sk.thewastelands-第59节

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　　〃My　dad　used　to　say　it　all　the　time。〃　Susannah　smiled　at　Eddie…a　stronger　smile　this　time。　〃And　anyway；　whatever　it　was　is　gone　now。　I'm　fine。〃
　　〃What　do　you　know　about　the　city；　and　the　lands　between　here　and　there？〃　Roland　asked；　picking　up　his　coffee　cup　and　sipping。　〃Are　there　harriers？　And　who　are　these　others？　These　Grays　and　Pubes？〃
　　Aunt　Talitha　sighed　deeply。
　　　
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　　〃YE'D　HEAR　MUCH；　GUNSLINGER；　and　we　know　but　little。　One　thing　I　do　know　is　this：　the　city's　an　evil　place；　especially　for　this　youngster。　Any　youngster。　Is　there　any　way　you　can　steer　around　it　as　you　go　your　course？〃
　　Roland　looked　up　and　observed　the　now　familiar　shape　of　the　clouds　as　they　flowed　along　the　path　of　the　Beam。　In　this　wide　plains　sky；　that　shape；　like　a　river　in　the　sky；　was　impossible　to　miss。
　　〃Perhaps；〃　he　said　at　last；　but　his　voice　was　oddly　reluctant。　〃I　suppose　we　could　skirt　around　Lud　to　the　southwest　and　pick　up　the　Beam　on　the　far　side。〃
　　〃It's　the　Beam　ye　follow；〃　she　said。　〃Ay；　I　thought　so。〃
　　Eddie　found　his　own　consideration　of　the　city　colored　by　the　steadily　strengthening　hope　that　when　and　if　they　got　there；　they　would　find　help…abandoned　goodies　which　would　aid　them　in　their　quest；　or　maybe　even　some　people　who　could　tell　them　a　little　more　about　the　Dark　Tower　and　what　they　were　supposed　to　do　when　they　got　there。　The　ones　called　the　Grays；　for　instance…they　sounded　like　the　sort　of　wise　old　elves　he　kept　imagining。
　　The　drums　were　creepy；　true　enough；　reminding　him　of　a　hundred　low…budget　jungle　epics　（mostly　watched　on　TV　with　Henry　by　his　side　and　a　bowl　of　popcorn　between　them）　where　the　fabulous　lost　cities　the　explorers　had　e　looking　for　were　in　ruins　and　the　natives　had　degen…erated　into　tribes　of　blood…thirsty　cannibals；　but　Eddie　found　it　impossible　to　believe　something　like　that　could　have　happened　in　a　city　that　looked；　at　least　from　a　distance；　so　much　like　New　York。　If　there　were　not　wise　old　elves　or　abandoned　goodies；　there　would　surely　be　books；　at　least；　he　had　listened　to　Roland　talk　about　how　rare　paper　was　here；　hut　every　city　Eddie　had　ever　been　in　was　absolutely　drowning　in　books。　They　might　even　find　some　working　transportation；　the　equivalent　of　a　Land　Rover　would　be　nice。　That　was　probably　just　a　silly　dream；　but　when　you　had　thousands　of　miles　of　unknown　territory　to　cover；　a　few　silly　dreams　were　undoubtedly　in　order；　if　only　to　keep　your　spirits　up。　And　weren't　those　things　at　least　possible；　damn　it？
　　He　opened　his　mouth　to　say　some　of　these　things；　but　Jake　spoke　before　he　could。
　　〃I　don't　think　we　can　go　around；〃　he　said；　then　blushed　a　little　when　they　all　turned　to　look　at　him。　Oy　shifted　at　his　feet。
　　〃No？〃　Aunt　Talitha　said。　〃And　why　do　ye　think　that；　pray　tell？〃
　　〃Do　you　know　about　trains？〃　Jake　asked。
　　There　was　a　long　silence。　Bill　and　Till　exchanged　an　uneasy　glance。　Aunt　Talitha　only　looked　at　Jake　steadily。　Jake　did　not　drop　his　eyes。
　　〃I　heard　of　one；〃　she　said。　〃Mayhap　even　saw　it。　Over　there。〃　She　pointed　in　the　direction　of　the　Send。　〃Long　ago；　when　I　was　but　a　child　and　the　world　hadn't　moved　on　。。。　or　at　least　not　s'far's　it　has　now。　Is　it　Blaine　ye　speak　of；　boy？〃
　　Jake's　eyes　flashed　in　surprise　and　recognition。　〃Yes！　Blaine！〃　Roland　was　studying　Jake　closely。
　　〃And　how　would　ye　know　of　Blaine　the　Mono？〃　Aunt　Talitha　asked。
　　〃Mono？〃　Jake　looked　blank。
　　〃Ay；　so　it　was　called。　How　would　you　know　of　that　old　lay？〃
　　Jake　looked　helplessly　at　Roland；　then　back　at　Aunt　Talitha。　〃I　don't　know　how　I　know。〃
　　And　that's　the　truth；　Eddie　thought　suddenly；　but　it's　not　all　the　truth。　He　knows　more　than　he　wants　to　tell　here　。　。　。　and　I　think　he's　scared。
　　〃This　is　our　business；　I　think；〃　Roland　said　in　a　dry；　brisk　administra…tor's　voice。　〃You　must　let　us　work　it　out　for　ourselves；　Old　Mother。〃
　　〃Ay；〃　she　agreed　quickly。　〃You'll　keep　your　own　counsel。　Best　that　such　as　us　not　know。〃
　　〃What　of　the　city？〃　Roland　prompted。　〃What　do　you　know　of　Lud？〃
　　〃Little　now；　but　what　we　know；　ye　shall　hear。〃　And　she　poured　herself　another　cup　of　coffee。
　　　
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　　IT　WAS　THE　TWINS；　Bill　and　Till；　who　actually　did　most　of　the　talking；　one　taking　up　the　tale　smoothly　whenever　the　other　left　off。　Every　now　and　then　Aunt　Talitha　would　add　something　or　correct　something；　and　the　twins　would　wait　respectfully　until　they　were　sure　she　was　done。　Si　didn't　speak　at　all…merely　sat　with　his　untouched　coffee　in　front　of　him；　plucking　at　the　pieces　of　straw　which　bristled　up　from　the　wide　brim　of　his　sombrero。
　　They　knew　little；　indeed；　Roland　realized　quickly；　even　about　the　history　of　their　own　town　（nor　did　this　surprise　him；　in　these　latter　days；　memories　faded　rapidly　and　all　but　the　most　recent　past　seemed　not　to　exist）；　but　what　they　did　know　was　disturbing。　Roland　was　not　surprised　by　this；　either。
　　In　the　days　of　their　great…great…grandparents；　River　Crossing　had　been　much　the　town　Susannah　had　imagined：　a　trade…stop　at　the　Great　Road；　modestly　prosperous；　a　place　where　goods　were　sometimes　sold　but　more　often　exchanged。　It　had　been　at　least　nominally　part　of　River　Barony；　although　even　then　such　things　as　Baronies　and　Estates　o'　Land　had　been　passing。
　　There　had　been　buffalo…hunters　in　those　days；　although　the　trade　had　been　dying　out；　the　herds　were　small　and　badly　mutated。　The　meat　of　these　mutant　beasts　was　not　poison；　but　it　had　been　rank　and　bitter。　Yet　River　Crossing；　located　between　a　place　they　simply　called　The　Land…ing　and　the　village　of　Jimtown；　had　been　a　place　of　some　note。　It　was　on　the　Great　Road　and　only　six　days　travel　from　the　city　by　land　and　three　by　barge。　〃Unless　the　river　were　low；〃　one　of　the　twins　said。　〃Then　it　took　longer；　and　my　gran'da　said　there　was　times　when　there　was　barges　grounded　all　the　way　upriver　to　Tom's　Neck。〃
　　The　old　people　knew　nothing　of　the　city's　original　residents；　of　course；　or　the　technologies　they　had　used　to　build　the　towers　and　turrets；　these　were　the　Great　Old　Ones；　and　their　history　had　been　lost　in　the　furthest　reaches　of　the　past　even　when　Aunt　Talitha's　great…great…grandfa…ther　had　been　a　boy。
　　〃The　buildings　are　still　standing；〃　Eddie　said。　〃I　wonder　if　the　machines　the　Great　Golden　Oldies　used　to　build　them　still　run。〃
　　〃Mayhap；〃　one　of　the　twins　said。　〃If　so；　young　fella；　there　don't　be　ary　man　or　woman　that　lives　there　now　who'd　still　know　how　to　run　em　。。。　or　so　I　believe；　so　I　do。〃
　　〃Nay；〃　his　brother　said　argumentatively；　〃I　doubt　the　old　ways　are　entirely　lost　to　the　Grays　'n　Pubes；　even　now。〃　He　looked　at　Eddie。　〃Our　da'　said　there　was　once　electric　candles　in　the　city。　There　are　those　who　say　they　mought　still　burn。〃
　　〃Imagine　that；〃　Eddie　replied　wonderingly；　and　Susannah　pinched　his　leg；　hard；　under　the　table。
　　〃Yes；〃　the　other　twin　said。　He　spoke　seriously；　unaware　of　Eddie's　sarcasm。　〃You　pushed　a　button　and　they　came　on…bright；　heatless　can…dles　with　ary　wicks　or　reservoirs　for　oil。　And　I've　heard　it　said　that　once；　in　the　old　days；　Quick；　the　outlaw　prince；　actually　Hew　up　into　the　sky　in　a　mechanical　bird。　But　one　of　its　wings　broke　and　he　died　in　a　great　fall；　like　Icarus。〃
　　Susannah's　mouth　dropped　open。　〃You　know　the　story　of　Icarus？〃
　　〃Ay；　lady；〃　he　said；　clearly　surprised　she　should　find　this　strange。　〃He　of　the　beeswax　wings。〃
　　〃Children's　stories；　both　of　them；〃　Aunt　Talitha　said　with　a　sniff。　〃I　know　the　story　of　the　endless　lights　is　true；　for　I　saw　them　with　my　own　eyes　when　I　was　but　a　green　girl；　and　they　may　still　glow　from　time　to　time；　ay；　there　are　those　I　trust　who　say　they've　seen　diem　on　clear　nights；　although　it's　been　long　years　since　I　have　myself。　But　no　man　ever　flew；　not　even　the　Great　Old　Ones。〃
　　Nonetheless；　there　were　strange　machines　in　the　city；　built　to　do　peculiar　and　sometimes　dangerous　things。　Many　of　them　might　still　run；　but　the　elderly　twins　reckoned　that　none　now　in　the　city　knew　how　to　start　them　up；　for　they　hadn't　been　heard　in　years。
　　Maybe　that　could　change；　though；　Eddie　thought；　his　eyes　gleaming。　If；　that　is；　an　enterprising；　travel…minded　young　man　with　a　little　knowl…edge　of　strange　machinery　and　endless　lights　came　along。　It　could　be　just　a　matter　of　finding　the　ON　switches。　I　mean；　it　really　could　be　that　simple。　Or　maybe　they　just　blew　a　bunch　of　fuses…think　of　that；　friends　and　neighbors！　Just　replace　half　a　dozen　400…amp　Busses　and　light　the　whole　place　up　like　a　Reno　Saturday　night！
　　Susannah　elbowed　him　and　asked；　in　a　low　voice；　what　was　so　funny。　Eddie　shook　his　head　and　put　a　finger　to　his　lips；　earning　an　irritated　look　from　the　love　of　his　life。　The　albinos；　meanwhile；　were　continuing　their　story；　handing　its　thread　back　and　forth　with　the　unconscious　ease　which　probably　nothing　but　lifetime　twinship　can　provide。
　　Four　or　five　generations　ago；　they　said；　the　city　had　still　been　quite　heavily　populated　and　reasonably　civilized；　although　the　residents　drove　wagons　and　buckboards　along　the　wide　boulevards　the　Great　Old　Ones　had　constructed　for　their　fabulous　horseless　vehicles。　The　city…dwellers　were　artisans　and　what　the　twins　called　〃manufactories；〃　and　trade　both　on　the　river　and　over　it　had　been　brisk。