as　emeralds。　Her　toothless　mouth　was　tucked　deeply　into　itself。　The　hem　of　the　old　shawl　she　wore　fluttered　in　the　prairie　breeze。　Her　eyes　settled　upon　Roland。
　　〃Hail；　gunslinger！　Well　met！〃　She　spoke　the　High　Speech　herself；　and；　like　Eddie　and　Susannah；　Jake　understood　the　words　perfectly；　although　he　guessed　they　would　have　been　gibberish　to　him　in　his　own　world。　〃Wele　to　River　Crossing！〃
　　The　gunslinger　had　removed　his　own　hat；　and　now　he　bowed　to　her；　tapping　his　throat　three　times；　rapidly；　with　his　diminished　right　hand。　〃Thankee…sai；　Old　Mother。〃
　　She　cackled　freely　at　this　and　Eddie　suddenly　realized　Roland　had　at　the　same　time　made　a　joke　and　paid　a　pliment。　The　thought　which　had　already　occurred　to　Susannah　now　came　to　him：　This　is　how　he　was　。　。　。　and　this　is　what　he　did。　Part　of　it；　anyway。

　　〃Gunslinger　ye　may　be；　but　below　your　clothes　you're　but　another　foolish　man；〃　she　said；　lapsing　into　low　speech。
　　Roland　bowed　again。　〃Beauty　has　always　made　me　foolish；　mother。〃
　　This　time　she　positively　cawed　laughter。　Oy　shrank　against　Jake's　leg。　One　of　the　albino　twins　rushed　forward　to　catch　the　ancient　as　she　rocked　backward　within　her　dusty　cracked　shoes。　She　caught　her　balance　on　her　own；　however；　and　made　an　imperious　shooing　gesture　with　one　hand。　The　albino　retreated。
　　〃Be　ye　on　a　quest；　gunslinger？〃　Her　green　eyes　gleamed　shrewdly　at　him；　the　puckered　pocket　of　her　mouth　worked　in　and　out。
　　〃Ay；〃　Roland　said。　〃We　go　in　search　of　the　Dark　Tower。〃
　　The　others　only　looked　puzzled；　but　the　old　woman　recoiled　and　forked　the　sign　of　the　evil　eye…not　at　them；　Jake　realized；　but　to　the　southeast；　along　the　path　of　the　Beam。
　　〃I'm　sorry　to　hear　it！〃　she　cried。　〃For　no　one　who　ever　went　in　search　of　that　black　dog　ever　came　back！　So　said　my　grandfather；　and　his　grandfather　before　him！　Not　ary　one！〃
　　〃Ka；〃　the　gunslinger　said　patiently；　as　if　this　explained　everything　。　。　。　and；　Jake　was　ing　to　realize；　to　Roland　it　did。
　　〃Ay；〃　she　agreed；　〃black　dog　ka！　Well…a…well；　ye'll　do　as　ye're　called；　and　live　along　your　path；　and　die　when　it　es　to　the　clearing　in　the　trees。　Will　ye　break　bread　with　us　before　you　push　on；　gunslinger？　You　and　your　band　of　knights？〃
　　Roland　bowed　again。　〃It　has　been　long　and　long　since　we　have　broken　bread　in　pany　other　than　our　own；　Old　Mother。　We　cannot　stay　long；　but　yes…we'll　eat　your　food　with　thanks　and　pleasure。〃
　　The　old　woman　turned　to　the　others。　She　spoke　in　a　cracked　and　ringing　voice…yet　it　was　the　words　she　spoke　and　not　the　tone　in　which　they　were　spoken　that　sent　chills　racing　down　Jake's　back：　〃Behold　ye；　the　return　of　the　White！　After　evil　ways　and　evil　days；　the　White　es　again！　Be　of　good　heart　and　hold　up　your　heads；　for　ye　have　lived　to　see　the　wheel　of　ka　begin　to　turn　once　more！〃
　　　
　　　6
　　THE　OLD　WOMAN；　WHOSE　name　was　Aunt　Talitha；　led　them　through　the　town　square　and　to　the　church　with　the　leaning　spire…it　was　The　Church　of　the　Blood　Everlasting；　according　to　the　faded　board　on　the　run…to…riot　lawn。　Written　over　the　words；　in　green　paint　that　had　faded　to　a　ghost；　was　another　message：　DEATH　TO　GRAYS。
　　She　led　them　through　the　ruined　church；　hobbling　rapidly　along　the　center　aisle　past　the　splintered　and　overturned　pews；　down　a　short　flight　of　stairs；　and　into　a　kitchen　so　different　from　the　ruin　above　that　Susan…nah　blinked　in　surprise。　Here　everything　was　neat　as　a　pin。　The　wooden　floor　was　very　old；　but　it　had　been　faithfully　oiled　and　glowed　with　its　own　serene　inner　light。　The　black　cookstove　took　up　one　whole　corner。　It　was　immaculate；　and　the　wood　stacked　in　the　brick　alcove　next　to　it　looked　both　well…chosen　and　well…seasoned。
　　Their　party　had　been　joined　by　three　more　senior　citizens；　two　women　and　a　man　who　limped　along　on　a　crutch　and　a　wooden　leg。　Two　of　the　women　went　to　the　cupboards　and　began　to　make　themselves　busy；　a　third　opened　the　belly　of　the　stove　and　struck　a　long　sulphur　match　to　the　wood　already　laid　neatly　within；　a　fourth　opened　another　door　and　went　down　a　short　set　of　narrow　steps　into　what　looked　like　a　cold…pantry。　Aunt　Talitha；　meanwhile；　led　the　rest　of　them　into　a　spacious　entry　at　the　rear　of　the　church　building。　She　waved　her　cane　at　two　trestle　tables　which　had　been　stored　there　under　a　clean　but　ragged　dropcoth；　and　the　two　elderly　albinos　immediately　went　over　and　began　to　wrestle　with　one　of　them。
　　〃e　on；　Jake；〃　Eddie　said。　〃Let's　lend　a　hand。〃
　　〃Nawp！〃　Aunt　Talitha　said　briskly。　〃We　may　be　old；　but　we　don't　need　p'ny　to　lend　a　hand！　Not　yet；　youngster！〃
　　〃Leave　them　be；〃　Roland　said。
　　〃Old　fools'll　rupture　themselves；〃　Eddie　muttered；　but　he　followed　the　others；　leaving　the　old　men　to　their　chosen　table。
　　Susannah　gasped　as　Eddie　lifted　her　from　her　chair　and　carried　her　through　the　back　door。　This　wasn't　a　lawn　but　a　showplace；　with　beds　of　flowers　blazing　like　torches　in　the　soft　green　grass。　She　saw　some　she　recognized…marigolds　and　zinnias　and　phlox…but　many　others　were　strange　to　her。　As　she　watched；　a　horsefly　landed　on　a　bright　blue　petal　。　。　。　which　at　once　folded　over　it　and　rolled　up　tight。
　　〃Wow！〃　Eddie　said；　staring　around。　〃Busch　Gardens！〃
　　Si　said；　〃This　is　the　one　place　we　keep　the　way　it　was　in　the　old　days；　before　the　world　moved　on。　And　we　keep　it　hidden　from　those　who　ride　through…Pubes；　Grays；　harriers。　They'd　bum　it　if　they　knew　。　。　。　and　kill　us　for　keeping　such　a　place。　They　hate　anything　nice…all　of　em。　It's　the　one　thing　all　those　bastards　have　in　mon。〃
　　The　blind　woman　tugged　his　arm　to　shush　him。
　　〃No　riders　these　days；〃　the　old　man　with　the　wooden　leg　said。　〃Not　for　a　long　time　now。　They　keep　closer　in　to　the　city。　Guess　they　find　all　they　need　to　keep　em　well　right　there。〃
　　The　albino　twins　struggled　out　with　the　table。　One　of　the　old　women　followed　them；　urging　them　to　hurry　up　and　get　the　hell　out　of　her　way。　She　held　a　stoneware　pitcher　in　each　hand。
　　〃Sit　ye　down；　gunslinger！〃　Aunt　Talitha　cried；　sweeping　her　hand　at　the　grass。　〃Sit　ye　down；　all！〃
　　Susannah　could　smell　a　hundred　conflicting　perfumes。　They　made　her　feel　dazed　and　unreal；　as　if　this　was　a　dream　she　was　having。　She　could　hardly　believe　this　strange　little　pocket　of　Eden；　carefully　hidden　behind　the　crumbling　facade　of　the　dead　town。
　　Another　woman　came　out　with　a　tray　of　glasses。　They　were　mismatched　but　spotless；　twinkling　in　the　sun　like　fine　crystal。　She　held　the　tray　out　first　to　Roland；　then　to　Aunt　Talitha；　Eddie；　Susannah；　and　Jake　at　the　last。　As　each　took　a　glass；　the　first　woman　poured　a　dark　golden　liquid　into　it。
　　Roland　leaned　over　to　Jake；　who　was　sitting　tailor…fashion　near　an　oval　bed　of　bright　green　flowers　with　Oy　at　his　side。　He　murmured：　〃Drink　only　enough　to　be　polite；　Jake；　or　we'll　be　carrying　you　out　of　town…this　is　graf…strong　apple…beer。〃
　　Jake　nodded。
　　Talitha　held　up　her　glass；　and　when　Roland　followed　suit；　Eddie；　Susannah；　and　Jake　did　the　same。
　　〃What　about　the　others？〃　Eddie　whispered　to　Roland。
　　〃They'll　be　served　after　the　voluntary。　Now　be　quiet。〃
　　〃Will　ye　set　us　on　with　a　word；　gunslinger？〃　Aunt　Talitha　asked。
　　The　gunslinger　got　to　his　feet；　his　glass　upraised　in　his　hand。　He　lowered　his　head；　as　if　in　thought。　The　few　remaining　residents　of　River　Crossing　watched　him　respectfully　and；　Jake　thought；　a　little　fearfully。　At　last　he　raised　his　head　again。　〃Will　you　drink　to　the　earth；　and　to　the　days　which　have　passed　upon　it？〃　he　asked。　His　voice　was　hoarse；'　trembling　with　emotion。　〃Will　you　drink　to　the　fullness　which　was；　and　to　friends　who　have　passed　on？　Will　you　drink　to　good　pany；　well　met？　Will　these　things　set　us　on；　Old　Mother？〃
　　She　was　weeping；　Jake　saw；　but　her　face　broke　into　a　smile　of　radiant　happiness　all　the　same　。